2000 87th Smith & Williamson British Chess Championship, Millfield School, Street, 31 July - 11 August • 1999« »2001

2000 British Chess Championship		Fed	Elo	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	Total
1	Julian M Hodgson	ENG	2640g	♦ ½/26	◊ 0/3	♦ 1/31	◊ 1/46	♦ 1/53	◊ ½/29	♦ 1/24	◊ 1/7	♦ 1/5	◊ 1/2	♦ ½/4	8½
2	Chris Ward	ENG	2508g	♦ 1/38	◊ 1/20	♦ 1/12	◊ 0/7	♦ 1/24	◊ 1/22	♦ ½/4	◊ 1/6	♦ ½/3	♦ 0/1	◊ 1/14	8
3	Jonathan S Speelman	ENG	2623g	◊ ½/42	♦ 1/1	◊ 1/8	♦ ½/10	◊ ½/19	♦ ½/16	◊ 1/13	♦ 1/14	◊ ½/2	♦ ½/11	◊ ½/5	7½
4	Mark L Hebden	ENG	2505g	♦ 1/36	◊ 1/40	♦ 1/18	◊ ½/9	♦ 1/7	◊ ½/6	◊ ½/2	♦ 0/5	◊ ½/17	♦ 1/10	◊ ½/1	7½
5	Murray G Chandler	ENG	2526g	♦ 1/46	◊ 1/24	♦ 0/7	◊ 1/18	♦ ½/29	◊ 1/12	♦ ½/6	◊ 1/4	◊ 0/1	♦ 1/22	♦ ½/3	7½
6	Daniel W Gormally	ENG	2499m	◊ 1/32	♦ 1/21	◊ 1/30	♦ ½/14	◊ ½/22	♦ ½/4	◊ ½/5	♦ 0/2	◊ 1/23	♦ ½/8	◊ 1/17	7½
7	Aaron Summerscale	ENG	2459g	♦ 1/50	◊ 1/28	◊ 1/5	♦ 1/2	◊ 0/4	♦ ½/14	◊ ½/10	♦ 0/1	◊ ½/22	♦ 1/24	◊ ½/11	7
8	Brian Kelly	IRL	2426m	♦ 1/62	◊ ½/25	♦ 0/3	◊ 1/33	♦ 1/28	◊ ½/9	♦ ½/11	◊ ½/15	♦ 1/18	◊ ½/6	◊ ½/10	7
9	Bogdan Lalic	CRO	2520g	◊ 1/57	♦ 1/19	◊ ½/22	♦ ½/4	◊ ½/16	♦ ½/8	◊ ½/14	♦ ½/23	◊ 1/29	♦ ½/17	◊ ½/13	7
10	Anthony J Miles	ENG	2584g	1/bye	◊ 1/29	♦ ½/15	◊ ½/3	♦ ½/12	◊ 1/17	♦ ½/7	♦ ½/22	◊ 1/16	◊ 0/4	♦ ½/8	7
11	Peter K Wells	ENG	2506g	◊ 1/27	♦ 0/18	◊ 1/57	♦ ½/53	◊ ½/23	♦ 1/20	◊ ½/8	♦ ½/29	◊ 1/21	◊ ½/3	♦ ½/7	7
12	Nicholas Pert	ENG	2455m	◊ 1/55	♦ 1/59	◊ 0/2	♦ 1/44	◊ ½/10	♦ 0/5	◊ 1/27	♦ 0/21	◊ 1/42	♦ ½/16	◊ 1/22	7
13	Aleksandar Wohl	AUS	2461m	◊ 1/35	♦ 0/30	◊ ½/27	♦ ½/42	◊ 1/32	◊ 1/43	♦ 0/3	◊ 1/26	♦ ½/41	◊ 1/15	♦ ½/9	7
14	Luke McShane	ENG	2480m	♦ 1/61	◊ 1/45	♦ 1/17	◊ ½/6	♦ ½/25	◊ ½/7	♦ ½/9	◊ 0/3	♦ ½/24	◊ 1/41	♦ 0/2	6½
15	Keith C Arkell	ENG	2481g	◊ 1/43	♦ 1/47	◊ ½/10	♦ 0/22	◊ 1/21	♦ 0/23	◊ 1/30	♦ ½/8	◊ 1/19	♦ 0/13	◊ ½/16	6½
16	Matthew Turner	ENG	2491m	♦ 1/37	◊ ½/53	♦ ½/26	◊ 1/41	♦ ½/9	◊ ½/3	♦ ½/29	◊ 1/18	♦ 0/10	◊ ½/12	♦ ½/15	6½
