FIDE Grand Prix 2008–2010

The FIDE Grand Prix 2008–2010 was a series of six chess tournaments, which form part of the qualification for the World Chess Championship 2012. The top two winners here formed two of the eight players who played in a Candidates Tournament to determine the challenger for the world champion. It was administered by FIDE, the World Chess Federation. The event was won by Levon Aronian convincingly. The runner up was Teimour Radjabov.

The winner of the Grand Prix was originally scheduled to play a match in 2010 against the winner of the Chess World Cup 2009, with the winner of that match becoming the challenger for the World Chess Championship 2012.^[1]

On November 25, 2008, FIDE announced major changes, with the winner and runner-up qualifying instead for an eight-player Candidates Tournament. This caused a number of protests, with two players withdrawing (Magnus Carlsen and Michael Adams) and two others being replaced. For details, see World Chess Championship 2012.

A number of host cities have withdrawn, causing all the tournaments except the first two to be rescheduled.

Levon Aronian scored sufficient points to win the Grand Prix even before the last event took place.^[2] Hence he decided not to play the last of the grand prix. The sixth and last tournament took place in Astrakhan in May 2010.^[3][4]

Format

There were six tournaments spread over 2008, 2009 and 2010. Each of the 21 participating players played in exactly four of the six tournaments.

Each tournament is a 14 player, single round-robin tournament. In each round players scored 1 point for a win, ½ point for a draw and 0 for a loss. Grand prix points were then allocated according to each player's standing in the tournament: 180 grand prix points for first place, 150 for second place, 130 for third place, and then 110 down to 10 points for places four to fourteen (decreasing by 10 points for each place). (Grand Prix points were split between players on equal tournament points).

Players only counted their best three tournament results. The player with the most grand prix points was the winner.

If a tie-break was needed for the overall grand prix winner, the system was:^[5]

1. The fourth result not already in the top three performances
2. The number of actual game points scored in the four tournaments
3. The number of first place finishes
4. The number of second place finishes
5. The number of won games
6. Drawing of lots

Tournament dates

The tournament dates and locations were as follows:^[6]

• April 19 – May 6, 2008, Baku, Azerbaijan
• July 30 – August 15, 2008, Sochi, Russia
• December 13–29, 2008, Elista, Russia (rescheduled from Doha, Qatar, in November 2008)^[7]
• April 14–30, 2009, Nalchik, Russia (rescheduled from Montreux, Switzerland)
• August 9–24, 2009, Jermuk, Armenia (rescheduled from Elista, Russia)^[8][9]
• May 9–25, 2010, Astrakhan, Russia (rescheduled from Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic, in October 2009)^[10][11]

Draw rules

A variation from normal chess rules was that the players were not allowed to talk to each other during the game and a draw by agreement was not allowed. A draw has to be claimed with the arbiter, who was assisted by an active grandmaster who had the title for at least ten years. The only draws allowed (except for stalemate) were:^[12]

• Threefold repetition of position
• Fifty-move rule
• Perpetual check
• A theoretical draw.

Participants

Qualification

• The four players who (at the start of 2008) were still in contention for the 2008 and 2010 championships qualified: Viswanathan Anand, Vladimir Kramnik, Veselin Topalov and Gata Kamsky.

• Apart from the winner Kamsky, the next top three finishers at the Chess World Cup 2007 qualified: Alexei Shirov, Sergey Karjakin and Magnus Carlsen.

• Seven players were selected on rating. The rating used was the average of the January and October 2007 ratings. FIDE released a list of the top 25 players according to this formula.^[13] The first seven players on the list (apart from those who had otherwise qualified) had automatic qualification: Vassily Ivanchuk, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, Peter Leko, Alexander Morozevich, Levon Aronian, Teimour Radjabov and Boris Gelfand. FIDE also announced that the first four reserves, in order, were Michael Adams, Peter Svidler, Judit Polgár and Alexander Grischuk.^[14]

• The FIDE president may nominate one player from the top 40 in the world. If there were withdrawals, he may nominate more than one.^[14]

