Grand Chess Tour 2015

Grand Chess Tour 2015 was an inaugural edition of Grand Chess Tour, an annual circuit of chess tournaments. It was won by incumbent World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen.

The Grand Chess Tour was announced on April 24, 2015, prior to the match between Garry Kasparov and Nigel Short, and was billed as "the biggest announcement in professional chess since 1988." It had three events – Norway Chess in June, Sinquefield Cup in August and London Chess Classic in December. Each tournament consisted of nine regular tour players, who were selected based on their rating, and one wildcard.

Format
Scoring system was as follows:
 * {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

! Place !! Points
 * 1st || 12/13*
 * 2nd || 10
 * 3rd || 8
 * 4th || 7
 * 5th || 6
 * 6th || 5
 * 7th || 4
 * 8th || 3
 * 9th || 2
 * 10th || 1
 * }
 * 6th || 5
 * 7th || 4
 * 8th || 3
 * 9th || 2
 * 10th || 1
 * }
 * 9th || 2
 * 10th || 1
 * }
 * }

Lineup
Eight players, including World Champion Magnus Carlsen, were selected based on their ratings in January 2015. Ninth player invited to the tour was Maxime Vachier-Lagrave. Notably, Sergey Karjakin was absent, despite him being two-time Norway Chess winner and 11th on FIDE rankings in January 2015, while No. 8 Vladimir Kramnik and No. 10 Wesley So declined their invitations.

Wildcard qualifier
EnterCard Chess Qualifier took place in Oslo, Norway on May 10–15, 2015, and determined last wildcard spot. Jon Ludvig Hammer of Norway won the tournament to qualify into the main event.


 * {| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="text-align: center;"

! rowspan=2| !! rowspan=2| Player !! colspan=8| Classical !! colspan=8| Rapid !! rowspan=2| Total Points ! Rating !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! Points !Rating !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! Points
 * +class=nowrap|EnterCard Chess Qualifier, May 10–15, Oslo, Norway
 * -style="background:#ccffcc;"
 * 1 || align=left|🇳🇴 GM Jon Ludvig Hammer (NOR)
 * 2665 || || 1 || 1 || 2 || 2 || 2 || 8
 * 2578|| || 1 || ½ || ½ || 1 || 1 || 4 || 12
 * 2 || align=left| 🇫🇷 GM Laurent Fressinet (FRA)
 * 2712 || 1 || || 2 || 1 || 2 || 2 || 8
 * 2707 || 0 || || ½ || ½ || 1 || 1 || 3 || 11
 * 3 || align=left| 🇳🇴 IM Aryan Tari (NOR)
 * 2520 || 1 || 0 || || 1 || 1 || 1 || 4
 * 2442 || ½ || ½ || || ½ || 1 || 1 || 3½ || 7½
 * 4 || align=left| 🇸🇪 GM Nils Grandelius (SWE)
 * 2623 || 0 || 1 || 1 || || 2 || 1 || 5
 * 2623 || ½ || ½ || ½ || || 0 || 0 || 1½ || 6½
 * 5 || align=left| GM Curt Hansen
 * 2621 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 0 || || 2 || 3
 * 2621 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 1 || || ½ || 1½ || 4½
 * 6 || align=left| 🇳🇴 GM Simen Agdestein (NOR)
 * 2620 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 1 || 0 || || 2
 * 2575 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 1 || ½ || || 1½ || 3½
 * }
 * 6 || align=left| 🇳🇴 GM Simen Agdestein (NOR)
 * 2620 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 1 || 0 || || 2
 * 2575 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 1 || ½ || || 1½ || 3½
 * }
 * }

Blitz tournament
Blitz tournament was played on June 15, 2015, to decide the pairings for the classical tournament. It was won by French grandmaster Maxime Vachier-Lagrave.


