British Championship 2023

[Matt Mackenzie]

In respect of the Over 65s - I spoke to one of the arbiters and he informed me that Terry arrived at 10.36am - play started at 10.00 am and the default time for games was 30 minutes after the scheduled start. The 10.00 o'clock start for Sunday was clearly announced at the start of play on Saturday.

Harsh IMO, it should be more than 30 minutes.

[Neil Graham]

In respect of the Over 65s - I spoke to one of the arbiters and he informed me that Terry arrived at 10.36am - play started at 10.00 am and the default time for games was 30 minutes after the scheduled start. The 10.00 o'clock start for Sunday was clearly announced at the start of play on Saturday.

Harsh IMO, it should be more than 30 minutes.

The published rules are clear and specific. Default time is 30 minutes.

[Matt Mackenzie]

Well yes I know, I am also saying that is too harsh.

Not to mention that early last day starts are an abomination anyway.

[Mark Howitt]

Have to say this before I sleep.

Truly amazing performance from Adams. I hope everyone here sees we are witnessing the strongest player in British history in terms of total strength. Such a role model. The prize money really is not enough for him.

You have to go further really and say he is one of the best English Sportsmen of recent times.

Thank you for being English and British Mickey! You are a true inspiration for me!

[Joey Stewart]

Well yes I know, I am also saying that is too harsh.

Not to mention that early last day starts are an abomination anyway.

I totally agree, especially an expensive event like the British where I imagine a lot of participants pay that high price for good quality conditions not to be treated like third world convicts!

I don't know Chapman personally but isn't he supposed to be quite a big chess patron and has put a lot of time and resources into helping other people, to be treated like that is a disgrace and I think the only acceptable outcome is he be fully refunded his entry fees and the organiser(s) who put such a ludecrous start time never be allowed in a position of authority again !!

[Paul Habershon]

Well yes I know, I am also saying that is too harsh.

Not to mention that early last day starts are an abomination anyway.

I totally agree, especially an expensive event like the British where I imagine a lot of participants pay that high price for good quality conditions not to be treated like third world convicts!

I don't know Chapman personally but isn't he supposed to be quite a big chess patron and has put a lot of time and resources into helping other people, to be treated like that is a disgrace and I think the only acceptable outcome is he be fully refunded his entry fees and the organiser(s) who put such a ludecrous start time never be allowed in a position of authority again !!

I understand your sentiments, Joey, but all entrants have notionally agreed to abide by the stated conditions. There would perhaps be cries of 'Privilege!' if exceptions were made. I don't agree that 10 a.m. is a ludicrous start time. It is probably there to enable a convenient departure time, especially for long distances on a Sunday. Only a modicum of self-discipline is required to arrive about five hours after dawn and one or two hours after the start of a normal working day. Terry unfortunately relied on a watch that failed. Anyway, not only thinking of the players here, but the organisers must have much to do in clearing the building and then having to travel.

I don't accept your drastic criticism of the 'organiser(s)'. An early last round has been in place for years. I thought the arbiting team performed excellently. Also they have got the technology working beautifully. The demo screens, results screens and the website links are tremendous resources.

However, I do think that a one hour default time would be better. I would also support the logic of waiting until a player loses on time. In this case it would have been after 1h 30m 30s as no further increments would have been earned. That time is used at the player's discretion. Why should he be present when he is not obliged to start the clock himself? I never feel offended by the lateness of my opponent; the later the better and please don't apologise!

[NickFaulks]

I would also support the logic of waiting until a player loses on time.

Yes indeed. I can see the point of an earlier default time in evening club matches, where a player whose player doesn't turn up may wish to rescue part of his wasted time, but in a largely residential event it seems to serve no purpose at all.

[Nigel White]

May I make the case for keeping the default time at 30 minutes?

When I travel to a Congress, I expect to be able to play chess. I noticed in this year's British after the default time had expired the arbiters were efficiently offering those defaulted against the opportunity to play a rated 'friendly' against another player in the same position, albeit with 15 minutes less on each of their clocks to ensure the same finish time.

At events, such as the London Chess Classic, which have a one hour default time, I have on several occasions sat the full hour waiting for my opponent, but then finding little opportunity for a game against someone else. Particularly for evening games, either a much truncated time control or the likelihood of a late finish deters people from taking up the offer of another game.

I do not recall a single game that I have played with a one hour default time where my opponent has eventually turned up more than 30 minutes after the start.

[Mark Howitt]

Yeah I don't mind if opponent is late either but i'd start his clock bang on time.

[IM Jack Rudd]

I've had people turn up between half an hour and an hour late at congresses I've run. (My rule was: offer repairings after half-an-hour; default people after an hour. If someone turns up between their opponent's being repaired and the default time, they get a half-point bye.)

[Richard Bates]

May I make the case for keeping the default time at 30 minutes?

When I travel to a Congress, I expect to be able to play chess. I noticed in this year's British after the default time had expired the arbiters were efficiently offering those defaulted against the opportunity to play a rated 'friendly' against another player in the same position, albeit with 15 minutes less on each of their clocks to ensure the same finish time.

At events, such as the London Chess Classic, which have a one hour default time, I have on several occasions sat the full hour waiting for my opponent, but then finding little opportunity for a game against someone else. Particularly for evening games, either a much truncated time control or the likelihood of a late finish deters people from taking up the offer of another game.

I do not recall a single game that I have played with a one hour default time where my opponent has eventually turned up more than 30 minutes after the start.

I once had a league match where i was advised my opponent was running late and would i mind waiving the default. I happily agreed only to rather regret the decision when he made it to the board with 2 minutes on his clock (30/75' + 15'). At the time control i was behind on the clock with a lost position. Once in receipt of his extra time he started to use some of it and i fought back to draw the game!

[Geoff Chandler]

I don't agree that 10 a.m. is a ludicrous start time.

Hi Paul,
Karpov and Leko may disagree. Their round 11 game at Groningen in 1995 went 1.d4 draw agreed as a joint protest about an early morning start.

Though I feel very sorry for Terry, (us old codgers have to stick to together) even with the default against him he finished just ½ a point behind the three tied winners, one has to take the organisers side in this matter.

[Andy Stoker]

No, at Chester 1979 x3 Littlewoods but this must be a record.

Apologies for the pedantry - prompted by this post I looked in Britbase - it seems to be Ayr 1978 where we had John, Paul and Norman. Norman didn't play in 1979

[Jonathan Rogers]

A thought that occurred to me today: with Max Pert playing as a filler, there were four members of the same family playing in the British Championship today; has that happened before?

It strikes me as a shame that Max was not playing in the championships in any event, but there it is (of course hard decisions do have to be made if we are to avoid the event returning to what it was ten or so years ago).

Incidentally, Nina Pert's finish in round seven is worth a look.

[Jonathan Rogers]

Agreed about the default time being too short - especially for the generation of players who grew up without earlier default times at all! It seems to me that the real question is how long the present player can reasonably be expected to wait. That will point towards a short time in club chess, when the absent player should have had fewer obstacles to being there in time and the evening can still be salvaged for the present player, if the default is given sooner rather than later, but may point to longer times where players have distances to travel (eg, county matches, 4NCL on Saturdays) and where the present player expected to be far from home and taking his or her time in any event.

That is just about setting the limit in the first place. To be clear, the arbiters have to enforce the rules as they find them.