31st Torbay Congress

  Toorak Hotel, Torquay

  15 - 17 November 1996

 

  Congress secretary John Dunleavy reports:-

 

  A total entry of 233 (6 up on last year) enjoyed a lot of sunshine and first class playing conditions in a hard-fought congress in which not one competitor scored 100%. 31 cash prize winners shared almost [[sterling]]2,000. The top seed, Croatian GM Bogdan Lalic, with a 52 BCF grading point advantage over the next highest graded player, duly won the [[sterling]]250 1st prize, but not without going a pawn down to A. P. Smith in the last round and having to concede a draw. It is a curious coincidence that GM John Nunn suffered similar frustration in this tournament two years ago, when he too was in pursuit of a Leigh Grand Prix maximum.

Results:

Open: (43 entered)

  1st B. Lalic (Slough) 4 1/2

  2nd= M. J. Franklin (Richmond) 4

  E. Lea (Supermarine)

  G. Lilley (Prescot)

  A. P. Smith (Slough)

  Grading prizes:

  U175 D. J. Hodge (14yrs) (Teignmouth) 3 1/2

  U160 P. Scott (16yrs) (Paignton) 3

  Junior Book Prize:

  Andrew Greet (Truro School)

 

Major (Under 155) 53 entered

  1st E. B. Sandercock (Chalfont) 4 1/2

  2nd= I. D. Evans (Bedford) 4

  L. Evbuonwam (Wimbledon)

  A. A. Frangleton (Exeter)

  A. Wright (18yrs ) (Torbay Juniors)

  Grading prizes:

  U140 I. S. Annetts (Tiverton) 3 1/2

  U130 R. N. Allen (Bristol & Clifton)

  S. McCabe (Ireland)

  Junior Book Prize:

  Nick Frost (Tiverton)

 

Intermediate (Under 125) 71 entered

  1st= G. L. Bishop (Metropolitan) 4 1/2

  J. Brief (Edgware)

  R. Fisher (Sutton & Cheam)

  D. R. Rogers (Exmouth)

 

  Grading prizes:

  U115= T. J. Chapman (Yeovil) 4

  T. Heron (E.E.C.)

  U105 P. Rivers (Carlisle)4

  Junior Book Prize:

  Robbie Scott (Tiverton)

Minor: Under 100 66 entered

  1st= D. Buckley (Bushbury) 4 1/2

  C. Kerrigan (Didcot)

  D. C. Scott (Tiverton)

  Grading prizes:

  U90= R. Barnett (Stratford on Avon)

  I. Greenhalgh (17) (S. Hams)

  W. W. Pope (Bodmin)

  U80= A. C. Mansfield (Taunton) 3 1/2

  I Sarginson (Wellington)

  N. Went (Thames View)

  Junior Book Prize:

  Sean Ariss (Torbay Juniors)

 

  Ralph Newman Cup for the highest score by a Devon player plus a Dinner for 2 at the Toorak

 

  D. R.Rogers (Exmouth) 4 1/2 in the Intermediate

  D. C. Scott (Tiverton) 4 1/2 in the Minor

 

  Scott won the prize on a tie-break.

 

  And now for the game from Round 5 that cost Bogdan Lalic a maximum score.

 

White: A. P. Smith. (190) Slough

Black: B. Lalic (253) Slough

 

  Sicilian Defence

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6

3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6

5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6

7. Be2 h6 8. Be3 Be7

9. 0-0 Nc6 10. f4 0-0

11. Qe1 Nxd4 12. Bxd4 b5

13. Bf3 Bb7 14. Rd1 Qc7

15. e5

 

  There now ensues wholesale exchanges from which Lalic emerges a pawn down and with it the chance of undisputed 1st place and maximum Leigh Grand Prix points.

15. ...dxe5 16. fxe5 Nd5

17. Nxd5 Bxd5 18. Bxd5 exd5

19. e6 Bc5 20. exf7+ Rxf7

21. Qe6 Raf8 22. Qxd5 Bxd4+

23. Rxd4 Kh7 24. Rxf7 Rxf7

25. Qe4+ g6 26. Qd3 Qa5

27. h3 Qe1+ 28. Kh2 Qe5+

29. Kg1 Qe1+ Draw

 

 

  nNnNn

 

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