The London Chess Classic 2009 is the
highest level tournament in London for 25 years andis the first in a series of events designed
to increase enthusiasm for chess in the UK and promote
the game and its undoubted educational benefits in
schools and communities. It is also our objective to
bring the world championship to London in the Olympic
year 2012.
England's four
leading Grandmasters; Nigel Short,
Michael Adams, Luke McShane and David
Howell will be pitched against a world
class field that includes a former world
champion Vladimir Kramnik and 18 year
old Magnus Carlsen ranked world number
two and widely seen a future holder of
the world crown. One of China's finest
players; Ni Hua and the US Champion
Hikaru Nakamura, complete the field.
Read their profiles.
Spectators will be treated to live
commentary on the games from Grandmasters and will be able
to play tournament or informal games all day. Tickets for
the auditorium and commentary room are now on sale. If you
would like to play as well as spectate then enter one of the
side events.
Purchasing an adult ticket gives you the
following benefits;
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Admission to the London Chess Classic 2009
Full
access to the auditorium throughout the day’s play.
Moves will be displayed on a giant screen.
Access
to the Grandmaster commentary room from the start of
play. Commentators will include: Former British
champions Julian Hodgson and Jonathan Rowson, IM
Lawrence Trent, GM Stephen Gordon and IM Malcolm Pein.
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Not
boys for long
Click the image to see a short AVI video
showing Magnus Carlsen playing David Howell when they
were boys!
Thanks to John Saunders and
Piotr Nestorow
London Chess
Classic: the chess set
London is about to host its biggest chess tournament in 25
years. As the game enjoys an internet-inspired renaissance,
Max Davidson meets some of the Grandmasters of tomorrow.
Check it out: chess is popular in
primary schools where there is growing recognition of the game's
educational role as a 'brain-accelerator' Photo: PHILIP HOLLIS
- 24 Nov 2009
Half-past three, and at the Trafalgar Junior School in
Twickenham the school chess club is in full swing. “Check!”
says Sam Knott, 10, the school’s star player. He has just
scooped the under-11 title at the Richmond Junior Chess
Congress. Rhiannon Tanner, nine, moves her king. “Check!”
says Sam, advancing his queen. Rhiannon tries to shield her
king with her bishop. “Check!” says Sam, taking the bishop
with his rook. “It’s not fair,” Rhiannon mutters. “He’s a
year older than me.”
In another part of the room, Marie
Gallagher, who runs the after-school club, is giving a
demonstration on castling. “Who knows the difference between
an open file and a closed file?” Eager young hands shoot up
in the air.
In state primary
schools generally, such chess clubs tend to be the exception
rather than the rule ...
read more
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Nakamura beats Carlsen in
Oslo Blitz
This event took place on Saturday, November 28th in Oslo,
Norway. Ten players were invited and divided into two
groups, ensuring that Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura,
would meet in the final. And that's what happened!
Winner U.S. GM Hikaru Nakamura
In the semi-finals Nakamura played Danish GM Peter Heine
Nielsen. Nakamura demolished him easily 3-0. The same applied to Magnus Carlsen,
who won the first three of four semi-final games against Swedish GM Emanuel
Berg.
The final between Carlsen and Nakamura was best of four
games. The result was 3-1 in favour of Nakamura.
Hikaru is one of the all-time great blitz players and now has
beaten the unofficial number one player Magnus Carlsen, who also won one of
the strongest blitz tournaments in history in Moscow recently.
15th Nov 2009 - Vladimir
Kramnik has won the Tal Memorial in Moscow just three weeks
before he competes in the much anticipated London Classic.
In the final round he successfully defended a strong
kingside attack by Ivanchuk; the game ending in a 29 move
draw. Anand was beaten easily by Aronian, Ponomariov beat
Morozevich and Svidler and Gelfand drew. In the last game to
finish Magnus Carlsen, also competing in the Classic, beat
Leko with black and is now world number one
at 2805 in the live ratings ahead of Veselin Topalov.
Listen to the exclusive post-tournament Kramnik interview
with London Classic Director Malcolm Pein along with Jon
Speelman (08:00 mins).
Final standings: 1st Kramnik RUS 2772 6;
2nd= Ivanchuk UKR 2739, Carlsen NOR 2801 5½; 4th= Aronian
ARM 2786, Anand IND 2788 5; 6th Gelfand ISR 2758
4½; 7th Ponomariov UKR 2739 4; 8th Svidler RUS 2754
3½; 9th= Leko HUN 2752, Morozevich RUS 2750
3.
