June 2015 Chess Life

THE INAUGURAL HAWAII CHESS FESTIVAL | WEBSTER WINS ANOTHER PRESIDENTS CUP
JUNE 2015
Presented by
DATE
TIME
JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP
July 6
6:00 PM
Opening Ceremony
July 7
1:00 PM
Round 1
July 8
1:00 PM
Round 2
July 9
1:00 PM
Round 3
July 10
1:00 PM
Round 4
July 11
1:00 PM
Round 5
July 12
1:00 PM
Round 6
July 13
1:00 PM
Round 7
July 14
1:00 PM
Round 8
July 15
1:00 PM
Round 9
5:00 PM
Playoff
7:00 PM
Closing Ceremony
10-Player Round Robin
Watch LIVE on USCHESSCHAMPS.COM

CCSCSL | 4657 MARYLAND AVENUE, SAINT LOUIS, MO 63108 | (314) 361-CHESS (2437) | www.uschesschamps.com
Though often used as a metaphor for battle,

during times of conflict chess is often a source of
relaxation, a means of passing long hours, and an
aid in recuperation.
Battle on the Board: Chess during World War II
will present artifacts, stories, and imagery related
to how chess aided service members as well as
the wars effect on the world of competitive chess.
On View:
June 25, 2015 - January 17, 2016
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Image: Chess Review Vol. 13, No. 3, March 1945
Collection of the World Chess Hall of Fame,
gift of John Donaldson
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A Promise for Tomorrow
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June 2015 | Chess Life
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JUNE
COLUMNS
14
LOOKS AT BOOKS / THE SOVIET CHESS

PRIMER
The Soviet Chess Primer
By John Hartmann
16
CHESS TO ENJOY / ENTERTAINMENT

A Queen, A Queen! My Kingdom for a Queen!
By GM Andy Soltis
18
BACK TO BASICS / READER ANNOTATIONS

The Phantom Knight
By GM Lev Alburt
46
SOLITAIRE CHESS / INSTRUCTION
PHOTOS: LENNART OOTES, CHESS CLUB AND SCHOLASTIC CENTER OF SAINT LOUIS
Chess Life
The always-vibrant GM Timur Gareev had a less-than-colorful result at the U.S. Championship.
Perfection
By Bruce Pandolfini
48
THE PRACTICAL ENDGAME / INSTRUCTION

Ego Trip
By GM Daniel Naroditskyi
20
11 ROUNDS, 11 TITLES
BY FM MIKE KLEIN
The 2015 Championships included adventurous openings as Black,
one-move blunders, a six-move forfeit, and family turmoil for one
super-GM.
DEPARTMENTS
JUNE PREVIEW /
THIS MONTH IN CHESS LIFE AND CLO
COUNTERPLAY / READERS RESPOND
FIRST MOVES /
CHESS NEWS FROM AROUND THE U.S.
11
FACES ACROSS THE BOARD /

BY AL LAWRENCE
12
USCF AFFAIRS / NEWS FOR OUR MEMBERS
52
TOURNAMENT LIFE / JUNE
71
SOLUTIONS / JUNE
71
CLASSIFIEDS / JULY
72
Cover Story / 2015 U.S. Championship
32
Here and There / Hawaii Chess Festival

SHAKA AND SCHACH
BY GM ALEJANDRO RAMIREZ
The inaugural Hawaii Chess Festival, held at idyllic Waikiki Beach
and won by Armenian GM Hovhannes Gabuzyan, gave participants a
taste of chess-playing paradise.
38
College Chess / Presidents Cup

MARCH MATENESS!
BY DYLAN MAC CLAIN
At the Presidents Cup, also known as the Final Four of College
Chess, Webster University continues to dominate.
MY BEST MOVE / PERSONALITIES

This Month: IM Jay Bonin
ON THE COVER
This is getting to be a regular cover appearance
for these two! GM Hikaru Nakamura now has
four U.S. Championship titles and GM Irina
Krush has seven U.S. Womens Championship
titles. COVER PHOTO BY AUSTIN FULLER, CHESS CLUB
AND SCHOLASTIC CENTER OF SAINT LOUIS
The dance floor at the closing ceremony of the U.S. Championships.
4 June 2015 | Chess Life
June Preview / This month in Chess Life and CLO
June
CHESS LIFE ONLINE PREVIEW:

OSLO TO ST. LOUIS
The first event of the new Grand

Chess Tour is Norway Chess (June
15-26) and will feature our new U.S.
champion, World #3 Hikaru
Nakamura, as well as World Champ
Magnus Carlsen and eight other
elite players. Coverage will include
in-studio commentary by GMs Yasser
Seirawan, Maurice Ashley and CLO
Editor Jen Shahade. Check CLO for
details and updates.
USCF MISSION
Empowering people
through chess one
move at a time.
JUNIOR BATTLES
LAS VEGAS MOVES
This years National Open and Las Vegas Chess Festival has moved to the Westgate
Resort & Casino, and takes place from June 18-21. Look for CLO coverage on this chess
festival, which also includes the Game/10 Championship and lectures and simuls by
grandmasters, including Gata Kamsky and Ben Finegold.
Follow our most talented players as they battle in

the prestigious U.S. Junior Championship (Closed),
in which a spot at the following years U.S.
Championship is up for grabs. This years event will
be held again at the Chess Club and Scholastic
Center of Saint Louis.
USCF VISION
Our vision is to enrich the lives
of all persons and communities through
increasing the play, study, and
appreciation of the game of chess.
SUMMER IMPROVEMENT
CONTRIBUTORS
Find future and recent articles on how to improve at various ages, including a piece by FM Eric Rosen on earning his
third IM norm, Greg Shahades always opinionated work, and GM Ioan-Cristian Chirila on fitness and chess.
FM MIKE KLEIN (U.S. Championship) is the director of content for Chess.com. He also
teaches, freelances, bikes and snowboards, though never more than any two at the same
time. He is also a former chess journalist of the year.
GM ALEJANDRO RAMIREZ (Hawaii) is an editor for www.chessbase.com. He is a threetime Olympic player and has qualified for one world championship and one world cup. He
enjoys StarCraft, anime, Hearthstone and most things that fall under the nerdy category.
DYLAN MC CLAIN (Final Four) is a long-time business journalist who worked for The New
York Times for 18 years, and helped The Times win two Pulitzer Prizes, before moving to
Paris, where he now works for Les Echos, the daily French business newspaper.
,
PAUL MORPHY s
chess festival
_
OctOBER 23-24, 2015
7ZR'D\VRI&+(66FUNZLWK
GM Simon WILLIAMS IM Andrew MARTIN
FM Macon SHIBUT MCM Bob LONG
For MORE details on this great event for
2015 see the CLASSIFIEDS
RU
&$//72'$<
CHECK OUT USCFS CORRESPONDENCE CHESS RATED EVENTS!

2015 Open Correspondence Chess Golden Knights Championship
USCF s
68th ANNUAL
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These USCF Correspondence Chess events are rated and open to all USCF members who reside on the North American continent, islands, or
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in U.S. dollars. Those new to USCF Correspondence Chess, please estimate your strength: Class A: 1800-1999 (very strong); Class B: 16001799 (strong); Class C: 1400-1599 (intermediate); Class D: 1399 and below (beginner level). Note: Prize fund based on 200 entries and may
be decreased proportionately per number of entries assigned.
2015 E-mail Correspondence Chess Electronic Knights Championship

USCF s
12th ANNUAL
(SEVEN-PLAYER SECTIONS, ONE GAME WITH EACH OF SIX OPPONENTS.)
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These USCF Correspondence Chess events are rated and open to all USCF members with e-mail access. Your USCF membership must remain
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TO ENTER: 800-903-USCF(8723) OR FAX 931-787-1200 OR ONLINE AT WWW.USCHESS.ORG

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Seven-player class-level pairings, one game with each

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q LIGHTNING MATCH
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1st-place prize USCF CC entry credit of $30.
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Counterplay / Readers Respond
Underpromotion
UNDERPROMOTION
CONTEST
In the March 2015 Counterplay, we announced: Chess Life
will award a free copy of Modern Chess Openings, 15th
Edition by Nick de Firmian, to
the first reader that submits a
game from a USCF-rated event
showing an underpromotion to
any piece and includes a valid
explanation for eschewing the
queen.
We received a number of interesting responses, but our first
responder meeting the requirements was Seth Borgo of
Washington state, who sent this
last-round game he came across
from the 1997 Eastern Open that
decided the sections champion:
King's Gambit Accepted (C35)
William Strum (1618)

John McManus, Jr. (1406)
24th Eastern Open, Under 1600 (8),
Washington, D.C., 12.29.1997
1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 Be7 4.

Bc4 Bh4+ 5. Kf1 Nh6 6. Nc3 O-O
7. d4 Ng4 8. Nxh4 Qxh4 9. Qe2
Nc6 10. Bxf4 Nxd4 11. Qd2 Qf6
12. Nd5 Qd8 13. Qxd4 d6 14. h3
c6 15. hxg4 cxd5 16. Qxd5 Be6
17. Qh5 Bxc4+ 18. Kf2 h6 19. g5
Qb6+ 20. Be3 Qxb2 21. Rac1 Kh7
22. gxh6 g6 23. Qd1 Qf6+ 24. Qf3
Qxf3+ 25. gxf3 Rfe8 26. a3 d5
27. exd5 Bxd5 28. Rcd1 Be6 29.
c3 b6 30. Rh4 Rac8 31. Rf1 f6 32.
f4 Rf8 33. Kg3 Rc4 34. Bd4 g5 35.
fxg5 fxg5 36. Re1 Bg4 37. Re7+
Kg6 38. h7 Rf3+ 39. Kxg4 Rfxc3
Rxe5 56. Rg6 Re2+ 57. Kd3 Rh2

58. Ra6 Rxh4 59. Ke2 Rh2+ 60.
Kf1 Rb2 61. Ra3 Kg4 62. Kg1 f4
63. Ra8 h4 64. Rg8+ Kf3 65. Kh1
h3 66. Rh8 Kf2 67. Rxh3 Rb1+ 68.
Kh2 f3 69. Rh7 Rb4 70. Rh6 Rg4
71. Kh1 Kf1 72. Kh2 f2 73. Re6
Rg8 74. Rh6 Rg2+ 75. Kh1 Rg1+
76. Kh2 Ke2 77. Re6+ Kd3 78.
Rd6+ Ke4 79. Re6+ Kd5 80. Rf6
40. h8=N mate.
A close second was this game
from life member Robert Keating
from the 2007 National Open,
Under-2200 section:
Reti Opening (A06)
Gerard Grotenhuis (Unrated)

Robert F. Keating (2010)
2007 National Open, Under 2200
(5), Las Vegas, Nevada, 06.10.2007
1. b3 d5 2. Bb2 Nf6 3. e3 c5 4.
Nf3 Nc6 5. Bb5 Bd7 6. a4 e6 7.
Bxc6 Bxc6 8. Ne5 Rc8 9. d3 Be7
10. Nd2 0-0 11. Qe2 Qa5 12. 0-0
Rfd8 13. f4 Be8 14. g4 Nd7 15.
g5 f6 16. Nxd7 Bxd7 17. gxf6
Bxf6 18. Bxf6 gxf6 19. Kf2 Kh8
20. Rg1 Rg8 21. Nf3 Rcf8 22. Qd2
Qxd2+ 23. Nxd2 Rg6 24. Rg3 Kg7
25. Rag1 Kf7 26. Nf3 Rfg8 27. e4
d4 28. c3 dxc3 29. Rc1 Rc8 30.
Rxc3 Ke7 31. e5 f5 32. Rh3 h6 33.
d4 cxd4 34. Rxc8 Bxc8 35. Nxd4
Bd7 36. Ke3 Kd8 37. Kd3 Kc7 38.
a5 b6 39. b4 Bc6 40. axb6+ Kxb6
41. Nxc6 Kxc6 42. Kc3 Kd5 43.
Rd3+ Ke4 44. Rd4+ Ke3 45. b5
Rg2 46. Ra4 Rg7 47. Rc4 Rb7 48.
Rb4 Rb6 49. Kb3 a5 50. bxa6 e.p.
Rxa6 51. Rc4 Rb6+ 52. Kc2 h5 53.
h4 Rb5 54. Rc6 Kxf4 55. Rxe6
Send your letters to letters@uschess.org or post on the

Chess Life Facebook group or the uschess.org Issues Forum.
Letters are subject to editing for style, length, and content.
Join us on the Chess Life Facebook group for #FischerFriday!
essentially insulting my playing

ability and expecting that I will
stalemate him.)
Ronald Gravatt, who has
been a USCF life member since
1967, wrote:
For years I coached a high
school chess team. During one
practice session, a position
arose in which my player
reached immediately for a
queen, having advanced the
pawn to the eighth rank. But
as I looked at the position, I
realized that with the movement of said pawn just one file
to the right, the underpromotion to a bishop would make
for an interesting win.
80. ... f1=R, White resigned.

Keating writes: On the final
move of the game, I chose to
underpromote to a rook in
order to avoid stalemating the
white king and allowing a perpetual pursuit by his rook. I
did not have time to calculate
the way to get out of the perpetual pursuit, and the ending
with two rooks versus one rook
is one that I felt confident I
could blitz out to win without
running out of time. (Note:
Fritz gives a queen promotion
a mate-in-16 evaluation; the
rook is a mate-in-26. ~ed.)
We received a number of other
interesting entries (including one
that seemed to validate the joke
we recounted, the only reason
to underpromote to a bishop is
to humiliate your opponent. The
reader sent us a game in which
he had three light-square bishops, writing, For anyone who
thinks that I was a poor sport
by doing that to the kid I was
playing, I always punish nonresigners in similar fashion
because by not resigning ... hes
WHITE TO MOVE:
(In the real position, the

pawn at d7 was on c7, and on
that square, there is no justification
for
the
underpromotion.)
1. Kg5 Kg7 2. d8=B!

If promoted to queen or rook,
then the position is stalemated
and now, if the king chooses
f8, the rook pawn promotes to
a queen and mates! On the
other hand, if the king retreats
to h8, then 3. Bf6 mates! Without the promotion to a bishop,
the mate takes more moves!
Thank you to all who took
the time to write, and Mr.
Borgo, your copy of Modern
Chess Openings is on the way
to you.
First Moves / Chess news from around the U.S.
GM WESLEY SO
The following game was played in the 2014
ACP Golden Classic, where I won clear first
and was able to cross the 2750 mark.
Problem-like position
GM Wesley So (FIDE 2744, PHI)
GM Daniele Vocaturo (FIDE 2584, ITA)
ITT ACP Golden Classic, Bergamo, Italy, 07.14.2014
BLACK TO PLAY
This position could be a good problem for

solvingBlack to play and find the best move.
PHOTO: LENNART OOTES, CHESS CLUB AND SCHOLASTIC CENTER OF SAINT LOUIS
31. ... Nxg3
fter teaming up last year to bring Levon Aronian to southern California,

Metropolitan Chess and American Chess Academy (ACA) have joined forces
once again to secure another superstar for this years summer camp: Wesley
So. With an extraordinary 2014 that included winning major tournaments such
as the Capablanca Memorial, ACP Golden Classic, and 1st Millionaire Chess
Open, Wesley became one of the worlds fastest-rising players, leaping closer
and closer to the haloed 2800 mark. In 2014 Wesley also made two significant
changes in his lifehe switched (his FIDE affiliation) to the U.S. Chess Federation
and left Webster University in order to focus on professional chess full-time.
Wesleys success continued into 2015, as he tied for second in the Tata Steel
super-tournament and reached a peak rating of FIDE 2788.
With Wesleys arrival as one of the top U.S. players, we couldnt think of a
better time to invite him to teach at our annual summer chess camp, and he
quickly accepted. The camp is set to take place July 22-26 at the Hilton Glendale
in Glendale, California. Joining Wesley will be a series of top scholastic coaches,
including GM Melik Khachiyan, GM Dejan Bojkov, IM Armen Ambartsoumian
(founder of ACA and a U.S. World Youth coach), IM Andranik Matikozyan (ACA
and U.S. World Youth), WGM Tatev Abrahamyan (ACA), FM Aviv Friedman (U.S.
World Youth), and Jay Stallings (founder of California Youth Chess League). We
conducted a brief interview with Wesley regarding his development as a chess
player, which can be found in the March archives of Chess Life Online.
As a preview of the camp, we asked a few of our coaches to send in a lesson
on something they found instructive. Here Wesley annotates one of his most
interesting wins from 2014, GM Bojkov looks into the rare endgame of three
minor pieces versus a rook, and FM Friedman shows a classic example of the
IQP (isolated queen pawn) in action.
The day after the game my opponent told

me about the fantastic idea 31. ... Ngf4! 32.
gxf4 Ng3! which gives Black at least equal
chances! Neither of us saw this method of sacrificing two knights during the game, and the
variations are extremely hard to calculate. The
great tactician Emil Sutovsky joined us during
the analysis session, and even he admits that
Whites position would be practically impossible
to defend!
Of course I objected and tried to defend my
side but its definitely easier to play Black here.
Take a look at some lines below, they are very
fun to analyze: 33. Bd3 (The try 33. Kxg3? loses
immediately after 33. ... exf4+ 34. Kg2 Bxb2
35. Nxb2 h5 36. Nbd3 Ra2 37. Rd1 Qg7 Blacks
queen is too powerful and White cannot defend
against the kingside pawn storm. Also possible
is 33. f5 Nxe2 34. Rc7 Rc8 35. Rxc8+ Bxc8 36.
Qa3 and White is safe for the time being, but
Blacks knight is very active.) 33. ... Qh5+! 34.
Kg2 exf4.
35. Qc2 g4 36. fxg4 f3+ 37. Kxg3 (The variation

37. Kg1 Bxg4 38. Ne3 Bh3 39. Qc6 Rf8 40. Qxd6
www.uschess.org

Be5 looks very scary for White.) 37. ... Be5+
38. Bf4 Bxf4+ 39. Kxf4 Rf8+ 40. Kg3 Qe5+
41. Kh3 Qh5+ with a perpetual!
endgame that took place during the Tbilisi

FIDE Grand Prix tournament:
32. Kxg3 Nf4 33. Nc3 Rf8 34. Be3 g4?
Three minors versus a rook
I was surprised to see this move, it just

loses by force. White must be better, but
the realization of the advantage wouldnt
have been easy. After 34. ... h5 35. Rg1
Bh6 36. Qd2 Kh8 37. Bxf4 exf4+ 38. Kg2
g4 39. Bxb5 Bc8 40. Ne2 Rg8 41. Kf1
when White is winning but still has work
to do.
GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FIDE 2775, FRA)

GM Evgeny Tomashevsky (FIDE 2716, RUS)
FIDE Grand Prix Series (3rd Stage), Tbilisi,
Georgia, 02.23.2015
I like this move, the rook comes to

defend and the black king might also
become vulnerable along the g-file.
BLACK TO PLAY
White has a rook and four pawns versus

three minor pieces. How can we assess the
situation? Well, obviously the pawns can
become dangerous in an endgame if there
is time to advance them (or if one or more
of them is already far up the board). If not,
they will be targets. The three minor pieces
can easily unite their efforts and any pawn
will quickly be lost as the rook cannot defend
on its own. The general rule is that the
smaller parts should be better than the
major piece as long as they are united. This
is the case here, the pieces are clearly better.
29. ... Ne5 30. Qc3 Bf6 31. Qg3 h5 32. h3

Or 32. f4? h4 33. Qe3 Nd3 with the
threat ... Bd4.)
32. ... h4 33. Qe3 Be6

White is completely winning.
37. ... Nd3 38. Qe2 Nxf2 39. Bxd7 Qxd7

The move 39. ... Qg6+ is safely answered
with 40. Bg4.
40. Bxf2 Rf6 41. Be3 Qf7 42. Kh2 Kf8 43. Rg2,
Black resigned.
Black has coordinated his forces and

starts attacking Whites pawns.
34. b4 Qd3
True to his style, Evgeny removes the
queens from the board as well as removing
the possibility of a perpetual.
35. Kh2 Be7 36. f4 Qxe3 37. Rxe3 Nc4 38. Re2
GM DEJAN BOJKOV
Three minor pieces versus a rook is a
rare endgame, but a recent game by GM
Evgeny Tomashevsky against GM Maxime
Vachier-Lagrave placed it into the spotlight.
It should be noted in advance that there
is a huge difference between the remaining
minor pieces. If we have a pair of bishops
alive, then it should be a win for the
stronger side. If there is a pair of knights
remaining then it should be a draw, as
proven by GM Garry Kasparov against GM
Anatoly Karpov in their famous game from
Tilburg, 1991.
Now lets take a look at the recent
39. g3
Passive defense would not help, after
39. Rf2 Nd2 40. e5 Kg6 Black will bring
the king to f5, the bishop to e3 and chop
the pawns off.
39. ... Nd2 40. gxh4
40. ... Bc4 41. Rg2+ Kh6 42. Kg3
36. ... hxg4
37. Bxg4
One down, four to go.
White has taken all of Blacks pawns,

but Black is still left with enough pieces
to win the game. Naturally White would
prefer to keep his pawns together, but after
40. g4 Bd6 41. e5 Bb4 42. f5 Bc4 43. Rf2
Bd5 Black can suddenly start creating
mating threats with his pieces.
35. fxg4 h5 36. Rg1!
The continuation 36. ... Qf6 37. Qd2

Kh7 38. Rh1 Bh6 39. Bxb5 Bxg4 40. Nxg4
hxg4 41. Be2 Nxe2+ 42. Qxe2 Qf3+ 43.
Qxf3 Rxf3+ 44. Kxg4 Rxe3 45. Nb5 Rxe4+
46. Kf5 Rxb4 47. Nxd6 liquidates to a winning ending. I had a vision of transposing
to a good ending like this sometime during
the game.
38. ... Bxb4
The king leaves the danger zone. No

better is 42. e5? Nf1+ 43. Kg1 Bc5+ 44.
Kh1 Bd5.
42. ... Bf1 43. Rh2 Bd3 44. Kg4 Nxe4

Two down, three to go.
45. Kf5 Bd6 46. Rg2 Kh5 47. Rg8 Ng5+ 48.
Kf6 Nh7+ 49. Kg7 Bxf4
Three down, two to go!
50. Ra8
Of course 50. Rh8 Be5+ loses on the
spot.
50. ... Be5+ 51. Kf7 Kxh4

Thats four.
52. Ra4+ Kh5 53. h4 Bb2 54. Rf4 Bc3 55. Ke6
Be1 56. Rf3 Bg6 57. Rf1 Bb4
The immediate 57. ... Bxh4 was already
good enough.
58. Rf4 Nf8+ 59. Kd5 Be7 60. Rf1 Bc2 61. Rg1
Bb3+ 62. Ke4 Ng6 63. Kf5 Bd8 64. Ke4 Be6
65. Rd1 Be7 66. Ra1 Bc8 67. Ra5+ Kxh4
Five! Tomashevsky has wiped all the
pawns off and is left with a theoretically
won position.
68. Ra1 Kg5 69. Rg1+ Bg4 70. Rg2 Bc5 71.
Rg3 Nf4 72. Ke5 Bf2 73. Ra3 Bh3 74. Ra5 Bg2
The bishops cut Whites king along the
diagonals and the knight assists them to
push the king towards the back rank.
75. Ra3 Ne2 76. Ra5 Bg3+ 77. Ke6+ Kg6 78.
Ra6 Nd4+ 79. Ke7+ Kg7 80. Ra1 Bh3 81. Rh1
In case of 81. Rg1 Nf5+ 82. Ke6 Ne3+
83. Ke7 Ng2 84. Rh1 Nf4 85. Rg1 Ng6+
Whites king is forced back to the eighth
rank anyways.
At a glance it seems as White should

be OK, but the reality is that he is about
to lose all his pawns one by one ...
81. ... Bg4 82. Rg1 Ne2 83. Rf1 Bf4 84. Rd1
Nc3 85. Rd3 Ne4 86. Kd8 Nc5 87. Rd5 Ne4 88.
Rd3 Ng5 89. Ke7 Nf7 90. Rd4 Bg5+ 91. Ke8
Ne5, White resigned.
(see diagram top of next page)

Picturesque domination. The threat of
... Bh5 mate can only be stopped at the
expense of the rook. White resigned, and
Tomashevsky ended up with one of his
best performances, winning clear first
place.
15. Bg5 Rxc3 The only move! 16. Qxc3

where White is up material and is much
better) 15. Bg5!.
FACES
AT THE U.S.
CHAMPIONSHIP!
ACROSS
THE BOARD
By AL LAWRENCE
SCOTT
ANDERSON
BRENTWOOD,
MISSOURI
FM AVIV FRIEDMAN
Id like to show an example of treating
a position with an isolated center pawn
or isolani. In a nutshell, the player with
the isolani accepts a static weakness with
hopes that the added open files and diagonals will allow for dynamic piece play.
The defender should try to block the isolani
from advancing, attack it directly, and
trade minor pieces (the firepower of the
opponent) to accentuate the weakness.
Isolated center pawn

GM Vasily Smyslov (FIDE 2620)
GM Anatoly Karpov (FIDE 2540)
1971 USSR Championship
And the variations are really fun to go

over: 15. ... g6 (No better is 15. ... Ne4 16.
Nxe4 dxe4 17. Qxe4 g6 18. Qh4! f6 [18.
... Bxg5 19. Nxg5 h5 20. Bxg6! fxg6 21.
Qc4+ Kh8 22. Nf7+ Rxf7 23. Qxf7 White
is crushing!] 19. Bh6 Re8 20. Qc4+ Kh8
21. Rad1 Qc7 22. Qe6! when Black is paralyzed and White is completely winning.)
16. Rxe7! Qxe7 17. Nxd5 Nxd5 18. Bxe7
Ncxe7 and White is happy once again.
14. ... g6
The d4-d5 shot is gone, but the rest of
the game is still worthy, as it shows how
dangerous Whites piece play can be.
15. Rad1 Nd5 16. Bh6 Re8 17. Ba4 a6?!

Better was 17. ... Nxc3 18. bxc3 Bxa3
19. c4 where White has some initiative
for the pawn, but Black is doing fine.
18. Nxd5 Qxd5

The passive 18. ... exd5 was already
necessary.
19. Qe3!
Prophylactically defending the bishop
on h6.
19. ... Bf6

In case of 19. ... Qh5 20. d5! Bc5 (Too
many pieces hang after 20. ... exd5 21.
Qxb6) 21. Qf4 exd5 22. Rxe8+ Rxe8 23.
g4 Qh3 24. Ng5 and White wins.
20. Bb3 Qh5 21. d5! Nd8 22. d6?!

WHITE TO PLAY
13. Qd3
A typical isolani position that can arise
from several different openings. Here
after 13. ... g6 14. Bh6 Re8 15. Rad1
Whites activity slightly outweighs the
weakness of his center pawn. Instead
the then-future world champion played
the somewhat naive ...
13. ... Rc8? 14. Bg5

Smyslov, another world champion
(1957-1958) missed a chance for a big
advantage: 14. d5! exd5?! (The lesser
evil, although still not great is 14. ... Na5
Even stronger would have been 22.

Bg5! Bxg5 23. Nxg5 where Blacks position immediately collapses.
22. ... Rc5 23. d7 Re7 24. Qf4 Bg7?

24. ... Bxf3! 25. Qxf6 Qxh6 26. Qxe7
Qg5 would at least keep the fight going.
25. Qb8 Qxh6 26. Qxd8+ Bf8 27. Re3

The engines like 27. Rxe6! but the text
is more than enough.
27. ... Bc6 28. Qxf8+ Qxf8 29. d8=Q, Black

resigned.
For more information about the 2015
Metropolitan and ACA Summer Chess Camp,
please visit www.metrochessla.com/camp2015.
King of the Kuiper Belt

When he was a kid, Scott was packing up his greatgreat uncles bookshelf and came across E.S. Lowes
Chess in 30 Minutes. Soon his sister Lauren was
telling me Id been staring at it for far more than
30 minutes. Years later he joined the Mehlville
High School chess team and quickly became its
best player. But it was like Plutos being king of
the Kuiper Beltnot the greatest achievement.
In college he became president of the Mizzou-Columbia chess club. Since 2010, hes been a member
of the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint
Louis, where hes a big fan of the Wednesday
Knights Tournaments. You turn in your score sheet
and one of the resident GMs, say Yasser Seirawan,
sends you annotations by e-mail, Scott said. How
cool is that? Scott realizes hes lucky to live in
Chess Town, USA. Theres been a remarkable
change in chess in St. Louis. Rex Sinquefield was
the reason. Its amazing what one man and his
hard working staff have done.
KEITH
HAYWARD
CORINTH, TEXAS
Standing in history
Keith and wife Carolyn drove
to St. Louis. Its 11 hours with a stop at the St.
James Winery, Keith said. It was their second visit
to the Championships. I love itthats why Im
back! he said. Hayward, a chess master whos
run a local club for 20 years, first read about the
event in Chess Life. In any round, Im interested
in all 12 games, but I am a Nakamura fan. Spectators can sit inside the elegant clubs first floor
to watch the popular Fox Internet broadcast or
enjoy live grandmaster commentary next-door
with free food and drinks. But Keiths preference
is to go upstairs and watch the games liveto
stand in the real moment of history. The couple
also likes going to the Missouri Botanical Garden
in nearby Forest Park, and since Carolyn is a landscape architect, they go home with a car full of
plants. This year it was African violets.
Write to faces@uschess.org.
www.uschess.org
11
USCF Affairs / Candidate Statements
USCF Executive Board Candidate Statements

and USCF News
2015 SCHOLAR-CHESSPLAYER AWARD
WINNERS ANNOUNCED
KCF AND THE FUTURE OF CHESS EDUCATION
The U.S. Chess Trust is a proud sponsor of this

program and would like to congratulate the winners
for their outstanding achievement. The winners were
announced at the high school nationals by U.S.
Chess Trust Trustee and FIDE VP, Beatriz Marinello.
This year, 38 eligible candidates applied for the
award. This years Scholar-Chessplayer awardees
are from Florida, California, Colorado and Texas.
There is one high school senior and four juniors in
the group.
This was an extremely strong field of candidates as
the top 15 players all had straight As in school, had
unbelievably high SAT or ACT scores, and were
active in their communities.
Jackson Chen (CO)

Rachel Gologorsky (FL)
Simone Liao (CA)
Akshay Malhotra (TX)
Darwin Yang (TX)
Jackson Chen is a junior from Broomfield, Colorado,
where he attends Fairview High School. He is a
USCF national master and also an accomplished
math ematician and computer programmer. In
addition Jackson is the junior representative to the
Colorado Chess Association.
Rachel Gologorsky is a junior from Miami, Florida.
She is a woman FIDE master and has represented
the USA in numerous international tournaments.
She also scored a perfect 2400 on her SAT. Rachel
is a black belt in the Shori and Goju styles of combat.
So dont mess with Rachel!
Simone Liao is a junior from Agoura Hills, California,
where she attends Westlake High School. She is a
woman international master and scored a perfect
2400 on her SAT. Simone is also an entrepreneur,
having founded the Ventura Chess and trained
dozens of young players through chess classes and
tournaments.
Akshay Malhotra is a junior from Lewisville, Texas.
He is a USCF national master and will be representing
Texas in this Years Denker Tournament of High
School Champions at the U.S. Open. Akshay has
applied his considerable mathematical skills to
neurological research of Alzheimers disease at the
University of Texas at Dallas.
Darwin Yang is a senior from Plano, Texas. He is an
international master and is a grandmasterr-elect. He
has represented the USA in numerous international
events. Darwin is the reigning high school national
champion. He plans to attend Harvard in the fall.
The Kasparov Chess Foundation (KCF) held its annual conference on Monday,
April 27th, at the World Chess Hall of Fame in St. Louis, Missouri. Leaders from
all five Kasparov Chess Foundations worldwide branches, along with the
Foundations Chairman and Hall of Famer, Garry Kasparov (all pictured above),
presented their programs that bring chess to students from Africa to Europe, the
United States to Asia, and beyond.
While in St. Louis, former World Champion Mr. Kasparov played an exhibition
match against Britains GM Nigel Short at the Chess Club and Scholastic Center
of Saint Louis. KCF executives from Africa, Asia, Europe, Mexico, and the United
States made presentations of their programs and accomplishments for the last
15 months. Further, they discussed new initiatives and programs, as well as
collaboration between all branches.
According to Michael Khodarkovsky, President of Kasparov Chess Foundation
USA, The conference is an opportunity for all of the KCF family foundation to
share their experience and ways of improvements, as well as future plans. And, it
was very productive to meet face-to-face and learn from each other about successes
as well as difficulties in accomplishment of our mission to bring chess in education.
It is very inspiring to hear visionary guidance by KCF Chairman, Garry Kasparov,
which would certainly have an indisputable impact on our programs worldwide,
he explained.
Founded by former World Chess Champion Garry Kasparov, KCFs mission is to
bring the many educational benefits of chess to children throughout the United
States by providing a complete chess curriculum and enrichment programs. The
Foundation promotes the study of chess as a cognitive learning tool in curricular
classes and after-school programs for elementary, middle and high schools, both
in the public and private school sectors. The not-for-profit educational organization
also organizes tournaments and competitions on a local and national basis. KCF
is the official sponsor of the U.S. Olympiad and U.S. Womens Olympiad teams.
For more information, please visit www.kasparovchessfoundation.org.
EXECUTIVE BOARD ELECTION BALLOTS

Ballots will be mailed on June 8 to USCF members who are current members active
as of May 4, 2015, who will be age 16 or older by June 30th, 2015, and who registered
to vote by May 1, 2015. Ballots must be returned by July 21 at 3 p.m. to the address
listed on the ballot.
See https://secure2.uschess.org/voterregistration.php for more information and to
check your registration status. In addition to the half-page statement on the opposite
page, a 150-word statement from each candidate appeared in the April 2015 Chess
Life and a half-page statement in the May 2015 Chess Life.
PHOTO: COURTESY OF KASPAROV CHESS FOUNDATION
The 2015 Scholar-Chessplayer Award winners are

(in alphabetical order):
USCF Affairs / Candidate Statements
Randy Bauer
Boyd Reed for the Executive Board!

In my past two candidate statements,
I have talked about my past efforts and
my plans for the future as a part of the
USCF Executive Board. I am hopeful that
these have helped you understand what
I practice as well as what I preach.
Here, I am going to do something
radically different. I am asking that, if
you support what Ive been working to
accomplish for the USCF, in the coming surpasses those of any candidate in this
election. That alone would be sufficient
election you vote for:
for why I am asking you to support Boyd,
Randy Bauer
but there is one other big reason:
Boyd Reed (write-in candidate)
Why am I asking you to do the out of The other candidate in the race,
the ordinary and write in Boyd Reed? Anjelina Belakovskaia, has created
First, he is a highly qualified candi- significant controversy by statements
datequite frankly, I would vote for that question the integrity of our hugely
him in any election. His qualifications successful benefactor/sponsor of the past
seven U.S. championship tournaments.
include:
She has claimed that our current hugely
USCF tournament director since 1988 successful benefactor/sponsor, in picking
(age 14)
sponsors exempted players engaged
USCF National TD since 2006
in (in her words) cheating by the
USCF Delegate since 2011
organizers.
FIDE International Arbiter since 2014
To me, this reflects a person who cannot
Member, USCF Finance Committee
weigh chess priorities. To me, it appears
Chair, USCF Web Site Advisory that she places her own priorities (for
Committee
example, qualifying for the U.S. womens
Proofreader, USCF Official Rules of championship) above those of the
organization as a whole (for example,
Chess (6th edition)
Western VP, Pennsylvania State Chess maintaining a relationship with a benefactor that has generously provided us
Federation
Earned USCF National Master title in with seven years of outstanding U.S.
championships on his dime). To publicly
2015
suggest that our sponsors are cheating
Lets be clear: this set of credentials far is wrong, and it damages our reputation
and the reputations of chess in the U.S.

I believe that we cannot and should not
have a person making these sorts of
statements as a member of the policymaking Executive Board of the USCF.
The USCF has been damaged by past
candidates and Executive Board members who drove away existing or potential
sponsors. We must not return to that
situation. We have spent several years
growing chess in the U.S., obtaining
world-class sponsors and getting our
finances in order. We must elect people
who will continue that progressnot
those who might distract from that
progress and potentially chase away our
best-ever chess benefactors.
Help me ensure a stable future for the
USCF! Please vote for:
Randy Bauer
Boyd Reed (write him in!)
Anjelina Belakovskaia
chess clubs in rural and metro areas;
introducing chess leagues for children
and adults (a practice long existing in
Europe); growing online presence; and
enhancing the benefits and satisfaction
of current USCF members. To this goal,
I bring in my expertise as a chess coach
(who taught over 1,000 children in the
NY Public schools) and as a chess player
(who had a contract with a Belgrade
team and played in the Chess League
in the former Yugoslavia).
Lets talk about USCFs current position,

goals, strategy and tactics.
Our current situation shows a slightly
positive balance and no immediate legal
and other threats. This is a reasonable
time to set up goals and move forward.
Our current goals should be:
1. Increase membership (in all
categories) by bringing chess into schools
around the country; establishing active
2. Build strong connections with the

corporate worldto promote chess
skills of critical thinking and problem
solving and establishing mutually
beneficial relationships. In todays
dynamic world, business leaders have
to analyze huge amounts of data, know
established patterns and examples,
envision the future and make important
conceptual, innovative, and intuitive
decisions quickly. Chess is an amazing
tool to prepare current and future leaders
for such challenges. USCF should develop
programs for Executives, while establishing and promoting corporate memberships and encouraging small-, mid-, and
large-size companies to join USCF. In
promoting chess through books, film,

editorials and by advertising National
and International chess events beyond
our chess circles and by helping chess
clubs around the U.S. to organize local
eventstournaments, lectures, simul3. Collaborate with universities, schools
taneous exhibitions, summer camps and
and other institutions on conducting
more. Establish connections with the U.S.
studies on addressing societal needs
Department of Education, Boy and Girl
through the game of chess:
Scouts, Johns Hopkins CTY Talent Search
- Chess and Academic Success
program, science centers, etc...
addition, I suggest creating a USCF

Corporate Connections committee and
encourage former chess players who
moved on to succeed in Corporate America
to contribute their talents and expertise.
- Helping autistic children to succeed As a WGM, 3-time U.S. Womens Chess

through chess
Champion, Chess Mom, coach and a
tournament director, who spent over 25
- Fighting Alzheimer's with chess
years actively involved in the chess world,
- Chess against Drugs
I have a unique perspective, experience
4. Apply for government STEM (Science, and background to offer strategic thinking
Technology/ Engineering, Mathematics) and tactical execution, planning USCF
grants to research benefits of chess in development for years ahead.
educationhire a capable full-time My achievements in chess and business
employee to do this job on behalf of prove that I dont just talkI actually
USCF.
do it! With your votes and support, I hope
5. Move the Scholastic Scholarships to get elected and work with the current
page on the USCF website to a more Executive Board to produce tangible
prominent position and work with results.
Universities to increase the number
and size of scholarships.
6. Organize a nationwide campaign
www.uschess.org
13
Looks at Books / The Soviet Chess Primer
The Soviet Chess Primer

A fascinating English translation of a Russian classic text for those
interested in chess culture and historybut not a primer for beginners.
By JOHN HARTMANN
ntil very recently it was hard to

imagine Anatoly Karpov and Garry
Kasparov agreeing on much of anything. That changed when each man
ran unsuccessfully to unseat Kirsan
Ilyumzhinov as president of FIDE. Nevertheless, as someone who remembers the
white-hot rivalry of their world championship matches, I was startled when I
received the new translation of Ilya Maizelis
The Soviet Chess Primer from Quality Chess.
Both Karpov and Kasparov are quoted on
the cover, and they both love this book.
And its not just the two Ks who are fans.
In the Foreword, Mark Dvoretsky describes
his youthful encounter with Maizelis book,
calling it dear to me and recounting how
his personal copies were often lost after
being lent out. GM Tigran Petrosian (as GM
Andy Soltis tells it) preferred the book to
breakfast, saving his meal money up and
buying a copy instead.
Such high regard may be surprising for
an American audience, for whom Ilya
Maizelis is something of a mystery. If his
name is recognized at all, it is as a coauthor of the classic Pawn Endings with
Yuri Averbakh, although in truth Maizelis
was its primary author. The few references
to Maizelis that exist in English describe
him as a translator and endgame analyst,
with special expertise in pawn endings and
technical rook endings. 63 of his endgame
studies appear in Harold van der Heijdens
definitive study database.
The Soviet Chess Primer is a partial translation of the 1960 edition of Maizelis
Shakhmaty osnovy teorii (
/ Chess: Fundamental
Theory). Approximately 60 percent of the
Russian text appears in The Soviet Chess
Primer; although I cannot read the Cyrillic
lettering, it appears that some detailed
opening analysis and sections on the history of chess were excised. The translation
by John Sugden reads well, andas one
expects from Quality Chessthe production values are high.
A quick glance at the table of contents
would suggest that the English title is apt.

After chapter one, The Game Explained,
readers are taught the Aim of the Game
(chapter two) and Tactics and Strategy
(chapter three). More advanced topics,
including further elucidations of combination and positional play, follow. Each
chapter concludes with a whimsical set of
used (18) to help illustrate how the knight

moves. Maizelis includes outrageously difficult mate problems in the fun section
of chapter one, and his account of the theory of corresponding squares (152) belongs
in an endgame tome and not here. The
breakneck pace of the book and the complex examples preclude me from thinking
it appropriate for the beginner.
Take, for instance, this ancient puzzle
(72) used to illustrate the restriction of piece
mobility, in which White mates in three
(Solution is directly below the diagram):
WHITE MATES IN THREE MOVES
Solution:
1. Ne6! Bh6-to any square 2. Ne6 xbishop Ba2

3. Nxc2 mate.
Maizelis, Ilya. The Soviet Chess Primer. Quality
Chess: 2015. ISBN: 978-1-907982-99-6. PB. 400
pages. (Available from uscfsales.com, catalog number B0096QT, $24.95)
Entertainment Pages, where miniatures

and fun exercises appear, and some of
the original drawings are brought over
from the Russian.
So far, so good. Closer scrutiny of The
Soviet Chess Primer, however, leads me to
question the title chosen by Quality Chess
for this new translation. Maizelis book is
fascinating, especially for the reader interested
in chess culture and history, but it is not a
primer by any stretch of the imagination.
Its not just that the knights tour is
Yes, Black is in Zugzwang, but surely

there are much clearer and Elo-appropriate
ways to illustrate the point than this?
Despite my reservations about the title,
The Soviet Chess Primer is a fine book and
its acclaim is deserved. I suspect, however,
that the particular affection felt for it by
former Soviets may have another source.
Chess books were hard to come by in the
Soviet Union as demand was high and
paper was often scarce. It should not surprise us that youthful attachment to
cherished books would persist, and in this
case the attachment is justified. There are
certainly better primers in print today, but
few books are more interesting than is The
Soviet Chess Primer.
The 2015 U.S.Open

AUGUST 1-9, 4-9 OR 6-9, 2015
ARIZONA BILTMORE
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HELP PROMOTE AMERICAN CHESS BY BECOMING A USCF BENEFACTOR MEMBER.
Benefactor Membership includes Life Membership, a special membership card, and recognition on a benefactor page
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collected will go to the USCF Life Member Assets Fund and half to assist USCF operations. Become a Benefactor at
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THANKS TO OUR BENEFACTORS!

USCF BENEFACTOR MEMBERS AS OF AUGUST 10, 2014:
JIM BEDENBAUGH (OK)

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JOHN J. BRENDEL (NY)
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JEFFREY DAVIDSON (CA)
MARTIN DEAN (VA)
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IN MEMORY OF: DAVID KAPLAN
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CHRISTOPHER LEWIS (WA)
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PARKER MONTGOMERY (VT)
DAVID H. RAYMOND (FL)

TIMOTHY M. SAWYIER (IL)
PHILLIP SMITH (TN)
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15
Chess to Enjoy / Entertainment
A Queen, A Queen!
My Kingdom for a Queen!
You never thought of doubled pawns as meaning this before.
By GM ANDY SOLTIS
DURING THE OPENING MOVES OF THE

third game of the 2014 World Championship match a photographer snapped a
somewhat unusual picture.
Unusual, because it was taken from the
side of the board you rarely see, from
behind the clock.
You could still see challenger Vishy
Anand, hand on piece, completing a move.
You could also see Champion Magnus
Carlsen eyeing the move and preparing
to write it on his scoresheet. But you
couldnt help noticing something else:
Behind the clock, hidden from the players
view, was a white queen and a black
queen.
Before the game, match officials had
placed them there to avoid that strangely
awkward moment in competitive chess
when one of the players promotes a pawn
and has to search for something that often
isnt there: a second queen. Its a problem
that has plagued even the greatest players
of the past.
The topsy-turvy rook
Mikhail Tchigorin
Harry Nelson Pillsbury
Hastings, 1895
WHITE TO MOVE
Mikhail Tchigorin capped off one of his

greatest games by pushing a pawn, 42.
g8=Q. Since his original queen was still
on the board, he did what every amateur
player does:
He found a white rook, which Black

had captured early in the game and placed
on the side of the board, turned it upside
down, and planted it on g8. Then he got
up from the table and went to an adjoining
room, where there were extra sets, to get
a real queen, according to another player
in the tournament, Georg Marco.
Along the way Tchigorin met the new
world champion, Emanuel Lasker, who
was also playing in the tournament. Lasker
appreciated the humor of the situation.
He handed Tchigorin three white queens
with the words I hope, Mr. Tchigorin, that
this will be enough for you, Marco said.
(Tchigorin didnt need them. Black resigned nine moves later.)
We take this strange conventionthe
upside-down rookfor granted. Its a
handy way of dealing, in time pressure,
with a clumsy situation. No one wants to
spend seconds hunting for another queen
and losing their train of thought.
If youve seen street hustlers play speed
chess at New Yorks Union Square and in
other cities, you might notice how some
of them keep a second queen handy. Those
extra seconds may save money and avoid
arguments.
Pal Benko recalled how he and fellow
American GM Larry Evans nearly came
to blows during a blitz tournament in
Argentina in 1960 when Evans promoted
a pawnand began to move the pawn like
a queen. Benko tried to stop the clock so
they could find a queen. Theres nothing
worse than having a supposed pawn fly
across the board at you! he wrote in his
memoirs.
But Evans didnt understand what
Benko was doingso he hit Benkos hand
when he reached for the clock. Benko said
he nearly struck Evans. Be careful!
Benko warned him. Evans saw the look
in his eyes and said, Yes, youll be famous
for beating all the best players in the world
physically!
The most famous second-queen flap
occurred in this game, one of the finest
ever played:
Ks needing a Q
GM Anatoly Karpov
GM Garry Kasparov
Linares, 1993
BLACK TO MOVE
Garry Kasparov played the obvious 24.

... cxd1+ and waited for the arbiter to pro-
vide a second queen. When that didnt

happen quickly he left the pawn on d1,
said Queen! in English and pushed his
clock.
But Anatoly Karpov, in bad time pressure, knew the rules: Blacks move was
not completed until a new piece appeared
on d1. So he ignored the promoted piece
on d1 and replied 25. Qxe4!.
But youre in check, Kasparov objected.
From where? Karpov replied. After all, it
might be a bishop or knight on d1. Meanwhile, the arbiter hurried off to find a new
queenand brought back a white one.
Kasparov said later that he could have
solved the mini-crisis by putting an upsidedown rook on d1. Actually, that is illegal
under FIDE rules and the game was played
in an international tournament governed
by them. (In contrast, the upside-down
rook is quite legal under USCF rules.)
In the end, a black queen was found
and Kasparov was penalized a few minutes
for pushing his clock before completing
his move.
If youve played against a computer or
against a human via a website you may
have encountered another problem. When
your pawn reaches the eighth rank, a new
Chess to Enjoy / Entertainment
Wijk aan Zee, 2015

GM Magnus Carlsen got off to a slow
start in 2015s first supertournament, at Wijk aan Zee, the
Netherlands. But six straight wins in
the middle of the tournament helped
the world champion take first prize
ahead of GM Wesley So of the United
States and three other grandmasters
who tied for second place. Games
from the tournament and its
Challengers ection provide this
months quiz. In each of the six
positions you are asked to find the
fastest winning line of play. This will
usually mean the forced win of a
decisive amount of material, such as
a rook or minor piece. For solutions,
see page 71.
screen appears and it offers you a choice

of pieces to replace the pawn. That costs
you valuable seconds before you make a
choice.
The Internet Chess Club tried to solve
that with its auto-queen function. It
automatically turns an eighth-rank pawn
into a queen. You have to disable the function if you want, say, a knight instead.
The site explains that auto-queen is important in bullet chess since the time taken
to choose which piece to promote to can
cause instant temporal catastrophe.
Of course, there are rare situations in
which you want to promote to a piece
other than a queen.
Queen? Who needsem?
GM Peter Svidler
GM Vladimir Malakhov
World Cup, 2009
Problem I
Problem II
Problem III
GM Ivan Saric
GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave
GM Radoslaw Wojtaszek
GM Ding Liren
GM Loek Van Wely

GM Yifan Hou
BLACK TO PLAY
BLACK TO PLAY
WHITE TO PLAY
Problem IV
Problem V
Problem VI
GM Bart Michiels
GM David Klein
IM Ari Dale
GM Robin Van Kampen
GM Fabiano Caruana
GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave
BLACK TO PLAY
BLACK TO PLAY
BLACK TO PLAY
People who appreciate chess problems

or White to play and win studies may
know about the Single Box compositions.
This is a format that limits the composer
to the original 32 pieces and pawnsthe
ones you might find in a single box. Under
this rule, you cant promote to a second
queen. Or a third knight.
Would anyone ever prefer a third knight
to a second queen? Black did when he
played 31. ... dxe1=N+!. White immediately
resigned in view of 32. Rxe1 Qf2+. (Promoting to a second queen would have
allowed 32. Bxf7+!.)
Actually, the term single box is a bit
out of date. Todays better chess sets often
come with an extra pair of queens to avoid
the second-queen problem, as I learned
when I consulted the leading authority
on Staunton-format sets, Frank Camaratta. I introduced the praxis of including
two queens with every set I made. It now
has become common place, he said.
Todays players often fail to appreciate
the simplicity and beauty of Staunton
sets. And few of us realize how this design
helped change the way we created a second
queen: Many of the pre-Staunton sets had
a miniature flag or a second tower on the
rooks. In Russia, where a rook is a ladiya
or boat, some old sets had a mast above
the vessel. In sets in which the rook was
depicted as an elephant, there was often
a canopied seat, a Houdah, atop it, Camaratta said.
The problem with all of these elegant

designs is that you couldnt turn the rooks
upside down and make them stay upright.
Who figured out the upside-down rook
idea is unknown. When I turned to chess
historian John McCrary for help, he found
a comment in an 1897 book, Foster's Encyclopedia of Indoor Games. On page 508,
under the heading Queening Pawns, it
says, ... a Rook upside down, or a Pawn
with a ring on it, may represent a second
Queen.
The only pre-1897 reference that I know
of regarding how to represent a second
queen, is in the 1817 book Studies of
Chess, McCrary added. The book cited
the custom of putting two pawns on the
square of the promotion and pushing
them about in company to represent a
new queen.
The book recalled how Francois Andre
Philidor had contempt for the two-pawn
rule. Philidors solution was extreme, the
single box. Second queens werent allowed. If a pawn reached the eighth rank
without a piece having been captured, it
remained a pawn until a captured piece
was available.
A rule approving this dummy pawn
was endorsed by the influential British
Chess Association in 1862. But it was
widely ridiculed, probably never arose in
tournamentsand soon disappeared from
rulebooks.
www.uschess.org
17
Back to Basics / Reader annotations
The Phantom Knight

Even in an easily won position, stay alert!
By GM LEV ALBURT
ARE YOU PRONE TO ONE-MOVE, EVEN

half-move (simply putting your piece en
prise) blunders? If yes, what have you been
doing about it? This may be an interesting
subject to consider for those planning to
contribute a game/article to my column.
The winner of this months award, the very
lucky (at least in the game below) Sterling Wells, is also an inspired annotator.
Writes Sterling (My further comments are
in italics):
3. ... Bg4 4. h3
Setting a subtle trap that Ive used on
many occasions. Ive even beat a master
with this line once.
Theres no way to save a pawn in this

position. Any other knight move is met by
11. Qf3+ and 12. Bxg6.
11. Qf3+ Kg8
4. ... Bh5?!
Falling for the trap. 4. ... Bxf3 is better
although after 5. Qxf3 Whites bishop pair
gives me an edge.
5. g4! Bg6 6. Ne5
Colle System (D04)
Sterling Wells (1756)

Brandon Ou (1711)
41st Annual Eastern Open (6), Bethesda,
Maryland
12.29.2014
My goal for this tournament was to reach
the hallowed grounds of the 1800s, to brag
to all of my friends that I am an exalted
class A player. This game is an example
of why I failed to reach that goal and will
have to continue my quest in future games.
I started with a great position against a
lower-rated player, decided to neglect all
development, hold onto pawns for dear
life, and trash my own position. This game
was a gift, a gift that was not deserved but
that I grabbed anyways. My queens knight
remained motionless till move 32, my
queens rook remained on the couch till
move 33, and my queens bishop refused
to move till move 34! I didnt castle till
move 19 and my king journeyed to the
center of the board without being mated.
But despite all odds, one blunder allowed
me to regain my advantage and clinch the
game.
1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. e3
I went back to my bread-and-butter opening for this game. I used to play the French
as Black and the Colle aka Reverse French
as White. Ive been playing 1. e4 lately, but
I knew my opponent played the French
and I wasnt comfortable playing the white
side against my favorite openingso I went
with a familiar pawn structure.
12. Bxe4?!
6. ... Nbd7?!
A friend pointed out that 6. ... Nfd7!
saves Black because now after 7. h4 Nxe5
8. dxe5 h6 and the bishop escapes. This
does not work with Nbd7 because dxe5
comes with tempo on the knight on f6 and
the bishop is dead.
7. h4!
Threatening h4-h5, trapping the bishop.
I had someone sit for a full hour before
moving in this position. Its not much fun
for Black.
7. ... h5 8. Nxg6 fxg6 9. Bd3!

