FIDE World Fischer Random Chess Championship 2022

There were four directly seeded players: defending Fischer random champion Wesley So, classical chess champion and Fischer random championship runner-up Magnus Carlsen, the strongest Icelandic grandmaster Hjorvar Steinn Gretarsson and Ian Nepomniachtchi who was chosen as the wild card by the FIDE President, Arkady Dvorkovich. They were joined by the four winners of the online qualifiers on Chess.com and Lichess, two from each site. The qualifiers started on August 19 on Lichess and on August 22 on chess.com.{{Cite web |title=Wesley So to defend his FIDE World Fischer Random title |url=https://www.fide.com/news/1927 |access-date=2022-08-28 |website=www.fide.com |language=en}}

The qualifiers for the World Championship were:

Since the seeding of participants of the group stage is based on their FIDE Rapid Rating from September 2022, below are the participants by rapid ratings for September 2022 and October 2022.

All FIDE-titled players can participate in the Chess.com qualifiers. Each qualifier takes place over three days. On day 1, players compete in a nine-round Swiss tournament with a 10+2 time control, and the top-eight finishers advance to the knockout stage. On day 2, the players compete in two-game matches with a time control of 15+2 and the same starting position for both games. On day 3, the players compete in a four-game match with two different starting positions, two games per position. Players don't swap colors between games two and three. In the event of a tie, a single armageddon game with a bidding system is played in the same starting position. The higher-seeded player chooses if they play White or Black in the first game before seeing the starting position.{{Cite web |title=[Rulebook] Fischer Random Qualifiers 2022.pdf |url=https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZGM_-v3U2wb6XgT2S9U6BiJoeQw_Iw6S/view?usp=embed_facebook |access-date=2022-08-28 |website=Google Docs}}

The first qualifier was played from 22 to 24 August 2022.{{Cite news |url=https://www.chess.com/events/2022-fischer-random-world-championship-qualifier-1-knockout/games |title=Fischer Random World Championship Qualifier 1 Knockout 2022 |access-date=2022-09-27 |language=en-US}} 100 players participated in the Swiss stage which was won by Samuel Sevian with 7.5 points.{{Cite web |last=West (NM_Vanessa) |first=Vanessa |title=Sevian Refuses Last-Round Draw Offer, Wins Fischer Random Swiss |url=https://www.chess.com/news/view/2022-fischer-random-world-championship-qualifier-1-d1 |access-date=2022-08-29 |website=Chess.com |language=en-US}} In the knockout final, Vladimir Fedoseev defeated Eric Hansen to qualify for the main event.{{Cite web |last=West (NM_Vanessa) |first=Vanessa |title=Fedoseev Triumphs In An 'Absolutely Different World' |url=https://www.chess.com/news/view/2022-fischer-random-world-championship-qualifier-1-d3 |access-date=2022-08-28 |website=Chess.com |language=en-US}}

{{Round8|3rdplace=no|

RD1=Quarterfinals (August 23)|

RD2=Semifinals (August 23)|

RD3=Final (August 24)|

|team-width=150

|score-boxes=3

|{{flagicon|United States}} Samuel Sevian{{efn|Sevian won the quarterfinal as white in the Armageddon game.}}|2|||{{flagicon|Peru}} Jose Martinez Alcantara|1|||

|{{flagicon|Canada}} Eric Hansen|2|||{{flagicon|India}} Vidit Gujrathi|0|||

|{{flagicon|FIDE}} Aleksandr Shimanov|0|||{{flagicon|Ukraine}} Olexandr Bortnyk|2|||

|{{flagicon|FIDE}} Vladimir Fedoseev|2|||{{flagicon|Netherlands}} Benjamin Bok|0|||

|{{flagicon|United States}} Samuel Sevian|0|||{{flagicon|Canada}} Eric Hansen|2|||

|{{flagicon|Ukraine}} Olexandr Bortnyk|½|||{{flagicon|FIDE}} Vladimir Fedoseev|1½|||

|{{flagicon|Canada}} Eric Hansen|2|||{{flagicon|FIDE}} Vladimir Fedoseev{{efn|Fedoseev won the quarterfinal as white in the Armageddon game.}}|3|||

