Friday, July 29, 2011
Eight days to go!
I've just updated the tournament charts so it's clear who still has whom left to play. Eight days left to go before the finish with some winners already emerging. You don't have to play at the club if you can organise something in your own time and space.
British Championship
Great to see most of the country's top players are competing this year, it's Short v Howell on top board today. Personally I think it's a shame Luke McShane isn't there, I think he may have gone back to a 'proper' job - more's the pity - but koudos to Jovanka Houska, nice to see a woman in the mix. I dare say a few in the club - myself included - will be rooting for Simon Williams, unfortunately the GingerGM is lagging a bit at the moment, let's hope for some more fireworks from him at some point.
It looks as if our own Geoffrey James commences his campaign for the Senior Championship tomorrow, good luck Geoff !
It looks as if our own Geoffrey James commences his campaign for the Senior Championship tomorrow, good luck Geoff !
Rob Counsell is new club secretary
After a committee meeting last night I am very pleased to announce we have a new secretary! The post has been vacant for most of the year so we were delighted to accept Rob's offer to take it on. We co-opted him until the AGM when, if not traumatized by last night's minutes, he will be happy to stand again. I think he will be excellent at all aspects of the post.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
2011 Grades Are Out
The new grades are out and on the Members page of this website. Two rising young players appearing for the first time are Owen Joyce-Coughlan on 143 and Mustapha Othman on 176, the latter just beating Paul Batchelor and Grant Bucher to fourth place in the club. New junior, Martin Roe, also makes an impressive first showing on 127. With more new appearances sprinkled through the lower half of the list, it bodes well for the continued performance of a strong sixth team in the MSCL next season. Congrats to all who have successfully struggled to improve over last year's grade, even if at the expense of those who haven't!
Monday, July 18, 2011
Missing results from last year
Hi All,
It has become apparent that a results sheet may have gone missing last year, as a result I believe some games for the last week of July (the last week of our internal tournaments) may not have been submitted for grading.
Results have been submitted for games up to and including Sat 24th July 2010, but we have no results after that until August. As 31st July last year was a Saturday, and the closing date for internal tournaments, it seems very unlikely to me that no games were played that week.
We might still be able to submit the results for grading if we can get them to Julie Denning in the next few days, so if you want to check your scoresheets for games played 25th-31st July 2010 and e-mail them back to me quickly I will forward them on and see what can be done.
As this oversight occurred during my tenure as Tournament Controller please accept my apologies, hopefully it will not affect anyones grading too seriously.
Regards, Kevin.
It has become apparent that a results sheet may have gone missing last year, as a result I believe some games for the last week of July (the last week of our internal tournaments) may not have been submitted for grading.
Results have been submitted for games up to and including Sat 24th July 2010, but we have no results after that until August. As 31st July last year was a Saturday, and the closing date for internal tournaments, it seems very unlikely to me that no games were played that week.
We might still be able to submit the results for grading if we can get them to Julie Denning in the next few days, so if you want to check your scoresheets for games played 25th-31st July 2010 and e-mail them back to me quickly I will forward them on and see what can be done.
As this oversight occurred during my tenure as Tournament Controller please accept my apologies, hopefully it will not affect anyones grading too seriously.
Regards, Kevin.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
End of Tournaments.
The tournament deadline has been extended by one week. Hopefully this will allow some people an extra opportunity to play some final games before the end of our season. Several games were being played today as members finish off their last remaining matches.
The deadline will be Saturday 6th August. Please try and complete as many games as possible so that a good coverage occurs in all tournaments.
The deadline will be Saturday 6th August. Please try and complete as many games as possible so that a good coverage occurs in all tournaments.
Sunday, July 3, 2011
"Your move... to chess club" The Argus
"Fans of pawns, knights and bishops are being invited to join a chess club....."
We succeeded in getting a mention in the Argus yesterday advertising our open day and giving our venue and website addresses. Our new venue means nearly everyone who comes now does come back and join. Thanks to all the people who turned out to support the event.
We succeeded in getting a mention in the Argus yesterday advertising our open day and giving our venue and website addresses. Our new venue means nearly everyone who comes now does come back and join. Thanks to all the people who turned out to support the event.
Saturday, July 2, 2011
New Members' Special Welcome this afternoon
The club will be open to new and prospective members this afternoon, 2nd July, between 2-6 pm. Old members also needed to meet, greet and compete.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
McArthur Cup Final Match Report 2011
This Final was played with a new set of Match Pieces. I was somewhat nervous as to what would be the possible outcome with the new acquisition. However i need never have feared as the Team rose magnificently to the occasion, played some fine chess and at the end of the day when 'the dust had settled' had achieved a hat-trick of consecutive victories in the McArthur Cup.
