# FIDE Women's Grand Prix 2015–16

The FIDE Women's Grand Prix 2015–16 was a series of five chess tournaments exclusively for women, which determined one player to play in the Women's World Chess Championship Match 2018, a 10-game match against the knockout world champion.
This was the fourth cycle of the tournament series. Top ranked player was Hou Yifan, who won the previous three editions of the Grand Prix, but had withdrawn participation after playing in the first tournament. The overall Grand Prix was won by Chinese player Ju Wenjun, who overtook Koneru Humpy at the last tournament. Koneru Humpy thereby finished overall runner-up for the fourth time.

## Format

Originally the Grand Prix was scheduled as a 4-event tour. However, at the March 2016 FIDE Presidential Board meeting, a fifth event was then added, which replaced the Women's Knockout championship. Sixteen women were selected to compete in these tournaments, though with the expansion the total became twenty, along with extras to replace the withdrawn Hou Yifan. Each player agrees to a contract to participate in exactly three of these tournaments. The players must rank their preference of tournaments once the final list of host cities is announced and the dates are allocated to each host city.
Each tournament is a 12-player, single round-robin tournament. In each round players score 1 point for a win, ½ point for a draw and 0 for a loss. Grand Prix points were then allocated according to each player's standing in the tournament: 160 grand prix points for first place, 130 for second place, 110 for third place, and then 90 down to 10 points by increments of 10. In case of a tie in points the Grand Prix points are shared evenly by the tied players.
Players only count their three best tournament results. The player with the most Grand Prix points is the winner. FIDE reserved the right to change locations and dates and increase the tournaments to six (6) and players to eighteen (18), each player in four (4) tournaments. Eventually they expanded the Grand Prix but not in the contractual manner specified, deciding to add a fifth stop at their Moscow presidential meeting (March 2016), with approximately 20 players in all taking part, keeping 3 tournaments per player.

## Players and qualification

Players invited base on qualifying criteria were:
* The four semi-finalists of the Women's World Chess Championship 2015:
* Mariya Muzychuk
* Natalia Pogonina
* Pia Cramling
* Harika Dronavalli
* The six highest ranked players (averaged over a year):
* Hou Yifan
* Koneru Humpy
* Nana Dzagnidze
* Ju Wenjun
* Anna Muzychuk
* Valentina Gunina
* Two FIDE presidential nominees
* Antoaneta Stefanova
* Alexandra Kosteniuk
* Five organizer nominees:
* Almira Skripchenko
* Sarasadat Khademalsharieh
* Nino Batsiashvili
* Zhao Xue
* Olga Girya
* Other players appearing in tournaments:
* Natalia Zhukova
* Lela Javakhishvili
* Bela Khotenashvili
* Two players appearing only one tournament:
* Elina Danielian
* Tan Zhongyi
In May, 2016, Hou Yifan announced that she was dropping out of the Women's Grand Prix because she disagrees with the process of determining the Women's World Champion. FIDE has kept every second Women's World Championship as a 64-player knockout tournament since 2010, which Hou characterized as a "lottery." The winner of the knockout is the Women's World Champion, and then plays the overall winner of the Grand Prix. Hou believes that as the current World Champion she should defend her title against a challenger (as the Men's World Championship is decided), rather than playing in qualifying tournaments and then having to play against the winner of the knockout tournament. Alternatively, under the current setup, if she wins both the knockout tournament and the Grand Prix, she would have to play the woman who took second place in the Grand Prix for the title. In the 2013-2014 cycle, Hou was unable to play in the knockout tournament because she had already committed to play in another venue when the knockout tournament was scheduled; therefore, she lost her title to Mariya Muzychuk temporarily and regained it in a match in 2016 (delayed from 2015). Hou also said she will not be playing in the knockout tournament in this cycle.

