St Louis Chess Showdown: Nakamura beats Aronian for $60,000

Hello chess blog friends, this chess update is about the Levon Aronian - Hikaru Nakamura clash in St Louis recently. The American Grandmaster won the event with blitz fireworks to take home the 60,000 winner’s purse.

 

Brian Jerauld updates for the US Chess Federation website: Nakamura fell back on his instincts Tuesday afternoon, peppering Armenian heavyweight GM Levon Aronian with 9.5 points across 16 games of Blitz chess in the fifth round. The speed attack tipped the Showdown’s scorecard just before its last bell, after the match had entered Tuesday’s final round tied after four Classical games of chess. Nakamura and Aronian traded wins in the first two rounds, then fought to a pair of draws."

"In his post-game interview, Aronian admitted the 3-minute, 2-second-increment time control had often served as kryptonite in his blitzing history, perhaps revealed by his clock falling tragically behind in nearly every game played at the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis. The American, however, looked comfortable in his zone on Tuesday, upholding his reputation as one of the chess world’s fastest thinkers. The earth’s second highest-rated Blitz player perhaps showcased his talents best in the round’s opening game -- first hanging his queen, then stunning Aronian with a rook-and-two-knights checkmate. Nakamura eventually won the round with six wins, besting Aronian’s three. They drew seven times."

Aronian, ranked as the World No. 4 Blitz player, earned $40,000 for his efforts in the Showdown.

You can watch the full blitz match below, along with analysis form GMs Maurice Ashley,Yasser Seirawan and WGM Jennifer Shahade.




For more information, including round replays and videos, visit www.uschesschamps.com.

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$100,000 Chess Showdown - Nakamura vs Aronian in St Louis

Hello chess blog friends, there's a superstrong chess event taking place in St Louis, US. On Friday began a chess match between two of the world’s chess heavyweights.
 

The United States’ super Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura is set to square off against GM Levon Aronian, the World No. 4, in the Showdown in Saint Louis, a five-round contest for the lion’s share of a $100,000 purse. The special head-to-head exhibition will include four classical games of chess and a final round featuring 16 games of Blitz. The event will run from Friday, Nov. 21 to Tuesday, Nov. 25, with each round’s first move made at 2:00 p.m. daily.

Nakamura, the top American player ranked No. 9 in the world according to FIDE’s November 2014 rating list, is in the hunt for his first Candidates Tournament appearance and today holds second place, halfway through the 2014-2015 FIDE Grand Prix cycle. Aronian, a veteran to the world ranks, has long-been regarded as the main rival to World Champion Magnus Carlsen and reached his career-peak rating of 2830 earlier this year. Along with providing both players with elite head-to-head match experience, the Showdown in Saint Louis will also settle the score from the players’ last meeting: drawing twice at the 2014 Sinquefield Cup in the U.S. Capital of Chess last September.

GM HIKARU NAKAMURA vs. GM LEVON ARONIAN, SHOWDOWN IN SAINT LOUIS
Friday, November 21, 2:00 p.m.
Classical Round 1
Saturday, November 22, 2:00 p.m.
Classical Round 2
Sunday, November 23, 2:00 p.m.
Classical Round 3
Monday, November 24, 2:00 p.m.
Classical Round 4
Tuesday, November 25, 2:00 p.m.
Blitz Round (16 games, one every 15 minutes)

Alongside the Showdown are two specialized invitational tournaments designed for up-and-coming players attempting to earn chess’ elite master titles: International Master and, the superior, Grandmaster. The 2014 GM/IM Invitational events are two 10-player, round-robin tournaments designed to award title “norms,” or superior performances required by FIDE for player titles.

Of special focus in the GM norm event is Samuel Sevian and Ashwin Jayaram, two players who have already collected three Grandmaster norms and need just a handful of rating points to pass the necessary FIDE watermark of 2500. If Sevian clears the mark, the 13-year-old will become the youngest American Grandmaster in the history of chess.

The Showdown in Saint Louis will be streamed live in its entirety on www.uschesschamps.com, featuring live play-by-play commentary and analysis from the renowned commentary team of GM Yasser Seirawan, GM Maurice Ashley and WGM Jennifer Shahade. Live spectators may take in all the action as it unfolds in the upstairs tournament hall of the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis, with admission free-of-charge for annual, monthly and day members.

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St Louis Chess: Nakamura vs Aronian Super Match!

Hello chess blog friends, here's some super-cool chess update from the St Louis Chess Club.

NAKAMURA, ARONIAN TO GO FIVE ROUNDS IN SHOWDOWN IN SAINT LOUIS
Super GMs Hikaru Nakamura and Levon Aronian return to the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis for four classical games of chess and 16 Blitz.

SAINT LOUIS (November 4, 2014) – From the same venue that hosts such high-quality events as the U.S. Championships and the global super-tournament Sinquefield Cup, the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis now presents a high-stakes slugfest between two of the world’s heavyweights.

The United States’ super Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura will square off with GM Levon Aronian, the pride of Armenia, in the Showdown in Saint Louis from Nov. 21-25. The special head-to-head exhibition will go five rounds, including four classical games of chess and a final round featuring 16 games of Blitz. The two kings will fight for the lion’s share of a $100,000 purse.

Nakamura, the top American player ranked No. 9 in the world, is in the hunt for his first Candidates Tournament appearance and currently sits in second place halfway through the 2014-2015 FIDE Grand Prix cycle. Aronian, a veteran to the world ranks currently at No. 4, has long-been regarded as the main rival to World Champion Magnus Carlsen and reached his career-peak rating of 2830 earlier this year. The Showdown in Saint Louis will settle the score from the players’ last meeting, drawing twice at the 2014 Sinquefield Cup in the U.S. Capital of Chess last September.

