British Chess Championships 2010

[Jonathan Bryant]

Is finishing with 2 hours 15 on the clock after starting with 1 hour 40 a record?


Well played Jack. The Ginger GM seemed to make that sac pretty quickly then paused a long time over ... c6. What's the best guess as to what went wrong/what he missed?

[James Coleman]

Good question. Maybe he thought he could play some sort of Qg2/Rh1/h5-h4-h3 type of idea but realised his Q-Side would fall apart before it got anywhere.

I'd be interested to know the answer.

[Ian Thompson]

Is finishing with 2 hours 15 on the clock after starting with 1 hour 40 a record?

It's a sign of faulty equipment. Gaining 35 minutes would need 70 instantaneous moves. They only played 47 moves.

[Alex Holowczak]

Is finishing with 2 hours 15 on the clock after starting with 1 hour 40 a record?

It's a sign of faulty equipment. Gaining 35 minutes would need 70 instantaneous moves. They only played 47 moves.

No it isn't.

The time control is 100/40 + 50/20 + 15, with 30s per move.

By move 47, Jack had the 50 minutes for the second time control added to his time.

[Jon D'Souza-Eva]

The Ginger GM seemed to make that sac pretty quickly then paused a long time over ... c6. What's the best guess as to what went wrong/what he missed?

Perhaps he underestimated how quickly Qb3 would clean up on the queenside? e.g. Qb3 Rb8 fails to Ba7.

[Ian Thompson]

Is finishing with 2 hours 15 on the clock after starting with 1 hour 40 a record?

It's a sign of faulty equipment. Gaining 35 minutes would need 70 instantaneous moves. They only played 47 moves.

No it isn't.

The time control is 100/40 + 50/20 + 15, with 30s per move.

By move 47, Jack had the 50 minutes for the second time control added to his time.

OK, that did occur to me, but I thought the extra time was only added when one clock reached 0:00, which I thought could not have happened.

[Alex Holowczak]

OK, that did occur to me, but I thought the extra time was only added when one clock reached 0:00, which I thought could not have happened.

The games are being shown on the big screens in the playing hall. I was watching this screen when Jack's time went from 1:33 to 2:23. I couldn't see the clock though, so I'll ask Jack when he gets back here... (Which I hope is soon, I want to go and buy dinner.)

The clock did in fact add the 50 minutes to the display at move 40.

Problem solved, dinner time.

[Paul McKeown]

Perhaps he just thought his position was crap and decided to have a punt with the sacrifice. If Kf1 presages a little jog with the king to safety then Black needs to do something quickly, otherwise White is just going to mop up on the queenside unopposed.

[Matthew Turner]

I think Richard might be able to draw with Nxg7 and Nc5, clarifying to a drawn endgame?

[Simon Ansell]

I think Richard might be able to draw with Nxg7 and Nc5, clarifying to a drawn endgame?

I was thinking Black is better after Nc5 Nc5 bc5 Bc6. Queenside majority etc.

[Matthew Turner]

Simon,
So was I, but I am getting less sure. a4 after Bc6 maybe

[Simon Ansell]

Yeah perhaps, I hadn't seen that a4 ba4 Rb4 hits g4...

edit: but maybe there's a better move than 24...Bc6 since b5 isn't en prise at the moment due to Ba6.

24...a5!? perhaps

[James Coleman]

He doesn't need to defend his b pawn yet though so isn't Rac8 logical?

edit:..a5 played as Simon suggested

[Ben Purton]

Rac8 Matt i like Bd1 , very cute move

[Ben Purton]

Rfc1?