Players of all levels are warmly invited to take part in the first ever national championships for Othello (Reversi) in Scotland. The tournament is organized by the British Othello Federation and is open to anyone living in Scotland or the rest of the UK.

The title of official Scottish Champion will be on offer to the winner, but this is also a very beginner-friendly event. We'll play seven rounds with Swiss pairings and chess clocks. All competitors will receive an official British Othello Federation rating.

The tournament is free to enter and a fun day out is guaranteed for everyone who takes part.

More information at the tournament website: http://www.scottishothello.org.

James Gillespies will be competing next Thursday (22nd) in the last 16 (or Rd 1 of the National stage - but the former sounds better) of the UK Schools event against Nottingham High School. The match will be played in York, which while significantly closer in miles to Nottingham is only slightly further in traveling time: highlights a major issue with public transport!

Based on the evidence of the ECF grading database, we may have a small grading advantage on the top three boards but a (larger) disadvantage on the bottom three - so almost any result is possible.

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I'm not especially hopeful but maybe somebody can through more light on a question than I could, when I recently tried to find out more about Karl Gilg's time as German POW near where I now live in East Lothian. I played against him in the mid-1970s in southern Bavaria. History buffs will know that his most famous scalp was against Alekhine in the mid-1920s.

See the link above and click on the first (and so far only) response to the main BCM website article for details. Gilg probably spent at least 18 months in East Lothian and I'm sure I found a pretty certain reference to a strong chess player who was almost certainly him ... but couldn't corroborate this completely.

I had no idea when I played him that Gilg - then still a very good player and a typically strong old IM, comparable in strength and in his lively, enterprising playing style to the likes of his close contemporaries, Ludwig Rellstab (who got into a Hastings Premier in the mid-1970s), and Kurt Richter, whose life has been the subject of longstanding research by our own CS chess historian, Alan McGowan - had a strong Scottish connection ... he never let on.

It's a small world!

Feb 2012 copy dropped through my letter box this mornign and have to say I was completely bowled over with new layout and production quality. Very impressive!

Thanks Peter!

All

Apologies for the fairly random downtimes we have been experiencing over the last week (for those of you who noticed). We have been changing a few things and had a couple of problems along the road.

Please advise if you spot any problems.

Thanks
Andrew

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7399370n

Look out for Andy Howie around the 4 minute mark

Don't know if Andy is across there with the live boards, but is there any chance we can be updated on the round by round results please?

Isolated in Prestwick.

Just a reminder that they have to be with me by Sunday. If you are posting them, I will only accept them if the postmark / email is datestamped before Monday.

Regards

Andy

Amazing result for the Scottish GM . Did I see a mention of Scotland in that article ?

http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=7972

NOTE: NOT FOR PLAYERS TO VIEW WHEN GAME ONGOING