There are 16 GMs playing in each leg, but some of them couldn’t make it. GM Ding Liren failed to obtain his travel VISA in time, making it impossible to be in Germany for the Grand Prix and was replaced by GM Radoslaw Wojtaszek. “FIDE and World Chess have done their best to help me,” Ding said.
Another Chinese GM, Wei Yi, was also replaced in January 2022 by GM Pentala Harikrishna, due to China’s strict travel restrictions during the pandemic.
GM Dmitry Andreikin is covid-positive and won’t be able to participate in the tournament as well due to the safety protocols. The Russian GM is replaced by his compatriot GM Andrey Esipenko.
On the other hand, GM Daniil Dubov who was tested positive during the 2022 Tata Steel Chess Tournament and had to leave three rounds before the end, was now tested negative twice and will participate in the Grand Prix.
Ding and Adreikin are still listed to play in the second and third leg of the Grand Prix but won’t be able to qualify for the Candidates.
Ivan Syrovy, the Chief Arbiter of the FIDE Grand Prix 2022, announced that today in the technical meeting, players will pick a number, and immediately after we will have all the rounds formed. Note that the players are divided into four pools, which are now finalized to:
Pool A:
- Alexander Grischuk (Russia), 2764
Qualified: Rating list (10th) - Hikaru Nakamura, (USA), 2736
Qualified: Presidential nominee - Andrey Esipenko (Russia), 2714
Qualified: Rating list (replacement) - Etienne Bacrot (France), 2642
Qualified: World Cup (5th-8th)
Pool B:
- Radoslaw Wojtaszek (Poland), 2686
Qualified: Rating list (replacement) - Richard Rapport (Hungary), 2763
Qualified: Rating list (11th) - Vladimir Fedoseev (Russia), 2704
Qualified: World Cup (4th) - Grigoriy Oparin (Russia), 2681
Qualified: Grand Swiss (3rd)
Pool C:
- Levon Aronian (USA), 2772
Qualified: Rating list (6th) - Vidit Gujrathi (India), 2727
Qualified: World Cup 2021 - Daniil Dubov (Russia), 2720
Qualified: Organizer’s nominee - Vincent Keymer (Germany), 2664
Qualified: World Cup (5th-8th)
Pool D:
- Wesley So (USA), 2772
Qualified: Rating list (8th) - Leinier Dominguez (USA), 2752
Qualified: Rating list (15th) - Pentala Harikrishna (India), 2717
Qualified: Rating list (25th) - Alexei Shirov (Spain), 2704
Qualified: Grand Swiss (8th)
