Saturday 11 August 2007

Jacob Aagaard wins British Championship

Jacob Aagaard is the new British Champion, after his win over Glen Flear in a dramatic last round, played last night. Tied for first with IM Stephen Gordon going into Round 11, he took outright first after Gordon could only draw with GM Tony Kosten. Three time winner Jonathan Rowson finished in a tie for second with Gordon after winning his last round game against GM Nick Pert. The win by Aagaard is an interesting one as the until recently the British Championship admitted players from countries in the British Commonwealth, but the rule was dropped as too many well funded overseas players (mainly from India) were walking off with the title. I wonder what they'll do now that a Danish player has won, albeit one who has transferred across to Scotland.
Two other asides. Jacob has promised to buy me a beer next time we meet, as a reward for some IT help I gave him at the Turin Olympiad, and, I believe that Henrik Mortensen, some time visitor to Australia, was Jacob's first chess coach.

Flear,G (2479) - Aagaard,J (2467) [E32]
94th ch-GBR Great Yarmouth ENG (11), 10.08.2007
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 0-0 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.Qxc3 b6 7.Bg5 Bb7 8.e3 d6 9.Ne2 Nbd7 10.Qd3 Re8 11.Nc3 Qe7 12.Be2 h6 13.Bh4 Bxg2 14.Rg1 Bb7 15.0-0-0 Nf8 16.f4 e5 17.fxe5 dxe5 18.Rdf1 N8h7 19.d5 e4 20.Qd4 Kh8 21.Nb5 Rad8 22.Bg3 c5 23.Qc3 Bxd5 24.Nc7 Bc6 25.Nxe8 Nxe8 26.Rd1 Ra8 27.Bf4 f6 28.Bh5 Nf8 29.Bxe8 Bxe8 30.Rd6 Ne6 31.Bg3 Ng5 32.h4 Nf7 33.Rd2 Bd7 34.Bf4 h5 35.Rd5 Bg4 36.Rg2 Kg8 37.b4 cxb4 38.axb4 Qe8 39.Kb2 Rc8 40.c5 a5 41.Qd4 bxc5 42.bxc5 Qb5+ 43.Kc3 Qf1 44.Rb2 Be6 45.Qxe4 Qc1+ 46.Rc2 Qa3+ 47.Kd2 Bxd5 48.Qxd5 Rd8 49.Bd6 Qb4+ 50.Kd3 a4 51.Rc3 Qxh4 52.e4 Qg4 53.Kd4 h4 54.Ra3 h3 55.Qa2 Re8 56.Qd5 Qg1+ 57.Kc4 h2 58.Bxh2 Qxh2 59.Rxa4 Qc2+ 60.Kb5 Rb8+(D) 0-1

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