Cambridge 2014

European Grand Prix 2014 - Cambridge
winner: Nicky van den Biggelaar (NLD)

Cambridge, United Kingdom, 1 - 2 March 2014

European Othello Champion for 3 years in a row Takuji Kashiwabara will surely want to win that prestigious prize again this year. Who else? Francesco Marconi who came so close to winning the title last year? Marc Tastet seems eager to take on the challenge, or will the EGP 2014 winner be one of the Dutch travelling Othello circus? Go team Netherlands!!!

The opening event of the 2014 European Othello Grand Prix takes place at Trinity College in Cambridge (UK). The format consists of an eleven round Swiss-system, seven games on the Saturday (three morning and four afternoon) and the remaining four on Sunday morning. Sunday afternoon the top two players play a best of three games final. There is also a single game 3rd / 4th play-off.

Further information can be found on the BOF website.
The rules of the European Grand Prix can be found here.

Tournament room at Trinity College

EGP Cambridge update after 7 rounds: Imre Leader leads with 6.5 points, 5 points for David Beck, Arnaud Delaunay, Nicky van den Biggelaar, Roel Hobo and Takuji Kashiwabara. Imre won all his game on the first day except his first game against Belgian player Michael May.

Results of round 1 :

1 PLOWMAN Guy (320) -- RENNEKAMP Billy (20026) 43/21
2 PRIDMORE Ben (4019) -- DELAUNAY Arnaud (3518) 21/43
3 THEODOSIOU Pandelis (4164) -- KASHIWABARA Takuji (839) 26/38
4 STEENTOFT Benkt (1301) -- STEPHENSON Ken (2001) 48/16
5 ODEGARD Martin (2560) -- YAP Kok Soon (9025) 53/11
6 ARNOLD Roy (2006) -- DE GRAAF Jan C. (4012) 14/50
7 LIGHTMAN Marie (100004) -- LAZARD Emmanuel (11) 21/43
8 BERG Matthias (5301) -- STANZIONE Pierluigi (2843) 22/42
9 BECK David (6437) -- SCHOTTE Tom (2795) 45/19
10 LEADER Imre (79) -- MAY Michael (5905) 32/32
11 MARSON Phil (2065) -- VAN DEN BERG Erwin (5198) 38/26
12 PLOWMAN Luke (100021) -- HOBO Roel (5071) 03/61
13 CASPARD Emmanuel (355) -- VAN DEN BIGGELAAR Nicky (5105) 26/38

SNEEK Marcel (5083)

Results of round 3 :

1 DELAUNAY Arnaud (3518) -- HOBO Roel (5071) 31/33
2 BECK David (6437) -- KASHIWABARA Takuji (839) 33/31
3 ODEGARD Martin (2560) -- STANZIONE Pierluigi (2843) 53/11
4 LEADER Imre (79) -- LAZARD Emmanuel (11) 46/18
5 MARSON Phil (2065) -- RENNEKAMP Billy (20026) 36/28
6 STEENTOFT Benkt (1301) -- SCHOTTE Tom (2795) 42/22
7 STEPHENSON Ken (2001) -- CASPARD Emmanuel (355) 15/49
8 PLOWMAN Guy (320) -- DE GRAAF Jan C. (4012) 10/54
9 PRIDMORE Ben (4019) -- VAN DEN BERG Erwin (5198) 13/51
10 SNEEK Marcel (5083) -- YAP Kok Soon (9025) 44/20
11 VAN DEN BIGGELAAR Nicky (5105) -- MAY Michael (5905) 60/04
12 LIGHTMAN Marie (100004) -- BERG Matthias (5301) 08/56
13 THEODOSIOU Pandelis (4164) -- ARNOLD Roy (2006) 31/33

PLOWMAN Luke (100021)

Results of round 5 :

1 LEADER Imre (79) -- HOBO Roel (5071) 42/22
2 KASHIWABARA Takuji (839) -- DE GRAAF Jan C. (4012) 33/31
3 BECK David (6437) -- VAN DEN BERG Erwin (5198) 30/34
4 SNEEK Marcel (5083) -- CASPARD Emmanuel (355) 16/48
5 STEENTOFT Benkt (1301) -- ODEGARD Martin (2560) 13/51
6 DELAUNAY Arnaud (3518) -- RENNEKAMP Billy (20026) 50/14
7 MARSON Phil (2065) -- YAP Kok Soon (9025) 43/21
8 PLOWMAN Guy (320) -- BERG Matthias (5301) 16/48
9 VAN DEN BIGGELAAR Nicky (5105) -- ARNOLD Roy (2006) 46/18
10 LAZARD Emmanuel (11) -- STANZIONE Pierluigi (2843) 37/27
11 STEPHENSON Ken (2001) -- MAY Michael (5905) 20/44
12 PLOWMAN Luke (100021) -- LIGHTMAN Marie (100004) 15/49
13 PRIDMORE Ben (4019) -- SCHOTTE Tom (2795) 25/39