The point of this whole variation. There
is only one way to defend g6 and you have
to have nerves of steel to play it.
The first opportunity I have for development. Much stronger is 12. Nc3! and if
12. ... Nxc3 13. Bxg6! and mate in a few
moves. Of course there are better defenses
for Black but this is really the way to go
for White.
Yes, both 12. Nc3 and 12. Nd2 win
quickly and easily.
12. ... dxe4 13. Qxe4 Kh7 14. c4?!

The continuation 14. f4 would have prevented Blacks next move and he would
have to contort himself to develop (plans
like ... a5, ... Ra6, ... e6).
Taking on b7 gives Black some counterplay; 14. f4 is OK, but my preference is the
developing 14. Nc3.
14. ... e5!

A very sound pawn sacrifice and the
only way for Black to develop reasonably.
15. dxe5?
The king takes a business trip away

from the office but hes soon going to have
a meeting with some unwanted guests.
Like the fool I am I allow ... Nd3+ (after

... Nc5 with tempo on my queen) forcing
my king to flee for the hills. 15. 0-0 or any
move that would develop my queenside
would be preferred.
10. g5 Ne4
15. ... Nc5 16. Qd5 Qe8
9. ... Kf7
Back to Basics / Reader annotations
16. ... Nd3+ is premature as it forces

the trade of queens after 17. Ke2.
Kg7 26. Bb2+ winning the Exchange. No

such luck however.
17. f4?!
24. ... Nd3 25. Kg2 Rxh4 26. Kg3 Rh7 27. a3
Bd6+ 28. Kxg4 Rh2 29. Rg1?
The only move that saves the pawn but

I still allow ... Nd3+ (after Rd8). I should
have cut my losses with 17. 0-0.
17. ... Rd8 18. Qf3 Qa4?
I was unjustifiably afraid of ... Rg2+ more

than I was of ... Be5 for whatever reason.
29. ... Ne5+ 30. Kf4 Nf7+ 31. Ke4

My king flirts with disaster. I was hoping
he would check on e8, this way the king
gets closer to c3 after which ... Be5 no
longer wins by force due to Nc3.
31. ... Be5 32. Nc3

My knights first move is to sacrifice
itself for the cause. This game was effectively played entirely without it.
32. ... Bxc3 33. Rb1 Rh5 34. Bb2 Bxb2

My bishop disappears after its very first
move as well. What a useless piece of wood!
This loses the thread of the attack due
to my impressive rejoinder. 18. ... Nd3+
keeps my king on his toes.
35. Rxb2 Rxg5 36. Rbg2 Rxg2 37. Rxg2
19. 0-0!
Ignoring the threat of ... Nb3: 19. ... Nb3
20. f5 gxf5 (if 20. ... Nxa1 21. fxg6+ Kxg6
22. Qe4 mate) 21. g6+! Kg8 (21. ... Kxg6
loses to 22. Qxf5+! Kh6 23. axb3!! Qxa1
24. e4+! and mate after Black sacrifices
random pieces) 22. axb3, winning.
An important lesson: some threats can
and should be ignored.
20. ... Qg4+ 21. Qxg4 hxg4 22. f6 gxf6 23.

exf6 Kg8
My connected passed pawns look very
strong but amazingly Black is already better. Theres no way to defend h4 and my
pieces have yet to leave the back rank.
24. b4?
(see diagram top of next column)
I lash out hoping for 24. ... Ne6 25. f7+!
41. Kxg5, Black resigned.

There are some games where you outplay
your opponents and others where they give
you gifts. I think this was a game of the
former variety but fortunately I was lucky
not to lose. My lack of development killed
me even without the queens on the board.
Still, having the guts to play down a full
piece and never surrender won me this
game as it has saved me in many other
games. As I have always said, the worst
move in any position is resignation.
In this game, both opponents often demonstrated good, even creative, play and a
lot of resilience. What they both failed to
do is simply to win an easily won positionWhite, by his pawn-grabbing rashness
on move 12, Black by a case of chess blindness (which Ive tried to explain in my
previous note) on move 40.
Send in your games!

If you are unrated or rated 1799
or below, then GM Lev Alburt invites
you to send your most instructive
game with notes to:
Back to Basics, c/o Chess Life
PO Box 3967 Crossville, TN
38557-3967
19. ... Qxc4 20. f5?!

I was blind to Blacks next move, forgetting to look at all checks and captures
like I should have while calculating.
Perhaps Sterling was simply in love
with the line mentioned above, where 20.
f5 wins.
This is an extreme case of what GM Nicolay Krogius, Ph.D. in psychology, called the
remaining false image: in Brandons mind,
his knight was still on f7, where it was on
moves 30-37.
37. ... Nh8?

This gives me some practical chances
to defend. 37. ... Nd6+ followed by 38. ...
Kf7 was much more active. His knight is
now almost as useless as mine.
Still, Black is winning hereeasily.
38. Kf4 Kf7 39. Kg5 Rd5+ 40. Kg4

I almost played 40. Kh6 when I realized
that 40. ... Rh5 would b mate!
40. ... Rg5+??

I was incredibly grateful for the free rook.
And despite what you might think, no
money changed hands during this game.
Or e-mail your material to

backtobasics@uschess.org
GM Alburt will select the most instructive game and Chess Life will
award an autographed copy of Levs
newest book, Platonovs Chess Academy (by Lev Alburt and Sam Palatnik)
to the person submitting the most
instructive game and annotations.
Do not send games with only a
few notes, as they are of little instructive value and cant be used. Make
sure your game (or part of it) and
your notes will be of interest to other
readers.
www.ChessWithLev.com
www.uschess.org
19
Cover Story / 2015 U.S. Championships
11 ROUNDS,11 TITLES
The 2015 Championships included adventurous
openings as Black, one-move blunders,
a six-move forfeit, and family turmoil
for one super-GM.
TITLE NUMBER 4 FOR NAKAMURA AND 7 FOR KRUSH
By FM MIKE KLEIN
The City Museum in downtown St. Louis

calls itself an eclectic mix of childrens
playground, funhouse, surrealistic pavilion, and architectural marvel. At times,
the 2015 U.S. Championship and 2015
U.S. Womens Championship might have
felt more at home there.
Although the top seeds in both tournaments had eventually
add ed on to their
mounting titles, the
funhouse fortnight
(March 31 [Opening
Ceremony]-April 14,
2015) which included
adventurous open ings as Black, inexplicable one-move blunders, a controversial
forfeit on move six,
and some convoluted
family turmoil with
Americas newest grandmaster. The one
thing missing at the Chess Club and
Scholastic Center of Saint Louis was a
playoff, the only time in recent years that
neither tournament required one.
When the points were tallied, GM Hikaru
Nakamura captured his fourth championship, while GM Irina Krush added a
seventh. Its hard to beat the best.
Their pursuers were not the names most
expected. GM Wesley So, only nominally
behind Nakamura in rating entering the

tournament, had a first U.S. Championship hed like to forget. He didnt
seriously challenge the top of the tables,
and forfeited round nine for thrice ignoring
the arbiters request not to take notes
during the game.
Sos former college roommate, the young
started slow with an even score through

three rounds. But with the addition of
two games this year (achieving parity with
the menan 11-game round robin), Krush
had plenty of time to recuperate. She
blazed to a 7/8 finish to overcome the
early leader, WGM Katerina Nemcova.
Nakamuras win was his third in three
tries in 2015 (he said
it was the first time
in his career he has
done that). He also
bested the fields at
both the Tradewise
Gibraltar Masters as
well as the Zurich
Chess Challenge. In
the latter event, he
really needed to show
off his blitz acumen
to then overtake GM
Viswanathan Anand
in a tiebreaker game.
Going into the final round in St. Louis,
it looked like yet another playoff would be
required. Instead, Nakamura dispatched
GM Alex Onischuk, thus invalidating any
attempt by the trailing Robson to draw
even. Was there a little piece of Nakamura
that wanted to display his rapid chess
prowess in case of a tie?
Maybe not from the standpoint of
Just getting there [the world

championship] is the goal.
NAKAMURA
GM Ray Robson, turned out to be the
biggest challenger to Nakamura. Already
playing in his eighth(!) U.S. Championship,
the 20-year-old Robson pulverized the
bottom finishers and fell only a half-point
short of Nakamura.
As for the ladies, the absence of IM
Anna Zatonskih (her first missed championship since the relocation to St. Louis)
seemed to clear Krushs path for her
fourth-straight first place. Instead, Krush
Continued on p. 24
PHOTO, TOP: MIKE KLEIN; PHOTO, BOTTOM LEFT: LENNART OOTES, CHESS CLUB AND SCHOLASTIC CENTER OF SAINT LOUIS; PHOTO, BOTTOM RIGHT: AUSTIN FULLER, CHESS CLUB AND SCHOLASTIC CENTER OF SAINT LOUIS
Their wins represent 4 U.S. Championships for Nakamura and 7 U.S. Womens Championships for Krush. Below, each is pictured with Chess Club and Scholastic Center
of Saint Louis founder Rex Sinquefield, who continues to be the driving force behind the current chess Renaissance in the U.S.
www.uschess.org
21
Wesley So's Tumultuous First

U.S. Championship
GM Wesley So has had an eventful last year. In
October, 2014, he won $100,000 in the first
Millionaire Chess Open. Two weeks later, he left
Webster University and moved in with an adoptive
family in Minnetonka, Minnesota.
Shortly after he completed his FIDE transfer to
the U.S. and was nearly unbeatable in tournament

play until his five win, four loss performance in
April in St. Louis.
So forfeited his round nine game after only six
moves. Chief Arbiter IA Tony Rich was summoned
to the board by Sos opponent, GM Varuzhan
Akobian. Rich inspected a secondary scoresheet

So was writing on below his actual scoresheet.
The notes read, in part, double check and triple
check and use your time.
Rich had warned So in rounds two and three that
he was in violation of FIDE rules by taking notes.

draw, matters relating to a claim and other relevant
data.
11.3 During play the players are forbidden to use
notes ...
11.5 It is forbidden to distract the opponent in
any manner whatsoever.
11.7 Persistent refusal by any player to comply
with the Laws of Chess shall be penalized by loss
of the game.
The six-move loss was the second shortest in U.S.
Championship history (IM Kamran Shirazi hung a
rook on move five in 1984).
In an appeal letter, So accepted the arbiters
decision, but explained that he thought that taking
notes on a separate sheet of paper was permissible.
He only appealed the loss of rating points, but
FIDE rules state that once moves have been made,
the game must be rated. The appeals committee
said they could not help recover lost rating points.
Internet discussions were plentiful; one comment
section on Chess.com saw more than 450 replies.
Chess players were fairly equally divided into
two camps. Many argued Rich was correct to
apply the rules and follow through with his
warnings, while others insisted that a time
penalty was more appropriate and this wasn't a
serious infraction.
Rich consulted with IA Francisco Guadalupe by
phone before declaring a forfeit. Guadalupe agreed.
In addition, at Richs behest, the appeals
committee took up the issue of whether it was
an appropriate penalty (even though So had not
requested this). GM Ben Finegold, IM Rusa
Goletiani, and IA Chris Bird ( joining by phone)
agreed that the penalty was just.
He had warned So that a third offense would

result in forfeiture.
In particular, these FIDE rules were at issue:
8.1b The scoresheet shall only be used for recording
the moves, the times of the clocks, offers of a
play against me. Obviously he wanted a free point.

Akobian maintained they were still friends. Sos
response? We were.
Then theres FM Paul Truong, a coach on the
Webster team. He said that So had been warned
for three years and about a dozen times about
stopping the practice of writing on his scoresheet.
Truong said that there were team meetings about
it since any reprisal could hurt the entire team
(GM Ray Robson confirmed that the team
discussed this issue with So; Unfortunately it's
been a habit of mine for years So.)
After the loss, a woman with whom So lives and
refers to as mother blamed Truong for meddling
with Sos tournament. The woman, Lotis Key, met
So in 2013 at an event in Minnesota and he moved
in with her shortly after the win at Millionaire
Chess (Truong claimed on his Facebook page that
Sos scholarship was revoked for team rule
violations, while So had previously stated he was
just taking a break from school). Key has become
an ersatz manager and never left the playing hall
while So played his games.
Key claimed Truong conspired to injure So by
paying for and arranging travel for Sos estranged
biological mother and aunt to visit St. Louis in
the first week of the tournament. Truong
vehemently denied the accusations and produced
a hotel statement that no room was reserved in
his name or on his credit card.
Sos mother, Leny So, said hearing her son call
someone else mother was very painful. Visiting
from Toronto, she continued, It seems his behavior
is being controlled. We are blocked [from contact].
We fear for his welfare. Leny said they visited
because they have had trouble talking with Wesley
since his move to Minnesota.
So said afterward, This tournament has been a

nightmare for me and I just want it to be finished.
In spite of this, his comeback was remarkable. He
rebounded the next day to beat GM Gata Kamsky
as Black, then closed out the tournament with
another win to finish clear third (612/11). He also
went on to win 312/4 in the opening rounds of
Shamkir Chess, which he flew to days after St.
Louis. This 512/6 is even better than Bobby Fischer,
who only went 5/6 after forfeiting game two in
the 1972 World Championship.
Leny and her sister-in-law, Susan Leonard, claimed

Wesley would not talk with them in St. Louis
without Key present. Our hands are tied, Leonard
said. We want to be very careful because we
don't want to hurt him.
The forfeit proved to be a discussion topic

beyond the chessboard. It unearthed fissures
in the U.S. national team and within his college
team and family.
We're afraid of the psychological control, Leny

said. We're thinking, Is this what happened to
Bobby Fischer?
Akobian, a past teammate at international events

where So has served as the American coach, said
the event was unfortunate and insisted that he
didnt know So would be forfeited. When pressed,
So said, I can accept Var(uzhan) not wanting to
Before round three, Leny So and Leonard were

barred from coming to the tournament. According
to the club, this was a request of Wesleys, who
claimed that they attempted to grab his arm after
the previous round.
This was a difficult tournament for him, a lot of

strange and difficult circumstances for him,
Robson said. During tournaments he tries to be
as professional as possible ... I do see him coming
back and doing better.
~Mike Klein
www.uschess.org
23
As has become the norm, the sumptuous Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis drew many fans and covered the event via live Internet streaming.
during the tournament (in the end, he

briefly crossed 2800 for the second time
in his career, before finishing St. Louis
with a modest gain of 1.3 points to remain
world number three). In tournaments
like this youre pretty much forced to try
to win every game, he said. That adds a
lot of stress. For fans this burden
created vintage Nakamura games, reminiscent of how he might have played a
weekend Swiss in his younger years.
He saved his most audacious choices
for the younger playersGM Conrad Holt
got a Kings Indian, GM Daniel Naroditsky
was served a Sicilian Dragon, and GM
Kayden Troff faced a Benoni! Although in
all three games White had great chances,
Nakamuras risk-assessment paid off as
he went three-for-three. A draw to any of
those players would have clipped his rating
by about three points.
The opening-round Kings Indian was
not a departure from Nakamuras repertoire (hes used it to beat former World
Champion GM Vladimir Kramnik several
times, amongst many other top players).
However, the opening carries inherent risk.
That was evident in the first 15 moves, by
which time Nakamura had already ditched
all of his kingside pawns. Before you knew
it, his pieces invaded while Holts were
backing up, and a short time later the
queens knights journey from b8 to e1

elegantly sealed Whites fate.
Nakamura called the effort a very bad
game by my standards ... very shaky, to
say the least. You dont often see both
players facing weaknesses on the same
color complex, but you did on this day:
Doubly weak
GM Conrad Holt (2626)

GM Hikaru Nakamura (2881)
2015 U.S. Championship (1), St. Louis, Missouri,
04.01.2015
Notes by GM Benjamin Finegold.
21. ... Qxe4

Holt has been doing well thus far, and
Continued from p. 20
necessarily showing off, he said, but just

to beat him since I failed to do it in the
main tournament. Its not really that big
of a deal.
You don't win this many tournaments
in a row unless your name is Magnus,
Nakamura said.
He decided to play this year for two
reasons: the rising level of quality of the
competition (the 2015 U.S. Championship
was both the youngest and the highestrated in history; Nakamura mentioned So
and GM Sam Shankland in particular)
and as a tune-up before his final FIDE
Grand Prix event. Nakamura said throughout the tournament that he would finish
last in all his 2015 events if it meant
winning in Khanty-Mansiysk in May.
In this sense, participation in the U.S.
Championship was a double-edged sword
for the top American player. While it may
have helped him stay sharp for the final
leg in his quest to qualify for the Candidates tournament in 2016, he also jeopardized his rating, which is an additional
method of qualifying (two players punch
their Candidates tickets from the Grand
Prix events, and two others get in via their
average 2015 rating).
Nakamura explained the rating risk
caused him to take great chances as Black

now has two ways to secure a nice
advantage, 22. Bh5 or 22. Ng2 give White
a nice position.
22. Bf1?
Too passive. Now Hikaru gets full compensation for his sacrificed pawn.
22. ... Bd3! 23. Bh3 Nc2!

It takes a strong will to allow Be6+, but
this was forced and Hikaru always trusts
his calculation.
24. Be6+ Rf7 25. Nf5??
Almost any reasonable move was fine

and the game would be a tossup. Here,
however, Holt undefends f3 and g2 with
his move, and now the game ends
suddenly. Certainly, Holt assumed Black
would play ... Nxa1 at some point, but,
Hikaru finds a better idea!
25. ... Ne1!!

And its all over!!! If White tries to stop
Qg2 mate with 26. Nh4, then 26. ... Qg2+
anyways!! Followed by 27. ... Nf3 mate.
26. Ne7+ Kf8 27. Ng6+ Ke8, White resigned.
PHOTOS: AUSTIN FULLER, CHESS CLUB AND SCHOLASTIC CENTER OF SAINT LOUIS
White is helpless against ... Qg2 mate

or ... Nf3+ winning for Black.
Nakamura won more smoothly in round
two over GM Varuzhan Akobian, who
forgot his analysis deep in the opening.
In his next turn as Black, the reigning
champion GM Gata Kamsky sat across
from Nakamura. Kamsky, winner in 2013
and 2014, last suffered a loss in 2012 in
the penultimate round to Nakamura (who
went on to win the tournamenthis most
recent appearance at the event). The two
have created a little pattern in the seven
incarnations in St. Louis. Beginning in
2009, the trophy reads: Nakamura,
Kamsky, Kamsky, Nakamura, Kamsky,
Kamsky, Nakamura.
Kamsky opened with 1. d4 and expected
another Kings Indian, but Nakamura
didnt repeat any openings in St. Louis.
Instead 2. ... e6 appeared, and after a
long middlegame with inchworm maneuvering, Nakamuras pieces controlled most
of the board.
The last few moves, I was just shuffling
pieces around, waiting for him to finish
IM Nazi Paikidze (top) and WGM Katerina Nemcova tied for second, a full point behind Krush.
www.uschess.org
25

me off, Kamsky said. Nakamura then
uncharacteristically miscalculated after a
desperate Kamsky chucked a piece at him
late in the game. Kamsky, who said he
didnt prepare much for the tournament,
called the draw a miracle.
The half-point that was lost stung
Nakamura, who was still referencing this
game after the event was over. It also cost
him a chance at the yearly Fischer Prize
for a perfect score. Nakamura said the
chances of repeating a perfect championship are incredibly long.
I would put it at more like $640,000,
he said. To accomplish 11-0 is borderline
impossible. Its similar to when Warren
Buffett did this $1 billion challenge for the
NCAA March Madness last year (for a perfect
bracket). Club founder Rex Sinquefield
said that when organizers tried to buy
insurance on the prize, no one knew how
to price it. He said he would happily pay
out the $64,000 for a repeat of Bobby
Fischers unblemished 1963/4 title. No one
has ever gotten past four opening wins since
the prize premiered a few years ago.
Meanwhile, the first three rounds of the
U.S. Womens Championship did not go
swimmingly for Krush. She struggled to
even draw her opening game against WGM
Sabina Foisor, a woman who has nicked
Krush for several points in past years.
Krush then beat WIM Viktorija Ni despite squandering a completely winning
position at one point. The following round,
the Georgian transfer IM Nazi Paikidze
used a well-timed piece sacrifice to
steamroll the top seed.
Floundering at 50 percent and trailing
Nemcova by a full point, Krush then took
control of her event. She won the next
two games to go into the rest day with
momentum.
Back to the other top seed, Nakamuras
hyped matchup with So in round four
ended in a draw, then Nakamura went all
out for another win as Black in round five
against the struggling Naroditsky. Not
content with his position out of the
opening, Nakamura pitched the Exchange
and after several inaccuracies, wrested
the initiative away from White.
newcomer; shes won the Belarusian title

four times). In the course of the game, Krush
missed several wins. Two connected passed
pawns didnt do the trick, then she inexplicably didnt even consider a winning move
late in the game. She called the missed
chances pretty devastating and when her
coach told her that a certain move was -9
in the computer evaluation, that was the
final nail ... I was really distraught.
Off Form
19. Ne2?!
The knight was better placed on d4.
19. ... Bb5 20. Nd4?!

Perhaps White was hoping for a repetition? Not against Nakamura!
20. ... Ba6 21. Rhe1 Nfd7 22. f4?

Now Black is probably better. Best was
22. a4 Nc4+ 23. Ka2 and the game is
balanced.
22. ... Nc4+ 23. Bxc4 Bxc4 24. f5 Nc5 25. Re3
Ke8 26. Bf4?
Several inaccurate moves have given
Black a great position.
26. ... Na4+ 27. Kc1 Ba6 28. e5?
42. Rxg6+??
A blunder. Did Daniel miss that 29.

Bxe5 was impossible due to 29. ... Bh6?
After battling back White goes for the

wrong perpetual. Correct was 42. Rd8!
Rxd8 43. e8=Q+ Rxe8 44. Rxe8+ Qxe8 45.
Qxe8+ and although Blacks king can take
a walk, theres no avoiding the checks in
the end.
28. ... dxe5

Hikaru finishes the game very efficiently.
29. Rxe5 Bxe5 30. Bxe5 Nxc3 31. Re1 gxf5 32.
Bf6?
Even though White is losing, he should
at least try 32. Nxf5 Ne2+ 33. Kd2 Rc5
34. Ng7+ Kf8 35. Ba1 Ng3 and Hikaru
would likely win.
32. ... Ne4 33. Nxf5
The reflex move is wrong. 42. ... Bg7!

The key is to keep the h-pawn on the
board. It provides cover for the king after
43. Qd5+ Kh8. Krush never bothered to
analyze the move. Other tries for White
also fail, for example 43. Rxg7+ Kxg7 44.
Qxc3+ Kf7 45. Qxd2 b1=Q 46. Qd5+ Kg7
47. Qg5+ Qg6.
Now Sharevich gets her draw easily.
43. ... Bg7 44. Qe6+ Kh7 45. Qf5+ Kg8 46.
Qd5+ Kh8 47. Qh5+ Kg8 48. Qd5+ Kh8 49.
Qh5+ Kg8, Draw agreed.
33. ... Bd3!

Now everything is hanging.
18. ... Kf8
34. c3 Rc5! 35. Nxe7 Rb5!, White resigned.
Nakamura sacrificed the Exchange, a

common thematic idea in the Dragon.
White should be better here, but Daniel
was not on his game this tournament.
Things got really interesting after the lone

rest day. In the womens field, Krush drew
WGM Anna Sharevich (another tournament
42. ... hxg6??
43. Qxg6+
Taking the initiative
GM Daniel Naroditsky (2730)

2015 U.S. Championship (5), St Louis, Missouri,
04.05.2015
WGM Anna Sharevich (2372)

GM Irina Krush (2549)
2015 U.S. Womens Championships (6), St. Louis,
Missouri, 04.07.2015
After the game, longtime coach GM

Giorgi Kacheishvili told Krush, Now well
see what youre made of.
I'm not sure what he recognizes in me,
but he knows to appeal to my fighting
spirit, Krush said.
Krush won the following round, but
again didnt even bother analyzing an
elementary tactic. With Blacks king at
home and an unguarded bishop on c5,
she missed Qh5+, winning the piece
without a fight.

If I would have been looking at that
check, it would have spoiled a nice positional squeeze! was Krushs sanguinity
coming out. I'll be showing that to my
students.
Although only a round removed from
the Sharevich debacle, she had already
changed her tune. In the course of 24
hours, Krush went from thinking it was
a major catastrophe to a minor setback.
Nemcova kept pace, winning in rounds
six and seven to re-establish a one-point
lead over Krush. Heres her win over firsttimer Apurva Virkud:
Sicilian Defense (B20)
WGM Katerina Nemcova (2361)

WCM Apurva Virkud (2239)
Notes by Nemcova.
When I was preparing for this game, I
found out that there are not many games
available of my opponent. Therefore, I
decided to search for some Sicilian sidelines that would provide interesting and
nonstandard play where we both need to
think early on.
1. e4 c5 2. b3
This is the pick! Alexander Morozevich
is probably currently the strongest advocate for this line, in 2014 he has 16(!)
games with this 2. b3 move; however, we
can find also Magnus Carlsen and other
strong players playing it from time to time.
2. ... d6 3. Bb2 Nc6 4. Nc3

More popular is the immediate 4. Bb5
or 4. f4, but its okay my move is fine too.
4. ... Nf6 5. Bb5 Bd7 6. f4 a6 7. Bxc6 Bxc6 8.

Qe2 e6 9. Nf3 Qc7
Now we both developed a majority of
our pieces and its time to decide where
to castle.
10. 0-0-0
There is no problem with castling
kingside. To be honest, I even think that
with more aggressive players such as Irina
Krush or Alisa Melekhina, I would choose
the more peaceful alternative. In this game
I aimed for a more complicated position
though. Although it is probably equal after
10. 0-0 Be7 11. e5 dxe5 12. Nxe5 0-0 13.
Rae1, I feel that White has a slightly more
comfortable position.
16. ... Nc5 17. Qe3 Bxc3 18. Qxc3 Ne4 19. Qe3
Kb8 20. Rhe1 Rc8 21. Kb1
Not so appealing is 12. exd5 Nxd5 for

White is opening the position without
having its pair of bishops ... There might
be no real danger immediately but I still
dont like the idea. 13. Nxd5 Bxd5 14. g3?
c4! and now its clear how excellent the
bishop on d5 is.
12. ... Nd7

Possible, but less accurate is 12. ... Ne4
13. Nxe4 dxe4 14. Ng5 with the key move
14. ... e3! where Black opens the blacksquared bishop and creates interesting
play for both sides. 15. Qxe3 Bxg2 16.
Rhg1 I still think it is easier to play such
position for White.
13. dxc5
I have a need to occupy the d4-square
and I dont see a reason to wait.
13. ... Bxc5 14. Nd4

Here we have a kind of French pawn
structure with my extra b3-move. I thought
that this position is more comfortable for
White, because Blacks light-square bishop
has limited space and I have the g2-g4
followed by f4-f5 plan in the future.
However, Black has also a future with
doubling rooks on the c-file and pressing
on the c2-pawn. Objectively speaking,
Black should have no troubles as well.
14. ... Qb6 15. Qd3

Preparing Nce2 to support or recapture
on d4 with the knight.
15. ... Bb4!?

I like this idea of Black to exchange the
other knight and have a quick knight
transportation to the central e4-square.
Possible was also 15. ... Bxd4 16. Qxd4
Qxd4 17. Rxd4 and White still can transfer
the remaining knight to d4 and then
wonder whether to follow a plan with g2g4 and f4-f5, or some pawn advancement
on the queenside.
10. ... 0-0-0 11. d4 d5!
16. a3
Although I planned to play the above

mentioned Nce2, I realized that I dont
like the black bishop on b4 where it has
some future possibilities of cooperation
with ... Nd7-c5-e4 and ... Qa5. It looked
better to take him off the board.
A very strong move by Apurva. Without

this move, Black gives space to Whites
pieces and donates quite an advantage.
12. e5
21. ... g6?!

In the game I thought it looks natural,
but unnecessary as well. I am not sure if
I would make such a move. Whites immediate f4-f5 can only help Blacks bishop
to develop. 21. ...22. f5 Bd7 23. fxe6
(23. g4 h5 and Black is opening the
position more and more.) 23. ... fxe6 and
here we go, the diagonal b1-h7 is
weakened and the bishop has an excellent
spot on g6 or h5.
22. Nf3
I decided to exchange queens and go
for more of a positional play where I will
try to explore the weakened black squares.
22. ... Qxe3 23. Rxe3 Rc7 24. Rd4 Rhc8 25.
Ng5 h6 26. Nxe4 dxe4
Although the computer evaluates this
as dead equal, I see Whites position as
far more comfortable. White has the
important d6-square and a pawn majority
on the queenside that will get to see action
soon.
27. a4 Bd5?
Quite a brave move ... but not very good.
It helps White to get time and fix the
queenside pawn structure in Whites favor.
Better was to fight Whites potential pawn
advances on the queenside with 27. ... b5
while getting some space for Blacks
maneuvering.
28. c4! Bc6 29. Ba3 Ka8 30. a5!
White is in time to get most everything

she wants in this position. Whites pieces
will soon completely dominate the position.
www.uschess.org
27

30. ... h5 31. h4 Re8 32. Kb2 Rcc8 33. Kc3 Ka7
34. Bc5+ Ka8 35. Bb6 Kb8 36. Rd6 Ka8 37.
Kd4 Kb8 38. Re1 Rg8 39. g3 Rge8 40. Ra1 Rg8
41. Ra2 Rge8 42. Re2 Rg8 43. Rd2 Rge8 44.
Ke3
Now I see White as in the best possible
set-up to create something. Whites king
is blocking the e4-pawn from any future
advancement, the rooks take care of the
d-file, the bishop of the black squares,
and the pawns are ready to advance.
44. ... Rg8 45. R2d4 Rge8 46. b4 Rg8 47. Bc5
Rh8 48. Rd2 Rhg8 49. Rxc6!
While its nice to move around and keep
a good position with a clear advantage,
the point for the game will not just appear
out of nowhere. Therefore, this was a
crucial moment to calculate properly, see
the emerging forced rook endgame and
evaluate it correctly.
49. ... Rxc6 50. Rd7 Rg7

The computer recommends 50. ... Kc8
51. Rxf7 Rc7 52. Rf6 Kd7 53. Kxe4 Rg7
and trying to keep this position in a passive
way. I still believe that White will be able
to break through on the queenside and
win. There are just too many weaknesses
in the black position, Black is two pawns
down and there is no reason why one of
the black rooks should be better than the
perfectly placed bishop on either c5 or d6.
51. Rd8+ Kc7 52. Rh8!

Now the black rook on g7 is quite locked.
52. ... Rxc5

This is pretty much the only choice for
Blacktrying to survive a rook endgame.
Even worse is 52. ... Kd7 53. Bf8.
53. bxc5 Kc6 54. Rc8+

Just getting time, there is no other point
in this move.
54. ... Kd7 55. Rf8 Kc6 56. Kxe4 Kxc5 57. Rc8+
Kb4 58. Kd4 Kxa5 59. c5
This was the position that had to be

calculated 10 moves ago during the Exchange sacrifice. If this endgame is a draw,
then the whole thing was a mistake and
White should have tried to press on the
queenside with pawns. Luckily, everything
is fine.
59. ... b5
A more challenging move is 59. ... b6!?
where I calculated 60. Ra8 (60. c6? Kb5!
[and this position is equal at the end.
White has no more power to support the
c-pawn and playing 61. c7 is selfdestructing for it gives 61. ... Kc6 with a
winning position for Black.] 61. Kc3 Rh7
62. Kb3 Rg7 is equal; 60. Rb8! is the most
accurate win for it immediately placed the
rook to cut off the king.) 60. ... bxc5+ 61.
Kxc5 Rh7 62. Rb8 and thought its much
better, but not 100 percent winning. It is
winning though. 62. ... Ka4 63. Kd6 a5
64. Ke7 Ka3 65. Rb6 a4 66. Kf8 and the
king mercilessly goes to capture the rook
or f7-pawn. Black has no chances to
escape such a position.
over-the-board decisions I made in St.

Louis (decision as in more than a simple
move, but something that led to the game
going in a completely different direction.)
I had been looking at this Exchange sacrifice for a while, but this is the first
moment in the game I can actually implement it. The alternative was 21. ... Na5,
trying to win the c3-pawn, but the c3pawn is not such a valuable prize when
the king is weak.
21. ... Nxe5! 22. Bxe5 Rxe5 23. Nxe5 Qxe5
60. Rb8!
No way back for the black king!
60. ... Kb4 61. c6 f5 62. exf6 e.p. Rc7 63. Ke5
Rxc6 64. f7 Rc5+ 65. Kxe6 Rf5 66. f8=Q+ Rxf8
67. Rxf8 a5 68. Kf6 a4 69. Kxg6 a3 70. Ra8
Kb3 71. f5 a2 72. f6, Black resigned.
I think this game is very instructional
in regard to opposite-color bishop play and
the advantage of fixing a pawn structure
for ones favor. There was long preparation
prior to the sacrifice and a deep analysis
of emerging rook endgame involved. I considered this game as one of the most critical
at the championship.
The champ then chipped away with two
wins in rounds eight and nine, while
Nemcova drew both rounds. It took Krush
ten days and nine rounds, but she finally
caught the leader with two games remaining
(Krush also needed a late-tour nament
comeback in 2014 to keep the title).
This effort against FM Alisa Melekhina
showed Krushs superior positional understanding:
Catching up
FM Alisa Melekhina (2321)

2015 U.S. Women's Championships (8), St. Louis,
Notes by Krush.
The forced result of the Exchange sacrifice. The pride of Whites position, the
e5-pawn and Bf6, is gone, and so are all
hopes of attacking the king. Black has a
very solid structure and can realistically
win a second pawn as well. The only
problem is, material is limited, and if more
pieces are traded, White will be fine even
if Black wins the second pawn. However,
White really needed to grasp the essence
of the position immediately, which is not
so easy to do as it has just appeared on
the board. Alisa plays a very natural move,
Qd4, trying to trade pieces, but Black can
run away from the trade.
24. Qd4
24. Bd3!? Id say this is definitely not
an obvious move, making no effort to save
the c3-pawn. 24. ... Qxc3 25. Rad1 This
will lead to trades, either of light-squared
bishops or rooks (Rc2 is coming); 24. Bb7!?
a neat tactical approach: 24. ... Qxe3 25.
fxe3 Bxb7 26. Rd7 Bc5 27. Rxb7 Bxe3+
Well, this is not quite a draw yet, there is
play left in the endgame.
24. ... Qg5

An important question in chess is: what
to trade and what to leave on the board? I
certainly made sure to answer this question for myself during the game. I under stood: Black wants to trade nothing. Definitely not queens. Not rooks. Light-squared
bishops would be the least evil. By the
way, ... Rd8 is threatened.
25. Rad1 Rc4 26. Qd3 Bb5!
The decision I took in the diagrammed

position is definitely one of the top two
Little moves like this won the game.

Just improving the bishop, getting it under
the queens protection, controlling d7 just
in case, and allowing a future ... Ba4 idea.

27. Rb2
a way to play for mate.
35. Qg2 Qh3!
I was pretty sure Alisa was not happy

with her position at this point. I thought
27. Rb2 was a tricky move. If I am not
careful, it could be preparing something
like a4 or Bc6!?! (at some point). But if
Black is paying attention, then in itself,
Rb2 doesnt help White.
34. ... Rc1 35. Qe4 Qc3 36. Rf1 Rxf1+ 37. Kxf1
Bb5+, White resigned.
The continuation 35. ... Rxh2+? 36.

Qxh2 Nxh2 37. Kxh2 is no bargain for
Black, as the a-pawn is worrisome.
27. ... Qc5

Protecting the rook so that on a4 the
bishop can take. Also attacking the c3pawn.
28. Bf3
When I saw this move, which doesnt
help White in any particular way, I got
very optimistic about my position.
28. ... Ba4 29. Re1

29. Rc1 Bg5 the other bishop comes
into playthats why ideally Black keeps
all pieces on the board; they can be used
for the attack.
Psychological Exchange sacrifices are a

powerful thing, as GM Tigran Petrosian
showed.
With a Krush-Nemcova final-round
matchup looming, some of the luster came
off in round 10. Krush did her part though,
as she used a knight-and-rook combo as
perfectly as the chessboard allows against
WFM Jennifer Yu (one of three wildcards
on the womens side; none of whom are
old enough to vote).
Knight-rook combo
WFM Jennifer R. Yu (2278)

29. ... Bf6
32. ... g5
30. Qe3
A blunder, but Whites position is bleak
by this point.
They say three pieces is mate, and here

comes the third piece. Maybe she was
inspired by Nakamura, who also played
... g5 and got his rook in the attack versus
Troff (as youll see later in this article).
33. bxa6 Rxb2 34. Rxb2 Rh6
30. ... Bxc3 31. Rd2 Bxd2 32. Qxd2 Rc2 33.
Qd8+ Kg7 34. Qh4
Black can take a third pawn, but theres
Black is of course winning, but Krush

finishes with panache.
36. Qxh3 Rxh3

Incredibly, White cant avoid the mates
and has no time to advance her a-pawn.
37. Kg2 Rxh2+ 38. Kf1 Rh1+ 39. Kg2

39. Ke2 Re1 mate.
39. ... Rg1+ 40. Kh3 h5, White resigned.

With 41. ... g4 mate coming.
Meanwhile, Nemcova made her only
major slip of the event and relinquished
her grip on the lead, which she had clear
since round three. Paikidze, a student at
the University of Maryland, Baltimore
County, took out the Webster University
graduate student to place them both one
point behind Krush with one round to play.
Krushs mystique essentially ended any
doubts to her title defense right there. In
post-game interviews with both Paikidze
and Nemcova, neither gave themselves
much chance to overtake the leader, even
though Nemcova still controlled her own
destiny.
That lack of optimism proved correct as
Krush simplified her 11th game and never
gave Nemcova any chances for complications in the final round. Krush held a
miniscule edge when she repeated the
position to clinch her seventh title and
fourth in a row.
When asked prior to the last round if
she knew who had the record for most
U.S. Womens Championships, Krush
didnt, but quipped self-referentially, I do
hope one day that I will know that person!
By the same time the next day, shed
researched the answer: WIM Gisela Kahn
Gresser with nine. Id like to break the
record one day, Krush said. If I get to
10, thatll be pretty good.
2015 U.S. Championship

Rating
10
11
12 Score
GM Hikaru Nakamura
2881
GM Ray Robson
2758
GM Wesley So
2841
GM Alexander Onischuk
2747
GM Gata Kamsky
2762
GM Varuzhan Akobian
2703
GM Samuel Sevian
2655
GM Samuel L. Shankland
2742
GM Kayden W. Troff
2634
GM Conrad Holt
2626
GM Timur Gareev
2677
GM Daniel Naroditsky
2730
www.uschess.org
29

Krush said it was fitting to win on the
same Sunday as Orthodox Easter. She
was going to church nearly every day
following her games. She goes so often
that the local parishioners know her as
the chess player. One service was 312
hours, mostly standing.
I see absolute harmony between what
happened in my tournament and what
happened on the calendar Im living by,
Krush said. She said that on Good Friday,
the day that Christians believe Jesus was
crucified, she suffered and vomited both
before and during the round. I never
forgot that the last day of the tournament
is Easter. This day is a happy day, a day
of victory for all believers. I had faith this
day would see my resurrection.
Nemcova and Paikidze tied for second
with 712/11 and both were pleased with
the result. Nemcova said it was her first
time qualifying for the Womens World
Championship (the top three finishers
earned spots). Nis torrid finish included
five wins and two draws in the final seven
games; her fourth place equaled her best
U.S. Womens Championship. Sharevich
finished fifth, giving the Webster team
(Sharevich, Nemcova, Robson) a combined
+10 score14 wins against four losses in
decisive games. Goletiani played in her
first championship since 2012 and started
fast before taking sixth.
On the other side of the playing hall,
the second half produced divergent storylines from two other Webster students,
one past and one present.
Current Webster Gorlok, GM Ray Robson,
shook off a loss to Kamsky in round five to
beat former teammate GM Wesley So in
round six. After going more than 50 games
without a loss, this was Sos second loss,
and he would have two more to follow. One
loss was to 14-year-old GM Sam Sevian, a
young talent universally praised by his
peers. So only carded one draw on the
crosstable in the entire event, causing him
to rethink his strategy for future championships: Next time I will play for two
results.
It was the last of the four losses that
created a stir both inside the playing hall
and in online discussion forums. Chief
Arbiter Tony Rich cited So for taking notes
early in the round nine game versus
Akobian, and followed through with his
previous warning to forfeit him. For more
on the ruling, and Sos new life away from
college, see the sidebar.
Robson won again in round seven to
equal Nakamura on 5/7. Perhaps incited
by this, Nakamura took yet another gamble as Black the following round. How do
you top a Kings Indian and Dragon? How
about a novelty in the Benoni!
I suggested this move in the commentary

room before Troff played it, to try to get
the knight to either f5, g4, or c4. But it is
a bit too slow.
Gambling as Black
17. ... g4! 18. Ne3 Bxe3 19. Rxe3 Qg7 20. hxg4
Nxg4?
GM Kayden Troff (2634)

04.09.2015
14. ... g5
A novelty. Dutch Super-IM Benjamin
Bok played 14. ... Nf6 in 2014 and drew.
Hikarus move livens up the game and tries
to prevent White from easily playing f4.
15. h3
The most testing move is 15. f4. Likely,

Troff did not want to go into the complications that Hikaru had looked at, likely,
in home analysis. 15. ... gxf4 16. gxf4 Ng6
17. Nc4 Bd4+ 18. Kh1 Nf6 is one interesting line, with a dynamic balance.
15. ... Qf6 16. Qh5?! Bh6!?

A surprising move, with the idea of ...
Qg7 and ... Nf6 kicking out the queen,
followed by ... g5-g4 and Black has the
initiative.
17. Nd1!?
Even stronger is 20. ... Nf6! 21. Qh1

Nfxg4 22. Re2 f5 when Black has the
initiative.
21. Rc3?!
Hikaru thought 21. Re2 was best, and

that White should be better. The rook is
oddly placed on c3.
21. ... Ndf6 22. Qh1 Re5 23. Qf3?!

A better try is 23. Nc4 Nxe4! (23. ...
Rxe4 24. f3! Rxc4 25. Bxc4 is good for
White.) 24. Nxe5 Qxe5 25. Bf4 Qd4 26.
2015 U.S. Womens Championship

Rating
10
11
12
Score
GM Irina Krush
2553
IM Nazi Paikidze
2349
WGM Katerina Nemcova
2361
WIM Viktorija Ni
2275
WGM Anna Sharevich
2372
IM Rusudan Goletiani
2321
WGM Tatev Abrahamyan
2413
WGM Sabina-Francesca Foisor
2331
WGM Apurva Virkud
2239
WIM Annie Wang
2278
FM Alisa Melekhina
2321
WFM Jennifer R. Yu
2278

Be3 Qxd5 27. Bg2 when both sides have
chances, irrespective of the engines evaluation of 0.00!
23. ... Bd7
Hikaru highly criticized this move in the

post-game press interview and added White
is winning after 24. Rb3. Although the
engines may not agree with that assessment
(again, 0.00) we can see Hikaru was not
happy with his play this game. The result,
however, says otherwise!
24. Qd3?
The losing move. White cannot afford
to move all of his pieces away from his
king!
24. ... Qh6 25. Bg2

An up and down Benoni has finally gone
in Hikarus favor and he blows away Troff
with a blistering attack.
25. ... Qh2+ 26. Kf1
26. ... Nxf2!

Very accurately calculated by Hikaru.
27. Kxf2 Bh3 28. Qf1

No better is 28. Qf3 Ng4+ 29. Kf1 Qh1+
30. Ke2 Qxg2+ 31. Qxg2 Bxg2.
28. ... Rxe4!!

Hikaru said this was the key to the
knight sacrifice. Now Black is winning
due to the open white king and misplaced
white pieces on the queenside.
29. Nxe4
Also losing for White is 29. Qh1 Ng4+!
30. Kf3 (30. Kf1? Qxh1 mate) 30. ... Bxg2+
31. Qxg2 Ne5+ 32. Kf2 Re2+!.
GM Ray Robson took second place, a mere half-point

behind Nakamura.
29. ... Nxe4+ 30. Ke3 Bxg2 31. Qf4 Nxc3 32.
Qg5+ Kf8 33. bxc3 Re8+ 34. Kf2
The other tries allow nice mates: 34.
Kd3 Bf1 mate; 34. Kf4 Re4+ 35. Kf5 Qh3+
36. g4 Re5+ 37. Kf6 Re6+ 38. dxe6 Qxc3+
39. Kf5 Qe5 mate.
34. ... Bh1+, White resigned.

Nakamura would nurse that half-game
lead into his direct encounter with Robson
on the tournaments second Saturday,
round 10. Robson wanted to avoid a Berlin
and decided the night before to play a
sideline in the Four Knights Opening, which
didnt really surprise the former American
scholastic prodigy.
Ray doesnt normally play the Four
Knights but fortunately growing up I played
it a lot and Im familiar with the structures,
Nakamura explained. He said that by this
point in the event, his focus shifted from
protection of rating points to winning the
event. I didn't see the point in going crazy,
he said about the static game.
The tournament win was still a long
way off. In the final round, Nakamura had
the super-solid Onischuk, while Robson
had the stylistically diametric GM Timur
Gareev. In the championship, Gareev had
already played the Schliemann Defense,
Owens Defense, and the nameless 1. d4
d6 2. Nf3 h6?! Its hard to even think of
any opening where Black plays 2. ... h6.
Timur, with him, anything is possible,
Robson said going into the game. Gareev
took white and played the (relatively
mainstream) Veresov Attack, all the while
Nakamura peeking at the game to see
what he needed to do in his.
It seemed like right at the start, when I
looked at Rays game, he was already better,
or winning, or something, Nakamura said.
The estimation was correct and Robson

won without much fight. For Nakamura,
his extra pawn on the b-file looked ready
to produce a five-hour grind. Instead,
Onischuk made life easy by walking into a
fork and hung a rook. He smiled at his
uncharacteristic blunder and then congratulated Nakamura. The champ now sits at
four titles, one behind Kamsky and half
way to Fischer.
It's fairly likely Ill be back, but
everything depends on the FIDE cycle and
when the tournaments are, Nakamura
said of 2016.
Robson said that this was his best
tournament ever. I would have liked to
at least get into a playoff, but overall I
cant complain.
As for Krush, she will be back too, but
her career is about to take a new trajectory.
You can expect me more in [an ambassador] role, she said. Im not completely
stepping away from chess, but the balance
will shift somewhat. She runs a chess
school in New York City and also enjoys
live commentary and serving as a special
guest at large scholastic events. A few
days after the tournament, she set up her
first Facebook and Instagram account.
Will she be as successful in business?
I think so. I love chess ... I really know it
from A to Z. You operate on the principle
of you do good to all people. The business
is secondary to doing good.
Nakamura is definitely not taking a
break in his career. His lifelong goal of
competing for the world title is closer than
at any previous point.
At the closing ceremony of the 2014
World Championship, an announcement
was made that the 2016 World Championship would be in the United States.
Nakamura remained skeptical but said
hed welcome the event.
If I were to win the Candidates Id want
to play somewhere like New York probably,
or maybe California actually since Ive been
out there quite a bit recently. For the most
part, just getting there is the goal. As we
saw with Magnus, it took him a long time
just to get to the world championship match.
There are a lot of hurdles, so if I get there,
its not going to matter where I play.
For now, theres that issue of where to
spend the $45,000 first place prize. The
tournament closed on April 14, one day
before tax day. Nakamura said hed use
some to pay Uncle Sam. As for the rest,
I'll probably just invest it ... maybe Ill go
to a playoff hockey game.
See much more about the Championships

at the official site, uschesschamps.com,
including photos and .pgn files for all the
games, and FM Kostya Kavutskiys round-byround reports. See the April archives of Chess
Life Online on uschess.org for additional
reports from St. Louis.
www.uschess.org
31
Shaka* and Schach
The inaugural Hawaii Chess Festival, held at

idyllic Waikiki Beach and won by Armenian GM
Hovhannes Gabuzyan, gave participants a taste
of chess-playing paradise.
he life of a chess player is a strange

one. We travel a lot, but the location
is rarely a major factor in our
equation. Neither is climate, food,
or sometimes even local culture. If
the tournament is good, that is where we
go. World Cup in middle of nowhere
Russia, in winter, with a 48 hour long
trip there and back? Of coursewhere
do I sign up? Small open tournament in
sunny California? Eh, probably not going
to that one.
Once in a while, however, the stars

and the planets align, Caissa smiles upon
us and organizes a strong, worthwhile
event in paradise. This year this piece of
heaven on Earth was known as the
Hawaii Chess Festival.
Chess in America is definitely getting
stronger, both at the top level and at the
scholastic. USA now has two top-10 players, a gold medalist from the past Olympiad,
and the World Under-14 female champion.
Nothing to scoff at! But these achievements
* The common Hawaiian hand gesture that can be used as a form of thanks, a greeting, or a goodbye.
dont come out of nowhere; they come from

the tournaments and events hosted around
the nation, the training pits for strong
players, the proving grounds for young
talents and the opportunity for the community to get a taste of what real chess
competition is.
I had the pleasure of visiting Hawaii,
specifically the island of Oahu, late last
year. The place was beyond my imagination, beautiful past any description I could
conjure with simple words, and home of
PHOTO COURTESY OF HAWAII CHESS FESTIVAL
By GM ALEJANDRO RAMIREZ
ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF HAWAII CHESS FESTIVAL
the best food I have tasted in my life.

