Challengers Chess Tour Finals featuring Leon and Praggnanandhaa starts today

by Shahid Ahmed - 14/10/2021

GMs Leon Luke Mendonca and R Praggnanandhaa will start their campaign at Julius Baer Challengers Chess Tour Finals today. A total of US$ 40,000 prize fund with the first prize being US$ 12,500 and a regular spot at the next year's Meltwater Champions Chess Tour is up for grabs. Leon will face GM Vincent Keymer (GER) and Praggnanandhaa wil go against IM Volodar Murzin (RUS) in the Quarterfinals. GM Lei Tingjie (CHN) is the sole female player in the Finals. The knockout event will have a best of four 15+10 rapid games. There will be two 5+3 blitz games in tie-breaks and Armageddon if required. Pragg-Murzin and Yoo-Tingjie will take place today from 7:30 p.m. IST. Photo: Challengers Chess Tour

Who will win the Finals?

Team Polgar may have won the team battle against Team Kramnik, however Kramnik has five representation in the Finals which means Polgar has three. Vincent Keymer has won two events among the finalists, Praggnanandhaa has won one. If both of them win their respective Quarterfinal matches, they will then face each other in the Semifinals.

Praggnanandhaa and Leon are the only two Indians in the Finals | Photo: chess24

The eight finalists | Photo: Challengers Chess Tour

The legends - Vladimir Kramnik and Judit Polgar will do the live commentary of the Finals | Photo: chess24

Schedule

Every day between 14th and 17th October, game starts at 7:30 p.m. IST.

Brackets for the Finals | Photo: chess24

Julius Baer Challengers Chess Tour schedule | Photo: Champions Chess Tour

Format

The format for the final eight-player knockout will be four rapid games with 10 minutes per player for each game, plus a 5-second increment added each move. If the score is level at 2:2 a playoff will feature two 5+3 blitz games. If needed, there will be Armageddon to decide the winner of the match.