The time control in the GP tournaments is 100 minutes for the first 40 moves, 50 minutes for the next 20 moves and then 15 minutes for the rest of the game plus an additional 30 seconds per move starting from move one.
The first leg, in Sharjah, will be held February 18-27 (with a rest day on the 23rd) at the Sharjah Cultural & Chess Club. The first prize is €20,000; the total prize fund is is €130,000.
2017 Sharjah GP Participants
All photos by Max Avdeev

Although Riazantsev's game was the shortest of the day, if anyone could be forgiven for this, it was him. After suffering three consecutive defeats, all the Russian Champion wanted was to put a stop to the rot.

The Frenchman Maxime Vachier-Lagrave had started with great panache, but after two opening wins, he has not played seven straight draws

In spite of a modest plus one score, Nepomniachtchi is one player with chances at the podium

Alexander Grischuk and Shakhriyar Mamedyarov played the most interesting game of the day, not least because of the important result

Annotating the crucial and complex bout is Tiger Hillarp Persson
A. Grischuk vs S. Mamedyarov (annotated by Tiger Hillarp-Persson)
Replay and check the LiveBook here |
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1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 c5 5.e3 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.e4 Nxc3 7.bxc3 cxd4 8.cxd4 Bb4+ 9.Bd2 Bxd2+ 10.Qxd2 0-0 5...Nc6 6.cxd5 Nxd5 6...exd5 7.Bb5 Bd6 8.0-0 0-0 9.dxc5 Bxc5 10.b3 Bg4 11.Bb2 7.Bd3 7.Bc4 cxd4 8.exd4 Be7 9.0-0 0-0 10.Re1 Bf6 11.Ne4 b6 12.Nxf6+ Nxf6 13.Bg5 Bb7 14.d5 Na5! 7...cxd4 8.exd4 Bb4 8...Be7 9.0-0 0-0 10.Re1 Bf6 11.Be4 Nce7 12.Qd3 9.0-0! 9.Qc2 Ba5 10.a3 Nxc3 11.bxc3 Nxd4 12.Nxd4 Qxd4 13.Bb5+ Bd7 14.0-0∞ 9.Bd2 9...0-0 9...h6 10.Bc2! Be7 10...Bxc3 11.bxc3 Nxc3 12.Qd3 Nd5 11.a3 Nf6 12.Qd3 b6 13.Ba4 Bd7 14.d5 exd5 15.Nxd5 Ne5 16.Nxf6+ Bxf6 17.Bxd7+ Nxd7 18.Rd1 Qc7 19.Qe4+ 10.Bc2 Bd7 10...Be7 11.Qd3 g6 12.a3 Nxc3 12...Qb6!? 13.bxc3 b6 14.Re1 Bb7 15.h4?! Bxh4 16.Nxh4 Qxh4 17.Re3 Ne7? 18.Rg3! Nf5 19.Bg5 Qh5 20.Bd1 Nxg3 21.Qxg3 10...Nf6 11.Re1 h6 12.Qd3 Bd6 13.Ne4 Nxe4 14.Qxe4 f5 15.Qe2 Nb4 16.Bb3 Nd5 17.Bd2 Bd7 18.Ne5 Rf6 19.Qf3 Bc6 20.Nxc6 bxc6 21.Rac1 Rc8 22.Rc2 Qb6? 23.Rxe6! 11.a3 Bxc3 11...Be7 12.Qd3 f5!? 13.bxc3 b5! 14.a4! a6 14...Rc8!? 15.axb5 Na5 16.Bd2 Nc4 17.Bb3 Bxb5 18.Rfc1 a6 15.Re1 Qc7 16.Ng5!? 