English Chess Forum

This starts tomorrow (28th December).

Pairings are here
http://www.hastingschess.com/2016/SMWSite/index.html
as well as
http://www.chess-results.com/tnr201785. ... d=1&wi=821


Top 21 boards ( top quarter v second quarter)

Table White Score Fed. Rating Black Score Fed. Rating Result
1 GM Berkes, Ferenc 0.0 HUN 2650 FM Ripari, Marcelo 0.0 ARG 2310
2 FM Batchelor, Peter J 0.0 ENG 2307 GM Khenkin, Igor 0.0 GER 2605
3 GM Mista, Aleksander 0.0 POL 2567 FM Taylor, Adam C 0.0 ENG 2282
4 Wadsworth, Matthew J 0.0 ENG 2273 GM Pap, Gyula 0.0 HUN 2551
5 GM Vakhidov, Jahongir 0.0 UZB 2546 IM Rudd, Jack 0.0 ENG 2255
6 Anderson, John 0.0 ENG 2247 GM Sulskis, Sarunas 0.0 LTU 2535
7 GM Gormally, Daniel W 0.0 ENG 2506 IM Prosviriakov, Vladimir 0.0 USA 2232
8 FM Lyell, Mark 0.0 ENG 2228 GM Fodor, Tamas Jr. 0.0 HUN 2492
9 GM Arkell, Keith C 0.0 ENG 2490 Rolvag, Mikael 0.0 NOR 2221
10 IM Gluckman, David 0.0 RSA 2219 GM Hebden, Mark L 0.0 ENG 2469
11 GM Romanishin, Oleg M 0.0 UKR 2462 FM Ledger, Dave J 0.0 ENG 2212
12 FM Cunningham, Robin 0.0 USA 2205 GM Flear, Glenn C 0.0 ENG 2459
13 IM Bagi, Mate 0.0 HUN 2440 CM Roberts, Paul 0.0 SCO 2197
14 IM Singh, Vishnu 0.0 TTO 2180 GM Williams, Simon K 0.0 ENG 2439
15 IM Sarkar, Justin 0.0 USA 2407 Byron, Alan M 0.0 ENG 2175
16 Crocker, Philip J 0.0 ENG 2169 IM Nagy, Gabor 0.0 HUN 2403
17 IM Eggleston, David J 0.0 ENG 2396 Snape, Ian L 0.0 ENG 2168
18 Eggleston, Thomas A 0.0 ENG 2159 IM Krishna C R G 0.0 IND 2367
19 IM Bates, Richard A 0.0 ENG 2331 Norton, Craig 0.0 ENG 2146
20 Burrows, Martin P 0.0 ENG 2145 FM Longson, Alexander 0.0 ENG 2320
21 FM Karthik, V. AP 0.0 IND 2310 CM Goater, Kevin P 0.0 ENG 2141

live games

Good luck to the Forumites playing

You've got to love it when a player makes two winning queen sacrifices in the same game, even if it is your opponent.

Live games are also on chessbomb

http://www.chessbomb.com/arena/2015-hastings

If the clock times are to be believed Jack has used more time than his opponent Callum Brewer

Bit of a disaster on Board 23.

John Moore wrote:Bit of a disaster on Board 23.

The opening is a long known trap to set for Caro players is it not?

1. e4 c6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Nf3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. h4 h6 7. Ne5 Bh7 8. Qh5 g6 9. Bc4 e6 10. Qe2 Nf6 11. Nxf7

The difference between this line and the normal position with the pawn on d4 being that you have to play .. Bg4 (or something else) as the traditional idea of Bf5 doesn't work too well on account of the h4 punt being very strong as seen in the game.

It is a copy of Alekhine Bruce Plymouth 1938 which is mentioned in the December edition of Chess magazine (p36).

The young chap playing Black is only 12 but he will come back and do well with the White pieces tomorrow. It does make you wonder, however, if he has a trainer like all serious young players seem to have these days. If he has then the trainer hasn't done a very good job

John Moore wrote:The young chap playing Black is only 12 but he will come back and do well with the White pieces tomorrow. It does make you wonder, however, if he has a trainer like all serious young players seem to have these days. If he has then the trainer hasn't done a very good job

He is 15 years old, he was born in 2000

Alan Walton wrote:

John Moore wrote:The young chap playing Black is only 12 but he will come back and do well with the White pieces tomorrow. It does make you wonder, however, if he has a trainer like all serious young players seem to have these days. If he has then the trainer hasn't done a very good job

He is 15 years old, he was born in 2000

Thanks Alan - I relied on the ECF grading database which told me is 12. If he's 15, he really should know the idea himself. Anyway let's hope he comes back and does well with White tomorrow.

John Moore wrote: Thanks Alan - I relied on the ECF grading database which told me is 12.

FIDE data says birth year 2002.

Hebden-Khartik is amusing although not if you are Khartik who seems to be a piece down after 14 moves. Although I do wonder whether the live board is right.

It's an interesting question as to what you need to know, or need to be able to find, to play in events like the Hastings Masters without suffering early disasters. At move 3, I suppose you need to know that 3. .. Bg4 is the main line, but if you don't like those positions, then 3. .. dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bg4 is playable and 4. .. Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg4 makes the best of a slightly suspect position. Even after 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. h4 h6 7. Ne5 Qd6 minimises the concessions.

John Moore wrote:Although I do wonder whether the live board is right.

It seems more likely that Black's twelfth was .. Nd5 after which the stockfish engine suggests White should play Qg4 (as played) after which .. Nc6 and Nf3 will follow.