Armageddon Championship Finale to Start In Berlin
The Armageddon Championship Series Finale is set to start in Berlin, Germany. An eventful year of chess rounds up with the most exciting format of them all — Armageddon. Taking place from September 14th to 20th, this high-stakes series will be broadcast across a network of 17 international television channels, making it an event of unparalleled magnitude.
Top-tier chess players, including luminaries such as Wesley So, Sam Shankland, Gukesh D, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Bibisara Assaubayeva, Humpy Koneru, Richard Rapport, and Jan-Krzysztof Duda, will converge for a seven-day, double-elimination showdown under intense time pressure. The ultimate goal: to secure the coveted Armageddon Championship Title and a substantial €200,000 prize fund.
The journey to the Grand Finale has been marked by hard-fought victories in regional qualifiers and the special Women’s Week. Spectators will be witnessing the action featuring daily matchups consisting of two blitz games (with a three-minute base time and a two-second move increment). In the event of a deadlock, the gripping tension will be resolved through an Armageddon game, wherein White has five minutes and Black has four minutes to make their moves – a format that promises heart-stopping drama.
The Armageddon Championship Series: Grand Finale boasts an unprecedented prize fund that underscores the significance of this chess event, with remarkable rewards for participants: 1st place – 80,000 EUR, 2nd place – 40,000 EUR, 3rd-4th places – 20,000 EUR each, and 5th-8th places – 10,000 EUR each.
An electrifying experience is guaranteed for viewers of the Grand Finale, complete with thrilling battles between women and men, and an array of captivating features. These include real-time tracking of players’ heart rates and expended calories, alongside lightning-fast moves and cutting-edge analysis from GM Simon Williams and WGM Jovanka Houska.
To catch the action, tune in to the World Chess YouTube channel or any of the 17 global television platforms.
For the first few days, the players were divided into pairs as follows:
Day 1:
Gukesh D — Wesley So
Jan-Krzysztof Duda — Sam Shankland
Day 2:
Nodirbek Abdusattorov — Richard Rapport
Humpy Koneru — Bibisara Assaubayeva
The pairings on the upcoming days will be established using the double-elimination system and will be determined by the results of the previous days.
Ilya Merenzon, CEO of World Chess, shared his excitement, stating, “The Armageddon Series reaches its peak. The best male and female chess players will face each other and test themselves under immense time pressure for €200,000 and the Armageddon Championship title. We anticipate thrilling matches and drama akin to a Netflix series, and we invite the audience to immerse themselves in the Armageddon experience and passionately support their favorite players!”
Sandro Cisco, Head of Global Partnerships and Sponsorships at Kaspersky, added: “As steadfast cybersecurity partners of World Chess events, we proudly endorse the innovative Armageddon Championship Series 2023. The Grand Finale is coming, during which the most prominent chess players will face off in a battle where their ability to react quickly and cope with new challenges will be a decisive step on their path towards victory. Swift adaptability and the ability to meet new challenges are the core which these outstanding players share with Kaspersky experts. Chess and cybersecurity both represent the epitome of human intellect, infused knowledge and experience. We are confident this event will provide all the players and viewers with an unforgettable experience, unveiling novel perspectives on the enchanting game of chess.”
Leading partners supporting the Armageddon Championship Series:
Kaspersky as the Official Cybersecurity Partner;
FIDE Online Arena as the Official Gaming Platform;
It.com as the Official Partner.