Death-Match Historical Archive
Death-Matches are grueling, all-out battles of wit, speed, skill, and endurance. For the rules governing these matches, check here. This article will maintain a list of all previous Death-Match Winners.
Death-Match 1
On January 13, 2012, IM Daniel Rensch defeated IM David Pruess by a score of 33-22 to win $790.
Death-Match 2
On February 26, IM Greg Shahade defeated FM Arun Sharma by a score of 21.5-10.5 to win $668.75.
Death-Match 3
On March 31, 2012, GM Sam Shankland defeated GM Robert Hess by a score of 17.5-14.5 to win a prize of $773.44.
Death-Match 4
On April 28, 2012, IM Conrad Holt defeated IM Eric Hansen by a score of 15-11 to win a prize of $788.46.
Death-Match 5
On May 20th 2012, SM Jorge Sammour-Hasbun defeated GM Jon Ludvig Hammer by a score of 17.5-11.5 to win $801.72.
Death-Match 6
On June 17th 2012, GM Gawain Jones defeated GM Robert Hess by a score of 17.5-13.5 to win $782.26.
Death-Match 7
On July 29th 2012, GM Wesley So defeated GM Ray Robson by a score of 23-9 to win $859.38.
Death-Match 8
On September 23rd 2012, FM Robby Adamson defeated IM Dean Ippolito by a score of 14-13 to win $607.41.
Death-Match 9
On October 27th 2012, WGM Tatev Abrahamyan defeated IM Anna Zatonskih by a score of 15.5-10.5 to win $798.08.
Death-Match 10
On January 12th 2013, GM Parimarjan Negi defeated GM Alejandro Ramirez by a score of 16.5-13.5 to win $775.
Death-Match 11
On February 2nd 2013, IM Benjamin Bok defeated GM Robin Van Kampen by a score of 13.5-12.5 to win $758.93.
Death-Match 12
On March 30 2013, GM Marc Arnold defeated GM Alexander Ipatov by a score of 13.5-12.5 (overtime) to win $758.93.
Death-Match 13
On April 21st 2013, GM Alex Fier defeated GM Leonid Kritz by a score of 21.5-11.5 to win $750.00
Death-Match 14
On May 19th 2013, GM Yaroslav Zherebukh defeated GM Elshan Moradiabadi by a score of 19.5-15.5 to win $750.00
Death-Match 15
On June 15th 2013, GM Fabiano Caruana defeated GM Valeriy Aveskulov by a score of 16-9 to win $750.00
Death-Match 16
On July 17th 2013, GM Krikor Sevag Mekhikarian defeated GM Robert Hungaski by a score of 13-10 to win $750.00
Death-Match 17
On September 6th 2013, GM Arkadij Naiditsch defeated GM Loek van Wely by a score of 14.5-11.5 to win $750.00
Death-Match 18
On October 5th 2013, GM Judit Polgar defeated GM Nigel Short by a score of 17.5-10.5 to win $750.00
Death-Match 19
On November 2nd 2013, GM David Smerdon defeated GM Simon Williams by a score of 17-15 to win $750.00
Death-Match 20
On January 18, 2014, GM Daniel Fridman defeated GM Yury Shulman by a score of 19-10 to win $750.00
Death-Match 21
On February 15 2014, GM Georg Meier defeated GM Imre Balog by a score of 14-13 (overtime) to win $750.00
Death-Match 22
On March 22 2014, GM Erwin L'Ami defeated GM Jan Smeets by a score of 17.5-7.5 to win $750.00
Death-Match 23
On April 12 & April 22 2014, FM Evan Ju defeated IM Marc Esserman by a score of 18-12 to win $750.
Death-Match 24
On May 3, 2014, GM Dmitry Andreikin defeated GM Le Quang Liem by a score of 18-11 to win $750.
Death-Match 25
On June 22, 2014, IM Yaacov Norowitz defeated GM Boris Avrukh by a score of 14.5-13.5 to win $600.
Death-Match 26
On July 26, 2014, GM Irina Krush defeated GM Nadezhda Kosintseva by a score of 14-13 to win $700.
Death-Match 27
On September 6, 2014, GM Alex Lenderman defeated GM Wang Yue by a score of 17-14 to win $600.
Death-Match 28
On October 3, 2014, GM Simen Agdestein defeated GM Giorgi Kacheishvili by a score of 12.5-11.5 to win $700.
Death-Match 29
On November 22, 2014, GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave defeated GM Dmitry Andreikin by a score of 17-16 to win $650.
Death-Match 30
On January 3, 2015, GM Hikaru Nakamura defeated GM Wesley So by a score of 21.5-11.5 to win $750.
Death-Match 31
On March 29, 2015, GM Georg Meier defeated GM Sam Shankland by a score of 18-8 to win $750.
Death-Match 32
On June 27, 2015, GM Max Dlugy defeated IM Yaacov Norowitz by a score of 12.5-10.5 to win $700.
Death-Match 33
On September 26, 2015, GM Illya Nyzhnyk defeated GM Mackenzie Molner by a score of 17.5-8.5 to win $750.
Death-Match 34
On December 21, 2015, GM Hikaru Nakamura defeated GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave by a score of 17.5-11.5 to win $800.
Death-Match 35
On February 4th, 2016, IM Danny Rensch defeated IM Lawrence Trent by a score of 11/9 to win $700.
Death-Match 36
On February 4th, 2016, GM Fabiano Caruana defeated GM Robert Hess by a score of 14.5-10.5 (including match odds) to win $700.
Death-Match 37
On March 14th, 2016, GM Francisco Vallejo Pons defeated GM Ruslan Ponomariov by a score of 12.5-11.5 (overtime and including two forfeits) to win $650.
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Death Match Records and Stats:
Biggest Comeback: 5 games, Death Match 25 (Norowitz overcomes Avrukh in bullet).
Most Games: 55, Death Match 1 (but all were bullet). In the three-segment format, the record is 35 in Death Match 14.
Fewest Games: 20 -- (Death Match 35).
Largest Margin Of Victory: 14 -- GM Wesley So over GM Ray Robson in Death Match 7.
Smallest Margin Of Victory: 1 game (8 times). Three matches have gone into overtime: Death Match 12, 21, and 37).
Most Points: 23 -- GM Wesley So (Death Match 7) -- this does not count the all-bullet Death Match 1.
Fewest Points: 7 -- GM Jan Smeets (Death Match 22).
Fewest Points That Won: 11 (IM Danny Rensch in Death Match 35).
Most Points That Lost: 16 -- GM Dmitry Andreikin (Death Match 29) -- not counting the all-bullet Death Match 1.
Lifetime Record In Matches Between U.S. vs. Non-U.S. Players: U.S. 7 - Internationals 7
Most Death Match Victories: 2 -- GM Georg Meier.
Most Death Match Losses: 3 -- GM Robert Hess.
Record of Players Playing Their Second Death Match: 2-5.
Total Games Played (As Of Death Match 37): 1054
Average Games Played Per Death Match (As Of Death Match 36): 28.49
Average Margin Of Victory: 5.15 points.
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Country Stats Win/Loss (All Stats Represent Federation At Time of Match):
USA: 16-17
Germany: 4-1
Ukraine: 2-2
Netherlands: 2-3
England: 1-3
Russia: 1-2
Brazil: 2-0
Norway: 1-1
Hungary: 1-1
Philippines: 1-0
India: 1-0
Italy: 1-0
Australia: 1-0
France: 1-0
Spain: 1-0
Canada: 0-1
Turkey: 0-1
Iran: 0-1
Vietnam: 0-1
Israel: 0-1
China: 0-1
