Karjakin win kicks off World Chess "Armageddon" series

by ChessBase
6/20/2019 – World Chess has developed a new tournament format for Russian television, dubbed the World Chess Armageddon series. Eight players entered a virtual arena, donned branded clothing and played blitz for $50,000 in prize money. In the end, as if according to script, local hero Sergey Karjakin defeated Ian Nepomniachtchi. | Photos: World Chess
This DVD allows you to learn from the example of one of the best players in the history of chess and from the explanations of the authors (Pelletier, Marin, Müller and Reeh) how to successfully organise your games strategically, consequently how to keep y

A twenty-first century TV play 

World Chess (formerly Agon), is trying to set up a TV-friendly tournament format with his new "Armageddon" series, which their website — in typically hyperbolic style — proclaims is "the first ever chess tournament produced for prime time television". 

Like the BBC's seven-season Master Game four decades ago, the tournament was staged using the knockout format. Two initial groups faced off in a series of matches culminating in a final between the winners of the groups. 

Two blitz games were played per round with a time control of 3 minutes plus 2 seconds per move. In case of a tie an Armageddon game with 5 minutes for White and 4 for Black plus draw odds followed. The format was developed for Russia's Match TV sports channel, and live commentary (in Russian) is available on the World Chess YouTube Channel.

The production resembled other contemporary live commentary efforts, but with one twist: Shot in a green-screen studio, the playing hall environment was entirely digital, save for the stone-slab style table and chairs.

Green screen studio

Going from this...

Virtual studio

...to this

The field

The field was naturally Russian-heavy, but quite impressive, including former World Champion Vladimir Kramnik persuaded to participate despite his retirement from classical chess competition earlier this year.

  1. Ian Nepomniachtchi (Russia)
  2. Vladimir Kramnik (Russia)
  3. Teimur Radjabov (Azerbaijan)
  4. Sergey Karjakin (Russia)
  5. Wei Yi (China)
  6. Daniil Dubov ((Russia) 
  7. Ernesto Inarkiev (Russia)
  8. Boris Gelfand (Israel)  

The official site doesn't make the pairings, results or games readily available, but the matches were played over a seven-day stretch from June 10th to 16th. The format was double-elimination with a preliminary set of matches leading to a "winners" and "losers" bracket. The winner of the two brackets — Karjakin and Nepomniachtchi — played a final match.

Karjakin prevailed in the final, but this whole series was subtitled "The Beginning", so...to be continued...?

A look inside the "studio"

