Stuart Conquest was the victor at a strong open in Sardinia as he finished at the head of a 178 player field which included 33 Grandmasters and International Masters. Conquest, the reigning British champion was the only player to reach 7/9 after a wild last round game against Tiger Hillarp-Persson of Sweden. The Tiger sacrificed two exchanges in and with two bishops and a kingside pawn phalanx coming down the board Conquest's position looked desperate but he kept his cool in the time scramble and cleverly exploited the error when it came in a long tactical sequence during which he allowed his opponent to promote a pawn with check.

S Conquest - T Hillarp Persson

Porto Mannu Open (9)

The decisive moment. Black's pawns can hardly be stopped but White appears to threaten Re8-e7 winning the bishop on g7 and creating strong threats

36...Kh6?

(Ignoring the threat wins as the pawns romp home after 36...g3!! 37.Ree7 Bxh5 38.Rxg7+ Kh6 39.Rh7+ Kg5 40.Rd2 Bf3 41.Re7 (41.c4 e3) 41...f4 42.c4 g2 43.Rxg2+ Bxg2 44.c5 f3 45.Rf7 e3 46.Kc2 f2)

37.Re6! Bc3

(37...g3 38.Rxg6+ Kxh5 39.Rgxg7)

38.hxg6 Bg7

(The last two moves have not been very good for Black but even now it seems that Black's 'g' pawn must promote)

39.Ree7! g3

(39...Bc3 40.g7)

40.Rxg7 g2 41.Rh7+ Kg5 42.g7 g1Q+ 43.Kb2 Kf6 44.Rh6+!

(44.Rh8 Qxg7!)

44...Ke5 45.Rh8 Ke6 46.Rb7 Qd4+ 47.Ka2 Ke5 48.g8Q Kf4 49.Qb8+ Ke3 50.Qg3+ Kd2 51.Qf4+ Kxc2 52.Rc7+ Kd3 53.Rh3+ 1-0

S Conquest - Y Pelletier

Porto Mannu Open (2)

Ruy Lopez

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.d3 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.a3 0-0 9.Re1 Bg4 10.Be3 d5 11.h3 Bh5 12.Nbd2 h6 13.c3 Qd6 14.Qc2 Bg6 15.Rad1 Qd7 16.Qc1 Rfe8 17.Nf1 Bf8 18.Ng3 Na5 19.Ba2 dxe4 20.Nxe4 Qc6 21.Ng3

(Black's last few moves have only served to misplace his queen and knight)

21...Rad8 22.b4 Nb7 23.d4! exd4 24.Nxd4 Qb6 25.Ne6 Rxd1 26.Rxd1 Qc6 27.Nxf8 Rxf8 28.Bxh6! Nd6

(28...gxh6 29.Qxh6 Threat Qxg6+ 29...Nh7 30.Nh5 Bxh5 31.Qxc6)

29.Qg5 1-0

in view of 29.Qg5 Nc4 30.Bxg7 Kxg7 31.Nf5+ Kg8 32.Ne7+