World Blitz Championship
World Blitz Chess Championship Doha, Qatar Dec. 29-30, 2016
Final Top Standings
(in tie break order) 1-2. Sergey Karjakin RUS 2800, Magnus Carlsen NOR 2873, 16.5/21
3-5. Daniil Dubov RUS 2724, Hikaru Nakamura USA 2842, Alexander Grischuk RUS 2761, 14.5/21
6. Maxime Vachier- Lagrave FRA 2823, 14.0/21
7-12. Leinier Dominguez Perez CUB 2783, Anton Korobov UKR 2666, Vassily Ivanchuk UKR 2754, Viswanathan Anand IND 2754, Peer Leko HUN 2697, Ian Nepomniachtchi RUS 2830
13-18. Salem AR Saleh UAE 2636, Wei Yi CHN 2636, Baadur Jobava GEO 2752, Yu Yangyi CHN 2712, Alexander Riazantsev RUS 2678, Vladimir Onischuk UKR 2740, 12.5/21 Total of 108 participants Time Control: three minutes playto-finish with two seconds added after every move
Last November, Magnus Carlsen and Sergey Karjakin faced off in New York to determine the World Chess Championship in classical chess. They tied the match and Magnus prevailed in the tie break rapid games. Last December, they contended once again for the World Chess Championship, but this time in blitz chess.
There were 106 other players in the blitz competition but from beginning to end it was the race between the two which grabbed the attention of the chessplaying public.
Karjakin started out with six wins from his first six games including victories over Alexander Grischuk (always a tough adversary in fast time controls) and Magnus Carlsen. After this very hot start he could only score two wins and
six draws from his next eight games. In round 15 Karjakin lost to Hikaru Nakamura and Magnus Carlsen completed his recovery and took over the lead by a full point.
In the final 6 rounds Carlsen lost to Ivanchuk, defeated Radjabov, Jobava, Onischuk and Anand before being held to a draw with Peter Leko in the last round. This proved insufficient — Karjakin drew with Korobov and defeated Mamedjarov, Ivanchuk, Peter Leko, Wojtaszek and Baadur Jobava to finish in a deadheat with the Norwegian and claim the gold medal on better tie breaks. Some people would say that Peter Leko determined the final standings, for he held Carlsen to a draw in the last round and lost quite easily to Karjakin in the 19th round. But you would have to look at the game Karjakin vs Leko — it wasn’t easy! In fact Karjakin would declare after the tournament that it was his best game from the event. *** Karjakin, Sergey (2800) — Leko, Peter (2697) [C54] Wch Blitz 2016 Doha (19.2), 30.12.2016 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.0–0
In Karsten Mueller’s new book on the Italian Game he remarks that here it is often very important that white does not play h2– h3 when Black has not yet castled, as otherwise the second player can aim for ...g7–g5–g4. Castling quickly has the idea of playing Re1 as soon as possible to discourage Black’s ...d7–d5. 4...Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.a4 a6 7.c3 0–0 8.h3 Ba7 9.Nbd2 Ne7 10.Re1 c6
The Hiarcs opening books, which were developed in tandem with thousands upon thousands of computer vs computer games, takes a dim view to this move and prefers to maintain a strongpoint at e5 via 10...Ng6 11.b4 h6 12.d4 Re8 with an equal position. 11.b4 Ng6 12.d4 exd4 13.cxd4 d5 14.exd5
The problem with 14. Bd3 is that Black gets an attack with 14...Nf4 15.Bb1 Bxh3!? 16.gxh3 Qd7 17.Nf1 Nxh3+ 18.Kg2 Nh5 19.N1h2 White has a piece for two pawns but this is not the type of position I want to be in blitz time controls. 14...Nxd5 15.Qb3 Be6 16.b5 axb5 17.axb5 Ndf4 18.Bxe6 Nxe6 19.Ba3 Nxd4 20.Nxd4 Bxd4 21.Rad1 [21.Bxf8? Rxa1 22.Rxa1 Bxa1 Black is clearly better]
21...Re8 22.Ne4 Qb6 <D>
POSITION AFTER 22...QB6 23.Nd6!? Doesn’t this move lose a rook to 23... Rxe1+ 24.Rxe1 Bxf2+? 23...Rxe1+ 24.Rxe1 Bxf2+ 25.Kh1 Bxe1 26.Qxf7+
The point. White has forced mate.
