St. Louis Rapid & Blitz: Firouzja grabs the sole lead

by Carlos Alberto Colodro
8/16/2024 – Alireza Firouzja took the sole lead after the first day of blitz at the Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz tournament. The French representative goes into the final 9 rounds of 5-minute games with a 1½-point lead over Wesley So and Ian Nepomniachtchi. It was So who obtained the best score on Thursday, as he scored 7/9 points despite losing his round-12 encounter against Firouzja. | Photo: Lennart Ootes

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A quick tactical eye

The first half of the blitz section at the Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz tournament saw Wesley So and Alireza Firouzja climbing in the standings by scoring 7 and 6½ points respectively. Firouzja, who tied for first place in the rapid section, is now the sole leader, while So is now sharing second place with Ian Nepomniachtchi, at a 1½-point distance from Firouzja.

Tense struggles saw many of the games being decided by one-move blunders. Following the games live with the great commentary by Yasser Seirawan, Peter Svidler and Nazi Paikidze is surely entertaining, as the participants showcase their ability to make difficult decisions in deep time trouble - until one of them falters decisively.

Besides Firouzja, Nepo and So, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and Levon Aronian are well within reach of winning the tournament - i.e. half the field have realistic chances of claiming overall victory before the final 9 rounds of blitz.

Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz 2024

In the crucial encounter between Firouzja and So, the latter failed to foresee a tactical idea that allowed Firouzja to promote a pawn by sacrificing an exchange.

Firouzja v. So

50...Re1+ was a decisive mistake, as after 51.Kh2 Rb1 there is 52.Rxc6 bxc6 52.Bb4, blocking the b-file. So resigned.

Wesley So

Wesley So | Photo: Lennart Ootes

Two rounds later, after beating Leinier Dominguez, So got a lucky break - Aronian went from having a clearly better position to blundering the game away with a single queen manoeuvre.

Aronian v. So

69.Qxb5 loses the queen to 69...Qf1+, with a skewer.

