ABERYSTWYTH - ARE YOU GOING?

[Lee Bullock]

Erm, it is in Wales.

[IM Jack Rudd]

The sorting-by-grade for some of the sections appears to have an interesting order on the website. Perhaps someone mistakenly classified the grades as text fields rather than numerical ones.

[Roger de Coverly]

but the entry for the under 16's currently standing at 4, must be deemed as disappointing.....why is it so poor?

Whilst I believe 16 year olds now get an extended break after they have finished GCSE's, the year below them aren't so lucky. With the tournament being scheduled for the first week of the Congress, at least some of the possible entrants are still required to be at school. The university isn't allowing on-site single bookings for under-18s, so that may not help.

[Michael Farthing]

Are any simply entering higher level events? (Haven't looked).

[Andrew Zigmond]

I entered the weekender last week and I've also got my train tickets sorted. Arrive on Wednesday, sight seeing on Thursday, my usual bad chessplaying over the next three days and then home on Monday.

[David Gilbert]

I entered the weekender last week and I've also got my train tickets sorted. Arrive on Wednesday, sight seeing on Thursday, my usual bad chessplaying over the next three days and then home on Monday.

Good man Andrew. Grab a window seat, it's scenic journey.

Still a few days to get your entries in before the higher fees kick-in. There was another surge in entries yesterday, up to an promising 481. Looking back to North Shields, there were 463 entries on 2 July 2012 list, so that’s encouraging. The inclusion of Zhou Yang-Fan and Richard Pert strengthen an interesting field for the Championships. Last year at Torquay there were an amazing 64 entries for the increasingly popular Seniors Championship. It’s possible that figure could be beaten again as entries have now reached a fabulous 50. It’s good to see Roger Edwards maintaining his strong connection with the British Championships, this time as a player in the two highly combative Morning Opens, which are now looking more cutthroat than the Major Open.

[Ray Sayers]

but the entry for the under 16's currently standing at 4, must be deemed as disappointing.....why is it so poor?

Whilst I believe 16 year olds now get an extended break after they have finished GCSE's, the year below them aren't so lucky. With the tournament being scheduled for the first week of the Congress, at least some of the possible entrants are still required to be at school. The university isn't allowing on-site single bookings for under-18s, so that may not help.

Starting an ECF Junior Championship during the school term certainly doesn't seem wise......

[Francis Fields]

I have decided to declare my desire to play. The fact it is Wales shouldn't put anyone off. Most of the time won't you just be playing chess?

The only question is which event?

[David Gilbert]

I have decided to declare my desire to play. The fact it is Wales shouldn't put anyone off. Most of the time won't you just be playing chess?

The only question is which event?

Good decision! The Under-160 in the second week might be a good choice and, if you're up for more, the PM Open comes at half-price!

[David Gilbert]

Yesterday’s entry list reached a whopping 651 before the higher fees kicked-in. A final figure close to 900 looks feasible. The latest list includes some old favourites, like Andrew Camp and family, it wouldn’t be the same without you! The Seniors event is amazing with 56 entries so far, made up of many who played last year who are coming back for more, and it’s good to see the Under-16s puffing out to 15 entries in the last few days.

Here’s the table of the top entries since Plymouth in 1989. Aberystwyth may be down the bottom at the moment, but there’s plenty of scope for improvement with more than two weeks left for the late(ish) entries and for the weekenders and the rapidplay.

2013 Torquay 1187
2003 Edinburgh 1009
1997 Hove 1001
1999 Scarborough 986
1989 Plymouth 989
2002 Torquay 973
1998 Torquay 963
2001 Scarborough 960
2011 Sheffield 951
2004 Scarborough 940
2009 Torquay 935
1994 Norwich 933
1992 Plymouth 933
1990 Eastbourne 926
1995 Swansea 923
1991 Eastbourne 921
2010 Canterbury 891
1996 Nottingham 877
2012 North Shields 854
2007 Great Yarmouth 824
2006 Swansea 768
1993 Dundee 773
2008 Liverpool 742
2000 Street 711
2014 Aberystwyth 651
2005 Isle of Man 503

The British Championships website is advertising that Roger Edwards has 4 en-suite rooms available at £25 each per night in the Rosser Block, which sounds pretty cheap to me. Don't hesitate they won't last long.

It’s going to be great! I reckon we're in for some serious sunshine and it’ll be good to see everyone again.

[Stewart Reuben]

The usual rule of thumb for the British is that there are approximately 10% more entries after the penalty fee date before the start of the event. Then another 10% during the event.
Thus 785 for Aberystwyth 2014. Of course there is statistical variance.
Torquay 2013 1187 there was a bumper entry due to its being the 100th.
Edinburgh 2003 1009 is not comparing like with like. There were 100 Indian entries that year and that is no longer possible.
I was and am still hoping for more entries this year. That is because players may have got into the habit of playing last year. But Aberystwyth is rather remote. Swansea 2006 768 the event was not well-supported by the Welsh. But Swansea University is an inferior venue and the Welsh may have known that.

There is no doubt a South coast resort is the most popular and Edinburgh runs it close. If we could get Llandudno that would be a major attraction. Scarborough we went to too frequently. 1999, 2001 and 2004. It would again be popular over 10 years later. Eastbourne remains unique in that we went there two consecutive years.
It is getting more and more difficult to secure a free venue.

[Alex Holowczak]

The usual rule of thumb for the British is that there are approximately 10% more entries after the penalty fee date before the start of the event. Then another 10% during the event.
Thus 785 for Aberystwyth 2014. Of course there is statistical variance.

That hasn't been the rule of thumb for the last few years. The entries doubled after 1 July in previous years, although I accept we're a week ahead of normal. Nevertheless, the 651 at 02/07 was ahead of North Shields on 12/07, and they started in the same week a few days apart. It is comparable with Canterbury 2010 on 12/07. Both ended up over 850; indeed Canterbury reached 897.

I think we'll be closer to 900 than 800; however, I accept that we're less likely to get local entries during the event in Aberystwyth than we were at (say) Sheffield.

[Chris Rice]

The mixed pairs tournament in China certainly seems to have caught the imagination of the chess world this week(Men playing the even moves, women the odd moves apparently). Perhaps next years British could give it a trial run?

[Rob Thompson]

There was a pairs blitz one of the evenings last year, but there was no requirement for it to be mixed.

[Roger de Coverly]

Apart from the mobile phone bureaucracy, it's disappointing to see the opening hours of the on-site restaurants. The programme proclaims

Welcome to Aberystwyth University where you’ll find great places to eat on Campus!

The trouble being that they are likely to be closed when you want to use them.

Open:
7.30am-7.00pm (Mon-Fri)
7.30am-5.00pm (Sat & Sun)

Early closing was a problem at Canterbury as well, with the campus at the top of a hill and all the plausible eating establishments at the bottom. It was also a problem in Swansea, but at least the local pub was a level walk away, even if the chef was missing for most of the first week.