Hi Everyone, Here are some memorable moments from the just-concluded London Chess Classic 2010 that missed making the regular main news of the tournament. But one tends to miss a lot happening around when Grandmaster Magnus Carlsen his spinning his magic!
Chess legend and former World Champion Garry Kasparov attended the second London Chess Classic at the Olympia Conference Centre on December 15, the day of the seventh and last round. He visited the commentary room, which was a real treat for the spectators.
Garry also signed copies of his My Great Predecessor books. Find more photos the great grandmaster here and at www.chesspics.com.
Another chess legend, Viktor Korchnoi played two simuls which included just one loss to Allan Beardsworth, a former England Olympiad team manager! You can see some interesting simul games here. Some nice letters and comments by chess lovers and fans about the London Chess Classic 2010 are here.
And, how could we forget the videos by Macauley Peterson.
World Chess Problem-Solving champion John Nunn at his astronomy lecture.
GM Boris Avrukh (right) presented a lecture on some examples of theoretical novelties; the thoughts that lead to them and their application in grandmaster practice while GM Jacob Aagaard presented a lecture on the main rules underpinning a successful attack, as outlaid in his book Attacking Manual 1.Also, WIM Arlette Van Weersel (2186) (above left) won the Womens Invitational event with an unbeaten 8/9. Gawain Jones and Simon Williams were the joint winners of the FIDE Open 2010 with 7½/9. Also find a nice wrap-up report at www.chessbase.com. We sure had fun following the London Chess Classic 2010! Didn't you?
Here is a secret about Magnus Carlsen (!!!). Apart from being a chess grandmaster, he is an Escape Artist! (Got you! - Wink).
Actually, how can you resist comparing him to but some of the best magicians out
there? Not only did he have a pathetic beginning to the London Chess Classic 2010 but nearly lost a crushing game to Vladimir Kramnik. Yet, he went on to win the London Chess Classic. Thank you Everyone.
And, don't think the competition was easy. We had the best among best there. The 2nd London Chess Classic 2010 was an eight-player round-robin for seven rounds played at 40/2h + 20/1h + g/15'+30" using the Sofia Rules.
The players included Viswanathan Anand, Vladimir Kramnik, Nigel Short, Hikaru Nakamura, Luke McShane, Magnus Carlsen, Michael Adams and David Howell.
Prizes: 1st 50,000 Euros, 2nd 25,000 Euros, 3rd 15,000 Euros, 4th 10,000 Euros, 5th 10,000 Euros, 6th 8,000 Euros plus seven daily Best Game prizes of 1,000 Euros voted on by the public. Tie Breaks: In order of priority. 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.
Tie Breaks: In order of priority. 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. Final standings (after seven rounds)
Nr
Sd
Name
Rating
Fed
Score
TPR
Born
Tiebreak
1
2
Carlsen, Magnus
2802
NOR
13
2816
1990
2
1
Anand, Viswanathan
2804
IND
11
2815
1969
No tiebreak
3
7
McShane, Luke J
2645
ENG
11
2838
1984
No tiebreak
4
4
Nakamura, Hikaru
2741
USA
10
2772
1987
Win over Kramnik
5
3
Kramnik, Vladimir
2791
RUS
10
2765
1975
Loss to Nakamura
6
5
Adams, Michael
2723
ENG
8
2725
1971
7
8
Howell, David W L
2611
ENG
4
2583
1990
8
6
Short, Nigel D
2680
ENG
2
2422
1965
You can access the official website here. Meanwhile, enjoy the games of the last - seventh - round in our pgnplayer or in flash below.
London Chess Classic 2010 - Carlsen pulls off amazing draw against Kramnik
Chess news and chess trivia blog (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2010
Hello Everyone,
The London Chess Classic 2010 couldn't have been more exciting. The sixth and the penultimate round saw four draws but that's just half the story. If you had watched the matches live you would have been just too nervous. The game of the day was surely Kramnik-Carlsen with the young talented grandmaster giving the former World Champion a hard time only to transform a winning position into a draw. Call it the Carlsen Chameleon Act. But this means that it will all be decided in the final round on Tuesday.
London Chess Classic 2010 - R5: Magnus catches up with leaders Anand, McShane
Chess news and chess trivia blog (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2010
Hello Everyone,
Magnus Carlsen surely was not the one to stay put. So, he is right back in the game at the London Chess Classic 2010 with a victory over David Howell in Round 5. Now there are three joint leaders at the tournament - Anand, McShane and Carlsen.
The London Chess Classic 2010 is an eight-player round-robin for seven rounds played at 40/2h + 20/1h + g/15'+30" using the Sofia Rules. Prizes: 1st 50,000 Euros, 2nd 25,000 Euros, 3rd 15,000 Euros, 4th 10,000 Euros, 5th 10,000 Euros, 6th 8,000 Euros plus seven daily Best Game prizes of 1,000 Euros voted on by the public. Tie Breaks: In order of priority. 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.
Round 5 results
Michael Adams - Vladimir Kramnik 1/2-1/2
Viswanathan Anand - Luke McShane 1/2-1/2
Hikaru Nakamura - Nigel Short 1-0
David Howell - Magnus Carlsen 0-1
You can also check the official website here. Monday is a rest day and the sixth round will resume on Tuesday - broadcast live 1400 hours CET.
Standings after round five
Nr
Sd
Name
Rating
Fed
Score
TPR
Born
Tiebreak
1
1
Anand, Viswanathan
2804
IND
8
2902
1969
2 x black
2
7
McShane, Luke J
2645
ENG
8
2942
1984
1 x black
3
3
Kramnik, Vladimir
2791
RUS
7
2764
1975
4
2
Carlsen, Magnus
2802
NOR
6
2728
1990
5
4
Nakamura, Hikaru
2741
USA
5
2752
1987
3 x black
6
5
Adams, Michael
2723
ENG
5
2685
1971
2 x black
7
8
Howell, David W L
2611
ENG
2
2572
1990
8
6
Short, Nigel D
2680
ENG
1
2419
1965
Meanwhile, here are all the games of the fifth round. You can run the moves through our pgnplayer or watch in flash below. Enjoy.
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12th Women's World Chess Champion
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GM Boris Avrukh (right) presented a lecture on some examples of theoretical novelties; the thoughts that lead to them and their application in grandmaster practice while GM Jacob Aagaard presented a lecture on the main rules underpinning a successful attack, as outlaid in his book Attacking Manual 1. Also, WIM Arlette Van Weersel (2186) (above left) won the Womens Invitational event with an unbeaten 8/9. Gawain Jones and Simon Williams were the joint winners of the FIDE Open 2010 with 7½/9. Also find a nice wrap-up report at www.chessbase.com.
