Contents
Although the Hampshire Individual Chess Championship was the main event, the Major had the largest amount of entries (41) and was hotly contested with a number of experienced players as well as a number who had improved greatly in the last few years.
The picture above shows first place winner of the Major Patrik Baron of Southampton Chess Club being presented with first place prize by Hampshire Chess President David Nelson.
Keven Lamb took the photographs and many thanks to him for this.
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.
Round 1
The old Hampshire Congress used to have an Open and a Under 125 tournament and the first round was normally a bit of a slaughter for the Open, with 40 to 50 old ECF grading points difference between the players (this converts to around 338 rating points), This was not the case now there are three sections, and the average difference for the Major was 122 rating points. Therefore a massacre is not on the cards and there were a number of the stronger players held to a draw and some wins from the lower rated players.
Personally I had a tough game, playing Black against the experienced Gillian Moore who would have been looking for revenge from our game at the Fareham Congress earlier in the year when I won a long game. The opening was a Trompowsky and it has been a long time since I have played against this. Although the game was probably even I drifted into a passive position and played an incorrect Knight move where I lost a couple of tempi as had to move it back to its initial square. This allowed Gillian to have a much stronger position, but luckily for me she took my Bishop with the wrong pawn (see below) and we agreed a draw.
Looking at some of the upsets David Collyer beat Peter Wilcock. Peter had a winning position, but David had a very dangerous passed pawn and it seems as if Peter pushed too hard and refused the perpetual check by taken the passed pawn. He then had to give up his Queen for Rook and despite having two Rooks for the Queen David showed how well the Queen and Knight work together well and drummed up a mating attack.
In the final position White either mates on g4 with the Knight or h7 with the Queen depending on where Black moves his King.
Dave Holmes also lost, in a position when in time trouble he got confused and refused a draw offer when a pawn down in a Knight and four vs Knight and three pawns. He then had to give up his Knight and resigned. I think it was about here that Philip Maul playing Black offered a draw, but you can sometimes get so deep into the game it can get very confusing when offered a draw with very little time left on the clock.
Erico Ferreira and Lewis Jackson where the other two lower graded players who won. It was already looking like a tough tournament for the higher graded players!
Number | Player | Grade | Result | Player | Grade | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | S Arnold | 1867 | 0.5 | S Lawrence | 1718 | 0.5 |
2 | M Deacon | 1717 | 0.5 | R Edney | 1859 | 0.5 |
3 | R McClatchey | 1838 | 1 | A Syed | 1714 | 0 |
4 | Eric Jones | 1703 | 0.5 | W Bradley | 1827 | 0.5 |
5 | H Sharples | 1794 | 1 | A Dore | 1700 | 0 |
6 | D Collyer | 1692 | 1 | P Wilcock | 1789 | 0 |
7 | D Holmes | 1786 | 0 | P Maul | 1686 | 1 |
8 | G Moore | 1678 | 0.5 | G Stuart | 1767 | 0.5 |
9 | D Agostinelli | 1761 | 1 | P Horlock | 1677 | 0 |
10 | J Belinger | 1668 | 0.5 | N Crosswell | 1758 | 0.5 |
11 | B O’Gorman | 1743 | 0.5 | K Sawers | 1658 | 0.5 |
12 | J Morrish | 1643 | 0 | P Baron | 1750 | 1 |
13 | T Anderson | 1757 | 0.5 | J Morrison | 1656 | 0.5 |
14 | D Westcott | 1635 | 0 | Tim Jones | 1738 | 1 |
15 | P Walters | 1736 | 0.5 | H Archer-Lock | 1595 | 0.5 |
16 | E Ferreira | 1592 | 1 | N Stout | 1735 | 0 |
17 | E Blanden | 1724 | 1 | J Sellen | 1583 | 0 |
18 | L Jackson | 1435 | 1 | P Pinto | 1721 | 0 |
19 | S Appleby | 1885 | 0.5 | Bye | ||
20 | J Torrance | 1670 | 0.5 | Bye | ||
21 | J Schumacher | 1742 | 0.5 | Bye | ||
22 | J Wicken | 1684 | 0.5 | Bye | ||
23 | S Ramaraju | 1553 | 0.5 | Bye |
Round 2
Three players moved onto maximum points after this round and each of there wins are detailed below.
