RA Fall Open: the event report

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • RA Fall Open: the event report

    With rainy effects from what used to be hurricane Gustav giving chess players a nice reason to stay indoors, over 50 of them met in Ottawa for the 2008 RA Fall Open. This represents an increase of about 50% from last year's edition, and it was a great kickoff to the 2008-2009 Eastern Ontario Grand Prix.

    In addition to GM Bator Sambuev, it was great to have three other FIDE titled players, all of whom are tremendously well known in Ontario chess circles. Thanks to IM Tom O'Donnell, IM Brian Hartman, and FM Robert Hamilton, whose early registrations very likely attracted many of our later registrants! It was particularly fitting that the pairings for the weekend worked out so that these 4 FIDE titled players were matched on the top two boards in round 5. Spectators got to enjoy real battles, including deep postgame analysis between Brian and Robert. Thanks to all four for being very classy star players.

    The players were divided into 3 sections. The top section, for players over 2000, was also rated FIDE. The second section was devoted to players rated 1999-1800, and the third section covered all players U1800. As is traditional with events organized by this TD, there were chunky class prizes for every 200 rating points from U2200 to U1400. In addition, players had the flexibility of playing at their rating level, but as Amateur (just ineligible for cash prizes).

    In the top section, players from outside Ottawa swept the prizes. GM Bator Sambuev dominated with a score of 4.5-0.5 to win clear first place and $700. Second and third place were decided much later in the evening, as about half a dozen of the top boards were the last games to finish the weekend. IM Brian Hartman showed no signs of rust, also winning his last game, to finish with a score of 4-1, winning clear second place and $400. Third place was decided the latest of all prizes, with Liam Henry being pleasantly surprised in the skittles room that his score of 3.5-1.5 won clear third place and $300.

    In addition to the above top prizes, the first section featured an U2200 class prize. Interestingly, even though the players rated 2199-2000 comprised the single biggest grouping of players in the whole tournament, only 4 of them were playing as non-Amateur. The numerical winner was (Amateur) Jerry Xiong with a score of 3.5-1.5, but the $300 cash prize was awarded to Alvah Mayo, with a score of 2-3, which was the highest among the U2200 non-Amateurs.

    The second section was set aside just for the players rated 1999-1800, as they had great participation numbers, and all except for one were playing as non-Amateur. Therefore, this section also had the largest class prize, a healthy $400, which was grabbed by Christopher Pace, with a nice score of 4-1.

    This U2000 section also featured a wonderful display of sportsmanship in the third round. Bruce Lamond and Silviu Gavan were playing with an analog clock, and with less than 1 minute remaining for each player, they were scrambling through a wicked K+2B+6P vs. K+2B+6P endgame. Unfortunately, under the great pressure, an illegal move was made, and the timing consequence would have decided the game. However, both the player who was objectively winning, and the other player who would have won the game on time, they both admirably simultaneously offered and accepted a draw.

    The third section included class prizes for U1800, U1600, and U1400. The U1800 subsection was also quite well attended, generating a $300 class prize, which Benoit Nadeau, with an untouchable score of 4.5-0.5, captured before heading out on a long drive home with his northern Ontario chess gang!

    For the U1600 class prize, Dan Liu and Fangyi Luo led their group with scores of 3-2, but Dan took home the $200 prize as Fangyi was playing Amateur. There were only 2 non-Amateurs in the U1400 group. They met in round 4, which Yuanhao Wei won, and went on to claim $100 with a good score of 3-2.

    In closing, special thanks to Brad Thomson from Chess&Math for running a successful kiosk all day Saturday, and to John Upper graciously helping with some late night transporting of chess goods. Thanks also to Alvah Mayo, for bringing a nice big box of Tim Horton's donuts to start the event on Friday! :)

    Yours in chess,

    Aris Marghetis, Organizer/TD
    http://www.eoca.org/htm/tournaments%202008-09.html
    (crosstables being posted)

    P.S. My next weekend event will be the National Capital Open in November. In addition, it will be a combined tournament with the Outaouais Open from the Quebec tour. So we should have very nice participation numbers! All players will be rated CFC, FQE, and even FIDE. I will be posting, emailing, and advertizing the complete details within a few weeks. If you would like to be added to my private email distribution, email arismarghetis at rogers dot com

  • #2
    Re: RA Fall Open: the event report

    This event was well run by Aris and enoyable. I was especially impressed with the play of Qin and Marinkovic.

    I found it difficult to play at G/90, as I tired in the crucial conversion/transition phases, with the added clock pressure. However, I managed just enough energy to win my last game versus a determined opponent. A tough fight, where at least two of my opponent's ideas were missed or misunderstood by me (e.g., 18...Na5!?). Despite a few 2nd rate moves by both of us, an interesting game was created.

    Hartman-Hamilton Ottawa 2008

    1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.Nf3 cxd4 5.Bd3 Nc6 6.O-O g6 7.Re1 Bg7 8.a3 Nge7
    9.b4 O-O 10.b5 Nb8 11.Bb2 Nd7 12.Bxd4 a6 13.Nbd2 axb5 14.Bb5 Nc6 15.Bb2 Nc5
    16.a4 Bd7 17.Ba3 b6 18.c4 Na5 19.Qe2 Re8 20.Bc5 bxc5 21.Qe3 Bf8 22.Qf4 Nc6
    23.h4 Nb4 24.Red1 Bb5 25.axb5 h6 26.Nf1 Ra1 27.Ra1 dxc4 28.Qc4 Qd3 29.Ne3
    Rb8 30.Qf4 Nd5 31.Nd5 Qd5 32.Ra7 Rb7 33.Rb7 Qb7 34.Qa4 Qd7 35.Qb3 Be7 36.b6
    Qb7 37.Nd2 Bxh4 38.Nc4 Bd8 39.Qb5 Kg7 40.Qc5 Qe4 41.g3 h5 42.Qd6 Qxc4
    43.Qxd8 Qc1+ 44.Kh2 Qc5 45.Qf6+ Kg8 46.b7 Qc7 47.Qf3 Qb6 48.Kg2 g5 49.Qe4 g4
    50.Kf1 Kg7 51.Ke1 Kg8 52.Ke2 Kg7 53.Kf1 Kg8 54.f3 Qb5 55.Kg1 Qb6 56.Kh1 Kh8
    57.fxg4 hxg4 58.Kg2 Qb2 59.Kf1 Qc1+ 60.Ke2 Qb2 61.Kd3 Qb1 62.Kd4 Qb6 63.Kc4
    Kg7 64.Qg4 Kf8 65.Qe4 Kg7 66.Kd3 Qb3 67.Ke2 Qb2 68.Kf3 Qb3 69.Kf4 Qb6 70.Kg5
    Qd8 71.Kg4 Qb6 72.Kh5 Qb5 73.Kh4 Qb6 74.Qf3 Qb5 75.Qf6

    1-0


    Brian

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: RA Fall Open: the event report

      Hi Brian, thanks for the compliment! ;)

      And it was a real pleasure to meet you, and judging by the reaction of many people on the Friday evening when they saw you, you seem to have a wonderful reputation. :)

      As for the time controls (G/90+30/seconds), I know what you mean, and I have tried with 30 minutes more (in other words, G/120+30/seconds), and the reaction has been mixed. It makes the most difference on the Sunday, when most people would like to be done by dinnertime. Maybe I'll poll again, but last time I polled, the shorter one won.

      Thanks for posting your game, and Bator usually gives his to Halldor to bring to us. If anyone would like to help out at my next event to collect game sheets, lemme know!

      All the best.

      Comment

      Working...
      X