tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59069293371758768482024-02-19T16:35:05.885+00:00The Joy of SacsMark Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15512984798088377624noreply@blogger.comBlogger72125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906929337175876848.post-48047126668009344852015-11-01T15:44:00.000+00:002015-11-02T12:11:44.871+00:00Sunday Puzzle 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidId-XZDeFgRmXz-RXGRdrB6K9GNjqFQk3IdDV2lFuFT7Zcg1kfR0VD-4jtHzymkJgRpvupG12jLYY3gz4qhnLEgQTpdviIhxQ6ygRb3ZqCb3wXDohhoVB-sfHLDGgo39lPVPGGqzzrlE/s1600/Puzzle+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidId-XZDeFgRmXz-RXGRdrB6K9GNjqFQk3IdDV2lFuFT7Zcg1kfR0VD-4jtHzymkJgRpvupG12jLYY3gz4qhnLEgQTpdviIhxQ6ygRb3ZqCb3wXDohhoVB-sfHLDGgo39lPVPGGqzzrlE/s320/Puzzle+1.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div>
White to play and win.<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">Jan Vančura, 1922</span><span style="font-size: small;"> (published posthumously)</span>
</h2>
<br />
View the <a href="http://www.yacpdb.org/#338393">solution</a> on the excellent <a href="http://www.yacpdb.org/">Yet Another Chess Problem Database</a>.
</div>
</div>
Mark Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15512984798088377624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906929337175876848.post-19267305973296585802014-10-22T01:03:00.000+01:002014-10-22T01:03:17.831+01:00Grading History Graph<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
http://www.trowbridgechessclub.co.uk/club_grades_chart.php<br />
<br /></div>
Mark Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15512984798088377624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906929337175876848.post-34186755397268016592014-09-17T21:54:00.000+01:002014-09-17T21:54:05.139+01:00WECU Jamboree 2014<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
A Wiltshire team captained by Trowbridge's own Roy Ludlow finished equal first in the Grade-limited section of <a href="http://www.keverelchess.com/wecu-jamboree-2014-results-15-09-14/">this year's jamboree</a>. Here are the results for our players:<br />
<br />
<table border="0" cellspacing="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Bd.</td>
<td align="left">White</td>
<td align="left"></td>
<td align="center"></td>
<td align="left"></td>
<td align="left">Black</td>
<td align="left"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2</td>
<td align="left">Trefor Thynne</td>
<td align="right" sdnum="2057;" sdval="161">161</td>
<td><div style="align: center; width: 45px;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #d9ead3;">0-1</span></div>
</div>
</td>
<td align="left"><b>Jim Sherwin</b></td>
<td align="right" sdnum="2057;" sdval="198">198</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>4</td>
<td align="left"><b>Andrew Cooper</b></td>
<td align="right" sdnum="2057;" sdval="174">174</td>
<td><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #d9ead3;">1-0</span></div>
</td>
<td align="left">Adrian Champion</td>
<td align="right" sdnum="2057;" sdval="151">151</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>6</td>
<td align="left">Jim Fewkes</td>
<td align="right" sdnum="2057;" sdval="150">150</td>
<td><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">½-½</span></div>
</td>
<td align="left"><b>Ricardo Rei</b></td>
<td align="right" sdnum="2057;" sdval="168">168</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>7</td>
<td align="left"><b>Tim Woodward</b></td>
<td align="right" sdnum="2057;" sdval="146">146</td>
<td><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #d9ead3;">1-0</span></div>
</td>
<td align="left">Chris Fewtrell</td>
<td align="right" sdnum="2057;" sdval="149">149</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>10</td>
<td align="left">Tristan West</td>
<td align="right" sdnum="2057;" sdval="147">147</td>
<td><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">½-½</span></div>
</td>
<td align="left"><b>George Georgiou</b></td>
<td align="right" sdnum="2057;" sdval="139">139</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>12</td>
<td align="left"><b>Roy Ludlow</b></td>
<td align="right" sdnum="2057;" sdval="128">128</td>
<td><div style="text-align: center;">
0-1</div>
</td>
<td align="left">John Allen</td>
<td align="right" sdnum="2057;" sdval="132">132</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>14</td>
<td align="left">Vignesh Ramesh</td>
<td align="right" sdnum="2057;" sdval="131">131</td>
<td><div style="text-align: center;">
1-0</div>
</td>
<td align="left"><b>Gareth Williams</b></td>
<td align="right" sdnum="2057;" sdval="118">118</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>16</td>
<td align="left"><b>Richard Carver</b></td>
<td align="right" sdnum="2057;" sdval="116">116</td>
<td><div style="text-align: center;">
0-1</div>
</td>
<td align="left">Roger Waters</td>
<td align="right" sdnum="2057;" sdval="112">112</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>18</td>
<td align="left"><b>David Brown</b></td>
<td align="right" sdnum="2057;" sdval="102">102</td>
<td><div style="text-align: center;">
0-1</div>
</td>
<td align="left">Geoff Berryman</td>
<td align="right" sdnum="2057;" sdval="108">108</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>23</td>
<td align="left"><b>Robert Sparks</b></td>
<td align="right" sdnum="2057;" sdval="72">72</td>
<td><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #d9ead3;">1-0</span></div>
</td>
<td align="left">Nandaja Narayanan</td>
<td align="right" sdnum="2057;" sdval="101">101</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>24</td>
<td align="left">Ivan Stringer</td>
<td align="right" sdnum="2057;" sdval="110">110</td>
<td><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">½-½</span></div>
</td>
<td align="left"><b>Gordon Chapman</b></td>
<td align="right" sdnum="2057;" sdval="104">104</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Board 22 was defaulted gaining Wiltshire an extra point.<br />
<br /></div>
Mark Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15512984798088377624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906929337175876848.post-78050239254715631622014-05-20T10:24:00.003+01:002014-09-04T10:15:04.855+01:002014 Club KO Final<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The first game of the 2013-14 knock-out final was played on the 1st May 2014 and resulted in a draw, following a most unusual opening and a missed middlegame opportunity.
In the second instalment (to be played Thursday 25th September) David Weston has the White pieces.
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtvlAQjCDMnUDotUiLCbrZ9dCCyAVGwTCb_PcgwLhtuPWGyFTVuXFGuIiOYi82RVWpHa2Tb3m28QMZyPd75BWRgVw65AftpSm72-uxD8YkhEQXZtduELQjG6lp2rZJCNQUUH6eJRX1nBw/s1600/knockout+comp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtvlAQjCDMnUDotUiLCbrZ9dCCyAVGwTCb_PcgwLhtuPWGyFTVuXFGuIiOYi82RVWpHa2Tb3m28QMZyPd75BWRgVw65AftpSm72-uxD8YkhEQXZtduELQjG6lp2rZJCNQUUH6eJRX1nBw/s1600/knockout+comp.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
Mark Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15512984798088377624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906929337175876848.post-43331836874950531092014-05-11T00:14:00.002+01:002014-05-13T17:14:48.111+01:00Frome Congress 2014<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Here are the results for the <a href="http://trowbridgechessclub.co.uk/player_records.php?player=&league=Frome%20Chess%20Congress%202014&team=Trowbridge">Trowbridge players</a> at <a href="http://www.somersetchess.org/frome_congress/FromeHome.html">Frome</a> this year:<br />
<br />
Tom and Tim both win a Somerset trophy.<br />
<br />
<table><tbody>
<tr><th><span style="background-color: white;">Player</span></th> <th><span style="background-color: white;">Section</span></th> <th><span style="background-color: white;">Rd 1</span></th> <th><span style="background-color: white;">Rd 2</span></th> <th><span style="background-color: white;">Rd 3</span></th> <th><span style="background-color: white;">Rd 4</span></th> <th><span style="background-color: white;">Rd 5</span></th> <th><span style="background-color: white;">Score</span></th> <th>Performance</th></tr>
<tr> <td><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://www.trowbridgechessclub.co.uk/player_records.php?player=127076L">Tim Woodward</a></span></td> <td><span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: white;">Major</span></span></td> <td><span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: white;">1</span></span></td> <td><span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: white;">1</span></span></td> <td><span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: white;">½</span></span></td> <td><span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: white;">1</span></span></td> <td><span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: white;">1</span></span></td> <td><span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: white;">4½</span></span></td><td><span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: white;">182</span></span></td>
</tr>
<tr> <td><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://www.trowbridgechessclub.co.uk/player_records.php?player=166052E">Mark Leonard</a></span></td> <td><span style="background-color: white;">Major</span></td> <td><span style="background-color: white;">1</span></td> <td><span style="background-color: white;">1</span></td> <td><span style="background-color: white;">½</span></td> <td><span style="background-color: white;">0</span></td> <td><span style="background-color: white;">½</span></td> <td><span style="background-color: white;">3</span></td> <td>166</td>
</tr>
