British Championship 2023

[Joey Stewart]

Well looks like Harry at least managed to weasel his way out of that one for a draw, would have been totally undeserved had he lost and a blemish on the entire competition.

[Jonathan Rogers]

So one of Adams or Fernandez must downfloat to Yichen Han, and the other to ...one of the twelve players (!) on 4.5/7! Help, Jack?

[LawrenceCooper]

So one of Adams or Fernandez must downfloat to Yichen Han, and the other to ...one of the twelve players (!) on 4.5/7! Help, Jack?

1 10 FM Han, Yichen 2413 5 6 GM Adams, Michael 2666 1
2 5 IM Grieve, Harry 2459 4½ 6 GM Fernandez, Daniel H 2518 3
3 2 GM Pert, Nicholas 2536 4½ 4½ FM Derakhshani, Borna 2341 17
4 6 GM Hebden, Mark L 2436 4½ 4½ IM Ledger, Andrew J 2299 23
5 20 FM Dong, Bao Nghia 2327 4½ 4½ IM Wadsworth, Matthew J 2431 7
6 8 IM Pert, Richard G 2421 4½ 4½ FM Claridge-Hansen, William 2332 19
7 9 IM Willow, Jonah B 2421 4½ 4½ CM Turner, Max N 2252 30
8 32 Jones, Steven A 2175 4½ 4½ IM Kanyamarala, Tarun 2344 15
9 4 GM Gasanov, Eldar 2481 4 4½ CM Villiers, Thomas 2140 38

[Christopher Kreuzer]

I have a vague memory that Yichen Han has played Mickey before, am I making that up?

Is anyone looking likely to make a norm of any sort?

Have not played through the games yet. How impressive have Daniel Fernandez's games been to get 6/6 against everyone except Adams?

[Jonathan Rogers]

I can't think of likely norm seekers. I think the problems are variously: (a) the younger GM norm seekers all need to beat each other, and that is too difficult, and for the IM norm seekers (b) since the championships is still somewhat lacking in depth, they mostly played a weaker field to start with and so can have real difficulties with the average Elos of their opposition. Thus the unbeaten Han who mixed draws with the odd win early on still hasn't yet played anyone over 2300 (so Adams might come as a shock) and if he loses tomorrow then even a win in the last round might not be enough; and (c) our old friend rating deflation - in what sane world is Andrew Ledger only 2299? (And you might add forumite Richard Bates at 2324 and Kolbus at 2270, etc).

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Have been reading up on the chess playing history of Yichen Han. I had not fully read up on that before. It is interesting. Dutch Wikipedia article: https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yichen_Han With a rating of 2413, he is currently losing rating points. Adams the favourite, but not impossible that there will be a surprise.

[Jonathan Rogers]

I wouldn't put it any higher than "not impossible" either.

[Leonard Barden]

Have been reading up on the chess playing history of Yichen Han. I had not fully read up on that before. It is interesting. Dutch Wikipedia article: https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yichen_Han With a rating of 2413, he is currently losing rating points. Adams the favourite, but not impossible that there will be a surprise.

I wouldn't put it any higher than "not impossible" either.

Yichen Han's own account of his career https://sites.google.com/site/yichenhan07 is far more comprehensive than the Dutch Wikipedia, and it is written in English.

It's also impressive, the lad is clearly one of the top U16s in Europe, and since 2022 he has started winning international opens. Note also that he already drew with Adams in the 2021 online British Championship'!

Adams has been in fine form in the first five rounds, but he failed to clinch a big endgame plus against Hebden in round six and was worse at one point against Pert in round seven. I rate Han's chances as significantly better than "not impossible".
Against that there is Adams's remarkable record against sub-2600s mentioned in today's Guardian article, so I can only go for half a surprise.....

[LawrenceCooper]

I have a vague memory that Yichen Han has played Mickey before, am I making that up?

Is anyone looking likely to make a norm of any sort?

Have not played through the games yet. How impressive have Daniel Fernandez's games been to get 6/6 against everyone except Adams?

Very impressive results, he showed similar consistency in the 4NCL with 7/9, (losses to Parligras & Gawain) and in 2023 he has climbed from 2481 to 2518 (I believe he was 2540 live at some point, possibly this month) and looks the stand out player below the established 2600 group.

[TomVilliers]

Re Jonathan's point about potential norm seekers I think I may be able to get an IM norm with a result today and tomorrow as I've got a 2481 today and am currently performing at around 2400

[Christopher Kreuzer]

A lot of replies and interesting points raised.

Best of luck to Tom Villiers against GM Gasanov today and with the pairing for tomorrow.

