FIDE Grand Prix 2019

FIDE Grand Prix Series 2019

FIDE Grand Prix 2019 winner Alexander Grischuk
Tournament information
Sport	Chess
Location	Moscow Riga Hamburg Jerusalem
Dates	17 May 2019– 23 December 2019
Administrator	FIDE
Tournament format(s)	Series of Single-elimination tournaments
Final positions
Champion	Alexander Grischuk
Runner-up	Ian Nepomniachtchi
Tournament 1
Location	Moscow
Dates	May 17–29 2019
Champion	Ian Nepomniachtchi
Runner-up	Alexander Grischuk
Tournament 2
Location	Riga
Dates	July 12–24 2019
Champion	Shakhriyar Mamedyarov
Runner-up	Maxime Vachier-Lagrave
Tournament 3
Location	Hamburg
Dates	November 5–17 2019
Champion	Alexander Grischuk
Runner-up	Jan-Krzysztof Duda
Tournament 4
Location	Jerusalem
Dates	December 11–23 2019
Champion	Ian Nepomniachtchi
Runner-up	Wei Yi
← FIDE Grand Prix 2017 FIDE Grand Prix 2022 →

The FIDE Grand Prix 2019 was a series of four chess tournaments that formed part of the qualification cycle for the World Chess Championship 2021. The top two finishers who had not yet qualified, qualified for the Candidates Tournament 2020–21. The top non-qualifying finisher is eligible for the wild card. The series is organized by World Chess, formerly known as Agon. Alexander Grischuk won the FIDE Grand Prix 2019 and thus became the first player to qualify for the Candidates Tournament via the event. Ian Nepomniachtchi, who finished in second place, was the other qualifier, while Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, by finishing third, became eligible for the wild card. Maxime Vachier-Lagrave eventually got a place in the Candidates after Teimour Radjabov withdrew from the tournament as he was the first reserve (by average rating).

There were four tournaments in the cycle; each consisting of 16 players. There are 21 contestants, who each play in 3 of the 4 tournaments.

The tournaments are knock-out tournaments, in the same style as the Chess World Cup. At each round of the tournament, players play a best-of-2 game knock-out match. The regular games are:

• best-of-2 games at a time limit of 90 minutes, + 30 minutes added after move 40, + 30 second per move increment from move 1.

If the match is tied 1-1, up to four tie breaks are played, at progressively faster time limits, with the match ending when a player wins any tie break. The tie breaks are, in order:^[1]

• best-of-2 games at a time limit of 25 minutes, + 10 second per move increment from move 1.
• best-of-2 games at a time limit of 10 minutes, + 10 second per move increment from move 1.
• best-of-2 games at a time limit of 5 minutes, + 3 second per move increment from move 1.
• a single armageddon chess game: white receives 5 minutes + 2 second per move increment from move 61; black receives 4 minutes + 2 second per move increment from move 61; black wins the match in the case of a draw.

Players receive Grand Prix points as follows:

Round	Grand Prix points
Winner	8
Runner-Up	5
Semi-final loser	3
Round 2 loser	1
Round 1 loser	0
Each match won without a tie-break	+1

The two players with most Grand Prix points qualified for the Candidates Tournament 2020-21. In the event of a tie on Grand Prix points, the following tie breaks are applied, in order:^[1]

1. most tournament wins;
2. most tournament second places;
3. most points won in standard time control games;
4. head-to-head score, in terms of matches, between players tied;
5. drawing of lots.

The tournament dates and locations are as follows:

• Moscow, Russia, 17–29 May 2019;
• Riga, Latvia, 12–24 July 2019;
• Hamburg, Germany, 5–17 November 2019;
• Jerusalem, Israel, 11–23 December 2019.

The prize money is €130,000 per single Grand Prix with an additional €280,000 for the overall Grand Prix standings for a total prize fund of €800,000.

For each individual tournament, the prize money is: €24,000 for the winner, €14,000 for the runner-up, €10,000 for the semi-final losers, €8,000 for the Round 2 losers, and €5,000 for the Round 1 losers.

For the final standings, the prize money is €50,000 for 1st, €45,000 for 2nd, and so on down in steps of €5,000 to €10,000 for 9th, and also €10,000 for 10th. Prize money for players on equal Grand Prix points is shared.

22 players will be playing in the Grand Prix. 20 qualify by rating (according to the average of the 12 monthly rating lists from February 2018 to January 2019, with ties broken according to the number of games played in that period), and one player is nominated per tournament by the organizer. World Chess nominated the same player, Daniil Dubov, for the first three tournaments, and he will therefore be entitled to participate in the Grand Prix series ranking.^[2]

The list of rating qualifiers was released on 25 January 2019.^[3] Five players qualified but declined their invitations: Magnus Carlsen, Fabiano Caruana, Ding Liren, Vladimir Kramnik and Viswanathan Anand. Carlsen and Caruana had no need to play in the tournament (Carlsen as World Champion, and Caruana had already qualified for the Candidates Tournament); Ding Liren was virtually assured of qualifying due to being third in the rating list behind Carlsen and Caruana;^[4] while Kramnik had recently announced his retirement. This resulted in the first five reserves being invited.

