Ian Nepomniachtchi has won the Aeroflot Blitz Championship played today in Moscow as part of the Aeroflot Festival. Peter Svidler obtained the second place, third place is for Alexander Grischuk in an all-Russian medals show.

The format used was a 9 double-round Swiss. There were 275 participants, with 182 titled players; among them 107 GMs and 33 IMs.

The prize fund totaled USD 50,000 with USD 10,000 reserved for the winner. There were prices for the 30 first places.

Report on the Aeroflot Rapid Tournament

The very strong field had a surprising leader after the first 4 double-rounds, the ex-women’s world champion Alexandra Kosteniuk. The Russian scored a perfect 8/8 in her first four matches. In her fourth mini-match, she defeated the Russian GM Mikhail Kobalia. Before that she had no problems with Denis Gusev, FM Gleb Apryshko, and GM Ivan Bukavshin.

Then, the favorites started to show why they have earned their status. After round 12 Ian Nepomniachtchi was already convincing leader with 11,5/12 and Alexander Grischuk was close behind with 11,0/12 points.

Nepomniachtchi played against the early leader Alexandra Kosteniuk in the 5th round and defeated her with a 2-0 score. The ex-World Champion could not recover from this loss and only scored 3/10 in the second half of the event.

In one of the exciting encounters of the day, Nepomniachtchi won against the recent winner of the Moscow Open Boris Savchenko. Exactly this victory put Ian in sole first place.

Alexander Grischuk demonstrated that he was willing to go for the first prize by defeating GM Gata Kamsky in the 6th round.

Ian Nepomniachtchi kept his good form and led the tournament one round before the end. He defeated Alexander Grischuk with a perfect 2-0 and gained an important lead in the standings. He quickly signed two draws with Karjakin in the next rounds, to have 14,5/16.

The only player that had the chance to put him down was his last round rival, Peter Svidler. The experienced Russian had some early setbacks, as he lost two games against much lower rated opponents – WIM Alina Kashlinskaya and GM Mustafa Yilmaz. However, he recovered by winning all but one of his games, defeating very strong players such as Alexander Riazantsev, Denis Khismatulin, and Dmitry Andreikin.

The last two rounds had the dramatic touch that the blitz tournaments use to have. Svidler defeated Nepomniachtchi in the first game of their mini match and both players arrived to the last game with an equal score. Nepomniachtchi won the second game of the mini match, taking the USD 10,000 first prize and stacking a lot of confidence ahead of the Aeroflot Rapid Final.

Chessdom.com will continue with the coverage of the Aeroflot Open tomorrow. Don’t forget to check the Chess Bits section for the latest news.

Final standings:

1	GM	Nepomniachtchi Ian	RUS	2723	15.5
2	GM	Svidler Peter	RUS	2697	14.5
3	GM	Grischuk Alexander	RUS	2860	14.0
4	GM	Korobov Anton	UKR	2700	13.5
5	GM	Karjakin Sergey	RUS	2901	13.5
6	GM	Savchenko Boris	RUS	2601	13.5
7	GM	Inarkiev Ernesto	RUS	2652	13.5
8	GM	Mamedov Rauf	AZE	2651	13.5
9	GM	Fressinet Laurent	FRA	2726	13.0
10	GM	Nyzhnyk Illya	UKR	2619	13.0
11	GM	Ipatov Alexander	TUR	2594	13.0
12	GM	Mamedyarov Shakhriyar	AZE	2734	12.5
13	GM	Chadaev Nikolai	RUS	2716	12.5
14	GM	Khismatullin Denis	RUS	2635	12.5
15	GM	Andriasian Zaven	ARM	2667	12.5
16	GM	Kokarev Dmitry	RUS	2635	12.5
17	GM	Dubov Daniil	RUS	2585	12.5
18	GM	Sjugirov Sanan	RUS	2627	12.5
19	GM	Efimenko Zahar	UKR	2719	12.5
20	GM	Khusnutdinov Rustam	KAZ	2617	12.5
21	GM	Andreikin Dmitry	RUS	2877	12.0
22	GM	Sasikiran Krishnan	IND	2652	12.0
23	GM	Guseinov Gadir	AZE	2554	12.0
24	GM	Smirin Ilia	ISR	2654	12.0
25	GM	Morozevich Alexander	RUS	2804	12.0
26	GM	Timofeev Artyom	RUS	2619	12.0
27	GM	Popov Ivan	RUS	2656	12.0
28	GM	Dlugy Maxim	USA	2602	12.0
29	GM	Volkov Sergey	RUS	2566	12.0
30	GM	Durarbayli Vasif	AZE	2598	12.0
31	GM	Bukavshin Ivan	RUS	2697	12.0
32	GM	Rublevsky Sergei	RUS	2630	12.0
33	IM	Eraschenkov Denis	RUS	2402	12.0
34	GM	Stupak Kirill	BLR	2615	12.0
35	GM	Kamsky Gata	USA	2745	11.5
36	GM	Maletin Pavel	RUS	2603	11.5
37	GM	Jakovenko Dmitry	RUS	2719	11.5
38	GM	Eljanov Pavel	UKR	2657	11.5
39	GM	Kazhgaleyev Murtas	KAZ	2670	11.5
40	GM	Levin Evgeny A.	RUS	2533	11.5
41	GM	Motylev Alexander	RUS	2659	11.5
42	FM	Seliverstov Vladimir	RUS	2549	11.5
43	GM	Potkin Vladimir	RUS	2665	11.5
44	GM	Shimanov Aleksandr	RUS	2705	11.5
45	IM	Reshetnikov Alexey	RUS	2448	11.5
46	GM	Smirnov Pavel	RUS	2569	11.5
47	GM	Tkachiev Vladislav	FRA	2681	11.0
48	GM	Kosteniuk Alexandra	RUS	2581	11.0
49	GM	Wang Hao	CHN	2724	11.0
50	IM	Mesropov Konstantin	RUS	2531	11.0
51	GM	Ganguly Surya Shekhar	IND	2606	11.0
52	GM	Yilmaz Mustafa	TUR	2574	11.0
53	GM	Novikov Maxim	RUS	2511	11.0
54	IM	Reprintsev Alexander	UKR	2372	11.0
55	GM	Rakhmanov Aleksandr	RUS	2523	11.0
56	GM	Riazantsev Alexander	RUS	2652	11.0
57	GM	Kravtsiv Martyn	UKR	2509	11.0
58	IM	Kovalev Vladislav	BLR	2552	11.0
59	GM	Petrosian Tigran L.	ARM	2670	11.0
60	GM	Kasimdzhanov Rustam	UZB	2709	10.5
61	GM	Iturrizaga Eduardo	VEN	2678	10.5
62	GM	Le Quang Liem	VIE	2821	10.5
63	GM	Belov Vladimir	RUS	2641	10.5
64	GM	Kurnosov Igor	RUS	2613	10.5
65	GM	Evdokimov Alexander A.	RUS	2490	10.5
66	GM	Glek Igor	GER	2529	10.5
67	GM	Aleksandrov Aleksej	BLR	2579	10.5
