Awarded ECF Magazine of the Year 2017!

The GazetteNovember 2017

Registered Charity Number 263049

Supporting Chess Players with Sight LossBCA Website Address: www.braillechess.org.ukEmail: customerservices@braillechess.org.ukTwitter: https://twitter.com/braillechess @braillechess

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrailleChess

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.

CONTENTSEditorial.......................................................................................................................................................................3Forthcoming Events.....................................................................................................................................................325th Windermere Chess Theme Break 2018................................................................................................................5Haaksbergen 2018........................................................................................................................................................5All Under One Roof.....................................................................................................................................................5Membership Secretary’s Report..................................................................................................................................6Annual Best Game Prize Reminder.............................................................................................................................7Correspondence Chess Director’s Report....................................................................................................................7Another Fine Performance in the BCCL.....................................................................................................................8A Thrilling Game from a New Member......................................................................................................................87th BCA Email Tournament.........................................................................................................................................9BCA Championship 2017 – A Poem by Joan Shorrock............................................................................................10A New Line in the Sicilian Dragon...........................................................................................................................11Owen’s Internet Game...............................................................................................................................................13Prevailing in Paignton!..............................................................................................................................................14SCCU 125th Anniversary North v South Match........................................................................................................16Reporter Ross!...........................................................................................................................................................16ECF Grades for BCA Members July 2017................................................................................................................17IBCA Congress Highlights........................................................................................................................................17Chris’s Puzzle............................................................................................................................................................18Millennium Club........................................................................................................................................................18Personalia...................................................................................................................................................................18Award Winning Gazette............................................................................................................................................18

EditorialFashions come and go with every passing season. Whether it’s clothing, home décor, music or haircuts, out-moded 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 is-sue features an article on the Sicilian Dragon from 1966. Anyone tempted to disregard it might do well to recon-

sider as they could be ignoring a line that’s about to be revitalised! This vintage piece also gives a fascinating in-sight 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 contains games that members enjoyed playing and 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 polyes-ter caftan dress that was all the rage in the 1970s, it may never again be in vogue. BCA shirts on the other hand, are undoubtedly timeless classics of enduring appeal. So if you’ve got one, why not flaunt it? Read on to dis-cover 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 February issue by the end of December or before Christmas if at all possible.Julie Leonard

Forthcoming Events16 th to 18 th 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.

16 th to 23 rd 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 below in either the July 2017 or January 2018 grading lists and 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 ProceduresIf 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.

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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 2018I'd like to encourage those who haven't already done so to give the tournament in Haaksbergen, the Netherlands a try. It's a remarkably friendly event in which we stay with host families and there is as much emphasis given to relaxation and social activities as there is to the chess. There is a drinks/social event on the Friday evening where we renew old acquaintances and people are put into groups of four players, and then the chess starts on the Saturday. There is a round in the morning and afternoon (two hours per player for each game), and then there is a further round on Sunday morning. On the Saturday evening there is a party at the playing venue and on the Sunday evening people go out to dinner with their host families.We have heavily subsidised the last few Haaksbergen trips and I'm fairly sure that the committee meeting in November will decide to do so again.The dates for next year's events are 13th to 15th April. Typically we have travelled out a day before the start date (so this time the 12th) and begun the journey back on the Monday after the event, though people 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 touch with me (contact details at the front of this gazette). I have to get the entry forms in by March next year, but I'd have to book travel arrangements much sooner than that, so get back to me immediately you've made a decision to go. Guy Whitehouse

All Under One RoofMembers 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 ChessThese are organised by the Castle Chess directors, Tony and Barbara Corfe and Mark Shaw. The website www.castlechess.co.uk 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: www.e2e4.org.ukAt 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.

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Other Events3rd – 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: www.4ncl.co.uk6th – 10th November 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: http://keverelchess.com10th – 12th November 2017, 51st Torbay Congress, Livermead House Hotel, TorquayThis 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, DublinTwo 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 SomersetFive round seeded Swiss tournament with 3 sections – U175, U145 & U120. Contact: Rebecca Gardiner Web: http://somersetchesscongress.webs.com19th – 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, The Livermead 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, 25th Bunratty 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 ReportI would like to extend a very warm welcome to two new 5 year members Anthony Campbell, a previous member of many years ago and Hemsley Mallaby 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.

Mark Hague

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Annual Best Game Prize ReminderPlease don’t forget to send in your entries for this year’s best game competition. The competition last year was the inaugural event and was won by Bill Armstrong who now holds the pink diamond crystal paperweight until we have a 2017 winner. The competition is the idea of associate member and coach Owen Phillips and is run in memory of David Hodgkins. The judge for this year’s games is Graham Lilley.The competition is open to all members and associate members in the British Isles and covers over the board and correspondence games which must have been played in a BCA event or for a BCA team during the year. Once again, the aim will be to consider games at all levels in the BCA, whatever the grade of the players.Please send your games by the end of December 2017 to any committee member in the format of your choice. In-cidentally, any games published in the Gazette in 2017 that meet the qualifying conditions will automatically be included in the competition.Norman Wragg

Correspondence Chess Director’s ReportThe three Divisions of the BCA League 2016-17 have finished. Opportunities to play in the next League, starting on 1st January 2018, are there for you. For further information contact the Correspondence Chess Director, details as shown in list of Officers. Closing date for entries 30th November 2017.

