# Grand Chess Tour 2018

The Grand Chess Tour 2018 was a circuit of chess tournaments, held from June to December 2018. It was the fourth edition of Grand Chess Tour. The series consisted of four events, including 1 classical and 3 fast chess tournaments, as well as Tour Final in London. It was won by Hikaru Nakamura.

## Format

The tour consisted of four events, including three rapid and blitz and one classical event, and concluded in Tour Finals in London, where four top scorers qualified. Each event consisted of 9 regular tour participants and 1 wildcard. Scoring system looked as follows:
    PlacePoints (classical)Points (rapid/blitz) 1st18/20*12/13* 2nd1510 3rd128 4th107  5th8 6  6th65  7th44 8th33  9th22 10th11

## Lineup

The field was announced on January 29, 2018. The lineup was selected based on several criteria, including top three finish in previous edition, URS, average FIDE rating from February 1, 2017, to January 1, 2018, and personal invitation by GCT Advisory Board. Initially, it consisted of ten players, including reigning World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen and his predecessors – Viswanathan Anand and Vladimir Kramnik. However, Carlsen and Kramnik declined the invitations, with number of players reducing to nine and last sport being given to Sergey Karjakin. Both Carlsen and Kramnik later played as wildcards.
| Player | Country | Rating (January 2018) | Eligility criteria |
| Maxime Vachier-Lagrave | France | 2793 | Runner-up of 2017 Grand Chess Tour |
| Levon Aronian | Armenia | 2797 | Third place in 2017 Grand Chess Tour |
| Fabiano Caruana | United States | 2811 | Average rating |
| Wesley So | United States | 2792 | Average rating |
| Hikaru Nakamura | United States | 2781 | URS |
| Alexander Grischuk | Russia | 2767 | URS |
| Shakhriyar Mamedyarov | Azerbaijan | 2804 | URS |
| Viswanathan Anand | India | 2767 | Wildcard |
| Sergey Karjakin | Russia | 2753 | Replacement |

## Schedule and results

| Dates | Tournament | Host city | Winner |
| 10–17 June | Your Next Move Rapid and Blitz | Leuven | Wesley So |
| 17–26 June | Paris Rapid and Blitz | Paris | Hikaru Nakamura |
| 9–16 August | Saint Louis Rapid and Blitz | St. Louis | Hikaru Nakamura |
| 16–29 August | Sinquefield Cup | St. Louis | Magnus Carlsen (WC) Levon Aronian Fabiano Caruana |
| 11–17 December | London Chess Classic | London | Hikaru Nakamura |

