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[David]

The proposed Liverpool 800th Anniversary match will now take place, on the dates originally stated (Sept 4-9, 2007) and with the squad format as previously announced, between 'Team UK' and 'Team China'.

In long and difficult negotiations with the Indian chess authorities, we were unable in the end to reach agreement over a 'Team India'. Sadly therefore, there will be no formal Indian presence. Since we cannot run a match efficiently with three teams, there will not now be a composite 'Team EU' either.

Team UK is:

GM 2724 Michael Adams (34)
GM 2683 Nigel Short (42)
GM 2592 Luke McShane (23)
or GM 2536 Nick Pert (26)
GM 2599 Jonathan Rowson (30)

GM 2519 David Howell (16)
GM 2526 Gawain Jones (18 )

IM 2419 Keti Arakhamia-Grant (39)
IM 2401 Jovanka Houska (27)

Team China is:

GM 2696 Wang Yue (20)
GM 2685 Bu Xiangzhi (22)
GM 2681 Ni Hua (24)
GM 2649 Zhang Pengxiang (27)

GM 2624 Wang Hao (18 )
WGM 2523 Hou Yifan (13)

WGM 2500 Zhao Xue (22)
WGM 2439 Shen Yang (18 )

The format of the match will be a Scheveningen for the first six boards (each player meets all six opponents once); and similar for the women's boards (each to play both opponents three times).

In addition, I'm pleased to announce we will also run in parallel with the match a Liverpool 800th Anniversary International Open (Sept 3rd-9th) of nine rounds, with two days of double-rounds. Prize fund in the region of £10,000 - £12,000. Further details to follow

David
_________________
Optimum semper profectum

[Phil_N]

Well done to David and all concerned.

I'm struck by how young the Chinese team is. I think they will be a bit of a handful for the UK team!

[JohnS]

Yes, I echo Phil_N's comment - well done indeed to David and everyone else involved in organising this event. I'm really looking forward to it. I've given it a bit of a write-up on the BCM website and mentioned how we could be on the ground floor of a bit of chess history. China is likely to be to chess in the 21st century what Russia/Soviet Union was in the late 20th century (and still is). It reminds me of those old post-war matches which the USSR played against GB and USA.

But you never know: UK may win! That will be something to look back on for the UK participants in years to come.

[Richard]

Minor question, but what pairing system is being used in the Open?

Looks like an accelerated swiss which has been abandoned after round 1. (normally, in round 2, you would expect the winners in the bottom half of the draw in round 1 to play people who have lost or drawn in the top half in round 1)

[David]

I've had words! I'm not happy either and nor are some players in the Open. It seems absurd to me that a 2500 player, losing twice to titled opponents (as can happen), then has to waste time playing a 1500 patzer. In this 3rd round, there are several examples of this kind of thing.

I'm in the hands of the controllers here, but my opinion is: they've botched it. An accelerated draw is fine - provided it's applied with commonsense. That seems to have been lacking here. All I can say in mitigation is that yesterday was a long day all round.

David
_________________
Optimum semper profectum

[David]

I've had words! I'm not happy either and nor are some players in the Open. It seems absurd to me that a 2500 player, losing twice to titled opponents (as can happen), then has to waste time playing a 1500 patzer. In this 3rd round, there are several examples of this kind of thing.

I'm in the hands of the controllers here, but my opinion is: they've botched it. An accelerated draw is fine - provided it's applied with commonsense. That seems to have been lacking here. All I can say in mitigation is that yesterday was a long day all round.

David
_________________
Optimum semper profectum

[David]

I've had words! I'm not happy either and nor are some players in the Open. It seems absurd to me that a 2500 player, losing twice to titled opponents (as can happen), then has to waste time playing a 1500 patzer. In this 3rd round, there are several examples of this kind of thing.

I'm in the hands of the controllers here, but my opinion is: they've botched it. An accelerated draw is fine - provided it's applied with commonsense. That seems to have been lacking here. All I can say in mitigation is that yesterday was a long day all round.

David
_________________
Optimum semper profectum