The Chess Festival that never sleeps: Keep them doggies rollin'

"Keep movin', movin', movin',
Though they're disapproving,
Keep them doggies movin',
Rawhide!"

(Theme from the TV series 'Rawhide', as performed by The Blues Brothers)

The British Championships these days is a truly modern chess festival that never sleeps, with a mesmerising 40 tournaments in nine days.

Forget the leisurely old style, beaches-and-sandcastles BCF British. Back in the day, it was just one game a day for 11 days (plus a rest day for the annual cricket match!). Hand-operated demo boards, analogue clocks. Not so much as an increment in sight, no metal detectors – and live boards were just a Dutch entrepreneur's fevered pipe dream.

Understanding Middlegame Strategy Vol.14 Reversed Colour Systems – Benoni, Blumenfeld and Benko Gambit

You will learn how Black's dynamic piece activity and structural counterplay more than compensate for White's extra tempo in the colour-reversed setups.
The Benoni family of openings has toppled world champions, decided match games under the highest pressure, and rewarded those brave enough to play them with some of the most electrifying chess imaginable. In this Fritztrainer, Grandmaster Ivan Sokolov -  continuing his successful series "Understanding Middlegame Structures" - takes you deep inside the complexities of the Colour-Reversed Benoni, the Colour-Reversed Benko Gambit, and the Colour-Reversed Blumenfeld Gambit.
Free sample video: Introduction
Free sample video: Colour Reversed Banoni - Game 1

This year in Coventry, the tempo is a bit quicker, as the tireless arbiting team constantly keep their branded cattle herd (sorry, players with FIDE IDs and lanyards) rollin', rollin', rollin' – on to the next game and the end of the trail.

A celebration of chess in Coventry | Photo: Yury Krylov

Tournaments for everyone

For all the enthusiastic chess aficionados out there, whatever your chess tipple, we've got you covered.

Like the good ol' classical stuff? We've got 15 events to choose from: Championship; Major Open; Veterans (Over 50 & Over 65); Juniors (Under 16, Under 14, Under 12, Under 10 & Under 8); AM Open, Under 1900 & Under 1600; PM Under 2050, Under 1750 and Under 1450.

If Rapidplay fits your schedule better, there's an Open, Under 2000, Under 1750, Under 1500 and Juniors (Under 16, Under 14, Under 12, Under 10 and Under 8).

And if Blitz is your drug of choice, you're in chess Valhalla: We've got Junior Blitzes (Under 16, Under 14, Under 12, Under 10 and Under 8), more Blitzes on Saturday, Tuesday and Thursday, plus a Team Blitz.

Or if all that standard chess is a bit too conventional, don't worry. We've got variants, too: Bughouse, Hand & Brain and Chess960 Championships to keep your DGT clock fingers tapping.

Improve your pieces - a winning system you need to know

In this course, we will learn how to identify passively placed pieces in any given situation and how to improve their health by bringing them into active squares.

And in between games, we're prepping, analysing and talking about chess. Truly a chess busman's holiday. They say lunch is for wimps, and sleep is overrated.

Matthew Sadler following the games | Photo: Yury Krylov

Tough battles

There's no easing into the Championship these days, with all-title matchups already in evidence in Round 2. Luke McShane, the top seed by rating, found fellow-GM and experienced coach Peter Wells a tough proposition, with Wells gaining an advantage in the middlegame after a solid 3.Bb5+ Sicilian.

White: GM Luke McShane (2597)

Black: GM Peter Wells (2318)

British Championship, Round 2

Black to move

Here Wells was at just under 3 minutes, and McShane just over 2 minutes. Black is better thanks to his central pawns, g-file pressure and well-placed knight. Wells could cement his central outpost with 32…d5! but instead focuses on the kingside buildup.

32…Bf4 33.Rb2 Rdg7 34.Re2 Qh6 35.Nxe4 Qxh4

If 35…fxe4 36 g3 e3 looks scary, but White can hold things together (just) with 37 gxf4 Qxh4 38 Rxe3.

