Shropshire Chess Congress - 5-6 January 2013

Many thanks to everyone who supported this year's congress. We had a record turnout with 140 entries and 136 starting, and an exceptionally strong line-up in all the sections, especially the Open. The full list of winners and all the results can be seen on the links from this page.

We were delighted to welcome a GM to the Shropshire event, the first one for many years, and Stephen Gordon duly took first place in the Open with an unbeaten score, only dropping a half point to the other master, IM John Cox who has been a loyal supporter of his home county event for many years. John shared second place with Welsh international Iolo Jones. A new prize was also launched this year for Top Shropshire player in the Open which was won by Gavyn Cooper this year.

We are very grateful to our Open winner, GM Stephen Gordon, for sending us an annotated game from the congress, involving his clash against 3Cs clubmate Alan Walton. CLICK HERE AND LEARN FROM A MASTER ...

In the Major, there was a three-way tie for first place with Shropshire's Toby Neal joined by Nigel Holroyd and junior Ashwin Kalyana on 4 points. The Minor was a large section with 54 entrants and Shropshire players had a clean sweep of the top prizes with 1st place shared by Matthew Best and George Viszokai on 4.5, followed by five players on 4 - Roger Brown, Jonathan Newey, Chris Paul, Francis Rooney and Adrian Zdanoswki. (Adrian has been living in Telford for some years but not active in chess, but hopefully his result will see him in the league soon!)

The grading prizes in the Open went to Nick Walker (U185) and John Footner (U170). In the Major the grading prizes were won by two local players, U150 by Graham Shepherd, and the U135 by Ivor Salter. The Minor grading prize for U115 was shared by Jonathan Newey and Francis Rooney, who also shared the Junior prize, and the U100 was won by John Davies.

OPEN
1st Stephen Gordon GM 4.5
2nd John Cox IM 4
Iolo Jones 4

Grading U185 Nick Walker 3.5
Grading U170 John Footner 3
Top Shropshire player in Open Gavyn Cooper 3.5

MAJOR
1st Nigel Holroyd 4
Ashwin Kalyana 4
Toby Neal 4
Grading U150 Graham Shepherd 3.5
Grading U135 Ivor Salter 3.5

MINOR
1st Matthew Best 4.5
George Viszokai 4.5
3rd Roger Brown 4
Jonathan Newey 4
Chris Paul 4
Francis Rooney 4
Adrian Zdanowski 4
Grading U115 Jonathan Newey 4
Francis Rooney 4
Grading U100 John Davies 3.5
Junior prize Jonathan Newey 4
Francis Rooney 4

We are hoping to post some illustrative games and photographs from the congress shortly. (If you played in the event and have any memorable or interesting games you would like to share please email them to us.) As well as those who supported the event by entering, we are very grateful to everyone else who helped us put on the congress, including our venerable controller Dave Thomas, who reckons he has now done 27 Shropshires (!), and Vinnie Crean for assistance on the website, Francis Bowers for he bookstall, and of course, chef Jacob and his brilliant team who kept us so well fed throughout the event.

See you next year!

Francis Best and Steve Rooney
Shropshire Chess Congress organisers

Controller: David Thomas, ECF arbiter. An ECF Grand Prix event.