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Opera Euro Rapid (2021) The Opera Euro Rapid was the third event of the $1.5 million Meltwater Champions Chess Tour 2020-2021. The games were played online from 6-14 February 2021 on the chess24 Playzone. It started with a 16-player round robin on the first three days (time control 15 minutes for all moves with 10 seconds added per move from move one), from which the eight best players qualified for an elimination (knockout) phase on the last six days (9-14 February). The action each day began at 16:00 GMT (17:00 CET, 11:00 ET). Prize fund: $100,000, with $30,000 to the winner. Tournament directors: Arne Horvei and Sotiris Logothetis. Chief arbiter: Panagiotis Nikolopoulos. N games played 120 + 64 = 184. Carlsen, Giri, So, Aronian, Vachier-Lagrave, Duda, Radjabov and Dubov qualified for the knockout stage: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 Carlsen * ½ 0 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 ½ 1 1 ½ 1 0 9½ 2 Giri ½ * ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 1 ½ ½ 1 1 9½ 3 So 1 ½ * ½ 0 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ 9 4 Aronian 0 ½ ½ * 1 ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 1 ½ 1 ½ 0 1 8½ 5 Vachier-Lagrave ½ 0 1 0 * ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 8½ 6 Duda ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ * ½ 1 ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 1 1 1 8 7 Radjabov ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ * ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 8 8 Dubov ½ ½ 0 1 0 0 ½ * ½ 1 ½ 0 1 ½ ½ 1 7½ 9 Nakamura 0 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ * 0 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 7½ 10 Shankland 0 ½ 0 0 ½ ½ 0 0 1 * ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 1 7 11 Nepomniachtchi ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ * ½ 0 1 0 ½ 7 12 Vidit 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 0 ½ * 1 ½ ½ 0 6½ 13 Dominguez 0 ½ 1 0 0 1 ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 0 * 1 ½ 0 6½ 14 Grischuk ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 * ½ 1 6½ 15 Bluebaum 0 0 0 1 ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 0 1 ½ ½ ½ * ½ 5½ 16 Ding Liren 1 0 ½ 0 0 0 ½ 0 0 0 ½ 1 1 0 ½ * 5 In the knockout each match consisted of two mini-matches of up to four games each (Rapid 15 + 10), and if 1-1 a tiebreak match of two games (Blitz 5 + 3) plus if necessary an Armageddon game (5 vs 4). Wesley So beat Magnus Carlsen 1½-½ in the final. Quarterfinals (9-10 February) Semifinals (11-12 February) Final (13-14 February) So ½011 11-- -- - 2 Duda ½100 00-- -- - 0 So 101½ ½½1- -- - 2 Radjabov 010½ ½½0- -- - 0 Radjabov ½½10 ½½½½ ½1 - 2 Giri ½½01 ½½½½ ½0 - 1 So ½0½1 1½½½ -- - 1½ Carlsen ½1½0 0½½½ -- - ½ Carlsen 1½1- ½00- 10 1 2½ Dubov 0½0- ½11- 01 0 1½ Carlsen 1½1- ½½00 10 1 2½ Vachier-Lagrave 0½0- ½½11 01 0 1½ Vachier-Lagrave ½1½½ 1½0½ -- - 1½ Aronian ½0½½ 0½1½ -- - ½ Match for 3rd place (13-14 February): Radjabov ½101 11-- -- - 2 Vachier-Lagrave ½010 00-- -- - 0 So netted 46 tour points. Carlsen got 35 points, Radjabov 17 and Vachier-Lagrave 14. Standings after three events: So and Radjabov 108 points each, Carlsen 85, Aronian 65, MVL 50. Official site: https://championschesstour.com/ Regulations: https://championschesstour.com/regu... Chess-Results: http://chess-results.com/tnr548204.... Chess.com: https://www.chess.com/news/view/wes... ChessBase: https://en.chessbase.com/post/opera... chess24 1: https://chess24.com/en/watch/live-t... chess24 2: https://chess24.com/en/watch/live-t... TWIC: https://theweekinchess.com/chessnew... Previous Champions Chess Tour event: Airthings Masters (2020/21)  page 1 of 8; games 1-25 of 184  Game   Result Moves Year Event/Locale Opening 1. Nepomniachtchi vs Nakamura 1-0 64 2021 Opera Euro Rapid C67 Ruy Lopez 2. Ding Liren vs L Dominguez   1-0 51 2021 Opera Euro Rapid A36 English 3. Radjabov vs Duda   ½-½ 64 2021 Opera Euro Rapid D40 Queen's Gambit Declined, Semi-Tarrasch 4. V S Gujrathi vs Grischuk   ½-½ 45 2021 Opera Euro Rapid E06 Catalan, Closed, 5.Nf3 5. Nakamura vs A Giri 1-0 60 2021 Opera Euro Rapid