44th BCA CORRESPONDENCE TOURNAMENT 2017-18Premier - Group Leader Les WhittleNo update.Scores: Alec Crombie 3-3, Les Whittle 1-2, Ernie McElroy 0-0, George Phillips 0-1, Mike Hague 0-2.Challenger Group A - Group Leader Denis WarrenGailans 1 - 0 Greatrex, Nimzowitsch-Larsen, 53.Gallacher 1 - 0 Gailans, Dutch, 47.Warren - 0.5 - 0.5 Whitehouse, Caro-Kann, 23.Warren 1 - 0 Gallacher, Slav, 45.Whitehouse 1 - 0 Greatrex, Three Knights, 17.A game reported in the August Gazette needs correcting:Whitehouse 1 - 0 Gailans, Dutch, 25.Scores: Denis Warren 3.5-4, Guy Whitehouse 3.5-4, Eric Gallacher 1-3, Voldi Gailans 1-4, Arthur Greatrex 0-3.Challenger Group B - Group Leader Gary WickettWickett 1 - 0 Cuthbert, Scotch Gambit, 21.Cuthbert 0 - 1 Heyes, Sicilian, 26.Scores: Derek Heyes 3-3, Gary Wickett 2-3, Geoff Patching 0-0, Jim Cuthbert 0-2, Eleanor Tew 0-2.

BCA LEAGUE 2016-17Division 1 - Group Leader Norman WraggFinal scores: Ernie McElroy 2.5-3, Alec Crombie 2, Mark Hague 1, Derek Heyes 0.5.Congratulations to Ernie McElroy on winning League Division 1.Division 2 - Group Leader Denis WarrenMears 0 - 1 Warren, Giuoco Piano, 37.Final scores: Mike Hague 3-3, Geoff Patching 1.5, Denis Warren 1.5, David Mears 0.Congratulations to Mike Hague on winning League Division 2.Division 3 - Group Leader Jim CuthbertFinal scores: Voldi Gailans 3-3, Eric Gallacher 2, Jim Cuthbert 1, Eleanor Tew 0.Congratulations to Voldi Gailans on winning League Division 3.

FRIENDLY LADDER TABLETatum 1 - 0 Harrington, French, 37.Anyone wishing to play a friendly game on the Ladder should contact Denis Warren, details as shown in list of Officers.Leading ladder scores as at 29th September 2017: 9 Gary Wickett; 8 Roger Bishop; 7 Jim Cuthbert; 5 Stan Lightowler.

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The 2017 Ladder ends on December 31st, anyone wishing to displace Gary from the leading position had better get moving.In closing, to those about to start a game: Break a peg!Paul Benson

Another Fine Performance in the BCCLAs usual we entered a team in the BCCL correspondence competition this year. There was in fact only one premier division as only seven teams participated this time round.Our team consisted of Peter Gibbs, Les Whittle, Steve Burnell, Derek Heyes (playing in his first BCCL competition), Norman Andrews and Alec Crombie. Chris Ross volunteered to step in on top board when Peter had to withdraw through illness.Individual scores were:Peter/Chris 0.5-2;Les 0.5-2;Steve 1-2;Derek 2-2;Norman 1.5-2;Alec 2-2.The team's score was 7.5 out of a possible 12 which was enough to give us second place behind CS Administrators. This was an excellent performance, a fact borne out when you look at how close things were between the top four teams and the distance between those and the bottom teams.I'm likely to be struggling to get a team together for the next competition, so if anyone reading this wants to participate don't hesitate to get in contact with me. Guy Whitehouse

A Thrilling Game from a New MemberIn this year's British Correspondence Championship I was fortunate to play the following exciting game against a new member of the BCA, Arthur Greatrex, from the Isle of Wight. We played this game by phone and spent many happy moments discussing what was happening and both of us revelling in a very good tussle.Gailans v Greatrex1. b3 e5 2. Bb2 Nc6 3. e3 a6 4. c4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d5 6. cxd5 Nxd5 7. Nge2 Ndb4I hadn't seen this position before and was already getting out of my depth.8. d4 Bf5 9. e4 This looks unnecessarily complicated and I clearly didn't know what I was doing. Arthur is attacking with great purpose.9. ... exd4 10. exf5 Qe7 What a mess already!11. Na4 d3 Remember this is correspondence chess and I'm wondering how I've managed to get into this tangle and, with plenty of time to think, how will I get out of it?12. Qd2 Nc2+ 13. Kd1 0-0-0 Can it get worse? It all looks very scary but am I getting too carried away. I'm certainly worried about my undeveloped King's side.14. Nf4 Nxa1 15. Bxa1 b5 16. Nb2 Qa3 17. Nbxd3 Bb4 18. Qb2 Qa5Am I weathering the storm? Although I have a material plus, my king in the centre seems very exposed.19. Be2 Rhe8 20. Kc2 Nd4+ I thought carefully about my next move but could see no better option.21. Qxd4 Rxd4 22. Bxd4 Now, am I going to be able to co-ordinate my pieces well enough to protect my king and not fall into a tactical trap from the enemy Queen?22. ... g5 23. fxg5 Here I felt a bit of guilt as Arthur was unsure of the en passant move. A real pity as it would have been interesting to have seen his alternative.23. ... hxg6 24. Nxb4 Qxb4 25. Rd1 g5 26. Bg4+ Kb7 27. Bf3+ c6 28. Nh5 a5 29. Be3 Qe7 30. Ng7 Ra8 31. Nf5 Qe6 32. Nd6+ Ka6 33. Ne4 Qf5 34. Bxg5 b4 35. Be2+ Kb7 36. Bd3 Qe5 37. g3 a4 38. Bf6 axb3+Having felt reasonably confident for some time, I suddenly have to be very careful. I'm hoping to get the king to safety, stop Arthur's queenside pawns from getting through and get my own kingside pawns going.39. Kd2 Qd5 40. Ke1 Kb6 I'd have thought taking the pawn would be good here, threatening to promote, exchange the rooks and take the bishop.41. axb3 Qxb3 42. h4 c5 43. h5 Qd5 44. g4 b3 45. h6 c4 46. Bb1 Qb5 47. h7 Re8 48. f3

