Grandmaster Alireza Firouzja Wins Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz and Sinquefield Cup to Clinch 2024 Grand Chess Tour Victory
Grand Chess Tour to Celebrate 10th Anniversary in 2025; Announces New Tour Schedule
SAINT LOUIS August 29, 2024 – In commanding fashion, Grandmaster Alireza Firouzja Wins 2024 Grand Chess Tour
SAINT LOUIS August 29, 2024 – In commanding fashion, Grandmaster (GM) Alireza Firouzja from France won both the 2024 Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz and Sinquefield Cup to become the overall 2024 Grand Chess Tour (GCT) champion for the second time in just two years, winning $323,500 for his outstanding performance.
“It was a tiring journey but I enjoyed every step. It’s very important to have experience and know how to manage the tournament when you are in the lead to ensure you don’t get crushed by this field. I am younger, but I have experience that helped me,” said Firouzja. “The GCT is very difficult to win; it’s a long tournament with the best players, and I’m thankful to win it two times.”
“This year’s tour was one of the strongest ever because all the top players competed in our various tournaments across the world. There has been a lot of excitement and incredible chess throughout the season, and we are excited to congratulate Alireza Firouzja on a spectacular performance in Saint Louis to win the 2024 tour for an impressive second time,” said legendary World Champion Garry Kasparov, one of the world’s greatest ambassadors for chess and co-creator of GCT.
U.S. Grandmaster Fabiano Caruana finished second – winning both the Superbet Chess Classic Romania and SuperUnited Rapid & Blitz Croatia – and took home $234,250. GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave from France finished in third, winning $129,333.
“The Saint Louis Chess Club is proud to serve as the final leg of the GCT where we always see thrilling chess play and heroic performances each year,” said Rex Sinquefield, co-founder of the Saint Louis Chess Club. “Congratulations to GM Firouzja for sweeping the Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz and Sinquefield Cup to win the entire tour…again!”
FINAL 2024 GRAND CHESS TOUR STANDINGS
The 2024 GCT, a leading global circuit of international chess tournaments, featured the world’s best players, including nine full tour players plus wildcard players like 16th World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen, and current World Chess Champion Ding Liren. Players competed for a total purse of $1.5 million in five international events held across the world in Croatia, Poland, Romania and the United States.
Overall standings for the 2024 GCT include:
| POSITION | NAME | COUNTRY | PRIZE MONEY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | GM Alireza Firouzja | FRA | $323,750 |
| 2 | GM Fabiano Caruana | USA | $234,250 |
| 3 | GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave | FRA | $129,333 |
| 4 | GM Wesley So | USA | $91,333 |
| 5 | GM Praggnanandhaa R. | IND | $107,583 |
| 6 | GM Gukesh D. | IND | $97,583 |
| T-7 | GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov | UZB | $74,500 |
| T-7 | GM Ian Nepomniachtchi | FIDE | $61,833 |
| 9 | GM Anish Giri | NED | $50,333 |
FIROUZJA SWEEPS SAINT LOUIS RAPID & BLITZ AND SINQUEFIELD CUP
Throughout the month of August, many of the world’s best chess grandmasters participated in the Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz and Sinquefield Cup tournaments hosted by the Saint Louis Chess Club at the World Chess Hall of Fame in Saint Louis, Mo.
As an integral component of the GCT since 2017, the 2024 Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz tournament did not disappoint with 27 rounds of fast-paced action, culminating in a championship for GM Alireza Firouzja. U.S. GMs Wesley So and Hikaru Nakamura finished in second and third place, respectively.
Immediately following the Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz, players returned for the Sinquefield Cup, the final leg of the 2024 GCT. GM Alireza Firouzja took an early lead and stayed in control throughout the tournament. GM Fabiano Caruana clawed his way back to finish in second after a slow start, while GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov from Uzbekistan and GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave from France finished in a tie for third place.
“Congratulations to Alireza Firouzja for becoming the overall 2024 Grand Chess Tour champion, and to all the players for their amazing play, bringing us thrills and inspiration. We look forward to hosting top players in Bucharest, Warsaw, and Zagreb again next year as the GCT marks its 10th anniversary,” said Augusta Dragic, President of the Superbet Foundation.
Visit the Saint Louis Chess Club YouTube channel to rewatch all of the exciting tournament action and view Firouzja’s winner’s interview.
GRAND CHESS TOUR 2025 SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED
Returning in 2025, the GCT will celebrate its 10th anniversary and promises even more excitement and exceptional chess from the world’s top players, including a purse of more than $1.5 million dollars and the return of a knockout finals for the top four players of the regular season. Organizers for the GCT also announced the 2025 tour schedule:
The prize fund is provided by the 2025 GCT major sponsors Superbet Foundation and Saint Louis Chess Club, both non-profit organizations that support chess education and the mission to expand the game of chess to a worldwide audience.
