Mechanics Institute Chess Room Newsletter #210

"Chess is a kind of mental alcohol. Unless a man has supreme self-control. It is better that he should not learn to play chess. I have never allowed my children to learn it, for I have seen too much of its evil results."

J.H. Blackburne

1) DeGuzman wins 4th Annual Donnelly Memorial 
2) Five-way tie in Robert Jordan TNM 
3) A. Ibragimov tops Wednesday Night Blitz 
4) Pruess tops in East Bay Chess Club Swiss 
5) Burnett, McHugh, Ginsburg and Zaikov advance in AF4C US Ch Qualifier 
6) Polgar - Karpov 3-3 tie 
7) USCF No-Confidence Motion in King Kirsan 
8) HB Global Chess Challenge 
9) Hans Ree Interview 
10) ACP Time Control Survey 
11) Here and There 
12) Upcoming Events

DeGuzman wins 4th Annual Donnelly Memorial

IM Ricardo DeGuzman continued his winning ways scoring 5-0 to take home the first prize in the 4th Annual Howard Donnelly Memorial held September 18. WGM Camilla Baginskaite made a welcome return to the tournament arena, winning her first four games before taking a last round bye. Her score of 4.5 was good for second, a half point behind were Experts Batsaikan Tserendorj, Alexander Levitan and Dmitry Vayntrub. Vinzaent Davies, rated only 1288, had an excellent result scoring 3.5 from 5 while playing up every round. Anthony Corrales direct the 37-player event for the Mechanics'

2) Five-way tie in Robert Jordan TNM

IM Ricardo DeGuzman narrowly escaped against teenager Nicolas Yap last night, saving a lost ending. This draw and the bye taken by the other leader, NM Russell Wong, enabled FM Frank Thornally and NM Igor Margulis to join these three players in first place at 5-1 with two rounds to go in the Frank Jordan Tuesday Night Marathon.

3) A. Ibragimov tops Wednesday Night Blitz

Arthur Ibragimov won the Wednesday Night Blitz last week with David Ray second. Play starts tonight at 7pm following Alex Yermolinsky's lecture.

4) Pruess tops in East Bay Chess Club Swiss

SM David Pruess scoring 3.5 from 4 (one half point bye) to win the 19-player East Bay Chess Club September Swiss held September 18-19. Salar Jahedi was second at 3 with Andy Lee, Ariel Mazzarelli, Craig Andries, George Matchen, Corey Chang, Bleys Rose and Tatsuro Yamamura sharing Third/U2200,U2000,U1800,U1600 at 2.5.Go to http://www.eastbaychess.com/ for more information about this chess club located in North Berkeley.

5) Burnett, McHugh, Ginsburg and Zaikov advance in AF4C/ICC US Ch Qualifier

IM Ron Burnett (Tennessee) and NM Edward McHugh (Connecticut) will represent the East and IM Mark Ginsburg (Arizona) and NM Oleg Zaikov (Oregon) the West in a G/60 knockout this weekend on the ICC with the last US Championship spot up for grabs. First round pairings are Arizona vs Connecticut and Tennessee vs Oregon. Zaikov is a rapidly improving junior and McHugh is looking for a breakthrough, but the smart money will probably be on IM Ron Burnett, the highest rated player in the field, to advance. Veterans will root for University of Arizona professor Mark Ginsburg who has been trying to qualify for the 2004 US Championship for much of the past two years. It seems like in every event Mark started slowly, battled back, then lost the qualifier spot on tiebreak. Here is hoping his luck changes. Go Mark!

The four finalists emerged from two 9 round blitz tournaments (3 minutes with one-second increment), each made up of approximately 20 state champions, including Northern California representative John Donaldson who was fourth in the West. This first time event, the AF4C repechage if you will, was ably run by ICC administrator Duncan Oxley (autobot on the ICC). One improvement for next year would be to have standings available after each round so the players don't have to guess how they are doing. It wasn't readily apparent that West favorite IM Kong Deng of Los Angeles who got confused with the starting time, wasn't playing until after the event was over.