<tr> <td><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.trowbridgechessclub.co.uk/player_records.php?player=201286J">Tom Cooper </a></span></span></td> <td><span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: white;">Intermediate</span></span></td> <td><span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: white;">1</span></span></td> <td><span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: white;">1</span></span></td> <td><span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: white;">1</span></span></td> <td><span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: white;">0</span></span></td> <td><span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: white;">1</span></span></td> <td><span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: white;">4</span></span></td> <td><span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: white;">162</span></span></td></tr>
<tr> <td><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://www.trowbridgechessclub.co.uk/player_records.php?player=264960D">Roy Ludlow</a></span></td> <td><span style="background-color: white;">Intermediate</span></td> <td><span style="background-color: white;">½</span></td> <td><span style="background-color: white;">0</span></td> <td><span style="background-color: white;">1</span></td> <td><span style="background-color: white;">½</span></td> <td><span style="background-color: white;">0</span></td> <td>2</td> <td>109</td></tr>
<tr> <td><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://www.trowbridgechessclub.co.uk/player_records.php?player=142184A">David Weston</a></span></td> <td><span style="background-color: white;">Major</span></td> <td><span style="background-color: white;">0</span></td> <td><span style="background-color: white;">0</span></td> <td><span style="background-color: white;">0</span></td> <td><span style="background-color: white;">-</span></td> <td><span style="background-color: white;">0</span></td> <td>1</td> <td>89</td></tr>
<tr> <td><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://www.trowbridgechessclub.co.uk/player_records.php?player=270360K">Nigel Crucefix</a></span></td> <td><span style="background-color: white;">Minor </span></td> <td><span style="background-color: white;">0</span></td> <td><span style="background-color: white;">0</span></td> <td><span style="background-color: white;">1</span></td> <td><span style="background-color: white;">0</span></td> <td><span style="background-color: white;">1</span></td> <td>2</td> <td>83</td> </tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
In the Major Tim finished a clear point ahead of those in 2nd - 5th
place. Mark's peaceful draw in the last round wins him £6.25 (whereas a victory
would have earned £43).<br />
<br />
Tom finished equal 2nd - 4th which should net him £71.66<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white;">Team Trowbridge</span> finished on 10½ points, behind Bath on 12½.<br />
Of course, our best four from the squad of six would have scored 13½.<br />
<br /></div>
Mark Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15512984798088377624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906929337175876848.post-57431849352945934392014-03-07T15:51:00.001+00:002014-03-09T00:00:57.102+00:00Blackpool Congress 2014<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Live results for the <a href="http://trowbridgechessclub.co.uk/player_records.php?player=&league=Blackpool%20Congress&team=Trowbridge">Trowbridge players</a> at <a href="http://www.blackpoolchess.org.uk/index.php/2014-details">Blackpool</a> this year:<br />
<br />
<table><tbody>
<tr><th>Player</th> <th>Section</th> <th>Rd 1</th> <th>Rd 2</th> <th>Rd 3</th> <th>Rd 4</th> <th>Rd 5</th> <th>Score</th> </tr>
<tr> <td><a href="http://www.trowbridgechessclub.co.uk/player_records.php?player=224960B">Dave Marshall</a></td> <td>Median</td> <td>1</td> <td>½</td> <td>½</td> <td><br /></td> <td><br /></td> <td>2</td> </tr>
<tr> <td><a href="http://www.trowbridgechessclub.co.uk/player_records.php?player=166052E">Mark Leonard</a></td> <td>Median</td> <td>½</td> <td>1</td> <td>1</td> <td><br /></td> <td><br /></td> <td>2½</td> </tr>
<tr> <td><a href="http://www.trowbridgechessclub.co.uk/player_records.php?player=201286J">Tom Cooper </a></td> <td>Inter</td> <td>½</td> <td>½</td> <td>1</td> <td><br /></td> <td><br /></td> <td>2</td> </tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
Mark Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15512984798088377624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906929337175876848.post-27482603289793673632013-10-18T00:11:00.001+01:002013-10-18T20:15:02.220+01:00Roy Ludlow versus Richard Carver<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
What's this? Richard Carver beaten at Trowbridge Chess Club? Again? <span style="font-size: x-small;">(I believe this last occurred in 2011.)</span><br />
<br />
Can you spot what White played in this position?<br />
<br /></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="FEN HERE" src="http://www.eddins.net/steve/chess/ChessImager/ChessImager.php?fen=r4r2/2q1b2k/p1b1p2p/1p2Np2/3PpP1Q/1PP1R3/PB3K1P/R7&ds_color=%2870,109,186%29" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">r4r2/2q1b2k/p1b1p2p/1p2Np2/3PpP1Q/1PP1R3/PB3K1P/R7</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Only one move wins here, and Roy comes up with a corker.<br />
<br />
<div>
<object data="http://kvchess.com/releases/latest/KnightVision.swf" height="350" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="100%"><param name="movie" value="http://kvchess.com/releases/latest/KnightVision.swf" /><param name="flashvars" value='orientation=H&tabmode=false&light=f4f4fF&dark=0072b9&bordertext=494949&headerforeground=ffffff&mtforeground=000000&mtvariations=FF0000&mtmainline=000000&mtbackground=ffffff&pgndata=[Event "Wiltshire Minor: Trowbridge vs Swindon B"] [Date "2013.10.17"] [Board "2"] [White "Ludlow, Roy"] [Black "Carver, Richard"] [Result "1-0"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. e3 d5 4. Bd3 c5 5. b3 Nc6 6. Bb2 Bd7 7. O-O Bd6 8. Ne5 cxd4 9. exd4 Qc7 10. f4 Nb4 11. c3 Nxd3 12. Qxd3 a6 13. Qg3 O-O 14. Nd2 b5 15. Rf3 h6 16. Qh4 Kh7 17. g4 Bc6 18. g5 Ne4 19. Nxe4 dxe4 20. Re3 f5 21. gxh6 gxh6 22. Kf2 Be7 23. Qxh6%2B Kxh6 24. Rh3%2B Kg7 25. Rg1%2B Kf6 26. Rg6# 1-0 '/><p>
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</object></div>
</div>
Mark Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15512984798088377624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906929337175876848.post-2637702898018482212013-09-26T00:48:00.000+01:002013-09-27T10:55:46.953+01:00July 2013 ECF Grades<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Here is the annual inspection of Trowbridge players using the <a href="http://www.englishchess.org.uk/ecfgrading.org.uk/new/glist.php?Code=4TRO&Club=Trowbridge#top">latest grading list</a>.<br />
<br />
<table><tbody>
<tr> <th>Player</th> <th>Jul 2013</th> <th>Jan 2013</th><th>League Results (2012-13)</th></tr>
<tr> <td><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://www.trowbridgechessclub.co.uk/player_records.asp?player=108817J&year=2012-13">Andy Cooper</a></span> </td> <td style="background-color: #d9ead3; text-align: right;"><b>170</b></td> <td style="text-align: right;"><span style="background-color: white;">168</span></td> <td style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;">+1 =6 -1</span></td> </tr>
<tr> <td><a href="http://www.trowbridgechessclub.co.uk/player_records.asp?player=112597H&year=2012-13">Arthur Hibbitt</a></td>
<td style="background-color: #b6d7a8; text-align: right;"><b>161</b></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><span style="background-color: white;">153</span></td> <td style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;">+4 =1 -2</span></td> </tr>
<tr> <td><a href="http://www.trowbridgechessclub.co.uk/player_records.asp?player=127076L&year=2012-13">Tim Woodward</a></td> <td style="background-color: #b6d7a8; text-align: right;"><b>159</b></td> <td style="text-align: right;">146</td> <td style="text-align: center;">+4 =5 -0 </td> </tr>
<tr> <td><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://www.trowbridgechessclub.co.uk/player_records.asp?player=142184A&year=2012-13">David Weston</a></span></td>
<td style="background-color: #d9ead3; text-align: right;"><span style="background-color: #d9ead3;"><b>153</b></span></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><span style="background-color: white;">149</span></td> <td style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;">+4 =2 -3</span></td> </tr>
<tr> <td><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://www.trowbridgechessclub.co.uk/player_records.php?player=166052E&year=2012-13">Mark Leonard</a></span> </td> <td style="background-color: #ea9999; text-align: right;"><b>153</b></td> <td style="text-align: right;"><span style="background-color: white;">163</span></td> <td style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;">+4 =6 -5</span></td> </tr>
<tr> <td><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://www.trowbridgechessclub.co.uk/player_records.asp?player=224960B&year=2012-13">Dave Marshall</a>
</span></td> <td style="background-color: #ea9999; text-align: right;"><b>148</b></td> <td style="text-align: right;"><span style="background-color: white;">164</span></td> <td style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;">+4 =3 -6</span></td> </tr>
<tr> <td><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://www.trowbridgechessclub.co.uk/player_records.asp?player=272297F&year=2012-13">Chris Lamming</a>
</span></td> <td style="text-align: right;"><b>147</b></td> <td style="text-align: right;"><br /></td> <td style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;">+3 =0 -1</span></td> </tr>