When I learned that there was going to
be a tournament hosted in Waikiki Beach,
there was simply no way I could miss it.
As a chess player one has to make tough
choices regarding travel and scheduling,
and attending Hawaii meant skipping
Cappelle-la-Grande and Reykjavik, but
the rainy beaches of Dunkirk and the
frigid temperatures of Iceland simply could
not compare.
The event in Hawaii was exactly that
a festival. There were several concurrent
tournaments, including blitz sections,
simultaneous exhibitions, a chess camp
and lectures by grandmasters. It was more
than just going to a tournament. The
warmth of the locals, the players, the
organizers ... it was like instantly clicking
into a community.
For me the festivities started when I
arrived in Hawaii. A very delayed flight put
me there an hour late for the VIP dinner.
I came into the dinner party wearing my
informal travel attire, with a suitcase in
one hand and a travel pillow around my
neck. I had a quick drink and joined the
party. I saw some good old friendsGM
Maurice Ashley who Ive had the delight
to do commentary with, WIM Sabrina
Chevannes who is my best European friend
by far (at least she is when I can
understand her strange accentshe is
from the United Kingdom) and GM Hou
Yifan who should be everybodys role model
on how to be a superstar and still as
humble as they come. And of course, the
wonderful organizer Beau Mueller. Organizing an event of this magnitude is no easy
task, and doing it for the first time in the
remote island of Oahu was even tougher.
However, Beau managed to accommodate
the players beautifully, the tournament
ran without a single major hiccup and I
can confidently say everyone was very
pleased with ... well ... everything!
After a few rounds of bughouse and
catching up over a little mai tai, we called
it an evening and got ourselves ready for
the week to come.
The first chess activity was Magic Island
Day. For me, these types of activities,
At A Glance
along with the lectures, should be integral

of any festival, and should be mandatory
of any invited grandmasters that are
getting hefty conditions to a tournament.
It was a day to meet grandmasters, interact
with them, play in a simultaneous exhibition (normal or blindfolded, as given by
the one and only GM Timur Gareev!), learn
from them ... to ask questions and gain
knowledge that cannot be taught in books.
We had the chance to explore Hawaii
thanks to the incredible generosity of the
local players and the planned activities
from the organizers. Whale watching was
very fun, and although only Sabrina and
I got to see the whale, I think it is safe to
assume that everyone had a fantastic
leisurely time at sea.
The main events of the festival were the
Grandmaster Challenge and the Open
section of the International. Without a doubt
the Grandmaster Challenge was the most
spectator friendly: GM Sam Shankland, GM
Hou Yifan, GM Timur Gareev and IM Shinya
Kojima battled it out in 12 bloody rounds.
Shinya was chosen as the lucky winner
from an auction made before the event to
determine who would play in the tournament; the highest bidder declined, and the
second place elected Kojima in his stead.
The strongest player from Japan, he wasnt
going to be bullied around by the grandmasters. Their tournament was split in two;
day one had six rounds (three of rapid and
three of blitz). The second day of their
tournament would be the finale of the
festival.
After day one Shankland led by a point,
while Kojima trailed. Still, it was only the
halfway point. The grandmasters took a
couple of days rest while the International
Open kicked off. The attendance of the
event, to me, was the only disappointing
part of the event. It is true that Hawaii is
far away for most people, and overall it
was an expensive tournament to go to, but
with $5,000 for first prize, a beautiful chesscation, and wonderful playing conditions,
it seemed that not enough players showed
up. Besides myself, GMs Samy Shoker,
Alex Shabalov and Niclas Huschenbeth
came from the mainland. Gareev joined in
an attempt to take all the possible prize

money in the tournament, but he was not
so successful at it. Meanwhile the intrepid
GMs Hovhannes Gabuzyan and Robert
Aghasaryan traveled from distant Armenia
for this event! This is definitely the Hawaiian
warrior spirit, even if they were basically
from as far away as possible from the
tournament.
I started off well, with 3/3 after beating
Shoker. After this came one of the craziest
days of chess Ive ever had ... I kept waking
up at some ungodly time (like 7 a.m., is
that even a real hour? What is this
breakfast thing you keep mentioning?).
First to go hiking with Yifan and her family,
the next to play the Hawaii Blitz. I guess
the time difference was very real, a full
five hours to my native Texas. The
tournament was stacked: Shankland,
Shoker, Huschenbeth ... a six-round
double Swiss, so basically a marathon.
Somehow I was the highest rated player
in the event as my USCF blitz was well
over 2800 (and still is, by some mathematical miracle). I lost to Shankland 12-112
but recovered with 2-0 wins against
everyone else to tie for first. Not a bad
way to start the day, and I followed it up
with a nice win against Aghasaryan.
Unfortunately for me, Gabuzyan showed
me who is boss in round five of the main
event (the Hawaii International Open), and
he convincingly won the tournament. I was
able to draw my last round and finished
in some sort of tie for second. I would show
you the game against Gabuzyan normally,
because he beat me in a nice positional
manner and punished all my mistakes,
but Ill show you my round four game
instead because its my article:
English Opening (A14)
GM Alejandro Ramirez (2675)

GM Robert Aghasaryan (2381)
04.16.2015 Notes by Ramirez
This game was played after the blitz
tournament, so it was definitely a long
day of chess ...
Continued on p. 36
Hawaii International Open
Date: March 14-22, 2015 | Location: Hilton Waikiki Beach Hotel, Honolulu, Hawaii | 108 players | Top Finishers: Open, 1st, 512:
Hovhannes Gabuzyan; 2nd-4th, 412: Alejandro Ramirez, Samy Shoker, Robert Aghasaryan; 5th-7th, 4: Niclas Huschenbeth, Ryosuke
Nanjo, Shinya Kojima; 8th-10th, 312: Nikolai Andrianov, Yogesh Gautam, Anthony F. Saidy; Amateur/Reserve, 1st, 512: Abir Sinha;
2nd, 5: Scott Kira; 3rd-5th, 412: Todd Imada, Heather Flewelling, Lorenzo Farinas, Jr.; 6th-9th, 4: Sharma Prachet, Neil Doknjas,
Jonathan Jo Crowe, An Riccardo Tran; Novice, 1st, 6: Erwell Mari Dulay; 2nd, 5: Giorgio Tran; 3rd-4th, 412: Yang Xu, Robert Junyu Liu;
5th-10th, 4: Dylan Tucker, Kacy Kuniyoshi, Pe San, Joshua White, Shigemi Degawa, Dan Volosnikov. | Chief Tournament Director:
Carol Jarecki.
www.uschess.org
33
IM Anthony Saidy interviews two-time

womens world champion Hou Yifan, who
headlined the Hawaii Chess Festival.
Hou Yifan participated in a whale watching expedition while at the festival.
China Is Near
Upon learning that Womens World

Champion Hou Yifan would appear at the
Hawaii Chess Festin lieu of defending her
titlethis writer could not resist the chance
to meet the young Chinese superstar and
interview her in one of his favorite places.
To players of my generation, China was a
non-factor. China had its own form of chess,
xiangqi, and its chessplayers were simply
not seen internationally. But something was
incubating there. Soviet masters visited,
starting in the 1950s.
The world sat up and took notice at the
Buenos Aires Olympiad of 1978. There, an
unknown Chinese player, Liu Wenzhe, checkmated Dutch GM Jon Hein Donner in under
20 moves. Then in 1991, Xie Jun won the
womens world crown, ending Georgian
hegemony. Other Chinese women, Zhu Chen
and Xu Yuhua, would later win the title, after
FIDEs unfortunate introduction of the
knockout format, as well as Olympic gold.
In 2014 the western state of denial about
Chinas chess excellence came to an end:
China, for the first time, won the overall
chess Olympiad.
All was achieved by a cultivated elite in a
country where chess lacks popularity.
Methods are laid out in Lius book Chinese
School of Chess. They are peculiar to China,
but no one can argue with success.
Hou Yifan was born in provincial Xinghua
on February 27, 1994. The story goes that
at age three she was so taken with some
chess pieces in the window of a shop that
her dad, a magistrate, bought them for her.
She started regular play at six. At nine, GM
Ye Jingchuan pronounced her an exceptional genius. That year the family, including
her mom, a nurse, moved to Beijing to be
near the National Chess Center. At 13 she
was Chinese womens champ. At 14 and a
half she became the youngest-ever female
to gain the overall grandmaster title and
made the finals of the Womens World
Championship, losing out to Russias
Alexandra Kosteniuk. At 16, in 2010, she
became the youngest person ever to gain
a world chess crown.
The roulette-like vicissitudes of the knockout system, which culminates in rapid
games, were brought home to Hou Yifan
two years later, when she lost out in the
second round. Exercising her right to

challenge Anna Ushenina of Ukraine, Hou
regained the title in 2013 by a 512-112 match
victory.
After tying for third at Gibraltar this
February short of her 21st birthday, Hou
Yifan pushed her rating to 2686, around
65th in the world, just ahead of Judit
Polgar. [This writer is no fan of the incessant comparison of ratings. Judit is 38
and has a much longer record of excellence
at the very highest level.]
Hou had a contract to come to Hawaii, and
the Womens World Championship in Sochi,
Russia started without her. Was she eyeing
bigger fish? At press time the final match
was pending between Natalia Pogonina of
Russia and Mariya Muzychuk of Ukraine.
At the Hawaii Festival Hou took part in a
quadrangular rapid/blitz tournament, leaving
GMs Timur Gareev and Sam Shankland far
behind. Armenias 19-year-old GM Hovannes
Gabozyan dominated the Open tournament
for a $5,000 prize. It had six other grandmasters among 108 participants. Conditions
and hospitality under Hawaii Chess Federation
President Beau Mueller were superb.
The personable Hou Yifan was most gracious
during the interview. She may admire Bobby
Fischer as a player, but she is nothing like
him.
IM Anthony Saidy: Thanks for granting
this interview to our readers. How did you
learn to speak English so well?
GM Yifan: I had a lot of practice from a
young age, solving daily problems. I went to
English school, got fundamental
knowledge.
How many years of English did you take?
Not years, hours.
[I was deeply impressed. Young
Americans proficient in Chinese are rare.]
Here's a question from our USCF
president, Ruth Haring: If equal numbers
of men and women played chess, would
it level the playing field (equalizing
strength)?
I dont really think so. The nature of man
and woman is different. Woman is more
sensitive and emotional. Women are more
kind in facing an emergency. When you are
in time pressure you must be calm, not
nervous. Men can be more concentrated.
In Liu Wenzhes very interesting book

Chinese School of Chess [Batsford, 2002]
he says women are equal in tactics, but
inferior in strategy.
This is a theory book, not really practical; I
cant fully understand it. Yes, I think we are
good in tactics, about strategy I am not 100
percent sure.
Now a question from GM Yasser
Seirawan, whom you know. What is your
final ambition? To be in the top 10, or
more?
If you set any final goal, how can you go
further? I should fight to be in top 10. That
means the elite level, it means more than
winning a tournament like Womens
Championship. Yes, I would like to play a
match with Carlsen, of course, but I still
have some distance to catch him, Im
looking forward. If I play him now, I have no
hope to win. [He is more than four years her
senior, and has defeated her in two
classical games.]
When you walk around Beijing, do people
recognize you?
In the national-team sports area, yes.
Around the university, no. Many would
recognize my name, it is better-known than
my face. We dont televise live games as in
basketball. Chess is not that popular in
China. In 1895 China suffered a
catastrophic setback from the West. We
developed our own games [like xiangqi,
Chinese chess]. Only in the open policy
from 1979-80 under Deng Tsiao-ping was
international chess welcomed.
[I showed her a decades-old minicomputer that plays xiangqi. The
instructions in Chinese were over the
reporters head. I offered it to Ms. Hou.]
No, you keep it. It is very precious.
How do you use computers for training?
They can help you check opponents games,
check accuracy of analysis, but classical
books can help you with tactics, endgames,
and intuition.
What classical books have you read?
Nimzowitsch?
Not entirely.
Tarrasch?
Not really.
Botvinnik?
Hes in Russian, and I dont understand
Russian. Some books in Chinese, tactics,
www.uschess.org
35
endgames, New in Chess opening

books. Books cannot be ignored.
Continued from p. 33
1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 Be7 5. b3
[She is a known admirer of Fischer,

and eagerly accepted some literature
about him, but was not asked about
his books.]
Now that Chinese players have won

the Olympiad, and the womens world
championship, doesnt the
government increase funds for chess?
I dont feel that. Thats all I can say.
Apart from chess, what plans do you
have in life?
After my bachelors degree, I will study
for a masters. I would like to use chess
for international communication,
diplomacy, gathering people together.
Like Capablanca?
Not so political.
You defeated Judit Polgar when you
were 17. Is that your only game with
her?
Yes.
Do you think having children ends a
womans chess career?
Thats a key moment, but you can take
off a few years and come back.
GM Gata Kamsky gave up chess for 10
years. Maybe he lost some strength
thereby.
But he gained experiences and
knowledge, also important for a
chessplayer.
Finally, what is your message to
American girl players?
You must have passion for chess. Girls
have many interests, like fashion [Ms. Hou
dresses quite fashionably]. You must not
be forced to play chess. Have passion.
Thanks, and all success to you in the
future.
14. ... Qg4?!

14. ... Qd7 15. Rad1 Qc6+.
15. f3!
Surprisingly we will see that White does
have an initiative here.
How will chess be regarded in China

in 20 years?
With globalization, the whole world
should be connected. Chess should be a
universal language.
Fischer, asked why the Soviet Union
was best in chess, had a brief answer:
Money.
In Russia there is more basis for chess,
politicians, business people, sponsors.
In China, table tennis and other sports
are more important.
Setting up Nd5, as the bishop on b2 is

defended.
15. ... Qg6 16. f4!

The point, f4-f5 is a real threat. The
computer gives some weird moves here
but the position is already unpleasant.
16. ... Rfe8 17. Nb5!

These kind of set-ups are my favorite
to play. If you want more info, buy my
Reti DVD at uscfsales.com! Without any
more shameless plugs, lets move on ...
5. ... c5 6. 0-0 0-0 7. e3 Nc6 8. Qe2 b6 9. Bb2

Bb7 10. Nc3
This position is surprisingly complicated,
and I have been able to beat many strong
players from this deceivingly simple structure. The potential hanging pawns structures for both sides are sometimes difficult
to understand. I was hoping to catch my
opponent in one of these, but it was not
meant to be.
10. ... d4!

This move in this precise moment is
good.
11. exd4 Nxd4!

Forced. 11. ... cxd4 12. Ne4 and your
engine will tell you that Black is better,
but it lies worse than any one in Wall
Street. The structural weaknesses and
obvious play for White means that unless
you are playing Stockfish or Houdini,
Black will find himself in a difficult
situation rather soon.
The point. Nc7 is the obvious threat,

but there is more than that.
17. ... Rad8

Attacking d3. White collects an extra
pawn after 17. ... Rac8 18. Nxa7.
18. f5! Qg4

The line 18. ... exf5 19. Nc7 Bd6 20.
Nxe8 Rxe8 21. Qf3 f4 22. Rae1 gives Black
insufficient compensation for the lost
Exchange.
19. Rf3
Apparently stronger was 19. Rae1, but
I liked my solution.
19. ... Nh5

Threatening a little trick on f4. Thankfully Im strong enough to see those things,
as sunburnt as I was. 19. ... Bd6 was the
only move to keep chances, but after 20.
Nxd6 Rxd6 21. h3 Qg5 22. Re1 clearly
things are going well for White.
20. Re1 Bf8
12. Nxd4 Bxg2 13. Kxg2 Qxd4

This is kind of the point, Black has no
structural weaknesses and even the d4
advance would not bring White an
advantage. 13. ... cxd4 14. Ne4 is slightly
more pleasant for White, but should also
be around equal.
14. d3
I saw the following winning sequence,

and decided that it was better than taking
the two rooks for the queen after Nxa7.
21. h3!
21. Nxa7 exf5 22. Qxe8 Rxe8 23. Rxe8
f4 24. Nc8! and White should still be better.
21. ... Qg5 22. Nc7! Re7 23. Bc1

What an awkward situation for the
queen, it finds itself nearly trapped!
23. ... Qf6 24. fxe6 Qg6 25. exf7+ Rxf7 26.
Nd5
For the Grandmaster Challenge, one lucky participant could play in a round robin event against GM Timur Gareev (left), GM Sam Shankland (second from left),
and GM Hou Yifan (second from right). IM Shinya Kojima, far right, made up the foursome. International Arbiter Carol Jarecki is in the white jacket and next to her
is Event Organizer Beau Mueller.
I evaluated this position as nearly
winning. Not only am I up a pawn, my
knight on d5 is pretty monstrous.
26. ... Rxf3 27. Qxf3 Nf6

Simplifying my task, but honestly it was
just torture from here on.
28. Re6, Black resigned.

The festival of course closed with a
spectacular finale in the Grandmaster
Challenge. Sam Shankland led by a point
before the start of the day, but that
changed quickly. The last six rounds had
one dominant player: Hou Yifan.
Hou Yifan is an interesting personality.
She was the womens world champion
coming into the tournament (she was
replaced by Mariya Muzychuk when the
Ukrainian won the World Womens Cham-
pionship knockout which Hou Yifan did

not play due to her Hawaii commitment).
Shes smart, well read, and shes working
on her Englishwhich at times is still a
little goofy. However you can tell she is a
very sincere, down-to-earth person. It is
not something I expected from a world
champion who has millions of Weibo
(Chinese Twitter) followers and is idolized
by crowds (See sidebar China Is Near.).
Sunday was her day. She scored a massive 512/6 (only drawing her last round)
to finish with 9/12, 212 points (!) ahead of
Timur Gareev. What a spectacle, and I
had front row seats. Her determination
and strength of play reminded me of the
great grandmasters I have been able to
see in Wijk aan Zee, the Olympiad and
Linares/Morelia.
The closing dinner was simply marvelous, and it was a perfect chance to say
goodbye to a tournament I could not get

enough of. Despite the busy schedule,
it really felt like paradisein every sense,
from the chess festivities to the weather
to the beach to the fantastic food and
the love of the locals. I tasted the best
sushi I have had in my life thanks to
the generosity of Hester Inouye and Lloyd
Kawamura. I explored the most beautiful
corners of Oahu thanks to Damien Nash,
and I got to learn about Hawaiian culture
thanks to Beau Mueller and Guy Ontai.
I had amazing Chinese food, Hawaiian
food, Japanese food, I sunbathed, I saw
a whale and snorkeled to see a sea turtle,
I played against grandmasters, I laughed
and I had a lot of fun. There is only one
question that remains. Why werent you
there, and what are you waiting for to
sign up for the 2016 Hawaii Chess
Festival?
www.uschess.org
37
March Mateness!
At the Presidents Cup, also known
as the Final Four of College Chess, Webster
University continues to dominate.
By DYLAN MAC CLAIN
s the teams gathered at the New
York Athletic Club in Manhattan on
the final weekend of March for the
2015 Presidents Cupthe championship final of college chessthe question
was whether the juggernaut from Webster
University could be stopped.
Webster had won the last two national
championships, though in last years final

it was on the ropes in the final round
against Texas Tech. Only a reversal of fortune on board four allowed Webster to
snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
This year, Webster was again ranked
number one in the tournament, but the
obstacles to winning another champi-
onship were greater than ever.

Webster had lost two of its best players
from its previous title runs. Wesley So,
among the top 10 players in the world, had
left Webster after his sophomore year to
become a full-time professional. Georg Meier,
the teams number three player, had taken
a semester off and was ineligible to compete.
The competition was also more formidable. Unlike in previous years, where a
Cinderella team had made it to the final,
this year, the four teams were all among
the elite college chess programs. Between
them, they fielded 17 grandmasters and
five international masters in the competition.
Al Lawrence, the director of the program
at Texas Tech, had used a football analogy
to describe what could happen. It is anygiven-Sunday kind of thing, he said.
Of course, on any given Sunday, a
favorite can get on a roll and bury the
competition. That is what happened as
Webster reeled off eight wins and yielded
four draws, with no losses, to score 10
points, topping its previous record of 912
in 2013.
(In the Presidents Cup, which is named
after the trophy for the winners, but is

also known as the Final Four because it
usually takes place on the same weekend
as the NCAA basketball championship.
Total board scores are used to calculate
the winner.)
The University of Texas at Dallas (UTD)
took second with 512, Texas Tech was third
with 412, and the University of Maryland,
Baltimore County (UMBC), scored 4.
Lawrence summed up the situation, at
least as it related to Texas Techs perfor mance, in an e-mail after the event. Both
Webster and UTD are able to bring six
world-class grandmasters to the Final
Four. Thats just out of our league unless
we find lightning in a bottle. The lightning
just wasnt there this weekend, he wrote.
Susan Polgar, the former womens world
champion who is Websters coach, not
only snagged her third straight championship for Webster, but also won her fifth
straight title as a coach (she was the head
of Texas Techs program when it won the
Presidents Cup in 2011 and 2012).
In an e-mail afterwards, Polgar said that
though the team had all but locked up
first place before the last round matchup
against Texas Tech, that was still the
crucial round because the team wanted
to surpass its score in 2013. She wrote,
It is very important for our students to
achieve the goals they set for themselves.
The game that gave Webster its new
record was the victory by its top board,
Quang Liem Le over Yaroslav Zherebukh
in the final round.
(see game next page)
www.uschess.org
39
PHOTO: PAUL TRUONG
The 2015 Presidents Cup champions, Webster University Gorloks (l-r, front row): GM Susan Polgar (coach), GM Andre Diamant, GM Quang Liem Le, GM Illya Nyzhnyk. (l-r back row): GM Vasif Durarbayli, GM Ray
Robson, GM Fidel Corrales Jimenez.
4th place, University of Maryland, Baltimore County Retrievers (l-r): IM Levan The Georgian Gangster Bregadze, GM-elect Tanguy The Belgium Butcher Ringoir, GM Kore The Indian Knight Akshayraj, GM Niclas
The Dark Knight Huschenbeth, Captain Right: IM Nazi The Black Widow Paikidze.
GM Quang Liem Le (2755, Webster University)

GM Yaroslav Zherebukh (2728, Texas Tech)
Presidents Cup (3), New York, NY, 03.29.2015
tious, the bishop is better on e2 than on

d3 where it might later become a target
of a black knight on e5 or if Black pushes
his c-pawn to c4. It is also important to
control g4, which the bishop does from
e2.
short, it has become another liability.
16. ... Ng6 17. Kh1

A useful move by White to prevent his
knight from being pinned by Black playing
... Bd4.
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5
9. ... Re8?!
17. ... Qf6 18. Bd3 Bd7 19. Qc2 Rf8
With Texas Tech needing as many wins

as possible, Zherebukh chose the Benoni
Defense. Le wrote in an e-mail, In my
opinion, the Benoni is a very risky opening.
Black always tries to complicate the game
and get dynamic play, but often he just
has a worse position.
Black had other possibilities here,

including 9. ... a6 or 9. ... Ne8. The rook
also seems misplaced on e8 as often Black
tries to push his pawn to f5, in which
case the rook would be better on the ffile.
The rooks return to f8 shows that the

earlier move to e8 was not successful.
3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. Nf3

Also possible and more common moves
were 6. e4 or 6. g3. Le chose a quiet line
to avoid excessive complications. He said,
I wanted to play positionally for two
results. The situation of my team was
good, therefore, there was no need to take
risks. I knew that my opponent needed
to try for a win and hope for a miracle to
happen (the only chance for Texas Tech
to win the Final Four was to beat Webster
4-0 in the last round). So I decided just
to play a normal game, not shying away
from complications, but not playing too
aggressively either.
6. ... g6 7. Nd2
The Nimzowitsch or Knights Tour Variation.
7. ... Bg7 8. e4 O-O 9. Be2

Though this move does not look ambi-
20. Bd2 Ne7 21. Rab1 Rac8
10. O-O Na6

Black wants to bring the knight to c7
so that it can support a push of the bpawn. 10. ... a6 and 10. ... Nbd7 were
other good possibilities.
11. f3 Nc7 12. a4

White wanted to stop Black from ever
playing ... b5 to gain counterplay.
12. ... Nd7 13. Nc4 Ne5 14. Ne3

White does not want to trade pieces as
that would make Blacks defensive task
easier. In addition, the knight on e3 attacks the f5-square.
14. ... f5
For Black to have a chance to win, this
pawn push had to happen sooner or later.
15. exf5 gxf5 16. f4

Blacks f-pawn is blocked and isolated.
It also blocks his light-square bishop. In
Black would like to push his c-pawn to

c4 so this move is intended to support
that idea.
22. Nb5!
Though Le could not single out one
turning point in the game, he wrote of
this move, I was glad to find the positional
idea 22. Nb5. Of course there were other
plans, but I think this was a good practical
decision because after the exchange of
those knights, Black had some weaknesses
to defend and Whites position got much
PHOTOS: TTU BY AL LAWRENCE; UMBC BY MIKE MORGAN, PAIKIDZE BY MARYLANA DEMOND
Modern Benoni Defense,

Classical Variation (A79)

easier to play.
22. ... Nxb5 23. axb5 Qf7

23. ... c4 would not have worked
because after 24. Bxc4 Bxb5, White would
have 25. Bc3, and Black would lose material after 25. ... Bxc4 26. Bxf6 Bxf1 27.
Bc3.
24. Bc4 Ra8 25. Qd3

Le patiently improves the position of
his queen.
25. ... Kh8 26. b4 b6 27. Rfe1 Ng6 28. g3 Qf6

29. bxc5 bxc5 30. Rb3 Qd4 31. Qc2 Qe4+
with b6 is also very strong. If on move 31

my opponent had played 31. ... Rfe8
(instead of 31. ... Qe4+), then 32. Bc3
Qe4+ 33. Qxe4 fxe4 (33. ... Rxe4 34. Bxg7+
Kxg7 35. Ra1) 34. Bxg7+ Kxg7 and White
would still have the move 35. b6!, winning
the d6-pawn. This shows that Black was
already in a very difficult position at this
point.
32. Qxe4 fxe4 33. b6 axb6 34. Rxb6

White wins a pawn and Black has no
compensation for it.
34. ... Rfb8 35. Rxd6 Bh3 36. Ra6 Rxa6 37.
Bxa6 Bd4 38.Bf1 Bxf1 39. Nxf1 Rd8 40. Rxe4
Rxd5 41. Ne3 Rd8 42. Nf5
Desperation.
47. Rh6+ Kg8 48. Rxh5 Rd1+ 49. Kg2 c4 50.

Rg5+ Kf7 51. Rg7+ Ke6 52. Rc7 Kd5 53. Bf2,
Black resigned.
With the threat of Ne3, Black must lose
his c-pawn, so he threw in the towel.
In round two, Webster had annihilated
Texas at Dallas, 312 to 12, despite Texas at
Dallas effort to surprise Webster by putting
one of its top-rated players, Valentin Iotov
on board four. (Teams could move players
around as long as they were within a few
points of each other and the members of
Texas at Dallas team were all about the
same rating.) Websters Vasif Durarbayli
had the task of playing Iotov, and he
handled it well.
Grnfeld Defense (D90)
GM Valentin Iotov (2590, UT Dallas)

GM Vasif Durarbayli (2676, Webster University)
Notes by Durarbayli
Le wrote, Yes, initially I wanted to
double my rooks on the a-file to attack
the a7-pawn. But with the queen exchange
on e4 in the game, I did not have enough
time to execute this plan because my
opponent would have a counterattack on
b5. Fortunately, the idea to break through
Despite the reduced material, Whites

edge is overwhelming.
42. ... Bb2 43. Be3 Ba3 44. Re6 Nf8 45. Rc6
Rd5 46. g4 h5
Before the Final Four, we considered

UTD as our main opponent. We prepared
against them but they surprised us. We
did not expect that Iotov would play on
the fourth board. Before the game, I
decided to play the Grnfeld though it is
not my main opening.
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. h4
3rd place, Texas Tech Knight Raiders (l-r): GM Yaro Zherebukh, IM Andrey Gorovets, Texas Tech University President Duane Nellis, GM Samy Shoker, GM Elshan Moradiabadi, WGM Carla Heredia Serrano.
www.uschess.org
41
2nd place, University of Texas at Dallas Comets (back row l-r): GM-elect Denis Kadric, GM David Berczes, GM Leonid Kritz. (front row l-r): GM Valentin Iotov, GM Giorgi Margvelashvili, GM Conrad Holt.
Iotov had never played 5. h4 before. His

idea was to avoid my preparation and he
did. I did not remember anything after
this.
Nxc3 12. bxc3 Na6
5. ... c6
13. Be2 Nc7 14. Qb1?
I wanted my knight on the d5-square,

which is the best place for it.
The idea of 5. ... dxc4!? is a much more

complicated line as in 6. e4 c5 7. d5 0-0
8. Bxc4 b5 9. Bxb5 Nxe4 10. Nxe4 Qa5+
11. Nc3 Bxc3+ 12. bxc3 Qxb5 13. h5 Qc4
14. Rh4 Qxc3+ 15. Bd2 Qd3 16. hxg6
fxg6 17. Bh6 Qxd1+ 18. Rxd1 Re8, which
is close to equal, as in Mamedyarov-Giri,
Beijing, 2013. I was trying to play it safe.
White is trying to create an attack

against Blacks king, otherwise Blacks
pawns on the queenside will move forward.
But White does not have enough resources
to succeed.
21. ... gxf4 22. Bxd5 Qxd5 23. Bxf4 b4 24. Qc1
Kh7 25. Qc2+
During the game I thought, Why should

not I not take the pawn and then just
defend it? It was maybe not a great idea,
but it worked out well. In GrischukCarlsen (London 2013) the game continued: 6. ... 0-0 7. Bxf6 Bxf6 8. h5 Bf5 9.
e3 e6 10. hxg6 Bxg6 11. Bd3 Nd7 12. Qe2
e5 13. Bxg6 hxg6 14. dxe5 Nxe5 15. cxd5
cxd5 16. Rd1 Qa5 17. Kf1 Rad8 18. Nd4
Qc5 19. Nb3 Qc6 20. Na5 Qc7 21. Nb3
Qc6 22. Na5 Qc7 23. Nb3 Qc6, Draw
agreed.
7. e4 b5 8. e5 Nd5 9. h5 h6 10. Bd2 g5 11. a4
Iotov did not want to allow my bishop

on the b1-h7 diagonal, but he missed the
... Bg4 move and after this White can not
castle. It would have been better to
continue 14. 0-0 Bf5 15. axb5 cxb5 16.
Nh2 Nd5 17. f4 gxf4 18. Qe1 0-0 19. Bxf4,
and the position would have been unclear.
14. ... Bg4 15. Bd1 Qd7 16. Bc2 a5! 17. Nh2
Be6 18. 0-0 Nd5 19. Be4 0-0 20. axb5 cxb5
21. f4
25. ... f5!

An unexpected and strong move that
allows the en passant capture with check.
26. exf6+ e.p. Bf5 27. Qd2 Bxf6 28. Nf3 Rg8
29. Rf2 Be4 30. Ne5 Raf8 31. Ng6 Bxg6 32.
hxg6+ Rxg6 33. Be5 bxc3 34. Qc2
PHOTO: COURTESY OF UTD
6. Bg5 dxc4

After 8. 0-0 a6 9. Be2 (9. Ba4 b5 10.
Bb3 Na5 with the idea 11. ... Nxb3 and
12. ... Bb7 would be fine for Black) 9. ...
... d6 and ... f7-f5 is coming.
8. ... d5
34. ... Bxe5!

A combination to end the game in style.
35. Rxf8 Bxd4+ 36. Kf1 Qh5 37. Qe4 Qh1+ 38.
Ke2 Qxg2+ 39. Qxg2 Rxg2+, White resigned.
If 40. Kf3 Rf2+ 41. Ke4 Rxf8, and Black
has too many pawns.
Texas at Dallas rough start was a surprise. According to Jim Stallings, the
programs long-time director, the team
knew that it would be a difficult tournament, but they thought they had a
reasonable chance to win it before it began.
But, after round two, the team held the
not-so-coveted sole possession of fourth
place, as Stallings wrote in an e-mail. The
only way to secure second place was to
beat UMBC soundly and hope that Webster
took care of Texas Tech. In fact, that was
what happened.
Texas at Dallas win was fueled by two
decisive victories: Leonid Kritz over Tanguy
Ringoir, and Conrad Holt, Texas at Dallas
top performer over the weekend with 212
points out of a possible 3, who beat Kore
Akshayraj.
After six years of eligibility, it was Kritzs
swan song as a college player, and he
capped his career with a brilliant victory.
This move is best because it equalizes

immediately.
9. O-O-O
If 9. exd5 Nxd5 and Black has good play
everywhere. For example, 10. Nxc6 bxc6
11. Nxd5 cxb5 12. 0-0-0 c6 13. Nb4 Qf6.
Or, 10. Nxc6 bxc6 11. Bxc6 Nxe3 12.

Qxe3 (12. Bxa8 Qxd2+ 13. Kxd2 Nc4+ 14.
Ke1 Nxb2) 12. ... Rb8. Or, 10. Nxd5 Qxd5
11. Nxc6 (11. Bxc6 bxc6 12. 0-0 c5) 11.
... Qxb5 12. Ne7+ Kh8 13. Nxc8 Qxb2.
This came as a surpriseduring preparation I considered only 3. ... g6.
I think Black should have no problems

here. He has two ideas, one is to play ...
d7-d5, and another is to play ... f7-f5,
possibly after some preparation.
8. Qd2
Two Sigma heard about the Presidents Cup

through Erik Anderson, the head of WestRiver
Management, a private investment company.
Anderson also is a co-founder of Americas
Foundation for Chess, which has become one
of the countrys largest providers of in-class
chess curriculum.
Anger said that once the people at Two Sigma
heard about it, sponsoring the Presidents
Cup made a lot of sense. He said, We have a
lot of passionate chess players at the company, which has 750 employees. There is
even an annual internal chess tournament
which usually attracts about 40 competitors.
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nge7
V4. ... exd4 5. Nxd4 g6 6. Nc3 Bg7 7. Be3 O-O
It was Herman who was able to get the elegant

and prestigious New York Athletic Club on
Manhattans Central Park South for the venue
in 2014 and he did it again this year.
Evan Anger, the companys head of recruitment, said in an interview that the decision
to support the Presidents Cup was unusual.
To be honest, it is probably not the kind of
opportunity that we would have thought of,
he said.
Ruy Lopez (C60)
This is too simple. Better are the main

lines with 4. c3 or 4. 0-0 and c2-c3 later.
Chess competitions are always looking for

corporate support, and that is true of the
Presidents Cup as well. Since 2011, Booz
Allen Hamilton has not only been the sponsor,
but also the organizer of the event. Michael
E. Hoffpauir, one of the firms principals, who
also is a national tournament director, has
run the tournament for the last five years,
while Mark Herman, a senior executive, has
been responsible for most of the logistics.
This year, the Presidents Cup picked up a

second sponsorTwo Sigma, a New York
City-based investment company that uses
technology algorithms to make decisions
about how to manage $25 billion in assets.
GM Leonid Kritz (2626, University of Texas-Dallas)

GM-elect Tanguy Ringoir (2607, University of
Maryland, BC)
Notes by Kritz.
4. d4
Sponsors
Another interesting continuation was 9.

Bxc6. For example, 9. ... bxc6 10. Bh6
Bxh6 11. Qxh6 c5 (11. ... dxe4 12. 0-0-0)
12. Nb3 Rb8 13. 0-0-0 c4 14. Nd4 c6. Or,
9. Bxc6 bxc6 10. Bh6 Bxh6 11. Qxh6 c5
12. Nf3 f6 13. exd5 g5 (a cool idea!) 14. 00-0 Nf5 15. Qh3 (15. Qh5 Ng7 16. Qh6
Bg4) 15. ... Ne3 16. Qg3 Nf5 17. Qh3, etc.
Positions in this line are pretty complicated and entail risk for both sides. I
While Two Sigma does not expect that any

of the players in the final will one day work
for the company, it is possible, because a
background in finance is not necessary.
Instead, the company seeks out people who
have an interest in science and mathematicswhich chess players often do.
Mr. Anger said that Two Sigma only committed
to be a sponsor for 2015, but that the door
was open to continue. As long as the organization that we are involved with maintains
our values, our focus is that it would be a
long-term relationship, Anger said.
www.uschess.org
43

17. Nxe4 Nxd6 18. Nf6+ Kh8 19. h5
wanted to avoid risk and preferred to play

an equal endgame knowing that my opponent feels much more comfortable in
complication positions.
9. ... Nxd4 10. Bxd4 c6

This gives White additional chances.
Actually, the position becomes playable
Black missed the chance to fully equalize
with 10. ... dxe4. This was the most unpleasant move because the endgame is
very close to being drawn, though White
would still have some advantage after 11.
Bxg7 Qxd2+ 12. Rxd2 Kxg7 13. Nxe4 a6
14. Bd7 b6 15. Re1 Bb7.
11. Bxg7 Kxg7 12. Qd4+ Kg8 13. Be2

Also interesting was 13. Bc4, but I didnt
see how Black was going to get an acceptable position after Be2.
16. ... Nf5

Apparently straightforward, but now
Black loses by force. Another option
was16. ... Rd8, but after 17. Rxe6 fxe6
18. Qxe6+ Kf8 19. Qf6+ Ke8 20. Bc4 Nd5
(20. ... Rd6 21. Qf7+ Kd7 22. Nxe4) 21.
13. ... Be6 14. h4
14. ... dxe4

Risky is 14. ... h5 15. g4 dxe4 16. Qe5
Nd5 17. Nxd5 cxd5 18. gxh5.
20. Nd7+ f6 21. Qxe6 Qc7
15. Qe5
Or, 21. ... Qe8 22. Qxd6 Rf7 23. Bg4

Rd8 24. Rd1, and Whites advantage is
clear.
This is the pointWhite plays on black

squares, in particular now Nxe4-Nf6(+) is
a very dangerous threat.
22. Nxf8 Rxf8 23. Rd1 Ne8
15. ... Qb8
16. Rd6
Blacks position has become more and
more dangerous. There is only one move
that can save Black from immediate
loss, but it is not easy to find.
At A Glance
19. ... g5
Blacks situation is already dire. For
example, 19. ... Nf5 20. hxg6 h6 21. Rxh6+
Nxh6 (21. ... Kg7 22. Rh7+ Kxg6 23. Bh5+
Kg5 24. Ne4+ Kh4 25. Qf6 mate) 22. g7+
Kxg7 23. Qg5+ Kh8 24. Qxh6 mate. Or,
19. ... Ne8 20. hxg6 Nxf6 21.Qxf6+ Kg8
22. gxh7 mate.
Another interesting idea was 14. Qf6,

but after 14. ... Nc8 15. Qxd8 Rxd8 16.
exd5 cxd5 17. Bf3 Ne7, Black should be
able to hold it.
I think this was the best defense. Instead, 15. ... Nd5 16. Nxe4 Qb8 17. Rxd5
Bxd5 18. Nf6+ Kh8 19. Qd4 (19. Qc3 Qf4+
20. Kb1 Rae8 21. Nxd5+ [White nets a
pawn after 21. Nxe8+ f6 22. Nxf6 Qxf6
23. Qxf6+ Rxf6 24. f3] 21. ... Qe5 22.
Qxe5+ Rxe5 23. Ne3 f5 is much better for
White) 19. ... c5 20. Qd2 Be6 21. Qh6
and it is all over.
The inclusion of this move is crucial.

All the same variations with the pawn
on h4 result in an almost equal
endgame.
No better is 23. ... Re8 24. Qxf6+ Qg7

25. Qxd6 Rxe2 26. Qd8+ Qg8 27. Qf6+
Qg7 28. Rd8+. Or, 23. ... Nc8 24. Rd7
Qf4+ 25. Kd1 Qxf2 26. Qe4.
Nxd5 Rxd5 (21. ... cxd5 22. Bb5+) 22.
Bxd5 cxd5 23. h5, Black would also be
losing.
It was not obvious, but the only way
for Black to stay in the game was 16. ...
Re8. Then 17. h5 Bd5 18. hxg6 (18. h6
Nf5!) 18. ... Nxg6 19. Qh2, when White
would have a solid advantage, but at least
Black is not losing immediately. Note that
in this line, 16. ... Re8 17. h5, Black would
lose after 17. ... Nf5 18. hxg6 fxg6 (18. ...
Qxd6 19. gxh7+ Kf8 20. Qf6) 19. Nxe4
Nxd6 20. Nf6+ Kf8 21. Rxh7, and there is
no defense against Nd7(+)-Qh8 mate.
24. Rd7 Qe5 25. Qxe5 fxe5 26. h6

Now the rook cannot leave f8 because
of Rd8.
26. ... e4
26. ... Rxf2 27. Rd8 Rf8 28. Bh5.
27. Rd8, Black resigned.

The threat is Bh5 or 27. ... Kg8 28.
Bc4+ Kh8 29. Bf7.
See more games and photos at
www.uschess.org/content/view/13006/806/.
Final Four of College Chess
Date: March 28-29, 2015 | Location: New York Athletic Club, New York, New York | 22 players, 4 teams | Top Finishers: 1st, 10:
Webster University (Quang Liem Le, Ray Robson, Illia I. Nyzhnyk, Vasif Durarbayli, Fidel Corrales Jimenez, Andre Diamant; 2nd, 512:
University of Texas at Dallas (Giorgi Margvelashvili, Leonid Kritz, Conrad Holt, Denis Kadric, Valentin L. Iotov, David Berczes); 3rd,
412: Texas Tech University (Yaroslav Zherebukh, Elshan Moradiabadi, Andrey Gorovets, Samy Shoker, Carla Heredia); 4th, 4: University
of Maryland Baltimore County (Niclas Huschenbeth, Tanguy Ringoir, Kore Akshayraj, Levan Bregadze, Nazi Paikidze). | Chief
Tournament Director: Mike E. Hoffpauir.
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USCF
UNITED STATES CHESS FEDERATION
845453&&5t5&.1-&50/ *08"
t8885301)*&41-64$0.t5301):."/!5301)*&41-64$0.
Solitaire Chess / Instruction
Perfection
In this U.S. Championship issue, we take a look back just over 50 years ago
at a historic game from the 1963 U.S. Championship.
By BRUCE PANDOLFINI
FROM MORPHY TO PILLSBURY TO MARshall to Reshevsky to Nakamura, the U.S.

Championship has showcased some of the
games greatest players and performances.
Perhaps no performance was greater than
Bobby Fischers perfect sweep (11-0) of
the 1963-64 event. Fischer had already
won his first nine games when in the tenth
round he faced world class grandmaster Pal
Benko (Black). In what turned out to be a
most memorable encounter indeed, Fischer wasted no time in dispensing with
his elite opponent. That historic game
began:
Pirc Defense (B09)
Robert J. Fischer
Pal Benko
U.S. Championship 1963-64 (10), New York,
12.30.1963
1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 d6
Fischer plays for a version of the Austrian

Attack. Accept full credit for playing 4. Nf3,
4. Be3, 4. Bg5, 4. f3, 4. Be2, 4. Bc4, or even
4. g3. Whites front of three straight pawns
looks formidable. As a counter, Black says
not so fast. Advance too quickly and I will
target those pawns and surrounding
squares for potential weaknesses. Lets
see how the argument proceeds.
4.
5.
Nf3
Par Score 5
In turn, Fischer develops his kingknight, which also strengthens his d-pawn
while influencing the square e5.
5.
0-0
Benko castles, so he should be OK (?). **
6.
Bd3
Par Score 5
White prepares kingside castling and

also fortifies his e-pawn. As a rule, if you
have such a central pawn array, it makes
sense to bolster it against future attacks.
Now make sure you have the above position set up on your chessboard. As you
play through the remaining moves in this
game, use a piece of paper to cover the
article, exposing Whites next move only
after trying to guess it. If you guess correctly, give yourself the par score.
Sometimes points are also awarded for
second-best moves, and there may be
bonus pointsor deductionsfor other
moves and variations. Note that ** means
that Whites move is on the next line.**
f4
Nf6
Black develops normally and prepares

kingside castling.**
6.
4.
Par Score 5
Bg4
Was this a questionable decision? By

pinning the f3-knight, Benko is really
assailing the d4-pawn. But it also implies
ceding the two bishops, and such a force
can be quite a weapon in Fischers hands.
These days, a lot of strong players try 6.
... Na6 instead, with the idea of following
with ... c7-c5.**
7.
h3
Par Score 5
Fischer wastes no time clearing the air.

He wants the two bishops and fast. Accept
only 3 points part credit for 7. Be3.
7.
Bxf3
Once you start down a path, sometimes

you cant go back. Like here.**
8.
Qxf3
Par Score 5
Accept only 3 points part credit for 8.

gxf3. It opens the g-file, which doesnt
mean much here, while doubling pawns

unnecessarily. Besides, taking back on f3
with the queen is a perfectly normal developing move.
8.
Nc6
Benko opts for direct attack against the

d-pawn. But 8. ... Na6 was still worthy of
consideration, since it would have been terribly unlikely that Fischer would have
surrendered his two-bishop edge so soon
just to inflict doubled a-pawns.**
9.
Be3
Par Score 5
A solid developing move that also safeguards the center. Meanwhile, Fischer
now has the option of castling queenside.
9.
e5
A fateful decision, but what else was

there? In playing for central counterplay,
Benko allows Fischer to instill a certain
kind of character on the position, and its
going to favor Bobby.**
10.
dxe5
Par Score 5
Step one: Fischer trades off his attacked

d-pawn. Receive only 3 points part credit
for 10. fxe5, which after 10. ... dxe5 11. d5
meets up with 11. ... Nd4, and Black is
alive and kicking.
10.
dxe5
What else? Black has to take back.**
11.
f5
Par Score 6
The nice move ensures that Fischer will

be in control of the f-files opening. And he
has other possibilities too, such as a kingside pawn storm beginning with a subsequent g2-g4.
11.
gxf5
Perhaps fearful of a kingside avalanche,

Benko accepts what he deems to be the
lesser of two evils. But his kingside does
look ripe for invasion.**
12.
Qxf5
Par Score 6
By taking back with the queen, White
Solitaire Chess / Instruction
Problem I
ABCs of Chess
Problem II
Mating Net
Problem III
Obstruction
Discovered Defense
These problems are all related to key

positions in this months game. In each
case, Black is to move. The answers can
be found in Solutions on page 71.
June Exercise: The world has changed,

and so has chess evaluation. Do this.
Play through a batch of games played
and/or annotated by a famous
grandmaster prior to 1950.
Undoubtedly, you will encounter many
wonderful and nice moves, making for
memorable instruction. Then do this.
Input the same moves into a decent
contemporary analytic engine. Voil!
Dont be surprised if the computer
disagrees with a significant percentage
of the great players moves and advice.
Its okay to be shocked, however, if the
computer goes on to say: If I have
seen further than others its because
Ive stood on the shoulders of giants.
keeps the f-file clear for his major pieces.
Accept only 3 points part credit for 12.
exf5. After it, the center opens a bit more,
and Whites king is still uncastled.
12.
Nd4
Black would have played this move

against 12. exf5 as well.**
13.
Qf2
Par Score 5
The white queen is actually well placed

here. From f2 it defends the second rank and
also remains poised for kingside operations.
13.
Ne8
A questionable decision. One of its

biggest problems is that it abandons control of h5, but were not there yet.**
14.
0-0
Par Score 5
Accept full credit for 14. 0-0-0. This decision would lead to slightly different play,
but it also has its merits. Fischer liked his
chances along the open f-file, however, so
kingside castling makes a lot of sense.
14.
Nd6
From d6, the knight supports f7, guards

c4 against a bishop placement, and also
upholds a possible ... f7-f5 advance. But
it has a drawback too in that the square
h5 is harder to defend.**
15.
Qg3
Par Score 6
Fischer zeroes in on Blacks weakened

position. The possibility of a future Be3h6 now looms on the horizon.
Problem IV
Mating Net
15.
Problem V
Problem VI
Fork
Mating Net
Kh8
18.
exd4
Black moves his king to the corner, getting it off the g-file. Emanuel Lasker chafed
at such moves, in that it often meant a lost
tempo in the endgame, when one tries to
bring the king back to the center. But this
game isnt going to reach the endgame. It
has risk attached to it, but perhaps Black
should have tried 15. ... f5.**
A brilliant obstruction. Give yourself 2

bonus points if you rejected 19. e5?, when
19. ... f5! saves the day, since 20. Qxe8 can
be met by 20. ... Nxe8.
16.
19.
Qg4
Par Score 6
Step by step, Fischer heads to the promise land.
16.
c6
This keeps the white knight out of d5,

but it doesnt dissuade Fischer from his
goal. Indeed, its hard to see what else
Black could reasonably try, since 16. ... f5
could have been met by the simple 17.
e4xf5 (1 bonus point).**
17.
Qh5
Par Score 6
It reminds us of a famous quote by Nimzowitsch (though in a radically different

position): The queen is well placed here.
17.
Qe8
Now we see Blacks idea. Black hopes to

move his f-pawn (a defensive discovered
attack) and offer a queen trade at the
appropriate moment.**
18.
Bxd4
Par Score 6
Fischer continues with his plan, leading

to the opening of the d3-h7 diagonal.
If youre captured, you usually have to

capture back.
19.
Rf6!
Par Score 8
Kg8
Ah, Laskers advice comes back to haunt

Black, though Blacks king is not coming
back to the center for the endgame. No,
now its fleeing for its very life. Nevertheless,
it can run, but it cant hide. Accept 1 bonus
point if you planned to answer 19. ... Bxf6
by 20. e5, with mate hanging at h7.**
20.
e5
Par Score 6
Here come the guys. For those not yet

awake, the threat is 21. Qxh7 mate.
20.
h6
This helps for now, but it doesnt help

for later. Nothing does.**
21.
Ne2
Par Score 6
Give yourself 1 bonus point if you realized that moving the knight to safety (say
21. ... Nb5) allows 22. Qf5. Give yourself
1 bonus point more if you analyzed 21. ...
Bxf6 22. Qxh6, with mate to follow. So ...
21.
Black resigned.
See score box in Solutions, page 71.
www.uschess.org
47
The Practical Endgame / Instruction
Ego Trip
Naroditsky had a brutal experience at the 2015 U.S. Championship,
but here is an example of what went right.
By GM DANIEL NARODITSKY
BOASTING A WORLD-CLASS FIELD, THE

2015 U.S. Championship produced 11
rounds of high-quality, fighting chess and
left spectators on the edge of their seats.
Coming off sensational victories in Gibraltar and London, GM Hikaru Nakamura
was his typical unstoppable self, starting
with two wins and never looking back. In
the Womens Championship, GM Irina
Krush reaffirmed her total domination
over American womens chess and finished
a full point ahead of her nearest pursuer.
Unfortunately, the championship was
a brutal event for me. After losing the first
two games, I completely lost my footing
and finished in last place with 212/11,
dropping more than 20 rating points in
the process. A disappointment, but I will
learn from my mistakes and definitely
come away stronger.
An event of this caliber always produces
a litany of fascinating endgame battles.
It is a real shame that we must limit ourselves to one. And I must admit, ego simply
got the better of me this time!
to liquidate into a rather unusual ending.

Whites material advantage should be decisive, but it is remarkably difficult to make
progress. In order to untangle himself,
White must find a way to eliminate the
c3-pawn. To this end, my first inclination
was to play 40. f3, intending an eventual
Bf2-e1. However, following 40. ... a4 41.
Bf2 Kb8! Black threatens the highly problematic ... Na7-b5, essentially forcing 42.
Be1. After 42. ... Nxd4 43. Bxc3 Nxf3 Black
gains a pawn for the Exchange and keeps
his fortress alive. Not impressive.
With only a few minutes remaining, my
eye was suddenly drawn to an improbable
geometric construction: if White can clear
the third rank while keeping the d4-pawn
defended, there is nothing to stop the rook
from picking up the c3-pawn!
At this point, Conrad settled into a deep

think. There is obviously plenty to ponder.
Given only a few moves, White will snag
the c3-pawn, move his rook back to g3,
and slowly wear down Blacks outwardly
impregnable fortress. Clearly perturbed
by the turn of events, my opponent simply
loses the thread.
41. ... Kd8?!

A clear step in the wrong direction, and
a precursor to the calamitous blunder on
the next move. To generate counterplay,
Black had to prepare the aforementioned
Na7-b5 maneuver, and 41. ... Kb8! was
the right way to do it. After 42. Rg3 Na7
43. Rxc3 Nb5 44. Rg3 Kb7 a fascinating
position arises.
40. f4!
Halting Holt
GM Daniel Naroditsky (2730)

04.10.2015
ANALYSIS DIAGRAM
My only success of the tournament came

in round nine, against GM Conrad Holt.
After gaining the upper hand in a sharp
French, I won an Exchange and managed
Amazingly, the absence of the c3-pawn

does not make Whites job any easier.
There is simply no way to make inroads
without giving back at least a pawn. White
must choose between several equally
tempting options:
A. 45. Be1?! gives up the wrong pawn.
After 45. ... Nxd4 46. Rg2 Kc6 Black
has excellent drawing chances.
B. 45. c3!? is a worthy try, but it seems
to fall just short: 45. ... Nxa3 46. Kb2
Nb5 47. Be1 Kb6 and I cant see any
compelling way to make inroads. For
instance, 48. Rg8 a3+ 49. Ka2 Kc6 and
Whites bishop is perpetually tied down
to the c3-pawn, rendering Blacks
fortress completely impenetrable.
There is still room for creativity in the

endgame. Needless to mention, f2-f4 is a
decidedly anti-positional move, but it is
the only way to generate tangible winning
chances. As usual, concrete calculation
trumps general reasoning.
40. ... a4!
Conrad maintains his composure, finding the only way to retain drawing chances.
By immobilizing the a3-pawn, Black
ensures that a future knight maneuver
to b5 will come with far greater effect.
41. Bf2
The Practical Endgame / Instruction
Practically perfect
Each month GM Naroditsky will present
two problems taken from actual games
that illustrate the theme of this months
column. Your task is to find the best line
of play. Problem I should be solveable by
a player at roughly a 1500 rating and
Problem II by a player roughly at a 2000
rating.
Problem I: 1500 Level
Problem II: 2000 Level
GM Gata Kamsky (2762)

2015 U.S. Championship (7)
Apurva Virkud (2239)

2015 U.S. Womens Championship (4)
WHITE TO MOVE
BLACK TO MOVE
See the solutions on page 71.
C. 45. Kb2! is definitely the way to go,

although it is hard to say whether
Whites position is winning. After the
semi-forced sequence 45. ... c3+ 46.
Kc1 Be4 47. Be1 Nxd4 48. Rg7+ Ka6
49. Bxc3 Nxc2 50. Rf7 Whites pieces
reach peak activity and f4-f5 becomes
a deadly threat.
overwhelming material advantage does

not turn out to be decisive.
42. Rg3 Na7?

