Karina Kruk decides winner of Williamson 2017

Some brilliant chess played by John McKenna who challenged the supremacy of the top players Gareth Annesley and Nicholas Pilkiewicz. And in the final round Karina Kruk determines the winner of the tournament. True to form Gareth and Nicholas lead the competition.

For me the Williamson is one of the highlights of the chess year. A competition to win an elegent Shield with over a hundred names on it. Oh to be included in that prestigious list. This year with the excellent venue of the large hall at Stormont Pavillion we had lower than normal numbers. Sixteen players. we had unfortunately clashed with the popular event at Gonzaga where several Ulster players are regulars.

However the sixteen included Gareth Annesley, Nicholas Pilkiewicz, Mikhail Pavlov, Karina Kruk, Robert Lavery amongst an excellent lineup.

After a little discussion between Richard and Mark over who would control and who play - Richard Gould took up the gauntlet and was included in the draw.

On hand was the skilled photographer and pretty good chess player - Pat McKillen. Here are some of his excellent photos (with more to follow at the end of the article):

As numbers were low we had one section. Which gives the lower rated players an opportunity to play the top players and possibly have a giant slaying.

Pairings round 1 (Saturday, 28 January 2017)

Table	White	Rating	Black	Rating	Result
1	Gareth Annesley	1908 *	Modestas Razbadauskas	1346 *	1-0
2	Patrick McKillen	1334 *	Nicholas Pilkiewicz	1847 *	0-1
3	Mikhail Pavlov	1766 *	Gary Johnston	1275 *	1-0
4	Roy Stafford	1243 *	Karina Kruk	1664 *	0-1
5	Robert Lavery	1649 *	Adrian Dornford-Smith	1155 *	1-0
6	Geoff Hindley	1040 *	Richard Gould	1536 *	0-1
7	John McKenna	1510 *	Vincent O'Brien	955 *	1-0
8	Rhys McLean	692 *	John Phillips	1392 *	0-1

Generated by Swiss Master for Windows on 29-01-2017 at 21:10

Round one went to rating - no upsets.- Karina and Roy were the last to finish. Robert had a full on attack against Adrian - who defended admirably but in the end folded. Rhys had an interesting position with potential complications against tough player John Philips but unfortunately missed his Queen being attacked and continued a potentially winning combination only to have the Queen removed ( I have been there ) but the main thing was in Rhys' words - "it was a brilliant game" Brendan Jamison who was visiting the tournament analysed the Game with Rhys after the round. There was also talk of Brendans exciting trip to St Petersberg and the brilliant facilities that are Government funded for learning and playing chess.

Pairings round 2 (Saturday, 28 January 2017)

Table	White	Score	Rating	Black	Score	Rating	Result
1	Richard Gould	1.0	1536 *	Gareth Annesley	1.0	1908 *	0-1
2	Nicholas Pilkiewicz	1.0	1847 *	Robert Lavery	1.0	1649 *	½-½
3	John Phillips	1.0	1392 *	Mikhail Pavlov	1.0	1766 *	0-1
4	Karina Kruk	1.0	1664 *	John McKenna	1.0	1510 *	½-½
5	Modestas Razbadauskas	0.0	1346 *	Geoff Hindley	0.0	1040 *	1-0
6	Adrian Dornford-Smith	0.0	1155 *	Patrick McKillen	0.0	1334 *	0-1
7	Gary Johnston	0.0	1275 *	Rhys McLean	0.0	692 *	1-0
8	Vincent O'Brien	0.0	955 *	Roy Stafford	0.0	1243 *	½-½

Mihail plays f6 as black - always exciting and Ryhs plays the centre counter and plays a dangerous gambit which isnt accepted

and Gary wins a Knight and the game. Gareth has a brilliant finish against Richard Gould with plenty of complicated tactics on the board. Robert Lavery gains a draw an excellent result against Nicholas and possibly making the tournament more open - all we need now is a result against Gareth.

