Justin Gulati wins the 1997 Truro Open

Photograph right: Generations meet. 9-year-old Robin Thorsen, the under 10-year-old provincial chess champion takes on one of the tournament's octogenarians, Arthur Grant. Steve Toth was the other player over 80 years old!

The first Truro Open Chess Championship attracted 21 players, ranging in age from 9 to 81. Justin Gulati, 19, of Charlottetown PEI, the reigning Maritime Junior Chess Champion won the tournament with 4.5 out of 5. Mike Eldridge of Falmouth, NS placed clear second with 4. The tournament provided an excellent opportunity for the Truro area players to participate in organized chess and was organized to promote chess in a convenient location for all Maritime players.

The tournament was organized in conjunction with the Atlantic Cadet Tournament.

Photograph: Mike Eldridge plays Brian McGrath in the fourth round. Click on the image for a larger view.

The tournament offer faster time controls that normal used in Nova Scotia, sudden death in 90 minutes that seem to favour the faster and perhaps younger players. But was less intimidating time control for introducing new players to the game.

1997 Truro Open Crosstable

Player		CFC#	rd1	rd2	rd3	rd4	rd5	total
1.Steve Saunders 103353	+11	+6	=3	+5	-2	3.5
2.Justin Gulati	110208	+12	+7	=4	+3	+1	4.5
3.Alvah Mayo	105142	+13	+8	=1	-2	+9	3.5
4.Mike Eldridge	104341	+14	+10	=2	+8	=5	4
5.Bruce Fleury	109707	+15	+9	+6	-1	=4	3.5
6.Ken Cashin	103179	+16	-1	-5	+10	=11	2.5
7.Steve Toth	102861	+17	-2	-11	-15	+14	2
8.Brian McGrath	120927	+18	-3	+14	-4	-10	2
9.Phil Boyle	110332	+19	-5	+15	=11	-3	2.5
10.Terry Thorsen 2737*	+20	-4	+17	-6	+8	3
11.Andrew Endendijk 2375* -1	+16	+7	=9	=6	3
12.Arthur Grant	100180	-2	-17	+18	+21	-15	2
13.Ralph Finck	111996	-3	-21	+16	+14	-17	2
14.Jason Mercer	120649	-4	+20	-8	-13	-7	1
15.Charles Verge new	-5	+18	-9	-7	+12	3
16.Serge Geoffre new	-6	-11	-13	-0	-0	0
17.Sid MacIsaac	new	-7	+12	-10	+20	+13	3
18.Jamie Cory	new	-8	-15	-12	-0	-0	0
19.Gary Atlin	new	-9	-0	-0	-0	-0	0
20.Michael Atlin 120807	-10	-14	=0	-17	+21	1.5
21.Robin Thorsen 120773	-0	+13	-0	-12	-20	1

Games

[Event "Truro Open"]
[Site "Truro NS"]
[Date "1997.11.23"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Gulati, Justin"]
[Black "Saunders, Steve"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2045"]
[BlackElo "2055"]

1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. Bg5 Bg7 5. Qd2 Nc6 6. Nf3 d6 7. Bh6 O-O 8. h4
Nh5 9. Bxg7 Kxg7 10. e3 e5 11. d5 Nb8 12. Be2 Nd7 13. O-O-O Ndf6 14. Rdg1 Ng4
15. Bd1 a6 16. Nh2 b5 17. f3 Nxh2 18. Rxh2 f4 19. Ne2 bxc4 20. exf4 Nxf4 21.
Nxf4 Rxf4 22. h5 g5 23. g3 Rd4 24. Qc3 Qg8 (24... Rxd5 25. f4 Rb8) 25. f4 Qxd5
26. fxg5 (26. h6+ Kf8 27. fxe5 dxe5 28. Rf2+ Kg8 29. Bf3 e4 30. Bxe4 Qxe4 31.
Re1 Qxe1+ 32. Qxe1 {White wins!}) 26... Rd3 27. Qe1 Be6 (27... c3 {Could have 
kept black's advantage. Black paniced as sudden death approached!})28. Rf1 Qd4 
(28... c3 {Ditto.}) 29. Bc2 Qe3+ 30. Qxe3 Rxe3 31. h6+ Kg8 32. Rf6 Bf7? 33. Bxh7+ 
Kxh7 34. Rxf7+ Kg6 (34... Kg8 35. Rhf2 {Leads to checkmate as both Rs supported 
by pawns reach the 7th rank.}) 35. Rg7+ Kf5 36. h7 Rxg3 37. Rg8 Rxg8 38. hxg8=Q 
Rg1+ 39. Kc2 1-0

Many thanks to Terry Thorsen and Cobequid Education Centre for hosting the event. Considered a success, plans are already underway for another event in Truro in the spring. We would also like to thank Kim Tufts for directing and

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