Adrian Pickersgill was pitted against the highly experienced Bernard Cafferty. What's more he had to defend with the Black pieces.The Opening was a Closed English. His defence proved strong enough and the game was duly agreed drawn.This was a valuable result to Brighton & Hove.The advantage of the First move had been negated on Board Five.
In a Pirc Defence Nadezda Somova was playing another very experienced player in the Sussex County Chess Assocition President Robert Elliston. Robert snatched a pawn,hung onto it and in the end Nadezda was forced to resign.This was Nadezda's first loss in this competition over the Three years she had participated in it.
Geoffrey James was seated opposite Richard Almond. Richard opened with his customary 'd' pawn and the game went into a Nimzo-Indian Classical Variation. Geoffrey managed to defend with great accuracy limiting his opponent to the smallest of advantages. As the game developed Geoffrey continued to play accurately and the game was agreed drawn in a level position. This was another draw with Black and had furthered the Club's cause.
My game against Christopher Howell had been a Veresov Opening. The game eventually went down to a Rook and Three Pawns against a Rook and Two pawns. I had believed i should be able to defend this ending. However my nerves were tested to the limit as Christopher strove for another Forty Moves to win the game.Eventually this game was agreed drawn upon Christopher's proposal.
Luke Rutherford was to play an opponent against which he had lost in the Mid-Sussex League earlier this year. Francis Rayner opened with the 'e' pawn and the game developed into a Sicilian. Luke sacrificed an Exchange and managed to net Two Pawns as well. This was followed by a Third. Then slowly and with great care Luke was able to advance his Pawns in the centre generating all sorts of threats. Eventually faced with no defence Francis called it a day.
One game remained.Brian Denman was playing John Sugden. Brian had the White Pieces.The Opening had been an Open Sicilan.Late in the game and with both players quite short on time. John Sugden was to blunder a piece. Brian captured the Piece. With less than Ten Seconds left on his Clock John Sugden resigned. The match had finished.
When the points were tallied up it was revealed Brighton & Hove Chess Club had beaten Hastings & St Leonards Chess Club by the scoreline 3.5-2.5.
Thanks to everybody who represented Brighton during this competition,not forgetting Club Preident Sue Chadwick who played in an earlier round.
Adrian Pickersgill was pitted against the highly experienced Bernard Cafferty. What's more he had to defend with the Black pieces.The Opening was a Closed English. His defence proved strong enough and the game was duly agreed drawn.This was a valuable result to Brighton & Hove.The advantage of the First move had been negated on Board Five.
In a Pirc Defence Nadezda Somova was playing another very experienced player in the Sussex County Chess Assocition President Robert Elliston. Robert snatched a pawn,hung onto it and in the end Nadezda was forced to resign.This was Nadezda's first loss in this competition over the Three years she had participated in it.
Geoffrey James was seated opposite Richard Almond. Richard opened with his customary 'd' pawn and the game went into a Nimzo-Indian Classical Variation. Geoffrey managed to defend with great accuracy limiting his opponent to the smallest of advantages. As the game developed Geoffrey continued to play accurately and the game was agreed drawn in a level position. This was another draw with Black and had furthered the Club's cause.
My game against Christopher Howell had been a Veresov Opening. The game eventually went down to a Rook and Three Pawns against a Rook and Two pawns. I had believed i should be able to defend this ending. However my nerves were tested to the limit as Christopher strove for another Forty Moves to win the game.Eventually this game was agreed drawn upon Christopher's proposal.
Luke Rutherford was to play an opponent against which he had lost in the Mid-Sussex League earlier this year. Francis Rayner opened with the 'e' pawn and the game developed into a Sicilian. Luke sacrificed an Exchange and managed to net Two Pawns as well. This was followed by a Third. Then slowly and with great care Luke was able to advance his Pawns in the centre generating all sorts of threats. Eventually faced with no defence Francis called it a day.
One game remained.Brian Denman was playing John Sugden. Brian had the White Pieces.The Opening had been an Open Sicilan.Late in the game and with both players quite short on time. John Sugden was to blunder a piece. Brian captured the Piece. With less than Ten Seconds left on his Clock John Sugden resigned. The match had finished.
When the points were tallied up it was revealed Brighton & Hove Chess Club had beaten Hastings & St Leonards Chess Club by the scoreline 3.5-2.5.
Thanks to everybody who represented Brighton during this competition,not forgetting Club Preident Sue Chadwick who played in an earlier round.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
A.G.M. of the Sussex Chess Association
The Annual General Meeting of the Sussex Chess Association will be held at the Bridge Club on Tuesday 19th July at 7.30 p.m.
