Ian Nepomniachtchi wins Gashimov Memorial

by Stefan Liebig
9/30/2024 – Ian Nepomniachtchi is the winner of the Vugar Gashimov Memorial in Shunsa, Azerbaijan. He won the rapid chess tournament and came second in the blitz - enough to take first place overall. The other two places on the podium were taken by Nodirbek Abdusattorov and Shakhriyar Mamedyarov. Richard Rapport, who started the tournament in second place after day one, finished last of the eight players. | Picture: gashimovchess.com
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Favourite Ian Nepomniachtchi came out on top in the Vugar Gashimov Memorial. Known for his fast style of play, he finished one point ahead of young Uzbek Nodirbek Abdusattorov. He was followed by Azerbaijan's Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, two points behind.

Richard Rapport will want to forget this tournament quickly. After Day 1, he was tied for the lead with "Nepo". But then he only managed a couple of draws and two wins in Blitz, losing all his other games. He ended up sharing the last two places with Mamedyarov's compatriot Rauf Mamedov.

After the tournament, ChessBase India spoke with Nepomniachtchi.

Final standings after 14 rounds of blitz

Rk. Name Pts
1 Abdusattorov, Nodirbek 10
2 Nepomniachtchi, Ian 9
3 Aravindh, Chithambaram Vr. 8
4 Suleymanli, Aydin 7,5
5 Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar 7
6 Artemiev, Vladislav 6,5
7 Mamedov, Rauf 5
8 Rapport, Richard 3

Final standings after 7 round of rapid

Rk. Name Pts.
1 Nepomniachtchi, Ian 5
2 Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar 4,5
3 Abdusattorov, Nodirbek 4
4 Rapport, Richard 3
5 Artemiev, Vladislav 3
6 Suleymanli, Aydin 3
7 Aravindh, Chithambaram Vr. 2,5
8 Mamedov, Rauf 2

Overall standings (Rapid and blitz, wins in rapid counting 2 points)

Games - Rapid

Games - Blitz

Tournament page

Stefan Liebig, born in 1974, is a journalist and co-owner of a marketing agency. He now lives in Barterode near Göttingen. At the age of five, strange pieces on his neighbour’s shelf aroused his curiosity. Since then, the game of chess has cast a spell over him. Flying high in the NRW youth league with his home club SV Bad Laasphe and several appearances in the second division team of Tempo Göttingen were highlights for the former youth South Westphalia champion.