Hampshire Chess Championship 2019 Major & Minor

The Hampshire Congress had three sections, the Open including the Hampshire Individual Championship was covered in the previous post. The other two sections were the Major (under 160 ECF) and the Minor (under 125)

Details on the round by round and final scores for both tournaments are detailed below.

The tournament was played at the Lysses House Hotel in Fareham over six rounds, one on Friday, three on Saturday and two on Sunday. Half point byes were allowed for players in the first five rounds.

Keven Lamb took a number of photographs of the event, and these are included in the Gallery section. The photo at the top of the article is of Chandler’s Ford Chess Club player Dave Holmes winning 2nd place prize in the Major.

Hampshire Chess Congress Major
Hampshire Chess Congress Minor

Unlike the Open I do not have any games from the Major or Minor tournaments. If you played in either of these and have any games or comments you would like me to add please contact me.

For a list of the winners of the Hampshire Individual Championship and links to any articles I have written the table on the Hampshire Individual Championship is the best place to look. In addition, the table on the Hampshire Tournaments will detail these and any other tournament articles I have completed. Both of these are available from the menu at the top of the site as well.

Hampshire Chess Congress – Major

Twenty-three players entered the Major section. As the results from the ECF grading site do not include byes their table will not be 100% accurate and the nature of these tournaments is that players will withdraw determining 100% accuracy is difficult. However, I have tried to piece together each round using John Wheeler’s report on the tournaments as well.

Major – Round 1

Player	Grade	Result	Player	Grade	Result
Matthew R Wilson	159	1	John Belinger	134	0
Nicholas B Stout	136	0	Brendan O'Gorman	154	1
David J Holmes	154	1	Peter C Wood	132	0
John R Sellen	127	0	Ryan Cheung	147	1
Gillian A Moore	144	0	Melissa Hamilton	124	1
Daniel Shek	122	1	Lukasz Marek Piecha	141	0
Peter L Dallas	140	0	John Torrance	115	1
Matthew Deacon	111	½	David W Smith	138	½
David R Agostinelli	137	0	John R Webb	111	1
Martin Baxter	u	0	Thomas Evans	137	1
Phil B Pinto	137	1	Neil Crosswell	u	0
Christopher Smith	126	½	Bye

A couple of upsets with juniors Melissa Hamilton beating experienced Hampshire player Gillian Moore and Daniel Shek coming out on top against Winchester’s Lukasz Piecha. Another junior Fareham’s Matthew Deacon drew with David Smith.

Cosham’s Peter Dallas and Southampton’s David Agostinelli also lost to the lower graded John Torrence and John Webb respectively.

Major – Round 2

Player	Grade	Result	Player	Grade	Result
Melissa Hamilton	124	0	Matthew R Wilson	159	1
Brendan O'Gorman	154	1	Christopher Smith	u	0
John Torrance	115	½	David J Holmes	154	½
Ryan Cheung	147	1	Daniel Shek	122	0
Thomas Evans	137	1	John R Webb	111	0
David W Smith	138	0	Gillian A Moore	144	1
Lukasz Marek Piecha	141	1	Matthew Deacon	111	0
John Belinger	134	½	John R Sellen	127	½
Peter C Wood	132	0	David R Agostinelli	137	1
Neil Crosswell	u	0	Nicholas B Stout	136	1
Phil B Pinto	137	½	Bye
Peter L Dallas	140	½	Bye
Martin Baxter	u	½	Bye

Matthew Wilson, Thomas Evans, Ryan Cheung and Brendan O’Gorman all won to keep their 100% score. Meanwhile three players either drew or had a bye and remained just half a point behind. These were David Holmes, John Torrance and Phil Pinto.

