Shakhriyar Mamedyarov won the Superbet Chess Classic 2021 with a score of 6.0/9. He remained undefeated and finished a full point ahead of the competition. He also became the first player from Azerbaijan to win a leg of the Grand Chess Tour. Since all games ended up in a draw on the final day, the final standings remain unchanged since the penultimate round. Aronian, So and Grischuk shared the second place 5.0/9. The find of the tournament is definitely Romania no.2 GM Bogdan-Daniel Deac. If India has Gukesh, Pragg, Nihal, Leon, Raunak, Iniyan, Arjuns and more, Romania has Deac who can hold his own against the best in the world. Photo: Lennart Ootes/Grand Chess Tour
Mamedyarov's hat-trick from round 5 to 7 gave us all an inkling about his desire to cross the finish line first. That is exactly what he achieved. He finished a full point ahead of the competition and became the first player from his country Azerbaijan to win a leg in the Grand Chess Tour.
Mamedyarov deservedly wins Superbet Chess Classic 2021 | Photo: Lennart Ootes/Grand Chess Tour
"Of course it is very important for Azerbaijan chess fans and chess lovers. It is very good result for me to win a super tournament like Superbet Chess Classic of Grand Chess Tour." - Mamedyarov on being the first Azerbaijan chess player to win a leg in Grand Chess Tour, before he thanked all the sponsors and organizers for a wonderful event in a beautiful city. He hopes to be back again.
Lupulescu - So: 0.5-0.5
Lupulescu had a quiet draw with So.
Interview with Lupulescu | Video: Saint Louis Chess Club
Lupulescu-So get the all good thumbs up sign from the guest | Photo: Lennart Ootes/Grand Chess Tour
Arbiter we made a threefold repetition. Can we go now please? | Photo: Lennart Ootes/Grand Chess Tour
Caruana - Deac: 0.5-0.5
Caruana and Deac had the longest game of the round. It went for a little over five hours and finally ended up in a draw.
Deac continued his impressive performance till the final round | Photo: Lennart Ootes/Grand Chess Tour
Giri - Grischuk: 0.5-0.5
Giri and Grischuk had a solid draw.
Interview with Alexander Grischuk | Video: Saint Louis Chess Club
Grischuk finished shared second 5.0/9, Giri shared fifth position with Radjabov 4.5/9 | Photo: Lennart Ootes/Saint Louis Chess Club
Vachier-Lagrave - Mamedyarov: 0.5-0.5
Mamedyarov understandably made a solid draw with Vachier-Lagrave to win the event.
A contrast in the final round: One would like to forget this event and for the other it is a memory | Photo: Lennart Ootes/Saint Louis Chess Club
Photo Gallery
The (in)famous Berlin draw | Photo: Lennart Ootes/Grand Chess Tour
First move 1.e4 is being made on Lupulescu-So's board | Photo: Lennart Ootes/Grand Chess Tour
First move 1.e4 also being made on Vachier-Lagrave - Mamedyarov's board | Photo: Lennart Ootes/Grand Chess Tour
The classy Giri | Photo: Lennart Ootes/Grand Chess Tour
Grischuk made a good start at the Grand Chess Tour 2021 season | Photo: Lennart Ootes/Grand Chess Tour
That is mine | Photo: Lennart Ootes/Grand Chess Tour
L to R: Michael Khodarkovsky, Executive Director of Grand Chess Tour, Augusta Dragic, President of the Superbet Chess Foundation, Mamedyarov and GM Cristian Chirila | Photo: Lennart Ootes/Grand Chess Tour
Replay Round 9 games
Round 9 results
All games ended up in draws| Photo: Grand Chess Tour
Standings after Round 9
The Final Standings remained the same as after Round 8 | Photo: Grand Chess Tour
GCT Standings
Mamedyarov leads the Grand Chess Tour 2021 with 13.0 points | Photo: Grand Chess Tour
2021 Superbet Chess Classic: Round 9 | Video: Saint Louis Chess Club
