Scenario: Rapidplay game. Black takes white's queen with the move ...Qxd1 then, before pressing her clock, points out that her own flag has fallen. In the position after ...Qxd1, white has a bare king.

My understanding is that a flag has fallen when it has been observed to have fallen. So:

Is it a draw because, in the position on the board at the time the flag fall was observed, white has a bare king?

Or is it a win on time for black because white didn't successfully complete the move that produced the bare king by pressing her clock with her flag still up (even though the move had been made before the flagfall was pointed out)?

And would it make a difference if someone had been watching and could say with certainty whether the flag fell before or after ...Qxd1 was played?

(The only other time something a bit like this has come up, the move played was checkmate, which immediately ends the game unless the flag was observed to have fallen first. This is a bit more difficult for me to get my head around, as the move played was "special" but not something that immediately ends the game.)

Edit: Under 9 schools league game. We decided on the spot that it was a draw without any discussion, but then I started thinking a bit more about it in the evening.

Thanks to Malola Prasath for games from Edinburgh Congress events 2012 including an annotated version of the Brillancy Prize winning game!

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I was curious if the Junior congress was 'live' from Airdrie so that I could watch Glenrothes local hero, Sam. Apparently not! Are the sensory boards only available for adult congresses? Good luck Sam...

Does Gelfand have a chance? My guess is a win for Anand of 7.5 - 4.5

Thoughts please on the format for the West of Scotland Championships going forward as a knock-out event run over a year. 3 sections, £5 - £10 entry fee, first round draw would be made and players would arrange between themselves to play ties by a certain date (one month to play ties). Winners into second round and so on until final.

Final for each section would be 4 game match between two players, over one weekend, 2 matches per day. All 3 section finals would be played over same weekend in top quality hotel with Saturday night accommodation and Sunday breakfast provided. Winners take all.

Alternatively, the Championships could continue to be part of a larger weekend congress, as they were this year. This has its advantages but limits the prize money for the winner and limits the field to those that particpate in that weekend congress.

Any other suggestions would be welcome.

In yesterday's Scotsman John Henderson made the claim that the Glasgow Chess League was the strongest and oldest in Scotland.

Close but no cigar, John, while I leave strongest to be debated by others I can confirm that Glasgow is not the oldest chess league in Scotland. Glasgow started in 1908 but the Ayrshire chess league had already started the year before in 1907 with Kilmarnock winning that inaugural season.

You expect this sort of inaccurate reporting in the tabloids but the Scotsman surely aspires to a higher standard.

So, Ayrshire in 1907, oldest chess league in Scotland, unless you know better?

Hi All,
After working at The 4NCL this weekend I realised how many of our titled players want to but just cannot afford to spend 2 weeks playing away from home at The British Championships.

To make the tournament successful we need as many titled players as possible - everyone there (and all over the world) wants to see their favourite players playing. Without titled players you cannot make new titled players. Without titled players we don't get the hits on the website to watch the live games - which, in turn, may encourage a sponsor for future years.

Will someone out there sponsor their favourite player to play this year? Either by donating direct to the player or to me and specifying which GM, IM, WGM or WIM they would like to see at the event?

Examples:
£100 would pay someone's travel
£250 would be reasonable start money for someone who is able to stay with a friend
£500 is roughly the cost of reasonable B&B accommodation in North Tyneside for 2 weeks
£1000 would get really good conditions

A huge thank you to the people who have already pledged money for GM accommodation - 3 members of Northumberland Chess Association have pledged £500 each to support the event.

There are proposals at the GL AGM to reduce the number of clubs. I would like to know which clubs would be removed under these rules. I believe Hamilton, Dumbarton & East Kilbride to be at risk.

RESOLUTION 1A: Proposed by Cumbernauld Chess Club
11 Venues and Dates for matches
Change 11.1 to read:
All clubs should play League matches at a suitable venue within a 25 minute drive
(as defined by Google maps) of George Square in Glasgow unless the home team can
obtain agreement from visiting clubs. Such visiting clubs, declining to play due to the
excessive driving time or at an unsuitable venue must do so at the League Fixture Meeting.

RESOLUTION 1B: Proposed by Cumbernauld Chess Club
11 Venues and Dates for matches
Change 11.1 to read:
All clubs should play League matches at a suitable venue within the postcode areas
G1-G62 , G64-G82 or PA1-P10 unless the home team can obtain agreement from
visiting clubs. Such visiting clubs, declining to play due to the location or unsuitability of
a venue must do so at the League Fixture Meeting.

RESOLUTION 1C: Proposed by Cumbernauld Chess Club
11 Venues and Dates for matches
Change 11.1 to read:
All clubs should play League matches at a suitable venue within 12 miles radius of
Exchange Square in Glasgow unless the home team can obtain agreement from
visiting clubs. Such visiting clubs, declining to play outside the 12 mile radius or at an
unsuitable venue must do so at the League Fixture Meeting.

Just in from a great social night at the Parkstone hotel in Prestwick. A delicious buffet and frequently visited bar accompanied a thoroughly enjoyable evening. GM Sarunas Sulskis gave a brief introduction to his chess life then proceeded to analyse a very interesting game he played at Ravenna in Italy last year where he gave up his queen early for three minor pieces, eventually winning against an Iranian GM. This was followed by a simul v twenty opponents. Seventeen wins, two draws and one loss. The loss? An eleven year old boy from Aberdeen called Murad Abdulla who many people involved in Scotland's junior scene feel may be a little bit special,

Robin.

Pairings for R4 of the Open, starting at 09:45 Sunday 6 May:

1. Alan Tate (2½) v Sarunas Sulskis (3)
2. David Findlay (2½) v Stephen Burns-Mannion (2½)
3. Chukwuka Allor (2½) v Peter Jamieson (2½)
4. Mark Orr (2) v Ian Marks (2)
5. Alan Grant (2) v Neil Thomson (2)
6. Kenneth Malkin (2) v Colin Costello (2)
7. James Doyle (2) v Elliot Frew (1½)
8. Elaine Bamber (1½) v Gary McPheator (1½)
9. Joe Parks (1½) v Steven Brown (1½)
10. Ali Roy (1½) v Alan Jelfs (1½)
11. Sai Kong Tsang (1) v Gary Gillespie (1½)
12. Murad Abdulla (1) v Rosie Giulian (1)
13. Daniel Thomas (1) v David P Gillespie (1)
14. Jamie Malkin (1) v Lennart Koehn (1)
15. Anthony Dunlop (1) v Nihad Abdulla (1)
16. Michael Grove (½) v Michael Ridge (½)
17. Richard Jennings (0) v Stephen Hamilton (½)
Philip Giulian (2) ½-pt bye