## Tournaments
### Your Next Move Rapid and Blitz

First leg of 2018 Grand Chess Tour took place on June 12–16 in Leuven City Hall, Leuven, Belgium. The wildcard for the event was Dutch Grandmaster Anish Giri, who ultimately finished on last place. The tournament was won by Wesley So.
    2018 Your Next Move, June 12–16 Leuven, Belgium PlayerRapidBlitzTotalTBTour PointsPrize money 1 Wesley So (USA)1482213$37,000 2 Sergey Karjakin (RUS)1011½21½9$22,500 3 Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA)1110½21½9$22,500 4 Hikaru Nakamura (USA)1011217$15,000 5 Levon Aronian (ARM)119½20½6$12,500 6 Alexander Grischuk (RUS)89½17½5$10,000 7 Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (AZE)98174$7,500 8 Viswanathan Anand (IND)59½14½3$7,500 9 Fabiano Caruana (USA)76½13½2$7,500 10 Anish Giri (NED)5611WC (1)$7,500
    Your Next Move Rapid, June 12–14 PlayerRating12345678910Points 1 Wesley So (USA)2763Does not appear11212221214 2 Levon Aronian (ARM)27951Does not appear1201121211 3 Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA)277711Does not appear111112211 4 Hikaru Nakamura (USA)2813001Does not appear12202210 5 Sergey Karjakin (RUS)27431211Does not appear1201110 6 Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (AZE)276601101Does not appear12219 7 Alexander Grischuk (RUS)2783011001Does not appear2218 8 Fabiano Caruana (USA)27530012200Does not appear027 9 Viswanathan Anand (IND)282211001002Does not appear05 10 Anish Giri (NED)2779000011102Does not appear5
    Your Next Move Blitz, June 15–16 PlayerRating12345678910Points 1 Sergey Karjakin (RUS)2816Does not appear½ ½1 0½ 01 1½ ½1 0½ 11 1½ 111½ 2 Hikaru Nakamura (USA)2878½ ½Does not appear0 01 ½0 11 11 11 1½ 00 111 3 Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA)28370 11 1Does not appear½ 10 0½ 1½ 0½ ½½ 11 ½10½ 4 Alexander Grischuk (RUS)2831½ 10 ½½ 0Does not appear½ 11 0½ 1½ ½1 0½ ½9½ 5 Viswanathan Anand (IND)28170 01 01 1½ 0Does not appear0 ½½ ½½ ½1 1½ 19½ 6 Levon Aronian (ARM)2809½ ½0 0½ 00 11 ½Does not appear1 ½½ ½1 01 19½ 7 Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (AZE)27570 10 0½ 1½ 0½ ½0 ½Does not appear1 1½ ½0 ½8 8 Wesley So (USA)2856½ 00 0½ ½½ ½½ ½½ ½0 0Does not appear½ 11 18 9 Fabiano Caruana (USA)28180 0½ 1½ 00 10 00 1½ ½½ 0Does not appear½ ½6½ 10 Anish Giri (NED)2799½ 01 00 ½½ ½½ 00 01 ½0 0½ ½Does not appear6

### Paris Rapid and Blitz

Paris Grand Chess Tour took place on June 20–24 in Paris, France and was second event of 2018 Grand Chess Tour. Former world champion Vladimir Kramnik played as wildcard. The event was won by Hikaru Nakamura.
    2018 Paris GCT, June 20–24 Paris, France PlayerRapidBlitzTotalTBTour PointsPrize money 1 Hikaru Nakamura (USA)11122313$37,500 2 Sergey Karjakin (RUS)1110½21½10$25,000 3 Wesley So (USA)129218$20,000 4 Levon Aronian (ARM)911207$15,000 5 Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA)910½19½6$12,500 6 Viswanathan Anand (IND)98175$10,000 7 Alexander Grischuk (RUS)79164$7,500 8 Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (AZE)78½15½3$7,500 9 Fabiano Caruana (USA)85½13½2$7,500 10 Vladimir Kramnik (RUS)7613WC (1)$7,500
    Paris GCT Rapid, June 20–22 PlayerRating12345678910Points 1 Wesley So (USA)2763Does not appear11211202212 2 Sergey Karjakin (RUS)27431Does not appear1111122111 3 Hikaru Nakamura (USA)281311Does not appear112211111 4 Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA)2777011Does not appear2112109 5 Levon Aronian (ARM)27951110Does not appear102129 6 Viswanathan Anand (IND)282211011Does not appear11219 7 Fabiano Caruana (USA)2753010121Does not appear1208 8 Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (AZE)27662010011Does not appear027 9 Vladimir Kramnik (RUS)277500111002Does not appear27 10 Alexander Grischuk (RUS)2783011201200Does not appear7
    Paris GCT Blitz, June 23–24 PlayerRating12345678910Points 1 Hikaru Nakamura (USA)2878Does not appear½ ½½ ½½ ½½ ½1 ½0 1½ 11 11 112 2 Levon Aronian (ARM)2809½ ½Does not appear½ ½0 ½½ ½½ ½½ 11 ½1 1½ 111 3 Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA)2837½ ½½ ½Does not appear1 1½ 0½ ½0 11 ½1 01 ½10½ 4 Sergey Karjakin (RUS)2816½ ½1 ½0 0Does not appear1 ½1 ½0 ½1 01 11 ½10½ 5 Wesley So (USA)2856½ ½½ ½½ 10 ½Does not appear0 ½1 ½½ ½½ ½½ ½9 6 Alexander Grischuk (RUS)28310 ½½ ½½ ½0 ½1 ½Does not appear½ ½0 1½ ½1 ½9 7 Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (AZE)27571 0½ 01 01 ½0 ½½ ½Does not appear½ ½0 10 18½ 8 Viswanathan Anand (IND)2817½ 00 ½0 ½0 1½ ½1 0½ ½Does not appear½ ½½ 18 9 Vladimir Kramnik (RUS)27930 00 00 10 0½ ½½ ½1 0½ ½Does not appear1 06 10 Fabiano Caruana (USA)27990 0½ 00 ½0 ½½ ½0 ½1 0½ 00 1Does not appear5½