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I'd have liked to play the King to f1 to threaten the fork on d6 but didn't want to encourage Arthur's pawns forward, with a discovered check and a very exposed King.48. ... Qa5+ 49. Kf1 Qa8 50. Kf2 Ka5 51. Nd6 Rd8 52. Bxd8 Qxd8 53. Nxc4+ Resigns.A real shame at the end, but I think I was lucky that Arthur didn't find more testing moves towards the end of the game. I was fortunate to get away with a very exposed position.Voldi Gailans

7th BCA Email TournamentOur 7th BCA tournament commenced on September 1st with 17 people taking part, one more than the previous tournament. As I write this interim report we already have 23 results, with just five games still in play. The players were divided into 4 divisions, with division two having 5 players.Division 1: Peter Gibbs, Colin Chambers, Steve Burnell and Philip Doyle. Already 5 out of the 6 games have been completed, and once again, Peter is our champion. He has won both his games so far, and cannot be caught.Division 2: Stan Lovell, Derek Heyes, Eamonn Casey, Randy Kruzeniski and Hans CohnWith 5 players, division 2 is the farthest from completion. Stan is currently leading on 2.5 points. Division 3: Voldi Gailans, Michael Meaney, Steve Thacker and Denis Warren.Everything hinged on the outcome of the last game to finish. It was between Michael and Voldi, both of whom had already beaten their other opponents. They drew with each other to finish joint winners on 2.5 points. Division 4: Gill Smith, Tony Lawton, Anthony Borg and Bill Tatum.Gill won her first two games and was the pacemaker in this division, but Tony pipped her at the post.Despite a few early computer concerns, the tournament has gone along very smoothly, and nearly all games will be finished with considerable time to spare. Once again, I would like to encourage other members to give this form of chess a try. It doesn’t have the pressure of over-the-board events, and helps to socialise some of us somewhat eccentric chessplayers.Division 1:Chambers drew with DoyleGibbs beat DoyleChambers beat BurnellDoyle drew with BurnellGibbs beat Chambers.Division 2:Heyes drew with KruzeniskiHeyes beat CaseyCasey drew with KruzeniskiKruzeniski drew with LovellLovell beat CaseyHeyes lost to Lovell.Division 3:Gailans beat ThackerMeaney beat ThackerThacker lost to WarrenWarren lost to MeaneyWarren lost to GailansMeaney drew with GailansDivision 4:Smith beat BorgTatum lost to SmithLawton beat TatumTatum drew with BorgBorg lost to LawtonLawton beat Smith.

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Here is a game from Division 1: Peter Gibbs - Philip Doyle, French Tarrasch. Introductory notes by Peter.In the first round of the BCA's Autumn Tournament last year I was paired with Philip. He played the Guimard line of the French Defence.1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Nc6 The game continued:4. Ngf3 Nf6 5. e5 Nd7I set a trap for him after 6 Bd3 f6 by playing 7 Ng5.After 7 ... Qe7, 8 Qh5+ g6, 9 Bxg6+ Black already has a lost position.However, Nigel Short in a game against Dr. John Nunn showed the way for Black. Their game continued after 7 Ng5 with 7 ... Ndxe5, 8 dxe5 fxg5, 9 Qh5+ Kd7, 10 Nf3 g6, 11 Qg4 Be7, 12 Nxg5 Qg8, 13 Qa4 h6, 14 Nf3 Kd8 with an equal position.In our email game I was sure that Philip would not fall for this a second time. In our game I played 6 c3 even though my opening book suggests four superior alternatives. They are 6 Be2, or 6 Nb3, or 6 Bb5, or 6 Bd3 f6, 7 exf6 Qxf6, 8 0-0 and White sacrifices a pawn for the attack. Why then did I play 6 c3? Because I wanted to rely on my own judgment.1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Nc6 4. Ngf3 Nf6 5. e5 Nd7 6. c3 f6 7. Bb5 a6 8. Bxc6 bxc6 9. 0-0 c5 10. Re1 cxd4 11. exf6 Qxf6 12. Nxd4 e5 13. N2b3 Bd6 14. Nf3 c6 15. Na5 e4 16. Nxc6 Bxh2+ 17. Nxh2 Qxc6 18. Qh5+ g6 19. Qh6 Nf6 20. Bg5 Ra7 21. c4 Rf7 22. cxd5 Qxd5 23. Rad1 Qf5 24. Ng4 Nd7 25. f3 Bb7 26. Nf2 Nf6 27. Nxe4 Black resigns

BCA Championship 2017 – A Poem by Joan ShorrockMany thanks to Joan for sending in her poem about our Championship in Harrogate earlier this year!

There’s a famous spa town called HarrogateThat’s noted for taking the waterWhere Steve and Hazel ran a chess weekAt the Old Swan, with Philippa, their daughter.

Ten in the lift! I don’t think soGary squeezes in for the top – then All the way down to the groundAnd there is Gary again.

Christine acts as the lift attendantAnd wedges open the door So that you won’t get cut in twoOr end up on the wrong floor.

We have been playing changing roomsMine’s fine now, you should seeCome into the wardrobe And I’ll make a cup of tea.

Gary and Tanvi have gone religiousWatch out or you’ll be liableTo be converted by themAs they bash you with a Bible.

Julie took us to Masham three timesGeorge said ‘I think we’ve been round here’Three time round the market and housesAll to get Olly’s beer.

We had such fun at the soirée The talent never fails With music and with poetry

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Moira wouldn’t dance the Seven Veils.

A quiz on Wednesday eveningAgain a lot of funWith only one point in itJulie and her team won.

We had Threes and Fives dominoes.Denise, her team she picks.But guess who was the winner?Surely that was a fix.

Some didn’t think much to the chess gamesSo they said ‘Let’s go farAway from the Old Swan’So they went to Harlow Carr.

The weather and gardens were lovelyA pleasant walk, then we All made for the caféFor food, coffee and tea.

There were three Fat RascalsAntoine, Guy and ClareAnd three big scoops of ice creamThat’s George, so just beware.

