The Sinquefield Cup - Final results / standings

by ChessBase
8/27/2018 – Live games and commentary from Saint Louis! Fabiano Caruana, Magnus Carlsen and Levon Aronian tied for first place, while Caruana also tied for fourth place in the Grand Chess Tour standings with Wesley So, forcing a playoff match to be held on Tuesday. | Graphic: Saint Louis Chess Club

The Vienna Variation is a particular and independent system of the Queen's Gambit. It arises after 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4, when Black's capture on move 4 is strongly reminiscent of the Queen's Gambit Accepted.

The Sinquefield Cup has three winners

Press release

The tradition of no repeat winners in the Sinquefield Cup ended in the most unexpected fashion. At the end of the day, there were three winners! Fabiano Caruana, Magnus Carlsen and Levon Aronian tied for first place, while Caruana also tied for fourth place in the Grand Chess Tour standings with Wesley So. According to the rules, one of the players would have to be eliminated by a drawing of lots in a three-way tie, meaning that Caruana could potentially play two tiebreaks: One for the Sinquefield Cup and another for the Grand Chess Tour. The three players decided that they would rather share the title than have one of the players eliminated from participating in playoffs due to random chance.

Hikaru Nakamura, Levon Aronian and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave qualified for the Grand Chess Tour Finals, while Fabiano Caruana and Wesley So will battle it out, Tuesday, for their ticket to the finale in London.

Grand Chess Tour final standings

Grand Chess Tour final standings

Round 9 round-up

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Full report on round nine...


World Champion Magnus Carlsen, as wildcard, joins nine of the world's best players for the annual Sinquefield Cup at the Saint Louis Chess Club from August 18th to 27th. This year the Grand Chess Tour is slated to hold a final for the top four players, who will face off in a mini-knockout tournament in London in December, and the Sinquefield is the last chance for players to qualify (Carlsen is ineligible). In addition to tour points the prize fund is $300,000, with $75,000 for 1st place.

Players receive 100 minutes for 40 moves then 60 minutes for the rest of the game plus a 30-second delay from move 1. In the event of a tie for first place there will be a two-game rapid mini-match (10 min + 5 sec delay) between the top two finishers (on tiebreak points), and if necessary an Armageddon game (5 vs. 4) on August 28th.

Final Sinquefield Cup standings

Rk.NameRtg.Nt.Pts.n
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
TBPerf.
1
2767
5.5
9
23.50
2870
2
2842
5.5
9
22.75
2861
3
2822
5.5
9
22.75
2864
4
2801
5.0
9
22.00
2829
5
2779
4.5
9
20.25
2788
6
2768
4.5
9
20.25
2790
7
2766
4.5
9
19.00
2790
8
2780
4.0
9
18.00
2745
9
2777
3.0
9
13.25
2664
10
2773
3.0
9
12.75
2664
TBs: Sonneborn-Berger

Round 9 games and commentary

 
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Commentary by GM Yasser Seirawan, GM Maurice Ashley and WGM Jennifer Shahade

Round 8 round-up

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Round 1 Round-up

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GM Simon Williams presents the highlights of the day


The Opening Ceremony

In advance of the first round on Saturday, the players are once again welcomed at an opening ceremony at the World Chess Hall of Fame beginning at 6 pm local time (CDT) or 1:00 AM Saturday morning CEST (23:00 UT).

Live from the World Chess Hall of Fame


Ultimate Moves

The now-traditional exhibition match pits Saint Louis Chess Club founder Rex Sinquefield against his son Randy, with each player will alternating moves with a team of Grandmasters. Rex and Randy begin the game with the first five moves before being replaced by a GM from their "bench". The players continue to rotate every five moves. There will be six games in total, where each side has 5 minutes plus 5 seconds per move.

