Hampshire Chess Congress Major 2022

Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Round 4
Round 5
Round 6

Final Table
Games
Gallery
HCA Secretary Report
Acknowledgements and sources

Although the Hampshire Individual Chess Championship was the main event, the Major had the largest amount of entries (41) and was hotly contested with a number of experienced players as well as a number who had improved greatly in the last few years.

The picture above shows first place winner of the Major Patrik Baron of Southampton Chess Club being presented with first place prize by Hampshire Chess President David Nelson.

Keven Lamb took the photographs and many thanks to him for this.

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.

Round 1

The old Hampshire Congress used to have an Open and a Under 125 tournament and the first round was normally a bit of a slaughter for the Open, with 40 to 50 old ECF grading points difference between the players (this converts to around 338 rating points), This was not the case now there are three sections, and the average difference for the Major was 122 rating points. Therefore a massacre is not on the cards and there were a number of the stronger players held to a draw and some wins from the lower rated players.

Personally I had a tough game, playing Black against the experienced Gillian Moore who would have been looking for revenge from our game at the Fareham Congress earlier in the year when I won a long game. The opening was a Trompowsky and it has been a long time since I have played against this. Although the game was probably even I drifted into a passive position and played an incorrect Knight move where I lost a couple of tempi as had to move it back to its initial square. This allowed Gillian to have a much stronger position, but luckily for me she took my Bishop with the wrong pawn (see below) and we agreed a draw.

Looking at some of the upsets David Collyer beat Peter Wilcock. Peter had a winning position, but David had a very dangerous passed pawn and it seems as if Peter pushed too hard and refused the perpetual check by taken the passed pawn. He then had to give up his Queen for Rook and despite having two Rooks for the Queen David showed how well the Queen and Knight work together well and drummed up a mating attack.

In the final position White either mates on g4 with the Knight or h7 with the Queen depending on where Black moves his King.

Dave Holmes also lost, in a position when in time trouble he got confused and refused a draw offer when a pawn down in a Knight and four vs Knight and three pawns. He then had to give up his Knight and resigned. I think it was about here that Philip Maul playing Black offered a draw, but you can sometimes get so deep into the game it can get very confusing when offered a draw with very little time left on the clock.

Erico Ferreira and Lewis Jackson where the other two lower graded players who won. It was already looking like a tough tournament for the higher graded players!

Number	Player	Grade	Result	Player	Grade	Result
1	S Arnold	1867	0.5	S Lawrence	1718	0.5
2	M Deacon	1717	0.5	R Edney	1859	0.5
3	R McClatchey	1838	1	A Syed	1714	0
4	Eric Jones	1703	0.5	W Bradley	1827	0.5
5	H Sharples	1794	1	A Dore	1700	0
6	D Collyer	1692	1	P Wilcock	1789	0
7	D Holmes	1786	0	P Maul	1686	1
8	G Moore	1678	0.5	G Stuart	1767	0.5
9	D Agostinelli	1761	1	P Horlock	1677	0
10	J Belinger	1668	0.5	N Crosswell	1758	0.5
11	B O’Gorman	1743	0.5	K Sawers	1658	0.5
12	J Morrish	1643	0	P Baron	1750	1
13	T Anderson	1757	0.5	J Morrison	1656	0.5
14	D Westcott	1635	0	Tim Jones	1738	1
15	P Walters	1736	0.5	H Archer-Lock	1595	0.5
16	E Ferreira	1592	1	N Stout	1735	0
17	E Blanden	1724	1	J Sellen	1583	0
18	L Jackson	1435	1	P Pinto	1721	0
19	S Appleby	1885	0.5	Bye
20	J Torrance	1670	0.5	Bye
21	J Schumacher	1742	0.5	Bye
22	J Wicken	1684	0.5	Bye
23	S Ramaraju	1553	0.5	Bye

Round 2

Three players moved onto maximum points after this round and each of there wins are detailed below.

