40th annual Kidlington Chess Tournament, 4-5 February 2017

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Gerard O'Reilly
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40th annual Kidlington Chess Tournament, 4-5 February 2017

Post by Gerard O'Reilly » Fri Oct 28, 2016 4:52 pm

You are invited to the 40th annual Kidlington Chess Tournament, which will be held on Saturday & Sunday 4 & 5 February 2017 at our regular venue, Exeter Hall, Kidlington OX5 1AB.

Kidlington is a very well-established event in the English tournament calendar with a seasoned team of experienced controllers and a friendly atmosphere. We also have an excellent bookstall provided by Chess Direct (http://www.chessdirect.co.uk/), and a fine range of refreshments provided by Hackett’s Food & Drink of Witney (http://www.hackettsgroup.co.uk/).

Kidlington is not only an ECF Tradewise Grand Prix event, but is also again in 2017 a British Championship Qualifying Tournament, with the winner of the top section (or, if he/she is already qualified, the next-highest-placed eligible player) qualifying for a place in the 2017 British Chess Championship to be held in Llandudno from 28th July – 6th August 2017.

In this, our landmark 40th year, the congress is again a five-round tournament divided into four sections. But we are making a few changes.

First, although the Under-120, Under-145, and Under-180 sections remain the same as last year, the top section will now be an Open section, rather than having a grading cap of 225. The total prize fund has increased to £1970, with an Under-90 grading prize added in the Under-120 section.

Secondly, we are (at last) in the process of setting up a facility to make online entry to the tournament an option for those who would find that a more convenient way to enter. That option will be ready in the next few weeks, and will be notified on the Kidlington Chess Tournament website. Of course, those who prefer to use the longstanding method of posting their entry form with a cheque are welcome to continue with that!

Another change will be of particular interest to local players. With the approval of the Oxfordshire Chess Association, the Oxfordshire Individual Chess Championship is being revived, with the title and trophy going to the eligible player with the highest combined score in the Open sections of the two weekend congresses held in the county during the season, namely, the Witney Chess Congress (held recently on 22 & 23 October) and the Kidlington Chess Tournament on the first weekend in February.

Finally, for players from the London area, the recent opening of Oxford Parkway Rail Station should enable many chessplayers to travel to the venue more easily. Despite the station name, Oxford Parkway is only just outside Kidlington to the south, and with its fast (about an hour's journey) and frequent service from and to London Marylebone and a good service between the station and the playing venue, Exeter Hall (an approximately 10-minute journey by bus), it should make the journey swifter and more practical, and even avoid the necessity of staying over on Saturday night in the Oxford/Kidlington area.

for further details of the event, we invite you to visit our tournament website at https://www.kidlingtonchess.org.uk, where you can view or download our entry form.

We look forward to welcoming to Kidlington in February not only old friends but also new entrants in this our 40th year. Do come and join us!

Gerard O'Reilly

Roger de Coverly
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Re: 40th annual Kidlington Chess Tournament, 4-5 February 2017

Post by Roger de Coverly » Sat Oct 29, 2016 10:44 am

Gerard O'Reilly wrote:the top section will now be an Open section, rather than having a grading cap of 225.
A slight shame really for Kidlington to abandon its unique status as the country's only under 225 tournament, but I suppose necessary when you wanted to make it part of a Oxfordshire Championship. I'd imagine the original reason for adopting a high grade cut off is lost in the mists of time. One explanation from years ago was that it was to prevent GMs or those of that standard at Oxford University having a profitable weekend. It's being going so long, that it would have been Nunn and Speelman they were thinking of, rather than more recent attendees such as Luke McShane.

Mike Truran
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Re: 40th annual Kidlington Chess Tournament, 4-5 February 2017

Post by Mike Truran » Sat Oct 29, 2016 11:48 am

That was indeed the reason.

"Tempora mutantur, nos et mutamur in illis".

As they say in Kidlington.

