The Grand Chess Tour 2021 was a series of chess tournaments, which was sixth edition of Grand Chess Tour. It consisted five tournaments, including two tournaments with classical time control and three tournaments with faster time controls. It was won by American grandmaster Wesley So.

Format Tour consists five tournaments, two classicals and three rapid & blitz, respectively. Rapid & Blitz tournaments consisted two parts – rapid (2 points for win, 1 for draw) and blitz (1 point for win, 0.5 for draw). Combined result for both portions was counted in overall standings. The tour points are awarded as follows: {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" ! Place !! Points |- | 1st || 12/13* |- | 2nd || 10 |- | 3rd || 8 |- | 4th || 7 |- | 5th || 6 |- | 6th || 5 |- | 7th || 4 |- | 8th || 3 |- | 9th || 2 |- | 10th || 1

If a player wins 1st place outright (without the need for a playoff), they are awarded 13 points instead of 12. Tour points are shared equally between tied players.

Lineup The lineup was announced on January 13, 2021. Initially, ten players were invited as regular participants, with only difference from cancelled 2020 edition being the absence of Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura and participation of Shakhriyar Mamedyarov and Teimour Radjabov. Later, Ding Liren has withdrawn from the Tour due to COVID-19 travel restrictions in China, being replaced by Richárd Rapport. After winning the Candidates Tournament 2020–2021 and qualifying for the World Chess Championship 2021, Ian Nepomniachtchi also withdrew from the Tour, reducing number of regular participants to nine.

PlayerCountryFIDE Rating (January 2021)Fabiano Caruana2823Maxime Vachier-Lagrave2784Wesley So2770Alexander Grischuk2777Levon Aronian2781Shakhriyar Mamedyarov2770Teimour Radjabov2765Anish Giri2764Richárd Rapport2759

Schedule DatesTournament NameHost city3 June – 15 June 2021Superbet Chess Classic Bucharest20 June – 24 June 2021Paris Rapid & Blitz Paris7 July – 11 July 2021Croatia Rapid & Blitz Zagreb11 August – 16 August 2021Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz St. Louis17 August – 27 August 2021Sinquefield Cup St. Louis

Results DatesTournament NameWinnerRunner-upThird place3 June – 15 June 2021Superbet Chess Classic Shakhriyar Mamedyarov Levon Aronian Wesley So Alexander Grischuk –20 June – 24 June 2021Paris Rapid & Blitz Wesley So Ian Nepomniachtchi (WC) Maxime Vachier-Lagrave Alireza Firouzja (WC)7 July – 11 July 2021Croatia Rapid & Blitz Maxime Vachier-Lagrave Viswanathan Anand (WC) Anish Giri11 August – 16 August 2021Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz Hikaru Nakamura (WC) Fabiano Caruana Richard Rapport17 August – 27 August 2021Sinquefield Cup Maxime Vachier-Lagrave Fabiano Caruana Leinier Domínguez (WC) Wesley So–

Tournaments Superbet Chess Classic The first leg of the 2021 Grand Chess Tour was held in Bucharest, Romania in 3–15 June. It was won by Shakhriyar Mamedyarov from Azerbaijan. {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |+2021 Superbet Chess Classic, 3–15 June Bucharest, Romania, Category XXI (2750.5) ! !! Player !! Rating !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! 9 !! 10 !! Points !! TPR !! Tour Points !! Prize money |- |-style="background:#ccffcc;" | 1 || align=left| || 2770 || || 1 || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || 1 || 1 || ½ || 6 || 2882 || 13 || $90,000 |- | 2 || align=left| || 2781 || 0 || || ½ || 1 || ½ || ½ || 1 || ½ || ½ || ½ || 5 || 2791 || 8.3 || $45,000 |- | 3 || align=left| || 2770 || ½ || ½ || || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || 1 || ½ || ½ || 5 || 2793 || 8.3 || $45,000 |- | 4 || align=left| || 2776 || ½ || 0 || ½ || || ½ || ½ || 1 || ½ || 1 || ½ || 5 || 2792 || 8.3 || $45,000 |- | 5 || align=left| || 2780 || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || || ½ || ½ || ½ || 0 || 1 || 4½ || 2747 || 5.5 || $22,500 |- | 6 || align=left| || 2765 || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || 4½ || 2749 || 5.5 || $22,500 |- | 7 || align=left| || 2627 || ½ || 0 || ½ || 0 || ½ || ½ || || ½ || ½ || 1 || 4 || 2720 || WC (3.5) || $16,250 |- | 8 || align=left| || 2820 || 0 || ½ || 0 || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || || 1 || ½ || 4 || 2698 || 3.5 || $16,250 |- | 9 || align=left| || 2656 || 0 || ½ || ½ || 0 || 1 || ½ || ½ || 0 || || ½ || 3½ || 2672 || WC (1.5) || $11,250 |- | 10 || align=left| || 2760 || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || 0 || ½ || 0 || ½ || ½ || || 3½ || 2660 || 1.5 || $11,250

