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Prize winners
Open
1st=
IM Vitalijs Samolins Polytechnic
IM Stephen Burns-Mannion Hamilton
IM Andrew Muir Hamilton
Grading
Michael Grove Castlehill
Michael Ridge Edinburgh
Challengers
1st
Brendan O'Gorman DHSS
2nd =
David Hall Perth
Kai Pannwitz Inverness
Grading
James Mcrae Crowwood
Major
1st
Peter Clarke Polytechnic
2nd
Joe Watson - McPhie Paisley
Sandy Storey Ed Uni
Grading
Alain MacDonald Greenwood
Euan Gray North Juniors
John Pearston Cumbernauld
Minor
1st
Jack Stewart Greenwood
2nd=
David Congalton Greenwood
Vagif Ramazanov Bon Accord
Grading
Stuthi Hedge George Heriots
Sam Harper Lanark
"How sad to see, what used to be, a model of decorum and tranquility become like any other sport, a battleground for rival ideologies to slug it out with glee"
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I'd like to take this opportunity to thank my arbiting team, Phil and Jacqui Thomas, Mike Hanley, Fiona Petrie. Gerry Blake for his invaluable help and assistance, my wife Karen for being entry sec, everyone who came along and helped setting up and putting away the kit and finally, all the players who made it a fun weekend.
Was a bit of a scream yesterday with all the arbiters in Star Wars masks to celebrate National Jedi Day! Lisa did a fantastic job with them!
"How sad to see, what used to be, a model of decorum and tranquility become like any other sport, a battleground for rival ideologies to slug it out with glee"
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Fantastic tournament - really enjoyed it. Thanks to Andy and the team for organising and arbiting!
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As some of the players will be aware some of the large digital clocks do not always respond when pressed. When watching games as and arbiter one tends to notice the piece move, the same hand go to the clock and hear a distinct click as the silver button is struck. On the rare occasions when the clock does not respond to that contact one does not notice immediately unless specifically looking for it. It must be worse for the players.
In a time scramble these malfunctions can affect the result of the game. Consequently at the end of the final round I was observing clocks most closely than players. Because the clocks were more likely to malfunction.
In one game I arrived at the board when the player with the black pieces had 30 plus minutes on the clock and white was on 5 minutes with a probable winning position. I observed that game closely for several minutes. There were multiple occasions when it was white to move but black's clock was running.
The reason was that the adult with the black pieces had failed to press his clock. On each of those occasions the junior with white pieces pointed this out to his opponent despite having less than 5 minutes on the clock.
No doubt many will argue correctly that there is no need for a player to point out his opponents mistake. I expect that rule book students will argue that an arbiter pointing out a clock malfunction is interference in the game and that the players have to notice this for themselves.
My take on this is that rules should be interpreted for the good of the competition and that Declan Shafi exhibited probably the best manners I have ever seen at a chess board. It is unfortunate that other events occupied my time soon afterwards and prevented him getting a special mention at prize giving.
So belatedly, but potentially to a larger audience, VERY WELL DONE DECLAN , congratulations and thank you
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That's a mighty impressive TPR by Kai. =o
