Gawain Jones, the British and English chess champion, achieved a remarkable victory in the 2024 XTX Markets London Classic, overcoming personal tragedy to secure the £25,000 first prize. At 37 years old, Jones had experienced a difficult year following the death of his wife, Sue Maroroa Jones, who passed away due to complications after the birth of their second child. After taking several months off from competitive play, he returned to the chess world in 2024 with a vengeance, claiming the English title in June and the British championship in August. Additionally, he helped the England team to a strong performance at the Budapest Olympiad in September. His victory at the London Classic was the crowning achievement of his comeback.
Jones displayed remarkable consistency throughout the tournament, finishing unbeaten with 5/7 and a full point clear of the competition. His most significant win came in the final round, where his knight outperformed the bishop of reigning women’s world champion Ju Wenjun. With his opponent resigned at move 41 due to a lost rook endgame, Jones secured his place as the tournament’s winner. Despite the strong competition, including seasoned players like Michael Adams and Nikita Vitiugov, Jones’s performance was a testament to his resilience and skill.
The London Classic also featured impressive performances from other players. Adams, a veteran eight-time British champion, finished as runner-up after a tie-break with Vitiugov, who took third place. Both players were closely followed by the tournament’s favorites, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov of Azerbaijan and Vidit Gujrathi of India, who failed to reach the top spots. Among the English contingent, the young talent Shreyas Royal, at just 15 years old, faced a setback, finishing with a disappointing score of 1/7. However, Royal is expected to perform better in future events, including the Caplin Hastings Masters later in December.
In the Fide Open, a tournament for experts and masters rated over 2200, India’s Raunak Sadhwani emerged victorious, edging out Israel’s Ilya Smirin on tie-break. Sadhwani’s triumph marked a significant achievement in the event, while Matthew Wadsworth, a 24-year-old player from England, continued his quest for the grandmaster title. Wadsworth, who already had two of the three norms needed to become a GM, faced a critical moment in the final round, where a win against GM Ameet Ghasi would have secured his third norm. Despite his efforts, Wadsworth was forced to settle for a draw, narrowly missing out on the achievement.
The event also featured the Super-Blitz tournament, one of the strongest speed chess tournaments ever held in England. The field included high-profile grandmasters such as Alireza Firouzja and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave. Firouzja, ranked world No 2 in blitz, lived up to his reputation by scoring 5.5/7 despite an early loss to a trap in round one. The tournament saw a notable moment when Adams, playing against Firouzja in the opening round, capitalized on a rare blunder by the young star. Adams’s precise play led him to a comfortable victory, a reminder of the depth of experience in the veteran’s game.
The London Classic was sponsored by XTX Markets, an algorithmic trading firm that has become a major supporter of chess events in London. In addition to backing the Classic, XTX sponsors ChessFest, a popular one-day festival held annually in Trafalgar Square, and provides significant financial support for students from low-income backgrounds pursuing degrees in mathematics.
In a broader sense, the event also reflected the growing interest and investment in chess in the UK. As the chess community continues to attract attention from sponsors and the public, tournaments like the London Classic play an essential role in nurturing talent and celebrating the achievements of players like Jones, whose personal story of recovery and triumph adds a profound layer of inspiration to his victory.
