Saturday 31st
October / Sunday 1st November 2015
Great Hall, James Graham
Building,
Leeds Beckett University,
Beckett’s Park Campus,
Headingley LS6 3QS [map]
An English Chess
Federation supported Grand Prix event | Entries - Steve Burton (0113)
2568157
Tournament Secretary - Brent Kitson kitson453@btinternet.com
For more detailed maps of the venue - click HERE and HERE
SECOND DAY
Second Day
Report-British Rapidplay Chess ,
November 2nd 2014.
Leaders After Day One
Open- Jonathan Hawkins 5.5/6 , Joseph McPhillips
5/6 Major Guy Batchelor 5.5/6
Intermediate - Oscar Pollack 5.5/6 Minor- P.Horman
5.5/6
Well after a good
night’s sleep and sorting out of some software glitches, the British Rapidplay Chess entered it’s second day.
It’s the first time
that the event has had all digital clocks. On site printing has also
helped. The weather was holding up too.
The big Manchester
derby was the football event of the day(City won)
In the seventh round
of the Open , Jonathan Hawkins met Joseph Mc Phillips
True to form “The
Hawk” exploited a
weakness on white’s kingside , after a
weak opening .
The game was over by
move 30.Ameet Ghasi had a good win over
Peter Batchelor to stay a point behind the leader. Andrew Horton also had a
good win over James Adair
The Sunday Junior Rapidplay was also underway with several strong under 16’s
including Max Miller
and George Harman .They both won their first two games.
Round eight saw Jonathan Hawkins beat Phil Olbison ,who’d tried for counterplay,
but
Jonathon’s pawn majority saw the day through. The next three contenders all won as well. Unless Jonathan slips up , he’s well on the way to winning
the event.
In the Major the
brilliant young James
Moreby (2013 u/11 trial champion) was leading with
6/7.In the Intermediate Dominic Miller
was also on 6/7.Paul Horman was leading
the Minor with 6.5/7 by midday .
The venue provided some great
food at great prices…..thanks to
Beckett University and WellMet Conferencing for
hosting.
Although the 2014 event was a bit
earlier in the calendar this year ,the tournament
has
had a good turnout. Additional book prizes are being given for best
juniors in main events thanks to Chess Direct..
Well the Open round 9
saw Richard Bates I.M. taking on Jonathan Hawkins G.M.
Ameet
Ghasi is still one point behind the leader…………Richard
played a very good game which saw attacks from both players……in the end though Jonathan’s
knight
combined
with his rook and queen and got through the kingside to eventually mate
…..Meanwhile Ameet won again , keeping
just one point behind.
Round 10 saw
Jonathan playing Matthias Ganter (from
Switzerland)..
Half a point would see
him as the winner
in the Open.
In other sections…the following players
were leading the way ..George Harman 3/3
Junior Paul Horman 8.5/9 Minor
Dominic Miller 8/9 Intermediate
James Moreby 8/9 Major …..
Yes and at
3.15 pm…. Jonathan had beaten the Swiss player……
In the final eleventh
round Jonathon
Hawkins played and beat Peter Batchelor …finishing on 10.5/11 which is
half a point behind Nigel Short’s all-time record of 11/11…..so becoming the 2014 British Rapidplay Champion.(For the second time)
Ameet Ghasi won his game too ..finishing on
9/11..thus becoming runner-up. Andrew Horton finished third (he was the only
player to take half a point from Jonathon)
All the other main winners were as
follows
Junior Sunday-George
Harman / Anum Sheikh 4/5
Minor -Paul A Horman 9.5/11
Intermediate -Dominic Miller 9/11
Major -James Moreby 9.5 /11
Thanks to all the
chess players/organizers/arbiters/helpers/officials etc
for your support…B. Kitson . Tournament Secretary B.R.Chess 2014.