Patrik Baron
David Collyer
Tim Jones

In an up and down game and in what I would guess was time trouble Erico Ferreira blundered a complicated drawn ending. In the final position White’s three pawns will be too much for Black’s one pawn.

In another complicated game David Collyer beat the higher graded Harry Sharples when he targeted Black’s weak e6 pawn.

Tim Jones opponent Lewis Jackson blundered a mate in one in a slightly weaker position.

13 players were just a half a point behind, which included myself after I beat John Belinger. It was a successful round for Chandler Ford players, as the other two players in the Major, Dave Holmes and Eric Jones also won.

Number	Player	Grade	Result	Player	Grade	Result
1	E Blanden	1724	0.5	R McClatchey	1838	0.5
2	D Collyer	1692	1	H Sharples	1794	0
3	P Maul	1686	0.5	D Agostinelli	1761	0.5
4	P Baron	1750	1	E Ferreira	1592	0
5	Tim Jones	1738	1	L Jackson	1435	0
6	S Lawrence	1718	0	S Appleby	1885	1
7	J Wicken	1684	0	S Arnold	1867	1
8	R Edney	1859	0.5	J Torrance	1670	0.5
9	W Bradley	1827	1	M Deacon	1717	0
10	G Stuart	1767	1	J Belinger	1668	0
11	N Crosswell	1758	1	G Moore	1678	0
12	H Archer-Lock	1595	1	B O’Gorman	1743	0
13	K Sawers	1658	0	T Anderson	1757	1
14	J Schumacher	1742	1	S Ramaraju	1553	0
15	J Morrison	1656	0	P Walters	1736	1
16	P Pinto	1721	0	Eric Jones	1703	1
17	P Wilcock	1789	0.5	J Morrison	1656	0.5
18	P Horlock	1677	0	D Holmes	1786	1
19	N Stout	1735	0	D Westcott	1635	1
20	A Syed	1714	1	J Sellen	1583	0
21	A Dore	1700	1	bye		0

Round 3

Tim Jones took on Patrik Baron whilst the other player on maximum points David Collyer was paired against Stephen Appleby, although that game ended in a reasonably short game. The Jones – Barron game certainly was not a short draw with a fine endgame played by Barron bringing home the point.

This win left Patrik Baron in sole first place with three points, but joining David Collyer half a point behind were another five players who all won in this round.

James Schumacher
David R Agostinelli
Philip Maul
Graham Stuart
Simon Arnold

If you look closely you will see my name in this list as after winning in round two I also managed to win in the third round. Hats off to my opponent who decided to throw in the kitchen sink trying to open up my position. This was certainly a game where my heart was beating extremely fast, trying to find good moves in chronic time trouble.

After this my decision to take a round four bye seemed very wise. I was not alone in this as 16 players in total took the option to not play in the Saturday evening round. Most players who lose are understandably not in the best of moves, but Philip was very happy for me, as thought I had played very well and that the game was an exciting one. I certainly agree with the latter, but not sure about the former!

Number	Player	Grade	Result	Player	Grade	Result
1	Tim Jones	1738	0	P Baron	1750	1
2	S Appleby	1885	0.5	D Collyer	1692	0.5
3	S Arnold	1867	1	E Blanden	1724	0
4	R McClatchey	1838	0	P Maul	1686	1
5	A Dore	1700	1	L Jackson	1435	0
6	P Walters	1736	0	G Stuart	1767	1
7	D Agostinelli	1761	1	H Archer-Lock	1595	0
8	Eric Jones	1703	0.5	N Crosswell	1758	0.5
9	H Sharples	1794	0	J Schumacher	1742	1
10	D Westcott	1635	0.5	R Edney	1859	0.5
11	D Holmes	1786	1	E Ferreira	1592	0
12	J Torrance	1670	0.5	A Syed	1714	0.5
13	T Anderson	1757	0.5	W Bradley	1827	0.5
14	G Moore	1678	0	P Wilcock	1789	1
15	B O’Gorman	1743	0	J Morrison	1656	1
16	J Morrish	1643	1	S Lawrence	1718	0
17	M Deacon	1717	1	K Sawers	1658	0
18	S Ramaraju	1553	0	J Wicken	1684	1
19	J Belinger	1668	0.5	N Stout	1735	0.5
20	J Sellen	1583	0	P Pinto	1721	1
21	P Horlock	1677	1	Controller bye		0

