Sunday, October 31, 2010

Irish Open and World Qualifying Tournament

The 2010 Irish Open and 3-Move World Qualifying Tournament were held back-to-back this past week in Dublin, Ireland, at the Radisson Hotel. Competition was fierce in both tournaments, and they generated lots of commentary and argument at the ACF Forum. The winner of the WQT earns the right to challenge World 3-Move Champion Alex Moiseyev for the title, with a match likely to take place in late 2011.

After the smoke had cleared, Ron King won the Irish Open Masters convincingly, while Bernard Coll topped the Senior division (analogous, I think, to the majors division in US tournaments). In the WQT, Michele Borghetti edged King out for first place, which will make for an exciting match-up in the next WCM. Borghetti is known as the Marion Tinsley of Italian checkers, and he has proven himself to be an extremely strong crossboard player in many variants of the game. Toyeva Hurhagul won the women's WQT over Jan Mortimer and Kim Willis (Amangul Durdyeva, the current Women's Champion, played in the open division), while Maksat Durdyev beat Gechakov Gochmyrat in the youth WQT. Congratulations to all the competitors, and thanks for an exciting week of checkers!

Here are the full standings for both events, courtesy of Graham Young. You can also view the crosstables at Google Docs: Irish Open and World Qualifying Tournament.

Irish Open - Masters

Ron King
John McElhone
Michael Shabshai
Filip Karetr
Igor Martynov
Shane McCosker
Tom Watson
John Webster
Sean O'Drscoll
Tom Kee
Brian Kilgour
Colin Young
Joe Schwartz
Danny Oliphant
Frank Moran
Myles Hannigan
Liam Stephens
Peter Kierans
Anthory Rose
Charlie McKenna
Bill Dobbins
Paddy Doyle
Jaroslav Tichy
Thomas Wien
Sean Phillips
Franice McNally

Irish Open - Senior and Intermediate

Note: Everyone played as one group, but I've grouped the intermediate players below for ease of reading.

Senior
Bernard Coll
John Jolliff
Sean McKenna
Graham Young
Joe Maguire
John Preston
Tommy Canning
Sean Davis
Con Boyle
Jan Mortimer
John Joe McGee
Brendan Murray
Billy Kelly
John Reade
Charlie McElory
Kim Willis
Vencent Beirne
John Davis
Liam Doyle
Ian Caws
Joan Caws
P J Furry
Con McCarrick

Intermediate
Paddy Byrne
John Kelly
Mick Brennan
Mick O'Dowd
Pasty Quinn
Mick Martin
Liam Harkin
Lisa Cuito

World Qualifying Tournament
Michele Borghtti
Ron King
Shane McCosker
John Webster
Joe Schwartz
Garrett Owens
Bagtiyar Durdyev
Robert Tovagliaro
Michael Holmes
Igor Martynov
Micheal Shabshai
Myles Hannigan
James Morrison
Bashim Durdyev
Amangul Durdyev
Filip Kareta
Colin Young
Thomas Wien
Frank Moran
Donald Oliphant
Tony Boyle
Paddy Doyle
Anthory Rose
Jaroslav Tichy

Sunday, October 10, 2010

King Retains GAYP Title

After a victory in Game 24 of their match, Ron King successfully defended his GAYP World Title against Richard Beckwith. King won two games-- one with the white side of 11-15 23-19 8-11 22-18 and one with the red side of 11-16 22-18 16-19-- while Beckwith scored with the red side of 11-15 24-19. The remainder were draws.

Congratulations to Ron King for retaining the title, and to Richard Beckwith for once again proving he is a world-class grandmaster! We look forward to the next title match.

Saturday, October 9, 2010

Game # 23

Ron with reds opens " OLD Faithful " and dr beckwith replies 22-18.

Drawn game.

Alan
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Four hour marathon

Second double corner. Dr. Beckwith reds. Red wins. Two games left.

Alan
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Game #21. Final day

Suki has the red pieces for this mornings first game of the final four of the match.

Single Corner. Suki takes 12-16 line.