• The six host cities may each nominate one player rated above 2500.^[14] The host cities nominated the following players:^[6]
  • Baku, Azerbaijan – Vugar Gashimov
  • Sochi, Russia – Dmitry Jakovenko
  • Doha, Qatar – Mohamad Al-Modiahki
  • Montreux, Switzerland – Yannick Pelletier
  • Elista, Russia – Ernesto Inarkiev
  • Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic – David Navara

Prominent non-participants

Of the original 14 players who qualified, Anand, Kramnik and Topalov (2008/2010 contenders), Shirov (World Cup 2007) and Morozevich (ratings list) were all not taking part. One of the first four nominated reserves, Judit Polgár was also not participating. The lineup for the Grand Prix included 13 of the 20 top-rated Grandmasters at the time it was announced, though none of the top four.^[15]

The only one to publicly give a reason was Alexander Morozevich, who announced that he was boycotting the Grand Prix, saying the process was too long, unwieldy and disorganised. He claimed that Anand, Kramnik and Topalov were also boycotting.^[16] The Week in Chess reported that Kramnik and Topalov were not participating because the event had insufficient prize money.^[17]

Original participants

On March 5, 2008, FIDE released the list of participants, along with their world rankings according to the January 2008 ratings list (shown here in brackets).^[15][18]

• 1 from the 2008/2010 cycle: Gata Kamsky (15).
• 2 from the Chess World Cup 2007: Magnus Carlsen (13), Sergey Karjakin (14).
• 6 from the rating list: Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (6), Peter Leko (8), Vassily Ivanchuk (9), Levon Aronian (10), Boris Gelfand (11), Teimour Radjabov (12)
• 2 from the reserve ratings list: Michael Adams (16), Alexander Grischuk (21)
• 4 FIDE president nominees: Peter Svidler (5), Ivan Cheparinov (19), Étienne Bacrot (22), Wang Yue (25).
• 6 Host city nominees: Dmitry Jakovenko (17), Ernesto Inarkiev (34), David Navara (37), Vugar Gashimov (48), Yannick Pelletier (165), Mohamad Al-Modiahki (274).

Changes after the second and third tournaments

After Doha and Montreux refused to host tournaments, their nominees Al-Modiahki and Pelletier were removed from the series. Carlsen and Adams withdrew from the Grand Prix. These players were replaced by Evgeny Alekseev, Pavel Eljanov, Rustam Kasimdzhanov (from the rating list) and Vladimir Akopian (Jermuk nominee) from the third tournament onwards.^[19]

After Karlovy Vary withdrew in January 2009 (after the third tournament), the Karlovy Vary nominee David Navara was also excluded from the Grand Prix, and was not replaced.

Event results

Grand Prix points

Player	Q	Baku	Sochi	Elista	Nalchik	Jermuk	Astrakhan	Played	Best 3
Levon Aronian (ARM)	RL	—	180	—	180	140	—	3	500
Teimour Radjabov (AZE)	RL	(60)	150	153⅓	—	—	116	4	419⅓
Alexander Grischuk (RUS)	RR	105	(45)	153⅓	105	—	—	4	363⅓
Dmitry Jakovenko (RUS)	HC	—	90	153⅓	—	(35)	116	4	359⅓
Wang Yue (CHN)	PR	153⅓	120	80	—	—	(70)	4	353⅓
Vugar Gashimov (AZE)	HC	153⅓	(65)	110	—	—	70	4	333⅓
Peter Leko (HUN)	RL	—	—	80	140	100	(70)	4	320
Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (AZE)	RL	105	—	80	(55)	—	116	4	301
Evgeny Alekseev (RUS)	RR	—	—	(35)	85	100	116	4	301
Pavel Eljanov (UKR)	RR	not qualified		35	(20)	70	180	4	285
Boris Gelfand (ISR)	RL	—	(30)	—	85	140	45	4	270
Vassily Ivanchuk (UKR)	RL	—	65	—	20	180	(20)	4	265
Étienne Bacrot (FRA)	PR	(15)	—	80	105	55	—	4	240
Gata Kamsky (USA)	CH	60	120	—	55	(55)	—	4	235
Sergey Karjakin (UKR)	CP	60	90	—	(55)	80	—	4	230
Peter Svidler (RUS)	PR	85	90	—	55	—	(45)	4	230
Rustam Kasimdjanov (UZB)	RR	not qualified		80	20	100	—	3	200
Vladimir Akopian (ARM)	HC	not qualified		(15)	140	35	20	4	195
Ivan Cheparinov (BUL)	PR	35	45	50	—	(10)	—	4	130
Ruslan Ponomariov (UKR)	RR	not qualified					116	1	116
Ernesto Inarkiev (RUS)	HC	15	—	(15)	—	20	20	4	55
Magnus Carlsen (NOR)	CP	153⅓	—	withdrew				1
Michael Adams (ENG)	RR	85	—	withdrew				1
David Navara (CZE)	HC	35	15	—	—	excluded		2
Mohamad Al-Modiahki (QAT)	HC	—	15	excluded				1
Yannick Pelletier (SUI)	HC	—	—	excluded				0