17	Colin S Crouch	ENG	2448m	◊ 1/56	♦ ½/23	◊ 0/14	♦ 1/27	◊ 1/54	♦ 0/10	◊ 1/42	◊ 1/25	♦ ½/4	◊ ½/9	♦ 0/6	6½
18	Amon Simutowe	ZAM	2322m	♦ 1/64	◊ 1/11	◊ 0/4	♦ 0/5	◊ ½/30	♦ 1/34	◊ 1/54	♦ 0/16	◊ 0/8	♦ 1/35	◊ 1/42	6½
19	Simon K Williams	ENG	2353m	♦ 1/60	◊ 0/9	♦ 1/38	◊ 1/26	♦ ½/3	◊ ½/25	♦ 0/22	◊ 1/43	♦ 0/15	◊ ½/37	♦ 1/41	6½
20	Graeme Buckley	ENG	2351m	◊ 1/65	♦ 0/2	◊ 1/35	◊ 0/25	♦ 1/26	◊ 0/11	♦ 0/36	♦ 1/55	◊ 1/30	♦ ½/23	◊ 1/27	6½
21	Humpy Koneru	IND	2286wm	◊ 1/68	◊ 0/6	♦ ½/33	◊ 1/39	♦ 0/15	◊ ½/36	♦ 1/51	◊ 1/12	♦ 0/11	◊ ½/25	♦ 1/37	6½
22	Harriet Hunt	ENG	2454wg	♦ 1/49	◊ 1/39	♦ ½/9	◊ 1/15	♦ ½/6	♦ 0/2	◊ 1/19	◊ ½/10	♦ ½/7	◊ 0/5	♦ 0/12	6
23	Gavin Crawley	ENG	2401m	♦ ½/33	◊ ½/17	♦ ½/28	◊ 1/37	♦ ½/11	◊ 1/15	♦ ½/25	◊ ½/9	♦ 0/6	◊ ½/20	♦ ½/26	6
24	Simon JB Knott	ENG	2381f	◊ 1/51	♦ 0/5	◊ 1/43	♦ 1/30	◊ 0/2	♦ 1/44	◊ 0/1	♦ 1/47	◊ ½/14	◊ 0/7	♦ ½/25	6
25	John M Emms	ENG	2527g	◊ 1/34	♦ ½/8	◊ ½/53	♦ 1/20	◊ ½/14	♦ ½/19	◊ ½/23	♦ 0/17	◊ ½/27	♦ ½/21	◊ ½/24	6
26	P Mahesh Chandran	IND	2238	◊ ½/1	♦ 1/55	◊ ½/16	♦ 0/19	◊ 0/20	♦ 1/48	◊ 1/56	♦ 0/13	◊ ½/36	♦ 1/34	◊ ½/23	6
27	Robert Willmoth	ENG	2211	♦ 0/11	◊ 1/64	♦ ½/13	◊ 0/17	♦ 1/39	◊ 1/28	♦ 0/12	◊ 1/61	♦ ½/25	◊ 1/29	♦ 0/20	6
28	F Norman Stephenson	ENG	2241	◊ 1/54	♦ 0/7	◊ ½/23	♦ 1/56	◊ 0/8	♦ 0/27	◊ ½/35	♦ ½/31	◊ 1/51	♦ ½/32	◊ 1/47	6
29	Andrew Webster	ENG	2417m	◊ 1/31	♦ 0/10	◊ 1/32	♦ 1/45	◊ ½/5	♦ ½/1	◊ ½/16	◊ ½/11	♦ 0/9	♦ 0/27	◊ ½/34	5½
30	Richard McMichael	ENG	2250	♦ 1/66	◊ 1/13	♦ 0/6	◊ 0/24	♦ ½/18	◊ 1/33	♦ 0/15	◊ 1/46	♦ 0/20	◊ ½/38	♦ ½/36	5½
31	David J Spence	ENG	2153	♦ 0/29	♦ ½/34	◊ 0/1	♦ ½/63	◊ 1/58	◊ 1/40	♦ 0/41	◊ ½/28	♦ ½/45	◊ 1/43	♦ ½/38	5½
32	Philip Briggs	ENG	2200	♦ 0/6	◊ 1/52	♦ 0/29	◊ 1/58	♦ 0/13	◊ 1/38	♦ 0/46	◊ ½/51	♦ 1/60	◊ ½/28	♦ ½/33	5½
33	Desmond Tan	ENG	2203	◊ ½/23	♦ ½/42	◊ ½/21	♦ 0/8	◊ 1/66	♦ 0/30	♦ ½/45	◊ 1/49	◊ ½/47	♦ ½/44	◊ ½/32	5½