Pairings round 3 (Saturday, 28 January 2017)

Table	White	Score	Rating	Black	Score	Rating	Result
1	Gareth Annesley	2.0	1908 *	Mikhail Pavlov	2.0	1766 *	1-0
2	John McKenna	1.5	1510 *	Nicholas Pilkiewicz	1.5	1847 *	½-½
3	Robert Lavery	1.5	1649 *	Karina Kruk	1.5	1664 *	½-½
4	Modestas Razbadauskas	1.0	1346 *	Richard Gould	1.0	1536 *	½-½
5	Patrick McKillen	1.0	1334 *	John Phillips	1.0	1392 *	1-0
6	Roy Stafford	0.5	1243 *	Gary Johnston	1.0	1275 *	1-0
7	Adrian Dornford-Smith	0.0	1155 *	Vincent O'Brien	0.5	955 *	½-½

Draw by default	Geoff Hindley
Bye	Rhys McLean

Adrian is soon in an endgame with a better placed King but hard enough, a draw is agreed as the Kings cant make headway. Gareth attacks Mikhail whose hopeful that perhaps the attack is a little pre-mature... Gary a piece down gets it back by removing the defender of a Rook and then gets back into the fight but Roy has some extra pawns which in the end win through. Robert and Karina - strategically placing pieces. - came down to Rook and pawn ending the last game to finish - Karina ended with a Rook Pawn and her King infront on the 8th Rank - but unable to step out of the way of the Pawn without Checks, A draw was agreed. John McKenna and Nicholas have a locked position - a Draw is agreed - and possibly in the final position John had some potential to break-thru - an excellent game by John. Now what will happen when Gareth meets Nicholas?

Between round Brendan Jamison found time to coach Rhys McLean and Mark Newman who he coached by beating him conclusively - here are some photos showing the elegent positions.

Sunday morning - frost on the car and Sun out - I collected and put out books from the Eddie Whiteside Chess Library and put out small fliers with future events on them. A pleasant suprise John McKenna donates some excellent books for the library.

Play starts 10:15. A couple of players arriving a little late due to Sunday public transport - and the're off....

Pairings round 4 (Saturday, 28 January 2017)

Table	White	Score	Rating	Black	Score	Rating	Result
1	Nicholas Pilkiewicz	2.0	1847 *	Gareth Annesley	3.0	1908 *	1-0
2	Mikhail Pavlov	2.0	1766 *	Robert Lavery	2.0	1649 *	1-0
3	Karina Kruk	2.0	1664 *	Patrick McKillen	2.0	1334 *	1-0
4	Richard Gould	1.5	1536 *	John McKenna	2.0	1510 *	0-1
5	Roy Stafford	1.5	1243 *	Modestas Razbadauskas	1.5	1346 *	0-1
6	John Phillips	1.0	1392 *	Gary Johnston	1.0	1275 *	1-0
7	Vincent O'Brien	1.0	955 *	Rhys McLean	1.0	692 *	1-0
8	Geoff Hindley	0.5	1040 *	Adrian Dornford-Smith	0.5	1155 *	0-1

The first round of the day sees the final - Gareth v Nicholas - and Nicholas wins openning up the compeition - which now has no clear winner and 5 people on 3 points! Who will challange Gareth or Nicholas - who can beat them? and Modestas has a serious go at challanging Nick - getting a Queen for a rook but leaving powerful passed pawns. Nick ended with an elegant under promotion to a Knight forking Queen and King and winning the game.

Play through the Richard Gould v John McKenna game.

Pairings round 5 (Sunday, 29 January 2017)

Table	White	Score	Rating	Black	Score	Rating	Result
1	Gareth Annesley	3.0	1908 *	Karina Kruk	3.0	1664 *	1-0
2	John McKenna	3.0	1510 *	Mikhail Pavlov	3.0	1766 *	1-0
3	Modestas Razbadauskas	2.5	1346 *	Nicholas Pilkiewicz	3.0	1847 *	0-1
4	Robert Lavery	2.0	1649 *	John Phillips	2.0	1392 *	1-0
5	Patrick McKillen	2.0	1334 *	Vincent O'Brien	2.0	955 *	1-0
6	Adrian Dornford-Smith	1.5	1155 *	Roy Stafford	1.5	1243 *	0-1
7	Gary Johnston	1.0	1275 *	Geoff Hindley	0.5	1040 *	1-0

Bye	Richard Gould
Absent	Rhys McLean

Play through the Modestas Razbadauskas v Nicholas Pilkiewicz game

Pairings round 6 (Sunday, 29 January 2017)