All games and commentary

 
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1.e4 0 e5 0 2.Nf3 0 Nc6 0 3.Bb5 0 a6 3 4.Ba4 0 Nf6 5 5.0-0 0 b5 7 6.Bb3 0 Be7 5 7.Re1 4 0-0 3 8.a4 4 Na5 4 9.Ba2 7 d5 3 10.Nxe5 18 dxe4 9 11.d4 8 exd3 9 12.Nxd3 3 Bf5 5 13.Bf4 25 Bd6 5 14.Bxd6 21 Qxd6 2 15.axb5 8 axb5 3 16.Nd2 29 Bxd3 8 17.cxd3 1 Qxd3 12 18.Ne4 38 Qxd1 9 19.Nxf6+ 2 gxf6 1 20.Raxd1 10 c5 40 21.Rd5 23 Nb7 16 22.Bb1 2 Rfe8 4 23.Rxe8+ 23 Rxe8 2 24.Kf1 1 Rd8 5 25.Rxd8+ 8 Nxd8 2 26.Ke2 6 Nb7 32 27.Kd3 31 Nd6 1 28.Kc3 1 b4+ 14 29.Kd3 19 f5 17 30.b3 9 Kg7 1 31.Ke3 5 Kf6 1 32.Bd3 41 Ke5 3 33.f4+ 11 Kd5 3 34.g4 1 c4 31 35.bxc4+ 5 Nxc4+ 2 36.Kf3 19 Nd6 58 37.Bxf5 18 Nxf5 20 38.gxf5 1 b3 1 39.Ke3 2 b2 1 40.Kd2 1 b1Q 4 41.Ke3 3 Qc1+ 8 42.Kf3 2 Qc3+ 17 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Team Rex-Team Randy-0–12018C88Sinquefield Ultimate Moves 20181
Team Randy-Team Rex-1–02018B38Sinquefield Ultimate Moves 20182
Team Rex-Team Randy-0–12018C70Sinquefield Ultimate Moves 20183
Team Randy-Team Rex-0–12018B50Sinquefield Ultimate Moves 20184
Team Rex-Team Randy-½–½2018E01Sinquefield Ultimate Moves 20185
Team Randy-Team Rex-0–12018B20Sinquefield Ultimate Moves 20186


After Leuven and Paris in June 2018, the Grand Chess Tour resumes in the USA with two tournaments: The Rapid & Blitz event was inaugurated in a brief ceremony at the World Chess Hall of Fame at Saint Louis last Friday. This will be followed by the Sinquefield Cup. The combined standings of all four events determine the four qualifiers who will compete at a final event to be held in London this December.

GCT standings after Rapid and Blitz

standings after STL Rapid and Blitz

Final standings - Blitz

Rk.NameRtg.Nt.Pts.n
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
TBPerf.
1
2878
13.5
18
0.00
3006
2
2913
10.5
18
0.00
2866
3
2831
9.5
18
0.00
2839
4
2795
9.0
18
3.00
2822
5
2871
9.0
18
1.50
2814
6
2709
9.0
18
1.50
2832
7
2898
8.0
18
0.00
2768
8
2812
7.5
18
0.00
2763
9
2687
7.0
18
1.50
2754
10
2800
7.0
18
0.50
2742
TBs: Direct encounter, Wins

All games and commentary - Day 5

The final two days are a blitz double round-robin, with 18 rounds of 5 minutes per game with a 3-second delay per move.

