Your 2015 British Chess Quiz!!
Posted: Thu Dec 31, 2015 3:14 pm
We need a good one of these. This isn't it. But there are no others, and we both know that you will read on regardless. Anyway, it's multiple choice.
1) 4NCL
Guildford 1 won the 2014/5 with 100% and their second team finished second. What was your reaction?
A That was the third time they won with 100% - even Wood Green only managed that once.
B That was the third time their second team finished second, dammit.
C It was quite funny in 2008/9 though, when their second team beat their first team in round eight, and thus Wood Green won it.
2 British Championships
A popular win for the Hawk! Which of these occurred to you?
A My oh my! That is the first time that an Englishman has defended his successfully title after winning it for the first time since Hodgson in 1992
B Hawkins actually played much better in 2014 when he shared the title with Howell.
C No one wants to be a bore about the declining profile of the main event, but who was that 2150 odd player who lost to Hawkins in about one hour in round seven?
3 ECF politics
One board member tells another to f*££@ off, everyone else involved in the aftermath gets voted out and we still have no CEO! Your reaction?
A Pretty standard year in the life of the ECF. Just be thankful that CJ didn't mention chess in his autobiography.
B Why on earth did the decision of an inactive English GM to become an inactive Welsh GM somehow bring all this to the attention of the mainstream press?
C You can understand Dominic Lawson not wanting to turn up at that AGM, though.
4 The London Chess Classic
Which was by common assent not a Classic at all this year. What is the solution?
A Obviously 3-1-0. Although hang on, they used that in 2014 and that event was just as dire.
B If you invite Kramnik and Luke, you at least get one player who won't play 1 e4, allowing the Berlin, and another who would never play the Berlin as Black.
C They should actually make the players use the first move selected by those schoolchildren.
5 Individual successes
Which most stood out for you?
A Jovanka at the European team chs. An actual medal!
B Alex Golding in the first week of the British. It was fun while it lasted.
C Didn't James Adair make another GM norm in 4NCL? Why don't we talk about him more?
D Your choice.
1) 4NCL
Guildford 1 won the 2014/5 with 100% and their second team finished second. What was your reaction?
A That was the third time they won with 100% - even Wood Green only managed that once.
B That was the third time their second team finished second, dammit.
C It was quite funny in 2008/9 though, when their second team beat their first team in round eight, and thus Wood Green won it.
2 British Championships
A popular win for the Hawk! Which of these occurred to you?
A My oh my! That is the first time that an Englishman has defended his successfully title after winning it for the first time since Hodgson in 1992
B Hawkins actually played much better in 2014 when he shared the title with Howell.
C No one wants to be a bore about the declining profile of the main event, but who was that 2150 odd player who lost to Hawkins in about one hour in round seven?
3 ECF politics
One board member tells another to f*££@ off, everyone else involved in the aftermath gets voted out and we still have no CEO! Your reaction?
A Pretty standard year in the life of the ECF. Just be thankful that CJ didn't mention chess in his autobiography.
B Why on earth did the decision of an inactive English GM to become an inactive Welsh GM somehow bring all this to the attention of the mainstream press?
C You can understand Dominic Lawson not wanting to turn up at that AGM, though.
4 The London Chess Classic
Which was by common assent not a Classic at all this year. What is the solution?
A Obviously 3-1-0. Although hang on, they used that in 2014 and that event was just as dire.
B If you invite Kramnik and Luke, you at least get one player who won't play 1 e4, allowing the Berlin, and another who would never play the Berlin as Black.
C They should actually make the players use the first move selected by those schoolchildren.
5 Individual successes
Which most stood out for you?
A Jovanka at the European team chs. An actual medal!
B Alex Golding in the first week of the British. It was fun while it lasted.
C Didn't James Adair make another GM norm in 4NCL? Why don't we talk about him more?
D Your choice.
C to most of it! Adair getting GM norms is I guess just slightly 'expected' somehow. Although he is in full time (non chess) work now, so....