In retrospect – The UK’s Cyprus report card

I wrote at length about my own travails at this magnificent event (a walking, talking horrorshow alone, but unbeatable alongside my Heidelberg heroine); but said little about the other Brits on show – who were remarkable.

Here they are in all their glory:

Perhaps the key figure is bottom left, that 58% win rate. This is obviously way above average and tallies well with some 30 grandmasters in the championships that I examined, who returned a figure of 59.4. And interestingly Zdenek Zizka’s tally was 57.1 (won 8, lost 6). Other luminaries might include Karsten Bredahl at 72.7, Akiko Yazawa 69.2, Eli Roymi 66.6, Jorgen Grandstedt and Jon Royset at 61.5; and down at the bottom, the great Michy with 16.6 (won 1, lost 5).

The performances of Barnes and Owen are phenomenal, and they should quite rightly count themselves amongst the very finest players in the world. JB’s record speaks for itself with a huge run at the Main and so close to qualification for the grand final, whilst Gaz had a simply magnificent week and played the most matches at a whopping 19 – wow. Josie Bichler played 18, and edged out Gaz on quality 15-3 to his 15-4. He also cannily bought 7.5% of me, which sky-rocketed to about 40% after all my hedging, and that he bought Josie and I’s total winnings of which I then have to pay all of. It really wiped the smile off my face that, but of course if he’d won, I’d have presented him with the same bill. The deals we make at these things can be so telling.

Ollie Squire had an excellent event, although he was inconsolable to go out of the main at DMP when he left 14 shots instead of 11. But we leave more shots in life for a reason: flexibility. But this time, alas, it was too profligate. And Ollie still struggles with his time management – something he must improve to progress to world-class level.

As noted elsewhere, Chris Bray missed hitting with a fly shot, which would have all but taken him into the 4 th round, but not to be. He then had an electrifying run in the Last Chance, as did the fabled Martin Barkwill a.k.a. Fagin.

Nicky Check should be commended for a dazzling shimmy in the Second chance, and likewise Rachel Rhodes. John Broomfield got going three times, whilst Raj and Seb had maddening weeks with a whopping 11 wins between them but a galling 10 losses in tow. My ‘roomie’ Chris Rogers had a tough old week, but his 3rd round win against Yazawa was juggernaut stuff, and was then taken out by a Gibraltarite the next morning, a few thousand places lower in the world rankings – but that’s bg!

Tim Line and Malcolm Robertson by no means went home empty-handed, clocking up 5 wins between them, with Neil Davidson the only Brit in the Championships to draw the dreaded blank. But his UK masters run to the Consolation final of ’07 shows he’s no mug!

Sorry not to report on our Intermediates on this occasion, and there were a good number of you. Do comment with any fine runs below. What we do know is our intermediates added wonderful flavour and flamboyance to the week, and it was so good to meet you all and play some great heads-up. Four dipped their toes into the icy waters of the doubles, but no fish fried. (With apols for the horrendous mixed metaphor).

 

In summary, it’s notable that the best UK ratios came where the going was toughest with a 24-15 (61.5%) result in the main, and 12-5 in the super/mega jackpots.  These are outstanding returns and compare well to the other grandmasters I looked at who went 51-29 (63.7%) in the main, and a really quite dodgy 15-12 in the jackpots.  We should hold our heads high, and can all look to crack on mightily now for the rest of the decade in tournaments all over the globe.