Round 4

The Saturday evening round saw leader Patrik Baron take on 2nd seed Simon Arnold who was just half a point behind. In the previous round Baron had played an impressive endgame, but in this game he showed his willingness to sacrifice pieces with a number put on prise at various stages.

Simon Arnold also did well in not taking the pieces by defending tenaciously against this onslaught. In the end he succumbed by entering a worse ending which he could not hold.

In Ashref Syed’s game against Dale Westcott Black played some good tactical moves to bring home the point.

David Collyer beat James Schumacher with a combination which won a pawn and this left him in sole second place, half a point behind Patrik Baron, which left a big game for Sunday morning.

Number	Player	Grade	Result	Player	Grade	Result
1	P Baron	1750	1	S Arnold	1867	0
2	J Schumacher	1742	0	D Collyer	1692	1
3	No Pairing			No Pairing		1
4	S Appleby	1885	0.5	Eric Jones	1703	0.5
5	W Bradley	1827	1	A Dore	1700	0
6	J Morrison	1656	1	M Deacon	1717	0
7	A Syed	1714	0	D Westcott	1635	1
8	J Wicken	1684	1	H Archer-Lock	1595	0
9	E Ferreira	1592	1	H Sharples	1794	0
10	L Jackson	1435	1	J Belinger	1668	0
11	S Ramaraju	1553	0	P Horlock	1677	1
12	N Stout	1735	0.5	G Moore	1678	0.5
13	P Maul	1686	0.5	T Anderson	1757	0.5
14	J Torrance	1670	0	Defaut		1
15	D Agostinelli	1761	0.5	Bye
16	G Stuart	1767	0.5	Bye
17	D Holmes	1786	0.5	Bye
18	N Crosswell	1758	0.5	Bye
19	Tim Jones	1738	0.5	Bye
20	R Edney	1859	0.5	Bye
21	R McClatchey	1838	0.5	Bye
22	P Wilcock	1789	0.5	Bye
23	P Walters	1736	0.5	Bye
24	J Morrish	1643	0.5	Bye
25	E Blanden	1724	0.5	Bye
26	P Pinto	1721	0.5	Bye
27	B O’Gorman	1743	0.5	Bye
28	S Lawrence	1718	0.5	Bye
29	K Sawers	1658	0.5	Bye
30	J Sellen	1583	0.5	Bye
31	S Ramaraju	1553	0.5	Withdrawn

Leader Board – Round 4

Name	Score
Patrik Baron	4
David Collyer	3.5
David R Agostinelli	3
Philip Maul	3
William Bradley	3
Graham Stuart	3

Round 5

A number of key games in round five with players either trying to retain their top position or move up to challenge in the last round. The key game between David Collyer and Patrik Baron was a cagey 25 move draw where Baron had a slight advantage with Black when the draw was agreed. This would leave him with White in the last round.

Philip Maul also drew against William Bradley in 23 moves. My chances of winning the championship or finishing in one of the top places were dashed by David Agostinelli when I went wrong in a slightly better position and then blundered completely. Well played by David who obtained his revenge from our league game a few years back.

This meant going into the final round Patrik Baron was half a point ahead of David Collyer and David Agostinelli with three players half a point behind who would be reliant on what happened in the two top games.

