Vidit stars with Carlsen, Duda, Giri, MVL in Aimchess US Rapid starting today

by Shahid Ahmed - 28/08/2021

Magnus Carlsen, Anish Giri, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, the newly crowned FIDE World Cup 2021 winner Jan-Krzysztof Duda and Vidit return to the tour after missing the previous event Chessable Masters due to the biggest World Cup in history clashing with the schedule. The last Regular event of the season will feature the debuts of Chessbrah CEO Eric Hansen, Daniel Naroditsky and one of the top junior of the USA, Awonder Liang. He was the runner-up of the recently concluded Kramnik Challenge. The winner, Vincent Keymer is unable to take part as the event clashes with his ongoing participation in the European Individual Open. Catch Round 1 action starting tonight from 8:30 p.m. IST. Photo: Champions Chess Tour

Hansen, Naroditsky and Liang make tour debuts

Aimchess US Rapid is the final Regular event of this season of Meltwater Champions Chess Tour before the Finals take place next month in a ten-player event. Details for the Finals and the location are yet to be disclosed.

The tournament poster of Aimchess US Rapid | Photo: Champions Chess Tour

Aimchess US Rapid official logo | Photo: Champions Chess Tour

Pairings and Schedule

Aimchess US Rapid starts on Saturday, 28th August and will conclude on Sunday, 5th September. Once again there’s a 3-day preliminary round-robin stage of rapid chess (15+10), before the top eight players advance to the knockout stage. The knockout stage is exactly like the previous events in this tour, where each match is played over two days, with four rapid games each day. If the match score is tied 1-1 after the second day, the players will then play two 5+3 blitz games followed by, if needed - Armageddon. All games will start from 8:30 p.m. IST.

Aimchess US Rapid schedule | Photo: Champions Chess Tour

Meltwater Champions Chess Tour 2022 Schedule | Photo: Champions Chess Tour

Aimchess US Rapid Participants

The lineup includes seven players from the previous event of Champions Chess Tour, Chessable Masters which was won by Wesley So. Carlsen, Giri, Leinier, Vachier-Lagrave, Duda and Vidit return to the tour. Daniel Naroditsky and Eric Hansen make their tour debuts. Vincent Keymer, the winner of Kramnik Challenge earlier this month, is unable to take part as he is playing in the European Individual Open. Thus, he is replaced by the runner-up of the same event, Awonder Liang, who will also make his debut.

The participants of the Aimchess US Rapid | Photo: chess24

Tour standings

Carlsen, Radjabov and Giri have secured their place in the Finals. According to the tour points, So and Aronian are guaranteed a spot in the Finals as no one can mathematically overtake them. Seven more players will join the already qualified three. Five of them will advance according to tour points at the conclusion of this event and two more spots will be Wild Card entrants. Thus, only three places are left virtually for this event which will be fought between Vachier-Lagrave, Artemiev, Liem and Mamedyarov. Firouzja and Duda also have mathematical chances.

Meltwater Champions Chess Tour 2021 standings | Photo: Champions Chess Tour

Carlsen, Radjabov and Giri are the only three confirmed finalists | Photo: Champions Chess Tour

Prizes

The prize fund for the Meltwater Champions Chess Tour is $1,640,000. Total prize fund in this final Regular event is $100,000 with the first prize being $30,000.