26...Kh8 27.Bb2 Rg8 28.Nf5 1–0
The threat of Bxg7+ is fatal, so Black resigns.
As to Magnus Carlsen, I would like to show you two of his games as they illustrate very clearly why he is world champion — his technique is magnificent!
Alexander Riazantsev is no longer another one of those “strong Russian GMs who didn’t get a chance to shine.” He won several strong tournaments and was named as the coach of the Russian women’s national team. He jumped into the limelight last October by winning the Russian SuperFinals and then followed it up by coming out on top in the European Rapid Championships. *** Riazantsev, Alexander (2678) — Carlsen, Magnus (2873) [D15] FIDE World Blitz Championship Doha (9.1), 29.12.2016 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e3 a6 The so-called Chebanenko System.
5.Nf3 Bf5 6.Qb3 Ra7
Yes, this is an ugly move, but quite typical for this system. The other possibility is also interesting: 6...b5!? 7.cxd5 cxd5 8.a4 b4! 9.Qxb4 Nc6 with compensation for the pawn. Let us take a further look. 10.Qc5 (10.Qb7? Na5) 10...Na5 11.Qa3 (11.Bxa6 Rxa6 12.Qb5+ Rc6 13.Ne5 Bd7 Black is ok) 11...e6 12.b4 Nc6 13.Na2 Qb8 14.Bd2
Ne4 15.Rc1 Qb7 White has to be careful. Chiburdanidze,M (2497)-Gustafsson,J (2570) Lippstadt 2003 1/2 29.
7.Nh4 Bc8 8.a4 e6 9.a5 c5! 10.Nf3 Nc6 11.cxd5 exd5 12.Qb6 Ra8 13.dxc5 Qxb6 14.cxb6 Bb4
Black reckons that he can win the two White pawns on a5 and b6 and emerge from the opening a pawn up.
15. Bd2 Bxa5 16. Na4 Bxd2+ 17.Nxd2 d4 18.Nc4 Ke7 19.Be2 Rd8 20.0–0 Be6 21.b3 dxe3 22.fxe3 Rab8 23.Nc5 Rd5 24.Nxe6 fxe6 25.Bf3 Rc5 26.Rfd1 Nd5 27.Rac1 Rd8 28.Kf2 Rb5 29.Rd3 Ncb4 30.Rd2 Nc6 31.Rd3 Rd7 32.Rcd1 Nxb6 33.Bxc6 Rxd3 34.Rxd3 bxc6 35.Nxb6 Rxb6
Mission accomplished, but is it enough to win? We all know how difficult it is to win rook and pawn endgames.
36.Ke2 Rb5 37.Rc3 Kd6 38.Kf3 a5 39.Ke4 Rb4+ 40.Kd3 c5 41.Kc2 Kc6 42. Rd3 c4 43. bxc4 Rxc4+ 44. Kb3 Rb4+ 45.Kc3 Rb8 46.Rd4 Rb5 47.Rg4 g5 48. h4 h6 49. hxg5 hxg5 50. Rd4 Rc5+ 51.Kb3 Re5!
Magnus coaxes the e-pawn forward before exchanging rooks. This is a crucial tempo as you will see later. Remember this is a blitz game and both players were making their moves instantaneously. For those watching the game live the final execution is really impressive. 52.e4 Rb5+ 53.Kc3 Rb4! 54.Rxb4 axb4+ 55.Kxb4 Kd6
With White’s pawn on e3 instead of e4 this position would have been a draw.
