Starts tomorrow: the London Chess Classic 2010

London Chess Classic 2010

Viswanathan Anand will become the first reigning world chess champion to play in a major tournament in London since Anatoly Karpov in 1984 when he joins the eight-player field for the second London Chess Classic, which runs from 8-15 December 2010 at the Olympia Conference Centre.

Tournament Line-Up

The London Chess Classic is round robin with eight players and seven rounds. The event is Category 20, quite close to 2730 (actual 2729). The time controls are classical : 40 moves in two hours, 20 moves in one hour, rest in 15 minutes, wiith 30 seconds increment per move. The "Sofia Rules" which disallow early draws, will be in place. The scoring system is three points for a win and one for a draw.

Prize fund: 145,000 Euros before tax. The six main prizes are: 1st 50,000 Euros, 2nd 25,000 Euros, 3rd 15,000 Euros, 4th 10,000 Euros, 5th 10,000 Euros, 6th 8,000 Euros (= 118,000 Euros). Seven daily Best Game prizes of 1,000 Euros = 7,000 Euros will be awarded. These will be voted on by the public. There is a winners’ pool of 20,000 Euros for each game won. At the end of the tournament the the number of wins will be counted and the prize for each win established. Each win will be of equal value. For example if there are twenty decisive games then the prize will be 1000 Euros per win. Prize fund breakdown: 118,000 + 7,000 + 20,000 = 145,000 Euros.

Tie Breaks: The final ranking of the competition is decided by the highest number of points. If the number of points scored by two or more players is equal, tie break rules will be applied in the following order.

1. Number of games with Black.
2. Number of games won with Black.
3. Number of games won.
4. Ranking based on the games between the tied players only.

If the tie break rules do not clarify the order of the players in the final ranking, a decision will be reached in over the board play. If more then two players are still involved, the rapid games will be conducted as a double round all play all.

1. Two rapid games, 15 minutes per player + 2 seconds for every move.
2. One Armageddon game, 6 minutes + 2 seconds per move for White, versus 5 minutes + 2 seconds per move for Black, with draw odds for Black.

1. Number of games with Black. 2. Number of games won with Black. 3. Number of games won. 4. Ranking based on the games between the tied players only.

Appeals: A player can appeal against a decision of the Deputy Arbiter to the Chief Arbiter. A player can appeal against a decision of the Chief Arbiter to the Appeals Committee, which shall consist of three members, GM John Nunn, GM Jonathan Rowson and GM Jonathan Speelman.

Press conference and drawing of lots

The press conference and drawing of lots took place on Tuesday 7th December in the Olympia Conference Centre. Heading the line-up is the world chess champion, Viswanathan Anand from India; the teenage sensation Magnus Carlsen from Norway; and Anand’s immediate predecessor as champion, Vladimir Kramnik from Russia. Completing the field are former US Champion Hikaru Nakamura, Michael Adams, Nigel Short and Britain's two most promising young grandmasters, Luke McShane 26, and David Howell.

Tournament Director Malcolm Pein introduces the players at the press conference:
Viswanathan Anand, Magnus Carlsen, Vladimir Kramnik, Hikaru Nakamura...

... and the English squad: David Howell, Luke McShane, Nigel Short and Michael Adams

The other players show the numbers they drew

After the drawing of lots Anand, Carlsen and Kramnik take questions from the press

The playing hall, with the stage being prepared for the chess event of the year

Photos (unless otherwise credited) by Frederic Friedel in London

Pairings of the London Chess Classic

Tournament schedule

Links Official tournament site All games in PGN The games will be broadcast live on the official web site and on the chess server Playchess.com. If you are not a member you can download the free PGN reader ChessBase Light, which gives you immediate access. You can also use the program to read, replay and analyse PGN games. New and enhanced: CB Light 2009!