Club Championships 2018 - Final Tables

Hi,
It's been a while, I don't know if anyone out there is still looking at this blog.
I thought the official Wellington Chess Club website would have published the Championship results by now, but they haven't, so I'll do it here.

Congratulations to our winners, Nic Croad, Edgar Benitez and Nathan Hall. I see that Nic's fantastic results in 2018 have meant that finally he has overtaken Russell Dive in the latest FIDE rating list, and he is only 11 points behind the top rated Wellington player Anthony Ker.

If anyone wants me to publish any of the games from this tournament, please let me know.

A Grade

No
Name
Loc
Total
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
#7
#8
#9
#10


1
Croad, Nic
2431
8
*
½
½
1
1
1
1
1
1
1


2
Ker, Anthony
2485
7.5
½
*
½
1
½
1
1
1
1
1


3
Dive, Russell
2425
7
½
½
*
1
1
1
½
1
½
1


4
Timergazi, Layla
2157
5
0
0
0
*
½
1
1
1
½
1


5
Sellen, Ian
2041
3.5
0
½
0
½
*
½
½
½
½
½


6
Laking, Robert
2014
3.5
0
0
0
0
½
*
1
1
1
0


7
Forster, Bill
2011
3
0
0
½
0
½
0
*
0
1
1


8
Nyberg, Michael
2114
3
0
0
0
0
½
0
1
*
1
½


9
Winter, Ryan
2129
2.5
0
0
½
½
½
0
0
0
*
1


10
Nijman, Brian
2162
2
0
0
0
0
½
1
0
½
0
*

B Grade

No
Name
Loc
Total
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
#7
#8
#9
#10


1
Benitez, Edgar
2006
7
*
½
1
1
1
1
½
½
½
1


2
Chen, Wei Kai
1895
6.5
½
*
0
1
1
0
1
1
1
1


3
Aldridge, Alan
1892
5.5
0
1
*
1
0
1
0
½
1
1


4
Sole, Michael
1899
5.5
0
0
0
*
1
½
1
1
1
1


5
Rossiter, Philip
1947
5
0
0
1
0
*
1
½
1
1
½


6
Jackson, Ross
1945
4
0
1
0
½
0
*
½
½
1
½


7
Mullan, Brett
1923
3.5
½
0
1
0
½
½
*
1
0
0


8
Lyall, Gordon
1854
3
½
0
½
0
0
½
0
*
½
1


9
Winfield, Alan
1957
3
½
0
0
0
0
0
1
½
*
1


10
Day, Fabian
1899
2
0
0
0
0
½
½
1
0
0
*

C Grade

No Name                   Loc  Total  1    2    3    4    5    6    7    8    9  

1  Hall, Nathan           1863 7.5   21:1  2:1  3:1 17:1  4:½ 11:1  6:0  5:1  8:1
2  Tanoi, Edward          1800 6.5   23:1  1:0  5:1  0:½  3:½ 13:1  4:1  6:½  7:1
3  Stoeveken, Peter       1822 6     26:1  8:1  1:0 12:1  2:½  4:0  5:½ 11:1  6:1
4  Dixon, Hamish          1701 5.5   15:½ 12:½ 19:1 23:1  1:½  3:1  2:0  7:0 13:1
5  Farrington, Lawrence   1763 5     13:1 10:½  2:0 24:½ 21:1  6:½  3:½  1:0 14:1
6  He, Caleb              1823 5     25:1  0:½  0:½  0:0 17:1  5:½  1:1  2:½  3:0
7  He, Paul               1507 5      0:½  0:½  0:0  0:0 26:1 20:1 17:1  4:1  2:0
8  Hurndell, Robert       1551 5     27:1  3:0 28:1  0:½ 11:0 17:1 26:1  0:½  1:0
9  Stracy, Don            1649 5      0:½  0:½  0:0  0:0 23:0 27:1 21:1 15:1 12:1
10 Brockway, Andrew       1867 4.5   19:1  5:½  0:½  0:½  0:0  0:0  0:0 21:1 16:1
11 Ashe, Michael          1623 4.5   20:1 17:0 26:1  0:½  8:1  1:0 12:½  3:0  0:½
12 Frater, Dylan          1509 4      0:½  4:½ 15:1  3:0 13:0 21:1 11:½  0:½  9:0
13 Stannard, Bobby        1298 4      5:0  0:½  0:½ 27:1 12:1  2:0  0:0 20:1  4:0
14 Darr, Samuel           1481 4     22:1  0:½  0:½  0:0 20:1  0:0 15:1  0:0  5:0
15 Langford, Josh         1291 3.5    4:½  0:½ 12:0 21:0 19:1 26:1 14:0  9:0  0:½
16 Carroll, Lewis         1190 3.5    0:0 23:0 22:1  0:½ 24:1 18:1 27:-  0:0 10:0
17 Wevers, Alexis         1795 3      0:½ 11:1 18:1  1:0  6:0  8:0  7:0  0:½  0:0
18 Meravanage, Satwik     1550 3      0:½ 22:1 17:0  0:½  0:0 16:0  0:0 27:1  0:0
19 Kibblewhite, Daniel    1481 3     10:0 20:1  4:0  0:0 15:0 22:1  0:0  0:0 27:1
20 Asher, Bruce           1256 3     11:0 19:0 27:1 26:1 14:0  7:0 22:1 13:0 26:0
21 Stannard, Lars         1409 2.5    1:0  0:½  0:½ 15:1  5:0 12:0  9:0 10:0 22:½
22 Osborne, Geoff         1500 2.5   14:0 18:0 16:0 25:0 27:1 19:0 20:0 26:1 21:½
23 Annamalai, Karthikeyan 1300 2      2:0 16:1 24:½  4:0  9:½  0:0  0:0  0:0  0:0
24 Rabina, Romeo          1695 2      0:½  0:½ 23:½  5:½ 16:0  0:0  0:0  0:0  0:0
25 Heyworth, Nicholas     1368 2      6:0  0:½ 30:0 22:1  0:½  0:0  0:0  0:0  0:0
26 Kierstead, James       1317 2      3:0 27:1 11:0 20:0  7:0 15:0  8:0 22:0 20:1
27 Rodrigues, Kane        1000 1      8:0 26:0 20:0 13:0 22:0  9:0 16:+ 18:0 19:0
28 Sole, Christopher      1184 1     30:½  0:½  8:0  0:0  0:0  0:0  0:   0:   0: 
29 Zhao, Aiden            1236 1      0:½  0:½  0:0  0:0  0:   0:   0:   0:   0: 
30 Johnson, Sean          1099 0     28:0  0:0 25:0  0:   0:   0:   0:   0:   0: 

