The 2018 Hampshire Congress had three sections, the Open including the Hampshire Individual Championship was covered in the previous post. The other two sections were the Major (under 160 ECF) and the Minor (under 125)
Details on the round by round and final scores for both tournaments are detailed below.
The tournament was played at the Lysses House Hotel in Fareham over six rounds, one on Friday, three on Saturday and two on Sunday. Half point byes were allowed for players in the first five rounds.
If you played in either of these and have any games or comments you would like me to add please contact me.
From the Hampshire Chess Association website there was a review of the tournament by Broadstairs Chess Club’s Robert Page who was joint winner of the Major.
For a list of the winners of the Hampshire Individual Championship and links to any articles I have written the table on the Hampshire Individual Championship is the best place to look. In addition, the table on the Hampshire Tournaments will detail these and any other tournament articles I have completed. Both of these are available from the menu at the top of the site as well.
Hampshire Chess Congress – Major
Nineteen players entered the Major section. As the results from the ECF grading site do not include byes their table will not be 100% accurate and the nature of these tournaments is that players will withdraw determining 100% accuracy is difficult. However, I have tried to piece together each round using John Wheeler’s report on the tournaments as well.
Major – Round 1
Player | Grade | Result | Player | Grade | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nick Burton | 158 | 1 | John R Sellen | 131 | 0 |
David R Agostinelli | 129 | 1 | Lukasz Marek Piecha | 156 | 0 |
Brendan O'Gorman | 154 | ½ | Kevin Sawers | 127 | ½ |
John Belinger | 124 | 1 | Simon Venables | 148 | 0 |
Melissa Hamilton | 122 | ½ | Joseph A Coburn | 143 | ½ |
Robert G Page | 141 | 1 | Amanda Jones | 123 | 0 |
Christopher Smith | 139 | 0 | Pankaj Tomar | 1 | |
John R Webb | 1 | Ian G Matthew | 0 | ||
Jeremy Hudson | 132 | ½ | Bye | ||
Charles Charalambous | 98 | ½ | Bye | ||
William Ellinger | 115 | Bye |
A couple of upsets with David Agostinelli beating Lukasz Marek Piecha and John Belinger doing the same against Simon Venables. A couple of the higher graded players were also held to draws. Nick Burton who used to play for the Eastleigh BR (now part of Chandlers Ford) before moving North made and excellent return winning his game as top seed.
Major – Round 2
Player | Grade | Result | Player | Grade | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
David R Agostinelli | 129 | 0 | Nick Burton | 158 | 1 |
Pankaj Tomar | 0 | Robert G Page | 141 | 1 | |
Joseph A Coburn | 143 | ½ | John Belinger | 124 | ½ |
Jeremy Hudson | 132 | 1 | John R Webb | 0 | |
Lukasz Marek Piecha | 156 | 0 | Melissa Hamilton | 122 | 1 |
Charles Charalambous | 98 | 1 | Brendan O'Gorman | 154 | 0 |
Kevin Sawers | 127 | 0 | Amanda Jones | 123 | 1 |
Simon Venables | 148 | 1 | Ian G Matthew | 136 | 0 |
John R Sellen | 131 | ½ | Christopher Smith | ½ | |
William Ellinger | 115 |
Nick Burton and Robert Page were the only players to remain on 100% defeating David Agostinelli and Simon Venables respectively. Four players were just behind on one and a half points, Brendan O’Gorman, John Belinger, Melissa Hamilton and Jeremy Hudson. Melissa impressively beat the 156 graded Lukasz Marek Piecha. Although this looks to have been a blunder from a pawn up by the higher graded player when he left his Rook on f5 on prise.
Major – Round 3
Player | Grade | Result | Player | Grade | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nick Burton | 158 | ½ | Jeremy Hudson | 143 | ½ |
Robert G Page | 141 | ½ | Brendan O'Gorman | 154 | ½ |
John Belinger | 124 | 1 | Melissa Hamilton | 122 | 0 |
John R Webb | ½ | David R Agostinelli | 129 | ½ | |
Pankaj Tomar | 1 | Joseph A Coburn | 143 | 0 | |
Amanda Jones | 123 | 0 | Simon Venables | 148 | 1 |
Christopher Smith | 139 | 0 | Kevin Sawers | 127 | 1 |
John R Sellen | 131 | ½ | Charles Charalambous | 98 | ½ |
Ian G Matthew | 136 | 1 | Lukasz Marek Piecha | 156 | 0 |
William Ellinger | 115 |
The top two boards were drawn, and John Belinger beat Melissa Hamilton. These three players remained half a point ahead of five players going into the Saturday evening games. After losing his first three games the second highest graded player Lukasz Marek Piecha decided enough was enough and withdrew.
