British Championship Congress 2019

Debate directly related to English Chess Federation matters.
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Matt Mackenzie
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Re: British Championship Congress 2019

Post by Matt Mackenzie » Mon Aug 05, 2019 8:01 pm

Geoff Chandler wrote:
Mon Aug 05, 2019 7:56 pm
Prize winners.

Rapidplay
1st= Andrew Lewis (Manningtree); James Sherwin

Is that the same James Sherwin who is game one in Fischer's 60MG's.
That player settled in England around two decades ago. Though if it is him he is in his mid 80s now, so any prize is impressive.
"Set up your attacks so that when the fire is out, it isn't out!" (H N Pillsbury)

NickFaulks
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Re: British Championship Congress 2019

Post by NickFaulks » Mon Aug 05, 2019 8:02 pm

Geoff Chandler wrote:
Mon Aug 05, 2019 7:56 pm
Prize winners.

Rapidplay
1st= Andrew Lewis (Manningtree); James Sherwin

Is that the same James Sherwin who is game one in Fischer's 60MG's.
Yes, born 1933.
If you want a picture of the future, imagine a QR code stamped on a human face — forever.

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JustinHorton
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Re: British Championship Congress 2019

Post by JustinHorton » Mon Aug 05, 2019 8:04 pm

This one
"Do you play chess?"
"Yes, but I prefer a game with a better chance of cheating."

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Geoff Chandler
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Re: British Championship Congress 2019

Post by Geoff Chandler » Mon Aug 05, 2019 8:46 pm

Thanks lads,

Thought it might be. Just being sure.

Roger de Coverly
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Re: British Championship Congress 2019

Post by Roger de Coverly » Mon Aug 05, 2019 8:51 pm

Geoff Chandler wrote:
Mon Aug 05, 2019 7:56 pm

Is that the same James Sherwin who is game one in Fischer's 60MG's.
Yes, he now lives in the UK, Bath area I believe.

He made regular appearances in the 4NCL and Congresses a few years ago, but appears mostly retired from regular play with just a rapidplay or two recorded on the ECF grading site.

Angus French
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Re: British Championship Congress 2019

Post by Angus French » Mon Aug 05, 2019 10:58 pm

Tweet with pictures of James Sherwin and Andrew Lewis as joint Rapidplay winners.

Nick Grey
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Re: British Championship Congress 2019

Post by Nick Grey » Tue Aug 06, 2019 12:32 am

So those on +1 in the Championship qualify. Those on 50 percent do not. No wonder the absence of the top players and lack of significant sponsorship. Is the press on rules LIKELY to encourage sponsorship for the next CHAMPIONSHIP.

Roger de Coverly
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Re: British Championship Congress 2019

Post by Roger de Coverly » Tue Aug 06, 2019 12:42 am

Nick Grey wrote:
Tue Aug 06, 2019 12:32 am
So those on +1 in the Championship qualify.
If the 2019 rules apply in 2020, it's the top 20 players and ties who qualify for next year.

1 GM Adams Michael ENG 2690 None 7,5
2 GM Howell David Wl ENG 2697 None 7,0
3 IM Haria Ravi U21 ENG 2430 Wood Green 4ncl 6,5
IM Palliser Richard Jd ENG 2399 Eagle & Child 6,5
5 GM Gordon Stephen J ENG 2516 None 6,0
GM Tan Justin Hy AUS 2513 None 6,0
IM Houska Jovanka w ENG 2422 None 6,0
8 GM Emms John M ENG 2481 Wood Green 5,5
GM Arkell Keith C ENG 2461 Cheddleton 4ncl 5,5
IM Wadsworth Matthew J U21 ENG 2418 Maidenhead 5,5
IM Eggleston David J ENG 2399 None 5,5
FM Willow Jonah B U18 ENG 2343 West Nottingham 5,5
IM Bradbury Neil H ENG 2322 None 5,5
FM Derakhshani Borna U18 ENG 2300 Wood Green 5,5
FM Storey Charles H ENG 2261 Chess Fun Clubs 5,5
16 GM Williams Simon K ENG 2468 Drunken Knights 5,0
IM Pert Richard G ENG 2430 Brentwood 5,0
GM Ward Chris G ENG 2418 Wood Green 5,0
FM Ashton Adam G ENG 2323 3cs 5,0
FM Claridge-Hansen William U21 ENG 2297 None 5,0

I think they all qualify by title or rating except for Charlie Storey and William Claridge-Hansen

Richard Bates
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Re: British Championship Congress 2019

Post by Richard Bates » Tue Aug 06, 2019 8:03 am

Nick Grey wrote:
Tue Aug 06, 2019 12:32 am
So those on +1 in the Championship qualify. Those on 50 percent do not. No wonder the absence of the top players and lack of significant sponsorship. Is the press on rules LIKELY to encourage sponsorship for the next CHAMPIONSHIP.
I don't really follow. How are the last two sentences related to the first two?