‘Cause he bought two bottles of beerI think it’s a shame and a sin.We’re really quite a sober lotExcept for Gary with his bottles of gin.

Sue Parish, what a lovely treat.The music was just right.With her husband, John, on guitar.What a fabulous night!

The serious side to the week is chessAnd all played well untilThe tournament was won by OwenAnd British Champion Bill.

It has been a super weekWe were sorry to leave.For their hard work to make it soThanks to Hazel and Steve.

So it’s goodbye from them and goodbye from me.One more thing I’d like to sayWe will be back, for nothing can stop The indefatigable BCA!

A New Line in the Sicilian Dragonby B. Voronkov,

Published by BCM in 1966, converted from English Descriptive notation by Hans CohnIn the Autumn of 1955 during the preparations for the preliminary round of the USSR Team Championship at Lugansk the leader of the Moscow team, GM Averbach, produced a new method of meeting the nowadays popular attack against the Dragon variation of the Sicilian defence.

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After the moves 1 e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 Nc6 8. Qd2 0-0 9. Bc4, instead of the usual continuation 9. … Nxd4 10. Bxd4 Qa5 Averbach suggested 9. … Nd7. Black transfers the knight to b6, the other knight aiming for c4 via e5. Against the threat of exchanging his Bc4, after the obvious moves 10. 0-0-0 Nb6 11. Bb3 a5 12. a4 Ne5, White is forced to refrain from the usual attack on the kingside and play 13. Qe2. Now, however, Black continues with 13. … Bd7 and after 14. … Rc8 seizes c4 just the same. After 14. f4 Bg4 would be most unpleasant for White. Such were Averbach’s reflections.

A few months later, the semi-finals of the USSR Championship took place. Among the participants from Moscow were two members of the Moscow team, Averbach and Vasjukov. In one of the rounds these met; Vasjukov played white and Averbach adopted the Dragon variation. After 9. Bc4 Averbach played 9. … Nd7. The game continued on the lines of Avervach’s analysis:10. 0-0-0 Nb6 11. Bb3 a5 12. a4 Ne5 13. Qe2 Bd7. Here, quite unexpectedly, Vasjukov played 14. f4. After long reflection Averbach replied 14. … Ng4. After the previously prepared 14. … Bg4 White has at his disposal the very strong 15. Qb5! and if 15. … Bxd1 16. fxe5 Bg4 17. e6! and White has much the better of it. On the other hand, if 15. … Bd7 16. Qf1 Ng4 17. Bg1 followed by h3 and g4. After Averbach’s 14. … Ng4 there followed 15. Bg1! Bh6 16. g3 Ne5 and, as Estrin pointed out, after 17. Kb1 White obtains a big advantage.

In the 1956 Moscow Championship White tried to reach this variation in Estrin-Voronkov. After 11. Bb3 black refrained from 11. … a5 because the weakness on b4 played a big part in Black’s defeat in Vasjukov-Averbach. After 11. … Ne5 the game continued 12. Qe2 Bd7 13. f4 Bg4 14. Nf3 (of course 15. Qb5 is out of the question here) Nxf3 15. gxf3 Bd7 16. h4 a5. Now White mistakenly played 17. Nd5 and succumbed to a punishing attack after Nxd5 18. Bxd5 e6 19. Bc4 b5! 20. Bd3 a4 21. a3 b4!

Immediately after this game, 13. h4 was suggested. Now (1) 13. … Rc8 14. h5 Nec4 15. hxg6 fxg6 (rather …hxg6) and the pin on the Nc4 is most disagreeable after 16. Bh6! or (2) 13. …. h5 can lead to 14. g4 hxg4 15. f4 with threats after 16. h5 and 17. f5.

For a long time the variation was shelved for practical tournament purposes. In 1960, however, the Moscow master Shatskes successfully took up a new plan of development. He turned his attention to the fact that most of Black’s troubles arose from the insecure position of his Knight on e5, and that White kept his bishop on b3. He therefore continued with 11. … Na5 with a view of exchanging one of White’s bishops after … Nbc4 threatening the bishop on e3 and the other by … Nxb3. Indeed, if White does not forestall these intentions by playing 12. h4, then, after 12. … Nbc4 13. Qe2 Nxe3 14. Qxe3 Nxb3+ 15. axb3 Bd7 16. h5 e6 17. Nce2 Bc6 Black can look forward to a bright future (Lebedev-Bikovsky, Moscow 1961).

In the game Soloviev-Shatskes, Moscow 1960 occurred 12. Qe2 Bd7 13. g4 Rc8 14. Kb1 Nbc4 15. Bc1 (aiming to preserve at least one bishop) a6 16. f4? Na3+! 17. Ka1 Bxg4! 18. Qxg4 Bxd4 and Black remained a pawn up because after 19. Rxd4 Nxb3+ 20. cxb3 Nc2+ 21. Kb1 Nxd4 with advantage.

More natural and stronger after 12. Qe2 Bd7 seems 13. h4 used by Gligoric against Haag at Havana 1962. There followed Rc8 14. h5 N6c4 (Black accomplishes his plan, but at the cost of allowing White a fine kingside attack) 15. hxg6 fxg6 16. Kb1 (harmless is 16. Bh6? Bxh6+ 17. Rxh6 e5 18. Rdh1 exd4) 16. … Nxb3 17. axb3 Nxe3 18. Qxe3 Qe8? 19. f4 e5 20. fxe5 Qxe5? 21. Nf3 Qa5 22. Nd5 Rfe8 23. Ng5 and Black lost quickly. Later it was suggested that after 15…hxg6 Black could obtain a satisfactory game, e.g. 16. Bh6 e5 (not Bxh6+ 17. Rxh6 e5 18. Rdh1 exd4 19. Nd5 wins) 17. Bxg7 Kxg7 18. Ndb5 Bxb5! (but not Qb6 19. Nxd6!) 19. Nxb5 Qb6! and after 16. Kb1 Nxe3 17. Qxe3 Nxb3 Black has equalised. But all this is not quite so simple.

