25.9.20 - English
GMs compete in the Czech
Republic, Germany,
Hungary and online in
the absence of UK
over-the-board chess.
England’s
top grandmasters, most of
them ranked among the
world’s best 100 players,
are battling against the
rule of six and other
restrictions which have
virtually eliminated
over-the-board chess in the
UK.
Michael
Adams, the England No 1,
took eye-catching advantage
of the better opportunities
in central Europe with a
Caruana-esque run of seven
straight wins in classic
tournaments. It was a
performance which harked
back to the seven-time
British champion’s peak
years in 2000-02, when he
was ranked No 4 in the world
... more.
Back in
the UK, the national 4NCL
league is flourishing
online, England’s juniors
performed above expectations
in the online European youth
championships, while Simon
Williams is one of the most
popular web commentators.
For
over-the-board British
chess, in contrast, the
immediate outlook remains
challenging to bleak, with
the new restrictions coming
at the start of the club,
county and congress seasons.
The Northumbria Congress
announced for this weekend
was a bold attempt at a
revival, but it had to be
cancelled due to the
North-east lockdown.
There is
still hope for the future,
though. The English Chess
Federation is in a sound
financial position, and its
membership renewals have
been above expectations
despite the lack of
activity. There will be
scope in future for
Innovatory events with a mix
of online qualifiers and
over-the-board finals to
harness English chess’s
current strange pattern of
simultaneous boom and slump.
Diagram: Loek van
Wely v Richard Rapport,
Solingen v Baden-Baden,
Bundesliga 2020. Black
to play. Can you find
Black’s winning move and
why it prompted White’s
immediate resignation?
Read more and see
solution
