Chess thread

[Tal]

No major shocks in rounds one, with all the favourites winning. David Howell profited from a blunder on top board, but he was starting to get the advantage anyway.

The standard way of deciding who plays whom in chess tournaments is the Swiss System. Players are ranked in order of rating, the field is then chopped in half and the top of each plays each other. So, in a 60 person field, the number 1 seed will play number 31. After each round (with 1 point for a win, 1/2 for a draw and 0 for a loss), the winners are ranked in order, halved and the same process followed, then those who drew, then those still yet to score. In theory, the stronger players get easier rounds early on but, over 11 rounds, all the contenders will end up playing each other.

All the games are available here http://www.britishchesschampionships.co.uk/2015/live-games/

An odd thing to recommend, but have a look at the game Jones v Arkell. Keith Arkell is a professional and makes a living playing in (primarily) local comps, as well as guesting for league sides and the odd bit of coaching. He is a grandmaster and proficient in endgames. He knows very little opening theory by GM standards, bar a few choice lines, but is devastatingly good at winning quiet - seemingly dead - games. Player after player gets to a drawn ending and is convinced they've locked up a draw against a top British player. An hour or two of horrible grinding later (think playing <13bb on one table in a room full of hoodied, mechanical silentbots for a few hours) and they can't work out how they've managed to lose.

In this game, Keith finds himself in familiar surroundings. You could make a good living offering 6/4 the draw in these spots. It's a masterclass in positional play.

The obvious comparator is Carlsen and I really wouldn't dispute that. It's the same principle for sure. I hasten to add, having played a fair few blitz games against Keith, he can do the tactical stuff as well as anyone. It's just his style to GIQ.

[HutchGF]

Do you have a link to the game you recommend above Tal? I can't seem to locate it.

[Tal]

Do you have a link to the game you recommend above Tal? I can't seem to locate it.

Sorry. It updates every day to the latest day. If you go to the results and pairings section on the left, you can find the game through there.

Here is the game:

http://chess-results.com/partieSuche.aspx?lan=1&art=4&tnr=179427&rd=1

[Tal]

A lovely game on top board from David Howell yesterday against the unpredictable Charles Storey.

It will still be here to replay in the morning:

http://www.britishchesschampionships.co.uk/2015/live-games/

But, when round three starts this afternoon, it will move to the PGN section. The above link will have all the live games from the Championship event from about 3pm. You can also watch live commentary from Andrew Martin. He's an International Master and must have been doing the commentary at the British for a good fifteen years. Very instructive and it's designed to appeal to players of all levels.

[Tal]

Perhaps the story of the championships so far has been Alex Golding. His performance of two wins, one draw and one loss is remarkable for someone with a rating below 2000. Even more so when one win was against an International Master and the draw was against a Grand Master. Now what if I told you he's eleven years old?

[Tal]

With two rounds to go, it is fantastically close in the British Championships.

Nick Pert 7/9
Danny Gormally 7

David Howell 6.5
Jonathan Hawkins 6.5
Keith Arkell 6.5
John Emms 6.5
Glenn Flear 6.5
Richard Pert 6.5
Simon K Williams 6.5

Mark Hebden 6
Chris Ward 6
Aaron Summerscale 6
James Jackson 6

All are grandmasters, except for Richard Pert (International Master, which is one rank lower) and James Jackson (FIDE Master, which is a title below IM and is based solely on reaching a rating above 2200, rather than it being related to qualifying tournament performances).

The key games today are:

Arkell v Nick Pert
Gormally v Richard Pert
Flear v Howell
Williams v Hawkins
Emms v Hebden
Jackson v Ward
John Cooper (an IM on 5.5) v Summerscale

A playoff seems inevitable, but you never know. Two wins from any on 6.5 will likely be enough to secure a playoff. The Pert Twins may have to play each other in the last round, too.

Alex Golding has found the going too tough, back down on 3.5.

[RED-DOG]

Simon.

Modesty aside, just so I can get a handle on it, if you were to equate your chess ability to a football team, who would you be?

(And before anyone asks, I'm Brentford at poker).

[tikay]

Simon.

Modesty aside, just so I can get a handle on it, if you were to equate your chess ability to a football team, who would you be?

(And before anyone asks, I'm Brentford at poker).

As Simon is somewhat modest by nature, I'll suggest he is in the lower regions of the upper echelon. Good, not good enough to challenge the best, but most certainly good enough to make up the numbers.

Click to see full-size image.

[Tal]

Simon.

Modesty aside, just so I can get a handle on it, if you were to equate your chess ability to a football team, who would you be?

(And before anyone asks, I'm Brentford at poker).

Well, if you said the elite players I generally report on ITT were Champions League, Grandmasters are Premiership, the top County players are Championship, I'd be solid League One. Southend, maybe?

Not dissimilar to my level in poker, really. Against a better player, you'd see the gulf in class, but still competent enough to do some things right.

If I played the local tournament circuit these days (and I haven't for a decade), I might manage to qualify with a good tournament result somewhere for the British Championship. I'd be in the bottom third of that, hoping to nick a few points.

I'd love to be as good as spurs.

[Tal]

This reminds me I haven't wrapped up the British. I said that two wins from the pack may well be enough and so it proved. Jonathan "The Camel" Hawkins (ok, I might have made that nickname up...) won in round ten against Simon K Williams and then played this game in the final round:



Andrew Martin's commentary is a little more blunt than the Danny King pieces but he has spent the day commentating live on the lead games and, with an attentive and chirping audience, will have explored every nook and cranny of the game.



Hawkins has made huge progress over the last decade and has written a book detailing his rise from amateur. He is firmly in the top echelon of British chess now.

[Tal]

http://en.chessbase.com/post/breaking-records-in-blindfold-tandem-chess

[Honeybadger]

The Sinquefield Cup starts on Saturday with a ridiculously strong field. If you fancy a bit of a fun punt on chess then there is a pool for the tournament at www.i-pools.co.uk. Make your predictions for what will happen in the tournament, and win the prize money if your answers are more accurate than everyone elses.

Click to see full-size image.

Click to see full-size image.

Click to see full-size image.

[Tal]

Fantastic, Mr Badger!

Will be sure to give this a go

[Honeybadger]

Amazing first two rounds at the Sinquefield Cup. Insane time scramble between Caruana and Carlsen. Watch the last few mins of this very tense game here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=15102&v=dNgXqOLM7CE

[Tal]

There have been some magnificent games in this Sinquefield Cup. Aronian's sacrifice to demolish Wesley So yesterday was an absolute masterpiece. There is no immediate checkmate or anything like that; it's his pure understanding of the position and judgment that the advantage he will get with the free movement of his remaining pieces will be enough to overpower his opponent.

http://en.chessbase.com/post/sinquefield-04-aronian-brilliant-again