2010 SA OPEN

Champion Chris Benham(l) with finalist Terry Efthimiou

SA OPEN

7th February 2010. Well - it is CHRIS BENHAM again - Chris defeated TERRY EFTHIMIOU 15-4 : as seen from the score sheet attached that Terry only won 2 games : and the Consolation Tournament was won by Peter Geelen from Soto Phillis...

2010 SA OPEN MAIN FLIGHT - COMMENTARY

Seventeen (17) players including just one this year from interstate (Dale Kerr made the pilgrimage) fronted at 8:30 am in the somewhat busy lobby lounge of the Hilton in Victoria Square in the centre of a warm (hot even) Adelaide on Sunday 7th February. Last year we had 20 starters, with 3 from interstate. Being 17 starters and with a field of 32, we had 15 byes (last year 12 byes). This meant buy backs were not possible, in the interests of finishing on the day (same as we last year). However, we did have a 64 place Unlimited Free Entry Consolation Tournament for those knocked out of the main flight, which was completely filled (as was last year).

A draw was done and the players to start in the first round, just two of them, were Siegfried Pohlenz and Angelo Ali. The winner had the pleasure of playing Chris Benham (defending 2009 SA OPEN Champion) in the second round. So 13 players could potentially say they at least got knocked out in the second round! Good to see Allan Perry competing as well as Emil Andrawos (back for a visit from his new home in China) and Vassilios Toubakaris (absent, ill, for a couple of months) and new member Sam Hilbink.

The final 4 were;
Chris Benham who knocked out Angelo Ali and Peter Geelen;
Allan Perry who knocked out John O'Grady and Sam Hilbink;
Terry Efthimiou who knocked out Soto Phillis and Nick Begakis;
John McLean who knocked out Dale Kerr and Vassilios Toubakaris.

Chris Benham then went on the defeat Allan Perry (Chris was 11-5 down in a 13 point match to win in a match observed by the editor) and Terry Efthimiou defeated John McLean. The final was (as reported last edition) was won convincingly by Chris Benham 15-4 from Terry with the match concluding at 4:45pm. There were calls on the day after Chris had won to have him swabbed (jokingly) for whatever he had been taking (so we could all have some), but Chris's current results are amazing - he wins almost everything he enters lately and there seems no defence to his prime (or partial prime) creation and moving, blocking game. However, a well deserved win for Chris - congratulations!!

It is interesting to note that Chris won last year (and was runner up in 2008) as well and his opponent in the final was Peter Geelen and the score was 15-3 ; interesting!

Chris has won [according to our records] the SA OPEN 7 times - in 91, 92, 99, 03, 06, 09 & now 2010 and get to keep the perpetual trophy home for a further year. This makes him the most prolific winner of this event, 7 times with the nearest rival that he knocked out in the 2010 final, Terry Efthimiou who has won 5 times. Peter Geelen has won 3 times and a clutch of players, twice - Allan Perry, Justin Freytag, Angelo Ali. And then a bunch who have won once. Congratulation to all.

2010 SA OPEN CONSOLATION TOURNAMENT- COMMENTARY

As mentioned above, the Consolation extended to 64 multiple no cost entries. Some said it should be called the Desperates Tournament, some the Shell Shocked Tournament, all of course refering to the hard luck stories of how they came to be eliminated from the main flight. As to multiple entries, Siegfried Pohlenz entered 9 times, Angelo Ali 8 times, Jack Clark, Nick Begakis, Don Schulz and Vassilios Toubakaris, 6 times and Dale Kerr and Peter Geelen, 5 times with Emil Andrawos, Shane McNally and Sam Hilbink, 3 times. Soto Phillis and John O'Grady entered just twice.

These hardy souls battled it out all day with the final four being SHANE McNALLY, SOTO PHILLIS, JACK CLARK and PETER GEELEN.

Soto defeated Shane and Peter defeated Jack and Peter Geelen defeated Soto Phillis in a thrilling match to win the Consolation Tournament which finished at 5:30pm.

It is noteworthy that Peter Geelen entered his 5th and final time at position 62 (from 64) and then went on to win two, one point matches, one, three point match and three, five point matches. Wow, well done Peter.

Thanks to John O'Grady for the notes and comments he has supplied and for the stirling effort he puts in the organisation of our various tournaments.

Photos courtesy Nick Begakis.