World Blitz Chess Championship Day 1: Aronian and Assaubayeva Lead

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GM Levon Aronian, the Armenian star-player who recently moved to and now represents the United States, finished day one of the World Blitz Chess Championship with 10/12 and in clear first. Behind him are Egyptian GM Bassem Amin, the five-time African champion with 9.5/12, and 21-year-old Iranian GM Parham Maghsoodloo, with 9/12.

After finishing with a silver medal in the World Rapid Chess Championship, 17-year-old Kazakh IM Bibisara Assaubayeva finished in clear first with 8/9. She is followed by two Indian players: IM R Vaishali, with 7.5/9, and former women’s rapid champion GM Humpy Koneru, with 7/9.

The World Blitz Chess Championship will conclude on Thursday, December 30, starting at 5 a.m. Pacific/14:00 Central Europe.

How to watch the 2021 FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Championship live

The marathon event was jam-packed with action as 179 participants in the open section played no fewer than 12 games in one day, and they will play another nine tomorrow. The main story of the day was the rise of the underdog as many of the pre-tournament favorites suffered defeats and were unable to break into the top of the pack.

Day one of the blitz event saw most of the top-rated players struggle. Photo: Maria Emelianova/Chess.com.

Whether due to a boom in online chess blitz-play over the pandemic, as players were unable to participate in over-the-board events, or as a response to Carlsen’s statement that he wishes to only defend his title against the next generation, many players—young and not-as-young— proved their speed-chess prowess to be equal to established grandmasters.

The top players are met with veritable resistance on the first day. Photo: Maria Emelianova/Chess.com.

GM Magnus Carlsen, who peaked at a 2900 blitz-rating at the beginning of the day (his peak was 2986 in December, 2017), lost three games and ended with 8.5/12.

Carlsen spectated many games as he waited for the next round. Photo: Rafal Oleksiewicz/FIDE.

Some viewers may have wondered why the world champion was still seated on board one in every round despite not having the highest score in the tournament. He was seated there to be in proper view of Norwegian news company NKR.

Many grandmasters who did not participate in the event rose in the world blitz rankings as their counterparts suffered. Photo: 2700chess.com.

Nevertheless, GM commentators Irina Krush and Jon Ludvig Hammer repeated a similar sentiment throughout the day: “Where are the tournament favorites?” asked the latter, listing several names, including GMs Ian Nepomniachtchi, Fabiano Caruana, Hikaru Nakamura, Alexander Grischuk, Alireza Firouzja, among others, “Where are you right now?” Indeed, not one of these players sits above 8.5/12 by Wednesday’s end.

Where are the tournament favorites?
—GM Jon Ludvig Hammer

Nepo wears an outstanding shirt on day one. Photo: Maria Emelianova/Chess.com.

Carlsen, who lost the opportunity to win the rapid world title amid controversy, hoped to redeem himself in the blitz tournament. These hopes were dampened as he first lost to GM Bartosz Socko in round five, where the Polish grandmaster won a piece in a Catalan middlegame on move 30 after Carlsen blundered with 29…Qxe4??. Although Socko was the last player with a perfect score, and led sole first on 5/5 later, he went on to lose four games.

The following round, Russian GM Vladimir Fedoseev forged a lethal counterattack with the white pieces. Hammer called him the “Magnus Slayer” on the broadcast after this game. Fedoseev had a decent ending to the day, considering how things are going for top players, with 8.5/12.

Finally, Azerbaijani GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov beat the Norwegian in the ninth-round game, described as “one of the worst games we have seen today” by Hammer, with Krush adding it was “not the kind of game that you would expect from those players.” Both super-grandmasters made mistakes starting on move six and continued to make some minor errors until Carlsen slipped with a serious blunder on move 25.

…not the kind of game that you would expect from those players.
—GM Irina Krush

The world champion (left) suffers his third defeat to Mamedyarov (right). Photo: Maria Emelianova/Chess.com.

Uzbek GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov, who had just won the world rapid title the day prior, was unrecognizable on Wednesday as he lost no fewer than five games. The disaster started with and only snowballed after his loss to Bosnian GM Denis Kadric, who won in only 22 moves. Despite even having a chance to beat Nakamura later, but failing to win with an extra piece in round eight, Kadric finished the day with 6.5 points.

The blitz event did not prove as promising for the young Uzbek GM as the rapid. Photo: Maria Emelianova/Chess.com.

Levon Aronian, the ultimate leader of the open section, took down many big names including Alexander Grischuk in round eight, Jan-Krzysztof Duda in round nine, Vladimir Fedoseev in round 10, and Daniil Dubov in round 12.

Aronian (left) took down many top grandmasters today, including Fedoseev (right). Anna Shtourman/FIDE.

While all impressive, the flashiest game had to be his against the Polish number-one, where castling turned out to be a blunder for the latter, and Aronian was able to trade his queen for three minor pieces and a decisive attack.

Aronian had a great performance on Wednesday. Photo: Maria Emelianova/Chess.com.

Bassem Amin, who will play Aronian with the white pieces in the first round tomorrow, earned his highest scalp today against French GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, receiving a surprising blunder-gift.

Of course, as one would expect in a blitz tournament, some unusual openings were showcased even in such an important event, although not many. Nepomniachtchi won against Russian GM Sanan Sjugirov after playing a King’s Gambit and Uzbek GM Javokhir Sindarov defeated Mamedyarov after employing the Evan’s Gambit. We also had, fittingly, the Polish Opening (also known as the Sokolsky or Orangutan) played by Fedoseev.

It should also be included that, after the controversy surrounding the tiebreaks the previous day, FIDE published the following tweet.