- Patrik Baron
- David Collyer
- Tim Jones
In an up and down game and in what I would guess was time trouble Erico Ferreira blundered a complicated drawn ending. In the final position White’s three pawns will be too much for Black’s one pawn.
In another complicated game David Collyer beat the higher graded Harry Sharples when he targeted Black’s weak e6 pawn.
Tim Jones opponent Lewis Jackson blundered a mate in one in a slightly weaker position.
13 players were just a half a point behind, which included myself after I beat John Belinger. It was a successful round for Chandler Ford players, as the other two players in the Major, Dave Holmes and Eric Jones also won.
Number | Player | Grade | Result | Player | Grade | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | E Blanden | 1724 | 0.5 | R McClatchey | 1838 | 0.5 |
2 | D Collyer | 1692 | 1 | H Sharples | 1794 | 0 |
3 | P Maul | 1686 | 0.5 | D Agostinelli | 1761 | 0.5 |
4 | P Baron | 1750 | 1 | E Ferreira | 1592 | 0 |
5 | Tim Jones | 1738 | 1 | L Jackson | 1435 | 0 |
6 | S Lawrence | 1718 | 0 | S Appleby | 1885 | 1 |
7 | J Wicken | 1684 | 0 | S Arnold | 1867 | 1 |
8 | R Edney | 1859 | 0.5 | J Torrance | 1670 | 0.5 |
9 | W Bradley | 1827 | 1 | M Deacon | 1717 | 0 |
10 | G Stuart | 1767 | 1 | J Belinger | 1668 | 0 |
11 | N Crosswell | 1758 | 1 | G Moore | 1678 | 0 |
12 | H Archer-Lock | 1595 | 1 | B O’Gorman | 1743 | 0 |
13 | K Sawers | 1658 | 0 | T Anderson | 1757 | 1 |
14 | J Schumacher | 1742 | 1 | S Ramaraju | 1553 | 0 |
15 | J Morrison | 1656 | 0 | P Walters | 1736 | 1 |
16 | P Pinto | 1721 | 0 | Eric Jones | 1703 | 1 |
17 | P Wilcock | 1789 | 0.5 | J Morrison | 1656 | 0.5 |
18 | P Horlock | 1677 | 0 | D Holmes | 1786 | 1 |
19 | N Stout | 1735 | 0 | D Westcott | 1635 | 1 |
20 | A Syed | 1714 | 1 | J Sellen | 1583 | 0 |
21 | A Dore | 1700 | 1 | bye | 0 |
Round 3
Tim Jones took on Patrik Baron whilst the other player on maximum points David Collyer was paired against Stephen Appleby, although that game ended in a reasonably short game. The Jones – Barron game certainly was not a short draw with a fine endgame played by Barron bringing home the point.
This win left Patrik Baron in sole first place with three points, but joining David Collyer half a point behind were another five players who all won in this round.
- James Schumacher
- David R Agostinelli
- Philip Maul
- Graham Stuart
- Simon Arnold
If you look closely you will see my name in this list as after winning in round two I also managed to win in the third round. Hats off to my opponent who decided to throw in the kitchen sink trying to open up my position. This was certainly a game where my heart was beating extremely fast, trying to find good moves in chronic time trouble.
After this my decision to take a round four bye seemed very wise. I was not alone in this as 16 players in total took the option to not play in the Saturday evening round. Most players who lose are understandably not in the best of moves, but Philip was very happy for me, as thought I had played very well and that the game was an exciting one. I certainly agree with the latter, but not sure about the former!
