WANSTEAD & WOODFORD CHESS CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP 2002/3
The Club Championship is run as a "Swiss" tournament over seven rounds, running through the season. It is open to members 14 years of age and over, and younger players at the discretion of the Committee.
The usual time-table allows three rounds before Christmas and four rounds after. Highest points score wins and in the event of a tie a play-off is held to decide the Champion. The winner holds the title of Club Champion and the Championship trophy for one year, and receives an inscribed plaque for permanent retention. The Champion has the right to take Board 1 for the 1st team(s) in Club matches in the following season.
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Round 1 - 29 October 2002
| White | Grade | Score | Black | Grade | Score |
| Sid Burns | 108 | ½ | Steve Gilmour | 162 | ½ |
| Ian Hunnable | 156 | 0 | John Tuitt | 92 | 1 |
| Alex Charles | 92 | 0 | Terry Whitton | 151 | 1 |
| Paul Barclay | 147 | 1 | Mark Le Gassicke | 86 | 0 |
| Fin O'Regan | 82 | 0 | John Philpott | 142 | 1 |
| Graham Brown | 136 | 1 | Wim de Jong | 81 | 0 |
| Ken Murray | 80 | ½ | John Keehner | 130 | ½ |
| Laurie Burtt | 130 | 1 | Arie Niewerf | 73 | 0 |
| Terry Dixon | 64 | 0 | Mark Murrell | 120 | 1 |
| Bob Heyman | 113 | 1 | John Langford | 54 | 0 |
David Smith was awarded a bye. A late entry was subsequently received from Jean Mara, who will participate from round 2.
There were some upsets on the top boards in the first round with defending champion Steve Gilmour held by Sid Burns and Ian Hunnable losing on time.
Round 2 - 19 November 2002
| White | Grade | Score | Black | Grade | Score |
| Terry Whitton (1) | 151 | ½ | Laurie Burtt (1) | 130 | ½ |
| Mark Murrell (1) | 120 | ½ | Paul Barclay (1) | 148 | ½ |
| John Philpott (1) | 142 | 1 | Bob Heyman (1) | 113 | 0 |
| John Tuitt (1) | 92 | 0 | David Smith (1) | 138 | 1 |
| Steve Gilmour (½) | 162 | 1 | Graham Brown (1) | 136 | 0 |
| John Keehner (½) | 130 | 1 | Sid Burns (½) | 108 | 0 |
| Jean Mara (½) | 66 | 1 | Ken Murray (½) | 80 | 0 |
| Wim de Jong (0) | 81 | 0 | Ian Hunnable (0) | 156 | 1 |
| Arie Niewerf (0) | 73 | 1d | Alex Charles (0) | 92 | 0d |
| Mark Le Gassicke (0) | 86 | 0 | Terry Dixon (0) | 64 | 1 |
| John Langford (0) | 54 | 0 | Fin O'Regan (0) | 82 | 1 |
After two rounds, John Philpott and David Smith were the only players on 100%.
Round 3 - 9 December 2002
| White | Grade | Score | Black | Grade | Score |
| David Smith (2) | 138 | 0 | John Philpott (2) | 142 | 1 |
| Laurie Burtt (1½) | 130 | ½ | Steve Gilmour (1½) | 162 | ½ |
| Mark Murrell (1½) | 120 | 1 | Terry Whitton (1½) | 151 | 0 |
| Paul Barclay (1½) | 147 | 1d | Jean Mara (1½) | 66 | 0d |
| Ian Hunnable (1) | 156 | 1 | John Keehner (1½) | 130 | 0 |
| Graham Brown (1) | 136 | 1 | Fin O'Regan (1) | 82 | 0 |
| Bob Heyman (1) | 113 | 1 | Arie Niewerf (1) | 73 | 0 |
| Terry Dixon (1) | 64 | 0 | John Tuitt (1) | 92 | 1 |
| Sid Burns (½) | 108 | ½ | Ken Murray (½) | 80 | ½ |
| Alex Charles (0) | 92 | 0 | Wim de Jong (0) | 81 | 1 |
| John Langford (0) | 54 | 0d | Mark Le Gassicke (0) | 86 | 1d |
The clash of the leaders took place at David Smith's house just before Christmas. Elswehere there was a notable win for Mark Murrell at the expense of Terry Whitton.
