Starts tomorrow: the London Chess Classic 2010

by ChessBase
12/7/2010 – The strongest event in Britain – and one of the premier tournaments of the year 2010 – begins tomorrow at 14:00h in the Olympia Conference Center in Kensington, London. It includes Anand, Carlsen and Kramnik. Today was the opening press conference and the drawing of lots, which results in a full pairing table. To get you in the right mood we bring you a big photo report.

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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

Name Title Nat. Rating
World
Born

Anand, Viswanathan

world champion

IND

2804

1

11.12.1969

Carlsen, Magnus

grandmaster

NOR

2802

2

30.11.1990

Kramnik, Vladimir

ex-world champion

RUS

2791

4

25.06.1975

Nakamura, Hikaru

grandmaster

USA

2741

15

09.12.1987

Adams, Michael

grandmaster

ENG

2723

22

17.11.1971

Short, Nigel

grandmaster

ENG

2680

58

01.06.1965

McShane, Luke

grandmaster

ENG

2645

100

07.01.1984

Howell, David

grandmaster

ENG

2611

178

14.11.1990

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


At the drawing of lots Anand picked the black king and got the 4


He is joined by Vladimir Kramnik, who drew the number 8


Magnus Carlsen picked the black bishop...


and
got the number 7


The other players show the numbers they drew


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


Reigning World Champion Viswanathan Anand


Magnus Carlsen, world's number two ranked player


Former World Champion Vladimir Kramnik got an extra black
for the sixth time – the last time he had an extra white was in 2008


Top US grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura


Top British GM Michael Adams [photo by Ray Morris-Hill]


Nigel Short being reminded that he is not just the oldest player
in the tournament but also the oldest in the world's top 100


Luke McShane [photo by Ray Morris-Hill]


One of Britain's big hopefuls: 20-year-old David Howell


Tournament director Malcolm Pein


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

Round 1: Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Nigel Short 
-
 Vladimir Kramnik
Luke McShane 
-
 Magnus Carlsen
Michael Adams 
-
 David Howell
Viswanathan Anand 
-
 Hikaru Nakamura
Games – Report
Round 2: Thursday, December 9, 2010

Vladimir Kramnik 

-

 Hikaru Nakamura

David Howell 

-

 Viswanathan Anand

Magnus Carlsen 

-

 Michael Adams

Nigel Short 

-

 Luke McShane

Games – Report
Round 3: Friday, December 10, 2010

Luke McShane 

-

 Vladimir Kramnik

Michael Adams 

-

 Nigel Short

Viswanathan Anand 

-

 Magnus Carlsen

Hikaru Nakamura 

-

 David Howell

Games – Report
Round 4: Saturday, December 11, 2010

Vladimir Kramnik 

-

 David Howell

Magnus Carlsen 

-

 Hikaru Nakamura

Nigel Short 

-

 Viswanathan Anand

Luke McShane 

-

 Michael Adams

Games – Report
Round 5: Sunday, December 12, 2010

Michael Adams 

-

 Vladimir Kramnik

Viswanathan Anand 

-

 Luke McShane

Hikaru Nakamura 

-

 Nigel Short

David Howell 

-

 Magnus Carlsen

Games – Report

Monday, December 13, 2010

Rest day

Round 6: Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Vladimir Kramnik 

-

 Magnus Carlsen

Nigel Short 

-

 David Howell

Luke McShane 

-

 Hikaru Nakamura

Michael Adams 

-

 Viswanathan Anand

Games – Report
Round 7: Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Viswanathan Anand 

-

 Vladimir Kramnik

Hikaru Nakamura 

-

 Michael Adams

David Howell 

-

 Luke McShane

Magnus Carlsen 

-

 Nigel Short

Games – Report

Tournament schedule

Tuesday December 7th Press conference 14:00
Wednesday December 8th Classic Round 1 14:00
Thursday December 9th Classic Round 2 16:00
Friday December 10th Classic Round 3 14:00
Saturday December 11th Classic Round 4 14:00
Sunday December 12th Classic Round 5 14:00
Monday December 13th Free day  
Tuesday December 14th Classic Round 6 14:00
Wednesday December 15th Classic Round 7 12:00

Links

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!


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