Club Championship Week 4 - Total Domination

After four weeks of the Club Championship, each of the grades has a player who is totally dominant -  Nic Croad in the A Grade, Alan Aldridge in B and Nathan Hall in C. Each has won all their games.
Anthony and Russell were back in town on Thursday. I was hoping to get a jet-lagged Russell, but unfortunately for me rounds 4 and 5 were switched and Bill got to play him instead (and got a draw, but could so easily have got more!).


There were an awful lot of people away this week, including 13 out of the 29 people nominally signed up for the C grade.

Sorry for the delay in the update, here are the results for weeks 3 and 4, plus the cross tables

A Grade

Week 3
Laking          1-0      Forster
Croad            1-0      Sellen
Winter           1-0      Nijman

Week 4
Sellen         ½-½      Nyberg
Timergazi    0-1       Ker
Nijman        0-1       Croad
Forster        ½-½      Dive

No
Name
Loc
Total
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
#7
#8
#9
#10


1
Croad, Nic
2431
4
*


1
1



1
1


2
Forster, Bill
2011
2

*
0
½



½

1


3
Laking, Robert
2014
1.5

1
*
½








4
Sellen, Ian
2041
1.5
0
½
½
*




½



5
Winter, Ryan
2129
1.5
0



*
½



1


6
Timergazi, Layla
2157
1.5




½
*
0


1


7
Ker, Anthony
2485
1





1
*





8
Dive, Russell
2425
.5

½





*




9
Nyberg, Michael
2114
.5
0


½




*



10
Nijman, Brian
2162
0
0
0


0
0



*

B Grade

Week 3
Chen      ½-½   Benitez
Jackson   0-1    Aldridge
Sole         1-0    Mullan

Week 4
Lyall      ½-½   Benitez
Aldridge 1-0    Chen
Mullan    1-0    Winfield

No
Name
Loc
Total
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
#7
#8
#9
#10


