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SportAccord Mind Games will be held in Beijing, China between the 12th of December and 20th December 2012. The World Mind Games was held for the first time in 2008 and consisted of 5 disciplines: chess, bridge, draughts (checkers), go, and xiangqi (Chinese chess). SportAccord, the organizer of the Mind Games, is the umbrella organization for both Olympic and non-Olympic sports as well as for major organizers of conferences and sporting events.
Karjakin won thanks to his better tiebreaks: he defeated Aronian in the personal encounter 1.5-0.5
Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, MVL, scored well, but not fantastically, every day and that added up to a third place finish
Everyone knows that when the cap is going backwards things are getting serious
Blitz chess wouldn't exist without controversy
Day three was a very close race. Ponomariov and Karjakin were the ones that scored the most points with 7.0/10 each. However close behind were Aronian, Giri and Grischuk with 6.5/10. Because of their previous results, however, Giri, Grischuk and Ponomariov needed more than that to opt for medals.
The leader after day two, Mamedyarov, was only able to score 4.0/10 and that also bumped him out of the top three positions. Karjakin, though, was able to catch up to Aronian and the two scored 19.5/20. The tiebreak system favored the Russian, though, as he has won the direct encounter 1.5-0.5 It was definitely a close tournament that could have gone to anyone even in the latter stages! The somewhat surprising third place was Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, who didn't have a single fantastic day but a series of good results put him in the podium.
| Rank | Name | Rtg | FED | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | Pts |
| 1 | Karjakin Sergey | 2837 | RUS | * * | 1 ½ | 1 ½ | 1 0 | 1 1 | 1 ½ | 0 1 | 1 ½ | 1 0 | 0 ½ | 1 1 | ½ 1 | 0 1 | 0 ½ | ½ 1 | ½ 1 | 19.5 |
| 2 | Aronian Levon | 2817 | ARM | 0 ½ | * * | ½ 1 | 0 ½ | 0 1 | 1 1 | ½ 0 | 1 1 | ½ 0 | 1 0 | 1 1 | 1 ½ | 1 1 | ½ 1 | 1 0 | 1 1 | 19.5 |
| 3 | Vachier-Lagrave Maxime | 2825 | FRA | 0 ½ | ½ 0 | * * | 1 ½ | 0 1 | 0 0 | 1 1 | 0 ½ | 1 ½ | 1 1 | 1 1 | 1 0 | ½ ½ | 1 1 | ½ 1 | ½ ½ | 18.0 |
| 4 | Mamedyarov Shakhriyar | 2721 | AZE | 0 1 | 1 ½ | 0 ½ | * * | ½ 0 | 0 1 | 1 0 | 1 0 | 1 0 | 0 1 | ½ 1 | 1 1 | ½ ½ | 1 1 | 1 0 | 1 1 | 18.0 |