 
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1.Nf3 Nf6 2.b3 d5 3.Bb2 e6 4.g3 Be7 5.Bg2 0-0 6.c4 c5 7.cxd5 Nxd5 8.0-0 Nc6 9.d4 cxd4 10.Nxd4 Bd7 A14: English Opening: 1...e6 with b3 by White 10...Nxd4 11.Qxd4 Bf6 12.Qd2 Nf4 13.gxf4 Qxd2 14.Nxd2 Bxb2 15.Rab1 Bf6 16.Rbc1 Rd8 17.Ne4 Be7 18.Rc7 Kf8 19.Rfc1 1-0 (49) Kramnik,V (2792)-Mamedyarov,S (2808) Paris 2018 11.Na3       Nxd4 12.Qxd4 Bf6 13.Qd2 Bc6 14.Nc4 Bxb2 15.Qxb2 LiveBook: 3 Games b5 16.Ne5 Bb7 17.a4N Predecessor: 17.Rfd1 Qf6 18.Rd2 Rfb8 0-1 (38) Akhmedzhanov,K (2317)-Voronov,D (2206) Astrakhan 2010 17...bxa4 18.Rfd1 Qe7 19.e4 Nb6 20.bxa4 And now a5 would win. Rad8 21.a5 21.Rdc1± 21...Na4= 22.Qb3       White fights for an advantage. Nc5 23.Qb4 Qc7 24.Qc3 Na6 24...Ba6= 25.Qxc7± Nxc7 26.Rdc1 Nb5 26...Rc8± 27.a6+- Ba8 28.f3 28.Rab1± Nd4 29.Rc7 28...Nd4= aiming for ...Ne2+. 29.Rc7 f6 30.Nc4 Rf7 31.Rxf7 Kxf7 32.Kf2 e5 33.Rc1 Bc6 34.Ne3 Rb8 35.Nc4 Ke7 36.Bf1
36.f4= 36...Rb4 36...Rb3! 37.Nd2 Ra3 37.Na5 Kd6 38.Bd3 Rb2+ 39.Ke3 Nc4+ is the strong threat. Rxh2 40.Nc4+ 40.f4!= 40...Kc7 Black should play 40...Kd7 41.f4 Nb3 41.f4?
41.Na5= and White is okay. Kd6 42.f4 41...Nb3!-+ 42.Rc3 exf4+ 43.Kxf4 Nc5 44.Na5 Nxd3+ 45.Rxd3       Endgame Hoping for Rc3. KRB-KRN Rf2+ 46.Ke3 Ra2 47.Nb3 47.Nxc6 Kxc6 48.Rd8 47...Ra3 Resist 47...Rxa6 48.Nc5-+ 48.Kd4 Bb5 Don't do 48...Rxa6 49.Nc5-+ 49.Rc3+ Kd6 50.g4 Bxa6 51.g5 Ra4+ 52.Ke3 Bc4 52...fxg5 53.Nd4 Bc4 54.Nf5+ Ke5 55.Nxg7 a6 53.Nd2 Be6 54.gxf6 gxf6 55.Kf4 a5 56.Rd3+ Ke7 57.Rc3 h5       58.Rc5? 58.Rc7+ is the only way for White. Kd6 59.Rh7 58...h4 59.Rh5 h3 60.Rh7+ Kf8 61.Nf3 61.Ra7 61...Rb4 62.Ra7 a4 63.Ke3 Bg4 Strongly threatening ...Rb3+. 64.Nh2 Bh5 65.Kf4 Bg6 66.Kg3 Rb3+ 67.Kf4 a3 68.Ng4 Bh5 Threatens to win with ...Bxg4. 69.Nh2 Ke8 70.Ra5 Bd1 71.e5 fxe5+ 71...Rb4+ 72.Kg3 Ba4 73.Ra8+ Kf7 74.exf6 a2 75.Ra7+ Kxf6 76.Ra6+ Kf5 77.Ra5+ Ke4 72.Rxe5+ Kf7 73.Ra5 Rb2? 73...Rb4+-+ and Black stays clearly on top. 74.Kg3 Ba4 75.Rf5+ Ke6 74.Nf1?       74.Rxa3 Rxh2 75.Kg3 74...a2 74...Rb4+ 75.Kg3 Ra4 75.Kg3 Bb3 76.Ra3 Be6 77.Ra7+ Kf6 Precision: White = 34%, Black = 58%.
0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Nakamura,H2913Karjakin,S28980–12018A14GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20181
Grischuk,A2831Mamedyarov,S2795½–½2018B12GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20181
Anand,V2812Vachier-Lagrave,M28780–12018A48GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20181
So,W2800Caruana,F27090–12018A06GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20181
Dominguez Perez,L2687Aronian,L2871½–½2018C54GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20181
Karjakin,S2898Anand,V28121–02018C54GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20182
Vachier-Lagrave,M2878Grischuk,A2831½–½2018C67GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20182
So,W2800Nakamura,H29130–12018E46GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20182
Mamedyarov,S2795Dominguez Perez,L2687½–½2018D27GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20182
Caruana,F2709Aronian,L2871½–½2018A26GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20182
Nakamura,H2913Caruana,F2709½–½2018A06GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20183
