Shakhriyar Mamedyarov is 2013 World Rapid Chess Champion

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It seemed close to impossible after the first two days, but Ian Nepomniachtchi lost his two-points advantage and gave up first place at the World Rapid Chess Championship in Khanty-Mansiysk. Shakhriyar Mamedyarov had an amazing final day, as he won all his five games to finish on 11.5/15 and get clear first place in this strong event.

Replay all the games with computer analysis

Alexander Grischuk arrived as the pre-tournament favorite and had a good final day to end up in sole third place. The Russian even had a decent theoretical shot at winning the event in the last round. If he won his game against Ernesto Inarkiev and both Mamedyarov and Nepomniachtchi drew, he would have gotten the crown. However, this is not what happened and the Azerbaijani got the title.

Vietnamese star Le Quang Liem showed good chess all throughout the tournament, only losing against the gold and silver medalists. He finished fourth with 10/15 points.

Ten players finished on 9/15. Two 2700+ rated are in this group: Nikita Vitiugov and Rauf Mamedov. Dmitry Andreikin seemed like a strong candidate to finish at the top of the standings, but also finished in this big group. He will be playing the very demanding Tal Memorial next week in what might become his rise to the elite.

The strong line-up left some strong players disappointed with their results. Gata Kamsky, Ruslan Ponomariov and Alexei Dreev had good chances to finish in higher positions, but culminated in the middle of the standings table with 8.5 points. All of them will have a chance to go for first in the blitz event that begins tomorrow. Full standings below

Follow the blitz games live with computer analysis

On a different note, the host city not only organized these strong elite events, but also gave amateurs the chance to show their skill and enjoy the royal game. No less than 83 amateurs and veterans gathered for an outdoor tournament next to the Ugra Chess Academy.

“During warm seasons we often organize the tournaments in open air,” – said the chief arbiter of the tournament Natalia Popova. “Sometimes we even have the tournament in the central square of the city where we also organize family tournaments. This competition is dedicated to the World Rapid and Blitz championships that are taking place now in Khanty-Mansiysk”.

The President of Ugra Chess Federation, the Mayor of Khanty-Mansiysk Vasily Filipenko mentioned at the Award Ceremony that this was the first amateur tournament organized in the frames of the World Rapid and Blitz Championships. “We are planning to organize such kind of tournaments in the future as well. We had this idea long ago, but brought ourselves to make it only this year,” – said Vasily Filipenko.

Final Standings – World Rapid Chess Championship:

1	GM	Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar	AZE	2726	11.5
2	GM	Nepomniachtchi, Ian	RUS	2762	11
3	GM	Grischuk, Alexander	RUS	2825	10.5
4	GM	Le, Quang Liem	VIE	2681	10
5	GM	Guseinov, Gadir	AZE	2640	9
6	GM	Khairullin, Ildar	RUS	2683	9
7	GM	Andreikin, Dmitry	RUS	2692	9
8	GM	Movsesian, Sergei	ARM	2680	9
9	GM	Khismatullin, Denis	RUS	2674	9
10	GM	Inarkiev, Ernesto	RUS	2696	9
11	GM	Cheparinov, Ivan	BUL	2678	9
12	GM	Riazantsev, Alexander	RUS	2616	9
13	GM	Vitiugov, Nikita	RUS	2719	9
14	GM	Mamedov, Rauf	AZE	2712	9
15	GM	Bologan, Viktor	MDA	2663	8.5
16	GM	Nguyen, Ngoc Truong Son	VIE	2625	8.5
17	GM	Dreev, Aleksey	RUS	2746	8.5
18	GM	Ponomariov, Ruslan	UKR	2743	8.5
19	GM	Vallejo Pons, Francisco	ESP	2706	8.5
20	GM	Najer, Evgeniy	RUS	2638	8.5
21	GM	Kamsky, Gata	USA	2751	8.5
22	GM	Jakovenko, Dmitry	RUS	2690	8
23	GM	Ponkratov, Pavel	RUS	2634	7.5
24	GM	Potkin, Vladimir	RUS	2663	7.5
25	GM	Moiseenko, Alexander	UKR	2714	7.5
26	GM	Zvjaginsev, Vadim	RUS	2671	7.5
27	GM	Georgiev, Kiril	BUL	2651	7.5
28	GM	Salem, A.R. Saleh	UAE	2531	7.5
29	GM	Akopian, Vladimir	ARM	2691	7.5
30	GM	Grachev, Boris	RUS	2684	7.5
31	GM	Kobalia, Mikhail	RUS	2590	7.5
32	GM	Safarli, Eltaj	AZE	2660	7.5
33	GM	Sargissian, Gabriel	ARM	2682	7.5
34	GM	Vasquez Schroeder, Rodrigo	CHI	2563	7.5
35	GM	Rublevsky, Sergei	RUS	2731	7.5
36	IM	Artemiev, Vladislav	RUS	2573	7
37	GM	Pridorozhni, Aleksei	RUS	2561	7
38	GM	Rakhmanov, Aleksandr	RUS	2564	7
39	GM	Smirin, Ilia	ISR	2639	7
40	GM	Bezgodov, Alexei	RUS	2482	7
41	FM	Gordievsky, Dmitry	RUS	2517	7
42	IM	Potapov, Pavel	RUS	2498	7
43	GM	Dubov, Daniil	RUS	2584	7
44	GM	Frolyanov, Dmitry	RUS	2665	6.5
45	GM	Kurnosov, Igor	RUS	2623	6.5
46	GM	Gundavaa, Bayarsaikhan	MGL	2516	6.5
47	GM	Popov, Ivan	RUS	2639	6.5
48	GM	Kabanov, Nikolai	RUS	2445	6.5
49	GM	Lagno, Kateryna	UKR	2598	6.5
50	GM	Ghaem Maghami, Ehsan	IRI	2588	6.5
51	IM	Nadanian, Ashot	ARM	2428	6
52	GM	Cherniaev, Alexander	RUS	2494	5.5
53	GM	AL-Sayed, Mohammed	QAT	2513	5.5
54	IM	Pasiev, Rakhim	RUS	2412	5.5
55		Ram, S. Krishnan	IND	2313	4.5
56	GM	Skatchkov, Pavel	RUS	2486	3.5
57	FM	Byambaa, Zulzaga	MGL	2285	3
58	IM	Akbaev, Kazbek	RUS	2428	2