16.Bb3 Na5 17.Bxd5 exd5 18.Ba3 Rfe8 19.axb5 axb5 20.Bb4 Nc4 16...Qd6 16...Nd8 17.Bd2 Rc8 17.Qd2!? 17.Bb3 17...h6 18.Nf3 Rfc8 19.Ba3! Qf4 19...b4 20.cxb4 Ncxb4 21.Bb3 a5 22.Ne5 20.Qxf4!? 20.Qd3 20...Nxf4 21.Bc5 Na5 22.Ne5 Be8 23.g3 Nd5 24.Ra3! bxa4! 25.c4 Nf6 26.Bxa4 Bxa4 27.Rxa4 Nc6 28.Nd3?! 28.Nxc6 Rxc6 29.Ba3 28...Ne4 29.Bb6 Rcb8?! 29...a5! 30.f3 30.c5?! Nc3! 30...Rab8 31.fxe4 Rxb6 32.d5 Nb4 33.Nxb4 axb4 34.dxe6 Rxe6 35.Rxb4 fxe4 30.c5 Kf7! 30...Nc3 31.Rc4 Nb5 32.Rxe6 31.Rea1 Nc3 32.Rxa6 Rxa6 33.Rxa6 Ne2+ 34.Kg2 Nexd4 35.Bc7! Rc8 36.Bd6 g5! 37.f4 gxf4? 37...g4 38.Kf2 Nf3 39.h3 h5 40.Ke3 Ke8 38.gxf4 Ke8 39.Rb6 39.Kg3 Kd7 40.Kh4 Nf3+ 41.Kh5 Nxh2 42.Rb6 42.Kxh6 Ng4+ 43.Kg7 e5! 42...Ng4 43.Rb7+ Ke8 44.Rg7 39...Ra8 40.Ne5! Ra2+! 40...Rc8 41.Nxc6 Nxc6 41...Rxc6 42.Be5! 42.Rb7 41.Kg3 Ra3+ 42.Kg2 Ra2+ 43.Kg3 Ra3+ 44.Kh4! Nxe5 45.Bxe5 45.fxe5? Rc3 45...Nf3+ 46.Kh5 Nxe5 47.fxe5 Kd7 48.Kg6 f4 49.Rd6+ Ke7?? 49...Kc7! 50.Rxe6 Re3! 51.Kf5 51.Rf6 Rxe5 52.c6 Rc5 53.Rxf4 53.Kxh6?? Rxc6 53...Rxc6+ 51...f3 52.Rf6 f2 53.Ke6 Re2 54.Kd5 Rd2+ 55.Kc4 Kd7 56.c6+ 56.Kc3 Re2 57.Kd4 h5 56...Kc7 57.Kc5 Rc2+ 58.Kd4 Re2 59.h4 Kb6 60.Kd5 Rd2+ 50.c6 f3 50...Ra7 51.Kxh6 f3 52.Rd3+- 51.Rd7+ Ke8 52.Rf7 Rc3 53.c7 h5 54.Rxf3 Rxc7 55.Rh3! Kd7 55...Rf7 56.Rxh5 Rf1 57.h4 Rf2 58.Rh7 Rf5 59.Rh8+ Ke7 60.Rh5 Rf1 61.Rh7+ Kf8 62.h5 Rf2 63.Ra7 56.Rxh5 Rc4 57.Rh7+ Kc6 58.Kf6 Kd5 59.Rd7+ Ke4 60.Rd1 Rc2 1–0
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Grischuk,A | 2742 | Mamedyarov,S | 2766 | 1–0 | 2017 | B14 | FIDE World Chess Grand Prix 2017 | 8 |
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If you enjoyed Tiger's analysis, be sure to check out the next issue of ChessBase Magazine where a more in-depth version of his analysis will appear.
Round 8 on 2017/02/26 at 15:00
Round eight games (with times per move)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bf4 0-0 6.e3 c5 7.dxc5 Bxc5 8.a3 Nc6 9.Bd3 dxc4 10.Bxc4 Qxd1+ 11.Rxd1 b6 12.g4 Bb7 13.g5 Nh5 14.Bd6 Nd4 15.Nxd4 Bxd6 16.0-0 Rfc8 17.Be2 g6 18.Nxe6 Bxa3 19.bxa3 Rxc3 20.Nd8 Be4 21.Rd4 Rc5 22.Nxf7 Kxf7 23.Rxe4 Rxg5+ 24.Kh1 Rc8 25.h4 Rgc5 26.Bxh5 Rxh5 27.Rd1 Rc7 28.Kg2 Rhc5 29.Kg3 Rb7 30.Rd8 b5 31.Rf4+ Kg7 32.Rfd4 Rcc7 33.R8d5 Rf7 34.h5 a5 35.a4 Rf5 36.Rxf5 gxf5 37.axb5 Rxb5 38.Rd7+ Kh6 39.Kh4 Rb2 40.Rd6+ Kg7 41.f4 h6 42.Rd5 Kf6 43.Rxa5 Rg2 44.Kh3 Rg1 45.Kh2 Rg4 46.Rb5 Rh4+ 47.Kg2 Rg4+ 48.Kf3 Rh4 49.e4 fxe4+ 50.Kxe4 Rh1 51.Kf3 Rf1+ 52.Kg3 Rg1+ 53.Kf2 Ra1 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.
