Firouzja Clinches Grand Chess Tour, Eyes Sinquefield Cup

With a fighting draw vs. GM Ian Nepomniachtchi, GM Alireza Firouzja clinched the Grand Chess Tour with a round to spare on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the battle for the 2024 Sinquefield Cup continues with GM Fabiano Caruana trailing by a point and in a must-win position heading into the last round.

The Sinquefield Cup will conclude with round nine on Wednesday, August 28, at 12 p.m. ET / 18:00 CEST / 9:30 p.m. IST.  

Round 8 Results

Standings After Round 8

Nepomniachtchi 1/2-1/2 Firouzja

Firouzja unleashed an exchange sacrifice on move 15, seeming to catch Nepomniachtchi by surprise. Continuing ambitiously, Firouzja sacrificed a pawn with check in the hopes of gaining enough activity to compensate. 

When Nepomniachtchi began to gain the upper hand, Firouzja switched gears into active defense in the arising pawn-down ending. Though Nepomniachtchi pressed for 80 moves, the tournament leader ultimately fought his way back to equality. GM Rafael Leitao analyzes this hard-fought duel as our Game of the Day below. 

Firouzja took over the GCT lead with his victory at the Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz and strong showings at the Superbet Classic Romania and the SuperUnited Rapid & Blitz Croatia. Now that he's guaranteed at least second at the Sinquefield Cup, he's clinched the tour because his closest rival, Caruana can no longer catch him.

Congratulations to @AlirezaFirouzja on winning the 2024 #GrandChessTour! He needs only a draw tomorrow to guarantee winning the Sinquefield Cup as well 🏆 pic.twitter.com/3viZO6bJWY

— chess24 (@chess24com) August 27, 2024

Praggnanandhaa 1/2-1/2 Caruana

GM Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu made significant efforts to imbue lively play into his clash with Caruana. In the middlegame, the Indian prodigy gave up part of his king's pawn cover but underestimated his opponent's resources. The 18-year-old grandmaster explained his decision: 

I decided to go for it. Yeah, I could play something else and probably make a draw without any fight. I wanted to keep more game in the position.

I wanted to keep more game in the position.

―Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu

Ding 1/2-1/2 Abdusattorov

GM Ding Liren gained a comfortable, risk-free edge on the kingside, center, and queenside vs. GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov. Yet, the world champion worried that his opponent could create play against the doubled, isolated pawns and decided to accept a threefold-repetition draw on move 23. He explained: 

I thought I might be slightly worse... It looks like I played good moves, but I didn't evaluate well. 

It looks like I played good moves, but I didn't evaluate well.

―Ding Liren

Giri 1/2-1/2 Gukesh

In a Ruy Lopez, GM Gukesh Dommaraju offered a pawn sacrifice vs. GM Anish Giri that soon led to an unstoppable repetition. 

So 1/2-1/2 Vachier-Lagrave

GMs Wesley So and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave traded queens early and fought out an even rook and opposite-color bishop ending until move 49. 

In the final round, Firouzja just needs a draw with White vs. Praggnanandhaa to seal clear first. Caruana's only chance lies in playing for a win vs. Giri and hoping that the GCT victor suffers his first and only loss of the event.

Meanwhile, the five grandmasters on an even score: So, Abdusattorov, Vachier-Lagrave, Praggnanandhaa, and Gukesh will duke it out for third place or even a shot at second if Caruana falters. 

Round 9 Pairings

The 2024 Sinquefield Cup is the last leg and final classical event of the 2024 Grand Chess Tour. Ten players compete in a classical single round-robin for their share of a $350,000 prize fund.

Previous Coverage

• Round 7: Firouzja Beats World Champion, Grows Lead to Full Point
• Round 6: Nepomniachtchi Blunders vs. Dragon, Caruana Chases Firouzja
• Round 5: Firouzja Leads Alone Again, Pushes Giri Out Of Top 20
• Round 4: Wesley So Joins Lead, Firouzja Has 9 Lives
• Round 3: Nepomniachtchi Catches Firouzja In Lead, Firouzja Escapes Vs. Vachier-Lagrave
• Round 2: Challengers Fight, Firouzja Keeps Lead
• Round 1: Firouzja Bests Caruana, Gains Sole Lead
• A Taste of Gukesh vs. Ding at the Grand Chess Tour Finale