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 Northwest Chess
March 2023, Volume 77-03 Issue 902 On the front cover:
ISSN Publication 0146-6941 Advaith Vijayakumar at the 2023 Washington State
High School Individual Championship.
Published monthly by the Northwest Chess Board. Photo credit: Meiling Cheng.
To see the games from this issue online click:
Issue Games Viewer
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Issue Photo Album A young player proudly displays her colorful face paint
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Page 2 March 2023 Northwest Chess

 Table Of Contents
Advaith Vijayakumar
Meiling Cheng.............................................. Front Cover
Answers to last month’s puzzles Washington Junior Open and Reserve
Valentin Razmov..............................................................3 Josh Sinanan..................................................................17
Washington HS Individual Championship Decatur Gator Fest
Josh Sinanan....................................................................4 Siva Sankrithi................................................................19
Washington Junior Closed & Invitational MexInsurance FIDE Open
Josh Sinanan....................................................................7 George Lundy................................................................20
Washington Winter Classic Chico Juvenal-The Tiger Killer
Josh Sinanan....................................................................7 David Zaklan.................................................................24
Pan-American Intercollegiate Teams East Idaho Regional Scholastic Chess Qualifier
Pan-Am Organizers.........................................................8 Jay Simonson.................................................................26
30th Collyer Memorial Grand Prix (Ad) Bellingham Open (Ad)
February 25-26, Spokane..............................................11 April 22, Bellingham.....................................................28
Washington Open (Ad) 10th Annual Larry Evans Memorial Open (Ad)
May 27-29, Redmond....................................................13 April 7-9, or April 8-9, Reno.........................................29
States Cup Semifinals and Finals Washington Barber/Rockefeller Qualifier (Ad)
Siva Sankrithi................................................................14 March 25, Bellevue........................................................30
Washington Senior Championship (Ad) Seattle Chess Club (Ad)
April 14-16, Redmond...................................................15 Seattle.............................................................................31
St. Anne Celtic Challenge Facepainted Girl
Josh Sinanan..................................................................16 Chouchan Airapetian....................................Back Cover

Answers to the puzzles (from page 20) in last month’s issue.

Sample solutions to problems (provided by coach Valentin Razmov: Puzzle #12: Q: White to move. Which side is better? Suggest White’s
https://www.chess.com/member/coach_valentin) best next moves, and explain the idea. A: White risks losing and must
play energetically to draw. Perpetual check is possible, but not more
Puzzle #1: Q: Black to move and mate in 1. A: 1...Bg2# than that, assuming correct play by Black: 1.Rd7! Bxd7 2.Qg5+ Kh8
Puzzle #2: Q: White to move and checkmate in 2. A: 1.Rh8+! Bxh8 3.Bxf6+ Rxf6 4.Qxf6+ Kg8 5.Qg5+ Kf7 6.Qh5+, etc.
2.Nh7# Puzzle #13: Q: Fischer with White has sacrificed a piece for an attack.
Puzzle #3: Q: White to move and checkmate in 3. A: 1.Ng6+ Kxh7 What should Black do? A: Counterattack, since Black has credible
2.Qh5+ Kg8 3.Ne7# threats of their own, while White doesn’t yet have immediate threats:
1...Ba4!, e.g., 2.Qg4 Bf6 3.Rxf6 Bxb3 4.cxb3 Nxf6 -+ This is the
Puzzle #4: Q: What is Black’s best move? Show a sample line to ending of Fischer-Geller (Skopje, 1967).
illustrate your idea. A: 1...Qxc1!, e.g., 2.Qxd8 Qxf1+ 3.Kxf1 Rxd8 -+
Puzzle #14: Q: This is a position that Fischer would have dreamed of
Puzzle #5: Q: White to move and win material. A: 1.Rd5!, e.g., 1... achieving instead. White to move and win. A: 1.Qg1! Qe4 2.Re1, and
Rxd5 2.exd5 Nd7 3.Ke4 White wins material with a continuing attack.
Puzzle #6: Q: White to move and win material. A: 1.Qxf7! Qa1+ 2.Kd2 Puzzle #15: Q: White has sacrificed two pawns for quick development
Rxf7 3.Nxf7+ Kg8 4.Rxa1 Kxf7 and an initiative. How do they continue to pressure Black’s position?
Puzzle #7: Q: White to move and win. A: 1.Rxd8! (only move) 1... A: Provoke king-side weaknesses and pressure Black’s developed,
Bd4+! 2.Kf4 Rxd8 3.Rxa1+- centralized knight, e.g. 1.Bh5 g6 2.Bf3.
Puzzle #8: Q: White’s position looks promising. How should Black Puzzle #16: Q: (a) How does White win after 1...Bg6+? (b) If Black
respond to 1.Bf8? Explain the idea. A: Give up the rook for the bishop, could magically add a dark-squared bishop, placing it on which
activate the queen with check, and exploit the openness of White’s king squares would give Black best chances, with Black to play? Indicate
for a combination of perpetual check ideas and holding a fortress. E.g., all these favorable squares with an “X” on the sheet, and provide a
1.Bf8 Qa7+ 2.Kh1 Rxf8 3.Qxf8 Qe3! 4.Qf2 Qe4, etc. sample line showing how Black would play then. A: (a) After 1...Bg6+,
White gradually navigates their king to d8 and wins the Black bishop
Puzzle #9: Q: Black is challenging White’s active centralized queen. by deflecting the defending Black king via a g7-g8=Q pawn sacrifice,
How does White fight for an advantage? A: 1.Bb4 Nxe4 (or 1...b6 followed by e7-e8=Q and promoting the remaining f6-pawn. It is
2.Bxc5 bxc5 3.b4, winning a pawn) 2.Rxc7, and White’s rook and crucial that Black cannot effectively switch the places of their king and
bishop remain dominant. bishop (Ke8 + Bg8 vs. Kg8 + Be8), which would help them to repel the
Puzzle #10: Q: White to move and win. A: 1.Rg5+! Kxh4 2.Rg1! Rc6+ White king from intrusions on one side of the pawns or the other. (b) A
3.Kd4, and due to the threat of checkmate White will win Black’s rook, dark-squared bishop anywhere along the a3-f8 diagonal or on d8 would
e.g., 3...Rh6 4.Rh1+ Kg5 5.Rg8+ Rg6 6.Rg1+ +- lead to a draw after 1...Bxe7 2.fxe7 Bg6+! In all other cases (with Black
having two bishops of opposite colors, one of which sits on b1 initially)
Puzzle #11: Q: Black’s position looks losing. What is their best hope Black would lose.
for a draw? A: 1...Qf7+! 2.Qxf7 Rg5+!! — stalemate.
Northwest Chess March 2023 Page 3
2023 Washington State High School
Individual Championship
Josh Sinanan

Beautiful team trophies were awarded to the top five teams across all sections at the
Washington State High School Individual Championship. Photo credit: Meiling Cheng.

Page 4 March 2023 Northwest Chess

 Joshi in the final round. Congratulations

T
he 2023 Washington State on the State level. Evan Clayton, a
High School Individual Chess to Advaith, the 2023 Washington State sophomore from Sehome High School,
Championship was held Friday- High School Champion! finished in first place with eight points
Saturday, January 20-21, at Advaith will represent Washington from ten games. Despite a fourth-round
Lakeside Upper School in Seattle. A State at the 2023 Denker Tournament of setback against frosh newcomer Dash
total of 49 high school chess players in High School State Champions, which Van Dyk, Clayton bounced back with
grades 9-12 participated in the two-day will be held concurrently with the US a huge fifth round win against Ferndale
tournament from throughout Washington Open in early August. Sam Maurer senior Jazzie Gonzales in the last round
State. High Schools represented included from Interlake High School in Bellevue to secure the title. Unrated freshman Dash
Blaine, Bush, Chrysalis, Eastlake, finished in second place a half point back. Van Dyk from Inglemoor High School
Eastside Prep, Ferndale, Garfield, Gig Eddie Chang from Interlake and Carson finished in second place with seven
Harbor, Hanford, Inglemoor, Interlake, Roesch from Blaine shared third-fourth points. Blaine junior Xander Hodges was
Issaquah, Jackson, Lakeside, Lincoln, place honors with 3.5 points apiece. Four third with six points. Sehome’s Yi Jun
North Creek, Pullman, Sehome, and players finished on a “plus one” score to Chiu and Issaquah’s Daniel Yin rounded
Skyline. round out the Individual Prize winners: out the Amazon E-gift card winners with
The event was hosted by the Dominic Colombo from Gig Harbor, Kai an even five-point score.
Washington Chess Federation, organized Pisan from Chrysalis, Atharva Joshi from Congratulations to the winners!
by WCF President Josh Sinanan, and Skyline, and Logan Teh from Garfield.
directed by WCF Scholastic Director In the sizable 23-player Premier
Rekha Sagar. Amazing photographs section, the Double Swiss format was
were taken throughout the two-day chess Advaith Vijayakumar (2158) –
used, in which each round consisted Atharva Joshi (1739) [E42]
fest by Meiling Cheng. The dual-format
Swiss tournament was split into three
of two games—one as White and one WA State High School Individual Ch.
as Black—against the same opponent. Seattle (R5), January 21, 2023
sections parsed by rating: Championship Freshman sensation Ignatius Frost from
(1500+), Premier (1000-1499), and [Ralph Dubisch]
Sehome High School emerged victorious
Reserve (U1000). with an astounding ten/ten score! Along 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 c5
Top players taking part in the the way, Iggy trounced his nearest rivals, 5.Nge2 0‑0 6.a3 Bxc3+ 7.Nxc3 cxd4 8.
18-player Championship section included Stanley (1267), Kuzin (1422), and exd4 h6 9.Be2 d5 10.c5 Nc6 11.f4 Ne4
CM Advaith Vijayakumar (North Reynolds (1041), on his way to the title. 12.0‑0 f5 13.Qd3 Bd7 14.b4 Be8 15.Be3
Creek), US Chess Expert Eddie Chang A trio of chessmen shared second/fourth g5
(Interlake), and Class A players Dominic place honors, each with seven points
Colombo (Gig Harbor) and Edward from ten games: Sehome’s Ross Werner,
Cheng (Garfield). Blaine’s Soren Stanley, and Eastlake’s
Congratulations to CM Advaith Alfred Greisen. Chess studs Ethan Kuzin
Vijayakumar, a 10th grade student from from Sehome and Spencer Reynolds from
North Creek High School in Bothell, for Ferndale rounded out the prize winners
winning the Championship section with and shared fifth place honors with 6.5
an undefeated 4.5 points from five games! points apiece.
Advaith allowed only a single draw with The cottage-sized eight-player
Kai Pisan (1817) in the fourth round Reserve section, which felt more like a
before securing the victory with a clutch Round Robin than a Swiss, provided an
final round win over Skyline’s Atharva opportunity for newer players to compete Position after 15...g5

Washington State High School Individual Championship - Prizes

Individual Prizes - Amazon E-Gift cards (1st-5th) awarded in each section (based on 50 paid entries).
1st $35, 2nd $30, 3rd $25, 4th $20, 5th $15
Section 1st place 2nd place 3rd place 4th place 5th place

Dominic Colombo
Eddie Chang Kai Pisan
Championship Advaith Vijayakumar Sam Maurer
Carson Roesch Atharva Joshi
Logan Teh

Ross Werner
Ethan Kuzin
Premier Ignatius Frost Soren Stanley
Spencer Reynolds
Alfred Greisen

Yi Jun Chiu
Reserve Evan Clayton Dash Van Dyk Xander Hodges
Daniel Yin

Northwest Chess March 2023 Page 5

16.Nxe4 dxe4 17.Qd2 g4 18.Bc4 Bf7 to break the fortress. 42.Rc7+ Kf6 43.Ke3 Rg8 44.Kf2 Rd8
19.a4 Ne7 20.Qa2 Nd5 21.Bxd5 exd5 38.Bd2 45.Bb4 Re8 46.Ke3 Rg8 47.Be7+ Ke6
22.b5 Qf6 23.Rfc1 Rfc8 24.a5 a6 25. 48.Bg5 Rf8 49.Bh4 Rf7 50.Rc8 Rh7
Rab1 axb5 26.Rxb5 Qc6 27.Qb3 Rc7 51.Bg5
28.Ra1 Ra6 29.Ra4 Kg7 30.Rab4 Ra7 51.Re8+ Kd7 52.Rf8 Ke6 53.Rf6+
31.Qb2 g3 32.hxg3 h5 33.Rb6 Qd7
34.Qa3 Rc6 35.Qa4 Rxb6 51...Kf7 52.Rc7+ Kg6 53.Rc8 Kf7
54.Rd8 Bc4 55.Rb8
55.a6; 55.Rd6
55...Ba6 56.Ra8 Ke6 57.Rc8 Kf7 58.
Bh4 Ke6 59.Kd2 Kf7 60.Ra8 Ke6 61.
Rg8 Kf7 62.Rg5 Ke6 63.Rg6+ Kf7
64.Rf6+ Ke8 65.Rxf5 Rh6 66.Rxd5 Rc6
67.Re5+ Kf7 68.Rxe4 Re6 69.Ke3 Rc6
Position after 38.Bd2 70.Re7+ Kg6 71.d5 Rc3+ 72.Kf2 Rc2+
38.a6! bxa6 39.b7 Rb8 40.Rb4 Be8
(40...‌
Kf6 41.Rb6+ Ke7 42.Bc1 Kd7
43.Ba3 Kc7 44.Rf6. Black comes up
Position after 35...Rxb6 short.) 41.Rb6 a5 42.Bc1 a4 43.Ba3.
Black will need to part with the bishop,
36.cxb6? 43...Bc6, leaving White with a position
White was understandably worried about that looks to be technically winning.
letting two active rooks loose to attack 38...Be8 39.Ra1 Bb5 40.Rc1 Ba6?!
his king, but the superb queen offers the
chance for an elegant and efficient win: 40...Bc4
36.Qxd7! Rxb4 37.Qxf5 Rxa5 38.Qg5+ 41.Kf2
Kh7 (38...Kf8 39.Qd8+ Kg7 40.Qxa5)
39.f5! Ra1+ 40.Kh2 Rbb1 41.g4!+– Rh1+ 41.Rc5; or 41.Rc7+ to avoid being shut Position after 72...Rc2+
42.Kg3 Raf1 43.Qh6+ Kg8 44.Bg5. out.
Both players stopped notating. White
36...Qxa4 37.Rxa4 Ra8? 41...Rd8 went on to win.
37...Ra6! 38.Bd2 Be8 39.Ra3 Bb5! 41...Bc4 Time trouble is clearly an issue 1–0
40.Rc3 Bc4 and there is no obvious way for both players here.