CofC-Tennessee - CofC-Connecticut [B40]
ICC tourney 582 (3 1 u) Internet Chess Club (3), 18.09.2004
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.b3 b6 4.Bb2 Bb7 5.Qe2 d6 6.d4 cxd4 7.Nxd4 a6 8.Nc3 Nf6 9.0-0-0 Nbd7 10.g4 Ne5 11.g5 Nfd7 12.f4 Nc6 13.Nxc6 Bxc6 14.Bg2 Qc7 15.h4 b5 16.Nd5 Qb7 17.Nb4 Rc8 18.h5 Nb6 19.Nxc6 Qxc6 20.h6 Rg8 21.hxg7 Bxg7 22.Rxh7 Bxb2+ 23.Kxb2 Qc5 24.Bf3 Na4+ 25.bxa4 Qb4+ 26.Kc1 Qa3+ 27.Kd2 Qc3+ 28.Kc1 Qa1+ 29.Kd2 Qc3+ 30.Kc1 Qa1+ Game drawn by mutual agreement ½-½

6) Polgar - Karpov 3-3 tie

Here is a brief report from Paul Troung. If you go to ChessBase.com you will find a complete report with many pictures (http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=1918) of yet another first class event organized by Mikhail Korenman.

Rapid: Karpov 1.5 - Polgar .5
Fischer Random Karpov 1 - Polgar 1 (1 win - 1 loss)
Blitz: Karpov .5 - Polgar 1.5

Progressive score:

Karpov 1/2 1 0 1 1/2 0 = 3
Polgar 1/2 0 1 0 1/2 1 = 3

There were about 2,000 at the Champions Parade. 176 new USCF memberships were signed up.

There were about 500 people in the audience the first day and about 800 combine for both days. Nearly 100 had the opportunity to dine with Polgar and Karpov on Saturday evening. The entire event was a true spectacle to promote US Chess at the highest level.

Polgar went for the win in each game, sacrificing material in just about every game. In game 5, Karpov offered a draw with only 10 seconds left on the clock and no increment. However, the position was clearly even and Polgar graciously accepted. There were plenty of media and the players were warmly greeted. GM Shulman, IMs Charbonneau, Krush and Zatonskih were on hand to help out and promote chess to kids. Approximately 200 kids participated in the Champions Cup tournament.

7) USCF No-Confidence Motion in King Kirsan

If you go to the front page of the USCF website (uschess.org) you will find a link to letter that President Beatriz Marinello and Executive Board Don Schultz wrote asking FIDE put a no-confidence motion on its agenda for the Congress to be held during the Olympiad in Spain this fall. The motivation for this action seems to be Kirsan's attempt to whitewash a recent report by the FIDE Verification Committee which was scathing in its criticism of the FIDE czar. Its not clear what sort of support the USCF initiative has or how aggressively it is lobbying other disgruntled national federations. Going it alone will definitely not produce results as the USCF is not a major player in FIDE. Former American Zonal President and MI Chess Room Director Jim Eade raises some good points on the effectiveness of the no-confidence measure on his blog at http://journals.aol.com/jimeade/JimEadesWeblog . The author of the best-selling Chess for Dummies is due out with a new book, The Chess Player's Bible, later this year.

"I have mixed feelings about the USCF's latest FIDE initiative. As you know, I consider the current state of affairs a complete mess, but I am not confident that the problem has been correctly identified. My concern is that there will be posturing and chest thumping, but no real reform. I am weary of empty rhetoric. Don Schultz once passed a motion that the USCF's WEB site would be "second to none." However, there was never any intention of committing the resources necessary to make that happen. Fixing FIDE requires more than mere words. The first question to ask is whether FIDE, or something like FIDE is necessary. When Kasparov was unable to secure a return match against Kramnik, I believe his reluctant conclusion was that it is. Yet, FIDE as an organization is extremely complex. I would submit that any international organization governed by a General Assembly, and Executive Board, a Presidential Board and a President is bound to experience some difficulties. If I told you that the organization's Treasurer was not a full time paid employee, you'd probably think I was joking. The real joke would be on us. FIDE's audit and verification processes cannot withstand scrutiny. One must question the independence and qualifications of those involved. Until these systemic problems are addressed there will be no real reform in FIDE. Reform is needed, but a vote of no confidence in the President, is only for show. Demand a full time Chief Financial Office. Insist on Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. Engage an independent auditor. And, oh by the way, tell me how these things will be paid for. It is difficult to take these demonstrations seriously, however well intended they may be."

