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The Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz starts tomorrow, Wednesday 11th August.

This is the fourth leg of the 2021 Grand Chess Tour. The fifth and final leg, the Sinquefield Cup, follows almost immediately afterwards.

Rapid: 10 player Round Robin from Wednesday 11th August until Friday 13th August. Three rounds each day, at 2100, 2230 and 2400 BST. Time Limit: 25 minutes plus 10 seconds increment.

Blitz: 10 player Double Round Robin on Saturday 14th August and Sunday 15th August. Nine rounds each day, commencing at 2100 BST and at 30 minute intervals thereafter. Time Limit: 5 minutes plus 2 seconds increment.

The Players:

Full Tour Participants: Fabiano Caruana; Shakhriyar Mamedyarov; Richard Rapport; Wesley So

Wildcards: Leinier Dominguez; Liem Le; Hikaru Nakamura; Sam Shankland; Peter Svidler; Jeffrey Xiong

Pairings and Results will be available on the GCT website at www.grandchesstour.org,

The official commentary should be available for viewing at www.kasparovchess.com. www.twitch.tv/kasparovchess and www.grandchesstour.org

The drawing of lots will take place during the Opening Ceremony today, Tuesday 10th August, at 2400 BST. The Opening Ceremony will be broadcast live at at least one of the above websites, but I have no further details as yet.

Edit: There is a link to the broadcast of the Opening Ceremony on the front page at www.grandchesstour.org.

Pairings rapid 11-13 August

Pairings blitz A 14 August

Pairings Blitz B 15 August

Starts 3 pm St Louis time which is 9 pm UK time I think

Mick Norris wrote: ↑

Wed Aug 11, 2021 9:40 am

Starts 3 pm St Louis time which is 9 pm UK time I think

Correct. It had to be put back from 1pm Saint Louis time owing to building work near the venue. (The contractors have agreed to finish by 3pm.)

As a result, play each day will end at about 1am London time. The GCT have kindly agreed that I don't need to stay up for that.

TWIC

Caruana a point clear after 6 rounds of the Rapid, despite losing to Shankland

Mick Norris wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 13, 2021 8:42 am

TWIC

Caruana a point clear after 6 rounds of the Rapid, despite losing to Shankland

I'm a but surprised nobody has updated this. Nakamura beat Caruana in the last round of the rapid to take a useful lead and he has never looked like relinquishing it. Yesterday he had three wins and six draws (one of them a real non-game with Wesley So, over in less than a minute).

It will be a surprise if Nakamura comes unstuck in the second set of blitz tonight. Starts 9m BST with commentary by the usual US team (minus Jennifer Shahade) on https://www.twitch.tv/kasparovchess

Event website: https://grandchesstour.org/2021-grand-c ... ur/overiew [sic]

Chess24 are not carrying commentary this week. I hope they will be doing it next week for the Sinquefield Cup.

Tim Harding wrote: ↑

Sun Aug 15, 2021 7:05 pm

... by the usual US team (minus Jennifer Shahade) ...

Jennifer Shahade has not been part of the GCT commentary team at any event this year.

Peter Svidler was scheduled to commentate at both the Saint Louis events, but he became a substitute player when a vacancy occurred.

Tim Harding wrote: ↑

Sun Aug 15, 2021 7:05 pm

It will be a surprise if Nakamura comes unstuck in the second set of blitz ...

No such surprise occurred. Nakamura again had three wins and six draws to win the event by three full points.

However, that stellar performance was not enough for him to retain his Number 1 position in the world blitz rankings and provoked the following reaction from Magnus Carlsen on Twitter:

“Congrats to world #2 rated rapid and blitz player @GMHikaru for winning the #STLRapidBlitz with a dominating, unbeaten performance!”

For more details of the results and the GCT standings please see https://grandchesstour.org/2021-grand-c ... apid-blitz.

Tim Harding wrote: ↑

Sun Aug 15, 2021 7:05 pm

Chess24 are not carrying commentary this week. I hope they will be doing it next week for the Sinquefield Cup.

That will only happen if Chess24 arrange their own commentary team. KasparovChess have exclusive rights to the feed and commentary from St Louis and hence this is only available at the two locations above.

Nakamura followed up his victory here with the first ever 11/11 in Titled Tuesday on Chess.com