Table	White	Score	Rating	Black	Score	Rating	Result
1	John McKenna	4.0	1510 *	Gareth Annesley	4.0	1908 *	0-1
2	Nicholas Pilkiewicz	4.0	1847 *	Karina Kruk	3.0	1664 *	½-½
3	Mikhail Pavlov	3.0	1766 *	Patrick McKillen	3.0	1334 *	½-½
4	Robert Lavery	3.0	1649 *	Modestas Razbadauskas	2.5	1346 *	0-1
5	Richard Gould	2.5	1536 *	Roy Stafford	2.5	1243 *	1-0
6	Vincent O'Brien	2.0	955 *	Gary Johnston	2.0	1275 *	0-1
7	John Phillips	2.0	1392 *	Geoff Hindley	0.5	1040 *	1-0

Bye	Adrian Dornford-Smith
Absent	Rhys McLean

last round - Mikhail takes a grandmaster draw against Pat McKillen. John McKenna on board 1 faces Gareth the only thing standing in the way of possibly joint victory - the game to me looks even - Gareth has more pawn islands and potential weaknesses. and Karina having given Gareth a tough game challenges Nicholas - so no easy games. Gareth wins over John, leaving Karina playing Nicholas. The game ends in a draw. So now Gareth is the clear winner followed closely by Nicholas.


	Gareth and John have a Knight and Pawn ending. John goes for the f pawn and then cant stop the b pawn - a seriously complicated endgame. Karina and Nicholas have Rooks and opposite coloured Bishops. Karina plays Nicholas to a draw.

Gareth and John have a Knight and Pawn ending. John goes for the f pawn and then cant stop the b pawn - a seriously complicated endgame.

Karina and Nicholas have Rooks and opposite coloured Bishops. Karina plays Nicholas to a draw.

Final

Rank	Name	Score	M/F	Rating	BH-HiLo	BH	PS	1	2	3	4	5	6
1	Gareth Annesley	5.0	M	1908 *	14.5	22.0	18.0	1	1	1	0	1	1
2	Nicholas Pilkiewicz	4.5	M	1847 *	14.5	22.5	16.0	1	½	½	1	1	½
3	John McKenna	4.0	M	1510 *	14.5	21.5	15.5	1	½	½	1	1	0
4	Karina Kruk	3.5	F	1664 *	15.0	22.5	14.0	1	½	½	1	0	½
5	Mikhail Pavlov	3.5	M	1766 *	13.5	21.5	14.5	1	1	0	1	0	½
6	Modestas Razbadauskas	3.5	M	1346 *	13.0	18.5	11.0	0	1	½	1	0	1
7	Richard Gould	3.5	M	1536 *	13.0	17.5	11.0	1	0	½	0	+	1
8	Patrick McKillen	3.5	M	1334 *	12.0	18.5	11.5	0	1	1	0	1	½
9	Robert Lavery	3.0	M	1649 *	13.5	20.0	12.5	1	½	½	0	1	0
10	John Phillips	3.0	M	1392 *	11.0	15.0	10.0	1	0	0	1	0	1
11	Gary Johnston	3.0	M	1275 *	9.0	13.0	8.0	0	1	0	0	1	1
12	Roy Stafford	2.5	M	1243 *	11.5	17.0	8.5	0	½	1	0	1	0
13	Adrian Dornford-Smith	2.5	M	1155 *	9.5	13.0	6.0	0	0	½	1	0	+
14	Vincent O'Brien	2.0	M	955 *	11.0	16.5	7.5	0	½	½	1	0	0
15	Rhys McLean	1.0	M	692 *	8.0	14.0	4.0	0	0	+	0	-	-
16	Geoff Hindley	0.5	M	1040 *	11.0	16.5	2.0	0	0	=	0	0	0

Generated by Swiss Master for Windows on 29-01-2017 at 21:10

The Winners;

The Williamson Champion: Gareth Annesley

Second: Nicholas Pilkiewicz

Intermediate Winner (Under1600): John McKenna

Intermediate Second : Modestas Razbadauskas

Grading Prize (Under1300): Gary Johnston

more pics from the Camera of Pat McKillen...

Looking forward to the next tournament the UCU Rapidplay Championship at the Ulster Museum

See you there - enjoy your chess....