English Chess Federation

Record numbers at Bury Rapidplay

The Twelfth annual Rapidplay Congress organised by Bury Chess Club took place on Sunday 10 December 2006 at the sumptuous surroundings of the Elizabethan Suite, Bury Town Hall.

A record entry was received and 119 played on the day, including 2 Polish players, a Dutch family (father and two sons), and twins from Leyland, one Grandmaster and a couple of International Masters.

MICHAEL WOOD HOMES were again main sponsors of the Bury Rapidplay Chess Congress. Returning sponsors were METCALFE & CO Accountants of Bury and insurance company WINTERTHUR LIFE.

This was a full day congress over six rounds, split into three sections – Open, Major and Minor. A hundred players contested total prize money of £750. Players each had 30 minutes to complete each game.

This was an ECF Grand Prix event.

The Bury & Rochdale League Team Competition

This was a new event, open to clubs playing in the Bury & Rochdale League. Clubs had to submit a team list of 5 players, with the best 4 scores to count.

Winners of an engraved clock were 3Cs Oldham, second were Bury A and third were Bury B. Rochdale were 4th.

The M W Homes Open

This featured 27 players. There was a Merseyside double at the top, with joint winners Formby’s International Master Stewart Haslinger and Southport’s Grandmaster Nigel Davies (both play for 3Cs Oldham in the 4NCL) each earning £80 with a score of 5/6.

Nigel finished strongly after a shock defeat by David Shaw (Urmston) in the second round. This surprise early setback, together with the vagaries of the Swiss pairing system, meant that the two winners failed to meet.

Stewart drew with Jeff Horner (Bolton) and Alan Walton (3Cs Oldham).

Jeff joined Adam Ashton (3Cs Oldham) in third with 4.5 points. Grading prizes were won by Roger Williamson (Aigburth) and Marcial Flores (Eccles).

The Major

This featured 27 players. Joint winners with a score of 5/6 were Philip Armstrong (Oldham) and Paul Evans (AXA Lytham).

Ghassan El Gehani (Peoples) came third with 4.5 points. Grading prizes were won by Robert Clegg (Huddersfield) and Geoff Laurence (Macclesfield).

The Minor

This had an amazing 63 players. It was won jointly by Nick Rigby (a junior from Wakefield), and Bury’s Sheraz Khalil with the days best score of 5.5/6.

John Sutcliffe (Chester) and Philip Titterington (Clitheroe) tied for third with 5 points. Grading prizes were won by Brian Slater (Radcliffe) and Kiruthika Rajeswaran (another junior from Wakefield).

The Bury Players

Sheraz Khalil won the Lodwig Gruchlik Memorial Trophy, which is awarded annually for the best score from a Bury Chess Club member, with a score of 5.5/6 as joint winner of the Minor.

Also in the Minor, Brian Forrest had a poor start but finished strongly with 4 points. Lee Baron scored a creditable 3 and Roger Nuttall an excellent 3.5.

In the Major, Roger Howley, Jim Litherland and Keith Evans scored 3, Martin Bryant scored 2.5, Paul Mole and Robin Yeung scored 1.

Bolton’s Rod Middleton and Julian Clissold smoothly controlled the Congress, as always and there were no significant disputes. Many Bury club members helped to organise and run the event. Andrew Butterworth of Chess Direct provided the Bookstall.

Next year’s event is on Sunday 9th December 2007.