As a special feature to the Showdown in Saint Louis, 20 high-tiered chess players will look to prove – and earn – their stripes at the CCSCSL. Surrounding the heavyweight fight will be two 10-player, round robin tournaments designed for players to earn International Master and Grandmaster title norms. The GM norm event features Grandmasters Ben Finegold, Denes Boros and Samy Shoker setting the standard against such players as IM Sam Sevian and IM Priyadharshan Kannappan, both dangerously close to earning their new titles.

The Showdown in Saint Louis and surrounding GM/IM norm tournaments will be streamed live on www.uschesschamps.com and once again feature live play-by-play and analysis from the renowned commentary team of GM Yasser Seirawan, GM Maurice Ashley and WGM Jennifer Shahade. Live spectators may take in all the action as it unfolds in the upstairs tournament hall of the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis, with admission free-of-charge for annual, monthly and day members.

For more information as it unfolds, visit www.uschesschamps.com.

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Sunday Chess Trivia Photo: What Artistic Chess Trophy is Nakamura Receiving?

Hello chess friends, now that's what we call a stylish chess trophy! Can you tell us what chess event has Hikaru Nakamura - US #1 - won to become the owner of this award? Read the FIDE site chess news update to know the answer.

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Traditional Čez Chess Trophy in Prague: David Navara vs Hikaru Nakamura June 6-10

Hello chess friends, The traditional Čez Chess Trophy to be held in Prague from June 6-10 will feature GM Hikaru Nakamura and GM David Navara this year.

 

The event will include a four-game clasical match between David Navara and Hikaru Nakamura apart from daily chess lectures, chess events, quizzes and even a 30-board simul by GM Nakamura. The traditional chess event is held annually to help the strongest chess Grandmaster in the Czech Republic to face a world-class Grandmaster from around the world. 

The venue is the remarkable Michna Palace or also the Palace of Michna from Vacínov, newly known as Tyršův dům is a pretentious Baroque palace, located in the south part of the Lesser Town, on the borderline of Újezd and Karmelitská street. Nowadays, it is a residency of The Sokol Movement and of Faculty of the Physical Education and Sport on Charles University.

At the end of 16th century, a Renessaince folly was originally built here, whose owners were changed quite often and each one of them made various construction work and expansion. So the folly was turned into a Renaissance villa with large garden, which became a property of imperial courtly official Paul Michna from Vacínov, in 1623. He rebuilt the villa completely into a Baroque style and turned it into a huge palace. In the second half of 17th century, it was puchased by Schwarzenbergs and from the second half of 18th century the palace used by an army, up to the end of The First World War, when it was classified as a ruin, due to its lamentable state. In 1923, ruins of the Michna Palace was purchased from the City of Prague by The Sokol Movement and it was rebuilt into its current state.

The Michna Palace has already hosted the World Chess Champions Viswanathan Anand and Vladimir Kramnik, the best women’s chess-player of all times Judit Polgár, chess legends Vlastimil Hort, Lubomír Kaválek and Jan Smejkal and series of other world GMs during the ČEZ CHESS TROPHY 2013 festival.

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Vugar Gashimov 'Lives Again' as Shamkir Memorial Chess 2014 begins with World's Top Chess Stars

Hello everyone,

The Shamkir Chess 2014 tournament was officially opened on Saturday at the Heydar Aliyev Center in Shamkir, Azerbaijan. A touching opening ceremony included a short movie about Vugar Gashimov, for whom this tournament is a memorial. The drawing of lots resulted in the following pairings for the first round on Sunday: Carlsen-Mamedyarov, Nakamura-Caruana, Karjakin-Radjabov (A group), Wojtaszek-Durarbayli, Eljanov-Mamedov, Motylev-Abasov, Safarli-Huseinov and Wang-Bacrot (B group).

The opening ceremony, which was attended by about 150 people, started with a one-minute of silence for Vugar. A number of honorable guests paid due respect to Vugar's memory giving speeches, including the mayor of Shamkir, the Deputy Minister of Youth and Sport and the Vice President of the Azerbaijan Chess Federation.

A touching moment followed when the father of Vugar appeared on stage. Starting with “Dear good friends of Vugar, because that is what you are since you have come here”, he spoke proudly about how much his son had achieved in the short life he was given. There were hardly spectators who kept dry eyes.

He expressed his appreciation for the support he had received from the government and said: “he's not just my son, but the son of the motherland.”

Chairman of Supervisory Board at Synergy Group, Riyad Huseynov greeted all the participants. Emphasizing the importance of this tournament for whole chess community, Mr. Huseynov stated to be honored organizing Shamkir Chess 2014: "I assure all of you that the Organizing Committee of the tournament will do their best to make sure everything is on high level. I declare the tournament open. Let the strongest win."

One of Vugar's friends and former coach, Viorel Iordachescu, also gave a personal and emotional speech. “My collaboration and friendship with Vugar was the happiest period of my life. With the loss of Vugar I lost a part of me.” Iordachescu also introduced special stamps to the audience.

The drawing of lots was a rather simple affair, performed by Chief Arbiter Faik Gasanov. First the players of the B group came on stage, and then the players of the A group. They all had to choose a small trophy, and at the bottom they found their lot number. For the A group Magnus Carlsen appeared first on stage, and he picked number 1 which means he starts with two whites.
The ceremony finished with a dance performance, and after that there was a reception. (official website)

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US Chess #1 Hikaru Nakamura sponsored by RedBull!

