 |
The Tal Memorial chess festival is being held in Moscow from November
5th to 19th, 2006. It is a round-robin super-tournament of Category 20,
with participants from seven countries. The rating favorite is Peter Svidler,
2750, Russia, the dark horse is 15-year-old Magnus Carlsen of Norway, at
2698 the only participant rated below 2700. All games start at 15:00h Moscow
time (= 13:00h CET, 12:00 noon London, 7 a.m. New York). There is live
broadcast on the official site
and on Playchess.com. |
The Tal Memorial 2006 in Moscow ends with a spectacular blitz tournament consisting
of
- nine players of the main Tal Memorial tournament (all except Shirov)
- special invitees Anatoly Karpov, Vishy Anand and Judit Polgar
- six top finishers from the blitz qualifier that was held on Thursday and
Friday.
The Qualifier
40 grandmasters participated in this Swiss event, playing two-game mini-matches
against each opponent they faced. In the end the tournament was won, with 12/18
points, by 19th seed Baadur Jobava of Georgia, who beat seventh seed Sergey
Karjakin of Ukraine on tiebreak points. Sharing places 3-6 were Teimour Radjabov
(top seed), Dmitry Jakovenko (10th seed), Viktor Bologan (13) and Artyom Timofeev
(12). Full tables are given below, but here is one that shows how the highest
ranked players fared (the ones in boldface qualified).
Seed |
Place |
Player |
Nat. |
Rat. |
Pts |
1 |
3. |
Radjabov, Teimour |
AZE |
2729 |
11.5 |
2 |
14. |
Rublevsky, Sergei |
RUS |
2688 |
10 |
3 |
15. |
Bareev, Evgeny |
RUS |
2683 |
10 |
4 |
22. |
Malakhov, Vladimir |
RUS |
2682 |
8.5 |
5 |
26. |
Georgiev, Kiril |
BUL |
2680 |
8 |
6 |
19. |
Zvjaginsev, Vadim |
RUS |
2674 |
9 |
7 |
2. |
Karjakin, Sergey |
UKR |
2672 |
12 |
8 |
12. |
Kasimdzhanov, Rustam |
UZB |
2672 |
10.5 |
9 |
4. |
Jakovenko, Dmitry |
RUS |
2671 |
11.5 |
10 |
10. |
Bu, Xiangzhi |
CHN |
2671 |
11 |
11 |
6. |
Timofeev, Artyom |
RUS |
2662 |
11.5 |
12 |
18. |
Motylev, Alexander |
RUS |
2662 |
9 |
13 |
5. |
Bologan, Viktor |
MDA |
2659 |
11.5 |
14 |
13. |
Smirin, Ilia |
ISR |
2659 |
10.5 |
15 |
34. |
Eljanov, Pavel |
UKR |
2658 |
7 |
16 |
7. |
Lautier, Joel |
FRA |
2656 |
11 |
17 |
8. |
Dreev, Alexey |
RUS |
2655 |
11 |
18 |
21. |
Tkachiev, Vladislav |
FRA |
2653 |
8.5 |
19 |
1. |
Jobava, Baadur |
GEO |
2650 |
12 |
20 |
28 |
Najer, Evgeniy |
RUS |
2648 |
7.5 |
Baadur Jobava is the hot 22-year-old grandmaster from Georgia who, in February
this year won the Aeroflot
Open in Moscow and was Topalov's second in the Mtel
2006 tournament in Sofia. Sergey Karjakin was the world's youngest grandmaster
(at twelve!), who has honed his blitz playing skills on the Playchess
server.

Above is Sergey Karjakin's rating development in the last few months on
Playchess

With hard work and superb play Sergey has managed to overtake the legendary
Raffael and take top rank in the blitz ratings of Playchess. We expect a showdown
between the two after the Tal Memorial. There will be blood all over the server.
Final stages of Sergey Karjakin vs Emil Sutovsky at the Tal Memorial qualifier
Picture Gallery
Once again there are great pictures of the blitz tournament on the web site
of the Russian chess magazine
"64". Unfortunately they are uncaptioned. We bring you
a small selection from the two picture galleries which are to be found here
and here.

