Awarded ECF Magazine of the Year 2017!
The Gazette
November 2017
Registered Charity Number 263049
Supporting Chess Players with Sight Loss
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To contact a member of the committee, please see the Braille Chess Association’s website where there is a facility for emailing each officer.
Note:The views expressed in the Gazette do not necessarily reflect the policies or views of the BCA, nor those of the editor.
CONTENTS
Editorial
Forthcoming Events
25th Windermere Chess Theme Break 2018
Haaksbergen 2018
All Under One Roof
Membership Secretary’s Report
Annual Best Game Prize Reminder
Correspondence Chess Director’s Report
Another Fine Performance in the BCCL
A Thrilling Game from a New Member
7th BCA Email Tournament
BCA Championship 2017 – A Poem by Joan Shorrock
A New Line in the Sicilian Dragon
Owen’s Internet Game
Prevailing in Paignton!
SCCU 125th Anniversary North v South Match
Reporter Ross!
ECF Grades for BCA Members July 2017
IBCA Congress Highlights
Chris’s Puzzle
Millennium Club
Personalia
Award Winning Gazette
Editorial
Fashions come and go with every passing season. Whether it’s clothing, home décor, music or haircuts, outmoded styles are shunned in favour of the latest fads. However, this pattern is often cyclical. The outdated eventually becomes retro and therefore fashionable once again! Can the same be true of trends in chess? This issue features an article on the Sicilian Dragon from 1966. Anyone tempted to disregard it might do well to reconsider as they could be ignoring a line that’s about to be revitalised! This vintagepiece also gives a fascinating insight into the way in which opening theory was developed before the advent of chess engines changed our game forever.
Nineteenth century dedicated followers of chess fashion appreciated coffee house moves, clever combinations and risky sacrifices. In the twentieth century the focus shifted towards a scientific approach, with more emphasis on accuracy than crowd pleasing. Today, most players use computers to analyse their games, but who doesn’t still love a game played with flare and originality, even if it contains a few flaws? This gazette containsgames that members enjoyed playingand wanted to share. One member deliberately eschewed recommended opening lines in order to think for himself. What better way to buck the trend and make a personal fashion statement!
If you have a recent game that you’re proud of don’t forget to read the article by our Chairman, reminding us all that the deadline for entries to the Annual Best Game Prize is fast approaching. Please also note an important change to the 2018 Chairman’s Cup event, which will now be held in memory of Jan Lovell, a much loved and very hard working member who passed away earlier this year.
For a final thought on the fickle world of fashion, I fear that no matter how long I keep my maroon floral polyester caftan dress that was all the rage in the 1970s, it may never again be in vogue. BCA shirtson the other hand, are undoubtedly timeless classics of enduring appeal. So if you’ve got one, why not flaunt it? Read on to discover which member proudly wore his to a mainstream event recently, no doubt helping to raise the profile of our BCA!
Please send me your articles for the Februaryissue by the end of December or before Christmas if at all possible.
Julie Leonard
Forthcoming Events
16th to 18th March 2018: AGM Weekend Chess Congress
This will take place at The Hallmark Hotel, Derby. The AGM will be held at 2pm on Saturday 17th March. We are pleased to be returning to this popular hotel with its excellent facilities. The hotel is very conveniently located within a few yards walk of Derby railway station.
There will be two five round chess tournaments. The Open section is open to all visually impaired chess players and associate members of the BCA. The Challengers is limited to those graded 100 or below. The entry fee for both tournaments is £10. The cost of dinner, bed and breakfast for members and associate members is £40 per person per night for Friday and Saturday nights in a single room, and £36 per person per night in a double/twin room. For non members and those staying on the Sunday night, the cost will be £58 per person in a single room and £51 per person in a double/twin. The closing date for entries is 26th January. Please send your entry fee and full payment for all accommodation to Gill Smith by this date. Please send any resolutions or other items for inclusion on the AGM agenda to Guy Whitehouse by 31st December 2017. Also, let Guy know if you are planning to attend the AGM without staying at the hotel so that we can let you have the AGM papers.
Organiser Steve Burnell.
16th to 23rd June 2018: Jan Lovell Memorial Chairman’s Cup, Whitehall Hotel, Bournemouth
The Chairman's Cup is open to all visually impaired players whose grade or estimated grade is 140 or belowin either the July 2017 or January 2018 grading listsand to BCA associate members within the same grading limit. The event is played over 7 rounds with one round each day. Players may request a half point bye in any one of the first six rounds. If there are sufficient numbers there will be two sections. Entry fee: £10. Cost of dinner, bed and breakfast accommodation to members and associate members of BCA: £270 for the week. The cost to those booking for less than the full week will be £45 per day for members and associate members. The cost to non-members of BCA: £357 for the week or £57 per day. The closing date for bookings is 30th April 2018. Bookings accepted after that date, at the discretion of the organiser, will be subject to a late booking fee of £10 per person. Bookings, including full payment, should be sent to: Mrs Gill Smith (see list of BCA Officers for contact details). Please note: Rooms will not be reserved until full payment has been received.
