Karjakin searches for his form in Sochi
The Russian Team Championship in Sochi is Sergey Karjakin's first event with classical time control after he won the Candidates Tournament in Moscow in March. But he seems to have trouble to continue to play the fantastic chess he had shown during the Candidates.
Karjakin plays for Legacy Square Capital Moscow and joined the event in round two. Karjakin played with White against Alexander Grischuk, who had no trouble at all to draw the game. After this draw Karjakin did not play in rounds three, four and five, but in round six he was back at the board and faced his old rival Peter Svidler, his rival in the Candidates Tournament and the World Cup.
Karjakin (right) against Svidler: In the Candidates Tournament they drew both of their games, in the World Cup Karjakin triumphed after a bad start.
Karjakin's team also lost the match and the lead.
| Br. |
5 |
ШСМ «Legacy Square Capital» (г. Москва) |
Elo |
- |
2 |
«Медный всадник» (г. Санкт-Петербург) |
Elo |
2½:3½ |
| 1.1 |
GM |
|
2779 |
- |
GM |
|
2762 |
0 - 1 |
| 1.2 |
GM |
|
2703 |
- |
GM |
|
2732 |
1 - 0 |
| 1.3 |
GM |
|
2686 |
- |
GM |
|
2721 |
½ - ½ |
| 1.4 |
GM |
|
2672 |
- |
GM |
|
2723 |
0 - 1 |
| 1.5 |
GM |
|
2703 |
- |
GM |
|
2693 |
½ - ½ |
| 1.6 |
GM |
|
2645 |
- |
GM |
|
2628 |
½ - ½ |
In round seven Karjakin played with Black against Vladimir Kramnik, who is in splendid shape in Sochi. Not the easiest of match-ups.
Karjakin and Kramnik began their tense game in a relaxed mood.
Kramnik's strong 10.Na3! set Karjakin thinking.
Kateryna Lagno and Sergey Karjakin know each other from childhood.
But Karjakin's team won the match, thanks to a strong performance by Ian Nepomniatchi, who won against Grischuk.
| Br. |
3 |
«Сибирь» (г. Новосибирск) |
Elo |
- |
5 |
ШСМ «Legacy Square Capital» (г. Москва) |
Elo |
2 : 4 |
| 1.1 |
GM |
|
2801 |
- |
GM |
|
2779 |
½ - ½ |
| 1.2 |
GM |
|
2752 |
- |
GM |
|
2703 |
0 - 1 |
| 1.3 |
GM |
|
2722 |
- |
GM |
|
2686 |
½ - ½ |
| 1.4 |
GM |
|
2731 |
- |
GM |
|
2681 |
0 - 1 |
| 1.5 |
GM |
|
2692 |
- |
GM |
|
2644 |
½ - ½ |
| 1.6 |
GM |
|
2674 |
- |
GM |
|
2703 |
½ - ½ |
Standings after round eight:
| Rg. |
Team |
1a |
1b |
2a |
2b |
3a |
3b |
4a |
4b |
5a |
5b |
Wtg1 |
Wtg2 |
Wtg3 |
| 1 |
ШСМ «Legacy Square Capital» (г. Москва) |
* |
* |
4½ |
4 |
3 |
2½ |
3 |
|
4½ |
5 |
10 |
26,5 |
0 |
| 2 |
«Сибирь» (г. Новосибирск) |
1½ |
2 |
* |
* |
4 |
|
4 |
4½ |
5 |
4½ |
10 |
25,5 |
0 |
| 3 |
«Медный всадник» (г. Санкт-Петербург) |
3 |
3½ |
2 |
|
* |
* |
3½ |
4½ |
5 |
|
9 |
21,5 |
0 |
| 4 |
«Жигули» (Самарская область) |
3 |
|
2 |
1½ |
2½ |
1½ |
* |
* |
3½ |
|
3 |
14,0 |
0 |
| 5 |
«Ладья» (Республика Татарстан) |
1½ |
1 |
1 |
1½ |
1 |
|
2½ |
|
* |
* |
0 |
8,5 |
0 |
Two more rounds are to play but some teams have byes. But the team of Bronze Horseman, currently on third place, plays in both rounds and thus has chances to score twice whereas the teams which are currently first and second have only one more match to play. The crucial encounter might well be the match between Siberia-Bronze Horseman. If Bronze Horseman wins, the team from St. Petersburg only needs to win against tailender Ladya to become Russian Team Champion 2016.
Games of the Premier League (Rounds 1-8):
Women's Tournament
Nine teams play in the women's tournament but the fight for the title is much clearer than in the men's event. Legacy Square Capital Moscow won all their matches, leads with six point margin and will win the event.
| Rg. |
Team |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
Wtg1 |
Wtg2 |
Wtg3 |
| 1 |
«ШСМ Legacy Square Capital» (г. Москва) |
* |
2½ |
3 |
2½ |
|
2½ |
3 |
2½ |
3½ |
14 |
19,5 |
0 |
| 2 |
«СДЮСШОР ШШ» (г. Санкт-Петербург) |
1½ |
* |
|
2½ |
1 |
3½ |
3 |
4 |
|
8 |
15,5 |
0 |
| 3 |
«Югра» (ХМАО-ЮГРА) |
1 |
|
* |
2 |
2 |
|
3½ |
3½ |
3½ |
8 |
15,5 |
0 |
| 4 |
«Боавишта» (г. Москва) |
1½ |
1½ |
2 |
* |
2 |
2½ |
|
2 |
3½ |
7 |
15,0 |
0 |
| 5 |
«Дончанка» (г. Ростов-на-Дону) |
|
3 |
2 |
2 |
* |
|
1 |
2 |
2½ |
7 |
12,5 |
0 |
| 6 |
«Университет» (г. Белореченск, Краснодар |
1½ |
½ |
|
1½ |
|
* |
2½ |
3 |
3 |
6 |
12,0 |
0 |
| 7 |
«Ладья» (Республика Татарстан) |
1 |
1 |
½ |
|
3 |
1½ |
* |
|
2 |
3 |
9,0 |
0 |
| 8 |
«Букавушки» (г. Тольятти) |
1½ |
0 |
½ |
2 |
2 |
1 |
|
* |
|
2 |
7,0 |
0 |
| 9 |
СШОР «Юность Москвы» (г. Москва) |
½ |
|
½ |
½ |
1½ |
1 |
2 |
|
* |
1 |
6,0 |
0 |
The top pairing of round seven which effectively decided the Championship.
| Br. |
5 |
«ШСМ Legacy Square Capital» (г. Москва) |
Elo |
- |
3 |
«Югра» (ХМАО-ЮГРА) |
Elo |
3 : 1 |
| 1.1 |
GM |
|
2556 |
- |
GM |
|
2450 |
½ - ½ |
| 1.2 |
GM |
|
2529 |
- |
WGM |
|
2490 |
1 - 0 |
| 1.3 |
IM |
|
2467 |
- |
IM |
|
2434 |
1 - 0 |
| 1.4 |
IM |
|
2466 |
- |
IM |
|
2416 |
½ - ½ |
Games (Rounds 1-7):
Alexandra Kosteniuk came from the Women's Grand Prix in Batumi directly to Sochi to help her team Legacy Square Capital Moscow to win the title.
Former Women's World Champion Anna Ushenina
Games of the Russian Higher League (Rounds 1-7):
Photos: Russian Chess Federation
Tournament page (Russian Chess Federation)...
All results at Chess-Results...
