Only minimal coverage today, but the events deserve mention. The more serious event is Norway Chess, which continues with its odd format. At the start of each day it seems like a normal classical tournament, but there's a twist: if the game finishes in a draw the players start over, with the same colors, and play an Armageddon game with a much shorter time control. If a player wins the classical game, he wins the round 3-0. If the game goes to Armageddon, then the players get a point each for the draw while the winner of the Armageddon (that is, the winner of the game, or the player with Black in case it ends in a draw) gets an additional half a point.
So: In round 1 Richard Rapport defeated Aryan Tari in the slow game, winning the round 3-0, while Alireza Firouzja and Magnus Carlsen drew both their classical and Armageddon games. Carlsen had Black (and was extremely fortunate to save the Armageddon game) and won that contest 1.5-1. The third game, between Ian Nepomniachtchi (due for White) and Sergey Karjakin was postponed until this weekend.
In round 2, all three classical games - Carlsen-Tari, Nepo-Firouzja, and Karjakin-Rapport were drawn. Rapport held the Armageddon game with Black, but White - Carlsen and Nepomniachtchi - won the other two games. (No luck in Carlsen's success in this round - he pounded Tari in the quick game.)
After two rounds, then, Rapport leads with 4.5 points, Carlsen is second with 3, Firouzja is in third with 2, and Tari has 1 point. Nepomniachtchi and Karjakin have only played one round, and have 1.5 and 1 point, respectively.
On to the Chess960 in St. Louis, or as they are weirdly labeling it, Chess 9LX. (Maybe they intend to use this brand name for a car at some point?) Fabiano Caruana is the leader after the three rounds of day 1, with wins over Leinier Dominguez and Peter Svidler (with more than a little luck) after a first round draw with Levon Aronian. Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, and Sam Shankland are tied for second, half a point back. Garry Kasparov is participating and played well the first two rounds, starting with a solid draw with Dominguez and dominating against Wesley So before letting the latter slip out at the very end. In round 3 he was soundly beaten by Mamedyarov; hopefully he'll have more games like the first two than like the third.
The Chess960 runs through the 10th, while Norway Chess lasts much longer, until the 18th. The chess never even pauses, it seems; in fact, Carlsen's next event...starts on the 17th, one day before Norway Chess ends. Fortunately it's a team event, the European Club Cup, so his mates can hold the fort for a few days before he shows up. And then what we're all eagerly awaiting: the world championship match between Carlsen and Nepomniachtchi, starting November 24. I plan to do subscriber videos for the event, if there is an interest in my doing so. Stay tuned.