Levon Aronian

Levon Aronian | Photo: Lennart Ootes

Daily recap

By Kostya Kavutskiy

Standings after round 9 - Blitz

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All games - Blitz

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1.d4 2 Nf6 1 2.Bg5 1 d5 10 3.e3 2 e6 10 4.c4 7 Be7 1 5.cxd5 5 exd5 20 6.Nc3 2 c6 6 7.Bd3 8 0-0 8 8.h3 10 D35: Queen's Gambit Declined: Exchange Variation. Ne8 19 9.Bf4 13 Bd6 1 10.Qf3 8 Bxf4N 17 Predecessor: 10...Qf6 11.Nge2 Bxf4 12.Nxf4 Nd6 13.h4 Re8 14.0-0-0 Bf5 15.Bxf5 Qxf5 16.g4 Qf6 1-0 Vidit,S (2727)-Shankland,S (2708) Tata Steel-A 84th 2022 (1) 11.Qxf4 1 Qd6 3 12.Qh4 22 g6 31 13.Nf3 8 Nd7 1 14.Qh6 25 Qf6 12 15.b4 12 Nd6 7 16.b5 21 Nc5 56 17.Bc2 37 Nxb5 13 18.Ng5 19 Qh8 2 19.Nxb5 2 cxb5 1 20.h4 1:32 Ne6 11 21.Bb3 6 Rd8 19 22.Rc1 15 Qg7 16 23.Qxg7+ 1 Kxg7 2 24.Kd2 2 a5 7 25.Nxe6+ 4 Bxe6 2 26.Rc7 1 b6 33 27.Rhc1 1 Rd6 3 28.a3 9 b4 8 29.axb4 3 axb4 1 30.Rb1 1 Bf5 9 31.Rb2 1 Ra1 1 32.Bd1 4 Rb1 12 33.Rxb1 4 Bxb1 1 34.Bb3 6 Bf5 5 35.f3 1 Bd7 8 36.g4 4 h6 4 37.g5 1 hxg5 4 38.hxg5 1 Be6 4 39.Ra7 4 Kf8 4 40.Ra4 2 Bd7 3 41.Rxb4 1 Ke7 1 41...b5 42.Bc2 2 Only move: 42.e4± Black must now prevent e5. dxe4 43.fxe4 42...b5 2 43.Bd3 1 Ra6 1 44.Kc3 1 44.Bxb5 Rb6 45.Bxd7 Rxb4 44...Rc6+ 3 45.Kd2 1 Ra6 1 46.e4 11 46.Bxb5 Rb6 47.Bxd7 Rxb4 46...dxe4 3 47.fxe4 0 47.Bxb5 Rb6 47...Bxb5 48.Rxb5 exf3 49.Ke3= 48.fxe4 Rxb5-+ 48...Bxb5? 49.Ke3-+ 47...Ra4 0 48.Rxa4 8 bxa4 1 49.Kc3 1 f6 2 50.gxf6+ 1 Kxf6 1 51.e5+ 0 Kf7 2 52.d5 1 g5 2 53.Bc4 4 g4? 6       53...Ke7= 54.d6+? 3 54.e6+ mates Ke7 55.exd7 Kxd7 56.Bf1 a3 57.Kb3 Kd6 58.Bg2 58.Kxa3 Kxd5 59.Kb4 g3= 58...a2 59.Kxa2 54...Ke8 3 54...Be6 55.d7 Ke7 56.Bxe6 g3 57.Bh3 g2 58.Bxg2 Kxd7 59.Bh3+ Kd8 60.Kb4 55.e6 1 g3 3 56.exd7+ 5 Don't go for 56.Bd5? Bxe6 57.Bc6+ Bd7-+ 56...Kxd7 0 57.Bd5 1 Kxd6 1 58.Bg2 1 a3 1 59.Kb3 1 a2 0 60.Kxa2 0 Kc7 1 61.Kb2 1 Kb6 2 62.Kc3 1 Ka7 0 63.Kd4 0 Kb6 1 64.Ke3 1 Kc5 0 65.Kf4 0 Kd4 0 66.Kxg3 3 ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Nakamura,H2802Vachier-Lagrave,M2721½–½2024D35GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20241
Caruana,F2793Aronian,L27291–02024A25GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20241
Nepomniachtchi,I2767So,W2751½–½2024A29GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20241
Abdusattorov,N2762Praggnanandhaa R27491–02024C47GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20241
Firouzja,A2751Dominguez Perez,L27481–02024A37GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20241
Nakamura,H2802Abdusattorov,N27621–02024A05GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20242
So,W2751Caruana,F27931–02024C54GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20242
Praggnanandhaa R2749Nepomniachtchi,I27671–02024D00GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20242
Aronian,L2729Firouzja,A27511–02024B11GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20242
Vachier-Lagrave,M2721Dominguez Perez,L2748½–½2024C67GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20242
Caruana,F2793Praggnanandhaa R27491–02024C54GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20243
Nepomniachtchi,I2767Nakamura,H28020–12024D45GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20243
Abdusattorov,N2762Vachier-Lagrave,M27210–12024B22GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20243
Firouzja,A2751So,W27511–02024C54GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20243
Dominguez Perez,L2748Aronian,L27290–12024C11GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20243
Nakamura,H2802Caruana,F27930–12024A05GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20244
Abdusattorov,N2762Nepomniachtchi,I27670–12024B22GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20244
So,W2751Dominguez Perez,L27481–02024D13GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20244
Praggnanandhaa R2749Firouzja,A2751½–½2024D00GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20244
Vachier-Lagrave,M2721Aronian,L27290–12024C07GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20244
Caruana,F2793Abdusattorov,N27621–02024E15GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20245
Nepomniachtchi,I2767Vachier-Lagrave,M27211–02024A22GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20245
Firouzja,A2751Nakamura,H28021–02024C01GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20245
Dominguez Perez,L2748Praggnanandhaa R27491–02024C54GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20245
Aronian,L2729So,W27510–12024C20GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20245
Nakamura,H2802Dominguez Perez,L27481–02024A05GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20246
Nepomniachtchi,I2767Caruana,F27931–02024A21GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20246
Abdusattorov,N2762Firouzja,A27510–12024B12GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20246
Praggnanandhaa R2749Aronian,L27290–12024D00GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20246
Vachier-Lagrave,M2721So,W2751½–½2024C67GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20246
