Sam Williams (2179) [ENG]:

Sam Williams, reigning Ampleforth champion and undoubtedly one of the best talents in the junior game, had, by his standards, an indifferent 02-03, scoring 2.5/4 with Slough 2 following an early loss to Brett Lund (2255). The game was highly complex and appeared to be heading for a draw until Lund unleashed an exchange sacrifice that looked winning. Both sides played the game out, but it later transpired that an error meant that Williams could have saved himself.      His next game was a tightly contested encounter with Kevin Williamson (1896), which saw Sam pursue a slight niggling advantage for much of the game. It was like trying to bleed water from a stone, and eventually Sam dropped the stone on his foot, making an oversight after the first time control. Still, he calmly reached a drawn rook and pawn ending and duly recorded the half point.      Almost as if to prove a point, Sam won his next two games at a canter; the first was almost a minature, Sam taking care of some lax play by Geoff Keeling (2013) to record a crisp win. Then he sat opposite a self-destructing opponent by the name of Slava Burenkov (1972), and won comfortably in 22 moves. Sure to do well next season on a high board.

(the one on the right, not the monk...)

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