The Sussex Chess Association, which was formed as long ago as 1882, promotes chess throughout the county and is reponsible for the county competitions as well as the county teams. This year the Brighton Chess Club has won the McArthur Cup, the county teams' competition, and club members have won individual events. Luke Rutherford has won the county championship, Adrian Pickersgill came first in the East Sussex Queen and Geoff James shared the Sussex Veterans' Championship title.
Brighton CC members are encouraged to come along to the AGM - it does not matter how strong a player you are!
The Sussex Chess Association, which was formed as long ago as 1882, promotes chess throughout the county and is reponsible for the county competitions as well as the county teams. This year the Brighton Chess Club has won the McArthur Cup, the county teams' competition, and club members have won individual events. Luke Rutherford has won the county championship, Adrian Pickersgill came first in the East Sussex Queen and Geoff James shared the Sussex Veterans' Championship title.
Brighton CC members are encouraged to come along to the AGM - it does not matter how strong a player you are!
Six weeks left.
There are just six weeks remaining until the tournaments finish. There are stil plenty of games left to play.
It would be great if competitors could try and arrange as many remaining games as possible. Then a high percentage of games will have been completed in each tournament and a fair comparison made between the players.
One final effort please between all of us.
It would be great if competitors could try and arrange as many remaining games as possible. Then a high percentage of games will have been completed in each tournament and a fair comparison made between the players.
One final effort please between all of us.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Weekend winners
Congratulations on retaining the McArthur Cup! I hope the visitors were duly impressed with our new venue and whiz new team sets. See their website Forum for a Hastings and St. Leonards match report.
Mustapha, Anthony, Terry and I all enjoyed a very good e2e4 Gatwick Congress. Mustapha equalled the joint thirds on an impressive 4 out of 5 in the Major but was awarded the marginally more lucrative 'over 1820' prize (best performance relative to rating). It was flawlessly organised and had a very genial atmosphere. I wonder whether this was in part due to the lack of any aggro over splutter finishes because of the 30 seconds a move addition. It was also fun to watch endgames being played out at a steady pace - rather than at breakneck speed and impossible to follow.
Mustapha, Anthony, Terry and I all enjoyed a very good e2e4 Gatwick Congress. Mustapha equalled the joint thirds on an impressive 4 out of 5 in the Major but was awarded the marginally more lucrative 'over 1820' prize (best performance relative to rating). It was flawlessly organised and had a very genial atmosphere. I wonder whether this was in part due to the lack of any aggro over splutter finishes because of the 30 seconds a move addition. It was also fun to watch endgames being played out at a steady pace - rather than at breakneck speed and impossible to follow.
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Hat-Trick in McArthur Cup for Brighton & Hove
Brighton & Hove Club did it again by completing three consecutive wins in the McArthur Cup Final. We won the Match by the scoreline 3.5-2.5. Wins to Luke Rutherford and Brian Denman.More detailed match blog to follow.Well done everybody and thanks for turning out to support us again.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Charts updated
Thanks, Kev, for updating our computer. No passwords needed and help is at hand for the nervous. Our library is all up and running now. Only members can borrow books and only one book at a time. All borrowings to be written in the book in the library.
I've updated all the tournament charts on the website and will replace the paper versions on the noticeboard tomorrow. Six weeks left to play all your games. To contact your opponents see Contact Details link on the Tournaments page - contact me if you want a reminder about how to use it. (You can contact me via the box on the Membership page if necessary.)
A rather disappointing meeting of the MSCL last night, I thought, but then the League has never been known for its progressive tendencies. Paul Selby, Rob Counsell and I attended from Brighton. Key decisions have already been posted by Julie on the MSCL website.
I've updated all the tournament charts on the website and will replace the paper versions on the noticeboard tomorrow. Six weeks left to play all your games. To contact your opponents see Contact Details link on the Tournaments page - contact me if you want a reminder about how to use it. (You can contact me via the box on the Membership page if necessary.)
A rather disappointing meeting of the MSCL last night, I thought, but then the League has never been known for its progressive tendencies. Paul Selby, Rob Counsell and I attended from Brighton. Key decisions have already been posted by Julie on the MSCL website.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
More bits, less Bobs
Further to my previous post, apparently Bob's main assistance with putting up the shelving for the library came from Arthur. Thanks Arthur!
On the subject of bits (with segues like that I should have been a DJ), on Saturday I installed Fritz 12 and Chessmaster onto the club PC, the software having been recently donated to us. To run these just turn the PC on and log in as the general club user, no password should be needed. Fritz 12 has a different interface to previous versions so it can be a bit tricky even for experienced users, but it does have some nice features. It is worth noting that this copy came with a year's premium memebership to Playchess.com so it should be possible to play online on the Playchess server or to view Chessbase's multimedia broadcasts. If any members are interested in these features please give it a try, I can offer some assistance if I am around though I don't intend to conduct individual teaching sesssions! If there is a demand I may consider a group seminar on using Fritz, though I am not completely up to speed on version 12 myself yet. If there are any errors running the software please let me know.
