Contents
Alongside the Hampshire Individual Chess Open and Major a competitive Minor tournament was also taking place. If the Major had a number of improving players this was probably even more prevalent in the Minor. When you look at the final table and check the names at the top in a couple of years I am sure you will see these players with ratings 200 to 500 points higher and playing in the Major and Opens.
The picture above shows first place winner of the Minor Tom Philidor of Fareham Chess Club being presented with first place prize by Hampshire Chess President David Nelson.
Whereas Arthur Brameld keyed in the games from the Open and Minor this was not the case for the Minor, therefore this report is less in-depth than the others. However, if you played in the tournament and have an annotated (or unannotated) game please do send to me and I will update the article accordingly.
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
Players current grades are less relevant in Minor chess tournaments, as there will always be a number of players who are improving and the tournament will be a stepping stone to the Major and Open tournaments. I looked at the entrants and thought a couple of players stood out as potential winners.
- Peter Eales:- Returning to chess after a long break and has been graded 140 to 150 in the past (1750 to 1825).
- Tom Philidor:- Only had a rating for a year, but plays in Keith Gregory’s Wessex Online Tournaments and regularly beats players who would be in Open tournaments.
- Keven Lamb:- Has done very well in these tournaments in the past and a very dangerous aggressive player.
These were the players I knew of, but with 38 players in the Minor there would be many I was unaware of. The first round is an example of not expecting the higher graded players to win easily with junior Nicholas Deacon defeating the top seed G Ainsley.
He was not the only one though, as J Wallman and O Pustyntsev both won against higher rated opponents.
Number | Player | Grade | Result | Player | Grade | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | G Ainsley | 1593 | 0 | N Deacon | 1400 | 1 |
2 | C Gardiner | 1399 | 0.5 | J Hunt | 1585 | 0.5 |
3 | N Hordnes | 1566 | 1 | A Matthews | 1386 | 0 |
4 | J Wallman | 1386 | 1 | L Devlin | 1548 | 0 |
5 | P Collis | 1541 | 1 | D Williams | 1361 | 0 |
6 | H Blin | 1471 | 0 | T Philidor | 1512 | 1 |
7 | S Syed | 1506 | 1 | M Davies | 1267 | 0 |
8 | B Cochran | 1283 | 0 | A Pradhan | 1505 | 1 |
9 | C Budden | 1483 | 1 | A Graham | 1248 | 0 |
10 | O Pustyntsev | 1242 | 1 | C Charalambous | 1473 | 0 |
11 | P Eyles | 1474 | 0.5 | F Shabgard | 1456 | 0.5 |
12 | O Ward | 1452 | 1 | D Campion | UG | 0 |
13 | J Bent | UG | 0 | P Stevens | 1450 | 1 |
14 | K King | 1448 | 1 | Y Forbes | UG | 0 |
15 | A Weaver | 1184 | 0 | D Burton | 1439 | 1 |
16 | K Lamb | 1440 | 1 | E Ricketts | 1116 | 0 |
17 | H Saunders | UG | 0.5 | P Eales | 1422 | 0.5 |
18 | B Hermanns | 1379 | 1 | Controller Bye | ||
19 | J Taylor | 1191 | 0 | default | ||
20 | F Christou-Moore | 1460 | 0.5 | bye | ||
21 | L Summers | 1299 | 0.5 | bye |
Round 2
N Hordnes, P Collis, Tom Philidor, A Pradhan, C Budden, O Pustyntsev and K King all moved onto maximum points.
Number | Player | Grade | Result | Player | Grade | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | P Stevens | 1450 | 0 | N Hordnes | 1566 | 1 |
2 | D Burton | 1439 | 0 | P Collis | 1541 | 1 |
3 | T Philidor | 1512 | 1 | K Lamb | 1440 | 0 |
4 | N Deacon | 1400 | 0.5 | S Syed | 1506 | 0.5 |
5 | A Pradhan | 1505 | 1 | J Wallman | 1386 | 0 |
6 | B Hermanns | 1379 | 0 | C Budden | 1483 | 1 |
7 | O Pustyntsev | 1242 | 1 | O Ward | 1452 | 0 |
8 | F Shabgard | 1456 | 0 | K King | 1448 | 1 |
9 | J Hunt | 1585 | 1 | H Saunders | UG | 0 |
10 | P Eales | 1422 | 1 | P Eyles | 1474 | 0 |
11 | L Summers | 1299 | 0 | F Christou-Moore | 1460 | 1 |
12 | D Williams | 1361 | 1 | C Gardiner | 1399 | 0 |
13 | A Graham | 1248 | 0.5 | G Ainsley | 1593 | 0.5 |
14 | L Devlin | 1548 | 1 | B Cochran | 1283 | 0 |
15 | C Charalambous | 1473 | 1 | J Bent | UG | 0 |
16 | E Ricketts | 1116 | 1 | J Taylor | 1191 | 0 |
17 | A Matthews | 1386 | 0.5 | A Weaver | 1184 | 0.5 |
18 | M Davies | 1267 | 0 | Y Forbes | UG | 1 |
19 | D Campion | UG | 0.5 | bye | 0.5 |
Round 3
A couple of players took a bye on the Saturday afternoon, but N Hordnes, O Pustyntsev and A Pradhan all played and won their games to maintain maximum points.
