Mechanics' Institute Chess Room Newsletter # 95

"Amberly excelled in chess - one mark, Watson, of a scheming mind."
   Conan Doyle - The Adventure of the Retired Colourman

Honor Roll of Imre Konig Memorial donors: fund raising is now over $14,000 - only $6,000 to go!
Tibor Weinberger, Mark Pinto, Jim Eade, Neil Falconer, Toshio Imai, Vince McCambridge, Bryan Bilby, Bear Stearns, Tom Allen, Max Wilkerson, John Cannon, Mervyn Field, Dr. Joe Wagner, Haluk Akol, Mike Goodall, Dr. Ben Gross, Smartchess, Peter Stevens and Kevan Gross.

The Konig looks to be a category 12 event. July FIDE ratings for ten of the twelve players are as follows: 1.Ftacnik 2602 2.Yermolinsky 2592 3.Baburin 2580 4.Christiansen 2559 5.Wojtkiewicz 2555 6.DeFirmian 2551 7.Fedorowicz 2509 8.Nakamura 2494 9.Browne 2492 10.Akobian 2486. These ten players average out to 2542, just shy of category 13 (2551+). GMs Suat Atalik, of Bosnia and Yury Shulman, of Belarus were not on the initial FIDE July rating list because their federations were arrears in paying their FIDE dues. This situation should be rectified shortly and the average rating of the field will probably go up a little bit.

1) 9-way tie for first at the 2002 World Open
2) Vinay Bhat makes GM norm
3) Sacramento Chess Championship
4) Tie for first in Summer Tuesday Night Marathon with two rounds to go
5) Grochol wins Providian/Mechanics' Bay Area Scholastic Unrated Championship
6) Corrections
7) Upcoming events

1) 9-way tie for first at the 2002 World Open

This year's addition of the World Open in Philadelphia was a rousing success. Over 1300 players spent the July 4 weekend at the Adams Mark Hotel with 9 players tying for first place and 18-year-old Polish IM Kamil Miton winning the special Blitz playoff: 1-9 GM I Smirin (Israel), GM A Onischuk (USA), GM A Yusupov (Germany), GM J Ehlvest (Estonia), GM A Wojtkiewicz (Poland), IM B Finegold (USA), GM J Rowson (Scotland), IM V Akobian (USA), IM K Miton (Poland) 7/9.

Particularly noteworthy were the performances of IMs Ben Finegold and Varuzhan Akobian. The Continental Chess Association report on the World Open had not completed its article on norm performances as of press time, but I've read elsewhere that Finegold made a GM norm (long overdue). I would suspect that Akobian, the top ranked junior in the country, who will be playing in the Konig Memorial this September, also made a GM norm. He beat GM A. Ivanov and IM Lapshun and drew with GMs Smirin, Yusupov, Summerscale and Rowson.

Qualifiers for the US Championship were: IM Perelshteyn at 6 1/2 and on tie-break at 6 were GM Kreiman, IMs Burnett and Lapshun and FM Tegshsuren. Among those missing out on tie-break were Bay Area SM Vladimir Strugatsky and GM Michael Rhode. Scores for other Bay Area US Championship aspirants: IM Rey 5 1/2, SM Pruess 5 and NM Shivaji 5. The women's' seed was Julia Shiver, on tie-break at 4.

2) Vinay Bhat makes GM norm

IM Vinay Bhat, who recently graduated from high school and will be attending UC Berkeley this fall, hasn't played much the past year due to academic responsibilities, but the layoff doesn't seem to have affected his playing in the least. His father, Subru, reports the following fantastic news:
"I am very much pleased to inform you that Vinay earned his first GM Norm in China yesterday in the open event at the seaside resort Qingdao held from July 3 to 8. He ended the tournament with 5 out of 9."

Well done, Vinay!

We hope to have more information about this outstanding result and Vinay's performance in the USA/China match in the next Newsletter.

