Southend results

Five Suffolk players finished unbeaten on 4½ points (out of 7), for equal 9th place.   Dagne Ciuksyte picked up the £500 prize for the best female performance.   Others on 4½ points included Alan Merry (who drew with IM Richard Pert today), Ian Wallis (who beat Ed Player today), Andrew Lewis and David Spence.   Ian continued his recent run of good form and will amass an extra 46 rating points from the tournament, taking him back over 2000.   Ian and David both won grading prizes.

Other Suffolk scores were: Graham Moore – 4; Silas Peck and Ed Player – 3; Steve Gregory – 2½; Keith Woodcock – 1½.

Even after this tournament, where he improved his rating by 20 points, Alan Merry still needs another 60 rating points to get his rating up to 2400, which he needs for his IM title.