Number | Player | Grade | Result | Player | Grade | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | N Hordnes | 1566 | 1 | K King | 1448 | 0 |
2 | P Collis | 1541 | 0 | O Pustyntsev | 1242 | 1 |
3 | C Budden | 1483 | 0 | A Pradhan | 1505 | 1 |
4 | F Christou-Moore | 1460 | 1 | J Hunt | 1585 | 0 |
5 | S Syed | 1506 | 0.5 | P Eales | 1422 | 0.5 |
6 | O Ward | 1452 | 1 | N Deacon | 1400 | 0 |
7 | D Williams | 1361 | 0 | L Devlin | 1548 | 1 |
8 | J Wallman | 1386 | 1 | C Charalambous | 1473 | 0 |
9 | E Ricketts | 1116 | 0 | P Stevens | 1450 | 1 |
10 | Y Forbes | UG | 1 | D Burton | 1439 | 0 |
11 | G Ainsley | 1593 | 0.5 | B Hermanns | 1379 | 0.5 |
12 | P Eyles | 1474 | 1 | A Weaver | 1184 | 0 |
13 | D Campion | UG | 0 | F Shabgard | 1456 | 1 |
14 | C Gardiner | 1399 | 1 | L Summers | 1299 | 0 |
15 | H Saunders | UG | 0.5 | A Matthews | 1386 | 0.5 |
16 | J Taylor | 1191 | 0 | B Cochran | 1283 | 1 |
17 | J Bent | UG | 1 | Controller Bye | ||
18 | T Philidor | 1512 | 0.5 | Bye | ||
19 | K Lamb | 1440 | 0.5 | Bye | ||
20 | A Graham | 1248 | 0.5 | Bye | ||
21 | M Davies | 1267 | 0.5 | Bye |
Round 4
Only six players took a Saturday evening bye and two of the leaders (N Hordnes and A Pradhan) drew their game against each other. Meanwhile a refreshed Tom Philidor came back from his afternoon bye to beat O Pustyntsev and join the other two players on three and a half points.
Number | Player | Grade | Result | Player | Grade | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | A Pradhan | 1505 | 0.5 | N Hordnes | 1566 | 0.5 |
2 | T Philidor | 1512 | 1 | O Pustyntsev | 1242 | 0 |
3 | L Devlin | 1548 | 0 | F Christou-Moore | 1460 | 1 |
4 | P Stevens | 1450 | 0.5 | S Syed | 1506 | 0.5 |
5 | K King | 1448 | 1 | C Budden | 1483 | 0 |
6 | J Wallman | 1386 | 0 | O Ward | 1452 | 1 |
7 | J Hunt | 1585 | 1 | B Hermanns | 1379 | 0 |
8 | N Deacon | 1400 | 1 | P Eyles | 1474 | 0 |
9 | F Shabgard | 1456 | 0.5 | C Gardiner | 1399 | 0.5 |
10 | K Lamb | 1440 | 0 | D Williams | 1361 | 1 |
11 | C Charalambous | 1473 | 0.5 | A Graham | 1248 | 0.5 |
12 | D Burton | 1439 | 1 | H Saunders | UG | 0 |
13 | A Matthews | 1386 | 1 | E Ricketts | 1116 | 0 |
14 | J Bent | UG | 0 | M Davies | 1267 | 1 |
15 | L Summers | 1299 | 1 | D Campion | UG | 0 |
16 | B Cochran | 1283 | 1 | Controller Bye | 0 | |
17 | P Collis | 1541 | 0.5 | Bye | ||
18 | P Eales | 1422 | 0.5 | Bye | ||
19 | Y Forbes | UG | 0.5 | Bye | ||
20 | G Ainsley | 1593 | 0.5 | Bye | ||
21 | A Weaver | 1184 | 0.5 | Bye | ||
22 | J Taylor | 1191 | 0.5 | Bye |
Round 5
A number of key games were played with the leaders clashing. Tom Philidor managed to beat N Hordes and mentioned that this was his most difficult game.