Karjakin and Nepomniachtchi

All games and final commentary

 
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MoveNResultEloPlayers
1.e41,170,31954%2421---
1.d4949,86755%2434---
1.Nf3282,62856%2440---
1.c4182,73156%2442---
1.g319,74556%2427---
1.b314,34754%2427---
1.f45,91748%2377---
1.Nc33,81651%2384---
1.b41,75948%2379---
1.a31,22254%2404---
1.e31,07349%2409---
1.d395550%2378---
1.g466646%2361---
1.h444953%2374---
1.c343551%2426---
1.h328356%2419---
1.a411460%2465---
1.f39346%2435---
1.Nh39066%2505---
1.Na34262%2482---
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.Bf4 Bg7 4.e3 0-0 5.Be2 d6 6.h3 Nbd7 7.0-0 Re8 8.c4 b6 9.Nc3 Bb7 10.Qc2 e5 11.Bh2 E61: King's Indian: Early deviations for White, including Smyslov System 11.Bg5 exd4 12.exd4 h6 13.Be3 Ne4 14.Nxe4 Bxe4 15.Qd2 d5 16.Bxh6 dxc4 17.Bg5 Bf6 18.h4 b5 ½-½ (60) Khotenashvili,B (2445)-Muzychuk,M (2546) Riga 2017 11...exd4 12.Nxd4 Nc5 13.Rad1 Nce4N Predecessor: 13...Nfe4 14.Nd5 a5 15.f3 Ng5 16.e4 Nge6 17.Nxe6 Nxe6 18.Bd3 Rc8 ½-½ (40) Schulz,K (2283)-Kabisch,T (2309) Luebeck 2016 14.Bf3 Qc8 14...Rb8 looks sharper. 15.Nce2 h5 16.Bxe4 Bxe4 17.Qc1 h4 15.Nxe4 Bxe4 15...Nxe4 keeps more tension. 16.b4 a5 17.b5 a4 18.Ne2 f5 16.Bxe4 Nxe4 17.Ne2 Qb7 18.Nf4 a6 19.f3 Nf6 20.e4 b5 21.b3 Rac8 22.Kh1 Nd7 23.Nd5 Nb6 24.c5 24.Nxb6 Qxb6 25.Rd5 24...Nxd5 25.Rxd5 dxc5 26.Qxc5 26.Rxc5 c6 27.Rd1 26...Bf8= 27.Qc3 c6 28.Rd3 Red8 29.Rfd1 Rxd3 30.Rxd3 c5 31.Be5 Qe7 32.Rd5 c4 33.bxc4 Rxc4 34.Qd3 h5 35.Kh2 Bg7 36.Bxg7 36.Bf4 is interesting. Bb2 37.Kh1 Kg7 38.Rd7 Qf6 39.Be3 36...Kxg7       Endgame KQR-KQR 37.Qe3 Qe6 Black should play 37...Qf6 38.Qd2 38.Qg5= 38...b4 38...Qf6 39.Qb2+ f6 39...Kh7= 40.Qd2!± Black must now prevent Rd7+. g5?      
40...Rc7± is a better chance. 41.Qd3? 41.h4!       41...Rc6
42.e5!       Kh6?      
42...fxe5± was called for. 43.Rd7+ Kf8 43.h4!       aiming for exf6. g4 43...gxh4 44.Qd2+ 44.exf6? White has to play 44.Qd2++- Kg7 45.exf6+ Qxf6 46.fxg4 hxg4 47.Rg5+ Kf8 48.Qxb4+ Qd6+ 49.Qxd6+ Rxd6 50.Rxg4 44...Qxf6?      
44...g3+= 45.Kxg3 Qe1+ 46.Kh3 Qh1+ 47.Kg3 Qe1+ 48.Kh3 Qh1+ 49.Kg3 Qe1+ 45.Qe3+ 45.Rxh5+!       Kg7 45...Kxh5 46.Qh7+ 46.Qd7+       Double Attack Kf8 47.Rf5 gxf3 48.Rxf6+ Rxf6 49.gxf3 45...Kg6 45...Kg7 46.Qa7+ Kf8 47.Qb8+       Double Attack Kg7 48.Qb7+ Kf8 49.Qb8+ Kg7 50.Qb7+ Kg8 51.Rg5+ Kf8 52.Qb8+ Ke7 46.Rg5+ 46.Qe8+ Kh6 47.Rxh5+ Kg7 48.Rg5+ Qxg5 49.hxg5 46...Kf7+- 47.Qe4 g3+ 48.Kh3 Qe6+ 49.Qxe6+ Kxe6 50.Kxg3 KR-KR 50.Rxh5 Kd7 51.Kxg3 50...Kd6? 50...Rc2 51.Rg6+ 51.Rxh5 Rxa2 52.Rh6+ Kd5 51...Kd5 51.Rxh5 Kc7 52.Ra5 Kb6 53.Re5 Rc2 53...a5 54.h5 a4 54.h5 Rxa2 55.h6 h7 would kill now. Rc2 56.Re8 Threatens to win with h7. Rc7 57.Kf4 a5
58.g4! a4? 58...b3 59.Rb8+ Rb7 60.Rxb7+ Kxb7 59.Rb8+ Kc5 60.g5 a3 61.g6 a2 62.Ra8 b3 63.g7? 63.h7 a1Q 64.Rxa1 b2 65.Re1 Rd7 66.h8Q Rd4+ 67.Kg3 Rd5 68.Qxb2 63...b2= 64.g8Q b1Q??+-       KQR-KQR 64...a1Q= 65.Qf8+ Kc4 66.Qg8+ Kc5 67.Qf8+ Kc4 68.Qg8+ Kc5 65.Qf8+? 65.Ra5+ Kb4= White should try 65.Qxa2+- Threatening mate with Qa5+. Qxa2 66.Rxa2 Rf7+ 67.Kg4 65...Kc6?       65...Kb5= 66.Qe8+ Kb6 67.Qe6+ 67.Qe3+ Rc5= 67...Rc6 68.Qe3+ 68.Qxa2 leads to mate. Rf6+ 69.Ke3 Qe1+ 70.Qe2 Re6+       Skewer 71.Kd4 Qxe2 72.Rb8+ Kc7 73.Rc8+ Kxc8 74.h7 Rd6+ 75.Kc5 Qe5+ 76.Kc4 Rc6+ 77.Kb4 Qb2+ 78.Ka5 Kb7 79.f4 Ra6# 68...Rc5 69.Rb8+ Kc7 66.Qf6+ Kc5 67.Qe5+ Kc6 68.Qe6+       Double Attack Kb5 69.Rb8+ Kc5 70.Qe5+ Kc6 71.Qc3+ Kd7 72.Qd4+ Kc6 73.Qc4+ Kd7 74.Qd5+ Ke7 75.Qd8+? 