The Race for the 2024 Candidates Events

The new year saw a flurry of activity related to the next stage of the current cycle (all links are fide.com):-

• 2023-12-18: FIDE statement on rating specific tournaments • 'Concerns have arisen regarding the [Chartres, France] tournament's potential purpose -- whether it was orchestrated to aid Mr Firouzja in boosting his rating for potential qualification into the Candidates Tournament 2024'
• 2024-01-01: FIDE January 2024 rating list: Firouzja and Koneru qualify for Candidates
• 2024-01-13: Magnus Carlsen withdraws from Candidates 2024, the spot goes to Nijat Abasov
• 2024-01-15: FIDE publishes regulations for 2024 Candidates Tournaments

That last link includes full lists of the players who qualified for the two Candidates events and how they qualified:-

Candidates (*):-
Ian Nepomniachtchi, 2023 Match Runner-up
R Praggnanandhaa, 2023 World Cup 2nd
Fabiano Caruana, 2023 World Cup 3rd
Nijat Abasov, 2023 World Cup 4th
Vidit Santosh Gujrathi, 2023 Grand Swiss winner
Hikaru Nakamura, 2023 Grand Swiss 2nd
Alireza Firouzja, Best by Rating
Gukesh D, 2023 FIDE Circuit Winner

(*) Magnus Carlsen, who qualified for the Candidates by winning the 2023 World Cup, earlier informed FIDE that he will not be taking part in the event. As per FIDE Candidates qualification paths, Nijat Abasov, who finished 4th in the World Cup, took his place.

Women's Candidates:-
Lei Tingjie, 2023 Match Runner-up
Kateryna Lagno, 2022-23 WGP 1st
Aleksandra Goryachkina, 2022-23 WGP 2nd
Nurgyul Salimova, 2023 World Cup 2nd
Anna Muzychuk, 2023 World Cup 3rd
Vaishali Rameshbabu, 2023 Grand Swiss 1st
Tan Zhongyi, 2023 Grand Swiss 2nd
Humpy Koneru, Best by Rating (World Cup spot replacement)

Also worth noting is an official page on a new feature of the current cycle:-

• FIDE Circuit 2023 (wcc.fide.com) • 'FIDE Circuit is the new path to qualify for the FIDE Candidates Tournament 2024.'

Since the FIDE announcements are 'Just the facts, Ma'am', reports from the chess news sites add substantial background and color.

• 2023-10-25: Race for the Candidates: Four places still up for grabs (chessbase.com; Carlos Alberto Colodro)
• 2023-11-30: Kasparov: Can’t Follow the FIDE Mathematics (saintlouischessclub.org; video)
• 2023-11-30: Dominguez: After FIDE’s Changes, I Will Fight for the Candidates (saintlouischessclub.org; video)
• 2023-12-05: US Chess: Candidate Tournament Qualification Letter to FIDE (chessbase.com)
• 2023-12-06: FIDE Clarification On Candidates Race Draws Reactions (chess.com; TarjeiJS)
• 2023-12-19: FIDE statement on rating specific tournaments (chessbase.com)
• 2023-12-25: Caruana wins FIDE Circuit, second spot to be decided in Samarkand (chessbase.com)
• 2023-12-27: Firouzja playing in Rouen, FIDE changes tournament registration procedure (chessbase.com; Carlos Alberto Colodro)
• 2023-12-29: Firouzja Overtakes Wesley So To Grab Candidates Rating Spot (chess.com; Colin_McGourty)
• 2024-01-01: Gukesh, Firouzja and Humpy make it to the Candidates (chessbase.com; Carlos Alberto Colodro)
• 2024-01-03: The participants of the Candidates (chessbase.com; André Schulz)
• 2024-01-04: It's official: Carlsen will not play in the Candidates (chessbase.com; André Schulz) • 'Carlsen has now announced on his X account'
• 2024-01-15: Carlsen Confirms He Will Formally Decline Candidates Invitation (chess.com; TarjeiJS) • 'GM Magnus Carlsen was included in FIDE's full lineup for the Candidates tournament this week, but in an exclusive interview with Chess.com the former world champion says that he is formally turning down the invitation to play in Toronto.'

For both Candidates tournaments, the FIDE calendar says, 'Toronto, Canada • 03 Apr 2024 • 25 Apr 2024'.