Hourtin port
This is the first time I have played at the new venue, although it is the second edition. The chess charm of the Camping La Rochade is gone, with it's dedicated chess events all summer, activities such as Condi chess and the bookshop. Rike and Jules Armas sold their campsite a few years ago and the new owners, not being chessplayers, didn't appreciate our game.
Now the new accomodation venue is the Village Western Camping which is not a chess campsite but specialises in Equestrian activities and has a wild west feel about it. Although the chess charm is missing it is a lot more professionally run (no offence Rike&Jules) and has a lot more to offer to non chess players.
The new venue is a great improvement and although there are no goats or chickens in the adjacent paddock, there are plenty of cafe's restaurants, shops, playgounds and a lake beach where you can indulge in water sports like sailing or play mini-golf or hire a bike....etc
Boats can also be hired from the port.
The bridge in the distance leads to Banana Island where dogs can be walked.
And this is the Beach. No crocodiles and shallow so safe for bad swimmers.
You could get lost though. This lake is huge.
Open De Vins 2016
Antoine Favarel scored an amazing 8.5/9 this year. He has been playing in this tournament since he has been a junior and I'm sure we have played several times. This is the first time I remember him beating me but it was well deserved. He also beat the other IM, Paul Velten, also with black. Here he is trying the side-saddle weigh in. He had to leave immediately after the prizegiving to make it to the first round of his next tournament in Condom which started later that afternoon.
Pablo Ollier scored 8/9 which is rarely not enough to win a tournament. His chess was good but his weight let him down. He got five bottles let than I although he got half his weight.
And here you can see why.
Paul Velten, the top seed and 2013 winner didn't tip the scales much either.
Gilles Grelier was fifth with 5.5/9 and best local player
Sixth was taken by German international player Ursula Hielscher who played a great tournament but had an easy last round when her opponents phone switched itself on.
Rike Armas won the best female prize after missing the first two rounds because she was a volunteer at EURO2016. A remarkable performance as she also played organiser, announcer, and any other odd job that needed doing. She also has great taste in t-shirts :-)
Merlin Randrianaina looks happy with his junior prize.
Here some other junior prize winners choosing their game prizes.
The full results from round 9 are here. This tournament is planning to continue next year with a possible other one to follow immediately afterwards in Lesparre but thats just in the planning phase right now. I'll keep you informed.
Round 9
My opponent in the last round is a local swashbuckling player who plays every year as far as I can tell. He played a very tough filed and was unlucky to be jumped over in the last two round as Jean had to play Favarel and yours truly.
He had a go, sacking a knight and it was a bit more dangerous than I thought. He should have held back with 16.Ng5+ and played Kh2 instead. Then it seems he had compensation. As it happened there was none and after the second piece fell he lost on time.
That's all for now folks, I hope you enjoyed the reports. I'm back in Australia, via Munich, on Friday to pollute young minds with wacky chess ideas :D
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