34	Martin Simons	ENG	2226	♦ 0/25	◊ ½/31	♦ 0/51	◊ 1/52	♦ 1/49	◊ 0/18	♦ 1/62	◊ ½/37	♦ 1/43	◊ 0/26	♦ ½/29	5½
35	Sam Collins	IRL	2172	♦ 0/13	◊ 1/66	♦ 0/20	◊ ½/50	♦ ½/40	◊ ½/45	♦ ½/28	◊ ½/60	♦ 1/54	◊ 0/18	♦ 1/46	5½
36	Oliver Jackson	ENG	2209	◊ 0/4	♦ 0/58	◊ 1/65	♦ ½/67	◊ 1/59	♦ ½/21	◊ 1/20	◊ 0/41	♦ ½/26	♦ ½/42	◊ ½/30	5½
37	Matthew Broomfield	ENG	2192	◊ 0/16	♦ ½/68	◊ 1/63	♦ 0/23	◊ 1/45	♦ 0/42	◊ 1/53	♦ ½/34	◊ 1/44	♦ ½/19	◊ 0/21	5½
38	Peter D Kemp	ENG	2214	◊ 0/2	♦ 1/65	◊ 0/19	♦ ½/59	◊ 1/67	♦ 0/32	◊ ½/55	♦ ½/48	◊ 1/56	♦ ½/30	◊ ½/31	5½
39	Stephen Homer	ENG	2030	◊ 1/44	♦ 0/22	◊ ½/47	♦ 0/21	◊ 0/27	♦ 0/55	◊ 1/59	◊ ½/62	♦ ½/50	♦ 1/57	◊ 1/54	5½
40	Ramaswamy Aarthie	IND	2319wf	◊ 1/58	♦ 0/4	◊ ½/56	♦ 0/54	◊ ½/35	♦ 0/31	◊ 0/48	♦ 1/67	◊ ½/55	♦ 1/51	◊ 1/52	5½
41	Robert S McFarland	ENG	2267		1/bye	◊ 1/59	♦ 0/16	◊ ½/42	♦ ½/56	◊ 1/31	♦ 1/36	◊ ½/13	♦ 0/14	◊ 0/19	5½/10
42	Simon T Buckley	ENG	2237	♦ ½/3	◊ ½/33	♦ ½/49	◊ ½/13	♦ ½/41	◊ 1/37	♦ 0/17	◊ 1/54	♦ 0/12	◊ ½/36	♦ 0/18	5
43	Jack Rudd	ENG	2176	♦ 0/15	◊ 1/67	♦ 0/24	◊ 1/48	◊ 1/47	♦ 0/13	◊ 1/44	♦ 0/19	◊ 0/34	♦ 0/31	◊ 1/55	5
44	Suan Evans-Quek	WLS	2261	♦ 0/39	◊ 1/62	♦ 1/58	◊ 0/12	♦ 1/51	◊ 0/24	♦ 0/43	◊ 1/50	♦ 0/37	◊ ½/33	♦ ½/45	5
45	Francis Rayner	WLS	2256	◊ 1/63	♦ 0/14	◊ 1/48	◊ 0/29	♦ 0/37	♦ ½/35	◊ ½/33	♦ ½/56	◊ ½/31	♦ ½/52	◊ ½/44	5
46	Graham Lilley	ENG	2224	◊ 0/5	♦ ½/51	◊ 1/68	♦ 0/1	◊ 0/56	♦ 1/67	◊ 1/32	♦ 0/30	◊ 1/48	♦ ½/47	◊ 0/35	5
47	Andrew Greet	SCO	2266	♦ 1/67	◊ 0/15	♦ ½/39	◊ ½/51	♦ 0/43	◊ 1/60	♦ 1/61	◊ 0/24	♦ ½/33	◊ ½/46	♦ 0/28	5
48	Ben Morgan	ENG	2035	♦ 0/53	◊ 1/61	♦ 0/45	♦ 0/43	◊ 1/50	◊ 0/26	♦ 1/40	◊ ½/38	♦ 0/46	◊ 1/62	♦ ½/49	5
49	Nicholas Frost	ENG	2164f	◊ 0/22	♦ ½/54	◊ ½/42	♦ ½/57	◊ 0/34	♦ ½/63	◊ 1/58	♦ 0/33	◊ 1/53	♦ ½/56	◊ ½/48	5
50	Ian Snape	ENG	2170	◊ 0/7	♦ ½/63	◊ 0/54	♦ ½/35	♦ 0/48	◊ 1/68	◊ 1/57	♦ 0/44	◊ ½/39	♦ ½/55	◊ 1/56	5
51	R Alan Barton	ENG	2145	♦ 0/24	◊ ½/46	◊ 1/34	♦ ½/47	◊ 0/44	♦ 1/57	◊ 0/21	♦ ½/32	♦ 0/28	◊ 0/40	♦ 1/60	4½