THEODOSIOU Pandelis (4164)

Results of round 7 :

1 LEADER Imre (79) -- KASHIWABARA Takuji (839) 37/27
2 ODEGARD Martin (2560) -- HOBO Roel (5071) 31/33
3 VAN DEN BIGGELAAR Nicky (5105) -- VAN DEN BERG Erwin (5198) 36/28
4 BECK David (6437) -- CASPARD Emmanuel (355) 37/27
5 DELAUNAY Arnaud (3518) -- MAY Michael (5905) 57/07
6 MARSON Phil (2065) -- SCHOTTE Tom (2795) 10/54
7 STEENTOFT Benkt (1301) -- STANZIONE Pierluigi (2843) 43/21
8 PLOWMAN Guy (320) -- SNEEK Marcel (5083) 60/04
9 BERG Matthias (5301) -- DE GRAAF Jan C. (4012) 32/32
10 LAZARD Emmanuel (11) -- RENNEKAMP Billy (20026) 36/28
11 LIGHTMAN Marie (100004) -- STEPHENSON Ken (2001) 22/42
12 PRIDMORE Ben (4019) -- THEODOSIOU Pandelis (4164) 26/38
13 PLOWMAN Luke (100021) -- YAP Kok Soon (9025) 11/53

ARNOLD Roy (2006)

Results of round 2 :

1 STANZIONE Pierluigi (2843) -- PLOWMAN Guy (320) 33/31
2 DELAUNAY Arnaud (3518) -- MARSON Phil (2065) 50/14
3 LAZARD Emmanuel (11) -- ODEGARD Martin (2560) 32/32
4 KASHIWABARA Takuji (839) -- SNEEK Marcel (5083) 47/17
5 VAN DEN BIGGELAAR Nicky (5105) -- BECK David (6437) 31/33
6 HOBO Roel (5071) -- STEENTOFT Benkt (1301) 36/28
7 DE GRAAF Jan C. (4012) -- LEADER Imre (79) 24/40
8 MAY Michael (5905) -- PRIDMORE Ben (4019) 23/41
9 YAP Kok Soon (9025) -- THEODOSIOU Pandelis (4164) 35/29
10 SCHOTTE Tom (2795) -- BERG Matthias (5301) 35/29
11 STEPHENSON Ken (2001) -- PLOWMAN Luke (100021) 44/20
12 VAN DEN BERG Erwin (5198) -- ARNOLD Roy (2006) 54/10
13 RENNEKAMP Billy (20026) -- LIGHTMAN Marie (100004) 33/31

CASPARD Emmanuel (355)

Results of round 4 :

1 HOBO Roel (5071) -- BECK David (6437) 48/16
2 ODEGARD Martin (2560) -- LEADER Imre (79) 28/36
3 STANZIONE Pierluigi (2843) -- SNEEK Marcel (5083) 29/35
4 CASPARD Emmanuel (355) -- STEENTOFT Benkt (1301) 42/22
5 KASHIWABARA Takuji (839) -- VAN DEN BIGGELAAR Nicky (5105) 37/27
6 VAN DEN BERG Erwin (5198) -- DELAUNAY Arnaud (3518) 38/26
7 DE GRAAF Jan C. (4012) -- MARSON Phil (2065) 42/22
8 BERG Matthias (5301) -- LAZARD Emmanuel (11) 40/24
9 YAP Kok Soon (9025) -- PRIDMORE Ben (4019) 36/28
10 SCHOTTE Tom (2795) -- PLOWMAN Guy (320) 26/38
11 RENNEKAMP Billy (20026) -- STEPHENSON Ken (2001) 34/30
12 ARNOLD Roy (2006) -- PLOWMAN Luke (100021) 51/13
13 MAY Michael (5905) -- THEODOSIOU Pandelis (4164) 38/26

LIGHTMAN Marie (100004)

Results of round 6 :

