Carlsen, Anand eye checkmate in Doha

Reigning World Champion Magnus Carlsen of Norway and former champion Viswanathan Anand of India are among a host of top-ranked chess champions who will be vying for top honours at the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championships which kicks off today at the Ali Bin Hamad Al Attiya Arena in Al Sadd.
“Rapid and blitz are for enjoyment. It is a touch and go. You make one mistake and you are gone,” Carlsen said during a pre-event press conference in Doha.
Given his terrific form at the recent FIDE World Championships in New York where he defeated Russia’s Sergey Karjakin, the 26-year-old looks the favourite in Doha because he is as good in rapid as he is in any format.
However, the top-seeded Norwegian, said it would not be easy as many former world champions will be breathing down his neck in Qatar.
“Yes, Vishy (Vishwanathan) and many others will be a hurdle for me. I cannot pinpoint to any specific aname who will be a threat to me in Doha,” said Carlsen, who won the Qatar Masters last year.
Carlsen is sure to face strong challenge from France’s Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Armenia’s Levon Aronian, Anand and USA’s Christopher Nakamura in the rapid event.
In the absence of Russian Grandmaster Alexander Grischuk, who won the blitz event last year, Carlsen may also have a good chance to claim a double. He had won his first blitz crown in 2014.
Anand, who was also present for the press conference, said the field looks strong.
“It will be tough one,” the Indian said.
The Chennai-born who became a Grandmaster three decades back said he is returning to Qatar after a gap of 26 years and over the years the country has undergone drastic changes.
The Grandmaster said he was confident that the hosts will deliver an excellent championship.
“I know Mohammed Al Medaikhi (general secretary of Qatar chess Association) for many years and I am sure that the organistion of the championship will match the high standards the organizers they have set over the years.”
“It’s going to be another big occasion for us. We’ll live up to our expectations as a good host,” QCA General Secretary Mohammed Al Medaikhi said.
Slovenian Grandmaster Anna Muzychuk was among those present for the press conference.
 Some of the other prominent names which will feature at the event are Alexander Grischuk, Vassily Ivanchuk, Leinier Dominguez, Levon Aronian, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov are the other top players in the men’s section. The Championships, which will end on December 30, will provide enough consolation and plenty of excitement for fans after the annual Qatar Masters, which started in 2014, was scrapped this year.
“The Qatar Masters was a classic tournament, but rapid and blitz events will give fans something different to look forward to. We need such big tournaments to educate the parents and kids. The chess activity improved a lot over the last three years with many new students enrolled in QCA training centres,” said Al Medaikhi, who is also a top-notch Grandmaster. The Masters, which had attracted some of the world’s top-rated players, was the only high-profile event on the Qatar Chess Association (QCA) calendar.
But the QCA should be praised for bringing in World Rapid and Blitz Championships, which will feature more than 400 players, including rapid world champion Carlsen and Anand, from 75 countries
In the women’s rapid event, defending champion Kateryna Lagno of Russia is once again the favourite while Ukraine’s Anna Muzychuk is expected to do well in blitz. The rapid and blitz format is not as prominent as the conventional one, but Carlsen’s presence will surely attract a lot of attention.
The Rapid event will be held over three days (December 26 to 28) at a time control of 15min+10s and the Blitz Championships will continue during next two days (December 29 and 30) at a time control of 3min+2s.
The events will be both Swiss pairings tournaments and will be held over two days for Blitz and three days for Rapid.
The Blitz will have twenty one (21) rounds in open championship and seventeen (17) rounds in women`s championship, with a single game for each round, Swiss event.
The Rapid will be fifteen (15) rounds for Open and twelve (12) rounds for Women`s championship, with a single game for each round, Swiss event.
The total prize money for the Open tournament is $400,000 with $40,000 for the winner of each championship and $80,000 in Women Championships with $10,000 for the winner of each championship.
Former Women’s World Champions Alexandra Kosteniuk, Antoaneta Stefanova, Anna Ushenina, Zhu Chen, Katerina Lagno, Muzychuk, Valentina Gunina, and Ju Wenjun and other top players are among the participants in the women’ section.