British Chess Championships 2011

[Alex Holowczak]

From the pairings hotline (I think this is all of them...):

Pert N-Short, Adams-Palliser, Jones-Hawkins, Howell-Ansell, Wells-Zhou, Gordon-Pert R, Rendle-Williams, Conquest-Summerscale, Jones V-Gormally, Bates-Hunt, Ledger A-Houska, Hebden-Boyd, Arnott-Buckley, Eggleston-Jaunooby, Walton-Griffiths, Adair-McQueen, Lalic P-Khandelwal, Webb-Sreeves, Brown-Constantinou, Lalic S-Jackson, Gregory-Chapman, Kemp-Mason, Ross-Shaw, Yurenok-Birtwhistle, Boulton-Nelson, O'Toole-Dargan, Jenks-Holland, Surtees-Kolbus, Almond-Rudd, Simons-Ledger D, Harvey-French, Britton-Dines, Hegarty-Beaumont, Rabbitte-Burnett, Waterfield-Salimbeni, Magee-Jones W, McKenna-Foo, Haria-Krzyzanowski, Lenier-Atako, Yapp-Coates, De Coverly-Weaving, Mellor-Pleasants, Phillips bye

[Roger de Coverly]

. What about the differences? I think there were more BCC participants that dressed scruffily or wore loud T shirts in 1984 and 1985 and this year there are more players who dress smartly (a few wear suits - I can't remember which players wore suits in 1984 or 1985) or dressed in a reasonably fashionable sense.

Without working it out, I'd imagine the average age of competitors in this year's British is rather higher than twenty five years ago. Looking around this afternoon, the only long hair visible was with the competitors for the Women's Championship apart from one lad in the Major Open. Would short hair have been in the minority in 1984 or 1985? In the preceding ten years, almost certainly.

[LozCooper]

. What about the differences? I think there were more BCC participants that dressed scruffily or wore loud T shirts in 1984 and 1985 and this year there are more players who dress smartly (a few wear suits - I can't remember which players wore suits in 1984 or 1985) or dressed in a reasonably fashionable sense.

Without working it out, I'd imagine the average age of competitors in this year's British is rather higher than twenty five years ago. Looking around this afternoon, the only long hair visible was with the competitors for the Women's Championship apart from one lad in the Major Open. Would short hair have been in the minority in 1984 or 1985? In the preceding ten years, almost certainly.

I had more hair in 1984/5 than I do now

[Richard Bates]

From the pairings hotline (I think this is all of them...):

Pert N-Short, Adams-Palliser, Jones-Hawkins, Howell-Ansell, Wells-Zhou, Gordon-Pert R, Rendle-Williams, Conquest-Summerscale, Jones V-Gormally, Bates-Hunt, Ledger A-Houska, Hebden-Boyd, Arnott-Buckley, Eggleston-Jaunooby, Walton-Griffiths, Adair-McQueen, Lalic P-Khandelwal, Webb-Sreeves, Brown-Constantinou, Lalic S-Jackson, Gregory-Chapman, Kemp-Mason, Ross-Shaw, Yurenok-Birtwhistle, Boulton-Nelson, O'Toole-Dargan, Jenks-Holland, Surtees-Kolbus, Almond-Rudd, Simons-Ledger D, Harvey-French, Britton-Dines, Hegarty-Beaumont, Rabbitte-Burnett, Waterfield-Salimbeni, Magee-Jones W, McKenna-Foo, Haria-Krzyzanowski, Lenier-Atako, Yapp-Coates, De Coverly-Weaving, Mellor-Pleasants, Phillips bye

Is there some good reason why on the day there is a survey question on ceasing spending money unnecessarily on the answerphone service, the only place to get the pairings is ... on the answerphone service?

[Peter Sharpe]

. What about the differences? I think there were more BCC participants that dressed scruffily or wore loud T shirts in 1984 and 1985 and this year there are more players who dress smartly (a few wear suits - I can't remember which players wore suits in 1984 or 1985) or dressed in a reasonably fashionable sense.

Without working it out, I'd imagine the average age of competitors in this year's British is rather higher than twenty five years ago. Looking around this afternoon, the only long hair visible was with the competitors for the Women's Championship apart from one lad in the Major Open. Would short hair have been in the minority in 1984 or 1985? In the preceding ten years, almost certainly.

Not sure about the average age but I cannot recall any u16 players playing in the BCC at Brighton in 1984. There are more than a handful u16s in this year's. Mickey Adams was playing in the Major Open and I remember in one of the rounds, he looked flattered and gobsmacked that Tony Miles walked over from his game in the BCC area to watch the game Adams was playing in. Dont think short hair was in the minority in the 1984 and 1985 BCC but cant think of any player from this year's BCC matching the hairstyles of Mestel, Speelman, Flear and Miles! Hebden had long hair in 1984

[Alex Holowczak]

Is there some good reason why on the day there is a survey question on ceasing spending money unnecessarily on the answerphone service, the only place to get the pairings is ... on the answerphone service?

