Caruana Wins Zurich Blitz Event
Fabiano Caruana won an opening double-round robin blitz competition on the eve of the Zurich Chess Challenge, just beating Vladimir Kramnik in the final standings.
The blitz contest came as something of a surprise since there were no hints on the official website that it was even taking place!
A further surprise was the poor showing of world champion Vishy Anand, who is normally known for his prowess at rapid and blitz chess. Despite beating Boris Gelfand in their head-to-head mini-match, he lost all his other games to finish last. The time control was 4 minutes plus 2 second increment.
The final results of the Zurich Blitz competition
| # | Name | Fed | Elo | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Pts |
| 1 | Caruana, Fabiano | ITA | 2757 | ** | ½1 | 1½ | 11 | 5 |
| 2 | Kramnik, Vladimir | RUS | 2810 | ½0 | ** | 1½ | 11 | 4 |
| 3 | Gelfand, Boris | ISR | 2740 | 0½ | 0½ | ** | 0½ | 1½ |
| 4 | Anand, Viswanathan | IND | 2780 | 00 | 00 | 1½ | ** | 1½ |
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At the opening ceremony (l to r): Gelfand, Anand, Kramnik, Caruana
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Despite his poor health, Viktor Korchnoi (right) was a guest
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Caruana (right) won a crucial game with black against Kramnik
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The games were broadcast live, and there are videos available for replay at this link.
The first round of the tournament proper starts today (at 14:00 GMT). Links to the official website's live coverage and commentary can be found here.
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Photos via the official website. Results table and games via TWIC.