Team Prizes - Team trophies awarded to the top 5 finishing teams.

Top 4 scores from same school across all sections comprise team score.

Team Combined Score

Team Standings School / Team Name Team Players (all, incl. beyond top-4)
(top-4 players' points)

Ignatius Frost, Evan Clayton,

1st Sehome HS 31.5
Ross Werner, Ethan Kuzin

Carson Roesch, Soren Stanley,

2nd Blaine HS 26
Shawn Waters, Xander Hodges

Spencer Reynolds, Cameron Mcfadden,

3rd Ferndale HS Jack Hall, Max Trushkov, Natalie Darr-Rehmert, 20
Ali-Lawet Red Elk, Jazzie Gonzales

Jason Huang, Logan Teh,

4th-5th* Garfield HS 18.5
Edward Cheng, Henry Adams

Lily Deng, Audrey Xu, Nathan Hu,

4th-5th* Hanford HS Sophia Chen, Kennard Hou, John Custodio, 18.5
Louis Qin, Emma Yuan, Grace Deng

* Garfield won the 4th place trophy on tiebreaks.

Page 6 March 2023 Northwest Chess

 Washington Washington second/third place a half-point back.
They key matchup between Zhou and
Kona occurred in the final round, with
Junior Closed Winter Kona getting the better of the clash of the
chess titans and Wong-Godfrey winning
a back-and-forth game against Mark
& Invitational Classic Briggs (1629). A trio of chess kings tied
for U2000/U1800 honors with four points
By Josh Sinanan By Josh Sinanan apiece: Edward Li (1699-1714, 4.0) of
Redmond, Skylor Chan (1592-1620, 4.0)

T T
he Washington Junior Closed he 2022 Washington Winter of Bellevue, and Mark Briggs (1629-
& Invitational was held at the Classic was held December 17- 1669, 4.0) of Lynnwood.
Redmond Orlov Chess Academy 18 at the Orlov Chess Academies
over the weekend of December in Seattle and Redmond. Due Wong-Godfrey contributed to his
10-11. This prestigious junior tournament, to space limitations of the venues, the earnings by winning the Biggest Upset
which typically takes place early in the tournament was split between two prize thanks to a huge first-round win over
new year, was moved to early December locations, with the 29-player FIDE Rated an expert. Worthy of note is that draw-
to avoid a conflict with the 2023 Pan- Open section taking place in Seattle under master Albert Eksarevskiy’s seven-game
American Team Championship, which the direction of Senior TD Fred Kleist draw streak, continued from November’s
WCF is helping to host in Seattle January and the 17-player Reserve U1600 section Washington Class Championships, was
5-8. Twenty-three scholastic chess players in Redmond under the supervision of only briefly disrupted by a second-
from the greater Seattle area competed in WCF Scholastic Director Rekha Sagar round loss to Zhou, which Eksarevskiy
two sections, Closed and Invitational. and Member-at-Large Ani Barua. continued accordingly with four more
draws to conclude the tournament!
The event was hosted by the The event, a six-round Swiss
Washington Chess Federation and tournament over two days, was hosted In the Reserve U1600 section,
directed by former WCF Scholastic by the Washington Chess Federation Lincoln High School sophomore Amana
Director Jacob Mayer, who is also a and organized by WCF Tournament Demberel (1108-1187, 5.0) of Seattle
Senior TD and certified FIDE arbiter. The Coordinator Valentin Razmov and WCF emerged victorious with an astounding
star-studded cast of strong players in the President Josh Sinanan. This tournament five points from six games. Demberel
Closed section, with an average rating marked the final Northwest Chess Grand got off to a hot start by winning his first
of 2019, included Candidate Master Prix event hosted by WCF and was a three games in a row, before falling to the
Brandon Jiang (2190), and US Chess bittersweet moment for many. dangerous Miranda Meng (4.5) in a key
experts Ryan Min (2041) and Austin fourth-round matchup.
To encourage stronger players
Liu (2026). On the line in the Closed to come out, the highest finishing Demberel recovered well and
section was coveted a seed into the 2023 Washington residents in the Open and managed to win his final two games
Washington State Championship, set to Reserve sections were seeded into against Merriman (1201) and Siddem
take place in Redmond in mid-February. the Premier and Challengers sections, (975) in the final rounds. Bellevue chess
Congratulations to the fearless chess respectively, of the 2023 Washington queen Miranda Meng (1097-1249,
warriors who competed in this intense State Championship. 4.5) finished in second place with an
event! Prize winners are listed below: undefeated four-and-a-half points.
Young phenom
Vidip Kona (1890- Two eastside chess powerhouses,
Washington Junior Closed & 1891, 5.0) of Redmond Sid Siddem (975-1153, 4.0) of Redmond
topped the Open section and Miriam Rundell (841-1014, 4.0) of
Invitational Prizes with an impressive five Bellevue tied for third/U1400 honors
points from six games, a half-point back. South Seattle chess
Closed dropping only a single king Paul Mahugh (1089-1068, 3.5) won
Ryan Min (Seeded into Championship section of 2023 WA point in the “warm-up” the U1200 prize with three-and-a-half
1st $170
State Championship) game to young trickster points and scored the Biggest Upset in his
Gabriel Razmov (1408) section with a huge 300+ point upset-win
2nd $150
Yiding Lu
in the first round. in the final round.
3rd $130
Brandon Jiang & Vidip Kona: $65 each
For his efforts, Kindergartner Kartika Kalakoti (271-
Vidip is seeded into the 256, 1.0), whose family recently relocated
Invitational Premier section of the to Bellevue from India, won the U1000
2023 Washington State prize with one point and a lot of heart.
1st $120 Edward Cheng & Jamie Zhu: Championship. Two Young Kartika is such a serious student
$115 each Seattle chess studs, of the game that his father recorded his
2nd $110 David Zhou (2000- games with a GoPro camera each round.
1985, 4.5) and Emerson Congratulations to the winners and thanks
3rd $100 Shuyi Han, Ojas Kandhare, & Vijay Nallappa: to all who contributed to this fantastic
Wong-Godfrey (1445-
$63.33 each
1644, 4.5) tied for event!
4th $90

Northwest Chess March 2023 Page 7

 2023 Pan-American
Intercollegiate Team Chess
Championship
Pan-Am Organizers

T
he 2023 Pan-American Team made for good competitive balance Rekha Sagar, Xuan Lin, Ani Barua,
Championships (Pan-Ams) were across both sections and provided more Vijay Sankaran, Ani Barua, and Josh
hosted at the Westin in downtown opportunities for teams from smaller Sinanan, DGT board coordinator Juan
Seattle from Thursday-Sunday, colleges and universities. Thanks to the Cendejas, and photographers Jason Yu
January 5-8. The Pan-Ams is a national generous support from sponsors including and Meiling Cheng. Washington State
championship event conducted as a Red Bull, Chess.com, and Chess House, Attorney General and former WA State
six-round Team Swiss in which teams entry fees were waived for teams in the Chess Champion Bob Ferguson took
of four players from colleges and U1800 section. In total, the event attracted time out of his busy schedule to give the
universities across the Americas compete 95 college and university teams from keynote speech at the Opening Ceremony
over four days. Different organizers throughout the US and Canada, the most on Thursday, January 5. US Chess
bid to host the Pan-Ams each year, since 1976! We were immensely excited Executive board member Kevin Pryor
which typically takes place between and honored to bring such a high-profile and Corporate E-Sports Association
semesters during winter break. This national event to the Pacific Northwest! CEO Brad Tenenholtz provided
year’s four-day chess extravaganza In future years, the organizers hope to additional support along with Detective
included multiple tournaments – the include a corporate team championship Denise “Cookie” Bouldin, who helped
Pan-American Intercollegiate Team to provide networking opportunities coordinate an impromptu sale of chess
Chess Championship, the Seattle New between the collegiate and corporate equipment immediately following the
Year’s Open, and the Seattle New Year’s participants. final round. Our wonderful local chess
Blitz Championship. WCF Corporate Hosting a national event of this artist – Gabriela Osias from Seattle –
and Collegiate Director Florian Helff magnitude (400+ players) presented greatly enhanced the quality of the event
orchestrated the festivities, which several logistical challenges, including by gifting several of her sketches to the
featured several innovative side events switching to a different ballroom after players and staff. Dr. Alexey Root, who
including a puzzle-solving competition, the first round and troubleshooting the used to live in Tacoma many years ago,
a chess streamer workshop by Chess. DGT board setup after it was discovered was onsite on behalf of Chessable, and
com, a networking mixer, and Chessable that metal in the tables was interfering even brought with her a few copies of
research awards! The Corporate E-Sports with the signal transmission! Despite her fantastic new book: United States
Association (CEA) hosted the event with these hurdles, the event ran incredibly Women’s Chess Champions: 1937-2020.
support from Chess.com, Washington smoothly thanks to the tremendous efforts When all was said and done after
Chess Federation, and Amazon Chess. of the Pan-Ams organizers, Tournament four days of immersive chess, an
The addition of a new U1800 section Directors, Seattle awards ceremony was held on Sunday
Westin Staff, afternoon to honor the top-scoring teams.
and numerous Congratulations to the winners!
volunteers! We
would especially
like to thank Chief Anand Gupta (1828) –
Organizer Florian Harrison Toppen-Ryan (1948) [E33]
Helff, Chief Arbiter 2023 Pan-American Intercollegiate
Glenn Panner, Seattle (R4), January 9, 2023
Pairings Director [Harrison Toppen-Ryan]
Judit Sztaray, It was funny seeing two Washington
Senior TDs Norm State universities (UW vs WWU) face
May and Jacob off against each other in a tournament
Mayer, Floor TDs filled with other schools from across the
Veronica Hitchlock, continent. It must have been meant to be,
Reid Pezewski, considering this event was held in Seattle.
Page 8 March 2023 Northwest Chess
We were both playing on board one of our 11...Qd7 12.Nd2 Bxc3 13.bxc3 Qe6 Blunder. c4 was best. 18.c4 Nge5
respective schools while our remaining The correct idea. Centralizing the queen
teammates also battled on boards two- and making me have the option to play
four! ...Nf6 if needed.
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 Nc6 14.Rd1 Nf4 15.Ne4 Kf8!?
Not the best move, but it still gets the job
done and it’s way for flashy too. Now
16.Nf6 Ng6 17.Nd5 Nxh4 18.Nxc7 Qe7
19.Nxa8 Bf5, and Black is better.
16.g3 Ng6 17.Bf6!
Good move by White. The white bishop
can potentially attempt to wiggle out. Position after 18.Bg2
17...Rg8 18.Bg2?? 18...Nge5??
Blunder. …d5 was best. 18…d5! just
Position after 4...Nc6 2023 Pan-American Intercollegiate Team Championship (Open)
A bit of a sideline. 4...Nc6 does well # Name Rating Total Prize
against White’s mainline 4.Qc2 move 1 WEBSTER UNIVERSITY - TEAM A 2687 6 2023 PanAm Champion
as it strikes at d4. This line also worked 2 UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI - TEAM A 2628 5 2nd Place Open
well against 4.Bd2 with the same idea 3 U OF TEXAS RIO GRANDE V - TEAM A 2605 5 3rd Place Open
at attacking d4. (See Viktors Pupols vs 4 U OF TEXAS RIO GRANDE V - TEAM B 2436 4.5 4th Place Open
Harrison Toppen-Ryan; Northwest Chess 5 SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY - TEAM A 2611 4.5
Magazine November 2022 issue). 6 U OF TEXAS AT DALLAS - TEAM A 2558 4.5
7 UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO - TEAM A 2485 4
5.Nf3 d6 6.Bg5 h6 7.Bh4? 8 WEBSTER UNIVERSITY - TEAM B 2454 4 Best Mixed Doubles Team
9 U OF TEXAS AT DALLAS - TEAM B 2520 4
Mistake. Bd2 was best. A deadly mistake 10 YALE UNIVERSITY - TEAM A 2397 4
and maybe not an obvious one at first to 11 SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY - TEAM B 2278 4 Top All-Female Team
some but knowing small ideas like the 12 PRINCETON UNIVERSITY - TEAM A 2449 4
following can win you games both online 13 U OF TEXAS AT DALLAS - TEAM C 2323 4
and over the board. 7.Bd2 0–0 8.a3 Bxc3 14 TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY - TEAM A 2432 3.5
9.Bxc3 e5 10.dxe5 dxe5 11.e3 Qe7 15 UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI - TEAM B 2432 3.5
16 U OF MARYLAND BALTIMORE COUNTY 2184 3.5 Top Div II
7...g5! 8.Bg3 g4! 17 UC SAN DIEGO - TEAM A 2203 3.5
18 U OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN - TEAM A 2046 3.5
19 STANFORD UNIVERSITY - TEAM A 2371 3
20 UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO - TEAM A 2278 3 Top International Team
21 HARVARD 2413 3
22 U OF MARYLAND COLLEGE PARK 2278 3
23 GEORGIA INST. OF TECH - TEAM A 2196 3
24 MIT - TEAM A 2234 3
25 UC SANTA CRUZ - TEAM A 1949 3 Top Div III
26 ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY - TEAM 2017 3
27 GEORGIA INST. OF TECH - TEAM C 1944 3
28 U OF ILLINOIS URBANA C - TEAM A 2152 2.5
29 U OF TEXAS RIO GRANDE V - TEAM C 2126 2.5
30 U OF ILLINOIS URBANA C - TEAM B 2004 2.5
31 UNIVERSITY OF UTAH - TEAM A 2004 2.5
Position after 8...g4 32 ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY - TEAM 2197 2.5
9.d5 33 GEORGIA INST. OF TECH - TEAM B 1998 2.5
34 U OF WASHINGTON - TEAM A 2140 2
In my very first three-minute blitz game 35 DUKE UNIVERSITY - TEAM A 2132 2
against FM/WGM Rochelle Wu on Chess. 36 UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO - TEAM B 2074 2
com, I was also Black while she instead 37 U OF PENNSYLVANIA - TEAM A 2201 2
tried 9.Nd2 Nxd4 and she immediately 38 WASHINGTON U IN ST. LOUIS - TEAM 2112 2
resigned. Even champions can fall for 39 UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO - TEAM B 2058 2
40 BROWN UNIVERSITY - TEAM A 2065 2
devious tricks like these! 41 STANFORD UNIVERSITY - TEAM B 2094 1.5
9...exd5 10.cxd5 Nxd5 11.Bh4 42 U OF TEXAS RIO GRANDE V - TEAM D 1866 1.5
43 BAYLOR UNIVERSITY - TEAM A 1617 1.5
The best try for White here. 11.Qe4+ only 44 WASHINGTON U IN ST. LOUIS - TEAM 1806 1.5
allows Black more development with 45 TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY - TEAM B 1853 1
Be6. 46 U OF ALASKA FAIRBANKS - TEAM A 100 1
47 TEMPLE UNIVERSITY - TEAM A 661 0

