The British itself!

[John Moore]

David Howell probably has typical Ragozin compensation as white for the pawn but I doubt anymore than that.

[Jonathan Rogers]

Well Howell a hopeless time trouble addict at the best of times and will have wanted to double check whatever he could half remember. You can't carry a full repetoire in your head in full detail 24/7!

At first glance Hill - Brusey looked quite normal then I saw that bishop on b8 and couldn't stop laughing Impressively inventive I guess!

David Howell looks to have reached an unbalanced position with White - certainly not one where he is better - but is an hour down on the clock.

...

He's just a pawn down for nothing. He really did have nothing v Ragozin, or something only half-remembered which can be even worse. It is a bit surprising but as I said he's not the only one (Nakamura). Perhaps the important thing to note is that he is not a universal 1 d4 or 1 Nf3 player, as is (say) Kramnik. If you try to play everything as White, there is a greater chance that you will have holes in your repertoire which you try to avoid rather than repair. And then if your opponent surprises you, as I believe Hawkins did ...

[John Moore]

Jon - doubt it's for completely nothing. The e5 square counts for something and Black's pawn majority is on the same side as his King which makes it difficult to advance with the heavy pieces on.

[Simon Ansell]

Rudd-Williams has not failed to live up to its billing!

Hardly. Simon was just winning easily from roughly move 14.

I don't think David's pawn less is for "nothing" either, but it's certainly not more than enough. Now that Black has played ...f6 the compensation is obvious, and if he hadn't have done that there might have been problems with the h-pawn.

[Jonathan Rogers]

I still think there was rather little compensation at around move 18. Sure, the kingside pawns were easier to attack but he had an open g-file: I think that Rhf8 in order to play ...f6 was rather weak stuff from Black and there must have been a more positive way to play the position. I mean, White had no play for his rooks before Black played ...f6.

I wonder whether Hawkins is not at his best when converting extra material when he doesn't have the initiative as well (remembering the time I drew with him in 4NCL a few years ago when I had certainly been down a pawn for not very much)

[John Moore]

Jon, I guess he still remembers that as well.

[Richard Bates]

On the earlier subject of Hill-Brusey - which of black's pieces does anyone think is the least happy?

[John Moore]

Joking aside - 25.. Rd2 seems to calm things down somewhat. Since the white a pawn is a problem
.

[Jonathan Rogers]

Jon, I guess he still remembers that as well.

I actually thought he was playing for the GM title at the time (round 9, and he was on for his third GM norm) and was only told afterwards about his "needs a norm that is not exempt from the foreigner requirement" problem.

[IM Jack Rudd]

No, I guess not, but why not avoid pairing siblings if humanely possible?

Go on then, John, try your hand at pairing those top scoregroups.

[John Moore]

On the earlier subject of Hill-Brusey - which of black's pieces does anyone think is the least happy?

Richard - now the position is blocked!

[Lewis Martin]

On the earlier subject of Hill-Brusey - which of black's pieces does anyone think is the least happy?

Richard - now the position is blocked!

No it isn't.

[John Moore]

Lewis - I wasn't sure how to answer Richard's question. Clearly, White is hugely better.

[Lewis Martin]

In Rudd-Williams, 23. Qg3 first looked to be a better try.

[Lewis Martin]

On the earlier subject of Hill-Brusey - which of black's pieces does anyone think is the least happy?

The a8 rook obviously. It hasn't moved!