Welcome!

Welcome to the Blackpool Chess Conference blog!

We hope you enjoy reading all the news from the congress and we would be interested in any comments that you have.

Some Photographs From Prizegiving

Here are some photographs taken during the prizegiving ceremony. Captions may be added at some point!

GM Arkell vs. GM Hebden in Round 5

As promised earlier, here are the moves of the Round 5 game between GM Keith Arkell and GM Mark Hebden.

[Event "Blackpool Congress"]
[Date "2009.03.15"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Arkell, K GM."]
[Black "Hebden, M GM."]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d6 3. c4 g6 4. g3 Bg7 5. Bg2 O-O 6. O-O Nc6 7. Nc3 Rb8 8. h3
a6 9. e4 b5 10. cxb5 axb5 11. e5 Nd7 12. Ng5 Bb7 13. e6 Nxd4 14. Bxb7 Rxb7 15.
exd7 Qxd7 16. Ne2 Nf5 17. Nf3 e5 18. a4 b4 19. Qb3 e4 20. Ng5 d5 21. Rd1 c6 22.
g4 Nd6 23. Bf4 Re8 24. a5 h6 25. a6 Ra7 26. Qxb4 Bf8 27. Be3 Raa8 28. Nxf7 Nxf7
29. Qa4 Ne5 30. Nd4 Reb8 31. Qc2 c5 32. Ne2 Nd3 33. Rxd3 exd3 34. Qxd3 Qf7 35.
a7 Rb6 36. b4 d4 37. bxc5 dxe3 38. cxb6 Qxf2+ 39. Kh1 Qf3+ 40. Kg1 Qf2+ 1/2-1/2

Section Winners

This page provides early but unofficial news on the various section winners and has been posted before I leave the venue to drive home! A full official prize list will follow in due course, once it becomes available.

Open
1^st (4½/5)
Haslinger, Stuart GM (Formby)

=2^nd (4/5)
Hebden, Mark GM (Little Thorpe / Guildford)
Hutchinson, Paul A (North Lincolnshire)
Jaunooby, Ali Reza (3C’s)

Major
1^st (4½/5)
Clarke, Brandon (Little Thorpe)
Newton, Robert (Heywood / Morecambe)

=2^nd (4/5)
Atako, Chino (Redhill)
Jennings Roger (Rose Forgrove)
Jowett, Peter (Preston)
Taylor, Robert K (Preston)
Heron, Donald (Wandering Dragons)

Intermediate
1^st (5/5)
Fielding, Thomas (Preston)

=2^nd (4/5)
Ai, Farshad (Phoenix)
Barber, Andrew (Mold)
Burke, Mitchell (3C’s)
Hartley, Dean (Amber Valley)
Jarmany, David (Cockermouth)
Keogh, Edward (Preston Area)
Konarski, Jannic (Wandering Dragons)
Lee, Geoff (Newcastle-u-Lyme)
Raynor, Philip (Lytham)
Siddall, David (Penrith Area)
Stephenson, David W (St Andrews Hull)
Taylor, William (Sedgemoor / Durham)

Minor
=1^st (4½/5)
Clews, Bill (Leyland)
Brooks, Harry (Great Lever)
Hughes, Richard (Central)

Standard

1^st (4½/5)
Mackay, Ross (West Notts / N.H.S.)

=2^nd (4/5)
Bennett, Judd (Poulton-le-Fylde)
Egan, William (Scunthorpe)
Gillespie, David Paul (Ardrossan)
Kang, Lei (Sheffield University)
Lewis, Dominic (Poulton-le-Fylde / Cleveleys)
Lewis, Jordan (Poulton-le-Fylde)
Patten, Edward (Formby)
Williamson, Charles (Leyland)

Pairings and Results – Round 5

Open
1. Hawkins, Jonathan FM (3½) 0 – 1 Haslinger, Stuart GM (3½)
11. Arkell, Keith GM (3) ½ – ½ Hebden, Mark GM (3½)
2. Hutchinson, Paul A (3) 1 – 0 Ashton, Adam (3)
3. Allen, Keith (3) ½ – ½ Slavin, Alexei (3)

