Keverel Chess

Raced from Exmouth to Paignton, fearing the worst as the schools go back and parents clog the roads taking their children to schools a long way from home, but actually getting through all the potential black spots for jams without even stopping and arriving with half an hour to spare for the 5 Round A.M. event . At the start of play, I welcomed everyone, especially those who were not present at the opening yesterday, before introducing the Arbiter, Vic Cross, who had recently returned from taking an England Junior team on a European tour, finishing with a win over Belgium.

The morning progressed very sweetly, apart for one person, who shall be nameless, mistook the starting time  for 10 a.m. and defaulted by five minutes. My own game finished after 90 minutes, leaving 3 hours before the start of the afternoon. Another example of how hours spent playing chess can pass like the blinking of an eye, while a shorter time waiting around can seem like days; it’s all relative.

Results for the Morning event. The 2 blanks were White wins.

View from the balcony outside the playing room.

Below: Towards 2 o’clock, players start to find their places at the board.

Before the kick-off.

Former winner, Dr. Peter Hempson, considering his options against 1.d4

Bds. 1 & 2: Keith Arkell vs Dave Collier; J. McKenna vs Colin Crouch.

Marian Cox (l) and Doreen Helbig in the Minor.

Christine Constable on Bd. 1 of the Minor, dwarved by the fireplace in the Winaretta Room.

Bottom 4 Bds in the Minor play in the grandiose Mayor's Parlour.

Jacqueline Barber-Lafon (formerly Thynne), enjoying her return to chess after a 24 year lay-off

Here is how Rd. 2 of the Challengers finished.

N.B. Rd. 2 games may be found at:  http://www.chessdevon.co.uk/HTML/pag112/base.htm