The surprise of the day was the victory of Evgeniy Tomashevskiy with the black pieces over top seed Levon Aronian while Vietnamese Le Quang Liem brought down Alexander Grischuk, The winners of the two previous World Cups Peter Svidler and Boris Gelfand outplayed Teimur Radjabov and Alexander Moiseenko respectively. Two of the youngest participants of the World Cup, Wei Yi and Daniil Dubov, drew their games against higher rated opponents. Morozevich and Granda Zuniga lost good winning chances in their games.

Game 2 - Tiebreaks

In the 2nd Round of the FIDE World Cup in Tromso, 15 matches were pushed into the tie-breaks. One of the most successful knock-out players in the world, Ruslan Ponomariov, was eliminated by 17-year-old Russian GM Daniil Dubov. Another surprise exit was Michael Adams losing to Yuriy Kryvoruchko.

By A. Karlovich

Full results and pairings
Videos
LIVE games

Jon Ludvig Hammer (NOR) defeated higher rated David Navara (CZE).

In the meantime, most of the favorites managed to win their matches in rapid with 25min+10 sec control. Aronian, Kramnik, Karjakin, Svidler, Mamedjarov didn’t have too many problems to defeat their opponents.

Full report here

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Round 2 Game 2

Round 2 - Game 2: 17 players have qualified

17 matches were decided on the second day of the second round in the FIDE World Cup in Tromso. Caruana, Grischuk, Nakamura, Gelfand, Dominguez, Morozevich, Ivanchuk etc. guaranteed their participation in the next stage.

By Anastasia Karlovich 

Full results and pairings
Videos
LIVE games

14-year-old Chinese GM Wei Yi, after his sensational victory over Ian Nepomniachtchi, upset another top player Alexei Shirov. Peruvian GM Grand Zuniga, who won the first game against Peter Leko, managed to make a draw today and eliminated the rating favorite of the match. Alexander Shimanov won a dramatic game against Gata Kamsky and equalized the score. Norvegian Jon Ludvig Hammer made the second draw against David Navara. 15 matches in total will be decided tomorrow on tie-breaks. 

