# Grand Chess Tour 2017

Grand Chess Tour 2017 was a circuit of chess tournaments, which was the third edition of Grand Chess Tour. It took place from June 21 to December 12, 2017, and was won by reigning World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen.

## Format

The tour consisted of five events, including three fast chess and two classical events. Scoring system looked as follows:
    PlacePoints 1st12/13* 2nd10 3rd8 4th7  5th6  6th5  7th4 8th3  9th2 10th1

## Lineup

The tour consisted of nine regular players, who were selected to participate based on different criteria, including performance in previous edition, average rating for last twelve months, URS rating and invitation by organizers. Almost all invitees accepted, with only exception being former world champion Vladimir Kramnik, who refused to participate due to busy schedule.
| Player | Country | Rating (January 2017) | Qualification method |
| Wesley So | United States | 2808 | Winner of Grand Chess Tour 2016 |
| Hikaru Nakamura | United States | 2785 | Runner-up of Grand Chess Tour 2016 |
| Fabiano Caruana | United States | 2827 | Third place in Grand Chess Tour 2016 |
| Magnus Carlsen | Norway | 2840 | Average FIDE rating |
| Maxime Vachier-Lagrave | France | 2796 | Average FIDE rating |
| Ian Nepomniachtchi | Russia | 2767 | URS |
| Sergey Karjakin | Russia | 2785 | URS |
| Viswanathan Anand | India | 2786 | Wildcard |
| Levon Aronian | Armenia | 2780 | Replacement for Vladimir Kramnik |

## Schedule and results

| Dates | Tournament | Host city | Winner |
| June 21-25 | Paris Rapid and Blitz | Paris | Magnus Carlsen |
| June 28-July 27 | Your Next Move | Leuven | Magnus Carlsen |
| August 1-17 | Sinquefield Cup | St. Louis | Maxime Vachier-Lagrave |
| August 13-17 | Saint Louis Rapid and Blitz | St. Louis | Levon Aronian |
| December 1-17 | London Chess Classic | London | Fabiano Caruana |

## Tournaments
### Paris

2017 Grand Chess Tour opened with Paris Rapid and Blitz event. It was won by Magnus Carlsen, who defeated Maxime Vachier-Lagrave on tie-break.
    2017 Paris GCT, June 21–25 Paris, France PlayerRapidBlitzTotalTBTour PointsPrize money 1 Magnus Carlsen (NOR)1410241½12$31,250 2 Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA)111324½10$31,250 3 Hikaru Nakamura (USA)1211238$20,000 4 Alexander Grischuk (RUS)13922WC (7)$15,000 5 Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (AZE)11920WC (6)$12,500 6 Sergey Karjakin (RUS)810185$10,000 7 Wesley So (USA)96154$7,500 8 Fabiano Caruana (USA)311143$7,500 9 Veselin Topalov (BUL)56½11½WC (2)$7,500 10 Étienne Bacrot (FRA)44½8½WC (1)$7,500
    Paris GCT Rapid, June 21–23 PlayerRating12345678910Points 1 Magnus Carlsen (NOR)2896Does not appear11222122114 2 Alexander Grischuk (RUS)28221Does not appear0121222213 3 Hikaru Nakamura (USA)279612Does not appear011122212 4 Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA)2770012Does not appear01222111 5 Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (AZE)28250012Does not appear1221211 6 Wesley So (USA)275901111Does not appear01229 7 Sergey Karjakin (RUS)2773101002Does not appear1218 8 Veselin Topalov (BUL)27150000011Does not appear125 9 Étienne Bacrot (FRA)271000001001Does not appear24 10 Fabiano Caruana (USA)2752100100100Does not appear3
    Paris GCT Blitz, June 24–25 PlayerRating12345678910Points 1 Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA)2825Does not appear½ 10 ½0 ½1 1½ ½1 11 ½1 11 113 2 Hikaru Nakamura (USA)2865½ 0Does not appear1 ½1 1½ 1½ ½1 0½ 11 01 011 3 Fabiano Caruana (USA)28001 ½0 ½Does not appear1 10 1½ 01 01 01 1½ 111 4 Sergey Karjakin (RUS)27911 ½0 00 0Does not appear½ 11 ½½ 1½ ½1 11 010 5 Magnus Carlsen (NOR)29140 0½ 01 0½ 0Does not appear0 ½1 ½1 11 11 110 6 Alexander Grischuk (RUS)2813½ ½½ ½½ 10 ½1 ½Does not appear½ 00 1½ 01 ½9 7 Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (AZE)27720 00 10 1½ 00 ½½ 1Does not appear½ 1½ ½1 19 8 Veselin Topalov (BUL)27100 ½½ 00 1½ ½0 01 0½ 0Does not appear½ 0½ 16½ 9 Wesley So (USA)27910 00 10 00 00 0½ 1½ ½½ 1Does not appear0 16 10 Étienne Bacrot (FRA)26270 00 1½ 00 10 00 ½0 0½ 01 0Does not appear5½
    First place playoff Place Player Rapid rating Rapid Score 1 Magnus Carlsen (NOR) 2896 1 ½ 1½ 2 Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA) 2770 0 ½ ½

