Grand Chess Tour Bucharest 6-10 November 2019

[Chris Rice]

Here's the blurb "The 2019 Superbet Rapid & Blitz is Europe’s new addition to the tour and will provide another unique location for the 2019 tour participants. The tournament is sponsored by Fundatia Superbet and will see 7 full tour participants and 3 wildcards compete over 9 rounds of rapid and 18 rounds of blitz chess for a prize fund of $150,000. The event will be hosted at the prestigious Stejarii Country Club in Bucharest, an ideal setting for what could well be a pivotal stop as the players fight for one of the four key qualifying spots to the GCT Finals in London."

Players and schedule here.

[JustinHorton]

as the players fight for one of the four key qualifying spots

What is "key" adding here?

[David Sedgwick]

Here's the blurb "The 2019 Superbet Rapid & Blitz is Europe’s new addition to the tour and will provide another unique location for the 2019 tour participants. The tournament is sponsored by Fundatia Superbet and will see 7 full tour participants and 3 wildcards compete over 9 rounds of rapid and 18 rounds of blitz chess for a prize fund of $150,000. The event will be hosted at the prestigious Stejarii Country Club in Bucharest, an ideal setting for what could well be a pivotal stop as the players fight for one of the four key qualifying spots to the GCT Finals in London."

Players and schedule here.

Beaten to it. Thanks Chris.

[Chris Rice]

as the players fight for one of the four key qualifying spots

What is "key" adding here?

A sense of gravitas.

[Chris Rice]

Standings after 3 rapid games (2 point for a win, 1 for a draw) on Day 1:

1 Giri 5/6
2-4 Aronian, Anand, Korobov 4
5-7 Caruana, Mamedyarov, Le, Quang Liem 3
8 Karjakin 2
9-10 So, Artemiev 1

Report on Day 1 from Peter Doggers which features the game Boris Becker - Caruana from the Opening Ceremony. Boris lost on time.

[Chris Rice]

We've all been there Fabiano