BRITISH CHESS CHAMPIONSHIPS - THE GAMES

[AustinElliott]

PS Ah - do I infer from John's last two posts that the chess hive mind says Pert is going to try and break through with ...g5-g4?

[Christopher Kreuzer]

PS Ah - do I infer from the last two posts that the chess hive mind says Black is going to try and break through with ...g5-g4?

Timing is everything though. Allowing Qe1# would be embarrassing.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Anyone know how much money is riding on this board 3 game? If Jones draws, or Pert wins, one of them shares 3rd with Hawkins on 8/11. If Jones wins, he shares 1st with Mickey and Nigel. Is the prize money shared and the playoff only for the title? I make a 3-way share of 1st and 2nd and 3rd is worth £4833, and a 2-way share of 3rd and 4th is £2000. If Pert loses, a 10-way share of 7th is £50. If he draws, a 4-way tie for 5th-8th is worth £625.

Jones win = £4833, Jones draw = £2000, Jones loss = £750
Pert win = £2000, Pert draw = £625, Pert loss = £50.

[AustinElliott]

I would have thought that if White could get a Knight on f2 and his Queen on the back rank (a1 looks nice) then Black would never dare play ...g4 for fear of Qh1.

Not trivial getting a White Knight to f2, though!

I wonder if they'd still be playing if this was a middle-round game?

[John Moore]

I did say that Nick will march his King up and down a lot - g5 is the break eventually.

[Graham Borrowdale]

After g5 black might very quickly get mated, and if he does succeed in playing g4 white will swap the h-pawns then continue to sit tight. Black has to be wary of the knights and queen infiltrating the q-side, hence the diversion with the king on h4. I would not like to have to play white or black in that position.

[Mick Norris]

Is the prize money shared and the playoff only for the title?

According to the program, 10% of the prize money is held for the play-off (it gives the figures for you)

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Is the prize money shared and the playoff only for the title?

According to the program, 10% of the prize money is held for the play-off (it gives the figures for you)

Oh. Well, let's ignore that as its too complicated. I'm using the figures here:

http://britishchess2011.com/prizes.htm

No 10% mentioned there. It must only be mentioned in the program.

[Jonathan Rogers]

Is the prize money shared and the playoff only for the title?

According to the program, 10% of the prize money is held for the play-off (it gives the figures for you)

Good, if so. Something at least has been learnt from the scandal of 1997.

[AustinElliott]

Anyone know how much money is riding on this board 3 game? If Jones draws, or Pert wins, one of them shares 3rd with Hawkins on 8/11. If Jones wins, he shares 1st with Mickey and Nigel. Is the prize money shared and the playoff only for the title? I make a 3-way share of 1st and 2nd and 3rd is worth £4833, and a 2-way share of 3rd and 4th is £2000. If Pert loses, a 10-way share of 7th is £50. If he draws, a 4-way tie for 5th-8th is worth £625.

Jones win = £4833, Jones draw = £2000, Jones loss = £750
Pert win = £2000, Pert draw = £625, Pert loss = £50.

That would mean that for both of them, they stand to gain (by winning rather than drawing) about 2.25-2.4 times what they stand to lose by losing (rather than drawing).

Of course, if Pert were to lose, it sounds like he would be leaving with just his expenses (? - unless all the GMs are on appearance fees). Which might be more of a factor.

Rather impressed that they are still jockeying for position...

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Is the prize money shared and the playoff only for the title?

According to the program, 10% of the prize money is held for the play-off (it gives the figures for you)

Good, if so. Something at least has been learnt from the scandal of 1997.

Oh, I was at the British then. I think I saw the play-off, or was that the one with no play-off? Remind me what the scandal was.

[Jonathan Rogers]

.... that when the original four players were whittled down to two after the first round, those two decided that was enough for them and they would share the title. For the first time in history. And they were allowed to do so.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

And back at the chess, both players seem to have run out of ideas. Surely they will agree a draw when the time runs low?

[Kirk Gornall]

And back at the chess, both players seem to have run out of ideas. Surely they will agree a draw when the time runs low?

Realistically, only Pert has any real winning chances. If the position opens up, those bishops will be lethal. Pert can engineer the plan of ...g5 and ...g4 at some point.

[Alex Holowczak]

What about 74...g5 instead of 74...Bd8? If Pert was still playing for a win, I assume that's what he would have played?

Next landmark in the game is move 100; that's when the fifty-move rule will kick in.

Pert can engineer the plan of ...g5 and ...g4 at some point.

So why didn't he do it on move 74?