Search found 3338 matches

by Richard Bates
Sat Mar 16, 2024 11:54 am
Forum: International News
Topic: Reykjavik 2024
Replies: 32
Views: 1760

Re: Reykjavik 2024

The usual good number of English entrants, including Daniel Fernandez who should be amongst the favourites, and Bodhana being paired with a 2500+ GM in round 1. English participants are at https://chess-results.com/tnr792656.aspx?lan=1&art=25&fedb=ENG&flag=30 Titled players 12 GM Fernandez Daniel H...
by Richard Bates
Tue Mar 05, 2024 1:39 pm
Forum: ECF Matters
Topic: ECF Membership Reform
Replies: 150
Views: 13718

Re: ECF Membership Reform

How depressing It's hard enough being involved in chess administration (for free, whilst also having a job and a family), without someone trying to make it harder by suggesting that grading/rating could be done cheaper; just how much work does Brian and his team put into it, and those running the L...
by Richard Bates
Sat Feb 24, 2024 9:24 am
Forum: Congress Diary
Topic: 2nd Cambridge International Open
Replies: 109
Views: 13363

Re: 2nd Cambridge International Open

Any norm chances? I have been looking at a few likely candidates, and I cannot make head or tail of it... Lorenzo Fava looks like a potential IM norm, but he has played all ENG, so does that throw a spanner into the works? Jonah Willow is playing a third GM, but I have no idea what his adjusted per...
by Richard Bates
Sun Feb 18, 2024 6:18 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Cheating in chess
Replies: 3034
Views: 344262

Re: Cheating in chess

Personally I have no idea how or why people conclude that vast numbers of opponents are cheating against them when playing online or, frankly, why they let it them bother them so much. Except perhaps if they regularly play in the “tournaments” rather than just on a purely casual level in the blitz p...
by Richard Bates
Wed Jan 24, 2024 11:56 pm
Forum: International News
Topic: Formats to be used in title tournaments
Replies: 13
Views: 908

Re: Formats to be used in title tournaments

Silly logic. What is a GM playing for in a round robin with no prize money that distinguishes it from a Scheveningen?
by Richard Bates
Sun Jan 21, 2024 3:59 pm
Forum: Chess History
Topic: K. W. Lloyd
Replies: 22
Views: 1897

Re: K. W. Lloyd

I played him in the Surrey League in 1997, when he was graded 192. Unfortunately, when I put the game on chessbase, I just put as event "R1", meaning Redhill I vs somebody. My old scorebooks have full details, but they're in storage, and not immediately available. Cobham? https://www.ecfrating.org....
by Richard Bates
Sun Dec 31, 2023 8:13 pm
Forum: Congress Diary
Topic: Caplin Hastings 2023-24
Replies: 107
Views: 12022

Re: Caplin Hastings 2023-24

I wonder if PC was thinking of possible tricks after 8....Qc7, but they don't actually work. 3. d5 was played a couple of times by Tigran Petrosian among others. After 8. .. Qc7, a stockfish comes up with the idea 9. Qxa8 Bc3 where it thinks Black is worse but by a pawn, not a rook. In particular i...
by Richard Bates
Sun Dec 31, 2023 7:52 pm
Forum: Congress Diary
Topic: Caplin Hastings 2023-24
Replies: 107
Views: 12022

Re: Caplin Hastings 2023-24

Paul - what does Black play on move 8, then. According to the computer, White is already outright winning then. I wonder if PC was thinking of possible tricks after 8....Qc7, but they don't actually work. A good example of how NOT to trust the Chess24 computer assessments without actually playing t...
by Richard Bates
Sun Dec 17, 2023 1:17 pm
Forum: International News
Topic: SUNWAY SITGES INTERNATIONAL CHESS FESTIVAL 12 to 22 December 2023
Replies: 37
Views: 4842

Re: SUNWAY SITGES INTERNATIONAL CHESS FESTIVAL 12 to 22 December 2023

Keith Arkell wrote:
Sat Dec 16, 2023 11:51 pm
I'm pleased to report that in my toughest pairing so far I was pressing for the win with Black v GM Boruchovsky, but he held on for the draw.
Come now Keith, your toughest game was definitely round 3. You’d have had more chance of getting something out of it against Magnus 😉
by Richard Bates
Sat Dec 09, 2023 3:24 pm
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Major investment to transform future of English chess announced
Replies: 134
Views: 12343

Re: Major investment to transform future of English chess announced

David Williams wrote:
Mon Dec 04, 2023 2:53 pm
Apologies that I probably haven't read enough to understand what's going on, but do you have to bring your own pieces? …
Use your imagination.
by Richard Bates
Sun Dec 03, 2023 6:54 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Chess and puzzles
Replies: 10
Views: 868

Re: Chess and puzzles

Was reading this Guardian article from nearly a year ago: Dig deep and think as hard as possible’ – the secrets of success in Scrabble, Sudoku, Jenga and more The chess connection in the article, by the way, is at the bottom: ... and in the middle. Good or bad advice from Jennifer Shahade on how to...
by Richard Bates
Thu Nov 16, 2023 9:03 pm
Forum: ECF Matters
Topic: London Chess Classic 2023
Replies: 140
Views: 13524

Re: London Chess Classic 2023

Why would FIDE rate the games on anything other than December published rating?
by Richard Bates
Sun Nov 05, 2023 7:39 pm
Forum: Seniors Chess
Topic: 31st World Seniors 2023 Wed 25th Oct 2023 - Sun 5th Nov 2023
Replies: 42
Views: 5165

Re: 31st World Seniors 2023 Wed 25th Oct 2023 - Sun 5th Nov 2023

Mick Norris wrote:
Sun Nov 05, 2023 7:24 pm
Chess results has John Nunn in first
And Mickey.
by Richard Bates
Sat Oct 14, 2023 9:51 am
Forum: International News
Topic: Qatar Masters
Replies: 47
Views: 3739

Re: Qatar Masters

Just musing, but without referencing the game in particular, whilst an obvious upset, i don't see why a 2510 beating a 2840 with white in a massive Swiss where the stronger player is motivated to take risks by the nature of the tournament is such massive surprise or even necessarily a failure of the...