Newcastle Mini Congress U130 section

The top boards in the final round, the business end of the competition. Sandra Blackburn, Karl Walklate and George Scattergood have the white pieces against Clive Ferry, Stuart Hull and Pete Shaw respectively.

Mini congress newcomer Peter Brace decides its never too early to hold his head in his hands

Nic Wright spies the camera

Is it me or his position that Stuart Hull wants to hide from?

Thus the final round commenced with Clive a half point clear of Karl, with the field a further half point back. Sandra Blackburn, Clive's final round opponent, pledged to throw everything into her game whereas unbeaten Stuart Hull drawn to finish against Karl retreated into Mr Grumpy mode. Battle commenced.

Fittingly with other boards finishing around them the top two boards continued well into the session, attracting much spectator interest. Sandra reached a knight and pawn ending against Clive a pawn up, and carefully nursed the advantage through to victory. Stuart found himself with queen and bishop against queen and knight, usually a disadvantage. Rather than pushing his centre pawns to counter the passed queen's wing pawns of Karl he appeared to embark on an attempt to find a mate or at least perpetual check. It did not work, and the two remaining hitherto unbeaten players had both lost in the final round.

Results

                                      
 1 Karl Walklate        Fenton         111   7+   3+  11+   2-   9+   4    1st
 2 Clive Ferry          Meir           124  12+   6+   b=   1+   4-   3.5  2nd=
 3 George Scattergood   Holmes Chapel  121  13+   1-   5+   9=   8+   3.5  2nd=
 4 Sandra Blackburn     Holmes Chapel  120   8+   5-   b=  11+   2+   3.5  2nd= 
 5 Peter Brace          Spondon        115   9=   4+   3-   6+   7=   3
 6 Karol Grzybowski     Cheddleton     112  14+   2-   7+   5-  11+   3 
 7 Brian Birchall       Alsager        125   1-  13+   6-  14+   5=   2.5
 8 Pete Shaw            Newcastle      107   4-  14=  10+  12+   3-   2.5
 9 Stuart Hull          Fenton          99   5=  10+   b=   3=   1-   2.5
10 Ben Scattergood      Holmes Chapel   99  11=   9-   8-  13=  14+   2 
11 Nic Wright           Newcastle      113  10=  12+   1-   4-   6-   1.5
12 Ernest Wilkinson     Fenton        e110   2-  11-   b+   8-  13=   1.5
13 Paul Clapham         Newcastle      107   3-   7-   b=  10=  12=   1.5
14 Pete Tideswell       Fenton          87   6-   8=   b=   7-  10-   1 

Ernest Wilkinson v Paul Clapham. Paul of course is behind on the clock.