Major – Round 4
Player | Grade | Result | Player | Grade | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Joseph A Coburn | 143 | ½ | Kevin Sawers | 127 | ½ |
Amanda Jones | 123 | 0 | Pankaj Tomar | 1 | |
Jeremy Hudson | 132 | 0 | Simon Venables | 148 | 1 |
Melissa Hamilton | 122 | ½ | Charles Charalambous | 98 | ½ |
John R Sellen | 131 | ½ | Bye | ||
Christopher Smith | 139 | ½ | Bye | ||
Ian G Matthew | 136 | ½ | Bye | ||
Nick Burton | 158 | ½ | Bye | ||
Robert G Page | 141 | ½ | Bye | ||
Brendan O'Gorman | 154 | ½ | Bye | ||
John Belinger | 124 | ½ | Bye | ||
John R Webb | ½ | Bye | |||
David R Agostinelli | 129 | ½ | Bye | ||
William Ellinger | 115 | ||||
Lukasz Marek Piecha | 156 | 0 | Withdrawn |
Just four games were played as nine players decided to take a Saturday evening bye. Pankaj Tomar and Simon Venables were the main benefits of playing in the evening as they won their games. The other two games were drawn. Going into round five Robert Page, Nick Burton, John Belinger remained in the lead with three points.
Major – Round 5
Player | Grade | Result | Player | Grade | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
John Belinger | 124 | ½ | Nick Burton | 158 | ½ |
Robert G Page | 141 | 1 | Jeremy Hudson | 132 | 0 |
Brendan O'Gorman | 154 | 1 | Joseph A Coburn | 143 | 0 |
Simon Venables | 148 | 0 | David R Agostinelli | 129 | 1 |
Kevin Sawers | 127 | 1 | Melissa Hamilton | 122 | 0 |
Pankaj Tomar | ½ | John R Webb | ½ | ||
Ian G Matthew | 136 | 1 | John R Sellen | 131 | 0 |
Charles Charalambous | 98 | ½ | Christopher Smith | 139 | ½ |
Amanda Jones | 123 | ½ | William Ellinger | 115 | ½ |
Robert Page beat Jeremy Hudson, whilst the other two leaders Nick Burton and John Belinger drew. This meant Robert was in the sole lead before the last round. Brendan O’Gorman beat Joe Coburn and Dave Agostinelli won against Simon Venables which meant two joined Nick and John half a point behind.
Major – Round 6
Player | Grade | Result | Player | Grade | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Robert G Page | 141 | ½ | Nick Burton | 158 | ½ |
Brendan O'Gorman | 154 | 1 | John Belinger | 124 | 0 |
David R Agostinelli | 129 | ½ | Jeremy Hudson | 132 | ½ |
Kevin Sawers | 127 | ½ | Simon Venables | 148 | ½ |
Ian G Matthew | 136 | 1 | Joseph A Coburn | 143 | 0 |
Charles Charalambous | 98 | ½ | William Ellinger | 115 | ½ |
Melissa Hamilton | 122 | ½ | Christopher Smith | 139 | ½ |
John R Webb | 0 | Withdrawn | |||
Pankaj Tomar | 0 | Withdrawn | |||
Amanda Jones | 0 | Withdrawn | |||
John R Sellen | 0 | Withdrawn |
The leader Robert Page drew with Nick Burton and Brendan O’Gorman beat John Belinger to finish in joint first place with four and a half points from five games. Nick Burton and Dave Agostinelli shared third place on four points. Dave Agostinelli also won the under 140 grading prize.
Hampshire Congress 2018 Major Final Table
The 2018 Hampshire Chess Congress Major final positions.
