London Chess Classic 2023

[Mick Norris]

According to the website he has drawn for outright 2nd place

Gukesh joint third which presumably doesn't help in the FIDE Circuit at all

[LawrenceCooper]

According to the website he has drawn for outright 2nd place

Gukesh joint third which presumably doesn't help in the FIDE Circuit at all

Final Ranking crosstable after 9 Rounds
Rk. Name Rtg FED 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Pts. TB1 TB2 TB3 TB4 TB5
1 GM Adams, Michael 2661 ENG * 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 6 0 3 1 4 26,50
2 GM Tabatabaei, M. Amin 2692 IRI 0 * ½ 1 1 ½ 0 ½ 1 1 5,5 0 4 2 5 22,75
3 GM Gukesh, D 2720 IND ½ ½ * 1 1 0 ½ 0 ½ 1 5 1 3 0 4 22,00
4 GM Volokitin, Andrei 2659 UKR ½ 0 0 * 1 1 1 ½ ½ ½ 5 0 3 0 5 21,25
5 GM Bartel, Mateusz 2659 POL 0 0 0 0 * 1 1 1 ½ 1 4,5 1 4 2 5 17,25
6 GM Niemann, Hans Moke 2667 USA ½ ½ 1 0 0 * 1 ½ ½ ½ 4,5 0 2 0 5 20,00
7 IM Royal, Shreyas 2438 ENG ½ 1 ½ 0 0 0 * 1 ½ ½ 4 1 2 1 5 18,25
8 GM Moussard, Jules 2635 FRA 0 ½ 1 ½ 0 ½ 0 * 1 ½ 4 0 2 1 4 17,50
9 GM Vitiugov, Nikita 2704 ENG ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 * ½ 3,5 0 0 0 4 16,00
10 GM Mcshane, Luke J 2631 ENG ½ 0 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ * 3 0 0 0 4 13,50

[LawrenceCooper]

The Pro Biz line ups for tomorrow: https://www.londonchessclassic.com/probiz.html

[LawrenceCooper]

Chess.com report: https://www.chess.com/news/view/london- ... eui56XAArk

[Mick Norris]

Chess.com report: https://www.chess.com/news/view/london- ... eui56XAArk

It's worth watching the brief interviews with Mickey and Shreyas

Adams saved his most remarkable comment for when he was asked how this victory ranks among his achievements.

I think it’s huge because to win any tournament at the age of 52 is just really amazing, and this one is a completely different level to the other successes I had this year, so I think in many ways it’s probably my best-ever result! Because other tournaments that I won were when I was in my prime as a player, and it’s completely different now, a completely different challenge to play when you’re playing people so much younger than yourself.

Adams, in fact, thought that the decision to invite Royal wasn't so tough, at least after the youngster's performance in the FIDE Grand Swiss 2023 and now that "at his best, he has no problem to play with high-2600 players." Adams noted a big recent improvement:

It’s just a huge step forward for him, I think, because I was checking his games a bit before the Grand Swiss. Of course, he was a promising player, but suddenly he’s just jumped hugely in level. The Grand Swiss and here, he just looks very accomplished, totally happy playing with top players, and it’s just a massive leap forward for him, and it’s great news.

[Nick Burrows]

so I think in many ways it’s probably my best-ever result!

Apart from this win, which other of Mickey's tournament victories are in the conversation for his career best result?

[LawrenceCooper]

so I think in many ways it’s probably my best-ever result!

Apart from this win, which other of Mickey's tournament victories are in the conversation for his career best result?

I wouldn't know where to start so consulted his Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_A ... ss_player). His website also has a highlights page: https://www.michaeladamschess.co.uk/career-highlights/

Runner up in the FIDE World Championship in 2004, whilst not a victory is worth a mention, but he may have happier memories of one that he won and there's plenty to choose from.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

so I think in many ways it’s probably my best-ever result!

Apart from this win, which other of Mickey's tournament victories are in the conversation for his career best result?

The Chessbase article lists a few contenders:

https://en.chessbase.com/post/london-ch ... ic-2023-r9

Winning the 2013 Dortmund super-tournament with a 7/9 score and a 2925 TPR. Adams outscored Fabiano Caruana (rated 2796) and ‘Mr. Dortmund’ Vladimir Kramnik (2784).

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/ ... dams-chess
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/ ... dams-chess

Michael Adams's impressive victory this week at Dortmund with an unbeaten 7/9 ranks among the finest tournament performances ever by an English player. The Cornishman, 41, described it as the greatest success of his career.

I do understand what Mickey says about this 2023 result being as good or even better in its own way. Difficult to choose really!

[Kevin Thurlow]

The Dortmund result was brilliant of course. Maybe he feels that he is not as good as he used to be, so a tournament victory is a "surprise"?

I am much older than him and I am grateful for any win...

[Christopher Kreuzer]

His website also has a highlights page: https://www.michaeladamschess.co.uk/career-highlights/

I went back to this, and some other contenders must be:

- The first victory (always the sweetest): 1st in the Cornwall U10 in 1979.
- FIDE Rapid List, Ranked 1st (January and July 2001).

There are a surprising number of second places on that list, including an early one here:

- Oakham Junior, 2nd Equal, in 1988.

Mickey was still only 16 then.

Trivia question: who came first at that Oakham Juniors in 1988?