1 VAN DEN BERG Erwin (5198) -- LEADER Imre (79) 26/38
2 HOBO Roel (5071) -- KASHIWABARA Takuji (839) 19/45
3 CASPARD Emmanuel (355) -- ODEGARD Martin (2560) 19/45
4 BERG Matthias (5301) -- VAN DEN BIGGELAAR Nicky (5105) 28/36
5 DE GRAAF Jan C. (4012) -- DELAUNAY Arnaud (3518) 22/42
6 SNEEK Marcel (5083) -- BECK David (6437) 24/40
7 MAY Michael (5905) -- MARSON Phil (2065) 42/22
8 SCHOTTE Tom (2795) -- LAZARD Emmanuel (11) 38/26
9 STANZIONE Pierluigi (2843) -- LIGHTMAN Marie (100004) 38/26
10 YAP Kok Soon (9025) -- PLOWMAN Guy (320) 22/42
11 ARNOLD Roy (2006) -- STEENTOFT Benkt (1301) 31/33
12 RENNEKAMP Billy (20026) -- PRIDMORE Ben (4019) 25/39
13 THEODOSIOU Pandelis (4164) -- PLOWMAN Luke (100021) 38/26

STEPHENSON Ken (2001)

Ranking of the 27 players after round 7:

1:   6.5 pts [445]   LEADER Imre (79) {GBR}
2:   5. pts [444]   KASHIWABARA Takuji (839) {FRA}
               [442]   VAN DEN BIGGELAAR Nicky (5105) {NLD}
               [438]   HOBO Roel (5071) {NLD}
               [437]   DELAUNAY Arnaud (3518) {FRA}
               [414]   BECK David (6437) {GBR}
7:   4.5 pts [467]   ODEGARD Martin (2560) {NOR}
8:   4. pts [434]   VAN DEN BERG Erwin (5198) {NLD}
               [414]   CASPARD Emmanuel (355) {FRA}
               [399]   STEENTOFT Benkt (1301) {SWE}
               [383]   SCHOTTE Tom (2795) {BEL}
               [372]   PLOWMAN Guy (320) {GBR}
13:   3.5 pts [435]   DE GRAAF Jan C. (4012) {NLD}
               [405]   BERG Matthias (5301) {DEU}
               [369]   LAZARD Emmanuel (11) {FRA}
               [355]   MAY Michael (5905) {BEL}

17:   3. pts [348]   STANZIONE Pierluigi (2843) {ITA}
               [343]   THEODOSIOU Pandelis (4164) {GRC}
               [335]   MARSON Phil (2065) {GBR}
               [334]   SNEEK Marcel (5083) {NLD}
               [321]   YAP Kok Soon (9025) {MAS}
               [319]   ARNOLD Roy (2006) {GBR}
               [316]   STEPHENSON Ken (2001) {GBR}
24:   2. pts [340]   PRIDMORE Ben (4019) {GBR}
               [318]   RENNEKAMP Billy (20026) {USA}
               [297]   LIGHTMAN Marie (100004) {GBR}
27:   1. pt [240]   PLOWMAN Luke (100021) {GBR}

cambridge_egp_2014___7.htm
File Size:	124 kb
File Type:	htm

Download File

LAZARD Emmanuel 32 - 32 ODEGARD Martin
EGP Cambridge, round 2

BIGGELAAR Nicky van den 31 - 33 BECK David
EGP Cambridge, round 2

ODEGARD Martin 28 - 36 LEADER Imre
EGP Cambridge, round 4

ODEGARD Martin 31 - 33 HOBO Roel
EGP Cambridge, round 7

It seems that Martin Odegard is the only player who uploads his games to LiveOthello. If you want your own best or worst game posted here, send transcripts to OthelloNews

The first international tournament of Cambridge took place 30 years ago (it was a 1-day tournament). Two participants from 1984 played at the 2014 tourney like they had never left: Imre Leader and Emmanuel Lazard! Their game in round 3 was a 46 - 18 win for Imre Leader.

pictures by Emmanuel Caspard

A very good start of the second tourney day for Nicky van den Biggelaar, he won all his game and made it to the final as topscorer with 9 points. His two loses were in round 2 against David Beck and in round 4 against Takuji Kashiwabara. Imre Leader was the best player of the first day, but on day 2 he lost against Nicky and Emmanuel Caspard. But he made it to the final and the battle is on!!!! I am sure he will be eager to win the EGP in his own university town.

Latest update: Nicky van den Biggelaar (NLD) has won the 2014 British EGP by beating Imre Leader (GBR) 39-25, 18-46, 33-31 in the final.

