The British itself!

[Christopher Kreuzer]

True, but sometimes it can be respectful to resign when playing a very strong opponent. I have seen people playing IMs and GMs resigning after losing a pawn. I think I did that once as well (playing Nick Pert at Guildford after we had both lost in round 1). He won a pawn and I think it was the point where he was winning a second one that I threw in the towel. He still didn't think it worth a post-mortem, though... (Another titled player I played was beating me after 16 moves or so - I could have played on, but what was the point?)

PS. At some point, this thread should be put to bed, surely? Let's debate this stuff in a new thread.

(Oh, and congratulations to Hawkins and Howell! And Amy Hoare - something about names beginning with 'H'?)

[IM Jack Rudd]

If all my opponents this fortnight had resigned when I "knew" I was going to win, I'd now be British champion.

[Lewis Martin]

If all my opponents this fortnight had resigned when I "knew" I was going to win, I'd now be British champion.

[Matt Mackenzie]

Just on a point of fact, it was Ushenina who couldn't mate with B and N (not Girya)

[Richard Bates]

The best way to respond to people "disrespectfully" not resigning is to move very slowly, spend a lot of time watching other games, and generally making it clear that you are in no particular rush to finish the game whatsover. After all, there should be only one person who can get enjoyment and want to milk such scenarios, and it's not the person who is set to lose the game!

[Nick Burrows]

Performance of the tournament:

19 Fernandez, Michael Marple 6.5 ENG M 2029 2336

Very impressive for a 14year old!!

[Keith Arkell]

Both brothers (my Marple teammates!) are extremely talented.

[Chris Rice]

Overshooting will correct itself. It's double-overshooting that's the problem, but consistently playing 38 games a month is not exactly easy.

I notice from this ChessBase report today there is a 14 year old girl from Azerbaijan whose Elo has gone up 300 points in a year. Another girl from Columbia seems to have also gone up 124 points in the last period. http://en.chessbase.com/post/august-201 ... the-making

[Lewis Martin]

Performance of the tournament:

19 Fernandez, Michael Marple 6.5 ENG M 2029 2336

Very impressive for a 14year old!!

Is it? I'd be more impressed if it was a 10 year old.

Let's not take away the fact that it is a very good performance.

Michael will no doubt improve and may indeed become a titled player.

His own brother, born in 1995, got the IM title in 2010. Whether he was 14 or 15 I don't know, but Michael doesn't look like getting the IM title before 16.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that at least compared to the rest of the world with regards to winning any world junior events and such like, England are nowhere near. Perhaps the fact that this performance is impressive at 14 to some people is probably telling to where we stand on the world stage.

[John Moore]

Seniors still going on - Ivan Myall has, so far, only used the pieces on one side of the board against Tim Woodward. Rather attractive - but not if you are playing chess.

[Ken Norman]

Seniors still going on - Ivan Myall has, so far, only used the pieces on one side of the board against Tim Woodward. Rather attractive - but not if you are playing chess.

Ivan Myall played the same blunder on move seven as Alan Perkins did against Corden in 1969 British Championship at Rhyl. The score of that game is in CHESS and BCM.

As to the other games in the Seniors Geoff James had a nice win today v Chris Shephard.

[John Moore]

Thanks Ken. 7.. d5 would be normal. Having said that White has blundered several times since and now Black is just winning.

[Mick Norris]

MCF players doing well - Ali Jaunooby has won the Major Open and Mike Surtees the Seniors (either jointly, or if he avoids losing to Oliver Jackson, outright)

[Nick Burrows]

Performance of the tournament:

19 Fernandez, Michael Marple 6.5 ENG M 2029 2336

Very impressive for a 14year old!!

Is it? I'd be more impressed if it was a 10 year old.

Let's not take away the fact that it is a very good performance.

Michael will no doubt improve and may indeed become a titled player.

His own brother, born in 1995, got the IM title in 2010. Whether he was 14 or 15 I don't know, but Michael doesn't look like getting the IM title before 16.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that at least compared to the rest of the world with regards to winning any world junior events and such like, England are nowhere near. Perhaps the fact that this performance is impressive at 14 to some people is probably telling to where we stand on the world stage.

It's a little unfair on Michael to downgrade his performance by comparing him to the rest of the world! Outperforming several titled players and most of the other much higher rated and older juniors is very impressive to me.

[Leonard Barden]

The Guardian's take on the British Championship:

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/chess