Scotsman 25-8-98

SCOTTISH no.1, IM Jonathan Rowson, bounced back in fine form after his disappointing end to the British championships to win the Open section of the Marymass Congress played over the weekend at the Irvine Royal Academy. Unbeaten on 4.5/5, Rowson faced stiff opposition in all five games, though managed to avoid GM Keith Arkell, the top seed.

Arkell, chasing round the country in search of Onyx Grand Prix points, sensationally lost his first round game to Buddies Bar no.1, Richard Wiltshire, and therefore was out of the hunt in the tournament, finishing out of the prize list on 3.5/5. Arkell wasn't the only top seed to fall by the wayside as early as the first round. 

IM John Shaw, from Kilmarnock, also lost his first round game, to Stuart MacDonald of the Phones Club, and similarly finished on 3.5/5.

Whilst beating a Grandmaster in the first round would be a dream for most chessplayers, Richard Wiltshire (rated just 2000) also had a dream end to the tournament. In the last round he defeated the former Scottish champion, IM Douglas Bryson, to finish on a high score of 3.5/5.

Open - 1 IM J Rowson (Polytechnic) 4.5/5; 2-3 IM S Mannion (Crowwood) & IM Matthew Turner (Scunthorpe) 4.

Major - 1-2 R Loughran (Kilwinning) & D McCormack (Paisley) 4.5/5; 3 J Konarski (Wandering Dragons) 4.

Minor - 1-4 L Freel (Holy Cross), M Reynolds (East Kilbride), K Brown (Inverness) & J McGranaghan (Inverclyde) 4/5.

Reserve - 1-2 S Chirgwin (Glasgow Montrose) & W McFarlane (SASRA) 4.5/5; 3-5 P Carroll (Holy Cross), G Kerr (Livingston) & D Logue (Inverclyde) 4.

J Rowson - C Crouch

Marymass Open (5)

Alekhine Defence

1 e4 Nf6 2 e5 Nd5 3 d4 d6 4 c4 Nb6 5 exd6 exd6 6 Nc3 Be7 7 h3 0-0 8 Nf3 c5 9 d5 Bf6 10 Be2 Bxc3+ 11 bxc3 Qf6 12 0-0 h6 13 g4 Re8 14 a4 Bd7 15 Be3 Qxc3 16 Rc1 Qb4 17 Qd3 Nxa4 18 Rb1 Qc3 19 Rxb7 Qxd3 20 Bxd3 Bc8 21 Rb3 Na6 22 Ra1 Nb6 23 Nd2 Nb4 24 Rxb4 Rxe3 25 Rb3 Rxh3 26 Bh7+ Kxh7 27 Rxh3 Bxg4 28 Rb3 Nd7 29 Ra6 Ne5 30 Re3 Rb8 31 Rxd6 f6 32 Rb3 Nxc4 33 Ra6 Rxb3 34 Nxb3 Nb6 35 d6 Nd7 36 Rxa7 Be6 37 Rc7 Kg6 38 Nxc5 Nxc5 39 Rxc5 f5 40 Rc7 Kf6 41 d7 Ke7 42 d8Q+ Kxd8 43 Rxg7 Ke8 44 Rh7 Bd5 45 f4 Be4 46 Kh2 Kf8 47 Kg3 Kg8 48 Rxh6 Kg7 49 Rb6 Kf7 50 Kh4 Bc2 51 Kg5 Be4 52 Ra6 Bc2 53 Ra7+ Ke8 54 Kf6 Be4 55 Rh7 Bb1 56 Re7+ Kd8 57 Re5 1-0 by John B Henderson