Richard Rapport wins FIDE Belgrade GP 2022, now World no.7
Richard Rapport defeated Dmitry Andreikin in the second game of the Finals to win FIDE Belgrade GP 2022. He now leads the GP standings with 20 points and has very good chances to secure his place in the FIDE Candidates 2022. After a draw in the first game, the Hungary no.1 made an interesting exchange sacrifice which required some precise calculations by his opponent to secure a draw by perpetual. Unfortunately for the FIDE World Cup 2013 runner-up, he was unable to find it and the creative genius Rapport won the game. This win elevated Rapport to World no.7 in the live ratings as he moved to his career high rating 2776.4. Photo: Mark Livshitz/FIDE
Rapport is now that much closer to Candidates 2022
"...I am obviously overwhelmed. It's always an incredible feeling to win a final game especially when you know it's a knockout event. I am extremely happy. About the Candidates, I feel like mathematically it's still possible for me not to qualify, which knowing myself is a real possibility. On the other hand of course, I don't really care. I mean I gave my all here in Belgrade where I live by the way. After having so many good memories with the city, I couldn't afford to have a bad one right?" - Richard Rapport on his FIDE Candidates 2022 chances after winning the FIDE Belgrade GP 2022. He also added, "It was very tense game, let's put it this way. I, of course clearly wasn't my best game ever, nor probably best game from this tournament. Usually these last round games when both players are trying to achieve something, at least in my experience, bringing such a struggle there. Of course I am extremely happy... I would also like to thank my wife because I didn't really have a big team of people. Some friends were writing to me throughout the tournament but she was there with me from step one basically and already for a very very long time and finally we did it. I guess I will celebrate with her."
Game 2: Rapport - Andreikin: 1-0
After a quiet draw in the first game, the second game also seemed to have headed towards another draw. In the endgame, Richard Rapport decided to spice things up 31.f5
White offered up his exchange on f1. The idea is to stir up some trouble for the black king. 31...Nxf1 32.fxe6+ and now Black erred 32...Ke8. 32...Ke7 would have been fine for Black to get a draw by perpetual check eventually. However, 32...Ke8 is lost because Black can neither get a perpetual check nor defend the checkmate threat or pawn promotion as all resultant endgames are lost for Black.
World champion Magnus Carlsen's head coach, Peter Heine Nielsen tweeted his criticism about the FIDE Grand Prix system
Replay Final Games
FIDE GP 2022 standings
Time control
The time control for each standard game in pools and play-off is: 90 minutes for the first 40 moves, followed by 30 minutes for the rest of the game with an increment of 30 seconds per move starting from move 1. In case if a player arrives at the chessboard with a delay of up to 15 minutes from the actual start of the game, he/she should be charged of five hundred (500) euros deducted from his/her prize money. In case of delay of more than 15 minutes, the player loses the game (without financial penalty).
Draw
The players cannot draw any game by mutual agreement before black’s 30th move. A claim for a draw before black’s 30th move is permitted only in the case of a draw by repetition.
Prize
Each Grand Prix tournament has a total prize fund - €150000.