Hello everyone,

The #1 US player Hikaru Nakamura has a new and exciting sponsor: Redbull. "Always try to win at all costs", he says on his page on the Redbull website. Nakamura is currently the #8 player in the World.

Here is the Red Bull page for Hikaru Nakamura! *below is the bio and one of the photos on the page. 

Hi, my name is Hikaru Nakamura. My discipline ischess. My friends call me Hikaru, but I’ve been known by my handles: Smallville, CapilanoBridge, and Star Wars. I was born on 9 December 1987 in Osaka, Japan. My special talent istrying to win at all costs. My philosophy of life is live every moment, every game as though it is your last. The most important person in my life ismy mother. My favourite food ispasta. My favourite music is a mix of rock and folk/indie.

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Nakamura not to Play US Chess Championship 2014

Chess Blog for Daily Chess News and Trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2014

Hello everyone,

Mike Wilmering has written an excellent article for the Saint Louis Public Ration website on Hikaru Nakamura turning down the invitation to play in the US Chess Championship 2014.

Twelve of the top chess players in the U.S. just got fantastic news: Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura will not be fighting for the title of 2014 U.S. Champion.

Nakamura, currently ranked No. 8 in the world, declined his invitation citing his decision to prepare for, and compete against, only the world’s elite.

This isn’t surprising, really. A number of the world’s best players forgo their national championship for similar reasons. The last time World No. 2 Levon Aronian won the Armenian National Championship was 2002. Viswanathan Anand hasn’t claimed India’s title since 1988.

While Nakamura’s decision is certainly a blow to the prominence and profile of the U.S. Championship this year, it might actually make for a more exciting tournament.

I’m not saying he would have been a lock to win, but the format certainly favors a player of Nakamura’s caliber. The round robin ensures an even playing field with regard to pairings, and there’s no question he would have been the odds-on favorite.

Gata Kamsky is seeking his fifth U.S. Championship title this year. Photo: Chess Club and Scholastic Center of St. Louis

Gata Kamsky, the reigning champion, is now the clear frontrunner, but he has demonstrated some vulnerability over the past year. In July 2013, Kamsky’s FIDE rating sat at 2763, good for No. 11 in the world. Since then, however, the four-time U.S. Champion has stumbled, and his rating has tumbled to 2709, which currently puts him at No. 40 overall.

Now Nakamura’s absence and Kamsky’s struggles have given a group of rising stars and seasoned veterans renewed hope to claim the crown.

The field for the 2014 U.S. Championship is nearly set. Eleven have gotten the call. One still remains, with only the wildcard yet to be determined.

The players (listed in rating order, highest to lowest) are:

GM Gata Kamsky, 39, New York/Moscow
GM Timur Gareev, 26, Las Vegas
GM Varuzhan Akobian, 30, Topeka, Kans.
GM Alexander Onischuk, 38, Lubbock, Texas
GM Sergey Erenberg, 31, Richmond, Va.
GM Ray Robson, 19, St. Louis
GM Sam Shankland, 22, Orinda, Calif.
GM Daniel Naroditsky, 18, Foster City, Calif.
GM Josh Friedel, 27, Milwaukee
GM Alex Lenderman, 24, New York
GM Alejandro Ramirez, 25, Garland, Texas

The U.S. Championship is the premier invitational chess tournament in the country and has been held at the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of St. Louis since 2009. Because it is held concurrently with the U.S. Women’s Championship, there is a mistaken belief that it’s for men only. This is not the case. Each year the format changes, but the vast majority of the field is made up of the top players in the country by rating. (Irina Krush, the reigning U.S. Woman’s Champion and highest-rated female player in the U.S., is ranked 48th overall.)

This year’s tournament kicks off with the opening ceremony on May 7 and will run through May 20.

While the sometimes-brash-but-always-brilliant play of Nakamura would have been a treat for spectators, his absence makes for a more intriguing title fight for 12 deserving contenders.

Note: Mike Wilmering is a 2006 graduate of the University of Missouri at Columbia School of Journalism and serves as the communications specialist for the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of St. Louis.

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Zurich Chess Challenge 2014: Magnus Carlsen wins Tournament despite Collapse in Rapid Section

Chess Blog for Daily Chess News and Trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2014

Hello everyone,

World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen begins the rapid section, at the Zurich Chess Challenge 2014, with a win over Boris Gelfand. He managed to score only 2/5, but won the tournament thanks to super performance in the classical section and some crazy results in the rapid section! Photo: Maria Emelianova

World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen has won the Zurich Chess Challenge 2014 despite being "outplayed by Aronian and Caruana" on the final day in the five-game rapid section. Carlsen had come into the rapid section after winning the five-game classical section with a two-point lead over Aronian.  

The Zurich Chess Challenge 2014 had a unique format: Five rounds of classical games over five days and five rounds of rapid games (15 minutes +10 seconds increment) on the final day. Each win in the classical section was worth two points and draw was one point. In the rapid section, each win was worth one point and draw was half-point. 

Today, in the rapid section, the world #1 scored 2/5 with Caruana playing extremely well to score 4/5 including wins over Carlsen, and Nakamura. The Zurich title nearly slipped out of the World Champion's hands.

