12/29/2021 – After a thrilling final day, Nodirbek Abdusattorov won the World Rapid Chess title in a photo finish. At the start of the day, the young Uzbek defeated Magnus Carlsen. After 13 rounds, four players were tied on points. Abdusattorov won the playoff against Ian Nepomniachzchi. | Photos: Rafał Oleksiewicz, Michał Walusza, Anna Shtourman (FIDE)
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A young champ
Magnus Carlsen went into the final day of play in the World Rapid Chess Championship with a half-point lead, with four more rounds to play.
In the tenth round, the defending champion faced Nodirbek Abdusattorv, also a player of the younger generation, a year younger but not yet quite as successful as Alireza Firouzja.
On this DVD Dorian Rogozenco, Mihail Marin, Oliver Reeh and Karsten Müller present the 8. World Chess Champion in video lessons: his openings, his understanding of chess strategy, his artful endgame play, and finally his immortal combinations.
Abdusatorov vs. Carlsen
Abdusattorov and Carlsen had been fighting for a long time in an endgame with queens and minor pieces. Finally only the queens remained. The chances are equal (engine), but the situation is very complicated and requires a lot of calculation. Both sides were probably playing for a win.
81.Kc5 Coupled with a threat that Black does not evaluate correctly.
81...b4? This move costs Black the game. [81...Qc8+ 82.Kxb5 Qb7+ 83.Kc5 with a perpetual check and a draw.]
82.Qd2+ Forces an exchange of queens and that’s it.
82...Ka1 83.Qd4+ 1–0
With the win, Abdusattorov took the lead with 8 points, thanks to his better tiebreak score. Ian Nepomniachtchi had the same number of points after his win over Alexander Grischuk.
In Round 11, Magnus Carlsen was once again allowed to take on his Russian World Championship challenger.
The Ruy Lopez is one of the oldest openings which continues to enjoy high popularity from club level to the absolute world top. In this video series, American super GM Fabiano Caruana, talking to IM Oliver Reeh, presents a complete repertoire for White.
The game ended in a draw. Vladimir Fedoseev and Abdusattorov also shared a point. Abdusattorov and Nepomniachtchi thus defended their joint lead. Behind them now followed a group of six players, with Carlsen as the player with the best tiebreak score.
The top boards
Abdussatorov was now up against Gukesh, who actually entered the tournament with a rapid rating of 2050, but had achieved a score of 2774 up to this round. Gukesh had defeated Boris Gelfand and Baadur Jobava in the previous two rounds.
Nepomniachtchi faced Hikaru Nakamura. After a two-year break from over-the-board chess, the American star had not gained much momentum, but had so far remained without defeat.
Carlsen played Levon Aronian, and in the last chasing duel Alexander Grischuk and Fabiano Caruana fought for the full point. Carlsen and Caruana defeated Aronian and Grischuk respectively. The other top games ended in draws. Thus a quartet had formed at the top before the last round, with Abdusattorov, Nepomniachtchi, Carlsen and Caruana, in that order according to tiebreaks. Duda, Gukesh and Nakamura were lurking with 8½ points each.
Let our authors show you how Carlsen tailored his openings to be able to outplay his opponents strategically in the middlegame or to obtain an enduring advantage into the endgame.
In the final round, the pairings were Nakamura vs Carlsen, Caruana vs Nepomniachtchi and Abdusattorov vs Duda. All these games ended without a winner. So in the end four players were tied at the top of the table. In this case, the rules provide for a playoff between the two highest scorers for the World Championship title. That was Abdussatrov and Nepomniachrchi, who were very narrowly ahead of Carlsen. This rule was not appreciated by the defending champion. Carlsen gave an impromptu interview to the Norwegian press.
Carlsen speaking to NRK with a rant lasting several minutes about why he thinks the tiebreak rules in this event are unfair. "I just don't think this is fair. It has to be changed." and "It's just too amateurish in a world championship." #RapidBlitz#nrksjakkpic.twitter.com/TqGElMzze6
Carlsen speaking to NRK, saying he thinks the rule about a playoff for only the top two with the same amount of points is "completely idiotic". #RapidBlitz#nrksjakkpic.twitter.com/4YMdc94cUp
The first game of the playoff between Abdusattorov and Nepomniachtchi ended in a draw. With the white pieces, Abdusattorov won the second game and with it the World Rapid Chess Championship. The young generation is knocking on the door of the 30-year-old chess oldies — at least in rapid chess.
In the Women’s World Championship, Alexandra Kosteniuk had built up a lead of 1½ points with 7½ points in the first two days of play. On the final day, three draws were enough for the Russian former World Champion to win the Rapid Chess World Championship title.
Alexandra Kosteniuk and Kateryna Lagno
Bibissara Assaubayeva finished second. Valentina Gunina won bronze ahead of Kateryna Lagno, who was equal on points with her compatriot. Elisabeth Paehtz started the final day with a loss to Antoaneta Stefanova, won the remaining two games and finished eighth with 7½ points.
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