Search found 3544 matches

by Ian Thompson
Tue Mar 19, 2024 11:45 am
Forum: International News
Topic: Reykjavik 2024
Replies: 35
Views: 1927

Re: Reykjavik 2024

Shortly after the session starts, (about 21 minutes in to the video) Andrea turns up with laptop and a mile of cables and sets up the camera, whilst Dan looks slightly bemused. She doesn't make a move until after she's set it up though. I cam imagine some players would get irritated by that. If the...
by Ian Thompson
Mon Mar 18, 2024 6:46 pm
Forum: International News
Topic: Reykjavik 2024
Replies: 35
Views: 1927

Re: Reykjavik 2024

Dan Bisby will be aware that GMs are difficult to beat! 3/4 is a good start though. He now finds himself facing Andrea Botez so his game is being streamed to more than 15000 viewers on the BotezLive Twitch channel with commentary by GM Jon Ludvig Hammer. Should he have the right to refuse to take p...
by Ian Thompson
Mon Mar 18, 2024 4:41 pm
Forum: 4NCL
Topic: 4NCL Time control
Replies: 10
Views: 402

Re: 4NCL Time control

Jonathan Rogers wrote:
Mon Mar 18, 2024 4:33 pm
Sometimes people didn't want to travel from abroad because of the likelihood of missing flight connections back on the Sunday evening.
If the rules have the effect of discouraging teams from busing in foreign players for the weekend, is that a good thing or a bad thing?
by Ian Thompson
Mon Mar 18, 2024 12:54 pm
Forum: 4NCL
Topic: 4NCL Time control
Replies: 10
Views: 402

Re: 4NCL Time control

Is 4NCL the same as the Bundesliga? Would it be possible for an earlier start on either day? Is it possible to survey the players at the final weekend? The current 4NCL time limit is the same as the German league - https://www.schachbundesliga.de/die-liga/format . An earlier start on Saturday proba...
by Ian Thompson
Sat Mar 16, 2024 6:52 pm
Forum: Congress Diary
Topic: 1st Cheam FIDE RapidPlay Saturday, 23 March
Replies: 6
Views: 383

Re: 1st Cheam FIDE RapidPlay Saturday, 23 March

Angus French wrote:
Sat Mar 16, 2024 6:38 pm
Can I ask: who are the organisers and arbiters?
According to the chess-results listing it's organised by Psyon Chess and the Tournament Director and Chief Arbiter is Satish Gaekwad.
by Ian Thompson
Tue Mar 12, 2024 3:21 pm
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Counties and clubs
Replies: 55
Views: 3566

Re: Counties and clubs

Clubs in Hampshire can choose from at least the Southampton league, the Portsmouth league and the Surrey Border League. The formal name for the Surrey Border League is The Surrey and Hampshire Border League but many shorten it and some truncate it to "The Borders League" somewhat ambiguously. So th...
by Ian Thompson
Mon Mar 11, 2024 11:46 pm
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Counties and clubs
Replies: 55
Views: 3566

Re: Counties and clubs

Do we actually have any counties that don't have a league of their own? I'm pretty sure I mentioned on this forum before that there is no Hampshire league, although there are plans to resurrect it . Clubs in Hampshire can choose from at least the Southampton league, the Portsmouth league and the Su...
by Ian Thompson
Mon Mar 11, 2024 4:48 pm
Forum: Chess History
Topic: Intersection between academia and international chess titles
Replies: 37
Views: 3315

Re: Intersection between academia and international chess titles

MJMcCready wrote:
Mon Mar 11, 2024 3:21 pm
How many British GMs have a Ph.d and are a doctor as such. GM Nunn and Rowson spring to mind immediately. How many more do we have?
Colin McNab (mathematics) is another.
by Ian Thompson
Mon Mar 11, 2024 12:40 pm
Forum: Rating Debate
Topic: Rapid events with over rated players.
Replies: 20
Views: 2980

Re: Rapid events with over rated players.

I wonder, as with anything in chess, whether the best option is to publish a rule (probably what Lee has said since many ECF and FIDE tournaments use the "highest of ECF and FIDE") but make it clearer that anomalous players have the right to appeal. It would be very sensible to have a rule that say...
by Ian Thompson
Sun Mar 10, 2024 1:18 pm
Forum: General Chat
Topic: David Glueck (Oxfordshire team 1991-2)
Replies: 61
Views: 4081

Re: David Glueck (Oxfordshire team 1991-2)

I have a particular interest in "foreign stars" playing in the UK, by which I mean those from abroad popping up unexpectedly and (usually) strengthening County and Club teams. It can highlight some interesting connections. PPS. Have been told that a regular player for that Oxfordshire team was US I...
by Ian Thompson
Sat Mar 09, 2024 12:47 pm
Forum: General Chat
Topic: David Glueck (Oxfordshire team 1991-2)
Replies: 61
Views: 4081

Re: David Glueck (Oxfordshire team 1991-2)

There is a P. Pritchard (Milton Keynes) in the ECF rating list, but also a Paul Pritchard in Yorkshire. Same person or different? I don''t know. All I'd say is that the Yorkshire player has a grading code that is a much higher number than the Milton Keynes/Exeter University player that I knew would...
by Ian Thompson
Sat Mar 09, 2024 12:37 pm
Forum: General Chat
Topic: David Glueck (Oxfordshire team 1991-2)
Replies: 61
Views: 4081

Re: David Glueck (Oxfordshire team 1991-2)

Christopher Kreuzer wrote:
Sat Mar 09, 2024 12:16 pm
9. P. Hebershon (Paul F. Habershon?) 1-0 R. J. Starkie
10. P. Pritchard 0-1 M. Rose
Very likely Ray J Starkie; probably Matthew Rose.
by Ian Thompson
Sat Mar 09, 2024 12:33 pm
Forum: General Chat
Topic: David Glueck (Oxfordshire team 1991-2)
Replies: 61
Views: 4081

Re: David Glueck (Oxfordshire team 1991-2)

Can anyone help with getting full names and grades for both teams, and any of the games? There are a lot of well known players on the match card. I think I could give first names for about half of them. I'll offer one who may be less well known - P Pritchard is probably Paul Pritchard, who I was at...
by Ian Thompson
Thu Mar 07, 2024 4:15 pm
Forum: General Chat
Topic: accepting gambits
Replies: 35
Views: 2482

Re: accepting gambits

Christopher Kreuzer wrote:
Thu Mar 07, 2024 1:19 pm
It can also yield some advantage in colour pairings. Though how effective it is, I don't know.
It's going to backfire as soon as the group of leaders consists of an odd number of players and you, as the highest rated player in the score group half a point behind them, get the up float.
by Ian Thompson
Thu Mar 07, 2024 10:40 am
Forum: ECF Matters
Topic: ECF Membership Reform
Replies: 150
Views: 13869

Re: ECF Membership Reform

£18 a year works out as £1.50 a month. I'll repeat that - £1.50 a month! If you just play one game, it's £ 18 a month. There are players in league teams who only play once, admittedly often as reserves to avoid a default. As I'm sure you well know if someone did just play one game there's no requir...