8) HB Global Chess Challenge

Just when it looked like it was all doom and gloom for US Chess GM Maurice Ashley has made a fantastic move, landing a sponsor who will be organizing the biggest prize fund Swiss event ever next May. Well-done Maurice!

With a guaranteed prize fund of $500,000, Generation Chess is pleased to announce the richest open chess tournament in history. This event will be held in Minneapolis, Minnesota from May 18-22, 2005.

HB Global Chess Challenge
For further information, contact: For Immediate Release
Brian Molohon, HB Foundation, +1 (651) 209-3067
Maurice Ashley, Generation Chess, +1 (646) 495-6092

LARGEST EVER OPEN CHESS TOURNAMENT TO BE HELD IN U.S. IN MAY 2005, ATTRACTING TOP PLAYERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

HB Foundation posts $500,000 prize fund for the HB Global Chess Challenge, a Maurice Ashley-led event expected to bring more than 4,000 participants to Minneapolis, Minnesota

Announcing that the world of chess is about to be transformed, Grandmaster Maurice Ashley revealed that the HB Foundation is sponsoring the largest open tournament ever, the HB Global Chess Challenge, which is expected to attract more than 4,000 players from around the globe. The HB Foundation has established a guaranteed prize fund of $500,000 for the tournament, which will be held May 18-22, 2005 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

"An event like the HB Global Chess Challenge has been the dream of players for years, a tournament that will offer very substantial cash prizes and be 'fan friendly' for both the professional and amateur," said Ashley, the CEO of Generation Chess, LLC, the company organizing the event for the HB Foundation. He noted that first place in the Open section has a cash prize of $50,000, and that overall more than 50 others will receive cash prizes for their performances. Ashley, the world's first, and only, African American grandmaster, said the HB tourney is a "massive step forward for chess."

HB Global Chess Challenge/page two

"We are proud to be making chess history and most pleased that we will be helping to build awareness of how children benefit from chess," said Brian Molohon, the executive director of the HB Foundation. The non-profit foundation promotes the cognitive and academic benefits that children and youth gain from learning, and practicing, chess.

The HB Global Chess Challenge will have multiple side events, including lectures, simultaneous exhibitions, autograph signings by leading GMs, live game analysis of the top boards, musical entertainment, silent and live auctions, drawings, and gift memberships in the U.S. Chess Federation. In addition, there will be a children's tournament on the Saturday of tournament week.

"The whole world of chess needs to get behind this effort," says Ashley, who will be providing some of his ESPN-style commentary at the event. "The HB tournament gives us all a chance to come together and play the game we love in a way that respects all chess players, and it will help kids. How can you beat that?"

The tournament, to be held at the Minneapolis Convention Center, is expected to draw thousands of competitors from around the world, shattering all previous participation records. The first place prize of $50,000 in the Open section is certain to attract many of the world's best players, while a large number of non-professionals will jump at the chance to compete in their various sections for first place prizes of $20,000.

HB Global Chess Challenge/page three

There will be 56 cash winners in the Open section, with most of the other sections giving away up to 50 cash prizes. Overall, there will be a minimum of 326 winners going home with a cash prize in their pocket. The U.S. Chess Federation and the Association of Chess Professionals have endorsed the HB Global Chess Challenge. The entire Twin Cities area is prepared to welcome the visiting chess competitors, and the array of restaurants, sporting events, theaters, music venues and shops are sure to please. Visits to the Mall of America, the nation's largest shopping center, are also planned. "The entire area will be ready to welcome our visiting chess players, throwing the doors wide open to welcome the participants and their families," said Molohon of the HB Foundation, which is based in Minnesota. "Mark your calendars now," says Ashley. "This is the tournament that you will be telling your grandkids about. No matter what happens, there will never again be another first."

