Keverel Chess

Before play started there were the usual opening remarks, and on this occasion the focus was on our Controller, Ewart Smith, whose last event this was. Ten years ago, he had come in at short notice when the event’s orinator, Steve Boniface, had died about 2 weeks before the 6th Seniors was due to start. Ewart has since done the last 10 events, in additon to the Paignton, Torbay, Dorset and other congresses around the westcountry. He had spent a couple of years gradually cutting down on this workload, and this the final curtain. When asked to show their appreciation the players all gave him a fulsome round of applause that was clearly genuinely felt. He responded modestly before saying, for what we estimated was about the 500th time, “Start White’s clock”, and the final round was off. It finished as follows:-

It was Heppell, who had a win/win finish to draw ahead of a distinguished pack. Local player Steve Dean did well to thwart Steve Dilleigh who had had a good season to date. Ian Blencowe, who was the whipping boy last year (not that he minded that one bit) he was clearly building up experience for the future, and he came away declaring this was his best congress result ever, and he plays a lot of congresses.

In the seniors section, it was William G. Adaway who took the honours. He retired to Dorset from the Home Counties 2 years ago, not having even thought about the game of his youth for 40 years. Then one day he walked past a hotel in Bridport High St. and by chance his eye caught sight of a notice beside the entrance saying the chess club met there. He was thus lured inside, and that was it -the chess virus was re-vitalised, and he has clearly lost little of his former skill. He admits his openings are rusty and several times he reached the middle game in difficulties, but then his old abilities kicked in. Perhaps opponents should be aware he was graded c. 200 in the early 1970s and has a draw on record against GM Bill Hartston in the 1972 Islington Open. Local player David Toms has undergone a series of illnesses in recent years, but is now back to a reasonable, stable state of health, and this showed itself in his 4 wins.

Prizes were awarded to 30 of the 58 players, as follows:-

Prize List

Seniors 65+ :

1^st William Adaway 186 Bridport 4½/5

2^nd Robert Everson 164 Dartford 4

Grading prizes:

U-155: 1^st Dr. David Toms 151 Sidmouth 4

U-140: 1^st= Philip Gordon 118 Braille CA

Barry Sandercock 130 Chalfont

Richard Smith 127 Barnstaple all 3 pts.

U-115: 1^st= Mike Kaye 91 Weymouth

Kevin Langmaid 112 Yateboth 2½ pts.

Slow starter (0/2)

` Peter Carrick 94 Bath

Peter Lucas 96 Sussex

Norman Tidy 135 Teignmouth all 2 pts

Special book prizes were awarded to everyone reaching 3 points or more, yet not qualifying for the above list.

“Juniors” 50 – 64:

1^st Ian Heppell 174 Wimbledon 4 pts

2^nd= Steve Dilleigh 182 Horfield both 3½

Ray Wynarczyk 173 Newcastle upon Tyne

Grading prize:

U-165: Trefor Thynne 161 Newton Abbot 3pts

Slow starter (½/0) Ian Cross 147 Harrow 3 pts

Book prizes to : Alan Brown 185 Northampton

Steve Dean 167 Seaton

Bd. J1: Steve Dean (W) did well to draw with Steve Dilleigh who would have been fancying reaching 4 pts.

Ian Heppell (about to move) finished Win Win to emerge from a pack on 2/3 pts to come clear 1st. In the background Simn Bartlett is about to blunder in the opening, losing quickly.

Rogers vs Sheppard (nearest) and McAllan vs Roberts.

Bd. S1 The joint leaders, Adaway (W) and Price, meet in the top Seniors game.

Two White wins in prospect here for Gosling and Everson.

Footner, A vs Gamble and Annetts vs Langmaid.

General view of the Seniors section - Reinhardt vs Sherriff nearest.

Norman Tidy will need more books than that to get up to Reg Cox's height, but at least they were level on points (2/5).