This weekend sees the annual Kilkenny Congress, which reminds me that up to now there have been no tournament reports here on any of this highly successful series of events. So here’s one: the 1998 top event, technically the IONA Technologies International Masters 1998, won by Stuart Conquest on tie-break ahead of Bogdan Lalić and Luke McShane, in a field that was strong enough that Sergei Tiviakov, then rated 2655, could only manage 3½/6.
We’re fortunate to have all games from the event, and even full details of byes, from TWIC and from BritBase; that’s rare even still.
There were many interesting games, one of which was a first-round letoff for Mark Hebden against Gerard O’Connell. In the diagrammed position, Gerard played 43. … Qxe6? and had to resign immediately after the recapture. Time trouble must have been a factor as otherwise he could hardly have missed 43. … Bxg3+ 44. Kf3 e1=N+ winning, since 45. Kxg3 Rg2 is mate, leaving only the equally unpleasant alternatives 45. Ke4 Re2+ and 45. Kg4 h5+.
[Click to replay the full game.]
(It took a while but some measure of retribution was eventually exacted.)
It’s interesting that 11 of the 35 participants from all those years ago also appear in the entry list for this year’s event.