For more information, visit: www.hbfoundation.org
www.generationchess.com

PRIZE FUND: $500,000 absolutely guaranteed
Open Section:
1st place - $50,000
2nd place - $25,000
3rd place - $12,500
4th - $7,000 5th - $3,500 6th - $2,000
7th - 20th each $1,000 21st to 50th - each $500
2300-2449: 1st place - $20,000 2nd place - 10,000 3rd place - $5,000
UNDER 2300: 1st place - $20,000 2nd place - 10,000 3rd place - $5,000
Under 2200, U2000, U1800, U1600 SECTIONS:
1st place - $20,000
2nd place - $10,000
3rd place - $5,000
4th place - $2,500 5th place $1,500 6th place -$1,000
7th - 20th each $500 21st - 50th each $300
Under 1400 Section
1st place - $12,000
2nd place - $6,000
3rd place - $3,000
4th place - $2,000 5th place - $1,500 6th place - $1,000
7th - 20th each $500 21st - 50th each $300
Top Under 1200 $10,000-5,000-3,000-2,000-1,000
Top Under 1000 $4,000-2,000-1,000-1,000-1,000
UNRATED Section
1st place - $2,000
2nd place - $1,000
3rd place - $600
4th place - $500 5th place $400 6th - 10th $200
Entry Fee: $345 before 1/1/05; $345 from 1/1/05 through 1/30/05; $375 from 2/1/05
through 5/1/05; $400 from May 1 to noon, May 17.
Discounts: Sign with a friend before 1/1/05 and each of you will receive $50 off
your entry fee.

9) Hans Ree Interview

When one thinks of the best chess magazines in the world New In Chess and Schach are two names that come to mind, but a challenger is GM Alex Baburin's online daily Chess Today ( http://www.chesstoday.net/) which at cost of around $45 a year offers you 365 issues filled with recent news, annotated games, book reviews and interviews. There is a team of editors, but I particularly enjoy the work of GM Mikhail Golubev who recently interviewed the famous Dutch chess writer Hans Ree .Here are a few exceprts.

You are particularly critical of Kirsan Ilyumzhinov. Do you see any positive results of his leadership in FIDE?

- None whatsoever. As you wrote yourself, even ten Kasparovs cannot generate the sponsorship that Kirsan chases away from chess on his own. I cannot imagine any other big international organisation where a person like him would be allowed to rule.

- Whom would you like to see in FIDE President's place?

- Bessel Kok, who in the past organised great tournaments, hosted the Prague agreement which was supposed to create a universally recognized World Championship, and then was ruthlessly dumped, so that it will all come to nothing.

-In the latest New in Chess Magazine 6/2004 you discussed highly controversial topics: Fischer & Spassky. You supported Fischer's liberation. Should, basically, the chess world forgive its main heroes such sins as publicly expressed anti-Semitism? Alekhine wasn't forgiven by his colleagues at his time...

- Forgiving or not is a personal matter, commenting on the fact if somebody should end up in jail is something else. I think there is a difference between Alekhine and Fischer. At a time when Jews where persecuted and murdered Alekhine joined the murderers with his articles on Jewish and Aryan chess. Fischer joins nobody and it is easier to forgive him because he is obviously mentally disturbed. Anyway, the case against him is not his anti-Semitism, but the fact that he played against Spassky in Yugoslavia in 1992. I didn't like him playing there, for money from a shady Serbian arms dealer who later also proved to be a fraudulent banker. But I don't think he deserves a prison sentence.

- When did you decide that you should be a Grandmaster? And to what extent have you fulfilled your goals in chess?

- I never had any long-time goals in chess. I was studying mathematics and I expected to become a professional mathematician, but then when I had finished my studies I realized that the life of a chess-player was much more attractive. No alarm clock waking you up, but freedom and travel. I never really decided to become a chess professional, I just decided not to take a job.

10) ACP Time Control Survey

Polish Grandmaster B. Macieja recently published the results of a survey down by the Association of Chess Professionals which points once again to dissatisfaction among top players of the G/90 with 30 second increment favored by King Kirsan.

