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The British Rapidplay took place at the Leeds Metropolitan University Beckett Park site where I went to University (cough Poly) over the weekend of 19th-20th November 2011. Brent Kitson has done a fantastic job in stabilising the finances to enable the event to run year after year. Gawain Jones won with 10.5/11 a point and a half clear of Matthew Turner. Available games now processed and full standings with FIDE ratings (derived from the ChessNuts verion) in the section below along with Brent Kitson's personal impressions.

The 25th anniversary event strode through its second day and over the hurdles at the Leeds Metropolitan University, Becketts Park. The Junior British Rapidplay kicked off in the Jubilee Room.the Under 12 winners were the brilliant Zheming Zhang and Callum Brewer, who each landed 4.5/5 points.Ashwin Kalyana took the Under 16 title.The one day rapidplay was won by Phil Watson with 4/5. Thanks to all the parents and guardians who fantastically supported the junior players in all events.

Hot food aplenty was served at noon in the university food court on the campus.In the Open GM Gawain Jones continued his winning ways against David Walker and then Stephen Burns-Mannion IM and then Mike Surtees.GM Matthew Turner could only draw against Nigel Davies GM in round nine.Gawain secured his Open victory after his defeat of Peter Shaw.Gawain went on to equal GM David Howell's 10.5/11 points score with his victory over Jim Burnett.David Walker drew with GM Matthew Turner in round eleven.

So GM Gawain Jones is The British Open Rapidplay Champion 2011,with 10.5/11 and GM Matthew Turner is second with 9/11.Gawain commented after the event "Yes I was tired after 11 rounds,and after being pipped by David Howell in 2010, it was good to win it". With his fiancée WIM Sue Maroroa by his side, Gawain said he'd appreciated the hall and campus facilities , and looked forward to returning and hopefully defending his title in 2012.

The event continued to be broadcast through until 4.45 pm despite two of the internet servers not working.David Clayton managed to keep his back up computer feeding live games.Andrew Walker ur webmaster will I'm sure fill the website with lots of photos,info on the event in the coming days. In the other main events Graham Bates took the Minor with 9.5/11, Andrew Bak dominated the Major with 9/11, whilst Paul Talbot took the Intermediate with 8.5/11.

A successful event thus concluded. Thanks to all the players who took part .A big thank you to chief arbiter Dave Welch and his controller team,plus to all who made the event happen ,notably the British Rapidplay Organizing Committee, Carlos Velosa and his set-up team, Adam Raoof of the ECF who presented the prizes , WellMet Conferencing with Kelly Allen who helped host and manage the venue.The full cross table results will follow in due course from Jon Griffiths of "Chessnuts". The Bookstall by "Chess Direct" had a good event too and kindly provided us with 14 free book prizes.

PGN's of most of the top board Open games are accessible via the website www.british-rapidplay.org.uk .Photos of the winners will follow from Carlos Velosa in the coming days via the photo gallery.Thanks to Ihor Lewyk for his photos too. I'd hope that Mark Crowther and Malcolm Pein can analyse these games in more detail. Thanks to TWIC for its continued support.

Looking forward to next year ,the tournament secretary called for private sponsors and the ECF to help the BRC develop this popular rapidplay event further. Adam Raoof, Home director of Chess, kindly said he would pursue further support for 2012, despite some promised funding not materialising this year,and in consideration of major planned changes in Spring 2012 to ECF membership. Despite a time of austerity, with challenging times for funding chess ahead of us, as well as some concurrent events in Germany, Brazil, Scandinavia which clashed with the event, the organizers still provided some additional £700 of reserve funds towards securing over £4500 winning and grading prizes for all main events. The British Rapidplay again proved its popularity by attracting well over 300 entrants. We look forward to the next 25 years, and look to new people helping, arbiting, and playing chess. We need to promote weekend rapidplay chess even more, with perhaps new media initiatives, and marketing opportunities, particularly at this new venue. John Hipshon, a new junior arbiter from Leeds, Nigel Webster and Ihor Lewyk, who helped in the main hall, and Leona Sharp, a new young helper (who of her own accord got involved with notices, computer powerpoint communications, organizing) all did very well and show that the younger people (relative to me at least!) are part of the future. Dates for 2012 were vented and the organizers look to returning to Leeds L.M.U. in November 2012.

Many thanks again to all ...chess lovers! Brent Kitson

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ChessTempo viewer

25th British Rapid Leeds ENG Sat 19th Nov 2011 - Sun 20th Nov 2011 Leading Final Round 11 Standings:
Rk	Name	Ti	FED	Rtg	Pts
1	Jones, Gawain C B	GM	ENG	2635	10½
2	Turner, Matthew J	GM	ENG	2516	9
3	Burns-Mannion, Stephen R	IM	SCO	2351	8
4	Longson, Alexander		ENG	2281	7½
5	Walker, David J	FM	ENG	2281	7½
6	Davies, Nigel R	GM	ENG	2494	7½
7	Wells, Peter K	GM	ENG	2492	7
8	Shaw, Peter		ENG	2180	7
9	Burnett, Jim		ENG	2137	7
10	Jaunooby, Ali R		ENG	2144	7
11	Richardson, Alex		ENG	2114	6½
12	Surtees, Mike J		ENG	2113	6½
13	Croad, Nicolas	FM	NZL	2292	6½
14	Wilkinson, Graham		ENG		6½
15	Weller, Jean-Luc		ENG	2074	6
16	Krishnan, Anand J		ENG	1767	6
17	Walton, Alan J	CM	ENG	2161	6
18	Burke, Mitchell R		ENG	1897	6
19	Chipanga, Takaedza		ZIM		6
20	Jones, Steven A		ENG	1878	6
21	Raoof, Adam N		ENG	2127	6
22	Birkin, Mark H		ENG	1914	6
23	Woodcock, Simon		ENG	2104	5½
24	Milson, Samuel A		ENG	2047	5½
25	Maroroa, Sue	WIM	NZL	2013	5½
26	Newton, Robert A		ENG	2001	5½
27	Lau, Alan		IRL		5
28	Combie, Alex B		ENG	2039	5
29	Grant, David		SCO	1863	5
30	Armstrong, Malcolm J		ENG	2016	5
31	Batchelor, Peter		ENG	2026	5
32	Edwards-Wright, Miles D		ENG	1995	5
33	Cumming, Rhys		ENG	2010	5
34	Bramson, Mike		ENG		5
35	Bowler, James P		ENG	1692	5
36	Hackner, Oskar A		ENG	2014	5
37	Taylor, William J		ENG	1966	4½
38	Weller, Pierre		ENG	1987	4½
39	Mulleady, Peter J		ENG		4½
40	Hall, John B		ENG	2305	4½
41	Davies, Peter		WLS	2005	4½
42	Tavares, Shawn P		TRI	2218	4
43	Ursal, Darwin		ENG		4
44	Dodds, Edward P		ENG		4
45	Briscoe, Chris	CM	ENG	2220	4
46	Corcoran, Gary		ENG	1887	4
47	Parsons, Matthew		ENG		3
48	Jameson, David		WLS	2077	3
49	Bennion, David		WLS	2020	3
50	Yeomans, Kevin		ENG		2
51	Talbot, Nathan L		ENG		1
52	Solomon, Norman		ENG	2135	1
52 players

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