David Smith v John Philpott
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6 5.Nc3 Bg7 6.Be3 Nf6 7.f3 0-0 8.Bc4 Qb6!? 9.Bb3 Nxe4 10.Na4 [10.Nd5 Qa5+ 11.c3 Nc5 12.Nxc6 dxc6 13.Nxe7+ Kh8 14.Nxc8 Raxc8 15.0-0 Rcd8 16.Qc2 Qb5 17.Rfd1 Kg8 18.Rxd8 Rxd8 19.Rd1 Re8 20.Bf2 a5 21.Bxc5 ½-½, Fischer v Panno, Portoroz 1958.] 10...Qa5+ 11.c3 Nf6 12.0-0 d6 13.Re1 Bd7 14.c4 Nxd4 15.Bxd4 Be6 16.c5 Bxb3 17.Qxb3 Rfe8 18.cxd6 exd6 19.Bc3 Qa6 20.Rad1 b5 21.Bxf6 Bxf6 22.Nc3 Bxc3 23.Qxc3 Qb6+ 24.Kh1 Rac8 25.Rxe8+ Rxe8 26.h3 Qc5 27.Qd2 Re6 28.Rc1 Qe3 29.Rc8+ Kg7 30.Qxe3 Rxe3 Time control - we each had 9 minutes in hand coming into the quickplay finish 31.Rb8 Re5 32.Kg1 Kf6 33.Rb7 a5 34.Kf2 Ke6 35.Ra7 a4 36.b3 axb3 37.axb3 h5 38.h4 Rc5 39.Rb7 f6 40.g4 hxg4 41.fxg4 Rc2+ 42.Kg1 Rc5 43.Kf2 f5 44.h5 fxg4 45.hxg6 Rg5 46.g7 g3+ 47.Kg2 Kf6 48.Rxb5 Rxg7 49.Rd5 Ke6 50.Rd3 d5 51.b4 Ke5 52.b5 Kd6 53.b6 Kc6 54.b7 Rxb7 55.Kxg3 Rf7-+ 56.Rd2 Kc5 57.Rd3 Kc4 58.Rd1 d4 59.Ra1 d3 60.Ra4+ Kc3 61.Ra8 Kc2 62.Rc8+ Kd1 63.Rd8 d2 64.Rc8 Re7 65.Kf3 Ke1 and White's flag fell in a lost position. 0-1
Round 4 - 14 January 2003
| White | Grade | Score | Black | Grade | Score |
| John Philpott (3) | 142 | ½ | Paul Barclay (2½) | 147 | ½ |
| Steve Gilmour (2) | 162 | 0 | Mark Murrell (2½) | 120 | 1 |
| Laurie Burtt (2) | 130 | ½ | Ian Hunnable (2) | 156 | ½ |
| John Tuitt (2) | 92 | 0 | Graham Brown (2) | 136 | 1 |
| Terry Whitton (1½) | 151 | 1 | John Keehner (1½) | 130 | 0 |
| David Smith (2) | 138 | 1 | Bob Heyman (2) | 113 | 0 |
| Wim de Jong (1) | 81 | 1 | Jean Mara (1½) | 66 | 0 |
| Arie Niewerf (1) | 73 | 0 | Sid Burns (1) | 107 | 1 |
| Ken Murray (1) | 80 | ½ | Mark Le Gassicke (1) | 86 | ½ |
| Fin O'Regan (1) | 82 | 1 | Terry Dixon (0) | 64 | 0 |
| Alex Charles (0) | 92 | 1(def) | John Langford (0) | 54 | 0 |
The last 100% record went when John Philpott drew with Paul Barclay in a game where both players made too many mistakes to deserve to win. This enabled Mark Murrell to tie for the lead as Steve Gilmour became Mark's second successive notable scalp.
Round 5 - 11 February 2003
| White | Grade | Score | Black | Grade | Score |
| Mark Murrell (3½) | 120 | ½ | John Philpott (3½) | 142 | ½ |
| Paul Barclay (3) | 147 | ½ | Terry Whitton (2½) | 151 | ½ |
| Graham Brown (3) | 136 | ½ | David Smith (3) | 138 | ½ |
| Ian Hunnable (2½) | 156 | ½ | Steve Gilmour (2) | 162 | ½ |
| Bob Heyman (2) | 113 | 0 | Laurie Burtt (2½) | 130 | 1 |
| Sid Burns (2) | 107 | ½ | Wim de Jong (2) | 81 | ½ |
| Ken Murray (1½) | 80 | ½ | John Tuitt (2) | 92 | ½ |
| John Keehner (1½) | 130 | 1 | Fin O'Regan (2) | 82 | 0 |
| Mark Le Gassicke (1½) | 86 | ½ | Jean Mara (1½) | 66 | ½ |
| Terry Dixon (0) | 64 | ½ | Alex Charles (1) | 92 | ½ |
| John Langford (0) | 54 | 0 | Arie Niewerf (1) | 73 | 1 |
The O'Regan v Dixon game from round 4 were not played until after the start of this round. A large number of draws left Mark Murrell and John Philpott who neutralised each other still in the lead, with Laurie Burtt, the only winner in the top half, joining the group half a point behind the leaders.