Northwest Chess March 2023 Page 9

straight up wins here. Black does 24.cxd4??
need to be a little careful of 19.Qd2 Blunder. Rxd4 was best. This just allows
dxe4 20.Qxh6+ but after then Black Black to destroy White’s kingside.
sarcastically says “OOOHHHHH shiver Meanwhile White failed to get his d1-
me timbers!” and plays 20…Ke8. Black rook active. 24.Rxd4 Nf3+ 25.Bxf3 gxf3
should be able to defend and be safe. It’s 26.0–0 fxe2 27.Re1 Qf5 28.Qxf5 Bxf5
always much harder to play these moves 29.f3 Re8 30.Kf2 Rge6
when you’re actually over the board, and
nerves can sometimes get to you. 18...d5 24...Nf3+ 25.Kf1 Nxh4 26.gxh4 d5 27.e4
19.Rxd5 Qxd5 20.c4 Qh5 21.Qc1 Nge7 dxe4?!
22.Ba1 Rg6 23.0–0 Bf5 24.Nf6 Rxf6 Inaccuracy. …Kg7 was best. 27...Kg7
25.Bxf6 28.Re1
Position after 30.Rxd5
19.Bh4?! 28.Bxe4 Rf6 29.d5 cxd5 30.Rxd5?!
Inaccuracy. 0–0 was best. 19.0–0 Rg6 30...Qa6+??
Inaccuracy. Bxd5 was best. Now it’s
19...Rg6 20.Nd2 Ne7 21.Qb1? getting spicy. We both had less than ten Blunder. …Bd7 was best. 30...Bd7
minutes on our clocks at this point so the 31.Rd4 Re8 32.Qb2 Kg7 33.Qd2 Bb5+
Mistake. Bxe7+ was best. 21.Bxe7+ rest of these moves were played relativity 34.Kg2 Bc6 35.Re1 Bxe4+ 36.Rexe4
Qxe7 quickly. There’s also no 30-minute Qxe4+ 37.Rxe4
sudden-death time added to our clocks at 31.Kg2 Be6 32.Rb5 Qa3 33.Rxb7!
this tournament, so it was time for both
of us to get into blitz and bullet mode. Blunder. Rd1 was best. 33.Rd1 Rc8
30.Bxd5 Qf5 34.Bxb7 Kg7 35.Kg1 Bxa2 36.Qb2 Rc3
37.Ra1 Qxb2 38.Rxb2 Bc4 39.Rxa7 Rc1+

2023 Pan-American Intercollegiate Team Championship (U1800)

# Name Rating Total Prize
1 U OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN - TEAM B 1665 5 1st Place U1800
2 UC SANTA BARBARA - TEAM A 1503 5 2nd Place U1800
3 GEORGIA INST. OF TECH - TEAM D 1794 5 3rd Place U1800
4 VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY - TEAM A 1761 4.5 4th Place U1800
Position after 21.Qb1 5 U OF ILLINOIS URBANA C - TEAM C 1478 4.5 Top Div V
21...c6? 6 UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT - TEAM A 1626 4.5
7 DUKE UNIVERSITY - TEAM B 1796 4
Mistake. …Nf5 was best. Computer 8 HOWARD UNIVERSITY - TEAM A 1361 4
says to just go for …Nf5 right away, 9 U OF TEXAS AT DALLAS - TEAM D 1517 3.5
but I wanted to be solid and not rush the 10 U OF WASHINGTON - TEAM B 1382 3.5
position. 21...Nf5 22.Be4 Nxh4 23.gxh4 11 PRINCETON UNIVERSITY - TEAM B 1598 3.5
Rg7 24.Bxb7 Bxb7 25.Qxb7 Re8 26.0–0 12 U OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA - TEAM 1724 3.5
Ng6 27.Qxc7 Nxh4 28.Qxa7 13 GEORGE WASHINGTON U - TEAM A 1273 3.5
14 ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY - TEAM 1623 3.5
22.Nb3?! 15 WEBSTER UNIVERSITY - TEAM C 1470 3.5
16 SACRED HEART UNIVERSITY - TEAM A 1557 3.5
Inaccuracy. h3 was best. 22.h3 17 CONNECTICUT COLLEGE - TEAM A 1164 3.5
22...Nf5 23.Nd4! 18 UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH - TEAM 1441 3.5 Top 4yr Small College
19 CAL STATE U. AT NORTHRIDGE - TEA 938 3
Best try for White to get his pieces active 20 U OF PENNSYLVANIA - TEAM B 1672 3
again. 21 WESTERN WASHINGTON U - TEAM A 1078 3
22 U OF WASHINGTON - TEAM D 353 3
23...Nxd4
23 UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI - TEAM C 1399 2.5
24 UNIVERSITY OF UTAH - TEAM B 1054 2.5
25 US AIR FORCE ACADEMY - TEAM A 799 2.5
26 ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY - TEAM 1223 2.5
27 U OF TEXAS RIO GRANDE V - TEAM E 1390 2.5
28 TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY - TEAM C 1282 2.5
29 U OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA - TEAM 100 2.5
30 PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY - TEAM 746 2
31 BAYLOR UNIVERSITY - TEAM B 1220 2
32 U OF ALASKA FAIRBANKS - TEAM A 100 2
33 U OF WASHINGTON - TEAM C 532 1.5
34 U OF WISCONSIN-MADISON - TEAM A 1325 1.5
35 U OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA - TEAM 894 1.5
36 HOWARD UNIVERSITY - TEAM B 168 1.5
Position after 23...Nxd4 37 PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY - TEAM 100 1.5
38 U OF TEXAS RIO GRANDE V - TEAM F 1000 0.5

Page 10 March 2023 Northwest Chess

33...Qh3+! best. 38.Rb2 Bf5 39.Qb3 Rfd6 40.Qc3+ 1...‌c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e5
A nice move to physically play over the Kg8 41.Re2 Rd1+ 42.Re1 R8d2 43.Qe3 Sicilian Kalashnikov variation. It’s also
board! Now White’s king and h1-rook Qg5 44.Bf1 Qxe3 sometimes known as the “accelerated”
will be in prison. 38...g3? Sicilian Sveshnikov or the Walmart
34.Kg1 Rd8? Lost forced checkmate sequence. ...‌Rd1+ version of the Sicilian Sveshnikov if
was best. 38...Rd1+ 39.Kh2 gxh3 40.Rxd1 you’re a diehard Stockfish evaluation
Mistake. …Qxh4 was best. 34...Qxh4 Chess player.
35.Qe1 Rc8 36.Rb2 Rc4 37.Bb7 Kg7 hxg2+ 41.Kxg2 Bh3+ 42.Kh1 Bf5+
38.Re2 a5 39.Qd2 Rff4 40.h3 Rcd4 43.Kg1 Bxc2 44.Rg8+ Kxg8 45.Rd8+ 5.Nb5
41.Qe1 39.Rxc8 gxf2+! 40.Kf1 Re6! The correct and best move here for White.
35.Rb8 Bc8! 36.Bg2?? A hard move to play with less than two 5.Nf3 or 5.Nb3 is better for Black after
minutes on the clock, but I somehow ...‌‌
Nf6 6.Nc3 Bb4. While moves like
Blunder. Qc2 was best. 36.Qc2 Kg7 5.Nxc6 is just bad for White after …cxd6
37.Rxc8 g3 38.hxg3 Qxc8 39.Qxc8 Rxc8 managed to do so.
and 5.Nf5 just makes White look goofy
40.Kg2 Rd8 41.f3 Ra6 42.g4 Rxa2+ 41.Qc3+ Rd4 after …d5 or …Nf6 followed by …d5.
36...Qxh4 37.Qc2 Here my opponent attempted to play 5...‌d6
Played with three seconds left on his 42.Bf3 but flagged before hitting the
clock. I was so focused on calculating Not allowing Nd6+ Bxd6 Qxd6 Qf6
clock. Now we’re both playing on the which is playable for Black but isn’t my
30-second increment. 42...Re1+ that I didn’t even notice the
flag at first. 42…Re1+ 43.Kg2 Rxh1 and particular cup of tea. 5...‌a6 6.Nd6+ Bxd6
37...Kg7!! Black wins as 44.Kxh1 allows the pretty 7.Qxd6 Qf6
44…Qxh3#. Wins for WWU on board 6.N1c3
one, three, and four, brought the score to The main move. 6.c4?! is also another
3–1 in favor of Western! sideline that White can try.
0–1 6...‌a6 7.Na3 Be7
The fourth most popular move here by
Joshua L Pym (1770) – Black. Black’s main move here is 7...‌b5
Harrison Toppen-Ryan (1948) [B32] and continues 8.Nd5 Nge7 (or ...‌ Nf6).
2023 Pan-American Intercollegiate I choose to go for this sideline that I
Seattle (R6), January 9, 2023 understand pretty well because I’m
[Harrison Toppen-Ryan] hoping to get into a middlegame that I
1.e4 understand better than my opponent so I
Position after 37...Kg7 can have the psychological advantage.
Cute move. Black’s attack is unstoppable The last round of the 2023 Pan-
American Intercollegiate Team Chess 8.Be3
now. Black will lose the bishop on c8 but
White’s priceless artifact of a rook on h1 Championship. It’s WWU vs the US I wouldn’t recommend this kind of
combined with Black’s two active rooks Airforce Academy. I’m at board one and development for White. White’s idea
and queen make up for it. my other team mates will be fighting their is to punish Black’s earlier 6...‌ a6 by
own battles on boards two–four while this planting their c3-knight on d5 and go for
38.h3? game is happening. Bb6 Qd7 Nc7+ and winning the rook on
Checkmate is now unavoidable. Rb2 was a8. While this plan is objectively “OK”

Tournament Announcement
30th Collyer Memorial Grand Prix
Hampton Inn (Spokane Airport)
Saturday, February 25, 2023 - Sunday, February 26, 2023
Five round Swiss. Rounds 10-2:30-7; 9-1:30. One 1/2-point bye available; must be declared by February 25. Time
control: G/115 (d5). EF: $30 by February 24; $40 at door; under 19 $10 less. Final registration 9-9:30 February 25.
Prizes (only one per player except for upset prizes): $400 first; $300 second; $150 third. Top Expert: $100. Class
prizes (A; B; C; D; E/unr): $100/$75/$50. Jim Waugh biggest upset prizes (non-provisional ratings): $100/$75/$50.
Entries: Spokane Chess Club c/o Kevin Korsmo, 9923 N. Moore St., Spokane, WA 99208-9339, or call (509) 270-
1772 (and pay at door). Hotel chess rate $129 per night; call (509) 747-1100. Special ceremony February 25 at 9:45.
IM John Donaldson lecture and simul February 24; see club website for details. Address: 2010 South Assembly
Road, Spokane, WA 99201. Sections: 1. Grand Prix Points: 15. Prize Fund: $2050 guaranteed. FIDE Rated: No.
Handicap Accessible: Yes. Residency Restriction: No. Online Event: No. ORGANIZER: Kevin M Korsmo.
Email: [email protected]. Phone: 1-509-270-1772. Website: http://spokanechessclub.org/

Northwest Chess March 2023 Page 11

according to the ’fish, 8.Nc4 is my of hurt now. 22.Qxb5 Rb8 23.Qa4 Bxd2–+
personal recommendation. Washington 16.f3 Bh4+! 17.Kd1 22...‌Bxd2
IM Bryce Tiglon played 8.Nc4 b5 9.Ne3
Nf6 10.Bd3 0‑0 11.0‑0 Be6? (Rb8!? was 17.g3 Bxf3–+ 22...‌a4 23.Qb4 Bc5 24.Qf4
better) 12.Ned5 with White against me 17...‌Bg5! 18.Qd4? 23.Kxd2??
back in round one of the 2019 Washington
High School Chess Championship, and I Mistake. Qc2 was best. 18.Qc2 Bd7 Checkmate is now unavoidable. Bxb5
got absolutely rolled by him due to me not 18...‌Bf5! was best. 23.Bxb5 Qg5 24.Bxe8 Rxe8
fully understanding the power of White’s 25.Qa4 Qe3 26.Qxe8+ Qxe8 27.Kxd2
knight on d5. After I played this move I heard by Qb5 28.Ke3 g5 29.b3 Qd3+
opponent whisper under his breath: “Oh
8...‌Nf6 9.Nd5?! man this is absolutely crazy.” I don’t 23...‌Qg5+ 24.Kd1 Rxe2!! 25.Kxe2
know if he was attempting to talk to me Qxg2+ 26.Ke3 Re8+ 27.Kf4
Inaccuracy. Nc4 was best. 9.Nc4 b5
directly or just to himself (maybe a bit After this move was played my opponent
9...‌Nxd5 10.exd5 Nd4!? of both) but it certainly told me what he whispered to me: “You should play Re4+.
Oh no guys I blundered a pawn! thought about his own position. It’s such a clean and beautiful mate.”
...Re4+ is still a good move but after
11.Bxd4 exd4 12.Qxd4 0‑0↑ 19.Nc4
27...‌Re4+ 28.fxe4 Qxe4+ there’s 29.Kg3.
The idea of this line is to give up the Trying to untangle but get their pieces Black is still better but there are at least
e5-pawn for quick development and back into the game but I’m afraid it won’t two different moves that win much faster.
a potential attack. …Bf6 and ...b5 are be enough. I don’t know if he was trying to deceive
coming, and Black will have nice game 19...‌b5 20.Nd2?! me or not or if he legitimately didn’t see
in either the queenside or in the center on Kg3 but that’s definitely a big no-no to
the board. talk to your opponents in tournament
13.c3 chess. I just ignored it however and
played my next few moves quickly with
13.0‑0‑0 Bf6 14.Qb4 b5 15.f3 Be5 a small audience watching the game from
13...‌Bf6 14.Qd2?! the side.
Inaccuracy. Qf4 was best. 14.Qf4 27...‌g5+
14...‌Re8+ 15.Be2 Bg4 27...‌Re4+ 28.fxe4 Qxe4+ 29.Kg3
28.Kxf5! Re5+ 29.Kf6 Qxf3#
Simple, gorgeous, clean and absolutely
unreal attacking chess. If there was
Position after 20.Nd2 a United Nations of Chess games I’d
Inaccuracy. g4 was best. Here my probably be arrested and taken away for
opponent offered me a draw and slightly a class A war crime while Agadmator
chuckled. I shook my head no and played covers this game for his YouTube channel
my next move instead. 20.g4 Bg6 21.h4 in the background. With a win on board
Bf6 22.Qd2 bxc4 23.g5 Be7 24.Bxc4 Qc8 one, and additional wins on boards two
25.b3 Bd8 26.h5 Bf5 and four, WWU prevailed in the match vs
20...‌Be3 21.Qb4 a5 USAA 3–1 in our favor!
Position after 15...Bg4 The immediate ...Bxd2 was apparently 0–1
This bishop pair by Black will ensnare better, but the idea happened shortly after.
the white king and bring a whole world 22.Qb3

Page 12 March 2023 Northwest Chess

(L) Zoe Xu and Balbir Singh analyze their games from the Seattle New Year’s Open as Zoe’s mother
Mabel looks on. Photo credit: Meiling Cheng.

