The stench of burning rubber hung in the air as I trudged back to my hotel in Hull city centre last Saturday evening. A wheelie bin lay in the street, with a fire flickering out next to it. Everywhere there were tired-looking policemen, obviously relieved the yobs had dispersed. I too was spent, and a little deflated, though there was one brawl that day which I had relished. I’d faced the experienced grandmaster Stuart Conquest in the penultimate round of the British Championships, held in Hull’s City Hall. After five tense hours of play, I came agonisingly close to winning, though Stuart’s stout defensive effort ensured I also had to stay on my toes to avoid losing.

Stuart Conquest-Luke McShane
British Championships, Hull 2024
(see left diagram)

The diagram (after 61 Bd1-h5) shows a key moment. I wanted to play 61…b4, since 62 cxb4 c3+ forks king and rook, or 62 Bxg6 bxc3+ 63 Kc2 cxd2 wins. Most stubborn is 62 Bf3, though after 62…Rf6! 63 cxb4 h3 Black should win. But I was spooked by the possibility of 62 d6+, since after 62…Rxd6 63 Rf7+ Ke6 64 Rdf2, I foresaw imminent mate with R2f6#, missing the brilliant riposte 64…Rd2+! 65 Rxd3 bxc3+ which wins for Black. Instead I played 61…Rd6? and it was draw agreed at move 79.

This hard-fought draw extinguished my (slim) hopes of winning the title this year, though a scrappy final round win left me in a three-way tie for third place. Joint leaders Gawain Jones and David Howell drew their game on the final day, so they came back later that day for a rapid playoff match. David won the first game, thanks to some smooth technique in a rook endgame. That left Gawain needing a win in the second game, but David’s position was rock solid until he walked into a sucker punch.

Gawain Jones-David Howell
British Championships, Hull 2024
(see right diagram)

In this position, David’s best option was 27…b5-b4 to cement the knight on c3 and threaten a fork with Nc3-e4. Instead, he played 27… Qa3? 28 Rxc3! Bxc3 The Qa3 eyes the Rd6, so 29 Qxc3 is out of the question, but now: 29 Rd8+! If 29…Rxd8 30 Qxd8+ picks up the rook on c7 as well. Kg7 30 Qxc3+ Two minor pieces clearly outweigh the rook here, and the conversion was straightforward for Gawain. f6 31 Qd4 e5 32 Rxc8 exd4 33 Rxc7+ Kh6 34 Nxd4 bxc4 35 Bxc4 Qc1+ 36 Kg2 Qb1 37 Re7 a5 38 Bg8 f5 39 h4 g5 40 Rxh7+ Kg6 41 h5+ Kf6 42 Rf7+ Ke5 43 Rxf5+ Kd6 44 Bd5 g4 45 h6 a4 46 h7 Black resigns

With the rapid games tied 1-1, a blitz playoff followed, which Gawain won by 1.5-0.5. It is his third British Championship title, after North Shields in 2012 and Llandudno in 2017.