Paris Rapid & Blitz The second leg of the 2021 Grand Chess Tour was won by Wesley So.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" |+2021 GCT Paris Rapid & Blitz, 20–24 June 2021, Paris, France ! !! Player !! Rapid !! Blitz !! Total !! Tour Points !! Prize money |- |-style="background:#ccffcc;" | 1 || align=left| || 12 || 12½ || 24½ || 13 || $37,500 |- | 2 || align="left"| || 11 || 10½ || 21½ || WC (10) || $25,000 |- | T-3 || align="left"| || 9 || 9 || 18 || 7.5 || $17,500 |- | T-3 || align="left"| || 7 || 11 || 18 || WC (7.5) || $17,500 |- | T-5 || align="left"| || 8 || 9½ || 17½ || 5.5 || $11,250 |- | T-5 || align="left"| || 8 || 9½ || 17½ || 5.5 || $11,250 |- | 7 || align="left"| || 9 || 8 || 17 || WC (4) || $9,000 |- | 8 || align="left"| || 8 || 8½ || 16½ || 3 || $8,000 |- | 9 || align="left"| || 10 || 5½ || 15½ || WC (2) || $7,000 |- | 10 || align="left"| || 8 || 6 || 14 || 1 || $6,000

{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="text-align: center;" |+class=nowrap|2021 GCT Paris Rapid & Blitz – Rapid, 20–22 June 2021, Paris, France ! !! Player !! Rating !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! 9 !! 10 !! Points |- |-style="background:#ccffcc;" | 1 || align="left"| || 2741 || || 1 || 1 || 1 || 2 || 1 || 2 || 1 || 2 || 1 || 12 |- | 2 || align="left"| || 2778 || 1 || || 2 || 1 || 0 || 2 || 1 || 2 || 1 || 1 || 11 |- | 3 || align="left"| || 2667 || 1 || 0 || || 1 || 2 || 0 || 2 || 1 || 2 || 1 || 10 |- | 4 || align="left"| || 2742 || 1 || 1 || 1 || || 2 || 2 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 1 || 9 |- | 5 || align="left"| || 2860 || 0 || 2 || 0 || 0 || || 1 || 1 || 2 || 1 || 2 || 9 |- | 6 || align="left"| || 2778 || 1 || 0 || 2 || 0 || 1 || || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 8 |- | 7 || align="left"| || 2773 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 2 || 1 || 1 || || 1 || 1 || 1 || 8 |- | 8 || align="left"| || 2758 || 1 || 0 || 1 || 1 || 0 || 1 || 1 || || 1 || 2 || 8 |- | 9 || align="left"| || 2727 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 2 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || || 1 || 8 |- | 10 || align="left"| || 2703 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 0 || 1 || 1 || 0 || 1 || || 7