| 5 | Nepomniachtchi Ian | 2830 | RUS | 0 0 | 1 0 | 1 0 | ½ 1 | * * | 1 1 | 0 ½ | 1 0 | 1 ½ | 1 ½ | ½ 1 | 1 0 | 0 0 | ½ ½ | 1 ½ | 1 1 | 17.0 |
| 6 | Le Quang Liem | 2841 | VIE | 0 ½ | 0 0 | 1 1 | 1 0 | 0 0 | * * | 0 1 | 1 1 | 1 1 | 1 0 | 1 0 | ½ ½ | ½ 1 | 1 ½ | ½ 1 | ½ ½ | 17.0 |
| 7 | Grischuk Alexander | 2798 | RUS | 1 0 | ½ 1 | 0 0 | 0 1 | 1 ½ | 1 0 | * * | 1 ½ | 0 ½ | 0 1 | 0 ½ | 1 1 | ½ 1 | 0 1 | 1 1 | ½ 0 | 16.5 |
| 8 | Ponomariov Ruslan | 2774 | UKR | 0 ½ | 0 0 | 1 ½ | 0 1 | 0 1 | 0 0 | 0 ½ | * * | ½ 1 | 0 0 | 1 0 | 0 1 | 1 1 | ½ ½ | ½ 1 | 1 1 | 14.5 |
| 9 | Giri Anish | 2747 | NED | 0 1 | ½ 1 | 0 ½ | 0 1 | 0 ½ | 0 0 | 1 ½ | ½ 0 | * * | 1 1 | 0 ½ | 0 0 | ½ ½ | ½ ½ | ½ 1 | 1 1 | 14.5 |
| 10 | Ivanchuk Vassily | 2750 | UKR | 1 ½ | 0 1 | 0 0 | 1 0 | 0 ½ | 0 1 | 1 0 | 1 1 | 0 0 | * * | ½ ½ | ½ ½ | 0 1 | 0 1 | 1 0 | 1 0 | 14.0 |
| 11 | Kamsky Gata | 2671 | USA | 0 0 | 0 0 | 0 0 | ½ 0 | ½ 0 | 0 1 | 1 ½ | 0 1 | 1 ½ | ½ ½ | * * | 1 0 | 1 1 | 1 ½ | 1 ½ | ½ 0 | 13.5 |
| 12 | Dominguez Perez Leinier | 2769 | CUB | ½ 0 | 0 ½ | 0 1 | 0 0 | 0 1 | ½ ½ | 0 0 | 1 0 | 1 1 | ½ ½ | 0 1 | * * | ½ 1 | ½ 1 | ½ ½ | 0 ½ | 13.5 |
| 13 | Radjabov Teimour | 2755 | AZE | 1 0 | 0 0 | ½ ½ | ½ ½ | 1 1 | ½ 0 | ½ 0 | 0 0 | ½ ½ | 1 0 | 0 0 | ½ 0 | * * | ½ 1 | 0 ½ | 1 ½ | 12.0 |
| 14 | Wang Yue | 2723 | CHN | 1 ½ | ½ 0 | 0 0 | 0 0 | ½ ½ | 0 ½ | 1 0 | ½ ½ | ½ ½ | 1 0 | 0 ½ | ½ 0 | ½ 0 | * * | ½ 1 | ½ 0 | 11.0 |
| 15 | Leko Peter | 2722 | HUN | ½ 0 | 0 1 | ½ 0 | 0 1 | 0 ½ | ½ 0 | 0 0 | ½ 0 | ½ 0 | 0 1 | 0 ½ | ½ ½ | 1 ½ | ½ 0 | * * | ½ 1 | 11.0 |
| 16 | Wang Hao | 2698 | CHN | ½ 0 | 0 0 | ½ ½ | 0 0 | 0 0 | ½ ½ | ½ 1 | 0 0 | 0 0 | 0 1 | ½ 1 | 1 ½ | 0 ½ | ½ 1 | ½ 0 | * * | 10.5 |
Note: Blitz ratings used
Men Blitz games 21-30
The World Champion was not happy with today's results, but she still got the gold medal. She scored 5.5/10 today.
Kosteniuk unfortunatley could not continue her winning streak after being victorious in today's first two games
Ushenina had a fantastic day two but not such a great day three, She finished only one point behing Muzychuk who was third.
The somewhat surprising "winner" of day three with 7.5/10: Antoaneta Stefanova
Pia Cramling scored 10.0/30, will she rebound in the Basque? Muzychuk proved it was possible to come back from a bad set of games!
