Alex Baburin wins Galway Congress for fourth time

The prestigious Galway Congress was won by Irish number one Grand Master Alex Baburin; he came equal first with International Master Vladimir Sveshnikov (who came all the way from Latvia for this event) but Baburin won the trophy with a better tie-break score.  A full list of prize winners is below.  The complete results for all players can be found here: Masters Majors Minors.

The tournament was a big success, with numbers significantly up on last year, and the venue of the Menlo Park Hotel proved very popular with the players.

The new Connaught Champion – the highest placed player who is living in or was born in Connaught – is Philip Short.  Local prize winners include Conall Hegarty, of NUI Galway, who was first equal in the Majors section, and Galway Chess Club members Paul Ward, Anton Kalinichenko and Carlos Silva, who all won grading prizes.  Also worth highlighting was the outstanding performance by Mihailo Manojlovic, who won the Minors tournament (under-1200) with a faultless score of 6/6, whilst his sister Anastasija came outright second on 5½.

Prize winners were as follows.

Masters Section.  First equal: Alex Baburin and Vladimir Sveshnikov (Alex Baburin is Champion on tie-break); Third equal: Valentine Kalinins and Mel Ó Cinnéide

Grading prizes: (2000-2200): Conor O’Donell, David Murray, Gordon Freeman

(under 2000): First prize: Don Short; Second Prize: Ciaran Quinn, Stephen Short and Orison Carlile

Connaught Champion: Philip Short

Majors Section.  First equal: Conall Hegarty, Pat McMahon and Minugas Janusaitis

Grading prizes: (1350-1600): John McMahon and Paul Ward

(under 1350) First prize: Eoin Connolly; Second prize: Anton Kalininchenko

Prize for the highest placed woman (donated by Menlo Park Hotel): Gearóidín Uí Laighléis

Minors Section.  First: Mihailo Manojlovic; Second: Anastasija Manojlovic; Third equal Arran Bolger and Stephen Li

Grading prizes: (901-1000): Joseph Carthy, Alex Start, Alice O’Gorman

(701-900): Robbie Kildea

(700 or less): First Prize: Henry Start; Second Prize: Alex Byrne and Jonathon Peoples

(Unrated): Theo Bowyer, Eamonn Richardson and Carlos Silva