On Wednesday 6th October 2021 at the Civil Service Pavilion chess players gathered for a fun night of chess. We had 14 players and a plan of 5 rounds of chess and 4 rounds of puzzle solving between the rounds.

The round 1 pairings were done and the chess was away. A quiet settled into the room.

Round 1

Results

No Name                  Rtg  Total  Result   Name             Rtg  Total

 1 Bobby Thompson        1623 [0]      0:1    Sanket Sawant    1400 [0]  
 2 Calum Glendinning     1369 [0]      0:1    Robert Lavery    1584 [0]  
 3 David Jackson         1578 [0]      0:1    Chris Dorrian    1315 [0]  
 4 Amole Thoke           1300 [0]      0:1    Conor Spackman   1539 [0]  
 5 Adam Rushe            1513 [0]      1:0    Sett Podean      1283 [0]  
 6 Adrian Dornford-Smith 1254 [0]      0:1    Desmond Moreland 1503 [0]  
 7 Christopher Kelly     1430 [0]      1:0    Matthew Moreland 1048 [0]  

by Swiss Perfect (TM)  www.swissperfect.com

An upset on board one with new-comer Sanket Sawant who usually plays chess online beating Bobby Thompson. Chris Dorrian beats David Jackson. The remaining games going to rating. I took the rapid play ratings from the UCU listings.

I have never run a puzzle competition during an open tournament - only in Childrens Chess and there I have always given the puzzles out at the beginning and let the players work them out in the time they have between games. I felt as time was key we would run it differently here. I paired the players up for the next round. Told them not to play. Handed out the round 1 4 puzzle sheet upside down infront of each player. Asked them to write their names on the sheets. Then they had 3 minutes to complete once I said to turn the sheets over (like exams back at school!). I gave a half-way warning after 1:30mins and then a count down at 10secs. The players then swapped sheets with their opponents and I asked for solutions which for the most part were forthcoming (alot of the time from a very keen Adam) if they were wrong I would read out the solutions this was quite rare, and the players marked the sheets. I collected them and kept score for the round.

Then the next round started.

Round 2

Results

No Name                  Rtg  Total  Result   Name              Rtg  Total

 1 Robert Lavery         1584 [1]      1:0    Desmond Moreland  1503 [1]  
 2 Conor Spackman        1539 [1]      0:1    Christopher Kelly 1430 [1]  
 3 Sanket Sawant         1400 [1]      0:1    Adam Rushe        1513 [1]  
 4 Chris Dorrian         1315 [1]      0:1    Bobby Thompson    1623 [0]  
 5 Sett Podean           1283 [0]      1:0    David Jackson     1578 [0]  
 6 Adrian Dornford-Smith 1254 [0]      0:1    Calum Glendinning 1369 [0]  
 7 Matthew Moreland      1048 [0]      0:1    Amole Thoke       1300 [0]  

Round 2 and Sett Podean gets a good result against David Jackson. Adam, Chris and Robert go ahead on 2 out of 2.

Again the next rounds pairings are read and players are seated. The puzzles are handed out upside down. Names written on them and I say 'Start' and the 2nd puzzle round begins.

Round 3

Results

No Name              Rtg  Total  Result   Name                  Rtg  Total

 1 Adam Rushe        1513 [2]      1:0    Robert Lavery         1584 [2]  
 2 Christopher Kelly 1430 [2]      1:0    Sanket Sawant         1400 [1]  
 3 Bobby Thompson    1623 [1]     .5:.5   Sett Podean           1283 [1]  
 4 Calum Glendinning 1369 [1]      0:1    Conor Spackman        1539 [1]  
 5 Desmond Moreland  1503 [1]      1:0    Chris Dorrian         1315 [1]  
 6 Amole Thoke       1300 [1]      1:0    Adrian Dornford-Smith 1254 [0]  
 7 David Jackson     1578 [0]      1:0    Matthew Moreland      1048 [0]  

Adam gets a good result against Robert. Chris beats new comer Sanket - who isnt scoring but shows some excellent chess skills. Sett gets a good draw off Bobby.

The puzzles are done under time pressure. Which can be quite stressful. The room is silent as minds focus on these problems with 3minutes and the seconds ticking.

