YORK'S Chess Congress, sponsored by Fulprint, attracted 240 entries from around the country with prize money topping £2,200.

The Open section was won by the York top board Richard Palliser, who scored 4 from his five games. Jos Wolley (Lady Anne Middleton) had an excellent tournament to finish on 3/5, narrowly failing to win his last round game which could have qualified him for the British championships.

There was further York success in the Major tournament, held for players graded under 161.

Martin Carpenter (Cavaliers) scored 4/5 to win the section, drawing only with Jim Nicholson in the fourth round, who finished equal second on 4/5.

Among the group to finish on 3/5 were Tim Turner (Lady Anne Middleton), John Clark (Lady Anne Middleton), James Carpenter (Cavaliers), and John Hart. The grading prizes were all won by York players, Richard Southwell (York University), Richard Cowan (York University) and Tom Anderson (Minster Inn).

Arron Barker (Whippersnappers) and Richard Mounce (Shepherds) scored 4/5 for equal second in the Intermediate tournament, and Graham Marshall (York RI) won one of the grading prizes.

In the Minor tournament, Les Bresnan (Minster Inn), David Booth, Colin Snowball (Lady Anne Middleton) finished equal second, with Peter Critchley winning a grading prize.

The next tournament in the York area is the York Rapidplay at the Elmbank Hotel on The Mount on Saturday, January 31. More details are available from Peter Cloudsdale, tel 01904 767177.

The next round of matches in the Yorkshire League take place this weekend, with York first team travelling to Hull for a potential championship-deciding duel.

Updated: 11:29 Thursday, January 13, 2005