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Alireza Firouzja had a final attempt to boost his rating in the January list and qualify for the Candidates by playing 6 games, three two games matches, against Alexandre Dgebuadze, Andrei Shchekachev and Sergey Fedorchuk in Chartres, 18th to 22nd December 2023. This was similar to the successful method Ding Liren used to qualify for the last Candidates. Whilst due to Covid-19 I had some sympathy with Ding trying to play enough games to qualify after an enforced break, this now just doesn't seem right to me. I think it's going to be very tricky for Firouzja to boost his rating enough anyhow. I used to be in favour of the strongest non-qualified player getting a place by rating, but I think it's no longer supportable. The organisation of events that only exist to aid the qualification of a player for the Candidates by rating cannot be the way forward. Preferably all qualification should come from winning individual events or a high place in an Interzonal style tournament. I believe the weaknesses of both a Grand Prix and highest rating have clearly been shown in the last two cycles. Firouzja scored 5/5 but drew the final game and this seems to have left Wesley So as the qualifier. It's probably a great relief for FIDE who intimated they might not rate these games. This should be the last time players qualify directly by rating also. Maybe a tournament among the top 6 rated non qualifiers instead?

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Chartres Noel Match1 2023 Chartres FRA Mon 18th Dec 2023 - Fri 22nd Dec 2023 Leading Final Round 2 Standings:
Rk	Name	Ti	FED	Rtg	1	2	Pts
1	Firouzja, Alireza	GM	FRA	2763	1	1	2
2	Dgebuadze, Alexandre	GM	BEL	2439	0	0	0
2 players

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Chartres Noel Match2 2023 Chartres FRA Mon 18th Dec 2023 - Fri 22nd Dec 2023 Leading Final Round 2 Standings:
Rk	Name	Ti	FED	Rtg	1	2	Pts
1	Firouzja, Alireza	GM	FRA	2763	1	1	2
2	Shchekachev, Andrei	GM	FRA	2506	0	0	0
2 players

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Chartres Noel Match3 2023 Chartres FRA Mon 18th Dec 2023 - Fri 22nd Dec 2023 Leading Final Round 2 Standings:
Rk	Name	Ti	FED	Rtg	1	2	Pts
1	Firouzja, Alireza	GM	FRA	2763	1	=	1.5
2	Fedorchuk, Sergey A.	GM	UKR	2546	0	=	0.5
2 players

Chartres Noel Match4 2023 Chartres FRA Mon 18th Dec 2023 - Sat 23rd Dec 2023 Leading Final Round 2 Standings:
Rk	Name	Rtg	1	2	Pts
1	Fedorchuk, Sergey	2546	1	=	1.5
2	Osmak, Yuliia	2452	0	=	0.5
2 players

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