# Grand Chess Tour 2021

The Grand Chess Tour 2021 was a series of chess tournaments, which was sixth edition of Grand Chess Tour. It consisted five tournaments, including two tournaments with classical time control and three tournaments with faster time controls. It was won by American grandmaster Wesley So.

## Format

Tour consists five tournaments, two classicals and three rapid & blitz, respectively. Rapid & Blitz tournaments consisted two parts – rapid (2 points for win, 1 for draw) and blitz (1 point for win, 0.5 for draw). Combined result for both portions was counted in overall standings. The tour points are awarded as follows:
    PlacePoints 1st12/13* 2nd10 3rd8 4th7 5th6 6th5 7th4 8th3 9th2 10th1
* If a player wins 1st place outright (without the need for a playoff), they are awarded 13 points instead of 12.
* Tour points are shared equally between tied players.

## Lineup

The lineup was announced on January 13, 2021. Initially, ten players were invited as regular participants, with only difference from cancelled 2020 edition being the absence of Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura and participation of Shakhriyar Mamedyarov and Teimour Radjabov. Later, Ding Liren has withdrawn from the Tour due to COVID-19 travel restrictions in China, being replaced by Richárd Rapport. After winning the Candidates Tournament 2020–2021 and qualifying for the World Chess Championship 2021, Ian Nepomniachtchi also withdrew from the Tour, reducing number of regular participants to nine.
| Player | Country | FIDE Rating (January 2021) |
| Fabiano Caruana | United States | 2823 |
| Maxime Vachier-Lagrave | France | 2784 |
| Wesley So | United States | 2770 |
| Alexander Grischuk | Russia | 2777 |
| Levon Aronian | Armenia | 2781 |
| Shakhriyar Mamedyarov | Azerbaijan | 2770 |
| Teimour Radjabov | Azerbaijan | 2765 |
| Anish Giri | Netherlands | 2764 |
| Richárd Rapport | Hungary | 2759 |

## Schedule

| Dates | Tournament Name | Host city |
| 3 June – 15 June 2021 | Superbet Chess Classic | Bucharest |
| 20 June – 24 June 2021 | Paris Rapid & Blitz | Paris |
| 7 July – 11 July 2021 | Croatia Rapid & Blitz | Zagreb |
| 11 August – 16 August 2021 | Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz | St. Louis |
| 17 August – 27 August 2021 | Sinquefield Cup | St. Louis |

## Results

| Dates | Tournament Name | Winner | Runner-Up | Third place |
| 3 June – 15 June 2021 | Superbet Chess Classic | Shakhriyar Mamedyarov | Levon Aronian Wesley So Alexander Grischuk | – |
| 20 June – 24 June 2021 | Paris Rapid & Blitz | Wesley So | Ian Nepomniachtchi (WC) | Maxime Vachier-Lagrave Alireza Firouzja (WC) |
| 7 July – 11 July 2021 | Croatia Rapid & Blitz | Maxime Vachier-Lagrave | Viswanathan Anand (WC) | Anish Giri |
| 11 August – 16 August 2021 | Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz | Hikaru Nakamura (WC) | Fabiano Caruana | Richard Rapport |
| 17 August – 27 August 2021 | Sinquefield Cup | Maxime Vachier-Lagrave | Fabiano Caruana Leinier Domínguez (WC) Wesley So | – |

## Tournaments
### Superbet Chess Classic

The first leg of the 2021 Grand Chess Tour was held in Bucharest, Romania in 3–15 June. It was won by Shakhriyar Mamedyarov from Azerbaijan.
    2021 Superbet Chess Classic, 3–15 June Bucharest, Romania, Category XXI (2750.5) PlayerRating12345678910PointsTPRTour PointsPrize money 1 Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (AZE)2770Does not appear1½½½½½11½6288213$90,000 2 Levon Aronian (ARM)27810Does not appear½1½½1½½½527918.3$45,000 3 Wesley So (USA)2770½½Does not appear½½½½1½½527938.3$45,000 4 Alexander Grischuk (RUS)2776½0½Does not appear½½1½1½527928.3$45,000 5 Anish Giri (NED)2780½½½½Does not appear½½½014½27475.5$22,500 6 Teimour Radjabov (AZE)2765½½½½½Does not appear½½½½4½27495.5$22,500 7 Bogdan-Daniel Deac (ROU)2627½0½0½½Does not appear½½142720WC (3.5)$16,250 8 Fabiano Caruana (USA)28200½0½½½½Does not appear1½426983.5$16,250 9 Constantin Lupulescu (ROU)26560½½01½½0Does not appear½3½2672WC (1.5)$11,250 10 Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA)2760½½½½0½0½½Does not appear3½26601.5$11,250