Results of round 8 :

1 LEADER Imre (79) -- BECK David (6437) 34/30
2 KASHIWABARA Takuji (839) -- DELAUNAY Arnaud (3518) 38/26
3 HOBO Roel (5071) -- VAN DEN BIGGELAAR Nicky (5105) 27/37
4 SCHOTTE Tom (2795) -- ODEGARD Martin (2560) 26/38
5 CASPARD Emmanuel (355) -- PLOWMAN Guy (320) 43/21
6 VAN DEN BERG Erwin (5198) -- STEENTOFT Benkt (1301) 42/22
7 MAY Michael (5905) -- BERG Matthias (5301) 39/25
8 DE GRAAF Jan C. (4012) -- LAZARD Emmanuel (11) 16/48
9 STANZIONE Pierluigi (2843) -- MARSON Phil (2065) 48/16
10 YAP Kok Soon (9025) -- ARNOLD Roy (2006) 35/29
11 STEPHENSON Ken (2001) -- THEODOSIOU Pandelis (4164) 64/00
12 SNEEK Marcel (5083) -- LIGHTMAN Marie (100004) 40/24
13 RENNEKAMP Billy (20026) -- PLOWMAN Luke (100021) 34/30

PRIDMORE Ben (4019)

Results of round 10 :

1 CASPARD Emmanuel (355) -- LEADER Imre (79) 36/28
2 ODEGARD Martin (2560) -- VAN DEN BIGGELAAR Nicky (5105) 30/34
3 LAZARD Emmanuel (11) -- BECK David (6437) 30/34
4 KASHIWABARA Takuji (839) -- PLOWMAN Guy (320) 56/08
5 HOBO Roel (5071) -- SCHOTTE Tom (2795) 32/32
6 YAP Kok Soon (9025) -- DELAUNAY Arnaud (3518) 18/46
7 BERG Matthias (5301) -- VAN DEN BERG Erwin (5198) 35/29
8 MAY Michael (5905) -- RENNEKAMP Billy (20026) 55/09
9 STANZIONE Pierluigi (2843) -- STEPHENSON Ken (2001) 35/29
10 MARSON Phil (2065) -- THEODOSIOU Pandelis (4164) 53/11
11 PRIDMORE Ben (4019) -- STEENTOFT Benkt (1301) 33/31
12 SNEEK Marcel (5083) -- PLOWMAN Luke (100021) 61/03
13 ARNOLD Roy (2006) -- LIGHTMAN Marie (100004) 60/04

DE GRAAF Jan C. (4012)

Results of round 9 :

1 VAN DEN BIGGELAAR Nicky (5105) -- LEADER Imre (79) 40/24
2 ODEGARD Martin (2560) -- KASHIWABARA Takuji (839) 52/12
3 DELAUNAY Arnaud (3518) -- CASPARD Emmanuel (355) 20/44
4 VAN DEN BERG Erwin (5198) -- HOBO Roel (5071) 31/33
5 BECK David (6437) -- MAY Michael (5905) 57/07
6 LAZARD Emmanuel (11) -- SNEEK Marcel (5083) 36/28
7 SCHOTTE Tom (2795) -- STANZIONE Pierluigi (2843) 53/11
8 STEENTOFT Benkt (1301) -- YAP Kok Soon (9025) 29/35
9 PLOWMAN Guy (320) -- STEPHENSON Ken (2001) 38/26
10 THEODOSIOU Pandelis (4164) -- DE GRAAF Jan C. (4012) 43/21
11 ARNOLD Roy (2006) -- BERG Matthias (5301) 11/53
12 LIGHTMAN Marie (100004) -- PRIDMORE Ben (4019) 10/54
13 PLOWMAN Luke (100021) -- MARSON Phil (2065) 22/42

RENNEKAMP Billy (20026)

Results of round 11 :

1 DELAUNAY Arnaud (3518) -- VAN DEN BIGGELAAR Nicky (5105) 11/53
2 LEADER Imre (79) -- BERG Matthias (5301) 46/18
3 KASHIWABARA Takuji (839) -- CASPARD Emmanuel (355) 28/36
4 BECK David (6437) -- ODEGARD Martin (2560) 21/43
5 HOBO Roel (5071) -- LAZARD Emmanuel (11) 12/52
6 SCHOTTE Tom (2795) -- MAY Michael (5905) 44/20
7 MARSON Phil (2065) -- SNEEK Marcel (5083) 38/26
8 PLOWMAN Guy (320) -- PRIDMORE Ben (4019) 40/24
9 VAN DEN BERG Erwin (5198) -- STANZIONE Pierluigi (2843) 47/17
10 STEPHENSON Ken (2001) -- YAP Kok Soon (9025) 30/34
11 PLOWMAN Luke (100021) -- DE GRAAF Jan C. (4012) 22/42
12 RENNEKAMP Billy (20026) -- ARNOLD Roy (2006) 23/41
13 THEODOSIOU Pandelis (4164) -- LIGHTMAN Marie (100004) 46/18

