Pula 1975

As a result of his performance at this Zonal in Yugoslavia, Pritchett made an second Inerrnational Master norm, his first having being gained at the Nice 1974 Olympiad.

Craig Pritchett at the Haifa Olympiad, 1976.

Initially, it was thought that 8 points were required for the norm, and this is what Pritchett was striving for. His penultimate game went to over 100 moves as he strove for the full point against Augustin. Instead, a draw was the outcome, and Pritchett expressed the opinion that he had missed the norm. Later, things were clarified and it was confirmed that 7½ was that target. The IM norm was officially awarded in 1976.

Pritchett (2390) - Csom (2530) [B66]
Pula 1975, Zonal

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 Nf6 4.Nc3 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Nc6 6.Bg5 e6 7.Qd2 a6 8.0-0-0 h6 9.Be3 Bd7 10.f3 Qc7 11.Kb1 Be7 12.g4 Ne5 13.Bd3 b5 14.h4 Rb8 15.g5 hxg5 16.hxg5 Nh5 17.Qg2 g6 18.f4 Nc4 19.Bc1 b4 20.Nce2 Rg8 21.Qf3 Rb6 22.Rdg1 Kd8 23.Rxh5 gxh5 24.Qxh5 Rf8 25.f5 e5 26.Nb3 Kc8 27.f6 Bd8 28.Qh6 Re8 29.g6 fxg6 30.f7 Rc6 31.fxe8Q Bxe8 32.Qf8 Qd7 33.Rh1 Be7 34.Qg8 1-0

Sources:
BCM 1976, p 142 - crosstable, p 560 - photo.

Alan McGowan
Historian, Chess Scotland