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🏆 chess.com Speed Chess (2020)

  PARTICIPANTS (sorted by highest achieved rating; click on name to see player's games)
Magnus Carlsen, Levon Aronian, Wesley So, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Hikaru Nakamura, Alireza Firouzja, Ian Nepomniachtchi, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Parham Maghsoodloo, Vladimir Fedoseev, Nihal Sarin, Haik M Martirosyan

Chessgames.com Chess Event Description
chess.com Speed Chess (2020)

The Chess.com Speed Chess Championship 2020 was a 16-player Blitz knockout played online on the Chess.com server from 1 November - 12 December 2020. Each match had three different time controls: 90 minutes of 5+1 games, 60 minutes of 3+1 games, and 30 minutes of 1+1 games. If the match was tied after the last 1+1 game a tiebreak of four additional 1+1 games would be played (this happened once), and if still equal an Armageddon game (5 vs 3) (this did not happen). All games were scored normally (1 ½ 0). Prize fund: $100,000, with $10,000 to the winner. Chief organizer: Daniel Rensch. N games played: 402.

The winner Hikaru Nakamura beat Maxime Vachier-Lagrave by 18½ to 12½ in the final:

Eighthfinals 1-16 November Quarterfinals 19 Nov & 2-3 Dec Semifinals 9 & 11 December Final 12 December

Nakamura 7½ 5½ 8 -- 21 Martirosyan ½ 2½ 2 -- 5 Nakamura 8 6 7½ -- 21½ Fedoseev 0 3 2½ -- 5½ Fedoseev 5½ 3½ 3½ 2½ 15 Firouzja 3½ 4½ 4½ 1½ 14 Nakamura 5 3½ 5 -- 13½ So 4 4½ 4 -- 12½ So 5½ 7 5½ -- 18 Abdusattorov 4½ 2 3½ -- 10 So 4 8 4 -- 16 Duda 4 1 5 -- 10 Duda 5 4 8 -- 17 Caruana 4 4 1 -- 9 Nakamura 5½ 5 8 -- 18½ Vachier-Lagrave 4½ 5 3 -- 12½ Vachier-Lagrave 6 5 5½ -- 16½ Sarin 3 4 4½ -- 11½ Vachier-Lagrave 4½ 4½ 5½ -- 14½ Aronian 3½ 5½ 3½ -- 12½ Aronian 4½ 4½ 5 -- 14 Nepomniachtchi 3½ 4½ 3 -- 11 Vachier-Lagrave 4½ 4½ 4 -- 13 Carlsen 3½ 3½ 4 -- 11 Carlsen 6½ 7½ 10 -- 24 Maghsoodloo 2½ ½ 2 -- 5 Carlsen 5 5 3½ -- 13½ Artemiev 3 2 4½ -- 9½ Artemiev 5½ 3½ 6½ -- 15½ Giri 3½ 4½ 3½ -- 11½

Official site: https://www.chess.com/article/view/...
Regulations: https://www.chess.com/article/view/...
ChessBase: https://en.chessbase.com/post/nakam...
chess24: https://chess24.com/en/read/news/hi...
TWIC: https://theweekinchess.com/chessnew...

 page 1 of 3; games 1-25 of 74  PGN Download
Game  ResultMoves YearEvent/LocaleOpening
1. N Sarin vs Vachier-Lagrave  1-0522020chess.com Speed ChessD52 Queen's Gambit Declined
2. Vachier-Lagrave vs N Sarin  1-0492020chess.com Speed ChessC78 Ruy Lopez
3. Vachier-Lagrave vs N Sarin 1-0472020chess.com Speed ChessD00 Queen's Pawn Game
4. N Sarin vs Vachier-Lagrave 1-0312020chess.com Speed ChessA33 English, Symmetrical
5. Vachier-Lagrave vs N Sarin  1-0322020chess.com Speed ChessA00 Uncommon Opening
6. Vachier-Lagrave vs N Sarin  1-0452020chess.com Speed ChessB10 Caro-Kann
7. N Sarin vs Vachier-Lagrave 1-0362020chess.com Speed ChessA01 Nimzovich-Larsen Attack
8. Vachier-Lagrave vs N Sarin 1-0372020chess.com Speed ChessB10 Caro-Kann
9. Vachier-Lagrave vs N Sarin 1-0402020chess.com Speed ChessA07 King's Indian Attack
10. N Sarin vs Vachier-Lagrave 1-0472020chess.com Speed ChessD00 Queen's Pawn Game
11. Vachier-Lagrave vs N Sarin  1-0572020chess.com Speed ChessC78 Ruy Lopez
12. Vachier-Lagrave vs N Sarin  1-0622020chess.com Speed ChessB10 Caro-Kann
13. Vachier-Lagrave vs N Sarin  1-0692020chess.com Speed ChessA13 English
14. Carlsen vs P Maghsoodloo  1-0492020chess.com Speed ChessA45 Queen's Pawn Game
15. Carlsen vs P Maghsoodloo 1-0532020chess.com Speed ChessA00 Uncommon Opening
16. Carlsen vs P Maghsoodloo  1-0322020chess.com Speed ChessB20 Sicilian
17. Carlsen vs P Maghsoodloo 1-0212020chess.com Speed ChessB01 Scandinavian
18. Carlsen vs P Maghsoodloo 1-0262020chess.com Speed ChessC11 French
19. P Maghsoodloo vs Carlsen 1-0512020chess.com Speed ChessC18 French, Winawer
20. Carlsen vs P Maghsoodloo 1-0322020chess.com Speed ChessA45 Queen's Pawn Game
21. Carlsen vs P Maghsoodloo 1-0272020chess.com Speed ChessB32 Sicilian
22. P Maghsoodloo vs Carlsen 1-0432020chess.com Speed ChessB06 Robatsch
23. Carlsen vs P Maghsoodloo 1-0422020chess.com Speed ChessC01 French, Exchange
24. Carlsen vs P Maghsoodloo  1-0382020chess.com Speed ChessB30 Sicilian
25. Carlsen vs P Maghsoodloo  1-0542020chess.com Speed ChessC50 Giuoco Piano
 page 1 of 3; games 1-25 of 74  PGN Download
  REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2)  

Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 2 OF 2 ·  Later Kibitzing>
Nov-23-20  morfishine: <Sokrates> Thank you very much for that recommendation on 'Queen's Gambit'! I dropped you a short note in your forum
Nov-24-20  Sokrates: <Check It Out> I'm glad you also liked the series. Yes, there are some nice references to real life chess mentioned en passant in the episodes. I'm sure you noticed the scene where Harmon's style is analyzed to be in Capa's intuitive direction.
Nov-24-20  Sokrates: <morfishine> - thanks, I have responded there.
Nov-24-20
Premium Chessgames Member
  Check It Out: The Queen's Gambit becomes the most viewed scripted limited series in Netflix history. A neat quote by the creator:

<"I am both delighted and dazed by the response. It’s just all way beyond what any of us could have imagined,” co-creator, showrunner and director Scott Frank told The Hollywood Reporter. “But speaking for my fellow producers and the entire cast and crew of the show, every one of whom made me look better than I actually am, we are most grateful that so many took the time to watch our show. And we all look forward to bringing you our Yahtzee limited series next.”>

That's a funny quip!

Dec-03-20
Premium Chessgames Member
  Check It Out: I saw that Carlsen beat Artemiev on chess.com today. Was that part of this competition?
Dec-04-20  Boomie: The remaining schedule:

Semifinals

December 11, 2020: Semifinal 1
December 12, 2020: Semifinal 2
Final

December 13, 2020: Final

Dec-04-20  Boomie: <Check It Out: I saw that Carlsen beat Artemiev on chess.com today. Was that part of this competition?>

Yes. Here is the bracket:

https://www.chess.com/article/view/...

Dec-04-20
Premium Chessgames Member
  Check It Out: Thanks, <Boomie>. Nakamura crushed Fedoseev, 21.5 - 5.5! Whereas Carlsen merely dominated Artemiev, 13.5 - 9.5.
Dec-06-20  MordimerChess: I covered a couple of games with commentary.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7A...

There is a really awesome game of Naka vs Fedoseev on the list. Danny Rensch and Robert Hess called it the best move EVER played in Chess Speed Championship tournaments.

Enjoy!

Dec-09-20
Premium Chessgames Member
  MissScarlett: The semi-final between Wesley and Naka has been brought forward:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ttn...

Dec-11-20  Messiah: Go Maxime! Tu es le meilleur! FINISH HIM!
Dec-11-20  Boomie: The match so far:

MVL 4.5 - The Champ 3.5

Dec-11-20  Messiah: <Boomie: The match so far:

MVL 4.5 - The Champ 3.5>

Justin will get SLAPPED.

Dec-11-20  Boomie: After the 3 minute set:

MVL 9 - The Champ 7

Dec-11-20  Messiah: he

gun'

TROUNCED

Dec-11-20  Messiah: Justin is TOAST
Dec-11-20  Boomie: Final score:

MVL 13 - The Champ 11

How about them apples?

Dec-11-20  Messiah: Hooray!
Dec-11-20
Premium Chessgames Member
  Check It Out: Magnus was consistently down on time during the match with MVL. He also didn't capitalize on several opportunities. At one point he just blundered away his queen. Not at his best.

Looking forward to the Naka-MVL final!

Dec-12-20  Wanda Nida: @boomie: what's batgirl's email?
Dec-12-20  metatron2: Congrats to Naka for winning chess.com speed chess ..

With the bullet section added, there was no real competition there. Naka is rated around 3500(!) in chess.com bullet. That's an unthinkable rating. No one else even comes close to that. Kind of reminds engines rating (but of course in bullet, the real gap between engines and humans is huge, since the engine can scan millions of moves per second..)

So all Naka had to do against tough opponents like W. So and MVL, is to keep the score balanced in the blitz sections, and win the bullet section.

Dec-12-20
Premium Chessgames Member
  Check It Out: Maxime V-L was leading for a good portion of the final, and even in the bullet section he started with two straight wins. But, as one might expect from Nakamura, he rattled off 7 wins out of 8 games to win the entire thing.

Congrats, Hikaru!

Dec-12-20  Messiah: Hikaru had some impressive display, very well done.
Dec-12-20  Boomie: <Wanda Nida: @boomie: what's batgirl's email?>

I don't know. Try this:

https://www.chess.com/member/batgirl

Dec-13-20
Premium Chessgames Member
  MissScarlett: Nepo, Fedoseev and Artemiev took part despite the current Russian Super-Finals clashing with the closing stages of this event, an eventuality that must have been obvious for some time. Officially, I'm sure it will be argued that a suitable accommodation could have been made if the situation arose, but I'm sure the Russians were just happy to take the money and run.
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