Penang Open

I should have more time to blog tomorrow, assuming I make it back to Bangkok...

The warm-up event is over. I would have preferred it to be over at the end of game 16 or 17...

So king-of-the-hill all the way today, meaning I played Suanne in the first game of the day. A nerve-wracking battle of wits that I won by 2 points. My win was rewarded with a good helping of jam against Nigel. So Suanne again, another really close one but I couldn't quite overhaul her large early lead losing by 5. And then Suanne again but I was completely powerless this time and got splatted. Strangely enough it was the only one I got to start againsty her...

So that meant I was almost guaranteed 3rd place (assuming Vannitha could not beat me by over 500 in the last game) and would be 2nd if Suanne could beat Nigel in the final game. Unfortunately for us both she could not.

I had a great time meeting up with old friends, a lot of whom will also be making their way to Bangkok in the next couple of days. And third place almost covers the cost of this side trip :)

It was not a successful tourney for the Thais. Pakorn never arrived – we hope he has not been quarantined on his way in else he will miss the start of the King's Cup, and there was a pairings mistake for Gerry in the last game which I only heard about at the end when I realised he was nowhere to be found. I hope he comes to the hotel or phones tomorrow to sort out getting to the airport...