 * {| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="text-align: center;"

! !! Player !! Blitz rating !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! 9 !! 10 !! Points !! Black !! Wins !! Black wins
 * +class=nowrap|3rd Norway Chess Blitz, 15 June 2015, Stavanger, Norway
 * 1 || align=left |🇫🇷 Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA) || 2826
 * || 0 || ½ || 1 || ½ || 1 || ½ || 1 || 1 || 1 || 6½ || || ||
 * 2 || align=left | 🇺🇸 Hikaru Nakamura (USA) || 2883
 * 1 || || ½ || 0 || ½ || 1 || 0 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 6 || || ||
 * 3 || align=left | 🇮🇳 Viswanathan Anand (IND) || 2767
 * ½ || ½ || || 0 || 0 || 1 || 1 || ½ || 1 || 1 || 5½ || 5 || 4 || 3
 * 4 || align=left | 🇳🇴 Magnus Carlsen (NOR) || 2933
 * 0 || 1 || 1 || || ½ || ½ || 0 || 1 || ½ || 1 || 5½ || 5 || 4 || 2
 * 5 || align=left | Anish Giri || 2771
 * ½ || ½ || 1 || ½ || || 0 || ½ || ½ || 1 || 1 || 5½ || 4 || ||
 * 6 || align=left | 🇦🇲 Levon Aronian (ARM) || 2816
 * 0 || 0 || 0 || ½ || 1 || || ½ || 1 || 1 || 1 || 5 || || ||
 * 7 || align=left | 🇷🇺 Alexander Grischuk (RUS) || 2839
 * ½ || 1 || 0 || 1 || ½ || ½ || || 0 || 0 || ½ || 4 || || ||
 * 8 || align=left | 🇧🇬 Veselin Topalov (BUL) || 2641
 * 0 || 0 || ½ || 0 || ½ || 0 || 1 || || 0 || 1 || 3 || || ||
 * 9 || align=left | 🇮🇹 Fabiano Caruana (ITA) || 2679
 * 0 || 0 || 0 || ½ || 0 || 0 || 1 || 1 || || 0 || 2½ || || ||
 * 10 || align=left | 🇳🇴 Jon Ludvig Hammer (NOR) || 2648
 * 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || ½ || 0 || 1 || || 1½ || || ||
 * }
 * 8 || align=left | 🇧🇬 Veselin Topalov (BUL) || 2641
 * 0 || 0 || ½ || 0 || ½ || 0 || 1 || || 0 || 1 || 3 || || ||
 * 9 || align=left | 🇮🇹 Fabiano Caruana (ITA) || 2679
 * 0 || 0 || 0 || ½ || 0 || 0 || 1 || 1 || || 0 || 2½ || || ||
 * 10 || align=left | 🇳🇴 Jon Ludvig Hammer (NOR) || 2648
 * 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || ½ || 0 || 1 || || 1½ || || ||
 * }
 * 10 || align=left | 🇳🇴 Jon Ludvig Hammer (NOR) || 2648
 * 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || ½ || 0 || 1 || || 1½ || || ||
 * }