3) Sacramento Chess Championship

IM Ricardo DeGuzman continued his domination of Bay Area events, winning the Sacramento Chess Championship held July 5-7. DeGuzman scored 5 1/2 out of 6, yielding only a last round draw to NM Kenan Zildic, to win $300. NM Tom Dorsch on Menlo Park had an excellent result in taking second with a score of 5-1. He beat Zildic and NM James MacFarland, losing only to DeGuzman. Third place finisher John Barnard also had an excellent result with wins over IM Walter Shipman and NM Michael Aigner among his 4 1/2 points. MI Juniors Nicolas Yap and Ben Haun both had excellent performances in the Master/Expert section scoring 3 1/2 and 3 points respectively. A total of 91 players competed in three sections.

4) Margulis, Ossipov and Wong tied for first in Summer Tuesday Night Marathon with two rounds to go

Igor Margulis defeated fellow National Master Russell Wong in round 6 of the Summer Tuesday Night Marathon to force a tie at 5-1 between these two players and Victor Ossipov. A record 69 players are competing in this traditional Mechanics' event which has been held continuously since 1975.

5) Grochol wins Providian/Mechanics' Bay Area Scholastic Unrated Championship

Mike Grochol won the unrated section of the Providian Financial-Mechanics' Institute Bay Area Scholastic unrated section with a score of 5-0. Ken Wong was second at 4 and Daniel Vasilevitsky third at 3 1/2 in the 22 player section. Anthony Corrales organized and directed the event for the Mechanics' Institute.

6) Corrections

In the last Newsletter, it was reported that NM Robin Cunningham and Alex Setzepfandt scored 2 1/2 points in tying for second in the Jesse Jeans Open, in fact, they scored 3 points.

7) Upcoming events

Charles Bagby Memorial: July 20
Vladimir Pafhutieff Memorial: August 17

Both these events are 5-round, G/45, Swiss system events starting at 10 AM.

August 12-16 3rd Annual Mechanics' Institute Chess Camp for Intermediate and Advanced Players (1200-2200)

This is not a camp for players that want to jump two rating classes in five days. You won't learn how to win against the Sicilian every time using the Grand Prix Attack. So why our camp and not others? At the MI camp you will get a look inside a GM's laboratory and get a feel for how they work on their game from the ground up. You will learn not only the importance of analyzing your own games, but also how to do it properly. You will learn to identify the critical points of the game and to understand when and why things went wrong.

You will learn how to use ChessBase and Fritz efficiently as part of a daily training program as well as utilizing resources on the Internet such as TWIC and the Internet Chess Club. Today chess books are cranked out at an incredible rate. Some of them are very good, many are quite bad. We will help students learn to select that which is truly useful.

On the fun side our instructors have unique experience in international competition. Expect to hear stories and anecdotes about what it's like to play against Kasparov and defend first board in a Chess Olympiad. Instructors: Grandmasters Alex Yermolinsky, International Masters John Donaldson and Guillermo Rey, and MI Scholastic Director Anthony Corrales.

Who: Open to all ages from 8 and up.
When : August 12-16, from 9am to 5pm
Where: 57 Post Street, 4th floor (Montgomery BART station)
Cost: $320 for Mechanics' members, $355 for junior (under 21) non-members, $405 for adult non-members. All non-members will receive a one year membership in the MI. There is a limit of 40 players for this camp. If you can't attend the whole camp there is a drop in fee of $80 a day

Regional Events:

