English Chess Forum

Just in case nobody starts it off.

I'll start it off!

It's already started off. The u-11s are ready for rd.4 tomorrow led by an enfant de FRA from Reading, graded 190

We might want 2018 in the thread title

Anyone playing tomorrow's the Rapidplay in Kingston-Upon-Thames and travelling to Kingston-Upon-Hull deserves lots of plaudits here. As well as a beverage from us.

When I get back I'll be looking for Kevin Thurlow's win amongst other games.

"When I get back I'll be looking for Kevin Thurlow's win amongst other games."

I'll try to manage one in the 9 rounds...

My journey was horrible today. Four hours says the computer. Two roads to Junction 8 of the M25 were solid, (apparently, there was a big crash by J8)aha, I thought, I'll go to Junction 9, but a broken down bus blocked the way. Eventually reached Junction 9, and crawled past Heathrow, speeded up (hooray), then saw a sign saying "M25 closed J21A". I wanted J21, but traffic was at walking place, so I set off up the A41, but that came to a dead stop just before Aylesbury. Police forced us down an obscure side road, happily this crossed the A41, and we saw traffic flowing, so we all did 3-point turns and rushed back to rejoin the A41. Shortly after that we passed a burnt out caravan. Now we're moving! Oh, no we aren't - another crash.
Then reached the M1 and that was stop-start, and saw more crash sites. I stopped near Doncaster for a second coffee and it was pouring with rain. That was nice... Finally arrived after ten hours and got rained on again.

Then I find I'm not even the highest-rated player in the hotel bar...

Things can only get better.

Kevin Thurlow wrote: ↑

Fri Jul 27, 2018 9:52 pm

"Things can only get better.

It was perhaps only marginally better by train, given the attack by lightning on the signalling in Leeds.

First round pairings
http://chess-results.com/tnr367973.aspx ... =1&flag=30#

Monitoring the pairing from the air-conditioned comfort of the Wetherspoons, it would appear that Sue Maroroa is unavailable for the first round and that David Anderton has been drafted in, presumably as a temporary filler.

Ravi Hari, who is currently playing in Pardubice is also excluded.

Ghazi v Rudd looks interesting

Kevin Thurlow wrote: ↑

Fri Jul 27, 2018 9:52 pm

My journey was horrible today.

Coming by train was not much fun either - muliple cancellations and mega delays, with no information about which service might run through. The train i eventually got was standing room only and failed air con. I was playing tonight, but my opponent had also had a fraught journey, so fortunately agreed a draw rather than play on till 11pm.

Heh, train journeys and Hull

...I was late getting away:
Not till about one-twenty on the sunlit Saturday
Did my three-quarters-empty train pull out,
All windows down, all cushions hot, all sense
Of being in a hurry gone. We ran
Behind the backs of houses, crossed a street
Of blinding windscreens, smelt the fish-dock; thence
The river’s level drifting breadth began,
Where sky and Lincolnshire and water meet.

All afternoon, through the tall heat that slept
For miles inland, a slow and stopping curve we kept.
Wide farms went by, short-shadowed cattle, and
Canals with floatings of industrial froth;
A hothouse flashed uniquely: hedges dipped
And rose: and now and then a smell of grass
Displaced the reek of buttoned carriage-cloth
Until the next town, new and nondescript,
Approached with acres of dismantled cars.

...And as we raced across bright knots of rail
Past standing Pullmans, walls of blackened moss
Came close, and it was nearly done, this frail
Travelling coincidence; and what it held
Stood ready to be loosed with all the power
That being changed can give. We slowed again,
And as the tightened brakes took hold, there swelled
A sense of falling, like an arrow-shower
Sent out of sight, somewhere becoming rain.

Philip Larkin

Richard Bates wrote: ↑

Fri Jul 27, 2018 8:28 pm

Just in case nobody starts it off.

When is it?

Gavin Hughes wrote: ↑

Fri Jul 27, 2018 10:40 pm

When is it?

First round of the nine round British and Major Open is Saturday 28th. There's a weekender and Junior tournaments that started today ( Friday 27th).

Good luck to all those playing.
Am I right in thinking that this is the first new style British with the tail largely chopped off?
By way of a prediction I will stick my neck out and say that I think Adams will win, but it could be close over 9 rounds.

"It was perhaps only marginally better by train"

And I hear flights were affected too...

On the bright side, my local team Hull KR beat Hull last night.

Now it has stopped raining I'm off to inspect the venue.

The first event of the ancient Olympics was a competition between heralds. The winner had the prize of being the official herald for the remainder of the games.

I would like to nominate David Robertson as the Herald for the British Chess Championships 2018. I did consider Poet Laureate, but I think he would have to write his own poems for that (well within his capabilities, I'm sure, but maybe he wouldn't have the time)

Worth taking a look at the Larkin statue in Hull station. A fine piece of work. Misanthropic Phil chose Hull as his place of abode for its remoteness, so 'friends' such as Kingsley Amis couldn't visit him. Sadly Phil showed no interest in chess, cricket being more his thing.

How delightful to see some poetry on these sometimes staid threads...

Back on topic. Looks like a fantastic Championship. My hot tip? Howell by a whisker.