Number | Player | Grade | Result | Player | Grade | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Tim Jones | 1738 | 0 | P Baron | 1750 | 1 |
2 | S Appleby | 1885 | 0.5 | D Collyer | 1692 | 0.5 |
3 | S Arnold | 1867 | 1 | E Blanden | 1724 | 0 |
4 | R McClatchey | 1838 | 0 | P Maul | 1686 | 1 |
5 | A Dore | 1700 | 1 | L Jackson | 1435 | 0 |
6 | P Walters | 1736 | 0 | G Stuart | 1767 | 1 |
7 | D Agostinelli | 1761 | 1 | H Archer-Lock | 1595 | 0 |
8 | Eric Jones | 1703 | 0.5 | N Crosswell | 1758 | 0.5 |
9 | H Sharples | 1794 | 0 | J Schumacher | 1742 | 1 |
10 | D Westcott | 1635 | 0.5 | R Edney | 1859 | 0.5 |
11 | D Holmes | 1786 | 1 | E Ferreira | 1592 | 0 |
12 | J Torrance | 1670 | 0.5 | A Syed | 1714 | 0.5 |
13 | T Anderson | 1757 | 0.5 | W Bradley | 1827 | 0.5 |
14 | G Moore | 1678 | 0 | P Wilcock | 1789 | 1 |
15 | B O’Gorman | 1743 | 0 | J Morrison | 1656 | 1 |
16 | J Morrish | 1643 | 1 | S Lawrence | 1718 | 0 |
17 | M Deacon | 1717 | 1 | K Sawers | 1658 | 0 |
18 | S Ramaraju | 1553 | 0 | J Wicken | 1684 | 1 |
19 | J Belinger | 1668 | 0.5 | N Stout | 1735 | 0.5 |
20 | J Sellen | 1583 | 0 | P Pinto | 1721 | 1 |
21 | P Horlock | 1677 | 1 | Controller bye | 0 |
Round 4
The Saturday evening round saw leader Patrik Baron take on 2nd seed Simon Arnold who was just half a point behind. In the previous round Baron had played an impressive endgame, but in this game he showed his willingness to sacrifice pieces with a number put on prise at various stages.
Simon Arnold also did well in not taking the pieces by defending tenaciously against this onslaught. In the end he succumbed by entering a worse ending which he could not hold.
In Ashref Syed’s game against Dale Westcott Black played some good tactical moves to bring home the point.
David Collyer beat James Schumacher with a combination which won a pawn and this left him in sole second place, half a point behind Patrik Baron, which left a big game for Sunday morning.
Number | Player | Grade | Result | Player | Grade | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | P Baron | 1750 | 1 | S Arnold | 1867 | 0 |
2 | J Schumacher | 1742 | 0 | D Collyer | 1692 | 1 |
3 | No Pairing | No Pairing | 1 | |||
4 | S Appleby | 1885 | 0.5 | Eric Jones | 1703 | 0.5 |
5 | W Bradley | 1827 | 1 | A Dore | 1700 | 0 |
6 | J Morrison | 1656 | 1 | M Deacon | 1717 | 0 |
7 | A Syed | 1714 | 0 | D Westcott | 1635 | 1 |
8 | J Wicken | 1684 | 1 | H Archer-Lock | 1595 | 0 |
9 | E Ferreira | 1592 | 1 | H Sharples | 1794 | 0 |
10 | L Jackson | 1435 | 1 | J Belinger | 1668 | 0 |
11 | S Ramaraju | 1553 | 0 | P Horlock | 1677 | 1 |
12 | N Stout | 1735 | 0.5 | G Moore | 1678 | 0.5 |
13 | P Maul | 1686 | 0.5 | T Anderson | 1757 | 0.5 |
14 | J Torrance | 1670 | 0 | Defaut | 1 | |
15 | D Agostinelli | 1761 | 0.5 | Bye | ||
16 | G Stuart | 1767 | 0.5 | Bye | ||
17 | D Holmes | 1786 | 0.5 | Bye | ||
18 | N Crosswell | 1758 | 0.5 | Bye | ||
19 | Tim Jones | 1738 | 0.5 | Bye | ||
20 | R Edney | 1859 | 0.5 | Bye | ||
21 | R McClatchey | 1838 | 0.5 | Bye | ||
22 | P Wilcock | 1789 | 0.5 | Bye | ||
23 | P Walters | 1736 | 0.5 | Bye | ||
24 | J Morrish | 1643 | 0.5 | Bye | ||
25 | E Blanden | 1724 | 0.5 | Bye | ||
26 | P Pinto | 1721 | 0.5 | Bye | ||
27 | B O’Gorman | 1743 | 0.5 | Bye | ||
28 | S Lawrence | 1718 | 0.5 | Bye | ||
29 | K Sawers | 1658 | 0.5 | Bye | ||
30 | J Sellen | 1583 | 0.5 | Bye | ||
31 | S Ramaraju | 1553 | 0.5 | Withdrawn |
Leader Board – Round 4
Name | Score |
---|---|
Patrik Baron | 4 |
David Collyer | 3.5 |
David R Agostinelli | 3 |
Philip Maul | 3 |
William Bradley | 3 |
Graham Stuart | 3 |
Round 5
A number of key games in round five with players either trying to retain their top position or move up to challenge in the last round. The key game between David Collyer and Patrik Baron was a cagey 25 move draw where Baron had a slight advantage with Black when the draw was agreed. This would leave him with White in the last round.
