Photos Maria Emelianova (Tournament page)
The 2016 FIDE World Blitz Championship is a 21-round Swiss open with a time-limit of 3 minutes for the whole game and an increment of 2 seconds per move, starting from move one. The total prize fund is 200,000 USD of which the winner receives 40,000 USD.
After a disappointing 9.0/15 in the rapid tournament, Karjakin seemed determined to do better in blitz and began the tournament with 6.0/6. In round 5 he played against Carlsen who blundered in an equal position and lost.

Magnus Carlsen vs Sergey Karjakin

The final position of Carlsen vs Karjakin
After starting with 6.0/6 Karjakin slowed down a bit and finished day 1 with 10.0/12. He shares first place with Carlsen who recovered quickly from his loss against Karjakin. Carlsen and Karjakin are 1.5 points ahead of four players with 8.5/12 each.
Standings after 12 rounds
1 |
8 |
GM |
Karjakin Sergey |
RUS |
2800 |
10,0 |
2740 |
20 |
57,2 |
2 |
1 |
GM |
Carlsen Magnus |
NOR |
2873 |
10,0 |
2706 |
20 |
26,0 |
3 |
21 |
GM |
Dubov Daniil |
RUS |
2724 |
8,5 |
2740 |
20 |
50,0 |
4 |
27 |
GM |
Morozevich Alexander |
RUS |
2684 |
8,5 |
2710 |
20 |
53,0 |
5 |
37 |
GM |
Bosiocic Marin |
CRO |
2659 |
8,5 |
2673 |
20 |
48,2 |
6 |
6 |
GM |
Vachier-Lagrave Maxime |
FRA |
2823 |
8,5 |
2649 |
20 |
-7,6 |
7 |
44 |
GM |
Salem A.R. Saleh |
UAE |
2636 |
8,0 |
2792 |
20 |
79,6 |
8 |
10 |
GM |
Dominguez Perez Leinier |
CUB |
2783 |
8,0 |
2705 |
20 |
11,4 |
9 |
24 |
GM |
Yu Yangyi |
CHN |
2712 |
8,0 |
2704 |
20 |
33,0 |
10 |
17 |
GM |
Jobava Baadur |
GEO |
2752 |
8,0 |
2682 |
20 |
13,6 |
11 |
3 |
GM |
Nakamura Hikaru |
USA |
2842 |
8,0 |
2661 |
20 |
-18,4 |
12 |
16 |
GM |
Ivanchuk Vassily |
UKR |
2754 |
8,0 |
2647 |
20 |
2,8 |
13 |
72 |
GM |
Dreev Aleksey |
RUS |
2563 |
7,5 |
2712 |
20 |
75,6 |
14 |
15 |
GM |
Anand Viswanathan |
IND |
2754 |
7,5 |
2675 |
20 |
1,6 |
15 |
5 |
GM |
Nepomniachtchi Ian |
RUS |
2830 |
7,5 |
2674 |
20 |
-21,8 |
16 |
35 |
GM |
Wojtaszek Radoslaw |
POL |
2666 |
7,5 |
2672 |
20 |
27,0 |
17 |
12 |
GM |
Grischuk Alexander |
RUS |
2761 |
7,5 |
2664 |
20 |
-3,8 |
18 |
9 |
GM |
Radjabov Teimour |
AZE |
2800 |
7,5 |
2656 |
20 |
-17,2 |
19 |
7 |
GM |
Mamedyarov Shakhriyar |
AZE |
2813 |
7,5 |
2640 |
20 |
-26,0 |
20 |
26 |
GM |
Leko Peter |
HUN |
2697 |
7,5 |
2624 |
20 |
2,6 |
21 |
4 |
GM |
Aronian Levon |
ARM |
2830 |
7,5 |
2611 |
20 |
-37,8 |
... 106 players
Source: chess-results.com

Things did not go to well for reigning Blitz World Champion Alexander Grischuk:
With 7.5/12 he is place 17.

Hikaru Nakamura has 8.0/12

Alexander Morozevich did not play in the rapid tournament
but in the blitz tournament he has 8.5/12.

Vishy Anand and Santosh Vidit have a friendliy chat after their game
Games
The Women's Tournament
17 rounds are played in the Women's Tournament and after 9 rounds Alexandra Kosteniuk is sole leader with 7.5/9. Anna Muzychuk, who had dominated the rapid tournament, is having more difficulties in blitz but with 6.5/9 she is only one point behind Kosteniuk.
Standings after nine rounds
Rg. |
Snr |
|
Name |
Country |
Elo |
Pts |
TB1 |
K |
rtg+/- |
1 |
12 |
GM |
Kosteniuk Alexandra |
RUS |
2500 |
7,5 |
2476 |
20 |
48,2 |
2 |
5 |
GM |
Ju Wenjun |
CHN |
2571 |
7,0 |
2486 |
20 |
26,4 |
3 |
10 |
GM |
Harika Dronavalli |
IND |
2501 |
6,5 |
2526 |
20 |
40,2 |
4 |
2 |
GM |
Lagno Kateryna |
RUS |
2641 |
6,5 |
2458 |
20 |
-3,0 |
5 |
1 |
GM |
Muzychuk Anna |
UKR |
2645 |
6,5 |
2446 |
20 |
-7,0 |
6 |
6 |
WGM |
Tan Zhongyi |
CHN |
2552 |
6,0 |
2466 |
20 |
6,4 |
7 |
9 |
GM |
Koneru Humpy |
IND |
2502 |
6,0 |
2424 |
20 |
6,2 |
8 |
27 |
IM |
Kashlinskaya Alina |
RUS |
2286 |
5,5 |
2455 |
20 |
56,0 |
9 |
14 |
IM |
Arabidze Meri |
GEO |
2445 |
5,5 |
2415 |
20 |
6,8 |
10 |
21 |
WGM |
Goryachkina Aleksandra |
RUS |
2371 |
5,0 |
2510 |
20 |
35,6 |
11 |
8 |
GM |
Zhao Xue |
CHN |
2526 |
5,0 |
2455 |
20 |
-10,6 |
12 |
3 |
GM |
Gunina Valentina |
RUS |
2605 |
5,0 |
2454 |
20 |
-27,2 |
13 |
20 |
IM |
Charochkina Daria |
RUS |
2375 |
5,0 |
2418 |
20 |
13,2 |
14 |
15 |
IM |
Gaponenko Inna |
UKR |
2414 |
5,0 |
2353 |
20 |
-11,2 |
...34 players
Source: chess-results.com

Anna Muzychuk (left), who yesterday became Women's World Champion in rapid chess

Alexandra Kosteniuk leads

With 6.5/9 Harika Dronavalli is currently shared third
Games
The action will continue tomorrow, December 30, 3 pm local time, with the last 9 rounds of the World Blitz Championship.
Tournament page...