Last night, Longbridge Chess Club hosted the Jonathan Swindells Simul, which is an event we host annually at our chess club. This was a simultaneous exhibition against Jonathan Swindells, a 2251-rated player, who took on 23 club members at once.
The boards were arranged in a large square, with Jonathan circling continuously around the room. He made one move per board before moving on. The simul lasted just under four hours and finished around 11pm, with every game played in the same intense, rotating rhythm.
Key Moments
The first player out was Ben, who unfortunately resigned early. Lucas followed after putting up a strong fight, but had to leave due to family commitments. Dan was next to fall. He was -4 in material, and did not want a long slow defeat, so he resigned. Then Gary Mason (me) reached a good position and jokingly offered a draw. Shockingly, Jonathan accepted, giving the first draw of the evening.
As the simul continued, Ken was knocked out, followed by Jordan after an ambitious but ultimately unsuccessful attacking game. Marcus and Carmello both fought well but were eventually defeated, as was Freya.
Club President Ian Truscott was next to go, despite being one of the club’s strongest players. Joe, Rob, and Marvin followed, all putting in solid performances but unable to break through.
Kevin and Mark both lasted deep into the evening before eventually losing after long battles. It was proving to be a difficult night for the whole club!
Then, an outstanding performance came from 12-year-old Lennon Mason. Lennon was able to play 42 moves and over three hours of play before eventually resigning. He held a great position, and kept even in material for the majority of his game!
Nam’s Draw and Late Results
Nam returned to club after being away studying for a while. He managed to secure a well earned draw against Jonathan, adding to the club’s impressive results. Then, Ed and Joe were both defeated, followed by Aayan.
Tom Sherwood’s Victory
Then, the highlight of the evening came from Tom Sherwood! Tom produced the only win of the night. Having prepared in advance by studying Jonathan’s opening choices, Tom’s preparation paid off brilliantly as he defeated the 2251-rated opponent with the black pieces.
Everyone attending the match was very proud of Tom and this amazing achievement! It goes to show, some prior preparation can really make a difference!
Final Boards
Next up, Club Chairman Stephen Woodhouse was able to secure the third draw of the night because of his strong performance. Stephen is one of the clubs strongest players, so it was great to see him walk away with a draw.
That left Matt as the final player remaining, holding on until the very end but unable to convert his position into a win. He played a tough game, but eventually the game, and the simul was over!
Knockout / Result Order
| Order | Player | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ben | Loss |
| 2 | Lucas | Loss |
| 3 | Dan | Loss |
| 4 | Gary Mason | Draw |
| 5 | Ken | Loss |
| 6 | Jordan | Loss |
| 7 | Marcus | Loss |
| 8 | Carmello | Loss |
| 9 | Freya | Loss |
| 10 | Ian Truscott | Loss |
| 11 | Joe | Loss |
| 12 | Rob | Loss |
| 13 | Marvin | Loss |
| 14 | Kevin | Loss |
| 15 | Mark | Loss |
| 16 | Lennon Mason | Loss |
| 17 | Nam | Draw |
| 18 | Ed | Loss |
| 19 | Joe | Loss |
| 20 | Aayan | Loss |
| 21 | Tom Sherwood | Win |
| 22 | Stephen Woodhouse | Draw |
| 23 | Matt | Loss |
So the final result out of 23 players was, 1 win, 3 draws, and 19 losses. But still, this was a great result against such a strong player!
After the final game concluded, Jonathan stayed behind to analyse positions, discuss ideas, and chat with players despite having been on his feet without a break for nearly four hours. The evening was a great success and a memorable challenge for everyone involved.
A big thank you to Jonathan for an amazing night of chess. And of course, thanks to all the players. I also would like to say thank you to those who showed up, just to show their support. Becci, Eli, Craig, Raechal and Sam, we appreciate you guys! Thanks for being there for us! One last thanks to my beautiful wife Rachel, for being there from 16:30 to help set up, and not leaving until after 11pm after we had packed everything away!
Let’s do this again next year! Thanks for reading! Feel free to comment below 😉
So incredibly proud of absolutely everyone who played you all held your own and didn’t make it easy for Jonathan! I’m very honoured to call you my team and also my friends! Absolutely incredible to watch someone with such talent I felt very honoured to watch Jonathan play!
Thanks Eli, first comment on the site too! Thanks for dropping by 🙂