C67 Ruy Lopez 6. Dubov vs Nepomniachtchi ½-½ 81 2021 Opera Euro Rapid B93 Sicilian, Najdorf, 6.f4 7. A Giri vs Nepomniachtchi 1-0 37 2021 Opera Euro Rapid B90 Sicilian, Najdorf 8. Grischuk vs Nakamura   ½-½ 52 2021 Opera Euro Rapid C70 Ruy Lopez 9. Duda vs V S Gujrathi   ½-½ 110 2021 Opera Euro Rapid D32 Queen's Gambit Declined, Tarrasch 10. Carlsen vs S Shankland 1-0 33 2021 Opera Euro Rapid A11 English, Caro-Kann Defensive System 11. Vachier-Lagrave vs Bluebaum   ½-½ 67 2021 Opera Euro Rapid D35 Queen's Gambit Declined 12. A Giri vs V S Gujrathi 1-0 36 2021 Opera Euro Rapid D40 Queen's Gambit Declined, Semi-Tarrasch 13. Grischuk vs Radjabov   ½-½ 49 2021 Opera Euro Rapid B31 Sicilian, Rossolimo Variation 14. Duda vs Ding Liren   1-0 48 2021 Opera Euro Rapid D38 Queen's Gambit Declined, Ragozin Variation 15. L Dominguez vs Carlsen 0-1 72 2021 Opera Euro Rapid B75 Sicilian, Dragon, Yugoslav Attack 16. S Shankland vs Vachier-Lagrave ½-½ 41 2021 Opera Euro Rapid D97 Grunfeld, Russian 17. Bluebaum vs W So 0-1 66 2021 Opera Euro Rapid D04 Queen's Pawn Game 18. Aronian vs Dubov 0-1 36 2021 Opera Euro Rapid B50 Sicilian 19. W So vs Aronian   ½-½ 53 2021 Opera Euro Rapid E39 Nimzo-Indian, Classical, Pirc Variation 20. L Dominguez vs Radjabov   ½-½ 84 2021 Opera Euro Rapid B33 Sicilian 21. S Shankland vs Ding Liren 1-0 54 2021 Opera Euro Rapid E12 Queen's Indian 22. Grischuk vs A Giri   ½-½ 52 2021 Opera Euro Rapid C65 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defense 23. Duda vs Nepomniachtchi   0-1 59 2021 Opera Euro Rapid D87 Grunfeld, Exchange 24. L Dominguez vs Nakamura   ½-½ 48 2021 Opera Euro Rapid C70 Ruy Lopez 25. S Shankland vs V S Gujrathi   1-0 38 2021 Opera Euro Rapid D40 Queen's Gambit Declined, Semi-Tarrasch  page 1 of 8; games 1-25 of 184    REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2)   < Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 2 OF 2 ·  Later Kibitzing> Feb-14-21    GreenLantern: Congratulations to Wesley So. Feb-14-21    WorstPlayerEver: I made screenshots after Wesley won. So funny. Feb-14-21    chancho: That guy who used to play so and so has gotten stronger...so...what's Magnus gonna do? Feb-14-21    saffuna: It sure would be nice to see games more recent than Rd. 3, SIX DAYS ago. Feb-14-21    AngeLa: Congrats to GM Wesley So.. (when do we see magnus get beastmode again?) Feb-14-21    Tabanus: Round 3 was eight days ago. Round 15 was six days ago. Feb-14-21    saffuna: I don't know. All I know is the last games posted were played on February 8. Feb-14-21    WorstPlayerEver: Oh well, hope I can make a financial contribution to the site later this year. I'm very motivated to quit some bad habits which will save me a lot of money. Feb-14-21    0ZeR0: Congratulations, Wesley So. Bravo! Feb-15-21    Sokrates: Agreed. Congratulations to Mr So are called for. It's a very respectable achievement to beat the world champ in rapid matches, even if it's "only" by one point. It seems that WS has gained some edge against MC of late. Unfortunately for him, he didn't qualify for the Candidates, so he won't get a chance to face Carlsen this time, and many things can happen until the next WC match (assuming Carlsen keeps the title, which I still consider very likely). Carlsen has not performed to his usual optimum of late, but I don't think we can draw any conclusions on that. Yes, he did not win in Wijk and now he lost to So, but every world champion has had highs and lows and none of his predecessors has played nearly as many games as he has. The corona and the many restrictions in its wake has had and still has an enormous impact on chess life and chess players, and a long time will pass before we'll be able to analyze and assess it from a distance. Feb-15-21    WorstPlayerEver: Lol they never made more money than now! Even though guys like Fischer and Kaspy tried to killl chess with their egos. Yessir. Feb-15-21    fabelhaft: <every world champion has had highs and lows> This was a low for Carlsen, but he did finish second after missing wins in his last games. But it was an online rapid event, and some conclusions are funny to read :-) At another site the argument is that if