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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
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
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