Aronian,L2871Mamedyarov,S27951–02018B13GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20183
Grischuk,A2831Karjakin,S2898½–½2018C44GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20183
Anand,V2812So,W2800½–½2018B51GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20183
Dominguez Perez,L2687Vachier-Lagrave,M28780–12018A34GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20183
Nakamura,H2913Anand,V2812½–½2018A14GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20184
Karjakin,S2898Dominguez Perez,L2687½–½2018C54GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20184
Vachier-Lagrave,M2878Aronian,L2871½–½2018C67GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20184
So,W2800Grischuk,A2831½–½2018E99GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20184
Caruana,F2709Mamedyarov,S27950–12018B12GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20184
Aronian,L2871Karjakin,S2898½–½2018C54GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20185
Grischuk,A2831Nakamura,H2913½–½2018D37GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20185
Anand,V2812Caruana,F2709½–½2018C42GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20185
Mamedyarov,S2795Vachier-Lagrave,M28780–12018D71GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20185
Dominguez Perez,L2687So,W28001–02018B12GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20185
Nakamura,H2913Dominguez Perez,L26871–02018D02GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20186
Karjakin,S2898Mamedyarov,S27950–12018B12GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20186
Anand,V2812Grischuk,A28311–02018B90GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20186
So,W2800Aronian,L2871½–½2018E20GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20186
Caruana,F2709Vachier-Lagrave,M28780–12018A48GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20186
Vachier-Lagrave,M2878Karjakin,S28981–02018C54GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20187
Aronian,L2871Nakamura,H29131–02018B80GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20187
Grischuk,A2831Caruana,F27091–02018A06GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20187
Mamedyarov,S2795So,W28001–02018A13GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20187
Dominguez Perez,L2687Anand,V2812½–½2018E04GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20187
Nakamura,H2913Mamedyarov,S27951–02018A05GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20188
Grischuk,A2831Dominguez Perez,L26871–02018C44GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20188
Anand,V2812Aronian,L2871½–½2018C67GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20188
So,W2800Vachier-Lagrave,M2878½–½2018A33GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20188
Caruana,F2709Karjakin,S28981–02018A28GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20188
Karjakin,S2898So,W28000–12018A30GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20189
Vachier-Lagrave,M2878Nakamura,H2913½–½2018B06GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20189
Aronian,L2871Grischuk,A28310–12018B80GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20189