Carlsen plays like in this event he is going to lose his title to Nepo in the autumn. It's just that Nepo didn't even finish top eight here, but that is somehow no argument against him beating Carlsen. And he of course also needs to win the Candidates, where MVL is leading on tiebreak. Feb-15-21    WorstPlayerEver: Well, last WCC matches Carlsen has not been more impressive than, let's say, Carl Schlechter. The facts. Feb-15-21    Sokrates: <WPE> Don't do that to the honourable Carl Schlechter. Besides Capa, he was the only one who ever had Lasker on the ropes. Moreover, his fate was one of the saddest in chess history. A humble talent crushed in a cruel world. <fabelhaft> Yes, and agreed. Pointing out a low for Carlsen always needs to be followed by a measure of relativity. Most top players would be thrilled by achieving Carlsen's results in Wijk and in this Opera-event. Feb-16-21    metatron2: <Sokrates: The corona and the many restrictions in its wake has had and still has an enormous impact on chess life and chess players, and a long time will pass before we'll be able to analyze and assess it from a distance> Very True. It seems like covid restrictions and lack of standard chess activity, favored the players who tend to work systematically on their chess. Players that can do productive self training day by day, improving their opening repertoire and work on their weaknesses bit by bit, without getting bored, or feel there is no point doing that because there is no clear target on the horizon. I always considered Wasely So, Giri and Caruana to be that type of players, and indeed So and Giri seemed to make clear improvements during covid. Caruana was already very high prior to covid, but we could see clear improvement in his rapid games. Radjabov also showed significant progress during covid. I used to consider him hard working player as well, but then he had that sudden huge drop and it seems like he disappeared for a few years. He later said that during that time, he actually worked very hard on his chess, rebuilding his opening repertoire to better fit the elite, etc. So he seems to fit that profile as well. Feb-16-21    0ZeR0: <Sokrates> I wholeheartedly agree with your assessment of Schlechter. In fact, I would go so far to say he doesn't get the credit he deserves from many chess fans. After analyzing many of his best games I came to the conclusion that after the unassailable big three (Lasker, Capa, and Alekhine), he was one of the best handful of players of his generation. Feb-16-21    Sokrates: <metatron2> Interesting reflections on the top players who have been able to use the covid situation the most. Working discipline helps, for sure, but there may also be unknown private factors involved. There is also the time format factor. Most of the online tournaments have been in rapid or blitz formats - well weren't all of them, actually? Before the virus it was discussed, whether the classical time format should be replaced with a quicker format. When all this is over (hopefully this year) it shall be interesting to see whether FIDE and others will make the conclusion that classical chess must be reformed. I hope they change the format. Another streak of draws in the world championship match will be intolerable, IMO. Feb-16-21    Sokrates: <0ZeR0> And I fully agree with your further praise of Schlechter. He deserves much more credit in chess history. It is almost unfathomable for us today to learn that he died in 1918 of famine and plain poverty. Chess was played in a completely different world, even at top level. Feb-16-21    saffuna: When are the 58 knockout-round games going to be posted? Feb-16-21    metatron2: <Sokrates: Working discipline helps, for sure, but there may also be unknown private factors involved> Indeed the highly unusual situation affects differently on each player, I just thought that players who have the work discipline that is (almost) independent of external stimulations, could benefit the most of that situation. Carlsen for example, said that while he thinks about chess almost 24/7, he doesn't train systematically on daily bases. Its more like doing the things that he likes to do (including playing online, or reading interesting chess books, etc.). It seems like he needs a clear target in order to focus on a systematic and productive training. And before covid, he had a lot of those targets (= elite tourneys) along the year. And while the series of online rapid tourneys during covid is great, and does give some training motivation, its not enough motivation to do a serious long and deep training job. And I think that most professional chess players tend towards Carlsen's attitude. You need a special character to have Alekhine's "I study chess eight hours a day, on principle" attitude.. <Sokrates: There is also the time format factor. Most of the online tournaments have been in rapid or blitz formats> Sure. But of the 4 players that I mentioned, Giri already showed in Tata that his progress was also relevant to classical over the board chess, and Caruana seemed to (successfully) work on his (relative) weakness in quicker time formats. We are yet to see how W. So and Radjabov will do in classical tourneys, but they played so consistently well in the rapid online format, that it does seem like their overall chess has improved. <Sokrates: I hope they change the format. Another streak of draws in the world championship match will be intolerable, IMO> Well, that belongs to the old quality vs entertaining debate.. Feb-27-21    Sokrates: Hi, <mt2>, Seems like we aren't far from each other, so let's not begin to argue about the beard of the prophet. Yesterday, I learned something more important, and I quote myself from the members' forum: Mr. Levon Aronian has relocated himself to the U.S. under the sponsorship and support of the honorable Mr. Sinquefield. Sadly, the new government in Armenia didn't acknowledge the genius of their brilliant artist in chess. I hope the magnificent player and distinguished gentleman Aronian finds peace and support in his new country. Caruana has already come to his aid. I salute the great Aronian, a friendly chessplayer of great personal calibre. And I still mourn the loss he suffered by the shocking death of his beloved wife. May this new beginning give him hope and solace. Feb-28-21    Clemens Scheitz: A most unfortunate move by Aronian, perhaps it even qualifies as a " blunder", and I'm not so happy about the US federation either for encouraging and accepting it...and according to Levon it's mostly because they didn't buy him a supercomputer (?). I would think that he has enough money to buy an adequate computer almost without having to ask for help. How about playing under FIDE as Firouzja does, at least for a while and see what happens ? My dear Levon, you've come down a bit from the pedestal I had you on, not that you or anyone else cares. Feb-28-21    moronovich: There might be a very slim chance that Aronian knows what he is doing. Just a tiny little one. Feb-28-21    beatgiant: <Clemens Scheitz> The US has always had a lot of top players coming from elsewhere, Steinitz, Reshevsky, Benko, Gulko, Kamsky, Polgar, So, Dominguez Perez, to name a few. You see something wrong with this? On what basis? Feb-28-21    OhioChessFan: <beat>, yep. For a while, Kaidanov was the top rated American. search thread:    < Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 2 OF 2 ·  Later Kibitzing> NOTE: Create an account today to post replies and access other powerful features which are available only to registered users. Becoming a member is free, anonymous, and takes less than 1 minute! If you already have a username, then simply login login under your username now to join the discussion. Please observe our posting guidelines: No obscene, racist, sexist, or profane language. No spamming, advertising, duplicate, or gibberish posts. No vitriolic or systematic personal attacks against other members. Nothing in violation of United States law. No cyberstalking or malicious posting of negative or private information (doxing/doxxing) of members. No trolling. The use of "sock puppet" accounts to circumvent disciplinary action taken by moderators, create a false impression of consensus or support, or stage conversations, is prohibited. 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