Rank | Name | Grade | Rd 1 | Rd 2 | Rd 3 | Rd 4 | Rd 5 | Rd 6 | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Robert G Page | 141 | 14+ | 12+ | 2= | bye = | 11+ | 3= | 4½ |
2 | Brendan O'Gorman | 154 | 4= | 13+ | 1= | bye = | 9+ | 7+ | 4½ |
3 | Nick Burton | 158 | 17+ | 5+ | 11= | bye = | 7= | 1= | 4 |
4 | Kevin Sawers | 127 | 2= | 14– | 16+ | 9= | 10+ | 6= | 3½ |
5 | David R Agostinelli | 129 | 19+ | 3– | 15+ | bye = | 6+ | 11= | 4 |
6 | Simon Venables | 148 | 7– | 8+ | 14+ | 11= | 5– | 4= | 3 |
7 | John Belinger | 124 | 6+ | 9= | 10+ | bye = | 3= | 2– | 3½ |
8 | Ian G Matthew | 136 | 15– | 6– | 19+ | bye = | 17+ | 9+ | 3½ |
9 | Joseph A Coburn | 143 | 10= | 7= | 12+ | 4= | 2– | 8– | 2½ |
10 | Melissa Hamilton | 122 | 9= | 19+ | 7– | 13= | 4– | 16= | 2½ |
11 | Jeremy Hudson | 132 | bye = | 15+ | 3= | 6= | 1– | 5= | 3 |
12 | Pankaj Tomar | 16+ | 1– | 9– | 14+ | 15= | 2½ | ||
13 | Charles Charalambous | 98 | bye = | 2– | 17= | 10= | 16= | 18= | 2½ |
14 | Amanda Jones | 123 | 1– | 4+ | 6– | 12– | 18= | 1½ | |
15 | John R Webb | 8+ | 11– | 5– | bye = | 12= | 2 | ||
16 | Christopher Smith | 139 | 12– | 17= | 4– | bye = | 13= | 10= | 2 |
17 | John R Sellen | 131 | 3– | 16= | 13= | bye = | 8– | 1½ | |
18 | William Ellinger | 115 | 14= | 13= | 1 | ||||
19 | Lukasz Marek Piecha | 156 | 5– | 10– | 8– | 0 |
Hampshire Chess Congress – Minor
The Hampshire Minor section had twenty-five players entering. A good mix of Hampshire players and players from outside the County was seen in the tournament. The ECF Grading Crosstable does not include the byes but has additional information on the players and the tournament.
Minor – Round 1
Player | Grade | Result | Player | Grade | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ben Harte | 124 | 1 | Paul Eyles | 106 | 0 |
David Lambton | 121 | 1 | Alan R Fraser | 98 | 0 |
David J Archer | 105 | 0 | Geoffrey A Foxon | 121 | 1 |
James Wallman | 97 | 0 | Keith C Spooner | 118 | 1 |
David Nelson | 117 | 1 | Sam J Murphy | 95 | 0 |
Brian V Cochran | 94 | 0 | Ryan Cheung | 116 | 1 |
Richard J Meredith | 114 | 1 | Soham Kumar | 0 | |
David T Murchie | 79 | 0 | Daniel Shek | 114 | 1 |
Phil B Pinto | 109 | 1 | Don Creasey | 77 | 0 |
David Jerome | 77 | 0 | Paul S Collis | 106 | 1 |
Tim G Cutter | 112 | ½ | Bye | ||
Michael R Pope | 122 | ½ | Bye | ||
Matthew Deacon | 85 | ½ | Bye | ||
Nicholas Deacon | ½ | Bye | |||
Johan Mathew | 102 |
The higher graded player won every game, which is pretty unusual. Four players took a Friday evening bye.
Minor – Round 2
Player | Grade | Result | Player | Grade | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ryan Cheung | 116 | 1 | Ben Harte | 124 | 0 |
Paul S Collis | 106 | 0 | David Lambton | 121 | 1 |
Geoffrey A Foxon | 121 | 1 | Richard J Meredith | 114 | 0 |
Keith C Spooner | 118 | ½ | Phil B Pinto | 109 | ½ |
Matthew Deacon | 85 | 0 | Tim G Cutter | 112 | 1 |
Nicholas Deacon | 0 | David T Murchie | 79 | 1 | |
Michael R Pope | 122 | 1 | Daniel Shek | 114 | 0 |
Paul Eyles | 106 | 1 | Brian V Cochran | 94 | 0 |
Alan R Fraser | 98 | 1 | David Jerome | 77 | 0 |
David J Archer | 105 | 0 | Soham Kumar | 1 | |
Don Creasey | 77 | ½ | James Wallman | 97 | ½ |
David Nelson | 117 | ½ | Bye | ||
Sam J Murphy | 95 | ½ | Bye | ||
Johan Mathew | 102 |
Ryan Cheung, David Lambton and Geoffrey A Foxon all won their second-round games and moved into round three on 100% A number of players were just half a point behind.