<tr> <td><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://www.trowbridgechessclub.co.uk/player_records.asp?player=233174D">Derek Rothwell</a></span></td>
<td style="background-color: #b6d7a8; text-align: right;"><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;"><b>145</b></span></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><span style="background-color: white;">137</span></td> <td style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;">+5 =1 -5 </span></td> </tr>
<tr> <td><a href="http://www.trowbridgechessclub.co.uk/player_records.asp?player=171446G&year=2012-13">Gareth Williams</a></td> <td style="background-color: #f4cccc; text-align: right;"><b>138</b></td> <td style="text-align: right;">144</td> <td style="text-align: center;">+3 =4 -2 </td> </tr>
<tr> <td><a href="http://www.trowbridgechessclub.co.uk/player_records.asp?player=264960D&year=2012-13">Roy Ludlow</a></td> <td style="background-color: #b6d7a8; text-align: right;"><b>124</b></td> <td style="text-align: right;">119</td> <td style="text-align: center;">+4 =5 -4 </td> </tr>
<tr> <td><a href="http://www.trowbridgechessclub.co.uk/player_records.asp?player=280849D&year=2012-13">Louis Burton</a></td><td style="background-color: #d9ead3; text-align: right;"><b>90</b></td>
<td style="text-align: right;">89</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">+3 =4 -7 </td></tr>
<tr><td><a href="http://www.trowbridgechessclub.co.uk/player_records.asp?player=270360K&year=2012-13">Nigel Crucefix</a></td>
<td style="background-color: #d9ead3; text-align: right;"><b>81</b></td> <td style="text-align: right;">75</td> <td style="text-align: center;">+1 =3 -5 </td> </tr>
<tr><td><a href="http://www.trowbridgechessclub.co.uk/player_records.asp?player=201304G&year=2012-13">Anthony Ransom</a></td>
<td style="background-color: #ea9999; text-align: right;"><b>66</b></td><td style="text-align: right;">71</td><td style="text-align: center;">+2 =1 -4 </td></tr>
</tbody> </table>
<br />
This year no fewer than seven players are graded over 145 and are therefore ineligible to play in the lower divisions. (Last year Tim somehow scraped under the limit using the July 2012 grading list.)<br />
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Wiltshire Minor League</h3>
This season affords an opportunity for <a href="http://www.trowbridgechessclub.co.uk/player_records.php?team=Trowbridge&league=Wiltshire%20Minor&year=2012-13">the Minor team</a> to make amends for <a href="http://www.trowbridgechessclub.co.uk/league_tables.php?year=2012-13#Wiltshire%20Minor">last season's poor showing</a>. Trowbridge lost 7 of 8 matches, only drawing with Swindon A at home. Swindon A, of course, won all 7 of their other fixtures!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.trowbridgechessclub.co.uk/player_records.php?player=233174D&year=2012-13&league=Wiltshire+Minor">Derek drew 5 out of 5 games</a> (3 of those with Black pieces). In fact we did not win a single game on boards 1 to 3. However we managed 7 draws and a loss on board 1 (even with a guest appearance from <a href="http://www.trowbridgechessclub.co.uk/player_records.php?player=127076L&year=2012-13&league=Wiltshire+Minor">Tim</a>).<br />
<br />
<table class="tablesorter"><thead>
<tr><th class="header headerSortDown" style="text-align: center;">Board</th><th class="header">W-D-L</th><th class="header">Points</th><th class="header" style="text-align: left;">Players</th></tr>
</thead><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;">1</td><td style="text-align: center;">0-7-1</td><td style="text-align: right;">3½</td><td><a href="http://trowbridgechessclub.co.uk/player_records.asp?player=233174D&year=2012-13&league=Wiltshire%20Minor" title="137 Trowbridge"> Derek</a>
(2/4)
<a href="http://trowbridgechessclub.co.uk/player_records.asp?player=264960D&year=2012-13&league=Wiltshire%20Minor" title="119 Trowbridge"> Roy</a>
(½/1)
<a href="http://trowbridgechessclub.co.uk/player_records.asp?player=127076L&year=2012-13&league=Wiltshire%20Minor" title="146 Trowbridge"> Tim</a>
(½/1)
<a href="http://trowbridgechessclub.co.uk/player_records.asp?player=171446G&year=2012-13&league=Wiltshire%20Minor" title="144 Trowbridge"> Gareth</a>
(½/2)
</td></tr>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;">2</td><td style="text-align: center;">0-4-4</td><td style="text-align: right;">2</td><td><a href="http://trowbridgechessclub.co.uk/player_records.asp?player=280849D&league=Wiltshire%20Minor" title="89 Trowbridge"> Louis</a>
(0/2)
<a href="http://trowbridgechessclub.co.uk/player_records.asp?player=264960D&year=2012-13&league=Wiltshire%20Minor" title="119 Trowbridge"> Roy</a>
(1½/5)
<a href="http://trowbridgechessclub.co.uk/player_records.asp?player=233174D&year=2012-13&league=Wiltshire%20Minor" title="137 Trowbridge"> Derek</a>
(½/1)
</td></tr>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;">3</td><td style="text-align: center;">0-2-6</td><td style="text-align: right;">1</td><td><a href="http://trowbridgechessclub.co.uk/player_records.asp?player=270360K&year=2012-13&league=Wiltshire%20Minor" title="75 Trowbridge"> Nigel</a>
(½/4)
<a href="http://trowbridgechessclub.co.uk/player_records.asp?player=280849D&year=2012-13&league=Wiltshire%20Minor" title="89 Trowbridge"> Louis</a>
(½/4)
</td></tr>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;">4</td><td style="text-align: center;">2-1-5</td><td style="text-align: right;">2½</td><td><a href="http://trowbridgechessclub.co.uk/player_records.asp?player=288601H&league=Wiltshire%20Minor" title="57 Trowbridge"> Richard White</a>
(0/2)
<a href="http://www.trowbridgechessclub.co.uk/player_records.php?player=201304G&year=2012-13&league=Wiltshire%20Minor" title="72 Trowbridge"> Anthony</a>
(1½/5)
<a href="http://trowbridgechessclub.co.uk/player_records.asp?player=270360K&year=2012-13&league=Wiltshire%20Minor" title="75 Trowbridge"> Nigel</a>
(1/1)
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
On a positive note for those in the Minor league,the following very successful players are no longer able to play: <a href="http://www.trowbridgechessclub.co.uk/player_records.php?player=288769B&year=2012-13&league=Wiltshire+Minor">Ricardo Rei</a> and <a href="http://www.trowbridgechessclub.co.uk/player_records.php?player=288768L&year=2012-13&league=Wiltshire+Minor">Peter Musgrove</a>. Perhaps Swindon will not be the dominant force this time around.<br />
<br /></div>
Mark Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15512984798088377624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906929337175876848.post-64742348295476310262013-09-24T16:07:00.000+01:002013-09-25T17:34:51.628+01:00White to move and win....<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
One of my favourite chess quotes is "If God played God at chess white would probably win". I am not sure whether this means that God would win every match with white, or just that maybe out of one million games the score would be 1 win and 999,999 draws, but of course I am merely being pedantic. The implication that there is such a small advantage of having the white pieces only God could take advantage, all other things being equal, is a simple yet charming notion. At the time of writing this I am unsure whether this particular debate is of interest to manufacturers of our super computers, and whether the above quote applies in this sphere i.e. Does it mean that white, always having the miniscule advantage of playing first, would definitely win with equal computer processing power over 1 million games. Or are they searching for less meaningful concerns such as time travel or prevention of global economic downturn etc?<br />
<br />
Okay so this brings me on (rather tentatively I must confess) to my recent game at the WECU jamboree on September 22nd 2013. I had the white Ivory and the opening was a Grand Prix attack, and after a couple of less than God like moves on either side I sacrificed a Bishop for a pawn and the position eventually developed as per the diagram below.<br />
<br />
<br />
BLACK Chris Strong<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUKVUwubtCdMaePVlrPzvaNHPPMAN_W-J9OevrqHzwq2Nkvh9uRLuaorzkRD890VFjsx0UGPrimhgpJtHsNU4qsMLqc-MmMPnJUDaUQxwJ0057umnS0zWQE3ZLkDJXK8xTyESJQ_VthhH8/s1600/Position.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUKVUwubtCdMaePVlrPzvaNHPPMAN_W-J9OevrqHzwq2Nkvh9uRLuaorzkRD890VFjsx0UGPrimhgpJtHsNU4qsMLqc-MmMPnJUDaUQxwJ0057umnS0zWQE3ZLkDJXK8xTyESJQ_VthhH8/s1600/Position.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
WHITE Yours Truly<br />
<br />
Now I wasn't necessarily thinking of the above dictum at the time, indeed I might not win because although I had the white pieces, I was out-graded by six points(!), but I knew I was in a strong position and still had enough major/minor pieces to cause severe pain to my opponent. However, here it is a good example of a chess game that has been played to such an extent that it is a clear win whichever side has the next move. As mentioned earlier I had the white pieces so my luckless opponent had to face the delightful move (even though I say it myself) Rxf5<b>+</b> fireworks...ouch that must have hurt, being a piece down and now going for a further exchange sac. He has no option but to take and white is now able to force a won endgame position although as it happens this game ended in a checkmate, - I think my opponent was mentally fatigued by this time. If however, it is Black to move he simply plays Qxd5 check, and he is able to save the day and secure an easily won position.<br />
<br />
Thank God I had the first move!<br />
<br />
For those who want to see the full game here is the PGN:<br />
<br />
[Event "Wecu Jamboree"]<br />
[Date "22/09/2013"]<br />
[White "GW 138"]<br />
[Black "Chris Strong 144"]<br />
[Result "1-0"]<br />
[ECO "B23 Sicilian Grand Prix Attack"]<br />
<br />