Rapid Standings

1. Fabiano Caruana 4.0

2. Hikaru Nakamura 3.5

3. Levon Aronian 3.0 

4. Magnus Carlsen 2.0

5. Boris Gelfand 1.5

6. Viswanathan Anand 1.0

Final Standings (on a max of 15 points)

1. Magnus Carlsen 10.0

2. Fabiano Caruana 9.0

3. Levon Aronian 9.0

4. Hikaru Nakamura 7.5

5. Viswanathan Anand 5.0

6. Boris Gelfand 4.5

But, it was a crazy situation in the rapid section. Hikaru Nakamura did a huge favour to Magnus Carlsen by beating Levon Aronian in after Magnus himself lost to both Caruana and Aronian. Nakamura also lost to Caruana, but drew with Magnus. 

This held Aronian back from catching up with the World Chess Champion! Aronian scored 3/5 and could not cover up the two-point lead Carlsen had obtained over him in the classical section.  

This was the Magnus Carlsen's first tournament (and first tournament victory) after winning the world chess champion title in November 2013 by beating Viswanathan Anand in Chennai.

Fabiano Caruana was the youngest player at the Zurich Chess Challenge 2014. He was also the defending champion. This year's edition of the event was also the highest-average rating tournament in chess history.

Replay all the games of the rapid section at the Zurich Chess Challenge 2014 with Chess King.

Here is the closing ceremony video:

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Zurich Chess Challenge 2014 with Anand, Carlsen, Aronian, Nakamura, Caruana, Gelfand from Jan 29

Chess Blog for Daily Chess News and Trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2013

Hello everyone,

The Zurich Chess Challenge 2014 will be the first encounter between the newly-crowned World Chess Champion, Norway’s Magnus Carlsen, and the former title holder, India’s Viswanathan Anand after their recent match in Chennai. 

Zurich Chess 2013 Opening Ceremony: Boris Gelfand, Viswanathan Anand, Vladimir Kramnik and Fabiano Caruana (left to right)

From Wednesday, 29 January to Tuesday, 4 February 2014, they will compete in the 3rd Zurich Chess Challenge along with four other great chess stars Levon Aronian (Arm), Hikaru Nakamura (USA), Fabiano Caruana (It) and Boris Gelfand (Isr). With an average of 2794 Elo points (according to the September 13 rating list) this is going to be the strongest tournament in chess history.
The main sponsor is Oleg Skvortsov of the International Gemological Laboratories, Moscow, with the Zurich Chess Club acting as organizer.

The owner of IGC International Gemological Laboratories, Mr. Oleg Skvortsov, is the creator of this chess event. He not only loves chess, but also plays chess and supports chess events. Furthermore, Mr. Skvortsov knows many of the greatest chess players in the world personally and has played a lot of games with them.

The first Zurich Chess Challenge in 2012 was a match between Kramnik and Aronian. The second event in 2013 was a double-round robin with Kramnik, Anand, Caruana and Gelfand.

For the 2014 edition, a blitz tournament will determine the color distribution. A round-robin tournament of five rounds with a classical time control is then followed by a rapid tournament with colors reversed on the last day of play. A won game in the classical tournament counts 2 points, a draw 1 point. Wins in the rapid tournament count 1 point and draws half a point.

All games will be commented by Yannick Pelletier and Werner Hug and broadcast live via Internet.

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London Chess Classic 2013 Super-16 Rapid: Hikaru Nakamura beats Boris Gelfand to win Title

Chess Blog for Daily Chess News and Trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2013

Hello everyone,

Twenty-six-year-old American Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura has won the 5th London Chess Classic 2013, staged this year as a rapid chess tournament and billed 'the Super-Sixteen Rapid'. Nakamura defeated former World Chess Championship Challenger Boris Gelfand of Israel 1½-½ in the final.

As the world number four on the FIDE Rating List for classical chess, and number three at rapid chess, Nakamura's result was far from being a surprise but it was a significant achievement in the career of a remarkable player who must be a leading contender to threaten Magnus Carlsen’s world crown in the next few years.

Hikaru’s progression through the competition was impressive. He scored +2, =4, -0 in the preliminary phase, and then improved that to +3, =3, -0 against sterner opposition in the knock-out phase. To go through without a loss was a clear sign of strength. His toughest moment was when he came close to elimination in his second semi-final game with Vladimir Kramnik but he showed an amazing resilience in first holding the former world champion at bay and then taking advantage of Kramnik’s evident state of confusion to finish the match off with a win.

In the final match against Boris Gelfand, Hikaru showed the courage of his convictions by going straight for an ultra-sharp tactic in the opening against a player who had hitherto proved himself the best defender in the event, and also at this time control in world championship qualifiers. They say ‘fortune favours the brave’ and Hikaru’s conquest of this elite rapid chess event backs that up. 

THE FINAL

Nakamura 1½-½ Gelfand

Game 1 - win for Nakamura

Hikaru received the white pieces in the draw for colours conducted by chief arbiter Albert Vasse, and they launched into a Grünfeld Defence, one of the most fashionable of all current super-GM openings.

Hikaru's 10.Ng5 is quite a double-edged move but Boris avoided the standard continuation 10...Nb6 by playing instead 10...Nc6. Hikaru's response was brave and speculative – 11.Nxf7!? – a move we all like to play against a castled king, whatever level we play at.

On the face of it, the line looks very dodgy for Black as he has to give up the exchange, but it is almost inconceivable that Boris wouldn’t have something prepared for this. By way of compensation he demolished the white centre and got his minor pieces to strong outposts. Was it enough? The unofficial grandmaster jury in the VIP Room was undecided: the Hiarcs engine thought White was better around move 15 but Matthew Sadler and others preferred Black.

Hikaru may not have been entirely confident of his chances as he thought for nine minutes about his 16th move: quite a big chunk of his allotted 25 minutes. However, within a few moves, the initiative seemed to have shifted back to the American after Boris played the dubious 17...Ne4. "He's blown it," exclaimed GM Julian Hodgson, perhaps a little melodramatically. Then, calming down slightly, "I think Hikaru's over the worst now – he'll survive."