Aronian,L | 2785 | Nakamura,H | 2785 | ½–½ | 2017 | D37 | FIDE World Chess Grand Prix 2017 | 8 |
Grischuk,A | 2742 | Mamedyarov,S | 2766 | 1–0 | 2017 | D42 | FIDE World Chess Grand Prix 2017 | 8 |
Hammer,J | 2628 | Eljanov,P | 2759 | 0–1 | 2017 | E18 | FIDE World Chess Grand Prix 2017 | 8 |
Hou,Y | 2651 | Rapport,R | 2692 | ½–½ | 2017 | B19 | FIDE World Chess Grand Prix 2017 | 8 |
Jakovenko,D | 2709 | Adams,M | 2751 | ½–½ | 2017 | C54 | FIDE World Chess Grand Prix 2017 | 8 |
Li,C | 2720 | Ding,L | 2760 | ½–½ | 2017 | D78 | FIDE World Chess Grand Prix 2017 | 8 |
Nepomniachtchi,I | 2749 | Vachier-Lagrave,M | 2796 | ½–½ | 2017 | A29 | FIDE World Chess Grand Prix 2017 | 8 |
Riazantsev,A | 2671 | Tomashevsky,E | 2711 | ½–½ | 2017 | D38 | FIDE World Chess Grand Prix 2017 | 8 |
Salem,A | 2656 | Vallejo Pons,F | 2709 | ½–½ | 2017 | C17 | FIDE World Chess Grand Prix 2017 | 8 |
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Standings after eight rounds
Rk |
Name |
FED |
Rtg |
Pts |
1 |
Vachier-Lagrave Maxime |
FRA |
2796 |
5,0 |
2 |
Grischuk Alexander |
RUS |
2742 |
5,0 |
3 |
Mamedyarov Shakhriyar |
AZE |
2766 |
4,5 |
4 |
Adams Michael |
ENG |
2751 |
4,5 |
5 |
Jakovenko Dmitry |
RUS |
2709 |
4,5 |
6 |
Nakamura Hikaru |
USA |
2785 |
4,5 |
7 |
Nepomniachtchi Ian |
RUS |
2749 |
4,5 |
8 |
Rapport Richard |
HUN |
2692 |
4,0 |
9 |
Li Chao B |
CHN |
2720 |
4,0 |
10 |
Ding Liren |
CHN |
2760 |
4,0 |
11 |
Aronian Levon |
ARM |
2785 |
4,0 |
12 |
Hou Yifan |
CHN |
2651 |
4,0 |
13 |
Vallejo Pons Francisco |
ESP |
2709 |
4,0 |
14 |
Eljanov Pavel |
UKR |
2759 |
3,5 |
15 |
Salem A.R. Saleh |
UAE |
2656 |
3,5 |
16 |
Hammer Jon Ludvig |
NOR |
2628 |
3,0 |
17 |
Tomashevsky Evgeny |
RUS |
2711 |
3,0 |
18 |
Riazantsev Alexander |
RUS |
2671 |
2,5 |
Live Commentary
AGON is offering exclusive pay-per-view video of the games and live commentary. It comes in three packages: a one-time $10 fee just for Sharjah GP, a full package of all the events in the World Championship cycle for $30, and a $250 package, which is the same as the $30 Base but comes with signed posters from each event.

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