Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival 2011
Monday 24 January – Thursday 3 February 2011
PRESS RELEASE 30 JANUARY 2011

AMATEURS AND CHALLENGERS PRIZE LIST ‘A’

Here are the full details of the AMATEURS AND CHALLENGERS tournaments in the first week of competition.
AS REPORTED IN BULLETIN 5 by John Saunders

First in the Amateur A tournament was Vegard Stene from Norway, who received the £1,000 first prize. Second equal were Geoffrey Bishop, Alvaro Candano Gonzalez, Armin Gholami who received £400 each. The Gibraltar Prize was shared between Mario Garcia and Stephen Whatley who won £50 each.

In Challengers A, first was shared by Ivan Elishev and Johan Henriksson who received £1500 each. Third equal were Ali R Jaunooby, Hristos Zygouris, Nikita Meskovs, each of whom received £167. Rating 1950-2049: Halvor Haga, Simon Marder (£250 each). Rating below 1950: Mikael Helin, Samuel Flanagan, Emilia Georgieva (£167 each). Unrated: Sandu Ungureanu (£500). Gibraltar Prize: Alan D Gravett (£150).

There was a slight mix-up during the prizegiving at first and Norwegian player Armin Gholami was surprised not to hear his name read out as a prizewinner. He stood up and calmly explained to the organisers in perfect English that his name had not been read out and that he should have received a share of the second prize for the Challengers. He was quite right and the error swiftly rectified. An unremarkable incident, perhaps, but for the fact that Armin is just 11 years old. His calmness, logic and assertiveness were impressive for one so young and a sign of great character.

Amateur A

First Vegard Stene £1000
Second = Geoffrey L Bishop £400
Alvaro Candano Gonzalez £400
Armin Gholami £400

Gibraltar Prize = Mario Garcia £50
Stephen Whatley £50
Challengers A
First = Ivan Elisha £1500
Johan Henriksson £1500
Third = Ali R Janooby £167
Hristos Zygouris £167
Nikita Meskovs £167

Rating 1950-2049 = Halvor Haga £250
Simon Marder £250
Rating below 1950 = Mikael Helin £167
Samuel Flanagan £167
Emilia Georgieva £167
Unrated Sandu Ungureanu £500
Gibraltar Prize Alan D Gravett £150
David Welch, Chief Arbiter

Alice Mascarenhas, Chess Press Officer
chesspressoffice@caletahotel.gi or gibchesspress@gmail.com
John Saunders, Webmaster gibchesspress@gmail.com
For more photos and larger files you can access official photographs by Zeljka Malobabic
http://picasaweb.google.com/MonRoi.Inc
TRADEWISE GIBRALTAR CHESS FESTIVAL Official website: www.gibraltarchesscongress.com

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