British Championship 2023

[Roger de Coverly]

No doubt there is a level where opening prep can make a crucial difference, but I think you and I are at least 500 points below it.

Opening ideas come in and out of fashion. Last season I gained a serious time advantage in a county match against a useful junior by playing the flick knife or Taimanov line against the Benoni. That's the idea which runs
1.d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. e4 g6 7. f4 Bg7 8. Bb5 Nfd7

I now played 9. Bd3 which is out of fashion. In the Over 65s the previous year, the game had trundled down an old main line, familiar to both players. The junior however took a lot of time even though we reached an identical or similar position. I suppose the point is that 9. a4 became a main line after Kasparov adopted it and recently even the retreat back to e2 has become played.

[Joey Stewart]

Back on track to the tournament itself, tomorrow promises to be an exciting day with the clash of old and new champions on board one - looking at his Ecf results I never realised just how consistently strong Adams is (he hasn't lost to anyone below 2600 for over 10 years! ) but this could be his biggest test yet against a talented and creative attacker who is bound to be looking for the scalp to prove last year's win was no fluke and he is the next big thing in English chess!

[Ronnie Burton]

Agree game on Wednesday Adams could face tough game against rising star and likely to be GM soon

[Paul Cooksey]

I hope we see an exciting game. But we have seen several players choose something very sterile against Adams 1 e4 e5 over the years. I'd be surprised not to see a couple of those.

[Geoff Chandler]

Has anybody got an idea of what were the actual last few moves of this round 3 game. All sites appear to have the same sequence of moves with a Rook and a Queen hanging.

James Merriman - John Pigott

All sites appear to have;

[FEN "2r3k1/pq1r1pp1/1p2pn1p/8/3PP3/P1NQ1P2/6PP/2RR2K1 w - - 0 21"] 21. Ne2 Rxc1 22. Rxc1 Rc7 23. Rxc7 Qc8 24. Rc6 {And here the game was recorded as a draw.}

[Mick Norris]

I hope we see an exciting game. But we have seen several players choose something very sterile against Adams 1 e4 e5 over the years. I'd be surprised not to see a couple of those.

A draw is a good result for Harry, I'd have thought, so yes

[IM Jack Rudd]

The Merriman-Pigott game ended after 23.Rxc7.

[Mark Howitt]

Been watching some commentary... interesting dress choice Jack...

[Geoff Chandler]

The Merriman-Pigott game ended after 23.Rxc7.

Thanks Jack.

[Jonathan Rogers]

26 decisive games out of 31 today!

I suspect we feel that we know the winner already, but let's see. One might have thought about the over 50s too, but Tim Kett won a smooth game yesterday.

[Mick Norris]

round 6 pairings

Hebden - Adams
Wadsworth - Fernandez
N Pert - Willow

[Jonathan Rogers]

Who will be first to predict the three results on those boards? We haven't played this game for years...

[Mark Howitt]

It''s a Shaw vs Rudd clash today... I spend a bit too much time watching but will have a look...

[Paul Cooksey]

Who will be first to predict the three results on those boards? We haven't played this game for years...

Hebden 0 - 1 Adams
Wadsworth 1 - 0 Fernandez
N Pert 1/2 - 1/2 Willow

[Paul Cooksey]

Who will be first to predict the three results on those boards? We haven't played this game for years...

Hebden 0 - 1 Adams
Wadsworth 1 - 0 Fernandez
N Pert 1/2 - 1/2 Willow