(Chess) Life Returning To Normal

[Tim Spanton]

Southend Easter congress returning: https://southendchesscongress.org/

Here are some more presents for you Tim coming for the Congress Diary Category, including information about Blackpool.

Am excited about Guernsey, altho it will probably clash with my new favourite Mallorca

[Simon Rogers]

Southend Easter congress returning: https://southendchesscongress.org/

Here are some more presents for you Tim coming for the Congress Diary Category, including information about Blackpool.

Am excited about Guernsey, altho it will probably clash with my new favourite Mallorca

Mallorca sounds good.
Sorry for posting these events late. I have been working a lot of hours, there was also some terribly sad news from our club (Poulton-le-Fylde) which I found upsetting.
I have a backlog of information for various categories to post for forum members and guests.
Anyway here come some more events for the Congress Diary.

[Simon Rogers]

I am pleased to report that we had another new player at Poulton-le-Fylde Chess Club last night.
Young chap, he is just eighty-seven years old !!!
I spent time with the two new players that came two weeks ago, showing them algebraic chess notation.

[Simon Rogers]

Southend Easter congress returning: https://southendchesscongress.org/

Eyes down to the Congress Diary category.
Fill your boots with these tournaments !!!
Here they come.

[Stephen Westmoreland]

It is not returning to normal but it is better than normal. A new chess club has sprung up in our area. The organiser has 6 new players with more coming through. Hosted at the Fountain Ingbirchworth. All are new to league play. Great news.

[Tim Spanton]

Doncaster (Feb 25-27) has reached capacity:

As at 10/02/2022, entries totalled 181 meaning the limited-capacity congress became “full”.
However, a waiting list is being maintained since:
(a) we are attempting to obtain more space and (b) there may yet be some withdrawals.

[Tim Spanton]

Doncaster (Feb 25-27) has reached capacity:

As at 10/02/2022, entries totalled 181 meaning the limited-capacity congress became “full”.
However, a waiting list is being maintained since:
(a) we are attempting to obtain more space and (b) there may yet be some withdrawals.

Also, the Senioren Cup in Tegernsee Mar 26 - Apr 3 is full, while Bad Wörishofen has been full since late December/early January

[Tim Spanton]

Doncaster (Feb 25-27) has reached capacity:

As at 10/02/2022, entries totalled 181 meaning the limited-capacity congress became “full”.
However, a waiting list is being maintained since:
(a) we are attempting to obtain more space and (b) there may yet be some withdrawals.

Also, the Senioren Cup in Tegernsee Mar 26 - Apr 3 is full, while Bad Wörishofen has been full since late December/early January

And - almost forgot - the main A section of Menorca Apr 20-24 is "sold out," but presumably places are still available in the B section (U2000 Fide)

[JustinHorton]

Hmmm, Cala Blanca's going to be a ghost town in April

[Leonard Barden]

Yes, he'll play the 4NCL week-end (2 games I believe).

Encouraging performance by Theo! Victory over Freddy Gordon (albeit with some help from the Scottish talent) and a draw with the very experienced 2200+ Paul Townsend.

[Wadih Khoury]

Yes, he'll play the 4NCL week-end (2 games I believe).

Encouraging performance by Theo! Victory over Freddy Gordon (albeit with some help from the Scottish talent) and a draw with the very experienced 2200+ Paul Townsend.

Thank you Leonard. I think overall he is satisfied with his results, although he missed some big chances against Paul and then had to fight a losing endgame but managed to snatch the draw with some good endgame calculation.
In his game with Freddie, both had slight advantages at times, but the losing line was not so obvious to find in Freddie's defence.
In this position 1r6/1p1b2kp/8/p1rNpp1B/2Pb4/1P4K1/P5PP/3RR3 w - - 2 33 there are a few variants to calculate to some depth.
The final mate was simply Freddie conceding the loss rather than fighting on for another 30 minutes.

What I found more interesting listening to their after game chat, was a horribly long line which they both dismissed to some length as a fortress and a dead draw.
I think it was something like that (I think the queen could be anywhere really), with black to play
8/8/8/p6P/8/1P5R/3q2PK/3k4 b - - 0 1

I believe they thought that any queen exchange was doomed as white would win the pawn race and control a1, that the rook and both white pawns were perfectly defended and that K+Q could not mate the king in this position.

However, there are some really nice ideas (courtesy of stockfish) on how to win it for black.

[Simon Rogers]

Southend Easter congress returning: https://southendchesscongress.org/

I've found some more presents for the Congress Diary Category.
Fill your boots with these.
Here they come.

[Matt Mackenzie]

How to win it for Black, is what you presumably mean?

[Wadih Khoury]

How to win it for Black, is what you presumably mean?

Indeed, typo. Will edit.

[Mick Norris]

The Huddersfield Chess League continues to go strong with a match tonight between Honley and Huddersfield with 12 players. Over at Holmfirth we had 7 juniors and 12 adults in (14 adults the other week), with a match scheduled for Saturday against Ilkley in the Yorkshire League. It seems a new club has launched nearby as well Chess is not returning to normal but coming back a lot stronger.

Yes, you never know who might turn up at your club (Bury in my case)