Gligoric’s continuation was subjected to close scrutiny in the 30th USSR Championship in the games Shianovsky-Stein and Novopashin-Stein.

After the moves 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. f3 Bg7 7. Be3 Nc6 8. Qd2 0-0 9. Bc4 Nd7 10. 0-0-0 Nb6 11. Bb3 Na5 12. Qe2 Bd7 13. h4 Rc8 14. h5 Nbc4 15. hxg6 the position is:FEN: 2rq1rk1 pp1bppbp 3p2P1 n7 2nNP3 1BN1BP2 PPP1Q1P1 2KR3R

Stein, in the first game, chose the sharp 15…fxg6. To this White replied 16. Bg5 Rf7 17. f4? This turned out to be a mistake which allowed Black to take the initiative. After 17. … Qb6 18. Nd5 Qa6!! White derives no profit after 19. Nxe7+ Rxe7 20. Bxe7 Nxb3+ 21. cxb3 (or 21. Nxb3 Bxb2+ 22. Kb1 Na3+ 23. Kxb2 Qxe2) etc. in the ensuing complications Black won. Against 17. Nd5 (suggested by Boleslavsky and Suetin) Black does not play Nxb3+ 18. axb3 Qa5 19. Qxc4 Qa1+ 20. Kd2 Qxb2 21 Rb1 and White repels the attack, but 17…Qe8! and if 18. f4 then e6

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19. Nc3 b5 with attacking chances on both sides. White should have tried Gligoric’s 16 Kb1. Despite his apparently solid position, Black’s game is none too easy: His weaknesses in the centre (e6 d5) and the possibility of a white attack by f4-f5 give some advantage. After 16. … Nxb3 17. axb3 Nxe3 18. Qxe3 Black fares badly after 18. … a6 19. f4 Rc5 (if 19. … e6 20. Qh3 is very disagreeable) because of 20. e5! dxe5 21. Ne6.

In the game with Novopashin Stein played 15…hxg6 and after 16. Kb1 e6 17. Bc1 Re8 18. Qf2 (Black threatened …d5) Rc5 19. g4 and Black found nothing better than 19. … g5 after which followed 20. Rh5 Qf6 21. e5! Rxe5 22. Rxg5! Rxg5 23. Ne4 with advantage to White. Hardly better is the immediate 17…Rc5 because of 18. g4 g5 (after 18…b5 White wins by 19. Qh2 Re8 20. Qh7+ Kf8 21. Bh6 etc. ) 19. f4 gxf4 20. Qh2 Re8 21. Bxf4 with a strong attack.

The obvious 16. … Nxe3 17. Qxe3 leads to a passive position for Black after a6 18. f4 Rc5 19. f5 or 17…e6 18. f4 with clear advantage to White. After 17. … Nxb3 18. axb3 Re8 White plays 19. f4 threatening –f5 and –e5 and after 19…e5 20. Nd5 is possible.

Probably best after 16 Kb1 is 16...a6 threatening to win a piece by …e5.

After 16…a6 the position is: FEN: 2rq1rk1 1p1bppbl p2p2p1 n7 2nNP3 1BN1BP2 PPP1Q1P1 1K1R3R

The continuation 17. g4 Nxe3 (not e5 18. Qh2 Re8 19. Qh7+ Kf8 20. Bh6 etc.) 18. Qxe3 b5 allows Black to keep on level terms. Natural seems 17. f4 but after 17. … Nxe3 (not Bg4 18. Qxg4 Nxe3 19. Qh3 wins) 18. Qxe3 Bg4 19. Rd2 (if 19. Rdf1 e5) 19. … Nc4 20. Bxc4 Rxc4 Black also stands well. If 21. b3 Qb6 and if 22. Nd5 Bxd4 23. Nxb6 Bxe3 etc. and after 21. f5 Black can continue boldly with 21…e6 with complications.

Analysing 9. … Nd7 Shamkovitch and Estrin suggested 10. h4 before castling and if now 10. … Nb6 11. Bb3 Na5 White has 12. Qd3, but they failed to consider 12. … Nxb3 13. axb3 d5! and if 14. Ndb5 Be6 and Black obtains good play in all variations. Apparently 12. Qe2 does not give White any palpable advantage.

Knowing the above, Fischer against Pureviev (15th Olympiad 1962) played 10. 0-0-0 Nb6 11. Bb3 Na5 12. Qd3. Black continued mechanically Bd7 13. h4 Rc8 14. h5 N6c4 15. hxg6 hxg6 16. Bh6 e6 (if Bxh6+ 17. Rxh6 e5 18. Rdh1 and if exd4 19. Nd5!) and after 17. f4 was in difficulties against the threats -Qh3 and -f5) His incautious 17. … e5 enabled White to force the win: 18. Nf5 Bxf5 19. exf5 Nxb2 20. Kxb2 e4 21. Bxg7 exd3 is impossible because of the elegant 22. f6 with unavoidable mate.

Fischer’s 12 Qd3 poses Black difficult problems. Passive moves like 12. … Bd7 and 12. … a6 allow White to create strong threats after the opening of the-h file. The correct reply seems to be 12…Nxb3+ 13. axb3 a5! with the idea of opening the a-file. After 14. h4 a4 15. h5 axb3 16. Nxb3 (if 16. cxb3 Ra1+ 17. Kd2 Rxd1+ and … d5) 16. … Bf6 with a complex position and chances for both sides.

Against 14. N4b5 Black continues with 14. … Bd7 and if 15. h4 a4 16. Bxb6 Qxb6 17. bxa4 Bxb5 18. Qxb5 Qxb5 19. axb5 Bxc3 20. bxc3 Rfc8 and …Rc5 with even chances.

