Against All Odds!
Fifteen players took part in our “start of the month” social event on Tuesday (4/3/25). This was a tournament played at “odds”. Essentially the higher graded player was handicapped, the size of the handicap being based on the difference in grades.
The tables for the exact penalty were based on a excellent article in the New in Chess magazine (2024#1); “Odds Chess” by Larry Kaufman. The resulting difference could be that a player lost a pawn, all the way to losing a queen, pawn and an extra move!
John Tompson won the competition with 4/4. This was despite always being impaired in all games, in one case playing without a rook and a knght! The general consensus was that it was necessary, as the stronger player, to be more aggressive to avoid being overwhelmed by your opponents extra material.
Kevin 05/03/25
The key match of the final round was between George and John. John is playing without his c7 and f7 pawns.
| -Rank - | - Name - | - Pts - |
| 1 | Tompson John C | 4 |
| 2 | Burdell G | 3 |
| Weighill Carl | 3 | |
| 4 | Cockburn Andre | 2½ |
| 5 | O'donovan Tony | 2 |
| Smith Justin | 2 | |
| Morrel Curtis | 2 | |
| Oyeleye Oyedotun | 2 | |
| Longworth David | 2 | |
| 10 | Williams David | 1½ |
| 11 | Wilson Bob | 1 |
| Dalley Kevin J | 1 | |
| Smith David | 1 | |
| 14 | Gahonia Josh | 0 |
| Johnson Terry | 0 |