Chess Computer Corner

The World Rapid and Blitz Championships took place in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Tue 26th Dec to Sat 30th Dec 2023. Leading players: Carlsen, Caruana, Artemiev, Nepomniachtchi, Duda, Aronian, Martirosyan, Dubov, Yu, Rapport, MVL, Andreikin, Giri, Erigaisi, Fedoseev, Mamedyarov etc. The women's section the leading players are: Ju Wenjun, Tan Zhongyi, Lei Tingjie, Kosteniuk, Goryachkina, Lagno, Anna and Mariya Muzychuk, Saduakassova, Koneru, Dronavalli, Assaubayeva, Zhu etc. In the rapid Magnus Carlsen won his 5th title. In the women's Anastasia Bodnaruk beat Humpy Koneru in a blitz tie-break match to take the title. I was taken by surprise by the return of tie-break matches. Reading the version of the regulations online it seems they changed those too, only the top two on tie-break played instead of a 3 player KO with Lei Tingjie who also scored 8.5/11. Magnus Carlsen completed his sixth World Blitz Title and this is the fourth time (2014, 2019, 2022 and 2023) he's won both rapid and blitz titles. Carlsen started the final day with a draw with Ian Nepomniachtchi and a loss to MVL before going on a tear of 6 wins in a row that eventually delivered the title. Half a point behind him was Daniil Dubov who was penalized a half a point along with his round 11 opponent Nepomniachtchi for bringing the game into disrepute with their piss-take of a draw in this round. Valentina Gunina won the women's blitz title with 14/17 half a point clear of Alexandra Kosteniuk who pushed her all the way.

Source: https://theweekinchess.com/chessnews/ev ... ships-2023