The women's section was also very close, despite the fact that at the end Hou Yifan won it with two points to spare, it simply does not tell the whole tale. The entire tournament could have finished differently if Gunina had seen an important resource in the final round:
[Event "WMSG Blitz"] [Site "?"] [Date "2013.12.16"] [Round "30.12"] [White "Gunina Valentina (RUS)"] [Black "Hou Yifan (CHN)"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "E32"] [PlyCount "72"] [EventDate "2013.??.??"] [WhiteClock "0:00:13"] [BlackClock "0:01:08"] {Normally blitz games should not be annotated, but this is a special case as the winner of this game would win the entire tournament!} 1. d4 e6 2. c4 Nf6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 O-O 5. Nf3 d5 6. cxd5 exd5 7. Bg5 h6 8. Bh4 c5 9. dxc5 Be6 10. e3 Bxc5 11. Be2 Nc6 12. O-O Be7 13. Rfd1 Qa5 {a typical battle between in an isolated pawn position. White has the better chances because Black really has not created too many threats as of late. On the other hand it is not always easy to make progress in these types of positions.} 14. a3 Rfd8 15. b4 Qc7 16. Bg3 Qd7 17. e4 Rac8 18. Bb5 a6 $6 (18... Qe8 {was rather necessary to get the queen out of danger.}) 19. Ne5 $1 {very strong.} Nxb4 {The key moment in the tournament.} (19... Qe8 {was still forced.} 20. Nxc6 bxc6 21. Bxa6 Ra8 { although White emerges up a pawn.}) 20. Bxd7 $2 {Missing a fantastic resource.} (20. Qb2 $1 Qc7 21. Nc6 $1 Bd6 22. Nxd8 Bxg3 23. hxg3 Qxc3 24. Qxc3 Rxc3 25. axb4 axb5 {and White finishes up an exchange with excellent winning chances.}) 20... Nxc2 21. Bxc8 Rxc8 {Yes, White is also up an exchange in this variation, but both a1 and c3 are hanging.} 22. exd5 Nxa1 23. dxe6 fxe6 24. Ne2 Nb3 { Black is up a pawn with no compensation.} 25. Rb1 Nc5 26. Ng6 Kf7 27. Ne5+ Ke8 28. f3 Nfd7 29. Ng6 Kf7 30. Nxe7 Kxe7 31. Nd4 b5 32. Rd1 Nb6 33. Be5 Kf7 34. Bd6 Nc4 35. Bg3 Rd8 36. Bf2 e5 {a thrilling finish.} 0-1
Muzychuk, Gunina and Hou Yifan all scored an acceptable 5.5/10 in the last day, but it was their previous results that put them in the podium. Muzychuk was able to maintain her third place over Ushenina since the ex-World Champion only scored 50% in the last day.
| Rank | Name | Rtg | FED | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | Pts |
| 1 | Hou Yifan | 2559 | CHN | * * | 1 1 | 0 0 | 1 0 | 1 ½ | 1 ½ | 1 ½ | 1 1 | ½ 1 | 0 1 | 0 1 | 1 1 | ½ 0 | 1 1 | 1 1 | 1 1 | 21.5 |
| 2 | Gunina Valentina | 2527 | RUS | 0 0 | * * | 0 0 | 1 1 | 1 1 | 1 ½ | 1 ½ | 0 1 | 1 1 | 1 0 | ½ 1 | 1 0 | 1 0 | 0 1 | 1 1 | 1 1 | 19.5 |
| 3 | Muzychuk Anna | 2639 | SLO | 1 1 | 1 1 | * * | 0 1 | 0 0 | ½ 1 | ½ 0 | 1 0 | 1 1 | 1 0 | 0 1 | 0 0 | 1 1 | 1 ½ | 0 1 | 1 1 | 18.5 |
| 4 | Ushenina Anna | 2489 | UKR | 0 1 | 0 0 | 1 0 | * * | ½ 0 | ½ 0 | ½ 1 | ½ 1 | 1 1 | ½ 0 | 0 1 | 1 0 | 1 1 | 1 1 | 1 1 | 0 1 | 17.5 |
| 5 | Stefanova Antoaneta | 2508 | BUL | 0 ½ | 0 0 | 1 1 | ½ 1 | * * | ½ 1 | 0 ½ | 0 1 | ½ 1 | 0 1 | 1 0 | 1 1 | 0 ½ | 0 ½ | 1 ½ | 1 1 | 17.0 |