Round 6 - 4 March 2003
| White | Grade | Score | Black | Grade | Score |
| David Smith (3½) | 138 | ½ | Mark Murrell (4) | 120 | ½ |
| John Philpott (4) | 142 | ½ | Graham Brown (3½) | 136 | ½ |
| Paul Barclay (3½) | 147 | 1 | Laurie Burtt (3½) | 130 | 0 |
| Terry Whitton (3) | 150 | ½ | Ian Hunnable (3) | 156 | ½ |
| Steve Gilmour (2½) | 162 | 1 | John Keehner (2½) | 130 | 0 |
| John Tuitt (2½) | 92 | 0d | Sid Burns (2½) | 107 | 1 |
| Wim de Jong (2½) | 81 | ½ | Ken Murray (2) | 80 | ½ |
| Mark Le Gassicke (2) | 86 | 0 | Bob Heyman (2) | 113 | 1 |
| Arie Niewerf (2) | 73 | 0 | Terry Dixon (½) | 64 | 1 |
| Jean Mara (2) | 66 | 0 | John Langford (0) | 54 | 1 |
| Fin O'Regan (2) | 82 | ½ | Alex Charles (1½) | 92 | ½ |
Three draws on the top four boards enabled Paul Barclay to catch the leaders with one round to go. With three players on 4½ and two on 4 an extremely interesting last round is in prospect.
Round 7 - 25 March 2003
| White | Grade | Score | Black | Grade | Score |
| Graham Brown (4) | 136 | ½ | Paul Barclay (4½) | 147 | ½ |
| Ian Hunnable (3½) | 156 | 0 | John Philpott (4½) | 142 | 1 |
| Laurie Burtt (3½) | 130 | 1 | Mark Murrell (4½) | 120 | 0 |
| Sid Burns (3½) | 107 | 0 | David Smith (4) | 138 | 1 |
| Terry Whitton (3½) | 150 | 0 | Steve Gilmour (3½) | 162 | 1 |
| Bob Heyman (3) | 113 | ½ | Wim de Jong (3) | 81 | ½ |
| John Keehner (2½) | 130 | 1 | John Tuitt (2½) | 92 | 0 |
| Ken Murray (2½) | 80 | 0 | Fin O'Regan (2½) | 80 | 1 |
| John Langford (1 ) | 54 | 0 | Terry Dixon (1½) | 64 | 1 |
| Alex Charles (2) | 92 | 0d | Mark Le Gassicke (2) | 86 | 1 |
| Jean Mara (2) | 66 | 0 | Arie Nieuwerf (2) | 73 | 1 |
The three leaders all took the Black pieces in the final round. Paul Barclay was the first of the three to finish when he agreed a draw with Graham Brown, but John Philpott then won the following game against Ian Hunnable. Mark Murrell could have forced a play off by beating Laurie Burtt, but the loss of the exchange sealed his fate even though a second session was needed to complete the game.
Ian Hunnable v John Philpott
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.d4 c5 3.c4 cxd4 4.Qxd4 Nc6 5.Qh4 d5 6.cxd5 Qxd5 7.Nc3 Qa5 8.a3 Bf5 9.b4 Qb6 10.Be3 Qc7 11.Rc1 e6 12.Qc4 Rc8 13.Nb5 Qb8 14.Bf4 e5 15.Ng5 Nd8 16.Qxc8 Bxc8 17.Nc7+ Kd7 18.Bxe5 Bd6 19.Bxd6 Kxd6 20.Nb5+ Ke7 21.Rc7+ Bd7 22.g3 a6 0-1
Final positions
Champion - John Philpott
Joint second - Paul Barclay and David Smith
Under 125 - Mark Murrell
Under 85 - Wim de Jong, Terry Dixon and Fin O'Regan
Scores
5½ - John Philpott
5 - Paul Barclay, David Smith
4½ - Graham Brown, Laurie Burtt, Steve Gilmour, Mark Murrell
3½ - Sid Burns, Wim de Jong, Terry Dixon, Bob Heyman, Ian Hunnable, John Keehner, Fin O'Regan, Terry Whitton
3 - Mark Le Gassicke, Arie Niewerf
2½ - Ken Murray, John Tuitt
2 - Alex Charles, Jean Mara
1 - John Langford