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Dave Ewart
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Re: 40th annual Kidlington Chess Tournament, 4-5 February 2017

Post by Dave Ewart » Mon Jan 09, 2017 5:08 pm

Roger de Coverly wrote:
Gerard O'Reilly wrote:the top section will now be an Open section, rather than having a grading cap of 225.
A slight shame really for Kidlington to abandon its unique status as the country's only under 225 tournament, but I suppose necessary when you wanted to make it part of a Oxfordshire Championship. I'd imagine the original reason for adopting a high grade cut off is lost in the mists of time. One explanation from years ago was that it was to prevent GMs or those of that standard at Oxford University having a profitable weekend. It's being going so long, that it would have been Nunn and Speelman they were thinking of, rather than more recent attendees such as Luke McShane.
And according to https://kidlingtonchess.org.uk/kct2017/entries-so-far/ GM Nunn has indeed entered this year! :-)

Gerard O'Reilly
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Re: 40th annual Kidlington Chess Tournament, 4-5 February 2017

Post by Gerard O'Reilly » Sat Jan 28, 2017 7:56 pm

Not much room left at next weekend's Kidlington Tournament
Because of the remarkably high number of entries received already this year, and a further surge in the last few days, we are unexpectedly closing in on the maximum number of players (192) that we can accommodate in the venue, Exeter Hall. As things stand, there are only 15 places left, so please be quick off the mark if you wish to avoid disappointment and guarantee yourself a place in the tournament.

There is more detail on the https://kidlingtonchess.org.uk/news/ page and the https://kidlingtonchess.org.uk/kct2017/ ... gton-2017/ page of the tournament website https://kidlingtonchess.org.uk/.

Gerard O'Reilly

Gerard O'Reilly
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Re: 40th annual Kidlington Chess Tournament, 4-5 February 2017

Post by Gerard O'Reilly » Fri Feb 03, 2017 8:12 am

My apologies for not updating earlier my previous post of last Saturday, but as those who have visited the Kidlington Tournament website this week will be aware, entries reached our limit of 192 and had to be closed on Sunday afternoon. Entries can now be accommodated ONLY if there are withdrawals, and there is already a waiting list of hopefuls.
Much as we are sorry to have to turn away players wishing to enter, I would urge people NOT to turn up at the last moment expecting to find a place available. We welcome spectators, and I can recommend both the Chess Direct (http://www.chessdirect.co.uk/) bookstall and the refreshments provided by Hackett’s Food & Drink of Witney (http://www.hackettsgroup.co.uk/), but anyone turning up on Saturday expecting to enter the tournament is extremely likely to be disappointed.

Gerard O'Reilly

Kevin Thurlow
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Re: 40th annual Kidlington Chess Tournament, 4-5 February 2017

Post by Kevin Thurlow » Fri Feb 03, 2017 10:18 am

"My apologies for not updating earlier my previous post of last Saturday, but as those who have visited the Kidlington Tournament website this week will be aware, entries reached our limit of 192 and had to be closed on Sunday afternoon. Entries can now be accommodated ONLY if there are withdrawals, and there is already a waiting list of hopefuls."

Very impressive! Well done.

Gerard O'Reilly
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Re: 40th annual Kidlington Chess Tournament, 4-5 February 2017

Post by Gerard O'Reilly » Fri Feb 03, 2017 8:41 pm

Thanks, Kevin, for your kind comment.

I must say I have been greatly taken by surprise by the huge increase in the number of entries. At least since I became involved in the organization of the Kidlington Tournament (2010), we've never come anywhere near reaching the limit of our capacity.

The reasons are not clear-cut. It may well be something to do with having the online entry option for the first time. Again, the arrival, so to speak, of Oxford Parkway Station just south of Kidlington may well have been an influence, making for easier access by public transport. It may also be related to the fact that I have put out more publicity this year, though I'm quite sure that can't be the only reason.

Roger de Coverly
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Re: 40th annual Kidlington Chess Tournament, 4-5 February 2017

Post by Roger de Coverly » Fri Feb 03, 2017 8:47 pm

Gerard O'Reilly wrote:. At least since I became involved in the organization of the Kidlington Tournament (2010), we've never come anywhere near reaching the limit of our capacity.
Looking back at my playing record, I seem to have played at Kidlington most years since the 1990s. I can recall playing in the room you now use as the analysis room and also playing or possibly just analysing in the small room round the back. It's not the first time a limit has been put on entries.