1972 Evening Standard 8th Islington Open, 15-17 December, Islington Green School

As will be fairly obvious, the crosstable below is a long way from being complete and not entirely in score order, having been generated from the 158 available games, but hopefully it will be useful to a limited extent insofar as it identifies players whose games appear in the file.

1972 Evening Standard Islington Open		Fed	Elo	1	2	3	4	5	6	Total
1	Robert Bellin	ENG	2328	◊ 1/48	♦ 1/47	◊ 1/7	♦ 1/21	◊ 1/12	◊ 1/4	6
2	Michael J Basman	ENG	2328	◊ 1/46	♦ 1/45	◊ 0/21	♦ 1/58	◊ 1/38	♦ 1/23	5
3	Michael F Stean	ENG	2328	◊ 0/45	♦ 1/96	◊ 1/95	♦ 1/94	◊ 1/89	♦ 1/93	5
4	Daniel Wright	ENG	2320	♦ 1/20	◊ ½/17	◊ 1/85	♦ 1/39	◊ 1/8	♦ 0/1	4½
5	Simon Webb	ENG	2336	♦ 1/87	◊ 1/41	♦ ½/22	◊ 1/56	½	◊ 1/15	5
6	Ludek Pachman	CZE	2512	◊ 1/90	♦ 0/21	♦ ½/39	◊ 1/53	♦ 1/86	◊ 1/26	4½
7	Piet Van der Weide	NED	2310	♦ 1/97	◊ 1/10	♦ 0/1	◊ 1/40	1	◊ 1/41	5
8	Goran Antunac	CRO	2430	½	◊ 1/61	♦ 1/26	◊ 1/22	♦ 0/4	◊ 1/46	4½
9	William Roland Hartston	ENG	2472	½	◊ 1/55	◊ ½/30	♦ 1/54	◊ 1/27	♦ ½/21	4½
10	Norman Littlewood	ENG	2328	◊ 1/13	♦ 0/7	◊ 1/91	0	◊ 1/98	♦ 1/60	4
11	David Sherman	USA	2200	♦ 1/71	◊ 0/22	♦ ½/75	◊ 1/100	♦ 1/99	◊ ½/49	4
12	Keith Bevan Richardson	ENG	2328	♦ ½/15	◊ 1/102	♦ 1/103	◊ 1/59	♦ 0/1		3½ / 5
13	Jonathan Isaac Century	ENG	2280	♦ 0/10	◊ ½/29	◊ 1/73	♦ 1/85	◊ 1/74	♦ 0/40	3½
14	David Parr	ENG	2152	♦ 1/38	◊ ½/28	♦ 1/104	◊ 0/16		◊ 1/105	3½ / 5
15	Gerald H Bennett	ENG	2232	◊ ½/12		◊ 1/29	♦ ½/18	◊ 1/108	♦ 0/5	3 / 5
16	Michael J Franklin	ENG	2320		♦ 1/27	◊ ½/18	♦ 1/14	◊ 0/19	♦ ½/72	3 / 5
17	Alan G Trangmar	ENG	2200	◊ 1/57	♦ ½/4			♦ 1/109	◊ ½/28	3 / 4
18	(Arthur) Howard Williams	WLS	2424	♦ 1/52	1	♦ ½/16	◊ ½/15	♦ 1/110	1	5
19	Predrag Ostojic	YUG	2440			♦ 1/32	◊ 1/86	♦ 1/16		5
20	Martin Fleury	ENG		◊ 0/4		◊ 1/111	♦ 1/88	◊ 1/92		3 / 4
21	Brian Ratcliffe Eley	ENG	2296	1	◊ 1/6	♦ 1/2	◊ 0/1	1	◊ ½/9	4½
22	A Jonathan Mestel	ENG	2256	◊ 1/112	♦ 1/11	◊ ½/5	♦ 0/8		♦ 0/34	2½ / 5
23	A Melville	ENG	2024			♦ 1/63	◊ ½/24	♦ 1/87	◊ 0/2	2½ / 4
24	George Steven Botterill	WLS	2440		◊ 1/65	◊ 1/62	♦ ½/23		♦ 0/52	2½ / 4
25	Charles W Kennaugh	ENG	2064		◊ ½/31	◊ ½/51	♦ 1/45	◊ ½/71		2½ / 4
26	AJ McDonnell	ENG		◊ 1/44	♦ 1/33	◊ 0/8			♦ 0/6	2 / 4
27	Peter J Romilly	SCO		◊ 0/64	◊ 0/16	♦ 1/77		♦ 0/9	◊ 1/106	2 / 5
28	Seth Saverymuttu	ENG	2344	◊ ½/43	♦ ½/14		♦ ½/79		♦ ½/17	2 / 4
