This year’s British Chess Championship will be held from Sunday 22 July to Saturday 4 August 2012 at the Parks Leisure Centre, Howdon Road, North Shields, NE29 6TL (information can be found at www.britishchesschampionships.co.uk). Compared with last year’s star-studded field, this year lacks the defending champion Michael Adams and Nigel Short, who was only defeated in the tie-break in 2011. So far, five grandmasters have indicated that they will play. The favourites are Gawain Jones and David Howell (see this week’s game and position) while stiff opposition will be provided by Stephen Gordon, Simon Williams and that indefatigable virtuoso of the endgame Keith Arkell.
The championship does not consist solely of the main title section, but also a myriad of subsidiary groups based on age and relative strength. One name to look out for, among the potential superstars of the future, is Josh Altman, son of Andrew Altman, the former chief executive of the Olympic Park Legacy Company.
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