The 2011 Cowley Christmas Blitz was held on Monday 19 December, with 47 players taking part.

 

Marcus Harvey (Bicester) repeated his success in the 2009 Christmas event, with 9½ points out of 10, again winning by a margin of 1½ points. Cowley's Heather Lang took second place, with Csaba Koszta and Maria Wang half a point further back on 7½.

 

It proved to be a notably good night for families. Among the prizewinners were Cowley's Maria and Anna Wang (no surprise there), as well as Graham and James Cole (MCS/Blackbirds), and the Cumnor Chess Club trio of Varneys (Andrew, Daniel, and Zoe), with 12-year-old Zoe scoring an outstanding 7 points out of 10 to take the Best Junior prize.

 

The full list of prizewinners is as follows:

 

1st: Marcus Harvey (Bicester) 9½

2nd: Heather Lang (Cowley) 8

3rd: Csaba Koszta 7½

4th: Maria Wang (Cowley) 7½

Best Cowley player: Rod Nixon 7

Best visitor: Jon Manley (Oxford City) 7

Best junior (U18): Zoe Varney (Cumnor) 7 Best lady: Anna Wang (Cowley) 6

Best U165: Dave Robson (Cowley) 6

Best Cowley 155: Maria Mate (6)

Best visitor U155: Mark Flory (Witney) 6

Best U14: James Cole (MCS/Blackbirds) 5½

Best U145: Graham Cole (MCS/Blackbirds) 6

Best U130: Matt Coburn (Witney) 5 Best ungraded: Andrew Varney (Cumnor) 5

Best U12: Daniel Varney (Cumnor) 4

Best slow starter - 0/2: Steven Bennett (Cumnor) 4½

Best very slow starter - 0/4: Isabel Hauer (Witney) 4½

Best veteran: Bill Stanley (Cowley) 5

 

Our thanks to everyone who helped make the event a success, including (naturally) all those who came along to play, and especially to:

 

Rose Hill Methodist Church for allowing us the use of the downstairs Hall for the event;

 

The Kidlington Congress and Tom Williams for the loan of equipment;

 

John Taylor, Jon D'Souza-Eva and Dave Robson for particular help with the transporting of equipment; Will Burt, Heather Lang, and Sara Sengenberger for various forms of help in setting up, as well as those many people who helped with the clearing up afterwards.

 

Finally, a very special thanks to Tim Dickinson who controlled the tournament with his customary panache and efficiency.

 

- Gerard O'Reilly