Round 4

Results

No Name              Rtg  Total  Result   Name                  Rtg  Total

 1 Christopher Kelly 1430 [3]      1:0    Adam Rushe            1513 [3]  
 2 Robert Lavery     1584 [2]      1:0    Amole Thoke           1300 [2]  
 3 Conor Spackman    1539 [2]      0:1    Desmond Moreland      1503 [2]  
 4 David Jackson     1578 [1]     .5:.5   Bobby Thompson        1623 [1.5]
 5 Sett Podean       1283 [1.5]    0:1    Calum Glendinning     1369 [1]  
 6 Sanket Sawant     1400 [1]      0:1    Chris Dorrian         1315 [1]  
 7 Matthew Moreland  1048 [0]     .5:.5   Adrian Dornford-Smith 1254 [0]  

The leaders play-off and Chris Kelly beats Adam Rushe and becomes the out-right leader on 4 out of 4. Chase by Adam, Robert and Des on 3.

Going into the final round of the puzzle solving we have so far done 12 puzzles, We have Adam Rushe leading with an excellent 11 out of 12 in joint lead with Calum Glendinning who I didnt include in the prizes as these puzzles were taken from the last Childrens Chess tournament.  Second with a very good score of 10 out of 12 Robert Lavery. Followed by a group headed by Chris Kelly on 8. Would the final round change the positions? Could Adam be beaten.

Round 5

Results

No Name                  Rtg  Total  Result   Name              Rtg  Total

 1 Robert Lavery         1584 [3]     .5:.5   Christopher Kelly 1430 [4]  
 2 Desmond Moreland      1503 [3]      0:1    Adam Rushe        1513 [3]  
 3 Bobby Thompson        1623 [2]     .5:.5   Amole Thoke       1300 [2]  
 4 Chris Dorrian         1315 [2]      1:0    Conor Spackman    1539 [2]  
 5 Calum Glendinning     1369 [2]      0:1    David Jackson     1578 [1.5]
 6 Adrian Dornford-Smith 1254 [.5]     0:1    Sett Podean       1283 [1.5]
 7 Matthew Moreland      1048 [.5]     0:1    Sanket Sawant     1400 [1]  

The final round and Chris draws against Robert to win the tournament undefeated on 4.5 out of 5. A good result from such a tough field. Adam gets second and Robert 3rd.

Standings

Place Name                  Rtg  Score M-Buch. Buch. Progr.

  1   Christopher Kelly     1430 4.5       7.5  12.0   14.5
  2   Adam Rushe            1513 4         9.0  15.5   13.0
  3   Robert Lavery         1584 3.5       9.5  16.0   11.5
 4-5  Desmond Moreland      1503 3         8.5  13.0   10.0
      Chris Dorrian         1315 3         7.0  12.0    8.0
 6-9  Bobby Thompson        1623 2.5       7.5  12.5    7.0
      Sett Podean           1283 2.5       7.0  11.5    6.5
      David Jackson         1578 2.5       7.0  10.5    5.0
      Amole Thoke           1300 2.5       5.0   9.0    7.5
10-12 Sanket Sawant         1400 2         9.5  14.5    6.0
      Conor Spackman        1539 2         8.5  15.0    8.0
      Calum Glendinning     1369 2         7.0  11.0    6.0
13-14 Matthew Moreland      1048 0.5       7.0  12.0    1.0
      Adrian Dornford-Smith 1254 0.5       7.0  10.5    1.0

The Winners

Champion: Chris Kelly

2nd Adam Rushe

3rd Robert Lavery

The puzzle solving results

Champion Adam Rushe

2nd Robert Lavery

3rd Conor Spackman, Chris Kelly.

Thanks to all the players participating - an excellent evening of brilliant chess.

The next event the Civil Service Chess Club will be running will be the first of the Alan Burns Lackadaisicals on Sunday afternoon 5th December. An afternoon of fun relaxed chess with time control of 20mins with 5 second increment. For details: https://www.ulsterchess.org/Members/ucu00450/2021-2022/alan-burns-lackadasicals-2021-22/alan-burns-1-lackadasicals-2021-22-dec12th/nics-alan-burns-lackadaisical-1-2021-22

Given time you will work out the solutions to the problems - some of them are elegant. If you do want solutions contact me and I will send them. mark.chris.newman@googlemail.com.