2013 British Chess Championships (Torquay)

[ThomasThorpe]

I'm currently sitting next to the live games manager Matthew Carr. He is working frantically at fixing this game, and the moves are now up to date. Please ignore clock times for that game as they are inaccurate.

At this precise moment in time:
White has 36 minutes
Black has 42 minutes

[ThomasThorpe]

Scrap that, they've agreed a draw!

[LawrenceCooper]

It's a shame that Sarah Hegarty's game seems to have frozen - or has her opponent forfeited also?

Agreed, very frustrating

Moves now updated and agreed drawn

[Matthew Carr]

Scrap that, they've agreed a draw!

And Matthew can breath again. Sorry for the disruption ladies and gentlemen.

[Jonathan Bryant]

Another potential collector's item: when was the last time the top board in the final round of the British Championships was the last game to finish?

[Andrew Bak]

Scrap that, they've agreed a draw!

And Matthew can breath again. Sorry for the disruption ladies and gentlemen.

Thanks Matthew!

Scrap that, they've agreed a draw!

So the title is shared then?

[John Saunders]

I'm currently sitting next to the live games manager Matthew Carr...

If you are still there, could you ask Matthew to check the finish to Batchelor-Talbot. If the game finished as given, the last two moves are blunders...

[Event "British Championships"] [Site "?"] [Date "2013.08.09"] [Round "11.10"] [White "Batchelor, Peter (2118)"] [Black "Talbot, Mark (2194)"] [Result "1-0"] [BlackElo "2194"] [ECO "E60"] [FEN "8/6R1/5K2/5B2/7k/5rp1/8/8 b - - 4 60"] [SetUp "1"] [LiveChessVersion "1.4.2"] [WhiteElo "2118"] 60...g2 61.Rxg2 Ra3 $2 ( 61...Rf4 { and 61...Rf1 both draw. } ) 62.Rh2+ $2 ( 62.Rh2+ $2 { and Black apparently resigns, having seen that } 62...Kg3 63.Rh3+ { costs him a rook - but not that the position after } 63...Kf4 64.Rxa3 { is stalemate. Oops... } ) ( 62.Rg4+ $1 { leads to a win. } ) 1-0

This might also break the record for the world's shortest ever successful R+B v R endgame. Eat your heart out, Keith Arkell...

[Andrew Bak]

I'm currently sitting next to the live games manager Matthew Carr...

If you are still there, could you ask Matthew to check the finish to Batchelor-Talbot. If the game finished as given, the last two moves are blunders...

[Event "British Championships"] [Site "?"] [Date "2013.08.09"] [Round "11.10"] [White "Batchelor, Peter (2118)"] [Black "Talbot, Mark (2194)"] [Result "1-0"] [BlackElo "2194"] [ECO "E60"] [FEN "8/6R1/5K2/5B2/7k/5rp1/8/8 b - - 4 60"] [SetUp "1"] [LiveChessVersion "1.4.2"] [WhiteElo "2118"] 60...g2 61.Rxg2 Ra3 $2 ( 61...Rf4 { and 61...Rf1 both draw. } ) 62.Rh2+ $2 ( 62.Rh2+ $2 { and Black apparently resigns, having seen that } 62...Kg3 63.Rh3+ { costs him a rook - but not that the position after } 63...Kf4 64.Rxa3 { is stalemate. Oops... } ) ( 62.Rg4+ $1 { leads to a win. } ) 1-0

This might also break the record for the world's shortest ever successful R+B v R endgame. Eat your heart out, Keith Arkell...

I had a very similar motif in one of my games:

[Event "Clough Trophy"] [Site "?"] [Date "2012.10.23"] [Round "1"] [White "Bak, Andrew"] [Black "Burke, Mitchell"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B78"] [WhiteElo "173"] [BlackElo "173"] [Annotator "Bak,Andrew"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "8/5P2/8/8/p1K5/k6R/5r1p/8 b - - 0 63"] [PlyCount "13"] [SourceDate "2012.08.29"] 63... Kb2 { Both my opponent and I thought that this was a blunder} 64. Rxh2 Rxh2 (64... Ka3 $1 { draws. } 65. Rxf2 { Stalemate }) 65. f8=Q Rc2+ 66. Kb4 a3 67. Qf6+ Kb1 68. Kxa3 Kc1 69. Kb3 Rd2 (69... Rd2 70. Qa1#) 1-0

[Andrew Bak]

Round 11 Report

Includes a Round-up of all the Events to finish today!

[stevencarr]

Major Open?

Why?

[Carl Hibbard]

I hope everyone enjoyed the hosting as it takes a lot of effort to bring you that many boards.

Your rather unsung heroes are Dave Clayton and Matthew Carr so offer them your thanks or even a beer if ever you meet them face to face.

[Andrew Zigmond]

Aha - Nigel S - that accounts for it. He's always had a bee in his bonnet on this matter since his absurd behaviour at the Isle of Man a few years ago. Even so, you'd think even the ECF could restrain him from this sort of nonsense - no, sorry, what am I saying?!

I disagree with Dr Short on a lot of things but I happen to think he was right on this one. In top level chess preparation is important and failure to do so may lead to loss of income and loss of rating points that may lead to less invitations to events. We won't attract elite players to events by treating them like minor section entrants whose main priority is getting a game of chess.

It's ironic that the main complaint levelled at English tournament chess is amateurishness.

[Dan O'Dowd]

Aha - Nigel S - that accounts for it. He's always had a bee in his bonnet on this matter since his absurd behaviour at the Isle of Man a few years ago. Even so, you'd think even the ECF could restrain him from this sort of nonsense - no, sorry, what am I saying?!

I disagree with Dr Short on a lot of things but I happen to think he was right on this one. In top level chess preparation is important and failure to do so may lead to loss of income and loss of rating points that may lead to less invitations to events. We won't attract elite players to events by treating them like minor section entrants whose main priority is getting a game of chess.

It's ironic that the main complaint levelled at English tournament chess is amateurishness.

I agree with Nigel and you on this one, but please be a little more careful not to make quite such sweeping statements without qualifying, about minor section entrants (presuming this includes all grade limited sort of players) Personally I know that I and quite a few people I know try to prepare conscientiously as part of the tournament experience. Though it is certainly fair to say that for as many of us who do this, there are just as many who might either see it as a vulgarity against the test of skill of a game on its own, and those who would find the effort unrewarding compared to the holiday experience.

It would be inappropriate of me to comment on amateurishness for a few reasons though, but why do you consider it ironic?

[PaulTalbot]

Re: Batchelor, Peter (2118)
2013.08.09
Talbot, Mark (2194)
? 1-0

I think Mark was just shattered at the end of 11 hard matches and due to things going wrong. He'd had a draw in the bag, and even turned a draw offer down as he wanted to go for the win, which is why he gave up his bishop for the pawns to create some winning chances. When things started going wrong he just felt flat and tired. He missed the stalemate as did I.

[IM Jack Rudd]

And conversely, I'm much closer to the professional level, but I'd always accept a re-pairing without question and be disappointed if I were not offered one in the relevant situation. But then, I'm looking at this from the perspective of a norm-seeker, not that of a super-GM.