Full report here

Results Round 2 - game 2

RANK	PLAYER	T	FED	RTG	RESULT	RANK	PLAYER	T	FED	RTG
1	Aronian, Levon	g	ARM	2813	1/2 - 1/2	64	Lysyj, Igor	g	RUS	2648
63	Yu, Yangyi	g	CHN	2662	1/2 - 1/2	2	Caruana, Fabiano	g	ITA	2796
3	Kramnik, Vladimir	g	RUS	2784	1/2 - 1/2	67	Kobalia, Mikhail	g	RUS	2651
68	Swiercz, Dariusz	g	POL	2654	1/2 - 1/2	4	Grischuk, Alexander	g	RUS	2785
5	Karjakin, Sergey	g	RUS	2772	1/2 - 1/2	60	Sasikiran, Krishnan	g	IND	2660
59	Safarli, Eltaj	g	AZE	2660	1/2 - 1/2	6	Nakamura, Hikaru	g	USA	2772
7	Gelfand, Boris	g	ISR	2764	1 - 0	71	Filippov, Anton	g	UZB	2630
57	Shimanov, Aleksandr	g	RUS	2655	1 - 0	8	Kamsky, Gata	g	USA	2741
9	Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar	g	AZE	2775	1/2 - 1/2	56	Matlakov, Maxim	g	RUS	2676
55	Onischuk, Alexander	g	USA	2667	1/2 - 1/2	10	Dominguez Perez, Leinier	g	CUB	2757
11	Ponomariov, Ruslan	g	UKR	2756	1/2 - 1/2	75	Dubov, Daniil	g	RUS	2624
53	Dreev, Aleksey	g	RUS	2668	1/2 - 1/2	12	Wang, Hao	g	CHN	2747
13	Svidler, Peter	g	RUS	2746	1/2 - 1/2	52	Bologan, Viktor	g	MDA	2672
51	Kryvoruchko, Yuriy	g	UKR	2678	1/2 - 1/2	14	Adams, Michael	g	ENG	2740
15	Leko, Peter	g	HUN	2744	1/2 - 1/2	50	Granda Zuniga, Julio E	g	PER	2664
80	Leitao, Rafael	g	BRA	2632	1/2 - 1/2	16	Morozevich, Alexander	g	RUS	2739
17	Vitiugov, Nikita	g	RUS	2719	1 - 0	48	Ragger, Markus	g	AUT	2680
47	Li, Chao b	g	CHN	2693	0 - 1	18	Giri, Anish	g	NED	2737
19	Ivanchuk, Vassily	g	UKR	2731	1 - 0	83	Robson, Ray	g	USA	2623
45	Bruzon Batista, Lazaro	g	CUB	2698	1/2 - 1/2	20	Radjabov, Teimour	g	AZE	2733
21	Andreikin, Dmitry	g	RUS	2716	1 - 0	85	Nguyen, Ngoc Truong Son	g	VIE	2625
43	Jobava, Baadur	g	GEO	2696	1 - 0	22	Korobov, Anton	g	UKR	2720
23	Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime	g	FRA	2719	1 - 0	87	Ortiz Suarez, Isan Reynaldo	g	CUB	2609
105	Wei, Yi	g	CHN	2551	1 - 0	41	Shirov, Alexei	g	LAT	2696
25	Navara, David	g	CZE	2715	1/2 - 1/2	89	Hammer, Jon Ludvig	g	NOR	2605
39	Moiseenko, Alexander	g	UKR	2699	1/2 - 1/2	26	Bacrot, Etienne	g	FRA	2714
91	Fier, Alexandr	g	BRA	2595	0 - 1	102	Adhiban, B.	g	IND	2567
37	Eljanov, Pavel	g	UKR	2702	1 - 0	28	Jakovenko, Dmitry	g	RUS	2724
29	Le, Quang Liem	g	VIE	2702	1/2 - 1/2	36	Vallejo Pons, Francisco	g	ESP	2706
94	Felgaer, Ruben	g	ARG	2586	0 - 1	30	Areshchenko, Alexander	g	UKR	2709
31	Malakhov, Vladimir	g	RUS	2707	1/2 - 1/2	34	Fressinet, Laurent	g	FRA	2708
33	So, Wesley	g	PHI	2710	1/2 - 1/2	32	Tomashevsky, Evgeny	g	RUS	2706

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Round 2 - Game 1

In the first game of the second round, there were a few blunders and unexpected results. The biggest upset of the round was Peruvian veteran Julio Granda Zuniga who defeated Peter Leko as white.

By Anastasia Karlovich

Full results and pairings
Videos
LIVE games

14 year old Chinese star Wei Yi (2551) upset Alexei Shirov (2696) with a comfortable draw as black, while Isan Ortiz Suarez from Cuba suddenly lost to French Maxime Vachier-Lagrave in a position with a huge advantage. Alexander Morozevich blundered in a winning position but his opponent Rafael Leitao didn't see the winning shot and instead lost. Shakhriyar Mamedyarov didn’t convert a huge advantage against Maxim Matlakov, while Wang Hao got a three-time repetition in lost position.

