The day was set - a nice lunch at Civil Service Pavillion followed by 5 games of chess. Couldnt really ask for anything better.

Twelve Chess keen players set their sites on playing some brilliant chess. The players were suprisingly quite closely rated - which lead to an exciting competition.

As well as good chess, the competitors had their photos taken by some nutty controller!

So please find belows lots of pics and the results of the matches.

An excellent chess commentator David McAlister has a good article on this competition at http://nichess.blogspot.co.uk/2016/12/nics-rapidplay-series-resumes.html

Some of the positions that popped up during the competition.

Round 1

No Name             Loc  Total  Result   Name            Loc  Total

 1 John Bradley     1629 [0]      1:0    Ian Woodfield   1502 [0]  
 2 Daniil Zelenchuk 1484 [0]     .5:.5   Niall Troughton 1583 [0]  
 3 Robert Lavery    1539 [0]      1:0    Martin Kelly    1456 [0]  
 4 David McAlister  1455 [0]      0:1    Ram Rajan       1532 [0]  
 5 Mark Newman      1522 [0]      1:0    William Storey  1279 [0]  
 6 Dmitry Zelenchuk 1147 [0]      0:1    Richard Gould   1517 [0]  

by Swiss Perfect (TM)  www.swissperfect.com

The first round went to rating. Apart from the draw between Daniil and Niall.

Round 2

No Name            Loc  Total  Result   Name             Loc  Total

 1 Ram Rajan       1532 [1]      0:1    John Bradley     1629 [1]  
 2 Richard Gould   1517 [1]      0:1    Robert Lavery    1539 [1]  
 3 Niall Troughton 1583 [.5]     0:1    David Jackson    1374 [.5] 
 4 Ian Woodfield   1502 [0]      1:0    Daniil Zelenchuk 1484 [.5] 
 5 Martin Kelly    1456 [0]      1:0    Dmitry Zelenchuk 1147 [0]  
 6 William Storey  1279 [0]      0:1    David McAlister  1455 [0]  

Again most of the results are to rating apart from David Jackson beating Niall Troughton.

Round 3

No Name             Loc  Total  Result   Name            Loc  Total

 1 John Bradley     1629 [2]      0:1    Robert Lavery   1539 [2]  
 2 David Jackson    1374 [1.5]    0:1    Ram Rajan       1532 [1]  
 3 Martin Kelly     1456 [1]      0:1    Richard Gould   1517 [1]  
 4 David McAlister  1455 [1]     .5:.5   Ian Woodfield   1502 [1]  
 5 Dmitry Zelenchuk 1147 [0]     .5:.5   Niall Troughton 1583 [.5] 
 6 Daniil Zelenchuk 1484 [.5]     1:0    William Storey  1279 [0]  

Going into the third round the two top scorers playing each other John Bradely and Robert Lavery. Robert wins and takes the lead. Going into round 4.

Round 4

No Name            Loc  Total  Result   Name             Loc  Total

 1 Robert Lavery   1539 [3]      1:0    Ram Rajan        1532 [2]  
 2 Richard Gould   1517 [2]      0:1    John Bradley     1629 [2]  
 3 Ian Woodfield   1502 [1.5]    0:1    David Jackson    1374 [1.5]
 4 David McAlister 1455 [1.5]    0:1    Daniil Zelenchuk 1484 [1.5]
 5 Niall Troughton 1583 [1]      0:1    Martin Kelly     1456 [1]  
 6 William Storey  1279 [0]     .5:.5   Dmitry Zelenchuk 1147 [.5] 

Robert maintains his lead. Whilst John Bradley is chasing. David Jackson gets a good win over Ian Woodfield. The rating prize is for the highest placed under 1500.

Round 5

No Name             Loc  Total  Result   Name            Loc  Total

 1 Daniil Zelenchuk 1484 [2.5]   .5:.5   Robert Lavery   1539 [4]  
 2 David Jackson    1374 [2.5]    1:0    John Bradley    1629 [3]  
 3 Ram Rajan        1532 [2]      0:1    Richard Gould   1517 [2]  
 4 Martin Kelly     1456 [2]      0:1    Ian Woodfield   1502 [1.5]
 5 Dmitry Zelenchuk 1147 [1]     .5:.5   David McAlister 1455 [1.5]
 6 William Storey   1279 [.5]     1:0    Niall Troughton 1583 [1]  

At round 5 Robert is hard to beat. David Jackson stops John Bradleys attempts at a prize. Whilst Daniil gains a draw against Robert who wins the competition.

Standings

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

  1   Robert Lavery    1539 4.5       8.0  13.0   14.5
  2   David Jackson    1374 3.5       7.0  11.0    9.5
 3-5  John Bradley     1629 3         8.5  15.0   11.0
      Richard Gould    1517 3         7.0  13.0    9.0
      Daniil Zelenchuk 1484 3         6.0  11.5    8.0
  6   Ian Woodfield    1502 2.5       8.0  13.0    6.5
 7-9  Ram Rajan        1532 2         9.0  15.5    8.0
      Martin Kelly     1456 2         7.0  12.5    6.0
      David McAlister  1455 2         6.0  10.5    6.0
10-11 William Storey   1279 1.5       6.5  10.5    2.0
      Dmitry Zelenchuk 1147 1.5       5.5   9.5    3.0
12-13 Niall Troughton  1583 1         6.5  11.0    4.0
      Mark Newman      1522 1         1.5   1.5    1.0

First place, a well deserved win by Robert Lavery - undefeated on 4.5 followed in second place by Civil Service player David Jackson and the under 1500 grading prize goes to Daniil Zelenchuk. We were lucky to have onhand past UCU and ICU president and member of Civil Service Club David McAlister who kindly agreed to give out the prizes.

Many thanks to all the players - have a good new year and watch out for the following 3 Alan Burns Grandprix tournaments.....