### Paris Rapid & Blitz

The second leg of the 2021 Grand Chess Tour was won by Wesley So.
    2021 GCT Paris Rapid & Blitz, 20–24 June 2021, Paris, France PlayerRapidBlitzTotalTour PointsPrize money 1 Wesley So (USA)1212½24½13$37,500 2 Ian Nepomniachtchi (RUS)1110½21½WC (10)$25,000 T-3 Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA)99187.5$17,500 T-3 Alireza Firouzja (FIDE)71118WC (7.5)$17,500 T-5 Levon Aronian (ARM)89½17½5.5$11,250 T-5 Richard Rapport (HUN)89½17½5.5$11,250 7 Peter Svidler (RUS)9817WC (4)$9,000 8 Fabiano Caruana (USA)88½16½3$8,000 9 Etienne Bacrot (FRA) Vladimir Kramnik (RUS)105½15½WC (2)$7,000 10 Teimour Radjabov (AZE)86141$6,000
    2021 GCT Paris Rapid & Blitz – Rapid, 20–22 June 2021, Paris, France PlayerRating12345678910Points 1 Wesley So (USA)2741Does not appear11121212112 2 Ian Nepomniachtchi (RUS)27781Does not appear2102121111 3 Etienne Bacrot (FRA)266710Does not appear120212110 4 Peter Svidler (RUS)2742111Does not appear2201019 5 Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA)28600200Does not appear112129 6 Levon Aronian (ARM)277810201Does not appear11118 7 Fabiano Caruana (USA)2773010211Does not appear1118 8 Teimour Radjabov (AZE)27581011011Does not appear128 9 Richard Rapport (HUN)272701021111Does not appear18 10 Alireza Firouzja (FIDE)2703111101101Does not appear7
    2021 GCT Paris Rapid & Blitz – Blitz, 23–24 June 2021, Paris, France PlayerRating12345678910Points 1 Wesley So (USA)2816Does not appear1 1½ 10 1½ ½1 1½ ½½ ½1 ½½ 112½ 2 Alireza Firouzja (FIDE)27700 0Does not appear1 11 ½1 01 00 0½ 11 11 111 3 Ian Nepomniachtchi (RUS)2785½ 00 0Does not appear1 ½½ ½½ 11 ½½ 11 ½1 ½10½ 4 Levon Aronian (ARM)27391 00 ½0 ½Does not appear½ 10 1½ ½1 ½1 0½ 19½ 5 Richard Rapport (HUN)2759½ ½0 1½ ½½ 0Does not appear½ ½½ 10 ½½ 11 ½9½ 6 Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA)28220 00 1½ 01 0½ ½Does not appear1 ½0 ½½ 11 19 7 Fabiano Caruana (USA)2711½ ½1 10 ½½ ½½ 00 ½Does not appear½ 10 1½ 08½ 8 Peter Svidler (RUS)2754½ ½½ 0½ 00 ½1 ½1 ½½ 0Does not appear1 00 18 9 Teimour Radjabov (AZE)27570 ½0 00 ½0 1½ 0½ 01 00 1Does not appear1 06 10 Vladimir Kramnik (RUS)2797½ 00 00 ½½ 00 ½0 0½ 11 00 1Does not appear5½

