British Championships

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Andrew Bak
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British Championships

Post by Andrew Bak » Thu Jul 25, 2013 7:52 pm

It seems that Jovanka Houska is not defending her title at this year's British Championships:

British 2013 Champs Entries

Given that the highest rated female player in the draw seems to be Sarah Hegarty at 2124 and could realistically not reach 50%, with the strength of the field, is it really right that the British Women's Champion could score under 50%?

Roger de Coverly
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Re: British Championships

Post by Roger de Coverly » Thu Jul 25, 2013 8:23 pm

Andrew Bak wrote: Given that the highest rated female player in the draw seems to be Sarah Hegarty at 2124 and could realistically not reach 50%, with the strength of the field, is it really right that the British Women's Champion could score under 50%?
The BCF and ECF have been there before. In 1994, Cathy Forbes was the only entry, whilst in 2005, there was no contest. You might get a viable entry for a stand alone tournament open only to female players, but the top players would decline to participate as they may prefer to norm seek and test their skills in the British proper. That at least was the wisdom of thirty years ago or so, when the separate championship was abolished.

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David Grobler
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Re: British Championships

Post by David Grobler » Thu Jul 25, 2013 8:44 pm

yes...of course it is right. Sarah Hegarty would be a worthy champion....whatever she scores .
And I'd be betting she scores better than 50 %...she played rather well last time out (Leeds)

Ray Sayers

Re: British Championships

Post by Ray Sayers » Thu Jul 25, 2013 8:45 pm

Judit Polgar could basically have been women's World Champion as much as she liked if she played in it.

But the players who won it in her absence can't be blamed for that; they beat whoever was put in front of them.

It is a pity the Ladies Championship is not as strong as hoped, but I am sure whoever wins it will be justifiably proud! Goos luck to them all!

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IM Jack Rudd
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Re: British Championships

Post by IM Jack Rudd » Thu Jul 25, 2013 8:55 pm

David Grobler wrote:yes...of course it is right. Sarah Hegarty would be a worthy champion....whatever she scores .
And I'd be betting she scores better than 50 %...she played rather well last time out (Leeds)
Your geography's a bit out there; last year's British was about 80 miles from Leeds.

If I remember correctly, the last winner of the women's title with a minus score was Melanie Buckley in 2001, who scored 5. (She also scored a WIM norm in the process.)

LawrenceCooper
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Re: British Championships

Post by LawrenceCooper » Thu Jul 25, 2013 9:00 pm

IM Jack Rudd wrote:
David Grobler wrote:yes...of course it is right. Sarah Hegarty would be a worthy champion....whatever she scores .
And I'd be betting she scores better than 50 %...she played rather well last time out (Leeds)
Your geography's a bit out there; last year's British was about 80 miles from Leeds.

If I remember correctly, the last winner of the women's title with a minus score was Melanie Buckley in 2001, who scored 5. (She also scored a WIM norm in the process.)
I think the Leeds comment was reference to last weekend's tournament :?

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IM Jack Rudd
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Re: British Championships

Post by IM Jack Rudd » Thu Jul 25, 2013 9:03 pm

LawrenceCooper wrote:
IM Jack Rudd wrote:
David Grobler wrote:yes...of course it is right. Sarah Hegarty would be a worthy champion....whatever she scores .
And I'd be betting she scores better than 50 %...she played rather well last time out (Leeds)
Your geography's a bit out there; last year's British was about 80 miles from Leeds.

If I remember correctly, the last winner of the women's title with a minus score was Melanie Buckley in 2001, who scored 5. (She also scored a WIM norm in the process.)
I think the Leeds comment was reference to last weekend's tournament :?
Ah right. My misunderstanding there.

("Last time out" would surely, other things being equal, refer to the previous iteration of the same tournament, would it not? That's how I normally hear it used.)

LawrenceCooper
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Re: British Championships

Post by LawrenceCooper » Thu Jul 25, 2013 9:07 pm

IM Jack Rudd wrote: Ah right. My misunderstanding there.