Classical tournament

 * {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

! !! Player !! Rating !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! 9 !! 10 !! Points !! Wins !! H2H !! SB !! TPR !! Tour points
 * +3rd Norway Chess, 16–25 June 2015, Stavanger, Norway, Category XXII (2782)
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 1 || align=left |🇧🇬 Veselin Topalov (BUL) || 2798
 * || ½ || ½ || 0 || ½ || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 6½ || || || || 2946 || 13
 * 2 || align=left | 🇮🇳 Viswanathan Anand (IND) || 2804
 * ½ || || ½ || ½ || ½ || 1 || 1 || ½ || ½ || 1 || 6 || 3 || ½ || 24.75 || 2904 || 10
 * 3 || align=left | 🇺🇸 Hikaru Nakamura (USA) || 2802
 * ½ || ½ || || ½ || 1 || ½ || ½ || ½ || 1 || 1 || 6 || 3 || ½ || 24.50 || 2904 || 8
 * 4 || align=left | Anish Giri || 2773
 * 1 || ½ || ½ || || ½ || ½ || ½ || 1 || ½ || ½ || 5½ || || || || 2862 || 7
 * 5 || align=left | 🇮🇹 Fabiano Caruana (ITA) || 2805
 * ½ || ½ || 0 || ½ || || ½ || 1 || ½ || 0 || ½ || 4 || 1 || ½ || 17.75 || 2736 || 6
 * 6 || align=left | 🇫🇷 Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA) || 2723
 * 0 || 0 || ½ || ½ || ½ || || ½ || ½ || 1 || ½ || 4 || 1 || ½ || 15.75 || 2745 || 5
 * 7 || align=left | 🇳🇴 Magnus Carlsen (NOR) || 2876
 * 0 || 0 || ½ || ½ || 0 || ½ || || 1 || 1 || 0 || 3½ || 2 || || || 2691 || 4
 * 8 || align=left | 🇷🇺 Alexander Grischuk (RUS) || 2781
 * 0 || ½ || ½ || 0 || ½ || ½ || 0 || || ½ || 1 || 3½ || 1 || || || 2702 || 3
 * 9 || align=left | 🇦🇲 Levon Aronian (ARM) || 2780
 * 0 || ½ || 0 || ½ || 1 || 0 || 0 || ½ || || ½ || 3 || 1 || ½ || 13.00 || 2657 || 2
 * 10 || align=left | 🇳🇴 Jon Ludvig Hammer (NOR) || 2677
 * 0 || 0 || 0 || ½ || ½ || ½ || 1 || 0 || ½ || || 3 || 1 || ½ || 11.75 || 2668 ||  WC (1)
 * }
 * 8 || align=left | 🇷🇺 Alexander Grischuk (RUS) || 2781
 * 0 || ½ || ½ || 0 || ½ || ½ || 0 || || ½ || 1 || 3½ || 1 || || || 2702 || 3
 * 9 || align=left | 🇦🇲 Levon Aronian (ARM) || 2780
 * 0 || ½ || 0 || ½ || 1 || 0 || 0 || ½ || || ½ || 3 || 1 || ½ || 13.00 || 2657 || 2
 * 10 || align=left | 🇳🇴 Jon Ludvig Hammer (NOR) || 2677
 * 0 || 0 || 0 || ½ || ½ || ½ || 1 || 0 || ½ || || 3 || 1 || ½ || 11.75 || 2668 ||  WC (1)
 * }
 * 0 || 0 || 0 || ½ || ½ || ½ || 1 || 0 || ½ || || 3 || 1 || ½ || 11.75 || 2668 ||  WC (1)
 * }

Sinquefield Cup

 * {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

! !! Player !! Rating !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! 9 !! 10 !! Points !! Wins !! H2H !! SB !! TPR !! Tour Points
 * + 3rd Sinquefield Cup, 22 August – 3 September 2015, St. Louis, Missouri, United States, Category XXII (2794.6)
 * -style="background:#ccffcc;"
 * 1 || align=left | 🇦🇲 Levon Aronian (ARM) || 2765 ||  || ½ || 1 || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || 1 || ½ || 1 || 6 || || || || 2923 || 13
 * 2 || align=left | 🇳🇴 Magnus Carlsen (NOR) || 2853 || ½ || || ½ || 1 || ½ || 0 || 0 || 1 || ½ || 1 || 5 || 3 || ½ || 21.25 || 2831 || 10
 * 3 || align=left | 🇺🇸 Hikaru Nakamura (USA) || 2814 || 0 || ½ || || ½ || ½ || 1 || 0 || ½ || 1 || 1 || 5 || 3 || ½ || 20.25 || 2835 || 8
 * 4 || align=left | 🇫🇷 Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA) || 2731 || ½ || 0 || ½ || || ½ || ½ || 1 || ½ || ½ || 1 || 5 || 2 || || || 2845 || 7
 * 5 || align=left | Anish Giri || 2793 || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || || 1 || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || 5 || 1 || || || 2838 || 6
 * 6 || align=left | 🇷🇺 Alexander Grischuk (RUS) || 2771 || ½ || 1 || 0 || ½ || 0 || || ½ || 1 || 1 || 0 || 4½ || 3 || || || 2797 || 5
 * 7 || align=left | 🇧🇬 Veselin Topalov (BUL) || 2816 || ½ || 1 || 1 || 0 || ½ || ½ || || 0 || ½ || ½ || 4½ || 2 || || || 2792 || 4
 * 8 || align=left | 🇺🇸 Fabiano Caruana (USA) || 2808 || 0 || 0 || ½ || ½ || ½ || 0 || 1 || || ½ || ½ || 3½ || 1 || || || 2713 || 3
 * 9 || align=left | 🇮🇳 Viswanathan Anand (IND) || 2816 || ½ || ½ || 0 || ½ || ½ || 0 || ½ || ½ || ||  ½ || 3½ || 0 || || || 2712 || 2
 * 10 || align=left | 🇺🇸 Wesley So (USA) || 2779 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || ½ || 1 || ½ || ½ || ½ || || 3 || || || || 2671 ||  WC (1)
 * }
 * 7 || align=left | 🇧🇬 Veselin Topalov (BUL) || 2816 || ½ || 1 || 1 || 0 || ½ || ½ || || 0 || ½ || ½ || 4½ || 2 || || || 2792 || 4
 * 8 || align=left | 🇺🇸 Fabiano Caruana (USA) || 2808 || 0 || 0 || ½ || ½ || ½ || 0 || 1 || || ½ || ½ || 3½ || 1 || || || 2713 || 3
 * 9 || align=left | 🇮🇳 Viswanathan Anand (IND) || 2816 || ½ || ½ || 0 || ½ || ½ || 0 || ½ || ½ || ||  ½ || 3½ || 0 || || || 2712 || 2
 * 10 || align=left | 🇺🇸 Wesley So (USA) || 2779 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || ½ || 1 || ½ || ½ || ½ || || 3 || || || || 2671 ||  WC (1)
 * }
 * 9 || align=left | 🇮🇳 Viswanathan Anand (IND) || 2816 || ½ || ½ || 0 || ½ || ½ || 0 || ½ || ½ || ||  ½ || 3½ || 0 || || || 2712 || 2
 * 10 || align=left | 🇺🇸 Wesley So (USA) || 2779 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || ½ || 1 || ½ || ½ || ½ || || 3 || || || || 2671 ||  WC (1)
 * }
 * }

London Chess Classic

 * {| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"

! !! Player !! Rating !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! 9 !! 10 !! Points !! Wins !! H2H !! SB !! TPR !!Tour Points
 * + 7th London Chess Classic, 3–14 December 2015, London, England, Category XXII (2784)
 * -style="background:#ccffcc;"
 * 1 || align=left | 🇳🇴 Magnus Carlsen (NOR) || 2834 || || ½ || ½ || ½ || 1 || ½ || ½ || 1 || ½ || ½ || 5½ || 2 || 1 || 24.00 || 2859 || 12
 * 2 || align=left | Anish Giri || 2784 || ½ || || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || 1 || ½ || 1 || 5½ || 2 || 1 || 23.00 || 2864 || 10
 * 3 || align=left | 🇫🇷 Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA) || 2773 || ½ || ½ ||  || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || 1 || 1 || 5½ || 2 || 1 || 22.75 || 2865 || 8
 * 4 || align=left | 🇦🇲 Levon Aronian (ARM) || 2788 || ½ || ½ || ½ || || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || 1 || 5 || || || || 2827 || 7
 * 5 || align=left | 🇷🇺 Alexander Grischuk (RUS) || 2747 || 0 || ½ || ½ || ½ ||  || ½ || ½ || ½ || 1 || ½ || 4½ || 1 || || || 2788 || 6
 * 6 || align=left | 🇺🇸 Fabiano Caruana (USA) || 2787 || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ ||  || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || 4½ || 0 || ½ || 20.25 || 2784 || 4.5
 * 7 || align=left | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Michael Adams (ENG) || 2737 || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || || ½ || ½ || ½ || 4½ || 0 || ½ || 20.25 || 2789 ||  WC (4.5)
 * 8 || align=left | 🇺🇸 Hikaru Nakamura (USA) || 2793 || 0 || 0 || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || || 1 || ½ || 4 || || || || 2740 || 3
 * 9 || align=left | 🇮🇳 Viswanathan Anand (IND) || 2796 || ½ || ½ || 0 || ½ || 0 || ½ || ½ || 0 || || 1 || 3½ || || || || 2703 || 2
 * 10 || align=left | 🇧🇬 Veselin Topalov (BUL) || 2803 || ½ || 0 || 0 || 0 || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || 0 || || 2½ || || || || 2616 || 1
 * }
 * 6 || align=left | 🇺🇸 Fabiano Caruana (USA) || 2787 || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ ||  || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || 4½ || 0 || ½ || 20.25 || 2784 || 4.5
 * 7 || align=left | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Michael Adams (ENG) || 2737 || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || || ½ || ½ || ½ || 4½ || 0 || ½ || 20.25 || 2789 ||  WC (4.5)
 * 8 || align=left | 🇺🇸 Hikaru Nakamura (USA) || 2793 || 0 || 0 || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || || 1 || ½ || 4 || || || || 2740 || 3
 * 9 || align=left | 🇮🇳 Viswanathan Anand (IND) || 2796 || ½ || ½ || 0 || ½ || 0 || ½ || ½ || 0 || || 1 || 3½ || || || || 2703 || 2
 * 10 || align=left | 🇧🇬 Veselin Topalov (BUL) || 2803 || ½ || 0 || 0 || 0 || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || 0 || || 2½ || || || || 2616 || 1
 * }
 * 9 || align=left | 🇮🇳 Viswanathan Anand (IND) || 2796 || ½ || ½ || 0 || ½ || 0 || ½ || ½ || 0 || || 1 || 3½ || || || || 2703 || 2
 * 10 || align=left | 🇧🇬 Veselin Topalov (BUL) || 2803 || ½ || 0 || 0 || 0 || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || 0 || || 2½ || || || || 2616 || 1
 * }
 * 10 || align=left | 🇧🇬 Veselin Topalov (BUL) || 2803 || ½ || 0 || 0 || 0 || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || 0 || || 2½ || || || || 2616 || 1
 * }
 * }

Standings

 * {| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"

! !Player ! Norway ! Sinquefield ! London ! Total points ! Prize money
 * -style="background:#ccffcc;"
 * 1 || align=left| 🇳🇴 Magnus Carlsen (NOR) || 4 || 10 || 12 || 26 || $215,000
 * 2 || align=left| 🇳🇱 Anish Giri (NLD) || 7 || 6 || 10 || 23 || $155,000
 * 3 || align=left| 🇦🇲 Levon Aronian (ARM) || 2 || 13 || 7 || 22 || $145,000
 * 4 || align=left| 🇫🇷 Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA) || 5 || 7 || 8 || 20 || $90,000
 * 5 || align=left| 🇺🇸 Hikaru Nakamura (US) || 8 || 8 || 3 || 19 || $95,000
 * 6 || align=left| 🇧🇬 Veselin Topalov (BGR) || 13 || 4 || 1 || 18 || $105,000
 * 7 || align=left| 🇷🇺 Alexander Grischuk (RUS) || 3 || 5 || 6 || 14 || $60,000
 * 8 || align=left| 🇮🇳 Viswanathan Anand (IND) || 10 || 2 || 2 || 14 || $80,000
 * 9 || align=left| 🇺🇸 Fabiano Caruana (US) || 6 || 3 || 4.5 || 13.5 || $55,000
 * 10 || align=left| 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Michael Adams (ENG) || N/A || N/A || 4.5 || 4.5 || $20,000
 * 11 || align=left| 🇳🇴 Jon Ludvig Hammer (NOR) || 1 || N/A || N/A || 1 || $15,000
 * 12 || align=left| 🇺🇸 Wesley So (US) || N/A || 1 || N/A || 1 || $15,000
 * }
 * 7 || align=left| 🇷🇺 Alexander Grischuk (RUS) || 3 || 5 || 6 || 14 || $60,000
 * 8 || align=left| 🇮🇳 Viswanathan Anand (IND) || 10 || 2 || 2 || 14 || $80,000
 * 9 || align=left| 🇺🇸 Fabiano Caruana (US) || 6 || 3 || 4.5 || 13.5 || $55,000
 * 10 || align=left| 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Michael Adams (ENG) || N/A || N/A || 4.5 || 4.5 || $20,000
 * 11 || align=left| 🇳🇴 Jon Ludvig Hammer (NOR) || 1 || N/A || N/A || 1 || $15,000
 * 12 || align=left| 🇺🇸 Wesley So (US) || N/A || 1 || N/A || 1 || $15,000
 * }
 * 11 || align=left| 🇳🇴 Jon Ludvig Hammer (NOR) || 1 || N/A || N/A || 1 || $15,000
 * 12 || align=left| 🇺🇸 Wesley So (US) || N/A || 1 || N/A || 1 || $15,000
 * }
 * 12 || align=left| 🇺🇸 Wesley So (US) || N/A || 1 || N/A || 1 || $15,000
 * }