1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.f4 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Bc4 e6 6.d3 Nge7 7.O-O O-O 8.Qe1 Nd4 9.Nxd4 Bxd4+ 10.Kh1 d6 11.f5 exf5 12.Bg5 Qd7 13.Qh4 Re8 14.Bxf7+ Kxf7 15.Qxh7+ Bg7 16.Bh6 Rg8 17.g4 b5 18.gxf5 gxf5 19.Nd5 Nxd5 20.exd5 c4 21.dxc4 bxc4 22.Rae1 Qb7 23.Rxf5+ Bxf5 24.Qxf5+ Bf6 25.Qe6+ Kg6 26.Rg1+ Kh7 27.Qf5+ Kh8 28.Qxf6+ Kh7 29.Qf5+ Kh8 30.Bg5 Raf8 31.Bf6+ Rxf6 32.Qxf6+ Kh7 33.Qh4# 1-0<br />
<br />
<br />
<div>
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Gareth Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12040090699508469543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906929337175876848.post-44504578268375791272013-07-22T17:37:00.004+01:002013-07-22T18:25:32.781+01:00Interview on BBC Radio Wiltshire<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://plus.google.com/116456720263046325762/about">Tony Ransom</a> and <a href="http://www.trowbridgechessclub.co.uk/player_records.php?player=264960D">Roy Ludlow</a> have been talking about <a href="http://www.trowbridgechessclub.co.uk/">Trowbridge Chess Club</a> and the <a href="http://www.englishchess.org.uk/clubs-and-associations-ii/county-associations/">Wiltshire chess</a> leagues with <a href="http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&ved=0CDgQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bbc.co.uk%2Fprogrammes%2Fp018pm71&ei=b1_tUbDUEYefO5_JgNgL&usg=AFQjCNFMOoGHGjxi4DE6aQUf3WV20pUBSA&sig2=y-YqjVJBmb95aLukgcE1yg&bvm=bv.49478099,d.ZWU">Ian Longdon</a> on <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcwiltshire">BBC Wiltshire</a>.<br />
<br />
The programme is available here for the next 5 days:<br />
<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01bzmts" target="_blank">http://www.bbc.co.uk/<wbr></wbr>programmes/p01bzmts</a><br />
<br />
Skip ahead to 53:22 (i.e. 53 minutes and 22 seconds into the episode)<br />
and then skip again to 1:03:35<br />
<br />
The actual interview content appears from<br />
<br />
1:10:54 to 1:14:50<br />
2:08:24 to 2:14:14<br />
<br /></div>
Mark Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15512984798088377624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906929337175876848.post-74827519522727043282013-01-21T20:08:00.002+00:002013-01-22T01:44:09.830+00:00ECF Small Club of the Year 2012 Presentation<h2 class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Small Club of the Year 2012</h2>
<div class="composeBoxWrapper GLVTYVNBIB">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj79dPTK1nH8ex49v3NmiPHn3Uo85xvcMSMaqYIt4n79UMgkOR8n6ZAnF4iSbu1m3JSpBzdhwuf-vKSvW1aUuZ5znQIWbys-KWd1kcfkwXLxcqrSMfVKmaUMjb0QvWayVL8MB9vIgf_Qk8/s1600/DSCF0389.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj79dPTK1nH8ex49v3NmiPHn3Uo85xvcMSMaqYIt4n79UMgkOR8n6ZAnF4iSbu1m3JSpBzdhwuf-vKSvW1aUuZ5znQIWbys-KWd1kcfkwXLxcqrSMfVKmaUMjb0QvWayVL8MB9vIgf_Qk8/s640/DSCF0389.JPG" width="480" /> </a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dr Andrew Murrison at Trowbridge Chess Club</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Here is South West Wiltshire MP (and junior <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/ministers/parliamentary-under-secretary-of-state-international-security-strategy">Minister</a>) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Murrison">Andrew Murrison</a> (<i>centre</i>) photographed with various club members including Tony Ransom (<i>right</i>). Doctor Murrison was kind enough to visit the club (Friday 11th January) to present us with the <a href="http://www.englishchess.org.uk/?p=21134">ECF</a> certificate and trophy. Also in attendance was a representative of the <a href="http://www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk/">Wiltshire Times</a>, a local publication which generously printed an article (sadly not reproduced online).</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-c0U25ZXZceCcjHKb10PYd2z-z7Ngd4q1bIKelguPdLyAeP4qTqZ4uzt0MTdM2Hp5kyQR4ZYJm5XXNxOAkDeNXWdbefILTTXxgebXl1SkxjY3aHOnf9XnowyFy-wcfJCGqGqVUvWimrM/s1600/Jan2013012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Commemorative Trophy" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-c0U25ZXZceCcjHKb10PYd2z-z7Ngd4q1bIKelguPdLyAeP4qTqZ4uzt0MTdM2Hp5kyQR4ZYJm5XXNxOAkDeNXWdbefILTTXxgebXl1SkxjY3aHOnf9XnowyFy-wcfJCGqGqVUvWimrM/s320/Jan2013012.JPG" title="ECF Small Club of the Year 2012" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ECF Trophy</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJWQrNpHSq_OUaoJmK81WnF-drIQqo_0xObgCjUio7j1tZRvHZhw8XEGCmx7sWwBH7PDuXe4fpj71fhhqRLlarQRDeiA9WMP-SP6hRDhM6nT8MPy6nMwK1O0I4V6lY4_xkUuLRIV872ig/s1600/DSCF0388.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJWQrNpHSq_OUaoJmK81WnF-drIQqo_0xObgCjUio7j1tZRvHZhw8XEGCmx7sWwBH7PDuXe4fpj71fhhqRLlarQRDeiA9WMP-SP6hRDhM6nT8MPy6nMwK1O0I4V6lY4_xkUuLRIV872ig/s400/DSCF0388.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Top: Roy<br />
Bottom: Mark, Nigel, Tony, Arthur</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
And now for some actual chess...<br />
Below is the board position used in the first photograph. Can you reproduce the game moves?<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="FEN HERE" src="http://www.eddins.net/steve/chess/ChessImager/ChessImager.php?fen=r1bqk1nr/pppp1ppp/2n5/8/1bB1P3/2p2N2/P4PPP/RNBQ1RK1&ds_color=%2870,109,186%29" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">r1bqk1nr/pppp1ppp/2n5/8/1bB1P3/2p2N2/P4PPP/RNBQ1RK1 b kq - 0 7</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<iframe aria-label="Edit post. Compose mode." class="composeBox editable" frameborder="0" id="postingComposeBox" name="Rich text editor" style="background-color: white; height: 100%; padding: 0px;"></iframe>
Mark Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15512984798088377624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906929337175876848.post-48132316642528879602012-12-12T21:41:00.000+00:002013-09-25T17:35:49.734+01:00There's a fine fine lineFor those of you who have seen the hilarious Avenue Q Musical you will be aware as to how this article's title has been chosen. For those who haven't a clue take my word it is one laugh after another and unashamed political in-correctness!
<br />
<br />
So my story begins a couple of months ago at Norton Radstock school on October 6th 2012. Norton Radstock chess club was celebrating its fortieth anniversary and decided to ask Grand Master <ahref chesstempo.com="chesstempo.com" gamedb="gamedb" http:="http:" player="player">Matthew Turner</ahref> to show us how chess should really be played. He played against 27 chess players drawn from Radstock and other local chess clubs including Frome, Trowbridge and Bath. I was the only delegate from Trowbridge that could attend, but I noted a few respectably rated players including Tim (187) and Fenella Headlong (161) from Brown Jack and Witney.
<br />
<br />
Arriving at the venue I was informed that there would be certain rule changes that would make this different from other simultaneous displays. Here we go I thought, this would surely be be to our detriment. Then to my astonishment I am told about the changes:
<br />
<br />
Firstly, every single competitor could chose their own colour! Wow I had never played in a Simul before where I could be white....but just hang on a minute I have studiously prepared the previous week against 1. e4, 1. d4, 1. c4, 1. F4, 1. Nc3 1. G6 etc...What do I do now just 15 minutes before battle commences? Make up my mind to choose the white bits of wood of course (I had already swapped a couple of plastic pieces from the board next to me I have to confess!), but what if...? No white will do.
<br />
<br />
Secondly, we were all allocated 1 hour 15 minutes to make our moves, and GM Turner had 1 hour 45 mins - fair enough as GM Turner has to wander around in a big square to reach every player whilst we have the luxury to sit around and relax without resorting to our phone or ipad software of course!
<br />
<br />
Thirdly, we could elect to 'pass' as many times as we liked during a game. Again this was quite unusual as normally you would be limited to a maximum of three passes. Of course if you went down this route too many times early on, your 1 hour 15 would soon be eaten away.
<br />
<br />
After a quiet opening which Matthew Turner had gained just under a point advantage (-.83 according to one of my trusty software partners Hiarcs 14 - btw at move 12 I am apparently 0.5 ahead against a GM..awesome) the following position was reached......
<br />
<br />
[Event "Simultaneous Norton Radstock"]
<br />
[Date "6 Oct 2012"]
<br />
[White "Me"]
<br />
[Black "GM Matthew Turner"]
<br />
[Result "0-1"]
<br />
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 Be7 5. Bg5 O-O 6. e3 b6 7. cxd5 exd5 8. Bd3
Bb7 9. O-O Nbd7 10. Rc1 a6 11. h3 c5 12. Re1 Rc8 13. Qe2 c4 14. Bf5 g6 15. Bb1
b5 16. a3 Ne4 17. Bf4 Nxc3 18. Rxc3 b4 19. Rc2 bxa3 20. bxa3 Bxa3 21. h4 Be7
22. h5 Bc6 23. Bh6 Re8 24. Ra2 Bb5 25. hxg6 hxg6 26. Bf4 Bf6 27. Qc2 Kg7
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIBWCEjTS4bRnBHz_CAEkg2vNL0L9Q_FPAS49O-EhJOM_wbFMGR4_RZozRrMAXb3DbcFMzBUYhDN3y2P7Wktv_z84D6b-EojjBWxSeWQSkaZ9wDYRo8O5WiHAiUtP9G46Sb5twQFkz0L4C/s1600/The+funny+move.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIBWCEjTS4bRnBHz_CAEkg2vNL0L9Q_FPAS49O-EhJOM_wbFMGR4_RZozRrMAXb3DbcFMzBUYhDN3y2P7Wktv_z84D6b-EojjBWxSeWQSkaZ9wDYRo8O5WiHAiUtP9G46Sb5twQFkz0L4C/s200/The+funny+move.gif" width="200" /></a>
<br />
There followed 28. g4 to uproarious laughter from Matthew "ah the other pawn" he said unable to suppress his mirth, "actually its quite a nuisance" he said probably thinking I might have been offended. Earlier on move 21. h4 I had made a point about how my h-pawn had been the lone attacker). Now this wasn't necessarily the best move but it was 'only' a simul......!