Statistics of the participants

- 86 ACP Members and 68 non-ACP Members,
- 20 Women (14 WGMs, 4 WIMs, 2 other ACP Members) and 141 Men (78 GMs, 48 IMs, 15 other participants including 8 ACP Members),
- 36 players rated at least 2600 and 118 players rated below 2600,
- Total number of surveys taken into account: 161-7=154.

Final conclusions and recommendations: 161 players have taken part in the survey about the time control. 7 completed surveys have been excluded, as the players are neither ACP members nor WIM/WGM/IM/GM. The Remaining 154 completed surveys clearly show, that a majority of the players disagree with the current official FIDE time control and prefer to come back to 7-hour time control. At the same time, a majority of the players prefer to play with an increment of 30 seconds. Taking into account the results of the survey, we ask FIDE and continental federations not to ignore the players' point of view and come back to 7-hour rounds with an increment of 30 seconds. We propose the following time control: (100'/40+50'/20+10'/SD)+30 [100 minutes for 40 moves + 50 minutes for 20 moves + 10 minutes to the end of the game + 30 seconds per move (added from move 1)], which was chosen by the players as best for use in official events like the World Championships, Continental Championships, and Zonal Tournaments.

11) Here and There

Sergey Kudrin drew with fellow GM Ildar Ibragimov in the last round to win the 2nd Annual Eastern Chess Congress held September 17 - 19, 2004, in Stamford, Connecticut. Kudrin's score of 4.5 from 5 was good for $800. Tying for second at 4 were Ibragimov and GM Alex Wojtkiewicz. 129 players competed in the multi-section event run by the Continental Chess Association.

Congratulations to David Pruess of Berkeley who is now officially a Senior Master (2438 USCF) after winning the the Mark Pinto INternational at the MI this summer. Pruess needs one more IM norm for the title.

The latest issue of the Davenport, Iowa, produced Squares magazine has a very interesting article by Michael Negele and the Bay Area's own Andy Ansel on great American chess book collectors, focusing on Albrecht Buschke.

12) Upcoming Events

Upcoming Tournaments at the MI

J.J Dolan Memorial - October 2
Carroll Capps Memorial - November 6-7
Pierre Saint-Amant - November 20
Guthrie McClain Memorial - December 5 (Sunday)
Jim Hurt Under 1800 - December 11-12

Mechanics Institute Scholastic Quads 2004 Tournaments:

September 25, October 16, November 13, December 18
Open to players age 18 and under
(Limited to first 80 players) Game/45

Rounds : 10:30am, 12:15pm, 2:00pm Late Registration: 9:30am - 10:15am Open: to the first eighty players Note: Quads based on rating. USCF Rated. Unrated players face each other. You must be a USCF member to play in the quads. Time Control: Game in 45 minutes Entry Fee: $20 / $30 day of tournament/ $15 for MI members Checks payable to Mechanics' Chess Club Prizes: Trophies for the winners of each quad



Northern California Events

East Bay Chess Club Fischer Random Swiss
September 25th and 26th, 2004
A 4-round, 2-day Open Tournament (Not USCF Rated)
Play a game of chess without all the opening theory!
Location: 1940 Virginia St., Berkeley, CA
(cross street Milvia, only a short walk from Downtown and North Berkeley BART)
Registration/Check-in: 10-10:45 AM on Saturday the 25th.
Or save time by filling out the form below and then just pay at the Club!
Rounds: 11 AM and 4:30 PM on Saturday; 11 AM and 4:30 on Sunday
If you need a bye for any round, please make a note on your entry form.

Time control: 30 moves in 90 minutes, followed by Sudden Death in 1 hour.
Entry fee: $20 if mailed before 9/19, $25 at site.
$5 discount for East Bay Chess Club Members
Print out the entry form here.
Please mail completed entries to:
East Bay Chess
1940 Virginia Street, Box C
Berkeley, CA 94709
Please make checks payable to "East Bay Chess." If you submit the online form, it will count as though mailed to the Club on day submitted.

Prizes: (Based on 25 full entries)
1st: $150 ... ... 2nd: $100 ... ... 3rd: $50
Top scoring junior wins a free entry to a subsequent tournament and a free lesson with an Club chess teacher.

