Harikrishna will debut at Saint Louis Rapid and Blitz Online today
Harikrishna has played in 2020 Champions Showdown early this year in Saint Louis, Missouri, USA. However he will make his debut in Saint Louis Rapid and Blitz Online. The over-the-board event was part of a Grand Chess Tour. Since all events got either cancelled or delayed, Saint Louis Chess Club continued with their tradition and this time took the event online to make sure the super strong event takes place. With a fantastic performance at Biel Masters, winning Gold for Team India at FIDE Online Olympiad and also for Team VOTUM SA Polonia Wrocław in 2020 Polish Team Championship, Harikrishna is definitely in a great form. He will have a great competition against World's best top and talented young players from tonight 11:30 p.m. IST. Photo: Biel Chess Festival
Tough battle ahead for the in-form Hari
India no.2 and currently World no. 20 GM Pentala Harikrishna will be seen in action along with World Champions and talented young players in Saint Louis Rapid and Blitz which will take place online on lichess from 15th to 19th September 2020 organized by Saint Louis Chess Club. The tournament will have a total Prize fund is US$ 250000 where the winner will walk away with $50000.
Schedule
| DATE | TIME | EVENT |
| Sept. 15 | 11:30 p.m. | Rapid Round 1 |
| Sept. 15 | 12:45 a.m. | Rapid Round 2 |
| Sept. 15 | 2:00 a.m. | Rapid Round 3 |
| Sept. 16 | 11:30 p.m. | Rapid Round 4 |
| Sept. 16 | 12:45 a.m. | Rapid Round 5 |
| Sept. 16 | 2:00 a.m. | Rapid Round 6 |
| Sept. 17 | 11:30 p.m. | Rapid Round 7 |
| Sept. 17 | 12:45 a.m. | Rapid Round 8 |
| Sept. 17 | 2:00 a.m. | Rapid Round 9 |
| Sept. 18 | 11:30 p.m. | Blitz Round 1 |
| Sept. 18 | 11:55 p.m. | Blitz Round 2 |
| Sept. 18 | 12:20 a.m. | Blitz Round 3 |
| Sept. 18 | 12:45 a.m. | Blitz Round 4 |
| Sept. 18 | 1:00 a.m. | Break |
| Sept. 18 | 1:15 a.m. | Blitz Round 5 |
| Sept. 18 | 1:40 a.m. | Blitz Round 6 |
| Sept. 18 | 2:05 a.m. | Blitz Round 7 |
| Sept. 18 | 2:30 a.m. | Blitz Round 8 |
| Sept. 18 | 2:55 a.m. | Blitz Round 9 |
| Sept. 19 | 11:30 p.m. | Blitz Round 1 |
| Sept. 19 | 11:55 p.m. | Blitz Round 2 |
| Sept. 19 | 12:20 a.m. | Blitz Round 3 |
| Sept. 19 | 12:45 a.m. | Blitz Round 4 |
| Sept. 19 | 1:00 a.m. | Break |
| Sept. 19 | 1:15 a.m. | Blitz Round 5 |
| Sept. 19 | 1:40 a.m. | Blitz Round 6 |
| Sept. 19 | 2:05 a.m. | Blitz Round 7 |
| Sept. 19 | 2:30 a.m. | Blitz Round 8 |
| Sept. 19 | 2:55 a.m. | Blitz Round 9 |
Time is in IST
Pairings
It will be a rapid and blitz event. Rapid event will be played in a single round-robin format and Blitz event will be held in a double round-robin format. Three rounds of rapid games will be played each day between 15th and 17th September, nine rounds of blitz games will be played on 18th and 19th September.
Scoring
• In each rapid game, a win is worth 2 points, a draw is worth 1 point and a loss is worth 0 points.
• In each blitz game, a win is worth 1 point, a draw is worth ½ point and a loss is worth 0 points. Games will not be rated.
Time Control
• The rapid time control will be 25 minutes per game, with a 5-second increment from move one.
• The blitz time control will be 5 minutes per game, with a 3-second increment from move one.
Prizes
| PLACE | PRIZE |
| 1st | $50,000 |
| 2nd | $40,000 |
| 3rd | $35,000 |
| 4th | $30,000 |
| 5th | $25,000 |
| 6th | $20,000 |
| 7th | $15,000 |
| 8th | $13,000 |
| 9th | $12,000 |
| 10th | $10,000 |
Total Prize fund is US$250000.
Participants
The tournament has a very good mixture of World's best top and youth players - World Champion Magnus Carlsen, Speed King Hikaru Nakamura, Fischer Random Official World Champion Wesley So, Ian Nepomniachtchi, former World Blitz Champion Alexander Grischuk, two-time World Cup winner Levon Aronian, five-time Cuban National Champion Leinier Dominguez-Perez, talented youth Alireza Firouzja and Jeffery Xiong will be joined by our very own India no.2 and currently World no.20 Pentala Harikrishna.
What is Harikrishna up to lately?
Harikrishna won the Gold for Team India at the FIDE Online Olympiad. Among over-the-board events, he won Gold for VOTUM SA Polonia Wrocław in 2020 Polish Team Championship.
Links
Follow Harikrishna on twitter
Saint Louis Rapid and Blitz official site