Draw

Alan
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Friday, October 8, 2010

Game # 20

Dr. Beckwith with reds. 11-15,24-19,15-24,28-19,9-14,22-18,5-9. Drawn game.

Stay tuned tomorrow for last games.

Alan
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Game # 19

11-15,22-17,15-19. Draw.

Dr. Beckwith reds next game.
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Game # 18

Dr. Beckwith reds.

Second double corner. 9-14 line. Drawn.
Alan
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Friday. Game #17

Suki with reds as today's four games begin.

Fife three by two refused. Drawn game. Alan

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Thursday, October 7, 2010

Game sixteen

Souter. 9-14,22-17,11-15. Souter.
Draw.
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Game fifteen

Defiance opening with suki reds. Draw
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Another Photo

Game 14: Dr. Beckwith red and 9-14,22-17,11-15 into the Souter and a nice draw. Amishman Joe Weaver visiting today from Mt. Eden, Ohio.
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First Blood

From Alan:

Game 13. Suki opens 11-16. Then 22-18 then 16-19. Two hour game. Suki won.

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Game twelve

Dr. Beckwith reds. Second double corner. Played differently. Drawn.
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Game eleven

Suki reds. Glasgow. Draw.
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Game ten

Dr. Beckwith. Red. Second double corner draw. Very interesting game.
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Illinois 101 Correction

Referee Roger Doll discovered an error on the scoresheet for the A class in the Illinois 101, which resulted in an honor point miscalculation. Using the correct values, Gene Ellison placed 6th (instead of 7th) and John Grisley placed 7th (instead of 6th), meaning that Gene is the state champion this year. Congratulations, Gene!

Class A (honor points in parentheses)
1. Michael Holmes 22
2. John Acker 18
3. Don West 16
4. Albert Tucker 15 (99)
5. Bill Wethington 15 (81)
6. Gene Ellison 14 (95, state champ)
7. John Grisley 14 (93)
8. Gary Ellison 14 (78)
9. Arthur Mays 13
10. Flavious Burgess 11
11. Byron Woolum 9

IMG-20101006-00173.jpg

Pa visitors today lloyd auker and laVern wray with match players. Game nine Glasgow with ron reds. Draw.
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Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Game eight

Ron white pieces. Second double corner. Draw.

Alan
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Game seven

Glasgow. Draw.
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Game six

Second double corner with ron white pieces. Draw. Alan
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Game five

11-15,22-17,8-11,23-19. Glasgow. Draw.
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Monday, October 4, 2010

Game four

Dr. Beckwith red. 11-15, 24-19. Drawn game.
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Game three

Ron reds. 11-15,23-19,8-11. Glasgow. Draw.
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First two games

First was 11-15,23-19,7-11

Second was second double corner. 28-19 jump

Suki red in game #1

Both games draws.

Alan millhone
Match referee

King-Beckwith Match: Day 1 Photo

(Note from John: this is the first in a series of reports from Alan Millhone on the World Title Match between Ron King and Rich Beckwith.)

Contract signing on monday morning. Mr joe lo conti (sponsor) in middle
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Sunday, October 3, 2010

IL 101 Final Standings

Class A (honor points in parentheses)
1. Michael Holmes 22
2. John Acker 18
3. Don West 16
4. Albert Tucker 15 (99)
5. Bill Wethington 15 (81)
6. John Grisley 14 (93, state champ)
7. Gary Ellison 14 (91)
8. Gene Ellison 14 (78)
9. Arthur Mays 13
10. Flavious Burgess 11
11. Byron Woolum 9


Class B (round robin so no honor points)
1-2. Roger Doll 20
1-2. Earl Kennell 20
3. Wilma Wolverton 16
4-6. Alex Holmes 15
4-6. Howard Hoover 15
4-6. Leonard Hickman 15
7. Delmar Ripley
8. Jennifer Kelton

2010 IL 101: Day 2

Class A

Round 5
Gary Ellison 2 Woolum 2
Tucker 2 Holmes 2
Acker 4 Grisley 0
West 2 Gene Ellison 2
Wethington 3 BYE

