Search found 291 matches

by Graham Borrowdale
Mon Mar 18, 2024 8:52 am
Forum: 4NCL
Topic: 4NCL 2023-24 Division Two
Replies: 9
Views: 1141

Re: 4NCL 2023-24 Division Two

Nick Burrows wrote:
Sun Mar 17, 2024 3:24 pm
Gonzaga 8 - -3 Cambridge Uni 2 :lol:
Not sure everyone will see the funny side…🙁
by Graham Borrowdale
Tue Mar 05, 2024 1:40 pm
Forum: Congress Diary
Topic: British Rapidplay 2024
Replies: 28
Views: 3717

Re: British Rapidplay 2024

I can only presume that young players make similar observations about the number of old fogies they see at these events. I have to echo Alan Walton’s comments about clock bashing - 15 minutes plus increment is slow enough to pause between moves, but some of the players seemed to think they were play...
by Graham Borrowdale
Sun Mar 03, 2024 7:42 pm
Forum: Congress Diary
Topic: British Rapidplay 2024
Replies: 28
Views: 3717

Re: British Rapidplay 2024

It was an enjoyable event, well run and at a nice venue. As well as the usual suspects, as reported by Chris K in the live boards thread, my overriding impression was the number of strong (2100+) juniors, some of them around 10 years old. No doubt more regular tournament players than me will be used...
by Graham Borrowdale
Thu Feb 29, 2024 11:31 am
Forum: Congress Diary
Topic: British Rapidplay 2024
Replies: 28
Views: 3717

Re: British Rapidplay 2024

Gareth T Ellis wrote:
Thu Feb 29, 2024 7:52 am
213 entries so far
It looks like a good event, 11 games over 2 days, sensible start time on Saturday. I am well into the bottom half, so looks strong from where I stand.
by Graham Borrowdale
Wed Feb 28, 2024 12:48 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Best Game by an English Player (the vote)
Replies: 80
Views: 3872

Re: Best Game by an English Player (the vote)

I see where Joey is coming from, but I think the thing to do is to see this for what it is, a bit of fun, not to be taken too seriously. When I first saw Andrew’s post I thought of Tony Miles’ game against Spassky, the one in a Queens Indian where he put a knight on d7, and I see it is on he list, s...
by Graham Borrowdale
Thu Feb 22, 2024 8:39 pm
Forum: Congress Diary
Topic: 2nd Cambridge International Open
Replies: 109
Views: 13363

Re: 2nd Cambridge International Open

Jonathan Rogers wrote:
Thu Feb 22, 2024 10:57 am
So! Who thinks they can predict the winner?!
After todays game I will say Adams - he survived a scare against Richard Pert to win today, and remains half a point behind the leaders.
by Graham Borrowdale
Mon Feb 05, 2024 2:38 pm
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Cheating in chess
Replies: 3034
Views: 344378

Re: Cheating in chess

I never see the difference between 40 moves in 120 mins, compared with 40 moves in 100 mins + 30 secs increment per move from move 1. If avoiding time trouble is the objective, it doesn’t work, I will get into it anyway. Why not be done with it and have 40 moves in 0 mins + 2 mins increment per move...
by Graham Borrowdale
Mon Jan 29, 2024 1:10 pm
Forum: 4NCL
Topic: And so starts the 31st season
Replies: 31
Views: 3678

Re: And so starts the 31st season

I did e-mail but his requested fee of £300 per game persuaded me not to sign him up! I do sometimes wonder what the going rate is for professional players (not expecting you to tell us, Lawrence!). In many fields (consultancy, legal advice, plumbing...) £300 per day would be good value. I guess it ...
by Graham Borrowdale
Tue Jan 23, 2024 2:19 pm
Forum: International News
Topic: 2024 FIDE Candidates Toronto April 3-23
Replies: 12
Views: 1583

Re: 2024 FIDE Candidates Toronto April 3-23

An interesting article, thanks for posting. Perhaps a bit selective in its description of the ‘split’ era, but a nice history nonetheless.
by Graham Borrowdale
Sun Dec 31, 2023 1:37 pm
Forum: International News
Topic: 2024 Candidates qualification revised process
Replies: 145
Views: 13012

Re: 2024 Candidates qualification revised process

but may well be with Chartres depending if effective immediately can apply to an event that's already finished Matches have to be manually approved for rating, and this approval is not given if their purpose looks as though it be rating manipulation. The Firouzja matches were never manually approve...
by Graham Borrowdale
Wed Dec 20, 2023 2:00 pm
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Jumping titles
Replies: 48
Views: 2241

Re: Jumping titles

How can it possibly to fair to say to someone "If you had beaten a GM rated 2300 you would have got a GM norm, but as you actually beat an IM rated 2500 you don't get one"? I guess the latter scenario could be abused, as a player can get an unsustainably high rating at a point in time after a run o...
by Graham Borrowdale
Tue Dec 19, 2023 9:57 am
Forum: International News
Topic: 2024 Candidates qualification revised process
Replies: 145
Views: 13012

Re: 2024 Candidates qualification revised process

The plot thickens. https://www.fide.com/news/2807 So what exactly was the point of the GM super-tournament which suddenly sprang up in India and which is currently taking place? To give players an opportunity to gain FIDE circuit points and potentially qualify for the Candidates. Sorry, my question...
by Graham Borrowdale
Tue Dec 19, 2023 1:03 am
Forum: International News
Topic: 2024 Candidates qualification revised process
Replies: 145
Views: 13012

Re: 2024 Candidates qualification revised process

NickFaulks wrote:
Mon Dec 18, 2023 7:49 pm
The plot thickens.

https://www.fide.com/news/2807
So what exactly was the point of the GM super-tournament which suddenly sprang up in India and which is currently taking place?
by Graham Borrowdale
Mon Dec 18, 2023 5:19 pm
Forum: International News
Topic: 2024 Candidates qualification revised process
Replies: 145
Views: 13012

Re: 2024 Candidates qualification revised process

Alireza is playing a series of matches from 18th - 22nd December against Sergey Fedorchuk (2546), Andrei Shchekachev (2506) & Alexandre Dgebuadze (2439) so he may not be out of the equation. It seems strange that one individual can arrange their own event (well, their backers can) in order to try t...
by Graham Borrowdale
Tue Dec 05, 2023 10:16 am
Forum: Rating Debate
Topic: Living in the Past: The Chiltern League
Replies: 55
Views: 4686

Re: Living in the Past: The Chiltern League

Jon D'Souza-Eva wrote:
Mon Dec 04, 2023 12:16 pm
John Townsend wrote:
Mon Dec 04, 2023 11:09 am
Thanks, Phil. I wonder if there is a result card to be found somewhere.
https://www.oxfordfusion.com/oca/ViewRe ... 3935&Org=8
A few names on that team sheet from when I first played for Berks in 1976. Living in the past indeed!