Jonathan Spicer is the youngest player in the festival. (Picture by Peter Frankland, 0659468)

IT WAS a return to business as usual in round four of the Fortis International Chess Festival at the Peninsula Hotel. The earlier rounds of the annual event, now in its 34th year, had been littered with some shock results.

However, the fourth day saw no upsets on the top boards as grandmasters Tiger Hillarp-Persson and Bojan Kurajica both won comfortably again.

Former junior world champion Kurajica’s was over local joint-leader Fred Hamperl, who fought courageously before succumbing to the Croatian’s exceptional power. ‘Rather than lose slowly, I decided to attack him and, needless to say, he had seen before all the tricks I had,’ said Hamperl. ‘It didn’t take too much energy out of him.’

Kurajica and Hillarp-Persson of Sweden now share the open tournament lead.

Canadian grandmaster and pre-tournament favourite Kevin Spraggett is still by no means out of the running for the top prize of £1,200.He also won again in the fourth round.