36.Ng3 Bxg3 37.fxg3 Rxg3 38.Rd3 e5 39.c5!

With both players under a minute, McShane finds the right way to exchange off into a drawable ending.

39...dxc5 40.Rxg3 Qxg3 41.Qxg3 Rxg3 42.Rxe5 Rxb3 43.Rxc5 Rb4 44.Rc7 b6 45.a5 bxa5 46.Rc6 Kg7 47.Rxa6 a4 48.g3 h5 49.Kg2 h4 50.gxh4 Rxh4 51.Kg3 Rb4 52.h4 Rg4+ ½–½

Reinventing the Ragozin

Ganguly introduces conceptually fresh directions in several key lines – even in the most played main lines.
The Ragozin Defence (1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Bb4) has become a cornerstone of modern chess theory. With 3.Nf3 gaining popularity as a way to avoid Nimzo-Indian setups and the challenges Black faces in the Queen’s Indian, the Ragozin offers a solid and dynamic alternative.
Free video sample: Introduction
Free video sample: 5.cxd5 exd5 6.Bf4

Luke McShane v. Peter Wells | Photo: Yury Krylov

Mickey Adams survived a testing game with IM Richard Bates (Richmond), emerging victorious after a chance went begging to put the reigning champion under pressure.

White: IM Richard Bates (2296)

Black: GM Michael Adams (2595)

Catalan Opening

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 a6 4.g3 dxc4 5.Bg2 Nc6 6.0–0 Rb8 7.e3 b5 8.a4 Nf6 9.axb5 axb5 10.b3 cxb3 11.Qxb3 Be7 12.Bd2 0–0 13.Rc1 Bd7 14.Ne1 Nd5 15.Nd3 b4 16.Ra6 Rb6 17.Rxb6 cxb6 18.Bxd5 Na5 19.Qa2 exd5 20.Qxd5 b3 21.Bxa5 bxa5 22.Qxb3

After a typical Catalan opening struggle, White has emerged with an extra pawn and solid centre, balanced against Black's outside passed pawn and bishop pair.

22…Qa8 23.Nc3 Rb8 24.Qa2 Bd6 25.e4 Qa6 26.Nc5 Bxc5 27.dxc5 Bc6 28.Nd5 Rb7?

So far, it's been pretty level, but here Adams makes an inaccuracy, taking the rook off the back rank. Better was 28…Qa7.

29.Rb1?

Missing a chance to put the defending champion under pressure with 29. Qa1!, threatening to dominate with Qe5. Then if 29…f6 30. Qa2! (taking aim at the king) 30…Kh8 31.Rd1 Rb8 32.Ra1 Ra8 32.Nb4! Qb7 33. Nxc6 Qxc6 34. Rd1 gives White the advantage, due to Black's weak back rank and White's c5 passed pawn.

29…h6!

Black solves the back rank problem without weakening the a2-g8 diagonal.

30.Rxb7 Qxb7 31.f3 a4 32.Nb6?

An unfortunate decentralisation. 33.Kf2 Qa7 33 Qa3 would be equal.

32…Qa7!

Now White's knight is hamstrung, and the a-pawn starts to be a menace. Mickey finds a way to infiltrate towards White’s king with his queen and bishop.

33.Qa3 Qa5 34.Nd5 Qe1+ 35.Kg2 Qe2+ 36.Kg1 Qe1+ 37.Kg2 Bb5 38.Kh3

If 38. Ne3 Qe2+ 39. Kg1 Bd3 wins.

Marin's English Love Vol.1 and 2 - A complete repertoire for White after 1.c4

The aim of these Dvd's is to build a repertoire after 1.c4 and 2.g3 for White. The first DVD includes the systems 1...e5, the Dutch and Indian setups. The second DVD includes the systems with 1...c5, 1...c6 and 1...e6.

Bd7+ 39.g4

Or 39. Kg2 Qe2+ 40. Kg1 Bh3.