1
Aldridge, Alan
1892
4
*

1


1
1
1




2
Day, Fabian
1899
1.5

*

½




1



3
Winfield, Alan
1957
1.5
0

*

½



1



4
Rossiter, Philip
1947
1.5

½

*


1





5
Benitez, Edgar
2006
1.5


½

*
½



½


6
Chen, Wei Kai
1895
1.5
0



½
*
0


1


7
Jackson, Ross
1945
1
0


0

1
*





8
Sole, Michael
1899
1
0






*
1



9
Mullan, Brett
1923
1

0
0




0
*
1


10
Lyall, Gordon
1854
.5




½
0


0
*

C Grade

No Name               Loc  Total  Result   Name                  Loc  Total

 1 Alexis Wevers      1795 [2.5]    0:1    Nathan Hall           1863 [3]  
 2 Peter Stoeveken    1822 [2]      1:0    Dylan Frater          1509 [2]  
 3 Hamish Dixon       1701 [2]      1:0    Karthikeyan Annamalai 1300 [1.5]
 4 Romeo Rabina       1695 [1.5]    ½:½    Lawrence Farrington   1763 [1.5]
 5 Lars Stannard      1409 [1]      1:0    Josh Langford         1291 [1]  
 6 James Kierstead    1317 [1]      0:1    Bruce Asher           1256 [1]  
 7 Bobby Stannard     1298 [1]      1:0    Kane Rodrigues        1000 [0]  
 8 Nicholas Heyworth  1368 [.5]     1:0    Geoff Osborne         1500 [0]  
 9 Andrew Brockway    1867 [2]      ½:½    BYE                             
10 Caleb He           1823 [2]      0:0    BYE                             
11 Edward Tanoi       1800 [2]      ½:½    BYE                             
12 Don Stracy         1649 [1]      0:0    BYE                             
13 Michael Ashe       1623 [2]      ½:½    BYE                             
14 Robert Hurndell    1551 [2]      ½:½    BYE                             
15 Satwik Meravanage  1550 [1.5]    ½:½    BYE                             
16 Paul He            1507 [1]      0:0    BYE                             
17 Samuel Darr        1481 [2]      0:0    BYE                             
18 Daniel Kibblewhite 1481 [1]      ½:½    BYE                             
19 Aiden Zhao         1236 [1]      0:0    BYE                             
20 Lewis Carroll      1190 [1]      0:0    BYE                             
21 Christopher Sole   1184 [.5]     0:0    BYE                             

Cross Table

No Name                   Loc  Total  1    2    3    4  

1  Hall, Nathan           1863 4     11:1  5:1  2:1  4:1
2  Stoeveken, Peter       1822 3     21:1  8:1  1:0  9:1
3  Dixon, Hamish          1701 3     22:½  9:½ 19:1 18:1
4  Wevers, Alexis         1795 2.5    0:½  7:1 14:1  1:0
5  Tanoi, Edward          1800 2.5   18:1  1:0 10:1  0:½
6  Brockway, Andrew       1867 2.5   19:1 10:½  0:½  0:½
7  Ashe, Michael          1623 2.5   17:1  4:0 21:1  0:½
8  Hurndell, Robert       1551 2.5   29:1  2:0 27:1  0:½
9  Frater, Dylan          1509 2      0:½  3:½ 22:1  2:0
10 Farrington, Lawrence   1763 2     16:1  6:½  5:0 13:½
11 Stannard, Lars         1409 2      1:0  0:½  0:½ 22:1
12 He, Caleb              1823 2     20:1  0:½  0:½  0:0
13 Rabina, Romeo          1695 2      0:½  0:½ 18:½ 10:½
14 Meravanage, Satwik     1550 2      0:½ 28:1  4:0  0:½
15 Darr, Samuel           1481 2     28:1  0:½  0:½  0:0
16 Stannard, Bobby        1298 2     10:0  0:½  0:½ 29:1
17 Asher, Bruce           1256 2      7:0 19:0 29:1 21:1
18 Annamalai, Karthikeyan 1300 1.5    5:0 26:1 13:½  3:0
19 Kibblewhite, Daniel    1481 1.5    6:0 17:1  3:0  0:½
20 Heyworth, Nicholas     1368 1.5   12:0  0:½ 30:0 28:1
21 Kierstead, James       1317 1      2:0 29:1  7:0 17:0
22 Langford, Josh         1291 1      3:½  0:½  9:0 11:0
23 Stracy, Don            1649 1      0:½  0:½  0:0  0:0
24 He, Paul               1507 1      0:½  0:½  0:0  0:0
25 Zhao, Aiden            1236 1      0:½  0:½  0:0  0:0
26 Carroll, Lewis         1190 1      0:0 18:0 28:1  0:0
27 Sole, Christopher      1184 .5    30:½  0:0  8:0  0:0
28 Osborne, Geoff         1500 0     15:0 14:0 26:0 20:0
29 Rodrigues, Kane        1000 0      8:0 21:0 17:0 16:0
30 Johnson, Sean          1099 0     27:0  0:0 20:0  0: 

Club Champs Round 2 - While the IMs are Away....

While the IM's are away, Nic Croad will play - and quite well, too. He was against Ryan Winter, whom he struggled against in the last tournament. Again, he got quite a difficult position (but not nearly as difficult as last time), Ryan getting quite a useful pawn lodged on d6 cramping Nic's position. Ryan maybe didn't play boldly enough, he could more than once have sacrificed the exchange on c6 to set himself up with a monster passed d pawn, and eventually Nic unleashed an attack on the other side of the board, yielding a decisive material advantage.




