The tournament using the Basque system in the 2017 IMSA Elite Mind Games was completed on 15th of December 2017.

In the Open group five players were leading before the crucial last round. Yu Yangyi and Pentala Harikrishna drew their match, while Anton Korobov climbed to the top as the result of Ding Liren’s unexpected lost.  Alexander Grischuk struggled hard against Wang Hao and won the match with 1.5-0.5 score to finish the tournament with 6.5 points. Alexander Grischuk, thanks to his superior tie-break, became the winner of the event, whilst Anton Korobov took the silver medal.  Pentala Harikrishna, Yu Yangyi and Dmitry Andreikin shared 3 place with 6 points.  Pentala Harikrishna won the bronze medal on tie-break. Shakhriyar Mamedyarov and Wang Hao shared 6th place  with 5.5 points. 

In the Women's group competition, Chinese player Zhao Xue, who was leading after the first day, continued her winning streak.  In the first round of the second day, she defeated  Mariya Muzychuk with a 2-0 score. In the last round, Zhao Xue outplayed  Harika Dronavalli with a 1,5:0,5 score. With 7.5 points out of 10 Zhao Xue won the championship, while Anna Muzychuk came second with 6.5 points, Katerina Lagno and Harika Dronavalli shared the third place but Lagno took the bronze medal thanks to better tie-break.

2017 IMSA Elite Mind Games have now finished. 

Photo Gallery

Basque Day 1: Fierce competition

In 2017 IMSA Elite Mind game chess field, the first 3 rounds of the Basque competition has been started. In men's group, Chinese player Ding Liren performed well scored two 1.5-0.5 over Le Quangliem and His compatriot Wang Hao. Currently, Ding Liren is ahead of India player Harikrishna and Russian player Grischuk by higher tie-break, they all took 4 points out of 6 games. Yu Yangyi, Andreikin and Mamedov all got 3.5, trailed by half point to take the 4-6 place.

In women's section, Chinese Zhao Xue played Lagno, Anna Muzychuk and Ushenina in sequence with a recording of four wins, one draw and a solitary defeat. Benefited from two win in-a-row, Russian player Lagno scored 4 overall, which made her on the top of the leaderboard with Zhao Xue. Comparing with the tie-break, Zhao Xue is taking the first place, Lagno took the second while other 7 players scored 3 points from third to nine place. So in terms of the tie-break, 3-6 places are: Maria Muzychuk is on the third, followed by Ju Wenjun, Harika and Tanzhongyi.

Tomorrow is the final day of basque competition, the last two rounds would start.

Basque Men Results

Basque Women results

Photo Gallery

Artemiev and Stefanova won Blitz

After 11 rounds of intensive battle, the IEMG chess blitz games have been all finished today. Russian players performed prefect as they won all medals at men’s group. Yesterday’s board leader Artemiev Vladislav continued his hot streak, as he beat Alexander Grischuk at the key battle. Even though he lost to Vassily Ivanchuk, it didn’t influence his No.1 ranking since he scored 16 out of 22, and won the tie-break against Grischuk who came on 2nd. Dmitry Andreikin came 3rd with 14/22, Yu Yangyi came 4th with 12/22, and Vassily Ivanchuk and Ding Liren came 5th and 6th with both 11/22.

In Women’s group, Antoaneta Stefanova and Ju Wenjun performed very well today, winning games consecutively and came over the top against previous board leader Nana Dzagnidze and Alexandra Kosteniuk. Ju Wenjun kept leading the board until round 19, but unfortunately she lost to compatriot Zhao Xue at the 20th round, then consecutively beaten by Dronavalli Harika at the following round. Meanwhile, Stefanova grasped the chance to gain two wins and followed a decisive point at the very last round, locked the title with 14.5/22. Ju Wenjun and Kosteniuk listed 2nd and 3rd with both 13.5/22 after tie-breaking. Kateryna Lagno came 4th with 13/22, Harika and Zhao Xue scored both 12.5/22 to listed 5-6th accordingly.

Photo Gallery

Artemiev scored 9.5/11 on the first blitz day

In IMSA Elite Mind Games Chess Blitz game, 11 rounds have been accomplished today.

In women's group, Dzagnidze and Kosteniuk both played pretty good, tying for the leading position by 7.5 in the whole rounds. Because of hot-streak to some players ranking on the top, Dzagnidze took up the first place benefited from the tie-break, even though did lose three rounds, one of which was beat by Paehtz who won her only one game. Kosteniuk failed one game to the current world champion Tan Zhongyi and on second position. Lagno scored 7 to take the third position. The new champion of rapid games Stefanova was in the fourth with 6 points, followed by Chinese player Tan Zhongyi and Zhao Xue scoring 6.5.

