
The 18th Amber Blindfold and Rapid tournament, organized by the Association
Max Euwe in Monaco, is taking place from March 14 (first round) to March 26
(last round) at the Palais de la Mediterranée, splendidly located on
the famous Promenade des Anglais in Nice. The total prize fund is € 216,000.
The rate of play is 25 minutes per game per player. With every move made in
the blindfold games 20 seconds is added to the clock, with every move made in
the rapid games 10 seconds is added. Every day four sessions are played: two
blindfold and two rapid games. The first session starts at 14.30h. The fourth
session finishes around 20.00h. (Note: the final round on March 26 starts at
12.30h. March 18 and 23 are rest days).
Round seven: Anand and Kramnik set the pace
In Round 7 World Champion Vishy Anand and Vladimir Kramnik overtook Levon Aronian
to take the shared lead. Anand defeated Sergey Karjakin 1½-½,
while Kramnik booked the same result against Aronian. Magnus Carlsen was the
only player with a clean score today. The Norwegian had no mercy with out-of-form
Wang Yue and moved in third place half a point behind the leaders. Full
bulletin report.
Round seven: Blindfold Chess |
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Round seven: Rapid Chess |
Topalov-Ivanchuk |
½-½ |
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Ivanchuk-Topalov |
½-½ |
Morozevich-Leko |
½-½ |
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Leko-Morozevich |
1-0 |
Wang Yue-Carlsen |
0-1 |
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Carlsen-Wang Yue |
1-0 |
Radjabov-Kamsky |
1-0 |
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Kamsky-Radjabov |
1-0 |
Karjakin-Anand |
0-1 |
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Anand-Karjakin |
½-½ |
Kramnik-Aronian |
½-½ |
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Aronian-Kramnik |
0-1 |
Round eight: Anand defeats Kramnik to take sole lead
In the key encounter of the 8th round of the Amber Blindfold and Rapid Tournament
World Champion Vishy Anand defeated Vladimir Kramnik 1½-½ thanks
to a fine win in the blindfold game. With three rounds to go the Indian grandmaster
is in the sole lead half a point ahead of Levon Aronian and Magnus Carlsen,
and one full point ahead of Kramnik. Magnus Carlsen dominates the blindfold
competition with a score of 6½ from 8, although today’s win against
Veselin Topalov was far from impeccable. In the rapid competition three players
are leading with 5 from 8; Anand, Aronian and Gata Kamsky. Full
bulletin report.
Round eight: Blindfold Chess |
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Round eight: Rapid Chess |
Anand-Kramnik |
1-0 |
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Kramnik-Anand |
½-½ |
Aronian-Radjabov |
1-0 |
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Radjabov-Aronian |
½-½ |
Kamsky-Karjakin |
½-½ |
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Karjakin-Kamsky |
1-0 |
Leko-Wang Yue |
½-½ |
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Wang Yue-Leko |
½-½ |
Carlsen-Topalov |
1-0 |
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Topalov-Carlsen |
½-½ |
Ivanchuk-Morozevich |
1-0 |
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Morozevich-Ivanchuk |
½-½ |
Standings after eight rounds
Blindfold |
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Rapid |
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Combined |
1. Carlsen 6½ 2. Anand 5½ 3. Aronian 5 Kramnik 5 Leko 5 6. Morozevich 4 7. Radjabov 3½ Topalov 3½ 9. Ivanchuk 3 10. Kamsky 2½ Wang Yue 2½ 12. Karjakin 2
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1. Anand 5 Aronian 5 Kamsky 5 4. Karjakin 4½ Kramnik 4½ 6. Topalov 4 7. Carlsen 3½ Ivanchuk 3½ Leko 3½ Morozevich 3½ 11. Radjabov 3 Wang Yue 3 |
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1. Anand 10½ 2. Aronian 10 Carlsen 10 4. Kramnik 9½ 5. Leko 8½ 6. Kamsky 7½ Morozevich 7½ Topalov 7½ 9. Ivanchuk 6½ Karjakin 6½ Radjabov 6½ 12. Wang Yue 5½ |
Pictorial impressions from Nice by John Nunn

Magnus Carlsen is late and as he rushes to the playing room he is handed
his obgligatory orange juice drink for the game by father Henrik. It worked:
Magnus defeated Wang Yue 2-0.

Arbiter Geurt Gijssen has to find Karjakin, who is also late for the game

Kramnik enjoys a joke before the game...

...which is shared by his opponent Gata Kamsky

The humour is contagious, as shown by Levon Aronian

Some players take it more seriously, like Veselin Topalov

Ivan Cheparinov, a regular member of the Topalov team, arrived on Saturday to
help his master

Lev Aronian and Vladimir Kramnik debate their moves with a chessboard

Vishy Anand and Sergey Karjakin discuss their round seven games in the corridor

We keep telling you: it's the orange juice! Carlsen defeats Topalov in the blindfold

Kramnik starts his blindfold game with a mysterious blue drink which would probably
provoke an immediate drug test in a FIDE event.

Laid back: Vassily Ivanchuk during his blindfold game in round eight

Explaining afterwards how he defeated Morozevich

Alexander Morozevich, who is minus one after eight rounds

Oh the pain! Kamsky, also on minus one, suffering after a lost game
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