My initial research had shown that there should be adequate support for U165 and U90 sections, but that the U120 might be marginal. However I had elected to go ahead with all three sections, and was pleased to find that the middle section reached a viable size fairly quickly. To my dismay however the entries were not forthcoming from the stronger players in the way I had been led to expect. However I continued to play chicken in not wanting to call the section off and was rewarded in the final week approaching the event when I received three top section entries.
| Almost the move of the event
Black follows d6 with a later d5. White plays exd6 ep. Black declines to accept the validity of this move. |
The final entry count was 35 - on a par with last years local entry for Crewe for which this was a partial substitute - and all 35 turned up. An odd number is of course far from ideal for a chess congress, but I was determined that no player should suffer enforced idleness - I would play them myself if this was the only way of achieving my aim. I was however able to persuade other non-participants to provide some cover so my participation was limited to two games.
The prize list being of the 'to be announced variety', the event was of no interest to sharks. Instead the competitors were uniformly pleasant and cooperative. Nevertheless I was able to assemble a prize fund of nearly £400. Although Clan Moruzzi from Cheddleton claimed a large slice of this, players from Newcastle, Stafford, Chester and Fenton were also able to get their hands in the till.
| Quote of the event
'I wish I was in bed.' Many congress players will empathise with Pete Tideswell's aside to me ½ an hour into the Sunday morning game. Should I add that he was playing one of the sections delightful young ladies at the time? |
I wasn't able to include the tea/coffee takings in the prize fund for the simple reason that I did not know in advance what they would be, so on the non-profit principle I shall be passing on £13 to Traci as a donation for the county juniors.
Although nominally I ran the congress myself, it could not have happened as it did without the help of many others. So in no particular order I would like to record my thanks to
| Move of the event
Black infilatrates whites position by playing queen from b6 to e2. The full horror of this moved only dawned on the victim much later when he was checking the recording of the game in the analysis room. An original way of avoiding problems with whites f pawn! |
The chess itself? That is hidden behind the links below, each page also containg about 100K of images:
| U165 | U120 | U90 | U90 extra |