Mamedyarov,S2795Anand,V28121–02018B14GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20189
Dominguez Perez,L2709Caruana,F27850–12018E08GCT Saint Louis Blitz 20189
Karjakin,S2898Nakamura,H29131–02018C67GCT Saint Louis Blitz 201810
Vachier-Lagrave,M2878Anand,V2812½–½2018C42GCT Saint Louis Blitz 201810
Aronian,L2871Dominguez Perez,L26871–02018B90GCT Saint Louis Blitz 201810
Mamedyarov,S2795Grischuk,A2831½–½2018D71GCT Saint Louis Blitz 201810
Caruana,F2709So,W2800½–½2018E46GCT Saint Louis Blitz 201810
Nakamura,H2913So,W2800½–½2018C47GCT Saint Louis Blitz 201811
Aronian,L2871Caruana,F27090–12018C42GCT Saint Louis Blitz 201811
Grischuk,A2831Vachier-Lagrave,M28780–12018B92GCT Saint Louis Blitz 201811
Anand,V2812Karjakin,S2898½–½2018B90GCT Saint Louis Blitz 201811
Dominguez Perez,L2687Mamedyarov,S27951–02018C55GCT Saint Louis Blitz 201811
Karjakin,S2898Grischuk,A28310–12018A48GCT Saint Louis Blitz 201812
Vachier-Lagrave,M2878Dominguez Perez,L26871–02018C67GCT Saint Louis Blitz 201812
So,W2800Anand,V28120–12018E20GCT Saint Louis Blitz 201812
Mamedyarov,S2795Aronian,L28711–02018A06GCT Saint Louis Blitz 201812
Caruana,F2709Nakamura,H29130–12018D37GCT Saint Louis Blitz 201812
Aronian,L2871Vachier-Lagrave,M28781–02018B90GCT Saint Louis Blitz 201813
Grischuk,A2831So,W28000–12018A35GCT Saint Louis Blitz 201813
Anand,V2812Nakamura,H2913½–½2018C67GCT Saint Louis Blitz 201813
Mamedyarov,S2795Caruana,F27091–02018E36GCT Saint Louis Blitz 201813
Dominguez Perez,L2687Karjakin,S2898½–½2018E08GCT Saint Louis Blitz 201813
Nakamura,H2913Grischuk,A28311–02018C67GCT Saint Louis Blitz 201814
Karjakin,S2898Aronian,L28711–02018D31GCT Saint Louis Blitz 201814
Vachier-Lagrave,M2878Mamedyarov,S27951–02018B12GCT Saint Louis Blitz 201814
So,W2800Dominguez Perez,L2687½–½2018A06GCT Saint Louis Blitz 201814
Caruana,F2709Anand,V28121–02018A18GCT Saint Louis Blitz 201814
Vachier-Lagrave,M2878Caruana,F27091–02018C77GCT Saint Louis Blitz 201815
Aronian,L2871So,W28001–02018B90GCT Saint Louis Blitz 201815
Grischuk,A2831Anand,V2812½–½2018D37GCT Saint Louis Blitz 201815
Mamedyarov,S2795Karjakin,S28981–02018A13GCT Saint Louis Blitz 201815
Dominguez Perez,L2687Nakamura,H2913½–½2018C54GCT Saint Louis Blitz 201815
Nakamura,H2913Aronian,L28711–02018C47GCT Saint Louis Blitz 201816
Karjakin,S2898Vachier-Lagrave,M2878½–½2018B13GCT Saint Louis Blitz 201816
Anand,V2812Dominguez Perez,L2687½–½2018C65GCT Saint Louis Blitz 201816
So,W2800Mamedyarov,S27951–02018B13GCT Saint Louis Blitz 201816
Caruana,F2709Grischuk,A2831½–½2018D03GCT Saint Louis Blitz 201816
Karjakin,S2898Caruana,F27090–12018D12GCT Saint Louis Blitz 201817
Vachier-Lagrave,M2878So,W2800½–½2018C77GCT Saint Louis Blitz 201817
Aronian,L2871Anand,V28121–02018C42GCT Saint Louis Blitz 201817
Mamedyarov,S2795Nakamura,H29130–12018A13GCT Saint Louis Blitz 201817
Dominguez Perez,L2687Grischuk,A2831½–½2018B81GCT Saint Louis Blitz 201817
Nakamura,H2913Vachier-Lagrave,M28780–12018B51GCT Saint Louis Blitz 201818
Grischuk,A2831Aronian,L28711–02018A11GCT Saint Louis Blitz 201818
Anand,V2812Mamedyarov,S2795½–½2018B13GCT Saint Louis Blitz 201818
So,W2800Karjakin,S28980–12018A06GCT Saint Louis Blitz 201818
Caruana,F2709Dominguez Perez,L2687½–½2018E05GCT Saint Louis Blitz 201818

