The 2023 Winter Chess Classic entered the penultimate day with a dramatic shift after the conclusion of the rapid chess rounds. The players, having showcased their strategic prowess in classical chess over the initial three days, shifted gears to the faster-paced games, and the outcomes have reshaped the landscape of the tournament.

Team B, led by the stellar performance of Grigory Oparin on Board 1, emerged as the dominant force in the rapid chess rounds. Oparin’s exceptional display, winning 5.5 out of 6 games, propelled Team B to a substantial lead with a score of 96.5 against Team A’s 83.5. With 12 rounds of blitz tomorrow, you can be sure the A Team will give the final day their all.

The current board standings illustrate the individual contributions to the team scores:

Team A

• Board 1: Oparin, Grigory (2667) – 21.5 points
• Board 2: Gledura, Benjamin (2633) – 14.5 points
• Board 3: Antipov, Mikhail (2607) – 16 points
• Board 4: Bruzon, Lazaro (2594) – 18.5 points
• Board 5: Raja, Harshit (2509) – 16.5 points
• Board 6: Stearman, Josiah (2479) – 9.5 points

Team B

• Board 1: Theodorou, Nikolas (2626) – 14.5 points
• Board 2: Swiercz, Dariusz (2615) – 15 points
• Board 3: Bok, Benjamin (2614) – 16 points
• Board 4: Akobian, Var (2576) – 11.5 points
• Board 5: Dambasuren, Batsuren (2523) – 14 points
• Board 6: Chandra, Akshat (2486) – 12.5 points

As the tournament heads into the final day of blitz, the battle for supremacy intensifies. The players have displayed exceptional skill and strategy, setting the stage for an exhilarating conclusion to the Winter Chess Classic at Saint Louis University. Stay tuned for the final showdown!