The right idea, but a flawed execution.
As it turns out, the position of Blacks
king on d8 will lead to his instant demise.
It was not too late to get back on the right
track with 42. ... Kc7! 43. Rxc3 Na7.
48. Ba5 Bg6 49. c3

Permanently locking up the queenside,
and ending Blacks hopes for counterplay
once and for all.
49. ... Na7 50. Bd8
43. Be1!
Even still, the game is far from

over. Black reinforces the f5-square
with 50. ... Ne3, and following 51.
Bd4 Nc4 52. Ra7+ (52. f5, tempting
as it looks, falls short after 52. ...
Bxf5 and 53. Rxf5?? no longer works)
52. ... Kb5 53. Rb7+ Kc6! 54. Rb4
Nxa3 55. Rxa4 Nc4 ...
This move came as a shock to Conrad,

who was undoubtedly expecting 43. Rxc3.
Instead, White abruptly shifts gears,
choosing to capture on c3 with the bishop.
43. ... Nb5 44. Bxc3

Only now does everything become clear.
With the king on b8, Whites concept would
have been ludicrous, but as it stands, the
a3-pawn is untouchable on account of
Ba5+! In an attempt to improve the position of his king, Black unintentionally
corrupted the drawing mechanism by
removing its key component.
44. ... Ke8
I would probably rate Blacks drawing chances as slightly higher than

Whites winning chances. The torture
will go on forever, but I cannot see a
compelling plan to make progress.
Amazing. It is very rare that such an
A sad necessity, but the damage is

already done. With the bishop on c3, White
has all the time in the world to lock up
the queenside and penetrate.
45. Kb2 Kf7 46. Rg2 Be4 47. Rd2 Bf5

Black is consigned to passivity, since
47. ... Kg6 48. Bb4 Kf5 would only accelerate the inevitable after 49. c3! Kxf4 50.
Rf2+ Bf3 51. Rh2 with Rh7 to follow.
The last finesse. The bishop is transferred to an ideal square on f6, where it
will restrict the knight and pave the way
for the rook.
50. ... Nc6 51. Bf6 Be4 52. Rh2 Ke8 53. Rh8+
Kd7 54. Rg8 Kc7 55. Rg7+ Kb6 56. Be7 Bf5
Of course, 56. ... Nxe7 57. Rxe7 Bf5
offered no hope: White wins in rather comical fashion by bringing his king to f6 and
taking on e6.
57. Bc5+ Ka6 58. Rf7!

Threatening Rxf5 followed by e6.
58. ... Bg4 59. Kc2, Black resigned.

The immediate 59. f5 won faster, but
seeing as how I was not exactly in top
formI decided to play it safe by bringing
my king over.
A practical endgame in the purest sense.
From the outset, both players faced concrete challenges that have little to do with
theoretical knowledge or general understanding. Imagination, precise calculation,
tenacitythese are the central attributes
of a modern endgame player!
www.uschess.org
49
2015 Trophies Plus Grand Prix Summary
Trophies Plus to award $12,500 in cash prizes in the 2015 Grand Prix!
2015 TROPHIES PLUS GRAND PRIX STANDINGS
The following point totals reflect all rated event information as of May 5 for the 2015 Grand Prix. All Grand
Prix updates are unofficial and subject to change during the year or until year-end tabulation is complete.
PHOTO: COURTESY OF CHESS CLUB AND SCHOLASTIC CENTER OF SAINT LOUIS
OVERALL STANDINGS
NAME
With a clear first place finish at the 2015 Reno Larry Evans
Memorial Open, GM ALEXANDER IVANOV catapulted to first
place in the 2015 Trophies Plus Grand Prix race.
CATEGORIES AND PRIZES
12 ,500
STATE
PTS.
GM Alexander Ivanov
MA
121.10
GM Gata Kamsky
NY
94.00
IM John Daniel Bryant
CA
73.66
IM Priyadharshan Kannappan MO
71.33
GM Ioan Cristian Chirila
CA
70.00
GM Elshan Moradiabadi
TX
64.37
GM Sergey Kudrin
CT
64.33
FM Ruifeng Li
TX
53.37
GM Niclas Huschenbeth
MD
52.00
10
GM Enrico Sevillano
CA
51.66
11
GM Mark Paragua
NY
49.25
12
IM Steven C. Zierk
MA
45.58
13
IM Sergey Erenburg
VA
45.56
14
IM Ashwin Jayaram
MO
44.50
15
IM Jeffery Xiong
TX
44.00
Trophies Plus:
ITS NOT JUST A TROPHY.
ITS THE BEGINNING OF A LIFETIME OF ACHIEVEMENT.
IN CASH PRIZES!
Proud sponsor of USCF National Scholastic

tournament awards since 1999.
FIRST PRIZE: $5,000!
Proud sponsor of the USCF 2007-2015 All-America Team.
2nd: $2,500 | 3rd: $1,000

4th: $900 | 5th: $800
6th: $700 | 7th: $600
8th: $500 | 9th: $300
10th: $200
315 W. 1st St., Templeton, Iowa 51463 | 800.397.9993 | www.trophiesplus.com
50
2015 USCF JUNIOR GRAND PRIX TOP OVERALL STANDINGS

Official standings for events received
and processed by May 12, 2015 are
unofficial and subject to change
during the year or until year-end
tabulation is complete.
The top prize for 2015 will be a Chess.com
one-year Diamond membership valued at
$100, a Chess.com gear/merchandise
package valued at $100, a USCF plaque,
free entry into the 2016 U.S. Open, and
$1,000 of expense money from the USCF
to offset the trip. For the top five players
on the overall list and to each state winner,
Chess.com will also award a choice of a
one-year ChessKid.com gold membership
(valued at $50/annually) or a one-year
Chess.com Gold membership (valued at
$40/annually) The USCF gratefully acknowledges the participation of Chess.com!
Name
State
Pts.
Name
NJ
5319
CHEN, DAVID
PA
2800
CA-N
4427
CASTILLO, ANDREW
TX
2790
WONG, NATHANIEL
MD
4064
MOPURU, RANESH
VA
2752
CHANG, ELIAM HUAI-YANG
CA-N
3993
GHATTI, SANJAY
GA
2747
YE, LUKE SICONG
NE
3858
WEFER, AUSTIN S
NY
2745
GORTI, AKSHITA
VA
3548
NAIR, SIDDHANT
VA
2739
SERGOTT, LUKE CHRISTOPHER
MI
3438
POLAVARAM, RITHIK SAI
TX
2736
RUNNELS, WESLEY
MA
3414
SWAFFORD, ELIAS
GA
2724
GUO, ARTHUR
GA
3235
ASIEDU, ELIANA
NY
2677
TAKAHASHI, MICHAEL JOHN
IA
3061
MERCHANT, ALI ARMAAN
MD
2659
MALINSKY, ANDREW P
PA
2989
ARRIAGA, LUIS OOKIE
TX
2658
PINNINTI, SAHAS R
PATEL, ANUJ
DOMMALAPATI, AASA
State
Pts.
VA
2963
OLGUIN, EDWIN
TX
2620
VALLABHANENI, SUNITH
CA-N
2944
RENTMEESTER, KYLE
WI
2606
ZHAO, CHENYI
CA-N
2923
ESWARAN, AKSITHI
CA-N
2597
SINGHAL, SANAT, JR
CA-S
2920
YOMTOBIAN, YOSEF
NY
2592
KOBLA, VISHAL
EIDELMAN, GABRIEL
MORRIS, MARK D
AQUINO, ETHAN CONNOR
RULLAN, FRANCO RENE
VA
2894
KRISHNA, RAM
TX
2525
CA-S
2891
RAMOS, LUIGI
TX
2522
TX
2867
WAGNER, NICHOLAS R
PA
2482
CA-S
2842
DEVALAPALLI, PRANAV
GA
2479
TX
2827
YBARRA, JAYDEN
TX
2474
www.uschess.org
51
Tournament Life / June
USCF National
Events
Note: Tournament memberships not valid for National events
SEE TLA IN THIS ISSUE FOR DETAILS

2015 U.S. Junior Open June 12-14 Schaumburg, Illinois
2015 U.S. Senior Open June 12-14 Schaumburg, Illinois
2015 U.S. Game/10 Championship (QC) June 18 Las Vegas, Nevada
2015 U.S. Womens Open June 18-19 Las Vegas, Nevada
2015 National Open June 19-21 or 20-21 Las Vegas, Nevada
116th annual (2015) U.S. Open August 1-9, 4-9 or 6-9 Phoenix, Arizona
2015 U.S. Masters Championship August 27-31 Greensboro, North Carolina
FUTURE EVENTS (Watch for details)

2015 U.S. Girls Junior Championship (Closed) June 22-26 Tulsa, Oklahoma - Frank Berry
fkimberry@aol.com
2015 U.S. Junior Championship (Closed) July 6-16 St. Louis, Missouri - Info: 314-361CHESS, info@saintlouischessclub.org
2015 U.S. Cadet Championship (Closed) July 25-30 Rockville, Maryland - Info: Michael
Regan, mregan@stsci.edu
2015 K-12 Grade Championship December 4-6 Lake Buena Vista, Florida
2016 National High School (K-12) Championship April 1-3 Atlanta, Georgia
2016 National Junior High (K-9) Championship April 15-17 Indianapolis, Indiana
2016 National Elementary (K-6) Championship May 6-8 Nashville, Tennessee
117th annual (2016) U.S. Open July 30-August 7 Indianapolis, Indiana
2016 K-12 Grade Championship December 16-18 Nashville, Tennessee
2017 SuperNationals VI May 12-14 Nashville, Tennessee
2018 K-12 Grade Championship December 14-16 Orlando, Florida
2020 K-12 Grade Championship December 11-13 Orlando, Florida
2021 SuperNationals VII May 7-9 Nashville, Tennessee
Bids
Note: Organizers previously awarded
options for USCF National Events
must still submit proposals (including
sample budgets) for their events.
OVERDUE BIDS
Please contact the National Office if you
are interested in bidding for a National
Event. The USCF recommends that
bids be submitted according to the
following schedule. However, bids may
be considered prior to these dates.
USCF reserves the right to decline all
bids and organize the event itself.
DEADLINE JULY 1, 2014:

2015
U.S. Amateur (North)
2015
U.S. G/30 Championship
2015
U.S. G/60 Championship
For our expanded list of national events

available for bid, see:
www.uschess.org/content/view/12116/705/.
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Insurance Brokers, Inc. to provide USCF
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eration.html. For event insurance, please
go to www.rvnuccio.com.
NOTE
The TLA pages Information for Organizers,
TDs, and Affiliates and Information for
Players can now be found online at
main.uschess.org/go/tlainfo.
PROFESSIONAL PLAYERS HEALTH AND BENEFITS FUND

Many Grand Prix tournament organizers will contribute $1 per player to the Professional Health & Benefits Fund. All Grand Prix tournaments
which participate in this program are entitled to be promoted to the next higher Grand Prix categoryfor example, a six-point
tournament would become a 10-point (Enhanced) tournament. Points in the top category are promoted 50%.
Rating supplements will be updated EACH MONTH on the USCF website, and each monthly rating supplement will be used for all
tournaments beginning in that month, unless otherwise announced in Chess Life. The USCF website at www.uschess.org also frequently
lists unofficial ratings.The purpose of unofficial ratings is to inform you of your progress; however, most tournaments do not use them for
pairing or prize purposes. If you would otherwise be unrated, organizers may use your unofficial rating at their discretion, even without
advance publicity of such a policy.
52
See previous issue for TLAs appearing June 1-14

The Tournament Announcements on the following pages are provided for the convenience of USCF members and for informational purposes only. Unless expressly indicated otherwise, neither the
U.S. Chess Federation nor Chess Life warrants the accuracy of anything contained in these tournament announcements. Those interested in additional information about or having questions concerning
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than one prize under $100 may count towards the Grand Prix point total. 3) Prizes below the maximum entry fee do not count towards the Grand Prix point total. Also include full time
control noting increment or time delay even if delay is zero (d0).
USCF Junior Grand Prix: A Junior Grand Prix event must have four or more rounds with a time control greater than 65 min. Please see: www.uschess.org/data page/JPG-Rules.php for
complete Rules.
SUBMISSIONS: E-mail your tla to: tla@uschess.org (Joan DuBois). For tla deadline schedule, formatting help and Grand Prix information see pg. 69 and 70 of the March 2014 issue or check
www.uschess.org/go/tlainfo. Payment can be done online through the TD/Affiliate area or sent to: U.S. Chess, TLA Dept., PO Box 3967, Crossville, TN 38557.
Nationals
USCF Junior Grand Prix!
JUNE 12-14, ILLINOIS
TROPHIES PLUS GRAND PRIX POINTS: 15
2015 U.S. Junior Open
6SS, G/90+30/increment. Hyatt Regency Schaumburg, 1800 E. Golf
Rd., Schaumburg, IL 60173. 847-605-1234 $99.00 chess rate singledouble-triple-quad until 5/15/15, Free WiFi included with Room! Please
reserve early. 4 Sections based on age as of 1/1/2015: Under 21,
U15, Under 11 and Under 8. June Rating Supplement used. U21:
$500+entry to 2016 US Junior Championship, if still eligible by age, $250-125-75-50. Individual plaques to top five overall, plaques for best
player age 18, 17, 16, 15, Under 15, and for ratings U1600, U1400,
U1200. U15: Individual trophies to top 15 overall, trophies for best
player age 14, 13, 12, 11, Under 11 and for ratings U1400, U1200,
U1000. U11: Individual trophies to top 15 overall, trophies to best player
age 10, 9, 8, 7, Under 7, and for ratings U1200, U1000, U800. U8:
Individual trophies to top 15 overall, best player age 7, 6 & under, and
for ratings U1000, U800, U600; Commemorative medals for all participants. Teams: Trophies to top three school teams and top club team in
each of the four sections. Top four scores, minimum of three, count
towards team score in each section. Byes: One half-point bye, any
round except Rd. 6, if requested before Rd. 1. EF: $50 postmarked or
online by 5/23, $70 thereafter credit cards ok onsite. Schedule:
Onsite registration: Thurs 7-9pm or Fri 8-9am. Rds.: Fri, Sat 10am &
4pm, Sun 9am & 3pm. Side Events: Friday Night Blitz (8:30pm) and
Saturday Night Puzzle Solving (8:30pm) - $15 each by 5/23, $20 each
onsite. Entries: Mail to ChessIQ (checks payable to) 4957 Oakton St.,
Suite 113, Skokie, IL 60077 or online at www.chessiq.com/junior2015.
Info: sevan@chessiq.com. On tournament day only: 847.274.1352. Sets,
Boards and Clocks provided. Must use organizer provided equipment.
USCF and FIDE rated. FIDE Laws of Chess to be used.
2015 U.S. Senior Open
6SS, G/90+30/increment. Hyatt Regency Schaumburg, 1800 E. Golf
Rd., Schaumburg, IL 60173. 847-605-1234 $99.00 chess rate singledouble-triple-quad until 5/15/15, Free WiFi included with Room! Please
reserve early. Open to USCF members born on or before June 26, 1965.
$5,000 b/100 full entries - $1,250-800-500-300, U2300 $500-300,
U2000 $300-150, U1800 $300-150, U1500/UNR $300-150. DGT 2010
Special Edition Clocks to top 3. Plaques to top age 50-54, 55-59, 60-64,
65-69, 70-74 and over 75. 2014 Defending US Senior Champion to receive
complementary entry fee to 2015 event. EF: $110 post marked or online
by 5/23, $125 thereafter and onsite. Byes: One half-point bye, any
round except Rd. 6, if requested before Rd. 1. Schedule: Onsite registration: Thurs 7-9pm or Fri 8-9am. Rds.: Fri, Sat 10am & 4pm, Sun 9am
& 3pm. Entries: Mail to ChessIQ (checks payable to) 4957 Oakton St.,
Suite 113, Skokie, IL 60077 or online at www.chessiq.com/senior2015.
Info: sevan@chessiq.com. On tournament day only: 847.274.1352. Sets,
Boards and Clocks provided. Must use organizer provided equipment.
USCF and FIDE rated. FIDE Laws of Chess to be used.
JUNE 18, NEVADA
TROPHIES PLUS GRAND PRIX POINTS: 80 (ENHANCED)
2015 U.S. Game/10 Championship (QC)
8SS, G/10 +2. Westgate Resort & Casino, 3000 Paradise Rd., Las Vegas
89109. $$6,000 Guaranteed Prize Fund. $1700-850-500, U2300 $500,
U2100 $500, U1900 $450, U1700 $400, U1500 $350, U1300 $300, U1000
$250, unrated $200. Must be 3 players eligible for each prize awarded.
EF: $69 by 5/25, $79 by 6/9, $100 later. REG.: 2-4 p.m. Rds.: 5-5:406:15-6:50-7:25-8-8:35-9:10. Higher of regular or quick rating used.
Please bring digital chess clocks. 1/2 point bye available in any round
(limit 2). HR: $69 single or double ($89 Friday and Saturday nights).
(800) 732-7117 be sure to ask for the CHESS rates. ENT: Vegas Chess
Festivals, PO Box 90925, Henderson, NV 89009-0925 or www.VegasChessFestival.com. W.
JUNE 18-19, NEVADA
2015 U.S. Womens Open
5SS, G/90 +30. Westgate Resort & Casino, 3000 Paradise Rd., Las
Vegas 89109. $$2,000 Guaranteed Prize Fund. $500-300-200, U2000
$200, U1800 $200, U1600 $200, U1400 $200, U1200 $200. EF: $50 by
5/25, $70 later. REG.: 8-9 a.m. Rds.: 10-2:30-7, 9-1:30. 1/2 point bye
available in any round (limit 1). HR: $69 single or double ($89 Friday
and Saturday nights). (800) 732-7117 be sure to ask for the CHESS
rates. ENT: Vegas Chess Festivals, PO Box 90925, Henderson, NV 890090925 or www.VegasChessFestival.com. W. FIDE.
An American Classic!
A Heritage Event!
JUNE 19-21 OR 20-21, NEVADA
2015 National Open
6-SS, 40/90, SD/30 +30 (2 day option rounds 1-3 G/40 +5). Westgate
Resort & Casino, 3000 Paradise Rd., Las Vegas 89109. $80,000 Guaranteed Prize Fund will not be reduced. Open: $6500-3300-1600-800-500350-350-350-350-350-250-250-250-250-250, under 2500 1600, under
2400 1200, under 2300 1000, $2,000 EXTRA for perfect score. The
winner of the Open section also receives a replica of the Edmondson
Cup. Under 2200: $3500-1800-900-500-400-250-250-250-250-250-200200-200-200-200. Under 2000: $3500-1800-900-500-400-250-250-250250-250-200-200-200-200-200. Under 1800: $3500-1800-900-500-400250-250-250-250-250-200-200-200-200-200. Under 1600: $3000-1500800-500-400-250-250-250-250-250. Under 1400: $2000-1000-500-350250-200-200-200-200-200. Under 1200: $1200-600-400-300-200-200.
Unrated: $500-300-200. Plus Score Bonus ($14,000 guaranteed) in
addition to any other prizes, every player with 3-1/2 points or more
wins a $50 gift certificate. Plus score certificates will be awarded on
site only. Players age 14 and under are eligible for best game prizes
including the Freddie Award and $400 in cash prizes (donated by Fred
Gruenberg).Top 2 sections FIDE rated. EF: $179 by 1/20, $199 by 5/25,
$239 by 6/15, $260 later. $40 less for seniors 65 and over. Add $125
for adults rated under 2100 or juniors under 2000 playing in the Open
Section. This is an open tournament - you may play in any section at or
above your rating level; unrated players may play only in Unrated or
Open Section. Provisionally rated players may not win more than the
amount of 3rd prize in any section except Open. CCA minimum ratings
or other ratings may be used if higher than USCF June Supplement.
Reg.: 2 p.m.-10 p.m. Thursday, 8-9:30 a.m. Friday. Rds.: 11-5:30, 104:30, 10-4:30. 2-day schedule: Reg.: 8-9 a.m. Saturday. Rds.: 10-12-2-4:30
merge with 3-day in round 4. Half point byes available in any round, but
round 5 or 6 byes must be requested before the start of round 2 and
may not be cancelled. Chess sets and boards provided for tournament
play only, not for skittles. Please bring digital chess clocks! The LAS
VEGAS INTERNATIONAL CHESS FESTIVAL features the National Open,
the U.S Game/10 Championship, the U.S. Womens Open, the International
Youth Championship, and other events. Many free extras and surprises!
Free parking. Free raffles with great prizes. Free GM Lectures. Free
GM analysis of your games. Free Daily Bulletins. Grandmaster Chess
Camp for all ages on Thursday. U.S. Womens Open Thursday and
Friday. U.S. Game/10 Championship and Grandmaster Simuls Thursday afternoon. Youth Tournaments Friday, Saturday & Sunday. Blitz
Tournaments Saturday & Sunday. Poker Tournament Monday morning.
Dont be shut out make your reservations early and be sure to
ask for the CHESS rates $69 single or double ($89 Friday and Saturday nights) guarantees a Signature or remodeled room with new
furniture, refrigerator, flat screen TV and more. Cutoff for special hotel
rate is May 25th. (800) 732-7117 or www.VegasChessFestival.com/
hotel. ENT: Vegas Chess Festivals, PO Box 90925, Henderson, NV 890090925, on line at www.VegasChessFestival.com. Info: (702) 560-0955
and leave a message. W. FIDE.
A Heritage Event!
AUG. 1-9, 4-9 OR 6-9, ARIZONA
116th Annual U.S. Open
Includes Traditional one game per day schedule (9 days), also 6-day
slow time control option, and 4-day option. 9SS, 40/120, SD/60 d5 (4
day option, Rds. 1-6, G/60 d5). Arizona Biltmore, 2400 E. Missouri Ave.,
Phoenix, AZ 85016. HR: $99 single/quad, No resort fee, complimentary
self-parking; Reservations 800.445.8667; Reserve by July 9 or rate may
increase. $50,000 in prizes based on 500 paid entries, else proportional,
$40,000 (80% of each prize) minimum guaranteed. A one-section tournament with Class prizes. Top US player not otherwise qualified qualifies
for 2016 US Championship. Choice of three schedules: Traditional:
40/120, SD/60 d5. One round daily at 7 PM, except Rd. 9, 3 PM 8/9. 6Day Option: 40/120, SD/60 d5. 7 PM 8/4, 12 NOON & 7 PM 8/5-8/7, 7
PM 8/8, 3 PM 8/9. 4-Day Option: Rds. 1-6: G/60 d5; then 40/120,
SD/60 d5. 12 NOON, 3 PM, 7 PM, 10 PM 8/6; 12 NOON, 3 PM, 7 PM
8/7; 7 PM 8/8; 3 PM 8/9. All schedules merge after Round 6 & compete
for same prizes. Projected prizes: Top places $8000-4000-2000-15001000-800-600-500, clear winner or playoff $200 bonus. If tie for first,
top two on tiebreak play Armageddon game (White 5 minutes, Black 3
minutes and gets draw odds) for bonus and title. Class Prizes: Top
Master (2200-2399) $2500-1200-800-500, Expert (2000-2199) $25001200-800-500, Class A (1800-1999) $2500-1200-800-500, Class B
(1600-1799) $2500-1200-800-500, Class C (1400-1599) $2000-1000600-400, Class D (1200-1399) $1500-700-500-300, Class E or below
(under 1200) $1500-700-500-300, Unrated $800-400-200. Half-Point
Byes: must commit before Round 4; up to 3 byes allowed for 2000/up,
2 byes for 1400-1999, one bye for Under 1400/Unr. Limit 1 bye in last
two rounds. Zero-point byes are always available in any round if requested
at least two hours before the round(s) in question. Delay: All US Open
side events use 5 sec. delay except the Blitz [d0] and Bughouse [d0].
Entry Fee: Online, $145 by 6/22, $165 by 7/20, $185 after 7/20. By
mail, $147 postmarked by 6/22, $167 postmarked by 7/20, $187 after
7/20; do not mail after 7/27! By phone, $150 by 6/22, $170 by 7/20,
$185 after. No phone entries after 7/31 (by the close of business at the
Office)! At site, all $190; GMs and WGMs receive free entry. All entries
must be made at least two (2) hours prior to the players first game.
Current USCF membership required. August Rating Supplement used;
unofficial ratings used if otherwise unrated. CCA ratings used if above
USCF. Foreign player ratings: usually 100 points added to FIDE or FQE,
200+ added to most foreign national ratings, no points added to CFC.
Highest of multiple ratings generally used. Entries: USCF, ATTN: 2015
U.S. Open, PO Box 3967, Crossville, TN 38557. Online entry available
soon: https://secure2.uschess.org/webstore/tournament.php?wk
event=2015USOPEN. Phone entry: 800.903.8723. Not FIDE rated, No
cell phones. Bring a clock none supplied. Sets/boards supplied for
tournament but not for skittles. Many meetings, workshops and seminars,
including: USCF Committee Meetings 8/5-8/7, USCF Awards Luncheon 8/8 NOON, USCF Delegates Meeting 8/8-9. Many side events
and other championships, including: U.S. National Blitz Championship
7SS Double, G/5 d0, Rd. 1 at 12 NOON 8/8; Weekend Swiss 5SS, G/60
d5, 12-3 Sat 8/1, 10-12:30-3 Sun 8/2; U.S. Open Scholastic (see
separate TLA for the Scholastic event); U.S. Open Quads G/30 d5 121:30-3 Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri; U.S. National G/15 Championship
12-1-2-3-4 Wed 8/5; U.S. Open Bughouse Sat. 10:30 AM 8/1. 18th
Annual Golf Tournament for the U.S. Open Chess Players, (see
tournament website for details). U.S. Open Tennis Tournament (see
tournament website for details). In addition, three other championships
will also take place: the 2015 Denker Tournament of HS Champions
(see website for a participant list), the 2015 Barber Tournament of
K-8 Champions (see website for a participant list), the and the 2015
National Girls Invitational Tournament (see separate TLA for the
Girls event). Please check the U.S. Open website often for updates,
new information and corrections and other useful documents!
(Coming soon) www.uschess.org/tournaments/2015/usopen/.
USCF Junior Grand Prix for U.S. Open.
AUG. 27-31, NORTH CAROLINA
2015 U.S. Masters Championship
9-SS, 40/90, G/30, inc.30. Embassy Suites Airport, 204 Centreport Dr.,
Greensboro, NC 27409, (336) 668-4535, mention chess tournament for
discounted hotel rate. GM, IM, WGM, and WIM norms may be possible.
2014 tournament was a super swiss with 12 norms achieved! $17000
in prizes UNCONDITIONALLY GUARANTEED! $5000-3000-1800-1100650-550- 500-450-400-350 U2400 500-300 U2300 500-300 U2200 500-300
USCF SPECIAL REFEREE PROGRAM

Are you a TD in need of help at a
tournament with a rules, prize or
other problem?
Our Special Referees are
experienced NTDs who can function
as an Appeals Committee or answer
rule issues.
Please log into TD/A for contact
information.
www.uschess.org
53

U2100 500-300. EF: $249 if received by August 14 $299 later or on site.
$50 discount off either for NC residents. GMs and foreign IMs Free.
No money taken out of winnings to reimburse for EF. This tournament
is open only to players who have ratings 2200 or above, those who
have ever been so rated, all foreign FIDE-rated players and juniors
(under age 21) rated over 2000. RDS.: Aug 27 7:00PM then 12-7, 12-7,
12-7, 12-7. HR: $99 All rooms are suite style. Free made to order
breakfast daily, free managers reception nightly, and free airport shuttle
available for all guests. Hotel reservation: https://resweb.passkey.com/
Resweb.do?mode=welcome_ei_new&eventID=13620024 Advance
Entry: Registration is available at www.carolinaschessinitiative.com.
Alternately, checks can be sent to: Walter High, 105 North Crabtree
Knoll, Chapel Hill, NC 27514. Make checks payable to: Carolinas Chess
Initiative (CCI). On site entry will be available on August 27 from 26:30PM. BYES: A maximum of two byes allowed. Byes must be requested
before round 2 is paired. INFO: Walter High wmhigh@nc.rr.com, or
Gary Newsom, gary.newsom@charlottechesscenter.org. More info
including pre-entry lists may be available at: carolinaschessinitiatve.com.
FIDE rated. Hotel has a no smoking policy including electronic cigarettes.
FIDE electronic device rules in effect.
Grand Prix
JUNE 5-7 OR 6-7, FLORIDA
7th Summer Solstice Open
5SS, Open section G/90+30 sec. incr., All other sections but U1100
G/120 d5, U1100 section G/90 d5 (2-day Option all sections Rd. 1 G/60
d5). La Quinta Inn and Suites, 3701 N. University Dr., Coral Springs.
$$6,300 b/170 paid entries, 50% min. Gtd. Open: $800/Trophy-500400, U2300/Unr. $300. FIDE. U2100:$700/Trophy-350-200, U1900 $150.
U1700: $700/Trophy-350-200, U1600 $150. U1400: $700/Trophy-350200, U1300 $150. U1100: Trophies for 1st to 3rd, 1st U900, 1st U700,
Medals to all others. Top Senior Prize (among all cash prize sections,
must be at least 50 on June 5): $100. Unr. may enter Open, U1400 or
U1100 only. EF: $79 by June 2, $10 more later and on-site, GMs & IMs
free ($79 deducted from prize). U1100 section $39 by June 2, $10 more
later and on-site. Re-entry cash prize sections $40. Reg.: Ends 1/2 hr
before 1st rd. Rds.: 3-Day 1st Rd. Fri. 7:30; 2-Day 1st Rd. Sat 10; 2nd
Rd. Sat. 1:15; 3rd Rd. all sections but U1100 6:30, 3rd Rd. U1100
5:45; 4th Rd. Sun. 9:30; 5th Rd. all sections but U1100 2:30, 5th Rd.
U1100 1:45. 2 1/2 pt. byes, if reqd before rd. 2. HR: $72 by Cut-off
Date, Includes free breakfast & Internet, 954-753-9000, Ext. 6. Ent:
Boca Raton Chess Club, 2385 Executive Ctr. Dr., Ste. 100, Boca Raton,
FL 33431. $10 service charge for refunds. Online entry & addl info:
www.bocachess.com, 561-479-0351.
JUNE 6-7, IOWA
Port of Burlington Open
5-SS, G/90+30s. Port of Burlington Welcome Center, 400 Front St.,
Burlington, IA 52601 $750 Guaranteed. Open $150+Trophy-100-75
U2000 $100 U1800 $100; U1600 $75 U1400 $75. U1200 $75. EF: $45 till
June 3rd then $55; IM and GM free with ($45 deducted from prize).
Iowa State Membership (if resident of Iowa) Reqd, Other States Welcome.
Reg.: Ends 15 min before round 1. Rds.: Sat 10:00am; 2:30pm; 7:30pm;
Sun 9:00am; 2:00pm. One half point bye if requested before round 1.
Ent: Eric Vigil, 445 Galway Dr., Iowa City, IA 52246. evigil@gmail.com
319-621-3116 or online at https://www.onlineregistration.cc/. Additional
Info: USCF and FIDE Rated. June 2014 USCF Rating supplement will be
used for Pairing Purposes. FIDE rules will be used. Life Master Pete
Karagianis will be giving a Lecture Friday Evening at the Mississippi
Manor Bed and Breakfast at 6PM. 2015 IASCA GP Qualifier Event.
2015 U.S. Junior Open
See Nationals.
2015 U.S. Senior Open
See Nationals.
JUNE 12-14 OR 13-14, FLORIDA
Sunshine Summer Open & Scholastic
DoubleTree by Hilton Orlando at Sea World. 10100 International
Dr., 32821. $8,000/b140 (Scholastic=1/2). 60% Guaranteed. 5SS,
G/120 d5 (2-day. Rnd 1 G/60 d5). 4 Sections: Premier: $1000-700400, U2200 $400-300; U2000: $700-400-300, U1800 $400-300; U1600:
$700-400-300, U1400 $400-300; Scholastic U1200: $400-300-150,
U1000 $100, U800 $50. Trophy to top each age 7 & under thru 14
with at least 2 players. Unrateds limited to $100, unless Place prize in
Premier. Rated players can play-up one section. Special OCA Awards
TBD. EF:3-day $85, 2-day $84, Scholastic U1200: EF: $45; After June
7, EF: $95 ($55 for Scholastic), plus $5 if paid onsite; FREE EF for
GMs ($90 deducted from any prize won); CFCC Memb EF discount:
$10 ($5 for Jr/Sr) and part of CFCC Grand Prix with $600 additional
prizes. Reg.: ends 1/2 hr. before 1st Rd. Scholastic (Sat & Sun only).
Rnd. 1: 7pm Fri (or 10am Sat at G/60 d5). Re-entry $40. Rds. 2 thru 5:
Sat 1 & 6, Sun 9 & 2. 1/2-pt. byes if reqd before Rnd. 2 (max 2). HR:
$105 (407) 352-1100; (Mention CCS, No Resort Fee), or http://tinyurl.
com/June2015Hotel. Reserve by May 25. (72-hr Cancellation penalty.)
Free Parking, local shuttle and WiFi with sleeping rooms; other SelfParking: $5/day/exit. Ent: CFCC, c/o Harvey Lerman, 921 N. Thistle Ln.,
Maitland, FL 32751 or online at https://onlineregistration.cc (by 6/11).
Info: call (407)629-6946 (407-670-9304 onsite cell) or www.centralflchess.org.
JUNE 13, TENNESSEE
John Hurt Memorial 12
Site: Courtyard Memphis East/Bill Morris Parkway, 3076 Kirby Parkway,
Memphis, TN 38115, 1-901-365-6400. 4SS, G/60 d5. EF: $25 if received
by June 6, $35 at site. MCC members $25 anytime. Prize Fund $550
Totally Guaranteed: $150, $100, $75, $50, $25. Class Prizes: B, C, D/E
$50 each. Registration 06/13: starts at 8am CDT. Rounds: 10am CDT
and other rounds ASAP. Entries: MCC, P.O. Box 17864, Memphis, TN
38187. www.memphischess.com; gpylant@gmail.com
JUNE 13, CALIFORNIA, NORTHERN
Foster City Grand Prix Luper$wiss (3SS, G/90 d5)
Courtyard Marriott, Foster City, CA 94404. Prizes: $1,500 b/55 60%
guar. 1900+: $300-150-50, u2100 50-50. 1500-1899: $200-100-50,
u1700 50-50. u1500: $200-100-50, u1250 50-50. Jun 15 Supp & TD disc.
Reg.: 9-9:15. Rds.: 9:30 1 4:30. EF: 43, Ecn 29 w 1/2 prz. after 6/10
+15, playup +15, Rtd 2200+ $0 by 6/7. Info: http://BayAreaChess.com/
grandprix. W.
JUNE 13-14, WISCONSIN
Milwaukee Summer Challenge IV
5SS, G/120 d5 in top 3 sections: Master/Expert (open only to 2000 and
above), U2000, U1500. 4SS, G/60 d6 in U1000 section. Olympia Resort
Hotel, 1350 Royale Mile Rd., Oconomowoc, WI; 1-800-558-9573; (Mention
Southwest Chess Club for $99 room rate). EF: $40 in top 3 sections, $25
in U1000. All $5 more after 6/10. $$GTD: Master/Expert = 1st-$300,
2nd-$200, 3rd-$100. U2000=1st-$150, U1500=1st-$80, U1000=1st$50. Reg.: 8:30-9:30. Rds.: Top 3 sections-Saturday, June13: 10:00 am,
2:30 pm, 7:00 pm, Sunday June 14: 10:00am-3:00 pm, Rds.: U1000 Saturday, June 13: 10:00 am, 1:00 pm, 3:30 pm, 6:00 pm. ENT: Allen Becker,
2130 N. 85th St., Wauwatosa, WI 53226 or allenbecker@wi.rr.com.
Questions: TD Robin Grochowski 414-861-2745.
JUNE 13-14, NEW YORK
2015 Can-Am International Chess Tournament
5SS, G/100 d5. Venue: Wick Student Center, Daemen College, 4380
Main St., Buffalo, NY 14226. $10,000 guaranteed. Open: $1300 1000
750; U2000: $1000 725 525; U1800: $850 600 400; U1500:
$650 450 300; U1200 & unr. $500 300 150. EF: $65, [Canadians
$10 less], $80 after June 7. Unrated restricted to $500 winnings. Reg-
20th annual PACIFIC COAST OPEN

July 16-19, 17-19 or 18-19, 2015 - $25,000 projected prizes, $20,000 minimum
6 rounds at luxurious Sheraton Hotel, Agoura Hills CA, 12 miles from Malibu
6 rounds, 40/100, SD/30, d10 (2day option, rds 1-3 G/40, d10),
Sheraton Hotel, 30100 Agoura Road,
Agoura Hills CA 91301 (US-101 to
Reyes Adobe Road exit), 26 miles west
of Burbank. Free parking.
Hotel rate: $99-99, 818-707-1220,
reserve by 7/2, may sell out earlier.
Prizes $25,000 based on 230 paid
entries (re-entries, U1250 Section count
half), minimum guarantee $20,000
(80% each prize). 6 sections:
Open: $3000-1500-1000-500, clear
or tiebreak win $100 bonus, top Under
2300/Unr $1200-600. 150 Grand Prix
points (enhanced).
Under 2100: $2000-1000-500-300.
Under 1900: $2000-1000-500-300.
Under 1700: $1600-800-400-200.
Under 1500: $1600-800-400-200.
Under 1250: $800-400-200-100,
plaques to first 3, top Under 1000,
Under 800, Unrated.
Unrated limits: U1900 $900,
U1700 $700, U1500 $500, U1250 $300.
54
Mixed doubles bonus prizes:

best male/female 2-player team
combined score among all sections:
$1000-500-300-200. Team must
average under 2200; may play in
different sections, register (no extra
fee) before both players begin round 2.
Top 5 sections entry fee: $135 at
chessaction.com by 7/15, $140 phoned
by
7/13
(406-8 9 6 -2 0 3 8,
no
questions), 4-day $139, 3-day $138,
2-day $137 mailed by 7/7, $150 at site
(no checks, credit cards OK) or online
until 2 hours before game.
Under 1250 section entry fee:
all $50 less than top 5 sections.
Special USCF dues: see Chess
Life or chesstour.com. USCF membership required.
Unofficial uschess.org ratings
usually used if otherwise unrated.
SCCF membership ($18, under 18
$13 with magazine, $3 without)
required for rated So. Cal. residents.
4-day schedule: Reg Thu to 6 pm,

rds Thu 7 pm, Fri 6 pm, Sat 11 & 5,
Sun 11:15 am & 4:30 pm.
3-day schedule: Reg. Fri to 11
am, rds Fri 12 noon & 6 pm, Sat 11 am
& 5 pm, Sun 11:15 am & 4:30 pm.
2-day schedule: Reg. Sat to 9 am,
rds Sat 10 am, 12:15 pm, 2:30 pm & 5
pm; Sun 11:15 & 4:30.
Half-point byes OK all (limit 2);
Open must commit before round 2,
other sections before round 4.
All: Bring set, board, clock if
possible- none supplied. Re-entry (no
Open to Open) $70. Chess Magnet
School Junior Grand Prix pts available.
E n t ry:
chessaction. c o m
or
Continental Chess, Box 8482, Pelham
NY 10803. $15 charge for refunds.
Car rental: Avis, 800-331-1600,
use AWD #D657633.
Questions:
chesstour.com,
director@chess.us, 347-201-2269.
Advance entries posted at chessaction.
com (online entries posted instantly).

istration: 8:30-9:30 am June 13. Late entries must take point bye
first round. Rounds: Sat. 10:00, 2:30, 7:00; Sun. 10:00, 2:30. 1/2 point
byes available for rounds 1-4 if requested at registration. Online registration at www.wnychess.org; inquiries at info@wnychess.org; or Brian
Sayers 716-570-3966. Mail check, name, USCF#, rating and section
to WNY Chess, 4746 Shisler Rd., Clarence, NY 14031.
JUNE 13-14, COLORADO
The Denver Open
5 Rd. SS. Sections: Open, U1800, U1500. Time Control: Rds. 1 - 3,
G/90 d5, Rds. 4 - 5, G/90; increment/30. Site: Denver Marriott Tech
Center, 4900 S. Syracuse, Denver, CO 80237, Phone: 303-779-1100.
Special Deal: special $79 room rate, if reserved by 5/20/2015. Phone:
1-888-611-4134 and mention Denver Open chess tournament. Players
will also receive free parking and WiFi. Directions: East side of I-25 off
Belleview. Prizes: $4800 based on 140 entries***. Open: $650 $400
$200 U2000 $200 U1900 $150; U1800: $600 $350 $200 U1700 $200
U1600 $150; U1500: $550 $300 $200 U1400 $200 U1300 $150. Youth
(under 15 years old and rated U1200): $200. Upset (Largest upset win
> 100 points): $100. Schedule: Registration: 8:00 - 9:30am. Round 1:
Sat. 10:00am; Round 2: Sat. 2:30pm; Round 3: Sat. 7:00pm; Round 4:
Sun. 9:00am; Round 5: Sun. 3:00pm*. Entry Fee: Non DCC members,
$55 if received before 6/11/15 $65 on site - DCC members $45 any
time**. Entries: Payable to Denver Chess Club. Randolph Schine, 8101
E. Dartmouth Ave., #15, Denver, CO 80231. Email: randolphschine@comcast.net. Phone: 303-695-7839/720-300-7544. www.denverchess.com
for details and online registration option. CSCA Tour Event. USCF
and CSCA membership required. Out-of-state association (OSA) membership accepted. Tournament will be directed by USCF Senior TD, Bob
Crume. Only one half point bye may apply to a players score, with regards
to prize money. *Last round byes count as zero points but are not considered withdrawals. **Join the DCC on or before the day of the
tournament and receive the discounted entry fee. ***Prize money will
be increased if we exceed 140 players or secure additional funding.
JUNE 13-14, CALIFORNIA, SOUTHERN
LACC 12th Year Anniversary
(Sponsor: Harold C. Valery, MD, Inc.). 10SS, G/45 d0. 11514 Santa
Monica Blvd., LA 90025, 2nd fl. 2 sections: OPEN & U1800. EF: $70;
$60 LACC members; No prizes 1/2, spouses/siblings 1/2, new members
1/2, Free new LACC Life members, $5 off it notified by 6/12. Reg.: 3day: FRI: 6-7 pm; 2-day: SAT:11-12 pm. Rds.: FRI 7&8:30 pm; SAT 12,
1:30, 3, 4:30; SUN 12, 1:30, 3, 4:30. Byes: Up to five 1/2-point byes
available. 1-Day option I: Play Sat or Sun- no 1/2 pt byes- 1/2 EF. 1Day option II: Play Sat or Sun- receive five 1/2 pt byes- Full EF. 2-Day
option : Play Sat & Sun- receive two 1/2 pt byes- Full EF. Prizes:
$$2,000 Grd. 1st-4th $500-250-100-50 U2000: $100-50. U1800: $200100-50; U1600: $200100-50; U1400: $100-50-25; U1200/unrated:
$50-25. Info: Mick Bighamian: (310) 795-5710; Mick@LAChessClub.com
or website www.LAChessClub.com. Parking: Free on streets, BoA, or
basement.
A Heritage Event!
JUNE 13-14, KENTUCKY
2015 Kentucky Open - In Memory of Steve Dillard
Total Prizes - $1875, Time Control: 5 round Swiss System G/90 d5. June
supplement will be used. Location: University of Kentucky, Patterson
Office Tower, Lexington, KY - big white tower near student center. Link
with driving instructions: http//www.uky.edu/studentcenter/parking.
A map of the campus parking is here: http://lexchess.com/images/
stories/chess_uk_patterson_tower_web.png. Top 3 Ky players in Open
section will be invited to the Adult State Championship. Top 2 Juniors in
Open Section will be invited to the Junior State Championship. USCF standard
tiebreaks will be used. Prizes: based on 60 players in 3 sections as follows:
Open: 1st $500, 2nd $300, 3rd $100, Expert $100, Class A $100. U1800:
1st $250, 2nd $150, U1600 $100. U1400: 1st $150, 2nd $75, U1000/ Unrated
$50. Advance Registration: Mail entries to Randas Burns, 7715 Ashton
Park Circle, Louisville, KY 40288. Make checks out to KCA. Or you can
sign up online at kcachess.net (click on more options and link will be
there). All entries must be received by June 10th. Entry Fee: $45 , KCA
members $40. Onsite Registration: 8:00-9:30. Rds.: Sat. 10:00, 2:00,
5:30. Sun 9:00-2:30. KCA Meeting between 4th and 5th round at 1:00.
Byes: Maximum two half-point byes, must commit before round 3. Bring
sets, boards, and clocks. Questions: Randas Burns 502-500-7493, randas
burns@yahoo.com. For questions about site or directions: Jerry Baker,
859.806.0637, lexchess64@gmail.com.
JUNE 13-14, TEXAS
2015 DCC Fide Open VII
5SS, G/90 inc/30. Dallas Chess Club, 200 S. Cottonwood Dr. #C, Richardson, TX 75080. Two sections: Open and Reserve. Open: $$875G. FIDE
and USCF rated but uses FIDE rules. Will use USCF ratings and rules
for pairings and for awarding prizes. Default late forfeiture time is one
hour. TD may extend this time at TDs discretion. Note that Foreign
players must disclose their FIDE ID number before 1st round in order
to play. Note that USA Players with no FIDE ID must disclose their email
address.$$ $500-$250-$125. EF: $80, Senior/Hcap/Additional Family
Member $55. Small appearance fee to the First three GM/IMs who
apply. GM/IM must play all rounds to get appearance fee (appearance
fee might be deducted from prize). Reserve: Open to players rated
below 2000 USCF. This section is not Fide Rated but is USCF rated and
uses USCF rules. EF: $40. The Reserve give back 10% in prizes and if at
least 8 paid entries and if there is a clear winner, then that winner
receives free entry to next DCC Fide Open. In the reserve section, Tournament reserves the right to use Fide rules on electronic devices and
on starting Whites clock at start of a round and to use FIDE pairing
rules. Both: Reg.: 6/13 from 9:4510:15am. Rds.: Sat 10:45am-3:10pm-
7:16pm, Sun 9:45 am-2:10pm. One half point Bye allowed if requested
before end of round rd. 2 and before getting full point bye. Withdrawals
and zero point last round byes are not eligible for prizes. Note that
house players (if required) must pay $2 per round and be USCF members.
ENT: Make/mail Checks payable to Dallas Chess Club, C/O Barbara
Swafford, 2709 Longhorn Trail, Crowley, TX 76036-4719. Info: 214-6329000, info@dallaschess.com. FIDE.
JUNE 18, NEVADA
2015 U.S. Game/10 Championship (QC)
See Nationals.
JUNE 18-19, NEVADA
2015 U.S. Womens Open
See Nationals.
JUNE 19-21 OR 20-21, NEVADA
2015 National Open
See Nationals.
JUNE 19-21 OR 20-21, GEORGIA
Castle Chess Grand Prix
5-SS, G/120 d5 (2 day schedule, rd. 1 G/90 d5). Cox Hall, Emory University,
569 Asbury Cir., Atlanta, GA 30322. $12,000 G! Seven sections: Master:
$2,100-1250-750-450; U2400: $800-500; Expert: $750-425-225; Class
A: $675-375-200; Class B: $575-350-175; Class C: $500-300-150; Class
D: $400-250-150; U1200: $350-200-100. Official June ratings usually
used. Unofficial ratings usually used if otherwise unrated. Players rated
within 100 points of next higher section may play up one section. EF:
$79 if received by 6/17. $100 later or at site. Free to GM, IM or USCF
2400. Unrated Players: $50. Re-entry: $50; Unrated may enter any
section, except Master. Prize limit of $150 in U1200, $ 200 in D, $250 in
C, $300 in B, $350 in A, or $400 in Expert to all unrated players, and to
rated players with fewer than 10 lifetime games who are not playing
up. Balance of any limited prize goes to next player(s) in line. 3 day
schedule: Reg.: 6:30-7:30 pm on 6/19. Rds.: 8; 1:30-6:30; 9-1:30. 2
day schedule: Reg.: 8:00-9:00 am on 6/20. Rd. 1 at 9:30 am, then
merges with 3 day schedule. One 1/2 pt bye any round. Must commit
before playing first game. No changes. Ent: Castle Chess Inc., c/o
Debbie Torrance, 271 17th St. NW, Suite 1600, Atlanta, GA 30363. Make
check payable to: Castle Chess Inc. Info: Scott Parker, 770-939-5030
except on tournament days call Jim Mundy, 770-313-2684, tournament@
castlechess.org, on-line registration at www.castlechess.org. Note:
Bring sets, boards, clocks. None supplied. All parking at Emory is in
either Fishburne or Peavine parking decks. No parking next to Cox Hall.
Please allow time to walk from the deck to Cox Hall (the building with
the clock tower.) W.
JUNE 20, OHIO
Summer Time Pawn Storm XXXI
4SS, G/60 d10, at Dayton Chess Club, 18 W. Fifth St., Dayton, OH 45402.
EF: $33 to 12 Jun then $43. EF $25 to 2200 or higher. GTD Prizes: Open
$300-200, U1900 $160-$50, U1600 $160-50. Reg.: 9:30-10:15. Rds.:
10:30-1:30-4:30-7:00. OGPx Event-OCA mbrs $3 disc. DCC mbrs $3 disc.
Mail EF to: Dayton Chess Club, 18 W. 5th St., Dayton, OH 45402 or
register online at www.daytonchessclub.com/ or call 937.461.6283 for
more information.
JUNE 21, NEVADA

National Open Blitz (BLZ)
7 D-SS (14 games), G/3 +2. Westgate Resort & Casino, 3000 Paradise
Rd., Las Vegas 89109. Hotel Reservation: 800-732-7117. $$G 3,000. 2
Sections: Open: $600-300-200. U2300, U2100 $200-100 each. U1900:
$400-200-100, U1700, U1500, U1200 125-75 each. Must be 3 players
eligible for each prize awarded. EF: $40 by 5/25, $50 later. REG.: by
9:30 p.m. Rd. 1 at 10 p.m. www.VegasChessFestival.com. W. FIDE.
Bay Area Chess Grand Prix Luper Swiss (3SS, G/90 d5)
1639A S. Main St., Milpitas, CA 95035. Prizes: $1,500 b/55 60% guar.
1900+: $300-150-50, u2100 50-50. 1500-1899: $200-100-50, u1700
50-50. u1500: $200-100-50, u1250 50-50. Jun 15 Supp & TD disc. Reg.:
9-9:15. Rds.: 9:30 1 4:30. EF: 43, Ecn 29 w 1/2 prz. after 6/18 +15, playup
+15, Rtd 2200+ $0 by 6/14. Info: BayAreaChess.com/grandprix.
JUNE 25-30, VIRGINIA
3rd annual DC International
9SS, 40/2, SD/30 d10, open to all. Hyatt Regency Crystal City, 2799 Jefferson Davis Hwy., Arlington, VA 22202 (free shuttle from Reagan National
Airport; see World Open for rates & parking info). $$G 10,000: $30001500-1000-700-600-500-400-300-200, top FIDE under 2300 or unrated
$1200-600. Minimum prize $700 to foreign GMs with FIDE ratings
2500/over, $500 to foreign GMs with with FIDE ratings under 2500,
$400 to foreign IMs or WGMs (all must complete all games with no
byes; limited to first 5 foreign GMs & first 5 foreign IMs/WGMs to enter
by 6/24 at chessaction.com). Minimum prize $300 to other GMs who
complete all games with maximum 2 half point byes (limited to first 5 to
enter at chessaction.com). Players who have forfeited without notice in
past CCA Internationals are not eligible for minimum prizes. IM & GM
norms possible, satisfies FIDE requirement that one GM norm be in an
event with only one round per day for a minimum of 3 days. FIDE rated.
EF: GMs, IMs, WGMs $50 online at chessaction.com by 6/1, $75 online
at chessaction.com by 6/24, $100 at site; $100 deducted from prize (no
deduction from minimum prize). Foreign FIDE rated players: $100
online at chessaction.com by 6/1, $125 online by 6/24, $150 at site;
$100 deducted from prize. USA players FIDE rated 2200/up: $200
online by 6/1, $225 online by 6/24, $250 at site. Others: $300 online by
6/1, $325 online by 6/24, $350 at site. All: Phoned entry (406-896-2038)
all $10 more; no phoned entry after 6/22. Mailed entry (Box 8482,
Pelham, NY 10803) all $10 more; no mailed entry after 6/18. No checks
at site, credit cards OK. Special 1 year USCF dues with magazine: see
World Open. Schedule: Late reg. ends Thu 6 pm, rds. Thu 7 pm, Fri 12
& 7, Sat 11 & 5:30, Sun 10 & 4. Mon 11 am, Tue 11 am. Two half point
byes available (must commit before rd. 2); norm not possible if taking
bye. HR: see World Open. Bring sets, boards, clocks if possible- none
supplied. Ent: chessaction.com. $15 service charge for refunds. Questions:
www.chesstour.com, DirectorAtChess.us, 347-201-2269. Online entries
posted instantly at chessaction.com. Invitations: GoAtChess.us. Use @
symbol instead of At in email addresses.
JUNE 26, NEW YORK
Marshall $500 Friday Night Blitz - FIDE Rated (BLZ)
9SS, G3+2inc. $500 Gtd: $150-100-50. U2400/unr, U2200, U2000,
U1800: $50. EF: $30, MCC Mbrs. $20. Rds.: 7-7:30-7:50-8:10-8:40-99:20-9:40-10pm. Limit two byes; request by rd. 7. marshallchessclub.org
23 W. 10th St., NYC. 212-477-3716.
20th annual BRADLEY OPEN

