Hi everyone!! Today is a big day for the final round of the London Chess Classic! Going into the day, there is a three way tie for first;

Anand, McShane and Mags all with 10 points.

Kramnik and Naka have 10!

   The first game finished today is Anand(W) vs. Kramnik(B), and after this game, neither one will win the tourney! It was another Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defence game!

  The other games will be posted as they are completed. 

  -Mark

  I'm doing the final round a little differently, putting the finished games in separate posts!

  It is official!! Magnus Carlsen has repeated as Champion of the London Chess Classic by defeating Nigel Short today. Even if McShane wins, Magnus will win by tie-breakers.

  Short resigned after 40.a7 and the Fritz Hotness meter was almost a 10!!

Here is the result:

  Stay tuned for the last two games!! 

   -Mark

  The third game finished (as well as the 4th game going on) was in serious time trouble on both sides, but Howell and McShane have gone to a draw, giving Mags sole position of 1st place and a solid tournament victory!

   OK everybody! The London Chess Classic is officially over!! The Nakamura game went to a draw, the longest and best game of the day!!

   After 64.Kxg4+, there wasn't much left for either player to do and then the mutual draw agreement came.

  

   This was an exciting game to end an awesome tournament. And perhaps next year, it will be better than this year, although they are going to have to top themselves because this event was truly a great one!!

   Enjoy everybody!! 

   -Mark

  Here are the final standings everyone just in case you want them:

Carlsen, Magnus	NOR	2802	13
Anand, Viswanathan	IND	2804	11
McShane, Luke	ENG	2645	11
Kramnik, Vladimir	RUS	2791	10
Nakamura, Hikaru	USA	2741	10
Adams, Michael	ENG	2723	8
Howell, David	ENG	2611	4
Short, Nigel	ENG	2680	2

  I just uploaded the full event PGN to the Downloads/Database of Games!!    Enjoy!

  -Mark

lol Fezzik! Very funny!

This is one of best tournaments I have followed.