British Chess

FIDE Open Rapidplay by Nolan Pereira

The tournament in Brentwood was filled with very strong players of all ages and backgrounds, which made it a fun challenge and helped to create a very lively and friendly atmosphere. Furthermore, the support from all the parents and observers as well as the other players really showed how encouraging, diverse and inseparable the chess community really is, and although there might’ve been a battle to the death over the chess board, my experience on Sunday was phenomenal and even inspirational to continue with chess as much as I can.

The rapidplay in full swing!

Furthermore the location was excellent, with amazing facilities for everyone involved, which made the tournament even more welcoming and established a perfect playing environment. Lastly, everyone who made this day possible, such as the arbiters, the organisers and everyone involved helped immensely, and managed to run a fantastic tournament where everybody had an exciting and enjoyable time – thank you very much for making it possible.

FIDE Open Standard Play by Stanley Badacsonyi (Rating Prizewinner)

I got to know Robin Slade on Lichess during lockdown, when I started to play chess seriously, and I played over 30000 games.

Robin and IM Richard Pert run chess at Brentwood School, and hosted the 1st FIDE-Rated Standardplay Congress over the bank holiday weekend of August 27-29, 2022. This was a 7-round tournament.

The players met on a bright, sunny Saturday morning at this lovely school. 26 players in total participated, and there was a good mix of young talent, very young talent and experienced adults.

Day 3 of the standard-play!

I started well, and finished the second day on 4 out of 5 points, having won 3 and drawn 2. I was in joint 1st place at this point. However, on the last day I faced 2 of the strongest players in the tournament including the top seed Savas Marin Stoica, and was outplayed.

I was really happy to win the U2000 rating prize, and I am already looking forward to returning for the 2nd Congress.

Stanley Badacsonyi
Fortismere School
Muswell Hill

FIDE U1300 Rapidplay by Nithilan Sharrierr (First Tournament)

This experience was something completely different and amazing to me. This was my first ever chess tournament, and it felt refreshing to just play a whole day’s worth of chess. The tournament itself was incredibly well organised and playing every one of my matches was a thrill. The system itself was simple: 6 rounds each lasting one hour, a break between each of them plus a longer lunch break. Simple yet effective. It was also refreshing to play people who are vastly different in age and to see so many people enjoy chess, regardless of their age.

The breaks especially helped, whether it was experiencing the joy of a win or coping with a loss. Snacks and refreshments were also provided for anybody who needed them. Overall, the day was also incredibly fun, and the matches were very well organised to help people play opponents of equal skill. Everybody had an enjoyable time, and it was a fantastic experience that taught me a lot. The tournament inspired me to enjoy the game of chess and find every chance to improve at it too, hopefully taking part in many more tournaments to come!

FIDE Open Standard Play by Savas Marin Stoica (Winner)

Brentwood was a fantastic event, supported by friendly organisers, and featured an excellent venue and playing hall. The playing field was strong and spanned all ages, from experienced seniors to under-rated junior champions, and all the players were given tough challenges to face. The timing of the tournament was perfect; being over the long weekend, it allowed most players to play at least four of the seven rounds. The trip was relatively easy, as the Elizabeth Line was nearby. All of this, combined with a spacious waiting area, made for a relaxed atmosphere where players could show their best chess.

My run saw me pitted against 3 juniors much younger than myself, as well as 4 seniors decades my elder, so I faced a wide variety of playing styles. I found myself in trouble in a few of these games, especially in Round 3 against John Moore, where I was move-order tricked out of the opening, forgot my preparation, and quickly found myself in a cramped position with little counterplay, from which I was incredibly fortunate to escape with a full point. I began to pick up steam in the last 3 rounds, when I started to get complex technical positions instead of just being worse out of the gate, and wrapped up the event with 6/7. Many other players saw strong performances, including Max Pert and Stanley Badacsonyi to name two of the most striking ones.

Overall, the first Brentwood congress was a great success, and I hope to play in more editions to come.

FIDE U1300 Rapidplay by Markos Mouratidis (Winner)

My name is Markos and I have been playing chess since I was 9 years old. My dad first introduced me to the game, teaching me how to move all the pieces and what they do. I then played in my first tournament a few months after.

On the 28th August 2022, Brentwood School organised the 1st Brentwood Fide Rapid Play tournament, which I and a few of my friends participated in. There were two different sections: the U1300 or the Open. I chose to play in the U1300, and I played a series of 6 games against other players, with breaks in between each of the games. There were a variety of different ages, all the way from 5 years old to over 50, so age doesn’t matter in chess.

The overall point of the tournament is to just have fun and enjoy the day; however, there were many different prizes, and everyone was keen to win them. I played well in the tournament and ended up winning it – it was a great achievement! I had a really fun time. I recommend everyone to join the upcoming tournaments.

Prizewinners

Special thank you to Friends of Chess and GingerGM Simon Williams (gchess.com) for their donations.

Fide Open Standard Play Championship

FIDE Open Rapidplay

FIDE U1300 Rapidplay