British Championship
29 July to August 9 2002
British Website
Update August 31: 14 year old Colin Hall's excellent result in the Major Open Championship at the Smith and Williamson British Chess Championships is featured below. Here is a championship winning result by an even younger player - 8 year old Rhian Hughes.
Originally from London, Rhian is now living in Edinburgh and has been accumulating trophies in recent competitions. At the British Championship in Torquay she won the British Under 8 Girls Championships with a score of 4 out of 6 in the one day event. She then competed in the Under 9 girls championship over the subsequent weekend, scoring 31/2 out of 7 to share the British Under 9 Girls Championship title.
Rhian was also one of the small number of Scottish competitors to get through to the final stages of the UK Land Chess Challenge. The first rounds of the Chess Challenge are held within the players' own schools with an entry making it one of the largest junior tournaments in the world. After qualifying through the Scottish sections, Rhian went on to win the Under 8 Girls Giga Final with 51/2 out of 6 in Sheffield, with an amazing 1600 competitors taking part in a range of age events.
The Tera Final was held last weekend in Epson with the 32 winners of the different age ranges playing in one final, with a first prize of £1000. Rhian finished with 2 wins from 6 games, with a win over the Under 7 Girls Champion and the win below against the Under 10 Champion.
White: Jeremy Gordon (Under 10) Black: Rhian Hughes (Under 8)
1 d4 d5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 e3 Bg4 4 Nbd2 Nf6 5 h3 Bf5 6 Bb5 Bd7 7 0-0 Qc8?! (Black takes a very aggressive line by eyeing a sacrifice on h3. Continued development for example with g6 may be sounder) 8 Kh2 h6 (Continuing with her intended plan by a kingside pawn advance) 9 Nb3 g5 10 Nc5 g4 11 Nxd7 Qxd7 12 Ne5 (White has the edge from the opening with strong control of the centre and scope to control black's aggression) Qe6 13 f4? (Unnecessarily loosening the king's position. Nxg4 leaves white with a strong position) gxh3 14 f5 Qd6 15 gxh3 (White has gone somewhat astray and now gives black an opportunity to seize the initiative. 15 Kxh3 looks risky but may be better to avoid the pin on the knight on e5) Nd7! (Seizing her chance to counter attack) 16 Qf3 (Slipping up. White had to go in for the complex positions arising after 16 e4 with the idea that after 16 N[either]x e5, 17 Bf4. But black probably has the edge now) Ndxe5 17 dxe5 Qxe5+ 18 Kh1 Rg8! (Black's control of the open file cuts off the black king and creates mating threats) 19 Rd1 Rd8 20 c4 (With the idea of cxd5 creating chances on the open lines but allowing black to penetrate white's position. A safer option might be to exchange on c6 to weaken black's pawn structure then contest the g file with Rg1) Rg3! 21 Qh5?? (A dreadful blunder. 21 Qf4 was essential) Qe4+ 22 Kh2 Qg2 mate
Update August 19: This year's Smith and Williamson British Chess Championships were unusual in that the £10,000 first prize was won by the Indian GM RB Ramesh, the first visitor to win since Yanofsky in 1953. The 4 Scots in the 100 player field fared well, with GM Jonathan Rowson raising hopes of a Scottish win until the last couple of rounds. In the end, he finished on 6½, equal with Jonathan Grant and Andrew Muir and with Neil Berry on 5½.
A slightly increased Scottish contingent in the other tournaments at the Congress in Torquay enjoyed excellent playing and social conditions, including a barbecue! The Championships are being held in Edinburgh next year and we must hope for an ever greater participation by Scots in the various competitions - although the barbecue might be a bit challenging on some days!
The featured game comes from the best result from a Scottish junior, with notes based on his analysis. 14-year-old Colin Hall from Perth finished with 7 out of 11 in the very strong Major Open [a two week event running just below the Championship], with a FIDE rating performance of 2149. Going into the last round, he was in equal position for the British Under 18 Championship title, until a last round defeat allowed him to be overtaken. But a strong result significantly above his newly published Scottish grading.