Commentary by Yasser Seirawan, Maurice Ashley and Jennifer Shahade

Rapid final standings

Rk.NameRtg.Nt.Pts.n
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
TBPerf.
1
2824
12.0
9
0.50
2911
2
2754
12.0
9
0.50
2919
3
2738
11.0
9
0.00
2876
4
2793
9.0
9
1.50
2790
5
2806
9.0
9
1.00
2788
6
2826
9.0
9
0.50
2786
7
2852
8.0
9
0.50
2740
8
2798
8.0
9
0.50
2746
9
2758
6.0
9
0.50
2669
10
2751
6.0
9
0.50
2669
TBs: Direct encounter, Wins

All games and commentary

The Saint Louis Rapid and Blitz is the third stage of the 2018 Grand Chess Tour. The 10-player tournament takes place in the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis from August 11th to 15th with Aronian, Caruana, Nakamura, Anand, Karjakin, MVL, So, Mamedyarov, Grischuk and wildcard Dominguez participating and a prize fund up for grabs of $150,000, including $37,500 for first place. The rapid tournament is a single round-robin with three rounds played each day for three days at a time control of 25 minutes for all moves and a 10-second delay from the first move. Rapid games count double, with 2 points for a win and 1 for a draw.

 
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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Nxe4 5.Nxe4 d5 6.Bd3 dxe4 7.Bxe4 Bd6 8.0-0 0-0 9.Re1 C55: Two Knights: 4 d3, 4 d4 exd4 5 e5 and Max Lange Attack Bg4 LiveBook: 6 Games 9...Re8 10.d3 Bg4 11.h3 Bh5 12.c3 Bg6 13.Be3 Qd7 14.Nh4 f5 15.Bxc6 Qxc6 16.Nxg6 hxg6 ½-½ (57) Ivanchuk,V (2739)-Karjakin,S (2723) Moscow 2009 10.h3 Bh5! 11.g4 The position is equal. Bg6 12.d3N Predecessor: 12.Bxc6 bxc6 13.Nxe5 Qh4 14.Kg2 Bxe5 15.Rxe5 f5 16.f3 fxg4 17.hxg4 ½-½ (28) Llanes Hurtado,M (2285)-Gonzalez Diaz,D (2250) Santiago 1995 12...f5 13.gxf5 13.Bxc6= bxc6 14.Bg5 14.Nxe5 Qh4 13...Bxf5 14.Bxf5 Rxf5 15.Be3 Bc5 16.Bxc5 Qd5 17.Nd2
And now Ne4 would win. 17...Qxc5 18.Ne4 Qe7 19.c3 Raf8 20.Qb3+ Kh8 ...Qh4 is the strong threat. 21.Qxb7 Nd8       Black has some pressure. 22.Qb4?
22.Qxa7= Ne6 23.Re3 22...Qh4!-+ 23.Ng3 23.Re3 was the only chance. Ne6 24.Rg3 23...Rf4 24.Re4 Black must now prevent Qxf8+! Ne6 25.Rxf4 exf4 26.Re1 26.Kg2 Qg5 27.h4 Qxh4 28.Rh1 26...a5 27.Qe4 Ng5 28.Qe7 Kg8 29.Re4 Nxh3+ 30.Kg2 Ng5 Precision: White = 54%, Black = 79%.
0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
So,W2852Mamedyarov,S27540–12018C47GCT Saint Louis Rapid 20181
Dominguez Perez,L2826Vachier-Lagrave,M2798½–½2018A04GCT Saint Louis Rapid 20181
Karjakin,S2793Aronian,L2806½–½2018A05GCT Saint Louis Rapid 20181
Anand,V2758Nakamura,H28241–02018C65GCT Saint Louis Rapid 20181
Grischuk,A2751Caruana,F27380–12018A06GCT Saint Louis Rapid 20181
Nakamura,H2812So,W27941–02018C44GCT Saint Louis Rapid 20182
