In the 2015 FIDE World Chess Blitz Championship 21 rounds Swiss system had to be played. The players got 3 minutes for the whole game plus an increment of 2 seconds per move. The reigning blitz champion Magnus Carlsen began well, but losses against Karjakin, Radjabov, Grischuk and Ivanchuk made it impossible for him to defend his title. After 20 rounds Vladimir Kramnik and Alexander Grischuk lead with 14,5 points ahead of Maxime Vachier Lagrave and Vassily Ivanchuk (14 points each). By defeating Boris Gelfand with the Black pieces Alexander Grischuk won his 3^rd Blitz title. Maxime Vachier-Lagrave won against Rustam Kasimdzhanov and became 2^nd while Vladimir Kramnik had difficulties against Vassily Ivanchuk, but cleverly saved a difficult endgame with two Knights on both sides and a Pawn down. This draw meant the Bronze medal for him. In the press conference he said that 15 or 20 years ago he had been a really good blitz player, but he had not expected such a good result today. FIDE president Kirsan Ilyumchinov announced that Berlin will host either a World Chess Championship or a Chess Olympiad, but could not yet give any date or details.

The final standings were:

1. AlexanderGrischuk (Russia)                                 15,5     

2. Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (France)                       15        

3. Vladimir Kramnik (Russia)                                  15        

4. Vassily Ivanchuk (Ukraine)                                  14,5    

5. Ian Nepomniachtchi (Russia)                               14,5

6. Magnus Carlsen (Norway)                                    14

7. Peter Svidler (Russia)                                           14       

8. David Navara (Czech Republic)                           14

9. Yuri             Vovk (Ukraine)                                             13,5

10. Rustam Kasimdzhanov (Uzbekistan)                 13,5     

11. Levon Aronian (Armenia)                                   13,5    

12. Boris Gelfand (Israel)                                         13,5    

13. Leinier Dominguez (Cuba)                                 13,5

14. Rauf Mamedov (Azerbaijan)                              13,5    

15. Shakhriyar Mamedyarov  (Azerbaijan)              13,5     

16. Pavel Ponkratov (Russia)                                    13,5    

17. Sergey Karjakin (Russia)                                    13

18. Nikita Vitiugov (Russia)                                     13

19. Evgeniy Tomashevsky (Russia)                          13

20. Anton Korobov (Ukraine)                                   13

21. Dmitry Andreikin (Russia)                                 13

22. Vishy Anand (Insia)                                            13

23. LaurantFressinet (France)                                   13

24. Vladimir Fedoseev (Russia)                               13

25. Evgeny Alekseev (Russia)                                  13

26. Vladimir Malakhov (Russia)                               13

(188 participants)

Kateryna Lagno scored 10 out of 21 (103^rd)

A complete list can be found here.


The blitz tournament attracted a lot of spectators. This picture was taken before the start of the 16^th round. The players are Lazaro Bruzon Batista and Vassily Ivanchuk, Ian Nepomniachtchi and Peter Leko, Ngoc Truong Son Nguyen  and Vishy Anand (left in the background).



A historical moment: Vladimir Kramnik (Black pieces) and Vassily Ivanchuk have just left the stage. Black has only his King left and the White h-Pawn cannot win. This meant the title for Alexander Grischuk. If Kramnik had defeated Ivanchuk he would have been 1st because of the better tie-break.


Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (2^nd), Vladimir Kramnik (3^rd) and Alexander Grischuk (World Blitz Chess Champion) at the medal ceremony with Ilya Merenzon, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov and Herbert Bastian


Magnus Carlsen writing autographs


The building next to the paying hall is the German department of the interior.


The river Spree. If you visit Berlin you should not forget to take a trip on a boat through the town.

© Copyright 2015 by S. O. Platz

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