Berlin GP: Rapport and Leinier win tie-breaks to reach Semifinals

by Shahid Ahmed - 12/02/2022

Richard Rapport and Leinier Dominguez Perez defeated Radoslaw Wojtaszek and Wesley So each respectively to advance to the FIDE Berlin GP Semifinals. The Hungary no.1 will face Hikaru Nakamura and Leinier will be up against the man in-form, Levon Aronian. Rapport started the tie-break with a win against Wojtaszek after the latter faltered when he was low on time. So despite beating Leinier in their Classical encounter with the black pieces, he was unable to repeat the same in rapid tie-breaks. In fact, the Fischer random world champion's first loss of the event cost him dearly. Semifinal games start today at 7:30 p.m. IST. Photo: World Chess

So and Wojtaszek get eliminated

"I was just unexplainably lucky just to get to play today. Radek should have probably won the tournament (Pool stage) like a round to spare or something. Instead also like the last game he was winning. If he wins the last game I had nothing to say but also the game before, I was losing to Oparin at some point. So altogether I got here somehow." - Rapport on getting into tie-breaks against Wojtaszek.

Richard Rapport is now set to face Hikaru Nakamura in the Semifinals | Photo: World Chess

"...first I have to calm down a bit because it feels a bit surreal after losing the classical game against Wesley. I felt that I will go home by Saturday. I was able to make a comeback. It took a lot of energy. So I will try to get some rest and let that settle, then I will think about the next match." - Leinier on his tie-break win and the upcoming Semifinal match.

Pool B: Wojtazek - Rapport: 0.5-1.5

Richard Rapport won the first game which seemed to be heading towards a draw.

Position after 40.Ra2

White blundered when he was down to the last few seconds, 40.Ra2. Find out the winning continuation for Black.

Rapport drew the second game comfortably to secure his place in the Semifinals and set up a clash with Nakamura.

Interview with Richard Rapport and Radoslaw Wojtaszek | Video: World Chess

Rapport won the first tie-break with black pieces | Photo: World Chess

Pool D: Leinier - So: 1.5-0.5

The first tie-break between Leinier Dominguez and Wesley So was a calm draw. Neither player was willing to take any chances and the result became obvious. In the second game, So made a bold choice of pushing the h-pawn in front of his king.

Position after 23...h5

Black's pieces are all over the place. There is a huge lack of coordination. 23...h5 did not help his case. Trying to bring the a7-rook in action via b5, Raf7 probably would have been a better idea. The game continued 24.Qf3 Qg5 25.Qg3 Qf6 26.Kh2 Raa8 27.Qf3 Nh4 28.Nxh4 Qxh4 29.exd5 Nxg2

Position after 29...Nxg2

Black's final attempt in grasping at straws 29...Nxg2. It is nothing but a scare tactic as 30.Qd3 makes a checkmate threat. Black succumbed to White's attack in another four moves.

Interview with Wesley So and Leinier Dominguez | Video: World Chess

So was unable to take advantage of white pieces in the first tie-break game | Photo: World Chess

Leinier tweeted on his triumph in tie-breaks

FIDE Grand Prix 2022 Berlin GP Tie-break Live Commentary by GM Evgenij Miroshnichenko and WIM Jesse February | Video: World Chess

Replay Pool B and D tie-break games

Tie-break results

Richard Rapport and Leinier Dominguez advance to the Semifinals | Photo: World Chess

Time control

The time control for each standard game in pools and play-off is: 90 minutes for the first 40 moves, followed by 30 minutes for the rest of the game with an increment of 30 seconds per move starting from move 1. In case if a player arrives at the chessboard with a delay of up to 15 minutes from the actual start of the game, he/she should be charged of five hundred (500) euros deducted from his/her prize money. In case of delay of more than 15 minutes, the player loses the game (without financial penalty).

Draw

The players cannot draw any game by mutual agreement before black’s 30th move. A claim for a draw before black’s 30th move is permitted only in the case of a draw by repetition.