Julian might have been right the first time. The next few moves saw Hikaru consolidate his material advantage, in machine-like fashion, and Boris never really looked like getting back into the game. At move 25 he used around half of his remaining six minutes, suggesting he was running out of ideas.

More solid moves followed from Hikaru and Boris had to resign.

Game 2 - draw

Boris, with White, played the Averbakh variation of the King's Indian Defence. It followed theory for about 15 moves and Boris acquired a space advantage. However, Black’s position remained playable and White couldn’t bring any real pressure to bear on it. Hikaru used his tactical prowess to exchange queens and then give up the exchange for two pawns. It might sound risky but Black’s pieces remained well-coordinated and Boris’s pair of rooks had no useful inroads. Boris pressed too hard and made a slip. Eventually only Hikaru could win the position but, since he didn’t need to, he was happy to acquiesce to a draw.

What a gripping competition! Thanks to Malcolm Pein and his team for their hard work, the players for their wonderful chess, and to everyone at home and at the venue for being a great audience. See you all again this time next year! (Report by John Saunders)

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London Chess Classic 2013: Boris Gelfand vs Hikaru Nakamura in Final

Chess Blog for Daily Chess News and Trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2013

Hello everyone,

The London Chess Classic 2013 is going to witness the grand final between Boris Gelfand of Israel and Hikaru Nakamura of the USA on Sunday from 17.30 onwards local time at the Olympia Centre in London.

WATCH LIVE FINALS @ LONDON CHESS CLASSIC OFFICIAL WEBSITE

The semi-finals have just finished where Gelfand knocked out a determined Michael Adams and Hikaru Nakamura snatched a win on an endgame-jitters' from Vladimir Kramnik. Gelfand won the first game and drew the second with Adams to cruise to the final. Hikaru drew the first game and was a tad lucky as Kramnik stumbled. 

Earlier, on Saturday, in the quarter-finals, interestingly, three of the eight semi-finalists had an average age of about 40! 

Kramnik 1½-½ Anand: This pairing got off to a hesitant start which drifted into a a draw. In the second game, however, Anand played defensively in the opening and Kramnik beat him in a Semi-Tarrasch with a vicious attack. 

Adams 1-1 (2-0) Svidler: Mickey Adams beat Peter Svidler swapping rooks and converting to an easily winning king and pawn endgame. The second game featured a Réti-ish opening with Svidler winning back. But, in the blitz play-off, Adams won to cruise to the semis. 

Caruana 1-1 (0-2) Gelfand: The Israeli Grandmaster and former World Chess Championship Challenger also needed the tiebreaks to go through to the semis. Both main games were drawn, but Gelfand struck to win the tiebreak! 

Short ½-1½ Nakamura: The first game was a shocker defeat for Nigel Short and Nakamura held his ground to draw the second and get into the semis. 

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FIDE Chess Ratings December 1 Announced: Carlsen, Judit Stay No. 1; Kramnik, Kosteniuk Russia No. 1

Chess Blog for Daily Chess News and Trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2013

Hello everyone,

The latest FIDE chess ratings list has been announced. World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen remains the highest-rated human on the planet with 2782 - a record he had set in April 2013. Carlsen earned two rating points for beating Viswanathan Anand at the Chennai World Chess Championship 2013 recently. 

  

Levon Aronian is the only player, besides Magnus, rated over 2800 elo though, the Armenian is still about 79 points behind. Vladimir Kramnik is third with 2793. Hikaru Nakamura of the US is at fourth place with 2786.  




World Chess Ratings Top-20
1 Carlsen, Magnus g NOR 2872 10 1990

2 Aronian, Levon g ARM 2803 9 1982
3 Kramnik, Vladimir g RUS 2793 0 1975
4 Nakamura, Hikaru g USA 2786 0 1987
5 Topalov, Veselin g BUL 2785 7 1975
6 Grischuk, Alexander g RUS 2783 8 1983
7 Caruana, Fabiano g ITA 2782 9 1992
8 Gelfand, Boris g ISR 2777 0 1968
9 Anand, Viswanathan g IND 2773 10 1969
10 Svidler, Peter g RUS 2758 11 1976
11 Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar g AZE 2757 8 1985
12 Karjakin, Sergey g RUS 2756 0 1990
13 Adams, Michael g ENG 2754 8 1971
14 Dominguez Perez, Leinier g CUB 2754 0 1983
15 Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime g FRA 2745 11 1990
16 Vitiugov, Nikita g RUS 2741 0 1987
17 Bacrot, Etienne g FRA 2740 10 1983
18 Naiditsch, Arkadij g GER 2737 9 1985
19 Wang, Hao g CHN 2735 3 1989
20 Giri, Anish g NED 2734 10 1994

In the women's list, Judit Polgar retains her number 1 spot with 2693. In second place is Women's World Chess Champion Hou Yifan with 2629. India's Humpy Koneru is third with 2607. Chessqueen™ Alexandra Kosteniuk is back in the top-10 with a fantastic two months of hard work! Read all about it in her post at ChessQueen. She is now the #1 woman chess player in Russia and tied for world number 8 with a rating of 2527 along with Bela Khotenashvili. Vladimir Kramnik remains top Russian player in the men's group.