29	Andrew J Morley	ENG	2088	◊ 1/114	♦ ½/13	♦ 0/15	♦ ½/50			2 / 4
30	William Adaway	ENG	2144	◊ 1/89		♦ ½/9	♦ 0/57		♦ ½/80	2 / 4
31	Michael V Lambshire	ENG	2280		♦ ½/25	◊ 1/88			♦ ½/38	2 / 3
32	Thomas Keith Hemingway	ENG	2104		♦ 1/90	◊ 0/19	♦ 1/51			2 / 3
33	David Brine Pritchard	ENG	2240		◊ 0/26	◊ 1/50		◊ 1/91		2 / 3
34	Geoffrey James Nicholas		2048		♦ 1/115				◊ 1/22	4½
35	Sean Thrower	ENG	2136	◊ 0/47			◊ 1/101		◊ 1/88	2 / 3
36	Andrew P Shepstone	ENG	2112	♦ ½/72	◊ ½/73	♦ 1/101				2 / 3
37	William A Linton	ENG	2160			◊ 1/92			♦ 1/116	2 / 2
38	Ronald JM Farley		2080	◊ 0/14			◊ 1/76	♦ 0/2	◊ ½/31	1½ / 4
39	Michael J Yeo	ENG	2120		♦ 1/107	◊ ½/6	◊ 0/4			1½ / 3
40	Brian F O'Sullivan	ENG	1992			◊ ½/42	♦ 0/7		◊ 1/13	4½
41	Geoffrey H James	ENG	2232	◊ 1/107	♦ 0/5				♦ 0/7	1 / 3
42	John DM Nunn	ENG	2320	♦ ½/76	◊ ½/81	♦ ½/40	◊ 0/66			1½ / 4
43	Alexander Neil Brilliant	ENG	2120	♦ ½/28	◊ 0/62		◊ 1/117			1½ / 3
44	Maurice J Staples	ENG	2152	♦ 0/26	◊ ½/78				◊ 1/113	1½ / 3
45	Graham P Burton	ENG	2232	♦ 1/3	◊ 0/2		◊ 0/25			1 / 3
46	Terry C Fox	ENG	2224	♦ 0/2	◊ 1/106				♦ 0/8	1 / 3
47	G Kerr	AUS	2160	♦ 1/35	◊ 0/1					1 / 2
48	Richard C Lemon	ENG	2232	♦ 0/1	◊ 1/118					1 / 2
49	T Shaw	AUS	2392		♦ ½/51	◊ 0/54			♦ ½/11	1 / 3
50	SL Green		1720		◊ ½/82	♦ 0/33	◊ ½/29	♦ 0/55		1 / 4
51	Mark Howard Horton	ENG			◊ ½/49	♦ ½/25	◊ 0/32			1 / 3
52	Bernard M Rothbart	ENG	2248	◊ 0/18					◊ 1/24	4½
53	Augustine A Aaron				◊ 1/64		♦ 0/6			1 / 2
54	H Morphy	ENG	2024			♦ 1/49	◊ 0/9			1 / 2
55	Rene De Milliano	ENG	2160		♦ 0/9			◊ 1/50		1 / 2
56	Terence P D Chapman		2152			◊ 1/74	♦ 0/5			1 / 2
57	Vogel	GER		♦ 0/17			◊ 1/30			1 / 2
58	Donald G Mackay					♦ 1/119	◊ 0/2			1 / 2
59	Johann P Sommerville	ENG	2184		♦ 1/120		♦ 0/12		◊ 0/67	1 / 3
60	Richard W O'Brien	IRL	2008				◊ 1/78		◊ 0/10	1 / 2
61	Norman A Hutchinson	ENG	2120	◊ 1/121	♦ 0/8					1 / 2
62	Alan Peter Ashby	ENG	2080		♦ 1/43	♦ 0/24				1 / 2
63	Paul A Hutchinson	ENG				◊ 0/23		♦ ½/83	◊ ½/77	1 / 3
64	Stefano Bruzzi	ITA	2296	♦ 1/27	♦ 0/53					1 / 2
65	PV Wade	ENG	2152	◊ 1/122	♦ 0/24					1 / 2
66	Arthur Pope	AUS	2070				♦ 1/42			1 / 1
67	George W Wheeler		2024						♦ 1/59	1 / 1
68	James Stuart Emsley		2152		♦ 1/113					1 / 1
69	Edward G Lea	ENG	1968	◊ 1/123						1 / 1
70	David A Curnow	ENG							◊ 1/124	1 / 1
71	David E Rumens	ENG	2200	◊ 0/11				♦ ½/25		½ / 2
72	David J James	WLS	2168	◊ ½/36					◊ ½/16	1 / 2
