The FIDE World Rapid Championship 2013 and FIDE World Blitz Championship
2013 were held in Khanty-Mansiysk (Russia) from June 06 to 10, 2013. The
total prize fund of the championship was US $400,000, which also shows the
high status of the tournament. The event took place in the Ugra Chess Academy,
which is located in the city center. This unique three-level building, which
has no sharp edges, was designed by the famous Dutch architect Erick Van
Egeraat and constructed using modern energy conserving technologies.
Le Quang Liem is World Blitz Chess Champion 2013
Day one: the World Blitz Chess Championship saw 60 players
from 18 countries fighting for the title. The format was three minutes for
all the moves of a game plus two additional seconds per move. There were
eight rounds (16 games) on the first day, and at the end Ian Nepomniachtchi
(Russia) and Le Quang Liem (Vietnam) were in the lead, both with 12.0/16
points. The direct encounter between the two was won by the Vietnamese GM
1.5-0.5. Ruslan Ponomariov (Ukraine) was in the third position, half a point
behind.
Day two: Le Liem forged ahead of the other players on
the second day, and managed to keep in front, with Ruslan Ponomariov in
hot pursuit. A victory by the Vietnamese GM over Sergey Movsesian (Armenia)
in the final round brought the gold medal to Le in the World Blitz championship.
Ponomariov made a draw in the last round against Gabriel Sargissian.
The 2013 World Blitz Champion: Le Quang Liem
of Vietnam
Grischuk, Nepomniachtchi and Ponomatiov finished the championship only
half a point behind the winner. The silver medal went to Alexander Grischuk
and the bronze to Ruslan Ponomariov.
Alexander Grischuk of Russia took Silver
Ruslan Ponomariov, Ukraine, finished with Bronze
The prize fund of the championships, 400,000 US dollars, was divided between
rapid and blitz tournaments equally.
Final top standings of the 2013 World Blitz
|
Rnk.
|
Name |
Nat. |
Rtng |
Total |
|
1
|
Le,
Quang Liem |
VIE |
2771 |
20.5 |
|
2
|
Grischuk,
Alexander |
RUS |
2858 |
20.0 |
|
3
|
Ponomariov,
Ruslan |
UKR |
2743 |
20.0 |
|
4
|
Nepomniachtchi,
Ian |
RUS |
2813 |
20.0 |
|
5
|
Nguyen,
Ngoc Truong Son |
VIE |
2665 |
19.5 |
|
6
|
Mamedov,
Rauf |
AZE |
2718 |
19.5 |
|
7
|
Dubov,
Daniil |
RUS |
2655 |
18.0 |
|
8
|
Movsesian,
Sergei |
ARM |
2696 |
18.0 |
|
9
|
Andreikin,
Dmitry |
RUS |
2824 |
17.5 |
|
10
|
Tkachiev,
Vladislav |
FRA |
2657 |
17.0 |
|
11
|
Smirin,
Ilia |
ISR |
2650 |
17.0 |
|
12
|
Sargissian,
Gabriel |
ARM |
2723 |
17.0 |
|
13
|
Akopian,
Vladimir |
ARM |
2691 |
17.0 |
|
14
|
Najer,
Evgeniy |
RUS |
2633 |
16.5 |
|
15
|
Dreev,
Aleksey |
RUS |
2711 |
16.5 |
|
16
|
Mamedyarov,
Shakhriyar |
AZE |
2777 |
16.5 |
|
17
|
Kamsky,
Gata |
USA |
2734 |
16.5 |
|
18
|
Grachev,
Boris |
RUS |
2590 |
16.5 |
|
19
|
Safarli,
Eltaj |
AZE |
2597 |
16.0 |
|
20
|
Riazantsev,
Alexander |
RUS |
2606 |
16.0 |
|
21
|
Bologan,
Viktor |
MDA |
2650 |
16.0 |
|
22
|
Ponkratov,
Pavel |
RUS |
2565 |
16.0 |
|
23
|
Artemiev,
Vladislav |
RUS |
2584 |
16.0 |
At the closing ceremony the winners receive a trophy, diploma, flowers
– and a traditional Khanty-Mansiysk fur hat. Above the gold medalist
Le Quang Liem with all of the above.
Ruslan Ponomariov and Alexander Grischuk in
their hats
Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, Ian Nepomniachtchi and
Alexander Grischuk compare their swag
A festive close to the World Rapid and Blitz
Championship 2013 in Khanty-Mansiysk
Photos by Maria Emelianova and Kirill Merkuryev
View video broadcast and commentary
Blitz day one
Blitz day two
