The CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL OPEN – Declan Shafi wins against a GM!
The CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL OPEN
Thurs 16th to Sun 19th Feb 23
University Arms Hotel Canbridge
9 round Swiss – 90 minutes + 30 seconds each move
What a fantastic tournament Declan Shafi had in the Cambridge International Open. Graded 2265 and seeded 22nd out of 123 players, Declan once again showed us all what we all knew anyway at Castlehill Chess Club Dundee, he is a superstar!
Declan was doing very well going into the 7th round. The last three 3 rounds produced some spectacular games and results! In round 7 Declan faced the legendary English & British Grandmaster, Mark Hebden (2510), 7 times British Rapidplay Champion, and won! Wow what a result by Master Shafi, it was like being back at Castlehill Chess Club Dundee in his younger days when he was also known as, a.k.a. the smiling assassin!
Hebden game
For his reward, Declan got to play an even bigger English & British Super Grandmaster, Michael Adams (2775), 7 times British Champion and has reached number 4 in the world ranking between 2000 & 2002! It looked like Declan gave him one hell of a game before finally being overpowered.
Apologies but I am unable to comment on this and other games as I have no idea what’s going on. It would be like me doing a TV lecture on physics and the universe with Einstein and Stephen Hawking as my understudies, I would be digging the biggest “Black Hole” ever!
In the last round (9), Declan had white against Scottish Grandmaster, Matthew Turner (2487) and got a draw to finish on 6 points out of 9! He finished in 18th place with a TPR 2304!
What a tournament! What a player! Three GM`s in the last three rounds, 1½/3! We at Castlehill Chess Club, Dundee and the City of Dundee, could not be prouder of Declan!
For all the results and standings, click the link below.