Number	Player	Grade	Result	Player	Grade	Result
1	D Collyer	1692	0.5	P Baron	1750	0.5
2	P Maul	1686	0.5	W Bradley	1827	0.5
3	G Stuart	1767	0	D Agostinelli	1761	1
4	D Westcott	1635	0.5	S Appleby	1885	0.5
5	S Arnold	1867	0	J Schumacher	1742	1
6	Eric Jones	1703	0.5	D Holmes	1786	0.5
7	N Crosswell	1758	0.5	J Morrison	1656	0.5
8	L Jackson	1435	1	E Blanden	1724	0
9	R Edney	1859	1	Tim Jones	1738	0
10	A Dore	1700	0	R McClatchey	1838	1
11	P Wilcock	1789	0	E Ferreira	1592	1
12	P Horlock	1677	0	P Walters	1736	1
13	T Anderson	1757	0.5	J Wicken	1684	0.5
14	M Deacon	1717	0	J Morrish	1643	1
15	P Pinto	1721	0.5	J Torrance	1670	0.5
16	H Archer-Lock	1595	1	A Syed	1714	0
17	H Sharples	1794	1	J Belinger	1668	0
18	S Lawrence	1718	0	B O’Gorman	1743	1
19	K Sawers	1658	0	N Stout	1735	1
20	J Sellen	1583	1	G Moore	1678	0
21	M Deacon	1717	0	Withdrawn		0
22	D Westcott	1635	0	Withdrawn		1

Round 6

David Agostinelli was unfortunate that he had his 2nd Black of the day, as he had to play the tournament leader, who was also due the White pieces.

With this win Patrik Baron could not be caught and won the Hampshire Major and the Peter Marshall Cup, although this is currently missing. But if not found this will be replaced and engraved with his name. A fine win for the Southampton via Slovakia Chess player with just half a point dropped from his six games.

Meanwhile David Collyer beat William Bradley which gave him sole 2nd place with four and a half points. Surprisingly enough with the amount of entries there was only one player in 3rd place with Bournemouth’s James Schumacher beating Reading’s Philip Maul in a miniature.

I had agreed a short draw against the improving junior James Morrison which allowed me time to watch the other games in the tournament. I was drawn to the fierce attack by fellow Chandlers Ford player Dave Holmes, playing his normal aggressive opening and winning a fine sacrificial game against Southampton University’s Lewis Jackson.

P Maul, J Morrison and J Wicken shared the under 1750 grading prize with their score of three and a half points.

Number	Player	Grade	Result	Player	Grade	Result
1	P Baron	1750	1	D Agostinelli	1761	0
2	W Bradley	1827	0	D Collyer	1692	1
3	J Schumacher	1742	1	P Maul	1686	0
4	P Walters	1736	0.5	S Appleby	1885	0.5
5	Eric Jones	1703	0	R Edney	1859	1
6	R McClatchey	1838	0.5	J Wicken	1684	0.5
7	D Holmes	1786	1	L Jackson	1435	0
8	J Morrison	1656	0.5	G Stuart	1767	0.5
9	J Morrish	1643	0	N Crosswell	1758	1
10	J Torrance	1670	0.5	P Wilcock	1789	0.5
11	Tim Jones	1738	0.5	S Arnold	1867	0.5
12	H Archer-Lock	1595	0	H Sharples	1794	1
13	E Ferreira	1592	0	T Anderson	1757	1
14	B O’Gorman	1743	0.5	P Pinto	1721	0.5
15	N Stout	1735	1	A Dore	1700	0
16	E Blanden	1724	1	P Horlock	1677	0
17	A Syed	1714	0.5	S Lawrence	1718	0.5
18	J Belinger	1668	1	J Sellen	1583	0
19	G Moore	1678	1	K Sawers	1658	0

Final Table

The final table is detailed below.