Owen’s Internet GameMany thanks to Owen Phillips for sending in this friendly game that he played against a Chinese player on an internet site on 22nd August. Owen described the game as follows: “One of the most interesting Internet games I have ever had. Fascinating endgame!”The time control 15 minutes + 1 second increment per move throughout. Owen has black. [ECO "A40"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. h4 g6 3. e3 c6 4. Be2 h5 5. Nf3 d5 6. Ng5 Ne4 7. Nd2 Nxg5 8. hxg5 Bg7 9. f4 h4 10. Nf3 h3

11. gxh3 Rxh3 12. Rxh3 Bxh3 13. Kf2 Qd7 14. Qh1 Na6 15. Bd2 Nc7 16. Qh2 O-O-O 17. Ne5 Bxe5

18. dxe5 Bf5 19. Bd3 Bxd3 20. cxd3 Qf5 21. Ke2 Ne6 22. Rh1 Qg4+ 23. Ke1 Nc5 24. Qe2 Qf5 25. d4 Qb1+

26. Qd1 Nd3+ 27. Ke2 Qxd1+ 28. Rxd1 Nxb2 29. Rh1 Nc4 30. Bb4 Kd7 31. Rh7 Ke6 32. Kf3 b6 33. e4 dxe4+

34. Kxe4 a5 35. Be1 b5 36. Rh6 Kd7 37. Rh7 Rf8 38. f5 gxf5+ 39. Kxf5 Ne3+ 40. Ke4 Nc4 41. Kf5 e6+

42. Kf6 Ke8 43. Bh4 Nd2 44. g6 Ne4+ 45. Kg7 fxg6 46. Kxg6 Rg8+ 47. Kh6 c5 48. Re7+ Kf8 49. Bf6 cxd4

50. Ra7 Nxf6 51. exf6 e5 52. Re7 d3 53. Rxe5 d2 54. Rd5 Rg2 55. Rd7 b4 56. Kh5 a4 57. Kh4 b3 58. Kh3 bxa2

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59. Kxg2 a1=Q 60. Rxd2 Qxf6 61. Rf2 Qxf2+ 0-1

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Prevailing in Paignton!The annual Paignton Congress has long been a favourite among BCA members and this year was no exception! Norman Andrews scored 3 from 5 in the Under 130 morning event. In the seven round events, Ian Blencowe notched up 3 in the Intermediate, while Roger Waters and George Phillips competed in the Minor, scoring 4.5 and 4 respectively. Many thanks to Ian for sending in the following game and to Paul Benson for his analysis of it.

Paignton Intermediate, 8th September 2017Ian Blencowe ECF 131 v Helen Evans ECF 115Annotations by Ian Blencowe marked with IB, annotations by Paul Benson marked with PB.1. d4 d62. Nf3 Bg4(PB: The Wade Defence. The main idea for Black is to trade with, Bxf3, doubling the white f-pawns, intending to sculpt the pawn formation to be favourable to the black knight pair.)3. h3(PB: Very popular with the professionals are 3. c4 and 3. e4.Less popular but receiving good support are 3. e3, 3. g3 and 3. Nbd2.)3. ... Bxf34. exf3 g65. c3 Bg76. Qb3(PB: A different plan is to trade dark square bishops with 6. Be3 followed with Qd2 and Bh6.)6. ... Qc87. Bc4(PB: White cannot generate light square activity with pieces alone. There must be some pawn advances somewhere with the plan of breaking up the black pawn formation, after which White can then think of making good use of the light square bishop.)7. ... e68. 0-0 Nf69. Re1 0-010. Rxe6?(IB: I talked myself into playing this move, overlooking the obvious.PB: Aha, trying to exploit the light square placement of the black royalty.The idea being if 10. ... fxe6 11. Bxe6+ forks the black king and queen.And if Black does not capture the rook then White can retreat next move having snaffled a pawn, right?)10. ... d5(PB: An interference in more ways than one.The line of both attack and defence onto the e6 square is broken, White must lose material.)11. Re2(PB: The best of a bad lot. Instead 11. Bxd5 Nxd5 12. Qxd5 fxe6 costs White a rook for two pawns.Or 11. Bd3 fxe6 and White gets only one pawn for the rook.)11. ... dxc412. Qxc4(PB: When losing material so early in the game the usual response would be to throw all remaining forces in the general direction of the opposing king hoping the all-out assault might catch the opponent off guard. Fine in theory, but very difficult to put into action here.The fully-open e-file is likely to be where rooks will oppose each other leading to exchanges. This will leave only the white queen and a few minor pieces combined with a pawn-storm to pull off a miracle. Perhaps White should instead just sit back and force Black to demonstrate how winning a won game is easier said than done.)12. ... Re813. Bf4 Rxe214. Qxe2 Qe815. Qd2 c616. Na3 b5(IB: Beginning to fracture my opponent's pawns.