Major
1. Newton, Robert (4) ½ – ½ Jennings, Roger (3½)
2. Clarke, Brandon (3½) 1 – 0 Thomas, Philip (3½)
3. Westra, Roelof (3) ½ – ½ Cooper, John (3)
4. Talbot, Mark (3) 0 – 1 Jowett, Peter (3)

Intermediate
1. Lee, Geoff (4) 0 – 1 Fielding, Thomas (4)
2. Raynor, Philip (3½) ½ – ½ Siddall, David (3½)
3. Burke, Mitchell (3½) ½ – ½ Konarski, Jannic (3½)

Minor
1. Winter, Kevin (4) 0 – 1 Clews, Bill (3½)
2. Hughes, Richard (3½) 1 – 0 Praeger, Harry (3½)
3. Brooks, Harry (3½) 1 – 0 Duckworth, Jack (3½)

Standard
1. Mackay, Ross (4) ½ – ½ Gillespie, David Paul (3½)
2. Williamson, Charles (3½) ½ – ½ Lewis, Jordan (3½)
3. Bennett, Judd (3½) ½ – ½ Stephen Chung (3)

GM Mark Hebden’s Round 2, 3 and 4 Games

As they probably haven’t appeared on the Live Games site, here are the moves of GM Mark Hebden’s latest games.

[Event "Blackpool Congress"]
[Date "2009.03.14"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Hebden, M GM."]
[Black "Mitchell, M."]
[Result "1-0"]

1. d4 g6 2. e4 Bg7 3. Nf3 d6 4. Bc4 Nf6 5. Qe2 O-O 6. e5 Ne8 7. h3 c5 8. dxc5
Qa5+ 9. Nc3 Qxc5 10. O-O Bxe5 11. Nd5 Bf6 12. b4 Qc6 13. Bh6 Ng7 14. Rad1 Bd7
15. Ng5 Be6 16. Nxf6+ exf6 17. Nxe6 fxe6 18. Bxe6+ Kh8 19. Rfe1 Re8 20. Qg4 Na6
21. Qd4 Nc7 22. Qxf6 Ncxe6 23. Rxe6 1-0

[Event "Blackpool Congress"]
[Date "2009.03.14"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Walton, A."]
[Black "Hebden, M GM."]
[Result "0-1"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. Bg5 d5 3. Bxf6 gxf6 4. c4 c5 5. cxd5 Qxd5 6. Nc3 Qxd4 7. Nd5 Qe5
8. Nf3 Qd6 9. e4 Bg7 10. Bb5+ Nc6 11. Qa4 O-O 12. Bxc6 bxc6 13. Qxc6 Qxc6 14.
Nxe7+ Kh8 15. Nxc6 Bb7 16. Na5 Bxe4 17. Rc1 Rac8 18. Nc4 f5 19. O-O Rc6 20.
Rfd1 Rg6 21. Ne1 Bd4 22. b4 Re8 23. bxc5 Bxc5 24. Kf1 Rh6 25. h3 f4 26. Nd2 Bb6
27. Nxe4 Rxe4 28. Nf3 Ra4 29. Rc2 Rh5 30. Re1 Rha5 31. Ree2 Kg7 32. Ne5 Rd5 33.
Rcd2 Rad4 34. Rxd4 Rxd4 35. Rc2 Re4 36. Nc4 Bc7 37. Nd2 Re7 38. Rc4 Kf6 39. Ra4
Be5 40. g3 fxg3 41. fxg3 Ke6 42. Ra6+ Kd5 43. Ra5+ Kc6 44. Ra3 Bd4 45. Rd3 Bb6
46. Nc4 Bc5 47. g4 Kb5 48. Nd6+ Ka4 49. Nf5 Rb7 50. Rd5 Bb4 51. Ne3 a5 52. Rh5
h6 53. Nc4 Rc7 54. Nxa5 Bxa5 55. Rxh6 Kb4 56. g5 Kc4 57. g6 fxg6 58. Rxg6 Kd3
59. Kg2 Bc3 60. h4 Ke4 61. h5 Be5 62. Rg4+ Bf4 63. Rg6 Rc2+ 64. Kh1 Kf3 65. h6
Rc5 0-1