The venue of the Blitz Qualifier in the Chess Federation

Spectators and players watching a key game during the blitz qualifier

"What is going on?" Radjabov and Bu Xiangzhi discussing with arbiter
Andrezej Filipowicz. Keen eyes will spot the following people looking on: Anatoly
Vaisser, Florencio Campomanes, Alexandra Kosteniuk, Max Dlugy.

Star ChessBase
trainer and former FIDE world champion Rustam Kasimdzhanov vs Viktor Bologan
Radjabov vs Dreev, with Anand kibitzing

Dreev plays his king out of check against Max Dlugy, with Alexandra Kosteniuk
watching

"We'll take it again from bar 20" – Evgeny Bareev (right) orchestrating
a blitz game

Alexey Dreev (who led on the first day) against Baadur Jobava

"And you didn't see 6.Qxf7 mate?" Kibitzer Anand and his big
rival Baadur Jobava
Final standings
Place |
Name (seed) |
Feder |
Rtg |
Score |
M-Buch. |
Buch. |
Wins |
1. |
Jobava, Baadur (19) |
GEO |
2650 |
12 |
69.5 |
87.0 |
4 |
2. |
Karjakin, Sergey (7) |
UKR |
2672 |
12 |
61.5 |
79.5 |
5 |
3. |
Radjabov, Teimour (1) |
AZE |
2729 |
11.5 |
72.5 |
92.5 |
5 |
4. |
Jakovenko, Dmitry (10) |
RUS |
2671 |
11.5 |
71.5 |
91.0 |
5 |
5. |
Bologan, Viktor (13) |
MDA |
2659 |
11.5 |
68.5 |
87.5 |
5 |
6. |
Timofeev, Artyom (12) |
RUS |
2662 |
11.5 |
66.0 |
84.0 |
5 |
7. |
Lautier, Joel (16) |
FRA |
2656 |
11 |
75.0 |
95.5 |
5 |
8. |
Dreev, Alexey (17) |
RUS |
2655 |
11 |
72.5 |
90.5 |
3 |
9. |
Khismatullin, Denis (30) |
RUS |
2583 |
11 |
70.5 |
90.0 |
4 |
10. |
Bu, Xiangzhi (9) |
CHN |
2671 |
11 |
59.5 |
77.5 |
4 |
11. |
Wang, Yue (21) |
CHN |
2644 |
11 |
59.5 |
77.0 |
5 |
12. |
Kasimdzhanov, Rustam (8) |
UZB |
2672 |
10.5 |
70.0 |
89.0 |
3 |
13. |
Smirin, Ilia (14) |
ISR |
2659 |
10.5 |
64.0 |
83.0 |
4 |
14. |
Rublevsky, Sergei (2) |
RUS |
2688 |
10 |
72.5 |
91.5 |
4 |
15. |
Bareev, Evgeny (3) |
RUS |
2683 |
10 |
64.0 |
82.5 |
4 |
16. |
Inarkiev, Ernesto (22) |
RUS |
2628 |
10 |
58.0 |
75.0 |
3 |
17. |
Vitiugov, Nikita (29) |
RUS |
2596 |
9.5 |
66.0 |
84.0 |
3 |
18. |
Motylev, Alexander (11) |
