2016 IMSA Elite mindgames (2/2)

Continued from part one

Blitz Games

Photos by Gu Xiaobing at the official site

The Blitz games were 30-round-marathons in both sections spread across three days. The time control used was 3min+2sec/move and there was not much of note in terms of quality in the games.

On Day One, GM Valentina Gunina (2598) set the Women’s section ablaze with a perfect 10/10, but she could not keep her momentum, and at the end of Day Two she was barely holding on to her lead with 15.5/20.

The leader’s upheaval was completed on Day Three when GM Kateryna Lagno (2594), who had been at Gunina’s heels all along, surpassed her ‘compatriot’ to win the Gold with 21.5/30, half a point ahead of Gunina who had to be content with silver.

Former Women’s World Champion GM Antoaneta Stefenova (2518) took bronze

Final Women's Blitz standings

Just as in the Rapids, things were much hotter in the Men’s section of the Blitz games. Chinese No. 1 Ding Liren and India No. 2 Pentala Harikrishna were the early leaders on the first day with 7.5/10.

Ding Liren (2688) was in fine form in the Blitz segment…

…and so was Harikrishna (2661) as both stars were in the lead with 7.5/10.

Things were moving along nicely on Day Two as well with Ding Liren comfortably perched atop the leaderboard on 14.5/20 with Hari half a point behind. Behind them in third was Rauf Mamedov (2810).

Rauf Mamedov (2810) was running strong with 12.0/20

Things began to go haywire on Day Three as Hari was only able to score 4.0/10, barely hanging on to the bronze on tiebreak.

Meanwhile, Mamedov won a crucial final round game against Ding, who scored only 3.0/10
on the last day, thus losing his place on the podium

Thus, Mamedov took Gold with 19.5/30, while Tomashevsky took Silver with 18.5/30 and
Harikrishna was bronze on tiebreak with 18/30.

Final Men's Blitz standings

Basque Games

The IMSA Mind Games entered its final phase with Basque games. In this format two players compete on two boards at the same time against each other playing white on one board, and black on the other.

In other words, the players were playing two games at the same time in a five-round tournament!

Former Women’s World Champion GM Alexandra Kostenuik won the gold with a half-point
lead after scoring 7.0/10…

…while GM Nana Dzagnidze took home the silver with 6.5/9.

Things could have become slightly trickier had Kosteniuk not been able to salvage a vital half point by miraculously saving a game against Zhao Xue in which she was down a whole piece!

Final Women's standings

In the Men’s section, Ding was in no mood to leave things to chance as he sealed gold with 7.0/10

Ivanchuk-Ding Liren

Ivanchuk has just offered Ding a queen trade with 28.d4. How should Black respond?

Although he didn’t quite dazzle us with his usual tricks, our beloved Chucky is always welcome!

And so is GM David Navara, who took home the Silver with 6.0/10

Links Official tournament site All Rapid men games in PGN All Rapid men TB games in PGN All Rapid women games in PGN All Blitz men games in PGN All Blitz women games in PGN All Basque men games in PGN All Basque women games in PGN The games are being broadcast live on the official web site and on the chess server Playchess.com. If you are not a member you can download a free Playchess client there and get immediate access. You can also use ChessBase 13 or any of our Fritz compatible chess programs.