BCF Spiegel Cup report by Nicholas Sterling

banner:  Tony Cortizas, Jr.

 77 photos to the album: BCF Spiegel Cup Series 2018.

Fellow BCF and MACA Scholastic players,

Oh my GOODNESS!


Without question this incredibly enormous and immensely successful Spiegel Cup Series event at Boylston Chess Club - 48 players! - blew the top off not only all the records for Scholastic tournaments at BCF - well, at least those I'VE directed - but the SCS Tournaments I've directed in general.

Remarkable too was how very well behaved this huge crowd was. Thanks to all the Scholastic players who came and made this a thoroughly enjoyable occasion.

 
Special thanks to Natasha Christiansen, my fellow TD who so kindly volunteered her time to come help out. Thanks also to Tony Cortizas and Andrew Hoy for ordering the Trophies and Medals.

My own aim will be to convert this SCS next year to a full-scale four-Round G/45 d5, and to have 3rd-Place Trophies as well. We were honestly unsure what kind of response we would get from this offering. Next year we'll be sure to scale this event up.

Winners:
14 & Under:
1st Place: Jack Tompros
2nd-3rd Places: Henry Booth, Mark Chudnovsky (tied)
11 & Under:
1st Place: Jericho Carlson
2nd Place: Isaac Gordon
3rd Place (tied): Alexander Tran, Michelle Chudnovsky
8 & Under:
1st Place: Paul Tompros
2nd-3rd Places: Wataru Takeuchi, Suhavi Tiruveehdula, Anand Swaroop

Please put on your calendar the SCS hsoted by Chess Empire Kids at Lakeside Inn in Wakefield. Details are at http://masschess.org/Events/Event_Details.aspx?Event_ID=6106.

See you again soon. Let's have another big chess bash!

Nicholas P. Sterling,
BCF, Scholastics TD

BCC GAME 80: ENDGAMES GALORE / IM DENYS SHMELOV / LOGAN BOCHER / 1-2ND WITH 3 -0 PERFECTION // STEVE STEPAK CLEAR 1ST WITH 2.5 IN U1800 // 33 PLAY // 7 FEMALES PARTICIPATE

 

3SS / GAME 80 / 10" DELAY

IN 2 SECTIONS

OPEN SECTION

IM Denys Shmelov vs Paul Mishkin, Esq., Round 1.

Denys won all his games for a 3-0 record and a 1-2nd place!!

Paul, BCC Vice President, scored 1.5 for 7-14th . . . 

David Milliern on the move vs IM Denys Shmelov, R=2.

Logan Boucher, plays Victor Feng, Round 1.

Logan scored 3-0 to share 1-2nd place for a +17 to 2110 rating.

Bravo, Logan!

(background): Kevin Liu vs Timothy Bromley.

Bernie Xu scored 2.5 points to take

clear 3rd place with a +16 to 1997 rating.

Bravo, Bernie!

U1800 SECTION

                                                                                              PHOTO: LD

Steve Stepak, BC Veteran and Chess Journalist

scores 2.5 out of 3 for clear 1st place.

["I really love Game 80. Why? Even the extra

20 minutes per side affords enough time to

construct a creative endgame and play it out

to its proper conclusion: a win or a draw!"]

                                                                                                                                          PHOTO: LD

Jennifer Crawford plays her first rated USCF game vs

Steve Stepak, Round 1. Jennifer, a librarian by profession,

travelled all the way from Phymouth, MA to participate

in this event. First time at the BCC: welcome Jennifer!

2-4TH PLACE

Bob Oresick squares off with Riya Kanury in

Round 2. Bob drew Iglesias and Stepak to score

2 points for 2-4th place.

Bob Oresick, black vs Bernardo Iglesias: draw! Round 1.

Bernardo scored 2 points to share 2-4th place!

(background): Riya Kanury vs Will Wisdom; 

Chao Tu, black, vs Lydia Shen.

Lydia Shen plays Chao Tu, Round 1. This is Chao's second

USCF tournament. Great job, Chao!  Poised and creative,

he scored 2/3 for a piece of 2-4th place. Chao is the proud 

father of Lewis and Lawrence Tu!

ENDGAMES! ENDGAMES! ENDGAMES!

PICK OF THE EVENT

The game: Isabella Lai vs Bernardo Iglesias.

Though it is black to move, white has protected passers

coming down the center. Black's rooks, and knight are

still out of place. Looks like a victory for white; well

at least a draw.  You decide! Put this position on a

chess engine with black to move and see what a

Stockfish or Komodo or Rybka come up with!

Give the BCC Blog some feedback on your research.

SCENES FROM 

AROUND THE HALL

Derek Chubo Zhao: 2/3 (1925) 4-6th place,

Open section

Round 2: Isabella Lai, black vs Michelle Zhang;

(background): Jennifer Crawford, black vs Will Wisdom

NM Chris Williams vs Derek Chubo Zhao, Round 2.

Chris scored 2 points to share 2-4th place in the Open Section.

