Koneru Humpy Golden at World Rapid Women Championship 2024
GM Koneru Humpy convincingly clinched World Rapid 2024 Women championship. She started the day with two draws against the reigning Women's World champion - GM Wenjun Ju (CHN) and World Rapid 2014 champion - GM Kateryna Lagno. In the final round, the Indian legend defeated IM Irene Sukandar (INA) to clinch the championship for the second time in her career. Unlike last time, no tie-breaks were needed and Humpy finished clear first. Despite starting with a loss, Humpy made a strong comeback by scoring 8.5 in the next twelve games to claim the Gold. 18-year-old GM Volodar Murzin became World Rapid 2024 champion scoring an unbeaten 10/13. Today is a rest day. Blitz Round 1 Open and Women starts tomorrow Monday 30th December at 2 p.m. local time, next day 12:30 a.m. IST. Photo: FIDE/Michal Walusza
Humpy's second World Rapid title of her career
In the Open event, Arjun Erigaisi started the day with a loss against GM Alexander Grischuk. He bounced back with a victory against GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov (UZB). However, it was not enough for a podium finish as he only managed to draw his last two games GM Leinier Dominguez Perez (USA) and GM Alireza Firouzja (FRA). R Praggnanandhaa almost mounted a strong comeback. After defeating GM Raunak Sadhwani and GM Daniel Naroditsky (USA), he succumbed to the eventual champion, Volodar Murzin. His erroneous king walk ideally should have handed him a loss. However, Praggnanandhaa missed all his chances to win the game and have a strong finish.
It is absolutely fitting that the legend, Koneru Humpy won a Gold at World Rapid Women 2024. She was the only top Indian chess player who was yet to win a Gold this year, until yesterday. India currently has two new World Champions in the form of D Gukesh and Koneru Humpy. We might get more as Blitz starts on 30th December.
Round 9: Humpy draws with Wenjun
GM Koneru Humpy (2431) started the day with a draw against the reigning Women's World Champion, GM Wenjun Ju (CHN, 2536). She maintained her lead with Wenjun, GM Kateryna Lagno and GM Harika Dronavalli 7/8 each.
Round 10: Humpy draws with Lagno, Arjun goes down against Grischuk
Humpy made a quick 19-move draw against GM Kateryna Lagno (2433) to maintain her lead 7.5/10. Three more players joined the previous four leaders - GM Zhongyi Tan (CHN), IM Irene Sukandar (INA) and WFM Afruza Khamdamova (UZB). GM Arjun Erigaisi (2694) suffered a tough loss against the three-time World Blitz champion, GM Alexander Grischuk (2675).
Grischuk - Arjun
Arjun's last chance to get back in the game was 49...Nc2 instead he played 49...a2?? first and it became a point of no return for him. Grischuk grabbed his opportunity 50.d6 Kh7 51.Bxg7 Rxg7 52.Ra8 and White went on to win the game.
Round 11: Humpy beats Irene to win the crown
Koneru Humpy defeated IM Irene Sukandar (INA, 2354) to finish clear first. Arjun Erigaisi bounced back with a win over Nodirbek Abdusattorov (UZB, 2740).
Irene - Humpy
In a balanced endgame, Irene blundered 48.Kf4?? Humpy does not miss these opportunities g5+ 49.Kf3 h4 50.Rd6+ Ke7 51.Ra6 Re6 52.Ra7+ Kd6 53.Ra6+ Ke5 and Black went on to win the game and the tournament. This was the second time Humpy won the title since 2019.
Arjun Erigaisi scored an emphatic win over Nodirbek Abdusattorov.
Arjun Erigaisi saved a tough endgame against one of his coleaders, GM Volodar Murzin (2588).
Round 12: Praggnanandhaa fumbles against Volodar, Arjun draws with Leinier
GM R Praggnanandhaa's (2688) four game winning streak came to an end against the eventual World Rapid champion, GM Volodar Murzin (2588). Arjun Erigaisi drew with GM Leinier Dominguez Perez (USA, 2699).
Praggnanandhaa - Volodar
A bare minimum 30.Bd2+ drops Black's bishop and it is winning for White. 30.f5 is the recommended move which is what happened in the game. 30...Ke2 31.f6 R2g6 32.R3b2+ Kf3 33.Rb3 Ke2 34.R1b2+?? is the final mistake. Instead 34.f7 was still winning for White. 34...Kf1 35.Rb1+ Be1 and Black went on to win the game.
Arjun Erigaisi scored a nice clinical victory over GM Shant Sargsyan (ARM, 2601).