}}

The second qualifier was played from 29 to 31 August 2022.{{Cite news |url=https://www.chess.com/events/2022-fischer-random-world-championship-qualifier-2-knockout/games |title=Fischer Random World Championship Qualifier 2 Knockout 2022 |access-date=2022-09-27 |language=en-US}} 75 players participated in the Swiss stage which was won by Pranav V with 7 points.{{Cite web |last=West (NM_Vanessa) |first=Vanessa |title=IM Pranav Overtakes GMs in Second Fischer Random Swiss |url=https://www.chess.com/news/view/2022-fischer-random-world-championship-qualifier-2-d1 |access-date=2022-08-30 |website=Chess.com |language=en-US}} In the knockout final, Matthias Blübaum defeated David Navara to qualify for the main event.{{Cite web |last=West (NM_Vanessa) |first=Vanessa |title=Opening Understanding vs. Counterstrike Ability: Bluebaum Defeats Navara |url=https://www.chess.com/news/view/2022-fischer-random-world-championship-qualifier-2-d3 |access-date=2022-08-31 |website=Chess.com |language=en-US}}

{{Round8|3rdplace=no|

RD1=Quarterfinals (August 30)|

RD2=Semifinals (August 30)|

RD3=Final (August 31)|

|team-width=150

|score-boxes=3

|{{flagicon|India}} Pranav V|1|||{{flagicon|United States}} Daniel Naroditsky{{efn|Naroditsky won the quarterfinal by a regular win as black in the Armageddon game.}}|2|||

|{{flagicon|Germany}} Vincent Keymer|½|||{{flagicon|Czech Republic}} David Navara|1½|||

|{{flagicon|FIDE}} Alexey Sarana|1½|||{{flagicon|Germany}} Alexander Donchenko|½|||

|{{flagicon|FIDE}} Vladislav Kovalev|0|||{{flagicon|Germany}} Matthias Blübaum|2|||

|{{flagicon|United States}} Daniel Naroditsky|½|||{{flagicon|Czech Republic}} David Navara|1½|||

|{{flagicon|FIDE}} Alexey Sarana|1|||{{flagicon|Germany}} Matthias Blübaum{{efn|Blübaum won the semifinal after drawing as black in the Armageddon game.}}|2|||

|{{flagicon|Czech Republic}} David Navara|1½|||{{flagicon|Germany}} Matthias Blübaum|2½|||

}}

Anyone can play in the Lichess qualifiers. The qualifiers follow a multi-stage format:{{Cite web |title=Lichess FIDE World Fischer Random Qualifiers 1 & 2 – Regulations.pdf |url=https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hZRA-Jy67vWwmuLe5v4azGZRMW-vwu7D/view?usp=embed_facebook |access-date=2022-08-28 |website=Google Docs}}

• Stage 1 (19 August - 4 September) involves two phases. First, multiple open-entry 3+2 arenas will be held over two weeks. The top 50 finishers in each arena will qualify for the second phase: a single 3+2 arena per qualifier, from which 500 players will advance to the next stage, per qualifier.
• Stage 2 (10-11 September) will also comprise two phases. First, the players will be divided into groups to play an 11-round, 5+2, Swiss tournament. The top 18 finishers in each group will join each other and 10 wildcard players to play a 9-round, 10+2, Swiss, from which the top 15 will advance to the final stage.
• In the final stage (17-25 September), One wildcard will be invited at this stage for each Qualifier, per the co-organisers’ discretion, to make up 16 players in each Qualifier. The players will play each other in knockout matches to determine who will be invited to play in the over-the-board finals in Reykjavik. Those who progress to this stage will also receive a share of a $2,500 prize fund, per qualifier.

Uzbek grandmaster Nodirbek Abdusattorov won the first Lichess qualifier to qualify for the over-the-board final.{{cite web |url= https://skak.is/2022/10/02/nodirbek-abdusattorov-teflir-a-hm-i-fischer-slembiskak/ |title= NODIRBEK ABDUSATTOROV IS PLAYING AT THE FISCHER-RANDOM CHESS WORLD CUP |publisher=Skak |language=Icelandic |access-date=13 October 2022}} This qualifier was the only among the 4 qualifiers to not have an armageddon game.

