Anand and Kasparov will return to action at Croatia Rapid and Blitz GCT

by Shahid Ahmed - 07/07/2021

This year's Grand Chess Tour has a tight schedule. The third event of this season and the second rapid and blitz tournament will take place at Kongresni Centar NSK, Zagreb, Croatia from 7th to 11th July 2021. Anand will make his return to competitive chess for the first time since winning the Gold at the FIDE Online Olympiad 2020. He will be joined by his longtime rival over the board and friend, Kasparov. They will be competing with World Championship Challenger - Nepomniachtchi, Vachier-Lagrave, Grischuk, Superbet Chess Classic 2021 winner Mamedyarov, Giri, Jorden van Foreest, Saric, Korobov and Duda. Photo: Lennart Ootes/Grand Chess Tour

All eyes on Anand, Kasparov and Nepomniachtchi

The third event of 2021 Grand Chess Tour will be a rapid & blitz event, the second rapid and blitz tournament of the season. Only four out of nine full-tour participants will be seen in action along with seven wild-card entrants including the highly anticipated return of two legends - Anand and Kasparov.

The entire chess universe is looking forward to the clash between Kasparov and Anand | Photo: Lennart Ootes/Grand Chess Tour

The players and officials of Croatia Rapid and Blitz GCT | Photo: Lennart Ootes/Grand Chess Tour

Schedule and Format

2021 Croatia Rapid and Blitz will have three rounds of Rapid games per day between 7th and 9th July. The Blitz tournament will be played on 10th and 11th July in a double Round-Robin format with nine rounds taking place each of those days. Everyday game starts at 3 p.m. local time (6:30 p.m. IST). It will be a 10-player Round Robin event. Time control for Rapid will be 25 minutes each plus 10 seconds increment from move 1 and for Blitz, it will be 5 minutes each plus 2 seconds increment from move 1.

2021 Croatia Rapid and Blitz schedule | Photo: Grand Chess Tour

Participants

The lineup includes only four full-tour players and seven wild card entrants. The full-tour participants are - Vachier-Lagrave, Grischuk, Mamedyarov and Giri. It will be an interesting event as both Kasparov and Anand will make their return to over-the-board tournament after over a year-long gap. They will be joined by the current World Championship Challenger - Nepomniachtchi, Tata Steel Chess 2021 winner Jorden van Foreest, Croatia no.1 Ivan Saric, four-time Ukraine champion Anton Korobov and Poland no.1 Jan-Krzysztof Duda.

The participants of the 2021 Superbet Chess Classic | Photo: Grand Chess Tour

Prize

The total prize fund for each of the Rapid and Blitz event is US$ 150000 with the first prize being US$ 37500.

Photo Gallery

Kasparov has authored 'Winter is Coming', Nepomniachtchi is wearing 'The North Remembers' - Game of Thrones fans will know if it's a happenstance | Photo: Lennart Ootes/Grand Chess Tour

Anand delivers his speech | Photo: Lennart Ootes/Grand Chess Tour

Kasparov shares his thoughts | Photo: Lennart Ootes/Grand Chess Tour

World Championship Challenger - Ian Nepomniachtchi | Photo: Lennart Ootes/Grand Chess Tour

Tata Steel Chess 2021 winner Jorden van Foreest | Photo: Lennart Ootes/Grand Chess Tour

Poland no.1 Jan-Krzysztof Duda | Photo: Lennart Ootes/Grand Chess Tour

Dutch no.1 Anish Giri | Photo: Lennart Ootes/Grand Chess Tour

Former three-time World Blitz champion - Alexander Grischuk | Photo: Lennart Ootes/Grand Chess Tour

Croatia no.1 Ivan Saric | Photo: Lennart Ootes/Grand Chess Tour

Superbet Chess Classic 2021 winner - Shakhriyar Mamedyarov | Photo: Lennart Ootes/Grand Chess Tour

Kasparov plays a friendly game... | Photo: Lennart Ootes/Grand Chess Tour

...Kasparov makes his move 1...e5 | Photo: Lennart Ootes/Grand Chess Tour

Kasparov fist bumps | Photo: Lennart Ootes/Grand Chess Tour

Links

Source

Grand Chess Tour official site

Watch the tournament live on Kasparovchess

Tournament regulations

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