But I was pretty tired.

I also probably missed a win versus Wayne but we were nearly the last to end...it was an interesting game.

I'm not playing in the Rapid or Lightening. Had enough chess. I did well with my targets of a) not coming last as in 2011. b) getting about 50% and I got that exactly c) good time managment (I was almost in every game including even Rasmussen way ahead in time: I was a bit jittery a condition associated with the nervous condition I have, not the chess situation, so these terrible panic attacks mean I sometimes either simply cant calculate moves or I am too doped up, but it was only a factor in my games against William Li and Catherine Yan - in both games I made silly errors - against Yan I dropped a pawn in a very superior position. She failed to play the correct moves in that variation of the Tarrasch and was really soon to be lost. In fact I made two errors in succession. Against Alan Fan I was so bad I nearly just walked off to go home, but somehow I held on. I found it quite easy to beat him as he didn't improve on his previous games in any significant way: I thought he was going to play 1 e4 but he played 1 Nf3 and a Reti was the result...but I had, in many of my games a 20 to nearly 30 minute advantage. Wayne kept up with me though! And Leighton Nicholls. )

But otherwise those goals were achieved and the other one was

c) not to agonise over loses or setbacks and get on with the next game preparation

One other goal: d) checking threats on every move (as below), this conflicted with my 'restlessness' and speed of play...but it was better than I was in 2011-13. I checked most moves (I saw the trap by William Li but then made an impulsive, non-checked move in a position that was quite difficult for me to organise but should have been equal with careful play).

d) I perhaps sinned in not doing my promised checks after every move, but I kept to that pretty much against Leighton Nicholls and on most moves.

It's like keeping the speed to 50 kph or 80 on the bridge, especially without a WOF, which has been expired since the 2nd of January...lol. I have to get a mate (mechanic to help me change an engine mount, the brakes and other minor problems have been fixed)...Hence I avoided speeding or bad driving or where I thought there would be check points...

I also kept in contact via FB with Leonard McClaren and we gave each other moral support.

One big enemy was the terrible humidity - very enervating. Mind you, players from colder places might have been affected more.

Well old friend, overall I think you performed admirably. Congratulations.

Started painting my house again (I painted the front in 2013) as well as am working on getting my car going with a WOF - helps to have a mate who is a mechanic! See how things go. I might play at ACC this year. Starts on the 2nd of Feb, or the Autumn Cup does. I miss old Pat Young! He used to show me his long games until 1 pm, and we would go through all his moves, and often with his really untidy score in the old notation!! I would be knackered after all that as he would want to keep it going.