Ten players gathered - ready for an afternoon of exciting chess. It was agreed we would play 20mins with 5 seconds increment - and watching the games and discussing with the players it was felt that this leads to better quality chess and excellent endings. All the players played great chess and alot of the games were closer than the final result would suggest. Who would win the Alan Burns Senior and Junior Grand Prix - now with two elegent trophies:

Round 1

Results

No Name                  Loc  Total  Result   Name            Loc  Total

 1 Modestas Razbadauskas 1659 [0]      1:0    Nigel Telford   1411 [0]  
 2 Colin Fenton          1241 [0]      0:1    Mark Newman     1559 [0]  
 3 Ram Rajan             1521 [0]      0:1    Vincent O'Brien 1180 [0]  
 4 Geoff Hindley         876  [0]      0:1    Ian Woodfield   1506 [0]  
 5 Robert Lavery         1604 [0]     .5:.5   BYE                       
 6 David Jackson         1447 [0]     .5:.5   BYE                       
 7 Mikhail Pavlov        1442 [0]     .5:.5   BYE                       

by Swiss Perfect (TM)  www.swissperfect.com

Vincent gets a good win playing Ram Rajan. As we initially had an odd number I played to make nos even. The late arrivals were given 1/2 point byes.

Round 2

Results

No Name            Loc  Total  Result   Name                  Loc  Total

 1 Ian Woodfield   1506 [1]      0:1    Modestas Razbadauskas 1659 [1]  
 2 Vincent O'Brien 1180 [1]      0:1    Robert Lavery         1604 [.5] 
 3 David Jackson   1447 [.5]     1:0    Mikhail Pavlov        1442 [.5] 
 4 Colin Fenton    1241 [0]     .5:.5   Ram Rajan             1521 [0]  
 5 Nigel Telford   1411 [0]      1:0    Geoff Hindley         876  [0] 

Modestas continues to win. Colin gets a draw against Ram. The below photos show some of the interesting end-games.

Round 3

Results

No Name                  Loc  Total  Result   Name          Loc  Total

 1 Modestas Razbadauskas 1659 [2]      1:0    David Jackson 1447 [1.5]
 2 Robert Lavery         1604 [1.5]   .5:.5   Ian Woodfield 1506 [1]  
 3 Vincent O'Brien       1180 [1]      0:1    Nigel Telford 1411 [1]  
 4 Mikhail Pavlov        1442 [.5]     0:1    Colin Fenton  1241 [.5] 
 5 Ram Rajan             1521 [.5]     1:0    Geoff Hindley 876  [0] 

With round 3 it looks like it is Modestas who has to be beaten. Colin Fenton gets a win against Mikhail.

Round 4

Results

No Name          Loc  Total  Result   Name                  Loc  Total

 1 Robert Lavery 1604 [2]      0:1    Modestas Razbadauskas 1659 [3]  
 2 Nigel Telford 1411 [2]     .5:.5   Ram Rajan             1521 [1.5]
 3 Ian Woodfield 1506 [1.5]    1:0    Colin Fenton          1241 [1.5]
 4 David Jackson 1447 [1.5]    1:0    Vincent O'Brien       1180 [1]  
 5 Geoff Hindley 876  [0]      0:1    Mikhail Pavlov        1442 [.5] 

Round 4 and Modestas leads undefeated. Followed by Nigel Telford, Ian Woodfield and David Jackson on 2.5.

Round 5

Results

No Name                  Loc  Total  Result   Name            Loc  Total

 1 Modestas Razbadauskas 1659 [4]      1:0    Ram Rajan       1521 [2]  
 2 Ian Woodfield         1506 [2.5]   .5:.5   David Jackson   1447 [2.5]
 3 Nigel Telford         1411 [2.5]    0:1    Robert Lavery   1604 [2]  
 4 Mikhail Pavlov        1442 [1.5]    1:0    Vincent O'Brien 1180 [1]  
 5 Colin Fenton          1241 [1.5]    1:0    Geoff Hindley   876  [0] 

Modestas wins in style well ahead of the rest of the players. With this win he has won several tough tournaments this year - including the Belfast Rapidplay senior Championships, the third Alan Burns.

Standings

Place Name                  Feder Loc  Score M-Buch. Buch. Progr.

  1   Modestas Razbadauskas s     1659 5         8.5  13.5   15.0
 2-4  Ian Woodfield         s     1506 3         8.5  13.5    9.0
      Robert Lavery         s     1604 3         8.0  14.0    9.0
      David Jackson         j     1447 3         8.0  14.0    9.0
 5-7  Colin Fenton          j     1241 2.5       7.5  10.5    6.0
      Nigel Telford         j     1411 2.5       6.0  11.0    8.0
      Mikhail Pavlov        j     1442 2.5       6.0   9.0    5.5
  8   Ram Rajan             s     1521 2         6.0  11.0    6.0
9-10  Vincent O'Brien       j     1180 1         8.0  13.0    5.0
      Mark Newman           s     1559 1         2.5   2.5    1.0
 11   Geoff Hindley         j     876  0         7.5  12.5    0.0

Winner: Modestas Razbadauskas

Second:Ian Woodfield

Grading prize; Colin Fenton

The results were put into a spreadsheet and the Senior and Junior Grandprix points calculated.

The winners of the Grandprix

Senior Winner: Ian Woodfield

Junior Winner: David Jackson

Best place NICS member: David Jackson

Ending another years brilliant Alan Burns Grandprix - see you next year.