73	D Kovic		2104		♦ ½/36	♦ 0/13				½ / 2
74	MD Osmond	ENG	2056	◊ ½/84		♦ 0/56		♦ 0/13		½ / 3
75	DG McDonald	ENG	2024			◊ ½/11				½ / 1
76	Roger Webb	ENG	2240	◊ ½/42			♦ 0/38			½ / 2
77	David John Sully	WLS	2000			◊ 0/27			♦ ½/63	½ / 2
78	MJ Hall	ENG			♦ ½/44		♦ 0/60			½ / 2
79	JG Stainton	ENG	2152				◊ ½/28			½ / 1
80	P Seagroat	ENG							◊ ½/30	½ / 1
81	Anthony J Stebbings	ENG	2136		♦ ½/42					½ / 1
82	Nigel J Holloway	ENG	2264		♦ ½/50					½ / 1
83	George Szaszvari	ENG	1888					◊ ½/63		½ / 1
84	Kevin J Wicker	ENG	2128	♦ ½/74						½ / 1
85	L Harris					♦ 0/4	◊ 0/13			0 / 2
86	Dan E Mayers	USA					♦ 0/19	◊ 0/6		0 / 2
87	Charles De Villiers	RSA	2200	◊ 0/5				◊ 0/23		0 / 2
88	Boguslaw Okrzeja		1664			♦ 0/31	◊ 0/20		♦ 0/35	0 / 3
89	George A Dickson	ENG	2176	♦ 0/30				♦ 0/3		0 / 2
90	Jonathan S Speelman	ENG	2240	♦ 0/6	◊ 0/32					0 / 2
91	RS Johnson	ENG				♦ 0/10		♦ 0/33		0 / 2
92	R Pool	ENG	1968			♦ 0/37		♦ 0/20		0 / 2
93	Gennadi Sosonko	NED	2400						◊ 0/3	0 / 1
94	Nick Argyris	ENG	2144				◊ 0/3			0 / 1
95	D George	ENG	1680			♦ 0/3				0 / 1
96	Gerry M Hayes	ENG			◊ 0/3					0 / 1
97	Roy A Batchelor	ENG	2120	◊ 0/7						0 / 1
98	Maximilian Ernst Poolake	ENG	1960					♦ 0/10		0 / 1
99	Alan E Hanreck	ENG	2048					◊ 0/11		0 / 1
100	H Bigham						♦ 0/11			0 / 1
101	Larry E Marden	ENG	1880			◊ 0/36	♦ 0/35			0 / 2
102	D Morris	ENG	2128		♦ 0/12					0 / 1
103	MJ Gilhespy	ENG	1920			◊ 0/12				0 / 1
104	Anthony CP Milnes	ENG	2016			◊ 0/14				0 / 1
105	Peter Morrey	ENG	1968						♦ 0/14	0 / 1
106	Michael J Dymond				♦ 0/46				♦ 0/27	0 / 2
107	Hugh MacGrillen	ENG	2328	♦ 0/41	◊ 0/39					0 / 2
108	James Burnett	ENG	2016					♦ 0/15		0 / 1
109	John M Quinn	ENG						◊ 0/17		0 / 1
110	Chris CW Shephard	ENG	2160					◊ 0/18		0 / 1
111	DW Wilson	ENG				♦ 0/20				0 / 1
112	Robert S McFarland	ENG	2200	♦ 0/22						0 / 1
113	M Belt		1800		◊ 0/68				♦ 0/44	0 / 2
114	Paul V Byway	ENG	2152	♦ 0/29						0 / 1
115	W Sirk	ENG			◊ 0/34					0 / 1
116	DA Scott	ENG	1928						◊ 0/37	0 / 1
117	DJ MacIntyre	ENG					♦ 0/43			0 / 1
118	Stephen Macdonald-Ross	ENG	2048		♦ 0/48					0 / 1
119	T Howdle	ENG	1864			◊ 0/58				0 / 1
120	Vernon Dilworth	ENG			◊ 0/59					0 / 1
121	David I Lister	ENG	2088	♦ 0/61						0 / 1
122	B Carpinter	NZL	2080	♦ 0/65						0 / 1
123	H Ozbilen	TUR	2080	♦ 0/69						0 / 1
124	NN								♦ 0/70	0 / 1

