Strange games today (Friday)

[andyburnett]

I don't know who else is watching online, but a few strange games on the go today.

Tate-McKay
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6?! As White's plan is to take on c6 anyway, why on earth would Black waste a tempo on 3...a6? Birkett-Lees has also seen similar play by Black with a completely wasteful ...a6. These are all good players - what's going on??

Bryson- Muir
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 Bd7 10.0-0-0 Rc8 11.Bb3 Ne5 12.Kb1 Nc4 13.Bxc4 Rxc4 14.g4 b5 15.b3 Rc8?!
Very bizarre choice of opening by Andy Muir and his 15th move has been known as very bad ever since Rowson - Burnett (!). Dougie is an opening theory specialist of sorts, so no idea what Andy is doing here. 15...b4!? was my novelty way back when and is probably the best move in the position.

A link to the Rowson-Burnett game here http://chess-db.com/public/game.jsp?id=2...2000&lan=6 which Bryson-Muir is still following.

[Andy Howie]

Saw this, paniced and thought something was wrong with the boards..

[Robert Lothian]

Absolute chaos on board one - anyone know how much of that was theory?

In Brown-Begg, is that actually a drawn ending? Instead of Bxh4 losing, wasn't it possible to head for f8 with the king, resulting in a fortress?

[andyburnett]

Absolute chaos on board one - anyone know how much of that was theory?

In Brown-Begg, is that actually a drawn ending? Instead of Bxh4 losing, wasn't it possible to head for f8 with the king, resulting in a fortress?

Not sure about McNab-Arak.Grant. I have played this line as Black a dozen times or so but always with 8...Ne6.

Brown-Begg has to be a draw if he doesn't play ...Bxh4. Just king to f8 and B shuffles along the long diagonal forever.

[Alan Tate]

I apologise for the terrible quality of my game today...

[amuir]

I had no idea in my opening v Dougie and got thrashed

[Alastair White]

Another 'strange' result as given in the results pages is Alan Jelfs 1-0 vs Alastair White.

We did play, under tournament conditions, but the game was drawn. I came along to watch, and Alex 'volunteered' me to play as a substitute after Alan Brown called off sick. Alan Jelfs was awarded the full points for this round since his genuine opponent was missing. However it is a little disconcerting to see the game 'scored' as a loss for me in the results. I trust this will not be reflected in the gradings... a draw (as signed for) will be bad enough for me but not too serious...

[Alex McFarlane]

Hi Alistair,

It is computer inflexibility.

Rest assured the game will go to FIDE as a draw. The 1-0 is simply to keep Alan's score on the computer as it should be. The software would not allow Andy to enter it as 1-0.5!!!

[Andy Howie]

i can confirm it is showing in the grading program as a draw

Andy