Q = Qualification: CH = World Championship, CP = World Cup, RL = rating list, RR = reserve rating list, PR = presidential nominee, HC = host city nominee

Gata Kamsky has been granted a place in the Candidates tournament as runner-up in the 2009 Candidates Tournament. Boris Gelfand has qualified for the Candidates tournament by winning the Chess World Cup 2009. Magnus Carlsen has qualified for the Candidates tournament by rating (average of July 2009 and January 2010 FIDE lists).

Baku, April–May 2008

The first Grand Prix event began on April 20, 2008 and concluded on May 5, 2008 (Elo average 2717, Cat. XIX).

The final crosstable was as follows:^[20]

		Rating	Gas	Wan	Car	Mam	Gri	Ada	Svi	Rad	Kam	Kar	Che	Nav	Bac	Ina	Total	GP Points
1–3	Gashimov, Vugar	2679	*	½	½	½	1	½	1	½	1	½	½	½	½	½	8	153⅓
1–3	Wang Yue	2689	½	*	½	½	½	½	1	½	½	1	1	½	½	½	8	153⅓
1–3	Carlsen, Magnus	2765	½	½	*	0	½	1	½	1	½	½	½	½	1	1	8	153⅓
4–5	Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar	2752	½	½	1	*	½	½	½	½	½	1	0	1	1	0	7½	105
4–5	Grischuk, Alexander	2716	0	½	½	½	*	½	½	½	½	½	1	1	½	1	7½	105
6–7	Adams, Michael	2729	½	½	0	½	½	*	1	½	0	0	1	1	½	½	6½	85
6–7	Svidler, Peter	2746	0	0	½	½	½	0	*	½	1	1	½	½	½	1	6½	85
8–10	Radjabov, Teimour	2751	½	½	0	½	½	½	½	*	1	½	0	0	1	½	6	60
8–10	Kamsky, Gata	2726	0	½	½	½	½	1	0	0	*	½	½	½	½	1	6	60
8–10	Karjakin, Sergey	2732	½	0	½	0	½	1	0	½	½	*	½	½	½	1	6	60
11–12	Cheparinov, Ivan	2696	½	0	½	1	0	0	½	1	½	½	*	0	0	1	5½	35
11–12	Navara, David	2672	½	½	½	0	0	0	½	1	½	½	1	*	½	0	5½	35
13–14	Bacrot, Etienne	2705	½	½	0	0	½	½	½	0	½	½	1	½	*	0	5	15
13–14	Inarkiev, Ernesto	2684	½	½	0	1	0	½	0	½	0	0	0	1	1	*	5	15

Sochi, July–August 2008

The second Grand Prix event began on July 31, 2008 and concluded on August 14, 2008 (Elo average 2708, Cat. XIX).

The final crosstable was as follows:

