N.Ireland Open 2011

[MostFamousDane]

Any chance of seeing a cross table or the games ?

Was that a no ?

[Ingo_Zachos]

http://ulstercheckers.blogspot.com/

for some coverage (nice pictures!)

Greetinx from sunny Dortmund with a running nose,

Ingo Zachos

[johnmcelhone]

Score Sheet for Northern Ireland Open 2011

http://ulstercheckers.blogspot.com/2011 ... table.html

[johnmcelhone]

Earlier tonight I have a conversation with Garret. It appears that one of his opponents withdrew after 6 rounds and at the end of the tournament Garret was penalised for this. He told me that he was informed that he was placed 2nd because of this, and that honour points may not have been calculated at all - it may have been assumed to be the case. Personally I would not agree with this verdict as related to me by Garret. He also informed me that he is totally dismayed and unlikely to play there again, and this is the real tragedy, and I can fully understand his sense of hurt.

During the 1980's there was a similiar situation between Pat Mc Carthy and Tom Watson at the end of an Irish Open Championship, where one of them lost out to the other on honour points simply because one of them played against John Mackay who also withdrew during the tournament, thus destroying his honour points. At the following IDA's AGM (1988/90) I proposed that if this were to occur in the future then the honour points of 9 rounds would be calculated instead of 10, - i.e. count the points from the highest 9 opponents instead of all 10. Where two opponents were to withdraw, the points of 8 would be calculated. In that sense no-one would be penalised for something that was not of their making. This proposal was accepted and passed without dissent. I am unaware that this has ever been changed. It makes complete sense and I was shocked to discover this was not done at this week's N.Irl Open. Hugh

Reply by Francie McNally:

As organiser and joint controller of the N.I Open held in Ballyronan 26th - 28th April I take great issue with the article posted above by Hugh Devlin. Firstly I would like to state that it would have been more appropraite for Hugh to have checked the facts with myself before making eronious and unfounded allegations in regard to the outcome of the results. It is my intention to make available the entire score sheets so that anyone who may wish can do their own calculations, and I have no doubt they will come to the same result that was reached in Ballyronan.

Normally Hugh would have discussed this personally with me but since the elevation of a number of players in the north of the country that supercedes any player we have had before Hugh has decided in the past few years to stay away from tournaments leaving no communication with myself and him only by internet.

Regards
Francie McNally

[Hugh Devlin]

John & Francie, Thanks for this. I've just looked at the score sheets and I have to state there was clearly a misunderstanding in this. There is a conflict in what was told to me and what occured on the day, and may have been the result of a communication problem there. Having looked at the score sheet I note that all was done correctly and I apologise for any misunderstanding on my behalf, and please pass this on to Francie. Congratulations to all on the running of another great event. Hugh

[Ingo_Zachos]

Looking at the score sheet:
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mI-x_27AAu0/T ... t+2011.jpg

clearly reveals that no-one withdrew.
No forfeited points are marked as such, and it looks quite as if all rounds had been played on all boards.

Or is this score sheet wrong?

Greetinx from sunny Dortmund,

Ingo Zachos

[Alex_Moiseyev]

Peter Kearns (12th line) who played with G. Owens in 1st round, withdrew after 6 rounds. However - even if we exclude his points (which was done) - Shane still has better honor points. This is certainly very good news, because now there is no reason for Garrett to quit or being angry.

Case closed.

Alex

[Ingo_Zachos]

Alex,

the score sheet says he played and lost the last two rounds 0-4 on the board.
either you are wrong or this sheet is wrong.

Note that in the case that the score sheet is wrong, all encounters in the last roubnd were drawn.
Another example, how much damage repairing can do, and that it reduces the fightimng sprit among the players.

Anyway, a discussion about tie breaking systems and the (non)sense of repairing is badly needed.
But maybe not in this thread, as in this case the previously announced tie breaker (Buchholz) was correctly applied and would have had the same result with the modification of skipping the worst opponent.
So the organizers did the right thing, and made a good job.

