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[David]

I'm going to try - emphasis try - to keep a blog here over the next two weeks of life at this year's British Championships in Liverpool. I attempted something similar during the 2006 EU event, but it proved hard work - playing, keeping an eye on things, and writing each morning after a night on the town Something had to give, but it couldn't be the entertaining.

This year I'm playing in the Major Open. The last time I played this tournament was Brighton 1980. Shortly after that I had my wings severely clipped by the arrival in short order of love, mortgage, more love, then kids. So my tournaments days were over.

Twenty-eight years on, the Major Open looks to have changed. I remember it as much stronger, at least by grade. This year even my cruelly, nay freakishly,deflated grade seeds me at jt-6th. Then I look more closely - and tremble! The Major Open is full of children! Each one slavering at the bit to pulp an ol' f*rt like me. I'm not sure how much bruising my fragile ego can take, being lined up as cannon fodder for a bunch of pimply youths. Next year, I'll be eligible for the Seniors and thus will escape the humiliation I fear is heading my way this year

I know the mantra: play the position, not the player. That's all very well. Normally I do both, happy to cause physical discomfort and serious mental anguish to any player I face, given the chance. But with a 14 year old in front of me? I don't think I'll be able to summon the necessary aggro. But I'll keep you posted on that

I've only played one kid before in a serious game. I clobbered him at 10; again at 12; but he caught up a tad at 14, then 16. Thereafter he went on to challenge Kasparov for the World title

So please, please, don't scoff if I get rolled over by a 14 year old. It could be that I've provided just the boost in self-confidence he needs to become a future GM

David
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[HeresJohnny]

May I wish you and Liverpool the very best of luck for a successful Championship.

I certainly recognise your concerns about the composition of the Major Open - I played fairly regularly until about three or four years ago when it turned into the British Under 18 championship with a few old gits like me allowed in on sufferance. Anyway, David, looks like you should achive an Elo rating from the tournament - that will leave you with two grades to fret about rather than one!

[David]

Oh my goodness! They have already put up the pairings for the Major Open, and I know my first opponent

He's Saravanan Sathyanandha, from Haberdasher Aske's School, with an Elo of 1954, and an age of 13. I guess he's one of these guys here, probably the youngster at the front:

http://www.habsboys.org.uk/news/2008/jul08/chess.php

But worse follows - all my nightmares rolled into one Saravanan appears to win everything he plays in, at least the age-related tourneys. And he has a new ECF grade of 164, up 25 on the year That destroys my rule-of-thumb for young players: namely, 10 x age = strong. Saravanan is heading for an IM title pretty soon at this rate, and I suspect he doesn't plan to have me impede his progress

And what's that word buried in his surname....A N A N D.... followed by HA! I think I'm getting a message here.

So where do we stand? In one corner, an undergraded, fiercely bright kid from a posh school with Anand in his name; in the other, me. And what do I get for beating this kid - ha! let the chance arise! Answer: I get nothing but brickbats for disturbing the forward march of the nation's chess-playing youth. I don't even get a fair load of grade points either.

Infamy! Infamy! They've all got it in for me!

David

ps. to cap it all, Saravanan is entered for the u-14 & u-16 championships to be played in the morning on consecutive weeks. So if both games go the distance, he'll be at the board for more than eight hours a day. At 13, is this wise? Or at any age?
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[David]

Looks like we're all set to rumble tomorrow. St George's Hall is furnished; the tech guys are happy; the pairings are published; the Lord Mayor is booked; even the sun is shining. Despite the histrionics, walk-outs and mini-crises in the build-up, we will have a fabulous 95th British Championships in Liverpool after all.

Let the games commence!

David
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[David]

A hot and humid start to the Championships - 26c outside but a bit cooler in the Great Hall. A late start too because Angela Eagle MP was delayed on the train. But Lord Mayor, Cllr Steve Rotheram and Council Leader, Cllr Warren Bradley both turned up and seemed impressed. That's good for the future.

Speeches can be dull on occasions like this, but the crowded hall listen respectfully. All in all, the opening ceremony passed off splendidly. It felt rather strange for me too. As I looked around the Hall, and then took my place at the board, I cast my mind back to 2005 when I first mapped out Liverpool's celebratory triennial of chess. I'm not sure I ever expected to see St George's Hall full of chessplayers. But it is; and it looks fabulous.

My game? I came a predictable second, but I played OK. Saravanan is a handy young player, and a very polite, well-mannered young man. I can't say I was conscious of his age during the game; he played steady, accurate moves - probably a 210+ in the making. But in truth he didn't have to do much. I stood better for long periods, but then as so often, I drifted. That in turn forced me to over-compensate by pressing too hard. My exchange sac for the attack left me worse; counterplay in the time scramble almost brought me a win; but when the smoke cleared, I had nothing left. Unlucky? Not at all. The one 'excuse' I can offer is my time management of the Fischer increments was poor. It's unfamiliar ground for me, unlike Saravanan who managed his time like a veteran.

Tomorrow I get an 0.5 bye because I have to go to London. Then back to face another junior Torquemada no doubt on Wednesday

David
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[echecs]

All I can say is, in leaving for the morning graded tournament, I was presented with a downpour and took my coat. I felt stupid leaving in the bright sunshine but was unaware of the heat outside as the great structure of the hall shielded us from the heat. I wish I could say the same about my 1960s office building I had to return to in the afternoon. A draw for me, clutched from the hand of victory .