<br />
<br />
The game continued for another 14 moves or so when the position outlined in the second diagram was arrived at: I had sacrificed a knight a few moves earlier in a desperate bid for counterplay.......but my attack has effectively lost steam and my resignation is imminent:((
<br />
<br />
There are nearly forty moves available for black three clearly winning, many levelling the sides, but many more could/should lose outright for black despite being a piece to the good. I know that I make a point about knowing when to resign but sometimes don't follow my own advice!
<br />
<br />
Then Matthew played.............Qb7??
<br />
<br />
This was an unbelievable stroke of luck a total miscalculation on his part, - now ok he had been playing 27 games at a time having just won 23 out of 24, now ok he had also given the choice of colours to all-comers, (nearly all chose white, including me), he had just beaten Tim Headlong after a tough game and had Fenella and one other game left, but he had given himself 105 minutes against our 75 mins for each game - lol!
<br />
<br />
I looked at my clock knowing the next move was obvious.....30 seconds or so and counting (my count) Matthew had just 25 minutes!
Surely now Bd5 and it cant go on much longer..make the move <b>BE4</b>.. BE4<b></b> BE4<b></b>.. I did, and at this point Matthew Turner said, and I quote...."I suppose the uninitiated would assume I have brought your piece into the attack". 'You might say that" I said with a smirk. Exactly well played G, A chill ran down my spine surely this is a winning position? Well it certainly looks that way.
<br />
<br />
Indeed it is is clearly winning, +6 or +7 whichever software variant you use, there are some very interesting continuations but with just a few seconds left on the clock I could not find the winning moves and resigned just as the flag was about to fall, even missing an opportunity to get my piece back! It transpires that instead of Bd5 by white - Fxg6 is an unavoidable mate in 11 for black, that would have been an awesome way to lose!! By the way final result Matthew 26 the rest 1 his one loss to Norton Radstock chess player Andrew Gredziak current grade 113. Nice scalp.
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjP0UvP7Jjw_deThW8-wONn1PmdlDC32US5mCbAGXgSEQetpn-t3khL9e5JZNNc5JRmNUaCE3WvwrbGTPPTgA0XDn0lClBY2Ht_JZauMY8KvP_jrweYf-rB7yFPEWe5GZ8VxH35HAagqVq/s1600/GW+v+Matthew+Turner+.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjP0UvP7Jjw_deThW8-wONn1PmdlDC32US5mCbAGXgSEQetpn-t3khL9e5JZNNc5JRmNUaCE3WvwrbGTPPTgA0XDn0lClBY2Ht_JZauMY8KvP_jrweYf-rB7yFPEWe5GZ8VxH35HAagqVq/s200/GW+v+Matthew+Turner+.gif" width="200" /></a>
Gareth Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12040090699508469543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906929337175876848.post-71793229481574376472012-10-26T13:20:00.004+01:002012-10-27T00:04:59.076+01:00TCC KO Round 1 (part 3)<h1>
1st Qualification Round (continued)</h1>
Dave Marshall won against Nigel last night to take the remaining qualification spot.<br />
<br />
<h2>
Pairings</h2>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr><td>3</td><td>Nigel Crucefix</td><td style="text-align: center;">0-1</td><td>Dave Marshall</td><td style="text-align: right;">12</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
Qualified to the Quarter Final (Jan/Feb 2013)</h3>
Gareth Williams<br />
Mark Leonard<br />
Derek Rothwell<br />
Tim Woodward<br />
Dave Marshall<br />
<br />
<br />
<h3>
Through to the Second Round of Qualification (29th November)</h3>
Anthony Ransom<br />
David Weston<br />
Louis Burton<br />
Roy Ludlow<br />
Arthur Hibbitt<br />
Nigel Crucefix <br />
<br />Mark Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15512984798088377624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906929337175876848.post-64370496314807472372012-10-05T01:21:00.001+01:002012-10-27T00:19:16.366+01:00July 2012 ECF GradesIt's time for a look at the <a href="http://www.ecfgrading.org.uk/?club=Trowbridge&sort=spgrade">latest grading list</a>, before this season's league chess gets under-way (for Trowbridge at any rate).<br />
<br />
<table><tbody>
<tr> <th>Player</th> <th>Jul 2012</th> <th>Jan 2012 </th><th>League Results (2011-12)</th></tr>
<tr> <td><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://www.trowbridgechessclub.co.uk/player_records.asp?player=166052E">Leonard, Mark</a></span> </td> <td style="background-color: #b6d7a8; text-align: right;"><b>164</b></td> <td style="text-align: right;"><span style="background-color: white;">151</span></td> <td style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;">+8 =2 -3</span></td> </tr>
<tr> <td><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://www.trowbridgechessclub.co.uk/player_records.asp?player=224960B">Marshall, Dave</a></span></td> <td style="background-color: #b6d7a8; text-align: right;"><b>158</b></td> <td style="text-align: right;"><span style="background-color: white;">143</span></td> <td style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;">+11 =1 -2</span></td> </tr>
<tr> <td><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://www.trowbridgechessclub.co.uk/player_records.asp?player=112597H">Hibbitt, Arthur</a></span></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><b>156</b></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><span style="background-color: white;">156</span></td> <td style="text-align: center;"><br /></td> </tr>
<tr> <td><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://www.trowbridgechessclub.co.uk/player_records.asp?player=142184A">Weston, David</a></span></td>
<td style="background-color: #f4cccc; text-align: right;"><span style="background-color: #f4cccc;"><b>154</b></span></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><span style="background-color: white;">155</span></td> <td style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;">+4 =2 -3</span></td> </tr>
<tr>
<td><br /></td></tr>
<tr> <td><a href="http://www.trowbridgechessclub.co.uk/player_records.asp?player=171446G">Williams, R Gareth</a></td> <td style="background-color: #b6d7a8; text-align: right;"><b>142</b></td> <td style="text-align: right;">129</td> <td style="text-align: center;">+3 =4 -2 </td> </tr>
<tr> <td><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://www.trowbridgechessclub.co.uk/player_records.asp?player=233174D">Rothwell, Derek</a></span></td>
<td style="background-color: #f4cccc; text-align: right;"><span style="background-color: #f4cccc;"><b>139</b></span></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><span style="background-color: white;">147</span></td> <td style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;">+5 =1 -5 </span></td> </tr>
<tr> <td><a href="http://www.trowbridgechessclub.co.uk/player_records.asp?player=127076L">Woodward, Tim</a></td> <td style="background-color: #d9ead3; text-align: right;"><b>139</b></td> <td style="text-align: right;">137</td> <td style="text-align: center;">+3 =1 -4 </td> </tr>
<tr> <td><a href="http://www.trowbridgechessclub.co.uk/player_records.asp?player=264960D">Ludlow, Roy</a></td> <td style="background-color: #b6d7a8; text-align: right;"><b>115</b></td> <td style="text-align: right;">111</td> <td style="text-align: center;">+4 =5 -4 </td> </tr>
<tr> <td><a href="http://www.trowbridgechessclub.co.uk/player_records.asp?player=280849D">Burton, Louis</a></td><td style="background-color: #f4cccc; text-align: right;"><b>87</b></td>
<td style="text-align: right;">91</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">+3 =4 -7 </td></tr>
<tr><td><a href="http://www.trowbridgechessclub.co.uk/player_records.asp?player=201304G">Ransom, Tony</a></td>
<td style="background-color: #ea9999; text-align: right;"><b>64</b></td><td style="text-align: right;">75</td><td style="text-align: center;">+0 =2 -5 </td></tr>
<tr><td><a href="http://www.trowbridgechessclub.co.uk/player_records.asp?player=270360K">Crucefix, Nigel</a></td>
<td style="background-color: #d9ead3; text-align: right;"><b>68</b></td> <td style="text-align: right;">67</td> <td style="text-align: center;">+1 =3 -5 </td> </tr>
<tr><td><a href="http://www.ecfgrading.org.uk/?ref=288601H">White, Richard</a></td><td class="grade" style="text-align: right;">56</td><td class="grade" style="text-align: right;"><i>n/a</i></td><td style="text-align: center;">+1 =0 -8</td></tr>
</tbody> </table>
<br />
The top four players are graded over 145 and are therefore not eligible to play in the lower divisions.<br />
<br />
Second spot is taken by <a href="http://www.ecfgrading.org.uk/?ref=224960B">Dave Marshall</a>, who has made very good progress in the last couple of years, and is now deservedly promoted to the first team following a superb season (with only the odd aberrant result).<br />
<br />
I'm pleased to report that <a href="http://www.trowbridgechessclub.co.uk/player_records.asp?player=112597H">Arthur Hibbitt</a> is now a fully fledged member of the club, with all that this honour entails. I'm looking forward to playing alongside him in my first league game of the season.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.ecfgrading.org.uk/?ref=142184A">David Weston</a>'s grade continues to improve steadily despite a difficult season last year, where he was oddly promoted from board 4 to board 1 in the <a href="http://www.trowbridgechessclub.co.uk/player_records.php?player=142184A&league=Wiltshire%204-a-side&year=2011-12">Wiltshire 4-a-side league</a>. With any luck David will find himself on one of the middle boards for a change.<br />
<br />
Gareth's grade is also on the up. Presumably those Roman videos are proving to be beneficial. If he continues to improve we could see a new personal best (rating).<br />
<br />
Man of leisure Tim looks to be somewhat under-graded currently. He was 155 back in July 2011 which is probably nearer the mark. Tim has been a lot more active recently and is looking sharp. I feel sorry for any opponents on the lower boards. <br />
<br />
Derek's grade took another dent this year but he seems to be finding his feet again after a sticky patch. <br />
