Fourteen people had to withdraw from the Asian Seniors Chess Championships due to Covid at the Auckland Rose Park Hotel in Parnell.
The tournament, organised by Howick’s Paul Spiller, finished on October 21.
“Unfortunately we were hit with Covid and up to 14 players ended up testing positive or having to withdraw because they were unwell,” said Spiller, the vice-president of the New Zealand Chess Federation.
“Fortunately it didn’t affect the major places and the winners had pretty much been resolved by then.”
Howick-Pakuranga Chess Club president, FIDE Master Martin Dreyer, took out second place and the silver medal in the Asian Seniors Blitz Chess Championships.
Dreyer was battling for the overall title against several former New Zealand and Oceania Champions but had to settle for second place after his last round draw with Filipino FIDE Master Arlan Cabe who took out the overall title.
International Master Gary Lane was third on tiebreak to claim the bronze medal.
Lane won first place and the gold medal in the standard competition and also picked up his first GM (Grandmaster) result from the event.
The results were as follows:
Open 50+ section:
1st Place International Master Gary Lane (Australia) 8/9 Gold medal and he made a GM norm result
2nd Place FIDE Master Arlan Cabe (Philippines) 7/9 Silver medal and he made an International Master norm
3rd Place FIDE Master Alexei Kulashko (New Zealand) 6/9 Bronze medal and he made an International Master norm – we are hopeful that this completes Alexei’s requirements for the IM title
65+ section:
1st Place FIDE Master Efren Bagamasbad (Philippines) 7.5/9 Gold Medal, wins the International Master title and a GM norm
2nd Place Miles Patterson (Australia) 7/9 Silver Medal, wins the FM [FIDE Master] title and an IM norm
3rd = Place FM Bob Smith 6.5/9 Bronze Medal and makes an IM norm (on tie-break)
3rd = Place CM [Candidate Master] Hilton Bennett 6.5/9
First Place Woman 65+ WFM [woman FIDE Master] Vivian Smith takes the gold medal
