BCN send Birthday greetings to IM Alan Merry

Alan Baxter Merry was born on Friday, November 8th, 1996 in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk. His mother’s maiden name is Guymer. Alan has a younger brother James Clayton Merry (born 1999). James is also registered with Suffolk CCA but has never had a published grading or rating.

As a junior Alan was a member of Bury Knights Junior Chess Club run by Bob Jones.

He became a FIDE Master in 2013 and an International Master in 2016. His peak rating according to Felice was 2396 in July 2016. However this has been surpassed and according to MegaBase 2020 it is 2460 in June 2018 at the age of 22.

Alan won the 2014 Golders Green Open with a convincing 5.5/6 :

and has won further events since including the Kingsley Healthcare Great Yarmouth Congress in 2018.

Alan plays for Suffolk County Chess Association and in 4NCL started with Anglian Avengers, then the ADs and finally moving to Barbican in the 2015/16 season. His current ECF grading is 237A for standard-play and 236A for rapid-play. His FIDE standard play rating is 2427.

Alan has a plus score against : James Jackson, Ravi Haria, John Nunn, Peter Sowray, James Adair, Matthew Wadsworth, Jack Rudd and Simon Williams to name but a few.

With the white pieces Alan has a varied repertoire favouring (unusually) the Four Knights game.

As the second player he champions the French Winawer and the Modern Benoni.