Smerdon wins Queenstown

IM David Smerdon picked up the biggest prize of hid career, winning the 2009 Queenstown Classic in New Zealand yesterday. Smerdon went into the final round leading by a point, and despite a loss to GM Gawain Jones, still finished outright first on 8/10 after his closest rivals only drew. The win by Jones enabled him to join a large group in second place on 7.5, along with GM Rozentalis, GM Mikhalevski, GM Bischoff, GM Jones, GM Mastrovasilis and GM Johannessen.
Of the other Canberra players that took part a number did very well. Andrew Brown scored an IM norm and finished on 6.5/10, finishing with a final round draw with IM Guy West. Junta Ikeda finished on the same score (sans an IM norm) drawing with GM Hecht in the last round. On 5.5 was Sherab Guo-Yuthok, while his sister Emma finished on 5. The other Canberran's were Andrew Fitzpatrick (4.5), Bill Egan (4), Shannon Oliver (3.5), and Joe Marks (3.5).
Full results from the tournament website.

Smerdon,D (2463) - Mastrovasilis,D (2580)
Queenstown Classic Queenstown (9.1), 23.01.2009

1.e4 c5 2.c3 Nf6 3.e5 Nd5 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nf3 e6 6.cxd4 d6 7.Bc4 Nb6 8.Bd3 Nc6 9.0-0 Nb4 10.Be2 dxe5 11.Nxe5 Be7 12.Nc3 0-0 13.a3 N4d5 14.Bd3 Bd7 15.Ne4 Rc8 16.Re1 Ba4 17.b3 Be8 18.Qf3 f6 19.Qh3 f5 20.Nc5 Bxc5 21.dxc5 Rxc5 22.Bb2 Qg5 23.Nf3 Qg6 24.Qh4 Rc7 25.Rad1 h6 26.Be5 Rc8 27.Bd6 Rf6 28.Be5 Rf8 29.Nd4 Bd7 30.h3 Qg5 31.Qxg5 hxg5 32.Nf3 g4 33.hxg4 fxg4 34.Ng5 Nf4 (D)
35.Bh7+ Kh8 36.Re4 Nh5 37.Rxg4 1-0