FIDE Grand Prix 2014–15

The FIDE Grand Prix 2014–15 was a series of four chess tournaments that formed part of the qualification cycle for the World Chess Championship 2016. Fabiano Caruana finished first, and Hikaru Nakamura second in the overall standings. Both therefore qualified for the 2016 Candidates Tournament.

FIDE Grand Prix Series 2014–15
FIDE Grand Prix 2014–15 winner Fabiano Caruana
Tournament information
SportChess
LocationAzerbaijan Baku
Uzbekistan Tashkent
Georgia (country) Tbilisi
Russia Khanty-Mansiysk
Dates1 October 2014–
26 May 2015
AdministratorFIDE
Tournament
format(s)
Series of Round-robin tournaments
Final positions
ChampionItaly Fabiano Caruana
Runner-upUnited States Hikaru Nakamura

Format

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In contrast to the two previous Grand Prix cycles the number of tournaments was decreased from six to four, and players played three tournaments instead of four. As a result, no results were discarded, but each tournament result counted toward the total points. Sixteen players were selected to compete in the tournaments.[1]

Each tournament was a 12-player, single round-robin tournament. In each round players scored 1 point for a win, ½ point for a draw and 0 for a loss. Grand Prix points were then allocated according to each player's standing in the tournament: 170 Grand Prix points for first place, 140 for second place, 110 for third place, and then 90 down to 10 points by steps of 10. In case of a tie in points the Grand Prix points are shared evenly by the tied players.

Players

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The Grand Prix consists of 16 players. FIDE announced 11 qualifiers as per regulations, plus one nominee from each of the four organisers, and one FIDE President nominee.

Five original invitees declined to participate: Magnus Carlsen, Viswanathan Anand, Levon Aronian, Vladimir Kramnik and Veselin Topalov. The first four of these had also declined to participate in the FIDE Grand Prix 2012–13. In a later interview, Aronian said "I found it quite insulting to compete in a tournament with the first prize half as large as my participation fee [for] almost any other tournament [at] that time."[2] Moreover, there was no prize money for overall standings, as there had been in previous Grand Prixes.[3]

All five Grand Prix replacements were determined by the rating list as per regulations.

The final list of players was announced on 9 September 2014.[4] Iranian player Ehsan Ghaem-Maghami was replaced by Georgian Baadur Jobava after the third stop was moved from Tehran to Tbilisi.[5]

Invitee Country Qualifying method
Dmitry Andreikin   Russia Chess World Cup 2013
Evgeny Tomashevsky   Russia
Maxime Vachier-Lagrave   France
Fabiano Caruana   Italy FIDE rating list (from May 2013 to April 2014)
Alexander Grischuk   Russia
Hikaru Nakamura   United States
Sergey Karjakin   Russia
Leinier Domínguez   Cuba
Shakhriyar Mamedyarov   Azerbaijan
Boris Gelfand   Israel
Peter Svidler   Russia
Dmitry Jakovenko   Russia organiser's nominees
Teimour Radjabov   Azerbaijan
Rustam Kasimdzhanov   Uzbekistan
Baadur Jobava   Georgia
Anish Giri   Netherlands FIDE President's nominee

Prize money and Grand Prix points

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The prize money is €120,000 per single Grand Prix (down from €170,000) and there is no financial bonus for the overall standings (€420,000 last in 2012–13).[6]

Place Single Grand Prix event Grand Prix points
1 €20,000 170
2 €15,000 140
3 €13,000 110
4 €11,000 90
5 €10,000 80
6 €9,500 70
7 €9,000 60
8 €8,500 50
9 €7,500 40
10 €6,500 30
11 €5,500 20
12 €4,500 10

Tie breaks

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With the objective of determining qualifiers to play in the Candidates 2016, and in the case that two or more players have equal cumulative points at the top, the following criteria were utilized to decide the overall Series winner and other overall placings:[6]

  1. Number of actual game result points scored in the three tournaments entered.
  2. Number of games played with black.
  3. Number of wins.
  4. Number of black wins.
  5. Drawing of lots.

