CHESS MOVES The newsletter of the English Chess Federation | 6 issues per year | July/August 2015 Anum Sheikh - 7 / 9 and Third Place Outright / Bronze Medal at the European Schools in Konya! IN THIS ISSUE - ECF News 2-4 Grand Prix 11-12 Tournament Round-Up 5-6 Book Reviews 13 Junior Chess 7-8 Supplement --- BCC 9 Chess Editorial 4-6 1 ECF NEWS Tradewise agree generous funding to assist English chess The English Chess Federation and the Tradewise Insurance Company are pleased to announce that Tradewise have agreed generous funding to assist English chess. Building on its sponsorship of the Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival – acclaimed as the world’s leading open chess tournament pioneering women’s participation – Tradewise will now be sponsoring the English Chess Federation, in order to enable — 1) The Hastings International Chess Congress, the world’s oldest tournament, to continue as a fixture in English chess heritage; 2) The ECF Grand Prix to incorporate new prizes for club players, and incentives for female participation; 3) Assistance for promising players to earn international title norms in England Tradewise Chairman James Humphreys stated, “This is a great step forwards in the modernising of chess sponsor- ship. All with a motor vehicle must purchase insurance, and with every policy purchased via Tradewise 64, the greater the benefit for the world of chess. I sincerely believe this initiative is one that will be noticed, and applaud the ECF for making this happen” ECF President Dominic Lawson remarked, “I am delighted my initial discussions with James Humphreys, during the recent Tradewise Open in Gibraltar, have ultimately led to this agreement, which will safeguard the Hastings tour- nament – a fixture on the international chess scene since 1895” Tradewise will become the English Chess Federation’s official insurance provider. For ECF members only – Tradewise aims to match or better your current insurance premium, with as much as 10% of your premium paid back into chess. Tradewise is the only motor car insurance company that provides UK-wide cover for your laptop or tablet. Please contact Bob Kane for details – [email protected] Visit the Tradewise website here – https://www.tradewise64.com/ – Dominic Lawson, ECF President ECF Player of the Year GM Jonathan Hawkins, co-British Champion, has won the Player of the Year poll among ECF members for 2014-2015. This was very narrowly achieved over GM Keith Arkell. GM David Howell came third, untitled Matthew Webb fourth and GM Michael Adams fifth. The overall top votes went to: Jonathan Hawkins – 45; Keith Arkell – 43; David Howell – 31; Matthew Webb – 26; Michael Adams – 20; Nigel Short – 19; James Adair – 14; Alan Merry – 14 2 230 votes were cast in total, an increase from 136 last year … – Stewart Reuben [picture of Jonathan by John Upham Tradewise sponsorship update In addition to providing funding for the Hastings International Chess Congress, Tradewise Insurance have kindly provided the following prizes (below) to support players on the Grand Prix tournament circuit. New prizes are introduced for the most improved players via the grading system – this will appeal to the keen club player, who scores 11/12 for his club in a season, or those turning out for county matches. Another new prize is for juniors who improve against grading (entry grade 100 and a minimum of 24 games) – 100 > 140 and 140+ Category Open Female 180+ £1,000.00 £1,000.00 160 – 179 £200.00 £200.00 140 – 159 £200.00 £200.00 120 – 139 £200.00 £200.00 U120 £200.00 £200.00 Most improved player by grading New U180+ adult £350.00 Most improved player by grading New U140+ adult £350.00 Most improved player by grading Junior 100 – 140 £150.00 Most improved player by grading Junior 140+ £150.00 May I take this opportunity to thank the ECF Directors and grading team who have worked on the various formu- las and data collection features. Tradewise funding is also available in the following areas — to encourage female participation in chess; to support norm tournaments and individual norm seekers Please support this initiative by registering your vehicle with tradewise64.com – for more details please contact Bob Kane at [email protected] RIP Joseph Henry French Born Elephant & Castle 11.1.1936 – died Basingstoke 14.5.2015 Taken, with permission, from the BCM website, written by editor James Pratt - www.britishchessmagazine.co.uk Joe learnt his chess, which was always basic, as an evacuee in Lancashire, and latterly in Kent, where he was to feel so at home. A cockney, he grew up wishing he’d fought in the war, played-down some shell-shock, was a boy