Gosford Open 2005
report by President Keith Farrell (also DOP of the tournament)
To all who came and played : we look forward to see you again next year, for our other old friends and those unknown to us - we look forward to meeting you and supporting you in playing the best you can.
27 Souls turned out to brave the elements the 1st weekend of November 2005, armed for action with only their wits and skill.
Does it really seem like 20 years since I played in the First Gosford Open - hardly at all, but the proof is in the calendar. Back then we played 7 rounds too - but spread over 3 days (oh luxury) - 2 on Friday; 3 on Saturday and a final 2 on the Monday of that Long Weekend of October 1985. Some memories are that in round 1 my opponent (Glen Devine) who outpointed me by 550 points (who took 23 minutes to ponder move 8 [they were at least 3 hour sessions back then tho my notes don't record the exact time limit] 12 more on move 12, was offered a draw in a winning (for me) position which I refused and then then proceeded to lose thru a few sloppy King movements (for the morbidly curious see a little later). In post there were a few sharp comments from Lloyd Fell (embarrassing but accurate post-game). In round 4 I played our club's Vice President - as he was then and still is.
Devine,G (1781) - Farrell,K (1315) [D10]
Gosford Open 1985 Gosford (1), 1985
ref 453 opp rating 1781 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Bf5 5.Bxf6 exf6 6.cxd5 cxd5 7.Qb3 Nc6 8.e3 white spent 23 mins on this move 8...Bb4 9.Bb5 Bxc3+ 10.Qxc3 Rc8 11.Rc1 0-0 12.Ne2 white spent 12 mins on this move 12...Nxd4 13.Qxd4 Rxc1+ 14.Nxc1 Qa5+ 15.Qc3 Qxb5 16.Ne2 Rc8 17.Qd4 Bd3 18.Nc3 Qxb2 19.Qxd3 Qxc3+ 20.Qxc3 Rxc3 21.Kd2 Ra3 22.Ra1 Kf8 23.Kc2 Ke7 24.Kb2 Ra6 25.Rd1 Ke6 it was around here that white offered a draw - which black declined and went on to lose 26.Rd4 Rb6+ 27.Kc2 Rc6+ 28.Kb3 b5 29.Kb4 Rc4+ ?! 30.Kxb5 Rc2 31.a4 Rxf2 32.Rg4 g6 33.Ka6 h5 34.Rb4 Re2 ?! 35.Kxa7 Rxe3 36.a5 Re4 37.Rb6+ Ke5 38.Kb7 Ra4 39.a6 d4 40.a7 Rxa7+ 41.Kxa7 d3 42.Rb7 Ke6 ?? 43.Rb3 d2 44.Rd3 f5 45.Kb6 f4 46.Kc5 Ke5 47.Rxd2 g5 48.Re2+ Kf5 49.Kd5 g4 50.Re5+ Kg6 51.Ke4 f6 52.Rf5 f3 53.gxf3 gxf3 54.Rxf3 Kg5 55.Rf5+ Kg4 56.Rxf6 Kg5 57.Rf4 h4 58.h3 Kh5 59.Rg4 black resigns 1-0
Another memory I have is of two players who had travelled long distance and were fighting a duel to the death in the last round (one I'm fairly certain was Bill Egan who always puts maximum effort into these long haul games) 'holding up' as some early finishing prize-winners churlishly put it.
I met Johny Bolens back then or perhaps the year after (it was a Newcastle Open), Patrick Halpin too I remember from that era - who looks much as I remember.
Two decades later and maximum effort is still appreciated and appropriately garners rewards in a thoroughly enthralling weekend -with very few falters.
Enough of that ! On with the chess !
As I mentioned 27 turned out - less than we have had for many a year (we had access to two rooms - the smaller at first used to host boards 1-6 but we are social creatures and had a playing room and analysis room). Small they were in number though no quarter given - even in Round 1 most games went to time (including 2 draws) and a few mini-surprises though no real upsets.
as Round 2 began
Much more predictable though again most games fought on - with one game only finishing 10 minutes before the next round! Three draws
Here is a picture of one of the hopefuls back in 2003 - looking at the Lloyd Fell Junior Shield (yes Max did win it this year)
at the start of Round 3
We had to retire one of the dgt's - apparently the excitement proved too much for it and it has taken to reset itself on occasion.
