Press Report 2nd March 2018

Over the weekend of 23rd to 25th February 137 chess players gathered at Exeter Corn Exchange for the annual East Devon Chess Congress. Five South Hams players took part in this five-round event.

South Hams player David Archer, for the second year running, was the outright winner of the Major Tournament, beating 38 other contestants and winning all five of his games.

In the Minor Tournament, South Hams player Roy Greenhalgh was one of six players sharing the first prize, with 4 points out of 5. Even before the Congress, Roy had become a club legend for finding extraordinary ways of snatching victory from the jaws of defeat, but in the 4th round of the Congress he truly excelled himself. In a real conundrum of a position, he was facing what looked like certain defeat. However in the heat of the moment, due the complexity of position and the pressure of several people watching, his opponent somehow took his own rook and neither player realised what had happened!

There were mixed results for the other South Hams players participating in the Congress. Cliff Peach scored 1½ against some strong opposition in the Major Tournament, while in the Minor Tournament Ken Ashby got 2 wins and John Belli scored 3 draws.

In the Torbay League Rapidplay competition, South Hams lost 5 – 3 at Plymouth; David Archer won both his games, Ben Wilkinson won one and lost one, but Roy Greenhalgh and James Fowler lost both their games.

In Torbay League Division 3, South Hams drew 2 – 2 draw at Newton Abbot, with a win for Phil McConnell, draws for James Schofield and Ben Wilkinson, and a defeat for Devrin Phaneuf.

In the Dunleavy League Jim Savage got back to winning ways with a win over Oliver Zaffiro, while Roy Greenhalgh beat Richard Thomas.

In the semi-finals of the Knockout Cup, Steve Levy beat David Archer and will play the winner of the other semi-final which will be between Ben Wilkinson and Ken Ashby.