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Round 13 Open results
Round 11 Women results
| Bo. | No. | White | Rtg | Pts. | Result | Pts. | Black | Rtg | No. | PGN | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 | GM | Dronavalli, Harika | 2416 | 7½ | ½ - ½ | 7½ | GM | Tan, Zhongyi | 2502 | 3 | PGN | ||
| 2 | 8 | GM | Lagno, Kateryna | 2433 | 7½ | ½ - ½ | 7½ | WIM | Khamdamova, Afruza | 2188 | 83 | PGN | ||
| 3 | 30 | IM | Sukandar, Irine Kharisma | 2354 | 7½ | 0 - 1 | 7½ | GM | Koneru, Humpy | 2431 | 10 | PGN | ||
| 4 | 6 | IM | Assaubayeva, Bibisara | 2444 | 7 | ½ - ½ | 7½ | GM | Ju, Wenjun | 2536 | 1 | PGN | ||
| 5 | 4 | GM | Kosteniuk, Alexandra | 2486 | 7 | 1 - 0 | 7 | GM | Zhao, Xue | 2433 | 9 | PGN | ||
| 6 | 14 | GM | Muzychuk, Anna | 2408 | 6½ | ½ - ½ | 7 | GM | Muzychuk, Mariya | 2422 | 11 | PGN | ||
| 7 | 15 | GM | Paehtz, Elisabeth | 2406 | 6½ | ½ - ½ | 6½ | IM | Wagner, Dinara | 2307 | 43 | PGN | ||
| 8 | 19 | IM | Yip, Carissa | 2389 | 6½ | 0 - 1 | 6½ | IM | Cori T., Deysi | 2243 | 70 | PGN | ||
| 9 | 25 | IM | Kashlinskaya, Alina | 2378 | 6½ | 0 - 1 | 6½ | IM | Tsolakidou, Stavroula | 2381 | 23 | PGN | ||
| 10 | 2 | GM | Lei, Tingjie | 2518 | 6 | ½ - ½ | 6 | IM | Mammadzada, Gunay | 2319 | 39 | PGN |
Final standings in Open
| Rk. | SNo | Name | FED | Rtg | Pts. | TB1 | TB2 | TB3 | Rp | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 59 | GM | Murzin, Volodar | FID | 2588 | 10 | 100,5 | 107 | 2695 | 2881 | |
| 2 | 20 | GM | Grischuk, Alexander | FID | 2675 | 9,5 | 96,5 | 101 | 2588 | 2749 | |
| 3 | 5 | GM | Nepomniachtchi, Ian | FID | 2758 | 9,5 | 91 | 96,5 | 2591 | 2753 | |
| 4 | 14 | GM | Dominguez Perez, Leinier | USA | 2699 | 9 | 101,5 | 108 | 2619 | 2747 | |
| 5 | 16 | GM | Erigaisi, Arjun | IND | 2694 | 9 | 97,5 | 101,5 | 2644 | 2773 | |
| 6 | 24 | GM | Sindarov, Javokhir | UZB | 2655 | 9 | 92,5 | 98 | 2605 | 2720 | |
| 7 | 7 | GM | Firouzja, Alireza | FRA | 2756 | 9 | 92 | 97 | 2606 | 2738 | |
| 8 | 19 | GM | Dubov, Daniil | FID | 2677 | 9 | 92 | 96,5 | 2597 | 2728 | |
| 9 | 41 | GM | Grigoryan, Karen H. | ARM | 2622 | 9 | 88,5 | 93,5 | 2504 | 2629 | |
| 10 | 45 | GM | Sevian, Samuel | USA | 2614 | 8,5 | 99,5 | 104,5 | 2675 | 2760 |
Final standings in Women
| Rk. | SNo | Name | FED | RtgI | Pts. | TB1 | TB2 | TB3 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 | GM | Koneru, Humpy | IND | 2431 | 8,5 | 63 | 67 | 2344 | |
| 2 | 1 | GM | Ju, Wenjun | CHN | 2536 | 8 | 75 | 80,5 | 2414 | |
| 3 | 8 | GM | Lagno, Kateryna | FID | 2433 | 8 | 72 | 77 | 2381 | |
| 4 | 3 | GM | Tan, Zhongyi | CHN | 2502 | 8 | 67 | 72 | 2372 | |
| 5 | 12 | GM | Dronavalli, Harika | IND | 2416 | 8 | 65 | 69,5 | 2373 | |
| 6 | 4 | GM | Kosteniuk, Alexandra | SUI | 2486 | 8 | 64,5 | 68,5 | 2354 | |
| 7 | 83 | WIM | Khamdamova, Afruza | UZB | 2188 | 8 | 64 | 68 | 2410 | |
| 8 | 6 | IM | Assaubayeva, Bibisara | KAZ | 2444 | 7,5 | 69 | 73 | 2328 | |
| 9 | 30 | IM | Sukandar, Irine Kharisma | INA | 2354 | 7,5 | 67,5 | 71,5 | 2381 | |
| 10 | 23 | IM | Tsolakidou, Stavroula | GRE | 2381 | 7,5 | 61,5 | 65,5 | 2315 |