		Rating	Aro	Rad	Wan	Kam	Svi	Jak	Kar	Iva	Gas	Gri	Che	Gel	Nav	AlM	Total	GP Points
1	Aronian, Levon	2737	*	½	½	½	½	½	½	0	½	1	1	1	1	1	8½	180
2	Radjabov, Teimour	2744	½	*	0	½	0	½	1	½	½	½	1	1	1	1	8	150
3–4	Wang Yue	2704	½	1	*	½	½	½	½	½	½	½	½	1	½	½	7½	120
3–4	Kamsky, Gata	2723	½	½	½	*	½	½	½	1	½	½	0	½	1	1	7½	120
5–7	Svidler, Peter	2738	½	1	½	½	*	1	0	0	1	½	0	½	½	1	7	90
5–7	Jakovenko, Dmitry	2709	½	½	½	½	0	*	½	½	1	½	1	½	½	½	7	90
5–7	Karjakin, Sergey	2727	½	0	½	½	1	½	*	½	½	0	1	½	½	1	7	90
8–9	Ivanchuk, Vassily	2781	1	½	½	0	1	½	½	*	½	½	½	0	½	½	6½	65
8–9	Gashimov, Vugar	2717	½	½	½	½	0	0	½	½	*	½	½	½	1	1	6½	65
10–11	Grischuk, Alexander	2728	0	½	½	½	½	½	1	½	½	*	0	½	½	½	6	45
10–11	Cheparinov, Ivan	2687	0	0	½	1	1	0	0	½	½	1	*	½	½	½	6	45
12	Gelfand, Boris	2720	0	0	0	½	½	½	½	1	½	½	½	*	½	½	5½	30
13–14	Navara, David	2646	0	0	½	0	½	½	½	½	0	½	½	½	*	0	4	15
13–14	Al-Modiahki, Mohamad	2556	0	0	½	0	0	½	0	½	0	½	½	½	1	*	4	15

Elista, December 2008

The third tournament was held in Elista between 14 and 28 December 2008 (Elo average 2713, Cat. XIX).

		Rating	Rad	Jak	Gri	Gas	Lek	Bac	Mam	Wan	Kas	Che	Ale	Elj	Ako	Ina	Total	GP Points
1–3	Radjabov, Teimour	2751	*	½	½	½	½	1	½	½	1	½	1	1	½	0	8	153⅓
1–3	Jakovenko, Dmitry	2737	½	*	½	½	½	½	½	1	1	½	½	½	½	1	8	153⅓
1–3	Grischuk, Alexander	2719	½	½	*	0	1	½	½	1	½	½	1	1	½	½	8	153⅓
4	Gashimov, Vugar	2703	½	½	1	*	0	½	1	½	½	½	½	1	½	½	7½	110
5–9	Lékó, Peter	2747	½	½	0	1	*	0	½	½	½	1	½	½	½	½	6½	80
5–9	Bacrot, Etienne	2705	0	½	½	½	1	*	½	½	½	½	½	½	½	½	6½	80
5–9	Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar	2731	½	½	½	0	½	½	*	½	½	½	½	1	½	½	6½	80
5–9	Wang Yue	2736	½	0	0	½	½	½	½	*	½	1	½	1	½	½	6½	80
5–9	Kasimdzhanov, Rustam	2672	0	0	½	½	½	½	½	½	*	1	0	½	1	1	6½	80
10	Cheparinov, Ivan	2696	½	½	½	½	0	½	½	0	0	*	1	0	1	1	6	50
11–12	Alekseev, Evgeny	2715	0	½	0	½	½	½	½	½	1	0	*	0	1	½	5½	35
11–12	Eljanov, Pavel	2720	0	½	0	0	½	½	0	0	½	1	1	*	½	1	5½	35
13–14	Akopian, Vladimir	2679	½	½	½	½	½	½	½	½	0	0	0	½	*	½	5	15
13–14	Inarkiev, Ernesto	2669	1	0	½	½	½	½	½	½	0	0	½	0	½	*	5	15

Nalchik, April 2009

The fourth tournament was held in Nalchik, Kabardino-Balkaria between 14 and 29 April 2009 (Elo average 2725, Cat. XX).

