In Scotland we have an official blitz championship, held in June usually (and hopefully again this year!). It is an open Championship held in Edinburgh and is usually very well organised. Importantly, it is open to players from all nations. Last year it was won by Matthew Sadler in front of Arkadij Naiditsch. English GM Matthew Turner became Scottish Champion, as he is a member of FIDE through the Scottish Federation, although he would not be allowed to play for Scotland according to the selection rules. I would, but am a member of FIDE through the Danish Federation and thus had to console myself with third place.
As I have recently moved to a new flat, I invited the guys from the office and my teammates from Edinburgh Chess Club to a blitz tournament. Original invitee Danny could not make it so John was forced to play. True to his recent change of style, he sacrificed queens and rooks and lost equal rook endings…
I was personally very lucky to make it to the final, as Andrew Green rejected a perpetual in an attempt to humiliate me 2-0 in the semi-final. Big mistake!
The evening was a big success and the trophies (handed out by Captain, my Captain Neil Berry) were shared generously!
Congratulations! A pretty strong tournament. For blitz, do you choose 5|0 or 3|2 or something else?
Looks like a lot of fun – congrats on the victory and the new pad!
5 min no increment
Old school! I like it.
(Not sure if that slang phrase is used overseas)
What a bloodbath. 29 games and just one draw!
Neil was at the ‘When an unstoppable force meets an immovable object’ weekend. Is he any closer to his FM title?
@Jesse
You mean IM? Sadly not, I think.
Could you please send me details of the Scottish blitz tournament “held in June usually”? Is it open to non-playing spectators?
@Julius K
Yes but it has not been announced for this year. The main organiser has a gap year…