52	Debbie Evans-Quek	WLS	2046	◊ 0/59	♦ 0/32	◊ ½/55	♦ 0/34	♦ ½/68	◊ ½/64	◊ 1/66	♦ ½/53	♦ 1/61	◊ ½/45	♦ 0/40	4½
53	James Vigus	ENG	2266f	◊ 1/48	♦ ½/16	♦ ½/25	◊ ½/11	◊ 0/1	♦ 0/54	♦ 0/37	◊ ½/52	♦ 0/49	◊ ½/61	♦ ½/65	4
54	Timothy Douglas	ENG	2015	♦ 0/28	◊ ½/49	♦ 1/50	◊ 1/40	♦ 0/17	◊ 1/53	♦ 0/18	♦ 0/42	◊ 0/35	◊ ½/60	♦ 0/39	4
55	Clive Waters	ENG	2170	♦ 0/12	◊ 0/26	♦ ½/52	◊ 1/68	♦ 0/60	◊ 1/39	♦ ½/38	◊ 0/20	♦ ½/40	◊ ½/50	♦ 0/43	4
56	Lorin D'Costa	ENG	2157	♦ 0/17	◊ 1/69	♦ ½/40	◊ 0/28	♦ 1/46	◊ ½/41	♦ 0/26	◊ ½/45	♦ 0/38	◊ ½/49	♦ 0/50	4
57	Peter Hempson	ENG	2219	♦ 0/9	◊ 1/60	♦ 0/11	◊ ½/49	♦ ½/61	◊ 0/51	♦ 0/50	♦ ½/58	◊ 1/63	◊ 0/39	♦ ½/59	4
58	Gordon Freeman	IRL	2047	♦ 0/40	◊ 1/36	◊ 0/44	♦ 0/32	♦ 0/31	◊ 1/65	♦ 0/49	◊ ½/57	♦ ½/62	♦ ½/64	◊ ½/61	4
59	Paul Obiamiwe	NGR	2065	♦ 1/52	◊ 0/12	♦ 0/41	◊ ½/38	♦ 0/36	◊ 0/61	♦ 0/39	♦ ½/68	◊ ½/64	♦ 1/66	◊ ½/57	4
60	Melanie Buckley	ENG	2124	◊ 0/19	♦ 0/57	◊ 0/66	♦ 1/64	◊ 1/55	♦ 0/47	◊ 1/63	♦ ½/35	◊ 0/32	♦ ½/54	◊ 0/51	4
61	David Wise	ENG	2173	◊ 0/14	♦ 0/48	◊ 1/64	♦ ½/66	◊ ½/57	♦ 1/59	◊ 0/47	♦ 0/27	◊ 0/52	♦ ½/53	♦ ½/58	4
62	Michael E Binks	WLS	2155	◊ 0/8	♦ 0/44	◊ 0/67	♦ 1/65	◊ ½/63	♦ 1/66	◊ 0/34	♦ ½/39	◊ ½/58	♦ 0/48	◊ ½/64	4
63	Richard CP Freeman	ENG	2025	♦ 0/45	◊ ½/50	♦ 0/37	◊ ½/31	♦ ½/62	◊ ½/49	♦ 0/60	◊ ½/64	♦ 0/57	◊ ½/65	♦ 1/68	4
64	James McDonnell	IRL	2050	◊ 0/18	♦ 0/27	♦ 0/61	◊ 0/60	◊ 1/65	♦ ½/52	◊ ½/67	♦ ½/63	♦ ½/59	◊ ½/58	♦ ½/62	4
65	Tim Hebbes	ENG	2121	♦ 0/20	◊ 0/38	♦ 0/36	◊ 0/62	♦ 0/64	♦ 0/58	◊ 1/68	♦ 1/66	◊ 1/67	♦ ½/63	◊ ½/53	4
66	David W Howell	ENG	2020	◊ 0/30	♦ 0/35	♦ 1/60	◊ ½/61	♦ 0/33	◊ 0/62	♦ 0/52	◊ 0/65	♦ ½/68	◊ 0/59	◊ 1/67	3
67	Allan Pleasants	WLS	2040	◊ 0/47	♦ 0/43	♦ 1/62	◊ ½/36	♦ 0/38	◊ 0/46	♦ ½/64	◊ 0/40	♦ 0/65	◊ ½/68	♦ 0/66	2½
68	Stephen L A Orton	ENG	2045	♦ 0/21	◊ ½/37	♦ 0/46	♦ 0/55	◊ ½/52	♦ 0/50	♦ 0/65	◊ ½/59	◊ ½/66	♦ ½/67	◊ 0/63	2½
69	James J Foster	ENG	2000		♦ 0/56										0 / 1