		Rating	Aro	Lek	Ako	Gri	Bac	Ale	Gel	Kam	Kar	Svi	Mam	Iva	Kas	Elj	Total	GP points
1	Aronian, Levon	2754	*	1	1	½	½	½	½	½	0	½	1	1	½	1	8½	180
2–3	Leko, Peter	2751	0	*	1	½	½	½	1	½	½	½	½	½	1	½	7½	140
2–3	Akopian, Vladimir	2696	0	0	*	½	1	½	½	1	1	½	½	½	½	1	7½	140
4–5	Grischuk, Alexander	2748	½	½	½	*	1	1	1	0	½	½	0	0	1	½	7	105
4–5	Bacrot, Etienne	2728	½	½	0	0	*	1	½	½	1	½	1	½	½	½	7	105
6–7	Alekseev, Evgeny	2716	½	½	½	0	0	*	½	½	1	½	½	½	½	1	6½	85
6–7	Gelfand, Boris	2733	½	0	½	0	½	½	*	½	1	½	1	½	1	0	6½	85
8–11	Kamsky, Gata	2720	½	½	0	1	½	½	½	*	0	1	½	½	½	0	6	55
8–11	Karjakin, Sergey	2721	1	½	0	½	0	0	0	1	*	1	½	½	½	½	6	55
8–11	Svidler, Peter	2726	½	½	½	½	½	½	½	0	0	*	0	1	½	1	6	55
8–11	Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar	2725	0	½	½	1	0	½	0	½	½	1	*	½	½	½	6	55
12–14	Ivanchuk, Vassily	2746	0	½	½	1	½	½	½	½	½	0	½	*	0	½	5½	20
12–14	Kasimdzhanov, Rustam	2695	½	0	½	0	½	½	0	½	½	½	½	1	*	½	5½	20
12–14	Eljanov, Pavel	2693	0	½	0	½	½	0	1	1	½	0	½	½	½	*	5½	20

Jermuk, August 2009

The fifth tournament took place in Jermuk, Armenia^[2] between 8 and 24 August 2009 (Elo average 2719, Cat. XIX).

The tournament was won by Ivanchuk. Aronian took equal second, sufficient for him to win the Grand Prix.

		Rating	Iva	Gel	Aro	Ale	Kas	Lek	Kar	Elj	Kam	Bac	Jak	Ako	Ina	Che	Total	GP points
1	Ivanchuk, Vassily	2703	*	1	½	1	½	½	½	½	½	½	1	½	½	1	8½	180
2–3	Gelfand, Boris	2755	0	*	0	½	1	1	½	½	½	½	½	1	1	1	8	140
2–3	Aronian, Levon	2768	½	1	*	1	0	½	½	0	1	½	1	½	1	½	8	140
4–6	Alekseev, Evgeny	2714	0	½	0	*	½	½	½	1	1	½	½	1	1	½	7½	100
4–6	Kasimdzhanov, Rustam	2672	½	0	1	½	*	½	½	½	½	½	½	½	1	1	7½	100
4–6	Leko, Peter	2756	½	0	½	½	½	*	1	½	½	½	½	½	1	1	7½	100
7	Karjakin, Sergey	2717	½	½	½	½	½	0	*	½	½	1	½	1	½	½	7	80
8	Eljanov, Pavel	2716	½	½	1	0	½	½	½	*	0	½	½	½	½	1	6½	70
9–10	Kamsky, Gata	2717	½	½	0	0	½	½	½	1	*	½	0	½	1	½	6	55
9–10	Bacrot, Etienne	2721	½	½	½	½	½	½	0	½	½	*	1	½	0	½	6	55
11–12	Jakovenko, Dimitry	2760	½	½	0	½	½	½	½	½	1	0	*	½	0	0	5	35
11–12	Akopian, Vladimir	2712	0	0	½	½	½	½	0	½	½	½	½	*	½	½	5	35
13	Inarkiev, Ernesto	2675	½	0	0	0	0	0	½	½	0	1	1	½	*	½	4½	20
14	Cheparinov, Ivan	2678	0	0	½	0	0	0	½	0	½	½	1	½	½	*	4	10

Astrakhan, May 2010

The sixth tournament took place in Astrakhan, Russia between 9 and 25 May 2010.

