Carlsen Makes Surprise London Detour For World Rapid & Blitz Champs Warm-Up

GM Magnus Carlsen has made a surprise addition to his December schedule, signing up for an open tournament in London as he prepares to defend his world rapid and blitz crowns in Istanbul.

The Norwegian world number-one will compete in the XTX Markets London Chess Classic Super Rapid on December 5 and 6—an event in which anyone can enter, regardless of their chess ability.

It means Carlsen, who rarely plays in open tournaments, could find himself sitting opposite an ordinary club player in the opening round.

The 35-year-old is using the competition at the Novotel London West in Hammersmith as a warm-up for the World Rapid and Blitz Championships, which begin in Istanbul on Christmas Day.

But his unexpected London appearance could produce some fascinating encounters along the way.

Among those entered is 11-year-old English prodigy and newly-qualifed IM Bodhana Sivanandan, whose extraordinary progress has made her one of the most recognisable young talents in world chess.

Sivanandan has broken a string of age records and recently qualified for the International Master title. The prospect of her facing the five-time classical world champion is tantalising, although there is no guarantee they will be paired.

Carlsen Back In London

The Super Rapid has attracted an exceptionally strong field.

French star GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and Dutch GM Anish Giri are among the entrants, alongside leading players from the London Chess Classic Masters.

They include Uzbekistan's GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov, the reigning London champion, American GM Levon Aronian and Indian speed chess specialist GM Nihal Sarin.

But unlike an invitation-only elite tournament, the Super Rapid allows these grandmasters to compete alongside amateurs.

The event consists of 10 rounds over two days, with five rounds each day and a time control of 15 minutes plus a 10-second increment.

It carries a £35,000 prize fund, including £10,000 for first place.

Carlsen has a long history with the London Chess Classic, having won its elite competition four times, in 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2015.

His appearance this year, however, will be rather different.

IM Malcolm Pein, CEO of Chess in Schools and Communities, the charity behind the tournament, said: "The London Chess Classic sits on the top table of elite-level chess tournaments, and Magnus has often played the Masters section here. But to have him playing in the Super Rapid, an event open to all, that is another thing entirely.

"Someone is going to have a tale they can dine out on for a long time: about the time they took on the great Magnus Carlsen in round one of the Super Rapid in Hammersmith."

A Rare Open Tournament Appearance

Carlsen's decision is unusual because the former world champion generally confines his competitive appearances to elite invitation-only events, major championships and selected online competitions.

His last notable appearance in a traditional open tournament was at the Qatar Masters in 2023, where he finished sixth after a difficult start.

The London event offers a different kind of challenge: a short, intense competition against a mixture of established stars and potentially unfamiliar opponents.

It also comes during a busy period for Carlsen, who is competing at the inaugural Total Chess event in Budapest this week before turning his attention to the defence of his rapid and blitz world titles.

The World Rapid and Blitz Championships in Istanbul begin on December 25, giving him less than three weeks between his London appearance and the start of the championships.

For the amateurs who have entered the Super Rapid, however, the attraction is obvious.

There are still a handful of places available, with standard entry costing £50.

Full tournament information and entry details are available on the London Chess Classic website.