The prestigious 2022 Champions Showdown Chess 9LX culminated with a nail-biting title win for Fabiano Caruana after he defeated Alireza Firouzja in the blitz play-offs, we take a look at the final results, standings, prize money and other details of the tournament
Fabiano Caruana won three straight matches on Friday to tie with Alireza Firouzja as the leader of the Champions Showdown competition in Saint Louis and then, American star overcame his youthful rival in the Armageddon decider by turning a stronger knight endgame into a victory with little time remaining. After coming in one and a half points behind the victors, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov and Ian Nepomniachtchi finished at third place.
Champions Showdown Chess 9LX 2022 Final Day Results, Fabiano Caruana vs Alireza Firouzja Play-Off Winner, Final Standings, Prize Money
¡ @Kasparov63 ha vuelto en el Champions Showdown Chess9LX – contra @LevAronian ! https://t.co/uRbRNSCV4a #ajedrez #chess pic.twitter.com/IxJZgR6IXT
— Lichess en Español (@Lichess_ES) September 14, 2022
Congratulations Fabiano Caruana @FabianoCaruana won 2022 Champions Showdown: Chess 9LX#Chess #ChampionsShowdown #Chess9LX #Chess960 #FischerRandom #Results #Rapid #RoundRobin #SaintLouis #Missouri #USA pic.twitter.com/j0vFhp5ynl
— dpawn Chess Academy 🇮🇳 (@dpawnchess) September 17, 2022
Champions Showdown: Chess 9LX 2022 Last Round Results, Winner, And Final Standings
In Saint Louis, Alireza Firouzja came very close to winning yet another victory as he came into the Champions Showdown event’s final round with a half-point lead. However, Firouzja was only able to draw in the last round against Hikaru Nakamura while his closest rival Fabiano Caruana defeated Wesley So to force a blitz play-off after both were tied at 6.5 points.
The title candidates traded victories with black pieces in the blitz play-offs. In the ensuing Armageddon final, which saw the organizers choose a new starting position, Caruana opted to play white and managed to win the title. The US talent, who dropped to ninth place in the classical world rankings due to below-average performances at the Candidates and Chennai Olympiad, was quite happy with this victory.
A half point separated the top-two from Shakhriyar Mamedyarov and Ian Nepomniachtchi, who finished third. Garry Kasparov only managed to earn one-half of a point throughout the competition, therefore it was hardly his best showing since retiring. At the Saint Louis Chess Club, three prestigious tournaments were held consecutively. In less than three weeks, the club will once more witness top-tier chess when the fiercely competitive US Championships begin on Tuesday, October 4.
Champions Showdown: Chess 9LX 2022 Final Standings
| Rank | Player | FIDE Rating | Points |
| 1 | Fabiano Caruana | 2778 | 6.5 |
| 2 | Alirezja Firouzja | 2758 | 6.5 |
| 3 | Shakhriyar Mamedyarov | 2757 | 6.0 |
| 4 | Ian Nepomniachtchi | 2792 | 6.0 |
| 5 | Wesley So | 2771 | 4.5 |
| 6 | Levon Aronian | 2759 | 4.0 |
| 7 | Hikaru Nakamura | 2768 | 4.0 |
| 8 | Peter Svidler | 2683 | 3.5 |
| 9 | Leinier Dominguez | 2745 | 3.5 |
| 10 | Garry Kasparov | 2812 | 0.5 |
2022 Champions Showdown: Chess 9LX Prize Money
The competition’s overall prize pool was expected to be around $150,000, and the victor, Fabiano Caruana, took home $37,500 in cash. Alireza Firouzja, who finished second in the competition, will get $25,000 in prize money in the meantime.
| Rank | Prize Money |
| 1 | $37,500 |
| 2 | $25,000 |
| 3 | $20,000 |
| 4 | $15,000 |
| 5 | $12,500 |
| 6 | $10,000 |
| 7 | $7,500 |
| 8 | $7,500 |
| 9 | $7,500 |
| 10 | $7,500 |
| Total | $150,000 |
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