Club Championship 2013

25-Nov: Zoran Babic wins 2013 Championship

The event concluded on Monday the 25th November. with Zoran Babic officially becoming the clubs’ leading player for the second time since 2009. Michael Sugrue, the former champion, was runner up. Ben Kersten and Andrew Wemyss shared third place.

The event suffered from a number of withdrawals which resulted in the round robin being reduced from nine rounds to seven. Michael and Zoran met in the crucial game in round 5 on October 21st. Zoran gained a full point with black. (The game is here ). Up until this, each had won all their encounters ensuring that the two of them were the only contenders for the top spot. In the two rounds following both players drew all their games, so the margin of one point between them was maintained to the end.

The final scores were:

Championship 2013		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	Total
1	Owen Courtis		0	0	0	1/2	0	1	0	1.5/7
2	Zoran Babic	1		1	1/2	1/2	1	1	1	6/7
3	Michael Sugrue	1	0		1	1	1/2	1	1/2	5/7
4	Reza Daneshvar	1	1/2	0		1/2	1/2	1	0	3.5/7
5	Ben Kersten	1/2	1/2	0	1/2		1/2	1	1	4/7
6	Andrew Wemyss	1	0	1/2	1/2	1/2		1/2	1	4/7
7	Mio Ristic	0	0	0	0	0	1/2		1	1.5/7
8	Bill Stokie	1	0	1/2	1	0	0	0		2.4/7

All of the games in the event can be downloaded in file Championship2013.pgn.

1-Nov: Daneshvar thwarts Babic

Hard on last weeks victory which gave him the lead in the championship, Zoran Babic could only manage a draw with the white pieces against Reza Daneshvar.

The opening was a Guioco Piano. Daneshvar on move four played d6 which is considered weak. However Babic did not find the strongest continuation and the game became very closed. At one point ( move 37 – see game at link below) Black offered the exchange to close the game entirely, which White only accepted after trying for twenty moves to find some way of breaking into Blacks cramped but entirely solid position.

Having been a full point ahead of his nearest rival, Babic is still in a strong position despite the setback.

View the game here

With Monday nights’ results the standings are now as follows:

Championship 2013		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Total	%
1	Owen Courtis		1/2	0	1	0		1/2	0		0	2/7	29
2	Joe Bakhmoutski	1/2			1/2					0		1/3	33
3	Zoran Babic	1				1	1/2		1	1	1	5.5/6	92
4	Garry Quince	0	1/2					0	1	1	0	2.5/5	50
5	Michael Sugrue	1		0			1	1		1		4/5	80
6	Reza Daneshvar			1/2		0		1/2	1/2	1	0	2.5/6	42
7	Ben Kersten	1/2			1	0	1/2		1/2		1	3.5/6	58
8	Andrew Wemyss	1		0	0		1/2	1/2		1/2		2.5/6	42
9	Mio Ristic		1	0	0	0	0		1/2		1	2.5/7	36
10	Bill Stokie	1		0	1		1	0		0		3/6	50

25-Oct: Babic hits  the lead in Championship

On Monday the 21st October, Zoran Babic with the black pieces gained a full point against Michael Sugrue, the current  title holder. The game was a Ruy Lopez, and Zoran on his third move chose 3….Nge7 instead of the more common 3…..a6 entering the obscure, but apparently fairly playable Cozio defence.

Click here to see the game.

16-Oct: Crucial Match this Monday

On Monday evening next Michael Sugrue and Zoran Babic will fight it out in a match that may well determine the result of the championship. Michael and Zoran are equal and two and a half points ahead of the nearest competitor so a result for either will  put them in a very strong position for the remaining three rounds.

The draw for Monday and the remaining rounds is as follows:

21-10-2013	28-10-2013
Garry Quince – Bill Stokie Michael Sugrue – Zoran Babic Reza Daneshvar – Joe Bakhmoutski Andrew Wemyss – Mio Ristic	Bill Stokie – Mio Ristic Owen Courtis – Andrew Wemyss Joe Bakhmoutski – Ben Kersten Zoran Babic – Reza Daneshvar Garry Quince – Michael Sugrue
04-11-2013	11-11-2013
Michael Sugrue – Bill Stokie Reza Daneshvar – Garry Quince Ben Kersten – Zoran Babic Andrew Wemyss – Joe Bakhmoutski Mio Ristic – Owen Courtis	Bill Stokie – Andrew Wemyss Mio Ristic – Ben Kersten Owen Courtis – Reza Daneshvar Joe Bakhmoutski – Michael Sugrue Zoran Babic – Garry Quince

10-Oct: Sugrue, Babic well ahead in championship.

Michael Sugrue and Zoran Babic, the two former champions who are competing this year have posted picket fence scores in their first four matches Their nearest competitor is Ben Kersten, two and a half points behind. No one else’s score exceeds 50%. Michael and Zoran are due officially to meet in round seven, but the timetable is not being strictly followed.

Championship 2013		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Total	%
1	Owen Courtis		1/2	0	1	0		1/2			0	2/6	33
2	Joe Bakhmoutski	1/2			1/2					0		1/3	33
3	Zoran Babic	1							1	1	1	4/4	100
4	Garry Quince	0	1/2					0	1	1		2.5/5	50
5	Michael Sugrue	1					1	1		1		4/4	100
6	Reza Daneshvar					0		1/2	1/2	1	0	2/5	40
7	Ben Kersten	1/2			1	0	1/2		1/2		1	3.5/6	58
8	Andrew Wemyss			0	0		1/2	1/2				1/4	25
9	Mio Ristic		1	0	0	0	0					1/5	20
10	Bill Stokie	1		0			1	0				2/4	50