The pairings for this year’s London Chess Classic, which is fast approaching, have been published. Unlike last year, there was no need for a draw: In order to ensure an even distribution of colours over the whole Grand Chess Tour 2016, the pairings are the reverse of the Sinquefield Cup, meaning LCC wildcard Michael Adams gets St Louis wildcard Ding Liren’s pairings in reverse. We already have a major clash to look forward to in round 1 when Hikaru Nakamura takes on Sinquefield Cup winner Wesley So with the white pieces. Nakamura is the only player who can still catch So in the Grand Chess Tour standings, which promise the winner a hefty $100,000 bonus with $50,000 for the runner-up.
