South Wales International

The South Wales International starts on Saturday. As always, there are a number of Westcountry-based players in action:

GM Peter Wells Wiltshire 2488
GM Keith Arkell Devon 2465
IM Jack Rudd Somerset 2236
Jeremy Menadue Cornwall 2155
Allan Pleasants Dorset 2032
John Waterfield Gloucestershire 2020
Brian Gosling Devon 1978
E. Michael White Gloucestershire 1940
Robert Thompson Devon 1905

I will be in there in my usual combined player/game-inputter category. Check the site for games from the event.

Yeovil Congress, pictures

These are pictures taken by Bob Jones at the Yeovil Congress.



Brendan O'Gorman, who finished 2nd= on 3.5/5 in the Major.



Frank Pittman (I believe), winner of the Major with 4/5





Me!



Patryk Krzyzanowski and David Buckley. Congratulations to Patryk on qualifying for the British Championships.

Yeovil Congress results

FIDE-rated Open:
1st Felix Jose Ynojosa (ENG) 4
2nd= Sarah Hegarty (ENG), Patryk Krzyzanowski (POL) 3½
Grading Prize Amy Hoare (ENG) 3
Partial FIDE Ratings achieved by: Chris Purry (ENG), Justin Hadi (ENG) and Julian May (ENG).

FIDE-rated Major:
1st Frank Pittman (ENG) 4
2nd= Shane McCabe (IRL), Brendan O`Gorman (ENG), Robert Kane (ENG), C Lucjan Karpinski (ENG) 3½
Grading Prize Geoff Bishop (ENG), Andrew Farthing (ENG) 2½
Partial FIDE Ratings achieved by Frank Pittman (ENG), Sydney Jacob (ENG), Graham Steer (ENG), Sean Pope (ENG), Chris McKinley (ENG), Chris Leeson (ENG), Deio Parri (WLS), Paul Brackner (ENG) and Tom Fuller (ENG).

Minor:
1st Phil Foley 4½
2nd= E Barry Sandercock, Peter Manning 4
Grading Prize Mike Kaye 3½

Team Prize shared by Weymouth and Keynsham with 10½/20.

Warwicks 8-8 Devon, u180 semi-final.

Thanks to Brian Hewson for sending me this.

In a very exciting match the result was 8-8 but unfortunately this time we lost on board count. We were slightly outgrade with Warwicks averaging 169 v our 166 per board. We had 3 170's and 3 160's unavailable so not far off full strength.

There were no early results then Ian Jamieson (playing left handed due to broken finger and accompanied by an abacas to count his moves!) and Bill Ingham agreed draws. Robert Thompson then won well but Mike Stinton-Brownbridge lost. After much battling with a fine draw from new man Jon Duckham from Tiverton and good wins from Trefor Thynne, Andrew Kinder, Charlie Howard and Alan Brusey, despite a loss by Brian Gosling, Devon were 3 up with 6 to go. But Steve Homer missed his opponents winning bishop sacrifice, Dennis Cowley (having been well placed earlier) and Paul Brooks were lost but fought to the bitter end, Ivor agreed the inevitable draw, Mark Abbott was unlucky that his opponent escaped with perpetual check and John Gorodi clung on as last man to finish.

Trefor pointed out that 6 points were scored by the 7 Newton Abbot members playing.

Warwicks Devon

Martin D Smyth 174 1-0 Stephen J. Homer 178
Alan D Lloyd 173 1-0 Dennis R. Crowley 176
David J Ireland 178 0-1 Alan W. Brucey 175
Richard W Smith 177 0.5-0.5 Ian M. Jamieson 175
Joseph J Stewart 168 0.5-0.5 Mark V. Abbott 174
Rob Hearne 173 0-1 Trefor T. Thynne 173
Alan Agnew 170 0-1 Robert Thompson 170
Robert J Wallman 172 0.5-0.5 William H. Ingham 166
Richard C Reynolds 171 0.5-0.5 Jon Duckham 169e
Mark A Cundy 169 1-0 Paul Brooks 162
Thomas D Robinson 168 1-0 Brian G. E. Gosling 159
Michael J Doran 167 1-0 Mike Stinton- Brownbridge 159
Simon A Williams 166 0-1 Andrew S. Kinder 158
Simon C A Smith 160 0.5-0.5 Ivor S Annetts 156
Gary Hope 161 0-1 Charlie V Howard 154
Ed H Goodwin 156 0.5-0.5 John Gorodi 155

8-8

2nd Bristol Rapidplay

Thanks to Graham Mill-Wilson for sending me this report. The title to this post links to the Bristol Chess website.

