1978 Aaronson Masters, 23-29 March, Imperial Hotel, London

1978 Aaronson Masters		Fed	Elo	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Total
1	Aldo Haik	FRA	2425m	1/35	½/34	1/40	1/8	1/36	1/33	½/9	0/12	½/3	1/16	7½
2	Michael J Franklin	ENG	2315	½/68	½/38	1/56	1/39	½/21	1/22	½/3	½/5	1/10	1/6	7½
3	Mark Diesen	USA	2440m	1/38	1/47	½/22	1/33	½/9	½/11	½/2	½/4	½/1	1/12	7
4	William R Hartston	ENG	2475m	1/13	1/36	1/28	½/9	0/12	1/34	½/17	½/3	1/11	½/5	7
5	Bela Soos	FRG	2425m	½/19	½/37	½/15	1/47	1/17	1/28	½/12	½/2	1/9	½/4	7
6	Axel Ornstein	SWE	2425m	½/56	1/26	1/39	1/19	1/22	0/9	½/13	½/11	1/12	0/2	6½
7	John DM Nunn	ENG	2440m	1/59	0/33	½/11	0/12	1/20	½/14	1/22	½/13	1/34	1/28	6½
8	Richard Bailey	ENG	2325	½/37	1/45	1/25	0/1	½/43	½/46	1/49	½/34	½/17	1/14	6½
9	Andrew P Law	ENG	2345	1/54	1/23	½/10	½/4	½/3	1/6	½/1	½/15	0/5	½/18	6
10	Simon Webb	ENG	2445m	1/16	1/64	½/9	0/17	½/11	1/27	1/15	½/14	0/2	½/13	6
11	Robert Bellin	ENG	2415	0/23	1/53	½/7	1/44	½/10	½/3	1/31	½/6	0/4	1/41	6
12	Michael J Basman	ENG	2395	0/14	1/59	1/23	1/7	1/4	½/bye	½/5	1/1	0/6	0/3	6
13	Paul A Garbett	NZL	2310	0/4	1/24	½/45	1/53	½/29	1/37	½/6	½/7	½/18	½/10	6
14	Jeremy D Silman	USA	2360	1/12	0/18	1/48	0/21	1/39	½/7	1/33	½/10	1/26	0/8	6
15	George S Botterill	WLS	2400	½/25	½/20	½/5	1/54	1/46	½/18	0/10	½/9	½/21	1/36	6
16	Darko Supancic	YUG	2335	0/10	1/58	½/37	1/30	0/25	1/23	1/27	½/17	1/29	0/1	6
17	Terry B Bennett	ENG	2270	½/42	1/61	1/67	1/10	0/5	½/21	½/4	½/16	½/8	½/24	6
18	A Jonathan Mestel	ENG	2450m	1/53	1/14	0/33	0/22	1/45	½/15	½/19	1/24	½/13	½/9	6
19	Jonathan Kinlay	ENG	2300	½/5	1/21	1/65	0/6	0/23	1/62	½/18	½/26	½/37	1/35	6
20	John G Nicholson	ENG	2290	½/65	½/15	½/47	1/61	0/7	½/38	1/45	½/33	½/35	1/34	6
21	Gert Ligterink	NED	2440m	½/27	0/19	1/60	1/14	½/2	½/17	½/24	1/35	½/15	0/33	5½
22	Colin S Crouch	ENG	2300	1/50	1/63	½/3	1/18	0/6	0/2	0/7	½/31	1/49	½/37	5½
23	Boris Baczynskyj	USA	2370	1/11	0/9	0/12	1/35	1/19	0/16	0/52	1/39	1/57	½/32	5½
24	Michael J Valvo	USA	2530	0/34	0/13	1/59	½/40	1/52	1/36	½/21	0/18	1/33	½/17	5½
25	Daniel E Shapiro	USA	2350	½/15	1/62	0/8	½/34	1/16	0/35	½/36	1/63	½/32	½/26	5½
26	Jonathan S Speelman	ENG	2410	½/44	0/6	1/68	½/37	½/62	1/41	1/29	½/19	0/14	½/25	5½
27	David SC Goodman	ENG	2320	½/21	1/56	1/63	0/36	1/32	0/10	0/16	1/38	0/28	1/52	5½
28	Nigel D Short	ENG	2225	1/69	1/68	0/4	1/67	½/33	0/5	0/35	1/64	1/27	0/7	5½
29	Richard Britton	ENG	2300	1/66	½/48	½/34	½/32	½/13	1/64	0/26	½/52	0/16	1/54	5½
30	Bernard Cafferty	ENG	2300	½/40	½/49	½/35	0/16	1/61	½/45	½/48	½/43	1/46	½/31	5½
31	Michael Macdonald-Ross	ENG	2265	½/48	½/51	0/36	1/71	1/50	½/49	0/11	½/22	1/52	½/30	5½
32	Daniel J King	ENG	(2105)	0/62	1/70	1/69	½/29	0/27	1/44	½/38	½/49	½/25	½/23	5½
33	Paul E Littlewood	ENG	2345	1/55	1/7	1/18	0/3	½/28	0/1	0/14	½/20	0/24	1/21	5
34	Kevin J Wicker	ENG	2305	1/24	½/1	½/29	½/25	1/41	0/4	1/46	½/8	0/7	0/20	5
35	Nigel E Povah	ENG	2350	0/1	1/43	½/30	0/23	1/47	1/25	1/28	0/21	½/20	0/19	5
36	John J Carleton	ENG	2280	1/58	0/4	1/31	1/27	0/1	0/24	½/25	1/46	½/41	0/15	5