Philip Maul also drew against William Bradley in 23 moves. My chances of winning the championship or finishing in one of the top places were dashed by David Agostinelli when I went wrong in a slightly better position and then blundered completely. Well played by David who obtained his revenge from our league game a few years back.
This meant going into the final round Patrik Baron was half a point ahead of David Collyer and David Agostinelli with three players half a point behind who would be reliant on what happened in the two top games.
Number | Player | Grade | Result | Player | Grade | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | D Collyer | 1692 | 0.5 | P Baron | 1750 | 0.5 |
2 | P Maul | 1686 | 0.5 | W Bradley | 1827 | 0.5 |
3 | G Stuart | 1767 | 0 | D Agostinelli | 1761 | 1 |
4 | D Westcott | 1635 | 0.5 | S Appleby | 1885 | 0.5 |
5 | S Arnold | 1867 | 0 | J Schumacher | 1742 | 1 |
6 | Eric Jones | 1703 | 0.5 | D Holmes | 1786 | 0.5 |
7 | N Crosswell | 1758 | 0.5 | J Morrison | 1656 | 0.5 |
8 | L Jackson | 1435 | 1 | E Blanden | 1724 | 0 |
9 | R Edney | 1859 | 1 | Tim Jones | 1738 | 0 |
10 | A Dore | 1700 | 0 | R McClatchey | 1838 | 1 |
11 | P Wilcock | 1789 | 0 | E Ferreira | 1592 | 1 |
12 | P Horlock | 1677 | 0 | P Walters | 1736 | 1 |
13 | T Anderson | 1757 | 0.5 | J Wicken | 1684 | 0.5 |
14 | M Deacon | 1717 | 0 | J Morrish | 1643 | 1 |
15 | P Pinto | 1721 | 0.5 | J Torrance | 1670 | 0.5 |
16 | H Archer-Lock | 1595 | 1 | A Syed | 1714 | 0 |
17 | H Sharples | 1794 | 1 | J Belinger | 1668 | 0 |
18 | S Lawrence | 1718 | 0 | B O’Gorman | 1743 | 1 |
19 | K Sawers | 1658 | 0 | N Stout | 1735 | 1 |
20 | J Sellen | 1583 | 1 | G Moore | 1678 | 0 |
21 | M Deacon | 1717 | 0 | Withdrawn | 0 | |
22 | D Westcott | 1635 | 0 | Withdrawn | 1 |
Round 6
David Agostinelli was unfortunate that he had his 2nd Black of the day, as he had to play the tournament leader, who was also due the White pieces.
With this win Patrik Baron could not be caught and won the Hampshire Major and the Peter Marshall Cup, although this is currently missing. But if not found this will be replaced and engraved with his name. A fine win for the Southampton via Slovakia Chess player with just half a point dropped from his six games.
Meanwhile David Collyer beat William Bradley which gave him sole 2nd place with four and a half points. Surprisingly enough with the amount of entries there was only one player in 3rd place with Bournemouth’s James Schumacher beating Reading’s Philip Maul in a miniature.
