Quiz: where will the sixth Grand Prix be held?
11/30/2009 – The FIDE Grand Prix was envisioned as "a series of six tournaments in leading world cities." Many experts predicted its imminent collapse, but the first five were successfully staged, with some difficulty and change of venues. It was just the "leading world cities" bit that did not quite work. Maybe for the sixth edition? You are invited to go on a seek and find mission for the host city.
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The FIDE Grand Prix, as planned and announced on the Grand Prix web site, was envisioned as "a series of six tournaments held over two years (2008-2009) in leading world cities." Each tournament has 14 players and lasts seventeen days. The months allocated for the organisation of the Grand Prix tournaments are April, August and December of each respective year. These months were selected to ensure there is no conflict with any other major event.
According to the new FIDE World Championship cycle the winner of the Grand Prix series at the end of 2009 was scheduled play the winner of the World Cup that is currently being played in Khanty-Mansiysk (as is still stated on the FIDE Grand Prix web site given above). However that was changed in November last year when FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov announced that there would be a Candidates Tournament in the spring of 2010, with eight players: the winners of the World Cup and the Grand Prix, the loser of the Topalov-Kamsky challenger match (i.e. Kamsky), and the runner-up in the World Championship match Anand-Topalov, the highest-rated players (out of those not otherwise qualified) and also a nominee of the host country of the Candidates Tournament (providing that his rating is not less than 2700).
So where is the sixth Grand Prix?
Despite the Cassandra predictions of many chess experts, and venue changes as sponsorship deals broke down, FIDE did manage to successfully stage five of the planned Grand Prix tournaments, and now, we are told by insiders, is in the process of signing up for the sixth and final tournament of the 2008/2009 cycle. So everything is in good order – except, so far, the bit about "leading world cities." On the other hand we have been treated to some excellent geography lessons with the previous editions (see links at the bottom of this page).
Now before you whip out your Google – that destroyer of all puzzles and quizzes – you may want to try an guess where the sixth Grand Prix will take place. We supply you with all the information, tools (naturally by Google) and hints you will need to find the city. The solution is out there staring you in the face – tugging at your mouse!
We start with a map showing the location of the previous five Grand Prixs. They are all in a relatively small area of the world, as you can see if you zoom out of the first of the two live Google maps we give below.
To make your research easier here is a map with all the chess events in recent years:
Below are two Google maps that will help you on your mission to find the location of the sixth FIDE Grand Prix – either in the vicinity of the first five or on the surface of our planet. You can zoom in and out with the control buttons on the top left, or grab the map with your left mouse key to move it around in the window. If you get really serious about things click on the "view larger map" link below each map to open it in full size in a new window.
You may want to extend your search to encompass the entire planet:
Previous Grand Prix tournaments
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First FIDE Grand Prix in Baku, Azerbaijan 19.04.2008 – The first of a series of FIDE Grand Prix tournaments begins on Sunday, with 14 players, including Magnus Carlsen, Shak Mamedyarov, Teimour Radjabov, Peter Svidler, Sergey Karjakin, Michael Adams, Gata Kamsky and Alexander Grischuk. The winner of the series at the end of 2009 will play the winner of the World Cup for the right to challenge the world champion. All reports. |
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FIDE Grand Prix in Sochi begins – Grischuk, Radjabov
win 01.08.2008 – The Second FIDE Grand Prix Tournament is taking place in the Russian Black Sea resort city of Sochi, from July 30 to August 15, 2008, with 14 players from ten different countries. The field is dominated by Ukrainian GM Vassily Ivanchuk, who is 37 points ahead of the next highest ranked player in the field. In round one it was Alexander Grischuk and Teimour Radjabov who scored. All reports. |
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Elista Grand Prix starts, with wins by Jakovenko and
Gashimov 14.12.2008 – |
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Fourth FIDE Grand Prix in Nalchik 25.03.2009 – The fourth FIDE Grand Prix Series Tournament will be held from April 14th to 29th, 2009, in the Intour Hotel Sindica in Nalchik, Kabardino-Balkaria, Russia. The fourteen participants include Ivanchuk, Aronian, Mamedyarov, Leko, Kamsky, Svidler, Karjakin and Grischuk. Average rating: around 2725 points. The total prize fund is 162,000 Euros. Full details in this All reports . |
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FIDE Grand Prix in Jermuk has started 10.08.2009 – The fifth FIDE Grand Prix Series Tournament is being held from August 9 to 23, 2009, in the Armenian health resort of Jermuk and is dedicated to World Champion Tigran Petrosian, who would have turned eighty this year. You can watch the games on the excellent official web site or on Playchess.com. In the first round of the event Peter Leko and Ivan Cheparinov scored wins. All reports. |
FIDE Grand Prix 2008-2009 standings
| No | Player | Nat. | Baku |
Sochi |
Elista |
Nalchik |
Jermuk |
no. |
Total |
| 1 | Aronian | ARM | 180.0 |
180.0 |
140.0 |
3 |
500.0 |
||
| 2 | Radjabov | AZE | 60.0 |
150.0 |
153.3 |
3 |
363.3 |
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| 3 | Grischuk | RUS | 105.0 |
45.0 |
153.3 |
105.0 |
4 |
363.3 |
|
| 4 | Wang Yue | CHN | 153.3 |
120.0 |
80.0 |
3 |
353.3 |
||
| 5 | Gashimov | AZE | 153.3 |
65.0 |
110.0 |
3 |
328.3 |
||
| 6 | Leko | HUN | 80.0 |
140.0 |
100.0 |
3 |
320.0 |
||
| 7 | Jakovenko | RUS | 90.0 |
153.3 |
35.0 |
3 |
278.3 |
||
| 8 | Ivanchuk | UKR | 65.0 |
20.0 |
180.0 |
3 |
265.0 |
||
| 9 | Gelfand | ISR | 30.0 |
85.0 |
140.0 |
3 |
255.0 |
||
| 10 | Mamedyarov | AZE | 105.0 |
80.0 |
55.0 |
3 |
240.0 |
||
| 11 | Bacrot | FRA | 15.0 |
80.0 |
105.0 |
55.0 |
4 |
240.0 |
|
| 12 | Kamsky | USA | 60.0 |
120.0 |
55.0 |
55.0 |
4 |
235.0 |
|
| 13 | Svidler | RUS | 85.0 |
90.0 |
55.0 |
3 |
230.0 |
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| 14 | Karjakin | UKR | 60.0 |
90.0 |
55.0 |
80.0 |
4 |
230.0 |
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| 15 | Alekseev | RUS | 35.0 |
85.0 |
100.0 |
3 |
220.0 |
||
| 16 | Kasimdzhanov | UZB | 80.0 |
20.0 |
100.0 |
3 |
200.0 |
||
| 17 | Akopian | ARM | 15.0 |
140.0 |
35.0 |
3 |
190.0 |
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| 18 | Cheparinov | BUL | 35.0 |
45.0 |
50.0 |
10.0 |
4 |
130.0 |
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| 19 | Eljanov | UKR | 35.0 |
20.0 |
70.0 |
3 |
125.0 |
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| 20 | Inarkiev | RUS | 15.0 |
15.0 |
20.0 |
3 |
50.0 |
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| Navara | CZE | 35.0 |
15.0 |
excl. |
2 |
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| Carlsen | NOR | 153.3 |
withdrew |
1 |
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| Adams | ENG | 85.0 |
withdrew |
1 |
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| Al-Modiahki | QAT | 15.0 |
excl. |
1 |
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| Pelletier | SUI | excl. |
0 |
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