Ilford Congress 23-25 May 2009

[John Philpott]

Open (32 played). 1 Alexander Chernaiev (Hackney) 5/6, 2-3 Andrew Lewis (Ilford) and Subin Sen (Ilford - takes BCQ place and David Wood Memorial Trust prize for Essex Juniors) 4½, 4-8 John Hodgson (Ilford), Peter Constantinou (Bedford), David Haydon (Thurrock - takes U190 grading prize), David Ledger (Bedford) and Ian Snape (Beckenham & Bromley) 4, 9-12 David Sands (Barking), Murugan Thiruchevlam, Gavin Lock (Coulsdon) and Andrew Mayhew (Medway - takes U175 grading prize) 3½ 1, 13-15 Tryfon Gavriel (Barnet), Chris Ross (Perkins) and Ronnie Cohen (Albany - takes U160 grading prize) 3.

Major U160 (41 played). 1-2 Stephen Pride (Cambridge) and Jimmy Jiang (Waltham Forest) 5/6, 3-5 Mustapha Rahaman (Upminster - takes Essex U150 championship), Alan Hayward (Streatham & Brixton) and Paul Jackson (Coulsdon) 4½, 6-9 David Brady (Chingford), Kevin Millward (Athenaum), Colin Rigby (Hammersmith and Liviu Enciu ( Hendon...takes U150 grading prize) 4... U135 grading prize to Elyes Rigby Zeghlache (Hackney) 3½

Minor U120 (37 played) 1 Dipak Shah (Harrow) 6, 2 Caroline Robson (Barnet) 5, 3-4 Conor Murphy (Charlton) and Albert Yiamakis (Guildford) 4½, 5-7 Ken Hedger (Fulham - takes U175 grading prize), Raphael Khalid (Kent Juniors - takes U75 grading proze) and Peter Szabo (Metropolitan) 4....U90 grading prize to Alan Stokes (East Cheshire) 3½.

In respect of the Essex Championship, which is subsumed within the Open, Andrew Lewis and Subin Sen were tied not only on points but on sum of progressive scores. Subin won a two game rapidplay play off at Ilford Chess Club on 8 June by 1½ - ½ to become only the second teenager to take the title since it was first awarded in 1908/9.

[Jonathan Rogers]

Thanks John. Who was the first teenage Essex champion? (Apologies to the non-Essex viewers who presumably don't much care)

[Sean Hewitt]

And I'm curious as to the ages of the youngest county champions. Leicestershire's current champion is Brandon Clarke who was some 12 years and 10 months when he won it.

[John Upham]

Thanks John. Who was the first teenage Essex champion? (Apologies to the non-Essex viewers who presumably don't much care)

Jonathan,

My guess would be Neil Carr who was Essex Champion in 1981 - 2 (and then again in 1985 - 6)

[Leonard Barden]

Michael Adams was Cornish champion at 10 or 11.

[John Philpott]

John Upham wrote

My guess would be Neil Carr who was Essex Champion in 1981 - 2 (and then again in 1985 - 6)

Neil Carr is indeed the correct answer: he was the youngest ever Essex champion.

For a report on this year's play off see http://www.essexchess.org.uk/ftrs/Ilf09_ech.htm

[James Pratt]

Adams's first outright win in the Cornish Championship was in 1984. He tied 1st= the year before but no play-off was staged. cf 'Development of a Grandmaster' by Bill & Michael Adams (Pergamon Press 1991) p58.