English GMs compete in the Czech Republic,
Germany, Hungary and online in the absence of
UK over-the-board chess
England’s top grandmasters, most of them ranked among the world’s best 100 players, are battling against the rule of six and other restrictions which have virtually eliminated over-the-board chess in the UK.
Michael Adams, the
England No 1, took eye-catching advantage of the better opportunities in central Europe with a Caruana-esque run of seven straight wins in classic tournaments. It was a performance which harked back to the seven-time
British champion’s peak years in 2000-02, when he was ranked No 4 in the world.