What better way to mark the start of the chess season than invite a strong master to give a simultaneous display?

Talented International Master Yichen Han has an Elo rating of 2429 and is still only 16 years old. Born in the Netherlands, he learned chess using the ‘Step Method’, improved rapidly and qualified for the IM title in 2022. Now a student at Oxford’s Magdalen College School, he is about to apply for a place at university to study mathematics and statistics.

Yichen agreed to take on 17 of our members on Monday 14 October.

Most were facing a master over the board for the first time and played more in the hope than expectation of testing Yichen’s strength, but they were joined by a sprinkling of seasoned league players confident of snatching at least a half-point.

The addition of clocks (80 minutes + 10 seconds per move) upped the ante for the master. Yichen was relishing the challenge. “I prefer quick games and tend to get bored playing a classical time control. This way I’ll have no time to get bored!”.

In effect, Yichen would be playing 17 local league games at once against some of our strongest players, including junior stars Jan Murawski and Shambavi Hariharan. Jan had even beaten Yichen in a regular tournament game!

And how would Yichen fare against his 18^th opponent, and arguably his strongest one: the clock?

Even our less experienced players were keen to put up a fight. There were no early baths even though the outcome of at least four or five games seemed decided out of the opening. That was by no means the end of the story though:  Yichen’s 18^th opponent could do some heavy lifting for any defender able to stave off checkmate for a while.

Club regulars Stuart White and David Gubinelli were holding  their own; Cumnor’s Nigel Moyse seemed cruising comfortably to a draw; while Jan and Shambavi were starting to apply serious pressure and slowing Yichen down.

After an hour time began to tell. Yechu Zhang scored a surprise win on the clock, and Yichen rewarded David’s tough defence with a draw offer that was gratefully accepted.

Yichen took a draw from Jan who was beginning to build an advantage.

Shambavi offered the stiffest opposition and played a blinder, winning a pawn and frustrating Yichen’s attempts to muddy the waters. We’ll analyse her fine win in a future post.

Stuart also grabbed a pawn and made a well-timed draw offer in a position that was technically won for him.

Last man standing Nigel Moyse had a one-on-one blitz shootout with the master. He went astray in an even rook ending but Yichen sportingly made peace in a winning position.

Final score: 11½/17 (Won 9 Drawn 5 Lost 3)

Many thanks to Yichen for being such a good sport.  It was an enjoyable and instructive evening we are all keen to repeat.