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Levon Aronian wins the 2019 Saint Louis Rapid and Blitz 2019 |
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Thursday, 15 August 2019 00:18 |
Levon Aronian is the sole winner of the Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz, the 4th leg of the Grand Chess Tour. He takes home $37.500 and 13 GCT points, jumping to the third spot in the overall series standings, after Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and Magnus Carlsen. This is his second victory in this event, that he already won in 2017.
Both Aronian and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave rocketed in rapid, which brings twice as many points, and slowed down in blitz. However, in the end, Aronian was just a little more solid (despite being defeated by the Frenchman in the very last round!). Ding Liren, Yu Yangyi, and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave finished tied for second, just half a point behind the winner.
In the event where "everything went wrong" for him, Magnus Carlsen lost as many as 10 games of rapid and blitz. "My confidence is long gone. You're probably going to see more of the same tomorrow", said the world champion in the interview after the first day of blitz. That is indeed what happened: 4,5 out of 9 on the final day and the place in the lower part of the table.
The World Champion will have barely two days to restore his confidence and heal his wounds, since the action in Saint Louis will resume on August 17th with the Sinquefield Cup.
Games, video replays and other info at the official website: Grand Chess Tour
Levon Aronian. Photo courtesy of Grand Chess Tour.
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