I had agreed a short draw against the improving junior James Morrison which allowed me time to watch the other games in the tournament. I was drawn to the fierce attack by fellow Chandlers Ford player Dave Holmes, playing his normal aggressive opening and winning a fine sacrificial game against Southampton University’s Lewis Jackson.
P Maul, J Morrison and J Wicken shared the under 1750 grading prize with their score of three and a half points.
Number | Player | Grade | Result | Player | Grade | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | P Baron | 1750 | 1 | D Agostinelli | 1761 | 0 |
2 | W Bradley | 1827 | 0 | D Collyer | 1692 | 1 |
3 | J Schumacher | 1742 | 1 | P Maul | 1686 | 0 |
4 | P Walters | 1736 | 0.5 | S Appleby | 1885 | 0.5 |
5 | Eric Jones | 1703 | 0 | R Edney | 1859 | 1 |
6 | R McClatchey | 1838 | 0.5 | J Wicken | 1684 | 0.5 |
7 | D Holmes | 1786 | 1 | L Jackson | 1435 | 0 |
8 | J Morrison | 1656 | 0.5 | G Stuart | 1767 | 0.5 |
9 | J Morrish | 1643 | 0 | N Crosswell | 1758 | 1 |
10 | J Torrance | 1670 | 0.5 | P Wilcock | 1789 | 0.5 |
11 | Tim Jones | 1738 | 0.5 | S Arnold | 1867 | 0.5 |
12 | H Archer-Lock | 1595 | 0 | H Sharples | 1794 | 1 |
13 | E Ferreira | 1592 | 0 | T Anderson | 1757 | 1 |
14 | B O’Gorman | 1743 | 0.5 | P Pinto | 1721 | 0.5 |
15 | N Stout | 1735 | 1 | A Dore | 1700 | 0 |
16 | E Blanden | 1724 | 1 | P Horlock | 1677 | 0 |
17 | A Syed | 1714 | 0.5 | S Lawrence | 1718 | 0.5 |
18 | J Belinger | 1668 | 1 | J Sellen | 1583 | 0 |
19 | G Moore | 1678 | 1 | K Sawers | 1658 | 0 |
Final Table
The final table is detailed below.
No. | Name | Grade | Rd 1 | Rd 2 | Rd 3 | Rd 4 | Rd 5 | Rd 6 | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Patrik Baron | 1750 | 24 + | 18 + | 22 + | 20 + | 2 = | 5 + | 5½ |
2 | David Collyer | 1692 | 29 + | 21 + | 12 = | 3 + | 1 = | 10 + | 5 |
3 | James Schumacher | 1742 | bye = | 41 + | 21 + | 2 – | 20 + | 9 + | 4½ |
4 | Tom Anderson | 1757 | 11 = | 40 + | 10 = | 9 = | 16 = | 18 + | 4 |
5 | David R Agostinelli | 1761 | 36 + | 9 = | 28 + | bye = | 13 + | 1 – | 4 |
6 | David Holmes | 1786 | 9 – | 36 + | 18 + | bye = | 19 = | 23 + | 4 |
7 | Richard Edney | 1859 | 37 = | 17 = | 25 = | bye = | 22 + | 19 + | 4 |
8 | Neil Crosswell | 1758 | 32 = | 35 + | 19 = | bye = | 11 = | 24 + | 3½ |
9 | Philip Maul | 1686 | 6 + | 5 = | 15 + | 4 = | 10 = | 3 – | 3½ |
10 | William Bradley | 1827 | 19 = | 37 + | 4 = | 33 + | 9 = | 2 – | 3½ |
11 | Joseph Morrison | 1656 | 4 = | 14 – | 31 + | 37 + | 8 = | 13 = | 3½ |
12 | Stephen Appleby | 1885 | bye = | 38 + | 2 = | 19 = | 25 = | 14 = | 3½ |
13 | Graham Stuart | 1767 | 35 = | 32 + | 14 + | bye = | 5 – | 11 = | 3½ |