WASHINGTON OPEN
Sat-Mon, May 27-29, 2023
Redmond Marriott
7401 164th Ave NE, Redmond, WA 98052
Format: A 6-round Swiss tournament in 3 sections: Open, Premier (U1800) & Reserve (U1400).

Schedule: 3-day or 2-day option; up to 2 byes available.

Rating: Dual rated - US Chess & Northwest, plus FIDE rated in Open section.

Side Events:
• Adult Swiss • Puzzle Solving • Chess960 Championship
• Women’s & Girls’ Competition • Blitz Championship
Workshop • Rapid Championship

Online Registration: nwchess.com/OnlineRegistration

Northwest Chess March 2023 Page 13

Editor's Note: Morefield and Andrew Samuelson and In the final round Advaith scored a quick
experts Sam Schenk and William Barrow. win versus Rishi on board one to give
Perhaps I got a little over ambitious! In the first quarter, Megan won and us a 7.5-5.5. edge. We needed one more.
I covered the 2022/2023 States Chess Michael drew but Sam scored a critical win All three other boards had good positions
Cup event for the first three weeks in for Virginia to give them a 2.5-1.5 edge. but were in some serious time pressure.
the December 2022 and January 2023 In the second quarter, we bounced back, Story of the season for us in some ways.
issues. with our Masters winning and Ananth Kai was the first to break through and
scoring a draw. 4-4 at the half. The third secured us a spot in the final! Ted and
In the February issue, there were quarter was huge. We split the Masters Vidip both eventually won as well with
some things that had to take priority so battles with Megan winning, but Michael some slick mates with virtually no time
nothing in February, and now here we drew and Ananth won giving us a 6.5- on their clocks to give us a 10.5-5.5 final
are and the event has now finished. 5.5 edge heading into the fourth quarter. score, though the match overall was much
Unfortunately, between outstanding play closer than that. Kudos in particular to
I knew, intellectually, that I couldn't and serious time pressure for us, we lost young Vidip on his perfect 4.0/4 show
cover this weekly event in our monthly both Master battles and in spite of a win and Advaith for his strong 3.5/4 at the top.
magazine and expect to put it all in, the for Ananth on four, bringing his total to a Next week’s the championship versus top
math just doesn't work out! brilliant 2.5/4 from board four, we fell in seed Pennsylvania! Remember to tune
the match 7.5-8.5, ending our title quest. into twitch.tv/slothychess to follow all the
Yet I tried it anyway. Suffice it to say, I We’ll play California North for third next action! Cheers!
am going to jump from week three where week, after Iowa edged them out in a
things left off to the two wrap-up stories
as presented here by Siva Sankrithi.—
Jeffrey Roland, Editor
tiebreaker.
Our U1800 team was all youngsters
today, with Advaith Vijayakumar and
States Chess
Vidip Kona leading the way and Ted
Shi and recent Washington Junior Open
Cup Finals
States champion Kai Pisan on boards three
and four. We faced a strong Illinois
Siva Sankrithi
January 25, 2023
Chess Cup team led by experts Rishi Narayanan
and Abhyudhaya Venkat, with Nikhil

A
fter falling last week in the

Semifinals
Sivakumar and John Harvey on boards semifinals to Virginia, our
three and four. Pennsylvania already U2200 got a forfeit win over
beat Minnesota in the other semi so we California North for third place.
Siva Sankrithi
knew who we’d face if we won (top seed First, first, and third in the nation our first
Pennsylvania) or if we lost (Minnesota). three years. Pretty good! Kudos to all
January 18, 2023 We started strong in the first quarter with who played and kudos to team Iowa for
his week our teams faced off in a 3-1 lead of the gates, with Ted scoring besting Virginia in the final and earning

T the semifinals of States Chess

Cup, looking to get back to the
title game for the third year in
a row in U2200 and reach the first ever
title game in U1800. Our U2200 team,
an upset over an expert. They bounced
back nicely in round two, drawing
Advaith and scoring wins against both
our boards three and four. 4.5-3.5 lead for
us at halftime. The third quarter was an
even split, with our experts besting their
their first States Chess Cup title! As for
U1800, we faced off against the number
one seed, Pennsylvania.
They played the lineup we expected,
namely expert Michael Clark, high 1800
Masters Megan Lee and Derek Zhang
experts and their boards three and four Kevin Hemmingway, high 1700 and blitz
and experts Michael Omori and Ananth
besting our boards three and four. 6.5- star Jeffrey Kunnel, and near 1500 Tanay
Gottumukkala faced off against a strong Parripati. We went with a lineup of expert
Virginia squad with Masters Jason 5.5. Young star Vidip Kona was on 3.0/3
heading into the final round. Epic stuff! Alec Beck, near expert young star Vidip

Page 14 March 2023 Northwest Chess

Kona coming off of a 4.0/4 in the semis, one vs board one, board two vs board two, Jeffrey has been on fire and sits at 2.5/3
and 1500+ Kevin Lowe and 1400+ Chris board three vs board three, and board four for Pennsylvania. Jeffrey comes through
Pleasants. vs board four. As the saying goes, when for Pennsylvania to finish the day an
In the first quarter, we went down the going gets tough the tough get going! amazing 3.5/4 from board three. 7.5-7.5.
early with Jeffrey scoring the upset over We still have a chance. We’re down 5.5- It’s all even. What a match. What a
Vidip, giving Pennsylvania a 3-1 lead. In 6.5. It’s a longshot but crazier things have match. It all comes down to board one.
round two, Alec drew Jeffrey but the big happened. Alec has a seven-minute to two-minute
result was our board four Chris scoring an Chris is the first game to get started. lead. Material is equal. White (Alec) is
upset win in a time scramble over their Tanay is playing super aggressive and attacking on the kingside. Has Alec broken
board two Kevin! Down 3.5-4.5 at the gets an advantage out of the opening but through? Michael is under a minute. Alec
half. Closing the gap. It merits mention is his queen a little too overzealous? Oh over six. White is methodically converting
that Pennsylvania’s board three, Jeffrey, my! It is! Chris has trapped it! Let’s go! the positional advantage. Alec is under
earned 1.5/2 against our top two boards. Chris wins! 2.0/4 in his board four debut, three and Michael is under ten seconds.
That has been the difference thus far. winning with the French with Black Alec’s picked up a pawn! Take your time
In the third quarter, Kevin had a twice! Bravo! The match is tied. 6.5-6.5. and make this happen Alec. Ooh tricky
beautiful mate to get us a point back Three games to go. One vs one. Two vs stalemate trick idea for Michael. Whew.
then Chris and Vidip fell so we were two. Three vs three. For the title. Alec saw that. He’ done it! Alec wins!
down 4.5-6.5 at that point. Alec was in a Oh my Vidip has done it! He Team Washington comes back
complicated equal rook pawn endgame rebounds after a rough start to get to 2.0/4. and scores the epic upset over team
and had to try to press for a win. Alec had He trapped a knight! Kevin Hemingway Pennsylvania 8.5-7.5! Wow wow wow
under 20 seconds and Kevin had under resigned. Apparently Black was actually wow wow!
10 seconds. It was a theoretical draw just fine by the engine but hard to find Congrats to all the players! Congrats
with Alec up a pawn. They’re both under over-the-board. Wow. Wow. Wow. Team to everyone behind the scenes. Congrats to
ten seconds. They’re both under three Washington leads Team Pennsylvania everyone on all the teams from around the
seconds! Ahhhhhhhh! Yes! Alec breaks 7.5-6.5. One vs one and three vs three league who gave their all and great match
through! Alec at 2.5/3. Vidip at 1/3. the edge. Alec vs Michael on board one. to the team Pennsylvania squad. What a
Kevin at 1/3. Chris at 1/3. One quarter to Alec has White. Kevin vs Jeffrey on match. Champions! Let's gooooooooo!
go. Remember the final quarter has board board three. Kevin has Black. Remember

APRIL 14-16, 2023

Highest finishing Washington resident receives the title of Washington State Senior Champion, a
seed into the Invitational Section of the 2024 Washington State Championship, and a $750
travel stipend from the WCF to attend the 2023 National Tournament of Senior State
Champions, which is held concurrently with the U.S. Open in early August.

Site: Orlov Chess Academy: 4174 148th Ave NE Bld. Byes: Two half‐point byes available. If
I, Ste. M, Redmond, WA 98052. interested, request before end of
round 2.
Format: A 5-Round, G/90; +30 Swiss. Open to
Info/Entries: Josh Sinanan, WCF Memberships: Current US Chess and
Seniors age 50+ (or reaching age 50 by or before
President WCF membership required, other
August 1, 2023). Playoff round if needed to break
tie for 1st place will be resolved later in the year by states accepted. Membership must be
Phone: 206-769-3757
a G/90 playoff game. paid at time of registration.
Email:
[email protected] Rating: US Chess Rated. April 2023 US
Entry Fee: $50 by 4/7, $60 after. Free entry for
Registration: Online at GMs, IMs, WGMs, or US Chess 2400+. Chess Regular supplement will be
nwchess.com/OnlineRegistration. used to determine pairings and prizes.
Rounds: Fri: 6:30 PM. Sat: 10 AM, 3 PM. Sun: 10 AM,
Registration deadline Thu. 4/13 @ Health/Safety Protocols: Face masks
3 PM.
5pm. No payments accepted or optional for players and spectators. If
refunds offered after the deadline. Prize Fund: $500 (based on 20 paid entries). interested, please bring your own
1st - $150, 2nd - $125 mask.
1st U2000/U1700/U1400 - $75

Northwest Chess March 2023 Page 15

 St. Anne tirelessly supported chess over the years.
Congratulations to the amazing chess
families who contributed to this fantastic
event! Special recognition is due to the
follow winners:

Celtic
Challenge St. Anne Celtic Challenge Prizes
Trophies awarded to the topscoring players in each section.

Winter Trophies awarded to the top 5 finishing teams.

Team Score consists of the top 4 scores from same school across all sections.

2023 Chess Medals for first-time tournament players and players scoring 3 points or more who do not earn a trophy.

Individual Trophies

Tournament Place

1st
K-1 U800

Connor Kim
2-3 U800

Niko Elmieh
K-3 Open

Guru Harshith Reddy Avula

4-8 U900

Neel Jayadevan
4-12 Open

Selina Cheng

By Josh Sinanan 2nd Kartika Kalakoti Alexander Eduardo Veronique Joseph Caiden Kim Odbayar Yondon

T
he Winter 2023 St. Anne Celtic
3rd Lewis Ma Derek Huang Emmett Bates-Callaghan Teddy Wright Neevan Reddy Saddi
Challenge took place on Sunday,
January 22 at St. Anne School in 4th Bella Li Ved Dhameeja Aahan Sriram Cristina Juarez-Caballero Alex Dai
Seattle. A strong turnout of 114
5th Remy Thompson Alexander Liu Vihaan Pai Nimalan Venkatesan Pranav Kokati
scholastic chess players in grades K-12
participated across five sections parsed by 6th Siri Srinivas Gautham Satishkumar Kunal Jayadevan Jethro Abueg Rhadean Rubaiyat

grade level and chess rating: K-1 U800, 7th Felicity Mei Abel Bassen Elijah Edwin Kriti Alamuru Gabriel Razmov
2-3 U800, K-3 Open, 4-8 U900, and 4-12 8th Ryan Guan Abigail Lew Kshitij Narkhede Neil Kossuri Gabriel Veiga
Open. For several players, it was their
very first chess tournament, and the first 9th Cyrus Cooney Gavin Stack Aditi Sembium Declan Darling Jackson Miller

in-person tournament for many more! 10th Emil Bassen Shri Thashathika Suresh Balaji Adhrith Cheruku Liam Shannon Enoch Shen

The pent-up demand for over-the- 11th Benjamin Oberry Advay Parihar

board (OTB) chess was apparent, as 12th Johnny Gilliland Ameya George
the tournament attracted players from 13th Hugo Guenther Andy Vaughn
throughout the Pacific Northwest,
14th Jacob Li
including parts of Bothell, Seattle,
Redmond, Sammamish, Bremerton, 15th Rushank Reddy Mallu

Duvall, Normandy Park, Bellevue, 16th Caleb Fetchero

Everett, Issaquah, Olympia, Mountlake 17th Aryan Reddyshetty
Terrace, Kirkland, Edmonds, Renton,
18th Pranet Kuberan
Vashon, and Snohomish. The tournament
atmosphere was relaxed and friendly, with 19th Blake Fritzky
many displays of good sportsmanship and 20th Nithilan Venkatesan
courtesy throughout the afternoon!
The chess action spoke for itself,
with many wild encounters instigated
by the numerous tricky characters taking
part in the proceedings! The event was Team Trophies
hosted by St. Anne School, organized by Place School Players Score