Full report here

RANK	PLAYER	T	FED	RTG	RESULT	RANK	PLAYER	T	FED	RTG
64	Lysyj, Igor	g	RUS	2648	1/2 - 1/2	1	Aronian, Levon	g	ARM	2813
2	Caruana, Fabiano	g	ITA	2796	1 - 0	63	Yu, Yangyi	g	CHN	2662
67	Kobalia, Mikhail	g	RUS	2651	1/2 - 1/2	3	Kramnik, Vladimir	g	RUS	2784
4	Grischuk, Alexander	g	RUS	2785	1 - 0	68	Swiercz, Dariusz	g	POL	2654
60	Sasikiran, Krishnan	g	IND	2660	1/2 - 1/2	5	Karjakin, Sergey	g	RUS	2772
6	Nakamura, Hikaru	g	USA	2772	1 - 0	59	Safarli, Eltaj	g	AZE	2660
71	Filippov, Anton	g	UZB	2630	1/2 - 1/2	7	Gelfand, Boris	g	ISR	2764
8	Kamsky, Gata	g	USA	2741	1 - 0	57	Shimanov, Aleksandr	g	RUS	2655
56	Matlakov, Maxim	g	RUS	2676	1/2 - 1/2	9	Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar	g	AZE	2775
10	Dominguez Perez, Leinier	g	CUB	2757	1 - 0	55	Onischuk, Alexander	g	USA	2667
75	Dubov, Daniil	g	RUS	2624	1/2 - 1/2	11	Ponomariov, Ruslan	g	UKR	2756
12	Wang, Hao	g	CHN	2747	1/2 - 1/2	53	Dreev, Aleksey	g	RUS	2668
52	Bologan, Viktor	g	MDA	2672	1/2 - 1/2	13	Svidler, Peter	g	RUS	2746
14	Adams, Michael	g	ENG	2740	1/2 - 1/2	51	Kryvoruchko, Yuriy	g	UKR	2678
50	Granda Zuniga, Julio E	g	PER	2664	1 - 0	15	Leko, Peter	g	HUN	2744
16	Morozevich, Alexander	g	RUS	2739	1 - 0	80	Leitao, Rafael	g	BRA	2632
48	Ragger, Markus	g	AUT	2680	1/2 - 1/2	17	Vitiugov, Nikita	g	RUS	2719
18	Giri, Anish	g	NED	2737	1 - 0	47	Li, Chao b	g	CHN	2693
83	Robson, Ray	g	USA	2623	0 - 1	19	Ivanchuk, Vassily	g	UKR	2731
20	Radjabov, Teimour	g	AZE	2733	1/2 - 1/2	45	Bruzon Batista, Lazaro	g	CUB	2698
85	Nguyen, Ngoc Truong Son	g	VIE	2625	1/2 - 1/2	21	Andreikin, Dmitry	g	RUS	2716
22	Korobov, Anton	g	UKR	2720	1 - 0	43	Jobava, Baadur	g	GEO	2696
87	Ortiz Suarez, Isan Reynaldo	g	CUB	2609	0 - 1	23	Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime	g	FRA	2719
41	Shirov, Alexei	g	LAT	2696	1/2 - 1/2	105	Wei, Yi	g	CHN	2551
89	Hammer, Jon Ludvig	g	NOR	2605	1/2 - 1/2	25	Navara, David	g	CZE	2715
26	Bacrot, Etienne	g	FRA	2714	1/2 - 1/2	39	Moiseenko, Alexander	g	UKR	2699
102	Adhiban, B.	g	IND	2567	1/2 - 1/2	91	Fier, Alexandr	g	BRA	2595
28	Jakovenko, Dmitry	g	RUS	2724	1/2 - 1/2	37	Eljanov, Pavel	g	UKR	2702
36	Vallejo Pons, Francisco	g	ESP	2706	1/2 - 1/2	29	Le, Quang Liem	g	VIE	2702
30	Areshchenko, Alexander	g	UKR	2709	1/2 - 1/2	94	Felgaer, Ruben	g	ARG	2586
34	Fressinet, Laurent	g	FRA	2708	1/2 - 1/2	31	Malakhov, Vladimir	g	RUS	2707
32	Tomashevsky, Evgeny	g	RUS	2706	1 - 0	33	So, Wesley	g	PHI	2710

 

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Round 1 Tiebreaks: A few surprises, and one appeal

The third day of the FIDE World Cup in Tromsø is over and all the results of the first round are in. After two days 36 matches out of 64 had been decided. The remaining 28 matches continued with playoffs.

By Anastasia Karlovich

All the tiebreak games
The latest videos
Results and pairings

According to the regulations of the World Cup tiebreaks two rapid games are played at a rate of 25 minutes for each player with an increment of 10 seconds per move.

If the score is still tied two accelerated rapid games are played with a time control of 10 min + 10 sec. If the score is still deadlocked two blitz games are then played at 5 min + 3 sec.

Finally, if a winner has still not been determined a sudden death Armageddon game takes place with 5 minutes for White and 4 minutes for Black with a 2 sec increment after move 60. In that game Black has draw odds (i.e. he wins if the game is drawn).