14 | Philip Walters | 1736 | 28 = | 11 + | 13 – | bye = | 36 + | 12 = | 3½ |
15 | Rob McClatchey | 1838 | 34 + | 26 = | 9 – | bye = | 33 + | 16 = | 3½ |
16 | Jack Wicken | 1684 | bye = | 20 – | 41 + | 28 + | 4 = | 15 = | 3½ |
17 | John Torrance | 1670 | bye = | 7 = | 34 = | bye + | 30 = | 29 = | 3½ |
18 | Erico Ferreira | 1592 | 27 + | 1 – | 6 – | 21 + | 29 + | 4 – | 3 |
19 | Eric Jones | 1703 | 10 = | 30 + | 8 = | 12 = | 6 = | 7 – | 3 |
20 | Simon Arnold | 1867 | 38 = | 16 + | 26 + | 1 – | 3 – | 22 = | 3 |
21 | Harry Sharples | 1794 | 33 + | 2 – | 3 – | 18 – | 32 + | 28 + | 3 |
22 | Tim Jones | 1738 | 25 + | 23 + | 1 – | bye = | 7 – | 20 = | 3 |
23 | Lewis Jackson | 1435 | 30 + | 22 – | 33 – | 32 + | 26 + | 6 – | 3 |
24 | John Morrish | 1643 | 1 – | 29 = | 38 + | bye = | 37 + | 8 – | 3 |
25 | Dale Westcott | 1635 | 22 – | 27 + | 7 = | 34 + | 12 = | 3 | |
26 | Edward A Blanden | 1724 | 39 + | 15 = | 20 – | bye = | 23 – | 36 + | 3 |
27 | Nick Stout | 1735 | 18 – | 25 – | 32 = | 35 = | 40 + | 33 + | 3 |
28 | Helen Archer Lock | 1595 | 14 = | 31 + | 5 – | 16 – | 34 + | 21 – | 2½ |
29 | Peter Wilcock | 1789 | 2 – | 24 = | 35 + | bye = | 18 – | 17 = | 2½ |
30 | Phil Pinto | 1721 | 23 – | 19 – | 39 + | bye = | 17 = | 31 = | 2½ |
31 | Brendan O’Gorman | 1743 | 40 = | 28 – | 11 – | bye = | 38 + | 30 = | 2½ |
32 | John Belinger | 1668 | 8 = | 13 – | 27 = | 23 – | 21 – | 39 + | 2 |
33 | Alex Dore | 1700 | 21 – | bye + | 23 + | 10 – | 15 – | 27 – | 2 |
34 | Ashraf Syed | 1714 | 15 – | 39 + | 17 = | 25 – | 28 – | 38 = | 2 |
35 | Gillian A Moore | 1678 | 13 = | 8 – | 29 – | 27 = | 39 – | 40 + | 2 |
36 | Peter Horlock | 1677 | 5 – | 6 – | bye + | 41 + | 14 – | 26 – | 2 |
37 | Matthew Deacon | 1717 | 7 = | 10 – | 40 + | 11 – | 24 – | 1½ | |
38 | Simon Lawrence | 1718 | 20 = | 12 – | 24 – | bye = | 31 – | 34 = | 1½ |
39 | John R Sellen | 1583 | 26 – | 34 – | 30 – | bye = | 35 + | 32 – | 1½ |
40 | Kevin Sawers | 1658 | 31 = | 4 – | 37 – | bye = | 27 – | 35 – | 1 |
41 | Siddarth Ramaraju | 1553 | bye = | 3 – | 16 – | 36 – | ½ |
Games
The games from the Major Tournament were entered by Arthur Brameld and can be played through and downloaded here.
Photographs
All photographs are in the Hampshire Gallery, but I have included a few from the Open and the obligatory picture of the trophies.
HCA Secretary Report
The Hampshire Chess Secretary produced a report on the congress, which is below.
Acknowledgements and sources:
- Arthur Brameld for the chess games
- John Wheeler for HCA Secretary Report
- Keven Lamb for photographs
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