World Blitz Chess Championship Day 1: Eight Share Lead After Long Day; Gunina Dazzles With 8.5/9

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GMs Daniil Dubov, Vladislav Artemiev, Magnus Carlsen, Ian Nepomniachtchi, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Nihal Sarin, Arjun Erigaisi, and Alexander Riazantsev scored nine points apiece to share the lead with nine points at the end of day one of the 2023 FIDE World Blitz Chess Championship. The sixth-round game between GMs Andrew Hong and Yu Yangyi saw a dispute when Hong complained of a clock malfunction, resulting in an hour’s delay before the seventh round. This resulted in the first day’s play stretching to 10 p.m. at night in Samarkand, leaving the players visibly tired towards the end.

In the most dominating performance of the day, GM Valentina Gunina powered to a point-and-a-half lead over the rest of the field at 8.5 points from nine games in the 2023 FIDE Women’s World Blitz Championship. She is trailed by GM Harika Dronavalli, GM Alexandra Kosteniuk, IM Anastasia Bodnaruk, and GM Kateryna Lagno all on seven points each.

The 2023 FIDE World Blitz Chess Championship ends on Saturday, December 30, starting one hour earlier at 4 a.m. ET/10:00 CET/2:30 p.m. IST.

Flash Report: (To be updated)

2023 World Blitz Championship | Round 12 Standings (Top 20)

(Full standings here.)

2023 Women’s World Rapid Championship | Round 9 Standings (Top 20)

Rank	Seed	Title	Name	Fed	Rating	Points
1	24	GM	Gunina, Valentina		2348	8.5
2	7	GM	Kosteniuk, Alexandra		2455	7
3	12	GM	Dronavalli, Harika		2420	7
4	48	IM	Bodnaruk, Anastasia		2260	7
5	60	IM	Garifullina, Leya		2216	7
6	3	GM	Lagno, Kateryna		2522	7
7	15	IM	Mammadzada, Gunay		2408	6.5
8	63	WGM	Munkhzul, Turmunkh		2211	6.5
9	6	GM	Goryachkina, Aleksandra		2475	6.5
10	87	WFM	Shukhman, Anna		2093	6.5
11	5	IM	Assaubayeva, Bibisara		2476	6
12	40	IM	Narva, Mai		2292	6
13	32	WGM	Divya, Deshmukh		2315	6
14	25	IM	Munguntuul, Batkhuyag		2348	6
15	36	WIM	Omonova, Umida		2304	6
16	27	IM	Salimova, Nurgyul		2343	6
17	16	GM	Stefanova, Antoaneta		2398	6
18	77	WIM	Mkrtchyan, Mariam		2150	6
19	22	GM	Danielian, Elina		2352	6
20	33	WGM	Kamalidenova, Meruert		2314	6

(Full standings here.)

Gunina got off to a flying 7/7 start and finished the day with 8.5 points after nine rounds, to lead the trailing pack by an impressive point and a half margin. Eight more rounds remain to be played.

The FIDE World Blitz Championship is an over-the-board event that determines the FIDE World Blitz open and women’s champions. The event starts on December 29 at 5 a.m. ET/11:00 CET/3:30 p.m. IST and features a $500,000 prize fund.

The current rapid and blitz chess champion Carlsen will attempt to defend his titles in a stacked field including Nepomniachtchi, Duda, Vachier-Lagrave, Caruana, and many more 2700+ players.

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