15 players were eliminated after two rapid games. In general, the favorites won their matches: Peter Svidler, Michael Adams, Alexander Morozevich, Dmitry Andreikin, Anton Korobov, Jobava Baadur and Alexei Dreev all went through to the next round.

Georgian GM Jobava Baadur won against Ukrainian GM Martyn Kravtsiv with a 2-0 score.

At the same time a few of the rating favorites were unexpectedly knocked out of the World Cup at this stage.

Norwegian player GM Hammer defeated Armenian GM Sergei Movsesian (pictured above) in the first game of the playoff and drew the second game, thus eliminating his more experienced opponent from the FIDE World Cup.

Brazilian GM Alexander Fier defeated an opponent more than one hundred points higher rated, Polish GM Radoslaw Wojtaszek.

Women’s World Champion Anna Ushenina lost the first rapid game but could have upset Peter Svidler in the second. She missed her chance and the Russian player won the match.

13 rapid matches finished drawn so 26 players continued their battles at the 10 min + 10 sec time control. Gata Kamsky, Alexei Shirov, Teimour Radjabov, Ruben Felgaer, Rafael Leitao, Eltaj Safarli, Viktor Bologan, Yuriy Kryvoruchko and Alexandr Shimanov were successful at that stage.

Not an easy match for Gata Kamsky, who only managed to win the fifth game against Chinese IM Lou Yiping.

Hou Yifan and Alexei Shirov exchanged victories in rapid and continued their match. The Latvian player proved to be stronger at the 10 min + 10 sec time control. Despite the final outcome, the former Women’s World Champion showed great play in the event.

After two draws in the classical games Azeri GM Teimour Radjabov struggled against GM Jorge Cori (Peru) in rapid – each won a game. The spectators were waiting for an exciting continuation at the 10 min+10 sec time control.

Surprisingly, Cori didn’t appear in time for the first game. One second after the start of the round, Teimour Radjabov stopped the clock, signed the score sheet and left the playing hall, while Jorge Cori was running to the playing hall.

Using the advantage of the white pieces the Azeri player didn’t have any problem drawing the second game. After the end of the match GM Cori from Peru made an appeal. The decision of the Appeals Committee has been published here on the official website. 

00-00 on the clock and Jorge Cori is not in the playing hall

A little less than 2 minutes later Cori came to the playing hall and tried to explain what had happened.

An unfortunate day for Russian GM Alexander Riazantsev, who lost against Argentinian GM Ruben Felgaer.

Four matches remained to be decided in blitz. Two Russian GMs Zvjaginsev and Alekseev were defeated by Polish GM Swiercz and Indian GM Adhiban respectively, while players on the two remaining boards reached Armageddon games.

Many participants of the tournament and spectators came to watch the matches Tomashevsky versus Ramirez and Melkumyan versus Granda Zuniga in the playing hall. Playing White Evgeny Tomashevsky defeated his opponent and Granda Zuniga, who played with Black and just needed to make a draw to advance, also managed to win.

The second round of the FIDE World Cup starts at 3 p.m. local time on 14th of August. 64 participants will continue playing but as before only half of them will advance to the next stage.

 

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Round 1 - Game 2: Judit Polgar, Andrey Volokitin and Ian Nepomniachtchi are knocked out

Just as in the first day, there were plenty of fireworks on the second day in the FIDE World Cup in Tromsø. Thirteen players won their matches with a 2-0 score (except Alexander Moiseenko, whose opponent could not come to Tromsø).

While some victories with impressive results could be expected from top players such as Aronian, Kramnik, Grischuk, Nakamura and Dominguez, there were also a few 2-0 results produced by players with rating lower than their opponents.

Russian GM Daniil Dubov managed to outplay experienced and higher rated Ukrainian GM Sergey Fedorchuk. American GM Ray Robson didn’t leave any chances for Ukrainian GM Andrey Volokitin by winning 2-0. One of the most surprising results for those, who compare the ratings of opponents, happened in the Nepomniachtchi-Wei match. The youngest participant of the event, Chinese GM Yi Wei (nominee of FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov), defeated Russian GM Ian Nepomniachtchi 1.5-0.5.