### Saint Louis Rapid and Blitz

    2018 Saint Louis Rapid and Blitz, August 10–16 St. Louis, Missouri, United States PlayerRapidBlitzTotalTBTour PointsPrize money 1 Hikaru Nakamura (USA)1210½22½13$37,000 2 Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA)813½21½10$25,000 3 Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (AZE)129218$20,000 4 Fabiano Caruana (USA)119207$15,000 5 Levon Aronian (ARM)99186$12,000 6 Sergey Karjakin (RUS)98175$10,000 7 Leinier Domínguez (CUB)9716WC (4)$7,500 8 Alexander Grischuk (RUS)69½15½3$7,500 9 Wesley So (USA)87152$7,500 10 Viswanathan Anand (IND)67½13½1$7,500
    Saint Louis Rapid, August 11-13 PlayerRating12345678910Points 1 Hikaru Nakamura (USA)2812Does not appear12112221012 2 Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (AZE)27821Does not appear1201221212 3 Levon Aronian (ARM)279401Does not appear121211211 4 Sergey Karjakin (RUS)2791101Does not appear1211119 5 Fabiano Caruana (USA)27851201Does not appear011219 6 Leinier Domínguez (CUB)275401102Does not appear12119 7 Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA)2796000111Does not appear1228 8 Wesley So (USA)27940011101Does not appear228 9 Alexander Grischuk (RUS)278211110100Does not appear16 10 Viswanathan Anand (IND)2771200111001Does not appear6
    Saint Louis Blitz, August 15–16 PlayerRating12345678910Points 1 Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA)2878Does not appear½ 1½ 11 11 1½ 01 ½1 ½1 1½ ½13½ 2 Hikaru Nakamura (USA)2913½ 0Does not appear½ 11 1½ 10 10 0½ ½1 ½1 ½10½ 3 Alexander Grischuk (RUS)2831½ 0½ 0Does not appear½ ½1 ½1 1½ 10 ½1 ½½ 09½ 4 Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (AZE)27950 00 0½ ½Does not appear1 10 11 11 ½½ 01 09 5 Fabiano Caruana (USA)27090 0½ 00 ½0 0Does not appear½ 11 1½ 11 ½1 ½9 6 Levon Aronian (ARM)2871½ 11 00 01 0½ 0Does not appear½ 0½ 1½ 1½ 19 7 Sergey Karjakin (RUS)28980 ½1 1½ 00 00 0½ 1Does not appear1 ½½ ½0 18 8 Viswanathan Anand (IND)28120 ½½ ½1 ½0 ½½ 0½ 00 ½Does not appear½ ½½ 17½ 9 Leinier Domínguez (CUB)26870 00 ½0 ½½ 10 ½½ 0½ ½½ ½Does not appear1 ½7 10 Wesley So (USA)2800½ ½0 ½½ 10 10 ½½ 01 0½ 00 ½Does not appear7