		Rating	Elj	Gas	Jak	Mam	Ale	Gel	Pon	Lek	Rad	Wan	Svi	Iva	Ina	Ako	Total	GP points
1	Eljanov, Pavel	2751	*	½	½	½	0	½	0	1	1	1	½	½	1	1	8	180
2–6	Ponomariov, Ruslan	2733	1	1	0	½	½	½	*	½	½	½	1	1	½	½	7	116
2–6	Jakovenko, Dimitry	2725	½	½	*	½	½	½	1	½	½	½	½	½	½	½	7	116
2–6	Radjabov, Teimour	2740	0	½	½	1	½	½	½	½	*	½	½	½	½	1	7	116
2–6	Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar	2763	½	½	½	*	1	0	½	1	0	½	½	½	1	½	7	116
2–6	Alekseev, Evgeny	2700	1	½	½	0	*	½	½	0	½	½	½	½	1	1	7	116
7–9	Gashimov, Vugar	2734	½	*	½	½	½	½	0	0	½	½	½	1	1	½	6½	70
7–9	Leko, Peter	2735	0	1	½	0	1	½	½	*	½	½	½	½	½	½	6½	70
7–9	Wang Yue	2752	0	½	½	½	½	½	½	½	½	*	½	½	½	1	6½	70
10–11	Svidler, Peter	2735	½	½	½	½	½	1	0	½	½	½	*	½	0	½	6	45
10–11	Gelfand, Boris	2741	½	½	½	1	½	*	½	½	½	½	0	½	0	½	6	45
12–14	Ivanchuk, Vassily	2741	½	0	½	½	½	½	0	½	½	½	½	*	0	0	5½	20
12–14	Akopian, Vladimir	2694	0	½	½	½	0	½	½	½	0	0	½	1	1	*	5½	20
12–14	Inarkiev, Ernesto	2669	0	0	½	0	0	1	½	½	½	½	1	1	*	0	5½	20

Notes

1. ^ First FIDE Grand Prix in Baku, Azerbaijan, Chessbase, April 19, 2008
2. ^ ^{a b} Round 13 Report, Jermuk Grand Prix
3. ^ "FIDE Calendar 2010". FIDE. http://www.fide.com/index.php?option=com_fidecalendar&view=fidecalendar&ny=2010. Retrieved 15 December 2009. 
4. ^ "FIDE Grand Prix to take place in Astrakhan". Chessdom. http://www.chessdom.com/news-2009/astrakhan-fide-grand-prix. Retrieved 15 December 2009. 
5. ^ Grand Prix Regulations, section 7.2, FIDE web site, accessed May 5, 2008
6. ^ ^{a b} Chess Grand Prix 2008–2009 (updated), Chessdom.com, accessed April 30, 2008
7. ^ Next Grand Prix Event in Elista – Press Release, FIDE web site, 23 November 2008
8. ^ "FIDE Grand Prix in Yerevan". FIDE. 5 December 2008. http://www.fide.com/component/content/article/1-fide-news/3591-fide-grand-prix-in-yerevan. Retrieved 18 January 2009. 
9. ^ "FIDE Grand Prix in Jermuk". FIDE. http://jermuk2009.fide.com/. 
10. ^ Grand Prix Karlovy Vary Cancelled, The Week in Chess, 19 January 2009
11. ^ "В следующем году в Астрахани разыграют Гран-при ФИДЕ" (in Russian). Website of Alexander Zhilkin. 13 October 2009. http://jilkin.ru/news/?id=3952. Retrieved 15 December 2009. 
12. ^ Grand Prix Regulations, section 4.4, FIDE web site, accessed May 2, 2008
13. ^ Top 25 Players, (Excel spreadsheet) FIDE web site, accessed April 30, 2008
14. ^ ^{a b c} FIDE announces its Grand Prix Circuit 2008/09, Chessbase, February 6, 2008
15. ^ ^{a b} FIDE Grand Prix. Participants, host cities, schedule. FIDE press release,, March 5, 2008, with a link to List of participants PDF file
16. ^ Alexander Morozevich: “I am not giving up the fight!”, Chessbase, February 27, 2008
17. ^ The Week in Chess 697 March 17, 2008
18. ^ Participants – Grand Prix, FIDE web site, accessed April 30, 2008
19. ^ "Grand Prix: Adams also out; Akopian, Alekseev, Eljanov & Kasimdzhanov in". Chessvibes. 11 December 2008. http://www.chessvibes.com/reports/grand-prix-adams-also-out-akopian-alekseev-eljanov-kasimdzhanov-in/. Retrieved 14 December 2008. 
20. ^ The Week in Chess 704, May 5, 2008

External links

• http://grandprix.fide.com/ Official FIDE website, including links to websites for each individual event.