Aeroflot Open 2013: Blitz tournament won by Nepomniachtchi

by ChessBase
2/18/2013 – The Aeroflot Open Blitz tournament was a great success and brought in a large number of aficionados and fans to play blitz games with the very best. It was eighteen rounds of action headed by top-seed Sergey Karjakin with 2901 FIDE Blitz, followed by Dmitri Andreikin (2877), Alexander Grischuk (2860), and over 270 further players. Large pictorial.

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The venue is the International informational exhibition centre “InfoProstranstvo” (above) in Moscow, and the total prize fund of all tournaments in the festival amounts to US $150,000. This year's event is especial because it is the 90th anniversary of the leading Russian airline that lends it its name.

Schedule

  • February 12-13: qualifying rapid tournament, a nine round Swiss played at 15 minutes per game plus 10 seconds per move increment.

  • February 14: massive blitz tournament with eight guest stars (e.g. Alexander Grischuk, Peter Svidler, Dmitry Andreikin, Sergey Karjakin, Ian Nepomniachtchi, Wang Hao and Shahriyar Mammadyarov). Nine round Swiss, three minutes per game plus two seconds increment per move. Prize fund US $50,000.

  • February 15: Knockout tournament with 32 winners of the qualifying rounds. In each round two games are played, at 15 minutes per game plus 10 seconds increment per move. In case of a draw there will be an Armageddon blitz – 5 minutes (White) vs 4 minutes (Black) + 3 seconds increment, which White must win. Eight winners go into the main final. Participants who took places 9-16 get $1,500, places 17-32 get $ 1,000.

  • February 16-17: Grand Final with eight guest stars (Alexander Grischuk, Peter Svidler, Dmitry Andreikin, Sergey Karjakin, Ian Nepomniachtchi, Wang Hao and Shahriyar Mammadyarov) and the eight winners of the qualifying competition. Knock-out system, with two games at 15 minutes per game plus 10 seconds per move and Armageddon tie break. Prize fund $72,000 (1st 16,000, 2nd 10,000, 3-4 $6,000, 5-8 $3,500, 9-16 $2,500).

  • February 17: closing ceremonies (February 18 departure).

Aeroflot Open 2013 - Blitz tournament

The Aeroflot Open Blitz tournament was a great success and brought in a large number of afficionados and fans to play blitz games with the very best. It was nine double-rounds of action headed by top-seed Sergey Karjakin with 2901 FIDE Blitz rating, followed by Dmitri Andreikin (2877), Alexander Grischuk (2860), and over 270 further players. Vladimir Barsky and Eteri Kublashvili bring a pictorial report on the action of the day. Sadly, game scores are currently not available.


Sergei Rublevsky and Alexander Grischuk


Alexander Morozevich in the foreground, with Sergey Karjakin behind.
Moro (2804) was doing quite well until the penultimate round when he
lost 0-2 to Azeri GM Rauf Mamedov.


Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (2734) was also going strong, and was also
derailed in the penultimate round, in his case, by Ernesto Inarkiev.


Boris Savchenko managed to come in 5th with 13.5/18 despite losing
his mini-match to Ian Nepomniachtchi.


Chinese GM Wang Hao


Peter Svidler showed his class and came in clear second with 14.5/18


Second seed Dmitry Andreikin (2877) had a rough end with 0.5/4


The ever-creative Jobava Baadur


GM Katerina Lahno finished with 10.0/18


Indian GM Harika Dronavilli pipped her with 10.5/18


12-year old Russian junior Saveliy Golubov (2369 Blitz) watches the game
between Gata Kamsky and Pavel Tregubov. Kamsky won both games.


Mamedyarov observes the mini-match between Jobava Baadur and his
compatriot Rauf Mamedov. Mamedov (2651) won and had a superb result,
finishing 8th with 13.5/18 and a 2857 performance.


GM Igor Naumkin: his face says it all


Alexandra Kosteniuk had a dream start with 8.0/8 until round nine, her
fifth opponent, Ian Nepomniachtchi. To his credit, Nepomniachtchi never
relinquished that seat at board one.


To make things worse, she then lost both games to the very talented
Venezuelan GM Eduardo Iturrizaga, though she did have the satisfaction
of ending a half point more than him at 11.0/18, the top female score.


The final rounds are where it was all decided, and Peter Svidler beat
Dmitry Andreikin 2-0 to give himself a shot at the top spot.


Close friends Sergey Karjakin and Ian Nepomniachtchi drew their match


It came down to Svidler and Nepomniachtchi with Ian a point ahead. Peter
equalized after he won their first game, and was actually winning in game
two when his flag fell and the title went to Nepomniachtchi.

Regarding his great result, Ian Nepomniachtchi was modest and attributed a good part of it to luck, such as the last-round win on time. Still, champions are always lucky, and time is as much a factor as skill in blitz.

Final Ranking after 18 Rounds

Rk
Name
FED
Rtg
Pts
 TB1 
1 GM Nepomniachtchi Ian RUS 2723 15.5 206.0
2 GM Svidler Peter RUS 2697 14.5 194.0
3 GM Grischuk Alexander RUS 2860 14.0 207.0
4 GM Korobov Anton UKR 2700 13.5 207.0
5 GM Karjakin Sergey RUS 2901 13.5 204.0
6 GM Savchenko Boris RUS 2601 13.5 202.0
7 GM Inarkiev Ernesto RUS 2652 13.5 200.0
8 GM Mamedov Rauf AZE 2651 13.5 200.0
9 GM Fressinet Laurent FRA 2726 13.0 200.0
10 GM Nyzhnyk Illya UKR 2619 13.0 177.0
11 GM Ipatov Alexander TUR 2594 13.0 175.0
12 GM Mamedyarov Shakhriyar AZE 2734 12.5 210.0
13 GM Chadaev Nikolai RUS 2716 12.5 205.0
14 GM Khismatullin Denis RUS 2635 12.5 205.0
15 GM Andriasian Zaven ARM 2667 12.5 201.0
16 GM Kokarev Dmitry RUS 2635 12.5 196.0
17 GM Dubov Daniil RUS 2585 12.5 195.0
18 GM Sjugirov Sanan RUS 2627 12.5 187.0
19 GM Efimenko Zahar UKR 2719 12.5 187.0
20 GM Khusnutdinov Rustam KAZ 2617 12.5 183.0
21 GM Andreikin Dmitry RUS 2877 12.0 206.0
22 GM Sasikiran Krishnan IND 2652 12.0 198.0
23 GM Guseinov Gadir AZE 2554 12.0 197.0
24 GM Smirin Ilia ISR 2654 12.0 189.0
25 GM Morozevich Alexander RUS 2804 12.0 188.0
26 GM Timofeev Artyom RUS 2619 12.0 184.0
27 GM Popov Ivan RUS 2656 12.0 184.0
28 GM Dlugy Maxim USA 2602 12.0 184.0
29 GM Volkov Sergey RUS 2566 12.0 184.0
30 GM Durarbayli Vasif AZE 2598 12.0 182.0
31 GM Bukavshin Ivan RUS 2697 12.0 180.0
32 GM Rublevsky Sergei RUS 2630 12.0 180.0
33 IM Eraschenkov Denis RUS 2402 12.0 175.0
34 GM Stupak Kirill BLR 2615 12.0 157.0
35 GM Kamsky Gata USA 2745 11.5 210.0

Click here for the full standings

Pictures by Vladimir Barsky and Eteri Kublashvili

Links

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 12 or any of our Fritz compatible chess programs.


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