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Telford Congress (live OTB tournament)

Telford Congress (live OTB tournament)

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Greetings players and fellow patzers 🙂

This past weekend I played in a minor section (ECF U135) down in Telford.
The format was exactly the same as the one I played in Doncaster earlier this year,
5 rounds Swiss tournament (seeded pairings), each with 90 minutes on the clock + 30secs added per move.

In Doncaster I managed 3/5... let's see how I fared here.
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Game 1 - Zak Tomlinson vs Paul Furniss

Originally, there were 37 entrants to the tournament with an even number of people taking byes in round 1,
so naturally I was the lucky guy who had been given a default bye "win"...
However, Paul arrived less than an hour before games commenced and paid in a late entry, so he became my opponent.

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  • b
  • 6
  • c
  • 5
  • d
  • 4
  • e
  • 3
  • f
  • 2
  • g
  • 1
  • h
1.e4d6
2.d4e6
3.Nf3Be7
4.c4b6
5.Nc3Nd7
6.Bd3a6
7.O-OBb7
8.Re1c5
9.b3cxd4
10.Nxd4Nc5
11.Bc2Bf6
12.Bb2Ne7
13.b4Bxd4
14.Qxd4e5
15.Qd2Ne6
16.Nd5O-O
17.Rad1Nxd5
18.cxd5Nf4
19.g3Nh3
20.Kg2Bc8
21.f4exf4
22.gxf4Qh4
23.Rf1Bg4
24.Rde1g5
25.Qc3f6
26.fxg5Rac8
27.Qd2Nxg5
28.Bxf6Qh3
29.Kg1Rxf6
30.Rxf6Nf3
31.Rxf3Bxf3
32.Bd1Qg4
33.Kf2Rf8
34.Bxf3Rxf3
35.Ke2Rg3
36.Kf1Rg1

Round 1

0


      This game was played on Friday 13th... lucky for some!
      My opponent was rated ECF 121, roughly 1608 FIDE.

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      Game 2 - John Harris vs Zak Tomlinson

      I was sat on bottom board 18, whilst my last night's opponent sat on board 1... what a difference a game makes.
      This game was not the best, which wasn't helped by my decision to play an opening I wasn't too booked-up on...
      How did I manage with Black, having being a point down already?

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      • b
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      • c
      • 5
      • d
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      • e
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      • f
      • 2
      • g
      • 1
      • h
      1.d4Nf6
      2.c4g6
      3.Nc3d5
      4.Bf4c6
      5.e3Bg7
      6.Bd3O-O
      7.Nge2Nbd7
      8.Qb3e6
      9.O-ORe8
      10.Rac1dxc4
      11.Bxc4Nb6
      12.Bd3Nbd5
      13.Bg5h6
      14.Bh4g5
      15.Bg3Nh5
      16.Ne4f5
      17.Nc5f4
      18.Bg6Nxg3
      19.hxg3Rf8
      20.gxf4gxf4
      21.e4Nc7
      22.Rfd1Kh8
      23.e5Qg5
      24.Be4Nd5
      25.Rd3b6
      26.Na4Ba6
      27.Rd2Bxe2
      28.Rcc2f3
      29.g3Qh5
      30.Bxf3Bxf3

      Round 2

      0


          My opponent was rated ECF 114, roughly 1555 FIDE rated.

          3 more games to come later, stay tuned!

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          Game 3 - Zak Tomlinson vs Ian Blencowe

          In all honestly, the most dramatic part of this game was me having to wait nearly half an hour before my opponent arrived,
          who told me after the game that he was busy watching the tennis in the bar area downstairs!

          You may skip this game if you wish, nothing much happens as we practically cancelled each other out.