[Jack Rudd]

I had a somewhat better start, drawing with Keith Arkell. Maybe I had a win there; I'm not sure.

[e4c5]

Best of luck with it all.

I'm eagerly following the online broadcasts. I also convinced the Internet Chess Club admins to relay the top boards yesterday, somehow they missed it from their schedule!.

[David]

[Richard]

[David]

LOL! I was just sipping my morning coffee when I read this last comment. I nearly drenched my keyboard. Too funny too early

More later

David
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[steveg]

All those connected with the British have done a fine job, considering the difficulties they have had to contend with. But they have let themselves down by failing to provide adequate game inputting resources. I quote from the Games section of the official site:

"The bulletin team will attempt to have all championship games available at the end of each day and we will try to make available other Championship games as soon as possible."

The round 1 games did not appear until just after midday yesterday. Today, as I write, it is 13.50, and yesterday's round 2 games are still not up. And I speak only of the British itself; as far as I can see, no games are available from any other section.

The site lists the Bulletin editors as "Arnold & Nathaniel Lutton, Jack Rudd". I do not know the first two, but Jack, of course, is playing in the Championship, and thus has to combine his bulletin duties with preparing and playing. The Championship contains only 34 games per round. For a competent game-inputter, that is barely above one and a half hours' work. much of which can be performed whilst the round is in progress, as individual games finish - always assuming you have a dedicated inputter, who is not himself playing. There is no reason why a complete PGN should not be available within 30 minutes of the last game finishing.

It is a shame that Herculean efforts in so many areas should be let down by such a false economy - I am forcibly reminded of the old adage about spoiled ships and ha-pences of tar.

Oh, and just in case anybody thinks I am bitter and twisted because I was not employed to do the job myself - think again! Not only would I personally never accept a job working for the Egregious Chess Federation, but in this instance, I have been committed for almost 12 months to the Staunton Memorial, which starts on 6 August and thus overlaps with the British.

Steve

In tabula invicta, in foro maledicus

[Sean]

As a games inputter with a couple of GM Norms (according to John Saunders) I'll volunteer to do this free of charge if the ECF are struggling to get someone.
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Down with the Chess Prevention Tax

[Phil_N]

Just a comment about playing juniors. Sometimes it's better to play the player not the position. By which I mean that if you suspect your junior opponent is hot on the latest theory, you can choose an opening fashionable 20 or 30 years ago. There has to be some advantage in being an old fogey! Also, it can be good to steer for a quiet game and hopefully bore the young person in to making some inaccurate moves..

[David]

How I prepared for my game today:

11.00am - take poorly cat to the vet. Vet examines cat, looks me ruefully in the eye, and five minutes later I have an ex-cat. Farewell, poor Jess. I tried to call him Chess when we first got him seventeen years back because he was - you guessed it - black and white patches. But the family objected. They had him 'done' too, so he couldn't launch any mating attacks. But he did learn to open the fridge which gave him lots of fun

12.00pm - take urgent phone call from the owner of a gorgeous block of apartments we have reserved for players in the EU Individual in September. Owner says unless I pre-pay in full by Friday, they will let the booking lapse. Manuel Weeks has already placed a hefty deposit, using his own credit card. I now have to put the balance (£15,000) on my credit card, and fire off urgent emails to our Culture Company insisting they release the cash to cover this. I guess they will in due course, but not before my hair turns greyer

1.00pm - check who I'm playing, grab a sandwich, and head off to the game. On the way down, I ponder whether mornings like this are the reason I struggle with actually playing chess.

And the game? I won; but rarely has victory tasted less sweet. I played Hannah Dale, a thoroughly charming 17 year old member of England's girls team. Hannah & I met for the first time last Friday when I presented her with the 'best board' prize in the Jessie Gilbert (ex-Faber) Cup tournament. Now today, fate threw us together again.

Hannah opened tentatively; I replied quite pitifully. After 16 moves, I was positionally lost. Alas I don't think Hannah understood how good her position was. It took me some ugly manoeuvring and a simplifying tactical shot to solve my chronic problems and stay in the game. Thereafter it was a flat draw which Hannah correctly offered.

But where there's play, there's a way! I won the exchange, but it was still drawn. I gave it back for a passed pawn, but still level in a Q+B ending (opposite colours). I squeezed, manoeuvred and edged around but Hannah beat off every trick. Into the 6th hour, I ground on, allowing the Qs off when I spotted the glimpse of a chance. Gave up the extra pawn to get my K in. And then, after more than six hours play and 75 moves, with the Great Hall completely deserted, Hannah finally cracked!

So, big deal - I won. In the end I won nicely on technique. And if Hannah learns that a chess game must be fought out until there's no fight left, then some good will come of it. But equally she might conclude that there's a damn sight more to life than spending a summer's day defending a B+P ending against the likes of me Either way, she has a fine future. And me? I'm shattered

David
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[Jack Rudd]

The Bulletin Office is always looking for extra game-inputters, Sean. Your help would be most welcome.