Participants Pairings Results Progress Table Games Round Report 4

Today saw a really great game between the top two seeds. Both players deserve credit for what was a truly fantastic effort and the creative ways in which both players tried to play for a win. The scenario that unfolded saw Alon Greenfeld down to 2 minutes and then seconds to make many moves, while Alexander Baburin had about eight minutes which ran down to less than two minutes. It was incredibly tense and very exciting to watch as both players were under so much pressure but yet kept their cool and found resources right up to the end. Now I learn that I am to play Alon Greenfeld myself tomorrow! I think I will enjoy this game one way or another

The other big game saw Stuart Conquest lose on time against Algimantas Butnorius My own game was a fairly uneventful affair with a typical technical pedestrian grind in an endgame. In a tricky and technical position my opponents time trouble only made things easier for me. Of course I did also make a return to my old bad habit of being late. When I arrived with about two minutes before defaulting I had to park the car outside the Hotel and then rush in, make my move, and then go back and park the car properly. My opponent greeted me with the comment that he thought I had been "ran over by a car" which made me laugh aloud inside as I almost responded by telling him that this was called wishful thinking! And in that he would doubtless not be alone!

Curiously, so far I have not been more than fifteen minutes late I think, but my target is to be no more than five minutes late, which I definitely consider to be early. After the first round I recall thinking to myself that this being early lark is not half bad, as you get to finish early sometimes. Anyway today by the time my game was over I had well over an hour advantage on the clock I think which struck me as a bit ironic. Anyway it was not a bad game but it was not a great game either. It was also the last game to finish.

Other games I noticed included a great little fight between Mark Hebden and David Fitzsimons who is playing well now. Apparently he even missed a chance to have Mark in a bit of trouble at one point? Phillips Short drew with John Redmond. I had the impression that John was better in this game but I am not sure? Mark Orr got a much better position against Tony Fox from the opening but again seemed content to bail out for a draw? Gerry O Connell had an interesting endgame against Justin Daly which seemed to be a mirror of my win against Stephen Brady in 2005 Irish Ch. Gerry also converted his advantage without too many problems. Amusingly I also recall now that I once only drew this against Gerry back in 1991! Oh well, only close on 20 years ago which I guess is more memorable than the more crucial win against Stephen? Its a funny old world!

The games from this round are now thankfully available. for download as pgn files

Also See games section for an idea of how this round developed.