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          • b
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          • c
          • 5
          • d
          • 4
          • e
          • 3
          • f
          • 2
          • g
          • 1
          • h
          1.e4e6
          2.Nf3d5
          3.exd5exd5
          4.d4Bf5
          5.Bd3Bxd3
          6.Qxd3Nf6
          7.Bg5Be7
          8.O-OO-O
          9.Nbd2Nc6
          10.c3h6
          11.Bh4Nh5
          12.Bxe7Nxe7
          13.g3Qd6
          14.Rfe1Nc6
          15.Re2Rfe8
          16.Rae1Rxe2
          17.Rxe2Qf8
          18.Qf5Nf6
          19.Ne5Ne7
          20.Qh3Rd8
          21.f4Qe8
          22.Qg2Qb5
          23.Ndf3Nf5
          24.g4Nd6
          25.Rc2Nfe4
          26.b3f6
          27.c4dxc4
          28.Nxc4Nxc4
          29.Rxc4c6
          30.Qc2Qd5
          31.Qd3Nd6
          32.Rc2Qe4
          33.Qxe4Nxe4
          34.Re2Nc3
          35.Re7Rb8
          36.a4Nd5
          37.Re4Nc3
          38.Re1Nd5
          39.f5Kf7
          40.Kg2Re8
          41.Rxe8Kxe8
          42.Nd2Ne3
          43.Kf3Nc2
          44.Ke4Nb4
          45.h4Kd7
          46.Nc4b5

          Round 3

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              As I'm still ungraded, many of my opponents are concerned with what my actual playing level is,
              and are concerned whether a loss or draw would affect their grade considerably.

              Ian was one such opponent, so I told him how I'd previously performed in Doncaster and he sounded relieved.
              Of course, I did tell him that a rating is just a number, what's most important is that he enjoys the games. He agreed.

              Ian was rated ECF 126, roughly 1645 FIDE rated.

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              Game 4 - Nigel Morris vs Zak Tomlinson

              It's good to go to these tournaments and recognise some old friends... and foes.
              A few months on from the Doncaster congress, I encounter Nigel once again,
              and just as in the Doncaster congress, I had the Black pieces.

              I remembered that we played a Nimzo in the 1st round, where I had lost the game through being short-sighted.
              See the game here, first post: Thread 176586

              Did I get my revenge!??

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              • b
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              • c
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              • d
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              • e
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              • f
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              • g
              • 1
              • h
              1.d4Nf6
              2.c4e6
              3.Nc3Bb4
              4.e3b6
              5.Nge2Bb7
              6.a3Bxc3
              7.Nxc3Nc6
              8.Bd3Ne7
              9.O-Od5
              10.f3O-O
              11.b3c5
              12.Bc2Rc8
              13.dxc5Rxc5
              14.Na4Rc7
              15.cxd5Nexd5
              16.Bd2Qc8
              17.Rc1Rd8
              18.Re1b5
              19.e4bxa4
              20.exd5Nxd5
              21.Ba5Nb6
              22.Bd2axb3
              23.Bxb3Rxc1
              24.Qxc1Qxc1
              25.Bxc1Bd5
              26.Rd1Rc8
              27.Bxd5Nxd5
              28.h3Nc3
              29.Rd2Ne2
              30.Rxe2Rxc1
              31.Kf2Ra1
              32.Rb2g6
              33.Rb3Kg7
              34.Kg3h5
              35.h4Ra2
              36.f4Kf6
              37.Kf3a6
              38.g3Kf5
              39.Rc3Rd2
              40.Ke3Rd5
              41.Kf3f6
              42.a4e5
              43.fxe5fxe5
              44.Rb3e4
              45.Kf2Rd2
              46.Kg1Rd3

              Round 4

              0


                  Nigel still had a grade of ECF 123, roughly 1620 FIDE.

                  1 edit
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                  Game 5 - Zak Tomlinson vs Neal Fisher

                  What a difficult game this was.
                  I was constantly feeling pressure from my opponent who was playing very fast and very aggressively.
                  He was one of the higher rated opponents in the field, and just had an air of "I'm going to beat you" about him.

                  He was also quite a heavy-build, and sported a Leeds United shirt,
                  so I almost didn't want to beat him for fear of getting my head kicked in!

                  Pre-game excuses aside... let's see how the drama of the final round unfolds!

