The 16th Fulprint York Chess Congress at York University proved a resounding success.

A total of 228 players competed in the four sections where any player scoring a maximum five points would win £250, 4 would pick up £150, while four points would yield £50.

In the Open section the joint winners were Martin Mitchell of Berwick and Thomas Eggleston of Durham, with the British Championship qualifying place going to the 15-year-old Eggleston.

Finishing on four points were York's David Adams and Roelof Westra of Hull.

Paul Bielby of Jesmond, won the Major section outright with 4, with no less than four players finishing half a point behind, including York's Tim Turner, who was the top seed. The others were John Smith, Paul Hart and John Hart.

The Intermediate section was won with a maximum by Adam Scouler of Swinton, with York's Ewen Cameron finishing outright second on 4 and Mike Rawlings picking up a grading prize after scoring 3.

Ian McDonald of Lincoln, Steve Ormerod of Darlington, Colin Smith of Peterlee and Alan Trotter of Billingham all picked up £50.

Pankaj Parnarkar of Birstall won the Minor section with a maximum, followed by Roy Atherton of Wigan on 4 points, with George Boothman of Doncaster, Geoff Shearing of Newcastle, Robert Hart of Chorley, Derek Cronshaw of Nottingham, Tom Lawton of Liverpool and CS Edwards of Bradford scoring four.

The 17th Fulprint York Congress is planned for January 9-11, 2004.

Updated: 09:59 Thursday, January 16, 2003