British Chess Championships 2011

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Re: Ledger-Houska, Ledger is unbeaten so far, so I'd go for a draw there.

[Jonathan Rogers]

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.

So on the six boards where we agreed, we scored 100%! Not bad ... Of the others, I had one right, two wrong by half a point and two wrong by a full point; you did slightly better having one right, three wrong by half a point, and one wrong by a full point. Mind you, this game probably favours those who are more inclined to predict draws ....
Perhaps I should get a bonus for predicting that Hawkins would be the one pressing for the win?

See you here tomorrow for a rematch?

[Kevin Thurlow]

Chessbase -

"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."

A good point - and if you look at the nearby Turkish junior report http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=7427

I don't think much of the photo caption

"Though she could pass for a model here, Sevgican Bal plays
in the U13 girls section!"

This is perhaps the real reason the News of the World closed down, they couldn't take the competition from Herr Friedel!

[Paul Cooksey]

I like Chessbase's site. But when they were moved to defend their picture policy a few years ago, they went with "the public gets what the public wants" which I didn't agree with.

I can't imagine it delights Jovanka, given her previous comments on the subject

[Matthew Turner]

I'll get my predictions in first.

1 GM Pert, Nicholas 6.5 ENG 2555 GM Adams, Michael 7.5 ENG 2715 DRAW
2 GM Short, Nigel D 7.0 ENG 2687 GM Wells, Peter K 6.5 ENG 2489 DRAW
3 IM Hawkins, Jonathan 6.5 ENG 2457 GM Howell, David W L 6.5 ENG 2625 BLACK WIN
4 GM Summerscale, Aaron P 6.0 ENG 2415 GM Jones, Gawain C B 6.5 ENG 2606 BLACK WIN
5 GM Gormally, Daniel W 6.0 ENG 2519 GM Gordon, Stephen J 6.0 ENG 2533 BLACK WIN
6 IM Houska, Jovanka 5.5 ENG 2418 IM Rendle, Thomas E 6.0 ENG 2386 DRAW
7 IM Buckley, Graeme N 5.5 ENG 2380 GM Hebden, Mark L 5.5 ENG 2533 BLACK WIN
8 IM Palliser, Richard J D 5.5 ENG 2454 FM Griffiths, Ryan Rhys 5.5 IRL 2301 DRAW
9 IM Zhou, Yang-Fan 5.5 ENG 2444 FM Eggleston, David J 5.5 ENG 2318 DRAW
10 IM Hunt, Adam C 5.5 ENG 2436 Adair, James R 5.5 ENG 2212 WHITE WIN

[Paul Cooksey]

we should have started this game sooner!

1 GM Pert, Nicholas 6.5 ENG 2555 GM Adams, Michael 7.5 ENG 2715 DRAW
2 GM Short, Nigel D 7.0 ENG 2687 GM Wells, Peter K 6.5 ENG 2489 WHITE WIN
3 IM Hawkins, Jonathan 6.5 ENG 2457 GM Howell, David W L 6.5 ENG 2625 DRAW
4 GM Summerscale, Aaron P 6.0 ENG 2415 GM Jones, Gawain C B 6.5 ENG 2606 BLACK WIN
5 GM Gormally, Daniel W 6.0 ENG 2519 GM Gordon, Stephen J 6.0 ENG 2533 DRAW
6 IM Houska, Jovanka 5.5 ENG 2418 IM Rendle, Thomas E 6.0 ENG 2386 WHITE WIN
7 IM Buckley, Graeme N 5.5 ENG 2380 GM Hebden, Mark L 5.5 ENG 2533 BLACK WIN
8 IM Palliser, Richard J D 5.5 ENG 2454 FM Griffiths, Ryan Rhys 5.5 IRL 2301 DRAW
9 IM Zhou, Yang-Fan 5.5 ENG 2444 FM Eggleston, David J 5.5 ENG 2318 WHITE WIN
10 IM Hunt, Adam C 5.5 ENG 2436 Adair, James R 5.5 ENG 2212 WHITE WIN

[Jonathan Bryant]

... they couldn't take the competition from Herr Friedel!

Following Andrew Martin's recent post, I thought EC Forum house style was now to refer to Fred as the "excellent" Herr Friedel.

[Carl Hibbard]

We have a style

[Mick Norris]

we should have started this game sooner!