Schedule

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The third stop was initially to be played in Tehran, Iran but a move was announced in October.[5] The fourth stop moved from Moscow to Khanty-Mansiysk.

No. Host city Date Winners Points (win/draw/loss)
1 Baku, Azerbaijan 1 – 15 October 2014   Fabiano Caruana (ITA)
  Boris Gelfand (ISR)
6.5/11 (+4=5–2),
6.5/11 (+3=7–1)
2 Tashkent, Uzbekistan 20 October – 3 November 2014   Dmitry Andreikin (RUS) 7/11 (+3=8–0)
3 Tbilisi, Georgia 14 – 28 February 2015   Evgeny Tomashevsky (RUS) 8/11 (+5=6–0)
4 Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia 14 – 26 May 2015   Hikaru Nakamura (USA)
  Fabiano Caruana (ITA)
  Dmitry Jakovenko (RUS)
6½/11 (+2=9–0)
6½/11 (+3=7–1)
6½/11 (+4=5–2)

Events crosstables

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Baku 2014

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1st stage, Baku, Azerbaijan, 1–15 October 2014[7]
Player Rating 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Total SB TPR GP
1   Fabiano Caruana (ITA) 2844 * ½ 1 0 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 0 1 155
2   Boris Gelfand (ISR) 2748 ½ * ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 0 ½ 1 ½ 155
3   Sergey Karjakin (RUS) 2767 0 ½ * ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 6 82
4   Alexander Grischuk (RUS) 2797 1 0 ½ * ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ 1 6 82
5   Peter Svidler (RUS) 2732 0 ½ ½ ½ * ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 6 82
6   Evgeny Tomashevsky (RUS) 2701 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ * ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 6 82
7   Hikaru Nakamura (USA) 2764 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ * ½ ½ 1 1 ½ 6 82
8   Teimour Radjabov (AZE) 2726 ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ * ½ ½ ½ ½ 50
9   Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (AZE) 2764 0 1 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ * ½ ½ ½ 5 35
10   Rustam Kasimdzhanov (UZB) 2706 ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ * 1 ½ 5 35
11   Dmitry Andreikin (RUS) 2722 1 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 0 ½ ½ 0 * 1 20
12   Leinier Domínguez (CUB) 2751 0 ½ 0 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 * 3 10

Tashkent 2014

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2nd stage, Tashkent, Uzbekistan, 20 October – 3 November 2014[8]
Player Rating 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Total SB TPR GP
1   Dmitry Andreikin (RUS) 2722 * 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 7 170
2   Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (AZE) 2764 0 * ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 1 125
3   Hikaru Nakamura (USA) 2764 ½ ½ * 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 125
4   Baadur Jobava (GEO) 2717 0 ½ 0 * ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 6 75
5   Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA) 2757 ½ ½ ½ ½ * ½ 1 ½ ½ 0 1 ½ 6 75
6   Sergey Karjakin (RUS) 2767 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ * ½ ½ 1 1 1 ½ 6 75
7   Fabiano Caruana (ITA) 2844 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ * ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 6 75
8   Teimour Radjabov (AZE) 2726 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ * ½ ½ ½ ½ 50
9   Anish Giri (NED) 2768 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ * ½ ½ ½ 5 40
10   Dmitry Jakovenko (RUS) 2747 ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 0 0 ½ ½ * ½ ½ 30
11   Rustam Kasimdzhanov (UZB) 2706 ½ 0 ½ 0 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ * ½ 15
12   Boris Gelfand (ISR) 2748 ½ 0 0 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ * 15