St. Anne Chess Coordinator Kelly Jaeger, Selina Cheng (1395) 4.5
paired by WCF Scholastic Director Rekha 1st Thurgood Marshall ES Teddy Wright ( 665) 4.0 11.5
Sagar, and directed by WCF President and Siddhartha Dewan ( 553) 3.0

St. Anne Chess Coach Josh Sinanan with

assistance from Advaith Vijayakumar, Caiden Kim ( 601) 4.5
2nd Maplewood Co-op K-8 Connor Kim ( 445) 4.0 11
Anvith Vijayakumar, and Suresh Balaji. Chloe Kim (unr.) 2.5

Top local high school chess master Lewis Ma ( 524) 4.0

Joseph Levine was on site providing Advay Parihar ( 400) 3.0
complementary game review and analysis Bryce Brakenridge (unr.) 2.0
Vidur Yhenishetty (unr.) 2.0
to train the new generation of rising stars 3rd Somerset ES Chris Wang ( 414) 1.5 11
and future grandmasters! The tournament Lincoln Teng (unr.) 1.5
Lyndon Teng (unr.) 1.5
was dedicated to the late Coach Chris
Hurley (1965-2020) and his family, who
Ella Lo ( 636) 0.0

founded the St. Anne Chess Club and

Page 16 March 2023 James Thorrington ( 648) 3.0 Northwest Chess
Gavin Stack ( 406) 3.0
Remy Thompson (unr.) 3.0
Liam Kelly ( 473) 2.0
 Washington
Junior Open
and Reserve
By Josh Sinanan

T
he 2023 Washington Junior Open
and Reserve chess tournament
was held on MLK Monday,
January 16, at Interlake High
School in Bellevue. A total of 312
scholastic chess players in grades K-12
participated in the chess festival from
throughout Washington State, including
the cities of Snohomish, Redmond,
Clyde Hill, Bothell, Mercer Island,
Bellevue, Kirkland, Sammamish,
Mill Creek, Tacoma, Normandy Park,
Pullman, Gig Harbor, Issaquah, Seattle,
Renton, Everett, Edmonds, Lynnwood,
Medina, Auburn, Duvall, Yarrow Point,
Woodinville, Newcastle, Olympia, North
Bend, Federal Way, Tumwater, Kenmore,
and Fall City!
The event was hosted by the
Washington Chess Federation, paired
by WCF Scholastic Director Rekha
Sagar, and directed by Coach Lane Van
Weerdhuizen with assistance from floor
TDs Suresh Balaji, Tim Campbell, and
parent volunteer Jeff Weng. Amazing (L) Chouchan Airapetian and Sebastian Phillips-Acheson enjoy a
photographs were taken throughout the fun moment at the Washington Junior Open and Reserve.
day by Meiling Cheng. Local face painter Photo credit: Angela Agaian.
Gabby Carrillo was on site for a few
hours offering her fantastic face painting
services! Special Prizes - Medals for first-timers (awarded at-site), best female player,
The dual-format Swiss tournament and biggest upset.
was split into seven sections parsed
by grade level and rating: K-1 U800,
Section Best Female Player(by TPR) Biggest Upsets
2-3 U800, K-3 U1200, 4-8 U900, 4-12
U1300, U1500, and Open.
Congratulations to the fearless chess K-1 U800 Caroline Ma (270) Lewis Ma (329 pts.)
players who participated in this event!
Chess certainly has a way of bringing 2-3 U800 Ananya Sabarish (560) Max Chen (334 pts.)
people together. Playing in a large
scholastic chess tournament such as this
with players of all ages and backgrounds 4-8 U900 Kriti Alamuru,Vaidehi Joshi (655) Apollo Yen (396 pts.)
was a wonderful way for many to celebrate
the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King. As K-3 U1200 Aditi Sembium (906) Gary Tao (482 pts.)
WCF President Josh Sinanan mentioned
before the start of the first round, “Chess
4-12 U1300 Lydia Xiong (1098) Hank Rinehart (609 pts.)
in not just a game of the mind, it is also
a game of the heart!” Congratulations
to all who contributed to this fantastic U1500 Veronique Joseph (1313) Zachary Daugherty (353 pts.)
event, and special congratulations to the
winners. Open Iris Zhang (1727) Atharva Joshi (445 pts.)

Northwest Chess March 2023 Page 17

 WA Junior Open & Reserve Prizes
Individual Prizes - Amazon E-Gift cards (1st-5th) awarded in each section.
1st $80, 2nd $70, 3rd $60, 4th $50, 5th $40
Section 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th

K-1 U800 Kshitij Narkhede Chen Yuan, Rebecca Li, Wyatt Udelson, Natalie Xu

2-3 U800 Nathan Jiang Sakash Agrawal,Ellis Nelson,Evan Wang,Shawn Shi,Myron Lam,Atharva Goel

Eric Tian,
Edwin Huang,
Aditi Agrawal,
Caleb Byam,
4-8 U900 Rafael Palathingal Nehanth Kakani Ian Lu,
Avery Kwan-Uchiyama,
Sourish Panda,
Sai Navaneeth Satish Kumar,
Austin Damrau

K-3 U1200 Bright Weng Vidur Raghunathan,Elijah Edwin,Caden Chang,Wu Liang

Team Prizes - Amazon gift cards awarded to the top four players from the top 5 finishing teams.
Top 4 scores from same school comprise team score across all sections.

1st $30, 2nd $25, 3rd $20, 4th $15, 5th $10

Place School Players Score

Rishi Ramaswamy, Skylor Chan,

1st Odle Middle Pranav Kokati, Shrey Bahl
15.625

Wu Liang, Avery Kwan-Uchiyama, Shawn Shi,

2nd Jin-Mei Elementary Ethan Sun
15.5

Edwin Huang, Sakash Agrawal, Daniel Dong,

3rd Medina Elementary Derek Wu, Ares Wang
14.625

Viraj Dhawan, Rebecca Li, Eric Wang,

4th Bellevue Children's Academy Daniel Yu, Stas Black, Ananya Sabarish
14.5

Eric Tian, Owen Xu, Ella Lo,

5th Somerset Elementary Alexander Smacinih, Lewis Ma
13.125

Page 18 March 2023 Northwest Chess

 Decatur respectively. Kudos to all on a job well
done!
The top five individuals in each
fourth, third, and second, with 4.0/5
points, were Emmett Bates-Callaghan,
Sarang Sankrithi, and Maximillian Jones,
respectively. Taking sole first with 4.5/5
Gator Fest section and the top three teams overall
earned some spectacular trophies! The list was Vihaan Pai!
By Siva Sankrithi of all the trophy winners and their scores In the fourth grade “Queens” section,
are highlighted below. Ian Gagnier and Alan Cheng took fifth

O
n a crisp Saturday in Seattle, and fourth on tiebreaks, respectively,
January 28, 2023, over 100 chess In the Kindergarten “Pawns” section,
Harry Deng, Leonard Hoang, and Vivaan with 3/5. Atharv Rao took third with
players through fifth grade came 3.5/5. Stanley Deng took second with 4/5.
Sankrithi, earned fifth, fourth, and third,
to Decatur Elementary School Taking sole first with 4.5/5 was Aneesh
for the first in-person Decatur Gatorfest respectively, scoring 3/5. Bihe Liu took
Vashisht.
event! Inspired by the outstanding work second with 4.0/5 and Kartika Kalakoti
of club leader Vayu Kakkad and his Dad took the title with a perfect 5.0/5! In the fifth grade “Kings” section,
Ravi Kakkad, with an incredible team of In the first grade “Knights” section, Rian Raja and Kayne Winter took fifth
volunteers, this event was brilliant. Every Gordon Dai got fifth on tiebreaks with and fourth, respectively, with 3/5. Nathan
round started on time. Great fun was had. 3.0/5. Chen Yuan and Terrick Evin took Davis took third with 3.5/5. Niranjan
Numerous friendships were made. Great fourth and third, respectively, with 3.5/5.Prashant took second with 4/5 and taking
chess was played. Finishing second and first, respectively, the title with a perfect 5.0/5 was Keeran
Balayoghan!
The tournament was five rounds and with 4/5, were Kshitij Narkhede and
each player had 25 minutes on their clock Daniel Yun! Before getting to the top three team
with an additional five seconds per move. In the second grade “Bishops” awards, which are the sum of the top four
The matches took place in the gym, and section, finishing fifth on tiebreaks with scores across all sections for kids from
the tournament was sectioned by grade 3/5 was Elijah Edwin. There was a four- the same school, a quick shout-out to the
level, like the State two homeschooling families, Sankrithi
Championships, and Gagnier,
which will be held whose two
in April in Tacoma. pairs of siblings
The “skittles room” would’ve earned
and waiting area for second place with
friends and families, 12 points. Now
filled with wonderful for the school
concessions, games, team awards!
and more, was the Finishing third
cafeteria. This event with 11 points
was a State qualifier was Bellevue
for those who scored C h i l d ren’s
three or more points A c a d e m y .
out of five and over a Finishing second
third of the field was with 12 points
playing their first ever were the hosts
tournament! All who Decatur, many
qualified for State of whom were
or played their first making their
tournament earned at tournament debut!
least a medal for their Taking the team
efforts. title were Open
Window School
Before getting (L) Kartika Kalakoti vs Vivaan Sankrithi play alongside (L) Bihe Liu with 13.5 points!
to the top prizes, a vs Harry Deng on the top boards of the Kindergarten section at the
huge shout-out to Cheers to all
all the upset award
Decator Gator Fest. Photo credit: Siva Sankrithi. on a wonderful
winners, scoring the event, congrats
biggest upsets by to all the winners
rating, in their respective sections. For way tie for first with 4.0/5, and places and to all the players on demonstrating
those unfamiliar, chess players get ratings were determined by tiebreaks. Vayu tremendous sportsmanship, a great love
that go up with wins and down with Kakkad, Edgar Li, Samarth Bharadwaj, for the beautiful game of chess, and
losses. More experienced players tend to and Jonathan Lan, took fourth, third, thanks to all for supporting the Decatur
have higher ratings. In K, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 second, and first, respectively! Elementary School and the Decatur
sections, Siana Razmov, Elliot Hedstrom, In the third grade “Rooks” section, Gators chess team!
Evan Ang, Max Chen, Austin Damrau, finishing fifth on tiebreaks with 3.0/5
and Caiden Kim, earned the upset awards, was Arihant Chaudhuri. Finishing The future is bright!
Northwest Chess March 2023 Page 19
 MexInsurance FIDE Open
(“A Success!”)
George Lundy

