Edd
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Portsmouth Chess Congress 2007Any discussions about the Portsmouth Congress 2007 are welcome here.
Overall I noticed feedback to be very positive, so the organisers must have done a very good job.
My only criticism is that the prize fund for the open section is no longer enough to draw in any IMs or GMs, which takes away a lot of the excitement and prestige IMO. Just the year before I watched a white knuckle finish to a Gormally - Wells game in which Wells was winning but was in very bad time trouble nearing the time control. Such exciting GM chess will not be part of the congress unless the organisers put up a £500 + minimum first prize in the open. The TOTAL prize money in the Open was a pathetic £220, which is probably not even enough to attract a FIDE Master. I hope that soon the strength of the top section will be brought back again and that it is a FIDE rated tournament. There were still some very strong players in the 170s and 180s, but this is not the same as 2400 IMs and 2500 GMs.
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