Tbilisi 2015

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3rd stage, Tbilisi, Georgia, 14–28 February 2015[9]
Player Rating 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Total SB TPR GP
1   Evgeny Tomashevsky (RUS) 2716 * ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 1 1 1 ½ ½ 8 170
2   Dmitry Jakovenko (RUS) 2733 ½ * ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 140
3   Teimour Radjabov (AZE) 2731 ½ ½ * ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 6 110
4   Rustam Kasimdzhanov (UZB) 2705 0 ½ ½ * ½ ½ 1 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ 75
5   Leinier Domínguez (CUB) 2726 ½ ½ ½ ½ * ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 75
6   Anish Giri (NED) 2797 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ * ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 75
7   Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (AZE) 2759 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ * 1 1 0 ½ 1 75
8   Alexander Grischuk (RUS) 2810 0 ½ 0 1 ½ ½ 0 * ½ 1 ½ ½ 5 40
9   Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA) 2775 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ * 1 ½ ½ 5 40
10   Baadur Jobava (GEO) 2696 0 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 0 0 * 1 ½ 5 40
11   Peter Svidler (RUS) 2739 ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 * 1 20
12   Dmitry Andreikin (RUS) 2737 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 * 4 10

Khanty-Mansiysk 2015

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4th stage, Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia, 14–26 May 2015[10]
Player Rating 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Total SB TPR GP
1   Dmitry Jakovenko (RUS) 2738 * ½ 1 0 ½ 0 ½ 1 1 ½ ½ 1 140
2   Hikaru Nakamura (USA) 2799 ½ * ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 140
3   Fabiano Caruana (ITA) 2803 0 ½ * ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 140
4   Leinier Domínguez (CUB) 2734 1 ½ ½ * ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 6 85
5   Boris Gelfand (ISR) 2744 ½ ½ ½ ½ * 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 6 85
6   Peter Svidler (RUS) 2734 1 ½ ½ 0 0 * ½ 1 ½ 0 1 ½ 55
7   Alexander Grischuk (RUS) 2780 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ * ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 55
8   Anish Giri (NED) 2776 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ * ½ 1 1 ½ 55
9   Sergey Karjakin (RUS) 2753 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ * 1 ½ 1 55
10   Evgeny Tomashevsky (RUS) 2749 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ 0 0 * 1 ½ 5 30
11   Baadur Jobava (GEO) 2699 ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 * ½ 4 20
12   Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA) 2754 0 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ * 10

Grand Prix standings

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Grand Prix points in bold indicate a tournament win. Green indicates qualifiers of the 2016 Candidates Tournament

Player FIDE rating
May 2015
Baku Tashkent Tbilisi Khanty-
Mansiysk
Total
1   Fabiano Caruana (ITA) 2803 155 75 140 370
2   Hikaru Nakamura (USA) 2799 82 125 140 347
3   Dmitry Jakovenko (RUS) 2738 30 140 140 310
4   Evgeny Tomashevsky (RUS) 2749 82 170 30 282
5   Boris Gelfand (ISR) 2744 155 15 85 255
6   Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (AZE) 2735 35 125 75 235
7   Sergey Karjakin (RUS) 2753 82 75 55 212
8   Teimour Radjabov (AZE) 2738 50 50 110 210
9   Dmitry Andreikin (RUS) 2723 20 170 10 200
10   Alexander Grischuk (RUS) 2780 82 40 55 177
11   Leinier Domínguez (CUB) 2734 10 75 85 170
12   Anish Giri (NED) 2776 40 75 55 170
13   Peter Svidler (RUS) 2734 82 20 55 157
14   Baadur Jobava (GEO) 2699 75 40 20 135
15   Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA) 2754 75 40 10 125
16   Rustam Kasimdzhanov (UZB) 2715 35 15 75 125

References

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  1. ^ "FIDE Grand-Prix 2014-2015 Announcement". FIDE. 20 August 2014. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
  2. ^ Levon Aronian: "I'm Friendly in Everyday Life and a Fighter Over the Board" (interview)
  3. ^ FIDE GP Regulations 2014-15
  4. ^ "International Chess Federation – FIDE".
  5. ^ a b "Grand Prix Announcement". FIDE. 15 October 2014. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
  6. ^ a b "Regulations for the Grand Prix" (PDF). FIDE. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
  7. ^ Baku Grand Prix: Official site
  8. ^ Tashkent Grand Prix: Official site
  9. ^ Tbilisi Grand Prix: Official site
  10. ^ Khanty-Mansiysk Grand Prix: Official site
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