37	Andrew J Whiteley	ENG	2385	½/8	½/5	½/16	½/26	1/66	0/13	½/64	½/42	½/19	½/22	5
38	H Dugald Macpherson	ENG	2315	0/3	½/2	½/66	½/52	1/57	½/20	½/32	0/27	1/63	½/42	5
39	Dimo Werner	FRG	2255	1/60	1/46	0/6	0/2	0/14	½/50	1/58	0/23	½/40	1/57	5
40	Maxwell L Fuller	AUS	2390	½/30	1/44	0/1	½/24	0/49	½/58	0/41	1/62	½/39	1/61	5
41	Stephen Quigley	ENG	(2080)	0/46	½/60	1/42	1/65	0/34	0/26	1/40	1/56	½/36	0/11	5
42	Michael A Pagden	ENG	2235	½/17	0/50	0/41	1/60	½/51	½/48	1/62	½/37	½/43	½/38	5
43	Lars Erik Pettersson	SWE	(2325)	0/47	0/35	1/55	1/56	½/8	½/66	½/63	½/30	½/42	½/51	5
44	Richard C Lobo	ENG	2370	½/26	0/40	½/51	0/11	1/71	0/32	½/55	½/61	1/59	1/56	5
45	Gary M Clark	ENG	(2130)	1/51	0/8	½/13	1/57	0/18	½/30	0/20	½/54	½/50	½/48	4½
46	Peter J Sowray	ENG	2205	1/41	0/39	1/62	1/49	0/15	½/8	0/34	0/36	0/30	1/67	4½
47	Alan H Perkins	ENG	2310	1/43	0/3	½/20	0/5	0/35	0/60	½/61	1/68	1/66	½/55	4½
48	Gunnar Johnsen	NOR	2280	½/31	½/29	0/14	½/51	½/65	½/42	½/30	0/57	1/60	½/45	4½
49	Simon D Brown	ENG	(2080)	½/67	½/30	1/71	0/46	1/40	½/31	0/8	½/32	0/22	½/50	4½
50	Kenneth I Norman	ENG	(2250)	0/22	1/42	½/61	½/64	0/31	½/39	0/56	1/58	½/45	½/49	4½
51	Timothy D Harding	IRL	2230	0/45	½/31	½/44	½/48	½/42	0/52	½/57	½/69	1/62	½/43	4½
52	Simon JB Knott	ENG	2205	0/71	½/69	1/72	½/38	0/24	1/51	1/23	½/29	0/31	0/27	4½
53	Tor Kristiansen	NOR	2320	0/18	0/11	1/58	0/13	½/55	0/57	1/71	½/60	½/61	1/63	4½
54	William Goichberg	USA	2525	0/9	0/57	1/70	0/15	0/58	1/72	1def	½/45	1/64	0/29	4½
55	Ervin R Middleton	USA	2295	0/33	0/65	0/43	1/72	½/53	½/61	½/44	1/66	½/56	½/47	4½
56	Emmanuel Rayner	WLS	2345	½/6	0/27	0/2	0/43	1/69	1/67	1/50	0/41	½/55	0/44	4
57	David H Cummings	ENG	2230	0/61	1/54	½/64	0/45	0/38	1/53	½/51	1/48	0/23	0/39	4
58	Glenn C Flear	ENG	(2240)	0/36	0/16	0/53	1/70	1/54	½/40	0/39	0/50	½/65	1/69	4
59	Peter G Large	ENG	2275	0/7	0/12	0/24	1/68	0/63	0/69	1/72	1/65	0/44	1/64	4
60	William N Watson	ENG	(2145)	0/39	½/41	0/21	0/42	½/72	1/47	½/66	½/53	0/48	1/70	4
61	Richard F Holmes	ENG	(2110)	1/57	0/17	½/50	0/20	0/30	½/55	½/47	½/44	½/53	0/40	3½
62	Chris W Baker	ENG	2280	1/32	0/25	0/46	1/63	½/26	0/19	0/42	0/40	0/51	1/71	3½
63	Stewart Reuben	ENG	2270	1/70	0/22	0/27	0/62	1/59	1/65	½/43	0/25	0/38	0/53	3½
64	William J Stirling	ENG	2205	1/72	0/10	½/57	½/50	1/67	0/29	½/37	0/28	0/54	0/59	3½
65	Douglas GA Shallcross	ENG	(2150)	½/20	1/55	0/19	0/41	½/48	0/63	0def	0/59	½/58	1/72	3½
66	Tony Peterson	ENG	(2120)	0/29	½/72	½/38	1/69	0/37	½/43	½/60	0/55	0/47	½/68	3½
67	Friedrich Bachmann	FRG	2220	½/49	1/71	0/17	0/28	0/64	0/56	½/68	½/70	1/69	0/46	3½
68	John M Ripley	ENG	(2145)	½/2	0/28	0/26	0/59	0/70	1/bye	½/67	0/47	1/71	½/66	3½
69	Ronald Blow	ENG	2230	0/28	½/52	0/32	0/66	0/56	1/59	1/70	½/51	0/67	0/58	3
70	Richard W O'Brien	IRL	(2040)	0/63	0/32	0/54	0/58	1/68	½/71	0/69	½/67	½/72	0/60	2½
71	David L Barasi1	ENG	(2000)	1/52	0/67	0/49	0/31	0/44	½/70	0/53	½/72	0/68	0/62	2
72	Ian M Raindle	ENG	(2050)	0/64	½/66	0/52	0/55	½/60	0/54	0/59	½/71	½/70	0/65	2