World Women's Chess Ratings Top-20
1 Polgar, Judit g HUN 2693 8 1976
2 Hou, Yifan g CHN 2629 0 1994
3 Koneru, Humpy g IND 2607 3 1987
4 Zhao, Xue g CHN 2568 3 1985
5 Muzychuk, Anna g SLO 2566 0 1990
6 Dzagnidze, Nana g GEO 2557 9 1987
7 Lagno, Kateryna g UKR 2543 9 1989
8 Khotenashvili, Bela m GEO 2527 9 1988
9 Kosteniuk, Alexandra g RUS 2527 8 1984
10 Cramling, Pia g SWE 2525 3 1963
11 Cmilyte, Viktorija g LTU 2514 9 1983
12 Ju, Wenjun wg CHN 2514 3 1991
13 Kosintseva, Nadezhda g RUS 2513 9 1985
14 Gunina, Valentina g RUS 2509 10 1989
15 Hoang, Thanh Trang g HUN 2507 10 1980
16 Muzychuk, Mariya m UKR 2503 8 1992
17 Sebag, Marie g FRA 2501 9 1986
18 Ushenina, Anna g UKR 2501 8 1985
19 Krush, Irina m USA 2499 12 1983
20 Kosintseva, Tatiana g RUS 2496 0 1986

For a full list of all ratings read this FIDE page. For a list of the progress chart, read this FIDE chess ratings list.

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's

www.chessblog.com
Also see her personal chess blog
at www.chessqueen.com
Don't miss Chess Queen™
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Unive Chess from October 18: Michael Adams Top Seed

Chess Blog for Daily Chess News and Trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2013

Hello everyone,

Get set for the traditional 17th Unive Chess Tournament to be held from October 18-26 in the town hall of Hoogeveen, Netherlands. The main Crown Group will see two talented juniors competing against two experienced players in a double round robin event. The first round is on 20th October.

The players are Michael Adams (England 2753), Wesley So (Philippines 2706), Loek van Wely (Netherlands 2693) and Robin van Kampen (Netherlands 2607). The 2012 champion at the event was Hikaru Nakamura. The additional events are Unive Open with a strong international field and two Amateur tournaments (morning and afternoon groups). These events will be held over nine rounds of Swiss system. (www.chessdom.com)

Top rated players in the Unive Open are: GM Rodshtein Maxim ISR 2664, GM L’Ami Erwin NED 2645, GM Krasenkow Michael POL 2640, GM Ernst Sipke NED 2573, GM Haslinger Stewart ENG 2543 and GM Moskalenko Viktor ESP 2520.

Tournament website

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
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Sinquefield Chess Cup: Carlsen wins with a No-Draw Flourish

Chess Blog for Daily Chess News and Trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2013  

Hi everyone, 

 

SAINT LOUIS (September 16, 2013) -- World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen brought home a $70,000 souvenir after his first visit to the United States: The country’s finest prize in chess, the Sinquefield Cup. But he left America with an encore that made every last penny count.

With the showdown between U.S. No. 1 Hikaru Nakamura and reigning U.S. Champion Gata Kamsky already adjourned in a draw, Carlsen sat just a half-point away from the tournament’s top prize – and in front of a deadlocked board opposite World No. 2 Levon Aronian.

Aronian, trailing by a point, would earn third place and $30,000 regardless of a loss or draw – though a win promised playoffs. So he decided to probe the impossible-looking position while Carlsen, his own pieces frozen in tension, seemed content to wait the Armenian out. The white king moved idly back and forth on the back rank, waiting for Aronian to look the other way.

And he did – just the slightest. Aronian’s pressing, through a series of weakening king moves, tipped Carlsen just the smallest of advantages. And when Aronian decided he could find no way into the white camp, he offered a draw – and to everyone’s shock, Carlsen denied it. The half-point would have earned first place outright, $70,000 and the inaugural Cup, but Carlsen had found something much more valuable: the path to victory.

The win padded his lead to a full point (4.5/6), closing the strongest tournament on American soil with a dazzler. Nakamura (3.5/6) was forced to settle for the second place prize of $50,000 after his draw with Kamsky (1.5/6) on Sunday afternoon added no pressure to Carlsen.

“The final margin of victory was a little flattering,” Carlsen said. (Read the full report on the official website.)

The last round was an absolute sitter with the fantastic game between Carlsen and Aronian. You can replay the game with Chess King that includes Grandmaster Akobian Varuzhan's annotations.

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's

www.chessblog.com

Also see her personal chess blog 

at www.chessqueen.com

Don't miss Chess Queen™

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Sinquefield Chess Cup Round 3: Nakamura in Lead at Halfway Point

Chess Blog for Daily Chess News and Trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2013  

Hi everyone, 

 

 

American Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura is in lead after three rounds at the Sinquefield Chess Cup. Here is the report by Brian Jerauld.

SAINT LOUIS (September 12, 2013) -- At the 1959 Candidates Tournament, Hungarian GM Pal Benko, desperate to refute the “hypnotic stare” of the legendary Mikhail Tal, pulled from his pocket a defense never tried before: Reflective sunglasses. Tal had decisively won every match of their career to that point.

In the third round of the Sinquefield Cup, GM Hikaru Nakamura decided to try out "Benko’s variation".

The eccentric American No. 1 strolled into the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis on Wednesday, donning a pair of shades for his game against Norway’s Magnus Carlsen. Carlsen, perhaps through hypnotism, decisively held the lifetime series between the two at 7-0 with 13 draws.

“For the first time in his life, Carlsen has to look at his opponent and see himself," quipped GM Ian Rogers, who was offering live commentary to a crowd at Lester's restaurant nearby the Chess Club. "That will be scary.”

