Richard Rapport and Jan-Krzysztof Duda advance to Armageddon Series Grand Finale
Richard Rapport and Jan-Krzysztof Duda are the final participants of the Armageddon Series Grand Finale, having won the Europe & Africa Qualifier. Berlin, Germany, June 18, 2023 — GM Richard Rapport emerged victorious in the Armageddon Championship Series, dominating the world’s top players and winning the Europe & Africa qualifier. This victory secured his spot in the Grand Finale in September, where he will be joined by the tournament’s runner-up, GM Jan-Krzysztof Duda. Alongside a formidable lineup of finalists, including Wesley So, Sam Shankland, Gukesh D, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Bibisara Assaubayeva, and Humpy Koneru, they will compete for the coveted prize of €200,000. The World Chess Armageddon Championship Series 2023 takes place March 5-September 20, 2023, in many different regions across the world. The Armageddon Regionals and Armageddon Women’s Week run from March to June, while the Armageddon Championship Series Grand Finale will be played from September 13 to 20, 2023. The competition has captivated chess enthusiasts worldwide, embarking on an exhilarating journey as the Armageddon Championship Series is live-streamed on over 18 online and TV platforms. Official website: chessarena.com/armageddon
Frederik Svane wins Teplice Open 2023
GM Frederik Svane emerged as the winner of the Teplice Open, the event dating back to 1922 that has been held yearly since 2006. The 2023 edition, a 9-round Swiss tournament supported by the FIDE Aid Package, took place from June 10-18, 2023, in the second-largest Czech spa town Teplice. The event brought together 218 players from 33 federations. The seventh seed Frederik Svane got off to a flying start winning five straight games, but his main rivals – the rating favourite Shant Sargsyan, Evgeny Romanov and his older brother Rasmus Svane – trailed by just a half-point. Romanov caught up with Svane soon, and the leaders clashed in Round 7. Frederik pulled off a crucial victory with the white pieces, regained the lead and kept it to the end. Frederik Svane (pictured below) finished with two draws and came clear first with 7.5/9, while as many as five players tied for the second on 7/9. Thanks to superior Buchholz, Shant Sargsyan and Evgeny Romanov took second and third places, respectively. Final standings: 1 GM Svane Frederik GER 2603 7½ 2 GM Sargsyan Shant ARM 2640 7 3 GM Romanov Evgeny NOR 2555 7 4 GM Svane Rasmus GER 2616 7 5 IM Ioannidis Evgenios GRE 2471 7 6 IM Sokolovsky Yahli ISR 2464 7 7 GM Krysa Leandro ARG 2541 6½ 8 IM Teclaf Pawel POL 2576 6½ 9 GM Safarli Eltaj AZE 2609 6½ 10 IM Sorensen Hampus SWE 2453 6½ Complete results WFM Deodhar Vrushali Umesh, WIM Fiona Sieber and Valentina Verbin (pictured below from left to right) became the best female players of the Teplice Open 2023. Photos: official website Official website: tepliceopen.com/