Major – Round 3

Player	Grade	Result	Player	Grade	Result
Matthew R Wilson	159	1	Ryan Cheung	147	0
Thomas Evans	137	½	Brendan O'Gorman	154	½
David J Holmes	154	1	Phil B Pinto	137	0
John R Webb	111	0	Lukasz Marek Piecha	141	1
Nicholas B Stout	136	0	Melissa Hamilton	124	1
Gillian A Moore	144	1	Daniel Shek	122	0
David R Agostinelli	137	0	John Torrance	115	1
David W Smith	138	½	John R Sellen	127	½
Peter L Dallas	140	½	John Belinger	134	½
Christopher Smith	u	0	Martin Baxter	u	1
Matthew Deacon	111	0	Peter C Wood	132	1
Neil Crosswell	u	½	Bye

Matthew Wilson beat Ryan Cheung and with Thomas Evans drawing against Brendan O’Gorman he moved into the sole lead with three points from three games. But four players were just half a point behind. These were:

Thomas Evans
John Torrence
David Holmes
Brendan O’Gorman

Major – Round 4

Player	Grade	Result	Player	Grade	Result
Ryan Cheung	147	0	Thomas Evans	137	1
Lukasz Marek Piecha	141	1	Martin Baxter	u	0
Melissa Hamilton	124	1	Phil B Pinto	137	0
David W Smith	138	1	Nicholas B Stout	136	0
Daniel Shek	122	0	Peter L Dallas	140	1
Neil Crosswell	u	½	Christopher Smith	126	½
Matthew R Wilson	159	½	Bye
John Torrance	115	½	Bye
David J Holmes	154	½	Bye
Brendan O'Gorman	154	½	Bye
Gillian A Moore	144	½	Bye
David R Agostinelli	137	½	Bye
John Belinger	134	½	Bye
John R Sellen	127	½	Bye
John R Webb	111	½	Bye
Matthew Deacon	111	½	Bye
Peter C Wood	132	0	withdrew

Eleven players took a half point bye including the sole leader, Matthew Wilson. This allowed Thomas Evans to catch him on three and a half points by beating Ryan Cheung. These two players were half a point ahead of Lukasz Piecha who beat Martin Baxter and Melissa Hamilton who did the same against Phil Pinto.

The unbeaten John Torrance, David Holmes and Brendan O’Gorman were the same half a point behind the two leaders, leaving a lot to be played for in the two games on Sunday.

Major – Round 5

Player	Grade	Result	Player	Grade	Result
Thomas Evans	137	½	Matthew R Wilson	159	½
Lukasz Marek Piecha	141	1	Gillian A Moore	144	0
John Torrance	115	1	Melissa Hamilton	124	0
Brendan O'Gorman	154	½	David J Holmes	154	½
Peter L Dallas	140	½	David W Smith	138	½
Martin Baxter	u	½	Ryan Cheung	147	½
David R Agostinelli	137	1	John R Sellen	127	0
Phil B Pinto	137	1	Christopher Smith	u	0
John R Webb	111	½	Neil Crosswell	u	½
John Belinger	134	1	Matthew Deacon	111	0
Nicholas B Stout	136	½	Bye
Daniel Shek	122	½	Bye

The two leaders drew their game, and they were joined on four points from five games by Lukasz Piecha who beat Gillian Moore. Lukasz had now won four games in a row after losing his first-round game.

John Torrence also won his game against Melissa Hamilton, and he joined these three players at the top. Half a point behind were Dave Holmes and Brendan O’Gorman who drew their game.

Major – Round 6

Player	Grade	Result	Player	Grade	Result
Matthew R Wilson	159	1	Lukasz Marek Piecha	141	0
John Torrance	115	½	Thomas Evans	137	½
David J Holmes	154	1	Peter L Dallas	140	0
Melissa Hamilton	124	½	Brendan O'Gorman	154	½
Ryan Cheung	147	1	David R Agostinelli	137	1
Gillian A Moore	144	½	Phil B Pinto	137	½
David W Smith	138	½	John Belinger	134	½
Christopher Smith	u	0	Nicholas B Stout	136	1
Neil Crosswell	u	1	Matthew Deacon	111	0
Daniel Shek	122	½	John R Sellen	127	½
John R Webb		0	withdrew		0
Martin Baxter		½	withdrew

In the final round Matthew Wilson defeated Lukasz Piecha which with Thomas Evans drawing against John Torrence meant he won the Hampshire Major Tournament with five points from his six games. In second place half a point behind were Evans and Torrence who were joined by Dave Holmes who beat Peter Dallas. The Peter Marshall Cup was won by Thomas Evans on tie-break from Dave Holmes as Matthew Wilson was not eligible for this being a non-Hampshire chess player.