Evening Standard London Chess Congress (BCM, February 1973, ppn 74-75)

(Report by Stewart Reuben)

Name a record and it seems we broke it at this event which took place at Islington Green School from December 15th to 17th. There were a total of 1208 entries for the five Swiss events, a world record for an adult congress. The 434 competitors in the Novice Championship was the largest Swiss ever held, the U.S. Open has never exceeded 400 players. This was the reason that we did not split the event, so as to have a world record for our sponsor.

484 seemed like a large entry for the 1971 congress. Why the dramatic increase? A 100 was expected for a natural increase, 25% increase has been reported everywhere due to the Spassky-Fischer match, the other 450 players must have been due to the tremendous pre-tournament coverage given by the Evening Standard in articles by Leonard Barden. More than any other English event this tapped the vast number of new players produced by the publicity this year.

Such numbers lead to great difficulties of organisation, more especially so as three weeks before the match I was still burying my head in the sand and expecting an entry of only 700! Conditions were too cramped but the school cooperated magnificently in closing the youth centre so as to give us maximum room. At the time of writing, several local education authorities are coming in for adverse criticism, The Inner London Education Authority was more helpful than we had any right or hope to expect.
The best controllers from all over England rallied to our desperate cries at the last moment. When I started the Islington congress in 1965, there were 24 competitors. I knew everybody by name, ran the congress practically single-handed and had time to go to the theatre in the evening. This time I did not even know all the organisers by sight!

There were 196 competitors in the London Open Championship, making it the largest ever open tournament outside the U.S. The 50 players graded over 200 also made it the strongest ever in western Europe. Ludek Pachman, who had only just left Czechoslovakia was the main star but a large question mark hung over his head. Grandmaster he may be, but could he overcome the problems of advancing age; several years without tournament practice and some time in prison (due to his bitter opposition to the Soviet invasion)? After he lost to Brian Eley in the second round, he was never in the running and the field was wide open.

