2005 Coffs Harbour Open
Report By Charles Zworestine

Gary Lane 1st
Brian Jones 2nd
Zong-Yuan Zhao =3rd
Johnny Bolens =3rd
Alan Tankel
co NSW Country Champion
Fritz van derWal 
co NSW Country Champion

"Having already attracted a most satisfactory 54 players for the inaugural event last year, the second annual Coffs Harbour Open tournament this year did even better! 56 players, from places as far flung as Canberra, Wollongong, Sydney, Newcastle, Laurieton, Taree, Port Macquarie, Armidale, Brisbane, Gold Coast and Redcliffe - a rip roaring success! And strong, with IMs Zong-Yuan Zhao and Gary Lane and FMs Brian Jones and Lee Jones, plus little Raymond Song, Matt Sonter and Johny Bolens as players over 2000. With standard time controls of 60 minutes plus 10 seconds per move from the start. It all boded well for a fascinating event, and so it proved...

 
Very few upsets in Round 1, although Zhao was pushed all the way by Endel Lane in an excellent game by the latter. Biggest shock was Lee Jones blundering his queen; fortunately he was able to get just enough material for it to draw with Mike Duffin. The top seeds kept winning in Round 2, but things were already harder in Round 3; although only Sonter conceded points, drawing with John Marsden after being an exchange up early but unable to find a plan! But four rounds in a day can be tough, as the Saturday night round proved - just ask Zhao,who had only flown in at 8:30 that morning! Brian Jones was rock solid against him as White, and a tired Zhao eventually popped the exchange! Despite desperately trying to complicate, Zong-Yuan lost on time in a still lost position: the first truly major upset of the event. Gary Lane crunched Raymond Song, but Sonter and Bolens could only draw a queen and opposite coloured bishop endgame.
 

Jones, B (2096) – Zhao, Z (2489), 2005 Coffs Harbour Open Round 4, 12/11/05

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.d4 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 d5 5.0–0 0–0 6.c4 dxc4 7.Na3 Nc6 8.Nxc4 Be6 9.Ne3 h6 10.Qc2 a5 11.Rd1 Nb4 12.Qb1 c6 13.Bd2 Nbd5 14.Qc1 Kh7 15.Nc4 Ne4 16.Be1 f5 17.Nfe5 Nd6 18.e3 Qc7 19.a4 Nxc4 20.Nxc4 Rfc8 21.e4 fxe4 22.Bxe4 Nf6 23.Bd3 Bf5 24.Bxf5 gxf5 25.Bd2 Nd5 26.Re1 Rf8 27.Ne5 Rad8 28.Qc5 Ra8 29.Rac1 Qd6 30.Qc2 Kg8 31.Qb3 Rab8 32.Bf4 Kh7 33.Nc4 Qf6 34.Bxb8 Rxb8 35.Ne3 Nb4 36.Rc5 e6 37.Re5 f4 38.Rxe6 Qg5 39.Ng2 Rf8 40.Re7 Nd5 41.Qd3+ Kg8 42.Re8 fxg3 43.Qxg3 Time 1–0

 
Round 5 saw Gary Lane get to 5/5 after knowing more theory and so winning quickly against his father-in-law Brian Jones, while Johny Bolens was alone on 4.5 after he outlasted Lee Jones, who walked into mate in one in a time scramble! All the other top seeds won, so we had a traffic jam on 4/5. It looked like it may get even more interesting in Round 6, when an excited Bolens thought Gary Lane had overlooked a tactic losing his queen; but the IM found a resource, Bolens overlooked a forced draw and ended up losing. Zhao sacrificed a rook and bishop against Sonter to try and force mate; Sonter took the rook but not the bishop, instead returning the rook to avert mate (his only defence); and after all that, Zhao ended up winning another rook and opposite coloured bishop ending! Peter Cafolla upset Lee Jones.
 
So to the last round, where Zhao pushed hard and had chances as White but could not crack Gary Lane. Their eventual draw won Lane the title, while Zhao had to be content with a share of third with Bolens after the latter won a marathon against Cafolla, who missed several chances to claim a draw. Brian Jones got outright second after a very strong win against Raymond Song. Country players Fritz van der Wal and Alan Tankel both finished on 5/7 as the leading NSW Country players they shared the title of NSW Country Champion for 2005
 

Prize List:    1st Gary Lane 6.5/7; 2nd Brian Jones 6; 3rd Zong-Yuan Zhao, Johny Bolens 5.5; Best Under 18 Raymond Song 5; 1st Rating Group A Nathan Davidson 4.5; Equal 2nd Rating Group A + Equal Best Senior Over 65 (S) Alex Jule, Oleg Korenevski, Vaness Reid, Trent Parker, Steven Cooke, Richard Eccles, Bill Egan (S), Alf Klinkby (S), Ken Creech (S), Mike Weltner (S) 4; Equal 1st Rating Group B Jayden Fisher, Phillip Bourke 4; Equal 1st Rating Group C Leoma Lee, Matthew Stevens 3.5; Best Under 14 Jessica Kinder 3.5."