John Torrence won the under 140 grading prize with his excellent four and half points score. A fantastic result was achieved by Melissa Hamilton who won the Gillian Moore Cup with her three and a half points, but she also beat Gillian in their individual game, won against another two higher graded opponents and drew in the last round against a player graded 30 points higher than her.

Hampshire Congress 2019 Major Final Table

The 2019 Hampshire Chess Congress Major final positions.

Rank	Name	Grade	Rd 1	Rd 2	Rd 3	Rd 4	Rd 5	Rd 6	Total
1	Matthew R Wilson	159A	12+	6+	7+	bye =	1=	3+	5
2	Thomas Evans	137C	19+	17+	8=	7+	2=	4=	4½
3	John Torrance	115C	13+	5=	14+	bye =	6+	1=	4½
4	David J Holmes	153B	21+	4=	11+	bye =	8=	13+	4½
5	Lukasz Marek Piecha	141A	18–	22+	17+	19+	10+	2–	4
6	Brendan O'Gorman	154A	15+	23+	1=	bye =	5=	6=	4
8	Melissa Hamilton	124A	10+	2–	15+	11+	4–	8=	3½
9	Ryan Cheung	147A	20+	18+	2–	1–	19=	14+	3½
7	Gillian A Moore	144A	6–	9+	18+	bye =	3–	11=	3
10	David W Smith	138A	22=	10–	20=	15+	13=	12=	3
11	Phil B Pinto	137A	16+	bye =	5–	6–	23+	10=	3
12	John Belinger	134A	2–	20=	13=	bye =	22+	9=	3
13	Peter L Dallas	140A	4–	bye =	12=	18+	9=	5–	2½
14	David R Agostinelli	137A	17–	21+	4–	bye =	20+	7–	2½
15	Nicholas B Stout	136B	8–	16+	6–	9–	bye =	23+	2½
16	Neil Crosswell		11–	15–	bye =	23=	17=	22+	2½
17	John R Webb	111A	14+	1–	3–	bye =	16=		2
18	Daniel Shek	122A	3+	7–	10–	13–	bye =	20=	2
19	Martin Baxter		1–	bye =	23+	3–	7=		2
20	John R Sellen	127C	7–	12=	9=	bye =	14–	18=	2
21	Peter C Wood	132A	5–	14–	22+	bye =			1½
22	Matthew Deacon	111A	9=	3–	21–	bye =	12–	16–	1
23	Christopher Smith	126C	bye =	8–	19–	16=	11–	15–	1

Hampshire Chess Congress – Minor

The Hampshire Minor section had the most of the three sections with twenty-seven players entering. A good mix of Hampshire players and players from outside the County was seen in the tournament. The ECF Grading Crosstable does not include the byes but has additional information on the players and the tournament.

Minor – Round 1

Player	Grade	Result	Player	Grade	Result
Nicholas Deacon	80	0	Christopher G Webb	124	1
Ken RD Alexander	124	1	Keven A Lamb	82	0
Richard Dulley	117	1	Andy Colthup	72	0
David Jerome	69	1	Keith C Spooner	114	0
William Taplin	113	1	Sophia Blin	61	0
Paul Eyles	112	0	Charles Bird	u	1
David Nelson	111	1	Brian V Cochran	91	0
Timothy S Allen	107	0	Edward Blanden	u	1
Nick R Egleton	U	1	Amelie Rees	100	0
Henri Blin	u	0	Paul S Collis	99	1
Colin J Gardiner	99	1	John E Davis	u	0
Alan R Fraser	94	0	George Holden	u	1
Alan Matthews	88	1	Quang Truong	20	0
Graeme Ford	98	½	Bye

The first thing that struck me was there were no draws in any of the first-round games (Graeme Ford took a first-round bye), showing the fighting spirit of this section. Most games went with grade, but David Jerome beat the 35-point higher graded Keith C Spooner.