68	GM	Deviatkin Andrei	RUS	2549	10.5
69	GM	Frolyanov Dmitry	RUS	2563	10.5
70	GM	Gabrielian Artur	RUS	2501	10.5
71	IM	Atabayev Maksat	TKM	2452	10.5
72	GM	Harika Dronavalli	IND	2397	10.5
73	GM	Svetushkin Dmitry	MDA	2484	10.5
74	FM	Aghasaryan Robert	ARM	2425	10.5
75	GM	Kalugin Sergey G.	RUS	2377	10.5
76	IM	Ulko Jaroslav	RUS	2398	10.0
77	GM	Lintchevski Daniil	RUS	2569	10.0
78	GM	Tregubov Pavel V.	RUS	2611	10.0
79	GM	Amonatov Farrukh	TJK	2667	10.0
80	IM	Potapov Pavel	RUS	2444	10.0
81	GM	Danielian Oganes	ARM	2530	10.0
82	GM	Gupta Abhijeet	IND	2584	10.0
83	GM	Krylov Mikhail	RUS	2480	10.0
84	GM	Ponkratov Pavel	RUS	2589	10.0
85	IM	Pavlov Sergey	UKR	2524	10.0
86	IM	Kuzin Anton	RUS	2291	10.0
87	FM	Pasiev Rakhim	RUS	2434	10.0
88	FM	Grishchenko Sergey	RUS	2420	10.0
89	IM	Karpov Vadim	RUS	2345	10.0
90	GM	Bryzgalin Kirill	RUS	2503	10.0
91	IM	Sharafiev Azat	RUS	2452	10.0
92	GM	Kosintseva Tatiana	RUS	2480	10.0
93	GM	Lagno Kateryna	UKR	2519	10.0
94	FM	Palachev Petr	RUS	2342	10.0
95	GM	Tukhaev Adam	UKR	2528	10.0
96	IM	Firat Burak	TUR	2443	10.0
97	GM	Oleksienko Mikhailo	UKR	2541	10.0
98	FM	Belousov Danila	RUS	2336	10.0
99		Gevorgyan David	ARM	2392	10.0
100	IM	Arslanov Shamil	RUS	2380	10.0
101	GM	Annageldyev Orazly	TKM	2397	10.0
102		Kukhmazov Arsen	RUS	2260	10.0
103	GM	Jobava Baadur	GEO	2696	9.5
104	GM	Korotylev Alexey	RUS	2609	9.5
105	GM	Naumkin Igor	RUS	2495	9.5
106	IM	Atabayev Yusup	TKM	2407	9.5
107	IM	Dragomarezkij Evgeni	RUS	2452	9.5
108	IM	Tarlev Konstantin	UKR	2486	9.5
109	GM	Grachev Boris	RUS	2672	9.5
110	GM	Papin Vasily	RUS	2575	9.5
111	GM	Vul Arkadi Eremeevich	RUS	2320	9.5
112	GM	Kunin Vitaly	GER	2470	9.5
113	FM	Pustovoitova Daria	RUS	2324	9.5
114	IM	Kireev Aleksei	RUS	2379	9.5
115	GM	Shomoev Anton	RUS	2563	9.5
116	GM	Rychagov Andrey	RUS	2535	9.5
117	GM	Zhukova Natalia	UKR	2531	9.5
118	FM	Gubajdullin Alexei	RUS	2422	9.5
119		Shuvalov Evgenij	RUS	2337	9.5
120		Gilev Sergey	RUS	2248	9.5
121	GM	Kovalenko Igor	UKR	2652	9.0
122	IM	Gorovets Andrey	BLR	2498	9.0
123		Paravyan David	RUS	2294	9.0
124	GM	Kobalia Mikhail	RUS	2636	9.0
125	GM	Kotanjian Tigran	ARM	2488	9.0
126	FM	Apryshko Gleb	RUS	2417	9.0
127	GM	Yakovich Yuri	RUS	2417	9.0
128	IM	Kalegin Evgenij	RUS	2479	9.0
129	FM	Minko Vladimir	RUS	2264	9.0
130	FM	Gordievsky Dmitry	RUS	2414	9.0
131	IM	Battaglini Gabriel	FRA	2491	9.0
132	GM	Khruschiov Alexey	MDA	2479	9.0
133	GM	Krapivin Alexander	RUS	2344	9.0
134	GM	Smagin Sergey	RUS	2429	9.0
135	FM	Rozhko Dmitry	RUS	2420	9.0
