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Blackpool Chess Conference 2012

36th Blackpool Chess Conference

19 March 2012

In the spacious rooms of the The Imperial Hotel, the 36th Blackpool Chess Conference took place over the weekend of 9, 10 & 11 of March. 418 chess players from all over the UK gave battle over the chessboard.

The Open was, as always, a hard fought affair with IM Jonathan Hawkins (4/4) taking a ½ lead into the final round to play GM Keith Arkell (replay the game here). On board 2, with both players on 3 points, GM Alexander Cherniaev lost to Lancaster’s Jimmy Hanley.

Blackpool Conference Open Winner 2012

GM Keith Arkell (Heywood) 4½/5

Andrew Horton (3Cs), receives his trophy from

Duty Manager Carrie Beaumont

The Imperial Hotel Blackpool Open

1st GM Keith Arkell (Heywood) 4½/5, £800

2nd= IM Jonathan Hawkins (Cheddleton), Bredea Kvisvik (Norway), David Eggleston (Durham City), James Hanley (Lancaster) 4/5, £150

The Imperial Major was an even tighter battle with 7 players unable to score more than 4 points so sharing the £1050 prize money.

The Imperial Hotel Blackpool Major

1st= Andrew Horton (3Cs), Phil Armstrong (Oldham), Philip Olbison (Chorlton), Chris Doran (Chester), Roger Jennings (Rose Forgrove), Adrian Archer-Lock (Maidenhead), Malcolm J Armstrong (Stafford).

The Imperial Hotel Blackpool Median

This was another epic struggle with 110 players (the largest section) fighting it out in the Victorian grandeur of the Washington suite. 1st= Martin Coles (Runcorn), David Cork (Crawley), Andy Lake (Boldmere St Michaels) + Trophy, Brendan Brown (Clitheroe).

4NCL and Blackpool

Perhaps you are wondering why this article is on the 4NCL site. The connection with the Blackpool Conference is that we arrange the Imperial Hotel venue for the tournament.