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PB: An unnecessary advance. Even if White plays Nc4 it cannot do anything drastic. In fact, White will only find that placing pieces actively will only make Black’s job of exchanging down to an ending easier.)17. Re1 Qd718. Nc2 Na619. Be5 Nd520. Bxg7 Kxg7(PB: If Baldrick ever gets round to writing a chess book on trying to salvage something from lost positions it would undoubtedly be titled: "I Have a Cunning Plan..."His simple-to-follow 5-step advice here would almost certainly be:"Firstly, trade rooks. Secondly, trade queens. Thirdly, trade off all queenside pawns. Fourthly, reduce Black to a single kingside pawn. Fifthly, sacrifice the single defensive knight on the last black pawn, leaving Black with two knights which cannot force mate, ha ha ha!"21. Qe2 Nac722. Qd3 Re823. Re4 Nf624. Re3 Ncd525. Rxe8 Qxe826. Kf1 Nh5(PB: There are so many ways for Black to handle the position. The general plan should be to probe around with the queen and a knight trying to provoke White into making pawn moves on the queenside.Perhaps Black should first of all, strengthen the queenside with pawn a6. Then try Qe6 with Nb6, and wait to see if White responds by moving either the a-pawn or b-pawn. Then transfer the queen to d6, place a knight on e6, and challenge the white d4 pawn by advancing with pawn c5. Black should at the moment do nothing on the kingside, it is important to keep the king guarded against possible white queen probing while the centre / queenside is being opened up.)27. g3 Qe628. h4 f5?(PB: Unnecessary.Unless there is a strong gain to be made, the kingside pawn formation should not yet be touched by Black.)29. b3 Nhf630. c4(PB: Perhaps just sitting there waiting for Black to try to make progress was a better approach. This pawn advance permits Black to create a target in the white position. It is all about testing the opponent.So far the extra black piece has not been used to break open the position, so why not leave matters as they are?)30. ... bxc431. bxc4 Nb632. c5 Qc4(PB: And now queens are about to be exchanged which rules out any desperado flailing around by the white queen against the black king.)33. Qxc4 Nxc4(IB: I felt I had now secured a draw.PB: At Grand Master level this game is a clear win for Black. On high IBCA Olympiad board this should also be comfortably won by Black. But these are not the circumstances here. Black is going to have endgame technique tested in a position which is far from simple at this level of tournament play.)34. Nb4 Na535. Ke1 Nd536. Nd3 Nc4(PB: Black has a couple of plans available here.Firstly, this knight could retreat with the intention of probing the white queenside with, Nb7 - Nd8 - Ne6, which puts pressure on the white d4 pawn. White must anticipate this manoeuvre and find a defence for the d4 pawn, relatively easy. From the e6 square black could try Nc7 testing whether or not White will allow Nb5 - Nbc3. If White starts moving the a-pawn then it will be easier for Black to target, perhaps with a king-walk.Secondly, once the manoeuvring knight sits on e6 there could be the alternate plan of some kingside probing intending to open up a second front.

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Perhaps Black begins with Kf6 and then pawn g5, again testing White as to whether the h-pawn trades, pushes past or just sits still.In all three cases there will be opportunities for infiltration of either the black king or e6 knight.Both of these black plans take time but this is inconsequential as White has no counter-plan other than trying to hold the position.)37. Nc1 Kf738. Ke2 Ke639. Kd3 Na540. Kc2 Nc741. Kc3 Kd542. Ne2(PB: White has been defensively shuffling for a very long time which might have lulled Black into a false sense of security. Just because there has not been a threat all game does not mean there can never be a threat.)42. ... Nb7??(PB: The simplest plan was to retreat with 42. ... Ke6 and think again on how to proceed.Instead 42. ... Ne6 would prevent immediate disaster but after 43. Kd3 white is threatening 44. Nc3+ mate.So after 42. ... Ne6 43. Kd3 Nxc5+ 44. dxc5 Kxc5 material is equal but Black does have the passed c-pawn with which to pressure Black.)43. Nf4# 1-0(PB: Unbelievable. White has been a piece down for two pawns since move twelve. The best White could have sensibly hope for was a draw and yet the scoresheet now reads 1-0. Moral of the tale: Whoever makes the ultimate mistake loses. In this game Black made only one mistake, allowing 43. Nf4#.)

Editor’s note: Thanks to Gary Wickett for drawing attention to Ian’s subsequent success in the Castle Chess Portsmouth Congress in Fareham 1st to 3rd October. Ian was one of the joint winners of the Intermediate section!

SCCU 125th Anniversary North v South MatchOn Sunday 16th September the Southern Counties Chess Union held a match to celebrate their 125th anniversary. One hundred and thirty five players from north and south of the Thames competed against each other and three BCA members were among them!Owen Phillips reports: Voldi Gailans and Efe Shimwell played a significant part in the 125th SCCU Anniversary North v South Match, which involved players from no fewer than sixteen counties. Voldi and Efe both won their games and a lot of spectators were very impressed!I think Efe won slightly more easily and quickly with the white pieces against his sighted ‘Northern’ opponent, and Voldi very adeptly and carefully nursed a queen and pawns endgame to victory with black, thereby actually securing at least a match draw for the ‘North’ team when his win took them to 34 points in the 68 board match! Eventually the South went down 31.5 to 36.5.The past and current Presidents and Vice-Presidents part of the match on Boards 1-4 was won by the ‘South’ so we can claim some parity after all! Former British Champion, GM Jonathan Hawkins (260 ECF), playing on board 5 for the North was the star player but was held to a draw by the strong IM Richard Bates. Three other IMs and some strong FMs also played.I drew on board 30 against a true ‘northerner’ who was originally from Scotland!Editor’s note: Efe and Voldi both get a mention in a report of the match that can be found at https://sccu-chess.com/index.php/en/report-on-the- anniversary-matchThere is also a photo of the event in which Voldi can be seen sporting his BCA shirt!

Reporter Ross!Congratulations to Chris Ross on having an article published in the October 2017 issue of “Chess” magazine! He wrote about the Darnall and Handsworth FIDE Rapidplay which took place in Sheffield on the 2nd of September. Despite electing not to use a board, Chris scored four points from six games in the Open section to finish equal third with two other players. Chris only lost to FIDE Master Richard Britton, who went on to be one of the joint winners. This game was also published as part of the report, meaning that Chris can claim the distinction of having one of his games rubbing shoulders with games by such players as Kasparov and Carlsen!

