British Knock out December 2018

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Ah, good point. Apropos of nothing in particular, MVL has gone to the top of the live blitz ratings, surpassing Carlsen.

[Jonathan Rogers]

just one draw today in ten games between the top four (in the English event)!

The Adams v McShane match was interesting in the classical games, even, even though they ended in draws.

So not such a surprise if our attention is on this rather than the four players in the Classic itself. When was the last time we discussed the Classic itself with enthusiasm? When Carlsen won ahead of Kramnik in 2012?!!

[Jonathan Rogers]

Adams blunders his queen. Even Gordon would have converted this against Gawain.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

About the semi-finals, the losers get £5000, while the finalists split the money £10,000 and £15,000, so a difference of £5000 when losing in those rounds. More money at stake than in the previous rounds. Though to maintain the pattern, the overall winner should really get £20,000.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Adams blunders his queen. Even Gordon would have converted this against Gawain.

I switch away from the game for a few seconds and miss that, and read it here first...

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Looks like Gawain may successfully defend his title. Would be impressive if he did.

[Jonathan Rogers]

Looks like Gawain may successfully defend his title. Would be impressive if he did.

??/ I don't recall him even making the final before.

But it would be an impressive and well deserved victory, yes.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

I got that wrong. It is McShane who is the defending champion. And they still have the rapids and blitz to play. That is all tomorrow.

[Jonathan Rogers]

Gawain wins the first rapidplay game too, so McShane absolutely must win the second rapidplay and then score 3.5/4 (sorry, 7/8) in blitz to take it to armageddon.

As with Adams in the semis, he would do well to get anywere near.

[Jonathan Rogers]

and he didn't.

We seem to have had only one match which both had interesting chess and which was remotely exciting/closely contested, namely Adams v McShane. (Perhaps also Haria v Howell, which I did not see).

And given the basic lack of interest in the Classic itself, which we have now begun to take for granted (haven't we?), this is a slight pity. But the unexpected ease with which Gawain won will be remembered - and if Adams were to lose to Howell, having only just lost the other day his first match of any kind to a fellow Englishman since 1991 - that might be a headline of sorts too.

[LawrenceCooper]

Gawain wins the first rapidplay game too, so McShane absolutely must win the second rapidplay and then score 3.5/4 (sorry, 7/8) in blitz to take it to armageddon.

As with Adams in the semis, he would do well to get anywere near.

He didn't.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Adams won two of the blitz games against Howell. All the other games drawn.