### Sinquefield Cup

The Sinquefield Cup in St. Louis, Missouri, United States was the last leg of 2018 Grand Chess Tour before the tour finals. Magnus Carlsen, Levon Aronian and Fabiano Caruana all shared first place by scoring 5½ out of 9.
    6th Sinquefield Cup, 18–28 August 2018, St. Louis, Missouri, United States, Category XXII (2787.5) PlayerRating12345678910PointsH2HWinsBlackTPRTour Points 1–3 Magnus Carlsen (NOR)2842½½½½½½½115½1202861 WC (15)  Fabiano Caruana (USA)2822½½½½½½½115½120286415  Levon Aronian (ARM)2767½½½1½½½½15½120287015 4 Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (AZE)2801½½½Does not appear½½½1½½510282910 5 Alexander Grischuk (RUS)2766½½0½Does not appear½½½1½4½11127906 6–7 Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA)2779½½½½½Does not appear½½½½4½10027886 6–7 Viswanathan Anand (IND)2768½½½½½½Does not appear½½½4½10027906 8 Wesley So (USA)2780½½½0½½½Does not appear½½40027453 9–10 Hikaru Nakamura (USA)277700½½0½½½Does not appear½3½0026641.5 9–10 Sergey Karjakin (RUS)2773000½½½½½½Does not appear3½0026641.5

### Tour finals

In 2018, the London Chess Classic served as the semifinals and finals for the top 4 players from the 2018 Grand Chess Tour.
The players played 2 classical games, 2 rapid games, and 4 blitz games. 6 points were awarded for a win, 3 points for a draw and 0 points for a loss in classical play. In the Rapid games, 4 points were awarded for a win, 2 points for a draw, and 0 points for a loss. In the Blitz games, 2 points were awarded for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 point for a loss.
After seven consecutive draws that opened his final match with Vachier-Lagrave, Nakamura clinched an event victory by defeating Vachier-Lagrave in the fourth and final blitz game.
| Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| 1 | Hikaru Nakamura (United States) | 18 | | | |
| 4 | Fabiano Caruana (United States) | 10 | | | |
| 4 | Fabiano Caruana (United States) | 10 | 1 | Hikaru Nakamura (United States) | 15 |
| | | | 3 | Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (France) | 13 |
| 2 | Levon Aronian (Armenia) | 10 | 3 | Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (France) | 13 |
| 3 | Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (France) | 18 | Third place | Third place | Third place |
| | | | 4 | Fabiano Caruana (United States) | 16 |
| | | | 2 | Levon Aronian (Armenia) | 12 |

## Standings

| | Player | Leuven | Paris | St. Louis | Sinquefield | Total points | PO | London | Prize money |
| 1 | Hikaru Nakamura (United States) | 7 | 13 | 13 | 1.5 | 34.5 | — | 1st | $225,000 |
| 2 | Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (France) | 9 | 6 | 10 | 6 | 31 | — | 2nd | $160,000 |
| 3 | Fabiano Caruana (United States) | 2 | 2 | 7 | 15 | 26 | 1½ | 3rd | $145,000 |
| 4 | Levon Aronian (Armenia) | 6 | 7 | 6 | 15 | 34 | — | 4th | $135,000 |
| 5 | Wesley So (United States) | 13 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 26 | ½ | — | $80,000 |
| 6 | Sergey Karjakin (Russia) | 9 | 10 | 5 | 1.5 | 25.5 | — | — | $72,500 |
| 7 | Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (Azerbaijan) | 4 | 3 | 8 | 10 | 25 | — | — | $65,000 |
| 8 | Alexander Grischuk (Russia) | 5 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 18 | — | — | $45,000 |
| 9 | Viswanathan Anand (India) | 3 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 15 | — | — | $45,000 |
| | Magnus Carlsen (Norway) | — | — | — | 15 | 15 | — | — | $55,000 |
| | Leinier Domínguez (Cuba) | — | — | 4 | — | 4 | — | — | $7,500 |
| | Anish Giri (Netherlands) | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | $7,500 |
| | Vladimir Kramnik (Russia) | — | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | — | $7,500 |