Click on image above for table details

Alas it was not to be and it is somewhat ironic that the team competition prize was actually being sponsored by Martin Crichton. So on one level it would have been funny to have won the team prize but anyway there is no doubt that this addition to the tournament was a very welcome feature that helped generate even more interest in the round to round proceedings and results. The event did see some real missed opportunities for Irish players and some interesting games played. In round one Martin Crichton was playing against the eventual winner of the tournament and actually missed a win after going wrong in the middle of some complex play. See Martins games

Click on image above for relevant photo gallery

Likewise John Joyce also apparently also missed a win against the eventual tournament winner when playing black early on in the tournament. I did not see the game myself but I know John was disappointed with the result. The game had been a complex and very tactical affair but somewhere along the line a win was missed. A similar reversal occurred with John later against an IM from Indonesia when he blundered in a totally drawn position. Nevertheless John still worked hard throughout the tournament and managed to keep getting results, so ended with a rating gain and a very credible six points. Brian Galligan and Andrew Smith also punched above their weight and had some interesting encounters. Brian has made all his games available with light notes.

Click on image above for relevant photo gallery

However even before the tournament began, the players first descended on the great metropolis that is Bangkok to spend a few days sightseeing. This was just as well because we were then to be treated to a night out with Irish businessman Conor Bracken, who as a long time resident of Bangkok and more or less fluent Thai speaker was kind enough to show us some of the sights and sounds of the city. After treating us to a late afternoon lunch at a very nice and hip French restaurant we set off to see the fabulous sunset on the 64th floor of the majestic Sirroco State Tower building. For those that have not been to Bangkok before this was a real treat and excellent way to get an overview of this vast city of over ten million people.

Click on image above for relevant photo gallery

Thereafter Conor brought us to the excellent DwangDeng beer garden and we had a full dinner and drinks well into the night. It is one of the maddest restaurant in Thailand. It's an enormous German beer hall that brews its own (very good) beer and seats about 1,500. They serve German and Thai food and have cabaret every night - a mixture of traditional Thai and pop music. It's mostly Thais who go, and they all seem to be there to celebrate something (birthday parties being a popular one) and the whole place ends up dancing - at least in part because the staff insist on dancing in and with the customers. Good if you're in a crowd, it's a truly Thai, if unexpected, experience. It keeps going until about 2am and has a great atmosphere.

Click on image above for video clip

After some sightseeing and relaxing in Bangkok we flew down to Phuket all eager to play some chess and explore some of Phuket. The best chance to do this came with the rest day towards the end of the tournament. A few of us actually booked a day of activity upon our arrival in Phuket and that turned out to be one of the highlights of the whole trip.

Unfortunately John Joyce subsequently had some bad luck with his teeth in the form of some sort of minor accident and decided that on the rest day he would avail of the comparatively cheap medical costs in Thailand to get a job done. There is actually something of a boom in the tourist medicine sector within Thailand, partly owing to the fact that the standard of medical care in Thailand is world class - many of the doctors having been trained and educated in the USA. Whereas the costs are far cheaper in Thailand than either the USA or for example Ireland, many Americans come to Thailand in a similar way as Irish people would go to say Poland or Hungry.

Brian, Andy and myself still had a really fantastic day out on the islands jetting from one beach to another on a speed boat and getting the chance to snorkel and swim in the sea at the beach and out in the bay. The day began with a driver coming to collect us at our Hotel and bring us to the marina. Then we were taken to "monkey beach" where monkeys actually come out to the beach and greet tourists with efforts to get food off them. It makes for a great scene and afterwards we went for a swim and done some snorkeling.

Click on image above for relevant photo gallery

Then we were being brought around Phi Phi island and stopping at various beaches or beauty spots. This culminated in a big lunch on one of the many beautiful beaches we stopped at and then a last stop at a really amazing picture postcard island beach that was small enough to actually swim around! Andy and myself ventured out with our guide to see some sharks while snorkeling in the reefs all around.

Click on image above for relevant photo gallery

It was a truly amazing experience and although I did not see any sharks, Andy did. Swimming in these reefs is actually very dangerous but not because of the sharks but because of the various plants and other things in the waters. It means that you could so very easily rip your legs or worse. So it was a very educational experience overall. Next time I think I would like to do the full diving thing as I was not very good with the snorkeling and only stayed underwater for short bursts. Like Brian and Andy I can say this whole day out was a real highlight of the trip to Thailand and one that I will remember for some time.

Click on image above for relevant photo gallery

Martin meanwhile opted to spend the free day around the town and then attend the photo opportunity with the elephant, which thankfully delivered some great photos of the eventual winner of the tournament and well known top Australian GM Ian Rogers all playing chess against an elephant.

Click on image above for relevant photo gallery

Overall the Hotel accommodation and venue for the event was simply excellent and the tournament was as expected a most enjoyable affair. All of the Irish contingent had a really great time and it was great to see everyone do so well. Some stayed on in Phuket for a few days while the rest of us flew back to Bangkok and made the most of the excellent Hotel we were staying in. I am already looking forward to a return visit. Hopefully this report might inspire more Irish players to be more adventurous and play in next years event or other similar quality tournaments.