Praggnanandhaa, MVL, Caruana, and Aronian Clash at Grand Chess Tour 2025 Finals
The Grand Chess Tour 2025 Finals begins today at the World Trade Center in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
R Praggnanandhaa will face Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (MVL) from France, while Fabiano Caruana will compete against Levon Aronian from the USA.
In the first Classical game, Praggnanandhaa and Caruana will have the white pieces. Colors will reverse in the Rapid and Blitz matches.
Each Semifinal consists of:
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2 Classical games
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2 Rapid games
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4 Blitz games
All games will be played to the end, even if a match is already decided. Each match has a maximum of 28 points.
The first semifinal game starts today at 3 p.m. local time (11:30 p.m. IST).
Exciting Moments Off the Board
The event is more than chess. Fans are enjoying:
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Photo sessions with players and officials
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Musical performances
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Simultaneous exhibition games by Garry Kasparov
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Moments of fun, like Kasparov and Caruana sharing a laugh
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Fans getting Kasparov’s autograph on books like My Great Predecessors
Schedule & Format
The Grand Chess Tour Finals runs from 28th September to 3rd October.
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No rest day.
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Each round starts at 3 p.m. local time (11:30 p.m. IST).
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On the final day, games start at 1 p.m. local time (9:30 p.m. IST).
Each match will include 2 Classical, 2 Rapid, and 4 Blitz games, regardless of earlier results.
Time Controls
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Classical: 40 moves in 90 minutes + 30 minutes for the remainder + 30-second increment from move 1
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Rapid: 25 minutes + 10-second increment
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Blitz: 5 minutes + 2-second increment
Scoring System
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Classical: Win = 6, Draw = 3, Loss = 0
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Rapid: Win = 4, Draw = 2, Loss = 0
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Blitz: Win = 2, Draw = 1, Loss = 0
Matches are scored out of 28 points. A player needs at least 15 points to win.
Prize Fund
The total prize fund is $350,000.
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1st place: $150,000
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2nd place: $100,000
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3rd place: $60,000
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4th place: $40,000
The Grand Chess Tour Finals 2025 promises exciting games, top players, and thrilling moments for chess fans worldwide.
Photos: Lennart Ootes
Source: CHESSBASE