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                  • c
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                  • d
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                  • e
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                  • f
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                  • g
                  • 1
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                  1.e4d6
                  2.d4Nf6
                  3.Nc3Nbd7
                  4.Bc4c6
                  5.Nf3h6
                  6.O-OQc7
                  7.a3e5
                  8.dxe5dxe5
                  9.Re1Nb6
                  10.Ba2Bg4
                  11.h3Bh5
                  12.Qe2O-O-O
                  13.Be3g5
                  14.g3g4
                  15.hxg4Bxg4
                  16.Kg2Bg7
                  17.b4Nh7
                  18.Bxb6axb6
                  19.Qe3Bxf3
                  20.Qxf3Ng5
                  21.Qe3Qd7
                  22.Rh1f5
                  23.Na4Qd4
                  24.Nxb6Kc7
                  25.Nc4Qxe4
                  26.Qxe4Nxe4
                  27.Rhe1Rhe8
                  28.Ne3Rd2
                  29.Rf1f4
                  30.Nf5Bf8
                  31.Rae1Ng5
                  32.gxf4Nh7
                  33.fxe5Rxc2
                  34.Bb1Rc3
                  35.Nd6Re7
                  36.f4Rg7
                  37.Kf2Bxd6
                  38.exd6Kxd6
                  39.Rd1Kc7
                  40.Rd3Rxd3
                  41.Bxd3Nf6
                  42.Kf3h5
                  43.Rh1Kd6
                  44.Bc4b5
                  45.Bb3Rg4
                  46.Rxh5Nxh5
                  47.Kxg4Nf6
                  48.Kg5Ke7
                  49.Kg6Ne4
                  50.f5Kf8
                  51.f6c5
                  52.bxc5Nxc5
                  53.Bd5Na6
                  54.Bb7Nc7
                  55.Bc6Kg8
                  56.Bd7Kf8
                  57.f7b4
                  58.axb4Nd5
                  59.b5Ne7
                  60.Kf6Nd5
                  61.Ke5Nb6
                  62.Be6Ke7
                  63.Bb3Nd7
                  64.Kd4Kd6
                  65.Kc4Ke7
                  66.Kb4Kd6
                  67.Ka5Kc7
                  68.Be6Nf8
                  69.Bf5Kb8
                  70.Kb6Ka8
                  71.Kc7Ka7
                  72.b6

                  Round 5

                  0


                      My opponent had a rating of ECF132, roughly 1690 FIDE.

                      ------------------------

                      So, overall I finished the tournament on 3.5/5, finishing tied for 4th place with 3 other people.
                      We shared 4th prize, £20 each.

                      Here's the results cross table if anyone would care to see:
                      http://chess-results.com/tnr365917.aspx?lan=1&art=4&flag=30

                      The fella who won with 5/5 was apparently a "dark horse",
                      who's real playing strength was much greater than the cut-off grade of 135.

                      My tournament performance was 142 (around 1765 FIDE)
                      I'm looking forward to receiving my first grade, which I've been told will be at the end of this month 🙂

                      So that's it, hope you guys enjoyed the games and/or got something out of them...
                      ...namely, don't push your f-pawns!

                      Cheers,
                      Zak

                      p.s. My next tournament will be in Manchester, weekend 17th-19th of August, details and entry form here:
                      https://www.englishchess.org.uk/event/manchester-summer-congress-4/

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                      Originally posted by @64squaresofpain
                      [b]Game 5 - Zak Tomlinson vs Neal Fisher

                      What a difficult game this was.
                      I was constantly feeling pressure from my opponent who was playing very fast and very aggressively.
                      He was one of the higher rated opponents in the field, and just had an air of "I'm going to beat you" about him.

                      He was also quite a heavy-build, and sported a Leeds ...[text shortened]... etails and entry form here:
                      https://www.englishchess.org.uk/event/manchester-summer-congress-4/[/b]
                      Well done my friend.I'll look at the games when I have the time and see if I can learn owt.
                      As I said at Donny, the set up is not really suitable for observers so I don't plan to come to Manchester to watch, but all the best anyway.

                      1 edit
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                      hi Zak I didn't realise you were so local ! my friend rob marks was in your section, we both play for Sutton Coldfield !! good games buddy well done!!

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                      Originally posted by @rookorbycrook
                      hi Zak I didn't realise you were so local ! my friend rob marks was in your section, we both play for Sutton Coldfield !! good games buddy well done!!
                      Thanks pal, I never got to play Rob this time around but maybe next time.
                      Will he or yourself be interested in the Manchester tournament?

                      Otherwise, I believe there's another tournament in the same Telford venue, the Ramada, also next month.

                      It's the Midland Open Championship, which I can't attend unfortunately:
                      https://www.englishchess.org.uk/event/2018-midland-open-championship/?instance_id=2540

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