Round 9 recap
World No. 4 Alireza Firouzja clinched victory in the 2022 Sinquefield Cup after defeating Ian Nepomniachtchi 1.5-0.5 in a rapid playoff for the title, earning an extra $10,000 in addition to his $87,500 first place prize. Congratulations!
Round 8 recap
It was a pivotal day for the standings as Alireza Firouzja survived a difficult position to score an important victory over Wesley So, overtaking the lead in the penultimate round of the Sinquefield Cup. It was then not long after that Ian Nepomniachtchi joined Firouzja in first place, after he defeated Levon Aronian in a highly tactical game.
https://grandchesstour.org/blog/2022-sinquefield-cup-day-8-recap
2022 Sinquefield Cup Chief Arbiter’s Statement
In response to the recent rumors circulating the chess world, I can confirm that we currently have no indication that any player has been playing unfairly in the 2022 Sinquefield Cup. This includes all rounds played to date.
https://grandchesstour.org/blog/2022-sinquefield-cup-chief-arbiter%E2%80%99s-statement
Round 7 recap
It was a hard-fought day with four draws as GM Wesley So continues to lead the Sinquefield Cup, the final leg of the 2022 Grand Chess Tour. With So having a bye round today it was an opportunity for his competitors to close the distance, but with just two rounds left it’s only Alireza Firouzja and Ian Nepomniachtchi, who are a half-point behind, that have the best chance of catching up.
https://grandchesstour.org/blog/2022-sinquefield-cup-day-7-recap
Day 6 Recap
It was an exciting day with three decisive games as Wesley So defeated Hans Niemann to take a full-point lead in the tournament with just three rounds left to play. Meanwhile, Levon Aronian utilized good preparation to earn a win over Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, and Alireza Firouzja swindled Shakhriyar Mamedyarov after he blundered a pawn in the middlegame. Today’s results have big implications for the 2022 Grand Chess Tour, with Firouzja sitting only a point behind MVL in the overall GCT standings.
https://grandchesstour.org/blog/2022-sinquefield-cup-day-6-recap
Day 5 Recap
While all four games of the round were drawn it seems the biggest move of the day happened during the post-game interview with GM Hans Niemann, as he passionately responded to the recent speculations made about him following Carlsen’s departure from the Sinquefield Cup.
Niemann admitted to cheating online in the past, but claimed that he had learned his lesson and has never cheated in an over-the-board game. Niemann then accused Carlsen, Nakamura, and Chess.com of targeting him in the must-watch interview.
https://grandchesstour.org/blog/2022-sinquefield-cup-day-5-recap
Round 4 Recap
The day started with shocking news as it was announced that World Champion Magnus Carlsen withdrew from the 2022 Sinquefield Cup prior to the start of his Round 4 game against Shakhriyar Mamedyarov. Carlsen did not yet give a specific reason for his withdrawal.
Since Carlsen’s withdrawal from the event comes before the first half, his results will be annulled and the tournament will proceed with nine players. Following the day’s round Wesley So became the new leader of the event (2.5/4) after drawing with Ian Nepomniachtchi. In the remaining games, only Fabiano Caruana could score a victory, grinding a 92-move win in a queen ending against Maxime Vachier-Lagrave.
https://grandchesstour.org/blog/2022-sinquefield-cup-day-4-recap
Round 3 Recap
In a sensational upset GM Hans Niemann defeated World Champion Magnus Carlsen with the Black pieces in their first ever classical encounter, overtaking the sole lead in the 2022 Sinquefield Cup and crossing 2700 for the first time in his career. In the meantime, Alireza Firouzja won a brilliant game against Levon Aronian, while Wesley So jumped into clear second place thanks to an excellent win over Fabiano Caruana.
https://grandchesstour.org/blog/2022-sinquefield-cup-day-3-recap
Day 2 Recap
Round 2 of the 2022 Sinquefield Cup saw tournament underdog Hans Niemann score his first win of the event, defeating Shakhriyar Mamedyarov to join the early lead alongside Magnus Carlsen, who drew with Levon Aronian. Meanwhile the 2022 FIDE Candidates winner, Ian Nepomniachtchi bounced back from yesterday’s loss to defeat Alireza Firouzja in fine technical style.
https://grandchesstour.org/blog/2022-sinquefield-cup-day-2-recap
Round 1 Recap
The 2022 Sinquefield Cup kicked off with a bang today as World Champion Magnus Carlsen defeated World No.3 Ian Nepomniachtchi in a clean first round game. Meanwhile, all four other games in the round were drawn, netting Carlsen the early lead in the final stop of the 2022 Grand Chess Tour.
Check out the full replay of live coverage from the day here. The time control for the event is 90 minutes for 40 moves plus 30 minutes for the rest of the game; with a 30-second increment starting from move 1.
https://grandchesstour.org/blog/2022-sinquefield-cup-day-1-recap