RUS |
2662 |
9 |
61.5 |
79.0 |
2 |
19. |
Zvjaginsev, Vadim (6) |
RUS |
2674 |
9 |
58.0 |
75.5 |
3 |
20. |
Rashkovsky, Nukhim N (38) |
RUS |
2496 |
9 |
57.5 |
74.5 |
3 |
21. |
Tkachiev, Vladislav (18) |
FRA |
2653 |
8.5 |
72.0 |
91.5 |
4 |
22. |
Malakhov, Vladimir (4) |
RUS |
2682 |
8.5 |
72.0 |
91.0 |
3 |
23. |
Volkov, Sergey (23) |
RUS |
2628 |
8.5 |
64.0 |
82.0 |
3 |
24. |
Kosteniuk, Alexandra (36) |
RUS |
2534 |
8.5 |
62.5 |
79.5 |
3 |
25. |
Amonatov, Farrukh (32) |
TJK |
2567 |
8.5 |
61.5 |
79.5 |
3 |
26. |
Georgiev, Kiril (5) |
BUL |
2680 |
8 |
62.5 |
80.0 |
2 |
27. |
Sveshnikov, Evgeny (39) |
LAT |
2496 |
8 |
55.0 |
73.0 |
1 |
28. |
Najer, Evgeniy (20) |
RUS |
2648 |
7.5 |
67.0 |
85.0 |
2 |
29. |
Nepomniachtchi, Ian (35) |
RUS |
2545 |
7.5 |
64.0 |
82.5 |
1 |
30. |
Tregubov, Pavel V. (28) |
RUS |
2596 |
7.5 |
50.5 |
67.0 |
2 |
31. |
Tukmakov, Vladimir B (34) |
UKR |
2549 |
7 |
62.5 |
80.0 |
2 |
32. |
Potkin, Vladimir (31) |
RUS |
2580 |
7 |
61.0 |
79.0 |
1 |
33. |
Vaisser, Anatoly (33) |
FRA |
2553 |
7 |
58.0 |
75.5 |
2 |
34. |
Eljanov, Pavel (15) |
UKR |
2658 |
7 |
56.0 |
73.0 |
1 |
35. |
Dlugy, Maxim (37) |
USA |
2518 |
7 |
53.5 |
70.5 |
1 |
36. |
Balashov, Yuri S (40) |
RUS |
2412 |
7 |
51.5 |
67.5 |
1 |
37. |
Smirnov, Pavel (24) |
RUS |
2623 |
7 |
51.0 |
66.5 |
2 |
38. |
Aleksandrov, Aleksej (25) |
BLR |
2619 |
6.5 |
61.0 |
79.5 |
2 |
39. |
Sutovsky, Emil (27) |
ISR |
2607 |
6.5 |
60.0 |
78.0 |
1 |
40. |
Korotylev, Alexey (26) |
RUS |
2613 |
4.5 |
31.0 |
50.5 |
1 |
Cross Table
In the following table you can see how each player did in each of the nine
rounds of the tournament, with the numbers indicating the opponent and the
score.
No |
Name |
Fed. |
Rtg |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
1. |
Radjabov |
AZE |
2729 |
21:1.5 |
29:1.5 |
26:1.0 |
8:1.0 |
16:1.0 |
18:1.5 |
9:1.5 |
17:1.5 |
10:1.0 |
2. |
Rublevsky |
RUS |
2688 |
22:2.0 |
14:2.0 |
16:.5 |
19:.5 |
13:.5 |
7:0.0 |
38:.5 |
34:2.0 |
36:2.0 |
3. |
Bareev |
RUS |
2683 |
23:1.5 |
20:1.0 |
