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Simon Williams | |
|---|---|
 Williams at the London Chess Classic 2016. | |
| Full name | Simon Kim Williams |
| Country | England |
| Born | 1979 [1] Surrey, England |
| Title | Grandmaster (2008) |
| FIDE rating | 2440 (January 2025) |
| Peak rating | 2550 (November 2009) |
Simon Kim Williams is an English chess grandmaster and author who is best known under the pseudonym and Chess Server Nickname "GingerGM".
In 1993, he received his first international FIDE rating of 2255. During the same year he finished seventh in the European Under-14 Championship. [2] Williams regularly participated in youth tournaments throughout the 1990s, finishing seventh in the 1997 European Under-20 Championship [3] and finishing second in the Smith and Williamson Young Masters in 1998. [4]
He became a Grandmaster in 2008, achieving the final norm at the Hastings International Chess Congress 2005/2006 and the 2500+ rating at Hastings 2007/2008. [5] His peak rating so far is 2550, achieved in November 2009. In 2009, he organised the Big Slick International in Purley, London, which comprised an invitational GM tournament and FIDE Rated Open.
In 2003, he finished seventh at the British Chess Championship. [6] Williams later improved his performance in the tournament, finishing equal second in 2009. [7]
In 2009, Williams finished equal first at the Southend Chess Congress all-play-all tournament. [8]
He was joint winner with Gawain Jones of the London Chess Classic FIDE Rated Open in December 2010, with a rating performance of 2690.
In 2005, he won the British Blitz Championship.
Williams works as a chess commentator at tournaments and through online streaming. Most notably, he has provided official commentary at the Gibraltar Chess Festival alongside Irina Krush, Elisabeth Pähtz in 2016 and Jovanka Houska in 2017 and 2018. He has covered a number of other tournaments for ChessBase and Chess.com. Williams also maintains a YouTube channel where he uploads blitz chess (and other time controls) games with commentary as well as analysis of his previous games. He has also given commentary on the Chess.com Isle of Man tournament.
In 2008, he founded a chess media publishing company called "GingerGM" with International Master Simon Ansell. The company produces print books, ebooks and DVDs.
Williams was director of the company SKW Investments, which was implicated by HM Revenue and Customs in a pension liberation scheme. Williams said his role was "purely administrative", that he "did not understand the responsibilities required" and that he regretted involvement. The Deputy Pensions Ombudsman ordered him to repay roughly £700,000 into the scheme. [9] [10] [11]
In 2017 and 2020, Williams filmed two seasons of a show named Checkmate with Anna Richardson as co-host. Each season showcased a prestigious tournament with both male and female competitors, including Richard Rapport, Ju Wenjun, Alexandra Kosteniuk, Arkadij Naiditsch, and Nigel Short. The show was later released on DVD format in 2018 and 2021.
The Dutch Defence is a chess opening characterised by the moves:
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Grob's Attack, or the Grob Opening, is an unconventional chess opening in which White begins with the move:
Yuri Lvovich Averbakh was a Russian chess grandmaster and author. He was chairman of the USSR Chess Federation from 1973 to 1978. Averbakh was the first centenarian FIDE Grandmaster. Despite his eyesight and hearing having worsened, by his 100th birthday he continued to devote time to chess-related activities.
The Colle System, also known as the Colle–Koltanowski System, is a chess opening system for White, popularised in the 1920s by the Belgian master Edgard Colle and further developed by George Koltanowski.
Frank Lamprecht is a German chess International Master and chess trainer. He is a co-author of Fundamental Chess Endings (2001) and Secrets of Pawn Endings (2000), both with Karsten Müller.
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Richard David Palliser is an English chess player and chess writer who holds the title International Master.
Gawain Christopher Bernard Jones is an English chess grandmaster and three-time British Chess Champion. He was awarded the grandmaster title by FIDE in 2007. He competed in the FIDE World Cup in 2013, 2017 and 2019.
Jacob Aagaard is a Danish-Scottish chess grandmaster and the 2007 British Chess Champion.
Jovanka Houska is an English chess player with the titles International Master (IM) and Woman Grandmaster (WGM). She is a nine-time British Women's Chess Champion.
Anthony Cornelis Kosten is an English-French chess Grandmaster and chess author.
John Leonard Watson is an American chess player and author who was awarded the title of International Master in 1979.
The Scandinavian Defense is a chess opening characterized by the moves:
Sam E. Collins is an Irish chess player. He was awarded the title International Master by FIDE in 2004.
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