British Chess Championships 2010

[David Gilbert]

He's back! Good!

[David Haydon]

ok,

ive just entered the british championships open section....i have a good feeling im going to cause an upset for mickey! watch out lol

David.

[Mark Howitt]

Don't spill tea over him please!

[David Gilbert]

Anyone care to predict how many enteries we'll end up with? Final figures for recent years are:

2004 Scarborough 940,
2005 Isle of Man 503,
2006 Swansea 768,
2007 Great Yarmouth 824,
2008 Liverpool 742.
2009 Torquay 960 (Stewart Reuben will correct me if the figure was slightly higher)
2010 Canterbury…….479 @ 4 July 2010

We know from earlier posts there are 11 entries from the Camp family to be added as well as David Haydon's entry, pushing numbers towards 500. Canterbury is just a stone's throw from London and anyone from the home counties just has to pop around the M25 and along the A2 and they are there! In the end, I'd expect to do better than Swansea and Liverpool, but maybe not as good as those great seaside venues of Torquay or Scarborough. It would be slightly disappointing not to push 800, given Canterbury’s close proximity with the 7.5 million people who live in the Capital, some of whom play chess!

Come and play chess, it's going to be fantastic!

[Alex Holowczak]

As of July 2, Canterbury was falling short of Torquay 2009, trailing 517-421. So I would guess we're aiming for Liverpool 2008 in terms of a target to beat.

[David Gilbert]

Alex....are you coming down? It's going to be great!

[Alex Holowczak]

Alex....are you coming down? It's going to be great!

Well, as it happens, I may be heading down there in a non-paid game-inputting role, with a bit of arbiter training thrown in. Need to investigate accommodation options.

Might try to blag a free entry to the middle-Sunday rapidplay in return for the game input.

[matt_ward]

Are the rumours true that Nigel Short is playing in this years British aswell.

Also what about Luke McShane is he going to be doing this years British.


Matt.

[matt_ward]

How long does it take to become a trained arbiter, I am tempted to look into it. Is there any age restriction, in doing the training.

And how long does the course take to complete and become an official arbiter, before you can start doing tournaments and so on.

[Alex McFarlane]

Matt,

To qualify as an arbiter you need to pass an exam usually given at the end of a weekend course. You also need to get three satisfactory reports on your performance at events.

For details of courses contact the CAA Secretary, Geoff Jones
Geoff Jones - [email protected];

I would advise that you offer your services to a local event first and get a bit of experience. I think it is safe to say that you will get most from an arbiter's course if you have already experienced some of the situations that will be discussed.

With regard to your other question. I have no knowledge of Nigel Short entering the British this year.

[LozCooper]

Are the rumours true that Nigel Short is playing in this years British aswell.

Also what about Luke McShane is he going to be doing this years British.


Matt.

The rumours about Nigel Short playing in the British were for 2011 in Sheffield. I think Luke will be In Canada (he's currently in the US playing the World Open).

[Alan Walton]

Thats what I have heard as well Loz

Luke is entered in Canada, but that tournament ends on 18th July, myself and Adam are both going as well, so he could make it back in time for the British

[LozCooper]

Thats what I have heard as well Loz

Luke is entered in Canada, but that tournament ends on 18th July, myself and Adam are both going as well, so he could make it back in time for the British

Ah, thanks Alan, I stand corrected. I knew he was away on the 17th July but wasn't sure of the exact dates.

[David Gilbert]

And what about Mark Hebden? Don’t tell me he's given up trying to win this thing. That would be a great pity – indeed it may be written in the statutes somewhere that it doesn’t count as a British Championship unless Mark is present!

Can we take it that David Howell won’t be putting himself on the line to defend his title? Pity that. Howell slugging it out with Adams at some point would have been some sight!

The Scots appear to have abandonded the British, shame that. But there are lots of Englishmen and women on the missing list. Doesn’t look as if Harriet Hunt will be going for a fifth ladies’ (women’s) title. I would like to see Stewart Conquest doing battle again. How about Gawain Jones, Nick Pert and Danny Gormally? And what about people like Stewart Haslinger and Glenn Flear who have helped make past championships so exciting.

And finally where is Graeme Buckley? The man is a legend in the London League. Playing for champions Wood Green, he’s unbeaten in his last 32 games going back to March 2007 when he was toppled by Mark Lyell. London to Canterbury can’t be that far? Didn’t Geoffrey Chaucer walk it – and didn’t he write a chess metaphor in one of his poems? Maybe!

[Richard Bates]

And what about Mark Hebden? Don’t tell me he's given up trying to win this thing. That would be a great pity – indeed it may be written in the statutes somewhere that it doesn’t count as a British Championship unless Mark is present!

Can we take it that David Howell won’t be putting himself on the line to defend his title? Pity that. Howell slugging it out with Adams at some point would have been some sight!

The Scots appear to have abandonded the British, shame that. But there are lots of Englishmen and women on the missing list. Doesn’t look as if Harriet Hunt will be going for a fifth ladies’ (women’s) title. I would like to see Stewart Conquest doing battle again. How about Gawain Jones, Nick Pert and Danny Gormally? And what about people like Stewart Haslinger and Glenn Flear who have helped make past championships so exciting.

And finally where is Graeme Buckley? The man is a legend in the London League. Playing for champions Wood Green, he’s unbeaten in his last 32 games going back to March 2007 when he was toppled by Mark Lyell. London to Canterbury can’t be that far? Didn’t Geoffrey Chaucer walk it – and didn’t he write a chess metaphor in one of his poems? Maybe!

What are you trying to do, prevent the rest of us from winning any of the prizes?