2000 British Ladies' Champion: Humpy Koneru
2000 British Under-21 Champions: Brian Kelly, Nicholas Pert

Alexander Best Game Prize: Mark Hebden (rd 10 v Tony Miles)
(No title norms achieved)

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2000 BCF Major Open (11 round swiss, 72 players)

Ranking	2000 BCF Major Open	Total
1	Richard Pert	8½/11
2-4	Bret C Addison, David Buckley, Joe Conlon	8
5-7	David W Anderton, Chris Jones, Mike Twyble	7½
8-11	Jonathan Beedle, James R Bourne, Gavin Lock, Rafe Martyn	7
12-23	Philip Almond, Andrew Bigg, Stephen P Clark, Roger D de Coverly, John S Garnett Garnett, J Nick Hawkins, Jerry Humphreys, Paul Isherwood, Thomas Nixon, Thomas Quilter, Elaine Rutherford, James Stevenson	6½
24-28	Thomas Dougherty, Paul McKeown, Koichi Nicholas, Marcus Osborne, Craig Young	6
29-37	Paul Davies, Andrew Hughes, Graeme Kafka, Eesha Karavade, Eesha Ezra J Lutton, Daniel McGowan, Ross Mooring, Santiago Perez, Neville Twitchell	5½
38-49	Kenan Boztas, Samuel B Buckley, Stephen Casement, Sam Essen, James J Foster, Abhijeet Gupta, Ashok Koneru, Richard McMaster, Ronald Pearce, Sophie Tidman, Nicholas Timms, Mark Whitehead	5
50-54	William Bennet, Michael Healey, Ian G Kelly, Philip J Peck, Gordon Rigg	4½
55-61	Lucy Broomfield, Oliver Cooley, Tristan Cox, Anna Partington, Annie Powell	4
62-63	Amir Habibi (6 games), David Simpson	3½
64-65	James Berlin (7 games), Liam Roche	3
66	Stewart Reuben (5 games)	2½
67	Nigel Blades (6 games)	2
68-70	John Hennigan (9 games), Robert McFarland (2 games), Melvyn J Young (5 games)	1
71	Roger Hardy (1 game)	½
72	Chris R Price (4 games)	0