Round 6
Gary Ellison 3 Mays 1
Acker 3 Tucker 1
Wethington 3 Woolum 1
Holmes 3 Gene Ellison 1
Grisley 3 BYE

Round 7
Holmes 4 Acker 0 (Holmes wins tournament with 22, Acker 2nd with 18)
Tucker 2 Gene Ellison 2
Gary Ellison 4 Woolum 0
Wethington 2 West 2
Grisley 3 Burgess 1
Mays 3 BYE

Class B

Round 5
Hoover 2 Hickman 2
Doll 2 A Holmes 2
Kennell 4 Kelton 0
Ripley 3 Wolverton 1

Round 6
Hoover 2 A Holmes 2
Doll 2 Hickman 2
Ripley 4 Kelton 0
Wolverton 4 Kennell 0

Round 7
Kennell 4 Hoover 0
Doll 2 Ripley 2 (Doll and Kennell tie for 1st place)
Hickman 4 Kelton 0
A Holmes 2 Wolverton 2

Saturday, October 2, 2010

IL 101 - Day 1 Pairings and Results

Class A

Round 1
John Acker 4 Gary Ellison 0
Albert Tucker 2 Byron Woolum 2
Gene Ellison 2 Arthur Mays 2
Michael Holmes 3 John Grisley 1
Bill Wethington 3 Don West 1
Flavious Burgess 3 BYE

Round 2
M Holmes 3 Acker 1
Burgess 3 Wethington 1
Mays 3 Woolum 1
West 2 Tucker 2
Grisley 4 Gary Ellison 0
Gene Ellison 3 BYE

Round 3
Acker 3 Gene Ellison 1
Holmes 4 Burgess 0
West 4 Woolum 0
Tucker 3 Wethington 1
Gary Ellison 3 BYE

Round 4
Gary Ellison - Wethington
Acker 3 Mays 1
Tucker 3 Grisley 1
Holmes 3 West 1
Gene Ellison 3 Burgess 1
Woolum 3 BYE

Class B

Round 1

Leonard Hickman 2 Alex Holmes 2
Roger Doll 3 Howard Hoover 1
Wilma Wolverton 4 Jennifer Kelton 0
Earl Kennell 3 Delmar Ripley 1

Round 2

Hoover 4 Kelton 0
Doll 4 Wolverton 0
Kennell 4 Hickman 0
A Holmes 3 Ripley 0 (forfeit)

Round 3
Hoover 2 Wolverton 2
Doll 4 Kelton 0
Kennell 4 A Holmes 0
Hickman 4 Ripley 0

Round 4
A Holmes 4 Kelton 0
Hoover 4 Ripley 0
Wolverton 3 Hickman 1
Doll 3 Kennell 1

Illinois 101 Tournament, 10/2-10/3, 2010

Good morning, fiddlers of the Fife and cobblers of the Souter. I'm in Marion, IL for what will probably be my last tournament of a checkeristically busy 2010: the Illinois 101. Alas, this doesn't mean that there are 100 other tournaments in the home of the Illini, which would make for a rather more hectic schedule. Instead, to quote the ICA site:

Illinois has 102 counties. Players from the Chicago area dominated the state tournament during much of the 20th century, so the remaining 101 counties in Illinois founded this tournament for all players living within them. Players from Cook county, where Chicago is located, where not eligible. The tournament is now open to all players.

Even with those silly Chicago players, though, it's a good tournament-- we play in the rather unusual venue of a local mall's food court, which does get noisy at times (especially if one has the misfortune to sit near the video arcade) but gets a lot of visibility from potential visitors and future players. So far I haven't been over to the mall yet, since in past years the wireless access has been iffy, but will do my best to update as the weekend goes on. So far I know Michael Holmes and Albert Tucker are both here, which is enough to make any lazy major like myself tremble in his sneakers, but I'll try to get a few wins anyway. Two of the Midwest's other heavy hitters, Alex Moiseyev and Rich Beckwith, will have to miss this one-- Rich, of course, has a world title match on Monday-- so I may just beg, borrow, and bribe my way to third place. See you across the board!