Scottish Chess Championship Day 9 - Too many moves!!

Ok I know I am writing this a full 2 days after the event.  To be honest, I have been too tired.  For reasons I will go into shortly, I didn't get home until 11:30pm.  With an early start the next day (and my Boss asking me to go to Italy...) I have not recovered from the 10 days.  I am tired and sore.  A bit of relaxation this week and I will be as good as new.

I have now completed my final IA norm.  Jim Webster signed them off and I sent them off to FIDE yesterday along with the claim for Murad's FM.  All being well we will both be approved and then I can relax.  No more Alex watching my every move (like that will stop happening!)

Why were we so late?  Well, 2 of the players in the 150 decided it was time we had a 100+ move game.  The last pawn move or piece capture was at move 85 when this appeared on the board on move 134

There was a collective gasp from the hall as the main sponsor had been there since 7:15, it was pushing on 8, and if ..Rxc6 we were looking at at a least another 30 mins of play before the next 50 move claim.

Thankfully Andrew Greet was a complete gentleman and moved the Rook, checking the king and forcing the 50 moves.

I missed the presentation of the Scottish Open as I was involved with this game but Alan Atkinson, one of our fellow arbiters and probably the only person we know that can manage Alex and I at the same time, was kind enough to take the pics.

The Scottish Champion was Murad Abdulla, thats FM Murad Abdulla to you!!

Murad is the 2nd youngest Champion.

The Scottish would not be the Scottish unless Roddy McKay wins something.  He seems to be the perennial winner.  Roddy was the Scottish Senior Champion this year

The full list of winners is up on the Scottish Chess website.

In the APA, the outright winner was Andrew Greet

Star of the tournament was Duchess Jean Chalmers :D

Well that wraps it up for this year.  Next year we may be in Edinburgh.  Until then