I couldn't possibly comment.

I'm sure it's just coincidence.

[andrew martin]

More positive reporting from the excellent Fred Friedel at Chessbase:


http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=7428

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Looking at the round 9 draw:

http://www.livechess.co.uk/british2011/ ... rings.html

There are two GM clashes on board 1 and board 8.

On board 2 to 7 there are six GM-IM clashes. On paper, I'd expect the six GMs to all beat the IMs. Wonder what the odds would be for that. If that does happen, the last two rounds will probably see all-GM clashes on the top 4 boards, which would be an exciting finish. Which IM do you think will buck the trend? I'd only say Hawkins.

[LozCooper]

Looking at the round 9 draw:

http://www.livechess.co.uk/british2011/ ... rings.html

There are two GM clashes on board 1 and board 8.

On board 2 to 7 there are six GM-IM clashes. On paper, I'd expect the six GMs to all beat the IMs. Wonder what the odds would be for that. If that does happen, the last two rounds will probably see all-GM clashes on the top 4 boards, which would be an exciting finish.

I think it will be an exciting finish regardless. We have some very talented IMs who are equally capable. I see the last three rounds as the 2600+ players going for 3/3 whilst everyone else will be doing their best to stop them.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Looking at the round 9 draw:

http://www.livechess.co.uk/british2011/ ... rings.html

There are two GM clashes on board 1 and board 8.

On board 2 to 7 there are six GM-IM clashes. On paper, I'd expect the six GMs to all beat the IMs. Wonder what the odds would be for that. If that does happen, the last two rounds will probably see all-GM clashes on the top 4 boards, which would be an exciting finish.

I think it will be an exciting finish regardless. We have some very talented IMs who are equally capable. I see the last three rounds as the 2600+ players going for 3/3 whilst everyone else will be doing their best to stop them.

Don't get me wrong, I'll be cheering the IMs on all the way if they look like beating a GM (supporting the underdog and all that), but I just can't see it happening here. Looking ahead, I suspect Adams will face Nick Pert and/or Wells in the last two rounds, but that might be getting too far ahead.

[Jonathan Rogers]

More positive reporting from the excellent Fred Friedel at Chessbase:


http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=7428

This time round, they only show a photo of Jovanka, and not (as last time) Jovanka plus every other female player in the Championship, plus some more outside.

Really, I do appreciate Chessbase for their chess content, but must they give the impression that they think that all their readers are frustrated males who haven't seen any women before? Meanwhile, no photo yet of Nick Pert (currently 3=) and there is only one of Hawkins (also 3=) because he happened to be facing Short at the time.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

More positive reporting from the excellent Fred Friedel at Chessbase:


http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=7428

This time round, they only show a photo of Jovanka, and not (as last time) Jovanka plus every other female player in the Championship, plus some more outside.

Really, I do appreciate Chessbase for their chess content, but must they give the impression that they think that all their readers are frustrated males who haven't seen any women before? Meanwhile, no photo yet of Nick Pert (currently 3=) and there is only one of Hawkins (also 3=) because he happened to be facing Short at the time.

I agree, but would rather hear what others think will happen in the games today.

[Jonathan Rogers]

Ok then:

Pert N-Short draw - but there won't be many other draws against the top four. It matters a lot that Nick is White.
Adams-Palliser 1-0 (sorry Richard, but you will at least do better than in Adams v Rogers, Torquay 1982)
Jones-Hawkins - hawkins to havew inning chances but draw and norm tomorrow.
Howell-Ansell 1-0 (Howell hasn't played anyone realistically beatable with White for about a week, or so it seems. He'll be up for it)
Wells-Zhou 0-1 (if Zhou survives the opening)
Gordon-Pert R 1-0 (remembering their game in 2005, was it?)
Rendle-Williams 0-1
Conquest-Summerscale 0-1 (I was quite impressed by Summerscale yesterday)
Jones V-Gormally 0-1
Bates-Hunt 0-1 (perhaps influenced unduly by my own score of 0-2 v Adam, both with White)
Ledger A-Houska 1-0

[Maxim Devereaux]

My predictions for the top 11 board (5 points or better). Not expecting any big upsets today, but a few draws against the odds (particularly Hawkins), and a win for Jovanka:

Pert,N-Short ½-½
Adams-Palliser 1-0
Jones-Hawkins ½-½
Howell-Ansell 1-0
Wells-Zhou ½-½
Gordon-Pert,R 1-0
Rendle-Williams ½-½
Conquest-Summerscale 1-0
Jones-Gormally 0-1
Bates-Hunt ½-½
Ledger-Houska 0-1

Hadn't seen Jonathan's before I posted... so, we agree on the top 4, and also 6 and 9. But we have full point differences on 8 and 11.

[Jon D'Souza-Eva]

I think Short might push too hard today and my prediction is a win for White on all of the top six boards!