75.Qe5+ mates Kd7 76.Qd5+ Ke7 77.Qe5+ Kd7 78.Qg7+ Ke6 79.Re8+ Kd6 80.Qf6+ Kd5 81.Rd8+ Kc4 82.Qd4+ Kb5 83.Qd5+ Kb4 84.Rb8+ Kc3 85.Qe5+ Kd2 86.Rd8+ Kc1 87.Qxc7+ Qc2 88.Qxc2+ Kxc2 89.Ra8 75...Ke6= ( -> ...Rf7+) 76.Rxb1 White threatens Rb6+ and mate. axb1Q??       76...Rf7+= 77.Kg5 Rf5+ 78.Kg4 axb1Q 79.Qe8+ Kf6 80.Qh8+ Ke6 81.Qe8+ Kf6 82.Qh8+ Ke6 83.Qe8+ 77.Qxc7 KQ-KQ Qf5+ 78.Ke3 Qg5+ 79.Qf4 Qg1+ 80.Ke2 Qg2+ 81.Ke3 Qg1+ 82.Ke2 Qg2+ 83.Kd3 Qf1+ 84.Kc3 Qa1+ 85.Kb4 85.Kc2 Qa6 86.Kd2 Qa2+ 87.Ke3 Qa1 88.Qc4+ Kf6 89.Qd4+ Qxd4+ 90.Kxd4 85...Qb2+
86.Kc5? 86.Kc4!+- Qc2+ 87.Kd4 Qb2+ 88.Kd3 Qb3+ 89.Ke2 Qb2+ 90.Kf1 86...Qa3+ The position is equal. 87.Kb6 Qb3+ 88.Kc7 Qc3+! 89.Kb6 Qb3+ 90.Kc5 Qa3+ 91.Kb5 Qb3+ 92.Qb4 Qxf3 93.Qc4+ Kf6! 94.Qh4+ Kg6 95.h7 Qb7+ 96.Kc5 Qxh7 97.Qxh7+ Kxh7 Accuracy: White = 48%, Black = 37%. ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Inarkiev,E2693Nepomniachtchi,I2775½–½2019E61Worldchess Armageddon 20191.1
Nepomniachtchi,I2775Inarkiev,E26931–02019C77Worldchess Armageddon 20191.2
Dubov,D2700Karjakin,S2748½–½2019E00Worldchess Armageddon 20192.1
Karjakin,S2748Dubov,D2700½–½2019B22Worldchess Armageddon 20192.2
Dubov,D2700Karjakin,S27480–12019E00Worldchess Armageddon 20192.3
Wei,Y2741Kramnik,V27530–12019A13Worldchess Armageddon 20193.1
Kramnik,V2753Wei,Y27411–02019A84Worldchess Armageddon 20193.2
Gelfand,B2676Radjabov,T27590–12019D53Worldchess Armageddon 20194.1
Radjabov,T2759Gelfand,B2676½–½2019E15Worldchess Armageddon 20194.2
Dubov,D2700Inarkiev,E2693½–½2019D15Worldchess Armageddon 20195.1
Inarkiev,E2693Dubov,D27000–12019B32Worldchess Armageddon 20195.2
Wei,Y2741Gelfand,B2676½–½2019E00Worldchess Armageddon 20196.1
Gelfand,B2676Wei,Y27410–12019D02Worldchess Armageddon 20196.2
Nepomniachtchi,I2775Karjakin,S2748½–½2019C48Worldchess Armageddon 20197.1
Karjakin,S2748Nepomniachtchi,I27750–12019B90Worldchess Armageddon 20197.2
Kramnik,V2753Radjabov,T2759½–½2019D02Worldchess Armageddon 20198.1
Radjabov,T2759Kramnik,V2753½–½2019D30Worldchess Armageddon 20198.2
Radjabov,T2759Kramnik,V2753½–½2019C54Worldchess Armageddon 20198.3
Radjabov,T2759Dubov,D2700½–½2019A09Worldchess Armageddon 20199.1
Dubov,D2700Radjabov,T2759½–½2019E12Worldchess Armageddon 20199.2
Radjabov,T2759Dubov,D27001–02019A30Worldchess Armageddon 20199.3
Karjakin,S2748Wei,Y27411–02019B10Worldchess Armageddon 201910.1
Wei,Y2741Karjakin,S2748½–½2019A13Worldchess Armageddon 201910.2
Radjabov,T2759Karjakin,S2748½–½2019C47Worldchess Armageddon 201911.1
Karjakin,S2748Radjabov,T2759½–½2019B33Worldchess Armageddon 201911.2
Radjabov,T2759Karjakin,S2748½–½2019C65Worldchess Armageddon 201911.3
Kramnik,V2753Nepomniachtchi,I27750–12019D02Worldchess Armageddon 201912.1
Nepomniachtchi,I2775Kramnik,V2753½–½2019B06Worldchess Armageddon 201912.2
Kramnik,V2753Karjakin,S2748½–½2019C54Worldchess Armageddon 201913.1
Karjakin,S2748Kramnik,V27531–02019C47Worldchess Armageddon 201913.2
Nepomniachtchi,I2775Karjakin,S2748½–½2019C54Worldchess Armageddon 201914.1
Karjakin,S2748Nepomniachtchi,I2775½–½2019B90Worldchess Armageddon 201914.2
Nepomniachtchi,I2775Karjakin,S27480–12019C54Worldchess Armageddon 201914.3
Nepomniachtchi,I2775Karjakin,S27480–12019C54Worldchess Armageddon 201915.1
Karjakin,S2748Nepomniachtchi,I27751–02019B51Worldchess Armageddon 201915.2

Commentary (in Russian) by GM Vladimir Potkin and WGM Elmira Mirzoeva

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