56.Kc4 Ke5 57.Kd3 Kf4
With the white pawn on e3 this move would not have been possible. 58.Kd4 g4 59.e5 Kg3
[59...g3? throws away the win: 60.Kd3 Kxe5 61.Ke3 Kf5 62.Kf3 etc]
60.Kc5 Kxg2 61.Kd6 Kf3 62.Kxe6 g3 63.Kf7 g2 64.e6 g1Q 65.e7 Qa7 0–1
After 65... Qa7 Riazantsev resigns. The finish would have been 66.Kf8 Qc5 67.Kf7 Qf5+ 68.Kg8 Qe6+ 69.Kf8 Qf6+ 70.Ke8 Kf4 71.Kd7 Qf5+ 72.Kd8 Qd5+ 73. Kc7 Qe6 74. Kd8 Qd6+ 75. Ke8 Kf5 76. Kf7 ( 76. Kf8 Kf6) 76... Qg6+ 77. Kf8 Kf6 78. e8N+ ( 78. e8Q Qg7#) 78... Ke6 79.Ng7+ Kd7 80.Kg8 Ke7 81.Kh8 Kf7 and mate next move] *** Radjabov, Teimour (2800) — Carlsen, Magnus (2873) [D16] Wch Blitz 2016 Doha (17.1), 30.12.2016 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 e6 6.e3 c5 7.Bxc4 cxd4 8.exd4 Nc6 9.0–0 Be7 10.Re1 0–0 11.Bf4 Nd5 12.Bg3 Bb4 13.Qd3 Nce7 14.Rac1 b6 15.Bh4 Bb7 16.Nxd5 Bxd5 17.Red1 f6 18.Bg3 Rc8 19.b3 Nf5 20.Bf4 Qd7 21.h3 Ne7 22.Bb5 Qd8 23.Bc4 Qe8 24.Qe2 Qf7 25.Rc2 Rfd8 26.Rdc1 Ba3 27.Re1 Kf8 28.Bd2 Bd6 29.Rec1 Qe8 30.Qd3 Qg6 31.Qxg6 hxg6 32.Be3 Rc7 33.Nd2 Bb4 34.Bf4 Rcc8 35.Be3 g5 36.Ba6 Rxc2 37.Rxc2 Nf5
Black has attained just the slightest of advantages — his kingside pawns are more mobile while white’s d- pawn is isolated and cannot move.
38. Bc4 Rc8 39. Nf1 Nd6 40. Bd2 Ba3 41.Ne3 Nxc4 42.bxc4 Bc6 43.a5 Bd6 44. axb6 axb6 45. Rb2 Bc7 46.Bb4+ Kf7 47.d5 exd5 48.cxd5 Bd7 49.d6?
This move looks good but is not as it gives Black an easier target than if it were left on e5. 49...Bd8 50.g4 g6 51.Ra2 f5 52.gxf5 gxf5 53.Re2 Rc1+ 54.Kh2 Bc6 55.Re1
Radjabov does not want to exchange rooks but he has no choice. After 55.Ng2 Bf6 his position is paralyzed. Black has threats of ...Be5+,...f5–f4–f3 and ...Rf1 and he cannot parry them all.
55...Rxe1 56.Bxe1 Ke6 57.Bb4 Bf6 58. Kg1 b5 59. Bc5 Be5 60. Nc2 Bd7 61. f3 Kd5 62. Be3 f4 63. Bd2 Bxh3 64.Nb4+ Kc4 65.Kh2 Bd7 0–1
Magnus Carlsen finished 2016 with the highest ratings for:
Standard Chess (1 Carlsen 2840, 2 Caruana 2827, 3 Kramnik 2811, 4 Wesley So 2808, 5 Maxime Vachier-Lagrave 2796)
Rapid Chess (1 Carlsen 2896, 2 Ivanchuk 2827, 3 Mamedyarov 2825, 4 Grischuk 2822, 5 Nepomniachtchi 2819)
Blitz Chess (1 Carlsen 2914, 2 Karjakin 2883, 3 Ding Liren 2875, 4 Nakamura 2851, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave 2825)
He tied for first in the world championships of all three time controls:
Standard Chess tied 6-6 with Sergey Karjakin in their New York match. Won the rapid playoff with a 3-1 score to get the title.
Rapid Chess tied for first place with Ivanchuk and Grischuk, feel to 3rd place on tie breaks.
Blitz Chess tied for first place with Sergey Karjakin but fell to 2nd place on tie breaks.
Magnus Carlsen held all three world titles in 2014. I am sure he will try to remedy the rapid and blitz titles in 2017.