Game of the evening was probably Nijman v Timergazi. Officially, Club Championship games are supposed to start at 7:30, but they very seldom do. You are allowed to start your opponent's clock at 7:30 even if they are not there. Brian being one of those players who are habitually late, Bill and I tried to goad Layla into starting Brian's clock on time, which she very sportingly refused to do. Bill pointed out that one of the factors that had helped him defeat Brian the previous week was that he had taken a "no more Mr Nice Guy" stance, starting Brian's clock before he had actually arrived.
Anyway, I suspect that, despite Layla's gentlewomanliness, Brian still suffered from time trouble at the end - having survived a harrowingly complicated middle game, he made some bad errors at the end that decided the game.




After 2 weeks, Nic is the sole leader in the A grade, on 100%.
In the B grade Alan Aldridge leads, despite coming out of the opening against Alan Winfield with disadvantageously doubled pawns. Philip Rossiter scored a useful win over Ross Jackson, and Wei Kai Chen beat Gordon Lyall with a nice tactic at the end.


In the C grade top seed Andrew Brockway was held to a draw by Lawrence Farrington. There are only two players left on 100% here, Nathan Hall and Peter Stoeveken, but there were a lot of absent players in this grade.

A Grade

Forster    ½-½    Sellen

Winter      0-1     Croad

Nijman     0-1     Timergazi

No
Name
Loc
Total
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
#7
#8
#9
#10


1
Croad, Nic
2431
2
*
 
 
 
1
 
 
 
1
 


2
Forster, Bill
2011
1.5
 
*
 
½
 
 
 
 
 
1


3
Timergazi, Layla
2157
1.5
 
 
*
 
½
 
 
 
 
1


4
Sellen, Ian
2041
1
 
½
 
*
 
½
 
 
 
 


5
Winter, Ryan
2129
.5
0
 
½
 
*
 
 
 
 
 


6
Laking, Robert
2014
.5
 
 
 
½
 
*
 
 
 
 


7
Dive, Russell
2425
0
 
 
 
 
 
 
*
 
 
 


8
Ker, Anthony
2485
0
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
*
 
 


9
Nyberg, Michael
2114
0
0
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
*
 


10
Nijman, Brian
2162
0
 
0
0
 
 
 
 
 
 
*

B Grade

Aldridge      1-0      Winfield

Mullan         0-1      Day

Rossiter       1-0      Jackson

Chen            1-0      Lyall

No
Name
Loc
Total
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
#7
#8
#9
#10


1
Aldridge, Alan
1892
2
*
 
 
 
 
 
1
 
1
 


2
Day, Fabian
1899
1.5
 
*
½
 
1
 
 
 
 
 


3
Rossiter, Philip
1947
1.5
 
½
*
1
 
 
 
 
 
 


4
Jackson, Ross
1945
1
 
 
0
*
 
1
 
 
 
 


5
Mullan, Brett
1923
1
 
0
 
 
*
 
 
 
 
1


6
Chen, Wei Kai
1895
1
 
 
 
0
 
*
 
 
 
1


7
Winfield, Alan
1957
.5
0
 
 
 
 
 
*
½
 
 


8
Benitez, Edgar
2006
.5
 
 
 
 
 
 
½
*
 
 


9
Sole, Michael
1899
0
0
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
*
 


10
Lyall, Gordon
1854
0
 
 
 
 
0
0
 
 
 
*

C Grade

No Name              Loc  Total  Result   Name                  Loc  Total

 1 Andrew Brockway   1867 [1]      ½:½    Lawrence Farrington   1763 [1]  
 2 Edward Tanoi      1800 [1]      0:1    Nathan Hall           1863 [1]  
 3 Robert Hurndell   1551 [1]      0:1    Peter Stoeveken       1822 [1]  
 4 Alexis Wevers     1795 [.5]     1:0    Michael Ashe          1623 [1]  
 5 Geoff Osborne     1500 [0]      0:1    Satwik Meravanage     1550 [.5] 
 6 Hamish Dixon      1701 [.5]     ½:½    Dylan Frater          1509 [.5] 
 7 Bruce Asher       1256 [0]      0:1    Daniel Kibblewhite    1481 [0]  
 8 James Kierstead   1317 [0]      1:0    Kane Rodrigues        1000 [0]  
 9 Lewis Carroll     1190 [0]      0:1    Karthikeyan Annamalai 1300 [0]  
10 Caleb He          1823 [1]      ½:½    BYE                             
11 Romeo Rabina      1695 [.5]     ½:½    BYE                             
12 Don Stracy        1649 [.5]     ½:½    BYE                             
13 Paul He           1507 [.5]     ½:½    BYE                             
14 Samuel Darr       1481 [1]      ½:½    BYE                             
15 Lars Stannard     1409 [0]      ½:½    BYE                             
16 Nicholas Heyworth 1368 [0]      ½:½    BYE                             
17 Bobby Stannard    1298 [0]      ½:½    BYE                             
18 Josh Langford     1291 [.5]     ½:½    BYE                             
19 Aiden Zhao        1236 [.5]     ½:½    BYE                             
20 Christopher Sole  1184 [.5]     0:0    BYE                             
21 Sean Johnson      1099 [0]      0:0    BYE                             

