GM Matthew Wadsworth won in Ryde on tiebreak, Scottish GM Matthew Turner also shared first, while in Graz Scotland’s Freddy Waldhausen Gordon, 15, qualified for the IM title
In just two years, the Isle of Wight Masters at Ryde school has become established as one of Britain’s most popular events. Its scenic ambience, impressive organisation and competitive spirit have combined to attract a strong international entry.
Last weekend GM Matthew Wadsworth emerged first on tie-break ahead of IM Tobias Koelle (Germany) and GM Matthew Turner (Scotland) after the trio all scored 7/9. Wadsworth also won in 2025.
Round seven proved a decisive moment as Wadsworth defeated GM Thomas Beerdsen (Netherlands) in a picturesque finale of queens, rooks, and a promoted pawn, Koelle won against England’s youngest GM, Shreyas Royal, while Turner upset the top seed, GM Gawain Jones. It was a career-best result for the 50-year-old, who teaches chess at Millfield.
Can the good form of Wadsworth and Royal, who won the elite Zagreb tournament in November, earn either or both of them selection for the five-man England team for the Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, in September? England’s current team is ageing. Michael Adams is in his 50s, Luke McShane in his 40s, David Howell and Jones in their middle or late 30s, although Howell did win the individual gold in 2022. An older player’s form can suddenly drop off a cliff. There are five in an Olympiad team, so the selectors will make the difficult decision.