The John Easterling Memorial - August 3rd and 4th
$1,350 based on 50 paid entries
The Mechanics Bank (Operations Center), 725 Alfred Noble Dr., in Hercules, CA!!
Directions: From SF/Berkeley: take Interstate I-80 East to State Route 4/ Hercules Exit -(willow Rd.). Make right turn off ramp onto Willow Rd. then make another right turn at light onto Sycamore Dr. Then a right turn at light on San Pablo Ave. Then make a left turn on John Muir Parkway, entrance to North Shore Business Park at the intersection of John Muir Parkway and San Pablo Ave. Then make the only right turn onto Alfred Noble Dr. Go up the hill to 725 Alfred Noble Dr. The Mechanics Bank. From State Hwy 4: Travel East on State HWY 4 to John Muir Parkway Exit. Keep straight into the North Shore Business Park at the intersection of San Pablo Ave. and John Muir Parkway. Then make the only right turn onto Alfred Noble Dr. Go up hill to 725 The Mechanics Bank (Operations Center).
From Vallejo/ Napa: take Interstate I-80 West to Willow Rd. Exit. Make Right off interstate and go up to San Pablo Ave.-Make the only left turn. Make a Right turn onto John Muir Parkway at the intersection of State Route 4 and John Muir Pkwy, into the North Shore Business Park. Then make the only right turn on Alfred Noble Dr. Go up hill to 725 The Mechanics Bank.
Free Parking / skittles room!
See the most beautiful site in the East Bay!!
One Section: 4 Round Swiss, G/2, (Limited to 50 Players)
$350-250-150, Best X $140, Best A $130, Best B $120, Best C $110, Best D/E/Unr. $100.
Pre-entries: $35.00 if postmarked by 7/29/02; $40.00 at site/no checks at site. Make checks payable and send to: Rico Adkins, 15696 Crestwood Dr. #172, San Pablo, CA 94806. Please include your name, address, & USCF number and Exp. Date, and rating with entry. Byes must commit before first round. USCF membership required, membership renewal available at site. Aug. Supplement used. Questions/ Info. (510) 262-9061/e-mail: Fgh348@cs.com. Reg. ends at Sat 10:00 am. Rounds: Sat 10:30am, 3:30pm; Sun 10am 3:00pm. Bring sets, clocks.

Aug. 24-25 GPP: 6 N. California
Frank Harris Memorial Chess Tournament. 4SS, 40/2, SD/30. Vallejo Chess Club, 333 Amador St., Vallejo (From San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley- Sacramento-Fairfield: Take I-80 toward Vallejo, exit on Georgia St., go west toward Central Vallejo, 3 lights make rt on Amador, 1/2 blk. on left). $$b/60 pd. ents. Open: (2000+) $$400-250, Best X $200. Reserve: (1600-1999) $$350-200, Best B $200. Booster: (1599/Unr.) $$300-150, Best D/Unr. $200. EF: $50 by 8/20, $55 later. Reg: 8:30-9:30am Sat. Ent: Cks payable to Maximo Fajardo, 127 Missouri St., Vallejo, CA 94590. 707-980-0311. Bring sets/boards, none supplied!

Aug. 31-Sept. 2 GPP: 15 N. California
2002 CalChess Labor Day Festival. 6SS, 30/90, SD/1 (2-day option rds 1-3 G/60). Golden Geteway Holiday Inn, Van Ness at Pine, San Francisco. $$b/130 pd. adult, 20 paid jr. ents. 7 Sects: Master: $700-$350-$200; U2400, $300. Expert: $400-$200-$100. A: $350-$175-$100. B: $350-$175-$100. C: $350-175-100. D/E: $350-$175-$100; U1200 $225. Unr: Trophy 1st. Trophy to top finisher (State Champion) in ea. sect. All: EF: $60 postmarked by 8/27 (Jrs. $50), 3-day: $59 (Jrs $49), 2-day: $70 at site (Jrs. $55). Unr: $40 in the D/E sect. or may play up to the Master section for the regular fee. $5 disc. to CalChess membs. USCF memb. req'd. May play up 1 sect. for add'l $10 (Jrs $5). GM/IM free ent. Reg: Sat. 8-9:30am, Sun. 8:15-9:15am, Rds: All compete for the same prizes. 3-day: Sat 10-4, Sun 11-4:30, Mon 10-3:30. 2-day schedule Sun 9:30-11:45-2 then merges. 1/2 pt bye(s) any rd(s) if req'd in adv., byes rds 5-6 must be req'd before Rd 1. 2002 August Ratings List, CCA minimums & Directo rs discretion will be used to place players as accurately as possible. Please bring clocks & equipment. HR: Golden Gateway Holiday Inn, 415-441-4000. Info: Richard Koepcke 415-964-2640. Ent: Richard Koepcke, 2047 Montecito Ave #30, Mountain View, CA 94043. No Phone entries. FIDE.

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