99th British #Chess Championships 2012

[Roger de Coverly]

How come it's an accelerated Swiss with only 64 players? Won't this lead to a lot of lop-sided pairings in the final rounds?

With the very long tail, acceleration tries to avoid rating mismatches. Liam Varnam has been promoted from third seed in the Major Open up into the British, but still gets in to the third quartile.

I don't think acceleration for the first three rounds makes any difference to pairings in the last three. With 64 players, pairings between players not on the same score is likely whatever happens in the first three.

If any players are able to achieve a "national championships" norm, not playing players rated below 2000 is an advantage.

[Jonathan Bryant]

The bottom 30-40 players use to be the top half of the Major Open.

Well that's been true for a few years now.

Curiously I just made exactly the same point (re: 7 GMs and 3IMs) as the other Jonathan - and even used exactly the same phrase 'none too shabby' for a post that will appear tomorrow.

As for total numbers in the Championship tournament, these things to go in cycles.

I looked at this in 2010. Ten years ago numbers were at an all time high. Ten years before that, numbers were very low. Going further back entries were limited, of course.


l'm not convinced that the absence of an overly-long tail is that much of a loss. That said, we also seem to be short of IMs compared to previous years, but I'm not sure if the numbers back up that impression.

[Andrew Camp]

Any chance the U140 pairings can go online please.

[Jonathan Rogers]

That said, we also seem to be short of IMs compared to previous years, but I'm not sure if the numbers back up that impression.

I expect they will. I seem to recall Hawkins, Palliser, Ansell, Bates, Rudd, Yang-Fan, Jovanka, R Pert, Rendle from last year without making much effort.

[Jonathan Bryant]

Perhaps a comparison with last year not truly fair though. You might expect more IMs playing on the basis that they might get to play Adams/McShane/Short etc.

I wonder how the numbers stack up against 2010/2009 etc

[Simon Ansell]

That said, we also seem to be short of IMs compared to previous years, but I'm not sure if the numbers back up that impression.

I expect they will. I seem to recall Hawkins, Palliser, Ansell, Bates, Rudd, Yang-Fan, Jovanka, R Pert, Rendle from last year without making much effort.

+Buckley, A Hunt, Ledger, Kolbus, S Lalic, Beaumont, maybe more?

You might expect more IMs playing on the basis that they might get to play Adams/McShane/Short etc.

I can't speak for anyone else but that was one of the reasons for my entry last year (for the first time in many years). The main reason was that my other half was also playing. I managed to make it as far as David Howell, but failed predictably!

[Jonathan Rogers]

Most of the above were regulars in most recent years; usually Adam Hunt, Andrew Greet or Simon Knott, and others whom I have forgotten, would play too. Sheffield was exceptional for the GMs rather than for the IMs.

[JustinHorton]

Just a note on the website: I think it should be "the British Isles" and not just "British Isles". Could somebody amend?

[Ernie Lazenby]

I just want to wish everyone at the British good luck and hope you have a good time. The event is almost on my doorstep however my health problems prevent me from playing chess which upsets me a bit given it was an ideal opportunity for me to play in the seniors.

It goes without saying that Lara and the team will do a first class job. I have always believed that one can only beat who turns up and thus the eventual winner will be a worthy winner notwithstanding a couple of high profile absentees. Personally I would like to see Jonathan Hawkins win it.

Its good to read that Ray Keene has written some positive coments for a change, whatever his motives are for doing so are ,for now, not of any importance.

[Gavin Strachan]

I've never been to a British before. Is there a dress code? Is it ok to wear a t-shirt?

[Andrew Bak]

I've never been to a British before. Is there a dress code? Is it ok to wear a t-shirt?

This made me chuckle. Maybe North Shields is more liberal than Sheffield?

[Stewart Reuben]

Gavin >I've never been to a British before. Is there a dress code? Is it ok to wear a t-shirt?<

They would prefer you also to wear some sort of garment from the waist down.
Please don't wear a tee shirt with an unduly provocative message.

[AustinElliott]

Gavin >I've never been to a British before. Is there a dress code? Is it ok to wear a t-shirt?<

They would prefer you also to wear some sort of garment from the waist down.
Please don't wear a tee shirt with an unduly provocative message.

If you wish to avoid the t-shirt difficulties, why not simply dispense with the garment? This look could be what you need - practical for warm weather, and guaranteed to strike fear into opponents. And, since the Picts were from not so far North of the venue, geographically rather apt.

[Stewart Reuben]

Austin Elliott's suggestion is a little impractical. Walking barefoot on the playing hall surface might be dangerous.

[Andrew Camp]

Some people wear T-Shirts. Get over it.