On the subject of bits (with segues like that I should have been a DJ), on Saturday I installed Fritz 12 and Chessmaster onto the club PC, the software having been recently donated to us. To run these just turn the PC on and log in as the general club user, no password should be needed. Fritz 12 has a different interface to previous versions so it can be a bit tricky even for experienced users, but it does have some nice features. It is worth noting that this copy came with a year's premium memebership to Playchess.com so it should be possible to play online on the Playchess server or to view Chessbase's multimedia broadcasts. If any members are interested in these features please give it a try, I can offer some assistance if I am around though I don't intend to conduct individual teaching sesssions! If there is a demand I may consider a group seminar on using Fritz, though I am not completely up to speed on version 12 myself yet. If there are any errors running the software please let me know.
Last chance for Gatwick
The e2e4 Gatwick congress is filling up - 145 places out of a maximum of 150 now gone.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
The Week Ahead
Tuesday 14th June 7:30 pm: Mid-Sussex Chess League AGM
at St. Mary's Social Centre, Lewes. Any member of the club can attend this. We have six votes, one for each team in the League. The club has no agreed line on any of the agenda issues this year so it's up to individuals how they vote. See MSCL.
Friday 17th - Sunday 19th June: e2e4 Gatwick Congress
A large and well-organised congress with only two of our members on the list so far and still space for more. You can enter and pay online. See e2e4 Chess.
Saturday 18th June 2:15 pm: McArthur Cup Final
Our top six players battle it out against Hastings and St. Leonards' top six, upstairs at the club. An important match so spectators and others are requested to please maintain a total silence in both rooms upstairs. The Blue Room downstairs will be available for friendly games and chat.
Anyone wanting to report on any of these events can publish to the blog - it would be good to have some comment and analysis. If you've not registered for the blog yet please ask me and I can re-issue you with an invitation. We have fifty-two members with only fifteen so far registered - everyone else's original invitation has now expired (apart from new members). It would be especially good to see the game viewer embedded from the Resources page - anyone?
at St. Mary's Social Centre, Lewes. Any member of the club can attend this. We have six votes, one for each team in the League. The club has no agreed line on any of the agenda issues this year so it's up to individuals how they vote. See MSCL.
Friday 17th - Sunday 19th June: e2e4 Gatwick Congress
A large and well-organised congress with only two of our members on the list so far and still space for more. You can enter and pay online. See e2e4 Chess.
Saturday 18th June 2:15 pm: McArthur Cup Final
Our top six players battle it out against Hastings and St. Leonards' top six, upstairs at the club. An important match so spectators and others are requested to please maintain a total silence in both rooms upstairs. The Blue Room downstairs will be available for friendly games and chat.
Anyone wanting to report on any of these events can publish to the blog - it would be good to have some comment and analysis. If you've not registered for the blog yet please ask me and I can re-issue you with an invitation. We have fifty-two members with only fifteen so far registered - everyone else's original invitation has now expired (apart from new members). It would be especially good to see the game viewer embedded from the Resources page - anyone?
Friday, June 10, 2011
Bits 'n' Bobs
The 'Bobs' in question being Bob Davies and Rob Counsell - nice work on the library chaps, not forgetting Carl, and I think Sue also helped out. On a grumpier note, now that the library is accesible could people please return books to the shelves after browsing, there were half a dozen books left lying around last night.
With regards Dieppe, I now have alternate accomodation so for you late bookers there is still a single room available at Les Galets if you whisper in John's ear, preferably in French ;-)
With regards Dieppe, I now have alternate accomodation so for you late bookers there is still a single room available at Les Galets if you whisper in John's ear, preferably in French ;-)
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
All the Latest
Thanks, John. I hope Les Galets are appreciating having an agent d'echecs en 'ove. Geoff has gone for Etap and Paul Selby is still dependent on the goodwill of the PO. This seems mainly sorted now - don't forget your passports!!
In case this is all getting a bit complicated I have made use of the News page to put a calendar of upcoming club events.
In case this is all getting a bit complicated I have made use of the News page to put a calendar of upcoming club events.
Communal life en France
To recap:
8 rooms booked for Sat 3 and Sun 4 Sept (prices per night):
8 rooms booked for Sat 3 and Sun 4 Sept (prices per night):
- Sue, single room, 32eu
- myself, as above
- Arthur, single, 40eu (bigger bed)
- Kevin, as above
- all remaining 4 are double rooms at 50eu: Andrew and Vicki; Paul B and Carl; Dona and partner; Rob and Bob.
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