1 GM Pert, Nicholas 6.5 ENG 2555 GM Adams, Michael 7.5 ENG 2715 DRAW
2 GM Short, Nigel D 7.0 ENG 2687 GM Wells, Peter K 6.5 ENG 2489 WHITE WIN
3 IM Hawkins, Jonathan 6.5 ENG 2457 GM Howell, David W L 6.5 ENG 2625 DRAW
4 GM Summerscale, Aaron P 6.0 ENG 2415 GM Jones, Gawain C B 6.5 ENG 2606 BLACK WIN
5 GM Gormally, Daniel W 6.0 ENG 2519 GM Gordon, Stephen J 6.0 ENG 2533 DRAW
6 IM Houska, Jovanka 5.5 ENG 2418 IM Rendle, Thomas E 6.0 ENG 2386 WHITE WIN
7 IM Buckley, Graeme N 5.5 ENG 2380 GM Hebden, Mark L 5.5 ENG 2533 BLACK WIN
8 IM Palliser, Richard J D 5.5 ENG 2454 FM Griffiths, Ryan Rhys 5.5 IRL 2301 DRAW
9 IM Zhou, Yang-Fan 5.5 ENG 2444 FM Eggleston, David J 5.5 ENG 2318 WHITE WIN
10 IM Hunt, Adam C 5.5 ENG 2436 Adair, James R 5.5 ENG 2212 WHITE WIN

Agree except wins for Stephen Gordon and Richard Palliser

[Jonathan Rogers]

All right, then, I'll be entrant number five. Who is going to work out the winner? (The winner himself, I suppose).

1 GM Pert, Nicholas 6.5 ENG 2555 GM Adams, Michael 7.5 ENG 2715 1/2 (difficult call. Adams is at least more likely to beat Nick than Short was)
2 GM Short, Nigel D 7.0 ENG 2687 GM Wells, Peter K 6.5 ENG 2489 1-0 (I'm quite sure about this)
3 IM Hawkins, Jonathan 6.5 ENG 2457 GM Howell, David W L 6.5 ENG 2625 1/2
4 GM Summerscale, Aaron P 6.0 ENG 2415 GM Jones, Gawain C B 6.5 ENG 2606 1/2 (I repeat that Aaron seems to be playing well!)
5 GM Gormally, Daniel W 6.0 ENG 2519 GM Gordon, Stephen J 6.0 ENG 2533 1/2
6 IM Houska, Jovanka 5.5 ENG 2418 IM Rendle, Thomas E 6.0 ENG 2386 0-1 (mainly because I don't like to predict too many draws; but all three results possible)
7 IM Buckley, Graeme N 5.5 ENG 2380 GM Hebden, Mark L 5.5 ENG 2533 0-1
8 IM Palliser, Richard J D 5.5 ENG 2454 FM Griffiths, Ryan Rhys 5.5 IRL 2301 1/2
9 IM Zhou, Yang-Fan 5.5 ENG 2444 FM Eggleston, David J 5.5 ENG 2318 1-0 (but am not sure; Zhou is not at his best and again, all three results seem quite possible here)
10 IM Hunt, Adam C 5.5 ENG 2436 Adair, James R 5.5 ENG 2212 1-0

[David Grobler]

Good game...good game....

1 GM Pert, Nicholas 6.5 ENG 2555 GM Adams, Michael 7.5 ENG 2715 draw
2 GM Short, Nigel D 7.0 ENG 2687 GM Wells, Peter K 6.5 ENG 2489 white win
3 IM Hawkins, Jonathan 6.5 ENG 2457 GM Howell, David W L 6.5 ENG 2625 draw
4 GM Summerscale, Aaron P 6.0 ENG 2415 GM Jones, Gawain C B 6.5 ENG 2606 draw
5 GM Gormally, Daniel W 6.0 ENG 2519 GM Gordon, Stephen J 6.0 ENG 2533 white win
6 IM Houska, Jovanka 5.5 ENG 2418 IM Rendle, Thomas E 6.0 ENG 2386 draw
7 IM Buckley, Graeme N 5.5 ENG 2380 GM Hebden, Mark L 5.5 ENG 2533 black win
8 IM Palliser, Richard J D 5.5 ENG 2454 FM Griffiths, Ryan Rhys 5.5 IRL 2301 white win
9 IM Zhou, Yang-Fan 5.5 ENG 2444 FM Eggleston, David J 5.5 ENG 2318 white win
10 IM Hunt, Adam C 5.5 ENG 2436 Adair, James R 5.5 ENG 2212 white win

Do we need some sort of tie-break?

[Jonathan Bryant]

Good game...good game....

My dad was on the Generation Game once, as it happens. About the time there used to be a pools panel and you'd sit watching the tv listening to pretend football results when the weather knocked out the real ones. A bit like this!