Minor – Round 2

Player	Grade	Result	Player	Grade	Result
Christopher G Webb	124	1	Alan Matthews	88	0
Edward Blanden	u	½	Richard Dulley	117	½
William Taplin	113	1	George Holden	u	0
Paul S Collis	99	0	Charles Bird	u	1
Nick R Egleton	u	1	Colin J Gardiner	99	0
Graeme Ford	98	1	David Jerome	69	0
Keith C Spooner	114	0	Keven A Lamb	82	1
Paul Eyles	112	1	Nicholas Deacon	80	0
Andy Colthup	72	½	Timothy S Allen	107	½
Amelie Rees	100	1	Henri Blin	u	0
Quang Truong	20	0	Alan R Fraser	94	1
Brian V Cochran	91	½	John E Davis	u	½
Sophia Blin	61	½	Bye
David Nelson	111	½	Bye
Ken RD Alexander	124	½	Bye

Four players remained at 100% by winning their second game, these were Christopher Webb, Charles Bird, William Taplin and Nick Egleton. Snapping at their heels half a point behind were Graeme Ford, Edward Blanden, Ken Alexander and Richard Dulley.

Minor – Round 3

Player	Grade	Result	Player	Grade	Result
Charles Bird	u	½	Christopher G Webb	124	½
William Taplin	113	1	Nick R Egleton	u	0
Edward Blanden	u	½	Ken RD Alexander	124	½
Richard Dulley	117	1	David Nelson	111	0
Colin J Gardiner	99	0	Graeme Ford	98	1
David Jerome	69	0	George Holden	u	1
Alan R Fraser	94	½	Paul Eyles	112	½
Alan Matthews	88	0	Paul S Collis	99	1
Keven A Lamb	82	1	Amelie Rees	100	0
John E Davis	u	0	Andy Colthup	72	1
Sophia Blin	61	0	Keith C Spooner	114	1
Timothy S Allen	107	1	Brian V Cochran	91	0
Nicholas Deacon	80	1	Quang Truong	20	0
Henri Blin	u	½	Bye

William Taplin beat Nick Egleton, whilst Charles Bird and Christopher Webb drew which meant William went into round four half a point ahead of these two. In addition, Richard Dulley and Graeme Ford won and also joined the group on two and half points.

Minor – Round 4

Player	Grade	Result	Player	Grade	Result
Christopher G Webb	124	1	Richard Dulley	117	0
Graeme Ford	98	0	Charles Bird	u	1
Paul Eyles	112	0	Edward Blanden	u	1
George Holden	u	0	Ken RD Alexander	124	1
Alan R Fraser	94	1	Timothy S Allen	107	0
Quang Truong	20	0	Sophia Blin	61	1
Henri Blin	u	0	Alan Matthews	88	1
Brian V Cochran	91	0	Nicholas Deacon	80	1
David Jerome	69	1	Colin J Gardiner	99	0
William Taplin	113	½	Bye
John E Davis	u	½	Bye
Nick R Egleton	u	½	Bye
Paul S Collis	99	½	Bye
Keven A Lamb	82	½	Bye
Amelie Rees	100	½	Bye
Andy Colthup	72	½	Bye
Keith C Spooner	114	½	Bye
David Nelson	111	½	Bye

Nine players including the current leader William Taplin took a Saturday evening bye. This allowed Charles Bird and Christopher Webb to catch him on three and a half points as they beat Graeme Ford and Richard Dulley respectively.

Two players Edward Blanden and Ken Alexander also won their evening games and were half a point behind on three points, leaving it all to be played for on the Sunday.

Minor – Round 5

Player	Grade	Result	Player	Grade	Result
Charles Bird	u	½	William Taplin	113	½
Ken RD Alexander	124	0	Christopher G Webb	124	1
Edward Blanden	u	1	Graeme Ford	98	0
Richard Dulley	117	0	Alan R Fraser	94	1
Paul S Collis	99	1	Keven A Lamb	82	0
Nick R Egleton	u	1	David Jerome	69	0
Nicholas Deacon	80	1	George Holden	u	0
John E Davis	u	1	Timothy S Allen	107	0
Amelie Rees	100	0	Paul Eyles	112	1
Colin J Gardiner	99	½	Henri Blin	u	½
Andy Colthup	72	1	Quang Truong	20	0
Alan Matthews	88	½	Bye
Sophia Blin	61	½	Bye
David Nelson	111	0	Withdrawn
Keith C Spooner	114	0	Withdrawn
Brian V Cochran	91	0	Withdrawn

On top board William Taplin drew with Charles Bird. Christopher Webb had the downfloat but was playing the other player who along with him who had the highest grade in the Minor of 124, namely Ken Alexander. But Christopher came out on top and went into the last round with a half point lead on four and a half points from Taplin and Bird on four points. These were joined by Edward Blanden who beat Graeme Ford.

