BRITISH CHESS CHAMPIONSHIPS - THE GAMES

[LozCooper]

Another one snipes the dust?

Its interesting that Charlie, who is at Grandmaster strength (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wrw0ItikBzc) playing the best possible opening for black has somehow managed to lose against a sub-2000 player.

Well done Matthew though, great result!

Don't be fooled by the rating, he won't be under 2000 for long

[Paul Cooksey]

I was going to make fun of Charlie's promo, but felt sorry for him and decided to leave him alone, when youtube threw up this link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUQx_d7A30k&NR=1
A new fear for the modern age, players you blunder against can immortalise your shame!

[Paul McKeown]

I was going to make fun of Charlie's promo, but felt sorry for him and decided to leave him alone, when youtube threw up this link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUQx_d7A30k&NR=1
A new fear for the modern age, players you blunder against can immortalise your shame!

Thought the promo was rather good, but someone making a video of a win in a simul????

Seriously, is this some new rage that I will have to prepare for? g6, Bg7, c5 ?

What's the difference between that and the Acc. Drag. or the Pterodac?

Bad enough coping with all the theoretical theory, but all the untheoretical theory can get a bit annoying!

[David Gilbert]

The draw for tomorrow is going to be interesting - presumably it's Stephen Gordon against David Howell on top board, and Chino Atako will get his reward - or just deserts - against one of the top guns?

[Nicky Chorley]

Pairings are up for round 4.

[Matthew Turner]

The pairing are now available for round 4 and Chino Atako has indeed got his 'reward' - White against Adams on board two. I don't want to reopen an old debate, but looking at the pairings I would suggest that acceleration hasn't really 'worked'

[LozCooper]

The pairing are now available for round 4 and Chino Atako has indeed got his 'reward' - White against Adams on board two. I don't want to reopen an old debate, but looking at the pairings I would suggest that acceleration hasn't really 'worked'

Apart from boards 1 and 3 it does seem to resemble a round 1 draw had they used swiss pairings. From a selfish point of view I was looking forward to Jones v Adams tomorrow until i learnt that accelerated pairings were only being used for the first three rounds, thereby meaning that Gawain, as the middle player on his scoregroup, now floats down.

[David Gilbert]

So Stephen Gordon gets the black bits against David Howell, presumably to prevent three successive Whites - where's Jack and Alex H when you need them? Nigel Short will be hopping mad when he sees that the accelerated draw has produced Chino Atako versus Michael Adams, whilst he has a tough task meeting former champion Stuart Conquest. Nigel made his views on the accelerated draw very clear in the commentary room today - but for the spectators (is this a spectator sport?) the pairings in the first three rounds have been really exciting. Tomorrow's draw, with the exception of boards one and three, has more of a feel of a first round un-accelerated draw. Good to see Jonathan Nelson on board five - he skipped our work national finals and two days in Blackpool for this! Hmmmmm!

[LozCooper]

So Stephen Gordon gets the black bits against David Howell, presumably to prevent three successive Whites - where's Jack and Alex H when you need them? Nigel Short will be hopping mad when he sees that the accelerated draw has produced Chino Atako versus Michael Adams, whilst he has a tough task meeting former champion Stuart Conquest. Nigel made his views on the accelerated draw very clear in the commentary room today - but for the spectators (is this a spectator sport?) the pairings in the first three rounds have been really exciting. Tomorrow's draw, with the exception of boards one and three, has more of a feel of a first round un-accelerated draw. Good to see Jonathan Nelson on board five - he skipped our work national finals and two days in Blackpool for this! Hmmmmm!

Yes, board 1 is a forced pairing under virtually any pairing system. Ironically, David's double white means that for a round or two at least Adams is due the opposite colour to Short, Howell and Jones so he will almost certainly face one of them in round 5, albeit with white.

[Alex Holowczak]

So Stephen Gordon gets the black bits against David Howell, presumably to prevent three successive Whites - where's Jack and Alex H when you need them?

Hello!

At the time of your post, Jack and Alex H were watching the various pairings being made.

[Alex Holowczak]

Its interesting that Charlie, who is at Grandmaster strength (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wrw0ItikBzc) playing the best possible opening for black has somehow managed to lose against a sub-2000 player.

My sources (of questionable authority) suggest that he didn't play The Sniper today.

[David Gilbert]

It should be mentioned that Alex H is presently half-a-point behind the four leaders in the Under-140 championship. He's on board three tomorrow morning - good luck Alex.

[Alex Holowczak]

It should be mentioned that Alex H is presently half-a-point behind the four leaders in the Under-140 championship. He's on board three tomorrow morning - good luck Alex.

The problem is that there are 2 rounds to go and 4 players on 100%. So someone could get to 5/5, and I can't do anything about it. Could do with some draws between those above me! (Or even better, 1/2-0! )

Need to win both remaining games if I have any aspirations of victory. Big ask...

Thanks though.

[David Robertson]

A small word in support of Chino Atako, a former club colleague of mine until he moved to London a few years back. I must concede that I'm hugely surprised to see him 2.5/3 in the British, and facing Mickey Adams too. He's a fabulous bloke, a sadly rare example in this country of a player of African heritage playing the game at a high level. But when he played for Atticus, he was never more than 140-150. Moving to London obviously suited him because he moved ahead to 180 or so. However he seems to have found yet further resources, not least in holding out against Andrew (?) Ledger today. Indeed I thought he had a big plus at the end.

So hats off to Chino, a decent club player trying his best. OK, it's not a great advert for the draw. But I do hope people don't spoil Chino's big moment by carping about technical procedures. Not much Chino can do about it.

[Paul Cooksey]

So hats off to Chino, a decent club player trying his best.

Well said.

If you felt acceleration was less about fairness and more about generating content for reports, you'd say it worked. A few GM upsets in the early rounds as usual. Chino Atako v. Adams also a little different now than it would have been in the first round. White is not a lucky name out of a hat, but a player in form who has earned a game against a top GM.