British Championship Congress 2022

[Ian Thompson]

I know it is a bit early on Monday morning to expect reports and photos and the information above, but asking now in case anyone sees the reports when they are published later today or later in the week

I wonder what the event sponsor's expectations are on keeping the championship (and ECF) website up-to-date with news? There's still nothing on either at the time of writing. It's an all too common occurrence that events are quite good at keeping their websites up-to-date while the event is running, but there's then a long delay before anything appears for the last round, presumably because people are more interested in packing up and going home.

[IM Jack Rudd]

Harry Grieve: GM norm, IM norm

Adam Taylor: IM norm

(By my calculations, not official.)

[Roger de Coverly]

Harry Grieve: GM norm, IM norm

Presumably also a rating gain sufficient for the IM title.

[IM Jack Rudd]

Yes, I think that happened in round 3.

[Joey Stewart]

Does anyone know which game was the game of the day in round 9, and which game won the Alexander Prize for best game of the championships?

I don't know who won yet but it would be a miscarriage of justice if Grieve-Gormally doesn't win best game of the tournament - the tactics in that one were immortal game level so unless there was an absolute beauty hidden away on the lower boards this one is the clear best.

[Graham Borrowdale]

Harry Grieve: GM norm, IM norm

Adam Taylor: IM norm

(By my calculations, not official.)

Does Harry get to use the norm towards both IM and
GM titles, or does he need a new GM norm if he ‘cashes it in’ for the IM title? Thanks.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Harry Grieve: GM norm, IM norm

Presumably also a rating gain sufficient for the IM title.

But not officially an IM until ratification at the next FIDE meeting that does that, so he was officially an FM during the tournament and when winning the title.

How common is it to get both IM and GM norms at the same time? It must be relatively rare.

[Kevin Thurlow]

"How common is it to get both IM and GM norms at the same time? It must be relatively rare."

It probably is rare - it used to happen more when some lowly-rated Russian (as he had mainly played unrated Russian events) suddenly played in a non-Russian event and won it by about two points.

Anyway, brilliant result. Well done to Harry.

[LawrenceCooper]

"How common is it to get both IM and GM norms at the same time? It must be relatively rare."

It probably is rare - it used to happen more when some lowly-rated Russian (as he had mainly played unrated Russian events) suddenly played in a non-Russian event and won it by about two points.

Anyway, brilliant result. Well done to Harry.

Ravi Haria did so in the 2016-2017 4NCL season. Like Harry it was his final IM norm and first GM norm. He had already made the rating requirement prior to the season though. Possibly Matthew Wadsworth did so in 2018-19.

[Jonathan Rogers]

"How common is it to get both IM and GM norms at the same time? It must be relatively rare."

It probably is rare - it used to happen more when some lowly-rated Russian (as he had mainly played unrated Russian events) suddenly played in a non-Russian event and won it by about two points.

Anyway, brilliant result. Well done to Harry.

Ravi Haria did so in the 2016-2017 4NCL season. Like Harry it was his final IM norm and first GM norm. He had already made the rating requirement prior to the season though. Possibly Matthew Wadsworth did so in 2018-19.

Yes, he did

[Jonathan Rogers]

I don't know whether Harry Grieve is still at Cambridge, or whether he has graduated already but if he is still there, I would hazard a guess that he is the first University to student to win since Mestel in 1976. (Luke had his chance to be a student winner in the aforementioned 2002 Championships but lost the last round to Ramesh).

[LawrenceCooper]

I don't know whether Harry Grieve is still at Cambridge, or whether he has graduated already but if he is still there, I would hazard a guess that he is the first University to student to win since Mestel in 1976. (Luke had his chance to be a student winner in the aforementioned 2002 Championships but lost the last round to Ramesh).

I have a vague recollection of David Howell going to Cardiff university but not sure how long for. He did win the British in 2009 (born in 1990) so there may be something in that.

[Roger de Coverly]

I have a vague recollection of David Howell going to Cardiff university but not sure how long for. He did win the British in 2009 (born in 1990) so there may be something in that.

I think David Howell deferred his university place for around three years, but he had already been British Champion .

He's also credited with winning in 2013 and 2014 (as a tie)

Wouldn't Jon Mestel have been an undergraduate at the time of his 1976 victory?

Ray Keene when he won in 1971 would have just completed his fourth year.

[Roger de Coverly]

Final results for the Major Open in effect show the qualifiers for next year's British.

I believe it will the top 10 and ties, so the list

• 1 2 Ogunshola Ben NGR 2163 7 20 3,2
  3 Midhun P U IND 2161 7 20 5,4
  7 Shaw Peter ENG 2060 7 20 19
  
  4 5 James Russell A ENG 2113 6,5 20 -1
  6 Dignam Matthew IRL 2080 6,5 20 11,2
  
  6 9 Alldritt Nigel R E ENG 2049 6 40 -31,2
  11 Starley Robert ENG 2038 6 20 -17,8
  17 Leslie Alex ENG 1954 6 40 44
  20 Koiza Peter ENG 1935 6 40 28,4
  21 Gardiner Eric D ENG 1908 6 20 7,2
  44 Cox Toby ENG 1788 6 40 60,8
  48 Li Ethan ENG 1776 6 40 113,2
  51 Volovich Julia ENG 1756 6 40 140,8

The Indian player in joint first place is known to the ECF rating list as Unnikrishnan, Midhun P, playing for Battersea and 4NCL West is Best,

[Geoff Chandler]

Does anyone still watch these online tournaments? Or was it not online, and one of those silly sort of in person events wearing headphones?
There was no mention here (that I saw) and I know I paid it zero attention. The upcoming St Louis tournaments however I will follow.

Hi Paul,

I actually bought a new laptop so I could watch live the Olympiad and British.
I will not be watching St. Louis , think next live session will be the world title - so I'm off to pawn my laptop till then.

I was posting about live games fully aware I was not adding diagrams etc which was a common frustrated complaint of mine
when I could not access the live games site. I kept thinking...'what a hypocrite.' but I now see it was not as easy to do
as I thought it might be so you are all forgiven.

Hi Joey,

Sometimes they do not give the 'Best Game' to the best game if the player was also a prize winner.
However I would not be surprised if Harry v Danny won it. But the Rd.9 was very good.
Especially to watch live, I was getting butterflies towards the end.
If the best game was up to me I'd give it to T.Villiers I. Lentzos

https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=2356904

Regarding the Harry v Danny game. After 10 years I've finally had a pun accepted at chessgames.com.

https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=2358765

'When Danny met Harry' pretty imaginative yes? and if it is voted 'Pun of the Year.!'
I get a years free sub, £100 in book tokens, a dinner for two at Simpsons and a toaster.

And there was a horse running today at 3:00 at Chepstow - 'Danny Bleu' I put 20p e/way on it.
I love putting on these wee bets if there is a chess link and good odds - Danny came in and won me £6.93