{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="text-align: center;" |+class=nowrap|2021 GCT Paris Rapid & Blitz – Blitz, 23–24 June 2021, Paris, France ! !! Player !! Rating !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! 9 !! 10 !! Points |- |-style="background:#ccffcc;" | 1 || align="left"| || 2816 || || 1 1 || ½ 1 || 0 1 || ½ ½ || 1 1 || ½ ½ || ½ ½ || 1 ½ || ½ 1 || 12½ |- | 2 || align="left"| || 2770 || 0 0 || || 1 1 || 1 ½ || 1 0 || 1 0 || 0 0 || ½ 1 || 1 1 || 1 1 || 11 |- | 3 || align="left"| || 2785 || ½ 0 || 0 0 || || 1 ½ || ½ ½ || ½ 1 || 1 ½ || ½ 1 || 1 ½ || 1 ½ || 10½ |- | 4 || align="left"| || 2739 || 1 0 || 0 ½ || 0 ½ || || ½ 1 || 0 1 || ½ ½ || 1 ½ || 1 0 || ½ 1 || 9½ |- | 5 || align="left"| || 2759 || ½ ½ || 0 1 || ½ ½ || ½ 0 || || ½ ½ || ½ 1 || 0 ½ || ½ 1 || 1 ½ || 9½ |- | 6 || align="left"| || 2822 || 0 0 || 0 1 || ½ 0 || 1 0 || ½ ½ || || 1 ½ || 0 ½ || ½ 1 || 1 1 || 9 |- | 7 || align="left"| || 2711 || ½ ½ || 1 1 || 0 ½ || ½ ½ || ½ 0 || 0 ½ || || ½ 1 || 0 1 || ½ 0 || 8½ |- | 8 || align="left"| || 2754 || ½ ½ || ½ 0 || ½ 0 || 0 ½ || 1 ½ || 1 ½ || ½ 0 || || 1 0 || 0 1 || 8 |- | 9 || align="left"| || 2757 || 0 ½ || 0 0 || 0 ½ || 0 1 || ½ 0 || ½ 0 || 1 0 || 0 1 || || 1 0 || 6 |- | 10 || align="left"| || 2797 || ½ 0 || 0 0 || 0 ½ || ½ 0 || 0 ½ || 0 0 || ½ 1 || 1 0 || 0 1 || || 5½

Croatia Rapid & Blitz The third leg of the Grand Chess Tour was held in Zagreb, Croatia in 7-11 July, 2021. It had a lot of attention from media because of participation of former World Chess Champion Garry Kasparov. The event was won by French grandmaster Maxime Vachier-Lagrave.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" |+2021 Croatia GCT Rapid & Blitz, 7–11 July 2021, Zagreb, Croatia ! !! Player !! Rapid !! Blitz !! Total !! Tour Points !! Prize money |- |-style="background:#ccffcc;" | 1 || align="left"| || 10 || 13 || 23 || 13 || $37,500 |- | 2 || align="left"| || 9 || 12 || 21 || WC (10) || $25,000 |- | 3 || align="left"| || 10 || 10½ || 20½ || 8 || $20,000 |- | T-4 || align="left"| || 11 || 9 || 20 || WC (6.5) || $13,750 |- | T-4 || align="left"| || 10 || 10 || 20 || WC (6.5) || $13,750 |- | 6 || align="left"| || 9 || 10 || 19 || 10 || $10,000 |- | 7 || align="left"| || 8 || 10 || 18 || 4 || $9,000 |- | 8 || align="left"| || 7 || 8½ || 15½ || WC (3) || $8,000 |- | 9 || align="left"| || 10 || 2½ || 12½ || WC (2) || $7,000 |- | 10 || align="left"| || 6 || 4½ || 10½ || WC (1) || $6,000