[Event "Blackpool Congress"]
[Date "2009.03.15"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Hebden, M GM."]
[Black "Hawkins, J FM."]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bf4 Bg7 5. Qd2 Ne4 6. Nxe4 dxe4 7. Ne5 Nd7 8.
O-O-O Nxe5 9. Bxe5 Bxe5 10. dxe5 Qxd2+ 11. Kxd2 Be6 12. Ke3 f5 13. f4 O-O 14.
g4 fxg4 15. Bg2 Rad8 16. Bxe4 c5 17. Bxb7 Rxd1 18. Rxd1 Rb8 19. Bd5 Bxd5 20.
Rxd5 Rxb2 21. Rxc5 Rxa2 22. Ke4 Kf7 23. f5 Ra4+ 24. c4 Ra2 25. fxg6+ Kxg6 26.
Rc6+ Kg5 27. Kd3 Kf5 28. Rh6 Kxe5 29. Rh5+ Kd6 30. Rxh7 Ra3+ 31. Kd4 e5+ 32.
Ke4 Rh3 33. Rxa7 Rxh2 34. e3 g3 35. Ra6+ Kc5 36. Rg6 g2 37. Kxe5 Kxc4 38. Ke4
Kc3 39. Kf3 Kd3 40. Rd6+ Kc4 41. Rd1 Kc3 42. Rg1 1/2-1/2

Round 4 Photos

Some photos taken as play got underway in Round 4.

Ken Gorman (right) waiting for his opponent in the Intermediate

Bob Newton (right) vs. Paul Isherwood in the Major

Peter Jowett vs. Jonathan Smith (foreground) in the Major;
Peter Mulleady vs. Mark Talbot (behind)

The Standard

The Standard

GM Mark Hebden vs. FM Jonathan Hawkins

GM Stuart Haslinger vs. GM Keith Arkell (nearest window)

Adam Ashton vs. Liam Rabbitte (foreground);
John Merriman vs. Marek Mazek (behind)

Michael Rabbitte (left) vs. Keith Allen

Jeff Horner vs. Dominic Rabbitte (nearest window)

Harry Praeger vs. Tracey Clegg

The Minor

Pairings and Results – Round 4

Here are the Round 4 pairings (and results) for the top few boards in each section.

Preferring to sit in the main Open playing area, GM Mark Hebden is playing on Board 11 despite being one of the joint leaders.

Open
1. Haslinger, Stuart GM (3) ½ – ½ Arkell, Keith GM (2½)
11. Hebden, Mark GM (3) ½ – ½ Hawkins, Jonathan FM (3)
2. Slavin, Alexei (2½) ½ – ½ Hutchinson, Paul A (2½)
3. Ashton, Adam (2) 1 – 0 Rabbitte, Liam (2)
4. Merriman, John (2) ½ – ½ Mazek, Marek (2)

Major
1. Newton, Robert (3) 1 – 0 Isherwood, Paul (3)
2. Jowett, Peter (2½) ½ – ½ Smith, Jonathan Michael (2½)
3. Mulleady, Peter (2½) ½ – ½ Talbot, Mark (2½)
4. Thomas, Philip (2½) 1 – 0 Garnett, John (2½)

Intermediate
1. Konarski, Jannic (3) ½ – ½ Raynor, Philip (3)
2. Lee, Geoff (3) 1 – 0 Ai, Farshad (3)
3. Fielding, Thomas (3) 1 – 0 Craft, Isaac (3)
4. Hughes, Graham P (2½) 1 – 0 Herkes, Steve (3)

Minor
1. Praeger, Harry (3) ½ – ½ Clegg, Tracey (3)
2. O’Neill, Tom (3) 0 – 1 Winter, Kevin (3)
3. Duckworth, Jack (2½) 1 – 0 Ridgway, James (2½)

Standard
1. Lewis, Dominic (3) 0 – 1 Mackay, Ross (3)
2. Gillespie, David Paul (2½) 1 – 0 Hamilton, Stuart (2½)
3. Innes, Lothian (2½) 0 – 1 Lewis Jordan (2½)

End of Round 3

Here is the list of players who have 100% records so far, with 3 / 3.