White: Tim Hebbes 2097, Black: Colin Hall, British Major Open Round 7
1 d4 d6 2 e4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 Nf3 Bg7 5 Bg5 0-0 6 Qd2 c6 7 0-0-0 Qa5 8 Bd3 Bg4 9 h4 Nbd7 10 Qf4 Bxf3 11 Qxf3 b5 12 Kb1 b4 13 Ne2 Rfc8 14 Nc1 c5 15 Bxf6 Bxf6 16 Qh3 Nf8 17 e5 (With Black's pressure mounting quickly on the queenside, White is almost forced to give up a pawn and block Black's strong bishop on f6) dxe5 18 dxc5 Qxc5 19 Nb3 Qb6 20 Be4 Rab8 21 h5 a5 22 hxg6 hxg6 (Despite the line up of White's Queen and Rook towards Black's King on the h-file, the combination of Knight and Bishop prevent any attack on the Black King, Meanwhile, Black's own attack can continue) 23 g4 a4 24 Nc1 Rd8 25 Qf3 Ne6 26 Qe2 Rxd1 27 Rxd1 Rd8 28 Rxd8+ Qxd8 29 Qd3 Qb6 30 f3? (A pawn down and with little time left, White blunders. Better would be 30 Qg3 but White still struggles after 30...Qd4) Qg1! (Underestimating the pin on the back rank, White now must try to save the Knight, but his efforts come to no avail) 31 c4 Bg5 32 Qc2 Nd4 33 Resigns Scotsman column John GlendinningUpdate August 9: The British title dream will have to be deferred another year. GM Jonathan Rowson had a fine position against Ramesh until he offered a queen exchange with Qc4. The Indian did well to push home his advantage. Only Muir's draw with Summerscale prevented a blank scoring day for the Scots.
Update August 8: GM Jonathan Rowson plays round 10 today against Ramesh who achieved a GM norm yesterday, so perhaps a good day to play him - 2/2 will almost certainly be at least a play-off place for the British title.
Neil Berry is on for an IM norm if he can win against Paul Littlewood. Jonathan Grant is also having an excellent tournament and the tough task of a win v Gormally would be a 2449 performance (just 1 ELO below norm). IM Andrew Muir is also back near the top of the leaderboard and plays GM Aaron Summerscale.
Update August 7: GM Jonathan Rowson plays White v Gallagher in crucial round 9 game. He has to eliminate a major rival and capitalise on his immense good fortune in winning a lost position against Turner yesterday. Good players are always lucky!
Update August 4: GM Jonathan Rowson shares the lead at the mid-point rest day. Could this finally break the over 50 year hoodoo of a Scot winning the British. (R.F.Combe 1946 - last Scot to win British).
Neil Berry of Edinburgh is nicely poised to score a second IM norm if he can maintain his early form. Andrew Muir lost to John Emms after fending off a series of titled players.
Table below from John Saunders BCM site.
