The London Chess Classic

This week I turn to the recent London Chess Classic, organised once again by the indefatigable Malcolm Pein. The delay in writing about it owes less to reluctance than to circumstance: the annual suspension of columns during the festive season, compounded by the untimely passing of Barry Martin, interrupted my usual rhythm of reportage. 

The tournament brought to London the 21-year-old Uzbek number one, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, already in possession of a record that would be notable in a player twice his age. His victory at the 2021 World Rapid Chess Championship made him the youngest ever open world champion in any format of the game, a fact that says something about the accelerating pace of modern chess, and something too about the burden placed on youthful success. Since then, Nodirbek has confirmed that his early triumph was not an accident. At Wijk aan Zee he has produced a sequence of outstanding performances, tying for first place in 2024, and he followed this with victory at the 2024 Prague International Chess Festival.

He was also a central figure in the young Uzbekistan team that captured gold at the 44th Olympiad in Chennai, where he won the individual silver medal on board one. The following year he reached a peak world ranking of fourth, thereby establishing himself beyond reasonable doubt as one of the most formidable representatives of the new generation of world title challengers. In a game often described as timeless, it is worth noting how quickly reputations are now made—and confirmed.

British chess followers had previously seen Nodirbek at the 2024 Global Chess League, but the 2025 XTX Markets London Chess Classic offered their first opportunity to watch him play classical chess on British soil. He is an all-round player, equipped with a flexible opening repertoire, precise calculation, and a deep strategic understanding. The latter came to the fore in this week’s game where a seemingly see saw struggle resolved into an endgame , where Black’s scattered pawns, suddenly exposed as ripe for plucking, dropped like rotten fruit. These formidable qualities, taken together, explain why Nodirbek Abdusattorov is already a feared opponent. His margin of victory was extraordinary at this level, where even such seasoned warriors of the mind as the British grandmaster Michael Adams often struggle to convert advantage into full points.

The 2025 XTX Markets London Chess Classic – Cross Table

Pos     Player                     1             2            3            4             5             6            7            8             9            10      Total

​​​​​​​​​

By any reasonable measure, the Classic was a success. Yet it is difficult to avoid the feeling that an opportunity was missed. Veteran Stuart Conquest was not to be seen in the lists, despite the fact that, at the age of 58, he had tied with Michael Adams for first prize in last year’s British Championship, only to lose in the  Mano a Mano  playoff. In a game that rightly celebrates youthful brilliance, there remains something to be said for recognising sustained excellence. A place in the London Chess Classic would have been a fitting reward for that achievement, and its absence was quietly felt, at least by this writer.

Unusually, and because it is such an accessible review, I have incorporated some comments taken from the excellent agadmator YouTube channel in the following game. These are clearly identified below. For readers interested in this game, and many other excellent games updated regularly, on this go-to service, start at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYIiRk8KlvE , for this game, and then explore further!

Nodirbek Abdusattorov vs. Luke McShane

London Chess Classic (2025), London, round 7

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6

The Berlin variation of the Ruy Lopez: once considered impenetrable, now in 2025, people have found a lot of poison with both Black and White. (agadmator)

4. d3 Bc5 5. c3 O-O 6. O-O d6 7. Bg5

Trying to get an interesting game. (agadmator)

More usual are both 7. Nbd2 and 7. h3.

7… Ne7

A move rarely seen [Suleymanli-Maghsoodloo, Baku, 2023]. (agadmator)

Again more recently in [Tsaruk-Artemiev, Vladivostok, 2024]; both games winning for Black.

8. d4 Bb6 9. Bxf6 gxf6 10. Nbd2 Kh8 TN

McShane deviates from contemporary theory, surely in the knowledge that 10… Ng6 has been played recently by his adversary [Abdusattorov-Grischuk, Tashkent, 2024].

