Triple Whammy for Jonathan Rowson

First at Oxford, Scottish Chess Champion & Grandmaster

The 106th and last Scottish Chess Championships of the Millennium, held in George Heriot's School, Edinburgh, drew over 250 entries from home and abroad. It culminated with the crowning at the weekend of our new Scottish Champion, Jonathan Rowson.

July has been an incredible month for Jonathan who was brought up in Aberdeen and now lives in Troon. First he heard that he had gained a first in politics, philosophy and economics at Oxford University.

Against the strongest field ever assembled, including six former champions, three grandmasters and six international masters, he emerged unbeaten to take the Scottish Championship Trophy and share £900 for first place with Grandmaster Aaron Summerscale.

Aaron was invited from London to strengthen the field giving Jonathan and the other competitors an opportunity to gain international title performances. Jonathan took this opportunity with both hands and gained his third and last grandmaster norm to become Scotland's third Grandmaster.

His next target is the British Championship starting next week in Scarborough.

Our first Grandmaster, Paul Motwani originally from Dundee but domiciled in Belgium took a commendable third place after his return to competitive chess.

However, the surprise of the Championship was Neil Berry from Balerno in Edinburgh who came fourth from a starting position of fourteenth to gain his first International Master norm. Neil has also just graduated - this time from Aberdeen University. His stunning last round defeat of Colin McNab, from Dundee and our only other Grandmaster, who finished fifth equal brought the Championship to an exciting climax.

In the Seniors Championship, mathematics lecturer at Heriot-Watt University, Alan Prince, triumphed in a fiercely contested tournament. In the Open Event, Graham Paterson from the Musselburgh club held off the challenge from two Edinburgh juniors David Eynon and Joe Redpath who could become themselves become our champions in the next decade.

All the prize winners are listed below:

Championship: 1=IM Jonathan Rowson (Bon Accord) & GM Aaron Summerscale (Hackney) 7/9; 3 GM Paul Motwani 6/9; 4 Neil Berry 5½/9; Grading Prize: Ken Beaton (Glasgow Montrose) 4½/9

Seniors: 1 Alan Prince (Civil Service) 5½/7; 2=Jim Doyle (Shettleston) & Michael Roth 5/7; GP: Jim Watson (Grangemouth) 4½/7

Open: 1 Graham Paterson (Musselburgh) 6/7; 2=David Eynon (Edinburgh), Joe Redpath (Edinburgh West) & Stephen Willetts (Largs) 5/7; GP: George Dickson (England) 4/7

Challengers: 1 Donald Heron (Wandering Dragons) 5½/7; 2=Stephen Smith (Stirling) & Brian Henderson (Motherwell) 5/7; GP: Daniel McGowan (Tiree) 4/7

Major: 1 Findlay Murray (Bank of Scotland) 6½/7; 2=Charles Nisbet (Lasswade) & Kevin Campbell (Holy Cross) 5½/7; GP: Glynis Grant (Dunfermline) 4½/7

Weekend Events:

Open: 1 Glenn Charleshouse (Morecambe) 5/5; 2=Donald Holmes (Paisley), Alan Grant (Cathcart), Desmond Tan (England) & Ian Robertson (Dunfermline) 3½/5; GP=: Douglas Will (Grangemouth) & Roger Ditchburn (Shetland) 3/5

Challengers: 1 Nicholas Cameron (Kilmarnock) 4½/5; 2=Alan Melville (Civil Service), Robert France (Sandy Bells) & Todor Dimitrov (Sandy Bells) 4/5; GP: Andrew MacQueen (Giffnock) 4/5

Major: 1 Ralph Jackson (Civil Service) 5/5; 2=Thomas Tait (Knightswood) & Ross Maloney (George Heriot's School) 4/5; GP: Stewart McKay (East Kilbride) 4/5

Minor: 1=David Cubitt (Edinburgh) & Brian Duncan (Wandering Dragons) 4½/5; GP=: Callum Forbes (Nairn) & Stuart Blyth (Glenrothes) 4/5; Junior Grading Prize: Kenneth Anderson (Stirling) 4/5 Nardini Junior Cups: Under 17: Desmond Tan (England); Under 14: Kenneth Anderson (Stirling); Primary: Callum Forbes (Nairn)

Report by Hugh Flockhart, Director 3 Meadowfield Terrace, Edinburgh EH8 7NR Tel 0131 661 3022 Monday 26 July 1999

Quiz Night Report