Reserve. Most tournaments offer only

T
he MexInsurance FIDE Open U600 section, based on 100 paid players.
took place December 16-18, a FIDE-rated section in the Open or, on If organizers don’t hit their expected
2022, at the Barber Park Event occasion, in a titled section. The entry fee turnout, they are permitted to reduce their
Center in Boise, Idaho-ho-ho. was yet another first. While $100 is high cash payouts by 50%. We did not hit the
Our tournament featured many firsts for for Idaho, most international tournaments 100 paid players, yet still paid out 100%
Idaho. The event attracted four FIDE- have a $100 entry fee for players rated of the prize money in two classes, another
titled players, including two grandmasters 2200+; those of us with a lower rating first. The sections were based on players’
(MA, PA), an international master (MI) can pay as much as $300 to enter the ratings (U2200 and U1000.) Each section
and a FIDE master (CA by way of the international section. In 2021, I spent just had four to six players, and First through
Russian Chess Federation). under $2,400 to play in the international Third places were paid in full.
The tournament was also sections of both the National and Western It also featured another Idaho first
internationally rated in both the Elite and States Opens. MexInsurance offered with 200 U.S. Chess Grand Prix points.
Idaho players a world-class tournament Grand Prix points are based on the Open
for pennies on the prize fund. The majority of tournaments
Open Section dollar... literally. No
out-of-state travel,
in the United States are in the five GP
Name Cash Prize credited to pool point range. By comparison, the Western
no hotels for the
IM Joshua Posthuma (5.5/2514) $2,500.00 Place: 1 - $2500 States Open in both 2021 and 2022 only
more than 100 U.S. offered 150 GP points.
GM Fidel Corrales (5.0/2615) $2,000.00 Place: 2 - $2000
Chess members
GM Bryan G Smith (4.5/2516) $937.50 Place: 3 - $1500 within 60 miles of All FIDE-titled players played for
FM Alexandre Kretchetov (4.5/2280) $937.50 Place: 4 - $1000 Boise, no airfare free, from grandmasters down to women
Daniel Joelson (4.5/2106) $937.50 Place: 5 - $750 or hundreds of candidate masters (~1800 rating), and
Kaustubh Kodihalli (4.5/1907) $937.50 Place: 6 - $500 dollars in gas. Just they all took home 100% of their earnings.
NM Makaio Krienke (4.0/2204 $291.66 Place: 7 - $400 a $100 entry fee and In most international tournaments, only
Christopher Cole (4.0/1932) $291.66 Place: 8 - $375 15-minute drive to GMs play for free and even then, some
James Wei (4.0/1858) $291.66 Place: 9 - $350 Barber Park. organizers pick the GMs’ pockets for the
Caleb Kircher (4.0/1821) $291.66 Place: 10 - $325 entry fee from their earnings.
The prize fund
Travis J Olson (4.0/1743) $291.66 Place: 11 - $300
was another first, This titled competitor perk gave
Thomas C Reisig (4.0/1111) $291.66 Idaho players two big advantages over
setting a record for
U2200 & U1000 Section Northwest
(ID, OR, and WA)
Chess other regional events. First, we were
able to bring in stronger players from
Name Cash Prize credited to pool by offering over all over the United States. Over half the
Eric Hon (6.0/2094) $375.00 U2200/1 - $375 $15,700 in cash players were from out of state. Second,
Brett B Hamilton (4.5/1770) $312.50 U2200/2 - $325 prizes. The Elite Idaho players had an opportunity to
Erlend J Millikan (4.5/1696) $312.50 U2200/3 - $300 section was open earn a FIDE rating here at home without
Liam Nosarev (2.0/941) $116.66 U1000/1 - $200 to all players, with paying the overhead. Several Idaho
Devin Flavin (2.0/899) $116.66 U1000/2 - $100 11 unconditionally players completed their initial FIDE
Dimitri Nosarev (2.0/789) $116.66 U1000/3 - $50 guaranteed prizes rating (five international opponents in
totaling $10,000. an internationally rated event, beginning
Additional Prizes: The Reserve with their first draw or victory in a FIDE
Top Woman: Ridhi Varma Danduprolu AZ 3.0 $200; (U2200) section event) and some secured their first draw
Top Senior: Michael Presutti, H.G. Pitre and Larry Parsons! 3.0 $100 each. offered three prizes or victory in both the Elite and Reserve
Unrated: First Tyler Yazzie 3.5 $150; Second Meckayden Niezgoda 3.0 $125; Third per section, down sections. One Reserve player was rated
Anthony Cortez & Franklin Lundy 1.5 $25 each. to and including the U900 and took out an opponent ~1350
FIDE.
Page 20 March 2023 Northwest Chess
 There was one additional first by 20.Rg3 g6 21.h4 h5 22.Re1 Rc6 23.Rg5 5...‌Nh6?!
our corporate sponsor MexInsurance. Kf8 24.f3 Bf5 Perhaps over-ambitious. 5...‌dxe4 6.Nxe4
com. The tournament was advertised White finds a glimmer of hope, creating Nf6 is close to equality, as White is just
regionally, with four ads in Northwest something from nothing on the kingside. a tiny bit passively placed.; Alternately,
Chess, and more than 200 ads in all 49 5...‌Bg4 6.Be3 has, at least, solved the
states, the District of Columbia and the 25.g4 hxg4 26.fxg4 Be4 27.Rf1 Ke7 28.
Re5+ Kf8 29.h5 gxh5 30.gxh5 c8–bishop.
Russian Republic of Alaska. These ads
appeared in Chess Life, Chess Life Kids 6.Bf4 f6 7.exd5 cxd5
and a number of websites, including the
Idaho Chess Association, U.S. Chess,
FIDE (172 countries), Linked in (over
10,000 links), MexInsurance.com,
BoiseChess.org, Northwest Chess, and
the Chandra Alexis Chess Club.
We would like to thank all the
Idaho players who attended both the
tournament and the GM Bryan G.
Smith simul on December 19, the Idaho
Chess Association, Northwest Chess, Position after 30.gxh5
Grandmasters Fidel Corrales and Bryan Position after 7...cxd5
G. Smith, International Master Joshua 30...Re8?
Posthuma, and FIDE Master Alexandre 30...‌f5! 31.Rf4 Kf7 32.Rh4 Rg8+ 33.Kf1 8.Bb5+?
Kretchetov. A special thank you to Rh6 sets up a nice fortress. 34.Be3 Rh7 If you’re going to move the same piece
my good friend FIDE Arbiter(D) and 35.h6 Kf6 36.Bf4 (36.Bd4 Kg5 37.Rh2 twice in the opening, make sure it’s
Associate National Tournament Director Rxh6 38.Be3+ Kf6 39.Rxf5+ Kxf5 in service of your strategic objectives.
Lawrence Cohen of Chicago for his 40.Rxh6 Rg2 goes nowhere.) 36...‌Rg4 8.Nb5! 0‑0 (8...‌ Na6 9.0‑0 0‑0 10.c4.
assistance! 37.Rxg4 fxg4 38.Rh5 g3 39.Bxg3 Kg6 is White is well-coordinated, and Black is,
utterly drawn. well, a mess.) 9.Nc7!? (In case the tactical
31.Rg5 f5?? line doesn’t work, simply 9.0‑0 is decent,
Bryan Smith (2516) – of course.) 9...‌g5 (9...‌e5 10.Bxh6 Qxc7
Alex James Machin (1774) [C56] A case of closing the barn door after the 11.Bxg7 Kxg7 12.dxe5 fxe5 13.Qxd5)
MexInsurance FIDE Open horse has escaped. 31...‌ Bd3 32.Bg7+! 10.Bg3 f5 11.Nxa8 f4 12.Nxg5 fxg3
Boise, ID (R2), December 16, 2022 Ke7 33.Re1+ Re6 34.Rxe6+ fxe6 fights (12...‌e5 13.Bh4 Nf5 14.g3 is ugly but
16.12.2022 on, though White has some chances with effective.) 13.hxg3 e5 14.Qd2 e4 White
[Ralph Dubisch] the distant passed pawn. has better king safety, and at least a
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4 Nf6 32.h6 Rc7 33.Bg7+ Kf7 34.h7 Rcc8 temporary lead in material. Going after
5.0‑0 Nxe4 6.Re1 d5 7.Bxd5 Qxd5 8. 35.Rf4 b4 36.Rh4 bxc3 37.bxc3 Rb8 that knight on a8 will cost Black quite
Nc3 Qh5 9.Nxe4 Be6 10.Bg5 Bd6 38.h8Q a bit of time. After 15.c3 Nc6 Stockfish
11.Nxd6+ cxd6 12.Bf4 0‑0 13.Nxd4 points out another tactical idea: 16.Nxe4
Qxd1 14.Rexd1 Nxd4 15.Rxd4 Rfc8 1–0 dxe4 17.Rxh6 Bxh6? (17...‌Bf5! 18.Rh5
16.c3 d5 17.Be3 Rc4 18.Rd3 a6 19.Bd4 Qxa8 19.Kf1) 18.Qxh6, when tactics
b5 will rescue the knight from the corner:
James Wei – 18...‌Bf5 (18...‌Bd7 19.Nc7 Qxc7 20.Bc4+)
Alexandre Kretchetov [B15] 19.Bc4+ Kh8 20.Nc7+–
MexInsurance FIDE Open
Boise, ID (R3), December 17, 2022 8...‌Nc6 9.Qe2?! Nf7 10.0‑0 0‑0 11.Rfe1
[Ralph Dubisch] e6 12.Bxc6?!
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 g6 While this exchange is unfortunate, the
alternative idea of retreating via a4 to b3
A rather rare continuation. 3...‌ dxe4 doesn’t completely solve the position.
4.Nxe4, then 4...‌Bf5 (4...‌Nd7; and 4...‌Nf6 12.h3 a6 13.Ba4 Re8 14.Bh2 Bd7 15.Qd2
are somewhat different ideas.) 5.Ng3 Bg6 b5 16.Bb3 Na5
leads to well-traveled theory.
12...‌bxc6 13.Na4 Re8 14.Nc5 e5 15.Bg3
4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Be2 Bg4 16.h3 Bh5 17.Qe3 e4 18.Nd2 Bh6
Position after 19...b5 5.h3 is a better test of Black’s set-up, 19.Bf4 g5 20.Bg3?
With the goal of heading into a completely restricting the c8–bishop. If 5...‌Nf6 6.Bd3 20.Bh2 saves a tempo in many lines, and
drawn opposite-bishop ending, 19...‌ f6 (6.e5 Ne4 7.Nxe4 dxe4 8.Ng5 c5 is also could afford White the option of pushing
20.Re1 Kf7 is super-solid. It’s hard to worth considering.) 6...‌dxe4 7.Nxe4 the g-pawn.
imagine how White might even create Nxe4 8.Bxe4 White maintains a small
a kingside passed pawn against this but durable space advantage. 20...‌Bf8
structure.
Northwest Chess March 2023 Page 21
Black is systematically pushing forward to debate how much advantage White has. to the move 7...‌note.
on the kingside, and could now continue Some, definitely. 9...‌e5 10.fxe5?!
more incisively with 20...‌f5!, meeting 16.Qg3 Qd4 17.Rad1 Nxe4 18.Nxe4
21.f4 with 21...‌Nh8! 10.Nb3
Qxe4 19.Qxg7 Rf8 20.Rxd8+?!
21.Ncb3 a5 22.a4 Qd7 10...‌dxe5 11.Nb3 Qb6
20.Rde1
22...‌Nd6 11...‌Be6. Black is generally better in
20...‌Bxd8? endgames, with bishop-pair and structural
23.c4 Time to run the king to a safer space: superiority, so need not fear 12.Qxd8+
23.Nc5 Bxc5 24.dxc5 f5 25.Qd4 20...‌Kxd8. Rxd8.
23...‌f5!–+ 24.Bh2 21.Bd6 12.Nd5?!
24.cxd5 cxd5 25.Nc5 Bxc5 26.dxc5 f4 21.Qb2 12.Qd3
27.Bxf4 gxf4 28.Qxf4–+ 12...‌Nxd5 13.Qxd5 Be6 14.Qxe5 0‑0‑0
24...‌f4 25.Qc3 Bb4 26.Nc5 15.Rd1 Bd6 16.Qc3+?
26.Qc2 Nd6 27.cxd5 cxd5 28.Rac1 Nf5 It looks better to grab another pawn:
White is suffocating. 16.Qxg7 Rhg8 (16...‌Bxh2 17.Qc3+ Kb8
26...‌Bxc3 18.Nc5) 17.Rxd6!? Qxd6 18.Qc3+ Kb8
19.0‑0. This still favors Black, as the
or 26...‌Bxc5 27.dxc5 d4 knight is not particularly impressive, and
27.Nxd7 Bxd2 28.Nf6+ Kf8 29.Nxh5 White has no dangerous pawn mass.
Bxe1 30.Rxe1 Re6 31.cxd5 cxd5 16...‌Kb8 17.a3 Bxh2 18.Rxd8+?
0–1 Here and on the next move, White does
Position after 21.Bd6 marginally better to avoid forcing major
piece exchanges. 18.Nc5
James Wei – 21...‌Qxe2??
Jeff Gamble [B41] 18...‌Rxd8 19.Qc5
Allows White a nice tactical attacking
MexInsurance FIDE Open finish. 21...‌Be7 22.Bxe7 Kxe7 23.Qf6+ 19.Nc5
Boise, ID (R5), December 18, 2022 Kd7 is far from clearly lost.
[Ralph Dubisch] 19...‌Bg3+ 20.Kf1
22.Qxf8+ Kd7 23.Rxf7+! Bxf7 24.Qxf7+
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 Kxd6
5.c4 Nf6 6.Nc3 Bb4 7.Qd3 Qc7 8.Be2
Nc6 9.Nxc6 dxc6!? 10.a3 Be7 11.f4 e5 24...‌Be7 25.Qxe7+; 24...‌Kc8 25.Qf5+
11...‌
0‑0 12.e5 Nd7 13.Qg3 b5 with 25.c5+
questions yet to answer for both sides. 25…Ke5 25.Qe8
12.0‑0 1–0
12.Qg3!?
James Wei –
Fidel Corrales Jimenez [B94]
MexInsurance FIDE Open Position after 20.Kf1
Boise, ID (R6), December 18, 2022
[Ralph Dubisch] 20...Bc4!!
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 A really nice tactic involving diagonal
5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 Nbd7 pins by unprotected queen and bishop.
6...‌e6 is by far the most common move. 21.Bxc4
Then 7.f4 leads to a mass of theory, 21.Qxc4 Qf2#; 21.Qxb6 Rd1#
starting with any one of at least eight 21...‌Qxc5 22.Nxc5 Rd1+ 23.Ke2
Position after 12.0‑0 moves for Black here. Rxh1‑+
12...‌exf4? 7.f4 h6 Although the material count doesn’t
It’s definitely not a good idea to accelerate 7...‌Qc7 8.Qf3 h6 9.Bxf6 Nxf6 10.f5 has seem overwhelming, in fact the position
White’s development. 12...‌Bg4! is much been played before. is winning for Black, who can create a
to be preferred here. 8.Bxf6 passed h-pawn.
13.Bxf4 Qb6+ 14.Kh1 Be6 15.b4 Rd8 8.Bh4!? 24.Bxf7 Re1+ 25.Kd3 Bd6 26.Nd7+?!
15...‌a5 16.e5 Nd7 17.c5 Qa7 18.Rab1 8...‌Nxf6 9.Be2?! The knight on d7 becomes another
axb4 19.axb4 0‑0 20.Qg3, and it is time liability. 26.Ne6 is a little better.
A bit passive. 9.Bc4!?; or 9.f5!?, similar
Page 22 March 2023 Northwest Chess
26...‌Kc7 27.Be6 a5 28.a4 h5 29.c3 Rg1 11.f5.; 6.Bc4 is a choice played by Fischer 17...‌Qxg4 18.Re1 Be7 19.Qxb7 Rd8
0–1 that also discourages...‌e5. 6...‌e6 7.Bb3 b5 20.Bd3 Kf8
8.0‑0 Be7 9.Qf3 Qc7 10.Qg3 18.f6 gxf6 19.Qa4+?
6...‌e5 19.Qb6! Bg7 20.Nd6+ Kf8 21.Bc4 with
GM Bryan Smith –
James Brooks [B90] Najdorf’s 5...‌ a6 takes away the b5– too much for the exchange.
Simultaneous Exhibition square from the d4–knight, making...‌e5 a 19...‌Kd8 20.c3 Kc7 21.cxd4 Qb4
(MexInsurance FIDE Open) standard threat (see the above lines after
6.Be3 or 6.Be2). 6...‌g6 has been played, 21...‌Rd8!? looks more speculative, and
Boise, ID December 19, 2022 after 22.Rc1+ Kb8 23.Nc5 Rxd4 24.Qb3
[Ralph Dubisch] however, with Dragon-like positions.
7.Bg5 Bg7 8.0‑0‑0 Black has 24...‌Qxc5! (24...‌Ka7 25.Bxa6!
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 bxa6 26.Nxa6 appears to draw.) 25.Rxc5
5.Nc3 a6 6.Qd3 7.Nf5 Bxf5 Bxc5 26.Bxa6 Rb4 27.Qd5 Rc8.
Since the queen defends f5, the traditional 22.Qc2+ Kb8 23.Nxf6 Bg7
7...‌d5 doesn’t work: 8.Nxd5 (or 8.exd5 e4
9.Qg3 Bxf5 10.Qe5+) 8...‌Nxd5 9.exd5. 23...‌exd4
8.exf5 d5 9.Bg5 d4 24.Nd7+ Ka7 25.a3! Qe7 26.dxe5
9...‌Nbd7 10.Nxd5 Qa5+ 11.Nc3 Bb4
gives Black quite decent compensation
for the pawn.
10.Bxf6 Qxf6 11.Ne4 Qc6 12.0‑0‑0 Nd7
13.g4?
Weakening the long diagonal. Something
Position after 6.Qd3 like 13.Be2 instead makes sense.
A very unusual move, presumably played 13...‌Nc5! 14.Nxc5 Qxh1 15.Ne4 Qxh2
to avoid theory. Many alternatives are 16.Kb1 Qh4
played: 6.Be3 e5 7.Nb3 Be6 8.f3 Nbd7 16...‌Qf4; or 16...‌Be7 first.
(8...‌Be7 9.Qd2 0‑0 10.0‑0‑0 Nbd7 11.g4) Position after 26.dxe5
17.Qb3
9.g4 (9.Qd2); 6.Be2 e5 7.Nb3 Be7 8.0‑0 26...Rac8??
0‑0; 6.Bg5 is effective at preventing an 17.f6! Qxg4 (17...‌gxf6 18.Qf3 gives White
early...‌e5. 6...‌e6 7.f4 Qb6 (The famous too much activity.) 18.Bh3 Qf4 19.fxg7 Very natural, yet according to the
Poison Pawn variation. Alternatives Bxg7 20.Nd6+ Kf8 and here Stockfish computer very wrong. Either rook to d8
include 7...‌Be7; 7...‌Nbd7; 7...‌Qc7) 8.Qd2 claims that 22.Qb3, 22.Qa3, and 22.Nf5 avoids the trouble. 26...‌Rhd8 27.Qc7 (27.
Qxb2 9.Rb1 Qa3 with stacks of “book” all quickly lead to perpetual check draws. Qd3 Rxd7 28.Qxd7 Qxe5 29.Rd2 Qe1+
available to confuse and confound; White 30.Rd1 Qxf2 31.Qd2, but essentially
generally chooses between 11.e5 and 17...‌Qe7?! drawn.) 27...‌Rac8 28.Qb6+ Ka8 29.Qd4
Bxe5 30.Nb6+ Kb8 31.Nd7+ with a draw.
Final Simul Results GM Bryan Smith +14-0=1 27.Qb3??
Seats State Player FIDE US Chess White responds with a natural move,
avoiding pins on the d-file while defending
1 ID George Lundy 1490 1448 the rook. But—it’s also wrong. Chess is a
2 ID Caleb Kircher 1608 1840 hard game. 27.Qd3 27.Qd2 and 27.Qe4
3 ID Corey Longhurst 0000 1408 are also winning. 27...‌Rhd8 28.Qd4+ Ka8
4 ID Christopher Hall 0000 0611 (28...‌Rc5 29.f4!) 29.Bg2 and Black must
deal with the threat of Bxb7+ and mate
5 ID Liam Nosarev 0000 0763 in three. 29...‌Qe6 30.f4 Qb3 31.Rd2 and
6 ID Vladislav Nosarev 1392 1182 Black runs dangerously short of moves.
7 ID Tom Booth 0000 1500 31...‌Bf8 32.Nb6+ Kb8 33.Qxd8 Rxd8
34.Rxd8+ Ka7 35.Nc8+ Kb8 36.Nd6+
8 ID Brian S Lange 0000 1451 Kc7 37.Rxf8+–
9 ID James Brooks - Earned the Draw! 0000 1600 27...‌Rhd8 28.Qb6+ Ka8 29.Bb5 Bxe5
10 ID Bryce Leifeste 0000 1624 30.Re1 Rxd7 31.Bxd7 Qxd7 32.Rxe5
11 ID Andrew Beck 0000 1037 Qd1+ 33.Ka2 Qxg4 34.Qb3 Qc4
12 ID Candice Liang 0000 1128 35.Qxc4 Rxc4 36.Rf5 Rc7 37.Rf6 Kb8
38.Rh6 Rc2 39.Rf6 Rc7 40.Rh6 Rc2
13 ID Zachary Semancik 1507 1458 41.Rf6 Rc7
14 ID Kaustubh Kodihalli 1458 1907 Nicely played.
15 ID James Wei 1565 1858 ½–½
Northwest Chess March 2023 Page 23
 Chico Juvenal—
The Tiger Killer
By David Zaklan
The game and story is a fictional tale based on two separate truths.
(...with apologies to GM Andres Rodriguez Vila and GM Varuzhan Akobian)