The participants of the upcoming Women’s World Championship match Hou Yifan and Anna Ushenina are doing well so far. Anna Ushenina defeated Peter Svidler in his favorite Grunfeld and Hou Yifan drew the second game against Alexei Shirov. The reigning Women’s World Champion and former one will proceed in the playoff stage tomorrow.

The strongest female player in the history of chess, Judit Polgar, lost out on a number of winning chances, drew against Cuban GM Isan Reynaldo Ortiz and lost the match. 28 matches were not decided after two games in classical control and 56 players will continue to fight at 3 p.m. local time on August 13.

Rising star from Russia GM Daniil Dubov defeated GM Sergey Fedorchuk 2-0

Round 1 Game 2 results

Photo Gallery

Full reports with live coverage at http://www.chessworldcup2013.com/

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Round 1 - Game 1

According to the pairings, the favorites in the higher half of the draw met significantly lower rated opponents. The top seeds won their games relatively easily, but there was also a surprising loss by Super GM Alexander Morozevich against Canadian GM Bator Sambuev. American player GM Ray Robson won a beautiful game against higher rated opponent Ukrainian GM Andrey Volokitin. GM Gata Kamsky and GM Michael Adams drew against Chinese players Lou Yiping and Wan Yunguo respectively, while the Chinese derby between Wang Hao and Liu Qingnan also finished in a draw. Playing with Black former Women’s World Champion Hou Yifan drew against GM Alexey Shirov.

GM Salem Saleh and Yahya Saleh from the UAE Chess Federation

Round 1 Game 1 results

Photo Gallery

(Note: The wrong result was reported for the game Paragua-Jakovenko. Jakovenko won his game)

Full reports with live coverage at http://www.chessworldcup2013.com/


Susan Polgar and Lawrence Trent working for the live coverage of the FIDE World Cup 2013

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The opening ceremony of the FIDE World Cup took place in the University of Tromsø on the 10th of August.

The players and guests were greeted by the Vice Rector of the University of Tromsø Kenneth Ruud, President of the Norwegian Chess Federation Joran Aulin-Janson, Commissioner for Business, Culture and Sports of Tromsø Municipality Jonas Stein (V) and FIDE Treasurer and Executive Director Nigel Freeman.

Chief Arbiter Ignatius Leong then proceeded with the drawing of lots. He invited the top seed of the tournament Levon Aronian from Armenia onto the stage to pick one of the pawns from his pocket. Levon Aronian chose the white pawn and will play the first game of the match against Mikhail Markov from Kyrgyzstan with the white pieces.

Full pairings are available here:

http://www.chessworldcup2013.com/games/pairings

Also attending the opening ceremony were FIDE Vice-President Ali Nihat Yazici, Director of the FIDE Office in Moscow Berik Balgabaev and other distinguished guests.

128 top participants will start to play at 3 p.m. on the 11th of August in the Scandic Hotel in Tromsø. The tournament has an impressive prize fund of 1.6 million US dollars.

Participants include former World Champions Vladimir Kramnik and Ruslan Ponomariov, Women's World Champion Anna Ushenina, former Women’s World Champion Hou Yifan and many other chess stars. The top two players will qualify for the next FIDE Candidates Tournament which will take place in March 2014 and determine the challenger for the World Championship match in 2014.

The time control for each two-game match is 90 minutes for the first 40 moves followed by 30 minutes for the rest of the game, with an increment of 30 seconds per move starting from move one. If the score is equal there are two rapid chess tiebreak games, played at a rate of 25 minutes for each player with an increment of 10 seconds per move. If the score is still equal then two accelerated games will be played, with a time control of 10 min + 10 sec. If the score is still equal two more games will be played at 5 min + 3 sec. If the winner is still not determined then a final Armageddon game with 5 minutes for White and 4 minutes for Black, with a 3 sec increment after move 60, will be played. In this game Black has draw odds (i.e. he wins if the game is drawn).

Official website

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