## Prize money and Grand Prix points

The prize money for the single tournaments and the overall series stayed the same as the previous year, that is €60,000 per single Grand Prix and €90,000 for the overall Grand Prix finish.
| Place | Single Grand Prix event | Overall standings | Grand Prix points |
| 1 | €10,000 | €25,000 | 160 |
| 2 | €8,250 | €20,000 | 130 |
| 3 | €6,750 | €15,000 | 110 |
| 4 | €5,750 | €10,000 | 90 |
| 5 | €5,000 | €7,500 | 80 |
| 6 | €4,500 | €5,500 | 70 |
| 7 | €4,250 | €4,000 | 60 |
| 8 | €4,000 | €3,000 | 50 |
| 9 | €3,250 | – | 40 |
| 10 | €3,000 | – | 30 |
| 11 | €2,750 | – | 20 |
| 12 | €2,500 | – | 10 |

## Tiebreaks

With the objective of determining a clear, single winner to play in the Challenger Match and in the case of the top two or more players having equal cumulative points, the following criteria (in descending order) will be utilized to decide the overall winner:
* Number of actual game result points scored in the three tournaments.
* Number of first places (in case of a tie – points given accordingly).
* Number of second places (in case of a tie – points given accordingly).
* Number of wins.
* Drawing of lots.

## Schedule

Like the men's Grand Prix, the number of tournaments were reduced, here from six to five.
| No. | Host city | Date | Winner | Points (Win/draw/loss) |
| 1 | Monte Carlo, Monaco | 2–16 October 2015 | Hou Yifan (CHN) | 9/11 (+8=2-1) |
| 2 | Tehran, Iran | 10–24 February 2016 | Ju Wenjun (CHN) | 7.5/11 (+4=7-0) |
| 3 | Batumi, Georgia | 19 April – 3 May 2016 | Valentina Gunina (RUS) | 7.5/11 (+6=3-2) |
| 4 | Chengdu, China | 1 – 15 July 2016 | Harika Dronavalli (IND) Koneru Humpy (IND) | 7/11 (+3=8-0) 7/11 (+5=4-2) |
| 5 | Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia | 18 November – 2 December 2016 | Ju Wenjun (CHN) | 7.5/11 (+5=5-1) |

## Events crosstables
### Monaco 2015

    1st stage, Monte Carlo, Monaco, 2–16 October 2015 PlayerRating123456789101112TotalRating ChangeH2HVictoriesSBTPRGP 1 Hou Yifan (CHN)2671 *1011½11½1119+110845.002766160 2 Mariya Muzychuk (UKR)2528 0*1½½½11½1½½7+131436.002619120 3 Koneru Humpy (IND)2578 10*½½10101117+50636.002614120 4 Pia Cramling (SWE)2513 0½½*½½1½½0116+17½329.00255485 5 Natalija Pogonina (RUS)2445 0½½½*½011½½166½328.25256085 6 Alexandra Kosteniuk (RUS)2525 ½½0½½*01½½½15½-11426.75251765 7 Antoaneta Stefanova (BUL)2500 001011*0½½½15½+30227.25251965 8 Nana Dzagnidze (GEO)2573 000½001*1½½15-140421.25247650 9 Almira Skripchenko (FRA)2441 0½00½½½0*1½14½+31½220.25245930 10 Natalia Zhukova (UKR)2485 0001½½½½½*½½4½-51122.25245530 11 Anna Muzychuk (UKR)2549 ½½1½0½½00½*½4½-15½126.50245030 12 Sarasadat Khademalsharieh (IRI)2402 0½000000½½0*1½-22008.00221910