July 17-19 or 18-19, Windsor Locks, CT
$7500 GUARANTEED PRIZE FUND
5 rounds, Sheraton Hartford Hotel at Bradley Airport.
$102 room rates, free parking, free airport shuttle.
FREE LECTURES by IM Danny Kopec, Sat & Sun 9 am
Open: Prizes $1000-500-300, top U2210/Unr $600-300.
Under 2010 Section: $800-400-200, top U1810 $500-250.
Under 1610 Section: $700-400-200, top U1410 $300-150.
Under 1210 Section: $400-200-100, trophies.
Mixed Doubles: male/female teams averaging U2200: $200. May
play in different sections; enter by 2 pm 7/18 (no extra fee).
Unrated prize limit: $200 in U1210, $400 in U1610.
FULL DETAILS: see Grand Prix in this issue or chesstour.com.
www.uschess.org
55

JUNE 27-28, VIRGINIA
World Open Warmup
5SS, G/90 d10. Hyatt Regency Crystal City, Arlington (see World Open).
$$G 200-100, U2000 $110, U1600/Unr $90. EF: $40, at site only, no
checks. Reg. ends 9:30 am 6/27, rds. Sat 10, 2 & 6, Sun 10 & 2. One
half point bye allowed if U1600 or unrated, otherwise two byes allowed,
must commit before rd. 2. June ratings used.
A Heritage Event!
A State Championship Event!
JUNE 27-28, OKLAHOMA
70th Oklahoma Open State Championship
5SS, Rds. 1-2 G/90 d5, Rds. 3-5 G/2 d5. $1450 Guaranteed. La Quinta
Inn OKC Airport Hotel, 800 S. Meridian (I-40 at Meridian), Oklahoma
City, 405-942-0040. 3 Sections: Open G$$ 500-300-200; Reserve
(U1800) G$$ 200-150-100; Booster (U1400) $$ b/entries; Plaques &
USCF recognized State Championship titles for OK resident section winners. EF: $45 if recd by 6/22, otherwise $50, OCA membership included.
Reg.: 8:30-9:30am Saturday, must enter before Rd. 2 pairings are prepared and play Rd. 5 to be prize eligible. One 1/2 point bye in Rds. 1-4
only; accelerated pairings may be used. Rds.: Sat 10, 2 & 6; Sun 10 & 3.
HR: $75.20 plus tax (1-4 occupants), including breakfast buffet & airport
shuttle; reserve by 6/17 for chess rate; no outside food or drinks. OCA
Annual Membership Meeting & Election Sunday 8am; Voting Eligibility:
Must be 16, Oklahoma resident and OCA member 10 business days prior
to 6/28. Contact: Chuck Unruh, PO Box 340, Collinsville, OK 74021, 800460-2794, email: chunruh@aol.com. More info: www.ochess.org.
JUNE 27-28, NEW MEXICO
Albuquerque/Rio Rancho Open
at Meadowlark Senior Center, 4330 Meadowlark Lane SE, Rio Rancho,
NM 87124. Co-sponsored by The Meadowlark Chess Group and the New
Mexico Chess Organization. 5/SS, G/90 + 10 second delay for all
sections except Morphy. Morphy Section: 4 rounds/Swiss System, Game
in 45 minutes, plus a 10 second delay. Sections: Open EF $35; Reserve
(U1800) EF $30; Fischer (U1500) EF $25; Marshall (U1200) EF $20;
Morphy (U1100); EF $12. $5 Family discount after one full-price entry.
Late Fee: $15 if entry not received by 6/25. One 1/2 pt bye if requested
before Rd. 1. Ent: payable to NMCO, P.O. Box 4215, Albuquerque, NM
87196. Entry form: nmchess.org. Payment may be made by Paypal.com.
Reg.: Sat. 8-8:30 A.M. Rounds: For all sections except Morphy: 9-14:30, 9-1. Rounds: For Morphy 9:15 am, 11:00am, 1:15 pm and 4:00 pm.
Prizes: Open: $300/$150/$75 guaranteed; Reserve:$150/$75/35 $$b/15;
Fischer (U1500) $100/$50/$30 $$b/15; Marshall (U1200) $60/45/25,
$$b/15; Morphy: Chess books, medals to top 3 finishers and those tied
with them. W.
JUNE 27-28 OR 28, NEW JERSEY
Chess Mates Championship/Super Swiss #3
5-SS. 75 East Cherry St., Suite 10A, Rahway, NJ 07065. 2 Schedules:
2-day: 6/27-28. All games G/75 d10. 1-day: 6/28. Rounds 1-3: G/25
d5 Rounds 4-5: G/75 d10. 3 Sections: Open, U2100, U1600. EF: $90 if
received by 6/13, $100 by 6/26, $110 at site. GMs 50% off. IMs 25%
off. Re-entry $40. Total Prizes: $4,000. 60% guaranteed (Will be 100%
if there are 50 or more participants.). Open Section: $550-300-200,
U2350 $250-100. +Trophy to top-scoring CM member. U2100 Section:
$500-300-150, U1850 $250-100. U1600 Section: $500-300-150, U1350:
$250-$100. 2-Day: Reg. 11:15-11:55 a.m. on 6/27. Rds. 12:00 noon,
3:15, 6:30 p.m. on 6/27. 3:15, 6:30 p.m. on 6/28. 1-day: Reg. 11:0011:25 on 6/28. Rds. 11:30 a.m., 12:45, 2:00, 3:15 (schedules merge),
6:30 p.m. on 6/28. Byes: 2 half-point byes allowed. Must commit before
the 3rd round. Info: www.chessmatesnj.com, chessmates@chessmatesnj.com, 732-499-0118, 760-583-8429.
JUNE 27-28, CALIFORNIA, SOUTHERN
2015 Tal Memorial
(A sponsored event) 6SS, G/61 d5. 11514 Santa Monica Blvd., LA 90025,
2nd fl. 1 Open section. EF: $70; $50 LACC members; No prizes 1/2,
spouses/siblings 1/2, new members 1/2, Free new LACC Life members,
$5 off if notified by 6/26. Reg.: Sat 10-11:30 am. Rds.: 12, 2, 4 pm
each day. Byes: Up to three 1/2-point byes available. 1-Day option I:
Play 1 day- no 1/2 pt byes- 1/2 EF. 1-Day option II: Play 1 day & receive
three 1/2 pt byes- Full EF. Prizes: $$1,500 (b/45) $750 Gtd. 1st-3rd
$400-200-100 U2000: $100. U1800: $200-100-$50; U1600: $10050;
U1400: $100-50; U1200/unrated: $50. Information: Mick Bighamian:
(310) 795-5710; Mick@LAChessClub.com or www.LAChessClub.com.
Parking: Free on streets, BoA, or basement
Cupertino Grand Prix DuperSwiss75 (3SS, G/75, d5)
Courtyard Marriott, Cupertino, CA 95014. Prizes: $1,500 b/55 60% guar.
1900+: $300-100-100, u2000 50-50. 1500-1899: $200-100-50, u1600
50-50. u1500: $200-100-50, u1200 50-50. Jun 15 Supp & TD disc. Reg.:
8-8:45. Rds.: 9-12:45-2:40. EF: 47, Econ 32 w 1/2 prz. after 6/25 +15,
playup +15, Rtd 2200+ $0 by 6/21. Info: http://BayAreaChess.com/
grandprix. W.
JUNE 30, NEW YORK
Marshall Masters
4SS, G/25 d5. Open to USCF 2000+ and players with a plus score in
any MCC Open or U2300 event since the previous Masters. $500 Gtd:
$170-130-100. U2300: $100. EF: $40, MCC Mbrs. $20. Rds.: 7-8:159:30-10:45. Limit two byes; request by rd. 2. marshallchessclub.org
23 W. 10th St., NYC. 212-477-3716.
JUNE 30-JULY 1, VIRGINIA
4th annual World Open Womens Championship
5SS, G/90 d10. Hyatt Regency Crystal City, Arlington (see World Open
for location, rates). Open to all females. $2000 guaranteed prizes:
$700-400-200, top U1800/Unr $260, U1500 $240, U1200 $200, plaques
to top 3, 1st U1800, U1600, U1400, U1200, U1000. EF: $80 online at
chessaction.com by 6/25, $83 mailed by 6/16, $85 phoned to 406-8962038 by 6/28, $95 at site, or online until 8 am 6/30. Reg. ends Tue 9
am, rds. Tue 10, 2 & 6, Wed 10 & 2. Bye: OK any round, limit 1 bye,
must commit before rd. 2. July ratings used. Special USCF dues: see
World Open. Ent: chessaction.com or Continental Chess, PO Box 8482,
Pelham, NY 10803. $15 service charge for refunds. Advance entries
posted at chessaction.com (online entries posted instantly).
An American Classic!
A Heritage Event!
JUNE 30-JULY 5, JULY 1-5, 2-5 OR 3-5, VIRGINIA
43rd Annual World Open
9SS. Hyatt Regency Crystal City, 2799 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington,
VA 22202 (a few miles from Washington, DC). Free shuttle from Reagan
National Airport, special chess rate for hotel valet parking $6/day,
parking about $7-15/day nearby if hotel garage is full. In 8 sections.
$210,000 guaranteed prizes (note changes to Master class prizes).
Unrated may enter only Open, U2200, U2000, or Unrated Sections. Free
analysis of your games by GM Sam Palatnik 7/1-5, free GM lectures 9
am 7/3 & 7/4. Open Section, July 1-5 only: 40/2, SD/30 d10. Under
2200 to Under 1200 Sections, June 30-July 5, July 1-5, 2-5, or 35: 40/2, SD/30 d10 (4-day option, rds. 1-2 G/60 d10; 3-day option, rds.
1-5 G/35 d10). Unrated Section, July 3-5 only: G/60 d10, plays
separate schedule. Open (note changes): $20000-10000-5000-25001300-1000-800-700-600-500, clear winner bonus $300, top FIDE
2300-2449 $4000-2000-1000-800-500, top FIDE U2300/Unr $4000-20001000-800-500. If tie for first, top 2 on tiebreak play speed game 10 pm
7/5 for title & bonus prize. GM & IM norms possible. FIDE rated. Under
2200/Unr: $12000-6000-3000-1500-1000-800-600-500-400-400, top
U2100 (no unr) $2000-1000, unrated limit $2000. Under 2000/Unr:
$12000-6000-3000-1500-1000-800-600-500-400-400, top U1900 (no unr)
$2000-1000, unrated limit $1000. Under 1800: $12000-6000-3000-15001000-800-600-500-400-400, top U1700 $2000-1000. Under 1600:
$10000-5000-2500-1300-900-700-600-500-400-400, top U1500 $1600800. Under 1400: $8000-4000-2000-1300-900-700-600-500-400-400,
top U1300 $1200-600. Under 1200: $4000-2000-1000-800-600-500-400-
45th annual CONTINENTAL OPEN

Aug 13-16, 14-16 or 15-16, 2015 - $30,000 GUARANTEED PRIZES!
6 rounds, Host Hotel at Cedar Lake, Sturbridge MA - GM Gata Kamsky will play!
6 rounds, Host Hotel at Cedar Lake,
366 Main St (Rt 20 west), Sturbridge MA
01566 (I-84 Exit 3, near I-90). Free parking.
Experience 1790-1840 America at Old
Sturbridge Village (www.osv.org), swim in
Cedar Lake, visit shops & galleries.
Prizes $30,000 guaranteed. 3-day & 4day schedules 40/110, SD/30, d10, 2-day
schedule (except Open Section) rds 1-3
G/40, d10, then merges with others.
Free lectures by IM Danny Kopec, Sat
& Sun 9 am: game analysis in afternoons.
Open: $3000-1500-700-500-300, clear
or tiebreak win $200 bonus, top U2300/Unr
$1400-700. FIDE rated, 150 GPP.
Under 2100: $2000-1000-500-300-200.
Under 1900: $2000-1000-500-300-200.
Under 1700: $2000-1000-500-300-200.
Under 1500: $1400-700-400-300-200.
Under 1300: $1400-700-400-300-200
Under 1000: $800-400-300-200,
trophies to top 3, first U800, U600, Unr.
56
Unrated prize limits: U1000 $200,

U1300 $400, U1500 $600, U1700 $800,
U1900 $1000.
Mixed doubles: best male/female 2player team (average under 2200) combined
score among all sections: $1000-600-400.
Register before both players begin round 2.
Unofficial uschess.org ratings usually
used if otherwise unrated.
Top 4 sections entry fee: $165 online
at chessaction.com by 8/12, $175 at 406896-2038 by 8/10, 4-day $174, 3-day $173,
2-day $172 mailed by 8/4, $180 (no checks,
credit cards OK) at site, or online until 2 hrs
before game. Re-entry (no Open) $80.
Under 1500, Under 1300 entry fee:
All $30 less than top 4 sections.
Under 1000 Section entry fee: all $80
less than top 4 sections.
Special 1 year USCF dues with Chess
Life: see Chess Life or chesstour.com.
USCF membership required.
Advance entry fee $5 less to MACA

members; may join/renew at masschess.org.
4-day schedule: Reg Thu to 6 pm, rds
Thu 7 pm, Fri 6, Sat 11 & 5, Sun 10 & 3:30.
3-day schedule: Reg. Fri to 11 am, rds
Fri 12 & 6, Sat 11 & 5, Sun 10 & 3:30.
2-day schedule: Reg. Sat to 9 am, rds
Sat 10, 12:15, 2:30 & 5, Sun 10 & 3:30.
Half-pt byes OK all rds (limit 2); Open
must commit before rd 2, others before rd 4.
All: No smoking. Bring sets, boards,
clocks if possible-none supplied. JGP.
Hotel rates: $94-94, 800-582-3232,
508-347-7393, reserve by 7/31.
Entry: chessaction.com or Continental
Chess, Box 8482, Pelham NY 10803. $15
service charge for refunds. Questions:
chesstour.com, director@chess.us, 347-2012269. Entries posted at chessaction.com
(online entries posted instantly).
Blitz tournament Sat. 9:30 pm, enter by
9:15 pm.

400-300-300, top U1000 $1000-500. Unrated: Trophies to top 10. Prize
limits: 1) If any post-event rating posted 6/26/14-6/26/15 was more
than 30 points over section maximum, prize limit $2000. 2) Players with
under 26 lifetime games rated as of 7/15 official list cannot win over
$1000 in U1200, $2000 U1400, $3000 U1600 through U2000. Games
rated too late for 7/15 official list not counted toward 26 game total. 3)
Balance of any limited prize goes to next player(s) in line. Mixed Doubles
Bonus Prizes: best male/female combined 2-player team score:
$3000-1500-700-500-300. Team average must be under 2200; teammates
may play in different sections; teams must register (no extra fee) before
both players begin round 2; teammate pairings avoided but possible;
prize limits do not apply to mixed doubles. Entry fee for U2200 through
U1400 sections, and Open Section if USCF or FIDE 2200/over: Online
at chessaction.com: $308 by 4/15, $318 by 5/15, $328 by 6/28, $350
until 2 hours before first game. Phoned to 406-896-2038: $315 by
4/15, $325 by 5/15, $335 by 6/26. Mailed by 4/15: 6-day $316, 5-day
$315, 4-day $314, 3-day $313. Mailed by 5/15: 6-day $326, 5-day $325,
4-day $324, 3-day $323. Mailed by 6/17: 6-day $336, 5-day $335, 4day $334, 3-day $333. Do not mail entry after 6/17. At site until 1 1/2
hours before first game: all $350; no checks, credit cards OK. GMs &
foreign IMs in Open: free; $200 deducted from prize. IMs, WGMs &
foreign FMs in Open: EF $100 less, $100 deducted from prize. Open
Section EF $100 more if not rated 2200 or over by USCF or FIDE.
Under 1200 Section EF: all $100 less than above. Unrated Section
EF: $28 online at chessaction.com by 6/28, $33 mailed by 6/17 or phoned
by 6/26, $40 at site until 1 hour before game or online until 2 hours
before game. Seniors 65/up: all EF $100 less in U1400 or above sections.
No checks at site; credit cards OK. Re-entry: $160, no re-entry from
Open to Open. $20 fee for switching section after 6/30. Special 1
year USCF dues with magazine if paid with entry: Online at chessaction.
com, Adult $30, Young Adult $20, Scholastic $15. Mailed, phoned or paid
at site, Adult $40, Young Adult $30, Scholastic $20. 6-day schedule:
Tue 7 pm, Wed 7 pm, Thu 6 pm, Fri 11 & 6, Sat 11 & 6, Sun 10 & 4:30. 5day schedule: Wed 7 pm, Thu 11 am & 6 pm, Fri 11 am & 6 pm, Sat 11
am & 6 pm, Sun 10 am & 4:30 pm. 4-day schedule: Thu 11, 2:30 & 6,
Fri 11 & 6, Sat 11 & 6, Sun 10 & 4:30. 3-day schedule: Fri 11, 1:30,
3:30, 6 & 8:30, Sat 11 & 6, Sun 10 & 4:30. Unrated schedule: Fri. 11,
2:30 & 6, Sat. 11, 2:30 & 6, Sun. 10, 1:30 & 4:30. All schedules merge
& compete for same prizes. Half point byes OK all, limit 4 (limit 2 in
last 4 rds.), Open must commit before rd. 2, others before rd. 5. Entries,
re-entries close 1 1/2 hours before your first game. Bring sets, boards,
clocks if possible- none supplied. HR: $99-99-109, 703-418-1234, ask
for chess rate, may sell out about May 31, two night minimum July 3-4.
Special car rental rates: Avis, 800-331-1600, AWD #D657633, or reserve
car online through chesstour.com. Foreign player ratings: See www.
chesstour.com/foreignratings.htm. US player ratings: Official July
ratings used; FIDE ratings used for Open Section. Unofficial uschess.org
ratings usually used if otherwise unrated. Special rules: Players must
submit to a search for electronic devices if requested by Director. See
also chesstour.com/devices.htm. Ent: Continental Chess, Box 8482, Pelham, NY 10803. Questions: chesstour.com, chesstour.info, DirectorAt
Chess.US. $15 service charge for refunds. Advance entries posted at
chessaction.com (online entries posted instantly). Awards: Open through
U1800 prizes & Unrated trophies awarded 7/5, others mailed by 7/20.
Bring set, board, clock if possible- none supplied.
JULY 1, VIRGINIA
World Open 7-Minute Championship (BLZ)
5-SS, double round (10 games), G/7 d2. Hyatt Regency Crystal City (see
World Open). Prizes $1000 based on 35 entries, else in proportion except
60% each prize guaranteed. $300-150-70, U2100 $130-70, U1800 $12060, U1500/Unr $100. EF: $40, at site only, no checks. Reg. ends 10:30
am, rds. 11, 12, 1, 2, 3. One pair of 1/2 pt byes available, must commit
before rd. 2. Blitz rated (will not affect regular ratings), but higher of
regular or blitz used for pairings & prizes.
JULY 2-5 OR 3-5, TEXAS
2015 DCC Fide Open VIII
7SS, G/90 inc/30. Dallas Chess Club, 200 S. Cottonwood Dr. #C, Richardson, TX 75080. Two sections: Open and Reserve. Two schedules: 4
day and 3 day. Open: $$875G. FIDE and USCF rated but uses FIDE rules.
Will use USCF ratings and rules for pairings and for awarding prizes.
Default late forfeiture time is one hour. TD may extend this time at TDs
discretion. Note that Foreign players must disclose their FIDE ID number
before 1st round in order to play. Note that USA Players with no FIDE
ID must disclose their email address.$$ $500-$250-$125. EF: $80, Senior/Hcap/Additional Family Member $55. Small appearance fee to the
First three GM/IMs who apply. GM/IM must play all rounds to get
appearance fee (appearance fee might be deducted from prize). Reserve:
Open to players rated below 2000 USCF. This section is not Fide Rated
but is USCF rated and uses USCF rules. EF: $40. The Reserve give back
10% in prizes and if at least 8 paid entries and if there is a clear winner,
then that winner receives free entry to next DCC Fide Open. In the
reserve section, Tournament reserves the right to use Fide rules on
electronic devices and on starting Whites clock at start of a round and
to use FIDE pairing rules. Both: Reg.: 4Day: 7/2 from 6-7:45pm. 3day:
7/3 from 9:4510:15am. Rds.: Rd.1 4day Thurs 7/2 at 7:16pm then
merge with 3day rd 2. 3day rds: Fri 10:45am-3:10pm-7:16pm, Sat 10:45
am-3:10pm. Sun 9:45am-2:10pm. Two half point Byes allowed if requested
before end of round rd. 2 and before getting full point bye. Byes for both
rds. 6 and 7 not allowed. Withdrawals and zero point last round byes are
not eligible for prizes. Note that house players (if required) must pay $2
per round and be USCF members. ENT: Make/mail Checks payable to
Dallas Chess Club, C/O Barbara Swafford, 2709 Longhorn Trail, Crowley,
TX 76036-4719. Info: 214-632-9000, info@dallaschess.com. FIDE.
JULY 3-5 OR 4-5, CALIFORNIA, NORTHERN
2015 Sacramento Chess Championship
ROUNDS: 6. FORMAT: Swiss. RATING: Full-K. SITE: Holiday Inn Express

& Suites, 2224 Auburn Blvd., Sacramento, CA. ON-SITE REGISTRATION:
7/3 8:30 am - 9:45 am; 7/4 8:00 am - 8:45 am. ROUNDS: 3-day:
7/3 10 & 3:30, 7/4 10:30 & 4, 7/5 10 & 3:30. 2-day: 7/4 9,
11:15, 1:30, & 4, 7/5 10 & 3:30. TIME CONTROLS: Master/Expert 3day 40/90 G/30 +30 inc, 2-day: Rounds 1-3, G/50 +15 inc, Rounds
4-6, 40/90 G/30 +30 inc. Reserve & Amateur 3-day 30/75 G/45 +30
inc, 2-day Rounds 1-3, G/50 +15 inc, Rounds 4-6, 30/75 G/45 +30 inc.
SECTIONS: Master/Expert (above 1999) - FIDE Rated, Reserve (16001999), Amateur (U1600). ENTRY FEES: $80 postmarked by 6/29. $90
after 6/29. IMs/GMs free. Entrants may play up one section for $10. $5
discount to CalChess members (excluding reentries). Reentry after round
2 of the 3-day schedule: $40. PRIZES: Master/Expert 1st Place $625 &
trophy, 2nd Place $400, 3rd Place $300. 1st Place Reserve & Amateur
$550 & trophy. Prize fund of $4,750 based on 90 full paid entries (with
75 full paid entries, the prize fund will be $3,760). HOTEL: Holiday Inn
Express & Suites, $95 per night, available until 6/23, (916) 923-1100 or
1-888-465-4329, online at www.hiexpress.com/sacramentone, group
code SCC. ADVANCE ENTRIES & INFO: John McCumiskey (TD), e-mail:
sactochess@sbcglobal.net; phone: (916) 524-9479. Checks payable to
Sacramento Chess Club and mailed to 6700 50th St., Sacramento, CA
95823-1306. Full flyer and advance entries: http://sacramentochessclub.
org under Weekend Events. OTHER INFO: Wheelchair Access. 07/15
rating list only. The Master/Expert section FIDE rated and will use FIDE
rules, with modifications (information on-site). Please bring clocks. 1/2
point byes available in any round and must be requested before the
completion of the previous round. Maximum two 1/2 point byes per
entry. 1/2 point byes for rounds 5 & 6 must be requested prior to round
1 and may not be changed.
JULY 3-5, 4-5 OR 5, NEW YORK
Marshall Monthly Grand Prix - FIDE Rated
5SS, 40/90 SD30 +30inc. $750 Gtd: $200-150-125-100. U2200 $100;
U1900 $75. EF: $60, MCC Mbrs $40. Rds.: 3 day Fri. 6pm, Sat. & Sun.
12:30-5:30. 2 day Sat. 11am (G/25 d5) then merge with 3 day in round
2. 1 day Sun. 9-10:10-11:20 (G/25 d5) then merge in round 4. Limit two
byes; request by rd. 3. marshallchessclub.org, 23 W. 10th St., NYC. 212477-3716.
Mineola. EF: $35 by 6/29, $42 at site, non-memb $9 more. $$ (660 b/22,
top 2 G) 200-100, U2100, 1900, 1700, 1500, 1300/UR each 72. 4 byes 19. captnhal@optonline.net. Reg to 7:15 PM. Rds.: 7:15-8:20-9:25 each
Mon. Rule 14H not used. Ent: Harold Stenzel, 80 Amy Dr., Sayville, NY
11782.
JULY 10-12 OR 11-12, TEXAS
2015 Houston Summer Chess Festival
5SS, G/90, 30-second Inc. (Open Section), G/120 d5 (Under Sections).
$12,950 b/225 full-paid entries, 60% Guaranteed. Marriott Houston
South at Hobby Airport, www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/houhh-hous
ton-marriott-south-at-hobby-airport/, 713-943-7979. $85 HR valid until
6/26. Free parking! Reserve early! After that date, rate may or may not
be honored. 5 Sections: Open (FIDE rated): $1,500-$850-$600-$400$300, (U2400: $750-$500, U2200: $700-$400), UNDER 2000: $800-$400$200-$100-$75, UNDER 1800: $800-$400-$200-$100-$75, UNDER 1600:
$800-$400-$200-$100-$75, UNDER 1400/Unrated: $700-$350-$200$100, (U1200: $500-$250-$125). Champions plaque for the five section
winners, on tie-breaks. Choice of two schedules: 3-Day: Fri 7/10,
8pm, Sat 7/11 2pm & 7pm, Sun 7/12 10am & 3pm; 2-Day: Sat 7/11 9am
then merges with 3-Day Schedule. Entry Fee: $79 by 6/26, $89 after;
Special EF: $49 by 6/26, $59 after: for Juniors under 19, Seniors over
62 and Unrated playing in the U1400. Unrated are only eligible for 60%
of the awarded prizes unless paying full entry fee and playing in the
Open Section. Special EF counts as 2/3 of a full entry and is only available
in the U1400/Unrated Section. July Rating Supplement used. Byes:
Up to two (2) half-point byes, any round, if requested before end of Rd.
2. Reentry: $30 from 3-Day to 2-Day Schedule or within same schedule
allowed. Blitz and Bughouse Tournaments, registration on site.
Scholastic Tournament: Sat 7/11, G/30 d5; EF $20 by 6/26, $25 after,
Four Sections: K-3, K-6, K-9 and K-12, Rounds 11am, 1pm, 2:30pm &
3:45pm, Trophies for top 10 individual and plaques to top 3 teams in
each section. Top 4 players, minimum 2 count towards team standings.
Commemorative medals for all players participating in Scholastic event.
ENTRIES: Mail to Francisco Guadalupe, 305 Willow Pointe Dr., League
City, TX 77573. Enter on line at: www.active.com/houston-tx/boardgames/tournaments/houston-chess-festival-2015. Note: Active.com
charges a small fee. Info: flguadalupe@aol.com. FIDE.
JULY 4, VIRGINIA
World Open 10-Minute Championship (QC)
5SS, G/10 d2. Hyatt Regency Crystal City (see World Open). Prizes $2000
based on 65 entries, else in proportion except 60% each prize guaranteed.
In 2 sections. Open Section: $400-200-100, top U2300 $220, U2100/Unr
$200. Under 1900 Section: $280-140-70, top U1700/Unr $160, U1500
$130, U1300 $100, no unrated may win over $150. EF: $40, at site only,
no checks. Reg.: 6-9 pm, rounds 9:30, 10:10, 10:50, 11:30, 12:10. 1 half
point bye available, must commit before rd. 2. Quick-rated (will not affect
regular ratings), but higher of regular or quick used for pairings & prizes.

JULY 11, FLORIDA
CFCC Tornados at UUU
4-SS, G/75 d5. University Unitarian Universalist Society, 11648 McCulloch
Rd., Orlando 32817. EF: $30, CFCC mbr $25, Masters free (EF deducted
from any prize). $$750 b/30: (1st Place Guaranteed) 200-120-80,
U2000, U1800, U1600, U1400, U1200 $70 ea. (Must draw/win a game
to be eligible for prize.) Reg.: 9:30am. Rds.: 10, 1, 3:30, 6. See website
for details: centralflchess.org. Info: (407) 629-6946.

JULY 4-5, NEW JERSEY
3rd Annual - Fourth of July Open - Leon Shulman Cup
$15,000 projected prizes, $10,000 minimum guaranteed! 5 rounds,
G/90 d5. Holiday Inn, 2175 Marlton Pike W, Cherry Hill, NJ 08002,
across from Garden State Park 5 miles from Philadelphia City Center.
Prizes $15,000 based on 160 paid entries $10,000 minimum guaranteed.
In 5 sections: Open Section: $1500-700-400-300, top Under 2300/Unr
$800-400. Under 2100 Section: $1200-500-300-200, top Under 1900
$500-250. Under 1200 Section: $1000-500-300-100, trophies to 1st,
top Under 1000, Under 800, Under 600, Unrated. EF: Online $95 by
6/13 $105 by 6/27, $120 at site. GMs, IMs free; $100 deducted from
prize. Under 1200 Section entry fee: all $20 less than above. Schedule:
Reg. ends Saturday 9:45 am, rds. Sat 10:00 am, 2:00 pm, 6:00, Sun
10:00 am & 2:00 pm. All: Half point byes OK all, limit 2, must commit
before rd. 2. Hotel rates: $109 Chess Rate, 1-(856) 663-5300; reserve
by 6/15 or rate may increase. Bring set, board, clock if possible- none
supplied. Ratings: June official USCF rating list used. Unofficial uschess.
org ratings usually used if otherwise unrated. Contact: dgorman@darse
mail.com (703) 989-6867.
Visit www.chesstour.com for late news, hotel

availability, results, games, minimum ratings, etc.
Enter tournaments at chessaction.com.
To receive our free email newsletter, see
chess calendar.com or chesstour.com.
Most tournaments have alternate schedules
with less or more days than below.
Asterisk means full details in this issueotherwise, see future issues or our website.
Events in red offer FIDE norm chances.
JULY 5, VIRGINIA
World Open Blitz Championship (BLZ)
5SS, G/5 d0 (double round, 10 games). Hyatt Regency Crystal City (see
World Open). $3000 guaranteed prizes. In 2 sections: Open Section:
$500-300-200, top U2400 $220-110, U2200/Unr $200-100. Under 2000
Section: $400-200-100, top U1800/Unr $220-110, U1600 $160-80, U1400
$100, no unrated may win over $150. EF (at site only, no checks): $40
by 7 pm 7/5, $50 after 7 pm 7/5. GMs free; $40 deducted from prize.
Reg. ends 9:15 pm, rounds 9:45 pm, 10:30, 11, 11:30, 12. Bye: OK rd. 1.
Blitz rated (will not affect regular ratings), but higher of regular or blitz
used for pairings & prizes.
JULY 5, CALIFORNIA, NORTHERN
Bay Area Chess Grand Prix Super Swiss (4SS, G/61 d5)
1639A S. Main St., Milpitas, CA 95035. Prizes: $1,500 b/55 60% guar.
1900+: $300-100-100, u2100 50-50. 1500-1899: $200-100-50, u1700
50-50. u1500: $200-100-50, u1250 50-50. July 15 Supp & TD disc.Reg.:
9-9:15. Rds.: 9:30 11:50 2:40 5 EF: 43, Ecn 29 w 1/2 prz. after 7/2 +15,
playup +15, Rtd 2200+ $0 by 6/28. Info: http://BayAreaChess.com/
grandprix.
CONTINENTAL CHESS SCHEDULE
6/5-7: N ortheast O pen, Stamford C T (see M ay issue)

6/25-30: D C International, A rlington V A *
6/26-28: W orld O pen Senior Amateur, Arlington V A *
6/27-28: W orld O pen U nder 13, Arlington V A*
6/30-7/1: W orld O pen W omens C hamp, Arlington V A*
6/30-7/5: W orld O pen, A rlington V A *
7/17-19: Pacific C oast O pen, Agoura Hills C A *
7/17-19: C hicago C lass, W heeling IL*
7/17-19: Bradley O pen, W indsor Locks C T*
7/24-26: Southern O pen, O rlando FL*
8/7-9: C leveland O pen, C leveland O H*
8/14-16: C ontinental O pen, Sturbridge M A*
8/14-16: C entral C alifornia O pen, Fresno C A*
8/21-23: M anhattan O pen, N ew Y ork N Y *
8/28-30: Atlantic O pen, W ashington D C *
8/28-30: Indianapolis O pen, Indianapolis IN *
9/5-7: N ew Y ork State C hampionship, Albany N Y *
9/25-27: Hartford O pen, W indsor Locks C T*
10//7-12: W ashington C hess C ongress, A rlington V A *
10/9-11: M idw est C lass, W heeling IL*
10/30-11/1: Boardw alk O pen, G allow ay N J
11/6-8: Eastern C hess C ongress, Stamford C T
11/13-15: Kings Island O pen, Blue Ash O H
11/27-29: N ational C hess C ongress, Philadelphia PA
12/26-28: Empire C ity O pen, N ew Y ork N Y
12/26-29: N orth A m erican O pen, L as V egas N V
F or later events, see chesstour.com .
JULY 6, 13, 20, NEW YORK

74th Nassau Action
9SS, G/25 d5 or G/30 d0. 1st Presbyterian Church, 1st & Main Sts.,
www.uschess.org
57

JULY 11, CONNECTICUT
Fairfield County Masters & Class Championships
The strongest tournament in Connecticut! Chess Club of Fairfield County,
710 West Ave., Norwalk, CT 06850. In 2 Sections - Masters: 5SS, G/ 30
d5, Open to Minimum 2200 rating. $$GTD: $500-300-200. Class Championships: 5SS, G/30 d5, Open to 2199 & under. $$GTD: $400-200-100.
Top U2000, U1800, U1600 - $100 Each. Half-point byes available for
rounds 1 & 2. Must commit before round 1. Max 2 byes. ALL: EF: $40 in
advance online by Fri 8pm 7/10 or postmarked by Mon 7/6. $50 late
on-site. CCFC members $30 advance / $40 late. Grandmasters and
International Masters free - entry fee deducted from prize. Reg.: 10:00
- 10:30am. Rds.: 11:00, 12:15, 2:30, 3:45, 5:00. ENT: Chess Club of Fairfield County LLC., 710 West Ave., Norwalk, CT 06850, www.fairfieldcounty
chess.com/masters15.html. INFO: 203-505-6215, ccfc@fairfieldcountychess.com.
A Heritage Event!
JULY 11-12, WISCONSIN
39th Annual Green Bay Open
Radisson Hotel, 2040 Airport Dr., Green Bay, WI 54313. 5SS, 40/100,
30/1, SD/30 d5. EF: $45, Juniors under 19 $40, if recd by 7/8, all
entries after 7/8 including phone, email & in person are $10 more! $$
(Top 2 Gtd. 5 per class) $1685 Cash + 6 trophies! 1st $400 + trophy;
2nd $220, X $115; 1900s & 1800s $115 each; 1700s & 1600s $110
each; 1500s & 1400s $105 each; 1300s & 1200s $100 each; Under
1200/Unrated $90. Trophies to top Juniors ages 17-18, 15-16, 13-14,
11-12, 10 & under. Reg.: 8:45-9:25am. Rds.: 10-2:30-7:30; 10-3:30. HR:
$89/$89/$99/$109 call 920-494-7300 mention chess tournament. Room
block held to 6/19. Other Info: 1/2 bye avail. Rds. 1, 2 or 3 if reqd
w/entry. Entries & Inquiries to: Luke Ludwig, 2191 Allouez Ave., Green
Bay, WI 54311. 920-465-9859, email: lukealudwig@aol.com WCA Tour
Event. W.
A Heritage Event!
JULY 11-12, NEW HAMPSHIRE
65th New Hampshire Open
4SS, 40/100, SD/60 d5. Radisson Hotel Nashua, 11 Tara Blvd. (near
Exit 1 of Everett Turnpike, US Route 3), Nashua, NH 03062; 802-8889970. $$G 3,565. 4 sections. Open, $$G 400-230-170, U2215 215, U2065
200. NH Champion title to top-scoring NH resident. Under 1965, $$G
300-200-150 (no Unr may win more than 180), U1765 200. Under 1665,
$$G 300-200-150 (no Unr may win more than 120), U1465 200. Under
1365, $$G 200-150-100 (no Unr may win more than 90), U1165 120-80.
All, EF $59 in advance or $65 at door, except $49/$55 for Under 1365
section, free to GM/IM in Open. NHCA memb. req. for rated NH residents:
$8 adult, $6 age 18/under. Reg.: Sat 8:30-9:30 a.m., Rds.: 10-4, 9:303:30. Half-point bye okay for any one round (but not for Rd. 4 in Open).
NHCA membership meeting 9 a.m. Sun. HR: $99 (plus 9% tax) if reserved
directly with hotel; reserve by 6/26, mention NHCA. Ent: NHCA, c/o
Robert Messenger, 4 Hamlett Dr., Apt. 12, Nashua, NH 03062. To enter
online using credit card, start by visiting www.nhchess.org. Info: bob.
messenger@myfairpoint.net or 603-891-2484 (home).
JULY 16-19, 17-19 OR 18-19, CALIFORNIA, SOUTHERN
20th annual Pacific Coast Open
6SS, 40/100, SD/30 d10 (2-day option, rds. 1-3 G/40 d10). Sheraton
Agoura Hills Hotel, 30100 Agoura Rd., Agoura Hills, CA 91301 (US-101
to Reyes Adobe Road exit). Adjacent to the Santa Monica Mountains, 26
miles west of Burbank, 12 miles from Malibu, 28 miles from Ventura. Free
parking. Prizes $25,000 based on 230 paid entries (re-entries & U1250
Section count half), minimum $20,000 (80% each prize) guaranteed. In
6 sections. Open: $3000-1500-1000-500, clear or tiebreak win $100 bonus,
top U2300/Unr $1200-600. Under 2100: $2000-1000-500-300. Under
1900: $2000-1000-500-300. Under 1700: $1600-800-400-200. Under
1500: $1600-800-400-200. Under 1250: $800-400-200-100, plaques to
first 3, top U1000, U800, Unr. Mixed doubles bonus prizes: best male/
female 2-player team combined score among all sections: $1000-500300-200. Team average rating must be under 2200; teammates may play
in different sections; teams must register (no extra fee) before both
players begin round 2; teammate pairings avoided but possible. Unrated
may enter any section, with prize limit U1900 $900, U1700 $700, U1500
$500, U1250 $300; balance goes to next player(s) in line. Top 5 sections
EF: $135 at chessaction.com by 7/15, $140 phoned by 7/13 (406-8962038, no questions), 4-day $139, 3-day $138, 2-day $137 mailed by 7/7,
$150 (no checks, credit cards OK) at site, or online until 2 hours before
game. GMs free; $120 deducted from prize. Under 1250 Section EF:
All $50 less than top 5 sections entry fees. SCCF membership ($18,
under 18 $13 with magazine, $3 without) required for rated Southern
CA residents. Re-entry $70; not available in Open Section. Unofficial
uschess.org ratings usually used if otherwise unrated. Special 1 year
USCF dues with magazine if paid with entry. Online at chessaction.com,
Adult $30, Young Adult $20, Scholastic $15. Mailed, phoned or paid at
site, Adult $40, Young Adult $30, Scholastic $20. 4-day schedule: Reg.
Thu to 6 pm, rds. Thu 7 pm, Fri 6 pm, Sat 11 & 5, Sun 11:15 & 4:30. 3day schedule: Reg. Fri to 11 am, rds. Fri 12 & 6, Sat 11 & 5, Sun 11:15
& 4:30. 2-day schedule: Reg. Sat to 9 am, rds. Sat 10, 12:15, 2:30 & 5,
Sun 11:15 & 4:30. All schedules: Half point byes OK all, limit 2, Open
must commit before rd. 2, other sections before rd. 4. HR: $99-99, 818707-1220, request chess rate, reserve by 7/2 or rate may increase. Car
rental: Avis, 800-331-1600, use AWD #D657633. Ent: chessaction.com
or Continental Chess, Box 8482, Pelham, NY 10803. $15 service charge
for refunds. Questions: www.chesstour.com, DirectorAtChess.US, 347201-2269. Advance entries posted at chessaction.com (online entries
posted instantly). Blitz tournament Sat 9:30 pm, enter by 9:15 pm.
58

JULY 17-19 OR 18-19, CONNECTICUT
20th Annual Bradley Open
Hotel, 1 Bradley Airport (visible at airport entrance), Windsor Locks, CT
06096 (I-91 Exit 40 to Rt. 20). Free parking. $7500 guaranteed prize
fund. In 4 sections. Open: $1000-500-300, U2210/Unr $600-300. Under
2010: $800-400-200, top U1810 (no unr) $500-250. Under 1610: $700400-200, top U1410 (no unr) $300-150. Under 1210: $400-200-100,
trophies to first 3, top U1000, U800, U600, Unrated. Mixed Doubles
bonus prize: best male/female 2-player team combined score among
all sections: $200. Team average must be under 2200; teammates may
play in different sections; teams must register (no extra fee) by 2 pm
7/18. Unrated may not win over $200 in U1210 or $400 in U1610. Top
3 sections EF: $78 online at chessaction.com by 7/15, $85 phoned to
406-896-2038 by 7/13, 3-day $83, 2-day $82 if check mailed by 7/8, $90
at site, or online until 2 hours before game. U1210 Section EF: all $40
less than above. All: No checks at site, credit cards OK. GMs, IMs, &
WGMs free, $70 deducted from prize. Online EF $3 less to CSCA or WMCA
members. Re-entry $50; not available in Open Section. Unofficial
uschess.org ratings usually used if otherwise unrated. Special 1 year
USCF dues with paper magazine if paid with entry. Online at chessaction.
com, Adult $30, Young Adult $20, Scholastic $15. Mailed, phoned or paid
at site, Adult $40, Young Adult $30, Scholastic $20. 3-day schedule:
Reg. ends Fri 6 pm, rds. Fri 7 pm, Sat 11 & 5, Sun 10 & 3:30. 2-day
schedule: Reg. ends Sat 10 am, rds. Sat 11, 2 & 5, Sun 10 & 3:30. Bye:
all, limit 2; must commit before rd. 2. HR: $102-102, 860-627-5311; reserve
by 7/3 or rate may increase. Ent: chessaction.com or Continental Chess,
Box 8482, Pelham, NY 10803. $15 service charge for refunds. Questions:
chesstour.com, chesstour.info, DirectorAtChess.US, 347-201-2269.
Advance entries posted at chessaction.com (online entries posted instantly).
Blitz tournament Sat 9:30 pm, enter by 9:15 pm.
JULY 17-19 OR 18-19, ILLINOIS
8th annual Chicago Class
5SS, 40/110, SD/30 d10 (2-day option, G/60 d10). Westin Chicago North
Shore Hotel, 601 North Milwaukee Ave., Wheeling, IL 60090 (from
Chicago, I-294 north to US-45 north; from Milwaukee, I-94 to Lake Cook
Rd. to US-45 south). Free parking. $20,000 guaranteed prize fund. In
7 sections: Master (2200/up): $2000-1000-500-300, clear win or 1st on
tiebreak $100, top U2400 $800-400. Expert (2000-2199): $1400-700400-200. Class A (1800-1999/Unr): $1400-700-400-200. Class B (16001799/Unr): $1400-700-400-200. Class C (1400-1599/Unr): $1200-600400-200. Class D (1200-1399/Unr): $1000-500-300-200. Class E (Under
1200/Unr): $500-250-150-100, trophies to first 3, top Under 1000, 800,
Under 600, Unrated. Rated players may play up one section. Prize limits:
Unrated may not win over $200 in E, $350 D, $500 C, $700 B, or $900 A.
Mixed Doubles bonus prizes: best male/female 2-player team combined score among all sections: $800-400-200. Team average must be
under 2200; teammates may play in different sections; teams must register (no extra fee) by 2 pm 7/18. Top 6 sections EF: $105 online at chess
action.com by 7/15, $110 phoned to 406-896-2038 (entry only, no questions) by 7/13, 3-day $108, 2-day $107 mailed by 7/8, all $120 at site,
or online until 2 hours before first game. GMs $100 from prize. Class E
Section EF: all $50 less than above. All: No checks at site, credit cards
OK. Online EF $5 less to ICA members; join/renew at il-chess.org. An
ICA Tour event. Unofficial uschess.org ratings usually used if otherwise
unrated. Special 1 year USCF dues with paper magazine if paid with
entry. Online at chessaction.com, Adult $30, Young Adult $20, Scholastic
$15. Mailed, phoned or paid at site, Adult $40, Young Adult $30, Scholastic
$20. Re-entry $50; not available in Master Section. GMs $80 from prize.
3-day schedule: Reg. ends Fri 6 pm, rds. Fri 7, Sat 11 & 5, Sun 10 & 3:30.
2-day schedule: Reg. ends Sat 10 am, rds. Sat 11, 2 & 5, Sun 10 &
3:30. Bye: all, limit 2; Master must commit before rd. 2, others before
rd. 3. HR: $107-107-107-107, 800-937-8461, 847-777-6500, reserve by
7/3 or rate may increase. Car rental: Avis, 800-331-1600, use AWD
#D657633. Ent: chessaction.com or Continental Chess, Box 8482, Pelham,
NY 10803. $15 service charge for refunds. Questions: DirectorAtChess.US,
chesstour.com, 347-201-2269. Advance entries posted at chessaction.com
(online entries posted instantly). Blitz tournament Sat 9:30 pm, enter
by 9:15 pm.
JULY 17-19 OR 18-19, OHIO
2015 Columbus Open
5-SS, G/30/90 d5 SD/1 d5 (2-day schedule, rd. 1 G/90 d5), OVER $8000
IN PRIZES, UNCONDITIONALLY GUARANTEED. All rounds will be played
at the Ohio Union, 1739 N. High St., Columbus, OH 43210, on the Ohio
State University campus. Parking is $7/day at nearby campus parking
garages. 3 sections: Open, open to all. G $1500, 1000, 600, 500, 400;
U2000, $600, 400; Premier, open to 1799/below: $600, 400; U1600:
$600, 400; Reserve, open to 1399/below: $600, 400. All EF: $95 if recd
by 7/10/2015. $105 at site. Free to Sr. Master/above who complete
their schedule. ($95 EF deducted from winnings.) 3-day schedule: Reg.
Ends Fri. 6:30 p.m., Rds: Fri. 7 p.m.; Sat. 2 p.m., 7:30 p.m.; Sun. 9:30 a.m.,
3 p.m. 2-day schedule: Reg. Ends Sat. 9:30 a.m. Rd. 1 at 10 a.m., then
merges with 3-day schedule. Re-entry: $20. Any player who loses Fri.
night may re-enter for $20 and loss will not count in tournament standings!
One 1/2-pt. Bye available in Rds. 1-4 (request required prior to Rd. 1).
Unrated players may play in any section. $25 upset prize each section.
HOTELS: The Blackwell Inn, 2110 Tuttle Park Pl., Columbus, OH 43210.
This is 4-star hotel; rates $117 for double with group code OSU Chess
Club, 614-247-4000. For more frugal, Varsity Inn South, 1445 Olentangy
River Rd., Columbus, group rate $79 per night 1-4 persons, with code:
Columbus Open Chess Tournament. 614-291-2983 This hotel has a swimming pool, free parking, and is around 2 miles from playing site. ENT:
C/O Lou Friscoe, 1623 Glenn Ave., Columbus, OH 43212. Inquires: (614)
486-6856 or (614) 228-8111. Entry forms or to register online, see
website for more info: www.centralchessclub.com.

