English Chess Forum

Some details are beginnning to emerge in public about this.

According to Malcolm Pein in the September 2025 Chess

Venues are the Emirates Stadium and the Novotel Hammersmith
Dates are 26th November to 7th December
There will be a 10 player all-play-all with "best English players and stars from overseas"
The Open tournament will have a rating floor of 2100.
There will be a rapidplay at the Novotel on 6th and 7th December.
There's an ambition to make this the "biggest tournament we've ever had in the UK". I would think that the tournaments of the 1970s, particularly Stewart Reuben's Islingtons would take some beating.

There's also a mention of various festival style events such as "Challenge the Masters", evening Blitz, Bughouse, Blindfold and "Hand and Brain".
Also there's a proposal for all-play-all tournaments with one game per evening in rating bands for players below 2100. That's claimed as an innovation, but the e2e4 series of tournaments ran all-play-alls ten years ago or more as did tournaments in the 1970s and earlier.


What seems to be missing is any mention of a normal play Swiss for players below 2100.
Also there's no mention as to how the clashes with Arsenal home fixtures will be managed.

The Hammersmith event would be held in the "Champagne Suite". Back in 1978, the mid summer London Open and rating restricted tournaments were held at what was then the Hammersmith Cunard Hotel. The playing area was the length of the Hammersmith flyover which ran alongside. I imagine that's what's being referred to.

Roger de Coverly wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 05, 2025 1:34 pm

What seems to be missing is any mention of a normal play Swiss for players below 2100.

There is no mention of a "normal play Swiss for players below 2100" because there isn't one.

Roger de Coverly wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 05, 2025 1:34 pm

Also there's no mention as to how the clashes with Arsenal home fixtures will be managed.

Check out the tournament website: https://www.londonchessclassic.com/

Alex Holowczak wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 05, 2025 3:11 pm

Roger de Coverly wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 05, 2025 1:34 pm

What seems to be missing is any mention of a normal play Swiss for players below 2100.

There is no mention of a "normal play Swiss for players below 2100" because there isn't one.

Roger de Coverly wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 05, 2025 1:34 pm

Also there's no mention as to how the clashes with Arsenal home fixtures will be managed.

Check out the tournament website: https://www.londonchessclassic.com/

"the U-2100 Round Robins, a series of 6-player all-play-all classical chess tournament for those rated under 2100" - tempting!

The tournament website lists the winners. I hope one day there is enough funding and interest to reunite former champions!

Imagine a tournament line-up that includes:

Magnus Carlsen
Vladimir Kramnik
Hikaru Nakamura
Viswanathan Anand
Wesley So
Fabiano Caruana
Ding Liren
Mickey Adams
Gawain Jones

You would need a tenth player...

Alex Holowczak wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 05, 2025 3:11 pm

There is no mention of a "normal play Swiss for players below 2100" because there isn't one.

If I was concerned about how this event would clash with the league season, I needn't be.

I think I last played in a six player all-play-all in 1969 and have no wish to revisit them.

With restricted numbers in the Open as well, the Emirates seems to be at a disadvantage compared with the Olympia venue of the past in having limited space.

""the U-2100 Round Robins, a series of 6-player all-play-all classical chess tournament for those rated under 2100"

6-player APAs were a regular feature of the Hammersmith congresses in the early 70s, so chess is going home...

Kevin Thurlow wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 05, 2025 6:13 pm

6-player APAs were a regular feature of the Hammersmith congresses in the early 70s, so chess is going home...

That was where I played in 1969, but the new editions are the other side of Central London at the Emirates stadium.

Roger de Coverly wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 05, 2025 5:12 pm

I think I last played in a six player all-play-all in 1969 and have no wish to revisit them.

I don't think there's anything wrong with 6 player all-play-alls in principle, but this statement in the tournament rules is off-putting - "There may be some noise from blitz tournaments and the grandmaster commentary that are taking place in the main body of Dial Square below". Is it to be played on a balcony with little control over what's happening below?

The other rule that caught my eye, which is relevant if playing in noisy conditions, is "Players who wish to wear [foam, silicon, rubber or plastic] earplugs during their game must seek prior approval from an arbiter in advance of each game they wish to wear them.

Christopher Kreuzer wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 05, 2025 3:32 pm

Imagine a tournament line-up that includes:

Magnus Carlsen
Vladimir Kramnik
Hikaru Nakamura
Viswanathan Anand
Wesley So
Fabiano Caruana
Ding Liren
Mickey Adams
Gawain Jones

You would need a tenth player...

I'm not even sure you would be able to arrange that list of players to play each other in an online event, let alone get them all to the same venue at the same time.

LawrenceCooper wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 05, 2025 6:30 pm

Christopher Kreuzer wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 05, 2025 3:32 pm

Imagine a tournament line-up that includes:

Magnus Carlsen
Vladimir Kramnik
Hikaru Nakamura
Viswanathan Anand
Wesley So
Fabiano Caruana
Ding Liren
Mickey Adams
Gawain Jones

You would need a tenth player...

I'm not even sure you would be able to arrange that list of players to play each other in an online event, let alone get them all to the same venue at the same time.

8 of the 10 announced, including the two British players on the list above.

https://www.londonchessclassic.com/elite

Is it likely that VBK will receive a rapturous and warm welcome?

Firouja and Abdusattorov have been announced as the final two participates. A good line up.

I considered going as a spectator for a day. But the absolute prohibition on phones, even if turned off, is impractical for me.

Interesting line up

Paul Cooksey wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 02, 2025 10:35 am

But the absolute prohibition on phones, even if turned off, is impractical for me.

Alas, permitting spectators to wander freely around the playing area with a phone is impractical for us.

But there is a cloak room, into which you can hand in your phone, and collect it afterwards.

Pragg is playing in the Open

Mick Norris wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 23, 2025 11:39 pm

Pragg is playing in the Open

Interesting. He doesn’t seem to need to to qualify for the Candidates via the Grand Circuit either.