No quarter given or expected in London

Great value for the numerous spectators today as all four games were fascinating tussles. Carlsen and McShane were the winners, both with Black.
Five players, despite the best will in the world, still haven't managed to win a game whereas Carlsen (with three victories) is now racing ahead. [Videos]

Carlsen now has three wins and two draws and the chances of anyone overtaking him are slim.

Kramnik and McShane both have two wins and are well placed for the other important prizes.

The fifth round was perhaps the best so far.

Ni Hua enthusiastically advanced his f-pawn in the middlegame, but this later led to him having too many weaknesses in the pseudo-ending. Carlsen gradually expanded his structure, his queen and bishop dominating White's queen and knight.

Howell and Kramnik indulged in a sharp line of the Petroff which eventually led to an unbalanced and rather double-edged endgame where the Englishman had two minor pieces for Kramnik's rook and two pawns. The game eventually led to a repetition where White cannot make progress, but it was David who was pressing and attempting to avoid any drawish lines. Another honorable performance by him.

Simplification in Adams-Short led to all the play being on the kingside. However despite the limited material various tricky tactics gave the latter stages an agreable impression before fizzling out.

Nakamura-McShane was a bloody tussle in which both players seemed to have winning chances. Luke McShane was the exchange down, and on the defensive, but had a solid pawn phalanx on the left-hand side of the board. Even in the Rook versus Bishop endgame the issue didn't seem clear until fairly near the end, but as the pawns advanced further up the board Black took over.

NameCountryRatingResultNameCountryRatingOpening
Ni HuaCHN26650-1Magnus CarlsenNOR2801Sicilian Moscow (B51)
David HowellENG25970.5-0.5Vladimir KramnikRUS2772Petroff's Defence (C42)
Hikaru NakamuraUSA27150-1Luke McShaneENG2615King's Indian Defence (E94)
Michael AdamsENG26980.5-0.5Nigel ShortENG2707Spanish Open (C80)

As there was no winner in round four the public had a difficult choice picking a 'best game' for the round. However they voted for the draw between Carlsen and Nakamura, so the Norwegian now has 2.5/4 on Best game prizes. More good news for super-Magnus.

NameCountryRatingAgeWorld rankingSofia pointsStandard pointsElo points change
Magnus CarlsenNOR2801192114+6.6
Vladimir KramnikRUS277234583-1.5
Luke McShaneENG26152515872.5+6.9
Michael AdamsENG2698383652.5-0.6
David HowellENG25971920252.5+8.1
Hikaru NakamuraUSA2715222442-6.2
Nigel ShortENG2707442942-8.4
Ni HuaCHN2665266031.5-4.9

In the penultimate round tomorrow we notice that Carlsen has White against the unbeaten Adams. Kramnik and McShane also have White.

NameCountryRatingVersusNameCountryRating
Magnus CarlsenNOR2801vs.Michael AdamsENG2698
Vladimir KramnikRUS2772vs.Nigel ShortENG2707
Luke McShaneENG2615vs.Ni HuaCHN2665
David HowellENG2597vs.Hikaru NakamuraUSA2715

For more information go to the official site: Official site for the London Chess Classic.

Happy Luke McShane!
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Another win for Magnus Carlsen!
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