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ECF Grades for BCA Members July 2017A new grading list was published by the English Chess Federation in July and revised on the 25th of September. Here are the new grades of BCA members, with Rapidplay grades also noted in parentheses where applicable.Andrews, Norman G 128 Armstrong, William 149 (151R)Bailey, Stephen 67 Bhutta, Ehteshaam (36R)Bhutta, Shehroze (50R)Blencowe, Ian P 131 (138R)Brookes, Paul 47 Brown, Geoffrey D 151 (137R)Burnell, Steve 146 Carr, Matthew 132 (153R)Casey, Eamonn 103 Chambers, Colin R 140 Chapman, Gordon 122 Clayton, David G 106 Cloudsdale, Peter 151 Cuthbert, Jim 84 Delaney, Michael 147 Doyle, Philip 135 Fisher, Colin 150 (138R)Gailans, Voldi 89 Gallagher, John 200 Gibbs, Peter C 162

Gordon, Philip L 119 Graff, Ben 163 (144R)Hague, Mark 96 Harman, Kenneth B 175 Harrington, Richard 0 Hilton, Steve H 162 Holtz, Steve 94 Jenkins, John H 79 Khare, Shivank 75 (82R)Khare, Shubhransh 9 (31R)Kirkham, Mark 146 Lawton, Tony 45 Lilley, Graham 164 Loftus, Sean 116 Lowery, Michael 27 Mabbs, David 178 (157R)McElroy, Ernie 149 Mills, David G 134 Murphy, Richard LW 115 Osborne, John 52 Pennington, Graham 129 Phillips, George W 96

Phillips, Owen S 161 (164R)Prasath, Malola TS 182 (186R)Rajkumar, Sanjay (35R)Ross, Chris N 207 Rugman, Daniel 77 Shimwell, Efe 96 (113R)Smith, Gill 46 Stephenson, F Norman 168 Tew, Eleanor 0 Thacker, Steve M 96 Thukaram, Jijjith 78 (92R)Walsh, Gerry F 118 Waters, Roger G 111 (98R)Welch, David 144 Whittle, Les V 145 (147R)Wickett, Gary M 91 Willis, Graham 133 Wragg, Norman A 136 Yu, X Gregory 100 (92R)Yu, X Henry 150 (142R)

I have tried to make this list as complete and accurate as possible, but please do let me know if your ECF grade is missing or incorrect. Congratulations to everyone who has a grade for the first time or whose grade has gone up. Julie Leonard

IBCA Congress HighlightsObservant readers of the Gazette will have spotted the change to Steve Hilton’s role at the IBCA as published in the August issue. Having served for many years as Secretary General, Steve is now the 2nd Vice President. He at-tended the recent IBCA Congress in Macedonia and has sent in the following information about the Board and the calendar of IBCA events: BoardPresident: Charudatta Jadhav, India1st Vice President: Nikos Kalesis, Greece2nd Vice President: Stephen Hilton, UKSecretary General: Christine Beutelhoff, GermanyTreasurer: Natasha Dalle, BelgiumAfrica Rep: Melvin Lucas, South AfricaAmericas Rep: Daniel Morelli, AregentinaWebmaster: Sergio Harnandan, NetherlandsCalendar2018 World team Championships, Bulgaria2018 Junior World Championship and Women's World Championship, Poland2019 World Individual, Italy2019 European Team Championships, Romania2020 Junior World Championships, Turkey2020 European Individual, Serbia2020 Asian Individual, Phillipines2021 Olympiad, Greece

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Chris’s PuzzleAugust Puzzle: FEN: 8/B7/2KQ4/8/8/7p/4P1kp/8White: King c6, Queen d6, Bishop a7, Pawn e2 Black: king g2, pawns h2 and h3White to play and mate in two. Solution: 1. Qc5!A. 1... Kg3 2. Qg5# B. 1...h 1=Q/R/B 2. Qf2# C. 1... h1=N 2. Qg1#D. 1... Kf1 2. Qf2# E. 1... Kh1 2. Qd5#

November Puzzle: FEN: K7/8/8/n7/8/4N3/R3P2R/4k3White: King a8, Rooks a2 and h2, Knight e3, Pawn e2 Black: king e1, knight a5White to play and mate in two. The solution will appear in the February issue.Chris Ross

Millennium ClubRecent Millennium Club winners:

August: Joan Shorrock, number 12.September: Bill Armstrong, number 54. October: Alec Crombie, number 73.

The Millennium Club raises funds for the BCA by holding a monthly draw at £12 per number per year. Each month a lucky winner receives £35. If you wish to enter the draw, send a cheque made payable to "Braille Chess Association" to the treasurer or make an online or telephone payment to the BCA.Gill Smith, Treasurer

PersonaliaMembers will be saddened to read that David Welch was taken seriously ill while working as an arbiter in Gibraltar in August. He is now in a rehabilitation unit in Liverpool. David has attended many of our events lately either as an arbiter or a player and made lots of friends in the BCA. Our Chairman has sent a get well card on behalf of our association so David will know we are thinking of him and wishing him well. Anyone who wants to send their own message to David should contact the gazette editor.Matthew Carr was awarded the title of IBCA Arbiter at the congress in Macedonia this summer. Anyone who has attended our over the board tournaments in recent years will know what a tremendous asset Matthew has become to our association. Many congratulations to Matthew on this well-deserved title!Colin Baxter, the Chairman of Blind Cricket, writes: May I take this opportunity to announce that, in his secondary pastime, Geoff Brown has received a gong. He’s Yorkshire VI Cricket’s official scorer and has just been given the award for scorer of the year. He should have been receiving it at Blind Cricket’s T20 Final in Wolverhampton, but, not knowing this secret, opted to play chess in Liverpool instead.

Award Winning GazetteNorman Wragg writes:

Great news for the BCA. As you will have seen from the front page, our Gazette is the ECF Magazine of the Year. What a fitting tribute to all the hard work that goes into producing it.Of course, producing the Gazette is a huge team effort involving thirty or so members who write articles every year as well as the people who put the content into the various formats and distribute copies to our members. But very special congratulations must go to our editor Julie, for all her brilliant work in planning the publication, bringing it all together and setting a really nice editorial tone. We are delighted that the work of Julie and her team has been honoured in this way.

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