FIDE Grand Prix 2019


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 2020–2021. The top non-qualifying finisher was eligible for the wild card. The series was 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.

Format

There were four tournaments in the cycle; each consisted of 16 players. There were 21 contestants, who each played in 3 of the 4 tournaments.
The tournaments were knock-out tournaments, in the same style as the Chess World Cup. At each round of the tournament, players played a best-of-2 game knock-out match. The regular games were:
  • 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 was tied 1-1, up to four tie breaks were played, at progressively faster time limits, with the match ending when a player won any tie break. The tie breaks were, in order:
  • 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 received 5 minutes + 2 second per move increment from move 61; black received 4 minutes + 2 second per move increment from move 61; black won the match in the case of a draw.

Scoring and tie breaks

Players received Grand Prix points as follows:
RoundGrand Prix points
Winner8
Runner-Up5
Semi-final loser3
Round 2 loser1
Round 1 loser0
Each match won without a tie-break+1

The two players with most Grand Prix points qualified for the Candidates Tournament 2020–2021. In the event of a tie on Grand Prix points, the following tie breaks were applied, in order:
  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.

Dates and locations

The tournament dates and locations were 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.

[|Prize money]

The prize money was €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 was: €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 was €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 was shared.

Players

22 players played in the Grand Prix. 20 qualified by rating, and one player was nominated per tournament by the organizer. World Chess nominated the same player, Daniil Dubov, for the first three tournaments, and he was therefore entitled to participate in the Grand Prix series ranking.
The list of rating qualifiers was released on 25 January 2019. 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 ; Ding Liren was virtually assured of qualifying due to being third in the rating list behind Carlsen and Caruana; while Kramnik had recently announced his retirement. This resulted in the first five reserves being invited.
The main list of 21 players, and their schedule, was released on 19 February.
One more player was nominated for the Jerusalem tournament only, in coordination with the Israel Chess Federation. Boris Gelfand was nominated as the Jerusalem nominee. His result was not counted in the Grand Prix series ranking.
Teimour Radjabov and Levon Aronian withdrew from the last stage of the Grand Prix for medical reasons, and were replaced by Wang Hao and Dmitry Andreikin.
InviteeCountryQualifying methodAverage ratingPlayed in tournaments
Shakhriyar Mamedyarovrating 28121,2,4
Maxime Vachier-Lagraverating 27832,3,4
Anish Girirating 27791,2,4
Wesley Sorating 27781,2,4
Levon Aronianrating 27731,2
Alexander Grischukrating 27671,2,3
Hikaru Nakamurarating 27671,2,3
Sergey Karjakinrating 27661,2,4
Yu Yangyirating 27612,3,4
Ian Nepomniachtchirating 27581,3,4
Peter Svidlerrating 27511,2,3
Teimour Radjabovrating 27511,3
Veselin Topalovrating 27442,3,4
Dmitry Jakovenkorating 27391,3,4
David Navararating 27372,3,4
Radosław Wojtaszekrating 27341,3,4
Wei Yirating 27331,3,4
Jan-Krzysztof Dudarating 27331,2,3
Pentala Harikrishnarating 27322,3,4
Nikita Vitiugovrating 27261,2,3
Wang Haorating 27154
Dmitry AndreikinOrganizer nominee27114
Daniil DubovOrganizer nominee26981,2,3
Boris GelfandOrganizer nominee26914

Events results

Moscow, May 2019

The first tournament was held in Moscow, Russia, from 17-29 May. 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.
At the start of the tournament, players were seeded according to their rating on the May 2019 ratings list. The top four seeds 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 16 May.
Results:

Riga, July 2019

2nd stage, Riga, Latvia, 12-24 July 2019
Results:
* Yu Yangyi won the match against Aronian because he achieved a draw with the black pieces in the deciding Armageddon game.

Hamburg, November 2019

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

Jerusalem, December 2019

4th stage, Jerusalem, Israel, 11-23 December 2019. On 30 November, 2019, FIDE announced that Teimour Radjabov and Levon Aronian would be replaced in the FIDE Grand Prix Jerusalem for medical reasons by Wang Hao and Dmitry Andreikin from the reserve list of Grand Prix participants.
Results:
* Karjakin advanced to the second round due to achieving a draw as black against Harikrishna in the Armageddon game.

Grand Prix standings

The following table shows the overall Grand Prix standings. The top two players qualified for the Candidates Tournament.
PlayerMoscowRigaHamburgJerusalemTotal
GP points		TB1TB2TB3Prize money
1Alexander Grischuk.png" />Alexander Grischuk|RUS