Navigation jamboree 2008 – NAG Challenge IV
The 4th NAG (formerly BAG) challenge took place at the Navigation on 20 May. In the previous 3 years the event had been a two-round 10-board jamboree between Navigation, Ashfield and Gambit. This year Kevin, Neil and I agreed to increase the number of players per team to 12.
The Ashfield team were very strong on paper, with Steve Burke, Pablo Padilla Cabrero and Stan Cranmer added to the 2007 team. Neil clearly meant business this time.
On the other hand, Gambit were weakened by the absence of Tony Wright and Steve Hunter, and the Navigation team had a completely different look as only Kevin Harvey, Simon Parham and Mike James remained from the 2007 team.
Food was provided by the pub and proved to be great value at just £1 per eater.
In Round 1 Ashfield proved they were just as strong over the board as on paper by taking a commanding lead with 8½ points. Gambit managed only 5½ points and Navigation scored 4. There were only two surprise results, Mark Radford and Dave Griffiths (moonlighting for Navigation) beating Brian Hayward and Bob Taylor respectively.
In Round 2 Ashfield amassed another 7 points to finish first on 15½, thus ending the three-year reign of Gambit, who scored 6½ points to finish second with 12 points. Navigation scored 4½ points to finish on 8½. Once again Dave Griffiths upset the odds, this time by beating John Tassi. Rumour has it that Kevin has already opened contract negotiations with Dave for next year’s event.
I hope Neil enjoys having temporary custody of the new shiny non-existent NAG Trophy before it’s regained by the Gambit Boys next year.
Round 1
| G. Halfpenny | (A) | 0–1 | M. Barnes | (G) |
| P. Mercs | (G) | 1–0 | G. Jennings | (N) |
| K. Harvey | (N) | 0–1 | P. Cabrero | (A) |
| R. Webster | (A) | 1–0 | S. Foster | (N) |
| M. Radford | (N) | 1–0 | B. Hayward | (G) |
| D. Sudar | (G) | 0–1 | S. Burke | (A) |
| D. Griffiths | (N) | 1–0 | R. Taylor | (A) |
| N. Graham | (A) | ½–½ | J. Tassi | (G) |
| M. Harper | (G) | 1–0 | P. Patel | (N) |
| O. Taylor | (N) | 1–0 | G. Gibson | (G) |
| G. Hopkinson | (G) | 0–1 | S. Cranmer | (A) |
| P. Morgan | (A) | 1–0 | K. Cairney | (N) |
| P. Gorecka-Marshall | (G) | 1–0 | M. James | (N) |
| D. Blampied | (N) | 0–1 | T. Lewis | (A) |
| R. Sayer | (A) | 1–0 | M. Gretton | (G) |
| M. Kirtley | (G) | 0–1 | T. Norris-Hunt | (A) |
| S. Swift | (A) | 0–1 | S. Parham | (N) |
| Default | (N) | 0–1 | K. Heath | (G) |
Round 2
| G. Jennings | (N) | 0–1 | G. Halfpenny | (A) |
| M. Barnes | (G) | 1–0 | K. Harvey | (N) |
| P. Cabrero | (A) | 0–1 | P. Mercs | (G) |
| B. Hayward | (G) | 0–1 | R. Webster | (A) |
| S. Foster | (N) | 1–0 | D. Sudar | (G) |
| S. Burke | (A) | 1–0 | M. Radford | (N) |
| J. Tassi | (G) | 0–1 | D. Griffiths | (N) |
| R. Taylor | (A) | 1–0 | M. Harper | (G) |
| P. Court | (N) | 1–0 | N. Graham | (A) |
| S. Cranmer | (A) | 0–1 | O. Taylor | (N) |
| G. Gibson | (G) | 0–1 | P. Morgan | (A) |
| K. Cairney | (N) | 0–1 | G. Hopkinson | (G) |
| T. Lewis | (A) | 0–1 | P. Gorecka-Marshall | (G) |
| P. Patel | (N) | 0–1 | R. Sayer | (A) |
| M. Gretton | (G) | ½–½ | D. Blampied | (N) |
| S. Parham | (N) | 0–1 | M. Kirtley | (G) |
| T. Norris-Hunt | (A) | 1–0 | M. James | (N) |
| K. Heath | (G) | 1–0 | S. Swift | (A) |