Worcestershire Open Chess Congress Report held 25, 26 July 2009 at Catshill, Bromsgrove

The prizes for the Open and Minor sections were decided by play-off "Armageddon" games where white must win because a draw counts as a win for black. In compensation, white has the advantage of an extra minute of thinking time - six rather than five minutes.

John Pitcher (left) with trophy awarded by Andy Moore (centre) and Ray Dolan (right) Picture by Ray Collett

Open.
First: John Pitcher (South Birmingham) winning the Armageddon playoff. against second placed Lawrence Cooper (Stafford) both on 4½ points in standard play games. Third: Brandon Clarke (Littleworth, Leics) 3½ points.
The remainder of the field was: 3 points - Gareth Morris (West Bromwich, 172) and Steve Mellor (Worcester City, 168); 2½ points - Alan Agnew (West Bromwich, est 160), Dominic Bennett (Bristol & Clifton, 158), Ray Collett (Worcester City), John Varilone (Kidderminster), Moin Uddin (West Bromwich, 110); 2 points - Sabrina Chevannes (Quinborne Checkmates, 171) and Nick Walker (West Bromwich, 171); ½ point - Stephen Braid (Birmingham,121) .

Major
First: Chris Smith (Quinborne Checkmates) 4½ points. Second: Dave Faulkner (Welwyn & Hatfield) 4 points. Third prize was shared between: Tom Robinson (Redditch); Simon Smith (Warley Quinborne); Steve Murdoch (Penrith) all on 3½ points.
The remainder of the field was: 3 points - Jim Friar (Hagley 153), John Calder (Scotland, 143), Phil Bull (Warley Quinborne, 139), Alan Papier (Bristol & Clifton, 139), Richard Desmedt (Netherton, 129), Roger Greatorex (Coventry Herbert, 124), Conor Murphy (Kent Juniors, 73); 2½ points - Larry Wright (148, ?Kynoch), Carl Gartside (High Peak, 124); 2 points - Nick Harris (Worcester City, 154), Tony Boyle (Hagley, 118), Matthew Carr (Rushall, 107); 1½ points - John Loynes (Stourbridge, 115), Colin Gardiner (Falmouth, 110); 1 point - Dean Hartley (Amber Valley, 131), Ian Morris (130, ?Capenhurst), Giles Stanton (Redditch, 122), and Arnold Kirkland (Droitwich, 109).

Minor
First: Manpreet Sangha (Rushall, 79) winning the Armageddon play-off against second: placed Kevin Engelbrecht (Wimbledon, 88) both on 4½ points in standard play games. Third: Ian Clack (Redditch, 104) 4 points.
The remainder of the field was: 3½ points - John McKeon (Milton Keynes, 95), Alex Holoczak (Quinborne Checkmates 90); 3 points - Richard Gillespie (Shifnal & Telford, 99), Alan Woolaston (Westminster Club, Birmingham, 82), Tom Evans (Westminster Club, Birmingham, 75), Peter Hughes (Warley Quinborne, 74), Kyle Reed (King Edwards Camp Hill Sch, Birmingham, 51), and Alan Williams (est 55); 2½ points - Michele Clack (Redditch, 89), John Packenham (84), Dave Price (Westminster Club, Birmingham, 81), and Barry Tisdell (ungraded); 2 points - Francis O'Gorman (Hagley, 101), John Clark (Worcester City, 89), Athar Mehmood (Newport, Shrops, 78), John Donovan (Birmingham, 76), Barry French (ungraded), James Friar (Hagley, est 70), and Peter Owen (Worc Jun Chess Academy, est 50); 1½ points - John Gibbs (Barnsley, 74); 1 point - Richard Leaper (Westminster Club, Birmingham, 94), John Holmberg (Redditch, 63), and Joseph Friar (Hagley, est 70).