Jacob Aagaard Simultaneous

Cairns Church Halls, Milngavie

September 16, 2007

by Trevor Davies

Chess grandmaster and 2007 British Chess Champion, Jacob Aagaard, challenged twenty-five club players simultaneously at an event hosted by Bearsden Chess Club at Cairns Church Halls, Milngavie on Sunday, September 16th.

As well as players from the local club, there were representatives from several other clubs, including Ayr , Cathcart, Carrick, Dalmuir and Glasgow Montrose. Although the challengers were offered the choice of colours (and even their favourite opening line), it soon became clear, despite Aagaard's tremendous speed around the boards, that this would turn into a rout.

Seven games were lost by the challengers before Dalmuir player, Tom Tait, took advantage of an uncharacteristic error to turn the tables and wrest an early win. A little later, John Dempsey (Bearsden) secured a draw for the challengers. But after that, the challengers all succumbed to the relentless pressure, save for Glasgow Montrose player, Ed Ferry, who scored a memorable win.

These three players' efforts were each rewarded with the prize of a book from the specialist chess publishers: Quality Chess. Among the juniors, Peter Devenny (Cathcart) and Seamus Culshaw (Bearsden Junior Chess Club) survived the longest and were awarded book tokens for their valiant efforts to stave off the inevitable. The final score was: played 25; won 22, drew 1, lost 2.

Bearsden Chess Club president, Brian Stokes congratulated Jacob Aagaard on his recent international successes, and presented him with a bottle of champagne, and to his wife, Anne, a handsome bouquet of flowers. Later that evening, a dinner for Jacob and Anne was attended by several members of the club and their partners.