Chess Strongest field ever assembled

Press, 28 January 1988, Page 29

Chess

Strongest field ever assembled

By

MICHAEL ROCKS

The ninety-fifth New Zealand Chess Congress, which concluded in Takapuna on January 9, may prove to have been the strongest championship field ever assembled. Despite the best intentions of five previous national champions, Jonathan Sarfati, of Wellington, wil have his name engraved on the Silver Rook for the first time.

Sarfati, playing in his sixth championship, shared the early lead with former champion, Paul Garbett, of Auckland. Their sixth round clash saw Sarfati emerge victorious and gain a commanding lead. A few hiccups struck Sarfati over the final rounds, including an unexpected loss to Nigel Metge, but with his nearest challengers also faltering, Sarfati took the honours with a point to spare. Apart from the usual glory of being crowned New Zealand champion, three significant carrots Final standings Robt Jones Investments N.Z. Chess Championship

This week’s problem was composed by B. P.

were also provided to competitors. Robert Jones Investments, Ltd., the congress sponsors, very kindly doubled their previous sponsorship to $6OOO. With 1988 being an Olympiad year the top six placegetters would gain inclusion in the New Zealand team. Due to the tight finish, the New Zealand Chess Association will now have to pick its team some other way. An announcement is expected in February.

Probably the largest incentive of all was a place in the Plaza International Hotel Chess Tournament to be held in March during the Wellington Arts Festival. With four of the five New Zealand representatives already named and the fifth to be the highest-placing competitor in the championship, competition was fierce. One feature of the tournament that it is hoped the N.Z.C.A. will take note of was its strength. Following the latest F.I.D.E. (the World Chess Federation) Congress, changes to the requirements for international titles were carried out. International titles are awarded by F.I.D.E. to

Barnes in 1962 and was dedicated to London Transport. White to play and mate in two. The solution will appear in the next column. Solution to previous problem: 1 b 4 (Threat 2 Bxbl and 3 Ra 3 mate) 1 ... Bb6 2 Rds Bxds 3 Nbs mate. 2 ... Rxds 3 Ne 4 mate. 1 .. Bcs 2 Rb 7 Bxb7 3

players who have gained two or more qualifying norms over 24 games. The changes to the title regulations now mean that norms gained in the course of a country’s national championship will count towards the title.

Previously, only norms gained in tournaments where less than one third of the competitors came from the same country were valid. This was to prevent abuse of the title system through the manufacture of title holders. From the latest international ratings, the championship field would have reached Category 1 (average rating 22512275), the lowest category for which title norms are available.

The norms were 8.5 points for International Master (1.M.) and 7.5 for F.I.D.E. Master (F.M.). The title requirements also stipulate that at least one-half of the competitors be title holders.

Unfortunately for Sarfati, New Zealand currently has three title holders, of which only two, I.M. Ortvin Sarapu and F.M. Vernon Small, were playing. Thus, Sarfati’s title norm does not count.

Nbs mate. 2 ... Rxb7 3 Ne 4 mate. 1 ... Rbxbs 2 Qds Bxds 3 Nxbs mate. 2 ... Rxds 3 Ne 4 mate. 1 ... Bb7 2 Rcs Bxcs 3 Nbs mate. 2 ... Rxcs 3 Bxd4 mate. 1 ... Bds 2 Rbb6 Bxb6 3 Nbs mate. 2 ... Rxb6 3 Bxd4 mate. 1 ... Rhxbs 2 Rb 6 Rxb6 3 Bxd4 mate. 2 ... Bxb6 3 Nxbs mate.

Other winners at Congress were: Premier Reserve Championship: 1. L. McLaren 9/ 11; 2. G. Spencer-Smith 8; 3-4. P. Spiller, P. Hawkes 7; 5-6. P. McKenzie, R. Hart si/ 2 ; 7-8. S. Lukey, B. Carpinter 4 1 / 2 ; 9-11- D. Cooper, P. Dunn, F. Foster 4; 12. Z. Frankel 3. Major Open: 1-2. M. Steadman, J. Robinson Bi/ 2 /ll; 3-5. I. McNally, T. van Dijk, W. Lynn 8. There were 66 competitors in the Open.

Lightning Championship: 1. B. Martin 8»/ 2 /ll; 2. J. Sarfati 7; 3-5. 0. Sarapu, P. Stuart, R. Hart 6*/ 2 .

Rating 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Tot Tie-break 1 J. Sarfati 2250 X >/2 1 ¥2 ¥2 */2 1 1 ¥2 0 1 17>/ 2 2 0. Sarapu 2345 >/ 2 X ¥2 1 ¥2 ¥2 ¥2 ¥2 1 0 */2 I6/2 34.5 3 V. Small 2355 0 >/2 X ¥2 ¥2 1 ¥2 ¥2 1 1 ¥2 i/ 2 6>/ 2 33.75 4 A. Ker 2410 !/ 2 0 ¥2 X ¥2 ¥2 ¥2 1 >/2 1 I 0 6 32 5 E. Green 2280 */2 V2 ¥2 ¥2 X ¥2 ¥2 ¥2 ¥2 ¥2 ‘/2 1 6 31.5 6 R. Dive 2235 ’/ 2 ¥2 0 ¥2 ¥2 X ¥2 ¥2 1 ¥2 1 ¥2 6 30.75 7 P. Green 2200 0 ¥2 ¥2 ¥2 ¥2 ¥2 X ¥2 ¥2 1 ¥2 1 6 30 8 P. Garbett 2285 0 ¥2 ¥2 0 ¥2 ¥2 ¥2 X ¥2 1 1 1 6 28.5 9 B. Martin 2200 !4 0 0 ¥2 ¥2 0 ¥2 ¥2 X 1 1 ¥2 10 N. Metge 2200 1 1 0 0 ¥2 ¥2 0 0 0 X ¥2 141/2 11 R. Smith 2285 0 ¥2 ¥2 0 ¥2 0 ¥2 0 0 ¥2 X ¥2 3 16.25 12 P. Stuart 2225 0 0 ¥2 1 0 ¥2 0 0 ¥2 0 ¥2 X 3 16.25