### Leuven

Leuven Grand Chess Tour took place from June 28 to July 2 in Leuven, Belgium. As well as previous event, it was won by Magnus Carlsen.
    2017 Leuven GCT, June 28–July 2 Leuven, Belgium PlayerRapidBlitzTotalTBTour PointsPrize money 1 Magnus Carlsen (NOR)1114½25½13$37,500 2 Wesley So (USA)148½22½10$25,000 3 Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA)1210228$20,000 4 Anish Giri (NED)101020WC (7)$15,000 5 Vladimir Kramnik (RUS)99½18½WC (5.5)$11,250 6 Levon Aronian (ARM)99½18½5.5$11,250 7 Ian Nepomniachtchi (RUS)99184$7,500 8 Viswanathan Anand (IND)88163$7,500 9 Vasyl Ivanchuk (UKR)78½15½WC (2)$7,500 10 Baadur Jobava (GEO)12½3½WC (1)$7,500
    Leuven GCT Rapid, June 28–30 PlayerRating12345678910Points 1 Wesley So (USA)2759Does not appear12112221214 2 Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA)27701Does not appear1120122212 3 Magnus Carlsen (NOR)289601Does not appear112211211 4 Anish Giri (NED)2750111Does not appear02112110 5 Ian Nepomniachtchi (RUS)28191012Does not appear210029 6 Levon Aronian (ARM)279702000Does not appear22129 7 Vladimir Kramnik (RUS)2798010110Does not appear2229 8 Viswanathan Anand (IND)27890011200Does not appear228 9 Vasyl Ivanchuk (UKR)282710102100Does not appear27 10 Baadur Jobava (GEO)2649000100000Does not appear1
    Leuven GCT Blitz, July 1–2 PlayerRating12345678910Points 1 Magnus Carlsen (NOR)2899Does not appear0 ½1 1½ 11 ½1 11 11 ½1 ½1 114½ 2 Anish Giri (NED)27231 ½Does not appear½ ½0 ½0 ½½ 01 ½1 ½½ ½1 110 3 Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA)28900 0½ ½Does not appear0 01 10 11 01 10 11 110 4 Vladimir Kramnik (RUS)2760½ 01 ½1 1Does not appear½ ½½ 0½ ½½ ½½ ½1 09½ 5 Levon Aronian (ARM)27860 ½1 ½0 0½ ½Does not appear½ 11 0½ ½0 11 19½ 6 Ian Nepomniachtchi (RUS)27930 0½ 11 0½ 1½ 0Does not appear1 00 ½½ 11 ½9 7 Vasyl Ivanchuk (UKR)27680 00 ½0 1½ ½0 10 1Does not appear½ ½½ 1½ 18½ 8 Wesley So (USA)27240 ½0 ½0 0½ ½½ ½1 ½½ ½Does not appear1 01 18½ 9 Viswanathan Anand (IND)27660 ½½ ½1 0½ ½1 0½ 0½ 00 1Does not appear1 ½8 10 Baadur Jobava (GEO)27340 00 00 00 10 00 ½½ 00 00 ½Does not appear2½