<br />
Roy was graded 131 in 2011 but had disappointing results in 2011-12. Some serious summer study sets him up for the season. I expect success.<br />
<br />Mark Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15512984798088377624noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906929337175876848.post-20924900100802410022012-10-05T01:08:00.000+01:002012-10-26T12:37:51.393+01:00TCC KO Round 1 (part 2)<h1>
1st Qualification Round (continued)</h1>
Tim and Arthur contested an exciting game tonight, and Derek beat Roy on the second attempt.<br />
<h2>
Pairings</h2>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr><td>5</td><td>Derek Rothwell</td><td style="text-align: center;">1-0</td><td>Roy Ludlow</td><td style="text-align: right;">7</td>
</tr>
<tr><td>11</td><td>Tim Woodward</td><td style="text-align: center;">1-0</td><td>Arthur Hibbitt</td><td style="text-align: right;">4</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
Qualified to the Quarter Final (Jan/Feb 2013)</h3>
Gareth Williams<br />
Mark Leonard<br />
Derek Rothwell<br />
Tim Woodward <br />
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
Through to the Second Round of Qualification (29th November)</h3>
Anthony Ransom<br />
David Weston<br />
Louis Burton<br />
Roy Ludlow<br />
Arthur Hibbitt <br />
<br />Mark Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15512984798088377624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906929337175876848.post-86962945003219540662012-09-30T23:10:00.000+01:002012-10-02T16:39:28.783+01:00TCC KO Round 1<h1>
1st Qualification Round </h1>
The first round of the inaugural Trowbridge Chess Club Knockout Tournament was attended by nine players on Thursday the 27th September. Each player selected a pairing number at random, as listed below. Two club members (Dave M and Tim) could not play on the night but had entered the competition beforehand. Richard did not attend.<br />
<br />
Tony elected to take a bye to the second qualification round. The remaining entrants were paired at random, using the traditional "shuffle a pack of Gareth's business cards" method. <br />
<br />
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>#
</th>
<th style="text-align: left;">Player
</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr><td>1</td><td>David Weston</td><td><b><span style="color: #660000;">Enters 2nd qualification round</span></b></td></tr>
<tr><td>2</td><td><i><strike>Richard White</strike></i></td><td><i>Withdrawn</i></td></tr>
<tr><td>3</td><td>Nigel Crucefix</td><td><i>Game postponed</i></td></tr>
<tr><td>4</td><td>Arthur Hibbitt</td><td><i>Game postponed</i></td></tr>
<tr><td>5</td><td><a href="http://www.trowbridgechessclub.co.uk/player_records.php?player=233174D&league=Trowbridge%20Club%20Championship%202012-13&year=2012-13">Derek Rothwell</a></td><td><span style="color: #7f6000;">To be replayed</span></td></tr>
<tr><td>6</td><td><a href="http://www.trowbridgechessclub.co.uk/player_records.php?player=166052E&league=Trowbridge%20Club%20Championship%202012-13&year=2012-13">Mark Leonard</a></td><td><span style="color: #274e13;"><b>Qualified</b></span></td></tr>
<tr><td>7</td><td>Roy Ludlow</td><td><span style="color: #7f6000;">To be replayed</span></td></tr>
<tr><td>8</td><td>Anthony Ransom</td><td><b><span style="color: #660000;">Enters 2nd qualification round</span></b></td></tr>
<tr><td>9</td><td>Louis Burton</td><td><b><span style="color: #660000;">Enters 2nd qualification round</span></b></td></tr>
<tr><td>10</td><td>Gareth Williams</td><td><span style="color: #274e13;"><b>Qualified</b></span></td></tr>
<tr><td>11</td><td>Tim Woodward</td><td><i>Unavailable</i></td></tr>
<tr><td>12</td><td>Dave Marshall</td><td><i>Unavailable</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h2>
</h2>
<h2>
Pairings</h2>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr><td>1</td><td>David Weston</td><td style="text-align: center;">0-1</td><td>Gareth Williams</td><td style="text-align: right;">10</td>
</tr>
<tr><td>6</td><td>Mark Leonard</td><td style="text-align: center;">1-0</td><td>Louis Burton</td><td style="text-align: right;">9</td>
</tr>
<tr><td>7</td><td>Roy Ludlow</td><td style="text-align: center;">½-½</td><td>Derek Rothwell</td><td style="text-align: right;">5</td>
</tr>
<tr><td>3</td><td>Nigel Crucefix</td><td style="text-align: center;">P-P</td><td>Dave Marshall</td><td style="text-align: right;">12</td>
</tr>
<tr><td>11</td><td>Tim Woodward</td><td style="text-align: center;">P-P</td><td>Arthur Hibbitt</td><td style="text-align: right;">4</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
Qualified to the Quarter Final (Jan/Feb 2013)</h3>
Gareth Williams<br />
Mark Leonard
<br />
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
Through to the Second Round of Qualification (25th October)</h3>
Anthony Ransom<br />
David Weston<br />
Louis Burton<br />
<br />Mark Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15512984798088377624noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906929337175876848.post-50090111593900809472012-09-25T00:36:00.000+01:002012-09-25T00:36:29.921+01:00Somerset League Fixtures 2012-13Here are the new season's fixtures (<i>subject to change</i>). Please refer to the <a href="http://www.somersetchess.org/">Somerset County Chess Association</a> <a href="http://www.somersetchess.org/home_frames.htm">fixtures page</a> for any official updates.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.somersetchess.org/scca_ko.htm"><span style="font-size: large;">Somerset Knock-Out </span></a><br />
In the annual 8 board Somerset Knock-Out Cup holders Taunton once again receive a bye directly into the semi-final. The other fixtures are identical to last season's; therefore Trowbridge find themselves away to Frome. However this year could feature a much changed line-up. <br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="3"><tbody style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 10px;">
<tr style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 204, 153);"><th>Day</th><th>Date</th><th style="text-align: left;">Home</th><th style="text-align: left;">Away</th></tr>
<tr><td>Mon</td><td>12 November</td><td>Glastonbury</td><td>Norton Radstock</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Tue</b></td><td>13 November</td><td>Frome<b><br />
</b></td><td><b>Trowbridge</b></td></tr>
<tr><td>Thu</td><td>15 November</td><td>Sedgemoor</td><td>Yeovil</td></tr>
<tr><td><i>Semi</i></td><td>11-15 February 2013</td><td><br /></td><td><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td><i>Final</i></td><td>25-29 March 2013</td><td><br /></td><td><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<a href="http://www.somersetchess.org/scca_cme.htm#East"><span style="font-size: large;">Somerset Division 2 East </span></a><br />
Trowbridge are once again hopeful of winning back the Charles Marsh (East) trophy from Frome. To achieve this we will need to avoid last year's heavy defeat away to Bath in the opening match.<br />
The maximum 145 average ECF grade over 6 boards shouldn't be difficult to manage.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="3"><tbody>
<tr style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 204, 153);"><th style="background-color: #b4a7d6;">Day</th><th style="background-color: #b4a7d6;">Date</th><th style="background-color: #b4a7d6; text-align: left;">Home</th><th style="background-color: #b4a7d6; text-align: left;">Away</th></tr>
<tr><td><b>Wed</b></td><td style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">10 October</span><strike> </strike></td><td>Bath</td><td><b>Trowbridge</b></td></tr>
<tr><td>Thu</td><td>8 November</td><td><b>Trowbridge</b></td><td>Norton Radstock</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Tue</b></td><td>11 December</td><td style="color: #274e13;">Frome</td><td><b>Trowbridge</b></td></tr>
<tr><td>Thu</td><td>10 January 2013</td><td><b>Trowbridge</b></td><td>Bath</td></tr>
<tr><td>Thu</td><td>21 February 2013</td><td>Norton Radstock</td><td><b>Trowbridge</b></td></tr>
<tr><td>Thu</td><td>21 March 2013</td><td><b>Trowbridge</b></td><td style="color: #274e13;">Frome</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1860738840"><br />
</a><br />
<a href="http://www.somersetchess.org/scca_vp.htm#East"><span style="font-size: large;">Somerset Division 3 East</span></a><br />
In Division 3 no player graded over 145 is eligible and the sum total for the team must not exceed 500. Players graded <b>under </b>95 are deemed to <b>be </b>95 ECF. Ungraded players are considered to be graded 110.<br />
This means that we will be unable to play Gareth, Tim and Derek all in the same team (at the same time). <br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="3"><tbody>
<tr style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 204, 153);"><th style="background-color: #a2c4c9; text-align: center;">Day</th><th style="background-color: #a2c4c9; text-align: center;">Date</th><th style="background-color: #a2c4c9; text-align: center;">Home</th><th style="background-color: #a2c4c9; text-align: center;">Result</th><th style="background-color: #a2c4c9; text-align: center;">Away</th></tr>
<tr><td style="background-color: white;"><b>Tue</b></td><td style="background-color: white;">23 October</td><td style="background-color: white;">Frome</td><td style="background-color: white; text-align: center;">vs</td><td style="background-color: white;"><b>Trowbridge</b></td></tr>
<tr><td>Thu</td><td>22 November</td><td><b>Trowbridge</b></td><td style="text-align: center;">vs</td><td style="color: #274e13;">Bath</td></tr>
<tr><td>Thu</td><td>6 December</td><td>Norton Radstock</td><td style="text-align: center;">vs</td><td><b>Trowbridge</b></td></tr>
<tr><td>Thu</td><td>17 January 2013</td><td><b>Trowbridge</b></td><td style="text-align: center;">vs</td><td>Frome</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Wed</b></td><td>13 February 2013</td><td style="color: #274e13;">Bath</td><td style="text-align: center;">vs</td><td><b>Trowbridge</b></td></tr>