{{Round16|

RD1=Round of 16 (September 17)|

RD2=Quarterfinals (September 17)|

RD3=Semifinals (October 1)|

RD4=Final (October 1)|

|team-width=150

|score-boxes=3

|{{flagicon|Netherlands}} Anish Giri|2|||{{flagicon|Romania}} Richárd Rapport|0|||

|{{flagicon|India}} Siva Mahadevan|0|||{{flagicon|Canada}} Eric Hansen|2|||

|{{flagicon|Paraguay}} Guillermo Vázquez|2|||{{flagicon|India}} Vignesh Balaji|0|||

|{{flagicon|FIDE}} Harshavardhan G B|½|||{{flagicon|Uruguay}} Georg Meier|1½|||

|{{flagicon|Uzbekistan}} Nodirbek Abdusattorov|1½|||{{flagicon|Vietnam}} Lê Quang Liêm|½|||

|{{flagicon|Germany}} Rasmus Svane|½|||{{flagicon|Norway}} Johan-Sebastian Christiansen|1½|||

|{{flagicon|Ukraine}} Olexandr Bortnyk|½|||{{flagicon|Azerbaijan}} Nijat Abasov|1½|||

|{{flagicon|FIDE}} Zhamsaran Tsydypov|1½|||{{flagicon|Ukraine}} Vladislav Bakhmatsky|½|||

|{{flagicon|Netherlands}} Anish Giri|3|||{{flagicon|Canada}} Eric Hansen|1|||

|{{flagicon|Paraguay}} Guillermo Vázquez|½|||{{flagicon|Uruguay}} Georg Meier|1½|||

|{{flagicon|Uzbekistan}} Nodirbek Abdusattorov|1½|||{{flagicon|Norway}} Johan-Sebastian Christiansen|½|||

|{{flagicon|Azerbaijan}} Nijat Abasov|2½|||{{flagicon|FIDE}} Zhamsaran Tsydypov|1½|||

|{{flagicon|Netherlands}} Anish Giri|1½|||{{flagicon|Uruguay}} Georg Meier|½|||

|{{flagicon|Uzbekistan}} Nodirbek Abdusattorov|3|||{{flagicon|Azerbaijan}} Nijat Abasov|1|||

|{{flagicon|Netherlands}} Anish Giri|2|||{{flagicon|Uzbekistan}} Nodirbek Abdusattorov|4|||

|{{flagicon|Uruguay}} Georg Meier|2|||{{flagicon|Azerbaijan}} Nijat Abasov|0|||

}}

American grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura won the second Lichess qualifier to qualify for the over-the-board final.{{Cite news |url=https://lichess.org/broadcast/ccc--naccl-frc-world-championship-qualifier-knockout/round-of-16-game-1/JhCEbJPG |title=CCC & NACCL FRC World Championship Qualifier Knockout |access-date=2022-09-27 |language=en-US}}

{{Round16|

RD1=Round of 16 (September 18)|

RD2=Quarterfinals (September 18)|

RD3=Semifinals (September 25)|

RD4=Final (September 25)|

|team-width=150

|score-boxes=3

|{{flagicon|United States}} Daniel Naroditsky|1½|||{{flagicon|Netherlands}} Benjamin Bok|½|||

|{{flagicon|United States}} Gata Kamsky|2½|||{{flagicon|Latvia}} Nikita Meshkovs|1½|||

|{{flagicon|United States}} Andrew Tang|0|||{{flagicon|FIDE}} Andrey Esipenko|2|||

|{{flagicon|United States}} Jeffery Xiong|½|||{{flagicon|FIDE}} Alexander Grischuk|1½|||

|{{flagicon|United States}} Hikaru Nakamura|2|||{{flagicon|United States}} Andy Woodward|0|||

|{{flagicon|Germany}} Frederik Svane|½|||{{flagicon|United States}} Awonder Liang|1½|||

