The ultimate week to qualify for the Chess.com World Championship Knockout Section started with GMs Maksim Chigaev and Andrey Esipenko successful the thirteenth and 14th Play-ins. GMs Pavel Ponkratov and Ray Robson additionally certified by every successful second place respectively.
The final two rounds of the Play-in Section begin on Friday, August 5, at 5 a.m. PT/14:00 CEST and 10 a.m. PT/19:00 CEST. For titled gamers who wish to take part and play in opposition to legendary GMs comparable to Vladimir Kramnik and Viswanathan Anand, you should definitely get verified so you may play within the subsequent occasion.
Play-in 13
 Chigaev received clear first with an undefeated 7.5 factors, beginning with a 5-0 successful streak. Within the penultimate spherical, he defeated GM Sergey Pavlov in 29 strikes by urgent on his weakened kingside.Â
The very best performing non-GM was as soon as once more FM Marco Riehle, who completed fourth with seven factors. He upset GM Yi Xu in spherical eight, gaining the benefit in a queenless middlegame and urgent for victory in 80 strikes.Â
Ponkratov and GM Anton Demchenko completed second and third, additionally with 7.5 factors. Of their first playoff recreation, Demchenko was on the verge of successful a pawn within the ending when he made a mistake, and Ponkratov caught his king in a mating internet.Â
Within the second recreation, Demchenko struck again, gaining a rook and three pawns for a knight and a bishop, finally breaking by with a mating assault.Â
Within the armageddon tiebreaker, Ponkratov poked holes in Demchenko’s place on each side of the board and introduced a rook to the seventh rank to start looking down his opponent’s pawns. Demchenko fought again along with his bishop pair, however Ponkratov finally broke by on the kingside.Â
By advancing, Chigaev and Ponkratov earn the possibility at a minimal of $5,000 within the knockout part together with their respective Play-In prizes of $850 and $600. Demchenko earns $400 for third place.Â
Play-in #13 Swiss | Remaining Standings (High 10)
| Quantity | Rk | Fed | Title | Username | Identify | Score | Rating | SB |
| 1 | 7 | GM | Fandorine | Maksim Chigaev | 2593 | 7.5 | 41 | |
| 2 | 12 | GM | Infernal_XaM | Pavel Ponkratov | 2552 | 7.5 | 40 | |
| 3 | 6 | GM | Anton_Demchenko | Anton Demchenko | 2586 | 7.5 | 36.5 | |
| 4 | 11 | FM | MarcoRiehle | Marco Riehle | 2549 | 7 | 38 | |
| 5 | 5 | GM | BillieKimbah | Maxim Matlakov | 2603 | 7 | 37.25 | |
| 6 | 10 | GM | shimastream | Aleksandr Shimanov | 2564 | 7 | 33.25 | |
| 7 | 9 | GM | OparinGrigoriy | Grigoriy Oparin | 2551 | 7 | 30.5 | |
| 8 | 76 | FM | Orest_Vovk | Orest Vovk | 2275 | 7 | 28.5 | |
| 9 | 97 | FM | Tobias_Koelle | Tobias Kölle | 2539 | 6.5 | 32.75 | |
| 10 | 19 | Sattarov_Bobur | Bobur Sattarov | 2499 | 6.5 | 32.25 |
*Be aware a playoff happens between second and third place for qualification into the Knockout Section.
(Full last standings right here.)Â
Play-in 14
Esipenko completed first, scoring 7.5 factors and going undefeated. He defeated the earlier match chief, GM José Ibarra, within the final spherical, combating for a lot of strikes to take over the benefit in an equal ending.Â
Robson and GM Mikhail Antipov completed second and third, tying with 7.5 factors. Robson received the primary playoff recreation by trapping Antipov’s overzealous centralized rook.
The second playoff recreation was a must-win for Antipov. He used most of his time attempting to squeeze any successful probability out of the place, however in the end, the 2 agreed to a attract a rook ending, and Robson celebrated qualification with a fist pump within the air.Â
Within the post-match interview, Robson talked about his current enchancment in on-line performances: “I am feeling nice. I’ve struggled in all these Fast Chess Championships and CGCs to date. Though, the final couple weeks, I have been attempting to focus extra on it and do higher. I really feel like I’m doing higher.”
By advancing, Esipenko and Robson earn the possibility at a minimal of $5,000 within the knockout part together with their respective Play-In prizes of $850 and $600. Antipov earns $400 for third place.Â
Play-in #14 Swiss | Remaining Standings (High 10)
| Quantity | Rk | Fed | Title | Username | Identify | Score | Rating | SB |
| 1 | 2 | GM | Andreikka | Andrey Esipenko | 2649 | 7.5 | 45 | |
| 2 | 15 | GM | spicycaterpillar | Ray Robson | 2581 | 7.5 | 36.75 | |
| 3 | 15 | GM | Antipov_Mikhail_Al | Mikhail Antipov | 2549 | 7 | 40.5 | |
| 4 | 5 | GM | vladislavkovalev | Vladislav Kovalev | 2620 | 7 | 38.5 | |
| 5 | 3 | GM | LiemLe | Liem Le | 2634 | 7 | 38.25 | |
| 6 | 4 | GM | ChristopherYoo | Christopher Woojin Yoo | 2627 | 7 | 35 | |
| 7 | 14 | GM | GroovyKettle | Robby Kevlishvili | 2552 | 7 | 33.5 | |
| 8 | 12 | GM | Izoria123 | Zviad Izoria | 2573 | 7 | 33 | |
| 9 | 17 | GM | jcibarra | José Carlos Ibarra Jerez | 2545 | 7 | 32 | |
| 10 | 28 | IM | Coachpoker | Alexey Averjanov | 2454 | 7 | 31.25 |
*Be aware a playoff happens between second and third place for qualification into the Knockout Section.
(full last standings right here.)
The Chess.com World Championship is a worldwide prize occasion open to all Chess.com verified gamers. The occasion has a $1,000,000 prize fund and brings collectively gamers from all around the globe with chess legends like GMs Alexei Shirov, Vasyl Ivanchuk, Hou Yifan, and plenty of extra. The Play-in part consists of 16 Swiss tournaments which can award the top-two gamers from every occasion with a share of the $60,000 prize fund and a spot within the CGC Knockouts.
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