The Gladstone Trophy had reached its climax. The fateful round five, in which Gladstone reaches down to anoint the NLC Champion for 2023.
Who would Gladstone choose?
Round 4 left things on a knife edge. Whilst Miss Widger emerged ahead by a full point, Messers Barnett, Ioannou and Jacobs were chasing her down and still within striking distance, each having three points.
In the end, the crowds did not get their climax. Miss Widger’s other commitments meant she was unable to attend, and with it being the last round there were to be no rearranged fixtures, so a bye had to be taken. That put Miss Widger on an unassailable 4.5 points. Gladstone had chosen his favourite daughter.
So that was what happened at the very top. But there was still plenty of good Liberal chess played. Here are a selection of the Round 5 games.
Mister Sharland vs Miss Birrane
Good work from Miss Birrane. She played good attacking chess – all forward moves and never retreating – until she’d broken through on the White king and had a solid material advantage.
Mister Dias v Mister Giffin KC MA (Oxon)
Mister Giffin KC MA (Oxon) showed his class. From a quite-ish opening he secured the two bishops, then a series of middlegame trades left white a couple of pawns down. The coup de grace was black trapping white’s knight, upon which Mister Dias offered his resignation.
Young Master Jacobs v Mister Ioannou
A closely fought affair that in the end came down to a queen and rook and pawns ending. Things looked fairly level but a slip from White allowed black to grab a pawn and his a-file passer was just too much.
Round 5 Results
Here are the full results from the final round:
- Young Master Jacobs 0 – 1 Mister Ioannou
- Mister Giffin KC MA (Oxon) 1 – 0 Mister Dias
- Mister Purle 1 – 0 Mister Bailey
- Mister Sharland 0 – 1 Miss Birrane
- Mister Kir 0 – 1 Doctor Widdicombe (default)
- Doctor Saldanha 1 – 0 Mister Ng (default)
Rosenbaum, Widger, Zama, Barnett, Taylor, Rhatigan, Ncouzi all took byes.
The final standings
And here are the final standings:
| Position | Player | Points |
| 1 | Widger | 4.5 |
| 2 | Ioannou | 4 |
| 3= | Barnett | 3.5 |
| 3= | Giffin | 3.5 |
| 5= | Jacobs | 3 |
| 5= | Saldanha | 3 |
| 5= | Widdicombe | 3 |
| 5= | Rosenbaum | 3 |
| 5= | Purle | 3 |
| 10= | Dias | 2.5 |
| 10= | Zama | 2.5 |
| 12= | Bailey | 2 |
| 12= | Taylor | 2 |
| 12= | Birrane | 2 |
| 12= | Rhatigan | 2 |
| 16 | Kir | 1.5 |
| 17= | Ng | 1 |
| 17= | Sharland | 1 |
| 17= | Nacouzi | 1 |
Honourable mentions go to Mister ‘Fried Liver’ Barnett, who came joint third – an outstanding position for the fast-improving (and agressive) chess player. And a joint fifth place for Mister Purle, in his first Gladstone. Well done both.
So, a new Liberal Club Chess Champion…
Miss Widger is crowned National Liberal Club Chess Champion of 2023. Undefeated on 4.5 out of 5 points – a clear winner. Congratulations Miss Widger!
The trophy presentation will take place in a few weeks once Miss Widger is back in the country. We shall publish a lithograph of the lady with her cup in due course.
…and a Brilliancy Prize
And let’s not forget the Brilliancy Prize. A new innovation for this year, an award of a bottle of Club plonk will go to the winner of the Brilliancy Prize, awarded for the most notable game played during the 2023 Gladstone Trophy. It may be a red-hot attack, a last gasp defence, an opening innovation or an outrageous swindle – whatever is the most notably brilliant game for whatever reasons will win the prize. Doctor Kirby was hors de combat for the 2023 Gladstone, so has been appointed by the Editorial Committee to judge the games. The prize winner will be announced in October.
Well done Leela, a well deserved NLC trophy!