Kramnik to join the field on Monday
Much like what we will see at the third leg of the Grand Chess Tour in Croatia, two wildcards in Paris have been invited only to play one section of the tournament each. Etienne Bacrot played the nine rounds of rapid chess, but will not participate in the two-day blitz section, in which the tenth player in the field will be none other than Vladimir Kramnik — in Croatia, Ivan Saric will play the rapid and Garry Kasparov the blitz.
Bacrot, one of the strongest French chess players ever, had an excellent performance despite being a clear underdog rating-wise. The 38-year-old finished the rapid section in sole third place after scoring 3 wins, 2 losses and 4 draws. On his way to getting a 10/18 score, he defeated Richard Rapport, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and Fabiano Caruana.
Two points ahead of the Frenchman (note that a win was worth 2 points in the rapid section) finished Wesley So in sole first place. The American star was the only player to end the first half of the event undefeated, as even second-placed Ian Nepomniachtchi suffered a defeat in the 25-minute section.
This Najdorf-DVD is suited for the beginner as well as experienced club players. Pelletier presents a classical repertoire that's easy to learn and covers all you need to know about the Najdorf.

The locals — Etienne Bacrot and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave | Photo: Lennart Ootes
Round 7: So beats Caruana
Going into day 3, three players were sharing the lead on 7/12, and two of them — Caruana and So — were immediately paired up against each other. For a second time in less than two weeks, So defeated his compatriot. While in Bucharest, he had done it with the white pieces, in Paris he managed to score from the black side of a 5.Re1 Berlin Defence.
The contenders blitzed out no fewer than 17 moves of theory, but already Caruana’s ‘novelty’ was an imprecision. Five moves later, the world number 2 faltered again.
22.Rxb7 was played after a 6-minute reflection, but it was nonetheless a mistake. Of course, Caruana really wanted to make this move work, as he was three pawns down against one of the best technical players in the world.
The game continued with 22...Kh8 23.Bd3 Bg8 (defending against the threat of Qxh7#) 24.Nxc7 Nd6
Wesley So published two new opening DVDs: 1.b3, the so called Nimzo-Larsen-Attack, for White and his black secrets in the modern Italian. Get them in a package and save money!
Material balance was restored with 25.Qxh4 Nxc7 26.Nxa8, but at what price? The white knight is totally out of play on the corner — Black only needed three more moves to force his opponent’s resignation.
So’s 29-move victory out of a Berlin was very impressive, but Rapport’s 18-move win with white against Peter Svidler’s Grünfeld was tactically more spectacular. The three remaining games finished drawn.
Replay and check the LiveBook here |
Please, wait...
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0-0 Nxe4 5.Re1 Nd6 6.Nxe5 Be7 7.Bf1 Nxe5 8.Rxe5 0-0 9.d4 Bf6 10.Re1 Re8 11.Nc3 Rxe1 12.Qxe1 Bxd4 13.Bf4 Ne8! 14.Nd5 d6 15.Bg5 f6 16.Bh4 g5 17.Qe4 Bxb2 18.Rb1N 18.Re1!= Be5 19.f4 gxf4 20.Bd3 18.Re1 Be5 19.f4 gxh4 20.fxe5 dxe5 21.Bd3 Bf5 22.Qxf5 Qxd5 23.Qxh7+ Kf8 24.Qh6+ 18...Be5! 19.f4 gxh4 20.fxe5 dxe5 21.Bc4 Be6 22.Rxb7? 22.Ne3 Bxc4 23.Qxc4+ Kh8 24.Rd1 22...Kh8!-+ 22...Nd6 23.Qxh4 Nxb7 24.Nxf6+ Kf8 25.Qh6+ Ke7 26.Qxh7+ Kd6 27.Qd3+ 27.Ne4+? Kc6-+ 27...Kc5 28.Ne4+ Kc6 29.Bxe6 23.Bd3 Bg8 24.Nxc7 24...Nd6! 24...Nxc7 25.Rxc7 Qxc7 26.Qxa8 25.Qxh4 Nxb7 26.Nxa8 Nc5 27.Bf5? 27.Bc4 27...e4 28.h3 Qd4+ 29.Kh1 Qa1+ 0–1 - Start an analysis engine:
- Try maximizing the board:
- Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
- Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
- Drag the split bars between window panes.
- Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
- Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
- Create an account to access the games cloud.
Caruana,F | 2820 | So,W | 2770 | 0–1 | 2021 | | GCT Paris Rapid 2021 | 7.1 |
Bacrot,E | 2678 | Radjabov,T | 2765 | ½–½ | 2021 | | GCT Paris Rapid 2021 | 7.2 |
Rapport,R | 2763 | Svidler,P | 2714 | 1–0 | 2021 | | GCT Paris Rapid 2021 | 7.3 |
Nepomniachtchi,I | 2792 | Firouzja,A | 2759 | ½–½ | 2021 | | GCT Paris Rapid 2021 | 7.4 |
Aronian,L | 2781 | Vachier-Lagrave,M | 2760 | ½–½ | 2021 | | GCT Paris Rapid 2021 | 7.5 |
Please, wait...
Select an entry from the list to switch between games

Tony Rich and Garry Kasparov following the games closely | Photo: Lennart Ootes
Round 8: MVL’s blunder
While Caruana suffered his second consecutive defeat after pushing too hard against Bacrot, So scored yet another two points in round 8. Unlike his win against Caruana, though, the second victory of the day came thanks a one-move blunder by his opponent.
On this DVD GM Nick Pert shows you typical mistakes by 1800-200 players. Themes as when to exchange pieces, how to convert an advantage, passive pieces, anticipating your opponents plan, openings and pawn structure are shown throughout the DVD.
In another theoretical battle, So and Vachier-Lagrave only deviated from a previous correspondence game on move 20 out of a Grünfeld. In the line, White gives up a pawn to get a strong initiative. MVL was defending exemplarily, though — until he gave away the game in a single move.
Vachier-Lagrave erred with 26...Rd8, allowing 27.Rc8, when White grabs his opponent’s queen after 27...Rxc8 28.Bxe7. The Frenchman resigned immediately.
Meanwhile, Nepomniachtchi, who was in shared second place after 7 rounds, got in trouble in his game against Svidler, but showed good defensive skills to save a draw by perpetual check. Much later in the round, Firouzja and Aronian also agreed to a draw — but only after 122 moves (!), which included both players missing chances to win in a very complex struggle.
Replay and check the LiveBook here |
Please, wait...
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Nf3 c5 8.h3 0-0 9.Be2 Nc6 10.Be3 cxd4 11.cxd4 f5 12.Bc4+ Kh8 13.0-0 f4 14.Bd2 Nxd4 15.Bc3 Nxf3+ 16.Qxf3 Bd7 17.Rfd1 Qc7 18.Rac1! Rad8 18...Bc6 19.Bd5 19.Bb4 Bc6 20.Bd5 20...Qe5N 20...a5 21.Be1 Rd6 22.Qa3 Ra8 23.Bb4 Rd7 20...a5 21.Be1 Rd6 22.Qa3 Ra8 23.Rc5 a4 24.Rdc1 h5 25.Bc3 e5 26.Qb2 a3 27.Qb5 Qd7 28.Qb3 Bxd5 29.Rxd5 Rc8 30.Re1 21.Rc5 Bxd5 22.exd5 Rd7 23.d6 Qe6 24.dxe7 Rxd1+ 24...Rxe7? 25.Ra5+- 24...Qxe7? 25.Rcd5!+- 25.Qxd1 Qxe7 26.Rc4 26.Rb5 Qe8 27.Rxb7 26...Rd8? 27.Rc8! 1–0 - Start an analysis engine:
- Try maximizing the board:
- Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
- Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
- Drag the split bars between window panes.
- Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
- Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
- Create an account to access the games cloud.
