Tonight saw all involved in the lightning tournament apart from Hillers and the Yamanto connection (Marty & Debbie) in attendance. Also coming along were Ray, Stuart, Cameron, and newcomers Fritz Kaspar (who revealed that he last played chess 65 years ago in Germany and was stopped when he refused to join Hitler Youth!), and Russell Lyons and his daughter Kieran (a former Gap Junior). Both Fritz and the Lyons came to the club as a result of our column in the Western Echo. Russell proudly told us that Kieran at the youthful age of 16 will be playing captain of Fiji women’s team at the Turin Chess Olympiad later this year.
Lightning Tournament
Results:
Phillip Kirkman 1 Tony Howes 1
Andrew Robinson 2 Phillip Kirkman 0
Brian Thomas 1½ Tony Howes ½
Tony Howes 2 Mick Waters 0
Phillip Kirkman 2 Brian Willcock 0
Tony Howes 1 Brian Willcock 1
Brian Thomas became the Lightning Champion of The Gap CC for the first time when he won the second game in his tie with Tony Howes. Andrew had beaten Phil 2-0 earlier in the night but this was not enough and the loss to Brian Willcock on 13 January ultimately proved decisive. These results set up an interesting Allegro Tournament later in the year when Andrew seeks to defend the Joe Tarnawski Trophy once more.
Phil seemed destined to win both games against Tony who seemed a little bit rusty, but lost the second game. Andrew won the first game against Phil with a strategic vision (of promoting a kingside pawn to offset a material deficit) that would probably have only worked in lightning. Phil was ahead early in the second game, but it was clawed back to equilibrium at the point when he lost after making an illegal move. The deciding games saw a draw in game one that kept the tournament alive. However Tony was severely into time trouble when he lost the second game. Brian played Tony near the end of the night and afterwards commented that they played two games but you wouldn’t consider them chess in the ordinary sense, due to the peculiar openings, middle games, and endgames (if they got that far).
Brian Thomas and then Andrew played the girl dubbed by Phil as the “Olympic Champion”. Andrew managed to wriggle out of nasty situations in his four games (by fair means or foul) and even taught a trick to use in Turin: If both players are in time trouble and a moth lands on your side of the board then you flick it at your opponent and gain a few seconds! (I’m sure there’s nothing in the FIDE Laws against that, is there?)
Lightning 2006: Current standings
All players to play 20 games
|
No. |
NAME |
POINTS |
PLAYED |
|
1 |
Brian Thomas |
18½ |
20 |
|
2 |
Andrew Robinson |
17½ |
20 |
|
3 |
Phillip Kirkman |
13½ |
20 |
|
4 |
Tony Howes |
11 |
16 |
|
5 |
Debbie Jenkins |
10 |
16 |
|
6 |
Mick Waters |
7 |
16 |
|
7 |
Brian Willcock |
7 |
18 |
|
8 |
Peter Hiller |
6 |
16 |
|
9 |
Marty Chadwick |
3½ |
20 |
|
10 |
Tim Johnson |
3 |
16 |
|
11 |
Mark Taylor |
1 |
18 |
Lightning Tournament 2006 results in detail
Quote of the night
“I’m not playing in any more lightning tournaments this year” – Phil, raising the question of whether St David’s will be defended.