In men’s section, Russian young player Artemiev made an absolutely great record: losing to Ivanchuk, drawing with Korobov, winning the remaining nine games in a row and scored 9.5/11. It is undoubted that he is on the top of the leaderboard currently with marvelous score. Russia player Grischuk lost to Artemiev in a critical round with and later failed to Harikrishna and scored 8.5 ranking second. Chinese player Ding Liren unfortunately lost some certain rounds in a well-sounded situation and took the third position with blitz champion Andreikin by 6.5 points, while Wang Hao, Yu Yangyi and Harikrishna shoring the 5th-7th with 5.5.

Tomorrow is the second half competition for chess blitz games, please stay tuned to get the latest results.

Blitz Men Results

Blitz Women Results

Photo Gallery

Andreikin and Stefanova took the gold medal

In women’s competition, Stefanova lost today’s first round to Anna Muzychuk, leading to a decline in rank but by winning over Kostinuk in the last round, her points jump to first place again. For Muzychuk sisters, they drew with Ushenina and Dzagnidze respectively in the last round. As a result, the five players, Stefanova, Anna Muzychuk, Maria Muzychuk, Lagno and Ushenina, all scored 4.5. After tie-break, Stefanova took women’s rapid gold medal. Anna Muzychuk took the second position, followed by her sister Mariya. Lagno and Ushenina ranked the fourth and fifth by the lowest small point and Harika was on the sixth place, scored 4 points.

In men’s group, the battle had been fiercer. After a tense battle of another three rounds today, Anderikin got marvelous victory today, he defeated former leader Mamedyarov and Wang Hao in a row. Before the final round, he had been in the top ranking along with Mamedyarov and Wang Hao.

In the final round, Anderikin and Mamedyarov both drew, unfortunately the former leader Chinese GM Wang Hao lost to Li Guanglian. Therefore, Anderikin, Mamedyarov and Li Guanglian got the same score of 4.5. After tie-break, Anderikin locked the first. The second and third places went to Mamedyarov and Li Guanglian. Chinese players Ding Liren and Wang Hao were on the fourth and fifth place by scoring 4 points. Korobov ranked the sixth with 3.5.

Madam Chen Zelan, IMSA President, inspected chess venue today. Tomorrow there will be eleven rounds for chess blitz games.

The final ranking for rapid:

Photo Gallery

Mamedyarov and Wang Hao takes the lead with 3.5/4

In 2017 IMSA elite mind game rapid field, four rounds have been accomplished for the first day. The top seeded GM Mamedyarov and Chinese GM Wang Hao tied for the leading position with great advantage in the men's group, scored 3.5 out of 4.

In round 2, they drew with each other. After that, both of them won the game in two straight sets. Wang Hao beat his fellow opponent Yu Yangyi and young Russian GM Artemiev in round 3 and 4 respectively while Mamedyarov, who won two rounds in a row to beat Li Guanglian and Ding Liren. For tomorrow, Wang Hao and Mamedyarov will meet the challenge from Russian GMs Grischuk and Andreikin Dmitry. Besides the top 2 players, Artemiev, Li Guanglian, Ding Liren and Korobov all scored 2 points to stay behind.

In women's group, the two former world champion Maria Muzychuk and Stefanova all scored 3 points out of 4 games, climbing to the top of the leader-board. They met in the first round and got a draw game, then Stefanova won the game in two straight sets with 2.5 ahead alone. In round 4, she drawed with Chinese GM Ju Wenjun, in the other side, Maria Managed to win over Zhao Xue and Lagno in round 3 and 4, joins the lead. Indian GM Harika, current rapid world champion Anna Muzychuk and Ju Wenjun followed behind. Tomorrow Maria will play against Harika while Stefanova will meet with Anna Muzychuk.

Tomorrow is the final day for rapid games, please stay tuned to get the latest results.

Official website

Photo Gallery

RESULTS Rapid Men

RESULTS Rapid Women

The IMSA Elite Mind Games will be held in December 9 through 16 in Huai’an City, Jiangsu Province, China.The opening ceremony was held in the afternoon and was a grandoise event. There was a wonderful performance of music and art, showing the historical features and customs of the ancient city of Huai’an.

This will be a top event in Huai’an involving not just chess. The championships in the mind sports will be extremely fierce, and competitive just as all other sports. Everyone can feel the tension in the battle of wits. The IMSA Elite Mind Games include five disciplines: Chess, Xiangqi, Draughts, Go, and Bridge. Moreover, the card game—Huai’an Guandan will be appeared as an exhibition game again.

Nearly 400 participants including athletes, arbiters and officials from 44 countries and regions will be involved in this event. Players in each category are all amongst the top 50 athletes in the word.

The selection for the final list of 12 participants in each category (Men and Women)of chess was based on the average for last 12 months of the player’s three ratings for classical, blitz and rapid.

The organisers of the event are the Board and Card Games Administrative Center of the General Administration of Sport, Beijing, China together with the Municipality of Huai’an in Jiangsu Province, People’s Republic of China.

After the Opening Ceremony, a technical meeting was held with all 24 players and the pairings for all events was carried out.

Official website