 

Joy Cao

Will Wisdom

Soren Sandman Pedersen vs Zubin Baliga, Round 2: draw!

MYSTERY MAN

Kelsey Liu vs Bernie Xu: draw!

[In post mortem, it looks like Kelsey had the win,

up the exchange and a pawn. The verdict:

endgames are tough puzzles; many years to master 

the winning technique. Maybe next time!]

Riya vs Will . . . 1-0 !

(upper right: Chao Tu)

Lawrence Tu, black vs Alan Song, Round 1

FEMALES PLAY CHESS AT THE BCC

Bob Oresick vs Riya Kanury; 

Isabella Lai, black vs Michelle Zhang;

Jennifer Crawford, black vs Will Wisdom . .  

WATCHING THE PRODIGY PLAY

Dads: Mr. Liu and Mr. Kanury, standing, observe.

Seated: Ruohan Yin vs Zukui Song play an intense

endgame. Zukui is the proud father of Alan Song(2134)

who played in the Open Section.

TOURNAMENT

ADMINISTRATION

BERNARDO IGLESIAS

CHIEF TD

NATASHA CHRISTIANSEN

ASST TD

PHOTOS: STEVE STEPAK

Masters Sunday

banner:  Tony Cortizas, Jr.

Masters Sunday 

Register Online Now

Date	Sunday, January 28, 2018
Event Format	4SS
Time Control	G60 d5
Sections	One section
Entry Fee	$50 for BCF members, $70 for non-members, $5 more if not registering online; $15 discount given to player rated at least 2200
Prizes	$500 based on 15 paid entries: $400-$100
Registration	9:30am - 9:45am
Round Times	10:00am, 1:00pm, 3:30pm, 6:00pm
Description	Open to players rated at least 1900 on the December or January supplement or live MSA rating. Free entry for GMs and IMs with no deduction from any prize won. Entry fee reduced by $15 for players rated at least 2200. Free parking on Sundays!
Entry List	Current Pre-Registration List

Legends of Chess: Samisch

banner:  Tony Cortizas, Jr.

Legends of Chess: Sämisch 

 Register Online Now

Date	Saturday, January 27, 2018
Event Format	4SS
Time Control	G60 d5
Sections	Open & U1800
Entry Fee	$35, $20 for BCF Members, $5 more if not registering online
Prizes	$$360 GUARANTEED: Open 1st $150, 2nd $90 U1800 1st $70, 2nd $50
Registration	9:15am - 9:45am
Round Times	10:00am, 1:00pm, 3:30pm, 6:00pm
Entry List	Current Pre-Registration List

BCC $15 OPEN:DR BOTTA / JOAQUIN CARLSON / 1-2ND / OPEN // GREG ARDINI 1ST / U1800 // 43 PLAY

 

GAME 60 5" DELAY IN 2 SECTIONS:

OPEN AND U1800

OPEN SECTION

NM Dr. Alejandro Botta vs Eric Feng, Round 2.

Dr. Botta scored 3.5 points to share 1-2nd place

with Joaquin Carlson.

Logan Boucher, black vs Joaquin Carlson, Round 3.

Joaquin was 3-0 on the day with a half point bye to

rack up 3.5 points sharing 1-2nd place with NM Dr. Botta.

TOP JUNIORS

Nicholas Belous(2011) vs Ruohan Yin, Round 2.

Nick was 3-1, losing to Dr. Botta in the last round.

This was good enough to claim clear 3rd place!

8 yr old Ruohan was even on the day, 2:2 and notched

his rating up to 1700. Terrific results for both juniors!

U1800 SECTION

Alexander Fang Meng, black vs Thomas Veeramani, Round 2.

(upper): Harrison Jumper, black vs Greg Ardini.

Greg won 3 in a row and drew his last game with Ian Brody

to take clear 1st place with 3.5 points. Bravo, Greg!

Jeffrey Liu, black vs Andrew Scacchi, Round 1.

Jeff scored 3 points to share 2-3rd place with Ben Hough!

SCENES FROM

AROUND THE HALL

BCC PLAYING VENUE: PRESTINE

Kids planning their game . . . 

Atul Kannan, black vs David Milliern, Round 2.

Atul and David each scored 2.5 points to share 4-8th place.

Atul and David are also BCC assistant TDs and

Atul in on the Board of Directors 2017-2018.

Another view of the BCC playing area . . .  nice!

sister brother consultation . . . 

 . . . planning with white . . . 

Dr. Natesh Pillai, Professor of Statistics, Harvard University,

plays black vs Ilya Rozonoyer, Round 1.

NM Chris Williams

(background): Rouhan Yin

REFUELING

LUNCH!

Boylston Chess Club kids: sweet and good!

LEARNING TO PLAY WELL

Jericho Carlson (right): +54 to 1022 rating!

Bravo, Jericho!

TOURNAMENT ADMINISTRATION:

NICK STERLING CHIEF TD

NATASHA CHRISTIANSEN ASST TD

Nick, in his summer gear!

PHOTOS:STEVE STEPAK