West Wales Chess League
AO Jones Rapidplay
Saturday 1st April 2023
The annual West Wales Chess League Rapidplay was played at Upper Killay Recreational Hall, Saturday 1st April 2023.
38 players attended on the day, 13 more than last season. Ian Eustis & Joel Chung were arbiters on the day.
We’ve opened the event up to non WWCL players for a few years and this time attracted players from 3 WCU zones as well as a couple of players who joined WCU just to play this event. The AO Jones trophy is awarded to the highest placed member of WWCL.
Open Section
The Open had 21 entrants, 12 from WWCL, 8 East Glam & 1 from Dyfed.
Going into the last round top seed Alexis Harakis (Fide Master) was on 4/4 but any of 5 WWCL players were in the running to win the tournament & the AO Jones trophy –
Round 5
- Alexis Harakis (FM) 2313 (4) 1 – 0 Adam Musson 2140 (3)
- Tom Brown 2112 (3) 1 – 0 Bill Hewitt 2071 (3)
- Neil Stuart 1588 (3) 0 – 1 Alan Young 2092 (3)
- Moss McCarthy 2015 (3) 1 – 0 Sam Jukes 2061 (3)
Final scores
1st Alexis Harakis (Steynton) 5/5
=2nd Alan Young (White Knights)
Moss McCarthy (Morriston)
Tom Brown (Cardiff) 4/5
The AO Jones trophy was shared between Alan Young & Moss McCarthy.
U-1800 grading prize Yaroslav Sharhorodsky (Cardiff)
Neil Stuart (Morriston)
Mike Hollyman (Rhondda) 3/5
Fide Master Alexis Harakis was a worthy winner, beating Sam Jukes, Alan Young, Bill Hewitt & Adam Musson in successive rounds. Three East Glam players under 1500 entered the open with Mike Hollyman (1364) sharing the U-1800 grading prize.
Under 1500
The U-1500 had 17 entrants, 11 from East Glam but only 6 from WWCL. After 5 rounds Bill Davies (Rhondda, WCU grade 1115) emerged the winner, followed by Paul Bevan (Morriston).
Final scores
1st Bill Davies (Rhondda) 4.5/5
2nd Paul Bevan (Morriston) 4/5
3rd Vismith Prabhu (White Knights),
Curtis Reid (Caerphilly)
Govind Anandkumar (North Cardiff) 3.5/5
U-1100 grading prize Ethan Jenkins (Rhondda) 3/5
AO Jones Organiser
Bill Hewitt