World Senior Championships, November 2016

Information and discussion on all matters relating to Seniors Chess.
Tim Harding
Posts: 2318
Joined: Sat Oct 23, 2010 8:46 pm
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Contact:

World Senior Championships, November 2016

Post by Tim Harding » Sat Sep 03, 2016 5:35 pm

The closing date for entering the FIDE World Senior Championships, at Marianske Lazne (Czech Republic) in the second half of November, is 30 September - at least the last date to enter without incurring extra expenses.

Information for players considering entering is that the organisers announced this week that two of the four designated hotels are now booked out: the Monty (venue for the 65+ championship) and the Cristal Palace (venue for the top boards, perhaps live boards, in the 50+).

The entry form is at http://www.wscc2016.net/information/registration/
and there is also a PDF with details that can be downloaded.

Lists of early entrants (only to 18 August) are now online.
There are very few entries for the women's events yet. Some readers may know Helen Milligan (New Zealand).

In the Open 50+ championship so far I see: Jonathan Grant (SCO), Brian Hewson (ENG), Peter Cafolla (IRL). So far 48 entries but I expect this could double as probably a lot more came in since the lists went up.

Open 65+: Anthony Ashby, Norman Hutchinson, Ivan Myall, Ian Reynolds and William Ingham (all ENG). 94 on the list.
I have just sent in my own entry and will stay at the Continental (venue for the lower boards of the 50+ tournament).
The other hotel still available is the one where the women's tournament(s) are scheduled.
Tim Harding
Historian and FIDE Arbiter

Author of 'Steinitz in London,' British Chess Literature to 1914', 'Joseph Henry Blackburne: A Chess Biography', and 'Eminent Victorian Chess Players'
http://www.chessmail.com

Tim Harding
Posts: 2318
Joined: Sat Oct 23, 2010 8:46 pm
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Contact:

Re: World Senior Championships, November 2016

Post by Tim Harding » Fri Sep 23, 2016 12:35 pm

A reminder that there is just one week to go to enter at the originally announced rates.

The fields are much larger again this year. New lists of entries were posted yesterday and there will be over 100 in the 50+ and over 220 in the 65+. The women's entries are also up on last year. The Monty and Cristal Palace hotels have been booked out for some time.

No Keith Arkell yet - will you be going, Keith?

So far the highest rated UK players are FM Terry Chapman in the 50+ and IM Craig Pritchett (SCO) and FM Anthony Stebbings (ENG) in the 65+. There are two entries from Ireland in each tournament also.

By the way, entries have now opened for Reykjavik 2017 and the organisers tell me there will again be a 25% discount on the entry fee for players aged 65+ and they say they will add this option to the entry fee payment form soon. (You can send in your name ahead of paying.) I have asked them if they will have a Senior prize.
Tim Harding
Historian and FIDE Arbiter

Author of 'Steinitz in London,' British Chess Literature to 1914', 'Joseph Henry Blackburne: A Chess Biography', and 'Eminent Victorian Chess Players'
http://www.chessmail.com

Keith Arkell
Posts: 928
Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2008 2:10 am

Re: World Senior Championships, November 2016

Post by Keith Arkell » Sat Sep 24, 2016 2:08 am

Tim Harding wrote:A reminder that there is just one week to go to enter at the originally announced rates.
No Keith Arkell yet - will you be going, Keith?
.
Yes I will, Tim! I've filled in the on-line entry form and been in touch with the ECF office.

Tim Harding
Posts: 2318
Joined: Sat Oct 23, 2010 8:46 pm
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Contact:

Re: World Senior Championships, November 2016

Post by Tim Harding » Sat Sep 24, 2016 8:39 pm

Keith Arkell wrote:
Tim Harding wrote: No Keith Arkell yet - will you be going, Keith?
Yes I will, Tim! I've filled in the on-line entry form and been in touch with the ECF office.
Good; I hope you can find me a copy of your memoirs which you mentioned to me last year, please. I enjoyed the bit about you in "Chess for Life."
Tim Harding
Historian and FIDE Arbiter

Author of 'Steinitz in London,' British Chess Literature to 1914', 'Joseph Henry Blackburne: A Chess Biography', and 'Eminent Victorian Chess Players'
http://www.chessmail.com

Keith Arkell
Posts: 928
Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2008 2:10 am

Re: World Senior Championships, November 2016

Post by Keith Arkell » Sun Sep 25, 2016 1:52 am

I can get an 'Arkell's Odyssey' to you, Tim. Just email me: [email protected]

Tim Harding
Posts: 2318
Joined: Sat Oct 23, 2010 8:46 pm
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Contact:

Re: World Senior Championships, November 2016

Post by Tim Harding » Wed Sep 28, 2016 5:20 pm

The FIDE Calendar recently announced a change of venue and slight change of dates for one of next year's major senior events:
World Team Chess Championship 50+, 65+ 2017 Crete, Greece 24-Apr-2017 4-May-2017
Previously it was to have been at Eretria in mainland Greece starting on the 28th.
It is now completely impossible to play both Reykjavik and the World Senior Teams next year.
Tim Harding
Historian and FIDE Arbiter