(Answer is here, amusingly with the current titles of the players shown. Mickey tied for second with three others in what was in its heyday a really strong junior tournament. In 1988 there were a large number of future GMs and IMs - at least two of the GMs are not properly marked there - e.g. Sokolov and Anagnostopoulos [Demetrios Agnos], though Sokolov was already a GM [1987] as was Jón Loftur Árnason [1986] and James Plaskett [1985] and Carlos Garcia Palermo [1985] so some care is needed to get these numbers right, using a crosstable from 1988 that will have the actual titles.)

It is suprisingly difficult to locate historic FIDE rating lists, apparently you need to go here?

https://ratings.fide.com/download.phtml

Hmm. Even there you can't seem to get the FIDE rapid rating lists for 2001.

Of course, Mickey was number 4 in the world in the standard rating lists at his peak (he was world number 4 on the three rating lists from October 2000 to April 2001 inclusive, surprised that is not on his list).

Does anyone have a good source for the FIDE Rapid rating lists for 2001?

[LawrenceCooper]

His website also has a highlights page: https://www.michaeladamschess.co.uk/career-highlights/

I went back to this, and some other contenders must be:

- The first victory (always the sweetest): 1st in the Cornwall U10 in 1979.
- FIDE Rapid List, Ranked 1st (January and July 2001).

There are a surprising number of second places on that list, including an early one here:

- Oakham Junior, 2nd Equal, in 1988.

Mickey was still only 16 then.

Trivia question: who came first at that Oakham Juniors in 1988?

(Answer is here, amusingly with the current titles of the players shown. Mickey tied for second with three others in what was in its heyday a really strong junior tournament. In 1988 there were a large number of future GMs and IMs - at least two of the GMs are not properly marked there - e.g. Sokolov and Anagnostopoulos [Demetrios Agnos], though Sokolov was already a GM [1987] as was Jón Loftur Árnason [1986] and James Plaskett [1985] and Carlos Garcia Palermo [1985] so some care is needed to get these numbers right, using a crosstable from 1988 that will have the actual titles.)

It is suprisingly difficult to locate historic FIDE rating lists, apparently you need to go here?

https://ratings.fide.com/download.phtml

Hmm. Even there you can't seem to get the FIDE rapid rating lists for 2001.

Of course, Mickey was number 4 in the world in the standard rating lists at his peak (he was world number 4 on the three rating lists from October 2000 to April 2001 inclusive, surprised that is not on his list).

Does anyone have a good source for the FIDE Rapid rating lists for 2001?

I don't think that FIDE rapid ratings came in until Sep 2013.

For standard ratings the player profiles go back to Jan 2000 so you could check the players that way.

[Roger de Coverly]

For standard ratings the player profiles go back to Jan 2000 so you could check the players that way.

Ratings before that are available at

https://www.olimpbase.org/index.php?htt ... mmary.html

Jul 1985 has Adams at 2360 (rating lists only went down to 2200 for male players)

That looks to be his first appearance.

Jan 1986 has him at 2295

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Does anyone have a good source for the FIDE Rapid rating lists for 2001?

I don't think that FIDE rapid ratings came in until Sep 2013.

So I went and searched for this myself and found this:

https://theweekinchess.com/html/twic325.html

3) FIDE Rapid Ratings January 2001
The FIDE January 2001 Rapid Ratings including events such as the Frankfurt festivals, World Championships and World Cup tie-breaks, Bastia, the European rapid championship and many others was released by Will Iclicki on January 25th. 1200 players are listed. This 4th FIDE rapid list. The list is topped for the first time by GM Michael Adams who achieved two impressive results in Frankfurt and Delhi. Vishwanathan Anand of India has also increased his rating after Frankfurt and Bastia is in second place. Kasparov is in third place after losing a couple of points after playing only Frankfurt. The rapid World Championships in March where Adams and Kasparov participate could turn things around. The list will need correcting with a couple of ratings for Khenkin. My thanks to Willy Iclicki.

I think we can safely say that this is verified now. (I never doubted Mickey for a moment! )

The top 20 from that list (102 in total) makes impressive reading:

1 ENG Adams Michael 287 25-Jan-01
2 IND Anand Vishwanathan 283 25-Jan-01
3 RUS Kasparov Gary 282 25-Jan-01
4 UKR Ivanchuk Vassily 277 25-Jan-01
5 ESP Shirov Alexis 275 25-Jan-01
6 RUS Svidler Peter 273 25-Jan-01
7 RUS Kramnik Vladimir 273 25-Jan-01
8 ISR Gelfand Boris 272 25-Jan-01
9 RUS Bareev Evgeny 272 25-Jan-01
10 USA Kamsky Gata 270 25-Dec-99
11 BIH Sokolov Ivan 270 25-Jan-01
12 ARM Akopian Vladimir 269 01-Jul-00
13 RUS Karpov Anatoly 269 25-Jan-01
14 RUS Khalifman Alexander 268 25-Jan-01
15 RUS Dreev Alexey 268 25-Jan-01
16 BUL Topalov Veselin 268 25-Jan-01
17 UZB Kasimdzahnov Rustam 268 25-Jan-01
18 RUS Grischuk Alexander 267 25-Jan-01
19 EST Ehlvest Jan 267 25-Jan-01
20 RUS Shipov Sergei 267 25-Dec-99

[LawrenceCooper]

I don't think that FIDE rapid ratings came in until Sep 2013.

I should have said that was when Mickey got his first FIDE rapid rating according to his FIDE rating profile

[Christopher Kreuzer]

I don't think that FIDE rapid ratings came in until Sep 2013.

I should have said that was when Mickey got his first FIDE rapid rating according to his FIDE rating profile

That is a fair point. And those ratings in 2001 are clearly not ELO... They look more like Clarke grades!