Thanks, Loz for the background on Fernandez. If he continues in that vein in the last two rounds, will gain a fair few rating points and depending on the board one result, maybe even the title.

Harry Grieve requires several minor miracles to defend his title (might be mathematically impossible, the best he can do is tie for first with lots of other players).

Thank you, Leonard, for pointing out Yichen Han's website. It is an impressive trajectory, and (as you point out) I am glad I was not making thing up with my memory of him having played Mickey Adams.

"2021: Came 5th in the British Online Chess Championships 2021 after drawing with GM Michael Adams."

Interesting that Yichen Han has 2 IM norms already. He may need to win to get a third.

I liked this entry:

"2019: Invited by Judit Polgar to attend the Future Champions of Europe event in Budapest."

Champion of which country, though? One set of results would see him tie for first or get outright first if he finishes by winning against both Adams and Fernandez. Very unlikely, but still a possibility. The winner will be from those three, unless Harry beats Dan.

Am I right that if Yichen Han gets a result against Adams, then Yichen Han and Daniel Fernandez have to play in round 9 regardless of the other round 8 results? All becomes academic if Mickey wins in round 8. Lots of jostling for third place!

Here is a link to the Guardian article Leonard mentioned above:

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/ ... -world-cup

The seven-time champion Michael Adams, 51, shares the lead in Leicester, while England’s No 1 [Howell] is preparing to meet the elite in the 206-player knockout in Azerbaijan

There is a lovely anecdote from Leonard of his experience of the 1960 congress, which I won't spoil by quoting here.

Interesting that (as Leonard notes) Carlsen has never yet won the World Cup.

Off-topic, but another nice article here from earlier in the month:

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/ ... -his-surge

[Mark Howitt]

I hope Adams slaps him around.

[ThomasEvans]

By my calculations (which are as of now still unofficial), these are the norm chances before the start of round 8 (I may have missed someone out from this list):

Can afford to draw or lose today:
Villiers (IM) - needs 1.5/2 if he plays a 2251+ tomorrow, and 1/2 if he plays Adams tomorrow
Yao (WGM) - needs 1.5/2 if she plays a 2383+ tomorrow, and 2/2 if she plays a 1978+ tomorrow
Smith (WIM) - needs 1/2 and must play either Eldar Gasanov or Tarun Kanyamarala tomorrow

Must win today:
Claridge-Hansen (IM) - needs 2/2 unless he plays Adams tomorrow, in which case 1.5/2 is enough (but will almost certainly need to win to be paired with him)
Derakhshani (IM) - needs 2/2 and must play a 2483+ tomorrow
Toma (IM) - needs 2/2 and a 2509+ tomorrow
Jones (IM) - needs 2/2 and a 2306+ tomorrow
Yao (IM) - 2/2 playing a 2378+ tomorrow

No chance:
Willow (GM) & Wadsworth (GM) - cannot reach minimum ARO
Grieve (GM) - cannot reach required TPR with 2/2 (needs 2.5)
Han (IM) - will not reach 5 titled opponents (CMs do not count for norms)
Volovich (WIM) - will not reach 3 opponents with WIM titles or above

[LawrenceCooper]

Yichen Han's own account of his career https://sites.google.com/site/yichenhan07 is far more comprehensive than the Dutch Wikipedia, and it is written in English.

It's also impressive, the lad is clearly one of the top U16s in Europe, and since 2022 he has started winning international opens. Note also that he already drew with Adams in the 2021 online British Championship'!

Looking at his rating history he satisfied the norm requirements in the following events:

https://ratings.fide.com/calculations.p ... 1&rating=0 Paracin Open A Serbia July 2022
https://ratings.fide.com/report.phtml?event=293155&t=0 Rudar IM Round Robin Serbia August 2022
https://ratings.fide.com/calculations.p ... 1&rating=0 Southend Masters April 2023

[ThomasEvans]

Yichen Han's own account of his career https://sites.google.com/site/yichenhan07 is far more comprehensive than the Dutch Wikipedia, and it is written in English.

It's also impressive, the lad is clearly one of the top U16s in Europe, and since 2022 he has started winning international opens. Note also that he already drew with Adams in the 2021 online British Championship'!

Looking at his rating history he satisfied the norm requirements in the following events:

https://ratings.fide.com/calculations.p ... 1&rating=0 Paracin Open A Serbia July 2022
https://ratings.fide.com/report.phtml?event=293155&t=0 Rudar IM Round Robin Serbia August 2022
https://ratings.fide.com/calculations.p ... 1&rating=0 Southend Masters April 2023

And the KNSB has applied for his IM title, which I expect will be awarded next month: https://ratings.fide.com/crt/main230018.pdf