British Championship Thread

[Ian Lamb]

is it back working?? we seem to have some moves on the top 5 boards now!

[John Moore]

Are Sowray-Kolbus still in their theory. You suspect so - although how you play these lines all the time makes me wonder.

[JustinHorton]

19....Nf3+ was winning in Gavriel-Lalic

[James Coleman]

I'm slightly suspicious of Gavriel's 23rd move.

[JustinHorton]

...in which game I am struggling to believe that 23.Qe5 was played.

(I'll have a guess at 23.Qxc7 Qe5 24.Qxe5.)

[James Coleman]

That was my first thought but then after White plays Bf4 it isnt clear why Black wouldn't just play Nxc4 rather than Re8

[Geoff Chandler]

Hi

British Championship report for rounds 4, 5, & 6 just posted.

All the usual stuff and a warning about a scam on ebay to look out for.

http://www.chessedinburgh.co.uk/chandle ... handID=353

[Ian Lamb]

still no pgns for round5 yet no under 16 results or major open results up yet??

[Richard Bates]

It appears that Zhou needs to do some work on his endgames.

[Ian Lamb]

yes i agree richard and he got keith Arkell next round oh dear he going to need to do his endgame practice fast

[John Saunders]

I have seen it tentatively suggested that John Littlewood might be the oldest player to have played in the British.

Not so. I can't tell you definitively who the oldest was, only that it was not JE Littlewood.

John was born on 25.05.31, making him around 78 years 2 months as the 2009 British began.

Edward G Sergeant was born on 03.12.1881 and was thus around 78 years 7 months when he played in the 1960 British. EG Sergeant scored 4/11 in 1960. In 1959, when I think John Littlewood had made his British debut, EGS had scored 6½/11 . His debut had been in 1907. I suppose that makes the next quiz question... can anyone better EG Sergeant's gap of 53 years between his first and last appearances? I don't know the answer but feel it quite possible that someone has done it. Frank Parr, maybe?

[Ian Lamb]

so a week gone so far in the championship who do you think will be lifting the big prize at the end of the week?

[benedgell]

Just been down to the British for the weekend. Many excellent points- the organisation, the location of the venue (excellent public transport links, walking distance to many pubs, restaurants, hotels etc), Andrew Martin's commentary- being the main highlights presonally. However, I wouldn't be British if I didn't have at least one moan. When I walked through Torquay I saw lots of banners for various fetes, events etc, but nothing for the British Championships. Walking towards the venue, still nothing. Got to the Riviera centre, and the only evidence something was occuring was the 'mobiles must be switched off beyond this point' signs. It was only after I got into the Riviera centre that there was a sign for the British. I know there has been some publicity work, and credit to the person who came up with the balloon ride/ chess match, even if it wasn't entirely successful, but I think you'd pretty much have to be be a chess player or have prior knowledge of the event, to go and spectate. There's nothing to attract people that may just be out for the day,and think 'ooh the British Chess Championships are nearby, lets pop in and watch'.

[benedgell]

There are now 24 threads on the British. There's one entitled predictions for each round, and also seperate threads with predictions for each round. Is it possible to tidy things up a bit by combining them?

[John Upham]

Ben,
We need to persuade those who fragment this thread to keep them under this one roof. I find it amusing this thread is called a thread. Perhaps the Bible should be renamed "Bible Book" to help those who need such help.

Then again, that great thinker of modern times, Russell Bland allegedly wrote "My Little Booky Wook" or whatever it was called...