Smith & Williamson British Championship (ENG), 29 July - 9 August 2002 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 Ramesh, Ramachadran B m IND 2456 + 47 = 11 = 18 + 76 + 29 - 9 = 13 + 8 + 7 + 19 + 5 8.5 /11 2690 2 Gallagher, Joseph G g SUI 2517 + 52 + 44 = 3 = 7 = 18 + 20 + 8 = 9 = 19 = 5 + 4 8.0 /11 2639 3 Sasikiran, Krishnan g IND 2650 + 27 + 17 = 2 = 12 = 25 - 14 + 24 = 18 + 31 + 30 + 15 8.0 /11 2642 4 Haslinger, Stewart ENG 2310 = 15 + 91 + 11 = 8 = 14 = 13 = 29 + 25 + 22 + 9 - 2 7.5 /11 2609 5 McShane, Luke J g ENG 2544 + 51 - 18 + 45 + 52 = 7 + 25 + 30 + 11 = 9 = 2 - 1 7.5 /11 2572 6 Flear, Glenn C g ENG 2538 = 32 + 26 = 20 = 21 = 28 - 37 + 53 + 60 = 36 + 43 + 10 7.5 /11 2443 7 Kunte, Abhijit g IND 2477 +101 + 23 = 13 = 2 = 5 = 16 + 37 = 10 - 1 + 36 + 19 7.5 /11 2586 8 Barua, Dibyendu g IND 2542 = 20 + 72 + 43 = 4 + 56 = 15 - 2 - 1 + 70 + 32 + 27 7.5 /11 2513 9 Harikrishna, P g IND 2568 = 49 + 53 = 56 + 27 = 12 + 1 + 15 = 2 = 5 - 4 = 13 7.0 /11 2538 10 Speelman, Jonathan S g ENG 2583 + 31 = 25 + 35 = 18 + 17 = 30 = 14 = 7 + 12 = 15 - 6 7.0 /11 2579 11 Gormally, Daniel m ENG 2525 + 38 = 1 - 4 + 36 = 21 + 41 + 32 - 5 = 14 + 26 = 16 7.0 /11 2473 12 Koneru, Humpy wg IND 2473 = 21 + 63 + 57 = 3 = 9 + 23 = 19 = 16 - 10 = 17 + 37 7.0 /11 2545 13 Ganguly, Surya Shekhar m IND 2524 + 62 + 46 = 7 - 30 + 73 = 4 = 1 = 36 + 18 = 16 = 9 7.0 /11 2499 14 Turner, Matthew m ENG 2519 = 34 + 87 = 21 + 70 = 4 + 3 = 10 - 19 = 11 = 22 + 31 7.0 /11 2516 15 Wells, Peter K g ENG 2479 = 4 + 84 + 42 + 22 = 30 = 8 - 9 + 28 + 29 = 10 - 3 7.0 /11 2545 16 Lalic, Bogdan g ENG 2540 = 43 = 80 + 84 = 44 + 58 = 7 + 28 = 12 = 30 = 13 = 11 7.0 /11 2459 17 Sandipan, Chanda m IND 2507 + 65 - 3 + 59 + 41 - 10 = 24 + 31 - 22 + 44 = 12 + 30 7.0 /11 2504 18 Ward, Christopher g ENG 2498 + 40 + 5 = 1 = 10 = 2 - 19 + 47 = 3 - 13 + 62 = 24 6.5 /11 2527 19 Rowson, Jonathan g SCO 2545 = 35 = 57 + 71 = 20 + 44 + 18 = 12 + 14 = 2 - 1 - 7 6.5 /11 2471 20 Knott, Simon J.B m ENG 2367 = 8 + 50 = 6 = 19 = 37 - 2 + 67 = 26 = 42 + 41 = 25 6.5 /11 2440 21 Muir, Andrew J m SCO 2294 = 12 + 89 = 14 = 6 = 11 - 29 = 59 + 69 + 61 = 25 = 22 6.5 /11 2457 22 Lane, Gary W m AUS 2446 - 44 + 66 + 86 - 15 + 33 + 60 = 42 + 17 - 4 = 14 = 21 6.5 /11 2380 23 Hebden, Mark g ENG 2534 + 24 - 7 = 69 + 61 + 57 - 12 + 62 - 30 = 41 = 28 + 50 6.5 /11 2394 24 Pert, Richard G f ENG 2357 - 23 + 68 = 72 + 26 = 96 = 17 - 3 + 80 = 56 + 39 = 18 6.5 /11 2450 25 Summerscale, Aaron g ENG 2509 +100 = 10 = 41 + 53 = 3 - 5 + 43 - 4 + 47 = 21 = 20 6.5 /11 2427 26 Grant, Jonathan SCO 2201 + 90 - 6 = 62 - 24 + 87 = 52 + 51 = 20 + 35 - 11 + 43 6.5 /11 2404 27 Wohl, Aleksandar H m AUS 2419 - 3 + 92 + 85 - 9 + 50 - 42 + 58 = 45 + 71 + 29 - 8 6.5 /11 2381 28 Collins, Sam IRL 2313 . = 85 + 54 + 69 = 6 + 56 - 16 - 15 + 72 = 23 = 32 6.0 /10 2440 29 Emms, John M g ENG 2544 - 46 + 86 + 39 + 32 - 1 + 21 = 4 + 42 - 15 - 27 = 36 6.0 /11 2374 30 Pert, Nicholas m ENG 2460 = 70 + 83 + 80 + 13 = 15 = 10 - 5 + 23 = 16 - 3 - 17 6.0 /11 2494 31 Littlewood, Paul E m ENG 2401 - 10 + 60 = 33 = 80 + 39 + 53 - 17 + 37 - 3 + 42 - 14 6.0 /11 2392 32 Lee, Graham D f ENG 2361 = 6 = 45 + 63 - 29 + 71 + 55 - 11 = 44 + 65 - 8 = 28 6.0 /11 2386 33 Buckley, Simon T ENG 2237 - 80 + 78 = 31 = 35 - 22 = 74 = 66 = 51 + 59 = 52 + 62 6.0 /11 2332 34 Sowray, Peter J f ENG 2330 = 14 = 59 = 73 = 50 = 45 = 81 = 57 - 41 = 75 + 69 + 61 6.0 /11 2294 35 McDonald, Neil R g ENG 2396 = 19 + 82 - 10 = 33 = 80 + 72 - 36 + 64 - 26 + 67 = 38 6.0 /11 2310 36 D'Costa, Lorin ENG 2254 = 59 - 43 + 91 - 11 + 90 + 73 + 35 = 13 = 6 - 7 = 29 6.0 /11 2360 37 Quek Suan-Shiau WLS 2268 = 71 - 41 + 94 + 90 = 20 + 6 - 7 - 31 + 58 + 65 - 12 6.0 /11 2299 38 Sherwin, James T m USA 2344 - 11 = 69 + 77 - 57 + 84 = 58 - 45 = 75 + 81 + 71 = 35 6.0 /11 2305 39 Webb, Laurence ENG 2262 = 97 = 75 - 29 + 85 - 31 + 48 - 56 + 63 + 46 - 24 + 71 6.0 /11 2340 40 Eames, Robert f ENG 2310 - 18 = 74 + 88 - 73 = 63 = 71 - 69 = 85 + 84 + 75 + 57 6.0 /11 2317 41 Meenakshi, S wm IND 2266 = 56 + 37 = 25 - 17 + 66 - 11 = 49 + 34 = 23 - 20 = 46 5.5 /11 2402 42 Berry, Neil SCO 2255 = 88 + 49 - 15 = 43 + 75 + 27 = 22 - 29 = 20 - 31 = 51 5.5 /11 2375 43 Wall, Gavin IRL 2367 = 16 + 36 - 8 = 42 + 76 = 47 - 25 + 57 + 45 - 6 - 26 5.5 /11 2346 44 Tan, Desmond ENG 2292 + 22 - 2 + 83 = 16 - 19 = 59 + 81 = 32 - 17 = 57 = 45 5.5 /11 2360 45 Addison, Bret ENG 2219 = 91 = 32 - 5 + 83 = 34 = 70 + 38 = 27 - 43 = 47 = 44 5.5 /11 2313 46 Saravanan, V m IND 2385 + 29 - 13 - 76 = 84 = 69 = 50 + 54 = 72 - 39 + 66 = 41 5.5 /11 2280 47 Ledger, David f ENG 2271 - 1 = 54 + 48 = 60 + 82 = 43 - 18 + 59 - 25 = 45 = 55 5.5 /11 2257 48 Ashton, Adam G ENG 2152 = 50 - 65 - 47 + 77 = 61 - 39 = 88 + 54 = 51 + 58 = 52 5.5 /11 2222 49 Vijayalakshmi, Subbaraman m IND 2399 = 9 - 42 + 75 - 58 + 54 = 57 = 41 - 71 - 50 + 85 + 77 5.5 /11 2300 50 Jones, Gawain C ENG 2237 = 48 - 20 + 89 = 34 - 27 = 46 - 72 + 73 + 49 + 70 - 23 5.5 /11 2261 51 Ramaswamy, Aarthie wm IND 2290 - 5 + 81 = 60 = 82 - 55 + 79 - 26 = 33 = 48 + 64 = 42 5.5 /11 2239 52 Devereaux, Maxim ENG 2318 - 2 + 88 + 87 - 5 = 72 = 26 - 60 + 86 = 67 = 33 = 48 5.5 /11 2262 53 Thipsay, Bagyashree Sathe wm IND 2264 + 55 - 9 + 92 - 25 + 74 - 31 - 6 = 81 = 69 = 63 + 72 5.5 /11 2251 54 Howell, David WL f ENG 2211 - 92 = 47 - 28 + 89 - 49 + 76 - 46 - 48 + 73 + 86 + 70 5.5 /11 2241 55 Willmoth, Robert ENG 2198 - 53 - 58 +102 + 88 + 51 - 32 - 70 - 67 + 80 + 76 = 47 5.5 /11 2281 56 Williams, Simon m ENG 2421 = 41 + 73 = 9 + 66 - 8 - 28 + 39 = 65 = 24 . . 