September 9, 2001
OVER the years, many tournaments on the Scottish scene have changed their identity with a new venue or perhaps held on different dates - sometimes even both. Good or bad, in general these tournaments have never really been the same after such a change. However, amongst all the changes due for various reasons (though mainly financial), thankfully, the Grangemouth Congress has become an oasis of stability on the congress circuit.
Since it first started in 1974 at the height of the aftermath of the Fischer-Spassky match, when the game was at an all-time high, it's remained loyal to its venue of Grangemouth Town Hall, and held on the same date of the first weekend in September. And, since its inception on the same year as the gruelling UK Grand Prix circuit, Grangemouth has proved to be a popular Scottish pit-stop for players looking for elusive elite tournaments needed to win the top prize.
The congress is run by Jim Watson and now sponsored jointly by Falkirk council, BP Amoco and the Bank of Scotland, at the weekend the 28th edition of the tournament took place, with the 500(UK) first prize going to Grand Prix hopeful GM Julian Hodgson, who was undefeated with a winning score of 4.5/5. (Photos and report by JBH)
Prizewinners: Premier: 1 GM J Hodgson (England) 4.5/5; 2-3 IM S Mannion (Cathcart), IM A Muir (Shettleston) 4; Challengers: 1-2 I Mason (Grangemouth), S Tweedie (Holy Cross) 4.5/5; Major: 1 R Murray (Bank of Scotland) 4.5/5; 2-3 A Thomson (Grangemouth), S Clark (Irvine) 4; Minor: 1 R Kelso (Cumbernauld) 4.5/5; 2-6 G Grant (Dunfermline), S Black (Dunfermline), G Allcock (Stirling), C Ballard (Quarryhill), D Leslie (Aberdeen) 4; Junior: 1 H Brechin (Edinburgh) 5/5; 2-3 G Greig (Dunfermline), A Melvin (Quarryhill) 4.Primary Sat: I McGregor (Bearsden)Primary Sun: I McGregor (Bearsden)
A Muir - J Hodgson Grangemouth Premier (2) Slav Defence 1 d4 d5 2 c4 c6 3 Nf3 Nf6 4 Nc3 a6 5 a4 Bg4 6 Ne5 Bf5 7 Qb3 Ra7 8 Bg5 h6 9 Bxf6 exf6 10 Nf3 dxc4 11 Qxc4 b5 12 Qb3 b4 13 Nb1 Be6 14 Qc2 b3 15 Qd2 c5 16 e3 Nc6 17 Nc3 cxd4 18 Nxd4 Nxd4 19 exd4 Bb4 20 Be2 0-0 21 0-0 Qa5 22 Qd3 Bxc3 23 Qxc3 Qxc3 24 bxc3 Rc8 25 c4 Bxc4 26 Bxc4 Rxc4 27 d5 Rd4 28 Rab1 Rb7 29 Rfc1 b2 30 Rc8+ Kh7 31 Kf1 Rxa4 32 Re8 Ra1 33 Ree1 Rxb1 34 Rxb1 Kg8 0-1
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