No.	Name	Grade	Rd 1	Rd 2	Rd 3	Rd 4	Rd 5	Rd 6	Score
1	Patrik Baron	1750	24 +	18 +	22 +	20 +	2 =	5 +	5½
2	David Collyer	1692	29 +	21 +	12 =	3 +	1 =	10 +	5
3	James Schumacher	1742	bye =	41 +	21 +	2 –	20 +	9 +	4½
4	Tom Anderson	1757	11 =	40 +	10 =	9 =	16 =	18 +	4
5	David R Agostinelli	1761	36 +	9 =	28 +	bye =	13 +	1 –	4
6	David Holmes	1786	9 –	36 +	18 +	bye =	19 =	23 +	4
7	Richard Edney	1859	37 =	17 =	25 =	bye =	22 +	19 +	4
8	Neil Crosswell	1758	32 =	35 +	19 =	bye =	11 =	24 +	3½
9	Philip Maul	1686	6 +	5 =	15 +	4 =	10 =	3 –	3½
10	William Bradley	1827	19 =	37 +	4 =	33 +	9 =	2 –	3½
11	Joseph Morrison	1656	4 =	14 –	31 +	37 +	8 =	13 =	3½
12	Stephen Appleby	1885	bye =	38 +	2 =	19 =	25 =	14 =	3½
13	Graham Stuart	1767	35 =	32 +	14 +	bye =	5 –	11 =	3½
14	Philip Walters	1736	28 =	11 +	13 –	bye =	36 +	12 =	3½
15	Rob McClatchey	1838	34 +	26 =	9 –	bye =	33 +	16 =	3½
16	Jack Wicken	1684	bye =	20 –	41 +	28 +	4 =	15 =	3½
17	John Torrance	1670	bye =	7 =	34 =	bye +	30 =	29 =	3½
18	Erico Ferreira	1592	27 +	1 –	6 –	21 +	29 +	4 –	3
19	Eric Jones	1703	10 =	30 +	8 =	12 =	6 =	7 –	3
20	Simon Arnold	1867	38 =	16 +	26 +	1 –	3 –	22 =	3
21	Harry Sharples	1794	33 +	2 –	3 –	18 –	32 +	28 +	3
22	Tim Jones	1738	25 +	23 +	1 –	bye =	7 –	20 =	3
23	Lewis Jackson	1435	30 +	22 –	33 –	32 +	26 +	6 –	3
24	John Morrish	1643	1 –	29 =	38 +	bye =	37 +	8 –	3
25	Dale Westcott	1635	22 –	27 +	7 =	34 +	12 =		3
26	Edward A Blanden	1724	39 +	15 =	20 –	bye =	23 –	36 +	3
27	Nick Stout	1735	18 –	25 –	32 =	35 =	40 +	33 +	3
28	Helen Archer Lock	1595	14 =	31 +	5 –	16 –	34 +	21 –	2½
29	Peter Wilcock	1789	2 –	24 =	35 +	bye =	18 –	17 =	2½
30	Phil Pinto	1721	23 –	19 –	39 +	bye =	17 =	31 =	2½
31	Brendan O’Gorman	1743	40 =	28 –	11 –	bye =	38 +	30 =	2½
32	John Belinger	1668	8 =	13 –	27 =	23 –	21 –	39 +	2
33	Alex Dore	1700	21 –	bye +	23 +	10 –	15 –	27 –	2
34	Ashraf Syed	1714	15 –	39 +	17 =	25 –	28 –	38 =	2
35	Gillian A Moore	1678	13 =	8 –	29 –	27 =	39 –	40 +	2
36	Peter Horlock	1677	5 –	6 –	bye +	41 +	14 –	26 –	2
37	Matthew Deacon	1717	7 =	10 –	40 +	11 –	24 –		1½
38	Simon Lawrence	1718	20 =	12 –	24 –	bye =	31 –	34 =	1½
39	John R Sellen	1583	26 –	34 –	30 –	bye =	35 +	32 –	1½
40	Kevin Sawers	1658	31 =	4 –	37 –	bye =	27 –	35 –	1
41	Siddarth Ramaraju	1553	bye =	3 –	16 –	36 –			½