JULY 17-19 OR 18-19, CALIFORNIA, NORTHERN
Bay Area Chess GM Melikset Khachiyan Championship
1639A S. Main St., Milpitas, CA 95035. 5SS, G90+30 2-day rds. 1-2 G/50
d5. Park free. Prize: 5,000 b/94 (70% guar). 3 sects: 2000+ (FIDE)
$1,000-500-200, u2300: 250-125-100. 1600-1999: $700-300-100, u1800:
200-100, u1600: $700-300-100 u1400: 125-100, u1200: 100. Unr max
$100 exc Open. Jul 15Supp & TD disc. Reg.: F 6-6:45p & Sa 8:30-8:45a.
Rds.: F 7p, Sa 9 1:20, Su 10 2:30. (2-day Sa 9 11:10 & merge). EF: 89,
Econ EF: 69 w 60% prz, after 7/13 +20. Playup +20. Rated 2250+ $0
by 7/7 (prize - EF). Info: http://BayAreaChess.com/champs.
JULY 17-19, KANSAS
Kansas Open
All events at Holiday Inn, 549 South Rock Rd., Wichita, KS. 3 sections: (7/18 and 7/19) 5SS, G/120 d5. All prizes based on 80 non-scholastic
rate entries in Open + Reserve + Amateur. Open: all: $350-250-150.
U1900: 100. Reserve: 1799/below: $300-200-100. U1600: 75. Amateur:
1399/below $250-150-50. U1200: 50. Note- additional $25 and plaque
to top KS resident in each section (Including Blitz). EF: $45 if postmarked
by 7/11, $55 thereafter and on-site. Special $10 discount for advance
entry into both KS Open + Blitz tourney, $10 entry fee for Scholastics,
not competing for cash, but for plaques in Reserve or Amateur (and
Blitz). Special free Scholastic entry for some (see website). Reg.: 7/18
8:30-9:30am. Rds.: 7/18: 10- 2:30-7, 7/19: 9:30, 2:00. KANSAS BLITZ
CHESS: 1 section: (7/17), 5SS, G/10 d0. All prizes based on 40 nonscholastic rate entries $180-120-60. U2100 60. U1800 60. U1500 and
unrated 60. EF: $25 if postmarked by 7/11, $35 thereafter and on-site,
$10 entry fee for all Scholastics not competing for cash. Reg.: 7/17 67pm. Rds.: 7:00, 7:30, 8, 8:30, 9. KANSAS BUGHOUSE: 1 section:
(7/17) 4pm. (details- see website) HR: Special room rate at Holiday
Inn, 316-686-7131 or 877-863-4780 and mention event key KOC, up to 4
in a room, $90 per night, reservations by 7/3. Special: KCA membership
required of KS residents to participate in Kansas Open (See website for
details) www.kansaschess.org. Ent: Laurence Coker, 8013 W. 145th St.,
Overland Park, KS 66223. Checks payable to Kansas Chess Association.
wlcoker7@hotmail.com or 913-851-1583.
JULY 18-19, VIRGINIA
25th Annual Charlottesville Open
5SS, G/90 d5. EF: $55 by 7/16, then $65. 2 Sections: Open & U1700.
Prizes: $2000 b/o 60. Open Section: Place prizes guaranteed. $$400,
$$250, $$150 U2100 $150, U1900 $130; U1700 Section: $300, $200,
$150 U1500 $140, U1200 $130. Site & HR: Comfort Inn Monticello, 2097
Inn Dr., Charlottesville, VA 22911 (434) 977-3300) $99.95 + tax if reserved
by 6/15. Reg.: 11-11:40 am. Rds.: Sat. 12, 3:15, 7:15 Sun. 9:30, 1:15.
Entries: Ernest Schlich, 1370 S. Braden Cres., Norfolk, VA 23502. Checks
to VCF. On-line reg. at www.vachess.org Mbr: VCF rqd. for VA residents
$10, $5 under age 17. Info: ernest.schlich@gmailcom Byes: single halfpoint bye on request. No CC on site, cash only please.
JULY 18-19, LOUISIANA
2015 Paul Morphy Open
5-SS, (Pro: G/90 i30; Am: G/2 d5). Site: Hilton New Orleans Airport,
901 Airline Dr., Kenner, LA 70062. EF: $50 if mailed by 7/10, $60 at site;
out-of-state masters free, EF deducted from prize. LCA Memb. reqd for
all La. residents ($15 adult, $5 Sch.), OSA. Prizes: $3000 b/80, $1500
(50%) Gtd.! Two Sections: Open: $600-300-200; U2000 $250-125, U1800
$225-100. Reserve (U1600): $300-200; U1400 $250-125; U1200/UNR
$225-100. Rds.: Sat: 9:15-1-5:30, Sun: 9:30-2. HR: $109, (800)872-5914,
group code: La.C, reserve early. Ent/Info: Adam Caveney, 1301 Gen. Taylor
St., New Orleans, LA 70115, cb20234@yahoo.com, (504) 895-4133 (evenings), (504) 615-6730 (on day of tourney).
JULY 21, NEW YORK
Marshall Masters
4-SS, G/25 d5. Open to 2000+ and players with a plus score in any
MCC Open or U2300 event since the previous Masters. $620 GTD: 250150-100. Top U2400 60, Top U2300 30, Biggest upset $30. EF: $40, Mbr
$30. GMs Free. Reg.: 6:15-6:45pm. Rds.: 7-8:15-9:30-10:45pm. Max
one bye, for round 1 or 4 only. Request at entry. www.marshallchessclub.
org. 23 W. 10th St., NYC. 212-477-3716.
JULY 24-26 OR 25-26, FLORIDA
23rd annual Southern Open
5SS, 40/110, SD/30 d10 (2-day option, rds. 1-2 G/60 d10). Wyndham
Orlando Resort, 8001 International Dr., Orlando 32819. Special parking
(note change) $5/day. $$15,000 guaranteed prizes. In 4 sections.
Open: $2000-1000-500-300, clear or tiebreak winner $100 bonus, top
Under 2300/Unr $800-400. Under 2100: $1500-800-400-200, top Under
1900/Unr $600-300. Under 1700: $1200-600-300-200, top Under 1500
(no unr) $500-250. Under 1300: $800-400-200-150, top Under 1100 (no
unr) $200-100, plaques to top Under 1000, Under 800, Under 600,
Unrated. Mixed doubles bonus prizes: best male/female 2-player
team combined score among all sections: $800-400. Team average
must be under 2200; teammates may play in different sections; teams
must register (no extra fee) by 2 pm 7/25. Unrated may not win over
$200 in U1300 or $500 U1700. Top 3 sections EF: $105 online at chessaction.com by 7/22, $110 phoned to 406-896-2038 by 7/20, 3-day $108,
2-day $107 mailed by 7/15, all $120 (no checks, credit cards OK) at site,
or online until 2 hours before game. GMs, IMs & WGMs free; $100
deducted from prize. U1300 Section EF: all $40 less than above. Unofficial uschess.org ratings usually used if otherwise unrated. Special
1 year USCF dues with paper magazine if paid with entry. Online at

chessaction.com, Adult $30, Young Adult $20, Scholastic $15. Mailed,
phoned or paid at site, Adult $40, Young Adult $30, Scholastic $20. Reentry $60; not available in Open Section. 3-day schedule: Reg. ends
Fri 6 pm, rds. Fri 7 pm, Sat 11 & 5, Sun 10 & 3:30. 2-day schedule:
Reg. ends Sat 10 am, rds. Sat 11, 2 & 5, Sun 10 & 3:30. All: Half point
byes OK all, limit 2, Open must commit before rd. 2, others before rd. 3.
HR: $92-92 (no resort fee), 1-800-421-8001, 407-351-2420; reserve by
7/10 or rate may increase. Car rental: Avis, 800-331-1600, AWD D657633,
or reserve car online through chesstour.com. Ent: chessaction.com or
Continental Chess, Box 8482, Pelham, NY 10803. $15 service charge for
refunds. Questions: www.chesstour.com, DirectorAtChess.US, 347-2012269. Advance entries posted at chessaction.com (online entries posted
instantly). Blitz tournament Sat 9:30 pm, enter by 9:15 pm.
JULY 26, CALIFORNIA, NORTHERN
Cupertino Grand Prix DuperSwiss75 (3SS, G/75 d5)
Courtyard Marriott, Cupertino, CA 95014. Prizes: $1,500 b55. 60% guar.
1900+: $300-100-100, u2000 50-50. 1500-1899: $200-100-50, u1600
50-50. u1500: $200-100-50, u1200 50-50. Jul 15 Supp & TD disc. Reg.: 88:45. Rds.: 9-11:45-2:40. EF: 47, Econ 32 w 1/2 prz. after 7/23 +15, playup
+15, Rtd 2200+ $0 by 7/19. Info: BayAreaChess.com/grandprix. W.
JULY 27-AUG. 2, OHIO
Dayton Chess Festival: Dayton Masters (Closed); Aviator OpenGP:40; X-15 Blitz (BLZ)!
July 27-July 31 Dayton Masters FIDE RR: (invite only): 9-RR, 40/90,
SD/30, +30incr. GM/IM Norms possible plus 1-3 Futurities in parallel.
Dayton Chess Club, 18 W. 5th St., Dayton, OH. Opening Ceremony Mon
11:00am. Rds.: Mon 12:00pm & 7:00pm, Tue-Wed-Thr 11:00am & 6:00pm,
Fri 10:00am. Closing Ceremony Fri 5:00pm. Details & EFs at www.DaytonChessFestival.com or www.DaytonChessClub.com. July 31-Aug 2,
Aviator Open-GP:40-FIDE Rated: 5SS, G/90, incr 30. $4000, b/60,
FIDE Rated. At the Dayton Chess Club. OPEN FORMAT One Section
Open to All. Prizes: 1-$1,100; 2-$800; 3-$700; 4-$500; 5-$400; 6-$300;
7-$200. EF: $88 if recd NLT 7/24, then $98. 3dy schedule Rds.: Fri8:00pm, Sat-12:00pm & 6:00pm, Sun-10:00am & 4:30pm. 2dy schedule
Reg.: Sat-8-9am with Rd. 1 9:30am, G/60 +30incr, then join 3 day
schedule. 2 byes permitted, must schedule prior to R3. OH Grand Prix
Event - $3 disc OCA mbrs. Also $3 disc DCC mbrs. Reg.: on site Fri 67:30pm & Sat for those taking a bye in R1 from 9:30-11:00am. ENTRIES:
Dayton Chess Club, 18 West 5th St., Dayton, OH 45402 or register online
at DaytonChessclub.com. No cks at site. Hotel TBD. Info and more
details call 937.461.6283 or go to www.DaytonChessFestival.com or
www.DaytonChessClub.com. Aug 2, X-15 Blitz! G/5, no delay. $350
b/20. 1-$200, 2-$100, 3-$50. Rated Blitz at Dayton Chess Club, 18 W.

5th St., Dayton, OH 45402. Number of rounds & SS or RR determined by
number of entries, max number of rounds 11. Registration ends 1:00pm
Sun. Rd.1 begins 1:30pm. EF: $25. Register at site on Fri, Sat, or Sun. Info
and more details at www.DaytonChessFestival.com or www.DaytonChess
Club.com.
JULY 31, NEW YORK
Marshall $500 FIDE Blitz (BLZ)
9-SS, G/3 d2. FIDE Blitz rated. $500 Gtd.: $200-100, top U2400/unr,
U2200, U2000, U1800: $50. Highest rating (regular, quick or blitz) used
for pairings & prizes. EF: $30, MCC Mbrs $20, GMs $20. Reg.: 6:156:45. Rds.: 7-7:30-7:50-8:10-8:40-9-9:20-9:40-10pm. Max three byes.
Request at entry. www.marshallchessclub.org. 23 W. 10th St., NYC. 212477-3716.
JULY 31-AUG. 2 OR AUG. 1-2, MARYLAND
5th Annual Potomac Open
5SS, 40/90, SD/30 + 30 incr, (Rnd. 1 G/90 +30 incr) (2-day schedule:
rds. 1-2 G/45+30incr) U1250 & U1000 G/120 d5 (Rds. 1-2 G/60 d/5),
U1250 3-day Rds. 1&2 G/120 d5. Rockville Hilton, 1750 Rockville Pike,
Rockville, MD 20852. $$Based on score. 7 sections: Championship (min.
rating of 1900) FIDE rated: 5.0 =$1600, 4.5 =$800, 4.0=$450, 3.5=$175,
3.0=$50 [min $1500 payout, top score group raised if less than $1500].
U2100: 5.0 =$1500, 4.5 =$700, 4.0=$350, 3.5=$150, 3.0=$40. U1900:
5.0 =$1200, 4.5 =$650, 4.0=$350, 3.5=$125. U1700: 5.0= $1200,
4.5 = $600, 4.0= $300, 3.5= $100. U1500: 5.0= $1000, 4.5= $500,
4.0= $250, 3.5= $100. U1250 & U1000: 5.0= $500, 4.5= $250, 4.0=
$125, 3.5= $50. Trophies to top 5 in U1000. If no 5-0 in section, then
sole 1st at 4.5 or shared 1st at lower score receive bonus (added
to score prize) - Championship: $300; U2100 $200, U1900 $150, U1700
& U1500: $100; U1250 & U1000: $50. Unrated may not win over $100 in
U1000, $200 U1250, or $400 in U1500. Sets and boards provided.
Clocks provided in the Championship, U2100 & U1900 sections.
Optionally, pairings can be texted to your phone. Free Sunday
morning continental breakfast for players. Free parking for day
guests. EF: $97 by 7/17, $102 by 7/28, and $107 online only by 7/30,
$110 at the door. Special EFs: $35 less for U1250 & U1000, GMs free,
$50 deducted from prize, IMs $45 off EF, $20 deducted from prize, $6
off EF if staying at hotel. HR: $89, Rooms may not be avail after 7/18. 3day schedule: Reg. ends Fri 7pm, rds. Fri 8, Sat 11 & 6, Sun 9:30 & 3:30.
2-day schedule: Reg. ends Sat 10am rds. 11, 2:15 & 6, Sun 9:30 & 3:30.
U1250 & U1000 schedule Reg. ends Sat 10am rds. 11, 1:15 & 4:00, Sun
9:30 & 1:30 U1250 3-day schedule: Reg. ends Fri 7pm, rds. Fri 8, Sat 11
Cajun Chess
12405 Hillary Step Drive
Olive Branch, MS 38654
504-208-9596
cajunchess@yahoo.com
www.cajunchess.com
Marshall Chess Club

23 W. 10th St.
New York, NY 10011
212-477-3716
admin@marshallchessclub.org
www.marshallchessclub.org
San Diego Chess Club

2225 6th Ave.
San Diego, CA 92101
State: Southern California
619-239-7166
sandiegochessclub@gmail.com
www.sandiegochessclub.org
Chess Club and Scholastic

Center of St. Louis
4657 Maryland Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63108.
314-361-CHESS
info@stlouischessclub.org
www.stlouischessclub.org
ChessNYC.com
c/o Russell Makofsky & Michael Propper
PO Box 189, 1710 1st Ave
New York, NY 10012, 212-475-8130
info@chessnyc.com
www.chessnyc.com
Shore HS Chess League

PO Box 773
Lincroft, NJ 07738
shorehschessleague@yahoo.com
ChessIQ
4957 Oakton Street, Suite 113
Skokie, IL 60077, 847.423.862 6
sevan@chessiq.com
www.chessiq.com
PaperClip Pairings
c/o J. Houghtaling Jr & Remy Ferrari
6005 Forest Blvd.
Brownsville, TX 78526, 956-459-2421
jejrhoughtaling@bisd.us
Dallas Chess Club

200 S. Cottonwood Dr. Suite C
Richardson, TX 75080
972-231-2065
info@dallaschess.com
www.dallaschess.com

JULY 31-AUG. 2, AUG. 1-2 OR AUG. 2, NEW YORK
Marshall August Grand Prix - FIDE Rated
5-SS, 40/90 SD30 +30. FIDE Rated. $800 Gtd: $300-150-100. U2200:
$125; U1900 $125. EF: $60, MCC Mbrs $40. GMs Free. Reg.: Ends 15
min before round start. Rds.: 3-day: Fri. 6pm, Sat. & Sun. 12-5:30pm.
2-day: Sat. 11am (G/25 d5) then merge with 3-day in round 2. 1-day:
Sun. 9-10:10-11:20am (G/25 d5) then merge in round 4. Max two byes.
Request by rd. 3. www.marshallchessclub.org. 23 W. 10th St., NYC. 212477-3716.
AUG. 1-9, 4-9 OR 6-9, ARIZONA
116th Annual U.S. Open
See Nationals.
AUG. 2, CALIFORNIA, NORTHERN
Bay Area Chess Grand Prix Super Swiss (4SS, G/61 d5)
1639A S. Main St., Milpitas, CA 95035. Prizes: $1,500 b/55. 60% guar.
1900+: $300-100-100, u2100 50-50. 1500-1899: $200-100-50, u1700
50-50. u1500: $200-100-50, u1250 50-50. Aug 15 Supp & TD disc. Reg.:
9-9:15. Rds.: 9:30-11:50-2:30-5. EF: 43, Ecn 29 w 1/2 prz. after 7/29
+15, playup +15, Rtd 2200+ $0 by 7/23. Info: BayAreaChess.com/
grandprix.
AUG. 7, MARYLAND
2015 Washington International Blitz (BLZ)
5 double SS, G/3+2 incr. Rockville Hilton, 1750 Rockville Pike, Rockville,
MD 20852. 2 Sections: Open, $$Guaranteed: $400-$200-$150, U2200
$130-$70, U2000 $110-$60. U1800 (b/20): $250-$150-$75, U1600 $50.
Sets, boards and clocks provided. Free parking for day guests. EF:
$30 by 7/28, $35 by 8/5, and then $40. Special EFs: GMs & IMs $20 off
EF. Schedule Reg. ends 7pm Rnd. 1 at 8pm then ASAP. Ent: MCA, 1827
Thornton Ridge Rd., Towson, MD 21204. Detailed rules, more information
and registration at http://washintlblitz.mdchess.com.
AUG. 7-9 OR 8-9, OHIO
Cleveland Open
GOLD & SILVER
GOLD AFFILIATES
Continental Chess
Association
PO Box 8482, Pelham, NY 10803.
201-347-2269
director@chess.us
www.chesstour.com
& 4, Sun 9:30 & 1:30. Ent: Michael Regan, 1827 Thornton Ridge Rd.,
Towson, MD 21204. More information and registration at http://thepo
tomacopen.com.
Shining Knights, Lt d.
P.O. Box 545
Glenmoore, PA 19343
484-228-8457
cindy@shiningknights.com
www.shiningknights.com
Silver Knights Chess
701 W. Broad Street, Suite 308
Falls Church, VA 22406,
703-574-2070
chess@silverknightschess.com
www.silverknightschess.com
SILVER AFFILIATES
Bay Area Chess (CA)
www.BayAreaChess.com
Long Island Chess Nuts (NY)

516-739-3907
Oklahoma Chess Foundation

OCFChess.org
The Berkeley Chess School (CA)

www.berkeleychessschool.org
Los Angeles Chess Club (CA)

www.LAChessClub.com
Sparta Chess Club (NJ)

www.spartachessclub.org
En Passant Chess Club (TX)

edguetzow@sbcglobal.net
Michigan Chess Association

www.michess.org
Success Chess School (CA)

www.successchess.com
AFFILIATES
GOLD
Any affiliate that has submitted at least 50

USCF memberships during the current or
previous calendar year, or is the recognized
State Affiliate, is eligible to become a Gold
Affiliate. Gold Affiliates are honored in a special list in larger type in Tournament Life
each month, giving the affiliate name,
address, phone number, e-mail address,
and website. Gold Affiliation costs $350 per
year, and existing affiliates may subtract
$3 for each month remaining on their regular affiliation, or $20 for each month
remaining on their Silver Affiliation. As of
August 6, 2007, by paying an annual payment
of $500 (instead of $350), Gold Affiliate status may be obtained with no minimum
requirement for memberships submitted.
SILVER
Any affiliate that has submitted at least 25

USCF memberships during the current or
previous calendar year, or is the recognized
State Affiliate, is eligible to become a Silver
Affiliate. These affiliates will be recognized
in a special list in Tournament Life each
month, giving the affiliate name, state, and
choice of either phone number, e-mail
address, or website. Silver Affiliation costs
$150 per year, and existing affiliates may
subtract $3 for each month remaining on
their regular affiliation. As of August 6, 2007,
by paying an annual payment of $250.00
(instead of $150), Silver Affiliate status may
be obtained with no minimum requirement
for memberships submitted.
www.uschess.org
59

Cleveland Airport Hotel, 5300 Riverside Drive (inside Cleveland Airport;
free shuttle), Cleveland, OH 44135. Free parking. $15,000 guaranteed
prize fund. In 5 sections. Open: $2000-1000-500-300, clear or tiebreak
winner $100 bonus, top U2300/Unr $800-400. Under 2100: $1500-800400-200, top U1900/Unr $600-300. Under 1700: $1200-600-300-200,
top U1500 (no unr) $500-250. Under 1300: $800-400-200-150, top U1100
(no unr) $200-100, plaques to top Under 1000, Under 800, Under 600,
Unrated. Mixed doubles bonus prizes: best male/female 2-player team
combined score among all sections: $800-400. Team average must be
under 2200; teammates may play in different sections; teams must register (no extra fee) by 2 pm 8/8. Unrated may not win over $200 in
U1300 or $500 in U1700. Top 3 sections EF: $105 online at chessaction.
com by 8/5, $110 phoned to 406-896-2038 by 8/3, 3-day $108, 2-day
$107 mailed by 7/29, all $120 (no checks, credit cards OK) at site, or
online until 2 hours before game. GMs, IMs & WGMs free; $100 deducted
from prize. U1300 Section EF: all $40 less than above. Online EF $5
less to OCA members. Unofficial uschess.org ratings usually used if
otherwise unrated. Special 1 year USCF dues with paper magazine if
paid with entry. Online at chessaction.com, Adult $30, Young Adult $20,
Scholastic $15. Mailed, phoned or paid at site, Adult $40, Young Adult
$30, Scholastic $20. Re-entry $50; not available in Open Section. 3day schedule: Reg ends Fri 6 pm, rds. Fri 7 pm, Sat 11 & 5, Sun 10 &
3:30. 2-day schedule: Reg ends Sat 10 am, rds. Sat 11, 2 & 5, Sun 10
& 3:30. All: Half point byes OK all, limit 2, Open must commit before rd.
2, others before rd. 3. HR: $92-92, 216-267-1500, request chess rate,
reserve by 7/24 or rate may increase. Car rental: Avis, 800-331-1600,
AWD D657633, or reserve car online through chesstour.com. Ent: chess
action.com or Continental Chess, Box 8482, Pelham, NY 10803. $15 service
charge for refunds. Questions: www.chesstour.com, DirectorAtChess.US,
347-201-2269. Advance entries posted at chessaction.com (online entries
posted instantly). Blitz tournament Sat 9:30 pm, enter by 9:15 pm.
AUG. 8-13 (NOT JULY 25-30), MARYLAND
4th Annual Washington International (note date change)
9SS, 40/100, SD/30 inc/30. Rockville Hilton, 1750 Rockville Pike, Rockville,
MD 20852, 301-468-0308 All prizes guaranteed. Two sections: A
Section (minimum 2100 FIDE or 2200 USCF to play. FIDE ratings
used for pairings and prizes) $4000-2000-1000-900-700-600-400, top
U2500 $1300-650, top U2300 $1100-550. Limited number of minimum
prizes for non-US FIDE rated players, see web page. Limited amount of
housing support is available for non-US GMs and IMs. GM and IM
norms possible (1 GM & 1 IM earned last year). B Section 7-SS
(under 2201 USCF and under 2200 FIDE, USCF ratings used, FIDE
rated) $2000-$1000-$500, top U2000 $1000, top under 1800 $500. Free
Continental breakfast before morning rounds. All equipment provided for both sections. A section EF: GMs, non-US IMs Free; US
IMs and WGMs $199; FIDE above 2300 $299; FIDE from 2200 to 2299
$349; FIDE from 2100 to 2199 $399, FIDE from 2000 to 2099 $600, FIDE
less than 2000 $800. All $25 more after 6/8, $35 more after 7/24, $45
more after 8/4, $70 more at the door. B Section EF: $249. $20 more
after 7/24, $30 more after 8/4, $40 more at the door. Special EFs: All
$100 less for non-US FIDE rated in A section; If staying at the Hilton
(min 3 nights), $50 less for US IMs and WGMs, others $75 less. All $25
less for new WI players. All $20 rebate for every new paying WI player
you refer. All $50 less, if born before 8/8/1965. A Section Schedule
Reg ends Sat 10 am, rds. 8/8-8/10:11am & 6pm, 8/11 & 12: 6pm, Thur
8/13 11am. B Section Schedule Reg ends Sat 10 am, rds. 8/8-8/10:11am
& 6pm, 8/11 6pm. HR: $93 Ent: MCA, c/o Michael Regan, 1827 Thornton
Ridge Rd., Towson, MD 21204. More information, hotel reservation link,
& online entry at http://washintl.mdchess.com.
A Heritage Event!
AUG. 13-16, 14-16 OR 15-16, MASSACHUSETTS
45th annual Continental Open
6SS, 40/110, SD/30 d10 (2-day option except Open Section, rds. 1-3
G/40 d10). Host Hotel at Cedar Lake, 366 Main St. (Rt. 20 West), Sturbridge, MA 01566 (I-84 Exit 3, near I-90). Free parking. Experience early
19th century America at Old Sturbridge Village (see www.osv.org).
$30,000 guaranteed prizes. In 7 sections. Open: $3000-1500-700-500300, clear or tiebreak win $200 bonus, top U2300/Unr $1400-700. FIDE.
Under 2100: $2000-1000-500-300-200. Under 1900: $2000-1000-500300-200. Under 1700: $2000-1000-500-300-200. Under 1500: $1400-700400-300-200. Under 1300: $1400-700-400-300-200. Under 1000: $800400-300-200, trophies to top 3, first U800, U600, Unr. Unrated may enter
any section, with prize limit U1000 $200, U1300 $400, U1500 $600, U1700
$800, U1900 $1000; balance goes to next player(s) in line. Mixed
doubles bonus prizes: best male/female 2-player team combined
score among all sections: $1000-600-400. Team average rating must
be under 2200; teammates may play in different sections; teams must
register at site (no extra fee) before both players begin round 2; teammate
pairings avoided but possible. Top 4 sections EF: $165 online at chessaction.com by 8/12, $175 phoned by 8/10 (406-896-2038, no questions),
4-day $174, 3-day $173, 2-day $172 mailed by 8/4, $180 (no checks,
credit cards OK) at site, or online until 2 hours before game. GMs free;
$150 deducted from prize. Under 1500 or Under 1300 Section EF: all
$30 less than top 4 sections EF. Under 1000 Section EF: all $80 less
than top 4 sections EF. All: Online EF $5 less to MACA members; may
join/renew at masschess.org. Re-entry $80; not available in Open. Unofficial uschess.org ratings usually used if otherwise unrated. Special 1
year USCF dues with paper magazine if paid with entry. Online at chessaction.com, Adult $30, Young Adult $20, Scholastic $15. Mailed, phoned
or paid at site, Adult $40, Young Adult $30, Scholastic $20. 4-day schedule: Reg. Thu to 6 pm, rds. Thu 7 pm, Fri 6 pm, Sat 11 & 5, Sun 10 &
3:30. 3-day schedule: Reg. Fri to 11 am, rds. Fri 12 & 6, Sat 11 & 5,
Sun 10 & 3:30. 2-day schedule: Reg. Sat to 9 am, rds. Sat 10,12:15,
2:30 & 5, Sun 10 & 3:30. No 2-day Open Section. All schedules: Bye all,
limit 2, Open must commit before rd. 2, other sections before rd. 4. HR:
$95-95, 800-582-3232, 508-347-7393, request chess rate, reserve by
60
7/31 or rate may increase. Car rental: Avis, 800-331-1600, use AWD
#D657633. Ent: chessaction.com or Continental Chess, PO Box 8482,
Pelham, NY 10803. $15 service charge for refunds. Questions: chesstour.
com, chesstour.info, DirectorAtChess.us, 347-201-2269. Advance entries
posted at chessaction.com (online entries posted instantly). Blitz tournament Sat. 9:30 pm, enter by 9:15 pm.
AUG. 14-16 OR 15-16, CALIFORNIA, NORTHERN
6th annual Central California Open
5SS, 40/110, SD/30 d10 (2-day option, rds 1-2 G/60 d10). Doubletree
Hotel (formerly Radisson), 2233 Ventura St., Fresno, CA 93710. Free airport
shuttle, free parking for hotel guests. Cosponsored by Fresno Chess
Club and Fresno Chess Foundation. $$ 7500 GUARANTEED PRIZES. In
4 sections: Open: $1000-500-250, clear or tiebreak 1st $100, top
U2250/Unr $550-250. Under 2050: $800-400-200, top U1850 (no unr)
$500-250. Under 1650: $700-350-200, top U1450 (no unr) $300-150.
Under 1250: $400-200-100, plaques to first, top U1000, U800, U600,
Unrated. Unrated may enter any section, with prize limits: U1250 $200,
U1650 $500 (balance goes to next player(s) in line). Mixed doubles
bonus prizes: best male/female 2-player team combined score among
all sections: $200-100. Team average rating must be under 2200; teammates may play in different sections; teams must register (no extra fee)
by 2 pm 8/15. Top 3 sections EF: $85 online at chessaction.com by
8/13, 3-day $93, 2-day $92 mailed by 8/5, all $95 phoned to 406-8962038 by 8/10 (entry only, no questions), $100 at site. Under 1250
Section EF: all $30 less than above. Online EF $10 less to Fresno
Chess Club members. GMs, IMs & WGMs free, $80 deducted from
prize. All: Unofficial uschess.org ratings usually used if otherwise unrated.
Special 1 year USCF dues with Chess Life if paid with entry: Online at
phoned or paid at site, Adult $40, Young Adult $30, Scholastic $20. Reentry $60; not available in Open Section. No checks at site, credit cards
OK. 3-day schedule: Reg ends Fri 6 pm, rds Fri 7 pm, Sat 11 & 5, Sun
10 & 3:30. 2-day schedule: Reg ends Sat 10 am, rds. Sat 11, 2 & 5, Sun
10 & 3:30. Byes: OK all, limit 2; limit 1 bye if eligible for class money
prizes; must commit before rd. 2. HR: $109-109, 800-333-3333, 559268-1000, request chess rate, reserve by 7/31 or rate may increase.
Car rental: Avis, 800-331-1600, use AWD #D657633, or reserve car
online through chesstour.com. Ent: chessaction.com or Continental
Chess, Box 8482, Pelham, NY 10803. $15 service charge for refunds.
Questions: DirectorAtChess.US, chesstour.com, 347-201-2269. Advance
entries posted at chessaction.com (online entries posted instantly). Blitz
tournament Sat 9:30 pm, enter by 9:15 pm.
AUG. 15-16, MICHIGAN
2015 U.P. Open
Location: Masonic Building, 128 W. Washington St., Marquette, MI
(parking and entrance in rear of building). 5SS, G/115 d5. Entry Fee:
$40. $35 if registered (mail/E-mail) by Aug 13. $20 for Juniors 19 or
under. Prizes: (1st and 2nd GTD) $300 first place, $150 second, others
based on entries. Trophy to top UP resident. Reg.: 9-9:30 Sat. Rounds:
Sat 10:00, 2:30, 7:00, Sun 9:30, 2:00all times EDT. Half-point byes
available in all rounds, but must be requested before registration ends.
Info and early entries: Robert John, 315 E. Prospect St., Marquette,
MI 49855, 906-228-8126, rjjjr@chartermi.net.
AUG. 21-23 OR 22-23, NEW YORK
14th annual Manhattan Open
5SS, 40/110, SD/30 d10 (rds. 1-2 G/60 d10). Hotel Pennsylvania, 401
Seventh Ave (32nd-33rd St., across from Penn Station), New York 10001.
$20,000 guaranteed prizes. In 6 sections. Open: $2000-1000-600400, clear/tiebreak win $100 bonus, top Under 2400/Unr $600-300.
FIDE. Under 2200: $1500-800-400-200, top U2000/Unr $600-300. Under
1900: $1500-800-400-200, top U1700 $600-300. Under 1600: $1200600-300-200, top U1400 $500-250. Under 1300: $800-400-200-100, top
U1100 $300-150. Under 1000: $500-250-150-100, trophies to first 3,
top U800, U600, Unr. Mixed doubles bonus prizes: best male/female
2-player team combined score among all sections: $800-400-200. Team
average rating must be under 2200; teammates may play in different
sections; teams must register (no extra fee) by 2 pm 8/22. Unrated
may enter any section, with prize limit U1900 $700, U1600 $500, U1300
$300, U1000 $200; balance goes to next player(s) in line. Top 4 sections
EF: $128 at chessaction.com by 8/19, $140 phoned to 406-896-2038
(no questions) by 8/17, 3-day $138, 2-day $137 if check mailed by 8/12,
all $150 (no checks, credit cards OK) at site, or online until 2 hours
before game. GMs free; $100 from prize. Under 1300 Section EF: all
$30 less than top 3 sections EF. Under 1000 Section EF: all $60 less
than top 3 sections EF. Online entry $5 less to NYSCA members ($12/yr
with 2 issues Empire Chess, $20/yr 4 issues, may join with entry). Reentry $60, not available in Open. No checks at site, credit cards OK.
Unofficial uschess.org ratings usually used if otherwise unrated.
Special 1 year USCF dues with magazine if paid with entry. Online at
phoned or at site, Adult $40, Young Adult $30, Scholastic $20. 3-Day
Schedule: Reg. ends Fri 6 pm. Rds. Fri 7, Sat 11 & 5, Sun 10 & 3:30. 2Day Schedule: Reg. ends Sat 10 am. Rds. Sat 11, 2 & 5, Sun 10 & 3:30.
Half point byes available all rounds, limit 2 byes, Open must commit
before rd. 2, others before rd. 3. HR: $129-139-149-159 plus required
$15/night facility fee, 1-800-223-8585, reserve by 7/24 (earlier is better)
or rate will increase, ask for Continental Chess Association rate. Facility
fee includes high speed WIFI in room, unlimited local & long distance
calling, and unlimited use of Ballys Total Fitness located next door to
the hotel. Ent: chessaction.com or Continental Chess, Box 8482, Pelham,
NY 10803. $15 service charge for refunds. Questions: chesstour.com,
chesstour.info, DirectorAtChess.US, 347-201-2269. Advance entries
posted at chessaction.com (Online entries posted instantly). Blitz tournament Sat 9:30 pm, enter by 9:15 pm.

AUG. 22, FLORIDA
CFCC Tornados at UUU
4-SS, G/75 d5. University Unitarian Universalist Society, 11648 McCulloch
Rd., Orlando 32817. EF: $30, CFCC mbr $25, Masters free (EF deducted
from any prize). $$750 b/30: (1st Place Guaranteed) 200-120-80,
U2000, U1800, U1600, U1400, U1200 $70 ea. (Must draw/win a game
to be eligible for prize.) Reg.: 9:30am. Rds.: 10, 1, 3:30, 6. See website
for details: centralflchess.org. Info: (407) 629-6946.
AUG. 27-31, NORTH CAROLINA
2015 U.S. Masters Championship
See Nationals.
AUG. 28-30 OR 29-30, INDIANA
10th annual Indianapolis Open
5SS, 40/110, SD/30 d10 (2-day option, rds. 1-2 G/60 d10). Crowne Plaza
Indianapolis Airport, 2501 S. High School Rd. (off I-465 & Airport Expwy),
Indianapolis, IN 46241. Free parking, free airport shuttle, free wireless,
indoor pool, game room, fitness center. $$14,000 guaranteed prize
fund. In 4 sections. Open: $2000-1000-600-300, clear or tiebreak winner
$100 bonus, top Under 2200/Unr $800-400. Under 2000: $1400-700400-200, top Under 1800 (no unr) $600-300. Under 1600: $1200-600-300150, top Under 1400 (no unr) $400-200. Under 1200: $600-300-150100, plaque to first 3, top Under 1000, Under 800, Under 600, Unrated.
Unrated may not win over $200 in U1200, $400 U1600, or $600 U2000.
Mixed doubles bonus prizes: best male/female 2-player team combined score among all sections: $600-400-200. Team average must be
under 2200; teammates may play in different sections; teams must register (no extra fee) before both players begin round 2; teammate pairings
avoided but possible. Top 3 sections EF: $99 online at chessaction.com
by 8/26, $110 phoned to 406-896-2038 by 8/24 (entry only, no questions),
3-day $103, 2-day $102 mailed by 8/19, all $120 (no checks, credit cards
OK) at site, or online until 2 hours before game. GMs, IMs & WGMs
free; $90 deducted from prize. Under 1200 Section EF: all $40 less
than above. Unofficial uschess.org ratings usually used if otherwise
$20. Re-entry $60; not available in Open Section. 3-day schedule:
Reg. ends Fri 6 pm, rds. Fri 7 pm, Sat 11 & 5, Sun 10 & 3:30. 2-day
schedule: Reg. ends Sat 10 am, rds. Sat 11, 2 & 5, Sun 10 & 3:30. All:
Half point byes OK all, limit 2, Open must commit before rd. 2, others
before rd. 3. HR: $95-95, 1-800-227-6963, 317-236-7495; reserve by
8/14 or rate may increase. Car rental: Avis, 800-331-1600, AWD D657633,
or reserve car online through chesstour.com. Ent: chessaction.com or
Continental Chess, Box 8482, Pelham, NY 10803. $15 service charge for
refunds. Questions: www.chesstour.com, DirectorAtChess.us, 347-2012269. Advance entries posted at chessaction.com (online entries posted
instantly). Blitz tournament Sat 9:30 pm, enter by 9:15 pm.
A Heritage Event!
AUG. 28-30 OR 29-30, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
47th annual Atlantic Open
5SS, 40/110, SD/30 d10 (2-day option, rds. 1-2 G/60 d10). Washington
Westin Hotel, 1400 M St. NW at Thomas Circle, Washington, DC 20005.
$$ 20,000 guaranteed prizes. In 7 sections. Open: $2000-1000-500300, clear or tiebreak 1st $100 bonus, top U2300/Unr $800-400. Under
2100: $1400-700-400-200. Under 1900: $1400-700-400-200. Under
1700: $1400-700-400-200. Under 1500: $1200-600-400-200. Under
1300: $1000-500-300-200. Under 1000: $500-250-150-100, plaques to
top 3, first U800, U600, Unrated. Mixed doubles bonus prizes: best
male/female 2-player team combined score among all sections:
$800-400-200. Team average rating must be under 2200; teammates
may play in different sections; teams must register (no extra fee)
by 2 pm 8/29. Unrated may not win over $200 in U1000, $350 U1300,
$500 U1500, $700 U1700, or $900 U1900; balance goes to next player(s)
in line. Top 6 sections EF: $105 online at chessaction.com by 8/26,
$115 phoned to 406-896-2038 by 8/24 (entry only, no questions), 3-day
$113, 2-day $112 if check mailed by 8/19, $120 at site, or online until 2
hours before game. GMs free; $100 from prize. Under 1000 Section
EF: All $50 less than above. All: No checks at site, credit cards OK. Reentry $60, not available in Open Section. Unofficial uschess.org ratings
usually used if otherwise unrated. Special 1 year USCF dues with
paper magazine if paid with entry- Online at chessaction.com, Adult $30,
Young Adult $20, Scholastic $15. Mailed, phoned or paid at site, Adult
$40, Young Adult $30, Scholastic $20. 3-day schedule: Reg. ends Fri 6
pm, rds. Fri 7 pm, Sat 11 & 5, Sun 10 & 3:30. 2-day schedule: Reg.
ends Sat. 10 am, rds. Sat 11, 2 & 5, Sun 10 & 3:30. Bye: all, limit 2, Open
must commit before rd. 2, others before rd. 3. HR: $99-99, 202-4291700, reserve by 8/7 (note correction) or rate may increase. Car rental:
800-331-1600, use AWD D657633, or reserve car online through chesstour.com. Parking: Valet day parking about $10, Valet 24 hour access
parking about $20; rates could increase, garage has limited space. Ent:
chessaction.com or Continental Chess, Box 8482, Pelham, NY 10803.
$15 service charge for refunds. Questions: chesstour.com, chesstour.info,
DirectorAtChess.US, 201-347-2269. Advance entries posted at chessaction.com (online entry posted instantly). Blitz tournament Sat 9:30
pm, enter by 9:15 pm.
A Heritage Event!
AUG. 29-30, IOWA
61st Iowa Open Championship (USCF & FIDE Rated)
IASCA GP Super Qualifier. 5-SS, G/90, i30. Accelerated pairings may
be used in Rounds 1-2. IASCA Super GP Qualifier. Marriott Hotel and

Conference Center, 300 E. 9th St. (I-80, SE side of Exit 242), Coralville,
IA 52241. We will be in the Exhibit Hall of the Conference Center this
year!! No more small rooms!! Reg.: 8:30-9:30am. Rds.: Sat 10, 2:30, &
7:30; Sun 9:30 & 2:30. EF: $57 if postmarked before 8/24; $69 at site.
IM & GM free-EF deducted from any prize, Jrs. & Sr. $10 off, $10 off
Out of state residents. Prize Info: Prizes: ($1900 b/65 Top 3 Gtd)
550+T-300-150 U2200, U2000, U1800, U1600 150/75 each. US Chess
Federation (USCF) membership required. On Site Available. IASCA
membership required, ($10 or Out of State Accepted (OSA). On-Site
Available. Send Entry Fee to: IASCA, c/o Mark Capron, 3123 Juniper
Dr., Iowa City, IA 52245 or register online at https://onlineregistration.cc/.
Additional Info: USCF and FIDE Rated!! Byes: Bye available Rounds 13 if requested prior to start of round. Rounds 4-5 only if requested prior
to tournament starting. USCF August 2015 Rating List will be used for
pairing purposes. FIDE rules will be used. Head Floor TD will be Bill
Broich. Call 319-321-5435 or mcapron243@mchsi.com Directions: Take
I-80 to exit 242, go south to 9th street, take a left and follow to the end
of 9th street and you are there! The Marriott Hotel and Conference
Center, Chess rate available, $109 only until 8/14/15, rates may increase
after this date. Pool, restaurant, more restaurants in walking distance.
319-688- 4000.
AUG. 28-30 OR 29-30, NORTH CAROLINA
The 2015 North Carolina Open
This tournament is being held in conjunction with the U.S. Masters.
Come watch the stars of the chess world compete while playing in the
NC Open! 5-SS, G/120 d5; 2-day schedule: Rd. 1 G/90 d5 then merges
with 3- day Embassy Suites Airport, 204 Centreport Dr., Greensboro, NC
27409, (336) 668-4535, mention chess tournament for discounted hotel
rate. $13000 in prizes UNCONDITIONALLY GUARANTEED! In 4 sections, OPEN $1000-500-300-250-150-125-125-100-100-100 U2100
250-150- 100; U2000 $1000-500-300-250-150-125-125-100-100-100
U1850 250- 150-100; U1700 $1000-500-300-250-150-125-125-100-100100 U1550 250-150-100; U1400 $1000-500-300-250-150-125-125-100100-100 U1200 250-150-100. EF: $69 if received by August 14. $85 if
received later or onsite. $2 discount to NCCA members. SCHEDULE: 3Day registration ends at 7PM on 8/28 Round at 7:30PM. 2-Day
registration ends at 9:30AM on 8/29 Round at 10AM. Subsequent rounds
are 8/29 at 2PM- 7PM and 8/30 at 9AM-2PM. HR: $99 All rooms are
suite style. Free made to order breakfast daily, free managers reception
nightly, and free airport shuttle available for all guests. Hotel booking
link: https://resweb.passkey.com/Resweb.do?mode=welcome_ei_new&
eventID=13620024. ADVANCE ENTRY Registration is available at www.
carolinaschessinitiative.com. Alternately, checks can be sent to Walter
High, 105 North Crabtree Knoll, Chapel Hill, NC 27514. Make checks
payable to Carolinas Chess Initiative (CCI). OTHER: One half-point bye
available. Byes must be requested before round 2 is paired. Open section FIDE rated. INFO: Walter High wmhigh@nc.rr.com or Gary Newsom
gary.newsom@charlottechesscenter.org. More info including pre-entry
lists may be available at carolinaschessinitiative.com. Hotel has a no
smoking policy including electronic cigarettes. Special Saturday-only
U1000 Scholastic Tournament: Saturday, August 29 4SS, G/30 d5.
Rounds 10:30-12-2-3:30. In two sections, determined on-site based on
entries. Tro- phies to top 10 in each section. USCF rated. EF: $20 in
advance $25 onsite.
SEPT. 4, NEW YORK
2nd annual New York State Blitz Championship (BLZ)
Out of state welcome; NYS blitz title to top NYS resident, on tiebreak if
necessary. 5SS, G/5, d0, double round, 10 games, Albany Marriott (see
NY State Championship). $$ 1000 guaranteed: $300-150-100, U2000/Unr
$160-80, U1700/Unr $140-70. EF: $40, NYSCA members $35, at site
only, no checks. Free to GMs; $40 deducted from prize. Reg. ends 8 pm,
rds. 8:30, 9, 9:30, 10, 10:30. Bye: 1. Blitz rated, but higher of regular or
blitz used for pairings & prizes.
A Heritage Event!
SEPT. 4-7, 5-7 OR 6-7, NEW YORK
137th annual NY State Championship
Out of state welcome. 6SS, 40/110, SD/30 d10 (2-day option in U2100
& below, rds. 1-3 G/40 d10). Albany Marriott, 189 Wolf Rd., Albany
12205 (Thruway Exit 24, I-87 north to Wolf Rd., Exit 4). Luxurious hotel
with indoor/outdoor pool, sauna, fitness center, free parking, free airport
shuttle, many restaurants in area. $$G 13,000. In 5 sections. Open:
$1500-700-500-300, top U2300/Unr $800-400. State title and $100 bonus
to top NYS resident (both decided on tiebreak if tied). Under 2100:
$1000-500-300-200, top Under 1900 $400. Under 1800: $1000-500300-200, top Under 1600 $400. Under 1500: $800-400-200-100, top
Under 1300 $300. Under 1200: $500-300-200-100, trophy to first 3, top
Under 1000, Under 800, Under 600, Unrated. Mixed doubles bonus
prizes: best male/female 2-player team combined score among all
sections: $500-300-200. Team average must be under 2200; teammates
may play in different sections; teams must register at site (no extra
fee) before both players begin round 2; teammate pairings avoided but
possible. Unrated may not win over $200 in U1200, $400 U1500 or $600
U1800. Top 4 sections EF: $98 online at chessaction.com by 9/2, $110
phoned to 406-896-2038 by 8/31 (entry only, no questions), 4-day $109,
3-day $108, 2-day $107 if check mailed by 8/26, all $120 at site, or
online until 2 hours before game. Under 1200 Section EF: All $30 less
than top 4 sections EF. All: Online entries $7 less to NYSCA members
(NYSCA dues $12/yr with 2 issues Empire Chess or $20/yr with 4 issues;
join or renew together with entry.) Unofficial uschess.org ratings usually
used if otherwise unrated. Special 1 year USCF dues with paper magazine
if paid with entry. Online at chessaction.com, Adult $30, Young Adult
$20, Scholastic $15. Mailed, phoned or paid at site, Adult $40, Young
Adult $30, Scholastic $20. Re-entry $60, all sections but Open. GMs free,
$90 deducted from prize. No checks at site, credit cards OK. 3-day
schedule: Reg. ends Sat 11 am, rds. Sat 12 & 6, Sun 12 & 6, Mon 10 &
3:30. 4-day schedule: Reg. ends Fri 6 pm, rds. Fri 7 pm, Sat 6 pm, Sun
12 & 6, Mon 10 & 3:30. 2-day schedule: Reg. ends Sun. 10 am, rds. Sun
11, 1:30, 3:30, 6, Mon 10 & 3:30, no 2-day schedule in Open. Bye: all,
limit 2, Open must commit before rd. 2, others before rd. 4. HR: $102102, 800-443-8952, 518-458-8444, reserve by 8/27 or rate may increase.
NYSCA meeting 9 am Sun. Car rental: 800-331-1600, use AWD D657633,
or reserve car online through chesstour.com. Ent: chessaction. com or
Continental Chess, Box 8482, Pelham NY 10803. Questions: www.chesstour.com, DirectorAtChess.US, 347-201-2269. $15 service charge for
refunds. Advance entries posted at chessaction.com (online entries
posted instantly). NYS Blitz Championship Fri 8:30 pm, enter by 8 pm.
SEPT. 12, INDIANA
South Bend Regional CC Open
4SS, G/85 d5. Hilton Garden Inn & Gillespie Center, 53995 SR 933, South
Bend, IN 46637. $1300, b/50, 50% Guaranteed. 1st $400, 2nd $200,
Top X$180, Top A $160, Top B $140, Top C $120, D/Under $100. EF: $30
received by 08/08/2015, $40 received by 09/04/2015, $50 onsite, Free
Entry to all Master rated players, $40 withheld from any prize winnings. Cash and checks accepted, NO Credit Cards. Onsite Registration
8:30am-8:50am. Rounds: 9am, 12:30pm, 3:30pm, 6:30pm. 1/2pt Byes
available in rnds. 1-3. Mail EFs to: South Bend Regional Chess, PO Box
1594, Granger, IN 46530. Contact: Mathew Leach, leachmat@gmail.com
SEPT. 25-27 OR 26-27, CONNECTICUT
6th Annual Hartford Open
Hartford Hotel, 1 Bradley Airport (visible at airport entrance), Windsor
Locks, CT 06096 (I-91 Exit 40 to Rt. 20). Free parking. $5000 guaranteed
prize fund. In 4 sections. Open: $800-400-300, U2210/Unr $300-150.
Under 2010: $500-250-150, top U1810/Unr $300-150. Under 1610:
$400-230-120, top U1410/Unr $200-100. Under 1210: $200-100-50,
trophies to first 3, top U1000, U800, U600, Unrated. Unrated may not
win over $120 in U1210 or $250 in U1610. Mixed doubles: $200-100
bonus to best male/female combined score among all sections. Team
average must be under 2200; may play in different sections; teams must
register by 2 pm 9/26; teammate pairings avoided but possible. Top 3
sections EF: $68 online at chessaction.com by 9/23, $75 phoned to
406-896-2038 by 9/22, 3-day $73, 2-day $72 if check mailed by 9/16,
$80 at site, or online until 2 hours before game. No mailed credit card
entries. U1210 Section EF: all $20 less than above. No checks at site,
credit cards OK. GMs, IMs & WGMs free, $60 deducted from prize.
Online EF $3 less to CSCA or WMCA members. Re-entry $40; not available
in Open Section. Unofficial uschess.org ratings usually used if otherwise
$20. 3-day schedule: Reg ends Fri 6 pm, rds. Fri 7 pm, Sat 11 & 5, Sun
10 & 3:30. 2-day schedule: Reg ends Sat 10 am, rds. Sat 11, 2 & 5, Sun
10 & 3:30. Bye: all, limit 2; must commit before rd. 2. HR: $102-102,
860-627-5311; reserve by 9/11 or rate may increase. Ent: chessaction.com
or Continental Chess, Box 8482, Pelham, NY 10803. $15 service charge
for refunds. Questions: website www.chesstour.com, DirectorAtChess.US,
347-201-2269. Advance entries posted at chessaction.com (online entries
posted instantly).
OCT. 7-12, 9-12 OR 10-12, VIRGINIA
2nd annual Washington Chess Congress
Premier Section, 9SS, Oct 7-12, 40/2, SD/30 d10; GM & IM norms
possible, FIDE rated. Other Sections, 7SS, Oct 9-12 or 10-12, 40/2,
SD/30 d10 (3-day option, rounds 1-2 G/75 d10). Hyatt Regency Crystal
City, 2799 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA 22202. Free shuttle
to/from Reagan International Airport and Crystal City Metro station
(contact hotel for schedule). $25,000 guaranteed prizes. In 4 sections:
Premier: Open to 1900/over USCF or FIDE and all foreign FIDE rated
players. $3000-1500-700-500-300, clear or tiebreak first bonus $100,
top FIDE Under 2300/Unr $1400-700. Minimum prize $500 to first 5
foreign GMs FIDE rated 2500/over to enter who play all 9 rounds with
no byes. Under 2100: $2000-1000-500-300-200, top Under 1900 (no
Unr) $1300-700. Under 1700: $2000-1000-500-300-200, top Under 1500
(no Unr) $1100-600. Under 1300: $1000-600-400-300-200, top Under
1100 (no Unr) $400-200. Prize limits: Unrated (0-3 lifetime games rated)
cannot win over $300 in U1300, $600 in U1700, or $1000 in U2100.
Mixed doubles bonus prizes: best male/female 2-player teamcombined score among all sections: $1000-600-400. Only first 7 rounds of
Premier counted. Team average must be under 2200; teammates may
play in different sections; teams must register (no extra fee) before
both players begin round 2. Ratings: FIDE ratings used in Premier,
USCF October official in other sections.Top 3 sections EF: $145 online
at chessaction.com by 10/6, $155 phoned to 406-896-2038 by 10/5, 4day $154, 3-day $153 if check mailed by 9/28, all $160 at site until 1
hour before game, or online at chessaction.com until 2 hours before
game. U1300 Section: all $60 less. Premier Section GMs, IMs, WGMs,
foreign FMs: free, $140 deducted from prize. Premier Section FIDE
rated foreign players: EF $50 less. Special 1 yr USCF dues with
paper magazine if paid with entry: Online at chessaction.com, Adult $30,
Young Adult $20, Scholastic $15. Mailed, phoned or paid at site, Adult
$40, Young Adult $30, Scholastic $20. No checks at site, credit cards
OK. Re-entry: $80, no re-entry from Premier to Premier. 6-day schedule
(Premier only): Reg. ends Wed 6 pm, rds. Wed 7 pm, Thu 12 noon & 7
pm, Fri 7 pm, Sat 11 am & 6 pm, Sun 11 am & 6 pm, Mon 10 am. 4-day
schedule: Reg. ends Fri 6 pm, rds. Fri 7 pm. Sat 11 & 6, Sun 11 & 6,
Mon 10 & 4. 3-day schedule: Reg. ends Sat 10 am, rds. Sat 11, 2:30 &
6, Sun 11 & 6, Mon 10 & 4. Byes: OK all; limit 3 (limit 2 in last 4 rds.),
must commit before rd. 3. Bring sets, boards, clocks if possible- none
supplied. HR: $99-99-109, 703-418-1234, reserve by 9/23 or rate may
increase. Special chess rate valet parking $6/day, with or without
guest room. Car rentals: Avis, 800-331-1600, use AWD #D657633 or

reserve car online at chesstour.com. Ent: Continental Chess, Box 8482,
Pelham, NY 10803. Questions: DirectorAtChess.US, 347-201-2269,
www.chesstour.com. $15 service charge for refunds. Advance entries
posted at chessaction.com (online entries posted instantly). Blitz tournament Sun 10 pm, enter by 9:45 pm.
OCT. 9-11 OR 10-11, ILLINOIS
24th annual Midwest Class Championships
5SS, 40/110, SD/30 d10 (2-day option, rds. 1-2 G/60 d10). Westin
Chicago North Shore Hotel, 601 North Milwaukee Ave., Wheeling, IL
60090 (from Chicago, I-294 north to US-45 north; from Milwaukee, I-94
to Lake Cook Rd. to US-45 south). Free parking. Prizes $20,000 based
on 250 paid entries (re-entries & Under 1100 Section count as half
entries), else in proportion except $16,000 (80% of each prize) minimum
guaranteed. In 7 sections; no unrated allowed in Premier. Premier
(1900/up): $2000-1000-500-300, clear win or 1st on tiebreak $100, top
U2300 $800-400. 1700-2099: $1400-700-400-200. 1500-1899: $1400700-400-200. 1300-1699: $1300-700-400-200. 1100-1499: $1200-600400-200. Under 1300: $1000-500-300-200. Under 1100: $500-300-200100, plaques to top 3, top U900, U700, U500, Unrated. Mixed doubles
bonus prizes: best male/female 2-player teamcombined score among
all sections: $800-400-200. Team average must be under 2200; teammates
may play in different sections; teams must register (no extra fee) by 2
pm 10/10; teammate pairings avoided but possible. Unrated prize
limits: $200 U1100, $350 U1300, $500 1100-1499, $700 1300-1699,
$900 1500-1899. Top 6 sections EF: $105 online at chessaction.com
by 10/7, $110 phoned to 406-896-2038 by 10/5 (entry only, no questions),
3-day $113, 2-day $112 mailed by 9/30, all $120 at site, or online until
2 hours before first game. Under 1100 EF: all $50 less than above. All:
No checks at site, credit cards OK. Online or mailed EF $5 less to ICA
members; join/renew at il-chess.org. Unofficial uschess.org ratings
usually used if otherwise unrated. Special 1 year USCF dues with
magazine if paid with entry. Online at chessaction.com, Adult $30, Young
Adult $20, Scholastic $15. Mailed, phoned or paid at site, Adult $40,
Young Adult $30, Scholastic $20. Re-entry $50; not available in Premier
Section. GMs $90 from prize. 3-day schedule: Reg. ends Fri 6 pm, rds.
Fri 7, Sat 11 & 5, Sun 10 & 3:30. 2-day schedule: Reg. ends Sat 10 am,
rds. Sat 11, 2 & 5, Sun 10 & 3:30. Bye: all, limit 2; Premier must commit
before rd. 2, others before rd. 3. HR: $107-107-107-107, 800-937-8461,
847-777-6500, reserve by 9/25 or rate may increase. Car rental: Avis,
800-331-1600, use AWD #D657633. Ent: chessaction.com or Continental
Chess, Box 8482, Pelham, NY 10803. Questions: chesstour.com, DirectorAtChess.US, 347-201-2269. $15 service charge for refunds. Advance
entries posted at chessaction.com (online entries posted instantly).
Regional
Alabama
JULY 24-26 OR 25-26, 23rd annual Southern Open (FL)
See Grand Prix.
JULY 25, Alabama Dual-Rated State Chess Championship
4SS, Game/45 + 10 second increment. Location: Evangel Church, 3975
Vaughn Rd., Montgomery, AL. Round times: 9:00, 11:15, 2:00, 4:15.
Three sections: OPEN (b/20, 60%GTD): 1st $250, 2nd $150, U2000 $100.
U1800 (b/20, 60%GTD): 1st $225, 2nd $150, U1500 $100. U1200 (b/20,
60%GTD): 1st $225, 2nd $150, U1000 $100. Trophies and Alabama titles
to top Alabamian finishers. USCF and ACF required, OSA. EF (all sections):
$30 by July 17, $35 thereafter or onsite (onsite registration 8:00-8:30AM).
Registration: Send name, USCF ID, section and entry fee (payable to
Evangel Church) to Doug Strout, 6000 Camelot Ct., Montgomery, AL
36117 (dtstrout@bellsouth.net).
Arizona
Tuesday Night Open
4 or 5 round, USCF rated tournament; ROUND TIMES: 7:00pm One game
every Tuesday of the month: Time Control: 40/120,SD/60 d5 PRIZES:
1st Place and Class Prizes based on number of entries; ENTRY FEE:
$45; TO REGISTER: chessemporium.com, call 602-482-4867. SITE: 10801
N. 32nd St., Suite 6, Phoenix, AZ 85028.
JUNE 18, 2015 U.S. Game/10 Championship (QC) (NV)
See Nationals.
JUNE 18-19, 2015 U.S. Womens Open (NV)
See Nationals.
JUNE 19, Youth Trophy Tournament (NV)
See Nevada.
JUNE 19-21 OR 20-21, 2015 National Open (NV)
See Nationals.
JUNE 20-21, International Youth Championship (NV)
See Nevada.
JUNE 21, National Open Blitz (BLZ) (NV)
See Grand Prix.
JULY 16-19, 17-19 OR 18-19, 20th annual Pacific Coast Open
(CA-S)
See Grand Prix.
www.uschess.org
61

JULY 18, 2nd Annual Prescott Open - a Mini-Swiss Event
3 SS, 30/60, 30/30 d0. Yavapai College Community Room 225, Bldg. 19,
1100 E. Sheldon St., Prescott, AZ 86301. Sections 8-10 by rating. Prizes:
$150 b/8: $100-50. EF: $20 if recd by 7/15, $25 at site. Free to OTB
Masters. Reg.: 9:30-10:15 am. Rds.: 10:30, 1:30, 4:30. Ent: Tom Green,
1533 Buttermilk, Prescott, AZ 86305. 740-803-2532. tagreen@owu.edu.
W.
AUG. 1-9, 4-9 OR 6-9, 116th Annual U.S. Open
See Nationals.
AUG. 14-16 OR 15-16, 6th annual Central California Open (CA-N)
See Grand Prix.
California, Northern
JUNE 13, Chess4Less Kids Quads (PK-12; 4SS, G/30 d5)
1639A South Main St., Milpitas, CA 95035. Trophies: Players w/plus
score. Sched: Required Check-in 1:30-2p. Games: 2:30-5p. EF: 22 by
6/11, 37 after 6/11. Info: http://BayAreaChess.com/signature.
JUNE 13, Chess4Less Kids Swiss (PK-12; 4SS, G/30 d5)
1639A South Main St., Milpitas, CA 95035. Trophies to players w +
score & all teams. Sched: Reg. 9:30-9:45a. Games: 10a - 1:30p. EF: 22
by 6/11, 37 after 6/11. Info: http://BayAreaChess.com/signature.
JUNE 13, Foster City Grand Prix Luper$wiss (3SS, G/90 d5)
See Grand Prix.
JUNE 13, Sacramento Chess4Less Quads (PK-12; 3xG/30 d5)
Courtyard Marriott, Rancho Cordova, CA 95670. Trophies: Players w/plus
score. Sched: Reqrd. Check-in 1:30-2p. Games: 2:30-5p. EF: 22 by 6/11,
37 after 6/11. Info: http://BayAreaChess.com/signature. W.
JUNE 13, Sacramento Luper Swiss (3SS, G/90 d5)
Courtyard Marriott, Rancho Cordova, CA 95670. Prize: $900 b/36 1700+:
$200-100, u1900 100-50.u1700: $200-100, u1600 100, u1400 50. Jun
15 Supp & TD disc. Reg.: 9-9:15. Rds.: 9:30 1 4:30. EF: 43, Econ 29 1/2
prz., after 6/10 +15, playup +15, Rated 2200+ $0 by 6/5. Info:
http://BayAreaChess.com/grandprix. W.
JUNE 14, Bay Area Fremont Quads (PK-12; 4SS, G/30 d5)
Courtyard Marriott, Fremont, CA 94538. Trophies: Players w/plus score.
Sched: Required Check-in 1:30-2p. Games: 2:30-5p. EF: 27 by 6/12, 42
after 6/12. Info: http://BayAreaChess.com/signature. W.
JUNE 14, Bay Area Fremont Swiss (PK-12; 4SS, G/30 d5)
Courtyard Marriott, Fremont, CA 94538. Trophies to players w + score
& all teams. Sched: Reg. 9:30-9:45a. Games: 10a - 1:30p. EF: 34 by
6/12, 49 after 6/12. Info: http://BayAreaChess.com/signature. W.
See Nationals.
See Nationals.
See Nationals.
See Nevada.
JUNE 21, Bay Area Chess Grand Prix Luper Swiss (3SS, G/90 d5)
See Grand Prix.
JUNE 21, FATHERs DAY Special: Daddy, Daughter/Son Championship (5SS, G/30 d5)
Courtyard Marriott, Cupertino, CA 95014. Trophies to players w +
score & all teams. Sched: Reg. 9:30-9:45a. Games: 10a - 5p. EF: 39, 54
after 6/19. Fathers/Brothers get free entry! Info: http://BayAreaChess.
com/signature. W.
JUNE 28, Cupertino Grand Prix DuperSwiss75 (3SS, G/75, d5)
See Grand Prix.
JULY 3-5 OR 4-5, 2015 Sacramento Chess Championship
See Grand Prix.
JULY 5, Bay Area Chess Grand Prix Super Swiss (4SS, G/61 d5)
See Grand Prix.
JULY 5, Bay Area Cupertino Quads (PK-12; 3xG/30 d5)
Courtyard Marriott, Cupertino, CA 95014. Trophies: Players w/plus
score. Sched: Reqrd. Check-in 1:30-2p. Games: 2:30-5p. EF: 27, 42
JULY 5, Bay Area Cupertino Swiss (PK-12; 4SS, G/30 d5)
score & all teams. Sched: Reg. 9:30-9:45a. Games: 10a - 1:30p. EF:
34, 49 after 7/3. Info: http://BayAreaChess.com/signature. W.
JULY 11, Chess4Less Kids Quads (PK-12; 4SS, G/30 d5)
62

Rds.: 9:30-12:50-4:15. EF: 43, Ecn 29 w 1/2 prz. after 8/5 +15, playup
JULY 11, Chess4Less Kids Swiss (PK-12; 4SS, G/30 d5)

AUG. 8, Sacramento Chess4Less Quads (PK-12; 3xG/30 d5)

JULY 11, Sacramento Chess4Less Quads (PK-12; 3xG/30 d5)

score. Sched: Reqrd. Check-in 1:30-2p. Games: 2:30-5p. EF: 22 by 7/9,
37 after 7/9. Info: http://BayAreaChess.com/signature. W.
AUG. 8, Sacramento Luper Swiss (3SS, G/90 d5)

Courtyard Marriott, Rancho Cordova CA 95670. Prize: $900 b/36. 1700+:
$200-100, u1900 100-50. u1700: $200-100, u1600 100, u1400 50. Aug
15 Supp & TD disc. Reg.: 9-9:15. Rds.: 9:30-12:50-4:15. EF: 43, Econ 29
1/2 prz., after 8/5 +15, playup +15, Rated 2200+ $0 by 8/1. Info:
http://BayAreaChess.com/grandprix. W.

