Close friends already got to call him T.C. but now along with everybody else, they also get to call Tom Chivers 'Streatham & Brixton Chess Club Champion 2008'.
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Two games later he was in the lead and facing a last round showdown with 2007 champion Robin Haldane. On board 2 Adam survived Angus' Haldane Hack to reach 5 out of 6 which left Tom needing to win with Black to avoid a play-off for the title.
Fittingly, the top board clash was the final game to finish and the tournament ended with Robin, artist to the last, weaving a mating net around his own king as Tom's pawns marched down the board.
The final table:
1. Tom C - 5.5
2. Adam W - 5
3. Robin H, Martin S, Angus F - 4
6. Dean L, Chris M, Jonathan B - 3.5
9. Alexey S, Jan K, Mohsin N - 3
12. Barry B, Zornitza C - 2.5
14. Mel R, Vad L - 2
16. Sam E, Allan B - 1.5
18. Marc P - 0
Prizes:-
Tom C - one year's free membership (club champion)
Chris M - one year's free membership (highest scorer from 2nd half of the draw)
This year we also had a number of prizes donated by Andy Thake. Dean won the chess computer for being the highest placed library club player with a very creditable score of 3.5,
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKsqmEEqMu-fM6KpVPNO2kAhlqwYwLtOCi3EN1hwU2alsJEqJuoCduKsNsUV6wWIdbq1Dc1MY6u-zWftnS5i6laYmzgTXtAP04ukoXEGXkfAZ8k6-0peis27rfspRoCQSfyQF9/s400/DSC_0670.jpg)
with Adam, Martin, Angus, Jan, Mohsin, Zornitza and Mark picking up books from the Thake collection.
So it was Chivers wot won it. Perhaps it was not so surprising - the club championship capping a remarkable year for him. Aside from victory in the mid-season rapidplay (with a perfect 6/6 no less) Tom has out-performed an already respectable grade by some 20 to 25 points in club matches this season. The secret of his success? I couldn't possibly say, although those searching for a clue might want to check the video at 1:13.
Anyway, well done Tom, well done everybody who took part, and thanks once again to Vad for the taking the pictures - just click on them to see the full-size versions - and Angus for organising the whole thing. I'm already looking forward to the next one.
Vad - photographer and leader of the Tour de France
The present author, and several of his chins, at work
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Red Star Streatham
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8 comments:
TRULY heartwarming photos. such joy! Lovely. Thanks, David K in Seattle, nice to be back to your blog again, and RSS feed finally added :)
Could be a great week for Tom, then, what with the Cup Final and all.
Good effort Tom! Another year like that and the magic 200 beckons!
Andrew
Thanks... Got a feeling I'll spend next season getting taught lesson after lesson by 180s and 190s though, Andrew!
yeh i got 3/6 50%!
i fell a sleep playing with angus! :)
alexey hurricane!
That's it Tom. Good bit of positive thinking!
Andrew
i fell asleep playing with angus!
You should try playing me, it happens all the time.
Actually I'm not kidding: FM Mordue appeared to fall asleep right at the end of our game here.
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