British Chess Championships 2010

[JustinHorton]

I think that one's pretty level. Meanwhile Gordon is going to beat Gormally very shortly.

[Carl Hibbard]

Do people still think Mickey stands significantly better? Personally, I don't see it, though I expect he will prod and poke away at his opponent's position in typical fashion.

I expect not, Adams will just coast to the finish of the Championship now

[David Sedgwick]

If Mickey plays Simon Williams tomorrow, who would get White?

Mickey, I think. It looks to me as though the top pairings tomorrow are Adams v Williams and Hunt v Gordon.

That is entirely unofficial, of course.

[Alex Holowczak]

Adams has 17.5/19 in this rating period so far, so his rating will be thrown nearer to 2730 again. The problem is: The highest rated player he's played in that time (but admittedly beat) is 2642.

[John Saunders]

I found it hard to concentrate on the chess this afternoon as I was distracted by Surrey splattering Glamorgan all over the Oval for 386-3 off only 38 overs (an all-time record score for a 40-over match, so they say). First time I've tuned into a Clydesdale Bank 40 match on TV and I picked a good 'un. Glamorgan's bowling and fielding were utterly dire. It's a pity the British Championships aren't being held in Wales next year as I'd fancy Andy Martin and his boys' chances against Glamorgan.

[Alex Holowczak]

I found it hard to concentrate on the chess this afternoon as I was distracted by Surrey splattering Glamorgan all over the Oval for 386-3 off only 38 overs (an all-time record score for a 40-over match, so they say). First time I've tuned into a Clydesdale Bank 40 match on TV and I picked a good 'un. Glamorgan's bowling and fielding were utterly dire. It's a pity the British Championships aren't being held in Wales next year as I'd fancy Andy Martin and his boys' chances against Glamorgan.

That would have been an achievement 15 years ago, when pitches were allowed to be something other than flat, predictable, and boring. Prepare a pitch where a bowler has a chance of taking a wicket sometimes nowadays, and the pitch inspectors come around and dock you points.

[Joey Stewart]

I still think there is some sort of underhanded pairing system here. Seven out of nine of Jacks opponents have been titled and, while he did really well at the start, it has been a war of attrition and the scoreline is low now. On the other hand, if you take somebody like Richard Bates, he has only had to play two titled opponents but is now sitting up near the top of the table.

Some might say it is luck, but I have watched people do pairings for tournaments and I am sure there can be fiddling.

[Paul McKeown]

Why there be "fiddling"?

Are you trying to pick a fight?

Or was that just an idiotic troll?

[Alex Holowczak]

I still think there is some sort of underhanded pairing system here. Seven out of nine of Jacks opponents have been titled and, while he did really well at the start, it has been a war of attrition and the scoreline is low now. On the other hand, if you take somebody like Richard Bates, he has only had to play two titled opponents but is now sitting up near the top of the table.

Some might say it is luck, but I have watched people do pairings for tournaments and I am sure there can be fiddling.

One flaw with your argument: Jack is one of the people doing the pairings!

[Joey Stewart]

So he wanted to face such hard opponents? I cant understand why somebody would do that to themself.

On another championship note - Keith Arkells drawing resource is quite a nice textbook example of how good the opposite bishops can be to save a game.

[LozCooper]

I still think there is some sort of underhanded pairing system here. Seven out of nine of Jacks opponents have been titled and, while he did really well at the start, it has been a war of attrition and the scoreline is low now. On the other hand, if you take somebody like Richard Bates, he has only had to play two titled opponents but is now sitting up near the top of the table.

Some might say it is luck, but I have watched people do pairings for tournaments and I am sure there can be fiddling.

I think it's more to do with Jack having a low rating and being on a high score for most of the event whilst Richard is rated much higher and has been on a lower score. I'm quite sure that Richard won't be playing a lower rated player than Jack tomorrow.

I'm sure if Richard had been on similar score to Adam Hunt he'd have had a mucher higher average and likewise if Jack had started with a first round loss he'd have had kinder pairings.

I can say with total confidence in the arbiters at the British there's no fiddling that goes on and I think they would be very upset at hearing it suggested even if you were only saying it could happen as opposed to it happening.

[JustinHorton]

Keith's opponent, Tymrakiewicz, needs to win for an IM norm. He's three pawns up in an ending....

[Joey Stewart]

Yeah, but like I said before, Keith is not going to let that one slip through his fingers - he is loads of time up on the clock and is an especially strong endgamer plus he has that monster bishop which is preventing all pawn advances.

[JustinHorton]

You don't say.

[Rob Thompson]

Sure Keith's opponent has chances for a longer norm with a draw this round though?