2022 Sinquefield Cup

[David Sedgwick]

2022 Sinquefield Cup

The Sinquefield Cup is the fifth and final event of the 2022 Grand Chess Tour

It is a nine round Standardplay Tournament. The time limit is 40 moves in 90 minutes followed by all remaining moves in 30 minutes, with a 30 seconds increment throughout.

Play takes place from Friday 2nd September until Sunday 11th September, except that Wednesday 7th September is a rest day. The starting time is 1900 BST each day.

Playoffs, if necessary, will follow the completion of the last round on Sunday 11th September.

Full Tour Participants: Ian Nepomniachtchi (FID); Alireza Firouzja (FRA); Fabiano Caruana (USA); Levon Aronian (USA); Wesley So (USA); Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (AZE): Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA); Leinier Dominguez (USA)

Wild Cards: Magnus Carlsen (NOR); Hans Moke Niemann (USA)

Pairings and results will be shown on the GCT website at: https://grandchesstour.org/2022-grand-c ... gs-results. The pairings are as for the Superbet Chess Classic Romania, but with colours reversed and the inclusion of the Sinquefield Cup wildcards.

If any playoff for the overall standings in the Grand Chess Tour should be necessary, it will take place on Monday 12th September, again commencing at 1300 CDT (1400 EDT).

[David Sedgwick]

I'm glad to see that the vacant Sinquefield Cup place has been given to Niemann, the man US should have brought to Chennai instead of Aronian.

I won't comment on that.

It will certainly be interesting to see if Niemann can again show the excellent form which he has displayed in several recent tournaments, especially the Tepe Sigeman tournament. On paper he is still somewhat weaker than the other nine players.

[NickFaulks]

I'm glad to see that the vacant Sinquefield Cup place has been given to Niemann, the man US should have brought to Chennai instead of Aronian.

If Aronian had not been selected then presumably Nakamura would have been offered a position in the top four and, if you believe his official excuse for not going, would have taken it.

So Niemann for Aronian would never have been an option.

edit: Loz had just said something similar in a parallel thread, so I must be right. All the same, I don't actually believe that Naka was ever going.

[Tim Harding]

My point about Niemann really was that the olympiad usually is (and certainly was this time) an event where young, hungry and patriotic up-and-coming players tend to do well.

Not just the young Uzbeks and Indians but even for example the Moldovan top board with the rude-sounding name who drew with Carlsen in the last round and Conor Murphy of Ireland who would have won a board prize, had it not been necessary for him to play a ninth game to complete his GM norm. England had the right idea bringing Ravi Haria.

The US selection with its older hired guns came unstuck and I was rather glad to see that- though I do feel sorry for Aronian if he became unwell. Not just him but Dominguez too should have been left at home.

I think it's clear Nakamura was never going to play the olympiad because (until the Grand Prix and Candidates) it looked like he would be on a much lower board than that to which he was accustomed.

I don't expect Niemann to set the Sinquefield Cup on fire as it's a very strong event, and the first of its kind that he's played, but I do think he would have done very well in the olympiad.

[LawrenceCooper]

I don't expect Niemann to set the Sinquefield Cup on fire as it's a very strong event, and the first of its kind that he's played, but I do think he would have done very well in the olympiad.

There's no doubting his potential/talent etc but his state of mind when interviewed at the Miami event sounded quite alarming in terms of having him in a team event. Contrast this to Jeffrey Xiong who seems far more stable and suited to the role. By 2024 though, he may be worth the risk.

[MJMcCready]

What are the commentary options for the Sinquefield Cup?

[Tim Harding]

What are the commentary options for the Sinquefield Cup?

I guess we shall find out tomorrow. Chess24 say they will broadcast the opening ceremony live starting at 0030 BST on September 2nd but they are not naming commentators yet.

For the rapid and blitz the team of Seirawan and Svidler plus analysis by Chirila seemed to work well, but I expect (hope? fear?) they will add one or more of Jennifer Shahade, Maurice Ashley and Alejandro Ramirez or maybe the latter will do Spanish commentary.

[LawrenceCooper]

What are the commentary options for the Sinquefield Cup?

I guess we shall find out tomorrow. Chess24 say they will broadcast the opening ceremony live starting at 0030 BST on September 2nd but they are not naming commentators yet.

For the rapid and blitz the team of Seirawan and Svidler plus analysis by Chirila seemed to work well, but I expect (hope? fear?) they will add one or more of Jennifer Shahade, Maurice Ashley and Alejandro Ramirez or maybe the latter will do Spanish commentary.

"Join GMs Peter Svidler, Yasser Seirawan, and Alejandro Ramirez for the move-by-move the final leg of the 2022 Grand Chess Tour. Live coverage begins @ 1:00pm CST. " From the STLchessclub Twitch channel.

[David Sedgwick]

The link for the Opening Ceremony (coming up later tonight) is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BLOfgW-AAs.

[David Sedgwick]

The official commentary for Day 1 can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyjXZKxInrs.

I can confirm that Alejandro Ramirez will be joining Yasser Seirawan and Peter Svidler for this event. Christian Chirila was not available.

My understanding is that both Jennifer Shahade and Maurice Ashley are taking a year off from commentary.

[MJMcCready]

Well, whoever it is commentating the bottom line is without commentary, the action is just too damn difficult to follow.

[Mick Norris]

TWIC

chess24 preview

The Sinquefield Cup promises to be intense, and we’ll have commentary on all the action here on chess24 with Jan Gustafsson and Rustam Kasimdzhanov, both players who have worked on World Championship winning teams.

[Paul Cooksey]

I have to choose between Peter and Jan? Sad times...

[MJMcCready]

It's nice to have the choice. As long as they can shed some light on what the world's elite are doing over the board I am pretty happy, as if I try and work it out by myself, I don't usually get very far.

[Mick Norris]

chess24 round 1 report Carlsen crushes Nepo

Magnus Carlsen scored 5/6 against Ian Nepomniachtchi at the end of the World Championship match in Dubai, and their first classical game since was more of the same — although Magnus pointed out he’d never had things quite so easy during the match.

I didn’t get a lot of these kinds of games there. I don’t know. He didn’t do so well in the rapid either, so probably this was just the game of somebody who’s not in great shape. He was not finding the right manoeuvres, overlooking some of my ideas. Also he was playing too fast at critical moments — he didn’t really sense them too much. I think I did well in creating a situation that was not pleasant for him, but he certainly should have done better.

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