Author of 'Steinitz in London,' British Chess Literature to 1914', 'Joseph Henry Blackburne: A Chess Biography', and 'Eminent Victorian Chess Players'
http://www.chessmail.com

Craig Pritchett
Posts: 91
Joined: Mon Nov 29, 2010 7:54 pm

Re: World Senior Championships, November 2016

Post by Craig Pritchett » Tue Oct 11, 2016 10:41 am

Overall entries heading towards 500, although women's events a little thin on numbers compared to men. So a successful event is in prospect.

Forgive the hobby-horse, however. The 'missing' event continues to be the old 60+ Open, replaced for the last three years by 'new' 50+ and 65+ championships. The 50+ is showing signs of attracting reasonable entries.

But what to make of the fact that at 9 October there are 30 players over 2300 in the 65+ event compared to only 27 in the 50+ event?. As ever I have no quibble about the new 50+ event. But I can't see the rationale for having ditched the old 60+ event for the new 65+ championship.

Take the 60-64 year-old 2300+ players out of the 50+ Open (as at 9 Oct) and you would only have 19 players at 2300+ in the 50+ event (as entries stand) compared to 38 available to play in a hypothetical 60+ Open championship ... which is the event that I think most 60+ seniors would really like to see reinstated.

Much too logical for FIDE perhaps? Shame they didn't ask before the change three years ago. Hmm!

Tim Harding
Posts: 2318
Joined: Sat Oct 23, 2010 8:46 pm
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Contact:

Re: World Senior Championships, November 2016

Post by Tim Harding » Thu Oct 13, 2016 5:21 pm

Well Craig, I think we shall soon be old enough to be calling for three tournaments: 50+, 60+ and 70+. You will then be welcome to play in the 60+ when you are over 70 but I won't.

Actually the female entry this year is up on last year and maybe even slightly on 2014 (and that's not counting a few lower-rated women who seem to have entered the opens).

If this year's level of entries were to be repeated next year, I don't see Acqui Terme (either the town or the congress venue) being able to cope, but maybe it's because the Seniors this year is being much more strongly supported by Czech players than last year's was by Italian seniors.

See you in Marianske Lazne!
Tim Harding
Historian and FIDE Arbiter

Author of 'Steinitz in London,' British Chess Literature to 1914', 'Joseph Henry Blackburne: A Chess Biography', and 'Eminent Victorian Chess Players'
http://www.chessmail.com

Tim Harding
Posts: 2318
Joined: Sat Oct 23, 2010 8:46 pm
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Contact:

Re: World Senior Championships, November 2016

Post by Tim Harding » Mon Nov 07, 2016 11:35 pm

Entrants to these tournaments (which start on Saturday week, the 19th) will recently have received updates from the organisers. The news that the 65+ tournament is also being split between two hotels, and that the women's tournaments won't be in the one originally announced, may be unwelcome to many people but the very large entry (nearly 500 players in total) is the stated reason for it.

Only when we are there will it become clear whether the arrangements are satisfactory or not.

Also the regulations online say:
The FIDE Anti-Cheating guidelines are valid for WSCC. During WSCC random AC inspections are possible.
So be prepared for the Nigel Short treatment, especially if you go to the loo a lot (as many senior players tend to do).

Of more pleasant interest is this announcement on the website:
Two presentations with discussion on the subject of Optimal nutrition, lifestyle choices and exercise for chess-players-based on Medical Commission FIDE materials.
WGM Jana Bellin
28th November 10.00 a.m. Monty hotel
29th November 10.00 a.m. Cristal Hotel
It will be good to see Dr Jana again and I shall certainly go to one of those talks and hear what she has to say.

Top seed for the 50+ open (161 entries at the last count) is still the 2014 champion Zurab Sturua; Keith Arkell is eighth seed.

This warning is for you Keith (and Terry Chapman): the fourth seed is Icelandic GM Henrik Danielsen, who specialises in his Polar Bear System based on 1 f4. So specific preparation in advance for him is recommended!

In my event, the 65+ (272 entries if they all turn up), the 2014 champion Vaisser and the 2015 champion Okhotnik, and the "usual suspects" (Zhelnin, Vasiukov, Pritchett etc) face fierce competition from Sveshnikov (now old enough to join our party), Torre (who didn't turn up last year but must be likely to after his great performance in the Baku olympiad) and Czech local hero Vlastimil Jansa.