### Croatia Rapid & Blitz

The third leg of the Grand Chess Tour was held in Zagreb, Croatia in 7-11 July, 2021. It had a lot of attention from media because of participation of former World Chess Champion Garry Kasparov. The event was won by French grandmaster Maxime Vachier-Lagrave.
    2021 Croatia GCT Rapid & Blitz, 7–11 July 2021, Zagreb, Croatia PlayerRapidBlitzTotalTour PointsPrize money 1 Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA)10132313$37,500 2 Viswanathan Anand (IND)91221WC (10)$25,000 3 Anish Giri (NED)1010½20½8$20,000 T-4 Ian Nepomniachtchi (RUS)11920WC (6.5)$13,750 T-4 Jan-Krzysztof Duda (POL)101020WC (6.5)$13,750 6 Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (AZE)9101910$10,000 7 Alexander Grischuk (RUS)810184$9,000 8 Anton Korobov (UKR)78½15½WC (3)$8,000 9 Ivan Šarić (CRO) Garry Kasparov (RUS/CRO)102½12½WC (2)$7,000 10 Jorden van Foreest (NED)64½10½WC (1)$6,000
    2021 Croatia GCT Rapid & Blitz – Rapid, 7–9 July 2021, Zagreb, Croatia PlayerRating12345678910Points 1 Ian Nepomniachtchi (RUS)2791Does not appear01112122111 2 Ivan Šarić (CRO)26502Does not appear1121110110 3 Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA)283111Does not appear210211110 4 Jan-Krzysztof Duda (POL)2774110Does not appear12112110 5 Anish Giri (NED)27311011Does not appear1212110 6 Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (AZE)276101201Does not appear11129 7 Viswanathan Anand (IND)2753110101Does not appear1229 8 Alexander Grischuk (RUS)27840111111Does not appear118 9 Anton Korobov (UKR)278102100101Does not appear27 10 Jorden van Foreest (NED)2543111110010Does not appear6
    2021 Croatia GCT Rapid & Blitz – Blitz, 10–11 July 2021, Zagreb, Croatia PlayerRating12345678910Points 1 Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA)2794½ ½0 11 ½1 ½½ 11 ½½ 11 ½1 113 2 Viswanathan Anand (IND)2785½ ½Does not appear0 ½½ ½½ ½1 ½0 11 11 11 112 3 Anish Giri (NED)27441 01 ½Does not appear½ ½½ 1½ 0½ 10 1½ ½1 ½10½ 4 Alexander Grischuk (RUS)27650 ½½ ½½ ½Does not appear1 0½ 1½ ½1 0½ 1½ 110 5 Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (AZE)27160 ½½ ½½ 00 1Does not appear0 11 10 01 11 110 6 Jan-Krzysztof Duda (POL)2799½ 00 ½½ 1½ 01 0Does not appear0 11 10 11 110 7 Ian Nepomniachtchi (RUS)28070 ½1 0½ 0½ ½0 01 0Does not appear1 11 ½1 ½9 8 Anton Korobov (UKR)2668½ 00 01 00 11 10 00 0Does not appear1 11 18½ 9 Jorden van Foreest (NED)26220 ½0 0½ ½½ 00 01 00 ½0 0Does not appear1 04½ 10 Garry Kasparov (RUS/CRO)28010 00 00 ½½ 00 00 00 ½0 00 1Does not appear2½

### Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz

    2021 Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz, 12–16 August 2021, St. Louis, Missouri, United States PlayerRapidBlitzTotalTour PointsPrize money 1 Hikaru Nakamura (USA)121224WC (13)$37,500 2 Fabiano Caruana (USA)11102110$25,000 3 Richard Rapport (HUN)118½19½8$20,000 4 Wesley So (USA)99½18½7$15,000 5 Lê Quang Liêm (VIE)611½17½WC (6)$12,500 T-6 Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (AZE)89174.5$9,500 T-6 Leinier Domínguez (USA)71017WC (4.5)$9,500 8 Peter Svidler (RUS)9716WC (3)$8,000 9 Jeffery Xiong (USA)8715WC (2)$7,000 10 Sam Shankland (USA)95½14½WC (1)$6,000
    2021 Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz – Rapid, 12–14 August 2021, St. Louis, Missouri, United States PlayerRating12345678910Points 1 Hikaru Nakamura (USA)2829Does not appear12121112112 2 Richard Rapport (HUN)27241Does not appear2112120111 3 Fabiano Caruana (USA)275800Does not appear210222211 4 Wesley So (USA)2774110Does not appear1211119 5 Peter Svidler (RUS)27450111Does not appear101229 6 Sam Shankland (USA)260910201Does not appear20129 7 Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (AZE)2756110120Does not appear1208 8 Jeffery Xiong (USA)27301001121Does not appear028 9 Leinier Domínguez (USA)278602010102Does not appear17 10 Lê Quang Liêm (VIE)2744110100201Does not appear6
    2021 Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz – Blitz, 15–16 August 2021, St. Louis, Missouri, United States PlayerRating12345678910Points 1 Hikaru Nakamura (USA)2900Does not appear1 ½½ ½½ 1½ ½½ 1½ ½1 1½ ½1 ½12 2 Lê Quang Liêm (VIE)26900 ½Does not appear1 00 0½ ½½ ½1 11 11 11 111½ 3 Leinier Domínguez (USA)2654½ ½0 1Does not appear½ 1½ 01 00 11 ½½ 1½ ½10 4 Fabiano Caruana (USA)2734½ 01 1½ 0Does not appear1 10 ½½ ½0 ½0 11 110 5 Wesley So (USA)2861½ ½½ ½½ 10 0Does not appear1 0½ ½1 ½1 ½0 19½ 6 Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (AZE)2755½ 0½ ½0 11 ½0 1Does not appear½ 0½ 11 01 09 7 Richard Rapport (HUN)2776½ ½0 01 0½ ½½ ½½ 1Does not appear0 ½0 1½ 18½ 8 Jeffery Xiong (USA)27240 00 00 ½1 00 ½½ 01 ½Does not appear1 ½1 07 9 Peter Svidler (RUS)2743½ ½0 0½ 01 00 ½0 11 00 ½Does not appear½ 17 10 Sam Shankland (USA)27040 ½0 0½ ½0 01 00 1½ 00 1½ 0Does not appear5½