|{{flagicon|United States}} Samuel Sevian|2|||{{flagicon|United States}} Gabriel Bick|0|||

|{{flagicon|Azerbaijan}} Rauf Mamedov{{efn|Mamedov won the 16th round as white in the Armageddon game.}}|3|||{{flagicon|Bulgaria}} Kiril Georgiev|2|||

|{{flagicon|United States}} Daniel Naroditsky|½|||{{flagicon|United States}} Gata Kamsky|1½|||

|{{flagicon|FIDE}} Andrey Esipenko|2½|||{{flagicon|FIDE}} Alexander Grischuk|1½|||

|{{flagicon|United States}} Hikaru Nakamura|1½|||{{flagicon|United States}} Awonder Liang|½|||

|{{flagicon|United States}} Samuel Sevian|1½|||{{flagicon|Azerbaijan}} Rauf Mamedov|½|||

|{{flagicon|United States}} Gata Kamsky|2|||{{flagicon|FIDE}} Andrey Esipenko{{efn|Esipenko won the 16th round as white in the Armageddon game.}}|3|||

|{{flagicon|United States}} Hikaru Nakamura|2|||{{flagicon|United States}} Samuel Sevian|0|||

|{{flagicon|FIDE}} Andrey Esipenko|½|||{{flagicon|United States}} Hikaru Nakamura|2½|||

|{{flagicon|United States}} Gata Kamsky|1½|||{{flagicon|United States}} Samuel Sevian|½|||

}}

Eight-players are drawn into two groups with four players in each group base on their seeding. The format is a best-of-two double round-robin tournament, meaning there were 6 rounds with each player facing the others in their respective group four times: twice with the black pieces and twice with the white pieces. The format for matches in the knockout stage is a best-of-four series, with the use of Armageddon as a tiebreaker.

The time control (for both the group stages and the knockouts) will be 25 minutes per player for the first 30 moves, after which each player will receive additional 5 minutes on the clock and an increment of 5 seconds per move starting from move 31. The position of the pieces will be revealed to the players 15 minutes before scheduled play, with the players able to consult a registered Second beforehand. Players will get 2 points for winning the two game mini match, 1 point each for a draw and 0 points for a loss. For example, a 1.5-0.5 mini match score will be listed as 2–0. There will be two such mini matches between each pair of players in the group. {{Cite web|url=https://handbook.fide.com/files/handbook/FRCCRegulations2022.pdf|title = Regulations for the 2022 FIDE World Fischer Random Chess Championship}}

In the event of a tie for qualification out of group stage, tie breaks will be applied in the following order:

1. Game Points
2. Head-to-head score among tied players
3. Armageddon where the players bid a maximum time of 15 mins and the lower bid gets to play with black pieces and draw odds while being able to seek advice from the second for 5 minutes before the game starts.

In the knockout stage, it will be best of four games with Armageddon as the tie-breaker.

The total prize pool for the tournament is $400,000, which is distributed as follows:

:

:

On day 1, Abdusattorov defeated Nepomniachtchi in 22 moves in the first game after sacrificing his knight for initiative on move 12 and proceeded to win the mini match too. In the first game against So, Abdusattorov defended a rook vs knight and bishop endgame with queens and pawns for each side where he also had to deal with a passed flank pawn for 56 moves where eventually they agreed to a draw on move 82 while he won the second game with relatively clean technique and subsequently the mini match too.

Carlsen also defeated Fedoseev in 25 moves in the first game but blundered the exchange for a pawn on move 26 of the second game. However, Carlsen managed to create a fortress and secured a draw and subsequently the match victory. After drawing the first game against Nakamura where he had offered a bishop sacrifice on move 1 which was not accepted since the queen could eventually be trapped after capturing the bishop, Carlsen again inexplicably blundered a full rook on move 31 of the second game from a slightly better position and resigned 15 moves later, thereby losing the match. Abdusattorov and Nakamura finished the day as the sole leaders of their respective groups with perfect scores.{{Cite web |title=Veterans show muscle; teenager shows fire |url=https://www.frchess.com/news/veterans-show-muscle-teenager-shows-fire |website=www.frchess.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=West (NM_Vanessa) |first=Vanessa |title=The Winding Wonderland of Fischer Random: Abdusattorov, Nakamura Lead |url=https://www.chess.com/news/view/2022-fischer-random-world-championship-finals-knockout-d1 |access-date=2022-10-27 |website=Chess.com |language=en-US}}