Richard Bellin showed what a fine weekend Swiss competitor he is by winning with 6/6. This corresponded to a 257 grading result as he played nobody graded under 200 and beat Danny Wright in the last round (another of England’s most uncompromising players), although a draw would have sufficed to win the £250 first prize (another European record for an open tournament). 2-6 winning £46 each, P.Ostojic (Yugoslavia), P. Van der Weide (Holland), M. J. Basman, M. F. Stean, S. Webb, A. H. Williams with 5/6. 7-14 G. Antunac (Yugoslavia), A. Helman (Israel), W. R. Hartston, G. Nicholas, B. M. Rothbart, D. Wright, B. F. O’Sullivan, B. R. Eley with 4½.

These results show the advantage of using an ultra-sophisticated accelerated pairing system. Ordinary random Swiss pairings would almost certainly have produced at least one 5½/6 besides a player with 100%. This was impossible after 5 rounds, although still theoretically possible after 4. A Swiss can only be said to have been moderately successful if it was impossible for one player to draw clear of the field. The 1971 Islington Open produced a seven player tie, but it was a satisfactory result for the players could have scored more than 5/6 if they had been good enough.

Adjudications are also a great bug-bear in all these types of event. The problem was solved as best it can be by employing Ray Keene, Bernard Cafferty and Peter Clarke as professional adjudicators. This is a far better method than yielding to Mach 2 rates of play.

The Amateur Championship for players rated under 190 was won by Nigel Povah with 5½/6 and with it the BEA prize of a holiday for two in Holland during the USSR v Rest of the World Match next May [which never happened - JS]. T. J. Bean, J. Johnson, R. C. Lynn, J. Skilleter, A. Surtees, D. C. Taylor all scored 5/6 in this 140 player event to win £20 each.

M. Young won the £40 first prize in the Major Tournament (for players graded under 160) with 6/6 ahead of 210 other players. P. Corbin, R. Murphy and R. C. Pentecost all scored 5½.

P. F. Dyson also scored 6 to win the Minor Tournament (for players graded under 140) and first prize of £30. M.Dunne, C. H. Gibbons, S. V. Graham and R. L. Povey scored 5½. The latter won the Hamley’s prize of board, set and clock for the highest scoring under 18 in the congress.

It had been expected that there would be two players on 100% in both the Major and Minor. Both players were to win £40 and £30 respectively in that case, so as to overcome complaints about unresolved tournaments, but it did not prove necessary.

The Novice Championship, restricted to players graded under 120, had an unbelievable 434 competitors. We doubled the prize fund over that announced. M. Farthing, J. Stark, C. Whittington scored 6/6, winning £33.50 each. A. W. Binks, A.Marchant, M. Schwartz, J. Buttinger and M. Charter all scored 5½. Marchant won a case of Pommery and Greno Champagne as the highest placed newcomer to competitive chess.

Association with the Evening Standard enabled us to obtain many other quite valuable prizes as well. There were over 100 book prizes from assorted publishers and prizes from Alexandra National Hotel, Carrier’s restaurant, The Chess Centre, Cutty Sark, Games and Puzzles, The National Games Club, Mary Chess perfume, The Workshop. Most valuable of all was one year’s free computer time for a school, donated by Time-Sharing Ltd., who also had a computer competing in the Minor Tournament which scored 2 points. St. Albans School won this £500 prize.

Hal Shaper donated £50 for the brilliancy prize which was won for the following game [Speelman-Hemingway, Rd 2]

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File Updated

Date	Notes
11 December 1997	First uploaded in zipped file format
18 August 2022	Upgraded to modern standard, with viewer and crosstable, etc.
24 June 2023	Corrections made to two round six pairings, resulting from a mix-up between two players surnamed James: David J James drew with White vs MJ Franklin, while P van der Weide won with White against Geoffrey H James. My thanks to Brian Denman for first alerting me to this and David James for confirming that he drew with Michael Franklin and that the score of the game is correct.