| 6 | Lagno Kateryna | 2532 | UKR | 0 ½ | 0 ½ | ½ 0 | ½ 1 | ½ 0 | * * | 1 1 | 0 1 | ½ 1 | ½ 1 | 0 1 | 0 0 | 1 0 | 1 1 | 1 ½ | 1 0 | 16.0 |
| 7 | Kosteniuk Alexandra | 2612 | RUS | 0 ½ | 0 ½ | ½ 1 | ½ 0 | 1 ½ | 0 0 | * * | 1 1 | 0 0 | 1 ½ | ½ 1 | 1 1 | 0 1 | ½ 0 | ½ 1 | ½ 0 | 15.0 |
| 8 | Dzagnidze Nana | 2579 | GEO | 0 0 | 1 0 | 0 1 | ½ 0 | 1 0 | 1 0 | 0 0 | * * | 1 ½ | 0 1 | 1 1 | 1 0 | 0 0 | 1 1 | 0 1 | ½ 1 | 14.5 |
| 9 | Zhao Xue | 2471 | CHN | ½ 0 | 0 0 | 0 0 | 0 0 | ½ 0 | ½ 0 | 1 1 | 0 ½ | * * | 1 1 | ½ 1 | 1 0 | 1 1 | 1 ½ | 1 0 | 1 ½ | 14.5 |
| 10 | Koneru Humpy | 2558 | IND | 1 0 | 0 1 | 0 1 | ½ 1 | 1 0 | ½ 0 | 0 ½ | 1 0 | 0 0 | * * | 1 0 | 0 0 | ½ 1 | ½ 1 | 1 0 | 1 1 | 14.5 |
| 11 | Sebag Marie | 2501 | FRA | 1 0 | ½ 0 | 1 0 | 1 0 | 0 1 | 1 0 | ½ 0 | 0 0 | ½ 0 | 0 1 | * * | 1 ½ | 1 1 | 0 0 | 1 0 | 1 1 | 14.0 |
| 12 | Kosintseva Tatiana | 2480 | RUS | 0 0 | 0 1 | 1 1 | 0 1 | 0 0 | 1 1 | 0 0 | 0 1 | 0 1 | 1 1 | 0 ½ | * * | 1 0 | 1 0 | 0 1 | 0 ½ | 14.0 |
| 13 | Ju Wenjun | 2454 | CHN | ½ 1 | 0 1 | 0 0 | 0 0 | 1 ½ | 0 1 | 1 0 | 1 1 | 0 0 | ½ 0 | 0 0 | 0 1 | * * | 1 1 | 0 ½ | ½ 1 | 13.5 |
| 14 | Cmilyte Viktorija | 2532 | LTU | 0 0 | 1 0 | 0 ½ | 0 0 | 1 ½ | 0 0 | ½ 1 | 0 0 | 0 ½ | ½ 0 | 1 1 | 0 1 | 0 0 | * * | ½ ½ | 0 1 | 10.5 |
| 15 | Cramling Pia | 2430 | SWE | 0 0 | 0 0 | 1 0 | 0 0 | 0 ½ | 0 ½ | ½ 0 | 1 0 | 0 1 | 0 1 | 0 1 | 1 0 | 1 ½ | ½ ½ | * * | 0 0 | 10.0 |
| 16 | Paehtz Elisabeth | 2574 | GER | 0 0 | 0 0 | 0 0 | 1 0 | 0 0 | 0 1 | ½ 1 | ½ 0 | 0 ½ | 0 0 | 0 0 | 1 ½ | ½ 0 | 1 0 | 1 1 | * * | 9.5 |
Note: Blitz ratings used
Women Blitz games 21-30
Muzychuk went from having an atrocious rapid result to getting a medal in the blitz
Gunina was the leader after day one, and she was one win away from taking the gold!
The winners: Gunina, Hou Yifan and Muzychuk
Proudly Chinese, or China's Pride?
MVL from France obtained the third place, Aronian applauds before going to take his second place in the stand
Karjakin edged out the victory, but a gold medal is a gold medal!
Tomorrow starts the unique Basque system, in which players will face each other in two rapid games simultaneously against each other, one with White and one with Black.
Photos by Gu Xiaobing, taken from the official FIDE website
| Thursday, December 12th | 14:00-19:00 Rapid Event: 1-4 rounds (men), 1-4 rounds (women) |
| Friday, December 13th | 14:00-19:00 Rapid Event: 5-7 rounds (men), 5-7 rounds (women) |
| Saturday, December 14th | 14:00-19:00 Blitz Event: 1-10 rounds (men), 1-10 rounds (women) |
| Sunday, December 15th | 14:00-19:00 Blitz Event: 11-20 rounds (men), 11-20 rounds (women) |
| Monday, December 16th | 14:00-19:00 Blitz Event: 21-30 rounds (men), 21-30 rounds (women) |
| Tuesday, December 17th | 14:00-19:00 Basque System: 1-3 rounds (men), 1-3 rounds (women) |
| Wednesday, December 18th | 11:00-16:00 Basque System: 4-5 rounds (men), 4-5 rounds (women) & Closing Ceremony |
LinksThe games will be 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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