Open

• Haslinger, Stuart GM
• Hawkins, Jonathan FM
• Hebden, Mark GM

Major

• Isherwood, Paul
• Newton, Robert

Intermediate

• Ai, Farshad
• Craft, Isaac
• Fielding, Thomas
• Herkes, Steve
• Konarski, Jannic
• Lee, Geoff
• Raynor, Philip

Minor

• Clegg, Tracey
• O’Neill, Thomas
• Praeger, Harry
• Winter, Kevin

Standard

• Lewis, Dominic
• Mackay, Ross

Pairings and Results – Round 3

The Man Utd vs. Liverpool football match has now finished and at least one player has remembered that he was supposed to have been playing chess 40 minutes ago rather than sitting in front of the TV!

Here are the Round 3 pairings (and results) on the top few boards of each section. The numbers in brackets are the player’s current score going into this round.

Open
1. Arkell, Keith GM (2) ½ – ½ Slavin, Alexei (2)
2. Mazek, Marek (2) 0 – 1 Haslinger, Stuart GM (2)
3. Hawkins, Jonathan FM (2) 1 – 0 Mackenzie, Matthew A (1½)
4. Hutchinson, Paul A (1½) 1 – 0 Radovanovic, Jovica FM (1½)

Major
1. Hubbard, Michael (2) ½ – ½ Jowett, Peter (2)
2. Round, Michael (2) 0 – 1 Newton, Robert (2)
3. Garnett, John (2) ½ – ½ Clarke, Brandon (2)
4. Westra, Roelof (2) 0 – 1 Isherwood, Paul (2)

Intermediate
1. Gleizon, Philippe (2) 0 – 1 Lee, Geoff (2)
2. Fielding, Thomas (2) 1 – 0 Newell, David (2)
3. Groves, Barry (2) 0 – 1 Konarski, Jannic (2)

Minor
1. Mallard, Mark Anthony (2) 0 – 1 Praeger, Harry (2)
2. Winter, Kevin (2) 1 – 0 Turner, Nigel (2)
3. Walshaw, David (2) ½ – ½ Clews, Bill (2)

Standard
1. Lewis, Jordan (2) ½ – ½ Gillespie, David Paul (2)
2. Mackay, Ross (2) 1 – 0 Burridge, Kevin (2)
3. Egan, William (2) ½ – ½ Paul, Nathanael (2)

Pairings and Results – Round 2

Here are the Round 2 pairings (and results) on the top few boards of each section:

Open
1. Wolstencroft, Darryl (Blackpool) 0 – 1 Arkell Keith GM (Widnes / Heywood)
2. Haslinger, Stuart GM (Formby) 1 – 0 Allen, Keith (Douglas)
3. Blackburn, Jonathan LB (South Wales Dragons) 0 – 1 Hawkins, Jonathan FM (Leam Lane)
4. Horner, Jeff IM (Bolton) 0 – 1 Walton, Alan John (3C’s)

Due to difficulties with wide tables, GM Mark Hebden is playing on board 11 against Martin Mitchell and thus may have avoided being part of the live games broadcast again!

Major
1. Jowett, Peter (Preston) 1 – 0 Czaja, Tomasz (North West)
2. Newton, Robert (Heywood / Morecambe) 1 – 0 Heron, Donald (Wandering Dragons)
3. Westra, Roelof (Beverley / Hull) 1 – 0 Brown, Martin (Grappenhall)
4. Mulleady, Peter (Atherton) ½ – ½ Smith, Jonathan Michael (Culcheth / Widnes)

Intermediate
1. Clements, Thomas (3C’s) 0 – 1 Gleizon, Philippe (Cockermouth)
2. Luzajic, Vlade (Leek) 1 – 0 Keogh, Edward (Preston)
3. Siddall, David (Penrith) ½ – ½ Booley, Graham (Littlethorpe)

Minor
1. Praeger, Harry (Heywood) 1 – 0 Howie, Andy (East Kilbride)
2. Hale, Ronald (Beckenham & Bromley) ½ – ½ Ridgway, James (Wilmslow)
3. Cassidy, Bernard (Hamilton) ½ – ½ Horman, Paul Anthony (Morecambe)

Standard
1. Gillespie, David Paul (Ardrossan) 1 – 0 Buckley, Lara (3C’s)
2. Gibbs, John (Barnsley) 0 – 1 Lewis, Dominic (Poulton-le-Fylde / Cleveleys)
3. Innes, Lothian (Knights United) ½ – ½ Chung, Stephen (Skelmersdale)