
The Chess Classic and a Simpsons Simul
By Allan Beardsworth
My wife and I have a house in one of the prettiest valleys of the Lake District,
one of the most beautiful parts of England. The mantra for visitors to that
region, as for tourists everywhere, is “take only photos, leave only memories”.
And now, a week after the equally splendid London Chess Classic, all I am left
with is memories of my visit to the event. So this brief article is simply one
keen amateur’s perspectives.

Malcolm Pein receiving the Sport and Recreation Alliance’s Community
Sport and
Recreation Award from the Alliance’s President HRH Prince Edward Earl
of Wessex
First of all the chess world, and the English chess community in particular,
owe a massive vote of thanks to Malcolm Pein for the vision he had in setting
this tournament up; and Malcolm’s tireless energy in running such a mammoth
event. I hope that he finds time over the seasonal break to relax and celebrate
what he has achieved. To these thanks, should also be added thanks to the sponsors
and the team of officials without whom such events simply cannot happen.
Secondly, the elite players: to be in the packed commentary room, listening
for every nugget of insight; to hear the rapidity of explanations of lines seen.
Vishy’s explanation of the final
stages of his game versus Magnus, was a particular treat; and I would also
highlight Vlad who seems to make chess simple. As a parent myself (though, alas,
none of my children have any interest in chess) it is really nice to see all
the players willingly pose for photos with their young fans; the ability to
meet our heroes is key to perpetuating our game.

Postgame analysis by Vishy Anand with GM David Howell
Thirdly, and here I am lucky in being invited to the VIP room, as a donor to
English chess. The surprising, disappointing, revealing change this year was
that the GM commentators now routinely refer to chess engines – what does
Hiarcs say? Houdini? Stockfish? In all previous years, reference to engines
has been verboten, but now, the game is up. Nakamura-Anand was the
finest example of that; to me, it just shows that chess between two people,
even two elite players, is a different game, and not the worst for it, than
the analysis of engines.

Vladimir Kramnik and Nigel Short analysing in the VIP room

John Nunn showing Judit Polgar his latest software development for the iPad

Blitz in the VIP room: IMs Ali Mortasavi and Lawrence Trent are at it again...

... as are chess amateurs Alaa Gamal, former member of the Egyptian women's
team,
and Mihaly Szalontay, Managing Partner of Buran Venture Capital in Moscow

Veterans: Michael Stean and David Levy discussing, while Aronian listens
skeptically
I could add more comments, but for brevity will end with a game played at the
Closing Dinner
at Simpson’s in the Strand. The Classic players, during main course
and dessert (and this is key, after champagne, wine and port...) go round the
tables, making a move at each; with the amateurs consulting. It is light and
inconsequential, and I think Malcolm said that this year the score was 12-6
to the tables. But it was a fitting end to yet another tournament which shows
one of the great things about chess, gens una sumus: the fun and friendship
our games gives us all.

Dinner at Simpson's, with a tag simul given by the participants of the Classic

After dinner some players stay on for a few rounds of blitz

Levon Aronian playing GM David Norwood, with Magnus Carlsen looing on
The simul at the Simpsons
There are apparently six degrees of separation, and there are also Fischer
or Kasparov or now Carlsen scores: I have beaten Nigel Short (alas, last time
thirty something years ago, in the days we were at Bolton School together);
he has beaten Garry, so my Kasparov score is Two. As of 10 December 2012, my
Carlsen-score, Kramnik-score, Aronian-score, Nakamura-score, Adams-score, McShane-score,
Jones-score and Pein-scores are each One, having beaten them all, together,
at the London Classic closing dinner at Simpson's in the Strand. (Judit Polgar
didn't play a move, and true to my accountant self, my Luke score is actually
One, if Internet blitz is included). Or maybe, and probably more honestly, my
score against the Classic players is actually fractional, since it was in collaboration
with (retired) GM Michael Stean, Terry Chapman, Tony Stewart, Alex Greg and
Andrew McQuillan on table 17.
Replay and check the LiveBook here |
Please, wait...
1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 c5 3.Nf3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nb4 6.Bc4 Nd3+ 7.Ke2 Nf4+ 8.Kf1 Ne6 9.b4 cxb4 10.Ne2 g6 11.Bb2 Bg7 12.d4 12.Bxe6 Bxb2 13.Bxf7+ Kxf7 14.Qb3+ 12...0-0 13.a3 bxa3 14.Rxa3 Nc7 15.h4 Bg4 16.h5 Nc6 17.hxg6 hxg6 18.Nf4 e6 18...Ne5 19.Rd3 b5 20.Bb3 a5 21.d5 Bxb2 22.dxe6 Qf6 23.exf7+ Kg7 24.Qd2 Rh8 24...Be5 24...a4 25.Nd5 Nxd5 25.f8B+?! 25.Rxh8 Rxh8 26.Rd6+- 25...Raxf8 26.Rxh8 Rxh8 27.Rd6 Rh1+ 27...Bxf3 28.gxf3 Bc3 28.Ke2 28.Ng1 28...Nd4+ 29.Ke3 Bc1 29...Qxd6 30.Qxb2 Bxf3 30.Qxc1 Rxc1 31.Rxf6 Kxf6 32.e5+ Kg7 33.Nxd4 a4 34.Bc2 Re1+ 35.Kd2 Rxe5 36.Nxg6 Rd5 37.Ke3 a3 38.Nf4 Rxd4 0–1
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Classic GMs | - | Table 17 | - | 0–1 | 2012 | A34 | Classic Dinner | |
Please, wait...
The game will be one of my memories of another superlative Classic, for which
so much is owed to Malcolm Pein, his team, and his sponsors. Nigel Short, commenting
to the audience during the last round, recounted a witticism by IM Bill Hartston,
that chess was a contributor to net human unhappiness, since the pleasure of
victory is greatly exceeded by the pain of defeat. Yes, Nigel, I agree, having
fallen for an outrageous cheapo against him in three minute blitz during the
last round, our first game together since childhood, when for a good dozen moves
or so the crowd were about to witness a GM kill. Nigel's Re2 mate will forever
be etched on my mind.
However, my abiding memory of this tournament is in fact the throngs of school
children who visited the Classic. The venue was heaving with the future of our
game; ample reason why the UK charity, Chess in Schools and Communities, and
similar ones in other countries are to be supported: for chess, with its victories
and defeats, can give a lifetime of friendship, challenge and pleasure.
Allan
Beardsworth, 50, (here pictured not at the Simpson's but on a
holiday in Turkey) was a strong junior chess player. Learning the game
because of Fischer-Spassky, his first clubmate was Nigel Short, three
years his junior. Nigel followed Allan to his senior school, and a lifetime
of friendship has been the result, including playing for England Juniors
together. In 2004 and 2006 he captained the England’s mens’
teams in the Olympiads.
Allan is now a tax partner at Deloittes, Manchester, and with the demands
of work and family is now only a keen internet blitz player and follower
of chess: His 2012 rapidplay rating was 227 (UK, equivalent to 2466 FIDE),
though this is an example of “lies, damn lies and statistics”,
because it is based on only the one tournament he plays each year. Allan
suspects his true current rating is a couple of hundred points lower.
For many years he has sponsored chess in the UK. His biggest fear in chess
now is not knowing how strong (or rather, weak) he will be when he retires
and finally has time to resume playing over the board.
Finally Allan is a friend of the ChessBase news page – hardly a
day goes by when we do not receive a message from him, correcting typos
or even the tiniest of errors that have crept into our stories. |
Links
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