The IM title is now on offer for the silver and bronze medallists in both events if they don't have titles already but it's hard to see a "mere" FM or yokel like me squeezing on to the podium this year.
Tim Harding
Historian and FIDE Arbiter

Author of 'Steinitz in London,' British Chess Literature to 1914', 'Joseph Henry Blackburne: A Chess Biography', and 'Eminent Victorian Chess Players'
http://www.chessmail.com

Tim Harding
Posts: 2318
Joined: Sat Oct 23, 2010 8:46 pm
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Contact:

Re: World Senior Championships, November 2016

Post by Tim Harding » Mon Nov 21, 2016 11:21 am

So we are all under way now with two out of 11 rounds played. Some games are being shown live and the rest input from scoresheets and made available next day.

http://www.wscc2016.net/

I am on 1/2 but several British players have 2/2 (Arkell, Chapman, Pritchett, Stebbings).

Posting of all games was done in 2014 (Greece - where every game was "live") but not in 2015 (Italy) so this is a good sign of quality organisation.

One disappointment is that Filipino GM Eugenio Torre (gold medal on board 3 in the Baku olympiad) did not come despite sending in his entry, for the second year in succession.

The main issue here is the division of tournaments between different hotels and the rather cramped conditions because of the very large entry, which is probably in part due to the central and easily accessible venue in the Czech Republic.

So you may not get to see people you would like to talk to, and it is nearly impossible to spectate games.

If I ever finish a game early I might go to see the 50+ tournament but first it would be a walk of about 600 metres down a steep hill (to where the lower boards of both Opens are being played) and then another 600 metres or so on fairly flat ground to the hotel where the high boards of 50+ and the women are in action.

Senior tournaments are becoming increasingly popular and FIDE in future must assess more rigorously the capability of proposed venues to handle this kind of numbers.
Tim Harding
Historian and FIDE Arbiter

Author of 'Steinitz in London,' British Chess Literature to 1914', 'Joseph Henry Blackburne: A Chess Biography', and 'Eminent Victorian Chess Players'
http://www.chessmail.com

John Moore
Posts: 2226
Joined: Wed May 14, 2008 6:33 pm

Re: World Senior Championships, November 2016

Post by John Moore » Wed Nov 23, 2016 4:23 pm

I was slightly surprised to see Alexander Reprintsev in the 50+ event. I didn't think that he was that old - in fact he was born on 8 December 1958 so it appears that he is 57 which I still find slightly surprising - edited for my inability to count.

I was also surprised to see that his rating was 2321 as was Sturua no doubt when Alexander demolished him in the last round. I am fairly sure that he has been substantially higher than that but perhaps he hasn't been playing that much recently.

John Moore
Posts: 2226
Joined: Wed May 14, 2008 6:33 pm

Re: World Senior Championships, November 2016

Post by John Moore » Wed Nov 23, 2016 5:23 pm

Reprintsev who is a mad hacker moves to 5/5 and will play Vlassov tomorrow who beat Henrik Danielsson in 11 moves!
That game, with Vlassov White started 1 e4 g6 2 Nc3 Bg7 3 h4 c5 4 h5 Nc6 and finished when Henrik failed to find the obvious 10 ... Bh5 (this is a joke by the way!) and after 10 ..g5 11 Qg5 was so disgusted with his position, that he resigned.

If they stay true to style, Board 1 should be a good watch tomorrow.

Meanwhile Keith is a pawn up in a double Rook ending although at a cursory glance, it looks difficult to win.

User avatar
Christopher Kreuzer
Posts: 8782
Joined: Fri Aug 06, 2010 2:34 am
Location: London

Re: World Senior Championships, November 2016

Post by Christopher Kreuzer » Wed Nov 23, 2016 5:34 pm

John Moore wrote:Reprintsev who is a mad hacker moves to 5/5 and will play Vlassov tomorrow who beat Henrik Danielsson in 11 moves!
That game, with Vlassov White started 1 e4 g6 2 Nc3 Bg7 3 h4 c5 4 h5 Nc6 and finished when Henrik failed to find the obvious 10 ... Bh5 (this is a joke by the way!) and after 10 ..g5 11 Qg5 was so disgusted with his position, that he resigned.

If they stay true to style, Board 1 should be a good watch tomorrow.

Meanwhile Keith is a pawn up in a double Rook ending although at a cursory glance, it looks difficult to win.
Amazing finish in the Vlassov game. Fingers crossed for Keith - I think he can win from that position.

Roger de Coverly
Posts: 21291
Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2008 2:51 pm

Re: World Senior Championships, November 2016

Post by Roger de Coverly » Wed Nov 23, 2016 5:42 pm

Christopher Kreuzer wrote: Amazing finish in the Vlassov game.
from chessbomb


Are we sure Vlassov isn't Julian Hodgson or Simon Williams in disguise?

John Moore
Posts: 2226
Joined: Wed May 14, 2008 6:33 pm

Re: World Senior Championships, November 2016

Post by John Moore » Wed Nov 23, 2016 5:47 pm

Tony Stebbings wins in the 65+ to go to 4.5/5. V impressive.

Roger - yes, there is a certain Julianesque quality about the Vlassov game.

Post Reply