17th Birmingham League Rapidplay

[Alex Holowczak]

122 players attended the 17th Birmingham League Rapidplay today, including 3 Grandmasters, and 2 International Masters. We had about 110 last October, and about 95 last March, so this is an increase in the number of players in attendance. It was particularly pleasing to have numerous juniors playing in the Minor, some of which were playing in their first congress.

The prize-winners were:

Open (20 players)
GM Hebden, Mark 4NCL Cheddleton 5.0 ENG M 2487 2550 +0.56 ½ 1 1 1 1 ½ £200
IM Ghasi, Ameet Birmingham 4.5 ENG M 2432 2458 +0.34 1 1 1 1 0 ½ £75
IM Cooper, Lawrence Stafford 4.5 ENG M 2317 2381 +0.59 1 1 0 1 1 ½ £75
Webster, Richard Ashfield 4.0 ENG M 2000 2164 +1.01 0 1 0 1 1 1 £25 (grading)

Major (29 players)
Price, Andrew Leamington 5.0 ENG M 1911 2690 +0.56 1 0 1 1 1 1 £90
Robinson, Thomas Redditch 5.0 ENG M 1874 * 2179 +1.50 1 1 ½ ½ 1 1 £90
Pritchard, David Walsall Kipping 4.5 ENG M 1955 2098 +0.73 1 1 ½ 1 1 0 £15
Ai, Farshad Phoenix 4.5 ENG M 1923 2635 +1.40 0 1 1 ½ 1 1 £15

Intermedaite (34 players)
Robinson, Will Bristol 5.0 ENG M 1730 * 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 1 £70
Evans, Garry Olton 5.0 ENG M 1682 * 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 £70
Weston, Rick Witney 5.0 NZL M 1674 * 2612 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 £70

Minor (39 players)
Cole, James Magdalen Colleg 5.5 ENG M 1458 * 1802 0 1 1 1 1 1 ½ £120
Crockett, Stephen Redditch 5.0 ENG M 1631 0 +0.00 1 ½ 1 1 1 ½ £60
Pitkeathly, Hamish University of B 4.5 ENG M 1587 0 +0.00 1 0 1 1 ½ 1 £6
Varney, Andrew Cumnor 4.5 ENG M 1514 * 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 ½ £6
Ashworth, Robert Wotton Hall 4.5 ENG M 1474 * 1631 0 1 ½ 1 0 1 1 £6
Vitarana, Aaron Birmingham Chec 4.5 ENG M 1450 * 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 ½ £6
Stepanyan, Gurgen 4.5 ENG M 0 * 896 0 1 1 ½ 0 1 1 £6

The results of all sections can be seen by clicking on the links above for each section.

[Sean Hewitt]

122 players attended the 17th Birmingham League Rapidplay today, including 3 Grandmasters, and 2 International Masters. We had about 110 last October, and about 95 last March, so this is an increase in the number of players in attendance. It was particularly pleasing to have numerous juniors playing in the Minor, some of which were playing in their first congress.

My commiserations on the poor attendance. It must be the fault of the ECF membership scheme.

[Matthew Turner]

It was a very nice tournament, very convenient for a lot of people to get to, good parking.
All the rounds kept to time, so I could get home in time to find out how the Cheeseheads were getting on
Great job done by Alex and his team.

[Alex Holowczak]

All the rounds kept to time, so I could get home in time to find out how the Cheeseheads were getting on

I was watching online, and turned it off at 21-3 to make a start on the grading and rating. Couldn't believe it when I went back on NFL.com and saw the result.