At the beginning, the best participants of the side events were given presents by Mark Glukhovsky, Executive Director of the Chess Federation of Russia, and Mikhail Levin, Director of the computer intelligence department of Yandex.Market.
Lukasz Turlej, FIDE Vice-President, Mark Glukhovsky, and Vitaliy Strukov, Vice-president of Total Russia, gave speeches at the Closing Ceremony.
Lukasz Turlej, FIDE Vice-President, thanked the participants of the tournament and guests: “On behalf of FIDE President Mr Arkady Dvorkovich, I would like to congratulate you all on your wonderful performances – it was a great event with many amazing games”. Turlej also thanked the sponsors of the tournament, King Salman of Saudi Arabia and the Saudi chess federation, as well as partners of the event – the French gas company Total, and Russian companies PhosAgro and Gazprom. “I wish you all many successes in 2020, especially here in Moscow, at the 2020 Chess Olympiad”, Turley concluded.
Vitaliy Strukov, Vice-president of Total Russia was also among the speakers at the award ceremony: “I would like to congratulate all of the prize-winners. May you have more victories and success in the coming year”.
The ceremony was closed by Mark Glukhovsky, the Director of the Moscow Rapid and Blitz tournament: “I would like to thank everyone who helped in the organisation and for making this a great event. I would also like to thank the Chess federation of Russia and FIDE and to extend my gratitude to the press which was present in great numbers at this event. Also, a special thanks goes to the spectators – because of you this championship was inspiring. Thank you all and hope to see you next year”.
Rami Altassan, President of the Saudi Chess Federation, took part in the prize-giving ceremony as well
A special prize for the best-combined performance in the Rapid and the Blitz in the Women’s category, awarded by TOTAL went to Anna Muzychuk (Ukraine). All medalists were given Happy New Year gifts from Ranault Russia.
The ceremony was concluded with fireworks.