This was a small but cosmopolitan tournament, which took place on Saturday 5th June. In the Open section (14 players), there was an American, a Venezuelan, a Dutchman and a Welshman! The American (IM James Sherwin of Bath chess club) didn’t even bother to turn up for the first round (actually, he got the times wrong), but he won it anyway, with 5 wins from the five he did play. The half point bye he was given for the first round turned out to be irrelevant! Second equal on 4 points were Arturo Wong (the Venezuelan, who plays for Chard and Ilminster) and Paul Helbig from Bath. The grading prize (under 175) was shared by James Jackson (Bath Univ.), Peter Jaszkiwskyj (Kettering) and Steve Piper (no club).

In the Major section (Under 165 - 10 players), the outright winner on 5/6 was Hui Zhu of Bristol University, with John Knee from Malvern in second place on 4½. The grading prize (under 138) was shared by Hugh Price of Cardiff and Chris Lamming of Bath University. Look at all those university players! (Thinks…the exams must be over).

The Minor section was not quite an all-play-all, but it was a most-play-most, with 8players. Simon Griffin from Cheltenham, the only player in the section who didn’t get a bye, won with 5/6. Second place and the grading prize (under 110) were shared by James Barnett (Salisbury), Peter Saunders (the league’s treasurer!), Matthew Trigg (Solihull) and Tom Thorpe, a junior who plays for Pete’s Potentials, the Pete in question being the aforementioned treasurer. They all scored 4 points.

Pete’s potentials is a team of juniors coached by Mr Saunders at the junior club he runs in Bristol, who put up a decent show in their first league season. Tom is their star player. His grade of 85 is rubbish, as I know to my cost!

We don’t usually send our rapidplay results for grading, but following comments on the ECF forum, I called for a show of hands, the result of which was inconclusive. However, I decided to send them in for grading anyway. The treasurer was not pleased, but then he rarely is.

British Championships qualifiers

I've just received news that Arturo Wong is unable to play at the British Championships, after qualifying through the Frome Congress, and Alan Pleasants will be playing instead.

Upcoming tournaments/ events

Quite a few tournaments/ events etc coming up in the near future:

Saturday 5th June: 2nd Bristol League Rapidplay

Held at the Filton Sports & Leisure Centre, Elm Park, Filton, Bristol. BS34 7PS.

http://chessit.co.uk/Bristol%20Rapidplay%202010/BristolRapidplay2010EntryForm.pdf

is the link to the entry form.

Saturday 5th June: WECU meeting.

This is a closed meeting, but if you have any opinions/ thoughts on anything WECU- related, email me edgellben@hotmail.com or leave a comment here, and I'll raise it at the meeting.

Sunday 6th June, 2pm: Sunday Chess in Bath.

This is an open- air chess event designed to help attract attention to chess from tourists and people local to Bath. It takes place just outside the Abbey, in the centre of Bath. I believe the intention this Sunday is to run a 5- minute blitz tournament, so if you are interested in that contact Chris Lamming on en2cpgl@bath.ac.uk, or visit
http://chessit.co.uk/Bath%20Abbey%20Chess/2010/Sunday%20Chess%20in%20Bath%202010.htm for more information.

Friday 11th June: DCCA AGM.

I'm not sure on any specific details bar the date for this one, I'm afraid. If anyone can provide me with more information, I'll happily update this.

Weds. 16th June: Torbay League AGM

Held at Torquay Boys' Grammar School, Torquay, starting at 7pm.

Friday 18th- Sunday 20th June: Yeovil Congress

Held at Westfield Community School, Stiby Road, Yeovil. BA21 3EP. This congress has both the open and major sections Fide-rated. The entry form can be printed from http://www.ecforum.org.uk/download/file.php?id=136 and for any other information contact Jack Rudd on jackkelshallrudd@aol.com

If I've missed anything from that list, or if there are any inaccuracies, let me know and I'll update it.