London Chess Classic 2026

[Roger de Coverly]

Dates and venues have been announced for the 2026 edition. it's 24th Nov to 7th Dec at the Novotel West in Hammersmith.
https://www.londonchessclassic.com/

Players with ratings below 2000 wishing to play a nine round tournament will have to make do with a five round weekender (27th to 29th) and five round weekday events (30th - 4th Dec)

[Ian Thompson]

Players with ratings below 2000 wishing to play a nine round tournament will have to make do with a five round weekender (27th to 29th) and five round weekday events (30th - 4th Dec)

Players rated between 2000 and 2099 are probably not really wanted in the 9 rounds Swiss as they're excluded from the rating prizes.

Apropos another thread, there's no discounted entry fee for FMs either.

[Roger de Coverly]

Players rated between 2000 and 2099 are probably not really wanted in the 9 rounds Swiss as they're excluded from the rating prizes.

Why is it that English organisers for the most part don't follow the approach of many European organisers and structure their events as an Open A and Open B? The Open A being intended in part as the Norm seeker tournament.

[Alex Holowczak]

Players rated between 2000 and 2099 are probably not really wanted in the 9 rounds Swiss as they're excluded from the rating prizes.

Why is it that English organisers for the most part don't follow the approach of many European organisers and structure their events as an Open A and Open B? The Open A being intended in part as the Norm seeker tournament.

In this case, it is because of venue availability.

We have a large space upstairs for Friday through to Monday, and a smaller space downstairs for Tuesday for Friday. We then go back upstairs for the Super Rapidplay at the end.

By running two 9-round tournaments, The maximum number of entries we could take is the smaller of the two rooms. Therefore, we would have dead space upstairs at the weekend; not enough for a proper weekend tournament in addition to A/B. I thought that having a weekender followed by a weekday tournament gave those players the option of 10 games if people wanted it, while also allowing more people to play at the weekend. In the days at Olympia, which is literally just down the road, we would regularly get 250 for the weekender, but perhaps only 100 for the weekday tournament. So our thinking and approach is based on data, and motivated by allowing the maximum number of people to play that we can.

[Roger de Coverly]

In the days at Olympia, which is literally just down the road, we would regularly get 250 for the weekender, but perhaps only 100 for the weekday tournament. So our thinking and approach is based on data, and motivated by allowing the maximum number of people to play that we can.

At Olympia though, although there weren't formal restrictions on players entering the Open, they did what they could to discourage lower rated players by having differential entry fees and no rating prizes.

[Alex Holowczak]

In the days at Olympia, which is literally just down the road, we would regularly get 250 for the weekender, but perhaps only 100 for the weekday tournament. So our thinking and approach is based on data, and motivated by allowing the maximum number of people to play that we can.

At Olympia though, although there weren't formal restrictions on players entering the Open, they did what they could to discourage lower rated players by having differential entry fees and no rating prizes.

I'll answer that point once I've worked out the relevance it has to my answer.

[Roger de Coverly]

I'll answer that point once I've worked out the relevance it has to my answer.

The London Chess Classic has form for not wanting to run nine round tournaments for lower rated players. That contrasts with European events where it seems the normal practice when a large enough entry is expected.

[MJMcCready]

I've seen the list of GMs participating. The tournament seems quite a bit weaker than what it used to be. Is there a reason for that?

[Alex Holowczak]

I've seen the list of GMs participating. The tournament seems quite a bit weaker than what it used to be. Is there a reason for that?

I don't know where you're looking on the website, but nobody has published any entries for the 2026 event yet.

[Nigel White]

I've seen the list of GMs participating. The tournament seems quite a bit weaker than what it used to be. Is there a reason for that?

I don't think they've yet announced the participants for this year's event. Presumably you are looking at the list for those in the 2025 Masters. I will let those who are better informed answer your question, but I suspect the simple answer is 'money'.

[Alex Holowczak]

I've seen the list of GMs participating. The tournament seems quite a bit weaker than what it used to be. Is there a reason for that?

I don't think they've yet announced the participants for this year's event. Presumably you are looking at the list for those in the 2025 Masters. I will let those who are better informed answer your question, but I suspect the simple answer is 'money'.

The answer for the 2025 Masters was actually "availability". Players were committed to the Freestyle event in South Africa, amongst other things.

[MJMcCready]

I've seen the list of GMs participating. The tournament seems quite a bit weaker than what it used to be. Is there a reason for that?

I don't think they've yet announced the participants for this year's event. Presumably you are looking at the list for those in the 2025 Masters. I will let those who are better informed answer your question, but I suspect the simple answer is 'money'.

Ah yes, so I was. Well hopefully the list of players attending will be announced fairly soon.

[LawrenceCooper]

I've seen the list of GMs participating. The tournament seems quite a bit weaker than what it used to be. Is there a reason for that?

I don't think they've yet announced the participants for this year's event. Presumably you are looking at the list for those in the 2025 Masters. I will let those who are better informed answer your question, but I suspect the simple answer is 'money'.

Ah yes, so I was. Well hopefully the list of players attending will be announced fairly soon.

I suspect that's doubtful with the FIDE elections and Olympiad taking place this month.

[MJMcCready]

Ah yes, forgot about those.