Today I took Sam to the Birmingham and District Chess League Rapid Play. He had an OK tournament, which was more or less around his current grade, but he clearly was not at his best. I had kind of expected this as he had a tough week at his sixth form college. Such matters undermine your focus even if you are not consciously aware of it. This is why one of a chess player's primary goals should be to have a clear head and for this reason it is often better not to over prepare and clear away possible distractions.

This year's Birmingham Rapid Play also featured an 8 player all-play-all invitational tournament in which three Grandmasters (Keith Arkell, Mark Hebden and Matthew Turner), one International Master (Ameet Ghasi) and four aspiring youngsters took part. As the cross table shows, the youngsters had a tough learning experience though Louise Head finished well after beating Ghasi and two of the other aspirants.

As usual Sam and I enjoyed hanging out with the other players, Sam pictured here with an eminent group:

As always this tournament was well organized and there was a good turnout in terms of numbers. Probably we will be back next year and perhaps I might get to play.

Nigel Davies

Some time ago my son Sam told me that I shouldn't go in the playing room unless I am playing myself. He just didn't like me looking at his games when they were in progress, usually because I looked so worried. This has certainly made my life easier as a chess parent, now I just don't get nervous. I was even oblivious when Sam played an opponent who objected to the slight crinkle of his water bottle when Sam took a drink, made a big thing of it and a lot of tension and anger ensued with Sam's opponent finally being kicked out of the tournament! It was quite interesting to find out what happened later and all the time I had been getting on with some work in the analysis room.

Yesterday there was another case where it was better not to watch, though I did take a quick look at Sam's position when he left the playing room for a few minutes. I saw the following position which looked like it should be a draw:

Here Black had just played 41...Qh5+ after which I figured it would be a draw, with both sides having the chance to deliver a draw by perpetual check. I got out before Sam returned so as not to get into trouble and waited for him to finish. Some time later he found me and announced that he had won, but it was not a very good game.

What had happened? Well in the game there followed 42.Kg1 e5 43.Rd7+ Ke6 44.Re7+ Kd6 45.Rxe5 Qd1+ 46.Kh2 Qe2? (Black should draw with 46...Qe1) 47.Rd5+ Kc7 48.e5 c4 49.e6 b5 50.e7 Qe1 51.Re5 Qh4+ 52.Kg1 Qd4+ 53.Kf1 Qf4+ 54.Ke2 Qh2 55.Kf3 Qg1 56.e8=Q Qd1+ 57.Kg3 Qd3+ 58.Re3 Qd6+ 59.Be5 1-0 but this was not the only drama. Apparently Sam lost his queen earlier in the game and had a position he could easily have resigned.

This is why parents should stay out of the playing room, it just saves them a lot of stress! In the end Sam got another good result of 3.5/5 and a share of second place but it could all have been very different. Here is the top of the final cross-table:

Below is a picture of a smiling Sam outside the Ibis Styles Hotel where the tournament was played, another very nice venue:

Nigel Davies

Today I took my son Sam to the Atkins Memorial Rapidplay, which was one of the most distant tournaments we have been to in a single day. It was worth the trip though because it was very well organised and had a really excellent venue at the Leicester Grammar School. Here is view from the outside:

Sam had another good rapid play performance, finishing equal third in the Major and looked very much as if he has the potential to win such events in the very near future. He was half a point behind the joint winners and this could have been very different had he not made a bad slip in round 4. Here is the top of the cross-table:

It was also good to meet up with legendary GM Mark Hebden for the second weekend running, and also good to see Mark winning the Open with considerable ease. Rapid play seems to be his strongest discipline as it showcases his very well worked out opening repertoire, great intuition and excellent technique. Mark is pictured below with Sam:

I will take Sam to two more tournaments on the next two weekends after which he will have a few weeks break. Fortunately the next ones are not quite as far!

Nigel Davies

For the last 8 years I have been going to lots of tournaments, but taking my son Sam rather than playing myself. The most recent of these was the Darnall & Handsworth Rapidplay in Sheffield, which took place on September 1st. Sam had another pretty good result, finishing 4th= in the Major with an 1878 Elo performance. This seems to be more or less in line with his current strength, though his rating is lagging behind at the moment.

A few people who have watched Sam's steady progress from unspectacular beginnings wonder about our training regime. Essentially it's all here on Tiger Chess, with a strong emphasis on endgames and strategy rather than the standard junior fare of openings and sacrificial attacks. His openings could certainly be better, and this is something we've been working on of late. But it takes time to develop a sophisticated repertoire that is dependent on understanding and concepts rather than rote learning and tricks.

From a chess parenting perspective one of the great things about the chess circuit is how Sam is making friends with other chess playing youngsters, and in his case adults too. Below he is pictured on the right together with Anita Somton and Armaan Gogia. Anita was 4th= in the Open with a 2066 performance whilst Armaan also did well in the Open with a 1944 performance. Both Anita and Armaan are coached by Anita's father, Ukken Somton, who has a strong focus on endgames and has been very successful in developing young players.

Where are we going next? Probably to a tournament in Nottingham at the end of September and then on from there. What's the goal? Our provisional aim is that he should be around 2200 strength at 18, at which time we will be reviewing the situation.

Nigel Davies