London: The London Chess Classic 2012 starts stronger than ever before at the Olympia Conference Centre, London from 1st December. Reigning World Chess Champion and NIIT Mind Champion Vishwanathan Anand will want to sign off the year in style, the same way in which he clinched his fifth World title at Moscow earlier this year in May.
The event boasts of nine players starting with the reigning World Number One Magnus Carlsen of Norway, second highest rated Levon Aronian, former World Champion Vladimir Kramnik , Hikaru Namakura who will be tough competitors for Anand. The strongest ever Woman player in the World, Judit Polgar is also in fray while the hosts will field three players Michael Adams, Luke McShane and Gawain Jones.
The event will be a Round Robin one and the odd entries will ensure that the Commentary Team will be joined by the player having a rest day. Interestingly Anand starts the tournament with a ‘Bye’ in the very first round and will be assisting the Commentary Team. The final round promises to be the most awaited one as Anand takes on Carlsen, who is widely seen as the ‘Prince in waiting.’
The Classical time control of 40 moves in one hour, then 20 moves in one hour and 30 minutes for the rest of the game will be used. Three points will be awarded for a victory and one for a draw.
Prize Fund
· 6 main prizes: 1st €50,000, 2nd €25,000, 3rd €20,000, 4th €15,000, 5th €10,000, 6th €10,000 Total: €130,000.
· 9 x Daily Best Game prizes of €1,000 each.
· A winners’ pool of €21,000 for each game won. At the end of the tournament the number of wins will be counted . Each win will be of equal value. For example if there are twenty one decisive games then the prize will be €1000 per win.
THE PLAYERS
|
Name |
Title |
Country |
Rating |
W-rank |
Born |
|
Carlsen, Magnus |
Super-Grandmaster |
NOR |
2848 |
1 |
30.11.1990 |
|
Aronian, Levon |
Super-Grandmaster |
ARM |
2815 |
2 |
06.10.1982 |
|
Kramnik, Vladimir |
Ex-World Champion |
RUS |
2795 |
3 |
25.06.1975 |
|
Anand, Viswanathan |
World Champion |
IND |
2775 |
6 |
11.12.1969 |
|
Nakamura, Hikaru |
Super-Grandmaster, US Nr. two |
USA |
2755 |
13 |
09.12.1987 |
|
McShane, Luke |
Super-Grandmaster |
ENG |
2710 |
29 |
07.01.1984 |
|
Adams, Michael |
Super-Grandmaster |
ENG |
2710 |
32 |
17.11.1971 |
|
Polgar, Judit |
Super-GM, strongest female ever |
HUN |
2705 |
43 |
23.07.1976 |
|
Jones,Gawain |
Grandmaster |
ENG |
2644 |
112 |
11.12.1987 |
Pairings 2012
|
Round 1, Sat Dec 1st, 14.00 |
|
Round 5, Thur Dec 6th, 14.00 |
|
||||
|
Luke McShane |
– |
Magnus Carlsen |
|
Vladimir Kramnik |
– |
Luke McShane |
|
|
Levon Aronian |
– |
Hikaru Nakamura |
|
Gawain Jones |
– |
Vishy Anand |
|
|
Vladimir Kramnik |
– |
Judit Polgar |
|
Mickey Adams |
– |
Magnus Carlsen |
|
|
Gawain Jones |
– |
Mickey Adams |
|
Judit Polgar |
– |
Hikaru Nakamura |
|
|
Vishy Anand (bye) – assisting commentary |
|
Levon Aronian (bye) – assisting commentary |
|
||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Round 2, Sun Dec 2nd, 14.00 |
|
Round 6, Fri Dec 7th, 14.00 |
|
||||
|
Judit Polgar |
– |
Gawain Jones |
|
Magnus Carlsen |
– |
Judit Polgar |
|
|
Hikaru Nakamura |
– |
Vladimir Kramnik |
|
Vishy Anand |
– |
Mickey Adams |
|
|
Magnus Carlsen |
– |
Levon Aronian |
|
Luke McShane |
– |
Gawain Jones |
|
|
Vishy Anand |
– |
Luke McShane |
|
Levon Aronian |
– |
Vladimir Kramnik |
|
|
Mickey Adams (bye) – assisting commentary |
|
Hikaru Nakamura (bye) – assisting commentary |
|
||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Round 3, Mon Dec 3rd, 14.00 |
|
Round 7, Sat Dec 8th, 14.00 |
|
||||
|
Levon Aronian |
– |
Vishy Anand |
|
Gawain Jones |
– |
Levon Aronian |
|
|
Vladimir Kramnik |
– |
Magnus Carlsen |
|
Mickey Adams |
– |
Luke McShane |
|
|
Gawain Jones |
– |
Hikaru Nakamura |
|
Judit Polgar |
– |
Vishy Anand |
|
|
Mickey Adams |
– |
Judit Polgar |
|
Hikaru Nakamura |
– |
Magnus Carlsen |
|
|
Luke McShane (bye) – assisting commentary |
|
Vladimir Kramnik (bye) – assisting commentary |
|
||||
|
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|
|
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|
Round 4, Tue Dec 4th, 16.00 |
|
Round 8, Sun Dec 9th, 14.00 |
|
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|
Hikaru Nakamura |
– |
Mickey Adams |
|
Vishy Anand |
– |
Hikaru Nakamura |
|
|
Magnus Carlsen |
– |
Gawain Jones |
|
Luke McShane |
– |
Judit Polgar |
|
|
Vishy Anand |
– |
Vladimir Kramnik |
|
Levon Aronian |
– |
Mickey Adams |
|
|
Luke McShane |
– |
Levon Aronian |
|
Vladimir Kramnik |
– |
Gawain Jones |
|
|
Judit Polgar (bye) – assisting commentary |
|
Magnus Carlsen (bye) – assisting commentary |
|
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Wednesday 5th is the rest day |
|
Round 9, Mon Dec 10th, 12.00 |
|
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|
|
Mickey Adams |
– |
Vladimir Kramnik |
|
|||
|
|
Judit Polgar |
– |
Levon Aronian |
|
|||
|
|
Hikaru Nakamura |
– |
Luke McShane |
|
|||
|
|
Magnus Carlsen |
– |
Vishy Anand |
||||
By Indian Sports News Network
