British Championships

The stench of burning rubber hung in the air as I trudged back to my hotel in Hull city centre last Saturday evening. A wheelie bin lay in the street, with a fire flickering out next to it. Everywhere there were tired-looking policemen, obviously relieved the yobs had dispersed. I too was spent, and a little deflated, though there was one brawl that day which I had relished. I’d faced the experienced grandmaster Stuart Conquest in the penultimate round of the British Championships, held in Hull’s City Hall. After five tense hours of play, I came agonisingly close to winning, though Stuart’s stout defensive effort ensured I also had to stay on my toes to avoid losing.

Stuart Conquest-Luke McShane
British Championships, Hull 2024
(see left diagram)

The diagram (after 61 Bd1-h5) shows a key moment. I wanted to play 61…b4, since 62 cxb4 c3+ forks king and rook, or 62 Bxg6 bxc3+ 63 Kc2 cxd2 wins. Most stubborn is 62 Bf3, though after 62…Rf6! 63 cxb4 h3 Black should win. But I was spooked by the possibility of 62 d6+, since after 62…Rxd6 63 Rf7+ Ke6 64 Rdf2, I foresaw imminent mate with R2f6#, missing the brilliant riposte 64…Rd2+! 65 Rxd3 bxc3+ which wins for Black. Instead I played 61…Rd6? and it was draw agreed at move 79.

This hard-fought draw extinguished my (slim) hopes of winning the title this year, though a scrappy final round win left me in a three-way tie for third place. Joint leaders Gawain Jones and David Howell drew their game on the final day, so they came back later that day for a rapid playoff match. David won the first game, thanks to some smooth technique in a rook endgame. That left Gawain needing a win in the second game, but David’s position was rock solid until he walked into a sucker punch.