Alan Fraser, Nick Egleton and Paul Collis all won and were a further half point behind on three and a half points.

Minor – Round 6

Player	Grade	Result	Player	Grade	Result
Christopher G Webb	124	½	William Taplin	113	½
Charles Bird	u	1	Edward Blanden	u	0
Paul S Collis	99	0	Alan R Fraser	94	1
Ken RD Alexander	124	1	Nick R Egleton	u	0
Nicholas Deacon	80	0	John E Davis	u	1
Paul Eyles	112	1	Graeme Ford	98	0
Keven A Lamb	82	0	Alan Matthews	88	1
Richard Dulley	117	1	Andy Colthup	72	0
Sophia Blin	61	0	Colin J Gardiner	99	1
Timothy S Allen	107	½	Amelie Rees	100	½
Henri Blin	u	½	Quang Truong	20	½
Richard Dulley	117	0	Withdrawn
David Jerome	69	0	Withdrawn

Christopher Webb drew with William Taplin to finish on five points. Charles Bird beat Edward Blanden to join him in a share of first place. Alan Fraser beat Paul Collis to join William Taplin on four and a half points to share third place.

The Parsons Cup which has to be won by a Hampshire Chess player was won on tie-break by Edward Blanden with four points.

Hampshire Congress 2019 Minor Final Table

The 2019 Hampshire Chess Congress Minor final positions.

Number	Name	Grade	Rd 1	Rd 2	Rd 3	Rd 4	Rd 5	Rd 6	Score
1	Christopher G Webb	124B	12+	13+	2=	14+	6+	5=	5
2	Charles Bird	u	7+	11+	1=	16+	5=	4+	5
3	Alan R Fraser	94A	9–	27+	7=	18+	14+	11+	4.5
4	Edward Blanden	u	18+	14=	6=	7+	16+	2–	4
5	William Taplin	113A	24+	9+	10+	bye =	2=	1=	4.5
6	Ken RD Alexander	124A	19+	bye =	4=	9+	1–	10+	4
7	Paul Eyles	112A	2–	12+	3=	4–	20+	16+	3.5
8	John E Davis	u	15–	26=	21+	bye =	18+	12+	4
9	George Holden	u	3+	5–	17+	6–	12–	21+	3
10	Nick R Egleton	u	20+	15+	5–	bye =	17+	6–	3.5
11	Paul S Collis	99A	25+	2–	13+	bye =	19+	3–	3.5
12	Nicholas Deacon	80A	1–	7–	27+	26+	9+	8–	3
13	Alan Matthews	88D	27+	1–	11–	25+	bye =	19+	3.5
14	Richard Dulley	117C	21+	4=	22+	1–	3–		2.5
15	Colin J Gardiner	99A	8+	10–	16–	17–	25=	24+	2.5
16	Graeme Ford	98A	bye =	17+	15+	2–	4–	7–	2.5
17	David Jerome	69A	23+	16–	9–	15+	10–		2
18	Timothy S Allen	107A	4–	21=	26+	3–	8–	20=	2
19	Keven A Lamb	82A	6–	23+	20+	bye =	11–	13–	2.5
20	Amelie Rees	100B	10–	25+	19–	bye =	7–	18=	2
21	Andy Colthup	72D	14–	18=	8–	bye =	27+	9–	2
22	David Nelson	111B	26+	bye =	14–				1.5
23	Keith C Spooner	114D	17–	19–	24+				1
24	Sophia Blin	61D	5–	bye =	23–	27+		15–	1.5
25	Henri Blin	u	11–	20–		13–	15=	27=	1
26	Brian V Cochran	91A	22–	8=	18–	12–			0.5
27	Quang Truong	20F	13–	3–	12–	24–	21–	25=	0.5