British Championship 2018

[Hans Jung]

In the key matchups in the critical last round Luke McShane beat David Howell with a brillaint queen sacrifice checkmate. Mickey Adams had two passed pawns for the exchange (and I would have played on but what do I know) but agreed to a draw.

[Hans Jung]

So GM Luke McShane and GM Mickey Adams tie for first. Is there a playoff?

[Wayne Komer]

British Championship 2018

August 5, 2018

Michael Adams and Luke McShane tied at the end of the tourney and are in the second game of a playoff now. The time limit is 20+10.

Mickey won the first game and unless Luke wins the second, Mickey is British Champion.

See the transmission with Simon Williams as the commentator:

https://chess24.com/en/watch/live-to...hip-2018/5/1/1

[Wayne Komer]

British Championship 2018

August 5, 2018

Round Nine

Round 9, August 5
Howell, David –- McShane, Luke
C72 Ruy Lopez, Modern Steinitz Defence

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 d6 5.O-O Bd7 6.d4 exd4 7.Nxd4 Nxd4 8.Bxd7+ Qxd7 9.Qxd4 Nf6 10.Nc3 Be7 11.Bf4 O-O 12.Rad1 Qc6 13.Nd5 Nxd5 14.exd5 Qxc2 15.Rc1 Qf5 16.Rxc7 Bf6 17.Qd2 Rfc8 18.Rfc1 Rxc7 19.Rxc7 Re8 20.h3 h5 21.b3 g5 22.Be3 Re5 23.Rxb7 Rxd5 24.Qc1 Be5 25.Rb4 Qd3 26.f4 Qe2 27.Kh2 gxf4 28.Bxf4 Rd2 29.Qc6 Kg7 30.a3 h4 31.Rc4 Qe3 32.Qe4 Qg3+ 0-1

Round 9, August 5
Gormally, Daniel –- Adams, Michael
C45 Scotch, Mieses variation

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nxc6 bxc6 6.e5 Qe7 7.Qe2 Nd5 8.c4 Ba6 9.a3 g6 10.h4 h6 11.Nd2 Bg7 12.Qe4 Nb6 13.f4 d5 14.cxd5 cxd5 15.Qc2 Bxf1 16.Kxf1 O-O-O 17.Nf3 f6 18.Be3 fxe5 19.fxe5 Rhf8 20.Bc5 Qxe5 21.Bxf8 Rxf8 22.Re1 Qxb2 23.Qxb2 Bxb2 24.Re6 Bf6 25.Kf2 Kd7 26.Re2 c5 27.Kg3 c4 28.h5 Rg8 29.hxg6 Rxg6+ 30.Kf4 Bg7 31.Rhe1 Kd6 32.Nh4 Rg5 33.Nf3 Rg6 1/2-1/2


Simon Williams: – "Mickey has made a few errors in the Championship. How could he allow Danny Gormally a tie?"

The position after White’'s 31.Rhe1. Mickey plays Kd6? Instead of 31... …Rf6+.