29:1.5 |
14:.5 |
18:.5 |
12:.5 |
15:2.0 |
4:2.0 |
21:.5 |
4. |
Malakhov |
RUS |
2682 |
24:2.0 |
16:.5 |
30:1.5 |
32:2.0 |
17:1.0 |
19:0.0 |
13:.5 |
3:0.0 |
38:1.0 |
5. |
Georgiev |
BUL |
2680 |
25:.5 |
37:2.0 |
20:1.0 |
18:1.0 |
26:2.0 |
14:1.0 |
10:.5 |
30:0.0 |
22:0.0 |
6. |
Zvjaginsev |
RUS |
2674 |
26:0.0 |
34:1.0 |
28:2.0 |
25:.5 |
22:1.5 |
30:0.0 |
33:2.0 |
38:1.0 |
11:1.0 |
7. |
Karjakin |
UKR |
2672 |
27:1.0 |
25:1.5 |
23:1.0 |
20:.5 |
35:1.5 |
2:2.0 |
14:2.0 |
10:1.0 |
16:1.5 |
8. |
Kasimdzhanov |
UZB |
2672 |
28:2.0 |
26:1.0 |
32:1.0 |
1:1.0 |
30:2.0 |
17:1.0 |
16:.5 |
13:0.0 |
18:2.0 |
9. |
Bu, Xiangzhi |
CHN |
2671 |
29:0.0 |
39:2.0 |
35:1.0 |
27:1.0 |
25:2.0 |
36:1.5 |
1:.5 |
11:2.0 |
12:1.0 |
10. |
Jakovenko |
RUS |
2671 |
30:1.5 |
19:1.0 |
13:1.0 |
26:1.5 |
20:1.5 |
11:1.5 |
5:1.5 |
7:1.0 |
1:1.0 |
11. |
Motylev |
RUS |
2662 |
31:1.0 |
35:1.0 |
25:1.0 |
29:1.5 |
33:2.0 |
10:.5 |
30:1.0 |
9:0.0 |
6:1.0 |
12. |
Timofeev |
RUS |
2662 |
32:1.0 |
17:0.0 |
34:2.0 |
30:0.0 |
29:2.0 |
3:1.5 |
35:2.0 |
18:2.0 |
9:1.0 |
13. |
Bologan |
MDA |
2659 |
33:2.0 |
18:.5 |
10:1.0 |
23:1.5 |
2:1.5 |
16:.5 |
4:1.5 |
8:2.0 |
19:1.0 |
14. |
Smirin |
ISR |
2659 |
34:2.0 |
2:0.0 |
15:2.0 |
3:1.5 |
19:1.0 |
5:1.0 |
7:0.0 |
36:1.0 |
32:2.0 |
15. |
Eljanov |
UKR |
2658 |
35:1.0 |
31:.5 |
14:0.0 |
21:1.0 |
38:.5 |
37:2.0 |
3:0.0 |
40:1.0 |
33:1.0 |
16. |
Lautier |
FRA |
2656 |
36:2.0 |
4:1.5 |
2:1.5 |
17:.5 |
1:1.0 |
13:1.5 |
8:1.5 |
19:1.0 |
7:.5 |
17. |
Dreev |
RUS |
2655 |
37:1.0 |
12:2.0 |
18:2.0 |
16:1.5 |
4:1.0 |
8:1.0 |
19:1.0 |
1:.5 |
30:1.0 |
18. |
Tkachiev |
FRA |
2653 |
38:2.0 |
13:1.5 |
17:0.0 |
5:1.0 |
3:1.5 |
1:.5 |
32:2.0 |
12:0.0 |
8:0.0 |
19. |
Jobava |
GEO |
2650 |
39:1.5 |
10:1.0 |
31:2.0 |
2:1.5 |
14:1.0 |
4:2.0 |
17:1.0 |
16:1.0 |
13:1.0 |
20. |
Najer |
RUS |
2648 |
40:1.5 |
3:1.0 |
5:1.0 |
7:1.5 |
10:.5 |
32:1.0 |
36:1.0 |
21:0.0 |
29:0.0 |
21. |
Wang, Yue |
CHN |
2644 |
1:.5 |
30:0.0 |
38:1.5 |
15:1.0 |
31:1.0 |
27:2.0 |
23:1.5 |
20:2.0 |
3:1.5 |
22. |
Inarkiev |
