Aronian Wins Rapid World Championship

Lev Aronian (pictured) made up for the disappointment of losing to Hikaru Nakamura in the Chess 960 championship in Mainz by winning the main event - the Grenkeleasing World Rapid Chess Championship.

The big shock occurred in the qualifying rounds when Vishy Anand - winner of the title for the last nine years straight - failed to qualify for the final after a disastrous start.

Anand lost to Aronian in his first game, and then to Nepomniachtchi in the second - both with the white pieces!  Although the World Champion won his third game, he left himself too much to do on the second day and he missed qualification for the final.

The results of the qualifying round-robin event:

In the final Aronian won the first two games against Nepomniachtchi and drew the remaining two to take the title by a score of 3-1.

Meanwhile, in the ultra strong Ordix Open event - an 11-round rapid open with some of the best players in the world - Shakhriyar Mamedyarov finished top dog with a staggering score of 10/11!  Mamedyarov therefore earns the right to play in the Rapid World Championship event at Mainz next year.

The top finishers were...

Finally, after scoring an almost Fischereque 11.5/12 in qualification, Rybka wrapped up the Livingston Chess960 Computer World Chess Championship against Deep Shredder, by the comparatively modest score of 3-1 in the final.

Selected games below...