Chess Writers in a Tournament

Jack Speigel Memorial took place during the 2008 Easter Congress in Southend, England. Eight players (7 GM, 1 IM) competed in a round robin tournament, and at least five of them can be recognized as established and popular writers of chess books.

The England's youngest Grandmaster David Howell won the tournament with fantastic 6,0 points out of seven rounds. Most of the games were decided in small number of moves, clearly a sharp event.


The standings:
1. GM David Howell 2528 - 6,0; 2. GM Peter Wells 2520 - 4,5; 3. IM Lawrence Trent 2463 - 4,0; 4-6. GM Mark Hebden 2530, GM James Plaskett 2490 and GM Neil McDonald 2386 - 3,5; 7. GM John Emms 2502 - 2.5; 8. GM Chris Ward 2440 - 0,5


Neil McDonald - Peter Wells
1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d5 3. Bg5 Ne4 4. Bf4 c5 5. c3 cxd4 6. cxd4 Nc6 7. e3 e5 8. Bxe5 Bb4+ 9. Nfd2 Nxe5 10. dxe5 O-O 11. a3 Ba5 12. Be2 d4 13. b4 Nxf2 14. Kxf2 dxe3+ 15. Kf1 Qh4 16. Qe1 Qxe1+ 17. Kxe1 exd2+ 18. Nxd2 Bc7 19. Nc4 Re8 20. Rd1 b5 21. Nd6 Rxe5 22. Nxb5 Ba6 23. Nc3 Rae8 24. Rd2 Re3 25. Kd1 Rxc3 26. Bxa6 Rxa3 27. Bf1 Ra1+ 28. Kc2 Ree1 0-1

Lawrence Trent - David Howell
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bxb4 5. c3 Ba5 6. d4 d6 7. Qb3 Qd7 8. Nbd2 Bb6 9. a4 Nf6 10. a5 Nxa5 11. Rxa5 Bxa5 12. dxe5 Ng4 13. h3 Nxe5 14. Nxe5 dxe5 15. Ba3 c6 16. O-O b5 17. Rd1 Qb7 18. Qc2 Bd8 19. Qa2 bxc4 20. Nxc4 Be7 21. Bxe7 Qxe7 22. Nd6+ Kf8 23. c4 a5 24. c5 a4 25. f4 exf4 26. Qa3 Be6 27. Rf1 Qg5
0-1

Neil McDonald - James Plaskett
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. Be3 a6 7. Qd2 Nf6 8. O-O-O b5 9. Bf4 e5 10. Nxc6 exf4 11. e5 dxc6 12. exf6 gxf6 13. Ne4 Be7 14. Qc3 Be6 15. Nxf6+ Bxf6 16. Qxf6 Rg8 17. Be2 Kf8 18. Bf3 Re8 19. Rhe1 c5 20. Bd5 Bxd5 21. Qh6+ Rg7 22. Rxe8+ Kxe8 23. Qxg7 1-0

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