JULY 11, Sacramento Junior Grand Prix Super Swiss (4SS, G/61 d5)
Courtyard Marriott, Rancho Cordova, CA 95670. Prize: $900 b/36 1700+:
$200-100, u1900 100-50.u1700: $200-100, u1600 100, u1400 50. Jun
15 Supp & TD disc. Reg.: 9-9:15. Rds.: 9:30-11:50-2:40-5. EF: 43, Econ
29 1/2 prz., after 7/8 +15, playup +15, Rated 2200+ $0 by 7/8. Info:
http://BayAreaChess.com/grandprix. W
JULY 12, Bay Area Fremont Quads (PK-12; 4SS, G/30 d5)
Sched: Required Check-in 1:30-2p. Games: 2:30-5p. EF: 27 by 7/10, 42
JULY 12, Bay Area Fremont Swiss (PK-12; 4SS, G/30 d5)
& all teams. Sched: Reg. 9:30-9:45a. Games: 10a - 1:30p. EF: 34 by
7/10, 49 after 7/10. Info: http://BayAreaChess.com/signature. W.
JULY 12, Fremont DuperSwiss75 (3SS, G/75 d5)
Courtyard Marriott, Cupertino, CA 95014. Prizes: $1,250 b40. 60% guar.
1900+: $200-100-50, u2100 50-50. 1500-1899: $200-100, u1700 5050. u1500: $200-100, u1200 50-50. Jul 15 Supp & TD disc. Reg. 8:30-8:45.
Rds.: 9-11:45-2:40. EF: 47, Econ 32 w 1/2 prz. after 7/9 +15, playup
(CA-S)
See Grand Prix.
JULY 17-19 OR 18-19, Bay Area Chess GM Melikset Khachiyan
Championship
See Grand Prix.
JULY 19, Bay Area Cupertino Quads
JULY 19, Bay Area Cupertino Swiss (PK-12; 4SS, G/30 d5)
JULY 25, Chess4Less Kids Quads (PK-12; 4SS, G/30 d5)
score. Sched: Required Check-in 1:30-2p. Games: 2:30-5p. EF: 22, 37
after 7/23. Info: http://BayAreaChess.com/signature.
JULY 25, Chess4Less Kids Swiss (PK-12; 4SS, G/30 d5)
score & all teams. Sched: Reg 9:30-9:45a. Games: 10a - 1:30p. EF: 22,
37 after 7/23. Info: http://BayAreaChess.com/signature.
JULY 25-26, Hans Poschmann Memorial
4-SS, 30/90; SD/60 d5. 40955 Fremont Blvd., Fremont CA, 94538. $$B
60 paid entries (not counting unrated entries ). Three Sections: Open
$300-210 U2200 $200-100; A/B $200-150 U1800 $145-100; Reserve
$200-150 U1400 $145-100 Unrated players in the Reserve can win a
maximum of $100 All, EF: postmarked by 7/20 $60, $70 at site. USCF
memb. reqd. May play up for addl $10 per section. Reg.: Sat 7/25
9:00-9:45am. RDS.: Sat 10:00-3:30; Sun 10:00-3:30; One 1/2 pt bye
available if requested in advance (bye in rds. 3 or 4 must be requested
before rd 1). 2015 July Supplement, CCA minimums and Directors discretion will be used to place players as accurately as possible. Please
bring clocks and equipment. INFO: Ken Zowal (510)-623-9935, Email:
kenneth.zowal@sbcglobal.net or richardkoepcke@yahoo.com. Ent: Ken
Zowal, P.O. Box 3211, Fremont, CA 94539. No Phone entries.
JULY 26, Cupertino Grand Prix DuperSwiss75 (3SS, G/75 d5)
See Grand Prix.
AUG. 8-13 (NOT JULY 25-30), 4th Annual Washington International

(note date change) (MD)
See Grand Prix.
AUG. 9, Bay Area Fremont Quads (PK-12; 4SS, G/30 d5)
Sched: Required Check-in 1:30-2p. Games: 2:30-5p. EF: 27, 42 after
8/7. Info: http://BayAreaChess.com/signature. W.
AUG. 9, Bay Area Fremont Swiss (PK-12; 4SS, G/30 d5)
& all teams. Sched: Reg. 9:30-9:45a. Games: 10a - 1:30p. EF: 34, 49
AUG. 14-16 OR 15-16, 6th annual Central California Open
See Grand Prix.
California, Southern
The Los Angeles Chess Club
The Most Active Club on the West Coast! (310) 795-5710 *

www.LAChessClub.com; Contact: Mick@LAChessClub.com; Saturdays:
10am-10 pm (Beg & Interm. classes + 2 Tournaments). Sundays: 117 & 1-5 pm (Junior class + 2 Tournaments) Details on our web site.
Tuesdays: 7:30-9:30 pm (Advance Lecture). 11514 Santa Monica Blvd.,
Los Angeles, CA 90025. (4 blocks W of 405, SW corner of Santa
Monica& Butler * 2nd Floor above Javan Restaurant) Group Classes
* Tournaments * Private (1:1) Lessons.
JUNE 6&7, LACC - Saturday & Sunday G/61
6SS, G/61 d5. 11514 Santa Monica Blvd., LA 90025, 2nd fl. EF: $55 ($35
LACC memb; No prizes 1/2; spouses/siblings 1/2). Reg.: 11-12 pm.
Rds.: 12, 2, 4 pm each day. 1-day option: $30/$20. Prizes: 1/2 collections. Parking: Free at BoA & basement. Info: 310/795-5710 or www.LA
ChessClub.com.
JUNE 6, 13, 20, 27, LACC - Every Saturday Chess 4 JRS
4 separate events- 5SS, G/30 d0. 11514 Santa Monica Blvd. & Butler
LA, 90025, 2nd fl. 4 blocks West of 405. EF: $30 ($20 LACC memb, No
prize 1/2, siblings 1/2, Free new LACC members). Reg.: 12-1 pm. Rds.:
1pm & asap; done by 5; Prizes: Trophies & medals; everyone receives
a prize! Parking: Free on streets & BoA. Free pizzas & juices. Info:
(310) 795-5710 or www.LAChessClub.com or Mick@LAChessClub.com.
JUNE 6, 13, 20, 27, LACC - Sat Nite Blitzathon (BLZ)
7DSS, G/5 d0 (14 Games). 11514 Santa Monica Blvd., LA, 90025, 2nd fl.
4 blks W of 405. EF: $20 ($15 LACC memb). Blitz-rated. No prizes $10.
Reg.: 6-6:30 pm. Rds.: 6:30, 6:55, 7:20, 7:45, 8:10, 8:35, 9 pm. Prizes:
1/2 collections. Parking: Free on streets & BoA. Info: 310/795-5710
or www.LAChessClub.com
JUNE 7, 14, 21, 28, LACC - Every Sunday Chess 4 JRS
4 separate events- 5SS, G/30 d0. 11514 Santa Monica Blvd. & Butler
LA, 90025, 2nd fl. 4 blocks West of 405. EF: $30 ($20 LACC memb, No
prize 1/2, siblings 1/2, Free new LACC members). Reg.: 12-1 pm. Rds.:
1pm & asap; done by 5; Prizes: Trophies & medals; everyone receives
a prize! Parking: Free on streets & BoA. Free pizzas & juices. Info:
(310) 795-5710 or www.LAChessClub.com or Mick@LAChessClub.com.
JUNE 13-14, LACC 12th Year Anniversary
See Grand Prix.
See Nationals.
See Nationals.
AUG. 2, Bay Area Chess Grand Prix Super Swiss (4SS, G/61 d5)
See Grand Prix.

See Nevada.
AUG. 2, Bay Area Cupertino Quads (PK-12; 3xG/30 d5)


See Nationals.
See Nevada.
AUG. 2, Bay Area Cupertino Swiss (PK-12; 4SS, G/30 d5)


See Grand Prix.
AUG. 8, Chess4Less Kids Quads (PK-12; 4SS, G/30 d5)

score. Sched: Required Check-in 1:30-2p. Games: 2:30-5p. EF: 22, 37
after 8/6. Info: http://BayAreaChess.com/signature.
AUG. 8, Chess4Less Kids Swiss (PK-12; 4SS, G/30 d5)
22, 37 after 8/6. Info: http://BayAreaChess.com/signature.
AUG. 8, Foster City Luper$wiss (3SS, G/90 d5)
Courtyard Marriott, Foster City, CA 94404. Prizes: $1,250 b/40. 60% guar.
1900+: $200-100-50, u2100 50-50. 1500-1899: $200-100, u1700 5050. u1500: $200-100, u1200 50-50. Aug 15 Supp & TD disc. Reg.: 9-9:15.
JUNE 27-28, 2015 Tal Memorial

See Grand Prix.
See Grand Prix.
JULY 19, Pacific Coast Open Sunday Quad
3RR, G/25 d5. Sheraton Hotel, Agoura Hills (see Pacific Coast Open).
EF: $20, at site only, no checks. $50 1st prize each section. Reg. ends
1:45 pm, rds. 2:00, 3:00, 4:00.
See Grand Prix.
See Grand Prix.
Colorado
JUNE 13-14, The Denver Open
See Grand Prix.
See Nationals.
See Nationals.
See Nationals.
See Nevada.
JULY 17-19, Kansas Open (KS)
See Grand Prix.
AUG. 1-2, Pikes Peak Open - Manitou Springs, CO
5-SS. Time Control: Rds. 1-2 G/90 d5; Rds. 3-5 G/90 with 30 seconds
increment. Manitou Springs City Hall, 606 Manitou Avenue. One open
section. EF: $35 if recd by 7/28, $40 at site. $5 discount for juniors,
seniors, unrateds. Additional $5 discount for Supporting Members of
Colorado Springs Chess Club. Cash prizes per entries. Register: 8:30
9:30 AM. Rounds: 10 AM, 2:30 PM, 7:00 PM Saturday; 9 AM, 3 PM
Sunday. Entries to: Richard Buchanan, 1 Sutherland Rd., Manitou Springs,
CO 80829. Information: (719) 685 1984 or buckpeace@pcisys.net.
CSCA membership required: $15, juniors & seniors $10. OSA Colorado
Tour Event.
Connecticut
JUNE 7, Northeast Open Sunday Quad
3RR, G/25 d5. Sheraton Hotel, Stamford (see Northeast Open). EF: $20,
at site only, no checks. $50 1st prize each section. Reg. ends 1:45 pm,
rds. 2:00, 3:00, 4:00.
JUNE 13, 21st annual Robert Musicant/Donald Yazgoor Memorial
Scholastic
5SS, G/30 d0. Norwalk Library, 2nd Flr. Auditorium, 1 Belden Ave., Norwalk, CT 06850. Near Exit 1 from US-7. Open to all players finishing
12th grade or younger. EF: $10 postmarked by 6/6/15. ALL-$15 after
or at door. Prizes: Trophies to Top 3 overall, Top 3 U-1200/UNR, Top
overall in grade categories K-2, 3-5, 6-8, Top U-1200/UNR in grade categories K-2, 3-5, 6-8. Name of first overall is engraved on the Musicant
Cup. Name of first U-1200/UNR is engraved on the Yazgoor Cup. Both
cups are on permanent display in the Norwalk Library Main Branch Childrens Library. Reg.: 9:15-9:45. Sat 6/8: Rd. 1-10:00am, others ASAP.
Lunchroom facility available for bag lunch. Pizza/desserts will be provided.
Boards and sets will be provided. Please bring a clock if you have one.
For more information contact: norwalknights@optonline.net. Chks
payable to Christopher Potts, mail to: Christopher Potts, 73 Nursery
St., Norwalk, CT 06850. Include players full name, grade finishing
and USCF ID number. Include SASE for confirmation if wanted. W.
JUNE 30-JULY 5, JULY 1-5, 2-5 OR 3-5, 43rd Annual World Open
(VA)
See Grand Prix.
JULY 11, Fairfield County Masters & Class Championships
See Grand Prix.
JULY 17-19 OR 18-19, 20th Annual Bradley Open
See Grand Prix.
Camps, Family Game Nights, Parents Night Out, Casual Chess Play and
more! Complimentary Refreshments, Ample Parking, Comfortable Waiting
Room, and more! Located at 8353 SW 124 St., Suite 201-A, Miami, FL
33156. Contact Chris Stormont, Phone: 786-303-2437, Email: chris@stormontkingschess.com, Web: www.StormontKingsChess.com.
JUNE 5-7 OR 6-7, 7th Summer Solstice Open
See Grand Prix.
JUNE 12-14 OR 13-14, Sunshine Summer Open & Scholastic
See Grand Prix.
JULY 11, CFCC Tornados at UUU
See Grand Prix.
JULY 24-26 OR 25-26, 23rd annual Southern Open
See Grand Prix.
JULY 26, Southern Open Sunday Quad
3RR, G/25 d5.Wyndham Orlando Resort (see Southern Open). EF: $20,
rds. 2:00, 3:00, 4:00.
See Grand Prix.
AUG. 22, CFCC Tornados at UUU
See Grand Prix.
Georgia
JUNE 19-21 OR 20-21, Castle Chess Grand Prix
See Grand Prix.
(VA)
See Grand Prix.
See Grand Prix.
AUG. 28-30 OR 29-30, 47th annual Atlantic Open (DC)
See Grand Prix.
OCT. 7-12, 9-12 OR 10-12, 2nd annual Washington Chess Congress (VA)
See Grand Prix.
Idaho
JUNE 6, 2015 Boise Chess Festival
EF: Free!! Free!! Free!! All events are free to all participants! All ages
welcome! 2015 Idaho State Chess Champion, FM David Lucky playing a
12 board Simul; 18 Time Idaho State Chess Champion, Larry Parsons
playing a 12 board simul; and Caleb Kircher, 2014 Idaho State Chess
Champion playing a 12 board simul; Drawings, Speed Chess Exhibitions,
Bughouse Exhibitions; Spar with Chess Champions; 2015 Boise Chess
Festival Blitz (BLZ): USCF Rated G/5 d0 Tournament, blitz rating being
used for pairings & prizes, 5 Rounds; Unrated Lightning G/1 Minute,
Fun for Everyone; Family Friendly; Instructional Sessions; Adult and
Scholastic Chess Players welcome; Beginners welcome, even if you
dont yet play. Game Analysis by Idaho Chess Champions. www.Boise
ChessFestival.info, Contact: Julie Nahlen 208.562.9785, chessanyone@integrity.com.
JUNE 20-21, Idaho Open
5SS, Time Control: G/120 d5. 2 Sections: Open and Reserve (U1400).
Site: La Quinta Inn & Suites, 7965 W. Emerald St., Boise, ID 83704. USCF
mem req., EF by 6/15 $30 (U18 & 60+ $25), Special Family Rate of $60.
$5 more for all if received after 6/15. Email entries OK. Northwest Chess
Grand Prix points available! Register & check in: 8-8:45am 6/20. Rd.
times: Sat 9am, 1:30pm, 6pm; Sun 9am, 1:30pm. 1/2 pt byes: Max 1,
any round. M.ust commit before Rd. 2 pairing. Players arriving for round
2 may take a retroactive R1 1/2 pt bye as long as they arrive by 1:15pm.
Prizes: $$ b/30; Open: $200-100-75; Reserve: $100-75-50. HR/ENT/INFO:
ICA, www.idahochessassociation.org. Contact: Jeffrey Roland, 1514 S.
Longmont Ave., Boise, ID 83706. jroland@cableone.net. W.
Illinois
JUNE 12-14, 2015 U.S. Junior Open
See Nationals.
JUNE 12-14, 2015 U.S. Senior Open
See Nationals.
JULY 17-19 OR 18-19, 8th annual Chicago Class
See Grand Prix.
JULY 19, Chicago Class Sunday Quad
3RR, G/25 d5. Westin North Shore Hotel (see Chicago Class). EF: $20,
rds. 2:00, 3:00, 4:00.
See Grand Prix.
AUG. 28-30 OR 29-30, 10th annual Indianapolis Open (IN)
See Grand Prix.
AUG. 29-30, 61st Iowa Open Championship (USCF & FIDE Rated)
(IA)
See Grand Prix.
OCT. 9-11 OR 10-11, 24th annual Midwest Class Championships
See Grand Prix.
Indiana
JULY 17-19 OR 18-19, 8th annual Chicago Class (IL)
See Grand Prix.
AUG. 1-2, 2015 Indiana Class Championships
4SS, G/120 d5. Clarion Hotel, 2930 Waterfront Pkwy, West Dr., Indianapolis, IN 46214. Ph: 317-299-8400. HR: $82 (book by July 1). In 6
Sections: Master/Expert, A, B, C, D (See Class E below). May play up
one class. Sections combined if necessary. Prizes (50% gtd): $$1700,
b/50 paid entries, M/X $250, $150, A,B,C,D $200, $125, Reg.: 8:30-9:45.
Rds.: Sat 10-3 & Sun 10-2:30. EF: $40 if recd by 7/28, $50 on-site. ISCA
Memb. reqd, OSA. 1 bye if before RD.2, NO LAST RD. BYES. Ent: Online, indianachess.org or mail to: Craig Hines, 613 North Park Dr.,
Evansville, IN 47710, 812-423-2996, (cell)812-618-8700, July ratings
used. Class E: August 1st only. 4SS, G/60 d5. Rds.: 10, 12:30, 3, 5.
EF: $20. Trophies 1-10 places.
AUG. 7-9 OR 8-9, Cleveland Open (OH)
See Grand Prix.
AUG. 28-30 OR 29-30, 10th annual Indianapolis Open
See Grand Prix.
JULY 19, Bradley Open Sunday Quad

3RR, G/25 d5. Sheraton Hartford Hotel, Windsor Locks (see Bradley
Open). EF: $20, at site only, no checks. $50 1st prize each section. Reg.
ends 1:45 pm, rds. 2:00, 3:00, 4:00.
AUG. 13-16, 14-16 OR 15-16, 45th annual Continental Open
(MA)
See Grand Prix.
AUG. 21-23 OR 22-23, 14th annual Manhattan Open (NY)
See Grand Prix.
SEPT. 25-27 OR 26-27, 6th Annual Hartford Open
See Grand Prix.
District of Columbia
AUG. 28-30 OR 29-30, 47th annual Atlantic Open
See Grand Prix.
See Grand Prix.
Florida
Boca Raton Chess Club
Friday nights, G/85 d5 Tournament, one game a week for 4 weeks.
www.bocachess.com, 561-479-0351.
Casselberry Chess Club (Orlando) Thursday Night Tournaments
6-10 PM. Details: casselberrychessclub.com or call (407) 388-0636.
South Florida Chess Club
Wednesdays 6:30-10:30pm. All games are G/85 d5, and they are all 4
round tournaments. www.SouthFloridaChessClub.com. Questions? call
561-573-3677 or email southfloridachessclub@gmail.com.
23rd annual SOUTHERN OPEN

July 24-26 or 25-26, Wyndham Orlando Resort
$15,000 GUARANTEED PRIZES

5 round Swiss, choice of 3-day or 2-day schedule. $92 room rate, no
resort fee. In 4 sections:
Open Section: Prizes $2000-1000-500-300, clear/tiebreak win $100
bonus, top Under 2300/Unr $800-400. 120 Grand Prix points.
Under 2100 Section: $1500-800-400-200, top U1900/Unr $600-300.
Under 1700 Section: $1200-600-300-200, top Under 1500 (no unr)
$500-250.
Under 1300 Section: $800-400-200-150, top Under 1100 (no unr)
$200-100, plaques to top Under 1000, Under 800, Under 600, Unrated.
M IXED DOUBLES BONUS PRIZES: Best male/female 2-player
team (average U2200) combined score among all sections: $800-400.
Unrated prize lim its: $200 in U1300, $500 in U1700.
FULL DETAILS: see Grand Prix in this issue or chesstour.com.
The Stormont Kings Chess Center in Miami, FL

Conducts Private and Group Lessons, Homeschool Activities, Tournaments,
www.uschess.org
63

SEPT. 12, South Bend Regional CC Open
See Grand Prix.
Maryland

(IL)
See Grand Prix.
Maryland Chess Association Tournaments
Iowa
JUNE 6-7, Port of Burlington Open
See Grand Prix.
See Grand Prix.
Kansas
MCA runs several scholastic & open tournaments throughout Maryland

each month. Listings & online registration at www.MDChess.com.
Maryland scholastic players can qualify for a $41,000 scholarship
awarded each year that covers 4 years of tuition & fees at UMBC (University of Maryland, Baltimore County).
JUNE 25-30, 3rd annual DC International (VA)
See Grand Prix.
JUNE 26-28, 7th annual World Open Senior Amateur (VA)
See Virginia.
JUNE 27-28, 7th annual World Open Under 13 Championship (VA)
See Virginia.
JULY 17-19, Kansas Open

See Grand Prix.
JUNE 27-28, World Open Warmup (VA)

See Grand Prix.
(IA)
See Grand Prix.
JUNE 29-30, World Open Under 2300 (VA)

See Virginia.
Kentucky
East Kentucky Chess Club - Monthly Tournament
Check out our website: http://eastkychess.weebly.com/ or Facebook
group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/eastkychess. Learn, watch,
play and teach..
JUNE 13-14, 2015 Kentucky Open - In Memory of Steve Dillard
See Grand Prix.
See Grand Prix.
Louisiana
JUNE 30-JULY 1, 4th annual World Open Womens Championship

(VA)
See Grand Prix.
(VA)
See Grand Prix.
JULY 5, World Open Blitz Championship (BLZ) (VA)
See Grand Prix.
JULY 31-AUG. 2 OR AUG. 1-2, 5th Annual Potomac Open
See Grand Prix.
AUG. 7, 2015 Washington International Blitz (BLZ)
See Grand Prix.
(note date change)
See Grand Prix.
JULY 18-19, 2015 Paul Morphy Open

See Grand Prix.

See Grand Prix.
Maine
5SS, G/100 d5. McKay Complex, Room C159, Fitchburg State University,
67 Rindge Rd., Fitchburg, MA 01420. EF: $10 semi-annual club dues.
Reg.: 6-7:10 p.m. Rds.: 7:15 p.m. each Wed. Byes: 1-4, limit two. Prizes:
chess books to 1st, 2nd, top U1600, U1400, 1200. Info: George Mirijanian,
176 Oak Hill Rd., Fitchburg, MA 01420, miriling2@aol.com, 978-3455011. Website: www.wachusettchess.org. Air-conditioned, plenty of
free parking. W.
(VA)
See Grand Prix.
JULY 11-12, 65th New Hampshire Open (NH)
See Grand Prix.
JULY 17-19 OR 18-19, 20th Annual Bradley Open (CT)
See Grand Prix.
See Grand Prix.
AUG. 16, Continental Open Sunday Quad
3RR, G/25 d5. Host Hotel at Cedar Lake (see Continental Open). EF:
$20, at site only, no checks. $50 1st prize each section. Reg. ends 1:45
pm, rds. 2:00, 3:00, 4:00.
SEPT. 25-27 OR 26-27, 6th Annual Hartford Open (CT)
See Grand Prix.
Michigan
See Grand Prix.
See Grand Prix.
AUG. 15-16, 2015 U.P. Open
See Grand Prix.
See Grand Prix.
(IL)
See Grand Prix.
JULY 11-12, 65th New Hampshire Open (NH)

See Grand Prix.
See Grand Prix.

See Grand Prix.
Massachusetts

See Grand Prix.

(MA)
See Grand Prix.

JUNE 3, 10, 17, 24, JULY 1, Wachusett CC B Division Championship
(IA)
See Grand Prix.
Minnesota
8th annual Chicago Class

July 17-19 or 18-19, 2015 - Westin Chicago North Shore Hotel
$20,000 GUARANTEED PRIZE FUND!

5 rounds, 40/110, SD/30, d10 (2-day
option, rounds 1-2 G/60, d10), Westin
Chicago North Shore Hotel, 601 North
Milwaukee Ave, Wheeling IL 60090.
Free parking.
In 7 sections; no unrateds in Master
or Expert. No residence requirements.
An Illinois Chess Tour event.
Master (2200/up): $2000-1000-500300, clear win or 1st on tiebreak $100
bonus, top U2400 $800-400. 120 Grand
Prix Points (enhanced).
Expert (2000-2199): $1400-700-400200.
A (1800-1999): $1400-700-400-200.
B (1600-1799): $1400-700-400-200.
C (1400-1599): $1200-600-400-200.
D (1200-1399): $1000-500-300-200.
E (Under 1200): $500-250-150-100,
trophies to top 3, top Under 1000, Under
800, Under 600, Unrated.
64
Unrated prize limits: $200 E, $350

D, $500 C, $700 B, $900 A.
Rated players may play up one
section. Unrated may enter A or below.
Mixed doubles bonus prizes (see
Tournament Life): $800-400-200.
3-day schedule: Reg. to Fri 6 pm,

rds. Fri 7, Sat 11 & 5, Sun 10 & 3:30. 2day schedule: Reg. to Sat 10 am, rds.
Sat 11, 2 & 5; Sun. 10 & 3:30.
Half point byes OK all, Master must
commit before rd 2, others before rd 3.
Top 6 sections entry fee: $105 at

chessaction.com by 7/15, $110 phoned
to 406-896-2038 by 7/13, 3-day $108, 2day $107 mailed by 7/8, all $120 at site,
or online until 2 hours before first game.
Class E Section entry fee: all $50
less than above.
Re-entry (except Master): $50.
All: No checks at site, credit cards
OK. Online or mailed EF $5 less to ICA
members; join/renew at il-chess.org.
Special 1 year USCF dues if paid
with entry: see Tournament Life or
chesstour.com.
USCF membership
required.
All: No smoking. Bring clocks, sets,

boards if possible-none supplied. JGP.
Hotel rates: $107-107-107-107,
800-937-8461, 847-777-6500, reserve by
July 3 or rates may increase.
Unofficial uschess.org ratings
usually used if otherwise unrated.
Entry: chessaction.com or
Continental Chess, Box 8482, Pelham
NY 10803. Refunds, $15 service charge.
Questions: Director@Chess.US,
www.chesstour.com, 347-201-2269.
Advance entries posted at
chessaction.com (online entries posted
instantly).

(IL)
See Grand Prix.
Mississippi
See Grand Prix.
Missouri
JUNE 27, Kansas City Open
Noland Road Baptist Church, 4505 S. Noland Rd., Independence, MO
64055. 4SS, G/75 d5. Reg.: 8-8:45. Rds.: 9, 12, 3, 6, USCF required. EF:
$20 by 6/20, $30 onsite. Sections: Open & Reserve (U1600) b/40: 1st
$150, 2nd $100, 3rd $50 each section. Entries to: CJ Armenta, 12734
Richmond, Grandview, MO 64030. Cash only onsite.
JUNE 27, Missouri Novice Championship - A Rated Beginner Open
Tournament (RBO)
Open only to new/unrated players or players Rated under 1000. 4 rounds,
Game in 60 d5. Location: Chess Club and Scholastic Center of St. Louis.
4657 Maryland Ave., St. Louis, MO 63108. Registration: 8:30-9:30.
Round Times: 10am, 1, 3:30, 6. Entry Fee: $15 pre-registered (payment
received by 6/26) $20 on site. MCA Required available onsite for $5,
(O.S.A), No 1/2pt byes. Prizes: based on 10: 1st $100 + Novice State
Champion Trophy, 2nd $60 3rd $30. Entries/Info: Bob Howe, 210 N.
Olive St., Pacific, MO 63069, (636) 234.7928, bdhowe@yahoo.com.
JUNE 27-28, Missouri Class Championship
Where every player can become a State Champion! 5SS, G/115 d5.
Location: The Missouri Chess Association will host the tournament at
The Chess Club and Scholastic Center. 4657 Maryland Ave., St. Louis,
MO 63108. Prizes: $150-1st, $75-2nd, in each section: Master, Expert,
A, B, C, D, E/Under 1200. The 2015 Missouri Class Champion Plaque
awarded to the winner of each section. Registration: 8:30-9:30; Round
times: Sat-10-2:30-7, Sun-9:30-2 Entry Fee: $35 pre-registered by 6/26.
$40 on site. On Site cash only. Free Entry to GM/IM. Max 1 half bye;
MCA required, O.S.A., available on site from $5. Entries/Info: Bob Howe,
210 N. Olive St., Pacific, MO 63069, (636) 234.7928, bdhowe@yahoo.com.
Playing up one section is allowed. Players paired only with those in
their own section. (Small sections could be combined for pairings only.
Combined sections use prize pairing in last round) Other state players
welcome.
See Grand Prix.
See Grand Prix.
See Grand Prix.
(IA)
See Grand Prix.
(IL)
See Grand Prix.
for each prize to be awarded. EF: $39 by 5/25, $50 later. REG.: 9-9:30
a.m. RDS.: 10-11:30-1-2:30-4. www.VegasChessFestival.com. W.
JUNE 19-21 OR 20-21, 2015 National Open
See Nationals.
JUNE 20, National Open Blitz Sectionals (BLZ)
RR G/3 +2. Westgate Resort & Casino, 3000 Paradise Rd., Las Vegas
89109. Hotel reservation: 800-732-7117. 10-12 player. $100-60, 2nd half
$40, in each section. EF: $30. www.VegasChessFestival.com. REG.:
by 9:30 p.m. Rd. 1 at 10 p.m. W.
JUNE 20-21, International Youth Championship
5SS, G/60 d5. Westgate Resort & Casino, 3000 Paradise Rd., Las Vegas
89109. In 4 Sections by age: 14 & Under, 14 & Under Reserve (under
1000), 9 & Under, 9 & Under Reserve (under 800). Trophies to top 10 in
each section plus class and team trophies. 1st Place in each section
wins a Computer loaded with valuable Chess Software and hundreds
of Videos, 2nd-4th win chess prizes valued at 250-150-100. Unrated
players may not win 1st in Reserve sections. EF: $89 by 5/25, $99 by
6/15, $120 later. 1/2 point bye in any round (limit 2) if requested in
advance. REG: 8-9 a.m. RDS: 10-1-4, 10-1. Youth Blitz 6/19 6:30 p.m.
($20 by 5/25 $25 later). HR: $69, $89 Friday and Saturday. (800) 7327117 be sure to ask for the CHESS rates. ENT: Vegas Chess Festivals,
PO Box 90925, Henderson, NV 89009-0925 or www.VegasChessFes
tival.com. W.
JUNE 21, National Open Blitz (BLZ)
See Grand Prix.
(CA-S)
See Grand Prix.
See Grand Prix.
end between 4-6pm. Full details & pre-reg at njchess.com.

JUNE 18, 3rd Thursday Quads
3 RR, G/30 d5. Quads grouped by rating. All the Kings Men Chess &
Games Center (Just 22 mins. from Center City Philadelphia), 62 S. Broadway, Pitman, NJ. 856-582-8222. Prizes: $25 1st per quad. Unr. cannot
win more than $10. EF: $12.50, members $10. Reg.: 6-6:45 pm. Rds.:
7-8-9 pm. Info: cs@ATKMchessSets.com. All: Visa/MC/Disc/Amex OK
w/$1surcharge. Bring a clock!
JUNE 19, FCA Friday Night Blitz-O-Mania (BLZ)
RR. G/5 d2. 271 Fort Lee Rd., Leonia, NJ 07605. Prizes(b/20): $125,
Class prize based on entries. EF: $10. Reg.: 7:00-7:30pm. Rd. 1: 7:45.
Info: frank@frankschess.com, 201-961-4029.
JUNE 20, 3rd Saturday Quads
3-RR. G/55 d5. 75 East Cherry St., Suite 10A, Rahway, NJ 07065. EF:
$25, $20 members. Prizes: $60 to first in each section. Reg.: 12:1512:50 p.m. Rds.: 1:00, 3:15, 5:30 p.m. Info: chessmates@chessmatesnj.
com, 732-499-0118, 760-583-8429.
JUNE 20, Kings Chess Club Quads
Morning quads and afternoon quads, G/30 d5, Kindergarten-undergraduate (scholastic, youth, and young adult memberships). Bethlehem
Church, 758 Route 10, Randolph, NJ 07869. EF: None. Reg.: 9-9:20 am.,
1st rd. 9:40. Arr. by noon to reg. only for afternoon quads. Medal to
each quad winner. Info: Bethlehem Church 973-366-3434 or Bob McAdams
973-694-3988, rwm@fambright.com.
JUNE 21, Sunday Quads
$20, $15 members. Prizes: $50 to first in each section. Reg.: 3:00-3:25
p.m. Rds.: 3:30, 4:40, 5:50 p.m. Info: chessmates@chessmatesnj.com,
732-499-0118, 760-583-8429.
JULY 11-12, 65th New Hampshire Open

See Grand Prix.
JUNE 21, Westfield Quads

3-RR. G/40 d5. Westfield Y, 220 Clark St., Westfield, NJ 07090. EF: $25,
$20 Members. Prizes: $60 to first in each section. Reg.: 1:15-2:00 p.m.
Rds.: 2:15, 4:00, 5:45 p.m. For additional information: John Moldovan:
westfieldchessclub@gmail.com, Bill Cohen: 732-548-8432 or 848-2191358, www.westfieldchessclub.com and westfieldchessclub.blogspot.com.

See Grand Prix.

See Grand Prix.

(MA)
See Grand Prix.

See Virginia.
New Hampshire

See Grand Prix.
New Jersey
JUNE 27, Hamilton Chess Club Quads

3RR, 40/80 15/30 15/30 d0. Full K. McManimon Hall, 320 Scully Ave.,
Hamilton Twp., NJ 08610. Quads open to all. EF: $10. Prizes: $25 per
Quad. Reg.: 9-10:30am. Rds.: 10:30am-1:30pm-4:30pm. OSA. Contact
email: hamiltonchessclub.com. W.
See Virginia.
JUNE 2, 9, 16, Princeton Quads

ImaginationGuru, 1325 U.S. 206, Skillman, NJ 08558, above Santander
Bank. 3-RR. G/55 d5. 1 game per week. EF: $35, $25 members. Prizes:
$70 to first in each section. Reg.: 5:45-6:45 p.m. Rds.: 7:00 p.m. on the
dates listed. Info and registration: www.imaginationguru.com, 1-800762-9854.
JUNE 27-28 OR 28, Chess Mates Championship/Super Swiss #3

See Grand Prix.
JUNE 13, Central Jersey Chess Tournament

Princeton Academy, 1128 Great Rd., Princeton. 6 sections: 4 rated, 2
unrated. Open, U1200: K-12, 3SS, G/40 d5. U900, U600: K-8, 4SS, G/25
d5. Intermediate (K-6), Beginners (K-2): 4SS, unrated, no clocks. Trophies: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and top school or club team per section, medals to
all! $35 pre-reg online by 6/11, $45 on-site. Reg.: 1:15-1:45, sections
JUNE 28, Westfield Quads


See Grand Prix.
Nebraska
See Grand Prix.
AUG. 1-2, National State Games of America Chess Tournament Lincoln, Nebraska
USCF Sanctioned and rated, but no USCF membership required. OPEN:
5rd SS, G/120 d5; Open, U 1800, U1600 (August 1-2, 2015). RESERVE:
5rd SS, G/60 d5; Reserve Class B/C, Class D, Class E and below (U
1200), and Unrated (August 1, 2015). JUNIOR OPEN: 4rd SS, G/40 d5
(Under age 19) (August 1, 2015). SCHOLASTIC: 5rd SS, G/30 d5; (Under
age 13 and rated under 1200) Class E, Class F, Class G, Class H, Under
400, Unrated (August 1, 2015). EF: Determined by section and date of
entry. Early entry fees: Open $30, Reserve $25, Junior $19, Scholastic
$18. No entry fee for GMs or IMs. All entries online only. No byes in
second half of event. Entry to: www.SGA2015.com/chess. Questions:
Mike Gooch: mdgooch22@gmail.com or (402) 333-0722. NOTE: Youth
players who play in the OPEN section can be recognized for Chess
Magnet School Junior Grand Prix points provided they are a current
member of the USCF.
(IA)
See Grand Prix.
Nevada
JUNE 18, 2015 U.S. Game/10 Championship (QC)
See Nationals.
JUNE 18-19, 2015 U.S. Womens Open
See Nationals.
JUNE 19, Youth Trophy Tournament
5-SS, G/25 d5. Westgate Resort & Casino, 3000 Paradise Rd., Las Vegas
89109. Hotel reservation: 800-732-7117. Open to players age 14 & under.
3 sections: Open, U1000, U700. Trophies top 5 in each section, top 2
in each 200 point rating group and unrated. Must be 3 players eligible
www.uschess.org
65

See Virginia.
6:15 p.m. Byes: 2 byes allowed, must commit prior to round 3. Info:
chessmates@chessmatesnj.com, 732-499-0118, 760-583-8429.

See Grand Prix.

(VA)
See Grand Prix.
JULY 11, Fairfield County Masters & Class Championships (CT)

See Grand Prix.
See Grand Prix.
(VA)
See Grand Prix.
JULY 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, Wednesday G/90
5-SS. G/85 d5. 75 East Cherry St., Suite 10A, Rahway, NJ 07065. 1 game
per week. EF: $40, $30 members. Prize Fund: $210 b/8 paid entries.
Prizes: $100-60, U1800 $50. More prizes if 10+ paid entries. Reg.:
6:45-7:25 p.m. Rds.: 7:30 p.m. on the dates listed. 2 byes allowed. Must
commit prior to round 3. Info: chessmates@chessmatesnj.com, 732499-0118, 760-583-8429.
JULY 4, 1st Saturday Quads
$25, $20 members. Prizes: $60 to first in each section. Reg.: 12:1512:50 p.m. Rds.: 1:00, 3:15, 5:30 p.m. Info: chessmates@chessmatesnj.
com, 732-499-0118, 760-583-8429.
JULY 4-5, 3rd Annual - Fourth of July Open - Leon Shulman Cup
See Grand Prix.
JULY 5, Sunday Quads
732-499-0118, 760-583-8429.
JULY 5, Westfield Quads
JULY 7, 14, 21, Princeton Quads
ImaginationGuru, 1325 U.S. 206, Skillman, NJ 08558, above Santander
Bank. 3-RR. G/55 d5. 1 game per week. EF: $35, $25 members. Prizes:
$70 to first in each section. Reg.: 5:45-6:45 p.m. Rds.: 7:00 p.m. on the
dates listed. Info and registration: www.imaginationguru.com, 1-800762-9854.
JULY 11, Dr. Luzviminda Machan Open
4-SS. G/40 d5. 75 East Cherry St., Suite 10A, Rahway, NJ 07065. EF:
$40, members $30. Prize Fund: 70% of EF. Prizes: 1st, 2nd & Under
prize, based on 8 players. Minimum $80 to 1st. More or larger prizes if
there are more entries. Reg.: 12:15-12:50 p.m. Rds.: 1:00, 2:45, 4:30,
3rd Annual
JULY 11, Summer U2400 Open

Somerset Holiday Inn, 195 Davidson Ave., Somerset, exit#10, off I-287.
5-SS, G/30 d5. G$$:250-200-150-100-50. 5-0 score gets extra $50. Minimum $75 b/16 to top Expert, Class A & U1800. No pooling /duplicate
prizes. EF: $45 at entryfeesrus.com or $60 cash at site. Reg. to 9:45am
on 07/11. Starts: 10am then a lunch break. Early entries paired Friday.
Special $5 refunds to card carries CPNJ members. See entryfeesrus.com,
Info: Ken acn@goes.com /908-887-3126. W. Web.
JULY 12, Sunday Quads
732-499-0118, 760-583-8429.
JULY 12, Westfield Quads
Rds.: 2:15, 4:00, 5:45 p.m. For additional informaton: John Moldovan:
See Grand Prix.
New Mexico
JUNE 27-28, Albuquerque/Rio Rancho Open
See Grand Prix.
(CA-S)
See Grand Prix.
New York
JUNE 4, 11, 18, 25, JULY 2, Long Island CC June Open
5SS, G/90 d5. United Methodist Church, 470 East Meadow Ave., East
Meadow, NY 11554. Open to all. $(b/20 pd. ent.): $100-80. Top U2000, U-1500/unr. $50 ea. EF(cash only): $35. Non-LICC members
+$10. Reg.: 7:15 7:30 PM, no adv. ent., Rds.: 7:30 PM ea. Thursday.
2 byes 1-5. Info: www.lichessclub.com.
JUNE 13-14, 2015 Can-Am International Chess Tournament
See Grand Prix.
JULY 19, Westfield Spring Scholastic

Westfield Y, 220 Clark St., Westfield, NJ 07090. K-12. 3 Sections: Open,
U1250, U750. Open: 3-SS. G/40 d5 Rds.: 2:15, 4:00, 5:45 p.m. U1250,
U750: 4-SS. G/25 d5. Rds.: 2:15, 3:30, 4:45, 6:00 p.m. EF: $25, $20
members. Prizes: Trophies to Top 5 in each section. Tiebreaks used. See
USCF Rule 34E. Reg.: 1:15-2:00 p.m. Information: John Moldovan email:
JUNE 18, Marshall Thursday Action

4SS, G/25 d5. $325 b/28: $100-75-50. U2200, U1900: $50. EF: $40,
MCC Mbrs. $20. Rds.: 7-8:15-9:30-10:45. Limit two byes; request by rd.
2. marshallchessclub.org 23 W. 10th St., NYC. 212-477-3716.
JULY 31-AUG. 2 OR AUG. 1-2, 5th Annual Potomac Open (MD)

See Grand Prix.

JUNE 19-21, 20-21 OR 21, Marshall Monthly U2300
5SS, 40/90 SD30 +30inc. Two sections. 1600+: $820 b/35: $300150-100. U2200 $145; U2000 $125. U1600: $400 b/17: $120-100-80.
U1300: $100. EF: $60, MCC Mbrs. $40. Rds.: 3 day Fri. 6pm, Sat. & Sun.
12:30-5:30. 2 day Sat. 11am (G/25 d5) then merge with 3 day in round
2. 1 day Sun. 9-10:10-11:20 (G/25 d5) then merge in round 4. Limit two
byes; request by rd. 3. marshallchessclub.org 23 W. 10th St., NYC.
212-477-3716.

See Grand Prix.
(MA)
See Grand Prix.
See Grand Prix.
See Grand Prix.
Fourth of July Open
Leon Shulman Liberty Cup

July 4-5, 2015
$15,000 projected prizes, $10,000 minimum guaranteed!

Trophies Plus Grand Prix: 60 (Enhanced)
USCF Junior Grand Prix
5 rounds, G/90, d5, Holiday Inn, 2175 Marlton Pike W, Cherry Hill, NJ 08002, across from
Garden State Park 5 miles from Philadelphia City Center.
Prizes $15,000 based on 160 paid entries $10,000 minimum guaranteed.
In 5 sections:
Open Section: $1500-700-400-300, top Under 2300/Unr $800-400.
Under 2100 Section: $1200-500-300-200, top Under 1900 $600-300.
Under 1200 Section: $1000-500-300-100, trophies to 1st, top Under 1000, Under 800,
Under 600, Unrated.
JUNE 19, Marshall U2200 Friday Night Action

4SS, G/25 d5. $325 b/28: $100-75-50. U2100, U1900: $50. EF: $40,
JUNE 25, Marshall Thursday Action

4SS, G/25 d5. $325 b/28: $100-75-50. U2200, U1900: $50. EF: $40,
DONATE
TO U.S. TRUST ONLINE!
Now you can donate online
through a secure website at
www.uschesstrust.org
Entry fee: Online $95 by 6/13 $105 by 6/27, $120 at site. GMs, IMs free; $100 deducted
from prize. Registration: https://shulmancup2015.eventbrite.com
Under 1200 Section entry fee: all $20 less than above.
Schedule: Reg. ends Saturday 9:45 am, rds. Sat 10:00 am, 2:00 pm, 6:00, Sun 10:00 am &
2:00 pm.
All: Half point byes OK all, limit 2, must commit before rd. 2.
Hotel rates: $109 Chess Rate, 1-(856) 663-5300; reserve by 6/15 or rate may increase.
Simply click on

Ratings: June official USCF rating list used. Unofficial uschess.org ratings usually used if
otherwise unrated.
and then on the
Contact: dgorman@darsemail.com (703) 989-6867
66
Donate
Make a Donation
button!

See Grand Prix.
JULY 11, Fairfield County Masters & Class Championships (CT)

See Grand Prix.
JUNE 26, Marshall $500 Friday Night Blitz - FIDE Rated (BLZ)
See Grand Prix.
JULY 11, Marshall Saturday G/45

4SS, G/40 d5. Two sections. 1700+: $460 b/39: $120-100-80-60.
U2100: $100. U1700: $460 b/39: $120-100-80-60. U1400: $100. EF:
$40, MCC Mbrs $20. Rds.: 12-1:45-4-5:45. Limit two byes; request by
rd 2. Website: marshallchessclub.org, 23 W. 10th St., NYC. 212-477-3716.