Vachier-Lagrave,M2796Anand,V27711–02018C67GCT Saint Louis Rapid 20182
Aronian,L2794Caruana,F27850–12018B13GCT Saint Louis Rapid 20182
Karjakin,S2791Dominguez Perez,L27541–02018D35GCT Saint Louis Rapid 20182
Mamedyarov,S2782Grischuk,A2782½–½2018D71GCT Saint Louis Rapid 20182
So,W2794Vachier-Lagrave,M2796½–½2018A04GCT Saint Louis Rapid 20183
Caruana,F2785Mamedyarov,S27821–02018C80GCT Saint Louis Rapid 20183
Grischuk,A2782Nakamura,H2812½–½2018D37GCT Saint Louis Rapid 20183
Anand,V2771Karjakin,S2791½–½2018C65GCT Saint Louis Rapid 20183
Dominguez Perez,L2754Aronian,L2794½–½2018E06GCT Saint Louis Rapid 20183
Nakamura,H2812Caruana,F2785½–½2018A06GCT Saint Louis Rapid 20184
Vachier-Lagrave,M2796Grischuk,A27821–02018A48GCT Saint Louis Rapid 20184
Aronian,L2794Mamedyarov,S2782½–½2018B13GCT Saint Louis Rapid 20184
Karjakin,S2791So,W2794½–½2018C50GCT Saint Louis Rapid 20184
Dominguez Perez,L2754Anand,V2771½–½2018E04GCT Saint Louis Rapid 20184
So,W2794Dominguez Perez,L27540–12018E06GCT Saint Louis Rapid 20185
Caruana,F2785Vachier-Lagrave,M2796½–½2018B96GCT Saint Louis Rapid 20185
Grischuk,A2782Karjakin,S2791½–½2018D39GCT Saint Louis Rapid 20185
Mamedyarov,S2782Nakamura,H2812½–½2018A06GCT Saint Louis Rapid 20185
Anand,V2771Aronian,L27940–12018C67GCT Saint Louis Rapid 20185
Dominguez Perez,L2826Grischuk,A2751½–½2018B81GCT Saint Louis Rapid 20186
Aronian,L2806Nakamura,H28240–12018B90GCT Saint Louis Rapid 20186
Vachier-Lagrave,M2798Mamedyarov,S27540–12018C55GCT Saint Louis Rapid 20186
Karjakin,S2793Caruana,F2738½–½2018D37GCT Saint Louis Rapid 20186
Anand,V2758So,W28520–12018C54GCT Saint Louis Rapid 20186
So,W2852Aronian,L2806½–½2018A13GCT Saint Louis Rapid 20187
Nakamura,H2824Vachier-Lagrave,M27981–02018B51GCT Saint Louis Rapid 20187
Mamedyarov,S2754Karjakin,S27931–02018A13GCT Saint Louis Rapid 20187
Grischuk,A2751Anand,V2758½–½2018D37GCT Saint Louis Rapid 20187
Caruana,F2738Dominguez Perez,L28260–12018D41GCT Saint Louis Rapid 20187
So,W2852Grischuk,A27511–02018A05GCT Saint Louis Rapid 20188
Dominguez Perez,L2826Mamedyarov,S2754½–½2018C55GCT Saint Louis Rapid 20188
Aronian,L2806Vachier-Lagrave,M27981–02018B90GCT Saint Louis Rapid 20188
Karjakin,S2793Nakamura,H2824½–½2018D37GCT Saint Louis Rapid 20188
Anand,V2758Caruana,F2738½–½2018C42GCT Saint Louis Rapid 20188
Nakamura,H2824Dominguez Perez,L28261–02018C67GCT Saint Louis Rapid 20189
Vachier-Lagrave,M2798Karjakin,S2793½–½2018C67GCT Saint Louis Rapid 20189
Mamedyarov,S2754Anand,V27581–02018A22GCT Saint Louis Rapid 20189
Grischuk,A2751Aronian,L2806½–½2018A16GCT Saint Louis Rapid 20189
Caruana,F2738So,W2852½–½2018E06GCT Saint Louis Rapid 20189