### Tehran 2016

    2nd stage, Tehran, Iran, 10–24 February 2016 PlayerRating123456789101112TotalRating ChangeH2HVictoriesSBTPRGP 1 Ju Wenjun (CHN)2558 *½½½11½½½11½7½+110439.252631160 2 Sarasadat Khademalsharieh (IRI)2403 ½*1½½½01½½117+311436.002614120 3 Zhao Xue (CHN)2506 ½0*1½01½11½17+150535.002605120 4 Natalia Pogonina (RUS)2454 ½½0*110½11016½+181534.00257385 5 Nana Dzagnidze (GEO)2529 0½½0*½1110116½+60531.50256685 6 Koneru Humpy (IND)2583 0½10½*½1½½1½6-80330.50253270 7 Natalia Zhukova (UKR)2484 ½1010½*½10½½5½+30330.50250560 8 Valentina Gunina (RUS)2496 ½0½½000*½1½14½-9½222.00250445 9 Harika Dronavalli (IND)2511 ½½000½½½*½1½4½-11½122.50243845 10 Pia Cramling (SWE)2529 0½001½10½*½04-180222.50240030 11 Antoaneta Stefanova (BUL)2509 00½100½½0½*½3½-21½118.75237015 12 Nino Batsiashvili (GEO)2485 ½0000½½0½1½*3½-17½117.50237215
* Sarasadat Khademalsharieh achieved a 9-game GM norm, her first one.

### Batumi 2016

    3rd stage, Batumi, Georgia, 19 April – 3 May 2016 PlayerRating123456789101112TotalRating ChangeH2HVictoriesSBTPRGP 1 Valentina Gunina (RUS)2497 *1½110½1101½7½+210640.252634160 2 Alexandra Kosteniuk (RUS)2557 0*½½11½½011½6½+10433.752560130 3 Nino Batsiashvili (GEO)2476 ½½*1½0½½110½6+91333.002539100 4 Anna Muzychuk (UKR)2555 0½0*1½1½1½½½6-40331.252532100 5 Zhao Xue (CHN)2504 00½0*11½10½15½-12427.75250070 6 Nana Dzagnidze (GEO)2535 101½0*½0½1½½5½-6½331.00249770 7 Almira Skripchenko (FRA)2453 ½½½00½*1½½½15½+8½229.00250570 8 Mariya Muzychuk (UKR)2561 0½½½½10*½10½5-151½227.00245940 9 Lela Javakhishvili (GEO)2489 01000½½½*½115-31325.50246640 10 Olga Girya (RUS)2442 100½10½0½*1½5+5½327.75247040 11 Elina Danielian (ARM)2445 001½½½½100*½4½-10224.25244120 12 Bela Khotenashvili (GEO)2493 ½½½½0½0½0½½*4-140023.00239910

### Chengdu 2016

    4th stage, Chengdu, China, 1–15 July 2016 PlayerRating123456789101112TotalRating ChangeH2HVictoriesSBTPRGP 1 Harika Dronavalli (IND)2526 *1½½½½½½1½1½7+131337.502612145 2 Koneru Humpy (IND)2575 0*½10½11½11½7+50536.002607145 3 Ju Wenjun (CHN)2578 ½½*½1½0½½½½16-61½232.00254193⅓ 4 Antoaneta Stefanova (BUL)2512 ½0½*½½1½1½½½6+51231.75254793⅓ 5 Anna Muzychuk (UKR)2545 ½10½*1½½½½½½6-1½233.25254493⅓ 6 Bela Khotenashvili (GEO)2454 ½½½½0*½1½0½15½+91½229.25251660 7 Zhao Xue (CHN)2510 ½010½½*½½½½15½+01228.50251160 8 Mariya Muzychuk (UKR)2545 ½0½½½0½*½½115½ -6½227.75250860 9 Lela Javakhishvili (GEO)2487 0½½0½½½½*1½½5-11126.50247735 10 Olga Girya (RUS)2444 ½0½½½1½½0*½½5+60127.25248135 11 Tan Zhongyi (CHN)2495 00½½½½½0½½*½4-120021.25241120 12 Pia Cramling (SWE)2463 ½½0½½000½½½*3½-120020.00238310