¹ Now Paul Barasi

Bulletin Notes

IM Norms

MJ Franklin 7½/10, Cat 5 (2355) IM norm = 6½
R Bellin 6/10, Cat 6 (2378.6) IM norm = 6
GS Botterill 6/10, Cat 6 (2377.7) IM norm = 6
MJ Basman 5½/9, Cat 7 (2403) IM norm = 5½
AP Law 6/10, Cat 8 (2429.5) IM norm = 5½
PA Garbett 6/10, Cat 6 (2383.2) IM norm = 6
J Silman 6/10, Cat 6 (2376.8) IM norm = 6

The Aaronson Masters filled the gap in the British chess calendar, at Easter, left by the Bognor international opens of the 1950s and 1960s. How welcome it was is shown by the entry from leading players. The tournament was stronger than any British Championship for many years.

Victory for a veteran of 47 is a rarity in modern chess. Michael Franklin said of his lifetime best result that it was ‘just one of those occasions when everything went right!’ But he scored 3½/5 against the IMs, was alert to every opportunity, and the games show he owed little to luck.

Co-winner Aldo Haik (F) was rewarded for his inventive and original style. He likes to live dangerously but he is a strong all-round master and would not have been flattered by outright first place.

The other IMs varied in their results and approach. Soos and Ornstein came with ambitions to win, but Soos began too slowly and Ornstein, who led after five rounds, tired after several long endgames. Hartston and Diesen maintained their reputations, but Nunn and Webb were more inconsistent than usual.

Mestel and Ligterink, alongside IM Speelman, demonstrated that a strong event is good preparation for a still stronger one. They did indifferently in the Aaronson, but had fine results a week later in Lone Pine (USA) [23 grandmasters!]. Speelman, in particular, left London depressed about his form, but at Lone Pine he began with a superb win over Larsen and went on to clinch his IM title there.

Bellin, Botterill and Basman have been among the strongest British players for many years, and their IM norms were expected. Bellin is now qualified for the IM title, and the other two should not have to wait long for their final norms. Law registered a big advance — he met 7 IMs and had the hardest opposition of all. Silman had bad defeats from IMs, but showed his class by his good victories over Basman and Speelman. Since the other American players began badly (jet-lag?), it may be significant that Silman was acclimatised in England for many weeks before the start. Garbett of New Zealand, whose gritty defensive play earned him several half-points from inferior positions, was the surprise norm.