The main list of 21 players (20 qualifying by rating, plus organizer nominee Dubov), and their schedule, were released on 19 February.^[5]

One more player was nominated for the Jerusalem tournament only, in coordination with the Israel Chess Federation;^[6] their result will not be counted in the Grand Prix series ranking;^[1] Boris Gelfand was announced as Jerusalem nominee on 25 October.^[7]

Teimour Radjabov and Levon Aronian withdrew from the last stage of Grand Prix for medical reasons, and were replaced by Wang Hao and Dmitry Andreikin. ^{[8] [9]}

Invitee	Country	Qualifying method	Average rating	Plays in tournaments
Shakhriyar Mamedyarov	Azerbaijan	rating (3)	2812${\displaystyle {\tfrac {1}{6}}}$	1,2,4
Maxime Vachier-Lagrave	France	rating (6)	2783${\displaystyle {\tfrac {5}{6}}}$	2,3,4
Anish Giri	Netherlands	rating (7)	2779${\displaystyle {\tfrac {3}{4}}}$	1,2,4
Wesley So	United States	rating (8)	2778${\displaystyle {\tfrac {11}{12}}}$	1,2,4
Levon Aronian	Armenia	rating (9)	2773${\displaystyle {\tfrac {1}{12}}}$	1,2
Alexander Grischuk	Russia	rating (11)	2767${\displaystyle {\tfrac {11}{12}}}$	1,2,3
Hikaru Nakamura	United States	rating (12)	2767${\displaystyle {\tfrac {5}{6}}}$	1,2,3
Sergey Karjakin	Russia	rating (13)	2766${\displaystyle {\tfrac {1}{12}}}$	1,2,4
Yu Yangyi	China	rating (14)	2761${\displaystyle {\tfrac {5}{12}}}$	2,3,4
Ian Nepomniachtchi	Russia	rating (15)	2758	1,3,4
Peter Svidler	Russia	rating (16)	2751${\displaystyle {\tfrac {3}{4}}}$	1,2,3
Teimour Radjabov	Azerbaijan	rating (17)	2751${\displaystyle {\tfrac {3}{4}}}$	1,3
Veselin Topalov	Bulgaria	rating (18)	2744${\displaystyle {\tfrac {7}{12}}}$	2,3,4
Dmitry Jakovenko	Russia	rating (19)	2739${\displaystyle {\tfrac {3}{4}}}$	1,3,4
David Navara	Czech Republic	rating (20)	2737${\displaystyle {\tfrac {1}{2}}}$	2,3,4
Radosław Wojtaszek	Poland	rating (1st reserve)	2734${\displaystyle {\tfrac {1}{2}}}$	1,3,4
Wei Yi	China	rating (2nd reserve)	2733${\displaystyle {\tfrac {11}{12}}}$	1,3,4
Jan-Krzysztof Duda	Poland	rating (3rd reserve)	2733	1,2,3
Pentala Harikrishna	India	rating (4th reserve)	2732${\displaystyle {\tfrac {11}{12}}}$	2,3,4
Nikita Vitiugov	Russia	rating (5th reserve)	2726${\displaystyle {\tfrac {11}{12}}}$	1,2,3
Wang Hao	China	rating (10th reserve)	2715${\displaystyle {\tfrac {1}{3}}}$	4
Dmitry Andreikin	Russia	Organizer nominee	2711${\displaystyle {\tfrac {2}{3}}}$	4
Daniil Dubov	Russia	Organizer nominee	2698${\displaystyle {\tfrac {5}{12}}}$	1,2,3
Boris Gelfand	Israel	Organizer nominee	2691${\displaystyle {\tfrac {1}{3}}}$	4

The first tournament was held in Moscow, Russia, from May 17 to 29. Each round had a day each for the two regular games, and a third day for tie-breaks; and there was a rest day before the final round. Games began at 3.00 pm Moscow time (12.00 pm UTC).^[10]

Players were seeded according to their rating at the start of the tournament, the May 2019 ratings list.^[11] The top four seeds (Giri, Mamedyarov, Nepomniachtchi, and Grischuk) were placed into different quarters of the draw, and the remaining starting positions were decided by the drawing of lots at the opening ceremony on May 16.^{[1] [12]}

First round

Quarter-finals

Semi-finals

Final

1

Anish Giri (NED)

½

16

Daniil Dubov (RUS)

1½

16

Daniil Dubov (RUS)