On day 2, So was again in middle of a 106 move game but unlike the Abdusattorov game where the latter was under 1 minute with increment for last 30 moves, Nepomniachtchi still had over 9 minutes left when the inaccuracies piled up from move 73. So converted the extra pawn in queen vs queen endgame with pawns for each side to a victory but Nepomniachtchi won the second game of the match and they both received 1 point. In their second match, So blundered thinking that he could castle while being under check since final and initial position of the king are the same and rook will block the check adding that "I think Magnus thought the same", but he resigned after a discussion with the arbiter.{{Cite web |title=Fischer Random 2: Wesley So tries to castle illegally |url=https://chess24.com/en/read/news/fischer-random-2-wesley-so-tries-to-castle-illegally|website=www.chess24.com |language=en}} FIDE Laws of Chess state that a necessary condition for castling to be legal is that the initial square, final square and the path of the king to the castling square should not be obstructed or be under attack.{{Cite web |title=FIDE Laws of Chess taking effect from 1 January 2018|url=https://handbook.fide.com/chapter/E012018|website=www.fide.com|language=en}} He lost the next game as well by choosing not to go into a theoretically drawn rook vs rook and knight endgame and subsequently the match as well. Fischer's original "Rules of FischerRandom" also state you cannot castle out of check.{{Cite web|title=Rules of FischerRandom Chess|url=http://home.att.ne.jp/moon/fischer/list/p_20/20_0.htm|website=www.home.att.ne.jp|access-date=2022-10-30|archive-date=2002-10-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021022031446/http://home.att.ne.jp/moon/fischer/list/p_20/20_0.htm|url-status=bot: unknown}}

Fedoseev after drawing his first game against Nakamura, sacrificed his knight on move 18 but Nakamura gave the sacrificed knight back in a favourable way and game was eventually agreed to a draw and the match as well. In their second match, after drawing the first game, Fedoseev sacrificed a pawn and the exchange to threaten perpetual check and more from a significantly worse position but Nakamura was not willing to run his king up the board and offered a draw on the next move which was accepted and thereby the match was drawn as well. Abdusattorov being the only player in any group with a perfect score, qualified for the semi-finals whereas Nakamura and Carlsen finished the day as group leaders.{{Cite web |title=First semifinal spot clinched on day of champion's dismay |url=https://www.frchess.com/news/first-semifinal-spot-clinched-on-day-of-champions-dismay |website=www.frchess.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=West (NM_Vanessa) |first=Vanessa |title=Opening Theory in Fischer Random?! Abdusattorov Leads, Carlsen Catches Nakamura |url=https://www.chess.com/news/view/2022-fischer-random-world-championship-finals-round-robin-d2 |access-date=2022-10-27 |website=Chess.com |language=en-US}}

On day 3, Abdusattorov again defeated Nepomniachtchi in 31 moves in their first game while he took 29 moves to win in their second game where the latter had all his pieces except the queen within the 4*2 a7-d8 rectangle by move 23. In his first game against Gretarsson, So blundered forced mate in three moves in a drawn two pawns vs knight endgame with queens for each side and won the second game to receive one point and subsequently Gretarsson also received his first point of the tournament. Carlsen failed to find forced mate in 6 on move 42 of his first game against Fedoseev in a rook and queen vs rook and queen endgame with pawns for each side, and Fedoseev proceeded to sacrifice all his major pieces to set up stalemate and draw the game but Carlsen won the second game and subsequently the match to qualify for the semi-finals. Nepomniachtchi and Nakamura won their matches against Gretarsson and Blübaum respectively to qualify for the semi-finals as well. After losing the first game against Fedoseev, Blübaum received his first point in second game of the match where Fedoseev blundered and flagged in a rook and knight vs rook, knight and pawn endgame on move 82.{{Cite web |last=Tisdall |first=Jonathan |title=Carlsen, Nakamura and Nepomniachtchi reach semifinals – reigning champion So dethroned |url=https://www.frchess.com/news/carlsen-nakamura-and-nepomniachtchi-reach-semifinals-reigning-champion-so-dethroned |website=www.frchess.com |language=en |date=28 October 2022 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221028194156/https://www.frchess.com/news/carlsen-nakamura-and-nepomniachtchi-reach-semifinals-reigning-champion-so-dethroned |archive-date=28 October 2022}}