Minor – Round 3
Player | Grade | Result | Player | Grade | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
David Lambton | 121 | 1 | Geoffrey A Foxon | 121 | 0 |
Tim G Cutter | 112 | 0 | Ryan Cheung | 116 | 1 |
Phil B Pinto | 109 | 1 | Michael R Pope | 122 | 0 |
Keith C Spooner | 118 | ½ | David Nelson | 117 | ½ |
Ben Harte | 124 | 1 | Alan R Fraser | 98 | 0 |
Richard J Meredith | 114 | ½ | Paul Eyles | 106 | ½ |
Daniel Shek | 114 | 1 | Soham Kumar | 0 | |
David T Murchie | 79 | 1 | Paul S Collis | 106 | 0 |
James Wallman | 97 | 0 | Matthew Deacon | 85 | 1 |
Sam J Murphy | 95 | 1 | Nicholas Deacon | 0 | |
Johan Mathew | 102 | 1 | Don Creasey | 77 | 0 |
David J Archer | 105 | ½ | Brian V Cochran | 94 | ½ |
David Jerome | 77 | 0 |
Ryan Cheung and David Lambton kept their 100% records beating Tim Cutter and Geoffrey Foxon respectively. Phil Pinto beat Michael Pope to be the only player on two and a half points.
John Dunleavy Prize
In this round the John Dunleavy Prize Best Game Prize was won by to 9-year-old Matthew Deacon (black) against James Wallman. An excellent tactical finish.
Minor – Round 4
Player | Grade | Result | Player | Grade | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ryan Cheung | 116 | 1 | David Lambton | 121 | 0 |
Daniel Shek | 114 | 1 | Phil B Pinto | 109 | 0 |
David Nelson | 117 | 1 | David T Murchie | 79 | 0 |
Matthew Deacon | 85 | 0 | Richard J Meredith | 114 | 1 |
Paul Eyles | 106 | ½ | Tim G Cutter | 112 | ½ |
Michael R Pope | 122 | 1 | Sam J Murphy | 95 | 0 |
Alan R Fraser | 98 | 0 | Johan Mathew | 102 | 1 |
Don Creasey | 77 | 0 | David J Archer | 105 | 1 |
Soham Kumar | 0 | James Wallman | 1 | ||
Keith C Spooner | 118 | ½ | Bye | ||
Brian V Cochran | 94 | ½ | Bye | ||
Paul S Collis | 106 | ½ | Bye | ||
Geoffrey A Foxon | 121 | ½ | Bye | ||
Ben Harte | 124 | ½ | Bye | ||
Nicholas Deacon | 0 | ||||
David Jerome | 77 | 0 |
Five players took the Saturday evening bye. But the two leaders met, and Southampton University’s Ryan Cheung came out on top to move into the lead with the impressive maximum points from four games. Phil Pinto lost to fast improving junior Dan Shek. David Nelson also won and with Dan and the losing David Lambton were all in second place a full point behind Ryan.
Minor – Round 5
Player | Grade | Result | Player | Grade | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ryan Cheung | 116 | 1 | David Nelson | 117 | 0 |
Richard J Meredith | 114 | 1 | Daniel Shek | 114 | 0 |
Phil B Pinto | 109 | 1 | Ben Harte | 124 | 0 |
Geoffrey A Foxon | 121 | 1 | Keith C Spooner | 118 | 0 |
David T Murchie | 79 | 1 | Paul Eyles | 106 | 0 |
Johan Mathew | 102 | ½ | Michael R Pope | 122 | ½ |
Paul S Collis | 106 | ½ | Matthew Deacon | ½ | |
David J Archer | 105 | 1 | Sam J Murphy | 95 | 0 |
Brian V Cochran | 94 | 0 | Soham Kumar | 1 | |
Alan R Fraser | 98 | 1 | Nicholas Deacon | 0 | |
James Wallman | 97 | 1 | David Jerome | 77 | 0 |
Don Creasey | 77 | ½ | Bye | ||
David Lambton | 121 | 0 | |||
Tim G Cutter | 112 | 0 | Withdrawn |
Ryan Cheung continued his winning ways, this time beating David Nelson. Chandler’s Ford Dick Meridith beat Dan Shak, Phil Pinto defeated top seed Ben Harte and Geoffrey Foxon did the same against Keith Spooner. David Lambton took a Sunday morning bye, and these five players were one and a half points behind Ryan in joint second place.
These results meant Ryan had won the tournament with a round to spare.
