Biel Chess Fest: Wang Hao Wins, Carlsen Second

Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2012


Hi everyone,

Wang Hao: Click on photo to go to official website

The Biel Chess Festival needed no more excitement but to have the victor's decision go right down to the tape to the last round No. 10. World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen went into the last round with a lead over Wang Hao and Anish Giri. While Hao and Giri were to play each other in the last round, Carlsen was to take on Etienne Bacrot. That meant, whoever of Hao and Giri would win could take the title.

Wang Hao and Anish Giri finished their game the fastest in the round with White's error being mirrored by Black and allowing Wang Hao to get back into the game with tactical finesse to win.

Magnus Carlsen - under pressure as he now required a win to get the overall title - could only draw with Bacrot. In the third game of the last round, US chess champion Hikaru Nakamura beat Viktor Bologan.

The Sofia rule of scoring was used. Chinese No. 1 Wang Hao finished the 45th Biel Chess Festival with 19 points. Defending champion Magnus Carlsen though had no losses, but because of the Sofia Rule had to finish with 18 points. Giri and Nakamura shared the third place with 16 points.

More information is available at the official Biel Chess Festival website. Here are some nice links related to the Biel Chess Fest that you would love to explore:

Biel Chess Fest R10: Wang Hao-Anish Giri 1-0
Biel Chess Fest R9: Bologan’s Sicilian Win Over Wang Hao
Biel Chess Fest R8: Giri Turns the Tables on Bacrot
Biel Chess Fest: Carlsen’s Sicilian Smothering of Bologan
Biel Chess Fest R6: Giri Breaks Bologan’s Dogged Defense
Biel Chess Fest: Carlsen Steamrolls Wang Hao
Biel Chess Fest R4: Wang Hao Beats Anish Giri, Leads
Biel Chess Fest Round 3: Wang Hao-Nakamura Wild, Wild Game 1-0
Biel Chess Fest: Giri Hunting Out Morozevich’s King
Biel Chess Festival R2: Bacrot Spikes Moro’s Plans

The best of the lot:
Kosteniuk’s Slow Motion Checkmate Knockout chess video vs Wang Hao goes viral on YouTube

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
www.chessblog.com
Also see her personal blog at
www.chessqueen.com

Biel Chess Fest: Unwell Morozevich Withdraws After Two Rounds

Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2012


Hi everyone,


Chessdom has just reported that an unwell Alexander Morozevich has withdrawn from the Biel Chess Festival - Grandmasters' event due to health reasons. The start of the 3rd round of the Biel Grandmaster Tournament was 15 minutes late. Alexander Morozevich is not in condition to play the game due to medical problems.

The official website states that the match “Alexander Morozevich – Magnus Carlsen is postponed”. Our sources say that Morozevich withdrew from the tournament. In the first two rounds Morozevich suffered losses against Giri and Bacrot, possibly already being under the weather. It is definitely a turbulent Biel tournament. First Carlsen replaced Dominguez, now Morozevich is not in condition to continue.


Update 1


Biel organizers are discussing a possible replacement, but what system will be adopted in each case is not yet decided.


From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
www.chessblog.com
Also see her personal blog at
www.chessqueen.com

Biel Chess Festival Begins with Carlsen, Nakamura, Morozevich, Giri, Bacrot, Hao

Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2012

Hi everyone,

The 45th edition of the Biel Chess Festival has begun. It runs from July 21 – August 3 in Biel, Switzerland. The main Grandmaster Tournament is a category 21 event with the participation of USA Chess Champion GM Hikaru Nakamura, the Russian top 10 player GM Alexander Morozevich, the Chinese No. 1 GM Hao Wang, GM Etienne Bacrot, just-crowned Dutch champion GM Anish Giri and world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen who is replacing Cuba's GM Leinier Dominguez Perez. The Grandmaster Tournament will be a double round robin with classical time control.

Biel Chess Festival - Grandmaster Tournament

The Festival also features Exhibition Blitz Tournament, Master Tournament, Main Tournament, Rapid Tournament, Blitz Tournament, Chess960 Tournament, Youth Tournament, Simultaneous Exhibitions and Chess-Tennis Tournament.

The Exhibition Blitz Tournament yesterday already witnessed a sensation by 12th Women's World Chess Champion Alexandra Kosteniuk. Chess Queen beat Wang Hao in the match. Read the Chess Queen blog entry at www.chessqueen.com. : Two games with 5‘+ 2‘‘/move. If 1-1, one Armageddon game with 5’ for white (has to win) and 4’ for black.

The Master Tournament will be an 11-round Swiss event, taking place on July 23rd – August 3rd, 2012. Rest day on July 29th. Total prize fund: CHF 43’000.

Prizes: CHF 7’000, 5’000, 4’000, 3’000, 2’500, 2’000, 1’500, 1’200, 2×1’000, 3×700, 3×500, 4×300, 5×200, best ladies: CHF 600, 400, 300, best senior (1952-), best junior (1994+), best child (1996+), best player without title: each CHF 500, best players with Elo <2200 and <2100: CHF 500, 400, 300, 200, 100, best Swiss players (with CH-passport): CHF 1'000, 700, 500, 300, 200.

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
www.chessblog.com
Also see her personal blog at
www.chessqueen.com