Bennett, Wicker, Kinlay and Littlewood got within striking distance of an IM result: the last two need to control their optimistic temperaments and learn to consolidate a good start in the middle rounds of a tournament. Fuller and Whiteley were horribly out of form, but Supancic, the Yugoslav junior, made a promising impression and will surely become an IM before long.

Public and media interest in the tournament centered on one player only. Nigel Short seriously attempted an IM norm at age 12; his experience was not up to that, but only the IMs were good enough to stop him. Against the rest, Nigel scored 5½/7 and a week later shared second place in the Jersey Open. His up-dated rating is 214 (2310 FIDE) which makes him very likely better than Capablanca or Reshevsky were at 12. Soos called him ‘master strength’ and compared his potential to Fischer, while Diesen remarked on his will to win - ‘very important’. Nigel’s games with Ripley and Stirling illustrate that his strategic vision and tactical imagination are already master standard; his openings lack some precision, as Hartston and Nunn showed. If the tournament bulletins ever become a collector’s item, it will be because the Aaronson Masters was Nigel Short’s first international tournament.

Nigel was not the only junior who did well. Most people think of talented British juniors as just Hodgson and Short, but Daniel King’s mature play and 5½ points at age 14 showed that he, too, is potentially world class. Britton was tactically sharp, Pagden again steady and consistent, while Clark and Brown made promising debuts in international chess. Notable was the 50% score by Quigley, who beat both Fuller and Rayner.

Two organisational features deserve a mention. The entry fee was on a sliding scale (free to non-English with FIDE ratings, £25 to those without a FIDE rating). Thus 57 entrants out of 72 had a rating of 200 (2200) or better, but the entry fee structure still made it possible for a few modestly rated amateurs to try their luck. David [Paul] Barasi, the outsider of the field and forecast by some to score zero, actually got a fine win in the very first round.

The Reuben pairing system, which aims to identify potential candidates for FIDE norms and ratings early in the tournament, proved its value. The system is too complex to describe fully here, and means a good deal of extra work for the controller. But the test is results, and all seven players who achieved IM level performances (2450 FIDE rating, equal to 231 British grade) qualified for a norm.

The Imperial Hotel was a pleasant venue, though the logistic difficulties of a split venue with nine floors between them proved considerable. London’s next major FIDE-rated event is the Lloyds Bank Masters at the Cumberland Hotel, Marble Arch, on 24-31 August 1978. There, all the play will be in one room and hopefully there will be a grandmaster norm. Details of this and future events in London are available from The London Chess Association (11 Haversham Close, Cambridge Park, Twickenham, Middlesex).

Finally, thanks again to Aaronson Brothers for their support. A regular high-quality event in London would be
a major advance for British chess. Aaronson Brothers, the timber products and plastics laminate group, are famed as pioneers in do-it-yourself materials. Already this progressive company sponsors the open-to-all Aaronson weekend congress at the Harrow Leisure Centre. In its first year (1977) the Aaronson congress attracted 800 entrants, including GMs and IMs, a world record for a ‘first’ congress. Top prize is £1000. Managing director, Mr Ronald Aaronson, who personally visited the Aaronson Masters, takes a keen interest. Proceeds from the Aaronson Congress are channelled into the Aaronson Trust which helps young British players over a wide front.

The Aaronson Masters was made possible by the co-operation of Imperial Hotels Ltd. and the financial support of the London Chess Association (which also organised the event), the Friends of Chess and The Slater Foundation.

Mention must be made here of the devoted organisers, R.Beville (Chief controller), Stewart Reuben, J.Baker, T.S.Dunne, Daphne Lee, as well as J.Brown, A.Kinsman, R.Nye, A.Soane, and others.

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File Updated

Date	Notes
4 October 2021	First upload, with 150 games, which is four more than are generally available elsewhere.
8 October 2021	I am grateful to Gert Ligterink for his amendments to two scores from this tournament. Baczynskyj - Bellin (rd 1): 28 Rg5 was played and not 28 Rg6. In Franklin - Diesen (rd 7) the final move of the game is 15...Bxd8, not 15...Rxd8. Thanks, Gert.
24 December 2023	Added three more games: (1) G.Clark 1-0 T.Harding (rd 1); (2) G.Johnsen ½-½ T.Harding (rd 4); (3) S.Knott 1-0 T.Harding (rd 6). My thanks to Tim Harding for submitting the games.
24 December 2023	Added a further game: J.Silman 1-0 D.Werner (rd 5). Many thanks to Andy Ansel.