11. Re1 Rg8 12. g3 Qf8 13. a4 a6 14. Bd3 Bg4 15. Nc4 Ba7 16. Ne3 Bh5 17. Be2 Bg6 18. Qc2 Qc8?!

Shoring up his queenside and eying the h3-square, is a good idea, but better is 18… c6, threatening …cxd4 or 18… cxd4 straight away.

19. Bd3 Bh5 20. Nh4 Bg6 21. Bc4 Rg7?!

It is preferable to get this move in with tempo, for example, after 21… exd4 22. cxd4 Bxd4 23. Nxg6+ hxg6 24. Bxf7 Rg7!?.

22. Rad1 Qh3 23. Nxg6+?!

Slightly stronger is 23. Nhf5, when after 23… Nxf5 24. exf5! Bh5 25. Rd2 (25. Bf1? Bxd1!) 25… Bf3 26. Bf1 Qh5 27. Bg2, White stands better.

23… hxg6

…Rxg6? 24. Bf1 Qc8 25. Qb3 Rg7 26. a5. (agadmator)

24. Qb3 Rh7 25. Nf1 Bb6 26. Bxf7

Or a5 and then Qxb7. (agadmator)

26… Rf8 27. Be6 Qh5 28. Rd3 a5 29. Qd1 Nc6?!

Necessary is, 29… Qxd1! 30. Rexd1 Nc6 31. Bd5 exd4 32. Bxc6 bxc6 33. cxd4, and although slightly worse, Black nevertheless maintains the status quo.

30. Qxh5 Rxh5 31. Bd5

Another way is with 31. d5, and after 31… Nd8 32. Bg4 Rh7 33. Rf3. (agadmator)

31… exd4 32. Bxc6 bxc6 33. cxd4 c5 34. Ne3

A temporary pawn sac (agadmator)

Also of interest is 34. d5!?

34… cxd4 35. Nd5 Bc5 36. Nxc7

Regaining the pawn while leaving Black with doubled d-pawns. An alternative to the text is 36. Nf4 Rh6 37. Ne6 Rb8 38. Re2 Rh7 39. Nxd4 when Black has got rid of the doubled pawn, but White is much better situated. (agadmator)

36… Re5 37. Kf1 Rf7?!

The move played is an inaccuracy, and Black should instead prefer, 37… Kg7 (37… Re7 is worth consideration) 38. h4 Re7 39. Nd5 Rb7 40. b3 Rfb8 41. Rb1 Re8, when White has little advantage left.

38. Nb5 Rfe7 39. Nxd4 Rxe4 40. Red1 Kg7 41. b3 R7e5

McShane should preserve a ‘sweeper’ rook, which can defend behind his lines. Best here is, 41… Re8 42. Nb5 Re2 43. R3d2 Rxd2 44. Rxd2 Rb8, limiting White’s advantage.

42. h4 g5 43. hxg5 Rxg5??

A blunder that triggers the slow deterioration of Black’s position. McShane could still hang on after, 43… fxg5 44. Nb5 Re2 45. R3d2 Rxd2 46. Rxd2 Re6, when White is not yet home.

44. Nb5 Rf5 45. R1d2 Rb4 46. Kg2?

Throwing McShane a lifeline. After either 46. Rc3 or Rb2 both lead to winning lines for Abdusattorov.

46… Kg6 47. Na3 Rb8 48. Nc4 Bb4 49. Rd1 Bc5 50. f4

And there is nothing more Luke can do (agadmator)

50…  Bb4 51. Rd5 Rxd5 52. Rxd5 f5 53. Kf3 Kf6 54. Rb5 Ra8 55. Nb6 Black resigned 1-0

Ray’s 208th book, the world record for chess books and written jointly with the late chess playing artist, Barry Martin, Chess through the Looking Glass, is available from Amazon. 

A Message from TheArticle

We are the only publication that’s committed to covering every angle. We have an important contribution to make, one that’s needed now more than ever, and we need your help to continue publishing throughout these hard economic times. So please, make a donation.