Cross Table

No Name                   Loc  Total  1    2  

1  Stoeveken, Peter       1822 2     18:1 10:1
2  Hall, Nathan           1863 2     22:1  9:1
3  Brockway, Andrew       1867 1.5   20:1  4:½
4  Farrington, Lawrence   1763 1.5   24:1  3:½
5  Wevers, Alexis         1795 1.5    0:½ 19:1
6  He, Caleb              1823 1.5   23:1  0:½
7  Darr, Samuel           1481 1.5   26:1  0:½
8  Meravanage, Satwik     1550 1.5    0:½ 26:1
9  Tanoi, Edward          1800 1     21:1  2:0
10 Hurndell, Robert       1551 1     30:1  1:0
11 Dixon, Hamish          1701 1     16:½ 14:½
12 Rabina, Romeo          1695 1      0:½  0:½
13 Stracy, Don            1649 1      0:½  0:½
14 Frater, Dylan          1509 1      0:½ 11:½
15 He, Paul               1507 1      0:½  0:½
16 Langford, Josh         1291 1     11:½  0:½
17 Zhao, Aiden            1236 1      0:½  0:½
18 Kierstead, James       1317 1      1:0 30:1
19 Ashe, Michael          1623 1     27:1  5:0
20 Kibblewhite, Daniel    1481 1      3:0 27:1
21 Annamalai, Karthikeyan 1300 1      9:0 28:1
22 Stannard, Lars         1409 .5     2:0  0:½
23 Heyworth, Nicholas     1368 .5     6:0  0:½
24 Stannard, Bobby        1298 .5     4:0  0:½
25 Sole, Christopher      1184 .5    29:½  0:0
26 Osborne, Geoff         1500 0      7:0  8:0
27 Asher, Bruce           1256 0     19:0 20:0
28 Carroll, Lewis         1190 0      0:0 21:0
29 Johnson, Sean          1099 0     25:0  0:0
30 Rodrigues, Kane        1000 0     10:0 18:0

Club Championship Begins!

The main event of the year, the Club Championship, kicked off on Thursday. A rating of 2000+ is no longer a passport to the A grade, despite the absence of Arthur Pomeroy and Andrew Stone. Making their debut in the top grade this year are Ryan Winter (2129) and Robert Laking (2014), and they both got draws in the first round (against Layla and me respectively).

The B grade is also stronger than previously, boosted by Kapiti players Alan Winfield and Gordon Lyall, and also by fast improving younger players Michael Sole and Fabian Day. This means that traditional B-graders Andrew Brockway and Peter Stoeveken have been displaced to the Swiss, where they are amongst the favourites, along with Nathan Hall (rating 1863), 12 year old Caleb He (1823) and returning player Edward Tanoi.

There is no D grade this year. The 30 players not in the top 2 groups will play in a Swiss tournament to decide the C grade champion. This is because of the problem of non-attendance in the lower grades, which meant last year that the C grade was something of a fiasco. At least with a Swiss tournament, players whose opponents do not show up can be re-paired, unlike in a round robin tournament. Obviously it would be preferable if people turned up for their games.

Anthony and Russell are off representing New Zealand in the Batumi Olympiad, so their round one opponents, Michael Nyberg and Nic Croad, played their round three game early. Michael seemed to be holding, but Nic ground him down until Michael made a couple of errors, whereupon his position suddenly collapsed.

Game of the round was undoubtedly Forster v Nijman. Bill as white accidentally lost a rook in the opening (!), but it turned out that converting the win required a little bit of care on Brian's part.
Many thanks to Bill for providing annotations here.




Ryan had white against Layla, and was under pressure for most of the game. However pieces got swapped, and the game ended in a peaceful rook and pawn ending.

