London Chess Classic 2017

[Adam Raoof]

So - is there a market for a non-Classic event on the 1st weekend?

[Brendan O'Gorman]

Yes

[LawrenceCooper]

This year, they have one less day to utilise, given that there isn't a Friday evening round. The GCT first round is taking place in Google's offices and not returning to Olympia until Sunday.

In other changes, the rapidplay is just one day and moves to the first weekend, and the two day rapidplay on the final weekend is replaced by a Blitz knockout on the final Sunday.

The rapid is on the 9th and blitz the day after I thought
http://www.londonchessclassic.com/festi ... htm#rapids

[Alex Holowczak]

(c) this year, provide no alternative to the Open for players wanting more than 5 games.

If the venue were available to us at times conducive to running a weekend tournament, we would run one. But it isn't, so we can't.

[Jacques Parry]

Understood. But, given that, wouldn't it have made sense to run a 9-round rating-limited event alongside the Open? Assuming that you do indeed want to discourage low-rated players from entering the Open.

[Nick Grey]

There appears to be a lot of negative here when it looks to me that the organisers have done an excellent job in the circumstances. Quite honestly there is a planned movement of previous conference sites away from Hammersmith bearing in mind very large expansion to the East of London. There is a planned expansion going on at Stamford Bridge too but that is in the pipeline.

For those that do understand local government and policies in the area - conservatives lost the last local election and the Council is Labour controlled. The assumption that the London Chess Classic could continue at the same venue for a number of years with demands in the area for housing and schools was bound to take precedence over conference facilities.

As for the open (9 rounds) there is even a U2050 rating prize. Something that was brought up before and may make the 9 round tournament more conducive.

As for rapidplay I cannot imagine that anyone in the running for a big prize in the open would want to miss it to play the rapidplay.

Lots of choices for all - well done!

Personally having a significant chess event in London is an excellent achievement. Those that live locally do not have to fork out on accommodation prices which are in demand each December.

You have also freed up a Monday in the chess calendar in December which we have used to organise a home chess match in a local league.

[Alex Holowczak]

Understood. But, given that, wouldn't it have made sense to run a 9-round rating-limited event alongside the Open?

The news we could get in on Saturday came quite late in the day, so we just pulled the Open back a day and added the Super Blitz. In that context, extending the weekday events didn't even occur to me as an idea.

[Paul Cooksey]

I don't know if anyone can comment publicly - but since I usually visit I'll ask. Will their be onsite commentary? or the Sinquefield team remotely?

Personally I loved the post-game player interviews, but understand does not fit well with the US Sports Center format.