So,W | 2770 | Vachier-Lagrave,M | 2760 | 1–0 | 2021 | | GCT Paris Rapid 2021 | 8.1 |
Firouzja,A | 2759 | Aronian,L | 2781 | ½–½ | 2021 | | GCT Paris Rapid 2021 | 8.2 |
Svidler,P | 2714 | Nepomniachtchi,I | 2792 | ½–½ | 2021 | | GCT Paris Rapid 2021 | 8.3 |
Radjabov,T | 2765 | Rapport,R | 2763 | ½–½ | 2021 | | GCT Paris Rapid 2021 | 8.4 |
Caruana,F | 2820 | Bacrot,E | 2678 | 0–1 | 2021 | | GCT Paris Rapid 2021 | 8.5 |
Please, wait...

122 moves later — Alireza Firouzja shakes Levon Aronian’s hand | Photo: Lennart Ootes
Round 9: Combative chess
Three players finished the day with victories — Nepomniachtchi, Svidler and Vachier-Lagrave — but it was the game between Rapport and Caruana the one that grabbed everyone’s attention.
On this DVD Dorian Rogozenco, Mihail Marin, Oliver Reeh and Karsten Müller present the 8. World Chess Champion in video lessons: his openings, his understanding of chess strategy, his artful endgame play, and finally his immortal combinations.
White is better here, but he still needs to find the precise path to victory while facing a markedly resourceful opponent — once the astounding 36.d4 appeared on the board, however, it seemed like Rapport was en route to getting a memorable victory.
Kasparov called it “ä hell of a move”, and the engines agreed. Unfortunately for Rapport, though, Caruana continued to find strong defensive moves. The Hungarian played a couple of inaccuracies and the game finally ended in a 51-move draw. A sigh of relief was breathed by the fans of Caruana, who had been in real danger of losing a third game in a row.
Replay and check the LiveBook here |
Please, wait...
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0-0 Nxe4 5.Re1 Nd6 6.Nxe5 Be7 7.Bf1 Nxe5 8.Rxe5 0-0 9.Nc3 Ne8 10.Nd5 Bd6 11.Re1 c6 12.Ne3 Be7 13.Nf5 Bg5 14.d4 Bxc1 15.Rxc1 15.Qxc1 d5 16.Ne7+ Kh8 17.Nxc8 Rxc8 18.c3 15...d5 16.Ne7+ Kh8 17.Nxc8 Rxc8 18.c3N 18.Qd2 Nd6 19.Bd3 g6 20.Re5 f6 21.Re3 Qd7 22.Rce1 Rce8 23.b3 Rxe3 24.Rxe3 18...Nd6 19.Bd3 Re8 20.Re5 Qd7 21.Qf3 f6 22.Ree1 Rxe1+ 23.Rxe1 Re8 24.Rxe8+ Qxe8 25.Kf1 Qe6 26.Qh5 26...f5 27.Qg5 g6 28.Qd8+ Kg7 29.Qc7+ Kh6 30.Qd8 30...Kg7 31.Qc7+ Kh6 32.Qd8 Kg7 ½–½ - Start an analysis engine:
- Try maximizing the board:
- Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
- Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
- Drag the split bars between window panes.
- Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
- Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
- Create an account to access the games cloud.
Bacrot,E | 2678 | So,W | 2770 | ½–½ | 2021 | | GCT Paris Rapid 2021 | 9.1 |
Rapport,R | 2763 | Caruana,F | 2820 | ½–½ | 2021 | | GCT Paris Rapid 2021 | 9.2 |
Nepomniachtchi,I | 2792 | Radjabov,T | 2765 | 1–0 | 2021 | | GCT Paris Rapid 2021 | 9.3 |
Aronian,L | 2781 | Svidler,P | 2714 | 0–1 | 2021 | | GCT Paris Rapid 2021 | 9.4 |
Vachier-Lagrave,M | 2760 | Firouzja,A | 2759 | 1–0 | 2021 | | GCT Paris Rapid 2021 | 9.5 |
Please, wait...

Richard Rapport | Photo: Lennart Ootes
Final standings - Rapid
Links