British Rapidplay Championships, 17-18 November 2007

The British Rapidplay Chess 2007 took place again in Halifax at the Northbridge Leisure Centre. The events take place in two large halls. The Minor and Junior events in one, the Open, Major, and Intermediate in the other. Although wet and dreary outside, the chess was hot inside!! The venue has become a well loved home for this established event. The top games were covered live on the internet by David Clayton.

Marc Hebden GM and Peter Wells GM, both former winners of the event started very well. Despite a loss by Marc to Richard Palliser IM, the crunch came with a head -to- head in the last round of the first day, Marc employed his rapidplay skills to the full and won the match. Peter would need to come back on the Sunday with all guns blazing. In fact on the Sunday Peter negotiated the five remaining rounds in style, but Marc kept on his heels. Despite a bit of controversy in the match against James Sherwin IM, where the clocks were stopped with 15 seconds left on James clock, and Chief Arbiter Dave Welch was needed to decide whether Marc was 1) in an imminent drawn position or not 2) Playing with intent to win 3) Still developing his position. In the end the game resumed and Marc won on time. Ironically Peter had agreed a draw just two minutes before (the only one as it turned out) in his game. So Peter Wells GM became the Open champion with a terrific score of 9.5 points. Marc Hebden smiled knowing that scoring 9 points would normally win this event. Plus he'd beat the winner! Stewart Haslinger also had a very good event.

The most striking thing about the weekend was how many juniors players were now playing in main events, and doing very well. The Under 11 trial on Saturday saw two young talented prospects in Ravi Haria and Eugene Daley come joint first. Some great juniors are set to keep the game going for years to come.

Talking about chess, and its exposure to the media, The Halifax Courier covered the event, and a film documentary is being made of the weekend by WildRose Heritage and Arts. It is hoped in due course that this might be presented to one of the major TV Channels for broadcasting. Many thanks came from internet surfers who followed the games live on www.british-rapidplay.org.uk. In due course all the top games and results will be put onto the website. Many thanks to all the organizers, controllers, helpers and above all, the chess players who continue to support us.

Brent Kitson, BRC November 2007

Results

Open: Peter Wells, 9.5; Mark Hebden, 9; Stewart Haslinger, 8.5; David Gormally; Richard Palliser; Adam Ashton; Jonathan Hawkin; Chris Briscoe; Liam Rabbitte

Major: William Jones, 8.5; Galina Utyuzhnskowa, 8; Roelof Westra, 7.5; Suzy Blackburn, 7.5; Eddie Hurwitz, 7.5; Tom Whitaker, 7.5; GP 1 Daniel Wells, 7.5; GP 2 Andrew Brocklehurst, 6.5; Samual Walker, 6.5; GP 3 Alex Combie, 7; GP 4 Marex Soszynski, 6; Keith Thomas, 6

Intermediate: M Brown, 9.5; Brandon Clarke, 9; Nathan Talbot, 8.5; Jean-Luc-Weller, 8; C Booth, 7.5; David Norton, 7.5; GP 1 M Connor, 7; Sharron Soni, 7; Chris Davison, 7; GP 2 Stuart Ashley, 6.5; Owen Robson, 6.5; Phillip Platts, 6.5; David Adam, 6.5; George Boothman, 6.5; GP 4 Toby Thurgood, 6.5; Sean Ralph, 7; GP 5 David Lawrence, 7; Russel Goodfellow, 7

Minor: Dave Colledge, 9; Thomas Clements, 8.5; Simon Kerridge, 8.5; Adrauin Dawson, 8; Peter Batchelor, 7.5; Thomas Frizgerald, 7.5; GP 1 Conrad Jowet, 7.5; Andrew Gragside, 7; GP 2 Nicholas Clanchy, 7; GP 3 Jonathan Burch, 6.5

Sunday Rapidplay: John Stephenson, 4.5; Neville Pearce, 3.5; David Sheperd, 3.5; Tom Adams, 3.5

Junior U11: Ravi Haria; Eugene Daley

Combined U14/U16: U16 Champion Kiruthika Rajeswaran (Yorkshire) 4/5; U14 Champion Marcus Harvey (Oxon) 4/5; 3rd Gordon Scott (Norfolk) 3.5/5

Combined U12/U10: 1st= 4/5; U12 Champion Daniel Lea (Lancs); U10 Champions Katherine Shepherd (Surrey); Harry Li (Yorkshire)