Magnus Carlsen and Kateryna Lagno Win King Salman World Blitz Championships

Competition finished in Saint Petersburg.

The King Salman World Rapid and Blitz Championships ended in the Manege, St. Petersburg, Russia, on December 30.

Alexander Zhukov, First Deputy Chairman of the Russian State Duma, made an honorary first move in the starting game of the day, Carlsen-Giri.

Magnus Carlsen (Norway) defended his title of the world's strongest blitz player by dominating the championship with 17/21. Jan-Krzysztof Duda (Poland) finished second with 16.5 points. Hikaru Nakamura (USA) took third with 14.5 points.

Magnus Carlsen: “I am just relieved. Today was a very tough day. I was in front but being chased, and this is never easy. Yesterday the score was good, and the play was maybe not as great, but I feel I am usually best against the best players. Today I played very well and needed every single half point to win.”

Kateryna Lagno (Russia) won the Women's Section and repeated her success of 2010. She collected 13.5 points. Sarasadat Khademalsharieh (Iran) won the silver with 13 points. Lei Tingjie (China) got the bronze with 12.5 points.

Kateryna Lagno: “I am very happy, of course. It is interesting that I didn't lose a single game. Of course I was lucky in some games, but managed to hold them, and I think this is the first time in my life when I did not lose a single game in a blitz tournament.”

The rewards for champions and medal winners of the championships, side event, contest, and trivia winners were given at the closing ceremony.

FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich and His Highness Prince Fahad bin Jalawi bin Abdulaziz bin Mousaad Al Saud, Adviser to the President of General Sports Authority of Saudi Arabia, awarded the World Champions and medal winners of the championships.

The players with the best combined score also received special rewards. Magnus Carlsen won the prize in the Open Section, Sarasadat Khademalsharieh got it in the Women's Section.

Official website

Tournament page

Photos by Lennart Ootes