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CHENNAI: Teimour Radjabov was filled with excitement the Sunday after he demolished Levon Aronian In a breathless finale of the Masters of Airthings. The former Azerbaijani World Cup champion capped a stellar return to form by becoming the new leader at Meltwater Champions. Chess Tour and its first big winner.
Radjabov cried on camera as he secured victory in game three. He takes home $ 60,000 from a prize of $ 200,000. The Azerbaijani player said: “Today was very tough. Trying to keep focus and concentration until the end requires a lot of emotions as well to maintain this form of calm that I am trying to produce and not show if I am happy.” or unhappy with my position. But it took so much energy that I’m completely exhausted. ”
He added: “But about emotions, sometimes I can also get emotional. It was really very difficult and I am very happy about it.” The 33-year-old said that he had taken the tournament “super seriously” and will hold it “until morning I think.”
Aronian, the defeated finalist, said: “I have some mixed feelings because I’m upset with the way I played in the final, but overall I played well in the tournament.” He added: “I knew I had to take risks, but I was probably making strange decisions.”
Radjabov’s victory came the day the $ 1.5 million Champions Chess Tour announced a new partnership agreement with US-based media analytics giant Meltwater. The game itself was spectacular from start to finish. Aronian, who has been in supreme form in the run-up to the final, simply couldn’t live with Radjabov, who played with the quiet confidence of a champion.
Aronian had started the day in desperate need of an early victory to put pressure on Radjabov, who was ahead after winning the first set on Saturday. It was a tough task: Aronian had to win today’s four-game set to take the match into the tiebreakers. But in the face of an inspired Radjabov, he just couldn’t handle it.
The first game left fans in awe of amazement. Aronian played a spectacular gamble that seemed to pay off when Radjabov couldn’t find the only sure answer. He launched what should have been a beautiful winning attack for Aronian. But the Armenian, known as one of the most creative players on the circuit, somehow spoiled it to free his rival. Aronian was denied what would have been a seismic victory and the game ended in a draw that only helped Radjabov.
Then, in the second game, Radjabov passed Aronian to leave the match close to being decided. Now it was life or death for Aronian as, with the score at 1.5-0.5, a draw was the same as a loss.
Aronian pushed but couldn’t make the breakthrough. Radjabov knew he had gotten what he needed and celebrated early, and then the excitement came out when the result was confirmed.
In the play-off match for third place, Frenchman Maxime Vachier-Lagrave beat Russian Daniil dubov 2.5-1.5 to secure the match after the pair played a fiery 2-2 draw on Saturday.
