A few simple rules ... limitless possibilities

Despite over night snow, 61 players managed to take part in the East Midlands Tournament at the National Space Centre in Leicester. Top of the list of prize winners was Jon Diamond. The list also contained Helen Harvey, Andre Cockburn, Matei Mandache, Matt Marsh, Ben Haines, Mark Wrangham, Mark Eddy and Andrew Russell.

Andrew Simons took the national Small Board Champion's title and £50 prize at the 17-player tournament in Cambridge, winning 6 out of 8. Prizes for 5 out of 8 went to Anna Griffiths, Pauline Bailey, Steve Bailey, Langdon Truscott and Peran Truscott. There were special prizes for juniors.

The Three Peaks Tournament stayed for a second time down by the sea in Grange-over-Sands. 48 players took part and Matthew Cocke topped the results list for a third time in a row. Brian Timmins was the only other player to win all 5 games. Alex Kent and Ben Riddell from Durham, and Adrian Abrahams from Lancaster won 4 games each.

Results

34 players took part in the 41st Wessex. It was won by Andrew Kay (4 dan Durham). Division 2 was won by Christian Scarff (1 dan Swindon), Division 3 by Helen Harvey (2 kyu Manchester) and Division 4 by Dick Norton (7 kyu Manchester).

Results

Matthew Macfadyen held on to his local title by winning the Coventry Tournament. Andrew Kay was second and Nick Krempel was third. Winning 3/3 were Mike Charles (1 kyu St Albans), Jack Ley (4 kyu Warwick), Ben Falconer (5 kyu Warwick), Jonathan Green (6 kyu Leamington) and James Brownrigg (9 kyu Chester). 44 took part.

Results

Matthew Macfadyen beat Vanessa Wong by resignation in the third British Championship title game. This gave Matthew a 2-1 lead having won the second game two weeks before. The next game in the best of five series will be scheduled early in the new year.

David Lee beat Matt Crosby in the 2010 Scottish Championship. The game third was played on KGS on 24th October and the win on time gave David the title 2-1.

Mannami Kana, 4p, helped the Nippon Club team win the Autumn London International Teams. Miss Mannami was in London to help the Nippon Club celebrate its 50th anniversary and was honoured guest at the tournament. As well as helping Mr Tanaka and Mr Nao win the event, she gave a commentary on the previous week's British Title game two (in which Matthew Macfadyen beat Vanessa Wong).

Charles Fisher and his brother Freddie won half of the prizes at Shrewsbury. Charles, 1 dan London, was the event winner, beating the organiser, Gerry Mills, in the final. Freddie, 10k Shropshire, was one of two players on 2.5. The other was Pat Ridley, 11 k Chester. Pauline Bailey won a special prize for being Pauline. 32 players took part.

Results

The Belfast Open saw a fair crowd of 18 players and 1 ghost turning out to do battle. The winner was David Phillips (1 dan) of the Isle of Man, who gracefully lost his last round game thus creating a four way tie for second. Claas Roever (1 kyu) and James Hutchinson (1 kyu) shared second place on SOS, just ahead of Daniel Paraschiv (1 dan) and then Colin MacSweeny (2 kyu).