Prize Night Tournament - Handicap Lightning
Prize Night
The night commenced with the presentation of prizes to tournament and trophy winner for 2013.
Tonight’s prizes included were organised by John, and included individual trophies for winners as well as the engraved perpetual trophies.
Handicap Lightning Tournament
The Handicap Lightning tournament started tonight with a preliminary round in 2 groups. Ten players entered. The groups were drawn at random. The top two in each group progressed to the semi-finals.
The handicap system is based on a system of handicaps awarded on playing strength. The handicaps were determined based on performance in the club’s recent Lightning Tournament. Before each game the difference between the 2 players’ handicaps is calculated, with the lower rated player having 5 minutes in the game to make all moves. The higher rated player is allocated 5 minutes minus the handicap difference (but must have at least one minute). For example, if the difference is 1.5 then the higher rated player will receive 3.5 minutes to make their moves.
Group stage
Results in the group stage were as follows.
|
Group A |
POINTS |
Handicap |
|
Andrew Mather |
3.0 |
0.0 |
|
Andrew Robinson |
3.0 |
1.0 |
|
Brian Willcock |
2.0 |
3.5 |
|
Ray Adams |
2.0 |
3.0 |
|
Jim Petrie |
0.0 |
5.0 |
The big upset in Group A was the win by Ray over Andrew Mather. Otherwise, the handicaps did not alter the results.
There were a few questions around castling and illegal moves that required arbiter intervention, but all eventually solved amicably.
|
Group B |
POINTS |
Handicap |
|
Marcus Porter |
4.0 |
0.5 |
|
George Flitcroft-Smith |
3.0 |
0.5 |
|
John Ryland |
1.5 |
4.5 |
|
Peter Hiller |
1.0 |
3.0 |
|
Tony Howes |
0.5 |
1.0 |
Marcus and George beat all other opponents in this group, with Marcus winning their mutual game.
Tony’s results would indicate that he struggled, but in fact he was ahead in most games and was most unfortunate to lose on time a checkmate of his opponent just moves away.
Tony also could have won against Peter Hiller who made an illegal move, but generously pointed this out to Peter before he hit the clock, so no claim was made.
Semi-Finals
Andrew Mather – George Flitcroft-Smith 1-0
Marcus Porter – Andrew Robinson 1-0
Third Place Match
Andrew Robinson – George Flitcroft-Smith 0-1
Final
Marcus Porter – Andrew Mather 0-1
The semi-finals saw the two group winners who played with white victorious.
The third place game was won by George when in the middle of a hard-fought game Andrew allowed a mate in one when he was on the attack.
Andrew Mather won the championship game in a situation that was dead drawn for 20 moves, until Marcus fatally decided to make an ‘original’ move to break the monotony and thereby conceded a piece and the game.
This win makes Andrew Mather the first repeat winner of this tournament since Brendan Griffer achieved this feat in 2008.
CONSOLATION MATCHES
5-8 Classification
Semi-F Brian Willcock – Peter Hiller 1-0
Semi-F John Ryland – Ray Adams 1-0
5-6 Match Brian Willcock – John Ryland 0-1
7-8 Match Ray Adams – Peter Hiller 1-0
9-10 Classification
Not played
Further information:
Past winners of the Handicap Lightning tournament (with index to past tournaments)
Results of tonight’s tournament in are presented here in detail.