### Sinquefield Cup

    Sinquefield Cup, 2–11 August 2017, St. Louis, Missouri, United States, Category XXII (2787.7) PlayerRating12345678910PointsWinsH2HTPRTour Points 1 Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA)27891½½½½½½116290713 2 Magnus Carlsen (NOR)28220Does not appear½11½½½1½5½328629 3 Viswanathan Anand (IND)2783½½Does not appear½½½1½½15½228669 4 Levon Aronian (ARM)2799½0½Does not appear½½01115328256.5 5 Sergey Karjakin (RUS)2773½0½½Does not appear1½½1½5228286.5 6 Peter Svidler (RUS)2751½½½½0Does not appear1½½½4½2792 WC (5) 7 Fabiano Caruana (USA)2807½½01½0Does not appear½½½427474 8 Hikaru Nakamura (USA)2792½½½0½½½Does not appear½03½27093 9 Wesley So (USA)281000½00½½½Does not appear131126651.5 10 Ian Nepomniachtchi (RUS)27510½00½½½10Does not appear31026721.5

### Saint Louis Rapid and Blitz

The inaugural Saint Louis Rapid and Blitz was the fourth leg of 2017 Grand Chess Tour and took place in Saint Louis Chess Club from August 13 to August 19. It brought some attention from the media due to participation of former World Chess Champion Garry Kasparov, who has retired from competitive chess in 2005, 12 years prior to the event. He represented Croatia at the tournament.
    2017 Saint Louis Rapid and Blitz, August 10–16 St. Louis, Missouri, United States PlayerRapidBlitzTotalTBTour PointsPrize money 1 Levon Aronian (ARM)1212½24½13$37,000 2 Hikaru Nakamura (USA)1110½21½9$22,500 3 Sergey Karjakin (RUS)813½21½9$22,500 4 Ian Nepomniachtchi (RUS)1010207$15,000 5 Fabiano Caruana (USA)115½16½5$10,000 6 Lê Quang Liêm (VIE)88½16½WC (5)$10,000 7 Leinier Domínguez (CUB)97½16½WC (5)$10,000 8 Garry Kasparov (CRO)7916WC (3)$7,500 9 Viswanathan Anand (IND)77142$7,500 10 David Navara (CZE)7613WC (1)$7,500
    Saint Louis Rapid, August 14-16 PlayerRating12345678910Points 1 Levon Aronian (ARM)2794Does not appear21020222112 2 Fabiano Caruana (USA)27000Does not appear1120221211 3 Hikaru Nakamura (USA)282211Does not appear210122111 4 Ian Nepomniachtchi (RUS)2810210Does not appear11111210 5 Leinier Domínguez (CUB)28030011Does not appear212119 6 Lê Quang Liêm (VIE)276122210Does not appear00108 7 Sergey Karjakin (RUS)2765001112Does not appear0218 8 David Navara (CZE)27370001022Does not appear027 9 Viswanathan Anand (IND)277801011102Does not appear17 10 Garry Kasparov (CRO)2812101012101Does not appear7
    Saint Louis Blitz, August 17–18 PlayerRating12345678910Points 1 Sergey Karjakin (RUS)2807Does not appear½ ½1 01 ½½ 11 11 11 ½1 01 113½ 2 Levon Aronian (ARM)2794½ ½Does not appear½ ½1 11 ½1 11 11 ½½ 00 112½ 3 Hikaru Nakamura (USA)28680 1½ ½Does not appear½ ½½ 0½ 01 0½ 11 11 110½ 4 Ian Nepomniachtchi (RUS)27870 ½0 0½ ½Does not appear½ ½½ 11 1½ 01 ½1 110 5 Garry Kasparov (CRO)2812½ 00 ½½ 1½ ½Does not appear0 ½1 1½ ½½ ½0 19 6 Lê Quang Liêm (VIE)27470 00 0½ 1½ 01 ½Does not appear½ ½½ ½0 11 18½ 7 Leinier Domínguez (CUB)27960 00 00 10 00 0½ ½Does not appear½ 11 11 17½ 8 Viswanathan Anand (IND)27560 ½0 ½½ 0½ 1½ ½½ ½½ 0Does not appear½ ½½ 07 9 David Navara (CZE)27480 1½ 10 00 ½½ ½1 00 0½ ½Does not appear0 06 10 Fabiano Caruana (USA)28060 01 00 00 01 00 00 0½ 11 1Does not appear5½