The plan didn’t work out so well for Benko, who was wiped off the board in 20 moves. Tal eventually threw him a bone by allowing perpetual check saying: “When I want to win against Benko, I win; when I want to draw, I draw.”

Nakamura’s version of the defense was good enough for a legitimate draw against Carlsen, maintaining the standings at the tournament’s halfway point.

Heading into the rest day, Nakamura stands as the front-runner with 2.5/3 points, while Carlsen trails just a half-point behind in second place. Armenia’s Levon Aronian sits in third with 1/3 after battling to a draw with reigning U.S. Champion Gata Kamsky, who earned his first half-point of the tournament.

Read more »

Sinquefield Chess Cup Round 2: Hikaru Nakamura Leads with Perfect Score

Chess Blog for Daily Chess News and Trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2013  

Hi everyone, 

With his victory on Tuesday, GM Hikaru Nakamura moved up to No. 5 in the world on the live rating list and is less than a point away from overtaking GM Alexander Grischuk for the No. 4 spot, writes Brian Jerauld in his report on the second round at the Sinquefield Chess Cup. Nakamura is also at perfect score after two rounds in this high-powered event. Read the full report:

SAINT LOUIS (September 10, 2013) -- Hikaru Nakamura is done with the side dishes. Now bring on the main course.

Through the first two rounds of the inaugural Sinquefield Cup, the American No. 1 has already gotten fat from both number-twos in the quartet, first gobbling up a blunder by World No. 2 Levon Aronian on Monday, and then chewing through U.S. No. 2 Gata Kamsky on Tuesday to remain perfect through the tournament. Nakamura’s two points hold him in clear first in the six-game, double round-robin Sinquefield Cup, after World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen equalized early and convincingly in his 36th classical game against Aronian – but could not find a way to topple the Armenian king. The draw gave Aronian his first half point of the tournament and pulled Carlsen into second with 1.5/2. Kamsky still seeks his first tally.

Both number-ones – America’s Nakamura and the World’s Carlsen – will meet on Wednesday for the last game of the first cycle. Kamsky will command white for the first time in the tournament, against Aronian.

It would seem the United States’ top two players would have more of a history with each other, especially considering the world travelers have traded the title of U.S. Champion for the past five years, but much of 25-year-old Nakamura’s uprising came during 39-year-old Kamsky’s eight-year hiatus from the game. The two had met just eight times before the Sinquefield Cup, with six draws and a victory each; Tuesday proved to be a tiebreaker.

Despite his usual selections of 1. d4 or 1. Nf3 against Kamsky, Nakamura opened with 1. e4 for the second day in a row, to which Kamsky – on the attack after Monday’s loss to Carlsen – answered with the Kan variation of the Sicilian. Though both players would be nearly playing the increment by the 40th move time control, the game’s opening sped off at a furious pace for the first dozen moves, with early action.

Nakamura’s 9. Re1 looked innocuous, but his intentions became clear when Kamsky chased the white knight on c3, ushering 11. Nd5 – a square that black attacked twice, but with dangerous consequences upon capture. And still on his fast opening attack, Nakamura dropped 12. Qh5 with authority, immediately getting up from the board to let Kamsky think about the already dangerous position. But it was Nakamura who would give the game its first deep think, dropping nearly 30 minutes from his clock after Kamsky’s novelty response of 12. … Ne7.

Read more »

Sinquefield Chess Cup Round 1: Nakamura beats Aronian, Carlsen beats Kamsky

Chess Blog for Daily Chess News and Trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2013  

Hi everyone, 

GM Hikaru Nakamura took advantage of a late blunder by World No. 2 GM Levon Aronian to defend his home turf in the first round of the 2013 Sinquefield Cup. Here is the report by Brian Jerauld and game annotations by GM Ronen Har-Zvi and GM Varuzhan Akobian.

SAINT LOUIS, September 9, 2013 -- Welcome to the Sinquefield Cup. Please check your cell phones, your tablets – and all expectations – at the door.

Anyone visiting Saint Louis hoping to witness something they have never seen before just got their wish. For a moment, time stood still during Monday’s first round of the Sinquefield Cup, where Armenia’s Levon Aronian – the world No. 2 – offered up something nobody expected to see: A blatant blunder.

Round 1 of the strongest chess tournament in American history, showcasing four of the world’s top-20 players, is in the books with the first two games complete – and two full points already awarded. World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen put a slow squeeze on U.S. Champion Gata Kamsky, while the U.S. No. 1-by-rating Hikaru Nakamura was quick to attack a fatal misstep by Aronian.

GM Hikaru Nakamura beats World No. 2 Levon Aronian

Despite the Ruy Lopez being one of Aronian’s main and productive lines, Nakamura showed no fear of familiarity by speeding quickly through the opening. Even as Aronian took the game into new territory with the first novelty of the tournament in 11. … Nfd7, Nakamura pushed 12. Nd4 with a nearly instant response, continuing with his own agenda. But Aronian’s response with an aggressive 12. … c5 sent Nakamura into his first deep think of the game, nearly 30 minutes before moving the seemingly natural 13. Nf5.

“I knew Nd7 was a novelty,” Nakamura said. “But after Nf5 and the correct response of Nf6, while I knew I could trade with Ne7, I had a feeling he was planning d5.”

Indeed, after Nakamura dropped Ne3 to bolster the pivotal square, Aronian challenged it just three moves later, eventually opening up the board to several avenues of attack for both sides. With the white queen open to attack, Aronian was able to equalize with 25. .. Nf4, ushering a trade of several minor pieces that had Nakamura admittedly ready to offer a draw.

