LAST TOURNAMENT GAMES

Over the past 10 years I had had the great pleasure of being able to travel and play in excellent tournaments. 

During these 10 years I have had problems with sleeplessness, though in the early years it was not serious enough to hinder Chess play too much.

Over the last 3 years the sleeplessness has become very severe, so it is now a waste of time trying to take part in tournament play.

I have published my final 2 tournament games below.

My opponent in this game was Clifton T Ford. When I saw the draw on the internet, I was able to source some of Clifton`s previous games.

He seemed to play a certain line against the Slav defence which had been getting him good results against strong players.

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Fortunately I have good resources for playing the Slav so I was able to prepare.
This DVD by Victor Bologan has been very useful. Sorry I cannot find a video sample for this DVD, at the minute.

This one by Andrew Martin has been very useful as well.

A short while ago I read the article on Chess.com about pre-arranged draws.

I have never been involved in pre-arranged draws but I have had to make draw offers when having an advantage because a lack of sleep has made it very difficult for me to continue concentrating.

In the game shown with Clifton Ford, I had not slept for 24 hours, so when it came to move 28, I felt I had a better position, but I had to make a draw offer as the risk of trying to play on with poor concentration was too great, the possibility of making a serious blunder was highly likely.

To my relief, Clifton agreed to the draw offer. After the game I got the chance to speak to him, he is a very nice guy and he informed me he was taking lessons from a GM, the GM had shown him the line he plays against the Slav.  
I also discovered he had been a candidate master when he was a young man.

The final game is below, it was played 24 hours after the previous game above and I still had not slept.
My opponent was Paul Haddock and he is a nice guy, I have come to know him from going to Gibraltar.

In reaching move 10 it was impossible to continue, so I had to offer a draw, Paul thought about it for about 2 minutes and much to my great relief he agreed the draw.

If Paul had turned down the draw offer and said, "play on," I would have been forced to resign the game as I could not continue.
After this game I withdrew from the tournament.

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This chapter of my life has now come to an end, though it is enjoyable to go to the Isle Of Man tournament to be a spectator.
Everything has a time and a season, then it comes to an end.

Ecc1:1 ¶  To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
2  A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
3  A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4  A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5  A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6  A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7  A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8  A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.