Round 11 results

[Mike Truran]

The noise levels were the result of an unfortunate cock-up. The hotel had forgotten when drawing up the contract that we needed the Monday as well, and nobody (including myself) spotted it when signing the contract. So the hotel accepted a booking from a large (and very noisy) wedding party on the Monday - hence also the significant amount of reshuffling of tables, sets, clocks etc that had to take place on the Sunday evening and the consequent disruption to results posting etc.

The hotel has confirmed that for future seasons the early May bank holiday has been booked off for all three days.

[Maria Yurenok]

It was a lot quieter in the upstairs room than it was in the London room. We had to contend with slamming doors, noise from outside every entrance which increased as the day wore on, the wedding and noisy staff not to mention many boards being close to the arbiters, numerous post mortems in the playing hall and people bumping into the table because there was hardly any room to move around. It was certainly the noisiest I've known in an internationally rated event anywhere in the world.

Other than that it was perfect playing conditions

How strange! I didn't even notice the noise even though I was sitting virtually next to you. Maybe it got worse after about 3hr 45 min play when I finished.

[Geoff Chandler]

Hi Dave.

"The noise was not relevant in my opinion. Mickey & Luke looked OK.
I should know: I was sat playing (for Spirit of Atticus) nearly next to them. "

The noise may have affected your opponent.
The draw was agreed here:

Phil Horspool - Dave Robertson. White to play.



36.Rfd1 with the threat of Rxf8 and Rd8+ which wins.
The Black King is in a Rook and Knight mating vice.
I cannot see no plausible defence.

The Div III live games does not give the final time, did
Phil have just seconds to make his last 4 moves before TC.
I suspect so because his previous moves were Ne8+ - Nf6+ - Ne8+.

[David Robertson]

Yes, Geoff, he had only seconds left. Neither of us had seen the mating idea in the heat of the time scramble. It's possible Phil Horspool wouldn't have had time to complete it anyway. But he did return to the playing room some while later, presumably after rinsing the game through silicon, to show me the move. He was rueful of course; I was relieved. But then, in Rd 8, the reverse had happened to me: I'd taken a perpetual to secure the match when a one move win was available. Things even out over a lifetime

As for the noise, I might add on further reflection of BV's comment too that, although I felt Mickey & Luke seemed OK with the noise, there was a dreadful crush of people around the boards during the time scramble. The 'Elite Room' was ideal for playing chess, a really pleasant but relatively small committee room. This made it wholly unsuitable when the mob descended on us. I noticed at one point that Luke had to elbow his way through the crowd to reach his seat. Just as well Howell & Hammer had finished their game beforehand because guys were sitting in those seats!

I know from experience and from talking to them that the GMs are pretty tolerant of crowd access. Not much ruffles them. But the observers need to exercise a bit of self-discipline and commonsense. It's not just a matter of keeping quiet (which largely they do); it's also a matter of space. Even around my board, I noticed a large crowd had assembled. To be honest, I only noticed this the moment we shook hands. But I can be notoriously dozy. My opponent had no reason to welcome a cluster of anonymous faces gawping over my shoulders at our board.

[LozCooper]

It was a lot quieter in the upstairs room than it was in the London room. We had to contend with slamming doors, noise from outside every entrance which increased as the day wore on, the wedding and noisy staff not to mention many boards being close to the arbiters, numerous post mortems in the playing hall and people bumping into the table because there was hardly any room to move around. It was certainly the noisiest I've known in an internationally rated event anywhere in the world.

Other than that it was perfect playing conditions

How strange! I didn't even notice the noise even though I was sitting virtually next to you. Maybe it got worse after about 3hr 45 min play when I finished.

You were even closer to the arbiter's desk so I admire your focus, it did seem to get noisier as the day wore on, but that's natural as more people finish and at least it was easier to walk around towards the end. Having visited the 4ncl as a spectator I certainly hadn't planned on a six hour game as a last minute reserve

[Geoff Chandler]

Hi Dave

It did have that clammy stench of time trouble about it.

I suspect that the crowd that gathered around your board
'sensed' there was something on and some may have spotted 36.Rfd1.
It's not too difficult (for someone not playing with no clock ticking.)

I've often noticed that in tournaments.
A crowd of players and spectators suddenly flock around a board
when something is on. It's as if an invisible signal of distress goes
out and everyone picks it up.

I liken it to a crash in the desert.
No one around for 100's of miles, you hit a palm tree,
suddenly a crowd of onlookers appear from nowhere.

No doubt we will see that position again in the next CHESS
on the 'combo pages'. Good one less for me to solve.

[David Pardoe]

In Conference room 12, where the Div 3 tail enders were battling for pride, a couple of noise incidents to report..first was the Chinese Water Torture....I refer to the constant gargling sound of the water machine, as players queued for drinks....
Then we had a mobile phone incident, which went by without comment from what I saw...quite a good decision on the arbitors part to exercise some discretion on that occasion...and with little at stake. Nevertheless, some keenly fought battles. No moreso than an endgame that went on to 6pm Monday, with Mick Connor (Manchester) battling to try and win with K, N + 2 passed connected Ps v K + N . The Ps reached the 6th & 7th before his opponent found a way to sac his N for the draw....
Probably a merited result for both players, as the endgame had started with equal Ps and with the initiative swinging from one side to the other.
All in all, an excellent weekends chess, despite being posted to one of the outer Conference rooms...and no pictures.
But we found a reasonably priced hotel just down the A444 at Sibson (The Millers...), which proved quite satisfactory..
A visit to the nearby Bosworth Battle fields on Sunday morning was quite fun...ended up at an old Railway Station in the countryside, with an equally old South Western steam locomotive about to depart on a scenic trip...
Our venture into Hinckley on Saturday night to find a food house proved a tad disappointing though..
We looked for a Chinese...newt. But found a reasonable Italian....but I have to say that Hinckley seemed strangely quiet for a Saturday night.