Standings

Place Name                         Feder Loc  Score

  1   Lane, Gary W                 NSW   2474 6.5  
  2   Jones, Brian A               NSW   2096 6    
 3-4  Zhao, Zong-Yuan              NSW   2489 5.5  
      Bolens, Johny                NSW   2043 5.5  
5-10  Song, Raymond                NSW   2046 5    
      Sonter, Matthew              QLD   2045 5    
      Cafolla, Peter               QLD   1763 5    
      Van Der Wal, Fritz W         NSW   1794 5    
      Weller, Tony                 QLD   1759 5    
      Tankel, Alan                 NSW   1744 5    
11-13 Jones, Lee R                 NSW   2055 4.5  
      Davidson, Nathan P           QLD   1575 4.5  
      Marsden, John A              NSW   1737 4.5  
14-25 Jule, Alexandra              QLD   1524 4    
      Korenevski, Oleg             QLD   1664 4    
      Reid, Vaness                 NSW   1699 4    
      Parker, Trent                NSW   1472 4    
      Cooke, Steven L              QLD   1511 4    
      Eccles, Richard              NSW   1578 4    
      Egan, Bill                   ACT   1574 4    
      Klinkby, Alf                 NSW   1425 4    
      Creech, Ken E                NSW   1713 4    
      Fisher, Jayden               QLD   1240 4    
      Bourke, Phillip W            NSW   1367 4    
      Weltner, Michael             NSW   1479 4    
26-32 Maddix, John T               NSW   1687 3.5  
      Canfell, Mike J              NSW   1643 3.5  
      Mearns, David                NSW   1391 3.5  
      Lenton, Doug S L             NSW   1817 3.5  
      Kinder, Jessica              QLD   1271 3.5  
      Stevens, Matthew             NSW   999  3.5  
      Lee, Leoma                   QLD   997  3.5  
33-41 Duffin, Mike                 QLD   1386 3    
      Ross, Bill                   NSW   1435 3    
      Lane, Endel                  NSW   1419 3    
      Muller, Jonas                QLD   1095 3    
      Northover, Shane             NSW   1289 3    
      Smith, Harry F               NSW   1411 3    
      Stokes, Robin H              NSW   1267 3    
      Soul, David                  NSW   1072 3    
      Barrett, Daniel J (Somerset) QLD   936  3    
42-47 Jule, Sebastian              QLD   957  2.5  
      Wilkie, Mary E               NSW   1284 2.5  
      Losh, Gary                   NSW   1444 2.5  
      Northover, Matthew           NSW   1070 2.5  
      Wells, Leslie                NSW   1073 2.5  
      Stahnke, Alexander           QLD   576  2.5  
48-52 Goodson, Jason               NSW   971  2    
      Beilby, Kieton               QLD   755  2    
      Momot, Alex                  NSW   958  2    
      Kinder, Danielle             QLD   205  2    
      Brett, Sean                  NSW        2    
53-54 Wakewood, Joshua             NSW        1    
      Smith, Tita                  NSW        1    
55-56 McNenamin, Nathan            NSW        0    
      McLean, Hannah               QLD   509  0