136		Denishev Marat	RUS	2273	9.0
137		Pogosian Manvel	BLR	2399	9.0
138	IM	Vasilevich Irina	RUS	2289	9.0
139		Nazaretyan Tigran	RUS	2129	9.0
140		Chizhikov Vladislav	RUS	2337	9.0
141		Dusenov Ruslan	RUS	2285	9.0
142		Tsarev Valery	RUS	2270	9.0
143		Einor Pavel	RUS	2160	9.0
144		Kurochkin Victor	RUS	2403	9.0
145		Gusev Denis	RUS	2193	9.0
146		Vasilyev Vasily	RUS	2138	9.0
147	GM	Domogaev Sergey	RUS	2510	8.5
148	IM	Mozharov Mikhail	RUS	2612	8.5
149	FM	Tologontegin Semetey	KGZ	2350	8.5
150	FM	Khatoev Eduard	RUS	2305	8.5
151	IM	Zaitsev Alexander	RUS	2386	8.5
152	FM	Volkov Sergei	RUS	2267	8.5
153	GM	Ovetchkin Roman	RUS	2543	8.5
154	WGM	Shaydullina Sandugach	RUS	2249	8.5
155	WFM	Grigoryeva Olga A.	RUS	2134	8.5
156	WIM	Gavasheli Ana	GEO	2161	8.5
157	FM	Tsydypov Zhamsaran	RUS	2455	8.0
158		Oganisjn Roman	RUS	2254	8.0
159	GM	Vaisser Anatoly	FRA	2548	8.0
160		Golubov Saveliy	RUS	2369	8.0
161	IM	Airapetian Gor	RUS	2462	8.0
162	WGM	Charochkina Daria	RUS	2413	8.0
163	GM	Castaneda Georgui	PER	2531	8.0
164	GM	Gabuzyan Hovhannes	ARM	2595	8.0
165		Vavulin Maksim	RUS	2302	8.0
166	FM	Esenov Annaberdi	TKM	2255	8.0
167		Tregubov Andrei	RUS	2349	8.0
168		Korjakin Artem	RUS	2267	8.0
169	IM	Bajarani Ilgar	AZE	2313	8.0
170		Bronnikov Konstantin	RUS	2249	8.0
171	IM	Gorbatov Alexej	RUS	2348	8.0
172		Kuzmichev Alexandr	RUS	2090	8.0
173	WGM	Mikhaylova Irina	RUS	2244	8.0
174		Litvinov Maxim	RUS	1936	8.0
175		Tselkovskiy Kirill	RUS	2046	8.0
176		Konaplev Anton	RUS	1896	8.0
177		Elishev Ivan	RUS	2215	8.0
178	WFM	Bogumil Tatiana	RUS	2090	8.0
179	FM	Kurdakov Yuri	RUS	2253	8.0
180		Basiev V P	RUS	2042	8.0
181	WGM	Kashlinskaya Alina	RUS	2337	7.5
182	IM	Goganov Aleksey	RUS	2536	7.5
183		Mikhailov Dmitri	RUS	2307	7.5
184		Romanov Stanislav	RUS	2165	7.5
185	FM	Pisakov Ilia	RUS	2290	7.5
186		Khachatryan Vahag H.	ARM	2252	7.5
187	FM	Vlassow Valentin	RUS	2314	7.5
188	IM	Savina Anastasia	RUS	2299	7.5
189	WFM	Bivol Alina	RUS	2117	7.5
190	WFM	Rjanova Valery	RUS	2183	7.5
191		Haitbaev Hayrulla	TKM	2082	7.5
192		Sukhareva Evgeniya	RUS	2217	7.5
193		Galaktionov Artem	RUS	2007	7.5
194		Tsukanov Boris	KAZ	1965	7.5
195	FM	Startsev Vladimir	RUS	2165	7.5
196		Smirnov Timofey	RUS	1961	7.5
197		Lauda Alexandr	MDA	2059	7.5
198	WFM	Sazonova Anastasia	RUS	1950	7.5
199		Sklovsky Stanislav	RUS	2001	7.5
200		Gurvich Vitaly	RUS	2087	7.5
201	FM	Bakin Alexander	RUS	2155	7.5
202	FM	Konenkin Dmitry	RUS	2342	7.0
203	IM	Dvalishvili Pavel S.	RUS	2540	7.0
204	IM	Badmatsyrenov Oleg	RUS	2385	7.0
