Hastings thread

[Richard Bates]

For those who want to follow.

I'm just wondering why the existence of the December rating list seems to have been ignored. If nothing else, it will make any norm calculations rather more difficult.

[Alex McFarlane]

Richard,

Thanks for pointing this out.

The mistake will be rectified. Were not sure what happened. My machine did have the December list and was posting entries using that list. We had a problem with Swiss Master on my computer this evening and transferred to another computer. In the process of transferring the file it seems to have changed to the most recent rating file on the other machine (ie November). Not sure why it did this or how.

Apologies to all concerned. Obviously the published draw will stand.

The ratings have now been updated on S-M.

[David Sedgwick]

We had a problem with Swiss Master on my computer this evening ...

I can't find any trace of Swiss Master having been used. Did you mean Swiss Manager?

[Alex McFarlane]

I can't find any trace of Swiss Master having been used. Did you mean Swiss Manager?

Indeed - it's been a long day.

[John Hickman]

If the hastingschess.com Webmeister is reading this, the link to the Christmas A 'Results & Pairings' doesn't go to the correct link.

I found it from the Tournament Selection on the Masters link.

[Alex McFarlane]

http://www.hastingschess.com/live-games-201617/

32 games

[Alex McFarlane]

Live Commentary
http://livestre.am/5rRTU

[Roger de Coverly]

For an Australian viewpoint, try http://chessexpress.blogspot.co.uk/ or
http://chessexpress.blogspot.co.uk/2016 ... day-1.html

[Roger de Coverly]

The round 3 pairings have more games between players who don't have the same score than those who do.

http://chess-results.com/tnr251584.aspx ... =30&wi=821

Somewhere I read that they are using the "Baku" system of accelerated pairings. This presumably is a draft or experimental FIDE method.

[Alex McFarlane]

Somewhere I read that they are using the "Baku" system of accelerated pairings. This presumably is a draft or experimental FIDE method.

You read it in the Shaun Press blog you linked to.

Indeed there are 25 'accelerated' pairings whereas the CAA system would have had 9.

The method is not draft but was approved. Under this acceleration can be carried out for 5 rounds (the preferred option) or for 3. We decided to stick with the 3 rounds that was normal to Hastings. The method involves giving all top half players an extra point in rounds 1 and 2 and an extra half point in round 3. The manual pairing and that of Swiss Manager agreed.

[Nick Grey]

Is this pairing system likely to help with norms?

Nice to see Koby Kalavannan taking Keith Arkell on in a difficult ending.

[NickFaulks]

Nice to see Koby Kalavannan taking Keith Arkell on in a difficult ending.

I don't understand the end of that game, doesn't Ke4 just win?

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Nice to see Koby Kalavannan taking Keith Arkell on in a difficult ending.

I don't understand the end of that game, doesn't Ke4 just win?

Indeed. Strange if Keith played 53...Kxg3 and a lucky escape for him if that is what happened (and a missed chance for Koby). I can only think Koby was maybe in time trouble?

[LawrenceCooper]

Nice to see Koby Kalavannan taking Keith Arkell on in a difficult ending.

I don't understand the end of that game, doesn't Ke4 just win?

Indeed. Strange if Keith played 53...Kxg3 and a lucky escape for him if that is what happened (and a missed chance for Koby). I can only think Koby was maybe in time trouble?

I wonder if white saw 54 Ke4 Ne1 55 h6 Nf3 and wasn't sure how to win from there (albeit 56 Nf5+ followed by Kf4 seems to do the trick).The other possibility is an error in transmission.

[NickFaulks]

The other possibility is an error in transmission.

I wondered that. The line you suggest is, to say the very least, risk free.