Directors: David Pruess, Vinay Bhat, Andy Lee
Questions or Comments? Send an email to: tournaments@eastbaychess.com

Sept. 25-26 3rd Frank Harris Memorial Chess Tournament
4SS, Sat. 2 rds (30/90, G/60) 11am-4:30pm; Sun. 2 rds (30/90, G/60) 10am-3:30pm. 333 Amador Street, Vallejo CA 94590, Vallejo Senior Community Center. Dir: Coming from San Jose - San Francisco -Oakland - Berkeley - Sacramento - Fairfield - take I-80 going to Vallejo, exit Georgia going West. After 3 stop lights turn right to Amador Street, (333 Amador St.) 1/2 block to the left. Sponsored by: Fortune Hi-Tech Marketing, Michael L. Goudeau, Regional Sales Manager, Mobile 707-344-1711, Toll Free 866-268-8045, Email nurmarket@aol.com, www.Building4 Tomorrow.com. Prizes: Open 2000+, $300-150, Best U2200 $150; Reserve 1600-1999, $275-150, Best U1800 $125; Booster Unr-1599, $250-150, Best U1400 $100. EF: $39 in advance, deduct $5 if you are a CalChess Member, add $5 for late reg after 9/22. Prizes: Not gtd for each section, if that section has 20 players. If less than 20 players in that section, prizes will be proportionally adjusted. Reg: 9/25 8-10:30am Sat. USCF memb. req'd: bring you USCF ID for verification. Please bring your own chess set and clock. Checks payable to: Maximo M. Fajardo, 127 Missouri Street, Vallejo CA 94590. Thanks from VCC: Larry Whitlow, President/TD, 707-642-4725; Tony Arthur, Treasurer/Secretary; Maximo Fajardo, Chief TD, 650-255-8587.

Oct. 9, 10 Burlingame Open
4SS, 30/90, SD/1 Lions Hall Bldg, 990 Burlingame Ave, Burlingame, Calif. $$B 60 entries, excluding discounted unr entries. Three sections: Open $175-90, U2200 $120-60, U2000 $120-60; Reserve (U1800) $125-70, U1600 $100-55, Booster (U1400) $125-70, U1200 $100-55, U1000 $55 + BCC Membership. Unr: Trophy. EF: $40 postmarked by 10/4, $45 at site. Unrateds $15 in the Reserve section or may play up to the Open section for the regular fee. $5 discount to Burlingame CC members. USCF memb. req'd. May play up one section for add'l $10. Maximum of 80 entries accepted. Reg: Sat 10/9 8-9:30am. Rds: Sat 10-3:30; Sun 10-3:30; One 1/2 pt bye any round (a bye for rounds 3 or 4 must be requested before round 1). 2004 October Ratings List, Directors discretion will be used to place players as accurately as possible. Please bring clocks and equipment. Info: Richard Koepcke (415)-964-2640. Ent: Richard Koepcke, P.O. Box 1432, Mountain View, CA 94042. No Phone entries.