Kevin Thurlow
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Re: British Championship Congress 2019

Post by Kevin Thurlow » Tue Aug 06, 2019 8:27 am

I think Sherwin's demeanour is affected by the result - when he won against me about 20 years ago, he was quite affable, but when he lost to somebody, he was furious.

John McKenna

Re: British Championship Congress 2019

Post by John McKenna » Tue Aug 06, 2019 9:55 am

Richard Bates wrote:
Tue Aug 06, 2019 8:03 am
Nick Grey wrote:
Tue Aug 06, 2019 12:32 am
So those on +1 in the Championship qualify. Those on 50 percent do not. No wonder the absence of the top players and lack of significant sponsorship. Is the press on rules LIKELY to encourage sponsorship for the next CHAMPIONSHIP.
I don't really follow. How are the last two sentences related to the first two?
Reading between the lines - the four sentences seem to me to be a critique of the relatively low quality of the field in the national Championship due to the lack of sponsorship, which is likely to be further disincentivised by the bad publicity of anomalies and disputes centred on the rules.

And, reading the tea leaves, all likely to lead to a further downward spiral that will eventually result in a greatly devalued Championship.

This one could be seen as a catalogue of failures - of Rudd to upset Adams, Smith to keep winning, Palliser to get games, D'Costa to strictly follow the rules, Storey to accept the forfeit graciously, various GMs to win won games, Howell to share top spot, etc, etc.

Even Adams' performance was slightly tarnished by a lack of something new with black.
Last edited by John McKenna on Tue Aug 06, 2019 10:16 am, edited 2 times in total.

NickFaulks
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Re: British Championship Congress 2019

Post by NickFaulks » Tue Aug 06, 2019 10:02 am

John McKenna wrote:
Tue Aug 06, 2019 9:55 am
Even Adams performance was slightly tarnished by a lack of something new with black.
Oh, come on. At this stage of Mickey's career nobody should complain if he simply keeps doing what he's doing, and he did that exceedingly well.
If you want a picture of the future, imagine a QR code stamped on a human face — forever.

John McKenna

Re: British Championship Congress 2019

Post by John McKenna » Tue Aug 06, 2019 10:12 am

Only echoing what others have said, Nick.

There was a strong element of Adams just going through the motions.

In such a relatively weak field he might have shown us something new.

Keith Arkell
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Re: British Championship Congress 2019

Post by Keith Arkell » Tue Aug 06, 2019 11:51 am

Nick Ivell wrote:
Sun Aug 04, 2019 2:11 pm
I'm not consulting an engine - I never do - but I'm getting worried about Howell's position.
My last round encounter with David was very complex. We both found a number of unusual engine first choices, but also threw in a few howlers (excuse the pun). A typical engine move I failed to find was 28...Nb3! which seems to force a draw after sacrificing my b8 Rook. After the 'time scramble' I should probably exchange Rooks with 41...Rh1+, 42...Rxe1 and then 42...Qb2 when it is hard to imagine Black can lose. For David's part he could have put me on the ropes had he played g4! one or two moves earlier.

Of course It's easy to say all of this afterwards, but at the end of the day the stronger player won.

However, it was nice to still be fighting up there on board 2 after all the other games had finished, at the end of the tournament, and given that I was too ill to even turn up to play in round 4.

Congrats to Mickey on yet another smooth collection of games, and to Both Mickey and David for demonstrating that they are a class or two above the rest of us.

David Howell v Keith Arkell



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JustinHorton
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Re: British Championship Congress 2019

Post by JustinHorton » Tue Aug 06, 2019 11:56 am

John McKenna wrote:
Tue Aug 06, 2019 10:12 am
Only echoing what others have said, Nick.

There was a strong element of Adams just going through the motions.
Strong sense of Adams showing us what he can do, more like.
"Do you play chess?"
"Yes, but I prefer a game with a better chance of cheating."

lostontime.blogspot.com

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