RUS |
2628 |
2:0.0 |
33:1.5 |
36:1.0 |
35:1.0 |
6:.5 |
29:1.0 |
34:1.0 |
23:2.0 |
5:2.0 |
23. |
Volkov |
RUS |
2628 |
3:.5 |
40:2.0 |
7:1.0 |
13:.5 |
32:.5 |
33:1.5 |
21:.5 |
22:0.0 |
37:2.0 |
24. |
Smirnov |
RUS |
2623 |
4:0.0 |
36:.5 |
39:1.5 |
33:0.0 |
40:1.5 |
34:.5 |
29:1.0 |
27:1.0 |
25:1.0 |
25. |
Aleksandrov |
BLR |
2619 |
5:1.5 |
7:.5 |
11:1.0 |
6:1.5 |
9:0.0 |
35:0.0 |
27:1.0 |
29:0.0 |
24:1.0 |
26. |
Korotylev |
RUS |
2613 |
6:2.0 |
8:1.0 |
1:1.0 |
10:.5 |
5:0.0 |
: |
: |
: |
: |
27. |
Sutovsky |
ISR |
2607 |
7:1.0 |
32:0.0 |
37:2.0 |
9:1.0 |
36:0.0 |
21:0.0 |
25:1.0 |
24:1.0 |
28:.5 |
28. |
Tregubov |
RUS |
2596 |
8:0.0 |
38:1.0 |
6:0.0 |
40:.5 |
37:1.0 |
39:1.0 |
31:1.5 |
33:1.0 |
27:1.5 |
29. |
Vitiugov |
RUS |
2596 |
9:2.0 |
1:.5 |
3:.5 |
11:.5 |
12:0.0 |
22:1.0 |
24:1.0 |
25:2.0 |
20:2.0 |
30. |
Khismatullin |
RUS |
2583 |
10:.5 |
21:2.0 |
4:.5 |
12:2.0 |
8:0.0 |
6:2.0 |
11:1.0 |
5:2.0 |
17:1.0 |
31. |
Potkin |
RUS |
2580 |
11:1.0 |
15:1.5 |
19:0.0 |
36:.5 |
21:1.0 |
38:.5 |
28:.5 |
37:0.0 |
:2.0 |
32. |
Amonatov |
TJK |
2567 |
12:1.0 |
27:2.0 |
8:1.0 |
4:0.0 |
23:1.5 |
20:1.0 |
18:0.0 |
35:2.0 |
14:0.0 |
33. |
Vaisser |
FRA |
2553 |
13:0.0 |
22:.5 |
40:2.0 |
24:2.0 |
11:0.0 |
23:.5 |
6:0.0 |
28:1.0 |
15:1.0 |
34. |
Tukmakov |
UKR |
2549 |
14:0.0 |
6:1.0 |
12:0.0 |
38:1.0 |
39:1.5 |
24:1.5 |
22:1.0 |
2:0.0 |
40:1.0 |
35. |
Nepomniachtchi |
RUS |
2545 |
15:1.0 |
11:1.0 |
9:1.0 |
22:1.0 |
7:.5 |
25:2.0 |
12:0.0 |
32:0.0 |
39:1.0 |
36. |
Kosteniuk |
RUS |
2534 |
16:0.0 |
24:1.5 |
22:1.0 |
31:1.5 |
27:2.0 |
9:.5 |
20:1.0 |
14:1.0 |
2:0.0 |
37. |
Dlugy |
USA |
2518 |
17:1.0 |
5:0.0 |
27:0.0 |
39:1.0 |
28:1.0 |
15:0.0 |
:2.0 |
31:2.0 |
23:0.0 |
38. |
Rashkovsky |
RUS |
2496 |
18:0.0 |
28:1.0 |
21:.5 |
34:1.0 |
15:1.5 |
31:1.5 |
2:1.5 |
6:1.0 |
4:1.0 |
39. |
Sveshnikov |
LAT |
2496 |
19:.5 |
9:0.0 |
24:.5 |
37:1.0 |
34:.5 |
28:1.0 |
40:1.5 |
:2.0 |
35:1.0 |
40. |
Balashov |
RUS |
2412 |
20:.5 |
23:0.0 |
33:0.0 |
28:1.5 |
24:.5 |
:2.0 |
39:.5 |
15:1.0 |
34:1.0 |
Links