The Week in Chess

The 10th London Chess Classic took place 8th to 17th December. The event finished at Olympia London Auditorium although the semi-finals of the Grand Chess Tour and British KO took place in the Google Building in Kings Cross Fabiano Caruana, Hikaru Nakamura, Levon Aronian and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave play off for the Grand Chess Tour title. In addition there is the British Knockout Championship with 12 player. Entering at the Quarter Final Stage: Mickey Adams GM 2706, David Howell GM 2697, Gawain Jones GM 2683, Luke McShane GM 2667, Playing a Preliminary Round: Jonathan Hawkins GM 2579, John Nunn GM 2572, Matthew Turner GM 2536, Simon Williams GM 2466, Harriet Hunt IM 2440, Ravi Haria IM 2422, Alan Merry IM 2422, Jovanka Houska IM 2419. Hikaru Nakamura beat MVL in the final to win the Grand Chess Tour for 2018. Fabiano Caruana beat Levon Aronian to take 3rd place. Caruana didn't manage to gain rating points to over take Magnus Carlsen as World Number One. Gawain Jones beat Luke McShane in the final of the British KO Championship and Jules Moussard and Nick Pert scored 7.5/9 in the open.