Garrett was just lucky to have the "easier" opponents in early rounds, while Shane took up pace when he was paired against "easier" opponents in later rounds.
Both scored great. Above 70 percent in a event only with master players is always very good.


Are there any games available?
If I saw it correctly, some players did record their games

Greetinx from sunny Dortmund,

Ingo

[Ingo_Zachos]

Judging from the pictures both Sean McElkenny vs. Bill Dobbins and Sean McKenna vs. Patsy Logue are still quite complex and leave much scope for a fight.

I could not find out from which opening they were, but maybe Alex can figure that out.

As for Garrett Owens vs. Shane McCosker it is shown right after the ballot 1. 9-13 22-18, 2. 11-15 was made.
2. ... 18x11 was made and Garrett is to defend tge weak side of an infamous opening ("one of the weakest of the weak", Tom Wiswell) , that has been regarded as very crtical for red.

Walter Hellmann once almost defeated Marion Tinsley with it in their 6th game of the 1955 World Championship Match.
And Hellmann also defeated Basil Case with it in the 1953 World Championship Match.

So it would be interesting to see that games.

Greetinx from old Europe,

Ingo

[MostFamousDane]

Alex,

Are there any games available?
If I saw it correctly, some players did record their games

Ingo

Yes at least the games are always recorded in these Irish and British events - unfortunately they have a tendency to disappear afterwards

[william]

Congratulations to both Shane and garret for an outstanding performance

William

[johnmcelhone]

Garrett has aked for the following to be posted;

Categorically state that there was a misunderstanding in the telephone conversation between himself and Hugh.

He accepts that honour points were correct and that Shane was the winner.

It is his intention to play in the N.I Open next year.


(I received this info from F McNally by telephone)

[Bernard Coll]

Here we go again. Some players throwing tantrums and running to the "AGONY AUNTS and UNCLES" on ACF site. Fairly recent examples are the "missing" Scottish Cup which proved to be unfounded. Then the Nick Addante accusations of the tournament controllers, and now this totally needless misunderstanding at last week's Northern Ireland Open. Thankfully the first and last issues seem to have been resolved amicably. Could I suggest that any disgruntled player for whatever reason submit a complaint to the respective draughts/checkers assosiations in WRITING outlining their greviances. I am aware that this could be a lenghty process, but it would be a much more professional approach and give the concerned parties space to deal with the issue with cool heads. Much more appropriate to washing one's dirty linen in public! Regards to all, Bernard Coll. Vice president of the SDA.

[tommyc]

Hi everyone,as you may have noticed ive been off line for a few weeks and i return to see nothing much has changed.same old same biting and barking its all too much for me.Well i noticed the upheaval and the N.I honor points and all i have to say really is,Myles Hannigan done these and i can assure you theres nobody better or fairer in the whole Universe to have done that job.He would hold no faith or sway with anybody and honest to the last,in fact so honest ive nvr seen anyone as straight before or since and i would put my shirt on it.

Im glad it was all resolved quite quickly and Hugh held his hand up and apoligised unreservedly to the mixed message he got.Its always better in hindsight of course but nothing beats getting both sisides of the story before you give a verdict and of course its always better as my father used to say, to put your brain into gear before you open your mouth.

In fact i favored Garrett to to win this TY Shane has been taking a break from hard practise due to work interests,as of recently his play has been solid and he has rattled the cross-bar in recent events so his time is not far away ,so id encourage him to keep it up.

Its a ...wise man who holds his counsel till hes armed with all the facts.

[william]

Welcome back Tommy

I would like to join you with another wise saying, seeing that we are all in the vein ... it is "that one should always practice what one preaches"...

Tommy as I said to Bernie i will be in Dublin for 3 weeks in september and hopefully will be able to meet up with all of you guys in the Dublin clubs during my stay

See you then

William