6/19/2023 – Richard Rapport emerged victorious in the Armageddon Championship Series, dominating the world’s top players and winning the Europe & Africa qualifier. This victory secured his spot in the Grand Finale in September, where he will be joined by the tournament’s runner-up, GM Jan-Krzysztof Duda, alongside a formidable lineup of finalists including Wesley So, Sam Shankland, Gukesh D, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Bibisara Assaubayeva, and Humpy Koneru. | Photos: World Chess
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Grand Finale to take place in September
Press release by World Chess
GM Richard Rapport emerged victorious in the Armageddon Championship Series, dominating the world’s top players and winning the Europe & Africa qualifier. This victory secured his spot in the Grand Finale in September, where he will be joined by the tournament’s runner-up, GM Jan-Krzysztof Duda, alongside a formidable lineup of finalists including Wesley So, Sam Shankland, Gukesh D, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Bibisara Assaubayeva, and Humpy Koneru. They will compete for the coveted prize of €200,000.
Meanwhile, 1.b3 has also found its way into the practice of today's world elite, and now finally a modern top ten player has taken on the subject for ChessBase: none other than Grandmaster Wesley So!
The Armageddon Championship Series is not a typical chess tournament with its awe-inspiring visuals, intense time pressure, nerve-wracking drama, and soaring heart rates. With esteemed players, such as Michael Adams (England), Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (France), Richard Rapport (Romania), Jan-Krzysztof Duda (Poland), Jorden van Foreest (Netherlands), Vincent Keymer (Germany), Matthias Bluebaum, and Alexander Donchenko, this competition has captivated chess enthusiasts worldwide, embarking on an exhilarating journey.
Maxime Vachier-Lagrave was knocked out by Jan-Krzysztof Duda in the lower bracket’s final match
As one of the most spectacular and widely broadcasted chess events of the year, the Armageddon Championship Series is live-streamed on over 18 online and TV platforms. Exciting moments from the tournament will be featured globally on networks like CNBC, BeIN Sports, and FOX Australia.
The integration of technological advancements, such as real-time heart rate monitoring, has sparked significant interest in the chess community over the past week.
World Chess, an innovative chess company, has taken a unique approach to showcasing the Armageddon Championship Series. The stunning bespoke studio set places the players at the heart of the action, deviating from traditional presentations and revealing chess as a dynamic, modern, and thrilling sport. The Armageddon Championship Series is redefining the visuals for the next generation of chess.
The Grand Finale of the tournament will be held from September 14th to 20th, following the same dramatic format and intense time pressure as the previous events. Chess enthusiasts can catch all the exciting action and highlights on World Chess’s official YouTube channel.
Let us learn together how to find the best spot for the queen in the early middlegame, how to navigate this piece around the board, how to time the queen attack, how to decide whether to exchange it or not, and much more!
Jan-Krzysztof Duda made it to the Grand Finale
Interesting facts about the highest heart rates:
Richard Rapport recorded a heart rate of 175 bpm.
Michael Adams recorded a heart rate of 118 bpm.
Maxime Vachier-Lagrave recorded a heart rate of 139 bpm.
Jan-Krzysztof Duda recorded a heart rate of 152 bpm.
Jorden van Foreest recorded a heart rate of 172 bpm.
Vincent Keymer recorded a heart rate of 165 bpm.
Matthias Bluebaum recorded a heart rate of 149 bpm.
Alexander Donchenko recorded a heart rate of 133 bpm.
Ruy Lopez Powerbase 2025 is a database and contains a total of 12092 games from Mega 2025 and the Correspondence Database 2024, of which 1276 are annotated.
In this 60 Minutes, Andrew Martin guides you through all the key ideas you need to know to play with confidence. Whether you’re looking to surprise your opponents, or simply want a straightforward weapon against e5, the Centre Attack has you covered.
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This video course provides a comprehensive and practical White repertoire in the Ruy Lopez! Through instructive model games and in-depth theoretical explanations, you will learn how to confidently handle both main lines and sidelines.
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