Cross Table

No  Name                         Loc  Total  1    2    3    4    5    6    7  

1.  Zhao, Zong-Yuan              2489 5.5   29:W 16:W  9:W  3:L 12:W  6:W  2:D
2.  Lane, Gary W                 2474 6.5   30:W 17:W 11:W  5:W  3:W  7:W  1:D
3.  Jones, Brian A               2096 6     31:W 18:W 10:W  1:W  2:L  9:W  5:W
4.  Jones, Lee R                 2055 4.5   32:D 36:W 27:W 13:W  7:L 10:L 23:W
5.  Song, Raymond                2046 5     33:W 19:W 12:W  2:L 28:W 22:W  3:L
6.  Sonter, Matthew              2045 5     34:W 21:W 13:D  7:D 11:W  1:L 17:W
7.  Bolens, Johny                2043 5.5   35:W 20:W 28:W  6:D  4:W  2:L 10:W
8.  Lenton, Doug S L             1817 3.5   36:D 32:L 30:W 42:W 20:D 23:L 31:D
9.  Van Der Wal, Fritz W         1794 5     37:W 22:W  1:L 19:W 17:W  3:L 15:W
10. Cafolla, Peter               1763 5     38:W 23:W  3:L 21:W 25:W  4:W  7:L
11. Weller, Tony                 1759 5     39:W 24:W  2:L 18:W  6:L 16:W 22:W
12. Tankel, Alan                 1744 5     40:W 25:W  5:L 23:W  1:L 32:W 19:W
13. Marsden, John A              1737 4.5   41:W 26:W  6:D  4:L 22:L 47:W 18:W
14. Creech, Ken E                1713 4     42:W 27:D 32:D 25:L 31:W 20:D 21:D
15. Reid, Vaness                 1699 4     43:W 28:L 29:W 22:L 33:W 25:W  9:L
16. Maddix, John T               1687 3.5   44:W  1:L 31:W 32:D 36:W 11:L 20:L
17. Korenevski, Oleg             1664 4     45:W  2:L 33:W 26:W  9:L 28:W  6:L
18. Canfell, Mike J              1643 3.5   46:W  3:L 35:W 11:L 32:D 36:W 13:L
19. Eccles, Richard              1578 4     47:W  5:L 37:W  9:L 34:W 29:W 12:L
20. Davidson, Nathan P           1575 4.5   48:W  7:L 38:W   :D  8:D 14:D 16:W
21. Egan, Bill                   1574 4     49:W  6:L 39:W 10:L 47:D 38:W 14:D
22. Jule, Alexandra              1524 4     50:W  9:L 40:W 15:W 13:W  5:L 11:L
23. Cooke, Steven L              1511 4     51:W 10:L 41:W 12:L 39:W  8:W  4:L
24. Weltner, Michael             1479 4     52:W 11:L 42:D 36:L 35:W 27:D 30:W
25. Parker, Trent                1472 4     53:W 12:L 43:W 14:W 10:L 15:L 32:W
26. Losh, Gary                   1444 2.5   54:W 13:L 45:W 17:L 38:L 44:D 43:L
27. Ross, Bill                   1435 3     55:W 14:D  4:L 28:L 43:W 24:D 33:L
28. Klinkby, Alf                 1425 4     56:W 15:W  7:L 27:W  5:L 17:L 34:W
29. Lane, Endel                  1419 3      1:L 44:W 15:L 45:W 49:W 19:L 38:L
30. Smith, Harry F               1411 3      2:L 45:L  8:L 54:W 46:W 37:W 24:L
31. Mearns, David                1391 3.5    3:L 46:W 16:L 41:W 14:L 39:W  8:D
32. Duffin, Mike                 1386 3      4:D  8:W 14:D 16:D 18:D 12:L 25:L
33. Bourke, Phillip W            1367 4      5:L 47:W 17:L 44:W 15:L 45:W 27:W
34. Northover, Shane             1289 3      6:L 49:L 51:+ 46:W 19:L 50:W 28:L
35. Wilkie, Mary E               1284 2.5    7:L 48:W 18:L 43:D 24:L 49:W 44:L
36. Kinder, Jessica              1271 3.5    8:D  4:L 49:W 24:W 16:L 18:L 47:W
37. Stokes, Robin H              1267 3      9:L 50:W 19:L 47:L 42:W 30:L 52:W
38. Fisher, Jayden               1240 4     10:L 51:W 20:L 48:W 26:W 21:L 29:W
39. Muller, Jonas                1095 3     11:L 52:W 21:L 50:W 23:L 31:L 49:W
40. Wells, Leslie                1073 2.5   12:L 53:W 22:L 49:L 48:D 43:L 56:W
41. Soul, David                  1072 3     13:L 54:W 23:L 31:L 50:L 55:W 46:W
42. Northover, Matthew           1070 2.5   14:L 55:W 24:D  8:L 37:L 48:D 50:D
43. Stevens, Matthew             999  3.5   15:L 56:W 25:L 35:D 27:L 40:W 26:W
44. Lee, Leoma                   997  3.5   16:L 29:L 52:W 33:L 56:W 26:D 35:W
45. Goodson, Jason               971  2     17:L 30:W 26:L 29:L 52:W 33:L 48:L
46. Momot, Alex                  958  2     18:L 31:L 53:W 34:L 30:L 56:W 41:L
47. Jule, Sebastian              957  2.5   19:L 33:L 54:W 37:W 21:D 13:L 36:L
48. Barrett, Daniel J (Somerset) 936  3     20:L 35:L 55:W 38:L 40:D 42:D 45:W
49. Beilby, Kieton               755  2     21:L 34:W 36:L 40:W 29:L 35:L 39:L
50. Stahnke, Alexander           576  2.5   22:L 37:L 56:W 39:L 41:W 34:L 42:D
51. McLean, Hannah               509  0     23:L 38:L 34:-   :    :    :    : 
52. Kinder, Danielle             205  2     24:L 39:L 44:L 55:W 45:L 53:W 37:L
53. Brett, Sean                       2     25:L 40:L 46:L 56:L 54:+ 52:L 55:W
54. McNenamin, Nathan                 0     26:L 41:L 47:L 30:L 53:-   :    : 
55. Smith, Tita                       1     27:L 42:L 48:L 52:L   :W 41:L 53:L
56. Wakewood, Joshua                  1     28:L 43:L 50:L 53:W 44:L 46:L 40:L