A Grade

Forster      1-0       Nijman
Winter   1/2-1/2    Timergazi
Laking   1/2-1/2    Sellen
R3:
Nyberg      0-1       Croad

B Grade

Mullan      1-0        Lyall
Day        1/2-1/2     Rossiter
Sole           0-1        Aldridge
Winfield 1/2-1/2     Benitez
Jackson      1-0        Chen

C Grade

No Name                  Loc  Total  Result   Name             Loc  Total

 1 Daniel Kibblewhite    1481 [0]      0:1    Andrew Brockway  1863 [0]  
 2 Nathan Hall           1863 [0]      1:0    Lars Stannard    1409 [0]  
 3 Nicholas Heyworth     1368 [0]      0:1    Caleb He         1823 [0]  
 4 Peter Stoeveken       1822 [0]      1:0    James Kierstead  1317 [0]  
 5 Karthikeyan Annamalai 1300 [0]      0:1    Edward Tanoi     1800 [0]  
 6 Lawrence Farrington   1763 [0]      1:0    Bobby Stannard   1298 [0]  
 7 Josh Langford         1291 [0]      ½:½    Hamish Dixon     1701 [0]  
 8 Michael Ashe          1623 [0]      1:0    Bruce Asher      1256 [0]  
 9 Kane Rodrigues        1000 [0]      0:1    Robert Hurndell  1551 [0]  
10 Samuel Darr           1481 [0]      1:0    Geoff Osborne    1500 [0]  
11 Sean Johnson          1099 [0]      0:½    Christopher Sole 1184 [0]  
12 Alexis Wevers         1795 [0]      ½:½    BYE                        
13 Romeo Rabina          1695 [0]      ½:½    BYE                        
14 Don Stracy            1649 [0]      ½:½    BYE                        
15 Satwik Meravanage     1550 [0]      ½:½    BYE                        
16 Dylan Frater          1509 [0]      ½:½    BYE                        
17 Paul He               1507 [0]      ½:½    BYE                        
18 Aiden Zhao            1236 [0]      ½:½    BYE                        
19 Lewis Carroll         1190 [0]      0:0    BYE                        

Alan Winfield's New Chess Blog

Great things are happening up the Kapiti Coast! The chess club is expanding rapidly, thanks in large part to the efforts and energy of one of their top players, Alan Winfield.
Three of the players in the Wellington Chess Club Championship B grade also play at the Kapiti Club (Alan Winfield, Ross Jackson, Gordon Lyall).
Alan has just started a Blog, which already has a feast of information and analysis.

Please follow the link here:

http://kapitichessnews.blogspot.com/

Nic Croad Wins Julian Mazur 2018!

Apologies for not updating round 7!
In that round, Nic Croad drew with Anthony Ker, and Russell Dive beat Ryan Winter, so Nic was still half a point ahead. Having played all the top players, he was tied against Edgar Benitez in the last round and did not have too many problems.
So congratulations Nic! He also confirmed his newly won position as Wellington's top NZCF rated player.

Ryan Winter, having nearly overcome Nic in an earlier round, could also have won against Russell in round 7:

Russell played 38. Qg3?? in this position, which should lose immediately to 38. ...Rxh3!, gaining a piece. However, Ryan missed this, and played 38. ... Qf5??, and after 39. Rxb7 Bxf4 40. exf4 had to resign.

Still, in spite of a couple of unfortunate errors, Ryan played excellent chess overall, and he seems destined to join the ranks of the very best players in the country.

Don't miss Anthony and Russell talking chess strategy at the club this Thursday, and then after that we will be going into the Club Championships. Meanwhile, here are the round 7 and round 8 results, and the final cross table.

Round 7

No Name                   Loc  Total  Result   Name                 Loc  Total

 1 Ker, Anthony           2472 [4]      ½:½    Croad, Nic           2422 [6]  
 2 Dive, Russell          2453 [5]      1:0    Winter, Ryan         1999 [4.5]
 3 Stone, Andrew          2087 [4]      0:1    Nijman, Brian        2155 [4]  
 4 Jackson, Ross          1986 [4]      0:1    Benitez, Edgar       1908 [4]  
 5 Nyberg, Michael        2109 [3.5]    1:0    Lyall, Gordon        1900 [3.5]
 6 He, Caleb              1717 [3.5]    ½:½    Sellen, Ian          2085 [3.5]
 7 He, Paul               1223 [3.5]    0:1    Forster, Bill        2051 [3.5]
 8 Aldridge, Alan         1934 [3.5]    0:1    Rossiter, Philip     2010 [3.5]
 9 Winfield, Alan         1960 [3.5]    1:0    Ashe, Michael        1650 [3.5]
10 Laking, Robert         1900 [3]      1:0    Wevers, Alexis       1821 [3]  
11 Sole, Michael          1782 [3]      1:0    Brockway, Andrew     1888 [3]  
12 Hall, Nathan           1529 [3]      ½:½    Farrington, Lawrence 1769 [2.5]
13 Heyworth, Nicholas     1300 [2.5]    1:0    Rabina, Romeo             [2.5]
14 Darr, Samuel           1522 [2.5]    1:0    Osborne, Geoff       800  [2]  
15 Annamalai, Karthikeyan 1200 [2.5]    0:1    Kibblewhite, Daniel  1486 [2.5]
16 Benitez, Ric           1551 [2]      0:1    Stracy, Don          1631 [2]  
17 Hurndell, Robert       1600 [2]      1:0    Asher, Bruce         1263 [1]  
18 Sole, Christopher      1143 [1]      1:0    Carroll, Lewis       880  [1.5]
19 Timergazi, Layla       2119 [3]      0:0    BYE                            
20 Stoeveken, Peter       1815 [3.5]    0:0    BYE                            
21 Day, Fabian            1778 [1.5]    0:0    BYE                            
22 Frater, Dylan          1509 [2]      0:0    BYE                            
23 Stannard, Lars         1402 [1.5]    ½:½    BYE                            
24 Stannard, Bobby        1306 [2.5]    ½:½    BYE                            
25 Zhao, Aiden            1246 [1.5]    ½:½    BYE                            
26 Johnson, Sean          1000 [2]      0:0    BYE                            