### London

    9th London Chess Classic, 1–11 December 2017, London, England, Category XXII (2779) PlayerRating12345678910PointsTBWinsH2HTPRTour PointsPlace 1 Fabiano Caruana (USA)2799½½½½½½11162½2901121 2 Ian Nepomniachtchi (RUS)2729½Does not appear1½½½½½1161½2909102 3 Magnus Carlsen (NOR)2837½0Does not appear½½½1½½152281573 4 Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA)2789½½½Does not appear½½½1½½51½282074–5 5 Wesley So (USA)2788½½½½Does not appear½½½1½51½282074–5 6 Hikaru Nakamura (USA)2781½½½½½Does not appear½½½½4½277856 7 Levon Aronian (ARM)2805½½0½½½Does not appear½½½4273347 8 Sergey Karjakin (RUS)27600½½0½½½Does not appear½½3½270138 9 Viswanathan Anand (IND)278200½½0½½½Does not appear½30½26531.59–10 10 Michael Adams (ENG)2715000½½½½½½Does not appear30½2661 WC (1.5)9–10
    First place playoff PlacePlayerRapid ratingBlitz ratingRapidBlitzScore 1 Fabiano Caruana (USA) 27512804 ½ ½ ½ 1 2½ 2 Ian Nepomniachtchi (RUS) 27802810 ½ ½ ½ 0 1½

## Standings

    Player Paris Leuven Sinquefield St. Louis London Total points Prize money 1 Magnus Carlsen (Norway)12139—741$245,417 2 Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (France)10813—738$207,917 3 Levon Aronian (Armenia)—5.56.513429$91,250 4 Hikaru Nakamura (United States)8—39525$77,500 5 Fabiano Caruana (United States)3—451224$95,000 6 Sergey Karjakin (Russia)5—6.59323.5$75,000 T-7 Wesley So (United States)4101.5—722.5$79,167 T-7 Ian Nepomniachtchi (Russia)—41.571022.5$100,000 9 Viswanathan Anand (India)—3921.515.5$75,000  Anish Giri (Netherlands)—7———7$15,000  Alexander Grischuk (Russia)7————7$15,000  Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (Azerbaijan)6————6$12,500  Vladimir Kramnik (Russia)—5.5———5.5$11,250  Peter Svidler (Russia)——5——5$20,000  Leinier Domínguez (Cuba)———5—5$10,000  Lê Quang Liêm (Vietnam)———5—5$10,000  Garry Kasparov (Russia)———3—3$7,500  Vassily Ivanchuk (Ukraine)—2———2$7,500  Veselin Topalov (Bulgaria)2————2$7,500  Michael Adams (England)————1.51.5$15,000  Étienne Bacrot (France)1————1$7,500  Baadur Jobava (Georgia)—1———1$7,500  David Navara (Czech Republic)———1—1$7,500