British Chess Championships 2010

[Adam Raoof]

Page 25 of the British Chess Championship programme is interesting. It shows the number of entries to the Championships since 1989. They seem to have remained pretty constant at about 900-1000 entries, until recently where they're perhaps 100 short of that on average. The number of juniors playing has dropped by about half in that time, though. It went from 400+ juniors in the mid-90s to less than 300 on a regular basis just 5 years later. If you take out the change from Commonwealth to British Isles, I'd say that these numbers are good. While chess may have declined in popularity over that time (particularly the juniors), the British Championship seems to be just as popular as ever.

If anyone would like to see the spreadsheet online, I have put it here;

https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key ... y=COnCkZEJ

[Phil Makepeace]

There are quite a few eligible for the U21 prize.

Nope. I only make it myself, Jackson, Brown, Bucher and McCullough.

Actually, Martin Brown is only 17. So it's between the four of us. Excitings.

[Andrew Camp]

Good luck to you all.

[Eoin Devane]

The first round draw is up at http://www.britishchess2010.com/events/championship.htm

Some interesting pairings there, Eames - Adams, Dorrington - Gordon and Summerscale - Ynojosa to name but three. Also on the lower boards we have the clash of two of the prodiges in Sathyanandha - Jones, W.

[Eoin Devane]

Arkell - Rudd deserves a place in the list as well.

[Eoin Devane]

So, anyone expect any first round shocks?

[Alex Holowczak]

Dorrington - Gordon will be interesting. Dorrington goes to the University of Bath, and I gather that Stephen Gordon is returning to the University of Birmingham next year to complete his course. Would be good to see them do battle again in Blackpool in November!

Maciol played Gormally in the 4NCL, and drew. Gormally decided not to take a free piece, apparently...

One observation - Gormally isn't on the website as having entered (as of July 23). Looks like a last-minute decision to go to Canterbury?

[James Pratt]

Shocks - well, Summerscale winning certainly. Numbers, Morecambe 1975 the first to go over 500. We have broken the 1,000 twice I think but haven't checked.

[Phil Makepeace]

The first British blog entry is up here.

[Eoin Devane]

The first British blog entry is up here.

Love it - keep up the good work! I don't like your comment about Kent, though.

[Alex Holowczak]

The first British blog entry is up here.

Gah. I missed the ceremony too.

[Phil Makepeace]

The first British blog entry is up here.

I don't like your comment about Kent.

Ah, face facts. All the top people live in London and have bulletin editors round for breakfast.

[Eoin Devane]

I live in both London and Kent. And I'm going to stop there before Alex starts telling me that I don't.

[Stewart Reuben]

James Pratt >Numbers, Morecambe 1975 the first to go over 500. We have broken the 1,000 twice I think but haven't checked.<

Both statements are correct. If memory serves me correct 1007 was the record. But I clearly succeeded in fooling people, probably including James. The numbers quoted until 1982 were of individual entries. Since 1983 it has been of number of tournament entries. Many people play in more than one event and the latter figure looks more impressive. There are also many more events now.
The U16 (originally U15), 14 were two weeks events until 1986. They became one week that year with U15, U13 being introduced for the other week. The reason this was not done earlier was because I had not worked out how it could be done by inter-leafing. A 14 year old later pointed out to me how a junior could play in both the age group championships and the Major Open or British.

I am delighted to see Danny Gormally and Nick Pert have increased the GM count to 9.

Stewart Reuben

[Keith Arkell]

So,Jack Rudd and I have been paired together in round 1 for 4 of my last 5 Britishes!(2000,2001,2008 and 2010).In 1999 we had to wait until round 2.
Whenever I beat him I failed to win the tournament,but when we drew I came 1st = ...