GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave is the sole leader of the 2024 Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz after the first day of rapid matches. After escaping GM Hikaru Nakamura and turning the tide against GM Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu, the French grandmaster defeated GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov in our match of the day.

There was plenty of fighting chess throughout the day, including a decisive second round. Grandmasters Ian Nepomniachtchi, Levon Aronian and Leinier Dominguez are tied for second place, one point behind.

The Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz will continue with rounds four through six of the rapid segment on Tuesday, August 13, at 2:00 p.m. ET / 8:00 p.m. CET / 11:30 p.m. IST.

Table position

With the conclusion of the European events, the 2024 Grand Chess Tour has reached the Chess Capital of America for its final rapid chess event, the Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz.

GM Fabiano Caruana currently leads the tour comfortably, having won both tournaments he has played in so far, the Superbet Classic Romania and the Superunited Rapid & Blitz Croatia, with GM Alireza Firouzja and Praggnanandhaa hot on his heels in second and third place.

American Grandmasters Nakamura, Dominguez and Aronian join the GCT core players, providing an enticing mix of playing styles and experience levels.

Levon Aronian has already arrived in St. Louis and is looking forward to the start of the #StLRapidandBlitz!#grandchesstour pic.twitter.com/x5kBvni7fH

— Grand Chess Tour (@GrandChessTour) 10 August 2024

Although several games had the potential for a decisive result, Nepomniachtchi was the only winner of the first round. He upset Firouzja with the surprising 63.g4!? and his ambitious play paid off.

Aronian was surprised by Praggnanandhaa in the opening and was already 18 minutes behind on move 17. The prodigy used his time advantage until the endgame and was close to a decisive advantage.

In an endgame arising from the Sicilian Dragon Variation, Dominguez discovered a clever perpetual check to untangle his pieces against Abdusattorov.

In round two, every game was crucial. Firouzja combined tactics and positional nuances to gain a superior knight against GM Wesley So’s constrained bishop.

Vachier-Lagrave fought back from a worse position against Praggnanandhaa and eventually turned the result into a win in the rook endgame. However, he later revealed: “Towards the end I almost fell victim to a beautiful trap.”

The rest of the round was marked by a series of shocking blunders. First, Caruana blundered with a bishop in a time struggle against Dominguez.

Nakamura made a mistake that dissipated his strength and gave Abdusattorov the opportunity to prevail tactically.

Nodirbek Abdusattorov defeated Hikaru Nakamura! Watch the final minutes of this intense and emotional match!#stlrapidblitz #grandchesstour pic.twitter.com/npcG9vQFJZ

— Grand Chess Tour (@GrandChessTour) 12 August 2024

Nepomniachtchi lost a pawn to Aronian, who eventually wore down his opponent and took the full point.

In the final round of the day, the two best Americans, Nakamura and Caruana, faced each other in a fierce battle from the start. Both kings danced through the middle as attacking opportunities passed between the players. But Nakamura gained a huge time advantage by move 10, making the double-edged position difficult for Caruana.

Nepomniachtchi sacrificed a pawn to gain attacking opportunities on the kingside against Praggnanandhaa. GM Peter Svidler shared his insights on the psychological side of Nepomniachtchi’s approach:

This is a typical Ian game after a loss. He just finds a way to bluff a little. He’s down a whole pawn, but the knight on h4 has a very nice f5 square. There’s a lot to look forward to.

In the end, Nepomniachtchi’s fast, aggressive play won out. Praggnanandaa found no clear way to exploit his advantage and made inaccuracies in time trouble, while the two-time challenger closed the game with almost no time left.

What a win for Ian!🤩 At the end of the game, Ian had 20 minutes left!🙌 Follow the live broadcast to catch all the action♟️🔥
♚
♚
♚#STLChessClub #STLRapidBlitz #GrandChessTour pic.twitter.com/mXLZuYAJN7

— Saint Louis Chess Club (@STLChessClub) 12 August 2024

Vachier-Lagrave ended the day with a clear endgame victory against Abdusattorov. The French grandmaster’s victory, which put him in the lead in the tournament, is our game of the day. Below you will find an analysis by GM Rafael Leitao.

Vachier-Lagrave shared his thoughts on each round:

I’m fine, of course, but I had a few problems in my two games with Black. First against Hikaru, the position was a bit questionable until the end… and then of course against Pragg, that English Defense, which didn’t go so well, and that endgame, which was more defensive for a while. I just got my chance when I got it.

Will he be able to maintain his lead with a pack of players chasing him? Will Caruana and Praggnanandhaa bounce back after their rocky starts?