FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASETuesday, 3rd September

WORLD CUP WINNER VLADIMIR KRAMNIK TO PLAY IN 5TH LONDON CHESS CLASSIC

Chess in Schools and Communities is delighted to announce today that GM Vladimir Kramnik, the recent Fide World Cup winner in Tromsø, Norway, has accepted his invitation to play in the 5th London Chess Classic to be staged at the Olympia Conference Centre in Kensington, running from Saturday 7th December to Sunday 15th December.

London has become a happy hunting ground for Kramnik. Not only has the former World Champion been a regular at the London Chess Classic, winning the 2011 edition, and runner-up twice (behind Magnus Carlsen, the World No.1, on both occasions), in 2009 and 2012, but in 2000, London was also the venue for his historic world title win over Garry Kasparov.

Earlier this week in Tromsø, Kramnik showed he’s still a major force in the game with his easy victory in the four-game Fide World Cup final over the current Russian champion, Dmitry Andreikin; that will see both qualify for next year’s Candidates’ tournament. And Kramnik’s overall performance in the World Cup, also saw the former World Champion once again reclaiming the World No. 3 spot in the September Fide rating list published this week.

Kramnik now joins World Champion Vishy Anand and the US No.1, Hikaru Nakamura as the the third player to have confirmed they will play in the 5th London Chess Classic. The rest of the 16-player Rapid field will be announced in the coming week.

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Head Office44 Baker Street, London W1U 7RTTel: 020 7935 3445Email: info@chessinschools.co.ukwww.chessinschools.co.ukCSC on Breakfast TV! www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-13343943

Company Number: 7017640 | UK Charity Number: 1133120

The 5th London Chess Classic tournament website is www.londonchessclassic.com.  The CSC website is www.chessinschools.co.uk.

For images and pictures please contact: chessinschools@gmail.comPress enquiries to: Malcolm Pein, Chief Executive, Chess in Schools and Communities.  

Chess in Schools and Communities is a charity established two years ago with the aim of introducing chess into primary schools, with particular emphasis on areas of economic disadvantage. The charity already delivers chess to over 200 schools in 38 boroughs across England and Wales, teaching chess as a classroom subject. Participating schools receive chess sets, software, training for teachers and 30 lessons per year from a CSC chess tutor. This innovative approach was recognised with an award from the Sports and Recreation Alliance.

Earlier this year, the charity was also awarded a major grant of £689,000 from the Education Endowment Foundation to research the effect of teaching chess to children in 100 UK schools.

Head Office44 Baker Street, London W1U 7RTTel: 020 7935 3445Email: info@chessinschools.co.ukwww.chessinschools.co.ukCSC on Breakfast TV! www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-13343943

Company Number: 7017640 | UK Charity Number: 1133120