British Chess Championships 2011

Debate directly related to English Chess Federation matters.
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John Saunders
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Re: British Chess Championships 2011

Post by John Saunders » Tue Aug 10, 2010 10:08 pm

Paul Littlewood wrote:Speaking as one of the brethren would it be an interesting publicity exercise to make sure all the ex-British Champions are invited to play in the 2011 British Championships ? The extra names would be people such as Jonathan Speelman, John Nunn, Jonathan Mestel, Julian Hodgson...all of whom still play a mean game. Also the most interesting case is Peter Lee who I can tell you still plays pretty well despite concentrating his efforts on bridge these days.
More interesting still would be if Jonathan Penrose, Leonard Barden and Michael Haygarth took part. Most interesting of all would be if the 1972 champion turned up to play on what is more or less his home turf. He would be so popular that they might want to keep him there - for several years...
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Simon Brown
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Re: British Chess Championships 2011

Post by Simon Brown » Tue Aug 10, 2010 10:44 pm

John, just what I was thinking!

David Sedgwick
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Re: British Chess Championships 2011

Post by David Sedgwick » Wed Aug 11, 2010 12:21 am

Paul Littlewood wrote:Speaking as one of the brethren would it be an interesting publicity exercise to make sure all the ex-British Champions are invited to play in the 2011 British Championships ? The extra names would be people such as Jonathan Speelman, John Nunn, Jonathan Mestel, Julian Hodgson...all of whom still play a mean game. Also the most interesting case is Peter Lee who I can tell you still plays pretty well despite concentrating his efforts on bridge these days.
In 1972 I started with 2½/3 in the U18 Championship, then a separate 11 round event. Then I had to play a good player who went on to win the tournament.

Welcome to the Forum, Paul.

Getting back on topic, I like the idea of inviting back all the former Champions. However, assuming that it's not something that one's going to try and do every year, I would have thought better to leave it for the 2013 Championships. That year's Congress will be the 100th and I understand that the intention is to try and have some celebratory events.

A lot of sports seek to invite back all their former winners on special occasions and it would be great to see the 2013 British Championships doing the same.

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Re: British Chess Championships 2011

Post by Alex Holowczak » Wed Aug 11, 2010 8:26 am

I really like the idea of inviting former champions to come back and play. In golf, tournaments like The Masters have a life-time exemption. If you win the Masters, you are always allowed to play. I don't see why all former champions should by right qualify for the British Championship (perhaps not including the Indian winners, now that the Commonwealth has been dropped).

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Adam Raoof
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Re: British Chess Championships 2011

Post by Adam Raoof » Wed Aug 11, 2010 8:38 am

Alex Holowczak wrote:I really like the idea of inviting former champions to come back and play. In golf, tournaments like The Masters have a life-time exemption. If you win the Masters, you are always allowed to play. I don't see why all former champions should by right qualify for the British Championship (perhaps not including the Indian winners, now that the Commonwealth has been dropped).
There is the rub. If you are going to invite former champions, then it has to include all former champions.
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Ian Thompson
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Re: British Chess Championships 2011

Post by Ian Thompson » Wed Aug 11, 2010 10:01 am

Adam Raoof wrote:
Alex Holowczak wrote:I really like the idea of inviting former champions to come back and play. In golf, tournaments like The Masters have a life-time exemption. If you win the Masters, you are always allowed to play. I don't see why all former champions should by right qualify for the British Championship (perhaps not including the Indian winners, now that the Commonwealth has been dropped).
There is the rub. If you are going to invite former champions, then it has to include all former champions.
You could have a rule that says all former champions are qualified provided they also satisfy the current nationality/residency eligibility rules. I'd assumed this was the case already for the players who are qualified through being champion in the last 5 years (which might affect Jacob Aagard's eligibility). Perhaps I was wrong.

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Adam Raoof
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Re: British Chess Championships 2011

Post by Adam Raoof » Wed Aug 11, 2010 10:13 am

Ian Thompson wrote:
Adam Raoof wrote:
Alex Holowczak wrote:I really like the idea of inviting former champions to come back and play. In golf, tournaments like The Masters have a life-time exemption. If you win the Masters, you are always allowed to play. I don't see why all former champions should by right qualify for the British Championship (perhaps not including the Indian winners, now that the Commonwealth has been dropped).
There is the rub. If you are going to invite former champions, then it has to include all former champions.
You could have a rule that says all former champions are qualified provided they also satisfy the current nationality/residency eligibility rules. I'd assumed this was the case already for the players who are qualified through being champion in the last 5 years (which might affect Jacob Aagard's eligibility). Perhaps I was wrong.
Why? If you are a former champion, and the rules are being changed to permit all former champions to play - then why not all former champions?
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Ian Thompson
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Re: British Chess Championships 2011