The Whitehall Hotel has become very popular with our members who particularly appreciate the good food and the very friendly and helpful staff. The hotel is situated a relatively short downhill walk to the seafront, lower gardens and shops. In addition to the chess tournament there will be a varied programme of social activities. Anyone with ideas for social events, or who wants further information is invited to contact the organisers:
John and Pam Jenkins
A message from John Jenkins: I think the format of the 2016 Chairman's Cup went down fairly well with most attendees. There was one game played every morning at 10.00am except the first night when the chess started at 7.30pm. Entertainment included a simultaneous display, barber shop singers, a quiz, jazz in the bar, a murder mystery, and a final night concert. I can arrange trips out to suit individuals. The Lighthouse is functioning again, offering music and various exhibitions etc. Please give me feedback for possible improvements.
Booking Conditions and Procedures
If you have any queries about the hotel or the tournament please contact the organiser.
Blind and partially sighted UK residents under the age of 25 receive free entry and free accommodation when playing in BCA events. In appropriate circumstances, free accommodation is also available to a parent or guardian accompanying a junior.
Visually impaired UK residents in their first year of membership receive their first BCA weekend event free or £100 reduction in the cost of a week-long event. They may also be accompanied by a guide or companion who will receive the same concession.
For a first event we ask for payment in advance and we then make a refund at the event.
You may pay in these ways:
Cheques payable to Braille Chess Association should be sent to Gill Smith, see the front of the Gazette for her address. Online or telephone payments may be made to:
Braille Chess Association, sort code 40 52 40, account number 00082456.
Credit/debit card payments may be made through the BCA website.
If you pay by direct payment then you should inform Gill when the payment has been made.
Bookings accepted after the closing date are subject to a £10 late booking penalty for each person. Late bookings and entries are accepted at the discretion of the organiser. Bookings are confirmed when full payment has been received. Payments can only be refunded within the time limit set in the terms and conditions set by the hotels.
Members are advised to take out holiday insurance to cover themselves.
When contacting Gill please let her know if you want a single, double or twin room and if you have a preference for a bath or a shower. And remember, if emailing Gill, copy in the tournament organiser.
Also say whether any of the following apply.
1 If you will be bringing a guide dog;
2 If you are on a special diet;
3 If you have mobility problems and would benefit from being located in a room near to a lift;
4 If you are a wheelchair user;
5 If you feel you would have any special difficulties in an emergency such as a fire evacuation;
6 Any other special requirements.
By entering a BCA tournament a player is deemed to have consented for their forename, surname, club, results and possibly also their gender to be sent to the ECF for grading purposes. For juniors, the date of birth is also required if they are to get the age-related grading bonus they are entitled to.
Please note: BCA reserves the right to refuse or cancel any entry or to exclude any person from any event it runs.
25th Windermere Chess Theme Break 2018
There may still be places available for the ever popular chess theme break which will be held from Saturday, 27th January 2018 to Saturday, 3rd February 2018. If you’d like to join Peter and Celia Gibbs for this wonderful week of coaching and a Chess Handicap Cup Competition at the Windermere Manor Hotel do book up as soon as you can! Please refer back to the May 2017 gazette for further details.
Haaksbergen 2018
I'd like to encourage those who haven't already done so to give thetournament in Haaksbergen, the Netherlands a try. It's a remarkablyfriendly event in which we stay with host families and there is asmuch emphasis given to relaxation and social activities as there is tothe chess. There is a drinks/social event on the Friday evening wherewe renew old acquaintances and people are put into groups of fourplayers, and then the chess starts on the Saturday. There is a roundin the morning and afternoon (two hours per player for each game), andthen there is a further round on Sunday morning. On the Saturdayevening there is a party at the playing venue and on the Sundayevening people go out to dinner with their host families.
We have heavily subsidised the last few Haaksbergen trips and I'mfairly sure that the committee meeting in November will decide to doso again.
The dates for next year's events are 13th to 15th April. Typically wehave travelled out a day before the start date (so this time the 12th)and begun the journey back on the Monday after the event, thoughpeople are free to make their own travel arrangements if they wish.
If you are interested in going on next year's trip, do get in touchwith me (contact details at the front of this gazette). I have to getthe entry forms in by March next year, but I'd have to book travelarrangements much sooner than that, so get back to me immediatelyyou've made a decision to go.