Round 9, August 5
Ghasi, Ameet –- Jones, Gawain
A04 Reti Opening

1.Nf3 g6 2.g3 Bg7 3.d4 c5 4.c3 Qc7 5.Bg2 Nf6 6.O-O O-O 7.Re1 d5 8.Bf4 Qb6 9.Qb3 Nc6 10.Nbd2 cxd4 11.Qxb6 axb6 12.Nxd4 Nxd4 13.cxd4 Bd7 14.a3 Rfc8 15.Rac1 e6 16.Be5 Ne8 17.Bxg7 Kxg7 18.e3 Nd6 19.Bf1 Kf8 20.Bd3 Bb5 21.Bxb5 Nxb5 22.Nf3 f6 23.Red1 g5 24.h3 Ke7 25.Ne1 Rc6 26.Nd3 Rac8 27.Kf1 Nd6 28.Ke1 h5 29.Ke2 Ne4 30.g4 Kd7 31.gxh5 Rh8 32.h4 gxh4 33.Nf4 Kd6 34.Rxc6+ bxc6 35.Rh1 e5 36.Ng6 Rxh5 37.Rxh4 Rg5 38.dxe5+ fxe5 39.Rh6 Kd7 40.f3 Nc5 41.f4 exf4 42.exf4 Rg2+ 43.Kf3 Rxb2 44.Ne5+ Kc7 45.Rxc6+ Kb7 46.Rd6 Rb3+ 47.Kg4 Rxa3 48.Rxd5 Ra4 49.Kf5 Kc7 50.Nf3 Ra3 51.Nd4 Kb7 52.Ne6 Kc6 53.Re5 Rd3 54.Nxc5 bxc5 55.Re1 Kd5 56.Kf6 c4 57.f5 c3 58.Kg7 Rg3+ 59.Kf7 c2 60.Rc1 Rc3 61.f6 Ke5 62.Re1+ Kf5 63.Rf1+ Ke5 64.Re1+ Kd6 65.Rc1 Kd7 66.Kg6 Ke8 67.Kf5 Kf7 68.Ke5 Rc8 69.Kd4 Kxf6 70.Kd3 Ke5 71.Rxc2 Rxc2 72.Kxc2 1/2-1/2

Round 9, August 5
Fodor, Tamas –- Hebden, Mark
E94 King’s Indian, Orthodox variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 O-O 6.Be2 e5 7.O-O Nbd7 8.Qc2 c6 9.Rd1 Qe7 10.Bf1 h6 11.Rb1 Ng4 12.h3 Ngf6 13.dxe5 Nxe5 14.Nxe5 Qxe5 15.Be3 Re8 16.f3 g5 17.Qf2 a6 18.Rd2 Nh5 19.Bd4 Qf4 20.Bxg7 Nxg7 21.Rbd1 Re6 22.Na4 b5 23.Nb6 Rb8 24.c5 Ne8 25.cxd6 Rxd6 26.Rxd6 Nxd6 27.Qc5 Nb7 28.Qxc6 Be6 29.Nd5 Qe5 30.Qxa6 Nc5 31.Qa7 1-0

Round 9, August 5
Fernandez, Daniel –- Pritchett, Craig
D02 Queen’'s Bishop game

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.Bf4 d5 4.e3 Bd6 5.Bg3 Ne4 6.Nbd2 f5 7.Bh4 Be7 8.Bxe7 Qxe7 9.Ne5 O-O 10.g3 Nd7 11.Nxd7 Bxd7 12.c3 e5 13.Qb3 exd4 14.cxd4 Nxd2 15.Kxd2 Be6 16.Rc1 c6 17.h4 Rac8 18.Qa4 Bd7 19.Bg2 a6 20.Rc3 Be6 21.Rb3 g6 22.Rc1 Rcd8 23.Qa5 Bc8 24.a4 h6 25.Qc5 Qxc5 26.dxc5 d4 27.Rd3 dxe3+ 28.fxe3 Rxd3+ 29.Kxd3 Rd8+ 30.Kc3 Kg7 31.b4 Kf6 32.b5 axb5 33.axb5 cxb5 34.Kb4 Rd3 35.Re1 Rd2 36.Bh1 Rb2+ 37.Ka5 b4 38.Kb6 b3 39.Bxb7 Be6 40.Ba6 Rd2 41.c6 b2 42.c7 Rc2 43.Rb1 Ba2 44.Bc4 Rxc4 45.Rxb2 1-0

Standings after Round Nine

1-2 Adams, McShane 7
3-4 Howell, Jones 6.5
5-11 Fodor, Eggleston, Pert, Arkell, Fernandez, Ghasi, Gormally 6
12-18 Hawkins, Tan, Trent, Wells, Palliser, Robertson, McPhillips 5.5
etc

Adams and McShane head to a playoff.

