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London Open 2012, Report and Positions

Posted By: Paul Weaver
Date: Sunday, 20 May 2012, at 6:30 p.m.

Mike Main again demonstrated that he is the best tournament director on the planet. I was skeptical that he could pull off what he had promised, but he did it on a reasonable schedule. The draws are on his computer and appear on various large monitors. Wonder how many more years American TDs will keep on using stone-age technology and post physical cardboard draw sheets, as was done in previous centuries.

There was an Open event with a field of 128, 5pt matches for most of the way, free entry, no registration, no gimmicks and a winner-take-all first-place prize of 250 pounds. There was also a Pro event with a field of 64 with an entry fee of 250 pounds. Virtual everyone in the Pro event was also in the Open event. The Pro matches were 11pts except the final was 13pts. All of this and more were to be completed in two days.

Additionally, there was a doubles event and a 50-pound-entry 64-player jackpot on Sunday with 9pt matches.

Some American TDs are seriously challenged to complete much less in two or three days, but Mike did a great job. There was also a black-tie-optional gala dinner from 8 to 10 PM Saturday.

It is not my intention to give the complete results, but I will tell you just a bit. There were nine from Italy at the tournament. All are very nice, friendly and likable personalities. Three Italians reached the semis: Carlo Melzi, Fabio Gullotta and Alfonso Sava. I was the only non-Italian in the semis. I lost to Carlo 11-5 and when I left, Fabio was leading Alfonso 10-1.

Fabio is the gentleman from Rome who beat me in the semis of Monte Carlo in 2011, reaching the finals. Fabio is to be congratulated for reaching the finals of two big tournaments in a period of less than twelve months.

The prize money was to be distributed as follows: no consolation in either the Pro or the Open, no rake in the Pro and 100% to the winner unless a hedge was made.

I collected no prize money for my effort of winning four matches and reaching the semis.

I am showing two positions from my semi-final match against Carlo Melzi, who was #56 on the 2009 Giants' List (incidentally, there is a new rumour that the new 2011 Giants' List will NEVER be released). I believe that Carlo has been recognized as the best Italian player for a number of years, "irregardlessly" of the fact that another Italian appeared higher than Carlo on the 2009 list.

31P-44P-66B-32 I played U (see diagram below).





White is Player 2

score: 0
pip: 139
11 point match
pip: 151
score: 0

Blue is Player 1
XGID=-----BEbC---cC---bbdb---B-:0:0:1:32:0:0:0:11:10
Blue to play 32

eXtreme Gammon Version: 2.03

31P-44B-66B-32U-C I took and lost a G.





White is Player 2

score: 0
pip: 146
11 point match
pip: 139
score: 0

Blue is Player 1
XGID=---aaBDBB---cC---cBeb-----:0:0:1:00:0:0:0:11:10
Blue on roll, cube action?

eXtreme Gammon Version: 2.03

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