Number | Player | Grade | Result | Player | Grade | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | N Hordnes | 1566 | 0 | T Philidor | 1512 | 1 |
2 | F Christou-Moore | 1460 | 1 | A Pradhan | 1505 | 0 |
3 | O Ward | 1452 | 1 | K King | 1448 | 0 |
4 | O Pustyntsev | 1242 | 1 | J Hunt | 1585 | 0 |
5 | P Eales | 1422 | 0.5 | P Stevens | 1450 | 0.5 |
6 | S Syed | 1506 | 0.5 | P Collis | 1541 | 0.5 |
7 | C Budden | 1483 | 1 | J Wallman | 1386 | 0 |
8 | B Cochran | 1283 | 1 | Y Forbes | UG | 0 |
9 | D Williams | 1361 | 1 | D Burton | 1439 | 0 |
10 | C Gardiner | 1399 | 0.5 | A Matthews | 1386 | 0.5 |
11 | M Davies | 1267 | 0.5 | G Ainsley | 1593 | 0.5 |
12 | P Eyles | 1474 | 1 | K Lamb | 1440 | 0 |
13 | B Hermanns | 1379 | 0.5 | C Charalambous | 1473 | 0.5 |
14 | A Graham | 1248 | 1 | L Summers | 1299 | 0 |
15 | A Weaver | 1184 | 0.5 | J Bent | UG | 0.5 |
16 | H Saunders | UG | 0 | E Ricketts | 1116 | 1 |
17 | J Taylor | 1191 | 1 | Controller Bye | 0 | |
18 | F Shabgard | 1456 | 0 | Default | 1 | |
19 | N Deacon | 1400 | 0.5 | Bye |
Round 6
Tom Philidor beat F Christou-Moore which gave him an unbeatable five and half points and the Parsons Trophy. O Ward beat N Hordnes to reach five points which meant he finished in sole second place. The two players above who lost had the consolation prize of shared third place, whilst the under 1450 grading prize was shared by C Budden, D Williams, Peter Eales and O Pustyntsev.
Sophie Syed who scored four points was the winner of the Gillian Moore Ladies Prize for the best performance by a lady in the Congress. There were a number of ladies in the tournament and this is another good sign to see.
Number | Player | Grade | Result | Player | Grade | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | T Philidor | 1512 | 1 | F Christou-Moore | 1460 | 0 |
2 | N Hordnes | 1566 | 0 | O Ward | 1452 | 1 |
3 | A Pradhan | 1505 | 1 | O Pustyntsev | 1242 | 0 |
4 | P Collis | 1541 | 1 | N Deacon | 1400 | 0 |
5 | K King | 1448 | 0 | S Syed | 1506 | 1 |
6 | B Cochran | 1283 | 0 | C Budden | 1483 | 1 |
7 | P Stevens | 1450 | 0 | D Williams | 1361 | 1 |
8 | J Hunt | 1585 | 0 | P Eales | 1422 | 1 |
9 | A Matthews | 1386 | 0.5 | P Eyles | 1474 | 0.5 |
10 | Y Forbes | UG | 1 | C Gardiner | 1399 | 0 |
11 | B Hermanns | 1379 | 1 | A Graham | 1248 | 0 |
12 | G Ainsley | 1593 | 1 | J Wallman | 1386 | 0 |
13 | C Charalambous | 1473 | 0.5 | M Davies | 1267 | 0.5 |
14 | E Ricketts | 1116 | 0 | D Burton | 1439 | 1 |
15 | K Lamb | 1440 | 1 | A Weaver | 1184 | 0 |
16 | L Summers | 1299 | 0 | J Bent | UG | 1 |
17 | H Saunders | UG | 0 | F Shabgard | 1456 | 1 |
Final Table
The final table is detailed below. Tournament winner Tom Philidor commented on his win.
This was my first OTB tournament victory after starting chess in August 2020 and I’ve never been happier, I got the trophy replicated so when I surrender the annual one I have a permanent memory of the event.
My logic when entering was that my online rapid rating was very high, even though online ratings are inflated I knew I had potential to win, i took a half point bye in round three giving me a mental break on the Saturday where you have 3 games in a row, I also stayed at the venue so I had a base to relax and get in the zone, experiencing it to the full.
Tom Philidor
To win a tournament after only starting playing two years previously is a huge achievement and you can be sure that Tom will be playing and achieving great results in the higher rated tournaments in the future. He also came in with a plan and took sensible breaks to maintain his strength in what is a gruelling contest.
It was excellent to see such a high number of entries into the Minor, which alongside the Major had the highest number of entries ever (where there were three sections). It is hoped that next years tournament will be just as successful.
Place | Player | Points |
---|---|---|
1 | Tom Philidor | 5½ |
2 | O Ward | 5 |
3= | F Christou-Moore, A Pradhan | 4½ |
5= | P Collis, Sofia Syed, C Budden, D Williams, Peter Eales, O Pustyntsev | 4 |
11= | N Hordnes, Y Forbes | 3½ |
13= | G Ainsley, K King, F Shabgard, P Stevens, D Burton, N Deacon, A Matthews, B Hermanns, Brian Cochran, Paul Eyles | 3 |
23= | J Hunt, C Charalambous, Keven Lamb, C Gardiner, M Davies, A Graham, J Bent | 2½ |
30= | L Devlin, J Walman, E Ricketts | 2 |
33= | A Weaver, J Taylor,L Summers | 1½ |
36 | H Saunders | 1 |
37 | D Campion | ½ |
Games
No games from the Minor Tournament, but I will add any if supplied.
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:
- John Wheeler for HCA Secretary Report
- Keven Lamb for photographs