soldier in the 1950s and a film extra. He was in ‘Passport to Pimlico’ as a child and ‘Carry On Sergeant’ as the hands of comedian Kenneth Williams, assembling a machine gun. But good humour and a sense of proportion never left him. He took dancing lessons, partnered Joyce Blair, Lionel’s sister. But I digress and with good reason. I am still so 3 upset. He played chess for Sainsbury’s in London, I believe, where he met John Yeo. He moved to Basingstoke about 40 years ago, drawn by the government package that also brought Dick Boxall and Ken Harman. A triumvi- rate indeed! He found work at the AA, a good head for figures never leaving him thereafter. The Basingstoke and, of course Hampshire, junior world was re-established and eventually flourished: Oliver Worsfold winning the U15s at Blackpool 1988 and Kieran Smallbone and, of course, Peter Roberson, becoming teenage masters. He touched families and parents from the Lushers, Hollands, Hunts, Geidelbergs, Jacobs, Herons, Cobbs. He taught the game in several schools, at last earning the respect, and involvement, that he so craved. He received the Presidents Award for Services to Chess in 2004. He was a friend to so many, my mate for almost 40 years. To his brothers George and Dave and his large family of nieces and nephews, all of whom he doted on, I send con- dolences. RIP Neil Carr Neil died on Monday 25 May in Jersey at the age of 47. He was on holiday in Jersey with his wife and four chil- dren. He took his dog for a walk and was found dead of a heart attack. He was very fit and there was no warning of any problems. Neil was a FIDE Master, his last rating being 2277. He was very, very active as a child. Possibly he could be regarded as a child prodigy. Because of his great inter- est in chess, the whole family chipped in. Thus his father Les, mother Mich, broth- er Trevor and sister Susan were all fixtures to be seen at chess events. They added greatly to our chess family in that period. The London Central YMCA was a major centre of activity at that time and members of the family had various administra- tive posts in the chess club. I remember Neil asking me about how the Seeded Swiss System worked when he was about 11. It wasn’t universal at that time. I laid out the pairings cards on a table and asked him how he would do the pairings. Of course he had no problems. I remember our being partners at bridge when he was still very young. He also did well at poker, but we never played against each other. He was also a cricket enthusiast. Andrew Martin describes his chess as energetic, imaginative and tactically astute. But it was the sheer pleasantness, good manners and social grace that stand out about Neil. [picture by John Upham] He won the British U11 Championship in 1978 and the Under 16 1981. He played for England on board 1 in the Glorney Cup in 1986 – above Michael Adams. He was British Lightning (10 seconds a move) Champion in 1984 and 1991. Throughout his life he lived in and played for Essex. He was also a mainstay of Writtle Chess Club. But he virtually gave up playing internationally in 1989. He concentrated first on academic work and later on the money markets. The 100th British Chess Championships in Torquay 2013 rekindled his interest temporarily. He scored 7/11 there; took part in the British Rapidplay and scored 5.5/9 in the London Chess Classic Open all in the same year. They were the only internationally rated games he played this century. Our condolences to his wife Shelley, his children, and the family who we knew so well. Everybody in the chess world who met him, gained something from the experience and has now lost something. – Stewart Reuben 4 Tournament Round-Up East Budleigh Simultaneous Chess Display – GM Keith Arkell On Saturday 6th June Grandmaster Keith Arkell played simultaneously against an East Budleigh combined team. The proceedings started in a grand manner with the ringing of wedding bells in the village Parish Church next door! Then in a double round display Keith played 18 games against his opponents without loss and conceding no draws. This was an impressive display by one of England’s finest grandmasters. Keith has kindly annotated the fol- lowing games which he considered were the best played against him during the afternoon. From his notes it can be seen that both opponents put up a stiff fight and both were close to drawing at one stage. Keith’s endgame skill and his famous CK opening was much in evidence throughout the afternoon. Chris Scott vs Keith Arkell 1.d4 Nf6 2.Bf4 e6 3.e3 c5 4.c3 Be7 5.Bd3 d5 6.h3 Nbd7 7.Nd2 0–0 8.Ngf3 b6 9.0–0 Bb7 10.Re1 Perhaps White should play 10 Qc2 to prevent…Ne4.