Round 2
The London Chess Classic elite section is an all-play-all tournament featuring ten GMs, organised by Chess in Schools & Communities (CSC) and sponsored by XTX Markets. The event takes place at the Emirates Stadium, London, home to Arsenal Football Club, between Wednesday 26 November and Friday 5 December.
Time control: 40 moves in 90 minutes + 30 minutes for the remainder of the game, with a 30-second increment from move 1.
The players cannot draw a game by mutual agreement before Black’s 30th move. A
claim for a draw before Black’s 30th move is permitted only through the Chief Arbiter or his/her Deputy in case of a threefold repetition.
Live games and commentary
EXPAND YOUR CHESS HORIZONSData, plans, practice – the new Opening Report In ChessBase there are always attempts to show the typical plans of an opening variation. In the age of engines, chess is much more concrete than previously thought. But amateurs in particular love openings with clear plans, see the London System. In ChessBase ’26, three functions deal with the display of plans. The new opening report examines which piece moves or pawn advances are significant for each important variation. In the reference search you can now see on the board where the pieces usually go. If you start the new Monte Carlo analysis, the board also shows the most common figure paths.
Commentary by GM Daniel King and GM David Howell
Why memorising endless theory might not be the best path – and how an idea-based repertoire can change your game.
In today’s fast-paced chess world, especially online, where blitz and rapid games dominate, the traditional approach of grinding through lines of opening theory can feel overwhelming, and even unnecessary. The real challenge? Striking the right balance in your opening preparation. How deep should you go? Where do you stop? This course is built on the timeless wisdom of my legendary coach, Chebanenko, who designed opening repertoires for his “lazy” students – not lazy in attitude, but smart in approach. His philosophy? Don’t memorise. Understand.