Playoff Match Formats

The playoffs will be run on a knockout basis, and matches within this format will be played in one of the following formats:

Format 1 – Two players are tied

Two games, G/20 + 10’.

If still tied, two games, G/5 + 3’.

If still tied, an Armageddon game, white G/5, black G/4, 2’ from move 61.

[Wayne Komer]

British Championship 2018

August 5, 2018

Playoffs

Rapids

Game One, Rapid 20 + 10
August 5, 2018
Adams, Michael -– McShane Luke
C50 Giuoco Piano

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d3 Nf6 5.O-O d6 6.c3 O-O 7.a4 a5 8.Bg5 Qe7 9.Nbd2 Be6 10.Qb3 Rab8 11.Rad1 h6 12.Bh4 Ba7 13.Bxe6 Qxe6 14.Bxf6 Qxb3 15.Nxb3 gxf6 16.Nbd2 Rfd8 17.Nh4 Ne7 18.Nc4 b5 19.Nxa5 Bb6 20.b4 Bxa5 21.bxa5 b4 22.cxb4 Rxb4 23.g3 Ra8 24.Rb1 Rxa4 25.Rfc1 c5 26.Rb6 Rd8 27.a6 f5 28.Nxf5 Nxf5 29.exf5 Kg7 30.Kf1 Ra2 31.g4 Kf6 32.Rxc5 Kg5 33.Rc4 d5 34.h4+ Kxh4 35.Rxh6+ Kg5 36.Rh5+ Kf6 37.Rc6+ Ke7 38.Rh7 Rb8 39.Re6+ Kf8 40.Rh8+ Kg7 41.Rxb8 fxe6 42.fxe6 Kf6 43.Ra8 Kxe6 44.a7 Kf7 45.Rh8 1-0

Game Two, Rapid 20 + 10
August 5, 2018
McShane, Luke -– Adams, Michael
C50 Giuoco Piano

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d3 Nf6 5.O-O O-O 6.h3 h6 7.c3 d6 8.Re1 a6 9.Bb3 Re8 10.Nbd2 Be6 11.Nf1 Bxb3 12.axb3 d5 13.Qe2 Qd7 14.b4 Bf8 15.Ng3 Rad8 16.Kf1 g6 17.Qc2 Re6 18.Qa4 dxe4 19.dxe4 Qd3+ 20.Kg1 Red6 21.Be3 Qc4 22.Rac1 Kh7 23.b3 Qe6 24.c4 R6d7 25.c5 Rd3 26.Rc4 Na7 27.Bc1 Nd7 28.Qa2 Nb8 29.Bd2 Nbc6 30.Nf1 Nb5 31.Ne3 Nbd4 32.Nxd4 Nxd4 33.Bc3 Nb5 34.Bb2 c6 35.Ba1 h5 36.Rc2 Bh6 37.Nc4 Nd4 38.Bxd4 R8xd4 39.Qb2 h4 40.Rce2 Bf4 41.Qc2 Kg7 42.Rf1 Kg8 43.Ree1 Qd7 44.Nd6 Rd2 45.Qc3 R2d3 46.Qc2 Rd2 47.Qb1 Rxb4 48.Nc4 Rd4 49.Rd1 Rb5 50.b4 a5 51.Rxd4 Qxd4 52.Nd6 Qxb4 53.Nxb5 Qxc5 54.Nc7 b5 55.Rd1 a4 56.Qd3 Bg5 57.Qd7 Qc4 58.Qe8+ Kh7 59.Qxe5 Qc2 60.Rf1 Qd2 61.Ne8 Bh6 62.Nf6+ Kg7 63.Ng4+ Kh7 64.Qf6 Bg7 65.Qxh4+ Kg8 66.Nf6+ Bxf6 67.Qxf6 a3 68.e5 Qc3 69.Rd1 Kh7 70.Rd8 1-0

Position after 51. Rxd4



It looked as if Mickey would win this game until 51. Rxd4, when Mickey replied Qxd4 instead of 51...…exd4 and Luke wins the game and forces more playoff games.