("Last time out" would surely, other things being equal, refer to the previous iteration of the same tournament, would it not? That's how I normally hear it used.)
That will teach you to think logically when posting on the forum :)

Andrew Bak
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Re: British Championships

Post by Andrew Bak » Thu Jul 25, 2013 9:54 pm

David Grobler wrote:yes...of course it is right. Sarah Hegarty would be a worthy champion....whatever she scores .
And I'd be betting she scores better than 50 %...she played rather well last time out (Leeds)
I'm not disputing her ability - her play at Leeds was really superb until she erred in the opening in the final round as clear leader. If she continues to play to that standard at the British, she'll comfortably get over 50% and maybe provide some of the top seeds with a few scares!
Gawain Jones wrote:After three rounds of acceleration a lot of players are out of place and it takes a long time for everyone to get back into the correct order. Especially in a tournament like the Scottish Championships where the highest placed Scottish player is unlikely to win the tournament then it’s important that the pairings are as fair as possible.
(Taken from Gawain's website)

Substitute "Highest placed Scottish player" for "female player" and this creates a problem for deciding a worthy winner for the Ladies' Championship. (Un)fortunately unless Megan Owens (1852) and/or Maria Wang (1817), the two lowest seeds, have amazing tournaments, Sarah is highly likely going to win with whatever score she acheives.

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Matt Mackenzie
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Re: British Championships

Post by Matt Mackenzie » Thu Jul 25, 2013 10:15 pm

Roger de Coverly wrote:
Andrew Bak wrote: Given that the highest rated female player in the draw seems to be Sarah Hegarty at 2124 and could realistically not reach 50%, with the strength of the field, is it really right that the British Women's Champion could score under 50%?
The BCF and ECF have been there before. In 1994, Cathy Forbes was the only entry, whilst in 2005, there was no contest. You might get a viable entry for a stand alone tournament open only to female players, but the top players would decline to participate as they may prefer to norm seek and test their skills in the British proper. That at least was the wisdom of thirty years ago or so, when the separate championship was abolished.
1988 was the last proper "stand-alone" women's championship (Forbes won that too, as she had the previous year)

IIRC there was still a women-only section the following year, without a title at stake, and only a handful entered. There have been no all-women's competitions since.
"Set up your attacks so that when the fire is out, it isn't out!" (H N Pillsbury)

Alan Walton
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Re: British Championships

Post by Alan Walton » Thu Jul 25, 2013 10:44 pm

I was speaking with Sarah last weekend about does it demeanour winning the title if she's the only female in the congress (or by far the strongest)

It was interesting discussion

I said it would be great to win it with all the best female players entered, but it is not down to yourself who enters, and win it and walk away with the money and the title

It is down to the organisers themselves to set the conditions if they don't want to pay out when there is only one entry

LawrenceCooper
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Re: British Championships

Post by LawrenceCooper » Thu Jul 25, 2013 10:50 pm

Andrew Bak wrote:
Substitute "Highest placed Scottish player" for "female player" and this creates a problem for deciding a worthy winner for the Ladies' Championship. (Un)fortunately unless Megan Owens (1852) and/or Maria Wang (1817), the two lowest seeds, have amazing tournaments, Sarah is highly likely going to win with whatever score she acheives.
Whilst this is indeed likely I recall that Radha Jain scored 4 last year including some good results against much higher rated players and so I wouldn't be too surprised if either Megan or Maria do something similar this year.

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David Grobler
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Re: British Championships

Post by David Grobler » Thu Jul 25, 2013 10:59 pm

LawrenceCooper wrote:
IM Jack Rudd wrote: Ah right. My misunderstanding there.

("Last time out" would surely, other things being equal, refer to the previous iteration of the same tournament, would it not? That's how I normally hear it used.)
That will teach you to think logically when posting on the forum :)
"Last time out "...is a fairly common term...and refers to ...last time out.....not too tricky to follow?
Sarah was a clear leader going into the last round of a VERY strong Leeds Open last weekend....a filly in a rich vein of form methinks....

Alan Walton
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Re: British Championships

Post by Alan Walton » Thu Jul 25, 2013 11:00 pm

LawrenceCooper wrote:
Andrew Bak wrote:
Substitute "Highest placed Scottish player" for "female player" and this creates a problem for deciding a worthy winner for the Ladies' Championship. (Un)fortunately unless Megan Owens (1852) and/or Maria Wang (1817), the two lowest seeds, have amazing tournaments, Sarah is highly likely going to win with whatever score she acheives.
Whilst this is indeed likely I recall that Radha Jain scored 4 last year including some good results against much higher rated players and so I wouldn't be too surprised if either Megan or Maria do something similar this year.
Lets not kid ourselves, Sarah is the overwhelming favourite, and should win

Personally (and this maybe controversial), that the winner should get at least 50% score to win the title, otherwise it is classified as vacant

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David Grobler
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Re: British Championships

Post by David Grobler » Thu Jul 25, 2013 11:06 pm

well...Ill be cheering her on anyway...and I hope she scores 50% plus !

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