205	IM	Rjabzev Konstantin	RUS	2218	7.0
206		Prokopchuk Yury	RUS	2332	7.0
207		Reutov Andrey Al	UKR	2158	7.0
208	FM	Velikanov Igor	RUS	2245	7.0
209		Sakhvadze Georgy	RUS	2075	7.0
210		Kapov Albert	RUS	2207	7.0
211	WIM	Kharmunova Nadezhda	RUS	2286	7.0
212		Dyakonova Ekaterina	RUS	1950	7.0
213		Vinogradov Anatoly	RUS	2046	7.0
214	WGM	Burtasova Anna	RUS	2253	7.0
215		Drachev Oleg	RUS	2112	7.0
216		Bukanov Yury	RUS	2093	7.0
217		Ivenin Vladimir	RUS	2050	7.0
218		Ofitserian Boris	RUS	2053	7.0
219		Savchenko Andrey	RUS	2015	7.0
220		Pechonkin Oleg	UKR	1913	7.0
221	IM	Galliamova Alisa	RUS	2459	6.5
222		Maslov Ivan	RUS	2025	6.5
223		Churikov Kirill	RUS	2243	6.5
224		Pasalic Harun	BIH	2166	6.5
225		Lebediantsev Ruslan	RUS	2116	6.5
226		Radkov Bazhen D.	RUS	1889	6.5
227		Nikel	RUS	0	6.5
228		Bykova Anastasia	RUS	2072	6.5
229		Dunaev Oleg	RUS	1975	6.5
230	WFM	Obolentseva Alexandra	RUS	1944	6.5
231		German Nikita	RUS	1842	6.5
232		Polyantsev Radzh	RUS	2047	6.5
233	WFM	Jalloul Maya M.	LIB	1946	6.5
234	GM	Pridorozhni Aleksei	RUS	2568	6.0
235	GM	Zlochevskij Alexander	ITA	2382	6.0
236		Kozionov Kirill	RUS	2248	6.0
237		Lebedev Mikhail S.	RUS	2134	6.0
238	WIM	Semenova Elena	RUS	2176	6.0
239		Badalyan Vazgen	RUS	1937	6.0
240		Bykov Oleg	RUS	0	6.0
241		Kharitonov Ivan	RUS	1783	6.0
242		Skorobogatova Olga	RUS	1733	6.0
243	GM	Vorotnikov Vladislav V	RUS	2433	5.5
244		Lomasov Semen	RUS	1901	5.5
245		Darjin Nikolay	RUS	1793	5.5
246		Vasilieva Aisena	RUS	1748	5.5
247	WCM	Egorova Ayyyna	RUS	1884	5.5
248		Ulyankin Igor	RUS	1804	5.5
249		Gaboshvili Georgii	RUS	1600	5.5
250		Chistyakova Daria	RUS	1620	5.5
251	GM	Kharlov Andrei	RUS	2463	5.0
252		Piskov Vladimir	RUS	2094	5.0
253		Popelyshev Igor V.	RUS	1985	5.0
254		Tagirov Kajum K	RUS	1891	5.0
255		Kashpur Mark	RUS	1590	5.0
256		Vergues Julien	FRA	0	4.5
257		Kobozeva Viktoria	RUS	1797	4.5
258		Strunnikov Kirill	RUS	0	4.5
259		Absoliamov Javday	RUS	1855	4.5
260		Kharchenko Leonid	RUS	1889	4.5
261		Ter-Saakian Grigory		0	4.0
262		Nogaev Gennadiy	RUS	1771	4.0
263		Gorelov Kirill	RUS	0	4.0
264		Gharagyozyan Artur	ARM	2283	3.5
265		Khmelev Mikhail	RUS	1783	3.5
266		Baskakov Nikolay	RUS	1988	3.5
267	FM	Petrosyan Tigran S.	ARM	2356	2.0
268	FM	Kostin Konstantin	RUS	2361	2.0
269		Kasimov Maksim	RUS	1588	1.0
270		Gaydamak Vsevolod	RUS	0	0.0
271	GM	Kabanov Nikolai	RUS	2440	0.0
		Tugarin Anton	RUS	2126	0.0
		Dzhavathanov Magomed	RUS	1791	0.0
		Lyubokhiner Leonid M.	RUS	1699	0.0
		Rajapaksa	SRI	0	0.0