Newcastle Mini Congress Open and U160 sections

Round Five, Open Full House
Whites from front: Simon Edwards, Pavlo Nefyodov, Alex Richardson
Blacks from front: Stephane Pedder, Ian Jamieson and Malcolm Armstrong.

Coffee or teapot?

Geoff Lee in filler mode on Saturday, having had to withdraw to provide taxi services on Sunday.

The Open section was a mini first, my one previous attempt to provide such a section failing badly. Most of the contestants however were not new to the congress, with only Alex Richardson and Ian Jamieson making their debut's. Alan Paling who had not wanted to play all weekend but was willing to do so to make the event happen stepped down when the entry reached the magic six needed for an all play all, but played a couple of games as filler to help me maintain my record of providing everyone who wanted one with a game.

Despite Geoff's partial availability the U160 was also on course for an all play all until a car refused to start in the Buxton area, at which point it became an all play all with an extra graded but non-counting game for each competitor.

John Day keeps a safe distance from "Muscles" Rothwell

There are standard systems for all-play-all but I find it quicker to make up my own rather than dig them out from their hiding places. By an amazing and non-repeatable quirk of fate the last round saw effective play-offs for the title in each section, with Simon Edwards defeating Stephane Pedder to leapfrog him in the Open standings, and Steve Hill and John Day sharing the spoils in their final round game to do the same at the head of the U160 section.

Sandra Blackburn watches the later stages of husband Jon's round 2 game.

Scores

Open: Simon: 3½, Stephane: 3, Alex: 2½, Ian, Malcolm, Pavlo: 2.

U160: John, Steve: 3. James: 2, Jon 1½, Brian: ½

Brian Birchall (left), Steve Hill (right) and a couple of blonds.

U130

U100

main report

Back to main site
Archive Index