Guy Whitehouse
All Under One Roof
Members can claim support for attending any of these congresses from the Congress Support Scheme. You just have to flag up with the Congress Support Officer, Mark Kirkham, that you intend to participate, and assuming you have not exceeded the amount you are entitled to claim in a year and that you send in a small report on the tournament afterwards you could probably offset the vast bulk of costs incurred by playing in an event. If you do choose to claim for attending one of these tournaments, or indeed for playing at any other tournament covered by the scheme, please follow the guidelines and send the Congress Support Officer, Mark Kirkham, travel receipts and the required report.
This list should not be treated as definitive and is only as complete as I can make it whilst complying with gazette deadlines. This is particularly a problem with e2e4 events. The following events take place in hotels so the accommodation and tournament itself are at the same venue.
Castle Chess
These are organised by the Castle Chess directors, Tony and Barbara Corfe and Mark Shaw. The website gives the email address. Castle Chess are well used to having visually impaired participants in their events. I have also found that other participants in Castle Chess events have got to know and befriended BCA players.
Please note that unless otherwise stated, all Castle Chess congresses are now six-round Swiss events and you are allowed to take a half-point bye in any two of the first five rounds. The grading bands are an U195 Championship which also has an U175 Premier section, the Major for those under 155 with an Intermediate section for U135s, and a Minor section for those with a grade less than 115 with a Challengers section for U95s.
Currently dates for 2018 events cannot be finalised because the hotels in question have not confirmed room rates which means entry forms can’t be produced. Having spoken to Mark Shaw I’m told that the hope is to hold a congress in Fareham in February and Hereford in March next year at around the same time as those tournaments were run this year.
e2e4 events Website:
At this writing I can find no e2e4 events listed for the period covered by this gazette. However if you wish to make enquiries yourself, contact the main organiser, Sean Hewitt.
Other Events
3rd– 5th November 2017, 16th 4NCL FIDE rated Congress, Holiday Inn, Coventry
This is a five-round Swiss. The sections are a FIDE Open, FIDE U-2000 (ECF U-175), and an ECF U-135. Contact Mike Truran. Website:
6th – 10thNovember 2017, 18th Royal Beacon Seniors Congress, Royal Beacon Hotel, Exmouth
This event is open to “Juniors” (those aged 50 – 64 on 5th November) and Seniors (those aged 65 or over on 5th November). Unfortunately no details are provided on the entry form as to grading bands for tournament sections, though they may be the same as those for the Torbay Congress mentioned below. Contact R.H. Jones, web:
10th – 12th November 2017, 51st Torbay Congress, Livermead House Hotel, Torquay
This is a five-round congress with four sections — Open, U-170, U-140 and U-120. Contact Phil McConnell.
3rd – 7th January 2018, Irish 50+ and 65+ Championships, Talbot Hotel, Stillorgan, Dublin
Two groups, those aged over 50 and over 65 are combined into one open event. You have to be a member of the Irish Chess Union to enter. There are seven rounds with a time control of 90 minutes per player per game with a 30 second increment. Contact John McMorrow.
13th – 14th January 2018 Somerset New Year Congress, Walton Park Hotel, Clevedon, North Somerset
Five round seeded Swiss tournament with 3 sections – U175, U145 & U120. Contact: Rebecca Gardiner
Web:
19th – 21st January 2018, 17th 4NCL FIDE rated Congress, Old Swan Hotel, Harrogate
The tournament sections and contact details for the tournament are the same as for the 16th 4NCL FIDE rated Congress mentioned above.
26th – 28th January 2018, the Simon Bartlet Memorial Congress, TheLivermead House Hotel, Torquay
This is a five-round long play congress in memory of the popular southwest player Simon Bartlet who passed away in January 2017. The sections are an Open, U-170, U-140 & U-120. Contact John Constable.
23rd – 25th February 2017, 25thBunratty Chess Festival, Bunratty Castle Hotel, Bunratty, Ireland
Nigel Short described this as the Rolls Royce of weekenders. There are four sections: Masters over ELO 2000, Challengers ELO 1600 to 1999, Major ELO 1200 to 1599 & Minor under Elo 1200.
Guy Whitehouse.
Membership Secretary’s Report
I would like to extend a very warm welcome to two new 5 year members Anthony Campbell, a previous member of many years ago and HemsleyMallaby who joins us for the first time. Hemsley is looking forward to developing his chess skills as he now has the opportunity to study the game of Kings! I am also very pleased that Alan Kearsley has now rejoined for 5 years. Alan and I often played cards together and if he is as good at cards as chess then I'm sure he would do very well at one of our chess tournaments. Indeed he certainly did well at the mini short play tournament at Peter and Celia's chess theme break this year.