Karjakin and Kosteniuk Win the World Mind Games Blitz
Sergey Karjakin and Alexandra Kosteniuk won the blitz sections of the SportAccord Mind Games.
Karjakin dominated the blitz competition, scoring +12 =1 -2 to win with 12½ points, a full 1½ points clear of Hikaru Nakamura in second place. That's the second silver medal for the US champ, having achieved the same position in the rapid section two days ago. Shakhriyar Mamedyarov took the bronze medal ahead of Lev Aronian and rapid section winner Laurent Fressinet.
Alexandra Kosteniuk took the gold in the women's blitz competition on superior tie-breaks form Anna Muzychuk. Elisabeth Paehtz took bronze on tie-breaks from Humpy Koneru.
The blitz time control was 3 minutes plus a 2 second increment.
Gold medallist Sergey Karjakin (left) and bronze medallist Shakhriyar Mamedyarov
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The final standings in the Mind Games Rapid event
| # | Name | Fed | Elo* | Pts |
| 1 | Karjakin Sergey | RUS | 2877 | 12½ |
| 2 | Nakamura Hikaru | USA | 2788 | 11 |
| 3 | Mamedyarov Shakhriyar | AZE | 2701 | 9 |
| 4 | Aronian Levon | ARM | 2812 | 9 |
| 5 | Fressinet Laurent | FRA | 2653 | 9 |
| 6 | Morozevich Alexander | RUS | 2805 | 8½ |
| 7 | Grischuk Alexander | RUS | 2923 | 8½ |
| 8 | Ivanchuk Vassily | UKR | 2728 | 8 |
| 9 | Wang Hao | CHN | 2737 | 6½ |
| 10 | Leko Peter | HUN | 2732 | 6½ |
| 11 | Kamsky Gata | USA | 2756 | 6 |
| 12 | Jobava Baadur | GEO | 2722 | 5½ |
| 13 | Radjabov Teimour | AZE | 2790 | 5½ |
| 14 | Bologan Viktor | MDA | 2643 | 5½ |
| 15 | Giri Anish | NED | 2720 | 5 |
| 16 | Ding Liren | CHN | 2695 | 4 |
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Double silver medallist Hikaru Nakamura
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Gold Medallist Alexandra Kosteniuk (centre), silver Anna Muzychuk (left), bronze Elisabeth Paehtz
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| # | Name | Fed | Elo* | Pts |
| 1 | Kosteniuk Alexandra | RUS | 2505 | 11½ |
| 2 | Muzychuk Anna | SLO | 2606 | 11½ |
| 3 | Paehtz Elisabeth | GER | 2517 | 9½ |
| 4 | Koneru Humpy | IND | 2535 | 9½ |
| 5 | Cmilyte Viktorija | LTU | 2524 | 8 |
| 6 | Harika Dronavalli | IND | 2329 | 7½ |
| 7 | Zhu Chen | QAT | 2418 | 7½ |
| 8 | Hou Yifan | CHN | 2606 | 7 |
| 9 | Khotenashvili Bela | GEO | 2465 | 6½ |
| 10 | Lahno Kateryna | UKR | 2538 | 6½ |
| 11 | Cramling Pia | SWE | 2433 | 6½ |
| 12 | Stefanova Antoaneta | BUL | 2571 | 6 |
| 13 | Danielian Elina | ARM | 2432 | 6 |
| 14 | Zatonskih Anna | USA | 2489 | 6 |
| 15 | Socko Monika | POL | 2430 | 5½ |
| 16 | Zhao Xue | CHN | 2518 | 5 |
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| CHESS SCHEDULE | ||||||
| Wednesday | 12th December 2012 | OPENING CEREMONY | ||||
| Thursday | 13th December 2012 | Rest Day | ||||
| Friday | 14th December 2012 | 15:00 - Rounds 1-3 | Rapid Chess | |||
| Saturday | 15th December 2012 | 15:00 - Rounds 4-7 | Rapid Chess | |||
| Sunday | 16th December 2012 | 15:00 - Rounds 1-15 | Blitz Chess | |||
| Monday | 17th December 2012 | 15:00 - Rounds 16-30 | Blitz Chess | |||
| Tuesday | 18th December 2012 | 15:00 - Rounds 1-4 | Blindfold Chess | |||
| Wednesday | 19th December 2012 | 15:00 - Rounds 5-7 | Blindfold Chess | |||
| Thursday | 20th December 2012 | DEPARTURE |
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Photos by Anastasiya Karlovich for the official website. Games via the official website.
* Blitz ratings used where available.