Caruana,F2793Vachier-Lagrave,M2721½–½2024D78GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20247
Firouzja,A2751Nepomniachtchi,I27671–02024C42GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20247
So,W2751Praggnanandhaa R27491–02024A29GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20247
Dominguez Perez,L2748Abdusattorov,N27620–12024C55GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20247
Aronian,L2729Nakamura,H28020–12024C07GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20247
Nakamura,H2802So,W27510–12024D02GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20248
Caruana,F2793Firouzja,A2751½–½2024C54GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20248
Nepomniachtchi,I2767Dominguez Perez,L2748½–½2024D45GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20248
Abdusattorov,N2762Aronian,L27290–12024C02GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20248
Vachier-Lagrave,M2721Praggnanandhaa R27491–02024C70GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20248
Firouzja,A2751Vachier-Lagrave,M2721½–½2024D79GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20249
So,W2751Abdusattorov,N27621–02024A13GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20249
Praggnanandhaa R2749Nakamura,H28021–02024A45GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20249
Dominguez Perez,L2748Caruana,F27931–02024C55GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20249
Aronian,L2729Nepomniachtchi,I27670–12024B50GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20249
So,W2751Nepomniachtchi,I2767½–½2024E05GCT Saint Louis Blitz 202410
Praggnanandhaa R2749Abdusattorov,N27621–02024D03GCT Saint Louis Blitz 202410
Dominguez Perez,L2748Firouzja,A27510–12024B15GCT Saint Louis Blitz 202410
Aronian,L2729Caruana,F27930–12024C46GCT Saint Louis Blitz 202410
Vachier-Lagrave,M2721Nakamura,H28020–12024C64GCT Saint Louis Blitz 202410
Caruana,F2793So,W2751½–½2024E43GCT Saint Louis Blitz 202411
Nepomniachtchi,I2767Praggnanandhaa R27490–12024A28GCT Saint Louis Blitz 202411
Abdusattorov,N2762Nakamura,H28020–12024C01GCT Saint Louis Blitz 202411
Firouzja,A2751Aronian,L2729½–½2024C11GCT Saint Louis Blitz 202411
Dominguez Perez,L2748Vachier-Lagrave,M27211–02024B90GCT Saint Louis Blitz 202411
Nakamura,H2802Nepomniachtchi,I27671–02024B21GCT Saint Louis Blitz 202412
So,W2751Firouzja,A2751½–½2024D77GCT Saint Louis Blitz 202412
Praggnanandhaa R2749Caruana,F27931–02024D01GCT Saint Louis Blitz 202412
Aronian,L2729Dominguez Perez,L27481–02024B02GCT Saint Louis Blitz 202412
Vachier-Lagrave,M2721Abdusattorov,N27620–12024B72GCT Saint Louis Blitz 202412
Caruana,F2793Nakamura,H2802½–½2024D10GCT Saint Louis Blitz 202413
Nepomniachtchi,I2767Abdusattorov,N27620–12024A13GCT Saint Louis Blitz 202413
Firouzja,A2751Praggnanandhaa R27491–02024E67GCT Saint Louis Blitz 202413
Dominguez Perez,L2748So,W2751½–½2024C67GCT Saint Louis Blitz 202413
Aronian,L2729Vachier-Lagrave,M2721½–½2024D05GCT Saint Louis Blitz 202413
Nakamura,H2802Firouzja,A2751½–½2024D40GCT Saint Louis Blitz 202414
Abdusattorov,N2762Caruana,F27931–02024C47GCT Saint Louis Blitz 202414
So,W2751Aronian,L27291–02024D76GCT Saint Louis Blitz 202414
Praggnanandhaa R2749Dominguez Perez,L27481–02024D02GCT Saint Louis Blitz 202414
Vachier-Lagrave,M2721Nepomniachtchi,I27671–02024B90GCT Saint Louis Blitz 202414
Caruana,F2793Nepomniachtchi,I27671–02024D35GCT Saint Louis Blitz 202415
Firouzja,A2751Abdusattorov,N27620–12024A13GCT Saint Louis Blitz 202415
So,W2751Vachier-Lagrave,M2721½–½2024D85GCT Saint Louis Blitz 202415
Dominguez Perez,L2748Nakamura,H28021–02024C55GCT Saint Louis Blitz 202415
Aronian,L2729Praggnanandhaa R2749½–½2024C26GCT Saint Louis Blitz 202415
Nakamura,H2802Aronian,L27290–12024A07GCT Saint Louis Blitz 202416
Nepomniachtchi,I2767Firouzja,A27510–12024A29GCT Saint Louis Blitz 202416
Abdusattorov,N2762Dominguez Perez,L2748½–½2024C47GCT Saint Louis Blitz 202416
Praggnanandhaa R2749So,W27511–02024D02GCT Saint Louis Blitz 202416
Vachier-Lagrave,M2721Caruana,F2793½–½2024C78GCT Saint Louis Blitz 202416
Firouzja,A2751Caruana,F27930–12024A00GCT Saint Louis Blitz 202417
So,W2751Nakamura,H28020–12024D06GCT Saint Louis Blitz 202417
Praggnanandhaa R2749Vachier-Lagrave,M27210–12024D00GCT Saint Louis Blitz 202417
Dominguez Perez,L2748Nepomniachtchi,I27670–12024B04GCT Saint Louis Blitz 202417
Aronian,L2729Abdusattorov,N27620–12024C01GCT Saint Louis Blitz 202417
Nakamura,H2802Praggnanandhaa R27491–02024C78GCT Saint Louis Blitz 202418
Caruana,F2793Dominguez Perez,L2748½–½2024A07GCT Saint Louis Blitz 202418
Nepomniachtchi,I2767Aronian,L2729½–½2024C15GCT Saint Louis Blitz 202418
Abdusattorov,N2762So,W2751½–½2024D02GCT Saint Louis Blitz 202418
Vachier-Lagrave,M2721Firouzja,A27510–12024A55GCT Saint Louis Blitz 202418

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Carlos Colodro is a Hispanic Philologist from Bolivia. He works as a freelance translator and writer since 2012. A lot of his work is done in chess-related texts, as the game is one of his biggest interests, along with literature and music.
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