Abrahamyan Wins 9th Blitz Death Match!
This Sunday, Women's Grandmaster Tatev Abrahamyan pulled off the biggest upset win of any Blitz Death Match to date when she defeated International Master Anna Zatonskih in what was one of the most viewed broadcasts in Chess.com/tv history!
With less than 30 minutes of "total match time" remaining, IM Zatonskih won back-to-back bullet games to bring the match even, and as nearly 1,200 live viewers observed, IMs Rensch and Pruess did all they could to keep up with the rapid fire action down the stretch!
Unfortunately for IM Zatonskih, WGM Abrahamyan delivered a counter blow of her own, taking 3 straight games, and leaving Anna against the wall with less than 20 minutes of total match time left. When Anna not only failed to convert a better ending...
and even blundered into a lost King and Pawn ending, the match was all but over with roughly 10 minutes left. Abrahamyan won 3 of the final 4 games, and finished on top by the final score of 15.5-10.5.
Though both players had their moments throughout the match, it was Abrahamyan who surprised most when she finished the first segment (the 5 minutes + 1 second increment) ahead by one game. One of her nicer wins is displayed here:
IM Zatonskih displayed great technique in this Opposite Colored Bishop Ending, taken from the 3 minutes + 1 second increment segment:
But again, nothing could slow down Abrahamyan on this day!
Full coverage by IMs Danny Rensch and David Pruess was provided on Chess.com/tv and can be viewed here http://www.livestream.com/chesscomlive
Stay tuned for our announcement regarding the 10th and final Blitz Death Match of the year 2012. Coming soon...
Danny Rensch is an international master and Chief Chess Officer at Chess.com. After a successful scholastic chess career, Danny joined Chess.com as a co-founder in 2009. He directs the company's content, media partnerships, and professional chess events. Danny is an accomplished commentator and broadcaster, which he used to establish Chess.com's streaming and creator programs. He has channeled his lifelong passion for playing and teaching chess to advance Chess.com's mission of growing the game and helping people enjoy their lives through chess. With over 200 million registered users, Chess.com is the leading platform for playing and learning chess.
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Read “Dark Squares,” Danny’s Highly Anticipated Memoir
Danny Rensch has released his highly anticipated memoir on September 16, 2025. Described as Educated meets The Queen’s Gambit, this powerful and deeply personal book dives into his upbringing in an abusive cult and how chess ended up saving his life.
