CHESS#1331

In the Asian Continentals, Makati (Manila), there's huge participation

The London Classic has a Knockout format. Two matches, Fabiano Caruana vs Hikaru Nakamura, and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave vs Levon Aronian, took place with two classical games, two rapids, four blitz. Nakamura and Lagrave won to go through to a final with a similar format.  Aronian and Caruana play out a third place match. First prize is $120,000,with $80,000 for 2nd, $60,000 for 3rd and $40,000 for 4th. 

One talking point: Lagrave edged Magnus Carlsen to go to #1 on the live Blitz list. The French mathematician’s speedplay talents are, if anything, under-rated. He isn’t a flamboyant personality unlike Nakamura. As