31st World Seniors 2023 Wed 25th Oct 2023 - Sun 5th Nov 2023

[Mick Norris]

TWIC

The 31st World Senior Chess Championship takes place in Cittàa del Mare in Sicily. There are 3 sections, over 50, over 65 and women's. Michael Adams, Hannes Stefansson, Maxime Dlugy, John Nunn, Rafael Vaganian, Lubomir Ftacnik and Nona Gaprindashvili are the top seeds in these various sections.

website

Chess results 50+ 65+ Women

Women playing include Ingrid Lauterbach & Helen Milligan

65+ includes John Piggott, Terry Chapman, Tony Stebbings, Nigel Povah, Brian Hewson, Michael Stokes, Hassan Erdogan and Nick Faulks

50+ includes Petra Fink-Nunn

Good luck to all our players

[Kevin Thurlow]

"Good luck to all our players"

Indeed, it does also explain why Mickey Adams is not in the Isle of Man.

[Mick Norris]

Mickey is on 2/2, but the 2nd, 3rd and 4th seeds are not

John Nunn and Tony Stebbings are on 2/2, but the 2nd and 4th seeds are not

Only 4 women on 2/2, and of those just half a point behind, Helen Milligan is black against Gaprindashvili

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Casting a quick look over the other nationalities playing.

Jonathan Grant (Scotland) also playing (beat an IM), and also on 2/2 in the 50+. Two other Scottish players as well (and 1 WLS and 2 IRL in the 65+). There is also a player competing under the PLE (Palestine) code in the 50+, but no Israelis (there are some ISR players in the 65+)

Is it normal for there to be such a disparity between the numbers in the 50+ (91 players) and the 65+ (155 players)? Or is that normal (e.g. more leisure time when retired, or 50+ players chosing the IoM tournament)?

[NickFaulks]

John Nunn and Tony Stebbings are on 2/2, but the 2nd and 4th seeds are not

Now both on 3/3 and playing on the top board later.

[Mick Norris]

Only 3 players on 3/3 in the 50+, with Mickey drawing on top board and white today against David Cummings 50+ round 4 but with 11 rounds there's a long way to go

65+ round 4 has 4 on 3/3, with John v Tony as Nick says, plus Moen v Ftacnik, with Peter Varley on board 3

Women round 4 after Helen Milligan drew with Gaprindashvili

[Mick Norris]

Mickey won

John beat Tony and will presumably play Moen next who beat Ftacnik

[Christopher Kreuzer]

John Nunn on 5/5 and playing the only player on 4.5/5 next (Nikolay A. Legky).

Mickey Adams one of 3 players on 4.5/5 and playing Suat Atalik next.

FID (presumably Russian?) on many of the top boards in the women's event.

[Mick Norris]

50+ round 7 of 11

Mickey Adams is one of four on 5/6, there are six on 4.5

65+

John Nunn drew yesterday buts leads on 5.5/6; five players on 5 include Terry Chapman; Tony Stebbings is on 4.5

Women

Galina Strutinskaia leads on 5 with 2 players on 4.5

[Christopher Kreuzer]

In round 7, Mickey drew and is no longer in the lead in the 50+. John Nunn (in what looks to be a big upset) lost and is now half a point behind the lead, though the good news is that Terry Chapman is part of that leading group in the 65+. Four rounds to go.

[NickFaulks]

though the good news is that Terry Chapman is part of that leading group in the 65+.

He is half of it, so a big game tomorrow.

[Mick Norris]

9 move draw on top board in the 50+, so if Mickey can win, he's joint first

15 move draw on top board in the 65+, so Terry and Campora are joint first, John needs to win to join them which doesn't currently look likely

[Tim Harding]

Is it normal for there to be such a disparity between the numbers in the 50+ (91 players) and the 65+ (155 players)? Or is that normal (e.g. more leisure time when retired, or 50+ players chosing the IoM tournament)?

To answer that question first, yes every year since the age group split was introduced in 2014 the 65+ entry has been much larger than in the 50+. (Except when the events were not held in 2020 and 2021 because of Covid.)

The reason presumably is that many 50+ players are still in jobs including those who who are active in chess work. Mickey Adams and a few other GMs presumably could have played IoM but decided that a fair chance of becoming world champion was better than no chance of qualifying for the Candidates. Adams is still playing today as I write (5.30pm GMT) though a draw seems likely. If so he will be in a large group sharing the lead.

Today in the 65+ Terry Chapman got a good opening with Black so Campora didn't want to risk his leading position and offered the exchange of queens and a draw quite early. John Nunn seems to have been lost at one point but is always dangerous in such sharp situations and Knaak misplayed the attack. Unfortunately John must have missed White's 25 Bf8 resource and had to settle for a draw; online Stockfish says 24...Ne6 (instead of Ne8) would have been winning for John.

So Campora and Terry remain in the lead with John half a point behind. Terry needs to play two GM/IM in the last three rounds to have a shot at an IM norm. Of course if he could win the tournament he would become a GM.

[NickFaulks]

Of course if he could win the tournament he would become a GM.

Silver or bronze would get the IM title, which would be nice.

[Tim Harding]

Of course if he could win the tournament he would become a GM.

Silver or bronze would get the IM title, which would be nice.

Yes it would; Terry just missed out in the tie at the European Seniors earlier this year.