Total Chess in Budapest: Haik Martirosyan holds Mamedyarov before facing Carlsen
- Published
- Place
- Budapest, Hungary
- Event date
- Past event —
Summary
Haik Martirosyan opened his tournament with an Armenia–Azerbaijan duel. In Budapest, Armenia’s number one drew 1-1 with Shakhriyar Mamedyarov in the first group round of the Total Chess World Championship Tour, a new championship launched by Norway Chess with FIDE’s approval. He lost the first game with White, then won the second with Black. The 26-year-old grandmaster plays in the toughest group, Magnus Carlsen’s, alongside Ian Nepomniachtchi, Anish Giri and American Abhimanyu Mishra. On Thursday he lost the first game of the second round to Giri. On Friday he faces Carlsen. Levon Aronian, the former leader of Armenia’s team who now plays for the United States, also drew 1-1, against Dutchman Jorden van Foreest.
This is not the first time this week that Martirosyan has got the better of Mamedyarov. On 10 November, in the blitz tournament that opened the event, he had already beaten the Azerbaijani grandmaster. That blitz was won by Magnus Carlsen.
A tournament in three time controls
The Total Chess World Championship Tour presents itself as a new world championship, organised by Norway Chess and approved by FIDE. Its slogan: “Three disciplines. One crown.” The Budapest edition, from 10 to 20 November, is a pilot event bringing together 24 players.
The format mixes blitz, rapid and a “Fast Classic” time control of 45 minutes plus 30 seconds per move. After the opening blitz, players are split into four groups of six. Each plays every other twice, once with White and once with Black, from 11 to 15 November.
Carlsen’s group
The group ranking decides what comes next. The group winners fight for overall victory in the semi-finals on 17 and 18 November, then the final on 19 and 20. The others play for places, from 5th to 24th. The blitz ranking breaks ties.
The draw did not spare Martirosyan. He shares Group C with the world number one, former title challenger Ian Nepomniachtchi, Anish Giri and Mamedyarov. In the first round, Carlsen was held twice by Giri. Friday’s match against the Norwegian will be the Armenian’s big moment of the tournament.
In Group A, Levon Aronian had the opposite experience: a win with Black against van Foreest, then a defeat with White. He also faces Alireza Firouzja, Nodirbek Abdusattorov and Jan-Krzysztof Duda.
Analysis
For Armenian chess, this tournament is a showcase. Martirosyan is the heir to a generation that won three Olympiads. Seeing him in the same group as Carlsen, facing the best, says a lot about his standing. The duel with Mamedyarov also has a special flavour: Armenia and Azerbaijan often meet over the board, and always under scrutiny. The drawn score is respectable. What follows will depend on the games against Giri and Carlsen. A good place in the group would change everything for the final phase.
Possible consequences
Haik Martirosyan faces Magnus Carlsen on Friday 13 November in the third round. The group stage ends on 15 November.