7th Nov2009
-
Guest of Honour
Viktor Korchnoi
Simultaneous,
Monday 14th
December, 7:00pm
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The London Chess Classic is delighted to
announce that Viktor Korchnoi, one of the all
time greats of world chess has agreed to be the
tournament’s Guest of Honour. Korchnoi still
plays high level chess at the age of 78 and
recently played on board one for Switzerland at
the European Team Championship.
Korchnoi fought two world title matches against
Anatoly Karpov in 1978 and 1981 which captured
the imagination of the world. A man who had
defected from the USSR and made into a
non-person took on the might of the Soviet chess
machine while his son was imprisoned by the
Communist authorities.
Even in defeat Korchnoi has shaped the future of
chess. It should not be forgotten that he
sportingly agreed to play Garry Kasparov in a
Candidates semi final after the Soviets had
refused to allow Kasparov to take part in the
match after it had been scheduled to take place
at Pasadena in 1984. Although he had already won
by default, Korchnoi agreed to play in London
and Kasparov eventually won and went on to
challenge Anatoly Karpov.
Korchnoi’s longevity at the top level, nearly 50
years, is unparalleled. Visitors to the London
Chess Classic which takes place at Olympia from
December 8-15 will be able to hear him comment
on the games or take on the great man in a
simultaneous display at Olympia on Monday 14th
at 7pm.
Malcolm Pein (IM), Director London Chess Classic
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The Korchnoi charity simul ticket has been sold for £410. All
proceeds will be going to the Chess in Schools and
Communities charity. All tickets for both simuls have now
sold out.
The 30
board Korchnoi simul displays
are
taking place on
Sunday 13th and Monday 14th December at 7:00pm.
Internet chess guru Mark Crowther, the
founder of 'The Week in Chess' a kind of BBC for chess has
looked at the previous meetings between the Classic players.
Click here to see his
analysis.
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Update on ratings
Following the publication of the
September FIDE Rating List the London Chess Classic is just
ten rating points shy of FIDE category 19 (2701 and above)
with the players having an average rating of a fraction
under 2700. Read more.
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Chess is Free
for Children at the London Chess Classic
The London Chess Classic will
offer free admission to children for the duration of the
event which runs from December 8th to 15th.
Ticket prices
will be just £10 per adult and a season ticket for all seven
rounds will be just £50. Both adult and junior ticket
holders receive admission to the tournament, which is being
staged at London’s prestigious Olympia Conference Centre,
plus a guaranteed seat in the auditorium and access to the
Grandmaster Commentary Room where some of the UK’s leading
Grandmasters will give insights into the play and answer
questions. Read more.
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Free school coaching available
at the London Classic
Schools are welcome to visit the London Chess
Classic for free chess coaching from 10.30-12.30
daily on 8th, 9th, 10th, 14th and 15th Dec.
We
will have professional chess coaches (CRB
certificated) on hand to give individual or
group lessons or to answer your questions about
setting up a chess club. There will be lessons
prepared for all levels from absolute beginners
upwards. Pupils and teachers are also welcome to
stay and spectate in the afternoon either in the
auditorium or the commentary room. All
activities are free for schools.
To organise a training session or a school visit
please email info@chess.co.uk
or call the London Chess Centre on 0207
388 2404 and speak to Tao or Ben.
Junior coaching is available by appointment
throughout the period of the Classic event,
10:30am-18:00pm daily.
Schools are also welcome to stay longer to
spectate at the Classic, space permitting.
All
junior schedules.
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Festival events planned
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FIDE rated Open
(9-rounds - all 5 hour sessions), Rds 1-3 & 6-8
14:30-19:30 with a double round on Friday 11th, 10:00-15:00
& 16:00-21:00 (this is a rest day for the Classic) and a final
round on Tuesday 15th, 11:00-16:00.
See further details
about these including entry fees, prizes and
links to
Womens invitational
This will also be a 10 player all play all
invitational event. The schedule will be identical to
the FIDE
rated Open. A list of participants
will be posted in the near future.
If you are interested in playing in this
event contact International
Director Lawrence Cooper
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The
London Chess Classic is pleased to support the
creation of a new charity: Chess in Schools and
Communities. The charity will be dedicated to the
development of Chess in state schools, youth clubs
and the wider community. It will also support
training of chess teachers and give assistance to
talented young players.
