The summer season is always a busy time for chess. A few stories that we don't want to leave hanging are: the 2007 British Championship, the FIDE Ethics Commission, the Rybka Challenge, USCF Officers, and the Grand Slam.

British Championship: IM Jacob Aagaard became the 2007 British Chess Champion by winning the 68 player, 11 round Swiss System, held 29 July - 10 August, at Yarmouth. For a last round report, see Speelman on Chess, (19 August; Guardian News). For the full crosstable, see British Championship Crosstable (BCFservices.org.uk). • The right move for chess match: 'The British Chess Championships in Yarmouth have been hailed as a massive success - attracting the highest entry for a number of years.' (9 August; EDP24.co.uk) • For a list of previous champions, see our page on the British Chess Championships.

FIDE Ethics: Four weeks have passed since the FIDE Ethics Commission met on 28 July to discuss a complaint against former FIDE World Champion Veselin Topalov and his manager Silvio Danailov:

During the World Championship held in Elista from 21st September to 13th October 2006, to have accused Mr. Vladimir Kramnik of cheating, presenting this accusation not only to the competent FIDE organs but even to the medias, giving interviews and press conferences, writing and verbalising opinions about the facts, personally and by your manager Silvio Danailov, well aware that this accusation was not supported by evidence, thus aiming at affecting Mr. Kramnik’s psyhological state, in order to obtain an illegitimate advantage. (from Case 04/06, FIDE Ethics Commission will hold hearings, 17 July; Fide.com)

No decision has been announced. • Waiting in the wings is another closely watched ethics case involving public criticism of FIDE officials: Nigel Short faces the FIDE Ethics Committee (9 May; Chessbase.com). It was immediately contested by the English Federation: FIDE vs Short (9 May; BCMchess.co.uk). • For background on the Ethics Commission, see Roberto Rivello: How the FIDE Ethics Commission works (11 May; Chessbase.com). • As we reported in a previous post, FIDE Obfuscation? (15 June), the Ethics Commission met a recent setback in another case that was appealed before the Court of Arbitration for Sport, Lausanne.

Rybka Challenge: In New World Computer Chess Champion (1 July; Elsewhere on the Web), we mentioned the challenge made to FIDE by Rybka's developer Vasik Rajlich. The Daily Dirt blog reported that negotiations failed and the match will not take place: Rybka-Junior Crashes (3 August; Chessninja.com).

USCF Officers: Following its recent Executive Board election (EB; see our report USCF Election Results, 27 July), the USCF EB elected new officers. • U.S. Chess Federation Elects New Officers; 'The USCF has new officers for the next two years. Former Women’s World Champion Susan Polgar has just been elected as the first ever Chairman of the USCF. Current USCF President Bill Goichberg has just been reaffirmed of his position.' (6 August; USchess.org).

Grand Slam: This top tier chess event for super grandmasters, last mentioned in MTel, Grand Slam, Chess Oscar (27 May; Elsewhere on the Web), is taking shape: Grand Slam 2008 in Bilbao with 400,000 Euro prize fund, 'It has been discussed for a year now, with periodic meetings between potential participating organisers. Now apparently things have come to fruition. The Grand Slam tournament, with the winners of Linares, Mtel Sofia, Corus Wijk Aan Zee and Ciudad de Mexico (plus two invitees) will be staged in the Spanish city of Bilbao in September 2008.' (14 August; Chessbase.com).