### Sinquefield Cup

    2021 Sinquefield Cup, 16–28 August St. Louis, Missouri, United States, Category XX (2742.0) PlayerRating12345678910PointsTPRTour PointsPrize money 1 Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA)2751Does not appear½0½½11½116291913$90,000 2 Fabiano Caruana (USA)2806½Does not appear½½½101½15½28248.3$45,000 3 Leinier Domínguez (USA)27581½Does not appear½½½½½½15½2829WC (8.3)$45,000 4 Wesley So (USA)2772½½½Does not appear½½½½115½28288.3$45,000 5 Richard Rapport (HUN)2763½½½½Does not appear½½01½4½27406$25,000 6 Sam Shankland (USA)270900½½½Does not appear½1½½42701WC (4)$17,500 7 Jeffery Xiong (USA)271001½½½½Does not appear½½042701WC (4)$17,500 8 Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (AZE)2782½0½½10½Does not appear½½426934$17,500 9 Peter Svidler (RUS)27140½½00½½½Does not appear13½2656WC (2)$12,500 10 Dariusz Świercz (USA)26550000½½1½0Does not appear2½2574WC (1)$10,000

## Standings

The wildcards (in italics) are not counted in overall standings.
| | Player | ROU | PAR | CRO | STL | SIN | Total points | Prize money |
| 1 | Wesley So (United States) | 8.3 | 13 | — | 7 | 8.3 | 36.6 | $242,500 |
| 2 | Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (France) | 1.5 | 7.5 | 13 | — | 13 | 35 | $206,250 |
| 3 | Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (Azerbaijan) | 13 | — | 5 | 4.5 | 4 | 26.5 | $152,000 |
| 4 | Fabiano Caruana (United States) | 3.5 | 3 | — | 10 | 8.3 | 24.8 | $94,250 |
| 5 | Richárd Rapport (Hungary) | — | 5.5 | — | 8 | 6 | 19.5 | $42,500 |
| 6 | Levon Aronian (Armenia) | 8.3 | 5.5 | — | — | — | 13.8 | $56,250 |
| 7 | Anish Giri (Netherlands) | 5.5 | — | 8 | — | — | 13.5 | $42,500 |
| 8 | Alexander Grischuk (Russia) | 8.3 | — | 4 | — | — | 12.3 | $54,000 |
| 9 | Teimour Radjabov (Azerbaijan) | 5.5 | 1 | — | — | — | 6.5 | $28,500 |
| | Ian Nepomniachtchi (Russia) | — | 10 | 6.5 | — | — | 16.5 | $36,750 |
| | Hikaru Nakamura (United States) | — | — | — | 13 | — | 13 | $37,500 |
| | Leinier Domínguez Pérez (United States) | — | — | — | 4.5 | 8.3 | 12.8 | $54,500 |
| | Viswanathan Anand (India) | — | — | 10 | — | — | 10 | $25,000 |
| | Peter Svidler (Russia) | — | 4 | — | 3 | 2 | 9 | $29,000 |
| | Alireza Firouzja (FIDE) | — | 7.5 | — | — | — | 7.5 | $17,500 |
| | Jan-Krzysztof Duda (Poland) | — | — | 6.5 | — | — | 6.5 | $11,250 |
| | Lê Quang Liêm (Vietnam) | — | — | — | 6 | — | 6 | $12,500 |
| | Jeffery Xiong (United States) | — | — | — | 2 | 4 | 6 | $24,500 |
| | Sam Shankland (United States) | — | — | — | 1 | 4 | 5 | $23,500 |
| | Bogdan-Daniel Deac (Romania) | 3.5 | — | — | — | — | 3.5 | $16,250 |
| | Anton Korobov (Ukraine) | — | — | 3 | — | — | 3 | $8,000 |
| | Etienne Bacrot (France) Vladimir Kramnik (Russia) | — | 2 | — | — | — | 2 | $7,000 |
| | Ivan Šarić (Croatia) Garry Kasparov (RUS/CRO) | — | — | 2 | — | — | 2 | $7,000 |
| | Constantin Lupulescu (Romania) | 1.5 | — | — | — | — | 1.5 | $11,250 |
| | Jorden van Foreest (Netherlands) | — | — | 1 | — | — | 1 | $6,000 |
| | Dariusz Świercz (United States) | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | $10,000 |