Round 8

No Name                   Loc  Total  Result   Name               Loc  Total

 1 Benitez, Edgar         1908 [5]      0:1    Croad, Nic         2422 [6.5]
 2 Nijman, Brian          2155 [5]      0:1    Dive, Russell      2453 [6]  
 3 Winter, Ryan           1999 [4.5]    0:1    Ker, Anthony       2472 [4.5]
 4 Rossiter, Philip       2010 [4.5]    0:1    Nyberg, Michael    2109 [4.5]
 5 Forster, Bill          2051 [4.5]    ½:½    Winfield, Alan     1960 [4.5]
 6 Stone, Andrew          2087 [4]      1:0    Laking, Robert     1900 [4]  
 7 Sellen, Ian            2085 [4]      1:0    Sole, Michael      1782 [4]  
 8 Jackson, Ross          1986 [4]      1:0    He, Caleb          1717 [4]  
 9 Hall, Nathan           1529 [3.5]    1:0    Aldridge, Alan     1934 [3.5]
10 Lyall, Gordon          1900 [3.5]    1:0    Darr, Samuel       1522 [3.5]
11 Stoeveken, Peter       1815 [3.5]    1:0    Heyworth, Nicholas 1300 [3.5]
12 Kibblewhite, Daniel    1486 [3.5]    0:1    Ashe, Michael      1650 [3.5]
13 Wevers, Alexis         1821 [3]      1:0    He, Paul           1223 [3.5]
14 Brockway, Andrew       1888 [3]      1:0    Hurndell, Robert   1600 [3]  
15 Stracy, Don            1631 [3]      1:0    Stannard, Bobby    1306 [3]  
16 Farrington, Lawrence   1769 [3]      ½:½    Rabina, Romeo           [2.5]
17 Johnson, Sean          1000 [2]      -:-    Benitez, Ric       1551 [2]  
18 Frater, Dylan          1509 [2]      0:1    Sole, Christopher  1143 [2]  
19 Osborne, Geoff         800  [2]      1:0    Zhao, Aiden        1246 [2]  
20 Carroll, Lewis         880  [1.5]    -:+    Stannard, Lars     1402 [2]  
21 Timergazi, Layla       2119 [3]      0:0    BYE                          
22 Day, Fabian            1778 [1.5]    0:0    BYE                          
23 Alcorn, Simeon         1447 [.5]     0:0    BYE                          
24 Asher, Bruce           1263 [1]      ½:½    BYE                          
25 Annamalai, Karthikeyan 1200 [2.5]    0:0    BYE                          
26 Srivastava, Krishh          [0]      0:0    BYE                          