5.0 / 9 2350 57 Simpson, James ENG 2245 + 79 = 19 - 12 + 38 - 23 = 49 = 34 - 43 + 74 = 44 - 40 5.0 /11 2307 58 Hutchinson, Paul ---- - 66 + 55 = 64 + 49 - 16 = 38 - 27 + 76 - 37 - 48 + 84 5.0 /11 2255 59 Shaw, David A ENG 2190 = 36 = 34 - 17 + 64 = 70 = 44 = 21 - 47 - 33 + 90 = 68 5.0 /11 2225 60 Rudd, Jack ENG 2139 + 75 - 31 = 51 = 47 + 65 - 22 + 52 - 6 - 62 - 61 + 81 5.0 /11 2292 61 Mason, Donald ENG 2266 - 87 + 79 = 82 - 23 = 48 = 67 = 75 + 66 - 21 + 60 - 34 5.0 /11 2214 62 Hanley, Craig f ENG 2331 - 13 + 64 = 26 = 72 = 81 + 80 - 23 = 70 + 60 - 18 - 33 5.0 /11 2265 63 Wu, Li ENG 2142 + 76 - 12 - 32 = 67 = 40 - 86 + 68 - 39 + 90 = 53 = 64 5.0 /11 2219 64 Bigg, Andrew J ENG 2248 = 85 - 62 = 58 - 59 + 78 = 69 + 74 - 35 + 77 - 51 = 63 5.0 /11 2156 65 Cox, John J f ENG 2311 - 17 + 48 - 66 + 79 - 60 + 82 + 86 = 56 - 32 - 37 = 67 5.0 /11 2201 66 Nixon, Thomas CM ENG 2187 + 58 - 22 + 65 - 56 - 41 = 99 = 33 - 61 + 87 - 46 + 80 5.0 /11 2227 67 Thomas, Nicholas ENG 2248 - 83 = 94 = 98 = 63 + 91 = 61 - 20 + 55 = 52 - 35 = 65 5.0 /11 2189 68 Lyell, Mark ENG 2265 = 74 - 24 - 90 - 91 + 94 = 77 - 63 + 83 = 85 + 88 = 59 5.0 /11 2171 69 Snape, Ian ENG 2202 = 89 = 38 = 23 - 28 = 46 = 64 + 40 - 21 = 53 - 34 = 75 4.5 /11 2252 70 Richards, Heather wm ENG 2275 = 30 = 71 + 74 - 14 = 59 = 45 + 55 = 62 - 8 - 50 - 54 4.5 /11 2204 71 Jones, Richard S WLS 2234 = 37 = 70 - 19 + 87 - 32 = 40 + 79 + 49 - 27 - 38 - 39 4.5 /11 2260 72 Woodward, Timothy DM ENG 2211 + 93 - 8 = 24 = 62 = 52 - 35 + 50 = 46 - 28 = 81 - 53 4.5 /11 2226 73 Hutchinson,Norman ---- + 77 - 56 = 34 + 40 - 13 - 36 - 80 - 50 - 54 + 82 + 86 4.5 /11 2188 74 Goldberg,Jeff ---- = 68 = 40 - 70 + 86 - 53 = 33 - 64 + 87 - 57 = 80 = 76 4.5 /11 2185 75 Taylor, Peter ENG 2224 - 60 = 39 - 49 + 94 - 42 + 91 = 61 = 38 = 34 - 40 = 69 4.5 /11 2170 76 Wheeler, John Francis ENG 2235 - 63 + 93 + 46 - 1 - 43 - 54 + 83 - 58 + 82 - 55 = 74 4.5 /11 2118 77 Dhar-Barua, Saheli wm IND 2221 - 73 = 90 - 38 - 48 + 83 = 68 = 82 + 91 - 64 + 79 - 49 4.5 /11 2188 78 Gregory, Stephen J ENG 2173 - 86 - 33 - 81 + 93 - 64 - 87 = 89 = 79 = 92 + 91 + 88 4.5 /11 2060 79 Martyn, Rafe ENG 2201 - 57 - 61 + 93 - 65 + 92 - 51 - 71 = 78 + 91 - 77 + 85 4.5 /11 2055 80 Swathi, Ghate