Oct. 15-17 22nd Annual SANDS REGENCY RENO-WESTERN STATES OPEN GPP: 200 Nevada

Special guest for 5 days-former World Champion GM Boris Spassky!!! 6SS, 40/2, 20/1. Sands Regency Hotel/Casino, 345 N. Arlington Ave., Reno, NV 89501. 1-800-648-3553 or (775) 348-2200. $$52,400 b/500, $$33,550 Gtd. G-$5,000-2500-1500-1200-1000-900-800-700-600-500 in Open Section plus 1/2 of all other prizes. 7 Sections: OPEN: EF: GMs & IMs free, Masters $150, (2000-2199) $201, (1999-below) $301. $$ Prizes 1-10 listed above, (2400-2499) $1000, (2300-2399) $1000-600-400, (2299-below) $1000-600-400. If a tie for 1st overall then (G/15) playoff for $100 from prize fund. (Note: GM/IM w/free entry not eligible for class prizes 2499and below, may elect to pay entry fee and become eligible). EXPERT: (2000-2199) EF: $149 $$2,000-1000-500-400-300-200-200-200-200-100-100-100-100-100 (under 2100) $700. "A" Sec. (1800-1999) EF: $148, $$1,900-1000-500-400-300-200-200-200-200-100-100-100-100-100-100. "B" Sec. (1600-1799) EF: $147, $$1,800-1000-500-400-300-200-200-200-200-100-100-100-100-100-100. "C" Sec. (1400-1599) EF: $146, $$ 1,700-1000-500-400-300-200-200-200-100-100-100-100-100-100-100. "D" Sec. (1200-1399 including adult unrateds) EF: $145 (unrated EF: $10 + must join USCF membership for 1 additional year through this tournament ($49 adults). $$1,500-800-500-400-300-200-200-200-100-100-100-100-100-100-100 (top unrated wins 1 yr. USCF membership plus trophy). "E" Sec. (1199-below including unrated Jrs.) EF: $75 (unrated EF: $10 + must join USCF membership for 1 additional yr. through this tournament ($25 Jrs.) (Note: each entry counts as 1/2 paid player towards total prize fund). $$500-400-300-200-100-100-100-100-100-100-100-100-100-100-100; 1st unrated - 1 year USCF membership + trophy. Seniors (65/over) $$500-300-200-100 (Srs not eligible: provisionally rated, unrated, "E" & masters) - Club Championship $$1000-500-300-200 decided by total score of best 10 scores form one club or area (not eligible - masters, unrated and Sec "E") Trophies to Top 3 (A-E Sections). ALL: $11 more if postmarked after 9/27/04 and $22 more if postmarked after 10/10/04 or at site. $20 off EF to Sr 65/over and Jrs 19/under (does not apply to "E" Section or Unrateds) Players may play up. Unrated players not eligible for cash prizes except Open 1-10. Provisionally rated players may win up to 50% of 1st place money except open Section 1-10. CCA ratings may be used. Note pairings not changed for color alternation unless 3 in a row or a plus 3 and if the unlikely situation occurs 3 colors in a row may be assigned. Reg: 5-9pm (10/14), 8:30-10am (10/15) rds 12-7, 10-7, 9:30-6. Byes available any round if requested before 1st round. Side events: 10/14 6-7:30pm GM Larry Evans lecture (free), Blitz (5 min) Tourney ($20) 7:30pm. GM Boris Spassky's schedule: Wed (10/13) "An Evening with Boris" dinner, cocktails & more advanced reservations required $30, 8:30pm. Thurs (10/14 Simul (25 boards) $100 (includes commemorative pen to all players), Spectator fee $5, 7:30pm. Fri (10/15) Book Signing Session 10-11am. Sat (10/16) Clinic - $10 4:30-6pm. Sun (10/17) film "Clash of the Titans" (Boris Spassky & Bobby Fischer) followed by questions & answers with Boris Spassky & Larry Evans, $10, 4-5:30pm. NOTE: All paid players receive free non transferable admission to all Spassky events except Wed dinner. Ent: Make checks payable and send to: SANDS REGENCY (address above) HR: $39 (Sun-Thurs) & $59 (Fri-Sat) + 13.5% tax. Info: Jerry Weikel, 6578 Valley Wood Drive, Reno NV 89523, (775) 747-1405 (wackyykl@aol.com) FIDE, W.

Oct. 30-31 Blacknight October Open
4SS, 30/90, SD/1. BlacKnight Chess Club. 3800 Blackford Ave. San Jose, CA 95117 $$1200 prize fund based on 50 full entries. 3 sections, Premier 2000+, Booster 1600-1999, Reserve U1600. EF: $40 by 10/28, $50 10-11:30am 10/30. $10 more to play up 1 section. U1200 Juniors pay 1/2 EF. Rds: 12-6, 11-5. Brilliancy Prizes available. Email albertjrich@yahoo.com for entry form or questions.

