BCC Championship field strongest in years

Thanks to a big turnout of club masters, the 2007 Boylston Chess Club Championship tournament sports an average rating of 2280. The field includes one International Master; only the Reubens-Landey qualifier lacks initials in front of his name.

IM David Vigorito - 2432
FM Chris Chase - 2338
NM Charles Riordan - 2331
NM Christopher Williams - 2302*
NM Alex Cherniack - 2296
FM Paul MacIntyre - 2276
NM Libardo Rueda - 2261
NM Frank Wang - 2249
NM Lawyer Times - 2241
Gregory Kaden - 2071

The group includes the 2006 Co-Champions Chase and Riordan, along with former Champions Cherniack and MacIntyre. Games in the 10-Round Robin event began last night and will continue into early November.

The 11-player Hauptturnier field is also a touch stronger than the last few years, though not even close to as much as the Championship and nowhere near what it was 10-15 years ago.

Edward Chisam - 2063
David Glickman - 2027
Alex Slive - 2000
Ken Newman - 1909
Joshua Haunstrup** - 1898
Ruben Portugues - 1823
Walter Driscoll - 1800
Jonathan Lee - 1724
Frank Frazier - 1600
Robert Oresick - 1472
Ted Gorczyca - 1380

Chisam's participation this year is notable -- he seems to show up about once per decade, win the whole thing and then disappear again -- a bit like a Cicada. Welcome back, Eddie.

* compare this to his USCL rating of 2175
** author of the Chess Praxis blog