2000 British Senior Championship (over 60 years of age, 7 round swiss, 16 players)

(1) John Toothill 5½/7; (2-3) Stewart Reuben, Ivor B N Smith 5

Junior Championships

2000 British U18 Championship (incorporated within Major Open)

(1) Bret C Addison 8/11
Girls U18 Elaine Rutherford 6½

2000 British U16 Championship (7 round swiss, 21 players)

(1) Andrew Hughes 6/7
Girls U16 Alexandra Kelly 5

2000 British U15 Championship (incorporated within U-16 above)

(1-2) Kenan Boztas, Alexandra Kelly 5/7
Girls U15 Alexandra Kelly 5

2000 British U14 Championship (7 round swiss, 24 players)

(1) Eesha Karavade (India) 6½/7
Girls U14 Eesha Karavade 6½

2000 British U13 Championship (7 rounds swiss, 27 players)

(1-2) Sabrina Chevannes, Robert Payne 6/7
Girls U13 Sabrina Chevannes 6

2000 British U12 Championship (7 round swiss, 33 players)

(1) Abhijeet Gupta (India) 6½/7
Girls U12 Francesca Berlin, Danielle Gross, Claire Morris 3

2000 British U11 Championship (7 rounds, 37 players)

(1) Abhijeet Gupta 6½/7
Girls U11 Sarah Hegarty 5

2000 British U10 Championship (7 rounds, 44 players)

(1-2) Thomas Pym, James Snowden 6/7
Girls U10 Vellaikovil Sindhu 4½

2000 British U9 Championship (7 rounds, 45 players)

(1-3) Dana Hawrami, Sankalp Modwal, Tom Robinson 6/7
Girls U9 Amy Officer 5

2000 British U8 Championship (6 rounds, 30 players)

(1) Parimarjan Negi (India) 6/6
Girls U8 Katie Hale, Amy Officer 4

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Other Tournaments

U-175 Championship (5 round swiss, 24 players)

(1) Geoffrey W Sage 5/5; (2) Alec J Toll 4; (3-5) Colin Costello, Alan Downham, Mel J Young 3½

U-150 Championship (5 round swiss, 25 players)

(1-2) Oliver Gill, Roger Hardy 4/5; (3-6) Robert Dean, Laurence Hunt, Teresa Khoo, George Murphy 3½

U-125 Championship (5 round swiss, 31 players)

(1) Kenji O Nicholas 4½/5; (2-4) Laurence Hunt, Matthew Palmer, John Sutcliffe 4

U-100 Championship (5 round swiss, 31 players)

(1) Lawrence Beech 5/5; (2) Ian Robertson 4½; 3 Alistair Hung 4

5 Day Week ONE Tournament (5 round swiss, 16 players)

(1) Alec Toll 4½/5; (2) Philip Bonafont 4; (3) Stephen Connor 3½

5 Day Week TWO Tournament (5 rounds, 14 players)

(1) Graham White 4½/5; (2) Paul Habershon 4; (3-5) Andrew Footner, Graham P Morris, Munroe Morrison 3

Atkins Tournament (6 round swiss, 18 players)