But the move heard round the world was 30. … Qb5??, a severe blunder that ushered a trade-off of queens and Nakamura’s instant response of 32. Nd7 – winning an exchange and a slight smirk from the American. It left the world No. 2 visibly rattled, and the game was quickly liquidated into a full point for Nakamura.

“I prefer not to lose in such a way,” Aronian said. “But that’s something about the game of chess: It’s very humbling to lose after such a blunder.”

On the other board, Kamsky was tenacious with a bend-but-don’t-break attitude, but Carlsen’s grip with the white pieces turned into a slow strangulation of submission for the reigning U.S. Champion.

Perhaps bait to pull Kamsky into one of his most-familiar Slav lines, Carlsen showed little interest in finding an advantage in the opening and let the middle game decide fate. Standard lines continued until Kamsky offered an unprovoked 9. … Bxc3, providing Carlsen the lone bishop on the board.

The game’s pivotal move came with Kamsky’s 14. … h5 – the penultimate risk-reward that brought Kamsky his first taste of counterplay, but eventually served as his demise. Despite equal material, Carlsen’s white pieces proved incredibly active, owning the c-file with a rook battery and eventually placing two major pieces on Kamsky’s back rank – surrounding his desperately exposed king.

That said, Kamsky’s play in the weakened position was sharp and precise down the stretch, forcing Carlsen to be even more accurate. Claiming the full point was not a walk in the park for the World No. 1, several times being forced into finding the only correct move.

“I didn’t think h5 was a good move; it left his pawn a bit weak there,” Carlsen said. “But it did confuse me into making some stupid moves.”

GM Magnus Carlsen had to play with extreme accuracy to knock of the reigning U.S. Champion, GM Gata Kmasky, in round 1 of the Sinquefield Cup.

Pairings for Round 2
1 Aronian, Levon 2813 - Carlsen, Magnus 2862
2 Nakamura, Hikaru 2772 - Kamsky, Gata 2741

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
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Also see her personal chess blog
at www.chessqueen.com
Don't miss Chess Queen™
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Sinquefield Chess Cup: Jennifer Shahade on Reaching St Louis for power-packed Commentary

Chess Blog for Daily Chess News and Trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2013  

Hi everyone,

Guess where's former American Women's Chess Champion, writer, commentator and poker player Jennifer Shahade? She's in Saint Louis where America's most high-powered chess event yet is set to take place from today! She is at the Sinquefield Chess Cup waiting for the games to start and her commentary. Here is her update from Chess Life Online of which she is the editor:

"I just arrived in Saint Louis for one of the most exciting events in US chess history, the Sinquefield Cup. The fun here kicked off Saturday with a drawing of the lots, where each player picked a custom designed DGT enabled House of Staunton set to determine pairings. In round one, Hikaru Nakamura (white) plays Levon Aronian while Magnus Carlsen (white) faces Gata Kamsky.On Sunday, the players hosted a Meet and Greet for photos and autographs at the Chess Club, which was naturally packed. Afterwards, all four players went to the Rams game.

It was Magnus Carlsen's first American football game, so GM Maurice Ashley kindly explained the rules to him and concluded, "He catches on quick." No doubt! At the end of the exciting game, the Saint Louis Rams edged out the Arizona Cardinals 27-24. Aronian and Carlsen were both high-fiving and cheering, clearly getting into the Saint Louis spirit. As an organizer and commentator, I predict that game is a premonition of how thrilling the tournament will be! 
Be sure to tune into my commentary at http://uschesschamps.com/live with GMs Maurice Ashley and Yasser Seirawan--between Maurice's energy and "Yaz's" eloquence, you're in for a treat! The coverage begins Monday at 1 local time/2 EST.

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
www.chessblog.com
Also see her personal chess blog 
at www.chessqueen.com
Don't miss Chess Queen™
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Meet the Chess Superstars of the Sinquefield Chess Cup Tournament beginning Sept 9

Chess Blog for Daily Chess News and Trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2013

Hi everyone, 

SAINT LOUIS (August 12, 2013) -- The 2013 Sinquefield Cup features GMs Magnus Carlsen and Levon Aronian (top two in the World) and GMs Hikaru Nakamura and Gata Kamsky (top two in the U.S.). The tournament takes place September 9-15 at the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis (CCSCSL).

There also will be a special meet-and-greet autograph session on Sunday, September 8, from Noon to 1:30 p.m., where spectators will have the opportunity to get autographs from and take pictures with the players. This event is free, and fans will be admitted on a first-come, first-served basis.

Round one of the tournament begins at 1 p.m. CT on September 9.

Three different grandmaster commentary teams will be on site to offer live play-by-play and analysis of each round of this historic tournament.

Following their groundbreaking live commentary of the 2013 U.S. Championships, GMs Yasser Seirawan and Maurice Ashley will once again join WGM Jennifer Shahade on a closed set that will broadcast to thousands of viewers online via www.uschesschamps.com.

The Participants

Magnus Carlsen has transcended chess superstardom to become a world icon. He will challenge Viswanathan Anand for the World Championship title in November.

Hikaru Nakamura's playing style is brilliant and attacking, making him one of the most exciting players on the planet.

Grandmaster Levon Aronian of Armenia is currently ranked No. 2 in the world and holds a plus score agaisnt both of the U.S. competitors, Hikaru Nakamura and Gata Kamsky.

Grandmaster Gata Kamsky, the reigning U.S. Champion, will take on three of the world's best at the Sinquefield Cup.

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's

www.chessblog.com

Also see her personal chess blog 

at www.chessqueen.com

Don't miss Chess Queen™

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