The
Bahamas Chess Nationals is taking place from 3rd to
21st November.The Nationals is a ten player round robin tournament with
a time control of 40 moves in 75 minutes then 15 minutes to make
all remaining moves (40/75 then G15).The final round was held at the Auditorium of CW Sawyer
Primary School.
SAY CHESS!Participants of the Chess Nationals 2009 poses for a
group photo immediately after the final round.From L-R: Chappel Whyms, Kean Smith, Umar Newry, Yan
Lyansky, Warren Seymour (Director), Ken Gibson, Wilshire Major
and Elton Joseph
(Photo
by Hellen Smith)
The
BCF Chess Nationals has been registered and rated by The World
Chess Federation (FIDE) every year since 2006.
After clinching the Nationals in Round 8 with a win against
Chappel Whyms, Yan Lyansky was held to a draw by Kean Smith in
an 2.f4 … Sicilian.
Smith sacrificed a pawn in the opening and gained an equal game.He dropped a pawn in a Rook ending but gained it back
when Lyansky returned the favor on move 37.Although Lyansky had a passed pawn on the c-file, Lyansky
offered a draw after concluding that he would not be able to
promote his pawn.
Smith accepted.
Lyansky played 37.c5 ...
and blundered the d3 pawn.and a draw was agreed on white's 42nd move. 37...Rxd3+
38.Ke4 Rd2 39.Kf3 Rd5 40.Ke4 Rd2 41.Kf3 Rd5 42.Ke4 ˝–˝
(See summary of other games below)
National
Champion 2009 Yan Lyansky (left) contemplating his 37th
move in his game against Kean Smith
(Photo by Andrea White)
Gibson, 1904 – Whyms,
1619
Whyms was forced to exchange a Knight for two pawns on the e5
square in a transposed Queen’s Indian Defence.Gibson later forced the exchange of Queens and went on to
win in 31 moves following a three piece combination against
Black’s uncastled King.
Ferguson, 1693 – Newry
Newry played the Philidor Defence.With a pawn down and good chances of drawing with
Ferguson, Newry made an incorrect King move in a R+3P v R+4P
position which Ferguson recognized and immediately exploited for
the full point.
Major – Joseph, 1849
Joseph employed his tested Queen’s Fianchetto Defence.After losing his e4 pawn on move 11, Major’s position
slowly deterioated.
Joseph played 14… f5 and gained additional space on the King
side and went on to win material (the double c-pawns on c3 and
c4) which was followed by the exchange and Major’s Queen.Major resign.
Small, 1819 – McLean,
1564
Small won a Knight and three pawns by move 21 in a transposed
Two Knights Defence.
He went on to win easily.
The final standings are as follows:
1.
Yan Lyansky – 7 ˝
2.
Ken Gibson – 7
3.
Joseph Ferguson – 6
Kean
Smith – 6
5.
Elton Joseph – 5
Chappel
Whyms – 5
7.
NM Byron Small – 3 ˝
8.
Umar Newry – 2
Leroy
McLean – 2
10.
Wilshire Major – 1
According to Warren Seymour, Tournament Director of The Bahamas
Chess Nationals 2009 was one of the most competitive hosted by
The Bahamas Chess Federation (BCF) in recent times.He said that only 1 ˝ points separated the top four
finishers.
Furthermore, the overall result of NM Small (3 ˝ from 9), the
highest active rated player in the BCF, demonstrated the
improved playing strength of the participants.According to BCF estimates, both Lyansky and Gibson will
join Small in the 1900 BCF rating bracket come January, 2010.Furthermore, Small’s rating is expected to decrease by at
least 60 points and Lyansky should be heading the BCF rating
list when published in January.
