International honours, an FM title, multiple Irish championships – but Stephen finally has the one honour which was missing from his trophy cabinet!
We started off the evening with the David v Goliath prize – no final round win could match Yubo v Gerry, so he was given his prize at the start of the night, and he then proceeded to round off an excellent tournament with a win over Ronan.
Anastasija snatched a draw from the jaws of victory against Karel, while Des v Denis was a wild game where Denis had a queen for rook, piece and pawn before unfortunately hanging decisive material to a knight fork, while Kevin McHugh ended the tournament with barely a full 3½ hours’ play after quickly accounting for Slavko.
Vjeko beat Desmond in another wild game, while two other players who had to climb up through the rankings had unexpectedly tough mid-table games – Gerry accounted for Ciarán, while Dylan met John, who gambitted an early pawn, and though he never really got enough for it, he fought well to hold the draw.
On board 2, I had a +4 advantage against Ben at one stage, but went wrong in one move in the ending and had to settle for a draw, although Fritz suggests there was still a way of winning the final position; this may be a study up the club some evening! On the top board, Zdravko also had a big advantage against Stephen in a match which had the title of club champion riding on it, but he missed the best move. Stephen was still worse, but chanced a draw offer, which Zdravko declined, sensing victory. But unfortunately in time trouble, he lost the thread, and when Stephen untangled the position, it was with a winning advantage.
So the final round results were –
Seed | Name | Rating | Seed | Name | Rating | |
4 | Zdravko Manojlovic (3½) | 1880 | 0-1 | 1 | Stephen Brady (4) | 2262 |
6 | Ben Murray (3½) | 1756 | ½-½ | 7 | Kevin Burke (3) | 1752 |
2 | Gerry O’Connell (2½) | 2052 | 1-0 | 8 | Ciarán Ruane (2½) | 1749 |
3 | Kevin McHugh (2½) | 1974 | 1-0 | 14 | Slavko Putar (2½) | 1476 |
13 | Ronan Sweeney (2½) | 1493 | 0-1 | 22 | Yubo Wang (2½) | 1251 |
5 | John Healy (2) | 1841 | ½-½ | 9 | Dylan Boland (1½) | 1724 |
11 | Vjekoslav Novak (1½) | 1688 | 1-0 | 20 | Desmond Beatty (1½) | 1323 |
19 | Aodhán Keane (1½) | 1340 | 1-0 | 17 | Eddie Gahan (1½) | 1408 |
23 | Denis Dempsey (1) | 1153 | 0-1 | 25 | Des Carroll (1½) | 1094 |
24 | Karel Lievens (½) | 1100 | ½-½ | 12 | Anastasija Manojlovic (½) | 1494 |
10 | Kavin Venkatesan (1½) | 1704 | 0-0 | Bye | ||
21 | Eric Wang (1½) | 1322 | 0-0 | Bye | ||
16 | William Kenny (1½) | 1451 | 0-0 | Bye | ||
26 | Venkat Kandesamy (1) | 911 | 0-0 | Bye | ||
15 | Felix Jordan (½) | 1454 | 0-0 | Bye | ||
18 | Fearghal Brady (½) | 1340 | 0-0 | Bye |
The grading prizes with to Aodhán and Slavko. There were five players tied for third on 3½, though Zdravko just pipped Kevin McHugh on tie break –
Zdravko would have been second had he taken Stephen’s draw offer, but instead, that went to Ben, who actually could have won outright if Stephen had drawn and he had beaten me. But after all the ifs, buts and maybe, the deserved 2019 winner on 5/5 was Stephen –
The final standings were as follows –
The 2020 competition is down to start on 1st July next year – but for now, club attention turns to the 2019 Frank Scott Shield, where we’re also guaranteed a new winner!