The largest gathering ever in North Staffordshire of leading chess players saw Grand Master Julian Hodgson, from North London, consolidate his lead in the Terence Chapman Grand Prix when he jointly won the Britannia Building Society Open section of the 2nd Leek Chess Congress at Westwood High School, Leek, over September 14 - 16 with 4.5 points out of 5.

Joint winner Grand Master Mark Hebden, from Leicester, also gained valuable points in the Grand Prix to improve his position, as did International Master Danny Gormally, from South London, when he could only finish third with 3.5/5 at the Congress organised by Cheddleton & Leek Chess Club.

Equal fourth with 3/5 were Grand Master Keith Arkell, from Bromsgrove, second in the Grand Prix, International Master Lawrence Cooper, from Stafford, 14-year-old Ameet Ghasi, from Birmingham, 16-year-old Welsh international Jonathan Blackburn, from Holmes Chapel, the club's Robert Shaw, from Buxton, and Oliver Jackson, from Prestbury.

The club's David Buxton, a Westwood 'Old Boy' from Leek, came a very creditable tenth after having to play three of the top four, while a large number of the 29 club members who took part in the Congress of over 120 players as a whole did very well.

The Under-180 Grade Leek United Building Society section was won by Stephen Chadaway, from Handsworth, with 4.5/5, while equal second on 4/5 were the club's Jim Shemilt, from Leek, Ameet Ghasi's twin brother Sumeet and James Nicholson, from Melton Mowbray.

Steve Wilcox, from Rushall, won the slow starter prize with 2.5/5, while the club's England international Conrad Westmorland, from Biddulph, also scored 50 per cent with 2.5/5.

14-year-old Richard Westwood, from Cannock, won the A H Brooks Under-127 Grade section with 4.5/5, where 14-year-old Welsh international Suzie Blackburn, from Holmes Chapel, and Alan Ruffle, from Birmingham, were equal second with 4/5.

John Sutcliffe, from Chester, won the slow starter prize with 3.5/5, while the club's Craig Burns, from Leek, came a creditable equal sixth with 3/5 and Rob Moruzzi, from Leek, 12-year-old Yangshi Yu, from Hanley, and Allan Whitehead, from Chester, all scored 2.5/5.

The Cheddleton Under-103 Grade section saw the club's 11-year-old England international Molly Moruzzi, from Leek, and John Yee, from Congleton, share first prize with 4/5 and the club's 14-year-old Emma Atkins and Peter Tomczak, both from Leek, and Nicholas Duffell, from Buxton, James Hanson, from Buckley, North Wales, and 13-year-old Charlotte Wilcox, from Rushall, come equal third with 3.5/5.

Hugh Burgess, from Holmes Chapel, won the slow starter prize with 3/5, while Nicholas Wright, from Biddulph, scored 2.5/5.

In the final Under-78 Grade Westwood section, Graham Lea, from Stockport, came first with 4.5/5, Carl Gartside, from Buxton, came second with 4/5 and the club's 11-year-old Martin Gee and 13-year-old Philip Hallen, both from Cheddleton, plus Geoffrey Blissett, from Oldham, came equal third with 3.5/5.

David Dickson, from Caergwrle, North Wales, and 13-year-old Ben Watson, from Crewe, shared the slow starter prize with 3/5, while club members Russell Corbishley and David Hallen, both from Cheddleton, also both scored a creditable 3/5, and 11-year-old Peter Hallen, from Cheddleton, and 13-year-old Matthew Wyza, from Leek, both scored 2.5/5.

The Team competition for a prize of a chess clock was won by the Rushall (Staffordshire) team of Richard Westwood, Charlotte Wilcox and Steve Wilcox with 10.5 points, followed by Checkmate (Birmingham) and Cheddleton & Leek 'A', both with 9.5 points.

The 3rd Leek Chess Congress will be held, again, at Westwood High School, Leek, from September 13 - 15 2002.

Britannia Building Society Open

Pin	Name	Grade	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Round 4	Round 5
1	Julian M Hodgson GM	255	1 9	2 6	2 1/2 2	3 1/2 8	4 1/2 4
2	Mark L Hebden GM	249	1 10	2 7	2 1/2 1	3 1/2 5	4 1/2 6
3	Daniel W Gormally IM	238	1 11	1 1/2 8	2 4	2 1/2 9	3 1/2 13
4	Keith C Arkell GM	233	1/2 (HPB)	1 1/2 18	2 3	3 11	3 1
5	Ameet K Ghasi	223	1 13	2 12	2 1/2 8	2 1/2 2	3 9
6	Laurence Cooper IM	216	1 15	1 1	2 10	3 7	3 2
7	Robert Shaw	202	1 16	1 2	2 12	2 6	3 11
8	Phillip Briggs	201	1 17	1 1/2 3	2 5	2 1	2 10
9	Jonathan L B Blackburn	191	0 1	1 15	2 13	2 1/2 3	3 5
10	Oliver A Jackson	189	0 2	1 16	1 6	2 15	3 8
11	Adam G Ashton	188	0 3	1 17	2 18	2 4	2 7
12	Alan J Walton	186	1 (BYE)	1 5	1 7	1 13	1 17
13	David E Buxton	180	0 5	1 14	1 9	2 12	2 3
14	Christopher P Timmins	176	1/2 (HPB)	1/2 13	1 1/2 16	-	-
15	Mark R Ruston	173	0 6	0 9	1 17	1 10	1 1/2 16
16	Phillip J Gregory	172	0 7	0 10	0 14	1 18	1 1/2 15
17	David G Levens	154	0 8	0 11	0 15	1 (BYE)	2 12
18	Peter Widrascu	151	1/2 (HPB)	1/2 4	1/2 11	1/2 16	1 1/2 (BYE)