Guardian Readers Invited to British Solving Championship; Harry Grieve Wins GM Title

The annual British Solving Championship, organized by the British Chess Problem Society and sponsored by investment managers Winton, is now open to Guardian readers. White in the diagram, playing up the board, must deliver checkmate in two moves against any black defense. This puzzle serves as the first stage of the competition, which is free to enter and open only to British residents.

To enter, send White’s first move by post to Nigel Dennis, Boundary House, 230 Greys Road, Henley-on-Thames, Oxon RG9 1QY, or by email to winton@theproblemist.org. All entries must be postmarked or emailed no later than 31 July 2026, and include the entrant’s name and home address. Juniors under 18 on 31 August 2025 must also provide their date of birth. Mark your entry “Guardian.”

After the closing date, all entrants will receive a solution acknowledgment, and those correct will be sent a postal round of eight harder problems with ample solving time. Receipt of the solution will be confirmed after the deadline.

The best 15-20 players from the postal round, plus top juniors, will be invited to the final at Harrow School on Saturday 13 February 2027, where prize money is expected to reach at least £1,600. The final winner earns the right to represent Great Britain at the 2027 world solving championships, where the national team is often a medal contender. In 2024, the GB team of John Nunn (individual silver), David Hodge (2024 British Solving Champion), and Jonathan Mestel won team gold for the first time since 2007.

The starter puzzle is tricky, with several near misses to avoid. Obvious first moves may fail, so double- and treble-check your answer before submitting. “Good luck to all Guardian entrants,” the article notes.

In separate news, Harry Grieve became England’s latest grandmaster on Tuesday. The 25-year-old, who was British champion in 2022 and helped CSC/Kingston finish second in the UK 4NCL League this season, won first prize in Budapest with a 7/9 total.

Grieve earned his first GM norm along with his British title at Torquay 2022, and his second in 2023 while playing for The Sharks in the 4NCL. The third norm proved elusive despite several near-misses. Last summer he achieved a 2500 rating, a mandatory requirement for grandmasters, and finally reached his target on Tuesday. A round seven loss created doubt, but Grieve rose to the occasion, defeating a Ukrainian GM “in fine style with the decisive tactic 32 Rxf6+!”

In the 1950s, most top English players were amateurs, often civil servants or teachers competing during vacations. After the 1970s Fischer boom and English successes brought sponsor influx, chess professionals earned decent livings, but the trend reversed in the 1990s. The breakup of the USSR introduced harder international competition, while Nigel Short’s world title defeat and the shift from print to screen marketing drove away sponsors.

Now the trend has come full circle. It is understood that Grieve and his Cambridge colleague Matthew Wadsworth will follow other 2500-rated GMs who combine chess with full-time careers in banking, investment, AI, or other major professions.