Largs Congress

[Calum MacQueen]

Agree with all the above.

Nice venue, cracking idea with the junior prize and a superb tiebreak method. ;P

I'll be there next year.

[robin moore]

The tie break for the allocation of prizes is a tricky one. Personally, I wasn't keen on it but the organisers had made it clear in advance their plans and good luck to them. They wished to try something new and they should be commended for it. All tournaments need these type of fresh ideas and very well done for having the courage to try it.

[robin moore]

What about these kind of ideas?

The junior prize is allocated at some events now for the junior who has performed best above their live grade. Could an adult prize be incorporated into this idea/guideline?

In the event of a tiebreak could there be a "decider" on any previous individual match up during the event of previous rounds with the black player (if the tiebreak players have drawn in their individual game) being awarded the title in the event of a tie.....
Something to mull over but could give inspiration to the white player on board one in the last round to go all out for the win knowing that with a quick draw he would finish second at best.

Thoughts?

[Alan Tate]

What was the tie break method? I assumed multiple typos when reading the prizes on the winners list.

[Gary McPheator]

TPR was used as the tie-break method. Having £50 prizes for 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th place may have added to any confusion.

[robin moore]

Gary,

One of the concerns I had was that in the final round, for players playing for prizemoney, the result of the game could become meaningless. Most players I reckon play the game out as they want all their games to be competitive but in a congress situation prizemoney for many is a consideration. If it is and 1st prize is already decided and you know you will finish 2nd, 3rd, 4th or 5th where you will receive the same reward irrespective of your result, the incentive to win the game is lessened.

[robin moore]

I would just like to add that the method used ensured five persons achieved a prize instead of perhaps three as normal which can give some balance.

[Gary McPheator]

Ideally the prizes would have been worth more the higher placed the player was. I was however keen for more prizes to be given out, and of a decent amount.

[robin moore]

Phil,

Have you got an accurate score of our round three game? I was so short of time that my recording finished with about two minutes to go which it should'n't have but it would be a great game for folks to analyse. Typical major game where both players have to win.

Robin.

[Phil Thomas]

Phil,

Have you got an accurate score of our round three game? I was so short of time that my recording finished with about two minutes to go which it should'n't have but it would be a great game for folks to analyse. Typical major game where both players have to win.

Robin.

[pos]r1b2rk1/1pRq1p2/pB2pb2/3p1nN1/P4Pp1/8/BP3QPP/5RK1[/pos]

Running through the games it was deeply flawed with too many mistakes by both players.

Key question for both players to ponder is "how did I play so badly?

Worst mistake of the game happened in this position.

With black I had two candidate moves 23 ..... Qxa4 and 23... Qxc7. The rook had just gone to c7 - possibly the 2nd worse move of the game.

The c7 capture looked fine, I spent much more time on the a4 capture and played it

There followed

24 Bb1 Bd4
25 Bxd4 Qxd4
26 Qxd4 Nxd4


and Black thought this was winning with the king able to survive the attack by three white pieces.

[pos]r1b2rk1/1pR2p2/p3p3/3p2Np/3n1Pp1/8/1P4PP/1B3RK1[/pos]













27 Re1 Aha missed that - now 4 white pieces attacking - Black could be in trouble



27.... Nb5
28 Re7 b6
29 Nh7 Kg7 ?
30 Re5 Rd8
31Rg5+ Kh8
32 Rxf7 Ra7
33 Rxa7 Nxa7
34 Rxh5

White moves 28 to 34 were very strong
Recent black moves ...could do better.
Black is in big trouble

[pos]2br3k/n6N/pp2p3/3p3R/5Pp1/8/1P4PP/1B4K1[/pos]















34.... Nc6
with hope that the discovered check is survivable.
35 Ng5+

Fritz prefers Nf6 + neither player knew this at the time.

35...Kg8
36 Rh6 Nd4
37 Rg6+ Kf8
38 Kf2 Ke7 ?
39 Kg3 ?

Time trouble mistake

both players missed N fork if the Black king gets checked onto d6
[pos]2br4/4k3/pp2p1R1/3p2N1/3n1Pp1/6K1/1P4PP/1P6[/pos]













39....Rf8
40 h4 gxh3
41 gxh3 Ne2 +

Black short of time now and fortunate that this strong move is easy to find - no need to work out reply to each possible white response.



[pos]2b2r2/4k3/pp2p1R1/3p2N1/5P2/6KP/1P2n3/1B6[/pos]













42 Kf2 Nxf4


ditto

43 Rg7+ Kf6


And this time I did look at all legal white moves before moving K to f6.
Lucky to have such a strong move available here.


[pos]2b2r2/6R1/pp2pk2/3p2N1/5n2/7P/1P3K2/1B6[/pos]
















0-1
& I was just about to develop the c8 Bishop.