<tr><td>Thu</td><td>7 March 2013</td><td><b>Trowbridge</b></td><td style="text-align: center;">vs</td><td>Norton Radstock</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Mark Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15512984798088377624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906929337175876848.post-76301958154362789422012-08-28T17:31:00.000+01:002012-08-28T17:31:39.961+01:00ECF Membership 2012-13Historically the majority of local league players have been happy to forego full membership of the ECF and instead they opted to pay game (and/or congress) fees. Actual ECF membership was only necessary for those playing in FIDE rated events. Excepting the Yeovil Major (<a href="http://www.keverelchess.com/yeovil-chess-congress-results/">last year</a>) this wasn't an issue for most club players (unless they were also featuring in the <a href="http://www.4ncl.co.uk/">4NCL</a>).<br />
<br />
The 2012-13 season, however, is a different story. Although membership is still optional (at least for non-FIDE events) the game fee (for grading administration) has risen to £2 from last season's 58p. However this fee will be waived for ECF members. This is clearly intended to incentivise membership. Full details can be found on the <a href="http://www.englishchess.org.uk/?page_id=20558">ECF website</a>, but here are the salient points:<br />
<ul>
<li>The new scheme starts Saturday the 1st September 2012. </li>
<li>Basic ("Bronze") individual membership is £13 for adults, or £12 if registering <a href="https://paysubsonline.com/Registration/9967EB1C5995E58AF7BD317A4FC08722.htm">online</a>.</li>
<li>Annual membership expires 31st August 2013.</li>
<li>Bronze membership allows you to play any number of club/league/county games with zero game fee.</li>
<li>Silver membership costs an additional £6 but this (theoretically) entitles you to a discount of £6 (for an adult) for each congress entered. (The £6 is a levy charged by the ECF to the congress organisers for each non-member entrant in the event.)</li>
</ul>
Clearly it will prove cost-effective to join the ECF (online) for any individual playing 6 or more games in a year. Silver membership is similarly a no-brainer for anyone wishing to enter a congress during the season. The option to pay for 3 years membership ahead of time also looks to be a very sensible choice.Mark Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15512984798088377624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906929337175876848.post-35015710591118762562012-07-31T01:43:00.000+01:002012-07-31T01:43:09.369+01:00British Championships Round 7David Howell (<b>5.5/7</b>) drew with Gawain Jones (<b>6/7</b>) today and Arkell (<b>4.5/7</b>) lost to Stephen Gordon (<b>6/7</b>).<br />
<br />
On the top board it looked like Jones was playing for a win, but he found it difficult to create clear chances against White's solid play. Gordon impressively outplayed Arkell in an endgame, but appears to have blundered badly with 36...Nxa4? as 37.Be4+ Kh8 38.Rf7 Rg5 39.Qf1 was clearly winning for White.<br />
<br />
Stephen Gordon has won 6 of his 7 games, losing only to Jones, but has faced weaker opposition (on average). In the next round he has to face Howell, whereas Jones has played (and beaten most of) the top scoring players. The only GMs left for him to play are Gormally (<b>5/7</b>) and Conquest (<b>4.5/7</b>). In fact, Jones has the higher-scoring IM Hawkins (<b>5/7</b>) next round. Hawkins lost to Howell in round 3, but otherwise has faced untitled opposition. Any result (except a loss!) against Jones tomorrow would certainly shake things up.<br />
<br />
<b>Leaderboard</b><br />
On <b>6</b> points: <span style="color: #a64d79;">Jones </span>(TPR 2726) and <span style="color: #674ea7;">Gordon </span>(TPR 2621)<br />
On <b>5.5</b> points: <span style="color: #3d85c6;">Howell </span>(TPR 2627) and <span style="color: #a64d79;">Hawkins </span>(TPR 2480)<br />
On <b>5</b> points: <span style="color: #cc0000;">Turner </span>(2480), <span style="color: #e69138;">Gormally </span>(2418), <span style="color: #cc0000;">Hanley </span>(2354) and <span style="color: #e69138;">Rudd </span>(2272)<br />
<br />
Rudd's (unintentional, I'm sure) Swiss Gambit has paid off as he has followed his two initial losses with five straight wins. Rudd has been playing some exciting chess, as has Hawkins. We can only hope that these two will play each other in a future round.<br />
<br />
Turner played a rather old-fashioned continuation (8. Ne5) in a KID / English and appeared to choose an inferior move (13. Bg5 instead of 13. Ndxc5) but nevertheless achieved a clean win in good positional style. Walker should probably have played 13...Ne6<br />
<br />
Also deserving of a mention is Charlie Storey, who avoided using his patented Sniper (with Black today) and instead went in for a Sicilian against GM Danny Gormally. His move 9...d5 seemed slightly dubious, leading to a French-style position with a knight offside on b6. However, this was all theory and presumably followed Storey's preparation. Gormally deviated with 11.Ne2 (taking the square e2 away from his queen).<br />
<br />
After 11...Bd7 12.Nf4 Storey reacted with 12...h5?! and continued to play aggressive moves, showing no fear as he followed up with ...g5, ...g4 and ...f6 (a move that no-one in Andrew Martin's analysis room predicted). Gormally sacrificed a pawn in an attempt to catch Black's king in the centre. Black gave the pawn back and sacced another, bravely castling kingside. Sadly the lack of pawn cover proved too much of a liability and Gormally found a sequence of accurate moves to create a mating attack.<br />
<br />
<br />Mark Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15512984798088377624noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906929337175876848.post-47876187660232287102012-07-29T22:51:00.000+01:002012-07-29T22:51:57.559+01:00British Championships Week 1Here's a round-up of the web coverage of the event:<br />
<br />
<table><tbody>
<tr><th>Round</th><th>GOTD</th><th>GingerGM</th><th>Blogs</th></tr>
<tr><td>1</td><td><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQTZJ2mjmlQ/">Turner vs Storey</a></td><td><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwH2nQqaCPk">Holland vs Houska</a></td><td><a href="http://chess.co.uk/twic/malcolmpein/jones-wins-and-howell-draws-in-british-championship-first-round">TWIC</a></td></tr>
<tr><td>2</td><td><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tM5nPGCpuB8%20">Jones vs Chapman</a></td><td></td><td><a href="http://gawainjones.co.uk/tournaments/british-chess-championship-round-1-and-2/">Gawain Jones</a></td></tr>
<tr><td>3</td><td><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaEzg8mYVOg&feature=plcp">Howell vs Hawkins</a></td><td><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaCHYO_Y0D4&feature=plcp">Jones vs Arkell</a></td></tr>
<tr><td>4</td><td><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0EPB7M6X5I&feature=plcp">Weller vs Hanley</a></td></tr>
<tr><td>5</td><td><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvrsYp_H4BI&feature=plcp">Gordon vs Osborne</a></td></tr>
<tr><td>6</td><td><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MikJEABaWbs&feature=plcp">Jones vs Turner</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Mark Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15512984798088377624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906929337175876848.post-9009917986610537442012-07-29T18:40:00.000+01:002012-07-30T13:33:53.372+01:00Soanes WeekenderThe long awaited <a href="http://results.britishchesschampionships.co.uk/results/Soanes/SMWSite/">results for the Soanes</a> have been posted.<br />
<br />
We can see that <a href="http://results.britishchesschampionships.co.uk/results/Soanes/SMWSite/players/p017.html">Tim Woodward</a> started with two draws and a win (against <a href="http://www.ecfgrading.org.uk/?ref=112989C">George Horne</a>, to whom I lost at Blackpool in <a href="http://www.ecfgrading.org.uk/?ref=112989C&listid=1900871021">2011</a>). Sadly Tim then lost to David Gilbert in round 4 taking him out of the running. Mr Gilbert scored 4/5 (including a full point bye in the first round).<br />
<br />
<table cellspacing="0" class="player">
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Rnd</th>
<th><br /></th>
<th>Pos</th>
<th>Name</th>
<th><br /></th>
<th>ECF</th>
<th>Score<br />
opponent</th>
<th>Colour</th>
<th>Float</th>
<th>Result</th>
</tr>
<tr><td>1</td>
<td><br /></td>
<td class="w">34</td>
<td class="w"><a href="http://results.britishchesschampionships.co.uk/results/Soanes/SMWSite/players/p034.html"> Espinosa, Monica</a></td>
<td class="w"><br /></td>
<td class="w">104e </td>
<td class="w">0.0</td>
<td>w</td>
<td></td>
<td>½</td>
</tr>
<tr><td>2</td>
<td><br /></td>
<td class="b">28</td>
<td class="b"><a href="http://results.britishchesschampionships.co.uk/results/Soanes/SMWSite/players/p028.html"> Crouch, Timothy J</a></td>
<td class="b"><br /></td>
<td class="b">129</td>
<td class="b">0.5</td>
<td>b</td>
<td></td>
<td>½</td>
</tr>
<tr><td>3</td>
<td><br /></td>
<td class="w">3</td>
<td class="w"><a href="http://results.britishchesschampionships.co.uk/results/Soanes/SMWSite/players/p003.html"> Horne, George H</a></td>
<td class="w"><br /></td>
<td class="w">148</td>
<td class="w">1.0</td>
<td>w</td>
<td>v</td>
<td>1</td>
</tr>
<tr><td>4</td>
<td><br /></td>
<td class="b">18</td>
<td class="b"><a href="http://results.britishchesschampionships.co.uk/results/Soanes/SMWSite/players/p018.html"> Gilbert, David J</a></td>
<td class="b"><br /></td>
<td class="b">137</td>
<td class="b">2.0</td>
<td>b</td>
<td>^</td>
<td>0</td>
</tr>
<tr><td>5</td>
<td><br /></td>
<td class="w">30</td>
<td class="w"><a href="http://results.britishchesschampionships.co.uk/results/Soanes/SMWSite/players/p030.html"> Bonnello, Chris J</a></td>
<td class="w"><br /></td>
<td class="w">122</td>
<td class="w">2.0</td>
<td>w</td>
<td></td>
<td>½</td>
</tr>
<tr><td colspan="7"><b>Total</b></td>
<td><br /></td><td><br /></td>