Only Johny and Paul Broekhuyse were in the leading group now - though Patrick and Max were within half a point and a large bunch just behind that. Several times lately 5½ was enough to co-win, so there was a long journey till any winner was assured. Two draws on the lower boards
as Round 4 began
No rest for anyone as we lost the bye. Johny had charged to the front (albeit after a fortunate stumble from Paul), though there was Max at his heels and 5 more only a point away !
The next moring saw Round 5 start
With our Bye back in action : Zach caught it (having just ducked it last round), having a tough trot - though understandable since recent school exams would have taken more than a edge off.
We saw Johny (only 12 mins late ! ) dispatching Max while a draw on board 2 aided Paul's cause - though both were being foolowed by four hungry sets of eyes. Three draws in all this time - all long and hard-fought.
Round 6
Johny clinched at least first - whether shared or not would be one morre hurdle, Second and third places would be eithe Ben or Paul - the order of which was uncertain. Norm Greenwood had been an early leader for the Shield (best performance as to rating), although Trent was now within 1 or 2 points one way or t'other, Michael Tracey was also vying for it - though in his case it had been largely his Sunday efforts.
note - warning warning warning !
that this is a DOP reconstruction well after the game - the black King may be on g4 instead
Chan,J (2031) - Bolens,J (2043)
Gosford Open 2005 Gosford (60 min) (6), 06.11.2005
[notes by DOP]
with both players down to the last few seconds - although with ten second Fischer increments - Jason had 30 secs while Johny three minutes 1.f8N+ a practical attempt to snare a draw via the 50-move rule ensues - 38 moves later black had managed (time assisted) to fork the White Kig and the Knight which had galloped too far away [ since 1.f8Q leads to 1...Qc4+ 2.Kh8 Qh4+ 3.Kg8 Qh7#] 1...Kf5 although computer tablebases sees it as clear-cut 2.Kf7 Qc7+ 3.Kg8 Qe7 4.Nh7 Kg6 5.Nf8+ Kh6 6.Ne6 Qf6 7.Nf4 Qg7# 0-1
Round 7
A professional result on board 1 - Johny perhaps needed the 2 hours break before the prizegiving to calm his thoughts.
Tough and long games all the way around (three draws in all - for those who count these things. A tough battle between Ben and Paul ended evenly, both players gasping from the effort.
First and second share a thought at the prizegiving refreshments
Michael can picture his name on the Shield
and after dressing up for the occasion
Johny explains good fortune in one round and thanks his sponsors too
and prepares to jump for joy
1 Bolens, Johny 2043 6.5
2 Broekhuyse, Paul 2011 5.5
3 Ingram, Ben W 1909 5
4-7 Halpin, Patrick 2107 4.5
Chan, Jason 2031 4.5
Tracey, Michael J 1406 4.5
Young, Jeffrey 1581 4.5
8-13 Rowlison, Colin N 1805 4
Keuning, Anthony V 1625 4
Greenwood, Norman 1493 4
Illingworth, Max 1797 4
Escribano, Jose 1677 4
Parker, Trent 1472 4
14-15 Redgrave, John 1766 3.5
Liuga, Victor 1643 3.5
16-23 Robinson, Allen 1518 3
Ward, Dennis 1515 3
Egan, Bill 1574 3
Dickson, Ian C 1507 3
Losh, Gary 1444 3
Dorhauer, Peter K 1727 3
Deacon, Graeme 1355 3
Shearwood, Barry 1214 3
