2010 British Chess Championships

British Championships
July 25 - August 7, 2010

GM Michael Adams entered this year and there should have been no doubt from the moment he sat down to play R1.  He won the tournament convincingly with 9.5/11.  I was happy to see a player of Adams' calibre and long-time top player status playing for the British title after all these years!  The 5,000 Pounds first prize (British Champion) didn't hurt either and I think he also won an extra 1,500 Pounds for winning the title English Champion.  A nice payday - I think it's about $10,000 USD. 

IM Jovanka Houska is once again crowned the Women's Champion by virtue of her finish 6.5/11 in 19th place overall with 4 wins, 5 draws and 2 losses. I'm not sure - it looks like she wins 500 Pounds for the British Women's title and another 500 Pounds for the English Women's title.  Such a discrepancy in the prize structure between the Men's and Women's titles is quite disgusting - it's not even half.  No wonder more women didn't come out and try for them. 

Only two other women vied for the overall titles and women's titles (78 players): 
65 Messam-Sparks, Lateefah w 4.5 ENG F 1904
72 Dines, Sheila J w 3.5 ENG F 1931