{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="text-align: center;" |+class=nowrap|2021 Croatia GCT Rapid & Blitz – Rapid, 7–9 July 2021, Zagreb, Croatia ! !! Player !! Rating !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! 9 !! 10 !! Points |- |-style="background:#ccffcc;" | 1 || align="left"| || 2791 || || 0 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 2 || 1 || 2 || 2 || 1 || 11 |- | 2 || align="left"| || 2650 || 2 || || 1 || 1 || 2 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 0 || 1 || 10 |- | 3 || align="left"| || 2831 || 1 || 1 || || 2 || 1 || 0 || 2 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 10 |- | 4 || align="left"| || 2774 || 1 || 1 || 0 || || 1 || 2 || 1 || 1 || 2 || 1 || 10 |- | 5 || align="left"| || 2731 || 1 || 0 || 1 || 1 || || 1 || 2 || 1 || 2 || 1 || 10 |- | 6 || align="left"| || 2761 || 0 || 1 || 2 || 0 || 1 || || 1 || 1 || 1 || 2 || 9 |- | 7 || align="left"| || 2753 || 1 || 1 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 1 || || 1 || 2 || 2 || 9 |- | 8 || align="left"| || 2784 || 0 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || || 1 || 1 || 8 |- | 9 || align="left"| || 2781 || 0 || 2 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 1 || || 2 || 7 |- | 10 || align="left"| || 2543 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 0 || || 6

{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="text-align: center;" |+class=nowrap|2021 Croatia GCT Rapid & Blitz – Blitz, 10–11 July 2021, Zagreb, Croatia ! !! Player !! Rating !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! 9 !! 10 !! Points |- |-style="background:#ccffcc;" | 1 || align="left"| || 2794 || || ½ ½ || 0 1 || 1 ½ || 1 ½ || ½ 1 || 1 ½ || ½ 1 || 1 ½ || 1 1 || 13 |- | 2 || align="left"| || 2785 || ½ ½ || || 0 ½ || ½ ½ || ½ ½ || 1 ½ || 0 1 || 1 1 || 1 1 || 1 1 || 12 |- | 3 || align="left"| || 2744 || 1 0 || 1 ½ || || ½ ½ || ½ 1 || ½ 0 || ½ 1 || 0 1 || ½ ½ || 1 ½ || 10½ |- | 4 || align="left"| || 2765 || 0 ½ || ½ ½ || ½ ½ || || 1 0 || ½ 1 || ½ ½ || 1 0 || ½ 1 || ½ 1 || 10 |- | 5 || align="left"| || 2716 || 0 ½ || ½ ½ || ½ 0 || 0 1 || || 0 1 || 1 1 || 0 0 || 1 1 || 1 1 || 10 |- | 6 || align="left"| || 2799 || ½ 0 || 0 ½ || ½ 1 || ½ 0 || 1 0 || || 0 1 || 1 1 || 0 1 || 1 1 || 10 |- | 7 || align="left"| || 2807 || 0 ½ || 1 0 || ½ 0 || ½ ½ || 0 0 || 1 0 || || 1 1 || 1 ½ || 1 ½ || 9 |- | 8 || align="left"| || 2668 || ½ 0 || 0 0 || 1 0 || 0 1 || 1 1 || 0 0 || 0 0 || || 1 1 || 1 1 || 8½ |- | 9 || align="left"| || 2622 || 0 ½ || 0 0 || ½ ½ || ½ 0 || 0 0 || 1 0 || 0 ½ || 0 0 || || 1 0 || 4½ |- | 10 || align="left"| || 2801 || 0 0 || 0 0 || 0 ½ || ½ 0 || 0 0 || 0 0 || 0 ½ || 0 0 || 0 1 || || 2½

Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz {| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" |+2021 Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz, 12–16 August 2021, St. Louis, Missouri, United States ! !! Player !! Rapid !! Blitz !! Total !! Tour Points !! Prize money |- |-style="background:#ccffcc;" | 1 || align="left"| || 12 || 12 || 24 || WC (13) || $37,500 |- | 2 || align="left"| || 11 || 10 || 21 || 10 || $25,000 |- | 3 || align="left"| || 11 || 8½ || 19½ || 8 || $20,000 |- | 4 || align="left"| || 9 || 9½ || 18½ || 7 || $15,000 |- | 5 || align="left"| || 6 || 11½ || 17½ || WC (6) || $12,500 |- | T-6 || align="left"| || 8 || 9 || 17 || 4.5 || $9,500 |- | T-6 || align="left"| || 7 || 10 || 17 || WC (4.5) || $9,500 |- | 8 || align="left"| || 9 || 7 || 16 || WC (3) || $8,000 |-