I
came to Brazil for the same reason I go After traveling upstream for a few that was tawny yellow with jet black rings
anywhere, to play chess. Three years hours, the black-haired hatless crew of spots. The large stocky cat, about 175
ago, I met two missionaries, Duane pulled the canoe onto a white sand pounds, hung from his shoulders across
Howe and his wife Nadine. They beach. Flocks of yellow, red, green and his back. It smelled like musky varnish
were the first to discover the lost tribes of blue colored parrots and macaws flew and twangy raw meat. Its open mouthed
the Amazon jungle. They brought them overhead glowing in the sun. Little black white fanged head hung below his waist
the Gospel and education. With the help monkeys, softly slapping their faces, on the right behind the rifle. A long-
of the Howe’s, I traveled from Twin Falls surrounded me as I stepped onto the spotted tail stuck out the other side of his
Idaho to visit a rubber gatherer tribe. This riverbank; they too were trying to get back. Chico was barefoot, wearing khaki
gnat infested settlement called Aquidabã away from the gnats that were even in my shorts. Dried blood covered his left shin.
sits on the banks of the Juruá River. tears. As I marveled at the overpopulated He stood effortlessly. I took black.
Years earlier in his missionary zoo feel of this environ; a young Indian I spoke little Spanish and no
work, Duane met a hunter here, Chico woman motioned me to follow her. Portuguese, Chico no English or French.
Juvenal—The Tiger Killer. (In Brazil We pushed through the dense jungle We both spoke chess. So after admiring
jaguars are called “El Tigre”) He lived to a small lean-to. Underneath its roof his rifle and the jaguar, we smiled, shook
in this very poor tribe. Chico was known was a square table, two chairs and a hand hands and the game began.
as the greatest hunter. He provided meat carved Staunton like chess set made
and protection from jaguars to the rubber out of ebony and tulipwood; the pieces
gatherers. They lived in small shacks that were squarer than round. The ebony was Chico Juvenal –
dotted the muddy riverbanks. Working totally black and the natural color the David Zaklan [C02]
within the mission church he came to tulipwood was white with strands of pink Jungle Game
find a leadership role as a pastor rescuing throughout. The board was made with [David Zaklan]
the lost. Someone taught him chess. His squares of each wood. Alongside of the Chico played...
natural talent for the game was extreme chess set was an hourglass lying on its
from knowing the ways of nature, hunting side with about fifteen minutes of sand in 1.e4
and stalking dangerous game. He took each globe. The plank floor was covered ...and set the hourglass upright. My sand
right to it, very much to the chagrin of with crushed purple leaves that emitted a began to pour through the hourglass.
other chess players he met on his travels. pungent sweet odor completely sending His black eyes looked at me intensely. I
As Duane described him to me, the swarms of gnats elsewhere. sensed no disdain, but only being assessed
I found myself really wanting to play Just as I decided to sit down on the as prey by an alpha predator.
Chico a game of chess. My passport was white side of the board, Chico Juvenal Since he spoke no French, my only
in order, and the trip began. In Brazil I pushed through the jungle into the lean- response was, of course
flew on the missionary flight group plane to. In his right hand was a Winchester
with a load of supplies. I then took the 30-30 lever action rifle, its brown walnut 1...e6
motorized canoe trip upstream on the wood stock had scrapes and dents from I turned the hourglass over with this and
pearl green waters of the Juruá River. decades of hunting. my every move, as did Chico. The longer
After only a few hundred yards, the Chico smiled from behind a thick my moves took the more sand he got.
driver had to stop the motor and drift in
the current for a while an opaque cloud
black mustache that highlighted his 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6
earnest look. His arms were pushed 6.Bd3 cxd4 7.cxd4
of yellow butterflies engulfing the canoe through holes in a freshly cut jaguar skin
finally dissipated. [Diagram top of next page]
Page 24 March 2023 Northwest Chess
 Position after 7.cxd4
The trap. Chico caught himself starting to
smile, hoping I would capture the pawn
and fall into the trap. 7...Nxd4 8.Nxd4
Qxd4 9.Bb5+ Game over! But instead...
7...Bd7
8.0–0 Nxd4
He sacrificed a pawn to castle.
9.Nbd2
Chico’s move led me down an unknown
path. I chose to play it safe and retreat
before my sand ran out, since I was a
pawn up.
9...Nc6 10.Nb3 Qc7
What development??
11.Bf4 Nge7 12.Nc5 Ng6 13.Bg5 Qb6
14.Nxd7 Kxd7 15.Re1 Bc5
Good for a few grains of sand.
16.Qe2 Rhc8 17.h4 h6 18.Bd2 Ke8
19.a3 a5 20.Rac1 Nd4 21.Nxd4 Bxd4
22.b4 axb4 23.Bxb4 Nf4 24.Bb5+ Kd8
25.Qf3 Rxc1 26.Rxc1 Bxe5 27.a4 Rxa4
28.Bxa4 Qxb4
Now I can hunt.
29.Qe3 Bd6 30.Bd1 Nd3 31.Ra1 Nxf2
32.Kxf2 Bc5

Position after 32...Bc5

Chico studied the position until there
was no sand left, laid the king down and
became the jungle.
Above image from Brown and Gold, June 1992, pages 6-7. Chico Juvenal (Chico the hunter).
0–1 Original article and photo credit: Duane Howe.
Northwest Chess March 2023 Page 25
 East Idaho Regional
Scholastic Chess Qualifier
(“Is Huge Success”)
Jay Simonson

F
ifty-seven scholastic chess players which distributed them to all schools Tournament Director, Jay Simonson,
from 31 different schools (and (possibly 30) in the district. Starting and his assistant, John Eisenmenger
several who are home schooled) three weeks before the event, I emailed a had several challenges in getting the
congregated in the Salmon River flyer to 29 public school districts and 29 tournament started. Peter Clark, from
Suites, Idaho State University Student charter and private schools. Obviously, Twin Falls, Idaho, showed up with four
Union Building, in Pocatello, Idaho, these efforts paid off. Last year, the East of his children, and was put to work
January 21, 2023. There were students Regional Scholastic Qualifier boasted 28 immediately helping to straighten out
from every grade, kindergarten through players, and was deemed a big success. the registrations. 25 students needed to
12th grade. This writer had 1825 paper This year’s turn out, more than double be entered into the computer for pairing.
flyers printed, and personally delivered last year’s, is nothing but a huge success! 15 still needed to pay. Several parents
25 flyers each to 45 schools in the Because there were so many students were registered instead of their student
Bonneville and Idaho Falls school (and parents) who registered late Friday children. It took about 1.5 hours to get
districts. 700 paper flyers were taken to night or who had not yet registered, the everything sorted out and begin the
the Pocatello/Chubbuck School District tournament.

Jay Simonson (in front) presents Top School trophy to Madison High School players.
(L-R): Jarek Flora, Hayden Egbert, Beck Thueson, Colin Sinkovic, Caleb Lowrey, William Miller,
Isaac Muldowney, Taven Mullholland, David Gordon, Lane Grose, Coleman Codd.
Photo credit: Jason Flora.
Page 26 March 2023 Northwest Chess
 This was a five-round Swiss System fourth places. By tie breaks, Ryker Duffin David Gordon won first place, as noted
tournament in three sections: K-5, 6-8, received the second-place medal, Saxson above; Caleb Lowrey won second; and
and 9-12. The tie breaks were: Solkoff, Ackley received the third-place medal, Isaac Muldowney won third. Even though
Cumulative, Cumulative of Opposition, and Ethan Bowers received a “Qualified all seniors (12th Grade) automatically
and Modified Median. Thanks to the for State” medal. qualify to play in the State Scholastic
clocks which Peter Clark brought with With 4.5 points, Hayden Egbert won Chess Tournament, no less than five
him, we had clocks for almost all of the clear first place in the sixth thru eighth seniors played in the East Idaho Regional
High School section and enough clocks grade section. Isaac Burke won the Scholastic Chess Qualifier Tournament.
for the first six games in each of the other second-place trophy, and Ethan Riordan In addition to William Miller and Delia
two sections. won the third-place trophy. There was one Groves, who placed second and third in
The K-5 section finished first. Sophie sixth-grade player, and Ezra Turner won the section, Jacob Jensen won first place
Ma, with five points was clear first place first place. In the seventh grade, Christian for the 12th grade, and tie breaks decided
in the section. Sophie was the only one in Swift won first; Owen Clark won second; second place belonged to Lane Grose,
all three sections to earn a perfect score and Johnathan Wollen won third. The and third place was earned by Collin
of 5.0/5. There was a tie for second thru eighth-grade contest ended in a tie for Sinkovic.
fourth place at four points. By tie breaks, first and second place. Tie breaks decided Madison High School, from Rexburg,
Everett Hauge won the second-place that Blaise Turner took home the first- Idaho, showed up with no less than ten
trophy, Olivia Ding won the third place place trophy, and Ronald Ackley won students who played in the tournament.
trophy, and Lucy Clark was awarded the second-place medal. Third place was The top four players’ scores from each
first place in grade five. First place (there claimed by Xela Gunnell. team are used to decide which school
was only one) for kindergarten was won Coleman Codd, with 4.5 points, was wins the Top School trophy. Madison
by Emma Abenroth. First grade winners clear first place overall in the high school High School won this trophy by amassing
were: Bronson Dodge, first; Evelyn (9-12) section. Tie breaks determined 16 points. There was no award given
Bowers, second; and Grayson Renz, third. William Miller won the second-place for other high-scoring teams, but this
In the second grade, Ezra Clark won the trophy, Delia Groves won the third-place writer wants to recognize some of them.
first-place trophy, William Thompson trophy, and David Gordon won first place Peter Clark’s home school, Princeton
won the second place medal, and Max in grade eleven. Ninth grade winners Conservatory, from Twin Falls, Idaho,
Turner and Nathan Abenroth tied for were: Ethan Swift, first place, and Joaquin with four students, gained 11.5 points.
third place. By tie breaks, Max won the Ekcan, second. The tenth-grade contest John Evans Elementary School, from
third-place medal and Nathan won a ended in a tie for first, and a five-way tie Burley, Idaho, with five students, scored
“Qualified for State” medal. In grade for third place. Tie breaks awarded first 10.5 points. Three schools each earned
three, Dallin Tarbet was first; Annette place to Ethan Samuelson and second nine points total: Alturas International
Wang was second; and Tatum Dodge was place to Jerek Flora. Jaeryc Eastman Academy, located in Idaho Falls, Idaho,
third. First place in grade four was Eloise won the third-place medal. William Ford, with only two students; Pocatello High
Helms. There were no other fourth grade Lydia Clark, Nolan Ma, and Jocelyn School, Pocatello, Idaho, with three
players. As mentioned above, Lucy Clark Barron each were awarded a “Qualified students; and Franklin Junior High
won the first place fifth grade trophy. for State” medal. In the 11th Grade, School, Pocatello, Idaho, with three
There was a three-way tie for second thru students.

