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Kramnik wins President's Cup on tiebreak

PeterDoggers
| 0 | Chess Event Coverage
Kramnik first on tiebreak at President's CupVladimir Kramnik won the President's Cup in Baku, Azerbaijan on Saturday. The former World Champion edged out Shakhriyar Mamedyarov and Gata Kamsky on tiebreak.

Kramnik vs Polgar at the President's Cup | Photo © Azerbaijan Chess Federation

The President's Cup took place April 29-May 1 in Baku, Azerbaijan. It was a single round robin with eight players: four from Azerbaijan (Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, Teimour Radjabov, Rauf Mamedov and Gadir Guseinov) and four from abroad (Vladimir Kramnik, Gata Kamsky, Emil Sutovsky and Judit Polgar). As we reported earlier, the organizers couldn't give a clear answer to the question why Vugar Gashimov wasn't playing.

Rounds 3-7

Two rounds were played on Thursday, three on Friday and two on Saturday. In our first report we saw that only Shakhryiar Mamedyarov started with two wins on the first day. In the follow-up it was Gata Kamsky who had a good series, scoring 3/4 (he beat Azeri's Mamedov, Mamedyarov and Guseinov but lost to Kramnik).

Mamedyarov-Kamsky Mamedyarov-Kamsky
After losing a pawn Kamsky showed that Black had excellent compensation. He outplayed his opponent and finished it off with 33...Bxc3! 34.Qxb6 Rxd1+ and Mamedyarov resigned because of 35...Qd3+! and 36...Re1 mate.

With one round to go the American was topping the standings with 4.5/6. In the last round he started with 1.g3 and was easily held to a draw by Polgar. This allowed Kramnik and Mamedyarov to catch him; they defeated Sutovsky and Mamedov respectively, both with the black pieces. On tiebreak it was Kramnik who ended first; second was Mamedyarov and third came Kamsky.

Radjabov-Guseinov Radjabov-GuseinovWhite won with 56.Bc3! Ne2+ 57.Ke3 Nxc3 58.a5 and Black resigned.


President's Cup 2010 | Final Standings
President's Cup 2010


Games rounds 3-7



Game viewer by ChessTempo


Polgar-Kamsky at the President's Cup

Kamsky, held to a draw by Polgar, dropped from 1st to 3rd place in the last round



Kramnik-Radjabov at the President's Cup

Kramnik won the Cup - here in his win against Radjabov



The President's Cup

The President's Cup



Photos © Azerbaijan Chess Federation, more here



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PeterDoggers
Peter Doggers

Peter Doggers joined a chess club a month before turning 15 and still plays for it. He used to be an active tournament player and holds two IM norms.

Peter has a Master of Arts degree in Dutch Language & Literature. He briefly worked at New in Chess, then as a Dutch teacher and then in a project for improving safety and security in Amsterdam schools.

Between 2007 and 2013 Peter was running ChessVibes, a major source for chess news and videos acquired by Chess.com in October 2013.

As our Director News & Events, Peter writes many of our news reports. In the summer of 2022, The Guardian’s Leonard Barden described him as “widely regarded as the world’s best chess journalist.”

In October, Peter's first book The Chess Revolution will be published!


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