STEENTOFT Benkt (1301)

Ranking of the 27 players after round 11

1: 9. pts [873] VAN DEN BIGGELAAR Nicky (5105) {NLD}
2: 8.5 pts [847] LEADER Imre (79) {GBR}
3: 8. pts [840] CASPARD Emmanuel (355) {FRA}
4: 7.5 pts [906] ODEGARD Martin (2560) {NOR}
5: 7. pts [836] KASHIWABARA Takuji (839) {FRA}
[832] BECK David (6437) {GBR}
7: 6.5 pts [781] SCHOTTE Tom (2795) {BEL}
[776] HOBO Roel (5071) {NLD}
[760] LAZARD Emmanuel (11) {FRA}
10: 6. pts [817] VAN DEN BERG Erwin (5198) {NLD}
[813] DELAUNAY Arnaud (3518) {FRA}
[716] PLOWMAN Guy (320) {GBR}
[667] MARSON Phil (2065) {GBR}
[653] YAP Kok Soon (9025) {MAS}

15: 5.5 pts [779] BERG Matthias (5301) {DEU}
[738] DE GRAAF Jan C. (4012) {NLD}
[710] MAY Michael (5905) {BEL}
18: 5. pts [741] STEENTOFT Benkt (1301) {SWE}
[684] SNEEK Marcel (5083) {NLD}
[678] PRIDMORE Ben (4019) {GBR}
[672] STANZIONE Pierluigi (2843) {ITA}
[643] ARNOLD Roy (2006) {GBR}
[632] THEODOSIOU Pandelis (4164) {GRC}
24: 4. pts [657] STEPHENSON Ken (2001) {GBR}
[587] RENNEKAMP Billy (20026) {USA}
26: 2. pts [533] LIGHTMAN Marie (100004) {GBR}
27: 1. pt [497] PLOWMAN Luke (100021) {GBR}

egpcambridgecross_11.htm
File Size:	193 kb
File Type:	htm

Download File

Playoff 3rd / 4th place

ODEGARD Martin 39 - 25 CASPARD Emmanuel
EGP Cambridge, playoff 3rd / 4th

Final EGP Cambridge: Nicky van den Biggelaar - Imre Leader

The EGP Cambridge 2014 has the same winner as the previous edition in 2012 but not the same two finalists. In 2012 Imre Leader played in the playoff 3rd/4th place, which he lost against Francesco Marconi. Nicky's opponent in the final was Takuji Kashiwabara.
This years final was exciting till the end. In the final game, at move 56 with 5 minutes on the clock, Imre Leader missed a drawing move. According to Marc Tastet at LiveOthello he didn't try to count but apparently just assumed that B1 was obviously better than C1 because it saves B column for white. The 14th game of the tourney-weekend, anything can happen.....

LEADER Imre 25 - 39 BIGGELAAR Nicky van den
EGP Cambridge, final game 1

BIGGELAAR Nicky van den 18 - 46 LEADER Imre
EGP Cambridge, final game 2

BIGGELAAR Nicky van den 33 - 31 LEADER Imre
EGP Cambridge, final game 3

"I just _could not_ think", Imre leader about the final game of the Cambridge EGP

Many players have asked me: `Why didn't you count the position at move 56 in the Cambridge Final?'.

The answer is not that I looked at the position and decided not to count it. And it is not that I counted it but got it wrong. Rather, it is that I was so exhausted that there was just no question of counting it.

As evidence that this is not too uncommon in final games of EGP tournaments, I recommend reading an article written by Graham Brightwell for the British Othello Newsletter back in 1991. It is called `It's 1-1 and the tension is mounting', and is exactly about what happens at the end of the 14th game of an EGP tournament. Here is Graham talking about Paris 1989, when it was his turn to play at move 56 in the final game. He has two possible moves, and decides to count the more forcing line.

"Half-way through counting it, I stopped, and started trying to count the other one. I aborted that too, and went back to check what the two possibilities were. I looked at both the lines, and told myself that all I had to do was count one. I looked at the clock: enough time. Started to count: failed. Tried the other line: I couldn't get beyond the second move of the sequence. Looked at the clock. Of course the entire room was gathered around watching, and one thing I was able to think was that at least ten people knew what the right move was. Cursed inwardly. Looked at the clock. Not so much time now. So I played one."

[He chose the wrong one, but then his opponent, Murakami, lost on time at move 59!]

When I went back to read this article, I saw one thing that made me laugh a lot. Graham quotes a player in this situation as saying "I just _could not_ think". And that player is me.

Imre Leader, May 12th 2014