Jay Simonson (R) presents Jay Simonson (R) presents Jay Simonson (R) presents
first place trophy for K-5 grade Hayden Egbert with first place Coleman Codd with first place
section to Sophie Ma. trophy for 6-8 grades. trophy for 9-12 grade section.
Photo credit: Megan Helmes. Photo credit: Justin Egbert. Photo credit: Jason Flora.
Northwest Chess March 2023 Page 27
 Co-hosted by Western WA University & WA Chess Federation

Bellingham Open
April 22, 2023
Western WA University -- Viking Union Building: Room 565
516 High Street, Bellingham, WA 98225
Highest finishing WA resident in the Open Section seeded into the 2024 WA
State Championship – Premier section.
Format: A 5-round Swiss tournament in two sections: Open and Reserve U1700.

Entry fee: $35 by 4/15, $40 after. $20 play-up fee if rated under 1700 and playing in Open section. Free
entry for Western students. Maximum of 100 players, please register early to reserve your spot!

Schedule: Registration & Check-in: 9-9:45am. Rounds (5): 10am, 11:30am, 1:30pm, 3:00pm, 4:30pm.
Closing Ceremony ~ 6pm or asap.

Time Control: G/30; +10 sec. increment per move starting from move 1.

Rating: NWSRS Rated. Open section also US Chess Rated. Higher of current NWSRS or April 2023 US
Chess Regular Rating will be used to determine section, pairings, and prizes.

Memberships: US Chess membership required for Open section; no memberships required for Reserve
section.

Prize Fund: $1,200 (based on 60 paid entries)

Open: 1st $200 2nd $130 3rd $100, 1st U2000/U1800: $50

Reserve U1700: 1st $120 2nd $100 3rd $80, 1st U1600/U1400/U1200/U1000: $50, 1st Unrated: $50

Special Prizes (per section): Best Upset: $25, Best Female Player (by TPR): $25, Best Dressed: $10.

Byes: Up to 2 half-point byes available if requested before the end of round 2.

Registration: Online at nwchess.com/OnlineRegistration. Online registration + payment deadline:

Fri, April 21 @ 5pm. Unpaid players will be removed from the roster after the deadline, and players
from the Waitlist will be offered a spot. At-site registration: 9-9:45am. On-site payment available by
cash, check made out to “WCF”, or Venmo (@WAChess).

Health/Safety Protocols: Face masks optional for players and spectators. If interested, please bring
your own mask.

Questions – Josh Sinanan, WCF President, 206-769-3757, [email protected]

 10th Annual Larry Evans Memorial Open
Apr 7-9 or Apr 8-9, 2023, 3 Day or 2 Day Schedule
US Chess
$27,500!! (b/275) $17,000!! (Guaranteed)
F.I.D.E. Rated
150 GPP (Enhanced) OPEN Section

NEW LOCATION: CIRCUS CIRCUS RENO

500 N. Sierra Street, Reno, NV 89503 (2 blocks east of the Sands)
6 Rd Swiss ✦ 6 Sections ✦ 40/2, Game/1 - d5 ✦ (Open Section) 40/2, Game/55 - d5 ✦ 2 Day (Rds 1-3) G/1 - d5
Open Section (2200 & above) EF: $184, (2000-2199) $250, (1999/below) $300; GMs and IMs free but must enter by 3/10 or pay late
fee at door. Guaranteed Prizes; (1-7 in Open Section plus 1/2 of all other prizes).
Open Section $2,000 - 1,000 - 900 - 800 - 700 - 600 - 500, (2399/below) $1,000 - $500, (2299/below) $1,000 - $500 (If there is a tie for
1st then a playoff for $100 out of prize fund plus trophy).
Section Expert (2000-2199) EF: $184 (2-day EF: $180) $2,000-1,000-500-300-300
Section "A" (1800-1999) EF: $183 (2-day EF: $180) $1,800-900-500-300-300
Section "B" (1600-1799) EF: $182 (2-day EF: $180) $1,700-800-400-300-300
Section "C" (1400-1599) EF: $181 (2-day EF: $180) $1,500-700-400-300-300
Section "D/Under" (1399-below) EF: $170 (2-day EF: $180) $1,000-500-300-200, (1199/below) $300
Top Senior (65+) - $200; Club Championship - $600 - 300.
Wed. 4/5: 7:00 pm - GM Sergey Kudrin Clock Simul w/ complete analysis of YOUR Game (Only $30!-bring clock)
Thursday 4/6: 6 - 7:15 pm - Lecture by IM John Donaldson (FREE)
7:30 pm - GM Enrico Sevillano Simul ($20); Bli (G/5 d0) Tourney $25 - 80% of entries = Prize Fund
Saturday 4/8: 3 - 4:30 pm - FREE Game/Position Analysis - IM John Donaldson
♕♘♖♔♗♙ Main Tournament ♙♗♔♖♘♕
Registration: Thursday (4/6) 5 - 8 pm. - Friday (4/7) 9 - 10 am. - Saturday (4/8) 9 - 10 am.
Round Times: (3-day Schedule) Friday - 12 Noon - 7 pm; Saturday - 10 am - 6 pm; Sunday - 9 am - 4 pm
2-day Schedule: Sat.- Rd 1 - 10:30 am, Rd 2 - 12:45 pm, Rd 3 - 3 pm, Rd 4 merge with regular schedule - 6 pm
For more information: Call, Write or E-mail Organizer and Chief TD, N.T.D. Jerome (Jerry) Weikel,
(H) 775-747-1405 OR (Cell) 775-354-8728 ● 6578 Valley Wood Dr., Reno, NV 89523 ● [email protected]
Room Reservation: Call Circus Circus Reno, 1-800-648-5010, Group Reservation Code: SRWECH3
$98.34 Sun-Thu / $200.49 Fri-Sat ● Reserve by 3/21 ● Hotel link: h ps://book.passkey.com/go/SRWECH3
For TLA and to confirm receipt of entry see player list at: www.renochess.org
ENTRY FORM - 10th Annual Larry Evans Memorial Open - Reno, Nevada - Apr 7-9 OR Apr 8-9, 2023
Mail to: WEIKEL CHESS LLC, 6578 Valley Wood Drive, Reno NV 89523
PRINT Name __________________________________ Daytime Phone ________________________ USCF/FIDE Rating __________
Street Address ____________________________________ City _________________________ State ________ Zip _________________
USCF ID# ______________________ Exp. Date ________________ All pre-registered players please check in at TD desk on arrival.
ENTRY FEE ENCLOSED: (CIRCLE SECTION AND FEE BELOW) BYE(S) REQUESTED FOR ROUND(S): (circle) 1 2 3 4 5 6
- - - - - - - OPEN SECTION - - - - - - - EXPERT "A" "B" "C" "D/Under" UNRATED
GM/IM Masters 2000-2199 1999-Below 2000-2199 1800-1999 1600-1799 1400-1599 1399-Below Free With
3-Day EF Free $184 $250 $300 $184 $183 $182 $181 $170 USCF Dues
2-Day EF $180 $180 $180 $180 $180 USCF Dues
FEES ALSO ENCLOSED FOR: POSTMARK BY March 10, 2023. Add $11 after 3/10. Add $22 on site.
$30 Wed. Clock Simul GM Kudrin Do not mail after 3/31 or email after 4/4. Make check / m.o. payable to Check Enclosed
$20 Thu. Simul GM Sevillano WEIKEL CHESS LLC or provide credit card info and signature. $5 service
Charge My Card
$25 Thursday Bli (G/5 d0) charge on credit card entries. Visa Master Card Am.Ex

$ _____
TOTAL
Expiration Date_________________ CVV Code________________________
$20 Discount - Sr 65+ Age ______ FEES:
Credit Card#_____________________________________________________
Signature________________________________________________________
 QUALIFIER TOURNAMENT
Saturday, March 25, 2023
Chinook Middle School
2001 98th Ave NE, Bellevue, WA 98004

CLASSICAL SECTIONS: ELIGIBILITY: THE DETAILS

K-5 Open (Rockefeller Qualifier) Open to all students in grades K- Health/Safety Protocols: Face masks
6-8 Open (Barber Qualifier) 12 as of the 2022-23 school year. optional for players and spectators. If
A 4-round G/75; +5 Swiss. Longer Out-of-state players welcome! interested, please bring your own mask.
time control for Intermediate to
Online Registration:
Advanced players. Dual NWSRS ENTRY FEE: NWchess.com/OnlineRegistration/
and US Chess Rated; US Chess
membership required. Rounds: $45 by March 18th, $55 after. Pay by Credit/Debit/PayPal.
9am, 12:30pm, 3:30pm, 6:30pm. Room for 200 players.
100% pre-registered, no on-site entries
Awards ceremony ~ 9:45pm. or payments. Entry + payment
AWARDS: deadline Fri., March 24th @ 5pm. No
RAPID SECTIONS:
Section Prizes: Amazon Gift registrations accepted or refunds offered
K-1 U800, 2-3 U800, K-3 Open, after the deadline. Unpaid players will be
Cards awarded in each section:
4-8 U900, 4-12 Open: A 5-round removed from the roster and waitlisted
1st $90, 2nd $80, 3rd $70, 4th $60, 5th
G/25; +5 Swiss. Shorter time players will be offered a spot.
control for players of all levels. $50.
Rounds: 9am, 10:15am, 11:30am, Team Prizes: Amazon Gift Cards Highest finishing WA State resident in the K-5
lunch, 1:00pm, 2:15pm. Awards Open and 6-8 Open section will earn a $750
awarded to the top 4 players from
ceremony ~ 3:30pm. travel stipend (donated by the WCF) to
the top 5 finishing teams (top 4
become the WA State representative at the
ALL SECTIONS: scores from same school comprise
Rockefeller (K-5) and Barber (6-8)
team score) across all sections: 1st Tournament of Champions, respectively,
NWSRS Rated. Open sections are
also US Chess Rated, which $30, 2nd $25, 3rd $20, 4th $15, 5th held concurrently with the US Open in early
requires clocks, notation, and US $10. August. A tie for first place in the
Chess membership. All Special Prizes (per section): Barber/Rockefeller Qualifier sections will be
equipment is provided. The Medals for first-timers, best resolved later in the year by playoffs, to be
U800 and U900 sections don’t female player, and biggest upset. played within two months from the end of
require clocks or notation, but a the tournament.
clock set for 10 minutes will be RATING:
placed in the game after 40 Questions?
Highest of US Chess Regular
minutes of play.
March supplement, or current Contact Josh Sinanan, WCF President at
WA State Elementary NWSRS rating used to determine 206.769.3757 or
Qualifier! section and pairings. [email protected]
 March 4 Saturday Quads

tle b
Format: 3-RR, 4-plyr sec. by rtg. TC: G/100;+10. EF:
$9(+$7 fee for non-SCC). Prizes: Free quad entry. Reg:
t
a lu s 9-9:45 a.m. Rds: 10:00-2:15-6:30. Misc: US Chess, WCF;
e
S s C nt OSA. NS, NC.
e s me March 5 SCC Novice
Ch rna 7212 Woodlawn


 Address Format: 4-SS. Open to U1200 and UNR. TC: G/60;+15. EF:
Ave NE  $20 (-$2 SCC members). Prizes: SCC membership(s). Reg:
o u Seattle WA 98115
 9-9:45a.m. Rds: 10-12:45-3:30-6. Byes: 1 (Rd 3/4–commit
T Info at reg.). Misc: US Chess memb. req’d. NS, NC.
www.seattlechess.club March 12 Sunday Tornado


Addresses for Entries Format: 4-SS. TC: G/50;+10. EF: $18 (+$7 fee for non-
SCC). Prizes: 1st 35%, 2nd 27%, Bottom Half 1st 22%,
SCC Tnmt Dir 2nd 16% ($10 per EF to prize fund). Reg: 10:30-11:15 a.m.
2420 S 137 St Rds: 11:30-1:50-4:10-6:30. Byes: 1 (Rd 3/4–commit at reg.).
Seattle WA 98168 Misc: US Chess, WCF; OSA. NS, NC.
—or— April 1 Saturday Quads
www.seattlechess.club Format: 3-RR, 4-plyr sec. by rtg. TC: G/100;+10. EF:
$9(+$7 fee for non-SCC). Prizes: Free quad entry. Reg:
9-9:45 a.m. Rds: 10:00-2:15-6:30. Misc: US Chess, WCF;
OSA. NS, NC.
SCC Team in Reno!
Mondays
April 7-9 or 8-9
Join the SCC Team(s) at the Larry Evans Memorial. We
will compete against teams from San Francisco, Reno,
are for casual play Sacramento, and elsewhere!

 Note New Dates

Seattle Spring Open

March 25-26, 2023
A five-round Swiss with a time control of G/100 with a 15-increment. The prize fund of $500 is based
on 24 paid entries, 3 per prize group.

First $150 Second $100 U1900 $70

U1700 $60 U1500 $50 U1300 $40
Unrated $30

Entry Fees: $40 if rec’d by 3/13 ($28 SCC memb.), $52 at site ($38 SCC memb.). Unrated–Free with
purchase of 1-yr US Chess & 1-yr WCF.
Registration: Sat. 9-9:45am. Rounds: Sat. 10-2:30-7, Sun. 11-3:30.
Byes: 2 (Sunday rounds, commit at registration). Miscellaneous: US Chess & WCF membership req’d.
No smoking.

Northwest Chess March 2023 Page 31