As per decision made at the FIDE Council meeting on December 27, a playoff has been introduced for the Candidates Tournament and the Women’s Candidates Tournament, to be played in the case of a tie for first place. pic.twitter.com/qRgFMDwTt9

— International Chess Federation (@FIDE_chess) December 29, 2021

2021 World Blitz Championship | Round 12 Standings (Top 20)

Rk. SNo Fed
Name Rtg Pts. TB1 TB2 TB3

1 15 GM Aronian Levon 2740 10 80 84.5 2646

2 54 GM Amin Bassem 2617 9.5 78.5 83 2613

3 39 GM Maghsoodloo Parham 2655 9 70.5 74.5 2594

4 22 GM Fedoseev Vladimir 2690 8.5 86.5 91 2664

5 133 GM Sindarov Javokhir 2452 8.5 85.5 91 2688

6 47 GM Kravtsiv Martyn 2638 8.5 83 87 2535

7 7 GM Nepomniachtchi Ian 2792 8.5 82.5 88 2602

8 1 GM Carlsen Magnus 2892 8.5 81.5 86.5 2632

9 11 GM Grischuk Alexander 2757 8.5 80.5 85 2647

10 14 GM Dubov Daniil 2749 8.5 78.5 83.5 2605

11 19 GM Martirosyan Haik M. 2707 8.5 78 83.5 2614

12 10 GM Erigaisi Arjun 2765 8.5 77.5 81.5 2629

13 2 GM Nakamura Hikaru 2884 8.5 75 79 2588

14 9 GM Giri Anish 2778 8.5 73 78 2559

15 3 GM Artemiev Vladislav 2830 8.5 72 75.5 2577

16 6 GM Duda Jan-Krzysztof 2792 8 82.5 87 2607

17 84 IM Muradli Mahammad 2571 8 79 82.5 2613

18 28 GM Sarana Alexey 2672 8 73.5 78.5 2546

19 8 GM Vachier-Lagrave Maxime 2787 8 72 76 2609

20 40 GM Gelfand Boris 2647 8 69 73.5 2592

(Full final standings here.)

All World Blitz Championship Games

The women’s section featured nine rounds played among a total of 105 participants. The final eight rounds will conclude tomorrow.

Similarly to the open section, some pre-tournament favorites were surprisingly missing from the leaders at the end of the day, notably GMs Valentina Gunina, Aleksandra Goryachkina, Mariya Muzychuk, and Anna Muzychuk.

Both sections saw struggles among top players to break into the lead. Photo: Anna Shtourman/FIDE.

GM Kateryna Lagno, the reigning world blitz champion, lost her first-round game to IM Marsel Efroimski and did not recover, finishing the day with 5/9.

Lagno suffered a painful defeat in round one. Photo: Maria Emelianova/Chess.com.

The main story, however, was all about Bibisara Assaubayeva, whose splendid performance in the rapid event carried over into the blitz. She had a near-perfect score, losing only one game to Gunina, and winning all other eight rounds. Her Game Of The Day victory was against the two-time women’s world blitz champion, Anna Muzychuk.

Assaubayeva has a great tournament after her strong performance in the rapid event. Photo: Maria Emelianova/Chess.com.

After losing in round five to Gunina, she struck with revenge, entangling world rapid champion GM Alexandra Kosteniuk, who seemed to be on the offensive, but was met with a sizzling counterattack.

Kosteniuk overextended in her game against Assaubayeva. Photo: Maria Emelianova/Chess.com.

By the end of the day, only three countries were represented in the top eight spots of the rankings: Kazakhstan (three players), India (two), and Russia (three).

2021 Women’s World Blitz Championship | Round 9 Standings (Top 20)

Rk. SNo Fed
Name Rtg Pts. TB1 TB2

1 29 IM Assaubayeva Bibisara 2285 8 46.5 48.5

2 21 IM Vaishali R 2313 7.5 43.5 46

3 3 GM Koneru Humpy 2483 7 47.5 52

4 5 GM Kosteniuk Alexandra 2475 7 44 47.5

5 12 GM Abdumalik Zhansaya 2380 7 42.5 44

6 6 GM Gunina Valentina 2452 6.5 51.5 56.5

7 7 GM Goryachkina Aleksandra 2441 6.5 48.5 52.5

8 69 WIM Kamalidenova Meruert 2090 6.5 46.5 49

9 24 IM Shuvalova Polina 2306 6.5 46 49.5

10 4 GM Stefanova Antoaneta 2477 6.5 37.5 41

11 43 IM Buksa Nataliya 2199 6 48 52

12 50 WGM Babiy Olga 2179 6 44.5 47.5

13 16 GM Muzychuk Mariya 2362 6 44 45.5

14 39 GM Socko Monika 2230 6 43.5 46.5

15 2 GM Muzychuk Anna 2509 6 43 47

16 15 GM Zhukova Natalia 2369 6 43 46.5

17 76 WIM Kiolbasa Oliwia 2036 6 42 45.5

18 55 IM Bivol Alina 2167 6 40.5 43.5

19 9 IM Paehtz Elisabeth 2412 6 40.5 43.5

20 10 IM Bodnaruk Anastasia 2406 6 40 43.5

(Full final standings here.)

All Women’s World Blitz Championship Games

Find more information on the world rapid and blitz here.

This event has seen many young Uzbek players rise to the occassion, like 16-year-old GM Javokhir Sindarov. Photo: Maria Emelianova/Chess.com.

GM Arjun Erigaisi drew Magnus Carlsen today, not a bad result for the rising Indian star who finished first in the Tata Steel India Rapid not long ago. Photo: Maria Emelianova/Chess.com.

Many of the expected players did not make it to the top. Photo: Maria Emelianova/Chess.com.

Many spectate as one game can delay the next round. Photo: Anna Shtourman/FIDE.

Parham Maghsoodloo finished in third on day one. Mark Livshitz/FIDE.

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