It was revealed that while Carlsen brought Peter Heine Nielsen, Nepomniachtchi brought Nikita Vitiugov, Fedoseev brought Alexander Donchenko and Gretarsson brought Helgi Ólafsson as the registered seconds for consultation of 15 mins after the reveal of position, Abdusattorov, Blübaum, Nakamura and So did not register seconds and the latter two worked as a team while the first two sat alone at the board for preparation.{{Cite web |title=Abdusattorov dominiert, Donchenko sekundiert, Blübaum kämpft um Platz sieben |url=https://perlenvombodensee.de/2022/10/28/960-weltmeisterschaft-abdusattorov-dominiert-donchenko-sekundiert-bluebaum-kaempft-um-platz-sieben/|website=www.perlenvombodensee.de |language=de}}

The semifinal matches produced a notable upset as Ian Nepomniachtchi defeated reigning classical world champion Magnus Carlsen. In their first game Nepomniachtchi was in trouble early as Carlsen missed a win just before the 25-minute time control. The game proceeded to time trouble for both players but Carlsen prevailed in a tense and dramatic ending. After this tough loss Nepomniachtchi rebounded with three straight wins. Carlsen blundered early in the second game and then defended well, but Nepomniachtchi eventually prevailed. The opening position for the third and fourth games featured all the knights in corners of the board, producing problems for the players in the first phase of the game. Carlsen went pawn-grabbing in the third game but this allowed a deadly attack against his king by Nepomniachtchi. Facing a must-win situation in the fourth game Carlsen blundered again as he tried to create risky complications. Nepomniachtchi capitalized to win the match 3-1. In the other match Hikaru Nakamura had a much easier time against Nodirbek Abdusattorov. The first game did get off to a rocky start for the American grandmaster but he defended tenaciously and won when Abdusattorov became too optimistic about his chances. The second game was a much smoother win for Nakamura, and though he tried dubious opening play in the third game, he punished some inaccuracies from Abdusattorov to secure a 3-0 match win.{{Cite web |last=Tisdall|first=Jonathan|title=Carlsen crashes out, Nakamura downs prodigy, to set up surprise final |url=https://www.frchess.com/news/carlsen-crashes-out-nakamura-downs-prodigy-to-set-up-surprise-final |website=frchess.com}}

The final match between Hikaru Nakamura and Ian Nepomniachtchi for the championship was a memorable affair that went down to an Armageddon game. In the first game of the match Nepomniachtchi fell into time trouble and got tangled in difficult complications, which Nakamura exploited for a convincing win. The second game ended in a draw by repetition, though Nakamura could have pressed his advantageous position. Nepomniachtchi came back with a brilliant sacrificial win in the third game to even the match after Nakamura neglected king safety for too long. The players agreed to a quick draw in the fourth game and went to an Armageddon tiebreak to determine the championship. Nepomniachtchi bid 13 minutes and thus gained draw odds with the black pieces. The Russian grandmaster held the advantage early on and missed a winning chance. Nakamura rebounded with sharp play to create activity for his pieces and then won material on the way to the decisive win and the world championship title. The third, fifth and seventh place matches all ended in 3-1 scorelines. Magnus Carlsen took third place by winning three straight games against Nodirbek Abdusattorov after dropping the first game of the match. Vladimir Fedoseev beat Wesley So for fifth place and Matthias Blübaum defeated local favorite Hjorvar Steinn Gretarsson for seventh place.

{{Reflist}}

== Notes ==

{{Notelist}}

{{World Chess Championships}}

{{World championships in 2022}}

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