### Khanty-Mansiysk 2016

    5th stage, Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia, 18 November – 2 December 2016 PlayerRating123456789101112TotalRating ChangeH2HVictoriesSBTPRGP 1 Ju Wenjun (CHN)2580 *111½½0½½½1+7½+204160 2 Nino Batsiashvili (GEO)2489 0*0½1½111½016½+1005130 3 Valentina Gunina (RUS)2525 01*0½1100½116-22½582 4 Sarasadat Khademalsharieh (IRI)2435 0½1*½½½½½1½½6+142½282 5 Harika Dronavalli (IND)2543 ½0½½*½½1½½½16-42282 6 Olga Girya (RUS)2450 ½½0½½*½½01116+111½382 7 Alexandra Kosteniuk (RUS)2555 100½½½*½½11½6-61½382 8 Natalia Zhukova (UKR)2448 ½01½0½½*½½½15½ +70250 9 Bela Khotenashvili (GEO)2426 ½01½½10½*0½½5+50240 10 Natalia Pogonina (RUS)2492 ½½½0½00½½*½½4½-10½025 11 Lela Javakhishvili (GEO)2461 010½½0½½½½*½4½-6½125 12 Almira Skripchenko (FRA)2455 -00½00½0½½½*2½-210010

## Grand Prix standings

At the third tournament it was mentioned top ranked Hou Yifan had withdrawn from the Grand-Prix. Koneru Humpy was leading the table after four tournaments. After winning in the tenth round of the last tournament, Ju Wenjun secured the overall Grand Prix win.
| Rank | Player | Sep.2015 Rating | Monte Carlo | Tehran | Batumi | Chengdu | Khanty- Mansiysk | Total |
| 1 | Ju Wenjun (CHN) | 2542 | | 160 | | 93⅓ | 160 | 413⅓ |
| 2 | Koneru Humpy (IND) | 2578 | 120 | 70 | | 145 | | 335 |
| 3 | Valentina Gunina (RUS) | 2529 | | 45 | 160 | | 82 | 287 |
| 4 | Alexandra Kosteniuk (RUS) | 2530 | 65 | | 130 | | 82 | 277 |
| 5 | Harika Dronavalli (IND) | 2508 | | 45 | | 145 | 82 | 272 |
| 6 | Zhao Xue (CHN) | 2524 | | 120 | 70 | 60 | | 250 |
| 7 | Nino Batsiashvili (GEO) | 2500 | | 15 | 100 | | 130 | 245 |
| 8 | Anna Muzychuk (UKR) | 2549 | 30 | | 100 | 93⅓ | | 223⅓ |
| 9 | Mariya Muzychuk (UKR) | 2528 | 120 | | 40 | 60 | | 220 |
| 10 | Sarasadat Khademalsharieh (IRI) | 2397 | 10 | 120 | | | 82 | 212 |
| 11 | Nana Dzagnidze (GEO) | 2573 | 50 | 85 | 70 | | | 205 |
| 12 | Natalia Pogonina (RUS) | 2445 | 85 | 85 | | | 25 | 195 |
| 13 | Antoaneta Stefanova (BUL) | 2500 | 65 | 15 | | 93⅓ | | 173⅓ |
| 14 | Hou Yifan (CHN) | 2671 | 160 | | | | | 160 |
| 15 | Olga Girya (RUS) | 2483 | | | 40 | 35 | 82 | 157 |
| 16 | Natalia Zhukova (UKR) | 2482 | 30 | 60 | | | 50 | 140 |
| 17 | Pia Cramling (SWE) | 2513 | 85 | 30 | | 10 | | 125 |
| 18 | Almira Skripchenko (FRA) | 2441 | 30 | | 70 | | 10 | 110 |
| 19 | Bela Khotenashvili (GEO) | 2502 | | | 10 | 60 | 40 | 110 |
| 20 | Lela Javakhishvili (GEO) | 2463 | | | 40 | 35 | 25 | 100 |
| 21 | Elina Danielian (ARM) | 2474 | | | 20 | | | 20 |
| 21 | Tan Zhongyi (CHN) | 2492 | | | | 20 | | 20 |