Cross Table

No Name                   Loc  Total  1    2    3    4    5    6    7    8  

1  Croad, Nic             2422 7.5   17:1  8:1 12:1  2:1  5:1  6:1  3:½  7:1
2  Dive, Russell          2453 7     28:1 24:1 11:1  1:0 15:1  3:1 12:1  5:1
3  Ker, Anthony           2472 5.5   42:½ 19:1  7:1  5:½ 13:1  2:0  1:½ 12:1
4  Nyberg, Michael        2109 5.5   14:0 31:1 33:1  9:½ 12:½  0:½ 13:1 16:1
5  Nijman, Brian          2155 5     23:1 18:1  9:1  3:½  1:0  7:½  6:1  2:0
6  Stone, Andrew          2087 5     25:1 13:½ 42:1 30:½ 10:1  1:0  5:0 18:1
7  Benitez, Edgar         1908 5     26:½ 46:1  3:0 14:1 25:1  5:½  9:1  1:0
8  Winfield, Alan         1960 5     44:1  1:0 14:0 27:1 39:1 10:½ 17:1 11:½
9  Jackson, Ross          1986 5     29:1 38:1  5:0  4:½  0:½ 20:1  7:0 19:1
10 Sellen, Ian            2085 5      0:½ 39:1 30:½ 24:1  6:0  8:½ 19:½ 21:1
11 Forster, Bill          2051 5     27:1 21:1  2:0 28:½  0:½ 24:½ 26:1  8:½
12 Winter, Ryan           1999 4.5   31:1 14:1  1:0 22:1  4:½ 26:1  2:0  3:0
13 Lyall, Gordon          1900 4.5   45:1  6:½ 16:1 15:½  3:0  0:½  4:0 25:1
14 Hall, Nathan           1529 4.5    4:1 12:0  8:1  7:0 20:0 31:1 28:½ 24:1
15 Stoeveken, Peter       1815 4.5   43:1 16:1  0:½ 13:½  2:0  0:½  0:0 29:1
16 Rossiter, Philip       2010 4.5   36:1 15:0 13:0 40:½ 29:1 25:1 24:1  4:0
17 Ashe, Michael          1650 4.5    1:0 44:1 24:0 31:½ 38:1 41:1  8:0 27:1
18 Laking, Robert         1900 4     37:1  5:0  0:½ 19:1  0:½  0:0 22:1  6:0
19 He, Caleb              1717 4      0:½  3:0 41:1 18:0 35:1 28:1 10:½  9:0
20 Brockway, Andrew       1888 4      0:½ 26:½ 25:½ 37:½ 14:1  9:0 21:0 34:1
21 Sole, Michael          1782 4     35:1 11:0 26:½ 25:0 41:1  0:½ 20:1 10:0
22 Wevers, Alexis         1821 4     38:0 36:1 40:1 12:0  0:½  0:½ 18:0 26:1
23 Stracy, Don            1631 4      5:0 37:0 46:1 35:0 27:½  0:½ 39:1 31:1
24 Aldridge, Alan         1934 3.5   41:1  2:0 17:1 10:0 37:1 11:½ 16:0 14:0
25 Darr, Samuel           1522 3.5    6:0 34:1 20:½ 21:1  7:0 16:0 35:1 13:0
26 He, Paul               1223 3.5    7:½ 20:½ 21:½ 33:1 28:1 12:0 11:0 22:0
27 Kibblewhite, Daniel    1486 3.5   11:0  0:½  0:½  8:0 23:½ 44:1 37:1 17:0
28 Farrington, Lawrence   1769 3.5    2:0 29:1 35:1 11:½ 26:0 19:0 14:½ 33:½
29 Heyworth, Nicholas     1300 3.5    9:0 28:0  0:½ 38:1 16:0 43:1 33:1 15:0
30 Timergazi, Layla       2119 3     34:1  0:½ 10:½  6:½  0:½  0:0  0:0  0:0
31 Stannard, Bobby        1306 3     12:0  4:0 43:1 17:½ 40:1 14:0  0:½ 23:0
32 Sole, Christopher      1143 3      0:½ 42:0  0:½  0:0  0:   0:0 43:1 40:1
33 Rabina, Romeo               3      0:   0:   4:0 26:0 36:1 35:½ 29:0 28:½
34 Hurndell, Robert       1600 3     30:0 25:0  0:½  0:½ 43:1  0:0 44:1 20:0
35 Osborne, Geoff         800  3     21:0  0:½ 28:0 23:1 19:0 33:½ 25:0 41:1
36 Stannard, Lars         1402 3     16:0 22:0 44:1 39:0 33:0 40:½  0:½ 43:+
37 Annamalai, Karthikeyan 1200 2.5   18:0 23:1  0:½ 20:½ 24:0  0:½ 27:0  0:0
38 Johnson, Sean          1000 2     22:1  9:0  0:½ 29:0 17:0  0:½  0:0 39:-
39 Benitez, Ric           1551 2      0:½ 10:0  0:½ 36:1  8:0  0:0 23:0 38:-
40 Frater, Dylan          1509 2      0:½  0:½ 22:0 16:½ 31:0 36:½  0:0 32:0
41 Zhao, Aiden            1246 2     24:0  0:½ 19:0 47:1 21:0 17:0  0:½ 35:0
42 Day, Fabian            1778 1.5    3:½ 32:1  6:0  0:   0:0  0:0  0:0  0:0
43 Carroll, Lewis         880  1.5   15:0  0:½ 31:0 44:1 34:0 29:0 32:0 36:-
44 Asher, Bruce           1263 1.5    8:0 17:0 36:0 43:0 47:1 27:0 34:0  0:½
45 Tung, Melvin           1200 1     13:0  0:½  0:½  0:   0:   0:   0:   0: 
46 Alcorn, Simeon         1447 .5     0:½  7:0 23:0  0:   0:0  0:0 47:   0:0
47 Srivastava, Krishh          0      0:   0:   0:  41:0 44:0  0:0 46:   0:0
48 Bennett, Sarah         1429 0      0:0  0:   0:   0:   0:   0:   0:   0: