FIDE Grand Prix 2012–13
# FIDE Grand Prix 2012–13

The FIDE Grand Prix 2012–13 was a series of six chess tournaments that formed part of the qualification cycle for the World Chess Championship 2014. Veselin Topalov finished first, and Shakhriyar Mamedyarov second in the overall standings. Both therefore qualified for the 2014 Candidates Tournament.

## Format

Eighteen top players were selected to compete in these tournaments. Each player agrees and will contract to participate in four of these tournaments.

Each tournament is a 12-player, single round-robin tournament. This is a change to the 14 player tournaments last cycle. 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. Only the three best tournament results of each player are counted. The player with the most Grand Prix points is the winner.

## Players and qualification

The three highest ranked players on the FIDE rating list chose not to enter the Grand Prix. Those are world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen, 2008–2010 Grand Prix winner Levon Aronian and ex-world champion Vladimir Kramnik. World Champion Viswanathan Anand also declined participation. There were several ways to qualify for the Grand Prix series:

| Player | Country | Qualifying method |
| - | - | - |
| Boris Gelfand | Israel | World Chess Championship 2012 |
| Peter Svidler | Russia | Chess World Cup 2011 |
| Alexander Grischuk | Russia | Chess World Cup 2011 |
| Vassily Ivanchuk | Ukraine | Chess World Cup 2011 |
| Ruslan Ponomariov | Ukraine | Chess World Cup 2011 |
| Teimour Radjabov | Azerbaijan | FIDE rating list (July 2011 and January 2012 average) |
| Sergey Karjakin | Russia | FIDE rating list (July 2011 and January 2012 average) |
| Hikaru Nakamura | United States | FIDE rating list (July 2011 and January 2012 average) |
| Veselin Topalov | Bulgaria | FIDE rating list (July 2011 and January 2012 average) |
| Shakhriyar Mamedyarov | Azerbaijan | FIDE rating list (July 2011 and January 2012 average) |
| Vugar Gashimov | Azerbaijan | FIDE rating list (July 2011 and January 2012 average) |
| Fabiano Caruana | Italy | FIDE President nominee |
| Alexander Morozevich | Russia | AGON nominees |
| Wang Hao | China | AGON nominees |
| Peter Leko | Hungary | AGON nominees |
| Leinier Domínguez | Cuba | AGON nominees |
| Anish Giri | Netherlands | AGON nominees |
| Rustam Kasimdzhanov | Uzbekistan | AGON nominees |
| Michael Adams | England | Replacements by rating |
| Gata Kamsky | United States | Replacements by rating |
| Étienne Bacrot | France | Replacements by rating |
| Wang Yue | China | Replacements by rating |
| Evgeny Tomashevsky | Russia | Replacements by rating |
| Laurent Fressinet | France | Replacements by rating |

## Prize money and Grand Prix points

The prize money is €170,000 per single Grand Prix and €420,000 for the overall Grand Prix finishes.

| Place | Single Grand Prix event | Overall standings | Grand Prix points |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1 | €25,000 | €100,000 | 170 |
| 2 | €22,500 | €80,000 | 140 |
| 3 | €20,000 | €60,000 | 110 |
| 4 | €17,500 | €50,000 | 90 |
| 5 | €15,000 | €40,000 | 80 |
| 6 | €13,000 | €30,000 | 70 |
| 7 | €12,000 | €25,000 | 60 |
| 8 | €11,000 | €20,000 | 50 |
| 9 | €10,000 | €15,000 | 40 |
| 10 | €9,000 | – | 30 |
| 11 | €8,000 | – | 20 |
| 12 | €7,000 | – | 10 |

## Tie breaks

With the objective of determining qualifiers to play in the Candidates 2014, 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:

* Ranking points of the fourth result not already taken in the top three ranking results.
* Number of actual game result points scored in the best three tournaments.
* Game points of the fourth result not already taken in the top three results.
* Number of wins.
* Drawing of lots.

## Schedule

The six tournaments were:

| No. | Host city | Date | Winners | Points (win/draw/loss) |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | London, England | 21 September – 3 October 2012 | Veselin Topalov (BUL) Boris Gelfand (ISR) Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (AZE) | 7/11 (+3=8–0) 7/11 (+4=6–1) 7/11 (+4=6–1) |
| 2 | Tashkent, Uzbekistan | 22 November – 4 December 2012 | Sergey Karjakin (RUS) Wang Hao (CHN) Alexander Morozevich (RUS) | 6½/11 (+3=7–1) 6½/11 (+3=7–1) 6½/11 (+4=5–2) |
| 3 | Zug, Switzerland | 18–30 April 2013 | Veselin Topalov (BUL) | 8/11 (+5=6–0) |
| 4 | Thessaloniki, Greece | 22 May – 3 June 2013 | Leinier Domínguez (CUB) | 8/11 (+6=4–1) |
| 5 | Beijing, China | 4–16 July 2013 | Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (AZE) | 7/11 (+5=4−2) |
| 6 | Paris, France | 22 September – 4 October 2013 | Fabiano Caruana (ITA) Boris Gelfand (ISR) | 7/11 (+4=6–1) 7/11 (+4=6–1) |

The third stage of the Grand Prix was initially to be held in Lisbon, Portugal.

The fourth stage of the Grand Prix was initially to be held in Madrid, Spain.

The fifth stage of the Grand Prix was initially to be held in Berlin, Germany.

## Events crosstables

### London 2012

    1st stage, London, England, 21 September – 3 October 2012 PlayerRating123456789101112TotalSBTPRGP 1 Veselin Topalov (BUL)2752 X½½½½½½1½11½736.252834140 2 Boris Gelfand (ISR)2738 ½X½0½11½1½½1735.752836140 3 Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (AZE)2729 ½½X0½½½½1111734.752836140 4 Alexander Grischuk (RUS)2754 ½11X½½½½½½½½6½36.75280190 5 Peter Leko (HUN)2737 ½½½½X½½1½½½½632.50277080 6 Wang Hao (CHN)2742 ½0½½½X½½½½½15½28.75273970 7 Michael Adams (ENG)2722 ½0½½½½X½0½½1526.75270955 8 Vassily Ivanchuk (UKR)2769 0½½½0½½X½½½1526.00270555 9 Rustam Kasimdzhanov (UZB)2684 ½00½½½1½X½½04½24.25268035 10 Leinier Domínguez (CUB)2725 0½0½½½½½½X½½4½23.75267735 11 Anish Giri (NED)2730 0½0½½½½½½½X0422.00264315 12 Hikaru Nakamura (USA)2783 ½00½½0001½1X420.50263815

### Tashkent 2012

    2nd stage, Tashkent, Uzbekistan, 22 November – 4 December 2012 PlayerRating123456789101112TotalH2HWinsSBTPRGP 1 Sergey Karjakin (RUS)2775 X½1½0½½½1½1½6½1.5334.752808140 2 Wang Hao (CHN)2737 ½X½110½½½½½16½1334.502811140 3 Alexander Morozevich (RUS)2748 0½X1½½½10½116½0.5433.252810140 4 Fabiano Caruana (ITA)2786 ½00X½½½½½11161329.50277680 5 Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (AZE)2764 10½½X½1½½½½½61232.75277780 6 Rustam Kasimdzhanov (UZB)2696 ½1½½½X½½½½½½61133.25278380 7 Peter Svidler (RUS)2747 ½½½½0½X½1½½½5½1.5130.00274750 8 Peter Leko (HUN)2732 ½½0½½½½X½½½15½1128.75274850 9 Ruslan Ponomariov (UKR)2741 0½1½½½0½X½1½5½0.5229.50274750 10 Boris Gelfand (ISR)2751 ½½½0½½½½½X½04½0026.00268330 11 Leinier Domínguez (CUB)2726 0½00½½½½0½X140120.50265220 12 Gata Kamsky (USA)2762 ½000½½½0½10X3½0119.25261410

### Zug 2013

    3rd stage, Zug, Switzerland, 18–30 April 2013 PlayerRating123456789101112TotalH2HWinsSBTPRGP 1 Veselin Topalov (BUL)2771 X1½1½11½1½½½80543.002924170 2 Hikaru Nakamura (USA)2767 0X½½½1½½½½116½0333.002818140 3 Ruslan Ponomariov (UKR)2733 ½½X11½½½½0½½61233.502789100 4 Fabiano Caruana (ITA)2772 0½0X1½½½½11½60330.252785100 5 Gata Kamsky (USA)2741 ½½00X11½½10½5½1329.50275675 6 Alexander Morozevich (RUS)2758 00½½0X½1½11½5½0327.25275675 7 Sergey Karjakin (RUS)2786 0½½½0½X½½½½151126.00272250 8 Anish Giri (NED)2727 ½½½½½0½X½½½½51027.75272750 9 Peter Leko (HUN)2744 0½½½½½½½X½½½51026.50272550 10 Teimour Radjabov (AZE)2793 ½½1000½½½X½½4½1125.25268920 11 Rustam Kasimdzhanov (UZB)2709 ½0½010½½½½X½4½1124.50269620 12 Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (AZE)2766 ½0½½½½0½½½½X4½1025.00269120

### Thessaloniki 2013

    4th stage, Thessaloniki, Greece, 22 May – 3 June 2013 PlayerRating123456789101112TotalH2HWinsSBTPRGP 1 Leinier Domínguez (CUB)2723 X10½½1½11½1180640.002926170 2 Fabiano Caruana (ITA)2774 0X1½½½½1½1117½1537.002883125 3 Gata Kamsky (USA)2741 10X½½11½1½1½7½0539.002886125 4 Ruslan Ponomariov (UKR)2742 ½½½X½0½½½1½160.5231.00278585 5 Alexander Grischuk (RUS)2779 ½½½½X½1½½½½½60.5132.50278285 6 Rustam Kasimdzhanov (UZB)2699 0½01½X1½½½½½5½0228.00275770 7 Hikaru Nakamura (USA)2775 ½½0½00X11½½½50225.50272060 8 Veselin Topalov (BUL)2793 00½½½½0X½0114½0.5222.25268645 9 Peter Svidler (RUS)2769 0½0½½½0½X1014½0.5222.25268845 10 Étienne Bacrot (FRA)2725 ½0½0½½½10X½040.5122.50265925 11 Alexander Morozevich (RUS)2760 000½½½½01½X½40.5119.50265625 12 Vassily Ivanchuk (UKR)2755 00½0½½½001½X3½0118.00262110

### Beijing 2013

    5th stage, Beijing, China, 4–16 July 2013 PlayerRating123456789101112TotalH2HWinsSBTPRGP 1 Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (AZE)2761 X01½1½01½11½70537.002847170 2 Alexander Grischuk (RUS)2780 1X½½½1½½0½½16½0335.252812140 3 Veselin Topalov (BUL)2767 0½X½1½101½½½60.5331.752781100 4 Peter Leko (HUN)2737 ½½½X1½½½½½½½60.5132.752784100 5 Sergey Karjakin (RUS)2776 0½00X½11½1½½5½2.5328.75275065 6 Wang Yue (CHN)2705 ½0½½½X½½½1015½1.5228.75275565 7 Alexander Morozevich (RUS)2736 1½0½0½X½1½015½1329.75275265 8 Anish Giri (NED)2734 0½1½0½½X10½15½1328.75275365 9 Boris Gelfand (ISR)2773 ½10½½½00X½1½51.5227.75271830 10 Wang Hao (CHN)2752 0½½½00½1½X½151226.00272030 11 Vassily Ivanchuk (UKR)2733 0½½½½11½0½X050.5228.25272230 12 Gata Kamsky (USA)2763 ½0½½½000½01X3½0119.75261810

### Paris 2013

    6th stage, Paris, France, 22 September – 4 October 2013 PlayerRating123456789101112TotalH2HWinsSBTPRGP 1 Fabiano Caruana (ITA)2779 X10½½½1½1½1½71430.002840155 2 Boris Gelfand (ISR)2764 0X1½11½½½½½170430.002841155 3 Hikaru Nakamura (USA)2772 10X1½½1½½½½½6½1328.502807100 4 Étienne Bacrot (FRA)2723 ½½0X½½½1½½116½0328.002811100 5 Alexander Grischuk (RUS)2785 ½0½½X½1½½½015½½223.75274375 6 Leinier Domínguez (CUB)2757 ½0½½½X½½½½½15½½125.00274575 7 Vassily Ivanchuk (UKR)2731 0½0½0½X½½11½52220.75271645 8 Ruslan Ponomariov (UKR)2756 ½½½0½½½X½½½½51½023.75271445 9 Evgeny Tomashevsky (RUS)2703 0½½½½½½½X½½½51½023.50271845 10 Wang Hao (CHN)2736 ½½½½½½0½½X½½51024.50271645 11 Laurent Fressinet (FRA)2708 0½½01½0½½½X½4½0118.75268620 12 Anish Giri (NED)2737 ½0½000½½½½½X3½0015.50261510

## Grand Prix standings

Grand Prix points in bold indicate a tournament win. A number in brackets is a player's worst result of four and doesn't add to the total.

Veselin Topalov finished first, and Shakhriyar Mamedyarov was second in the overall standings. Thus, they qualified for the 2014 Candidates Tournament.

Karjakin and Svidler qualified for the Candidates by other paths, so are shown in light green.

| | Player | FIDE rating Aug 2012 | London | Tashkent | Zug | Thessaloniki | Beijing | Paris | Played | Best 3 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Veselin Topalov (BUL) | 2752 | 140 | – | 170 | (45) | 100 | – | 4 | 410 |
| 2 | Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (AZE) | 2729 | 140 | 80 | (20) | – | 170 | – | 4 | 390 |
| 3 | Fabiano Caruana (ITA) | 2773 | – | (80) | 100 | 125 | – | 155 | 4 | 380 |
| 4 | Boris Gelfand (ISR) | 2738 | 140 | (30) | – | – | 30 | 155 | 4 | 325 |
| 5 | Alexander Grischuk (RUS) | 2763 | 90 | – | – | 85 | 140 | (75) | 4 | 315 |
| 6 | Hikaru Nakamura (USA) | 2778 | (15) | – | 140 | 60 | – | 100 | 4 | 300 |
| 7 | Alexander Morozevich (RUS) | 2770 | – | 140 | 75 | (25) | 65 | – | 4 | 280 |
| 8 | Leinier Domínguez (CUB) | 2725 | 35 | (20) | – | 170 | – | 75 | 4 | 280 |
| 9 | Sergey Karjakin (RUS) | 2785 | – | 140 | 50 | – | 65 | – | 3 | 255 |
| 10 | Wang Hao (CHN) | 2726 | 70 | 140 | – | – | (30) | 45 | 4 | 255 |
| 11 | Ruslan Ponomariov (UKR) | 2734 | – | 50 | 100 | 85 | – | (45) | 4 | 235 |
| 12 | Peter Leko (HUN) | 2737 | 80 | 50 | (50) | – | 100 | – | 4 | 230 |
| 13 | Gata Kamsky (USA) | 2746 | – | 10 | 75 | 125 | (10) | – | 4 | 210 |
| 14 | Rustam Kasimdzhanov (UZB) | 2684 | 35 | 80 | (20) | 70 | – | – | 4 | 185 |
| 15 | Vassily Ivanchuk (UKR) | 2769 | 55 | – | – | (10) | 30 | 45 | 4 | 130 |
| 16 | Anish Giri (NED) | 2711 | 15 | – | 50 | – | 65 | (10) | 4 | 130 |
| 17 | Étienne Bacrot (FRA) | 2713 | – | – | – | 25 | – | 100 | 2 | 125 |
| 18 | Peter Svidler (RUS) | 2749 | – | 50 | – | 45 | – | – | 2 | 95 |
| 19 | Wang Yue (CHN) | 2685 | – | – | – | – | 65 | – | 1 | 65 |
| 20 | Michael Adams (ENG) | 2722 | 55 | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 55 |
| 21 | Evgeny Tomashevsky (RUS) | 2730 | – | – | – | – | – | 45 | 1 | 45 |
| 22 | Teimour Radjabov (AZE) | 2788 | – | – | 20 | – | – | – | 1 | 20 |
| 22 | Laurent Fressinet (FRA) | 2714 | – | – | – | – | – | 20 | 1 | 20 |