39…Bb5 40.Ne3 Qf2 0–1

Richard Bates | Photo: Yury Krylov

Harry's Houdini act

IM Harry Grieve, the British Champion in 2022, practiced some Houdini-like escapology to combat a far advanced passed pawn against FM Jude Shearsby. With some neat tactics, Grieve survived, and then even won the queen and pawn endgame when Jude unwisely exposed his king.

White: FM Jude Shearsby (2293)

Black: IM Harry Grieve (2508)

British Championship, Round 2

French Defence, Exchange Variation

1.e4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.exd5 exd5 4.d4 Nc6 5.Bb5 Bd6 6.c4 dxc4 7.d5 a6 8.Bxc4 Qe7+ 9.Be3 Ne5 10.Be2 Nf6 11.0–0 0–0 12.Nc3 Nfg4 13.Bf4 Nxf3+ 14.Bxf3 Bxf4 15.Bxg4 Re8 16.Bxc8 Raxc8 17.Qb3 b5 18.Rad1 Bd6 19.Rd3 Qg5 20.a4 bxa4 21.Qxa4 Rb8 22.Qxa6 Rxb2 23.Ne4!?

An enterprising practical try, giving up a knight to force a pawn through to the seventh rank.

23…Rxe4 24.Qa8+ Bf8 25.d6 c6 26.d7

26…Rxf2!

Boom! Literally the only move, but it saves Harry's bacon. Black now has at least a draw by perpetual.

27.Kxf2

If 27. Rxf2? Re1+ 28. Rf1 Qc5+ leads to mate.

27…Qc5+ 28.Kg3 Qe5+ 29.Kf2 Qc5+ 30.Kg3 Qe5+ 31.Kf2 Rf4+ 32.Rf3 Rxf3+ 33.Kxf3 Qd5+ 34.Kf2 Qd4+ 35.Kg3 Qd6+ 36.Kf2 Qd4+ 37.Kg3 Qxd7

Harry goes for more. With bishop and two pawns against a rook, the correct outcome should be a draw.

38.Re1 g6 39.Kf2 Kg7 40.Qa1+ Kg8 41.Qa8 h5 42.Re8 Qd6 43.h3 Kg7 44.Rxf8

Electing to defend a pawn down in a queen ending. It should be fine, but mistakes sometimes happen…

44…Qxf8 45.Qxc6 Qd8 46.Kg1 Qd4+ 47.Kh1 g5 48.Qb5 Kg6 49.Qc6+ Qf6 50.Qe4+ Qf5 51.Qe8 Kg7 52.Qd8 Qf1+ 53.Kh2 Qf4+ 54.Kh1 g4 55.hxg4?

The decisive slip, opening up the white king. Keeping cool with 55.Qd3 g3 56. Qd1 should hold the draw.

55..hxg4 56.g3 Qf1+ 57.Kh2 Qh3+ 58.Kg1 Qxg3+ 59.Kh1 Qf3+ 60.Kg1 Qe3+ 61.Kg2 Qf3+ 62.Kg1 Qf6 63.Qd7 Kg6 64.Kg2 Qf3+ 65.Kg1 Qe3+ 66.Kg2 Qe4+ 67.Kg1 Qe6 68.Qd3+ f5 69.Qd8 f4 70.Qd3+ Kh6 71.Qd8 Qe1+ 0–1

Harry Grieve | Photo: Yury Krylov

Adams leads the pack

After two rounds, Mickey Adams leads the 12-strong group on 2/2, while McShane and GM Shreyas Royal lurk half a point behind on 1½.

The most interesting Round 3 matchups are Adams v. veteran GM Mark Hebden, the "Grand Prix king", Harry Grieve, against young Scots talent Rishi Vijayakumar.

Black on 1.5, Wells faces Royal and McShane takes on Sheffield IM Andrew Ledger.

Standings after round 2

...109 players

All available games

Links

• Official website
• Record-breaking British Chess Championships set to begin in Coventry
• Bodhana Sivanandan vs. José Raúl Capablanca (Level = Master Candidate)
• Michael Adams: My most memorable game