1 GM Pert, Nicholas 6.5 ENG 2555 GM Adams, Michael 7.5 ENG 2715 DRAW
2 GM Short, Nigel D 7.0 ENG 2687 GM Wells, Peter K 6.5 ENG 2489 WHITE WIN
3 IM Hawkins, Jonathan 6.5 ENG 2457 GM Howell, David W L 6.5 ENG 2625 BLACK WIN
4 GM Summerscale, Aaron P 6.0 ENG 2415 GM Jones, Gawain C B 6.5 ENG 2606 BLACK WIN
5 GM Gormally, Daniel W 6.0 ENG 2519 GM Gordon, Stephen J 6.0 ENG 2533 DRAW
6 IM Houska, Jovanka 5.5 ENG 2418 IM Rendle, Thomas E 6.0 ENG 2386 WHITE WIN
7 IM Buckley, Graeme N 5.5 ENG 2380 GM Hebden, Mark L 5.5 ENG 2533 BLACK WIN
8 IM Palliser, Richard J D 5.5 ENG 2454 FM Griffiths, Ryan Rhys 5.5 IRL 2301 WHITE WIN
9 IM Zhou, Yang-Fan 5.5 ENG 2444 FM Eggleston, David J 5.5 ENG 2318 DRAW
10 IM Hunt, Adam C 5.5 ENG 2436 Adair, James R 5.5 ENG 2212 WHITE WIN

[Maxim Devereaux]

1 GM Pert, Nicholas 6.5 ENG 2555 GM Adams, Michael 7.5 ENG 2715 DRAW
2 GM Short, Nigel D 7.0 ENG 2687 GM Wells, Peter K 6.5 ENG 2489 WHITE WIN
3 IM Hawkins, Jonathan 6.5 ENG 2457 GM Howell, David W L 6.5 ENG 2625 WHITE WIN
4 GM Summerscale, Aaron P 6.0 ENG 2415 GM Jones, Gawain C B 6.5 ENG 2606 BLACK WIN
5 GM Gormally, Daniel W 6.0 ENG 2519 GM Gordon, Stephen J 6.0 ENG 2533 DRAW
6 IM Houska, Jovanka 5.5 ENG 2418 IM Rendle, Thomas E 6.0 ENG 2386 WHITE WIN
7 IM Buckley, Graeme N 5.5 ENG 2380 GM Hebden, Mark L 5.5 ENG 2533 BLACK WIN
8 IM Palliser, Richard J D 5.5 ENG 2454 FM Griffiths, Ryan Rhys 5.5 IRL 2301 DRAW
9 IM Zhou, Yang-Fan 5.5 ENG 2444 FM Eggleston, David J 5.5 ENG 2318 WHITE WIN
10 IM Hunt, Adam C 5.5 ENG 2436 Adair, James R 5.5 ENG 2212 WHITE WIN

I'm going for a bloodthirsty day with only 3 draws in the top 10, and Hawkins to make his GM norm.

Maybe we should score 3 points for a correct result, -2 point where you miss the result by half a point, and -3 where you miss the result by a full point?

[Christopher Kreuzer]

My entry...

1 GM Pert, Nicholas 6.5 ENG 2555 GM Adams, Michael 7.5 ENG 2715 BLACK WIN
2 GM Short, Nigel D 7.0 ENG 2687 GM Wells, Peter K 6.5 ENG 2489 DRAW
3 IM Hawkins, Jonathan 6.5 ENG 2457 GM Howell, David W L 6.5 ENG 2625 DRAW
4 GM Summerscale, Aaron P 6.0 ENG 2415 GM Jones, Gawain C B 6.5 ENG 2606 DRAW
5 GM Gormally, Daniel W 6.0 ENG 2519 GM Gordon, Stephen J 6.0 ENG 2533 BLACK WIN
6 IM Houska, Jovanka 5.5 ENG 2418 IM Rendle, Thomas E 6.0 ENG 2386 DRAW
7 IM Buckley, Graeme N 5.5 ENG 2380 GM Hebden, Mark L 5.5 ENG 2533 BLACK WIN
8 IM Palliser, Richard J D 5.5 ENG 2454 FM Griffiths, Ryan Rhys 5.5 IRL 2301 BLACK WIN
9 IM Zhou, Yang-Fan 5.5 ENG 2444 FM Eggleston, David J 5.5 ENG 2318 DRAW
10 IM Hunt, Adam C 5.5 ENG 2436 Adair, James R 5.5 ENG 2212 WHITE WIN

Five draws, one White win, and four Black wins. Can we have a prize for getting the most predictions wrong?

[Jonathan Rogers]

Maybe we should score 3 points for a correct result, -2 point where you miss the result by half a point, and -3 where you miss the result by a full point?

Fine by me. Almost half the entrants are Barbican players, generally to be found anywhere in the summer except at the British ...