1½

6

Hikaru Nakamura (USA)

2½

7

Teimour Radjabov (AZE)

1½

6

Hikaru Nakamura (USA)

2½

6

Hikaru Nakamura (USA)

½

4

Alexander Grischuk (RUS)

1½

13

Jan-Krzysztof Duda (POL)

1½

8

Wesley So (USA)

2½

8

Wesley So (USA)

1½

4

Alexander Grischuk (RUS)

2½

9

Sergey Karjakin (RUS)

½

4

Alexander Grischuk (RUS)

1½

4

Alexander Grischuk (RUS)

1½

3

Ian Nepomniachtchi (RUS)

2½

3

Ian Nepomniachtchi (RUS)

1½

5

Levon Aronian (ARM)

½

3

Ian Nepomniachtchi (RUS)

2½

11

Wei Yi (CHN)

1½

11

Wei Yi (CHN)

1½

15

Dmitry Jakovenko (RUS)

½

3

Ian Nepomniachtchi (RUS)

3½

14

Radosław Wojtaszek (POL)

2½

12

Nikita Vitiugov (RUS)

½

10

Peter Svidler (RUS)

1½

10

Peter Svidler (RUS)

½

14

Radosław Wojtaszek (POL)

1½

14

Radosław Wojtaszek (POL)

1½

2

Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (AZE)

½

2nd stage, Riga, Latvia, 12–24 July 2019

First round

Quarter-finals

Semi-finals

Final

1

Anish Giri (NED)

4

8

Sergey Karjakin (RUS)

5

8

Sergey Karjakin (RUS)

3½

5

Wesley So (USA)

4½

12

Pentala Harikrishna (IND)

1½

5

Wesley So (USA)

2½

5

Wesley So (USA)

½

4

Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (AZE)

1½

10

Peter Svidler (RUS)

1½

14

Jan-Krzysztof Duda (POL)

2½

14

Jan-Krzysztof Duda (POL)

1½

4

Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (AZE)

2½

16

Daniil Dubov (RUS)

½

4

Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (AZE)

1½

4

Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (AZE)

5

2

Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA)

4

3

Alexander Grischuk (RUS)

3

15

Nikita Vitiugov (RUS)

1

3

Alexander Grischuk (RUS)

2½

11

Yu Yangyi (CHN)

1½

11

Yu Yangyi (CHN)

4½*

6

Levon Aronian (ARM)

4½

3

Alexander Grischuk (RUS)

½

2

Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA)

1½

7

Hikaru Nakamura (USA)

1½

9

Veselin Topalov (BUL)

2½

9

Veselin Topalov (BUL)

½

2

Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA)

1½

13

David Navara (CZE)

½

2

Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA)

1½

* Yu Yangyi won the match against Aronian because he achieved a draw with the black pieces in the deciding Armageddon game.

The third tournament was played in Hamburg, Germany, from 5–17 November 2019. Each round had three days of play: two for the regular time control matches, and one for tie breaks, if required. Round 1 was November 5–7, Round 2 was November 8–10, Round 3 was November 11–13, November 14 was a rest day, and Round 4 was November 15–17.^[13][14]

First round

Quarter-finals

Semi-finals

Final

1

Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA)

1½

12

Wei Yi (CHN)

½

1

Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA)

1½

9

Veselin Topalov (BUL)

½

8

Hikaru Nakamura (USA)

½

9

Veselin Topalov (BUL)

1½

1

Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA)

½

4

Alexander Grischuk (RUS)

1½

14

David Navara (CZE)

3

6

Nikita Vitiugov (RUS)

1

14

David Navara (CZE)

½

4

Alexander Grischuk (RUS)

1½

11

Radosław Wojtaszek (POL)

1½

4

Alexander Grischuk (RUS)

2½

4

Alexander Grischuk (RUS)

3½

7

Jan-Krzysztof Duda (POL)

2½

3

Teimour Radjabov (AZE)

3½

16

Daniil Dubov (RUS)

4½

16

Daniil Dubov (RUS)

3½

13

Peter Svidler (RUS)

2½

13

Peter Svidler (RUS)

1½

10

Pentala Harikrishna (IND)

½

16

Daniil Dubov (RUS)

2½

7

Jan-Krzysztof Duda (POL)

3½

15

Dmitry Jakovenko (RUS)

1½

5

Yu Yangyi (CHN)

2½

5

Yu Yangyi (CHN)

½

7

Jan-Krzysztof Duda (POL)

1½

7

Jan-Krzysztof Duda (POL)

1½

2

Ian Nepomniachtchi (RUS)

½

4th stage, Jerusalem, Israel, 11–23 December 2019. On November 30, 2019, FIDE announced that Teimour Radjabov and Levon Aronian will be replaced in FIDE Grand Prix Jerusalem for medical reasons by Wang Hao and Dmitry Andreikin from the reserve list of Grand Prix participants.^[15][16]