24-26 Berry-Porter, Zach 1531 2
Frias, Joe 1487 2
Pandich, Donald 1343 2
27 Hoseman, Bill 1006 1
1. Halpin, Patrick 2107 4.5 13:1 7:= 6:1 3:0 19:1 5:0 8:1
2. Bolens, Johny 2043 6.5 14:1 11:1 5:1 4:1 7:1 3:1 23:=
3. Chan, Jason 2031 4.5 15:1 19:1 4:0 1:1 5:= 2:0 6:1
4. Broekhuyse, Paul 2011 5.5 16:1 21:1 3:1 2:0 11:1 7:1 5:=
5. Ingram, Ben W 1909 5 17:1 27:1 2:0 12:1 3:= 1:1 4:=
6. Rowlison, Colin N 1805 4 18:1 26:1 1:0 7:0 14:1 19:1 3:0
7. Illingworth, Max 1797 4 20:1 1:= 24:1 6:1 2:0 4:0 21:=
8. Redgrave, John 1766 3.5 21:0 16:1 23:0 26:1 17:1 11:= 1:0
9. Dorhauer, Peter K 1727 3 22:= 10:= 19:0 21:0 20:= 27:1 26:=
10. Escribano, Jose 1677 4 24:= 9:= 21:1 19:0 22:1 23:0 18:1
11. Liuga, Victor 1643 3.5 25:1 2:0 27:1 23:1 4:0 8:= 13:0
12. Keuning, Anthony V 1625 4 26:0 17:1 25:1 5:0 24:1 13:0 22:1
13. Young, Jeffrey 1581 4.5 1:0 18:1 26:= 24:= 21:= 12:1 11:1
14. Egan, Bill 1574 3 2:0 20:= 22:= 27:1 6:0 21:0 15:1
15. Berry-Porter, Zach 1531 2 3:0 23:0 17:0 20:0 :1 25:1 14:0
16. Robinson, Allen 1518 3 4:0 8:0 20:1 22:0 25:1 24:1 19:0
17. Ward, Dennis 1515 3 5:0 12:0 15:1 25:1 8:0 22:0 20:1
18. Dickson, Ian C 1507 3 6:0 13:0 :1 : 27:1 20:1 10:0
19. Greenwood, Norman 1493 4 23:1 3:0 9:1 10:1 1:0 6:0 16:1
20. Frias, Joe 1487 2 7:0 14:= 16:0 15:1 9:= 18:0 17:0
21. Parker, Trent 1472 4 8:1 4:0 10:0 9:1 13:= 14:1 7:=
22. Losh, Gary 1444 3 9:= 24:0 14:= 16:1 10:0 17:1 12:0
23. Tracey, Michael J 1406 4.5 19:0 15:1 8:1 11:0 26:1 10:1 2:=
24. Deacon, Graeme 1355 3 10:= 22:1 7:0 13:= 12:0 16:0 :1
25. Pandich, Donald 1343 2 11:0 :1 12:0 17:0 16:0 15:0 27:1
26. Shearwood, Barry 1214 3 12:1 6:0 13:= 8:0 23:0 :1 9:=
27. Hoseman, Bill 1006 1 :1 5:0 11:0 14:0 18:0 9:0 25:0
And this is what Swissperfect concludes : (note the chg*k for Michael, Norm and Trent
1. Halpin, Patrick 2107 4.5/7 6.16 -25 1769 1871
2. Bolens, Johny 2043 6.5/7 5.81 10 1767 2189
3. Chan, Jason 2031 4.5/7 5.18 -10 1843 1945
4. Broekhuyse, Paul 2011 5.5/7 5.60 -1 1773 2003
5. Ingram, Ben W 1909 5.0/7 4.90 1 1763 1921
6. Rowlison, Colin N 1805 4.0/7 4.76 -12 1675 1725
7. Illingworth, Max 1797 4.0/7 3.92 1 1754 1804
8. Redgrave, John 1766 3.5/7 5.39 -28 1554 1554
9. Dorhauer, Peter K 1727 3.0/7 6.09 -46 1399 1349
10. Escribano, Jose 1677 4.0/7 5.25 -19 1486 1536
11. Liuga, Victor 1643 3.5/7 3.99 -7 1594 1594
12. Keuning, Anthony V 1625 4.0/7 4.83 -12 1480 1530
13. Young, Jeffrey 1581 4.5/7 3.71 12 1560 1662
14. Egan, Bill 1574 3.0/7 3.85 -13 1541 1491
15. Berry-Porter, Zach 1531 1.0/6 2.76 -27 1559 1286
16. Robinson, Allen 1518 3.0/7 3.15 -3 1557 1507
17. Ward, Dennis 1515 3.0/7 2.80 3 1586 1536
18. Dickson, Ian C 1507 2.0/5 2.45 -7 1511 1439
19. Greenwood, Norman 1493 4.0/7 1.26 40 1753 1803
20. Frias, Joe 1487 2.0/7 2.45 -7 1596 1438
21. Parker, Trent 1472 4.0/7 1.26 40 1733 1783
22. Losh, Gary 1444 3.0/7 2.31 10 1570 1520
23. Tracey, Michael J 1406 4.5/7 1.54 45 1624 1726
24. Deacon, Graeme 1355 2.0/6 1.14 13 1607 1482
25. Pandich, Donald 1343 1.0/6 1.92 -13 1473 1200
26. Shearwood, Barry 1214 2.0/6 0.36 24 1652 1527
27. Hoseman, Bill 1006 0.0/6 0.12 -1 1617 618
For the 11 locals that played this would be valuable peparation for the upcoming Country Teams event next month