Simon Williams is broadcasting on Twitch. He is very visceral, that is, very emotional and talks of having a pint as soon as he can, coffee if the playoffs continue. He is able to put several of his friends on who are celebrating the championships – Gormally, Arkell and Fiona Steil-Antoni

Comments online

• Mickey is one of chess' gentlemen, Luke is a favourite writer of mine. Buy New In Chess for it.

It is so warm in Montréal (as everywhere else) that the beer goes down easily.

• I recall Lev Aronian once said if Luke McShane was a dedicated pro he'd be one of the world's top players.

• There is nothing more annoying than drunk people who think they are funny

• Giuoco Piano a strange must win opening

Blitz Games

Game One, Blitz 5+3
Adams, Michael -– McShane, Luke
C75 Ruy Lopez, Modern Steinitz Defence

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 d6 5.c3 Bd7 6.d4 g6 7.Bg5 f6 8.Be3 Qe7 9.O-O Bh6 10.c4 exd4 11.Bxh6 Nxh6 12.Nxd4 Nxd4 13.Bxd7+ Kxd7 14.Qxd4 Qe5 15.Qd3 Ng4 16.Qh3 Qe6 17.Nc3 Ne5 18.Qh6 c6 19.b3 g5 20.Rad1 Kc7 21.f3 Rag8 22.Ne2 Qf7 23.Nd4 Rg6 24.Qh5 Rd8 25.Nf5 Rd7 26.Rd2 g4 27.fxg4 Nxg4 28.Qh3 Qe6 29.Qf3 Qe5 30.g3 Qc5+ 31.Kg2 Ne5 32.Qe2 Rg8 33.Rfd1 Rgd8 34.Nd4 Re8 35.Qf2 h5 36.h3 Qb4 37.Qxf6 Qc3 38.Qf2 Nf7 39.Rd3 Qa5 40.Rf3 Ng5 41.Rf5 Re5 42.Re1 Rde7 43.Re2 Kd7 44.h4 Ne6 45.Nf3 Rxf5 46.exf5 Nc5 47.f6 Rf7 48.Ng5 Rf8 49.f7 Qc3 50.Qf3 Nd3 51.Kh2 Qd4 52.Qf5+ Kc7 53.Ne6+ 1-0

Game Two, Blitz 5+3
McShane, Luke –- Adams, Michael
C50 Giuoco Piano

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.O-O Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.c3 h6 7.Nbd2 O-O 8.h3 Re8 9.Re1 a5 10.Nf1 Ba7 11.Ng3 Be6 12.Bb5 Bd7 13.Ba4 Ne7 14.Bc2 Ng6 15.d4 b5 16.Be3 c5 17.dxe5 dxe5 18.Qc1 c4 19.Nf5 Bxe3 20.Qxe3 Qc7 21.Rad1 Rad8 22.Rd6 Be6 23.Ra6 Ra8 24.Rxa8 Rxa8 25.Rd1 b4 26.Ba4 Rb8 27.g3 Qb6 28.Qxb6 Rxb6 29.Rd8+ Kh7 30.Nd2 bxc3 31.bxc3 Rb2 32.a3 Rxd2 33.Rxd2 Nxe4 34.Rd8 Bxf5 35.Bc2 Nxg3 36.Bxf5 Nxf5 37.Ra8 Nf4 38.Rxa5 Ne2+ 39.Kf1 Nxc3 40.Rc5 Nd6 41.Rc6 Nde4 42.Ke1 Na4 43.Rxc4 Nec5 44.Rb4 Nd3+ 0-1

Simon goes over to talk to Fiona at the Three Lions Pub and they congratulate Mickey Adams on winning the British Championship.

Mickey gets £10000 and Luke £5000

[Hans Jung]

Congratulations to Mickey Adams for winning another British Championship