Cross Table | Picture 1 | Picture 2 | Picture 3 | Picture 4

Hover your mouse pointer over the pictures for captions (use F5 to refresh the caption if it fades before you've read it.)

Report by Andrew Brett

On Sunday 22nd July, the Essex and North Essex Rapidplay Championships were held in a combined event at Longmeads Community Centre, Writtle. Although the numbers were slightly up on last year, Ivor and I were disappointed with the lack of support for the event from the North Essex Clubs. No such complaint could be raised against the Essex League and we were delighted with the numbers who had come to play this event. On the other hand, it appeared that the quality of the field had increased significantly as we had Andrew Lewis, David Sands (defending Champion) and David Haydon all competing. Chris Fegan (defending N. Essex Champion) Robin Slade, and recent Essex Lightning Champion, David Chandler, were also in the field and I thought it likely that one of them would be the winner of this title. Unfortunately, Russell White couldn't play but he had a minor excuse due to the fact that his wife gave birth to a baby girl two weeks ago. Over half the field was graded over 140 and as such, the overall winner would have a tough field to beat.

Round 1 proved that the grading system worked because all results went as you would expect without a single upset!

Round 2 was more dramatic. Chris Fegan was a pawn up v David Sands although David did have some dark square pressure and the bishop pair. In time trouble Chris gained a two pawn advantage but in view of it being opposite bishops, David offered a draw, which Chris, not unreasonably, declined. Sadly, Chris committed a fatal blunder on the next move which allowed David to win the game by queening a pawn. Les Crane won a good attacking game against David Chandler and Robin Slade was losing, then winning, then finally blundered against Chris Hampton. Chris probably should have beaten Robin last year and I guess that fate decided to even out their score. Ian Hunnable came close to beating Andrew Lewis with Black, being a piece up in the ending, but Andrew found a mating resource that Ian could only defend by  by perpetual check, allowing a draw.

In Round 3, David Sands comfortably beat Les Crane and Chris Hampton continued to show good form by having a winning position against David Haydon. He managed to get a queen and bishop up but sadly stalemated him. This bit of good fortune for David was later to prove significant.

In Round 4 David Haydon showed he was one to watch as he played a nice attack when David Sands allowed his position to get too passive. Just to show that there was a bit of a 'stalemating' disease going round, Aidan Corish stalemated Alan Riddoch in time trouble, when he was queen and knight up. Meanwhile, Chris Hampton coolly defended Andrew Lewis's wild, but ultimately unsound attack, but sadly went wrong in time trouble.

In Round 5 David Haydon positionally outplayed Andrew Lewis to put himself clear in relation to the overall title, whilst David Sands won to give himself a chance if David Haydon slipped up in the final round.

Going into Round 6, David Haydon had to win to guarantee the title - if he drew and David Sands won, David Sands would win on tie-break (sum of progressive scores). David Haydon put all these considerations aside when he produced a nice finish against Chris Fegan to bcome the second Essex Rapidplay Champion by a clear point and David Sands drew his game against David Millward, although he did have winning chances. Les Crane won a nice attacking game versus Chris Hampton to come joint second with Andrew Lewis and David Sands.

Dave Millward had a solid tournament going through undefeated to emerge as the North Essex Champion. Last time Dave won was almost 20 years ago!

AB