(1) Ian C Clark 5½/6; (2) Krunal Kahar 4½; (3-4) Kevin P Goater, Paul Wallace 4

Harry Baines Week ONE Tournament (9 round swiss, 10 players)

(1) Jonathan B Mutton 8/9; (2) Krunal Kahar 7½; (3) James Mansson 6½

Harry Baines Week TWO Tournament (9 round swiss, 10 players)

(1-2) James Mansson, Mark Weighell 7; (3) Colin A Ramage 5½

Rapidplay - 30th July 2000 (6 rounds swiss, 41 players)

(1) Bogdan Lalic 5½/6; (2-3) Daniel Gormally, Ian Ponter 5

Rapidplay - 6th August 2000 (6 round swiss, 38 players)

(1) Bogdan Lalic 5½/6; (2-3) David M Moskovic, Amon Simutowe 5

Soanes Tournament (6 round swiss, 22 players)

(1) Richard Mycroft 5/6; (2-4) George A A Murphy, Stephen Pride, Jack Tomac 4½

Yates Tournament (6 round swiss, 14 players)

(1) Lawrence Beech 5½/6; (2) Wilfred Morgan 4½; (3) Albert R Willis 4

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THE SMITH AND WILLIAMSON 87th BRITISH CHESS CHAMPIONSHIPS

The actual entry, at 729, was the lowest for many years. In my report last year I advised Council that "this is a fundamental change for the event.... the problems in obtaining suitable, spacious and free accommodation at seaside resorts are immense and the offer to take the Championships to the magnificent settings of Millfield is a challenge I felt the Federation should accept." I make no apology to Council for the choice of venue - in fact all the input I have received from players who actually attended is fulsome in its praise of the standards at Millfield. The facilities were second-to-none, the playing arena was vast and indeed the Championships were one of the best contested and enjoyable that I can remember. Taking everything into account, I can report to Council that despite the low entry, the 2000 Championships were successful and that we have learnt vital lessons which will hold us in good stead for the future. Obviously the financial situation of the event is less healthy than it might have been; last year I informed Council that the 1999 out-turn was substantially better than budget and I must advise Council this year that the event may well have come in at a loss. However I can advise that because of good housekeeping that has taken place whilst I have been in charge of this event, any such loss will be small.

I am pleased to announce to Council that I have negotiated an extension of the Smith & Williamson sponsorship of the Championships to 2003 at least and I am hopeful that our continued good relations with them can continue for many years to come. The sponsorships of the Championships have been the key element to its success over the past few years.

I will now deal with a number of matters that have arisen. 1999 saw criticism of the eligibility rules when a player from Bangladesh finished in equal second place, whilst this situation has been highlighted once again this year with children from India taking the majority of the junior titles. As far as I can see the situation is clear in that para 2.1 of the B.C.F. Constitution states that the objects of the Federation shall be to "encourage the study and practice of chess in the British Commonwealth". Until this and subsequent paragraphs are altered by Council, I take the view that the eligibility of Commonwealth players remains inviolate. The success of the young Indian players will, I hope, encourage our juniors to strive to regain these titles from the sub-continent.

The website this year was contracted to Malcolm Pein as a sub-site to Chess & Bridge and introduced a number of innovations, notably touch-sensitive boards connected directly to the webmaster & inter-active comments via the internet direct to the Commentary Room. It is clear to me that the technology applications this year were a major step forward and work will be needed to ensure that we maintain that progress in forthcoming years. I will not dwell on results here - they have been adequately covered in the media. However, I will summarise some of the steps forward taken during the three years of my stewardship:-

• Entry fees held steady or increased at less than the rate of inflation
• Prizes increased especially in events other than the British
• Increased discounts
• Simplified entry form
• Introduction of Under 175/150 Championship
• Rules for Qualification defined.
• Competing Certificates for all children competing

Neil Graham, Director of Congress Chess, September 2000

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File updated

Date	Notes
24 October 2000	First uploaded to BritBase as a zipped file (complete 375 games)
22 August 2021	Now with a complete crosstable for the Championship plus other leading scores from subsidiary competitions.