Olympia Conference Centre, Kensington, London

Festival Events

FIDE rated Open - Saturday 1 to Sunday 9 December

Entries: The most recent list is published here.

Schedule: 1 round per day offering GM and IM norm opportunities.

Time Control: 90 minutes for 40 moves + 30 minutes for all remaining moves, with a 30 second increment starting at move 1. Default time: 1 hour after the scheduled start time.

Who Can Enter?: Anyone can enter the FIDE Open.

The organisers will invite a minimum of six Grandmasters. English players must be Gold ECF members.

Byes: Untitled players can take up to three half-point byes between rounds 1-8 provided they are requested before the end of the previous round.

Prizes: Guaranteed - 1st prize £2500, 2nd prize £1500, 3rd prize £750, 4th prize £500, 5th prize £500, 6th prize £500

Rating Prizes: <2000: £250 £150 £100 2000-2200: £250, £150, £100. 2201-2300: £250, £150, £100.

Best Unrated Player: 1st prize: £150, 2nd prize: £100. Best Junior: 1st prize £150, 2nd prize £100

The two highest placed players in the FIDE Rated Open not already qualified will qualify for the 2013 British Championships.

Entry Fees: Players rated over 2200 Elo: £75 (£100 if entry received after 1 November), Players rated under 2200 Elo: £100 (£125 if entry received after 1 November), Unrated players: £125 (£150 if entry received after 1 November), Juniors (born after 1/1/97): £75 (£100 if entry received after 1 November). 

GM/IM/WGM/WIM: Free entry. Entries received after Fri 23 November incur a £25 late entry fee.

Tournament Organiser: Sean Hewitt. Email:

Weekend Classic 'A' (4 sections: Open, U170, U145, U120)

Entries: The most recent list is published here.

The highest placed player in the Open section of Weekend Classic A & B tournaments not already qualified will qualify for the 2013 British Championships.

Time Control: All moves in 80 minutes plus 10 second increment per move from move 1.

Default time for this tournament: 1 hour after the scheduled start time.

Sections: Players may play provided they have an ECF grade below the threshold.

Byes: One bye can be taken in rounds 1-4 provided it is requested before the end of the previous round.

Prizes: (guaranteed) Prizes in each section - 1st: £200 2nd: £100 3rd: £50 + £100 in grading prizes.

Entry Fees: £25 in advance per Weekend Classic (£15 juniors). Entries after 23 November incur a £10 late entry fee.

Silver ECF membership is required for all players in Weekend Classic A or a £6 pay-to-play fee will apply.

Click to purchase your £6.00 pay-to-play fee if the above applies to you.

Weekend Classic 'B' (4 sections: Open, U2000, U1800, U120)

Entries: The most recent list is published here.

The highest placed player in the Open section of Weekend Classic A & B tournaments not already qualified will qualify for the 2013 British Championships.

Time Control: All moves in 90 minutes plus 30 second increment per move from move 1.

Default time for this tournament: 1 hour after the scheduled start time.

Sections: FIDE rated players may play in the U2000 or U1800 if they are rated below those levels irrespective of ECF grade. Players without a FIDE rating may play in the U2000 or U1800 provided they have an ECF grade below 170 or 145 respectively.

Byes: One bye can be taken in rounds 1-4 provided it is requested before the end of the previous round.

Prizes: (guaranteed) Prizes in each section - 1st: £200 2nd: £100 3rd: £50 + £100 in grading prizes.

Entry Fees: £25 in advance per Weekend Classic (£15 juniors). Entries after 23 November incur a £10 late entry fee.

English players in the FIDE rated sections must be Gold ECF members. All players in the non FIDE rated sections must be Silver ECF members or an additional £6 ECF Pay-to-Play fee will apply.

Click to purchase your £6.00 pay-to-play fee (applicable only to U120 competitors).

Classic Rapidplay 'A' (4 sections: Open, U170, U145, U120)

Entries: The most recent list is published here.

Classic Rapidplay Tournaments (4 sections: Open, U170, U145, U120)

Time Control: All moves in 20 minutes plus 10 second increment per move from move 1.

Byes: One bye can be taken in rounds 1-5 provided it is requested before the end of the previous round.

Prizes: (guaranteed) Prizes in each section - 1st: £100 2nd: £50 3rd: £30

Entry Fees: £15 in advance per Classic Rapidplay (£10 Juniors). Entries after 23 November incur a £10 late entry fee.

All players in Classic Rapidplay A must be Silver ECF members or a £6 ECF Pay-to-Play fee will apply.

Click to purchase your £6.00 pay-to-play fee if the above applies to you.

Classic Rapidplay 'B' (4 sections: Open, U170, U145, U120)

Entries: The most recent list is published here.

Classic Rapidplay Tournaments (4 sections: Open, U170, U145, U120)

Time Control: All moves in 20 minutes plus 10 second increment per move from move 1.

Byes: One bye can be taken in rounds 1-5 provided it is requested before the end of the previous round.

Prizes: (guaranteed) Prizes in each section - 1st: £100 2nd: £50 3rd: £30

Entry Fees: £15 in advance per Classic Rapidplay (£10 Juniors). Entries after 23 November incur a £10 late entry fee.

All players in Classic Rapidplay B must be Silver ECF members or a £6 ECF Pay-to-Play fee will apply.

Click to purchase your £6.00 pay-to-play fee if the above applies to you.

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
	Sat	Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun	Mon
Classic Rapid B Open | U2000 | U1800 | U120 All ECF graded									1		09.30 - 10.30	East Hall
									2		10.45 - 11.45	East Hall
									3		12.00 - 13.00	East Hall
									4		13.15 - 14.14	East Hall
									5		14.30 - 15.30	East Hall
									6		15.45 - 16.45	East Hall

Classic Blitz Every night from Saturday 1 December to Sunday 9 December

Playing Times: Each event starts at 19.00 promptly, finishes 21.00

Time Control: All moves in 5 minutes plus 5 second increment per move from move 1. (FIDE Blitz rules apply)

Prizes: (guaranteed) 1st: £40 2nd: £20 + grading prizes. Further prizes depending on size of entry.

Blitz Grand Prix: Your best score from any 7 blitz tournaments will be aggregated and the player with the best score will win £100.

Entry Fees: £8 in advance, £10 on the night or a Blitz Pass £50 (for all 9 Blitz Tournaments).

© SC

© 2012 London Chess Classic

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