A Note from the Organisers There have been some rumblings on various web and blog sites about the speed with which we are putting up information on our website www.howardstaunton.com Those who are disgruntled should remember that we are celebrating a master from the 19th century, a champion who played by candlelight and who lived in an age before communication became instant. In accordance with tradition we are playng the 6th staunton memorial at simpsons in the strand , where the immortal game itself was created in 1851. We opened the event with champagne and a candlelit roastbeef dinner at simpsons, and our philosophy is not to be intimidated by the cries for instant gratification which are so rife? I have seen so many modern websites where the organisers feel their duty is done simply by having a live feed to the games-no notes-no explanations no atmosphere or background. we, on the other hand, take the view that we can gain more by going for a complete experience -not just speed. Our team which includes one gm, myself, and the fritz analysis engine , as well as Dr Schiller, Julian Simpole and Steve Giddins, sits down each day after being fortified by a traditional english breakfast of bacon, sausages, eggs toast and marmalade, and then we write a careful report and analyse what we consider to be the best game of each round. Later that afternoon the games , commentary and analysis all go up on the website,hopefully generating a much richer read for the website visitors. By this careful method we found Nigel Short's brilliant missed tactical win with Nd6 which wd not even have been mentioned by the live games system operated by most other tournament websites-we like to believe we are a thinking website-not just a reproductive one!! Ray Keene OBE

Ageist remarks For the UKs strongest tournament - which has succeeded for three years now in enlisting a major sponsor - the Staunton Memorial is attracting its predictable share of envious sniping , again from various minor websites. One other - frankly ageist - gripe I have noticed is that we should have left out Bob Wade OBE and preferred a uk junior. Well, in the past the Staunton Memorial has invited Howell, Jones and Jovanka Houska to mention a few talented youngsters. This year we could not get acceptances from the young players we hoped to invite so we turned to the opposite end of the spectrum and invited Bob Wade - who was delighted to accept!! I asked him to think about his participation carefully but he was very enthusiastic . it has always seemed a shame to me to relegate veterans - who would like to play in mainstream events - to sections restricted to the over 60's or whatever - throwing golden oldies like Bent Larsen on the scrapheap is all too common. My belief is that our invite to Bob - far from being a negative move - was a blow against ageism in chess. Bob may do badly - indeed he may do very badly - but he wanted to play and I think his involvement is an interesting departure. Just to let readers evaluate the intellectual level of the criticisms levelled against the Staunton organisation - one website I noticed lambasted us for not having juniors in the line up - and then - with impeccable lack of logic - proceeded to congratulate one junior for turning down his invitation and deciding to play in the british instead!! I love it! All I can say to that - with Alexander Pope is - Who would not laugh if such a one there be Who would not weep if ATTICUS were he!

Fiat Lux This year the Staunton Memorial hosts an innovative event the UK Memory Championship. It takes place over Saturday and Sunday August 16 and 17 -meanwhile- on the afternoon of Saturday 16th at the Strand Palace Hotel directly opposite Simpsons, there will be memory seminars involving memory experts and world champions such as Dominic O'Brien,Tony Buzan and Phil Chambers. Favourite in the event will be Ben Pridmore who features in an ITV documentary at 9-00 pm on Monday August 18 when he goes for the world record in speed recall of a single shuffled pack of cards. To attend the memory seminars contact phil@worldmemorychampionships.com There was a huge advance feature on the memory championship in the times on Saturday August 9 which can be found on the times online website. http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/body_and_soul/article4485219.ece Finally I have been asked whether Staunton really played his games of chess by candlelight-the answer seems to be yes-illustrations of his 1846 match in London v Horwitz clearly show candelabra being used! Ray Keene OBE