See Virginia.
JUNE 27, Marshall Saturday G/30
U2100: $100. U1800: $460 b/39: $120-100-80-60. U1500: $100. EF:
$40, MCC Mbrs. $20. Rds.: 12-1:15-2:30-3:45-5. Limit two byes; request
by rd. 3. marshallchessclub.org 23 W. 10th St., NYC. 212-477-3716.
See Virginia.
See Grand Prix.
JUNE 28, 4th Sunday Quads - In Memory of Norma Shelly and Bill
Little
Albany Area Chess Club, resumption of Sunday Quads. 3R Quad w/8, 12
o/w SS, G/60 d5. 251 New Karner Rd., Colonie, NY. Two Sections:
U1900, U1500. Prize: 1st $30. EF: $15 cash,check, no cc. Rds.: 10,
12:30, 3. Reg.: 9:15-9:45, 1/2 bye 2nd rd. only, req before 1st rd. Membership in USCF must be current. Adv. entry to: hawkphil2@aol.com
by Thurs. before event. C. Eson TD.
JUNE 28, Marshall Sunday G/45
4SS, G/40 d5. Two sections. 1600+: $460 b/39: $120-100-80. U2100
$100; U1800 $60. U1600: $460 b/39: $120-100-80-60. U1300: $100.
EF: $40, MCC Mbrs. $20. Rds.: 12-1:45-4-5:45. Limit two byes; request
by rd. 2. marshallchessclub.org 23 W. 10th St., NYC. 212-477-3716.
JUNE 29, 12th Nassau G/15 (QC)
6SS. G/12 d3 or G/15 d0. 1st Presbyterian Church, 1st & Main Sts.,
Mineola. EF: $25 by 6/22. $32 at site, Non-memb + $5. $$ (420 b/20)
120, U2000, 1800, 1600, 1400/UR 75 ea. 3 byes 1-6. Reg to 7:15 PM.
Rds.: 7:15-7:55-8:30-9:05-9:40-10:15. Rule 14H not used. Ent: Harold
Stenzel, 80 Amy Dr., Sayville, NY 11782. July ratings used.
See Virginia.
JUNE 30, Marshall Masters
See Grand Prix.
(VA)
See Grand Prix.
(VA)
See Grand Prix.
JULY 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, Community Chess Club of Rochester Wed
Night Chess!
Note: 1 game rated per night, G/80 d5. Rochester Chess Center, 221
Norris Dr., Rochester, NY 14610. 585-442-2430. EF: $5, CCCR members
$3. Reg.: 7-7:25 pm. Rd.: 7:30pm. www.rochesterchessclub.org.
JULY 2, Marshall Thursday Action
4SS, G/25 d5. $325 b/28: $100-75-50. U2200, U1900: $50. EF: $40,
MCC Mbrs $20. Rds.: 7-8:15-9:30-10:45. Limit two byes; request by rd.
2. Web: marshallchessclub.org, 23 W. 10th St., NYC. 212-477-3716.
JULY 3, Marshall U2200 Friday Night Action
4SS, G/25 d5. $325 b/28: $100-75-50. U2100, U1900: $50. EF: $40,
JULY 3-5, 4-5 OR 5, Marshall Monthly Grand Prix - FIDE Rated
See Grand Prix.
JULY 4, Marshall Saturday G/45
U2100: $100. U1600: $460 b/39: $120-100-80-60. U1300: $100. EF:
$40, MCC Mbrs $20. Rds.: 12-1:45-4-5:45. Limit two byes; request by
rd. 2. Web: marshallchessclub.org, 23 W. 10th St., NYC. 212-477-3716.
JULY 6, 13, 20, 32nd Nassau Senior
3SS, 40/80 d0. 1st Presbyterian Church, 1st & Main Sts., Mineola. Open
to born before 7/21/65. EF: $10 by 6/29, $17 at site, non-memb $9
more. Trophies to top 3. Bye: 1-3. Reg to 7:15 PM. captnhal@optonline.
net. Rds.: 7:15 each Mon. Ent: Harold Stenzel, 80 Amy Dr., Sayville, NY
11782.
JULY 6, 13, 20, 74th Nassau Action
See Grand Prix.
JULY 7, Marshall Tuesday Action
4SS, G/25 d5. $420 b/35: $120-100-80-60. U2000: $60. EF: $40, MCC
Mbrs $20. Rds.: 7-8:15-9:30-10:45. Limit two byes; request by rd. 2.
Web: marshallchessclub.org, 23 W. 10th St., NYC. 212-477-3716.
JULY 9, Marshall Thursday Action
4SS, G/25 d5. $325 b/28: $100-75-50. U2200, U1900: $50. EF: $40,
JULY 9, 16, 23, 30, 5th Long Island CC Summer Open
4SS, G/90 d5. United Methodist Church, 470 East Meadow Ave., East
Meadow, NY 11554. Open to all. $(b/20 pd. ent.): $85-60. Top U-2000,
U-1500/unr. $45 ea. EF: $30(cash). Non-LICC members +$10. Reg.:
7:15-7:30 PM, no adv. ent., Rds.: 7:30 PM SHARP ea. Thursday. 2 byes
1-4. Info: www.lichessclub.com. Skittles rm.
JULY 10, Marshall U2200 Friday Night Action
4SS, G/25 d5. $325 b/28: $100-75-50. U2100, U1900: $50. EF: $40,
JULY 11, 18, 25, Rochester Chess Center Saturday Tournaments!

3-SS, G/60 d5. Rochester CC, 221 Norris Dr., Rochester, NY 14610. 585442-2430. Prizes based on entries. EF: $15, RCC members $13. $2 less
for HS and Pre-HS. Reg.: 1-1:45 pm. Rds.: 2-4-6. One bye available,
request at entry. www.nychess.org. Also, Youth tournament, G/30 d5,
every Saturday morning 10am-1pm, trophies and prizes. EF: $5.

JULY 30, AUG. 6, 13, 20, 27, SEPT. 3, Marshall Thursday Open
6-SS, G/90 +30. FIDE Rated ($600 b/25): $250-150. U2100: $125. U1800:
$75. EF: $60, MCC Mbrs $40. Reg.: 6:15-6:45pm. Rds.: 7pm each Thurs.
Limit two byes; request by rd. 4. www.marshallchessclub.org. 23 W.
10th St., NYC. 212-477-3716.
JULY 31, Marshall $500 FIDE Blitz (BLZ)
See Grand Prix.
See Grand Prix.
JULY 31-AUG. 2, AUG. 1-2 OR AUG. 2, Marshall August Grand
Prix - FIDE Rated
See Grand Prix.
JULY 12, Marshall Sunday G/60

4SS, G/55 d5. Two sections. 1500+: $460 b/39: $120-100-80. U2100
$100; U1800 $60. U1500: $460 b/39: $120-100-80-60. U1200: $100.
EF: $40, MCC Mbrs $20. Rds.: 12-2:30-4:45-7. Limit two byes; request
by rd. 2. marshallchessclub.org, 23 W. 10th St., NYC. 212-477-3716.
AUG. 1, Marshall U1700

4-SS, G/40 d5. ($325 b/25): $150-100, U1400: $75. EF: $40, MCC Mbrs
$20. Reg.: 11:15-11:45am. Rds.: 12-2:30-4:45-7pm. One bye available,
request at entry. www.marshallchessclub.org. 23 W. 10th St., NYC. 212477-3716.

JULY 13, 20, 27, AUG. 3, 10, 17, Marshall FIDE Mondays U1800
6-SS, G/90 +30. Two sections. Open: Open to all players 1600+. FIDE
Rated. ($600 b/25) $200-150-100. U2000: $100-50. U1800: ($600 b/25):
$200-150-100. U1500: $100-50. EF: $60, MCC Mbrs $40. Reg.: 6:156:45pm. Rd: 7pm each Mon. Limit two byes; request by rd. 4. 23 W.
10th St., NYC, 212-477-3716, www.marshallchessclub.org.
AUG. 4, Marshall First Tuesday Action!

4-SS, G/25 d5. ($300 b/25): $125-75, U2100 $50 U1800 $50. EF: $40,
MCC Mbrs $20. GMs Free. Reg.: 6:15-6:45. Rds.: 7-8:15-9:30-10:45pm.
Max one bye, for round 1 or 4 only. Request at entry. www.marshallchess
club.org. 23 W. 10th St., NYC. 212-477-3716.

JULY 13, 20, 27, AUG. 3, 10, 17, Marshall Slow Mondays
6SS, G/90+30inc. Two sections. 1800+ FIDE Rated: $550 b/31:
$150-120-100-80. U2100: $100. U1800: $550 b/31: $150-120-100-80.
U1500: $100. EF: $50, MCC Mbrs $30. Rds.:7pm each Mon. Limit two
byes; request by rd. 4. marshallchessclub.org, 23 W. 10th St., NYC. 212477-3716.
JULY 15-19, 8th NY International - CHAMPIONSHIP SECTION
9-SS, 40/90, SD/30 +30. Only open to players currently rated 2000+
(USCF or FIDE). FIDE ratings used for pairings and prizes. FIDE rated.
Prizes $9,000 unconditionally guaranteed! $4000-2000-1000, U2400
FIDE: $1000-500, U2300 FIDE $500. Entry Fee: $200. Players not rated
USCF or FIDE over 2200: $300. GMs Free. Local IMs: $150, foreign
IMs: $100. $25 less: For MCC members & foreign players not taking
byes. All $50 more if received after June 30. Schedule: Wed. 7pm,
Thurs. Sun. 11am & 6pm. Byes: 2 byes available, must commit before
round 3; limit 1 bye in rounds 8-9. FIDE IM/GM norms possible; must
play all rounds. Last year 2 norms were achieved! Playing site: In honor
of the Marshalls 100th year anniversary, the NY International is returning
home to 23 W. 10th St. this year. Registration: Call MCC with credit
card, mail check, or online. Limited to 70 players! Register early! 23
W. 10th St., NYC. 212-477-3716, www.marshallchessclub.org.
See Grand Prix.
JULY 21, Marshall Masters
See Grand Prix.
JULY 22, 29, AUG. 5, 12, 19, 26, Marshall Weekly Wednesdays
(note date change)
6-SS, G/90 +30. Two sections. U2000: ($600 b/25) $250-150-100.
U1700: $100. U1400: ($600 b/25): $250-150-100. U1100: $100. EF: $60,
MCC Mbrs $40. Reg.: 6:15-6:45pm. Rds.: 7pm each Wed. Limit two
byes; request by rd. 4. www.marshallchessclub.org. 23 W. 10th St.,
NYC. 212-477-3716. (This TLA supercedes previously published as Marshall Slow Wednesdays.)
JULY 23-26, 8th New York International - U2200 SECTION
7-SS, 40/90, SD/30 +30. Open to all players rated U2200 and unrated.
No FIDE ratings over 2200. USCF Ratings used for pairings and prizes.
FIDE Rated. Prizes $8,000 based on 70 paid entries. $3000-2000-1000,
U1900: $1000-500, U1600: $500. Entry Fee: $200 if received by June
30; $250 in July. $25 less for MCC members. Schedules: 4-day: Thurs.
7pm, Fri. Sun. 12:30pm & 6pm. 2-day: Sat. 9-10:10-11:20am (G/25
d5) then merge with 4-day. Byes: 2 byes available, must commit before
round 3. Playing site: In honor of the Marshalls 100th year anniversary,
the NY International is returning home to 23 W 10th St. this year. Registration: Call MCC with credit card, mail check, or online. Limited to
70 players! Register early! www.marshallchessclub.org. 23 W. 10th
St., NYC. 212-477-3716.
JULY 30, Marshall U2400 Action - NEW!
4-SS, G/25 d5. Open to players rated below 2400 USCF. ($375 b/25):
$150-100, U2100: $75. U1800: $50. EF: $40, MCC Mbrs $25. Reg.: 6:156:45pm. Rds.: 7-8:15-9:30-10:45pm. Max one bye, for round 1 or 4 only.
DROPPING OUT?
Have to miss a round? It is very important that you NOTIFY THE DIRECTOR
before pairings are made, so no one is
deprived of a game! If you forfeit without
notice, you may be FINED up to the
amount of the entry fee!
AUG. 6, Marshall Thursday Action!

4-SS, G/25 d5. ($375 b/25): $150-100, U2200: $75, U1900: $50. EF:
$40, MCC Mbrs $25. GMs Free. Reg.: 6:15-6:45pm. Rds.: 7-8:15-9:3010:45pm. Max one bye, for round 1 or 4 only. Request at entry. www.
marshallchessclub.org. 23 W. 10th St., NYC. 212-477-3716.
AUG. 7, Marshall U2200 Friday Night Action!
$20. Reg.: 6:15-6:45pm. Rds.: 7-8:15-9:30-10:45pm. Max one bye, for
round 1 or 4 only. Request at entry. www.marshallchessclub.org. 23 W.
10th St., NYC. 212-477-3716.
See Grand Prix.
AUG. 8, Marshall Saturday G/60 (Open & U1800)
4-SS, G/55 d5. Two sections: Open: ($450 b/35): $200-150, U2000:
$100. U1800 ($325 b/25): $150-100, U1500: $75. EF: $40, MCC Mbrs
$20. GMs Free. Reg.: 11:15-11:45am. Rds.: 12-2:30-4:45-7pm. One bye
available, request at entry. www.marshallchessclub.org. 23 W. 10th St.,
NYC. 212-477-3716.
See Grand Prix.
AUG. 9, Marshall Sunday G/45 (Open & U1600)
4-SS, G/40 d5. Two sections: Open: ($450 b/35): $200-125, U2100: $75,
U1800: $50. U1600: ($325 b/25): $150-100, U1300: $75. EF: $40, MCC
Mbrs $20. GMs Free. Reg.: 11:15-11:45am. Rds.: 12-2:30-4:45-7pm.
One bye available, request at entry. www.marshallchessclub.org. 23 W.
10th St., NYC. 212-477-3716.
AUG. 13, Marshall U2400 Action - NEW!
4-SS, G/25 d5. Open to players rated below 2400 USCF. ($375 b/25):
$150-100, U2100: $75 U1800: $50. EF: $40, MCC Mbrs $25. Reg.: 6:156:45pm. Rds.: 7-8:15-9:30-10:45pm. Max one bye, for round 1 or 4 only.
(MA)
See Grand Prix.
AUG. 14, Marshall Friday Night Blitz - NEW! (BLZ)
9-SS, G/3 d2. ($500 b/35): $200-100, top U2400/unr, U2200, U2000,
U1800: $50. Highest rating (regular, quick or blitz) used for pairings &
prizes. EF: $30, MCC Mbrs $20, GMs $20. Reg.: 6:15-6:45. Rds.: 7-7:307:50-8:10-8:40-9-9:20-9:40-10pm. Max three byes. Request at entry.
Blitz rated. www.marshallchessclub.org. 23 W. 10th St., NYC. 212-4773716.
AUG. 14-16, 15-16 OR 16, Marshall U2300
5-SS, 40/90 SD30 +30. Open to players rated below 2300 USCF. FIDE
Rated. $800 Gtd: $300-150-100. U2100: $125; U1800 $125. EF: $60,
MCC Mbrs $40. Reg.: Ends 15 min before round start. Rds.: 3-day: Fri.
6pm, Sat. & Sun. 12-5:30pm. 2-day: Sat. 11am (G/25 d5) then merge
with 3-day in round 2. 1-day: Sun. 9-10:10-11:20am (G/25 d5) then merge
in round 4. Max two byes. Request by rd. 3. www.marshallchessclub.org.
23 W. 10th St., NYC. 212-477-3716.
WARNING!
THE USE OF A CELL PHONE IN THE
TOURNAMENT ROOM IS PROHIBITED!
AT MOST TOURNAMENTS! IF YOUR
CELL PHONE RINGS IN A ROOM WITH
GAMES IN PROGRESS, YOU COULD BE
SEVERELY PENALIZED, MAYBE EVEN
FORFEITED! TURN IT OFF!
www.uschess.org
67

AUG. 15, Marshall Saturday U1500
$20. Reg.: 11:15-11:45am. Rds.: 12-2:30-4:45-7pm. One bye available,
request at entry. www.marshallchessclub.org. 23 W. 10th St., NYC. 212477-3716.
AUG. 21-23 OR 22-23, 14th annual Manhattan Open
See Grand Prix.
JUNE 12, DCC Friday Nite Quick #20 (QC)

4SS, G/24 d5. Dayton Chess Club, 18 W. 5th St., Dayton, OH. Rds.:
7:30/8:30/9:30/10:30. One bye. Prizes: based on entries. EF: $14 ($10
DCC mbr). Info: DCC.18W5@sbcglobal.net, 937-461-6283.
SEPT. 4, 2nd annual New York State Blitz Championship (BLZ)

See Grand Prix.
SEPT. 4-7, 5-7 OR 6-7, 137th annual NY State Championship
See Grand Prix.
See Grand Prix.
See Grand Prix.
North Carolina
JUNE 13, Solon Summer Starter

4SS, G/30 d5. 6025 Kruse Dr., Solon, OH 44139. EF: $30, IMs, GMs free.
Sections: Open, U1800, U1400, U1000. Registration: 9-9:45 at site.
Rds.: 10:00, 11:30, 1:00, 2:30, U-1000 ASAP. Prizes: $800 Guaranteed!!
Open: $150, $50, U-2000 $50. U-1800: $100, $50, U1600 $50. U-1400:
$100, $50, U1200 $50. U1000: $60, $30, U750 $30, U500 $30. Free
healthy box lunch to ALL players! Convenient Online Registration at
www.progresswithchess.org Info: Contact: Mike Joelson, 216-3217000.

See Grand Prix.
See Virginia.
See Virginia.
(VA)
See Grand Prix.
(VA)
See Grand Prix.
See Grand Prix.
See Grand Prix.

See Grand Prix.
See Grand Prix.
Ohio

See Grand Prix.
AUG. 27-31, 2015 U.S. Masters Championship

See Nationals.
AUG. 28-30 OR 29-30, The 2015 North Carolina Open

See Grand Prix.
JUNE 20, Summer Time Pawn Storm XXXI

See Grand Prix.
4SS, G/24 d5. Dayton Chess Club, 18 W. 5th St., Dayton, OH. Rds.: 7:30/
8:30/9:30/10:30. One bye. Prizes: based on entries. EF: $14 ($10 DCC
mbr). Info: DCC.18W5@sbcglobal.net, 937-461-6283.
JUNE 27, Cincy Tornado - Emotional Chess
Last Saturday of Month. 2 Sections: OPEN & Under 1600. 4-SS, G/60
d5. EF: $30 if paid online/$35 at site. OGPrix Event/OCA deduct $3.
Masters above 2200 Free EF & Lunch. Open b/15: $150-$70; 1st A,B
each $70. Master Bounty Prize: Best Final Result against 1# Rated
Master pays $100 for win/$50 draw. $100 for perfect score to 1#
Rated Master. UNDER 1600 b/15: $150-$70; 1st D,E each $70. Reg.
Ends 9:45am. 1st Round: 10am. 1st Baptist Church, 11195 Winton Rd.,
Cincinnati, OH 45218. www.chessearth.com, info@chessearth.com. Last
Saturday of Month.
JULY 10, DCC Friday Nite Quick #23 (QC)

JULY 11, Toledo July Swiss
Open, 4SS, Rnd. 1 G/75 d5, Rnds. 2-4 G/85 d5. The University of Toledo
Health Science Campus, Mulford Library Basement Cafe, 3000 Arlington
Ave., Toledo, OH 43614. Can split into 2 sections if enough players. EF:
$20 by 7/9, $25 at site. Reg.: 9-10 a.m., Rds.: 10, 1, 4, & 7. Prizes:
$360 b/20, $100-50, 1st A,B,C,D/Under $40, 1st U1600 $50. Ent: James
Jagodzinski, 7031 Willowyck Rd., Maumee, OH 43537. 419-367-9450.
JULY 17-19 OR 18-19, 2015 Columbus Open
See Grand Prix.
JULY 27-AUG. 2, Dayton Chess Festival: Dayton Masters (Closed);
Aviator Open-GP:40; X-15 Blitz (BLZ)!
See Grand Prix.
AUG. 7-9 OR 8-9, Cleveland Open
See Grand Prix.
AUG. 8, Toledo August Swiss
Open, 4SS, Rnd. 1 G/75 d5, Rnds. 2-4 G/85 d5. The University of Toledo
Health Science Campus, Mulford Library Basement Cafe, 3000 Arlington
Ave., Toledo, OH 43614. Can split into 2 sections if enough players. EF:
$20 by 8/6, $25 at site. Reg.: 9-10 a.m., Rds.: 10, 1, 4, & 7. Prizes:
$360 b/20, $100-50, 1st A,B,C,D/Under $40, 1st U1600 $50. Ent: James
Jagodzinski, 7031 Willowyck Rd., Maumee, OH 43537. 419-367-9450.
See Grand Prix.
AUG. 9, Cleveland Open Sunday Quad
3RR, G/25 d5. Sheraton Cleveland Airport Hotel (see Cleveland Open).
EF: $20, at site only, no checks. $50 1st prize each section. Reg. ends
1:45 pm, rds. 2:00, 3:00, 4:00.
See Grand Prix.
Oklahoma
JUNE 27-28, 70th Oklahoma Open State Championship
See Grand Prix.
See Grand Prix.
Oregon
See Nationals.
ACTIVITY MEANS MEMBERS

Free 8-Line Tournament Life Announcements (TLAs)!
Adult Dues Options! >>

NEW FREE TLA CATEGORIES ADDED!
RUN AN ADDITIONAL TOURNAMENT THIS FALL!
Each affiliate is entitled to one TLA per month of up
to 8 lines and up to 2 issues of Chess Life, for any
tournament between October and December 2015,
if no TLA for such an event appeared in 2014, and
the TLA is e-mailed by the appropriate deadline. The
8 free lines cannot be applied to longer TLAs.
SPECIAL CATEGORIES QUALIFY FOR FREE TLAS!
Each affiliate is entitled to one TLA per month of up to 8
lines for events in the following categories, if submitted
by e-mail. The free lines cannot be applied to longer
TLAs:
SENIOR. For age 50 or above, or a higher minimum
age.
UNRATEDS FREE. Any tournament that offers free
entry to unrated players. If your prizes are based on
entries, say paid entries.
USCF BOOSTER TOURNAMENT. A tournament that
offers at least two USCF membership renewal prizes, or
a quad that offers at least one per section.
CHESS CLUB SPECIAL. A tournament playing only on
one or more weekday evenings.
68
RBO. Open to Under 1200/Unr or Under 1000/Unr.

Tournament name must include Rated Beginners
Open or RBO.
BLITZ. Time control of Game/5. TLAs such as USCFrated Blitz every Friday 7 pm are accepted.
COLLEGIATE. A tournament limited to college students.
JUNIOR. For age 20/below (age 20 must be eligible).
NON-SCHOLASTIC WITH SCHOLASTIC. A tournament for all ages held concurrent (same location)
with a scholastic tournament that in its previous
year drew at least 50 players. We encourage organizers of scholastics to hold open or collegiate events
on the side.
SPECIAL RATES FOR CLUB ADS. Up to 5 lines $180
per year, $100 for 6 months for unchanged club ads in
the TLA section. Announce meeting dates & times, activities, contact info, etc.
USCF DISCUSSION GROUPS. See www.uschess.
org/forums for four groups: Tournament Organization,
Chess Club Organization, Tournament Direction, USCF
Issues.
Ages 21-24 dues lower

than Adult dues!
The membership category once called Youth has been
renamed Young Adult, and eligibility has changed from
under 21 to under 25. Annual dues for this category
are only $33 with paper Chess Life or $26 with the
online version!
One-year membership
with Chess Life:
Only $46 for Premium Membership, which includes a
copy of Chess Life every month. Regular Memberships
are available for $40 and give online-only access to
Chess Life. (Note to affiliates: If you collect a $46 membership, you may submit it online to USCF for $43.)

See Nationals.
See Nationals.
See Nevada.
See Grand Prix.
Pennsylvania
Every Friday - LVCA 7 & 9 pm Blitz Events Open/U1200 (BLZ)
8SS, G/5 d2. St. Timothys Lutheran Church, 140 So. Ott St., Allentown,
PA 18104. EF: $5, Prizes: Open and U1200, Minimum 50% Returned.
1st-70%, 2nd-30% AND will ADD PRIZES if 12 or more players per
section, FREE Coffee For All Entrants. REG.: Ends 6:55pm, Cash on site
only. RDS.:7 pm, then ASAP. On Site: 484-866-3045 or email bdavis@
lehighvalleychessclub.org, www.lehighvalleychessclub.org/.
JULY 11, W.Chester 1st Sat. Quads

Our 26th year! 3RR, Game/80 d5. 2nd Presbyterian Church, 114 S.
Walnut St., West Chester, PA. EF: $20; $40, $50 for 3-0. Reg.: 9am.
Rds.: 9:30,12,2:30. Info: WCCC1975@gmail.com.
A Heritage Event!
JULY 18-19, 46th Susquehanna Valley Open
5 - SS. G/85 d5. Honeysuckle Student Apts., 111 Honeysuckle Ct., Bloomsburg, PA 17815. EF: $29 by july 15, $40 later. $$ (400G): 150 - 75 - 40,
135 in class prizes. Prizes may be increased if over 30 entries. seating
may be limited. Reg.: 9-9:30am. Rds.: 10 am-1:30 pm-5 pm, 10 am1:30 pm. Housing: $50 for one night, $90 for Fri & Sat - for housing info
contact Sam Lamonto, 717-580 7492, slam.dk@verizon.net. Ent:
GHACC,C/O Michael Jemo, 128 Forest Hills Acres, Hazle Twp., PA 18201,
570-455-9261, 570-956-2492. jem023@ptd.net.
See Grand Prix.
See Grand Prix.
Every Saturday - LVCA Quads/RBO U1200 Quads + G/7 d3

G/40 d5 Quads, 3-RR. Reg.: 1-1:45, Rds.: 2 pm, then asap. Holy Trinity
Lutheran Church, 514 3rd Ave., Bethlehem, PA 18018. 2 Sections: Open
Section EF: $10. Prizes: $30 for 3-0 score, else $25 for 1st. RBO Section
EF: $10. Prizes: $30 for 3-0 score, else $25 for 1st. G/7 d3 (BLZ) Event
Rd. 1: 6:15 pm or asap. Prizes: 50% of entries, 1st-70%, 2nd-30%, more
prizes if 12 or more. Bruce, 484-866-3045. Info: srdiamondd@yahoo.com.

(MA)
See Grand Prix.
MasterMinds Scholastic Summer League

Info at www.mastermindschess.org.

See Grand Prix.
North Penn Chess Club

Main & Richardson, Lansdale, PA. See www.northpennchessclub.org for
schedules & info or 215-699-8418.

See Grand Prix.
JUNE 7, Chess In Jasper Park & Picnic (3 events) Emmaus, PA (BLZ)

(3) 5-SS events, G/7 d3. Jasper Park Pavillion, 4960 Vera Cruz Rd. North,
Emmaus, PA 18049. EF: $10 Cash each event, No adv ent. Prizes: Min.
50% Rtd. based on paid entries. 1st-60%, 2nd-30%, 3rd-10% AND ADD
if 12 or more players Top U1600 - $15, Top U1000 - $15, more based
on pd. Picnic:11am-dusk. Reg Ends: 1, 3, 5 pm for each event. Event:
Rd-1: 1pm, 3pm, 5pm each. Info: 484-866-3045, bdavis@lehighvalleychessclub.org, www.lehighvalleychessclub.org/.
A Heritage Event!
JUNE 20, 45th Fred Thompson Memorial
4SS, G/60 d5. Pittsburgh Chess Club, 5604 Solway St., Pittsburgh, PA
15217. EF: $28 postmarked by 6/16, $38 thereafter, $3 discount to PCC
members. 2 Sections: Open and Reserve (U1600). Prizes $$500 b/30.
Open: $120 - 80, U2000 $60, U1800 $40. Reserve: $80 - 50, U1400 $40,
U1200/Unr $30. Reg.: 9-9:45. Requests for half-point byes must be
made by the start of Round 2. Rds.: 10AM-12:30PM- 3:30PM-6PM. Info:
412-421-1881, www.pittsburghcc.org. Entries: Pittsburgh Chess Club,
Attn: Thompson Memorial, 5604 Solway St., Pittsburgh, PA 15217. Make
checks payable to Pittsburgh Chess Club. W.
See Grand Prix.
See Virginia.
See Virginia.
See Grand Prix.
See Virginia.
(VA)
See Grand Prix.
(VA)
See Grand Prix.
JULY 11, Masterminds CC Quads
Blair Christian Academy, 220 W. Upsal St., Philadelphia, PA 19119.
Quads: 3RR, 40/75, SD/30 d5. EF: $30 cash; winner $100. Reg ends
9AM. Rd. 1 9:30AM then asap. Information: mastermindschess.org or
brad@mastermindschess.org.
FOREIGN RATING? NOT UNRATED!

If you have no USCF rating, but do have a
rating or category from any other
country, no matter how many years ago,
you are not unrated.

See Grand Prix.

(NY)
See Grand Prix.
See Grand Prix.
Rhode Island
See Grand Prix.
(MA)
See Grand Prix.
South Carolina
See Grand Prix.
South Dakota
(IA)
See Grand Prix.
Tennessee
TN 38555. $420 guaranteed prize fund. In 2 Sections - Open: 4SS, G/60

d5. $$: $75. 30-X,A,B,C,D/ Below. Amateur: 4SS, G/60 d5, Open to
U1200 & under. $$: $75. 30- F,G,H/Below,UNR UNR eligible for unrated
prize only. ALL: EF: $15 if mailed by 7/13, $20 at site. Memb. Reqd:
TCA $10 TN residents only. ENT: Harry D. Sabine, P. O. Box 381, Crossville,
TN 38557. INFO: www.cumberlandcountychess.org or Susan at 931287-3765. W.
See Grand Prix.
Texas
JUNE 13, Many Springs 77
North Richland Hills Public Library, 9015 Grand Ave., North Richland
Hills, TX 76180. 3 Round Swiss, G/60 d5. EF: $20, 65% of EF returned
as prizes. Sections to be determined by participation. Registration onsite 8:45-9:05. First Round 9:15AM, Second Round 12:15PM, Third
Round 2:30PM. Additional information: Aurelio Gonzalez at either
817-789-8360, agonzalejr@yahoo.com.com or www.tarrantcountychess
club.org/.net
JUNE 13-14, 2015 DCC Fide Open VII
See Grand Prix.
See Nationals.
See Nationals.
See Nevada.
JUNE 27-28, San Antonio City Championship
Hornbeak Bldg., 3rd Flr. 4450 Medical Dr., SA, TX 78259. 5SS, Rds. 1
and 2 G/90 d5, Rds. 3-5 G/120 d5, $$(1050 b/40, 2/3 gtd.) $300 1st,
$125 2nd, U2100 $125, U2000 $125, U1800 $125, U1600 $100, U1400
$75, Unr. $75. EF: $45 if rcvd by 6/25, $50 at site: Trophy to top Bexar
County Resident. Option play for 1/2 prizes: $23 by 6/25, $28 later and
at site: EFJr U19 entry $20 if rcvd by 6/25 or $25 at site. Option play
and U19 (junior) entries count 2/3 toward based on. ($ 5. Discount to
Club Members and ex-military personnel paying full entry) Reg.: 8:309:30 am. Rds.: 10-2-6; 9-2 half pt. bye any 1 rd. notice before Rd.2 is
paired. Swap and shop used books, equip.: 8:30-9:30 am. Entries: SACC,
PO BOX 690576, San Antonio, TX 78269-0576, contact info: Web: sanantoniochess.com, Ph.: 210-384-4797, E-mail: lhrlouis@yahoo.com.
JULY 2-5 OR 3-5, 2015 DCC Fide Open VIII
See Grand Prix.
JULY 7, 14, 21, 28, Monthly - Tuesday Night Swiss
4SS, first 4 Tuesdays of every month. Time control: G120 d5. Center64
CC, 3201 Hillcroft St., Suite 2E, Houston, TX 77057. EF: $25 members,
plus $7 registration fee for non-members. Prizes: 50% EF. Reg.: 6:156:55 p.m. First Tue. of month. Rds.: 7 p.m. Tuesdays. INFO: www.center
64.com.
JULY 10-12 OR 11-12, 2015 Houston Summer Chess Festival
See Grand Prix.
See Grand Prix.
JUNE 13, John Hurt Memorial 12

See Grand Prix.
Utah

See Nationals.

See Nationals.
JULY 18, 2015 Clinton Pearson Jr Memorial Open

Cumberland Co. Community Complex, 1398 Livingston Rd., Crossville,

See Nationals.
NO TOURNAMENTS IN YOUR AREA?

WHY NOT ORGANIZE ONE?
Do you need to go out of town for tournament play? Would you and others in your area like
the convenience of an occasional event closer to home? Organize one!
Its not much work to hold a small tournament, and there is little risk if you use a low-cost
site and avoid guaranteed prizes. You might even make a profit! Either a based-on Swiss with
projected prizes up to $500, a Quad format, or a trophy tournament will virtually guarantee
taking in more in fees than you pay out in prizes.
If you have a FIDE rating, you are also not

unrated.
The affiliation fee is just $40 a year. You will receive the annual rating supplement and have
access to the TD/Affiliate area of our website.
Tell the Director of any event you enter

about your foreign rating or category or
your FIDE rating, so that you can be
paired appropriately.
Want to know more? Contact Joan DuBois at joandubois@uschess.org. Well be glad to help
you be part of the promotion of American chess!
Remember, you can both run and play in a small event. Many of them wouldnt be held if the
organizer/TD couldnt play.
www.uschess.org
69

See Nevada.
G/35 d5, Rnd. 4 G/40 d5. Reg. at 804-398-2310, Mike Callaham, water
man2010kir@aol.com. Name, phone, email, USCF ID. Cash and cc accepted
via website, email, and on site. EF: $25.00. RCI mem $20.00. Trophy to
1st and 2nd adult and 1st k5, k8, and k12. Information at: https://richmondchessinitiative.wordpress.com/busline-grand-prix-schedule/. Not
a USCF Grand Prix event.

See Nationals.
See Nevada.

JUNE 27-28, 7th annual World Open Under 13 Championship
(Note corrections.) 6SS, G/60 d10. Hyatt Regency Crystal City, Arlington
(see World Open for location, rates). Open to all born after 6/28/02. In
4 sections. Open Section: Trophies to top 10, 1st C, Under 1400/Unr;
free entry in all CCA tournaments 7/16/15-12/31/15 to 1st. Under
1400 Section: Trophies to top 10, 1st Under 1200, Unrated; free entry
in all CCA tournaments 7/16/15-9/30/15 to 1st. Under 1000 Section:
Trophies to top 10, 1st Under 800, Unrated; free entry in all CCA tournaments 7/16/15-9/30/15 to 1st. Under 600 Section: Trophies to top
10, 1st Under 400, top 3 Unrated; free entry in all CCA tournaments
7/16/14-9/30/15 to 1st. EF: $42 online at chessaction.com by 6/23,
$45 mailed by 6/17 or phoned to 406-896-2038 by 6/22, $50 at site, or
online until 9 am 6/27.. Reg. 6/27 to 10 am, rds. Sat. 11-2-5, Sun. 10-14. Up to 2 half point byes allowed, must commit before rd. 3. Ent: chess
action.com or Continental Chess, PO Box 8482, Pelham, NY 10803. Questions: chesstour.com, chesstour.info, DirectorAtChess.US, 347-201-2269.
$15 service charge for refunds.

See Grand Prix.
See Grand Prix.
Vermont
See Grand Prix.
(MA)
See Grand Prix.
(NY)
See Grand Prix.
Virginia
JUNE 27-28, World Open Warmup

See Grand Prix.
JUNE 6, Richmond Metropolitan Grand Prix!

Richmond Public Library - Main. 4SS, Rnds. 1&2 G/30 d5. Rnd. 3 G/35
d5, Rnd. 4 G/40 d5. Reg. at 804-398-2310, Mike Callaham, waterman2010
kir@aol.com. Name, phone, email, USCF ID. Cash and cc accepted via
website, email, and on site. EF: $25.00. RCI mem $20.00. Trophy to 1st
and 2nd adult and 1st k5, k8, and k12. Info: https://richmondchessinitiative.wordpress.com/busline-grand-prix-schedule/. Not a USCF Grand
Prix event.
JUNE 26-28, 7th annual World Open Senior Amateur

5SS, 40/2, SD/30 d10. Hyatt Regency Crystal City, Arlington (see World
Open for location, rates).Open to all born before 6/29/65 and rated
under 2210 or unrated. $3000 guaranteed prizes. In 2 sections. Under
2210: $600-300-200, top U2010 $350-200. Under 1810: $500-250-150,
top U1610 $300-150. EF: $80 online at chessaction.com by 6/24, $83
mailed by 6/15, $85 phoned to 406-896-2038 by 6/22, $95 at site, or
online until 5 pm 6/26. Reg. ends 6:30 pm 6/26, rds. Fri 7 pm, Sat 11 &
5:30, Sun 10 & 4. Half point byes OK all rounds, limit 2 byes, must commit
before rd. 2. Special USCF dues: see World Open. Ent: chessaction.com
or Continental Chess, PO Box 8482, Pelham, NY 10803. $15 service
charge for refunds. Advance entries posted at chessaction.com (online
entries posted instantly).

See Grand Prix.
OCT. 7-12, 9-12 OR 10-12, 2nd annual Washington Chess Congress
See Grand Prix.
Washington
See Nationals.
See Nationals.

See Nevada.
(CA-S)
See Grand Prix.
West Virginia
See Grand Prix.
JULY 1, World Open 7-Minute Championship (BLZ)

See Grand Prix.

See Grand Prix.
JULY 5, World Open Blitz Championship (BLZ)

See Grand Prix.
JULY 11, Richmond Metropolitan Grand Prix!
Richmond Public Library - Main. 4SS, Rnds. 1&2 G/30 d5. Rnd. 3 G/35
d5, Rnd. 4 G/40 d5. Reg. at 804-398-2310, Mike Callaham, waterman2010
kir@aol.com. Name, phone, email, USCF ID. Cash and cc accepted via
website, email, and on site. EF: $25.00. RCI mem $20.00. Trophy to 1st
and 2nd adult and 1st k5, k8, and k12. Info & link at website: https://rich
mondchessinitiative.wordpress.com/busline-grand-prix-schedule/. Not
a USCF Grand Prix event.
TOURNAMENT LIFE

See Grand Prix.
See Grand Prix.
JULY 4, World Open 10-Minute Championship (QC)

See Grand Prix.

Richmond Public Library - North Ave. 4SS, Rnds. 1&2 G/30 d5. Rnd. 3
AUG. 7, 2015 Washington International Blitz (BLZ) (MD)

See Grand Prix.

See Grand Prix.
JULY 2, 3, 4, World Open Daily 2 pm Blitz (BLZ)

3 separate tournaments at Hyatt Regency Crystal City (see World Open).
Each is a 4-SS, double round (8 games), G/5 d0. Prizes $$300 guaranteed:
$100-50, U2100 $60, U1800 $50, U1500/Unr $40. EF: $20, at site only,
no checks. Reg. ends 1:45 pm, rds. 2, 2:45, 3:15, 3:45. One pair of 1/2
pt byes available, must commit before rd. 2. Blitz rated (will not affect
regular ratings), but higher of regular or blitz used for pairings & prizes.
JUNE 25-30, 3rd annual DC International

See Grand Prix.

See Grand Prix.

See Nationals.

JUNE 29-30, World Open Under 2300
5SS, G/90 d10. Hyatt Regency Crystal City (see World Open). Open to
under 2300 or unrated. Prizes $$500 guaranteed: $200-100, U1900 $110,
U1500/Unr $90. EF: $40, at site only, no checks. Reg. ends 9:30 am 6/29,
rds. Mon 10, 2, 6, Tue. 10, 2. One half point bye allowed if U1500/Unr, otherwise two byes allowed; must commit before rd. 2. June ratings used.

Richmond Public Library - Westover Hills. 4SS, Rnds. 1&2 G/30 d5. Rnd.
3 G/35 d5, Rnd. 4 G/40 d5. Reg. at 804-398-2310, Mike Callaham, water
man2010kir@aol.com. Name, phone, email, USCF ID. Cash and cc accepted
via website, email, and on site. EF: $25.00. RCI mem $20.00. Trophy to
1st and 2nd adult and 1st k5, k8, and k12. Information & link at: https://
richmondchessinitiative.wordpress.com/busline-grand-prix-schedule/.
Not a USCF Grand Prix event.
JULY 18-19, 25th Annual Charlottesville Open

See Grand Prix.
Wisconsin
JUNE 13-14, Milwaukee Summer Challenge IV
See Grand Prix.
JULY 11-12, 39th Annual Green Bay Open
See Grand Prix.
See Grand Prix.
See Grand Prix.
(IA)
See Grand Prix.
(IL)
See Grand Prix.
All tournaments are non-smoking with no computers allowed unless otherwise advertised by S and/or C.
ABBREVIATIONS & TERMS

BLZ:
QC:
$$Gtd:
$$b/x:
Bye:
Blitz rated.
Quick Chess events.
Guaranteed prizes.
Based-on prizes, x = number
of entries needed to pay full
prize fund. At least 50% of
the advertised prize fund of
$501 or more must be
awarded.
dx:
+XX:
EF:
Ent:
FIDE:
G/:
Indicates which rounds players

who find it inconvenient to play
may take 12-point byes instead.
For example, Bye 1-3 means 12point byes are available in
Rounds 1 through 3.
GPP:
HR:
CC:
Chess club.
JGP:
70
Time delay, x = number of seconds.

Time increment, xx = number of
seconds added after each move.
Memb.
reqd:
Open:
Entry fee.
Where to mail entries.
Results submitted to FIDE for possible rating.
Quad:
Game in. For instance, G/75

means each side has 75 minutes
for the entire game.
RBO:
Grand Prix Points available.

Hotel rates. For example, 60-65-7075 means $60 single, $65 twin,
$70/3 in room, $75/4 in room.
Junior Grand Prix.
Rds:
Reg:
Membership required; cost follows.

Usually refers to state affiliate.
A section open to all. Often has
very strong players, but some
eligible for lower sections can
play for the learning experience.
4-player round robin sections;
similar strength players.
RR:
SD/:
SS:
Rated Beginners Open.

Rounds; scheduled game times
follow. For example, 11-5, 9-3
means games begin 11 a.m. & 5
p.m. on the first day, 9 a.m. &
3 p.m. on the second day.
Registration at site.
Unr:
W:
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of rounds).
Sudden-death time control (time
for rest of game follows). For
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(preceded by number of rounds).
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Tournaments that will use a
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Solutions / Classifieds / June
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PAGE 17 / CHESS TO ENJOY
PAGE 49 / PRACTICALLY PERFECT
Problem I. 32. ... Qa2+! 33. Kxa2 b1=Q+

34. Ka3 Qb3 mate. Problem II. 62. ... b5!
creates a winning passer, e.g. 63. axb5 a4
or 63. cxb5 c4 64. Be4 c3 followed by 65.
Rd2 and 66. c2. Problem III. 22. Qc4+
Rf7 23. Red1! and 24. Rd8 wins, e.g. 23.
Rf8 24. Rd8 threatening 25. Rxf8+ Kxf8 26.
Rd8 mate or 23. ... Qb1 24. h3. Problem
IV. 49. ... Rg3! (also 49. ... Rg1!) threatens
Rh3 mate, e.g. 50. Rh2 e3! and 51. e2. Or
50. Kh6 Kf6 51. Kh5 e3. Problem V. 16.
Qh4! wins e.g. 17. h3 Qf2+ 18. Kh1 Rxh3+!
19. gxh3 Ng3 mate. The game went 17. fxe4
Qxh2+ 18. Kf2 Nxe5 19. dxe5 Qh4+! 20.
g3 (No better is 20. Ke2 Ba6+ 21. Kd2 Rd8+
or 20. Kg1 fxe4 and 21. ... Rf8.) 20. ... Qh2+
21. Bg2 Bxe4 22. Rg1 Rg6 23. Kf1 Rxg3,
White resigned. Problem VI. 30. ... Rxe4+!
31. Kxe4 (31. fxe4 Rxf1) 31. ... Re8! wins
after 32. Rfe1 Bxc5+ 33. Kf5 Rf8+ 34. Kg5
Bxb4. The game went 32. Kf4 g5+! 33. Kf5
Kf7! 34. Rfe1? Bd3+ 35. Re4 Bf6, White
resigned. Also lost is 34. Rad1 Bd7+ 35. Ke4
Bxc5+ 36. Kd3 Bb5+.
Problem I. White is winning, but Kamsky

finds the most efficient way to reel in the
point: 54. Bc8+! Kh5 55. Rg7!, Black
resigned. After the rook trade, Black will
lose all of his queenside pawns. Problem
II. The position looks even, but Irina comes
up with a bolt from the blue: 33. ... g4! and
Whites position suddenly comes apart at
the seams. 34. f4 Nd7 35. Be2 Nc5 36.
Bxg4 Bxe4 37. Bf3?? A blunder in a tough
position. 37. Kd2 would have retained drawing chances. 37. ... Qxd4! 38. Qxd4 Nb3+
39. Kd1 Bxf3+, White resigned.
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Problem I. Mating Net: Black mates by 1.

... Bg3+ 2. Kg1 Qh2+ 3. Kf1 Qxf2 mate.
Problem II. Obstruction: The obstructing
1. ... Rc3 is trouble for White. If 2. Bxc3, then
2. ... d4, followed by mate at a2. Problem
III. Discovered Defense: Black stops the
mate and keeps his extra piece by 1. ... c5. If
2. Qxd8, then 2. ... Nxd8. Problem IV. Mating
Net: Black wins with 1. ... Ba2+ 2. Ka1 Bb3+
and mate soon. Problem V. Fork: Black wins
a piece with 1. ... Rxe4. If 2. Nxe4, then 2. ...
Ne2+; or if 2. Bh6, then 2. ... Rg4. Problem
VI. Mating Net: Mate along the h-file follows
from 1. ... Bd4+.
Total Score
95+
Approx. Rating
2400+
81-94
2200-2399
66-80
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51-65
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1600-1799
21-35
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PAGE 47 / ABCS OF CHESS
TOTAL YOUR SCORE TO DETERMINE

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71
PHOTO: CHRIS BIRD
MY BEST MOVE
IM JAY BONIN
MORE THAN 3,700 EVENTS
PLAYED SINCE 1991
IRONMAN OF NEW YORK
CHESS
first visited the Marshall Chess Club

sometime in November 1972, where
I was warmly received by Bill Slater,
the day manager. The club was a
bevy of activity, with speed chess, bughouse, consultation games, and moreI
was like a kid in a candy store. But I did
not know about tournaments. I would
eventually discover tournament play when
I came across a flier for the Greater New
York High School Championship (I was
first board for James Madison High School
at the time).
I tied for first with seven out of eight in
the novice section, winning a trophyand
so began my tournament career. My legacy
began in 1980, when Bill Goichberg opened
the Chess Center of New York, a dream
come true as they held tournaments every
day. The total number of my games went
up, but then the action shifted to the Manhattan Chess Club when the Chess Center
went out of business in 1984.
These experiences helped me as I won
the New York State championship in 1982,
earned my international master title, then
won three more New York State championships. On my 27th birthday, I beat GM
Sammy Reshevsky, the first time I ever
defeated a grandmaster.
Ive had many wins and suffered many
disappointments. So what has been my
best move after thousands of tournaments? A move from this win against our
current and seven-time U.S. womens
champion stands out.
Ive had many wins and

suffered many disappointments.
10. cxd5 Nxd5 11. dxc5 Bxc5 12. a3 a5 13.
Nc4 Qe7 14. e4 Nf6 15. e5 Nd5 16. Nfd2 16.
b5
This looks dangerous.
1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. c4 d5 4. Nbd2

I like to put my queen knight on d2,
discouraging the equalizing plan of ...
dxc4, ... Be7 and ... c7-c5, which is the
natural reaction.
4. ... Be7 5. g3 O-O 6. Bg2 b6 7. O-O Bb7 8. b3

c5 9. Bb2 Nc6
Black gets into trouble after this; the
queen knight belongs on d7.
Irina tries to return the piece in a favorable way, but I have to benefit from the
open f-file.
19. fxe3 Bxe3+ 20. Kh1 Rad8 21. Qh5 h6

Again threatening Nf6+, and again h6
defending, but now h6 is a target.
22. Rf3 Bd4

This looks like it saves the day, but:
23. Nf6+ Kh8 24. Bc1

The killer, and an alternate candidate
for my best move. Bxh6 is the winning
threat.
Catalan Opening (E06)
IM Jay Bonin (2424)

IM Irina Krush (2533)
Marshall Masters (3), 07.16.2013
24. Bxe5
17. Ne4!
No better is 24. ... Bxa1 25. Bxh6 Rd1+

26. Bf1 Rxf1 27. Kg2!.
My Best Move and the point. Im going

for bigger game.
25. Bxh6 Bxf6 26. Rxf6 Qxf6
17. bxc4 18. bxc4

Now if 18. Nc7, then 19. Nf6+ is very
strong. Not 19. ... gxf6 because of 20.
Qg4+ Kh8 21. exf6, winning.
18. Ne3
Also losing is 26. ... gxf6 27. Bxf8+.
27. Bg5+ Kg8 28. Bxf6 gxf6 29. Rf1

Its over now.
29. Rd7 30. Qg4+ Kh7 31. Rxf6, Black

resigned.
Whose Best Move would you like to see? Write to us at letters@uschess.org.
from the publishers of
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OPEN S ECTION:$20000-10000-5000-2500-1300-1000-800-700600-500, clear win or top 2 playoff $300 bonus, top FIDE 2300-2449
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UNDER 2200/unrated: $12000-6000-3000-1500-1000-800-600500-400-400, top Under 2100 (no unr) $2000-1000.
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Reserve early! Chess rate $99-99, 703418-1234, may sell out by about 5/31.
Time limit: 6-day & 5-day options 40/2,
SD/30, d10. 4-day, rounds 1-2 G/60, d10, then
merges. 3-day, rds 1-5 G/35, d10, then merges.
Unrated: 3-day schedule only, G/60, d10.
July official USCF ratings used (July
FIDE ratings used for Open Section).
Open to U1800 prizes & Unrated trophies
awarded at site, others mailed by 7/20.
Open through U1400 entry fees: Online
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Open Section: All $100 more if not rated
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U1200 Section entry fees: All $100 less.
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online until 2 hours before game..
Seniors 65/up: entry fee $100 less in
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UNDER1400(nounrated):$8000-4000-2000-1300-900-700-600500-400-400, top Under 1300 $1200-600.
UNRATED: Trophies to top 10.
PROVIS IONALLY RATED PLAYERS (July 2015 official rating
based on 4 to 25 games) may not win over $1000 in Under 1200, $2000
in Under 1400, or $3000 in Under 1600 through Under 2000.
Mailed or phoned entries, titled player

entries: see Tournament Life.
Entries are posted at chessaction.com
(online entries posted instantly). $15 service
charge for refunds.
Bring set, board, clock- not supplied.
6-day schedule: Tue 7 pm, Wed 7 pm, Thu
6 pm, Fri 11 am & 6 pm, Sat 11 am & 6 pm,
Sun 10 am & 4:30 pm.
5-day schedule: Wed 7 pm, Thu to Sat 11
am & 6 pm, Sun 10 am & 4:30 pm.
4-day schedule: Thu 11 am, 2:30 pm & 6
pm, Fri & Sat 11 am & 6 pm, Sun 10 & 4:30.
3-day schedule: Fri11, 1:30, 3:30, 6 &
8:30, Sat 11 & 6, Sun 10 & 4:30.
Unrated schedule: Fri 11 am, 2:30 pm &
6 pm, Sat 11, 2:30 & 6, Sun 10, 1:30 & 4:30.
Unrated Section plays three days only.
Half point byes OK all, limit 4 (limit 2 in
last 4 rounds). Open must commit before round
2, others before round 5.
All merge & play for same prizes.
PAST WINNERS
1973 Walter Browne, 1974 Bent Larsen, 1975
Pal Benko, 1976 Anatoly Lein, 1977 John
Fedorowicz, 1978 Peter Biyiasas, 1979 Haukur
Angantysson, 1980 Larry Christiansen, 1981
Igor Ivanov, 1982 Nick de Firmian, 1983
Kevin Spraggett, 1984 Joel Benjamin, 1985
Maxim Dlugy, 1986 Nick de Firmian, 1987
Boris Gulko, 1988 Maxim Dlugy, 1989
Mikhail Gurevich, 1990 Igor Glek, 1991 Gata
Kamsky, 1992 Gregory Kaidanov, 1993 Alex
Yermolinsky, 1994 Artashes Minasian, 1995
Alex Yermolinsky, 1996 Alex Yermolinsky,
1997 Alex Shabalov, 1998 Alex Goldin, 1999
Gregory Serper, 2000 Joel Benjamin, 2001
Alex Goldin, 2002 Kamil Miton, 2003 Jaan
Ehlvest, 2004 Varuzhan Akobian, 2005 Kamil
Miton, 2006 Gata Kamsky, 2007 Varuzhan
Akobian, 2008 Evgeny Najer, 2009 Evgeny
Najer, 2010 Viktor Laznicka, 2011 Gata
Kamsky, 2012 Ivan Sokolov, 2013 Varuzhan
Akobian, 2014 Ilya Smirin.

June 2015 Chess Life

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