Post by Ian Thompson » Wed Aug 11, 2010 10:25 am

Adam Raoof wrote:There is the rub. If you are going to invite former champions, then it has to include all former champions.
Ian Thompson wrote:You could have a rule that says all former champions are qualified provided they also satisfy the current nationality/residency eligibility rules. I'd assumed this was the case already for the players who are qualified through being champion in the last 5 years (which might affect Jacob Aagard's eligibility). Perhaps I was wrong.
Why? If you are a former champion, and the rules are being changed to permit all former champions to play - then why not all former champions?
None at all, if that's what you want. The previous poster was suggesting that it might be undesirable to have previous Commonwealth winners back in the tournament. I was suggesting one way you could do that.

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Adam Raoof
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Re: British Chess Championships 2011

Post by Adam Raoof » Wed Aug 11, 2010 10:31 am

Ian Thompson wrote:
Adam Raoof wrote:There is the rub. If you are going to invite former champions, then it has to include all former champions.
Ian Thompson wrote:You could have a rule that says all former champions are qualified provided they also satisfy the current nationality/residency eligibility rules. I'd assumed this was the case already for the players who are qualified through being champion in the last 5 years (which might affect Jacob Aagard's eligibility). Perhaps I was wrong.
Why? If you are a former champion, and the rules are being changed to permit all former champions to play - then why not all former champions?
None at all, if that's what you want. The previous poster was suggesting that it might be undesirable to have previous Commonwealth winners back in the tournament. I was suggesting one way you could do that.
Aha - then my feeling is all, or none, and nothing in between. I like the idea, though.
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Re: British Chess Championships 2011

Post by Alex Holowczak » Wed Aug 11, 2010 10:46 am

To clarify, it might be seen as undesirable to some - but not me!

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Paul Littlewood
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Re: British Chess Championships 2011

Post by Paul Littlewood » Wed Aug 11, 2010 12:23 pm

More interesting still would be if Jonathan Penrose, Leonard Barden and Michael Haygarth took part. Most interesting of all would be if the 1972 champion turned up to play on what is more or less his home turf. He would be so popular that they might want to keep him there - for several years...
Interestingly Jonathan Penrose also plays Bridge at my home club...Welwyn Garden City. However even he would admit he is not in the same league as Peter Lee !

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Adam Raoof
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Re: British Chess Championships 2011

Post by Adam Raoof » Wed Aug 11, 2010 12:35 pm

Paul Littlewood wrote:
More interesting still would be if Jonathan Penrose, Leonard Barden and Michael Haygarth took part. Most interesting of all would be if the 1972 champion turned up to play on what is more or less his home turf. He would be so popular that they might want to keep him there - for several years...
Interestingly Jonathan Penrose also plays Bridge at my home club...Welwyn Garden City. However even he would admit he is not in the same league as Peter Lee !
Now I am really starting to get interested!

How about a tournament of champions, separate from the main event, but only featuring ex-champions? Obviously some might wish to stay in the main event, but I am sure we could get a really good all-play-all together.

Money is obviously the first obstacle, because they would all be players with other commitments these days. However if we put something together for the centenary in 2013, which I hope will be Torquay, then we should have time to raise the money.
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David Shepherd
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Re: British Chess Championships 2011

Post by David Shepherd » Wed Aug 11, 2010 12:46 pm

Maybe the rules should be altered to allow all former champions to enter providing they meet the current residence rules, but for the 100th Championships hold a seperate event where all former Champions (male or female) could take part regardless of residence, but only open to former Champions.

The main issue though would be the conflict with the normal British Championship (but maybe something creative could be thought of such as that tournament being 8 rounds with the top 3 male and female players meeting residence requirements being able to carry forward their scores in to the last 3 rounds of the full British Championship.

Ps Sorry I notice Adam got there first

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Re: British Chess Championships 2011

Post by Alex Holowczak » Wed Aug 11, 2010 12:59 pm

Adam Raoof wrote:How about a tournament of champions, separate from the main event, but only featuring ex-champions?
The middle Sunday would be ideal for that; if held as a rapidplay thing. That way the more recent champions can play in it too as it's a rest day for the Championship. Or maybe the Saturday before the Championship starts.

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Paul Littlewood
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Re: British Chess Championships 2011

Post by Paul Littlewood » Wed Aug 11, 2010 1:29 pm

I would be delighted to play in such an event but I feel that it should be a serious tournament and not just a quickplay...I find it difficult to avoid blunders with loads of time to think...never mind when I have only a few minutes !