wm IND 2234 + 33 = 16 - 30 = 31 = 35 - 62 + 73 - 24 - 55 = 74 - 66 4.0 /11 2179 81 Dorrington, Christopher ENG 2218 - 82 - 51 + 78 + 92 = 62 = 34 - 44 = 53 - 38 = 72 - 60 4.0 /11 2138 82 Coote,Trevor D ---- + 81 - 35 = 61 = 51 - 47 - 65 = 77 = 88 - 76 - 73 + 90 4.0 /11 2142 83 Douglas, Timothy IRL 2174 + 67 - 30 - 44 - 45 - 77 + 84 - 76 - 68 - 89 + 94 + 93 4.0 /11 2115 84 Mutton, Jonathan ENG 2211 + 94 - 15 - 16 = 46 - 38 - 83 + 92 = 90 - 40 + 89 - 58 4.0 /11 2091 85 Buckley, Melanie ENG 2184 = 64 = 28 - 27 - 39 - 86 = 92 + 94 = 40 = 68 - 49 - 79 3.5 /11 2118 86 Trent, Lawrence ENG 2246 + 78 - 29 - 22 - 74 + 85 + 63 - 65 - 52 = 88 - 54 - 73 3.5 /11 2200 87 Burnett, Jim ENG 2199 + 61 - 14 - 52 - 71 - 26 + 78 = 90 - 74 - 66 = 93 = 89 3.5 /11 2113 88 Taylor, Robert Marc ENG 2195 = 42 - 52 - 40 - 55 + 89 = 90 = 48 = 82 = 86 - 68 - 78 3.5 /11 1988 89 McMaster,Richard ---- = 69 - 21 - 50 - 54 - 88 = 93 = 78 = 94 + 83 - 84 = 87 3.5 /11 2042 90 Harborne,Matthew ---- - 26 = 77 + 68 - 37 - 36 = 88 = 87 = 84 - 63 - 59 - 82 3.0 /11 2065 91 Evans-Quek, Debbie WLS 2069 = 45 - 4 - 36 + 68 - 67 - 75 + 93 - 77 - 79 - 78 = 95 3.0 /11 1962 92 Tatlow,Stephen ---- + 54 - 27 - 53 - 81 - 79 = 85 - 84 - 93 = 78 = 95 = 94 3.0 /11 2044 93 Truman,Richard ---- - 72 - 76 - 79 - 78 - 95 = 89 - 91 + 92 + 94 = 87 - 83 3.0 /11 1908 94 White, Ian Graham WLS 2015 - 84 = 67 - 37 - 75 - 68 + 95 - 85 = 89 - 93 - 83 = 92 2.5 /11 1802 95 Chirukandath Manoj,Arjun ---- . . . . + 93 - 94 . . . = 92 = 91 2.0 / 4 1849 96 Bye4 ---- . . . . = 24 . . . . . . 0.5 / 1 2357 97 Bye3 ---- = 39 . . . . . . . . . . 0.5 / 1 2262 98 Bye2 ---- . . = 67 . . . . . . . . 0.5 / 1 2248 99 Bye5 ---- . . . . . = 66 . . . . . 0.5 / 1 2187 100 Default2 ---- - 25 . . . . . . . . . . 0.0 / 1 101 Default2 ---- - 7 . . . . . . . . . . 0.0 / 1 102 Rees, Ioan WLS 2079 . . - 55 . . . . . . . . 0.0 / 1 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Preview July 28: GM Jonathan Rowson (right) was a late entrant to this year's British Championship. The top Scot is in a rich vein of form and is a genuine contender for the title.
However the Indians are coming - Krishnan SASIKIRAN is a worthy favourite with an impressive 2650 FIDE rating, 67 points clear of Jonathan Speelman. Rowson is seeded 4;
SASIKIRAN, Krishnan: 2650 g India;
SPEELMAN, Jonathan: 2583 g London;
HARIKRISHNA, Pentala: 2568 g India;
ROWSON, Jonathan: 2545 g Scotland.
IM Andrew Muir, Neil Berry and Jonathan Grant make up the rest of the Scottish contingent in the top Championship section. IA Alex McFarlane is one of the arbiters.