Local Magpie and Chess Enthusiast Triumphs in Shanklin

Harry Vernon takes home the silverware, again, after defeating all comers at the Shanklin Autumn Charity Chess Tournament.

The tournament, organised by Terry Dawson, raises funds for the Shanklin 50 Plus Centre and is a great introduction for new players, featuring a more relaxed eliminator in the morning, followed by a tense final round in the afternoon.

The morning session sees players split into groups of five for a round-robin of 30-minute games.

After the now-legendary two-course lunch of Shepherd's Pie and Apple Crumble, the finalists return to the tables for a knockout round using clocks.

Erfaan Sharif faced Harry in the final and certainly gave him a run for his money. Both players successfully digested the Apple Crumble and were able to maintain a high level of play.

With Harry running low on time, Sharif seemed to have the upper hand. But having now fully processed his lunch, Harry was as sharp as ever, finding the crucial moves to deliver mate with just three minutes remaining on his clock to Erfaan's twelve.

Erfaan graciously settled for second place and presented Harry with the trophy. Francis Best took a well-deserved third.

Presumably, Harry only has so much space on his shelf for trophies and the IOW is in need of more chess players. If you think can help Harry out, and find a home for a deserving trophy, keep and eye on the events page for upcoming tournaments.

If you would like to get involved and play chess over the board, check out the local schedule with island meet ups taking place most days of the week.

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