Southern California Events

Sept. 24-26 Los Angeles Open GPP: 50 S. California
5SS, 3-day 40/2, SD/1, 2-day rds. 1-2 G/75 then merges. LAX Hilton, 5711 W Century Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90045. $$10,000 b/200, 60% of each prize guaranteed. In 3 sections: Open: 1500-1000-800-400-200 plus $200(G) bonus for clear first, U2400 200, U2300 200, U2200 750-500-300, U2100 200, U2000 200. EF: $79 if rec'd by 9-22, $81 by credit card at http://www.westernchess.com/, $95 door. Premier (U1900): $$ 750-500-300-100, U1700 500-300-200. EF: $79 if rec'd by 9-22, $81 by credit card at http://www.westernchess.com/, $95 door, no unrated. Amateur (U1500): $$400+trophy-250-100, U1300 100+trophy-50, U1100 100+trophy, Unr 100+trophy, unrated may win unrated prize only. EF: $64 if rec'd by 9-22, $66 by credit card at http://www.westernchess.com/, $75 door. Reg: 5:30-6:30pm. 9-24, 8:30-10am. 9-25. Rds: 3-day 7pm., 11-5:30, 10-4:30. 2-day: 10:30-1:30 (G/75), then merges. All: $25 Best Game prize, all sections eligible. One half-point bye rds. 1-3 if requested with entry. SCCF membership req. of S. Cal. res., $12 reg, $7.50 junior. No checks or credit card entries at door. HR: $89 (310) 410-4000, mention chess. Parking $6/day. Info: John Hillery, admin@westernchess.com. Web site: http://www.westernchess.com/. Ent: SCCF, c/o John Hillery, 835 N. Wilton Pl. #1, Los Angeles CA 90038. State Championship Qualifier. NS, NC, FIDE.

National Events

Sept. 3, 4, 5, 6 23rd North American FIDE Open GPP: 150 Oklahoma 8SS, G/90+30 sec, Holiday Inn (Holidome) 2515 W. 6th Ave (Hwy-51) Stillwater, OK 1-405-372-0800. HR: 60-60-60-60. EF: $50. Free to FIDE rated players. Reg: Fri 11am-12:30pm. Rds: 1-6, 11-4, 11-4, 9-2. $$G 9,900 will not be lowered. $$G$1,500, $1,300, $1,100, $900, $700, $500. 11 plaques. $$G 600 each class X-E & below. Unr $200-$100. 2 byes rds 1-6. OCF req. Free Parking. Ent: Jim Berry PO Box 351 Stillwater, OK 74076. 1-405-624-2281. jaberrycg@aol.com. LS, W. FIDE. Acc pairings may be used

Oct. 29-31. GPP: 80 South Dakota
8th Annual Governor's Cup. 5SS, FULL-K, 40/2, All/1. EF: $55 if by 10/20, $75 at site, GMs, IMs, and over 2400 free. [18 & Under preregistering in RESERVE section pay $35.] Reg: 10/29 4-5PM. Rds: 6; 10-4:30; 9-3:30. BYES: One half-point BYE allowed in RDS 1-3 if requested in advance. Holiday Inn City Centre, 100 West 8th St., Sioux Falls, South Dakota, (605) 339-2000. Ask for chess rate $79. $$10,000 Unconditionally guaranteed. OPEN Section: FIDE Rated. Prizes: $1200-$1000-$800-$600; Master: $500-$300-100; Expert: $400-$250-$100; Under 2000: $200-$100. PREMIER Section [Under 2000]: Prizes: $700-$500-$300; Top B: $300-$200-$100; Under 1600: $175-$100. RESERVE Section [Under 1600]: Prizes: $600-$450-$300; Top D: $250-$150-$75; Under 1200: $150-$100. INFO/ADV ENT: Sioux Empire Chess Foundation, 2100 Slaten Court, Sioux Falls, SD 57103, (605) 338-9431. knudson1@sio.midco.net www.sdchess.org/govcup. Advance Entries will be posted on: www.suburban-chess.org/Tournaments/2004/Governor's%20Cup.htm.

Mark these two events down on your calendar. The PAN AM Intercollegiate will be held in Kansas right after Christmas.Email Mikhail Korenman for more information at mkorenman@yahoo.com

4th Annual Lindsborg Open December 17-22

GM & IM norms are available; $4,000 guaranteed prize fund!

Rapid Knock-out Tournament Lindsborg, Kansas December 23-25, 2004 $11,500 guaranteed prize fund! 9SS;

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