Minor – Round 6
Player | Grade | Result | Player | Grade | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Geoffrey A Foxon | 121 | 0 | Ryan Cheung | 116 | 1 |
Phil B Pinto | 109 | ½ | Richard J Meredith | 114 | ½ |
Daniel Shek | 114 | ½ | David Lambton | 121 | ½ |
Michael R Pope | 122 | ½ | David T Murchie | 79 | ½ |
David Nelson | 117 | 1 | Johan Mathew | 102 | 0 |
Ben Harte | 124 | 1 | James Wallman | 97 | 0 |
David J Archer | 105 | ½ | Keith C Spooner | 118 | ½ |
Paul Eyles | 106 | 1 | Matthew Deacon | 85 | 0 |
Paul S Collis | 106 | 1 | Alan R Fraser | 98 | 0 |
Brian V Cochran | 94 | 1 | Sam J Murphy | 95 | 0 |
Don Creasey | 77 | 0 | Nicholas Deacon | 1 | |
Soham Kumar | 0 | Withdrawn | |||
David Jerome | 77 | 0 |
Ryan did not rest on his laurels and won his final game against Geoffrey Foxon. The real battle was for second place and Dick Meridith and Phil Pinto drew their game to end on four points. They were joined by Dave Nelson who beat Johan Mathew.
The under 100 grading prize was won by David Murchie with his impressive 3 and a half points.
Hampshire Congress 2018 Minor Final Table
The 2018 Hampshire Chess Congress Minor final positions.
Rank | Name | Grade | Rd 1 | Rd 2 | Rd 3 | Rd 4 | Rd 5 | Rd 6 | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Ryan Cheung | 116 | 21+ | 11+ | 19+ | 5+ | 7+ | 8+ | 6 |
2 | Phil B Pinto | 109 | 24+ | 13= | 10+ | 4– | 11+ | 3= | 4 |
3 | Richard J Meredith | 114 | 17+ | 8– | 9= | 20+ | 4+ | 2= | 4 |
4 | Daniel Shek | 114 | 6+ | 10– | 17+ | 2+ | 3– | 5= | 3½ |
5 | David Lambton | 121 | 18+ | 16+ | 8+ | 1– | 0 | 4= | 3½ |
6 | David T Murchie | 79 | 4– | 23+ | 16+ | 7– | 9+ | 10= | 3½ |
7 | David Nelson | 117 | 22+ | bye = | 13= | 6+ | 1– | 14+ | 4 |
8 | Geoffrey A Foxon | 121 | 12+ | 3+ | 5– | bye = | 13+ | 1– | 3½ |
9 | Paul Eyles | 106 | 11– | 21+ | 3= | 19= | 6– | 20+ | 3 |
10 | Michael R Pope | 122 | bye = | 4+ | 2– | 22+ | 14= | 6= | 3½ |
11 | Ben Harte | 124 | 9+ | 1– | 18+ | bye = | 2– | 15+ | 3½ |
12 | David J Archer | 105 | 8– | 17– | 21= | 24+ | 22+ | 13= | 3 |
13 | Keith C Spooner | 118 | 15+ | 2= | 7= | bye = | 8– | 12= | 3 |
14 | Johan Mathew | 102 | 24+ | 18+ | 10= | 7– | 2½ | ||
15 | James Wallman | 97 | 13– | 24= | 20– | 17+ | 25+ | 11– | 2½ |
16 | Paul S Collis | 106 | 25+ | 5– | 6– | bye = | 20= | 18+ | 3 |
17 | Soham Kumar | 3– | 12+ | 4– | 15– | 21+ | 2 | ||
18 | Alan R Fraser | 98 | 5– | 25+ | 11– | 14– | 23+ | 16– | 2 |
19 | Tim G Cutter | 112 | bye = | 20+ | 1– | 9= | 2 | ||
20 | Matthew Deacon | 85 | bye = | 19– | 15+ | 3– | 16= | 9– | 2 |
21 | Brian V Cochran | 94 | 1– | 9– | 12= | bye = | 17– | 22+ | 2 |
22 | Sam J Murphy | 95 | 7– | bye = | 23+ | 10– | 12– | 21– | 1½ |
23 | Nicholas Deacon | bye = | 6– | 22– | 18– | 24+ | 1½ | ||
24 | Don Creasey | 77 | 2– | 15= | 14– | 12– | bye = | 23– | 1 |
25 | David Jerome | 77 | 16– | 18– | 15– | 0 |
Games
The games from the Major were entered by Arthur Brameld and can be played through and downloaded here. I don’t have any games from the minor tournament.
HCA 2018 Congress Report
John Wheeler produced the Hampshire Congress Report (which also included the Major and Minor). This is reproduced below:
Acknowledgements and sources:
- John Wheeler for HCA Congress Report
- Arthur Brameld for games.