Nakamura vs. Martirosyan: A clear result

by André Schulz
11/13/2020 – Hikaru Nakamura was simply a bit too strong for the Armenian Haik Martirosyan in their Speed Chess Championship match on chess.com. Nakamura won the blitz and bullet match 21-5, and lost only one of the 26 games. Despite the short time controls and the lopsided result the match offered many interesting and instructive games.

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H. Nakamura vs H. Martirosyan

The 2020 Speed Chess Championship Main Event is a knockout tournament, in which 16 of the world's best grandmasters start. Top seed and favourite is Magnus Carlsen. The tournament runs from November 1 to December 13, 2020 on chess.com. Each individual match will feature 90 minutes of 5+1 blitz, 60 minutes of 3+1 blitz, and 30 minutes of 1+1 bullet chess.

In the sixth match of the round of the last 16 Hikaru Nakamura faced the Armenian GM Haik Martirosyan. It was a rather one-sided match.

Right in the first game Nakamura indicated which direction this match would take.

 

In the second game Martirosyan had good chances, but...

 

The third game took a similar course. A passed pawn gave Martirosyan counterplay but at a crucial moment the Armenian missed the right move.

 

3:0. In game four Martirosyan managed to draw. Round 5 saw a well-known tactic.

 

The match turned into a lesson. From the eight games with a time-control of 5+1 Nakamura won seven, one ended in a draw.

The longest game of the match was played with a time-control of 3+1:

 

An interesting and instructive endgame.

All games of the match

 

All games of the Speed Chess Championship

 

Live commentary with IM Daniel Rensch and GM Robert Hess (chess.com)

Links


André Schulz started working for ChessBase in 1991 and is an editor of ChessBase News.

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