First round

Quarter-finals

Semi-finals

Final

1

Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA)

3

9

Veselin Topalov (BUL)

1

1

Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA)

2½

12

Dmitry Andreikin (RUS)

1½

12

Dmitry Andreikin (RUS)

2½

10

Radosław Wojtaszek (POL)

1½

1

Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA)

½

4

Ian Nepomniachtchi (RUS)

1½

5

Wesley So (USA)

1½

8

Yu Yangyi (CHN)

½

5

Wesley So (USA)

1½

4

Ian Nepomniachtchi (RUS)

2½

16

Boris Gelfand (ISR)

1

4

Ian Nepomniachtchi (RUS)

3

4

Ian Nepomniachtchi (RUS)

1½

11

Wei Yi (CHN)

½

3

Anish Giri (NED)

1½

11

Wei Yi (CHN)

2½

11

Wei Yi (CHN)

3½

7

Sergey Karjakin (RUS)

2½

7

Sergey Karjakin (RUS)

4½*

13

Pentala Harikrishna (IND)

4½

11

Wei Yi (CHN)

2½

14

David Navara (CZE)

1½

6

Wang Hao (CHN)

3½

14

David Navara (CZE)

4½

14

David Navara (CZE)

1½

15

Dmitry Jakovenko (RUS)

½

15

Dmitry Jakovenko (RUS)

3½

2

Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (AZE)

2½

* Karjakin advanced to the second round due to achieving a draw as Black against Harikrishna in the Armageddon game.

The following table shows the overall Grand Prix standings. The top two players qualified for the Candidates Tournament.

	Player	Moscow	Riga	Hamburg	Jerusalem	Total GP points	TB1	TB2	TB3	Prize money
1	Alexander Grischuk (RUS)	7	3	10		20	1	1	12½	€98,000
2	Ian Nepomniachtchi (RUS)	9		0	10	19	2	0	10	€94,000
3	Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA)		8	5	3	16	0	1	11½	€74,000
4	Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (AZE)	0	10		0	10	1	0	6½	€69,000
5	Jan-Krzysztof Duda (POL)	0	1	7		8	0	1	8	€57,000
6	Wei Yi (CHN)	2		0	5	7	0	1	6½	€52,000
7	Wesley So (USA)	1	3		2	6	0	0	7	€46,000
8 (tie)	Daniil Dubov (RUS)	2	0	3		5	0	0	6	€34,666.66
8 (tie)	Radosław Wojtaszek (POL)	5		0	0	5	0	0	6	€34,666.66
10	David Navara (CZE)		0	1	4	5	0	0	5½	€34,666.66
11	Peter Svidler (RUS)	2	0	2		4	0	0	5½	€21,000
12	Veselin Topalov (BUL)		1	2	0	3	0	0	4½	€21,000
13	Hikaru Nakamura (USA)	3	0	0		3	0	0	4	€20,000
14	Sergey Karjakin (RUS)	0	1		1	2	0	0	4½	€21,000
15	Yu Yangyi (CHN)		1	1	0	2	0	0	4	€21,000
16	Dmitry Jakovenko (RUS)	0		0	1	1	0	0	3	€18,000
17 (tie)	Anish Giri (NED)	0	0		0	0	0	0	2½	€15,000
17 (tie)	Nikita Vitiugov (RUS)	0	0	0		0	0	0	2½	€15,000
17 (tie)	Pentala Harikrishna (IND)		0	0	0	0	0	0	2½	€15,000
20	Teimour Radjabov (AZE)	0		0		0	0	0	2	€10,000
21	Levon Aronian (ARM)	0	0			0	0	0	1½	€10,000

Standings table legend
Players						Results
	Qualified for the Candidates Tournament via Grand Prix		Qualified for the Candidates Tournament by another path		Didn't qualify for Candidates via Grand Prix		Did not participate		Lost in the quarter-finals		Lost in the final
							Lost in the first round		Lost in the semi-finals		Winner

Radjabov qualified for the Candidates by winning the Chess World Cup 2019. Giri and Vachier-Lagrave qualified because of their ratings. Initially it seemed that Vachier-Lagrave had lost his chance to qualify for the Candidates when Nepomniachtchi won the final Grand Prix tournament; but Vachier-Lagrave was first reserve and thus qualified when Radjabov withdrew.

• Guide to Moscow Grand Prix 2019 Archived 2019-07-03 at the Wayback Machine, official site of the 1st Grand Prix tournament, Moscow, 17-29 May 2019.
• Guide to Riga Grand Prix 2019 Archived 2019-07-17 at the Wayback Machine, official site of the 2nd Grand Prix tournament, Riga, July 2019
• FIDE World Chess Grand Prix Riga 2019, site of TeleSchach, July 2019