Gauci crowned Malta champion for first time
The MTFSA season came to an end earlier this month when the Malta championship was played at the Victor Tedesco Stadium. Eight players took part in this one-day competition played on a round-robin format. The Premier Division was made up of Joe Mifsud,...
The MTFSA season came to an end earlier this month when the Malta championship was played at the Victor Tedesco Stadium.
Eight players took part in this one-day competition played on a round-robin format. The Premier Division was made up of Joe Mifsud, Derek Conti, Joe Borg Bonaci, Hansel Mallia, Samuel Bartolo, Mark Gauci, Charles Aquilina and Adrian Bonnici.
After a balanced start, the league started to take shape and after five matches Mallia led the way with 11 points following victories over Mifsud (3-1) and Bonaci (2-1).
Mifsud was second on 10 points followed by Gauci and Bartolo, who both had eight.
The final matches turned out to be decisive. Gauci kept hold of his nerves to chalk up two successive wins that sealed his first Malta title.
Gauci will be the top-ranked Maltese player in next month's World Cup in Vienna. He will be joined by Bartolo, the Malta Cup winner, and Massimo Cremona who obtained direct qualification due to his high placing in the world rankings.
Conti, Mallia, Aquilina and Joe Zammit Pavia are the other members in the Malta team for Austria.
Final standings: Gauci 14; Borg Bonaci, Mallia, Bartolo 12; Mifsud 10; Aquilina 9; Conti 7; Bonnici nil.