Commentary by Yasser Seirawan, Maurice Ashley and Jennifer Shahade
(Select a video from the playlist menu using the icon in the upper left)


Meet me in St. Louis

by V. Saravanan

Standings table

Combined standings of the Grand Chess Tour after Paris and Leuven

The Rapid event will be 25 minutes plus 10 seconds delay per move for each game, with a win being awarded 2 points and 1 for a draw. The Blitz event will be a 5 minutes for each game with an additional 3 second delay per move, with 1 point for a win and ½ point for a draw. The combined standing will be decided by the cumulative points scored from both the events. (Remember that the GCT uses a the time ‘delay’ instead of the time ‘addition’ — the format common all over the world — the timing mode prevalent in the USA.

All the nine players from the tour events are joined by a wildcard, the Cuban Leinier Dominguez, in the Rapid & Blitz event. The drawing of lots for the event was held in the presence of all the players except for Alexander Grischuk, who could not arrive in time due to a delayed flight.

Dominguez

Lenier Domingues draws his pairing number on Friday | Photo: V.Saravanan

So, Anand, Aronian

After the Paris leg of the Grand Chess Tour, Wesley So leads the table with 21 points, closely followed by Nakamura at 20 and Karjakin at 19. But with many more points up for grabs at the Sinquefield Cup which follows the Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz, the next 18 days will decide the top four of the Tour and who will proceed to London for the finals in December.

The inauguration was held in the relaxed and casual atmosphere of World Chess Hall of Fame, with Maurice Ashley’s typical banter describing the participants of the event. As he teased Levon Aronian being among the 'Gentleman Jokers in chess', Levon had his comeback with, "I hope I will be the Villain in the tournament!"

Opening ceremony

Replay the entire 50 minutes of the opening ceremony and drawing of lots

Goings on about town

Rex Sinquefield

Without a doubt, the central figure of the evening was Rex Sinquefield, who has singlehandedly turned Saint Louis into one of the best cities for chess all over the world. For the USA, he is undoubtedly the godfather for the game, his Saint Louis Chess Club playing host for about ten major events every year.

It was revealed by the Saint Louis County Executive County Executive, Steve Stenger, in his remarks that the US Championships held in March 2018 alone generated more than 1 million US$ for the local economy!

With characteristic enthusiasm and sense of history, Sinquefield had unveiled a banner at the ‘Butler Brothers’ building the previous day, commemorating the 1886 World Chess Championship that had a stop in Saint Louis.

[Rex Sinquefield | Photo: Saint Louis Chess Club /  Austin Fuller]

There are several attractions at Saint Louis apart from the event itself, the Chess Hall of Fame currently hosting the exhibitions ‘Painted Pieces: Art Chess from Purling London’ and ‘Grand Chess Tour: Art of Chess 2018’. (As the event moves on, I will hopefully be able to bring more visuals from these beautiful exhibitions).

Hungarian Chess Men

Hungarian Chess Men — an intricate metal and enamel work, from the early 20th century | Photos: V.Saravanan)

The usual high-quality team of Yasser Seirawan, Maurice Ashley and Jennifer Shahade will host the English live commentary, along with Alejandro Ramirez and Cristian Chirila at the venue, and the formidable duo of Evgeny Miroshnichenko and Peter Svidler handling newly added Russian commentary. Ashley quipped that Svidler was capable of moving over and joining the players' side of the table!

The drawing of lots determined the pairings for the first round (lot numbers in parentheses)

  1. Karjakin (1) – Aronian (10)
  2. Dominquez (2) – Vachier-Lagrave (9)
  3. Anand (3) – Nakamura (8)
  4. So (4) – Mamadyarov (7)
  5. Grischuk (5) – Caruana (6)

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