<td colspan="4"> <b>2.5</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Mark Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15512984798088377624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906929337175876848.post-68101757504213761492012-07-28T21:40:00.000+01:002012-07-29T18:40:54.282+01:00British Championships WeekenderIt may be a rest day for the Championship contenders tomorrow, but not for Trowbridge's own Tim Woodward, who is currently competing in the Soanes (under 150 ECF) 3 day tournament. 3 rounds have completed, but the results are not currently available on the <a href="http://results.britishchesschampionships.co.uk/results/Soanes/SMWSite/">official website</a>.<br />
<br />
However some kindly soul has uploaded this <a href="http://britishchesschampionships.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Image1.jpg">image</a> of the pairings for round 4. From this we can see that Tim is on 7th board (from 18), and tomorrow morning has Black against David Gilbert (joint winner of this year's Blackpool Intermediate section). Hopefully this means that Tim is still in the running for a prize of some sort. We wish him the best of luck.Mark Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15512984798088377624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906929337175876848.post-33452836264120817622012-07-28T21:20:00.000+01:002012-07-29T18:40:35.661+01:00British Championships Day 6The top seeds played to their ratings today, overcoming lesser graded opponents.<br />
Jones beat Matthew Turner, Howell beat James Holland (who was unable to achieve a 3rd draw against GM opposition), and Gordon got a point against Marcus Harvey.<br />
<span class="FrameHeader"></span><br />
<br />
<table cellspacing="0"><tbody>
<tr><th>Position</th>
<th></th>
<th><br /></th>
<th>Score</th>
<th><br /></th>
<th><br /></th>
<th>Rating</th>
<th>TPR</th>
<th></th>
<th class="score">1</th><th class="score">2 </th><th class="score">3 </th><th class="score">4 </th><th class="score">5 </th><th class="score">6</th></tr>
<tr class="r2">
<td>1</td><td><a href="http://results.britishchesschampionships.co.uk/results/British/SMWSite/players/p001.html">GM Jones, Gawain C</a></td>
<td><br /></td>
<td>5.5</td>
<td><br /></td>
<td><br /></td>
<td>2655</td>
<td>2784</td>
<td><br /></td>
<td class="score"><a href="http://results.britishchesschampionships.co.uk/results/British/SMWSite/players/p019.html" title="FM Poobalasingam, Peter">1</a></td>
<td class="score"><a href="http://results.britishchesschampionships.co.uk/results/British/SMWSite/players/p016.html" title=" Chapman, Terry P">1</a></td>
<td class="score"><a href="http://results.britishchesschampionships.co.uk/results/British/SMWSite/players/p009.html" title="GM Arkell, Keith C">1</a></td>
<td class="score"><a href="http://results.britishchesschampionships.co.uk/results/British/SMWSite/players/p003.html" title="GM Gordon, Stephen">1</a></td>
<td class="score"><a href="http://results.britishchesschampionships.co.uk/results/British/SMWSite/players/p029.html" title=" Holland, James P">½</a></td>
<td class="score"><a href="http://results.britishchesschampionships.co.uk/results/British/SMWSite/players/p004.html" title="GM Turner, Matthew">1</a></td>
</tr>
<tr class="r1">
<td>2</td><td><a href="http://results.britishchesschampionships.co.uk/results/British/SMWSite/players/p002.html">GM Howell, David W</a></td>
<td><br /></td>
<td>5.0</td>
<td><br /></td>
<td><br /></td>
<td>2620</td>
<td>2627</td>
<td><br /></td>
<td class="score"><a href="http://results.britishchesschampionships.co.uk/results/British/SMWSite/players/p020.html" title=" Adair, James R">½</a></td>
<td class="score"><a href="http://results.britishchesschampionships.co.uk/results/British/SMWSite/players/p039.html" title=" Mackle, Dominic">1</a></td>
<td class="score"><a href="http://results.britishchesschampionships.co.uk/results/British/SMWSite/players/p007.html" title="IM Hawkins, Jonathan">1</a></td>
<td class="score"><a href="http://results.britishchesschampionships.co.uk/results/British/SMWSite/players/p005.html" title="GM Gormally, Daniel">½</a></td>
<td class="score"><a href="http://results.britishchesschampionships.co.uk/results/British/SMWSite/players/p010.html" title="IM Hanley, Craig A">1</a></td>
<td class="score"><a href="http://results.britishchesschampionships.co.uk/results/British/SMWSite/players/p029.html" title=" Holland, James P">1</a></td>
</tr>
<tr class="r2">
<td>3</td><td><a href="http://results.britishchesschampionships.co.uk/results/British/SMWSite/players/p003.html">GM Gordon, Stephen</a></td>
<td><br /></td>
<td>5.0</td>
<td><br /></td>
<td><br /></td>
<td>2539</td>
<td>2564</td>
<td><br /></td>
<td class="score"><a href="http://results.britishchesschampionships.co.uk/results/British/SMWSite/players/p021.html" title=" Townsend, M Paul">1</a></td>
<td class="score"><a href="http://results.britishchesschampionships.co.uk/results/British/SMWSite/players/p018.html" title=" Roe, Simon J">1</a></td>
<td class="score"><a href="http://results.britishchesschampionships.co.uk/results/British/SMWSite/players/p030.html" title=" Murphy, Hugh W">1</a></td>
<td class="score"><a href="http://results.britishchesschampionships.co.uk/results/British/SMWSite/players/p001.html" title="GM Jones, Gawain C">0</a></td>
<td class="score"><a href="http://results.britishchesschampionships.co.uk/results/British/SMWSite/players/p024.html" title=" Osborne, Marcus">1</a></td>
<td class="score"><a href="http://results.britishchesschampionships.co.uk/results/British/SMWSite/players/p038.html" title=" Harvey, Marcus R">1</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Gordon has lost to Jones but won his other 5 games (albeit against untitled players). So presumably Howell and Jones will play each other on Monday.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://results.britishchesschampionships.co.uk/results/British/SMWSite/players/p007.html">IM Jonathon Hawkins</a> and <a href="http://results.britishchesschampionships.co.uk/results/British/SMWSite/players/p009.html">GM Keith Arkell </a>are each on 4.5 points. Arkell has played Jones and Hawkins has played Howell.<br />
<br />
Jack Rudd beat Robert Shaw in another quick tactical affair. He joins a pack of players on 4/6 that includes <a href="http://results.britishchesschampionships.co.uk/results/British/SMWSite/players/p006.html">GM Stuart Conquest</a> who is the 3rd player (after Jones and Howell) to remain unbeaten in the tournament.<br />
<br />
Yorkshire Chess have yet to publish a review but I expect <a href="http://yorkshirechess.org/british-chess-championships-round-6/">round 6 will be covered here</a>.<br />
<br />Mark Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15512984798088377624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906929337175876848.post-20195491936444163692012-07-27T22:34:00.002+01:002012-07-29T18:40:35.659+01:00British Championships Day 5As reported by <a href="http://yorkshirechess.org/british-chess-championships-round-5/">Yorkshire Chess, round 5</a> featured another superb result for James Holland who held leader Gawain Jones to a draw. As a reward for his score of 1 out of 2 against GM opposition he has White against second seed Howell tomorrow.<br />
<br />
Another untitled player defying expectations is Marcus Harvey, who scored a fine win against GM Danny Gormally and goes on to face Stephen Gordon.<br />
<br />
Matthew Turner won again to go 4/5 but now has to face Jones on Saturday. The other "local boy" Jack Rudd had to work harder for today's win and his next opponent is FM Robert Shaw. Perhaps Rudd is playing a form of Swiss Gambit? If he keeps winning I'm sure he'll get a GM soon.Mark Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15512984798088377624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906929337175876848.post-65664917232617007892012-07-26T09:51:00.001+01:002012-07-29T18:40:35.665+01:00British Championships Day 4Yorkshire Chess have published their <a href="http://yorkshirechess.org/british-chess-championships-round-4/">round 4 report</a>. On board 1 Stephen Gordon spurned a draw by repetition against Gawain Jones and tried to continue attacking a rook down. Jones is now the clear leader on 4/4. Only one player, his next opponent James Holland, is on 3.5/4. There's only a 455 grading point difference in this round 5 match (and Holland is performing 500 above his FIDE rating!).<br />
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Matthew Turner seemed to be content to draw (in a slightly worse position) against unbeaten Marcus Osborne (who is getting tough pairings - hence the 2575 TPR). Turner should be favourite to win against untitled James Hanley next round. Osborne gets to play Stephen Gordon. Can his excellent form continue?<br />
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IM Jack Rudd had another trademark <a href="http://www.ecforum.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=4528&sid=fd70e8884fe811ce6b1db3262f1ae265&start=225#p95165">fast win</a> that featured a rook sac on f7. IM Hawkins also won quickly (with a passive rook sac) to go 3/4 but somehow avoids facing a GM in round 5: he has Black against James Jackson (who defeated Rudd in round 2).<br />
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IM Richard Palliser played a rather dubious knight sac. White took that, then Black's rook, and calmly held on to the material for a straightforward win, even offering a knight back to rub it in.<br />
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For yesterday's Game of the Day, IM Andrew Martin has chosen <a href="http://youtu.be/GaEzg8mYVOg">Howell vs Hawkins. </a>Also <a href="http://www.chess.co.uk/twic/chessnews/events/99th-british-chess-championship-2012">The Week In Chess</a> has the current standings and previous games. For an alternative to the official live feed you can visit <a href="http://www.chessdom.com/british-chess-championship-2012-live/">chessdom</a>.Mark Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15512984798088377624noreply@blogger.com1