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| FM Yian Liou |
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| IM Daniel Naroditsky |
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| NM Daniel Schwarz |
Now in its seventh year, the
Ray Schutt Memorial Blitz Tournament continues to attract
many of the strongest and fastest local players to the
Mechanics' Institute. The 5 double-round swiss (10 games) featured a generous $750 prize fund, augmented by free books for everyone, including multiple signed copies by Bay Area authors. Even ten days later, the fond memories remain fresh. Thanks to photographer
Richard Shorman and webmaster
Kerry Lawless for uploading
more than 100 photos on ChessDryad.
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6-time US Champion
GM Walter Browne | |
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A blast from the past:
NM Mike Arne |
Out of a record 63 participants, 17 were masters, including two Grandmasters and seven International Masters. The defending champion IM
Daniel Naroditsky was poised to three-peat, but he faced stiff challenges in the final two rounds from Italian IM
Niccolo Ronchetti (1.5-0.5) and 3-time US Champion GM
Nick deFirmian (1-1). This allowed high school sophomore FM
Yian Liou to snatch clear first place by sweeping IM
Ricardo DeGuzman (2-0).
Three of my former students finished in the money: Yian, Danya and recent Stanford graduate
Daniel Schwarz. Way to go guys!
All that blitz practice pays dividends!
Final Standings
- 9.0 FM Yian Liou
- 8.5 GM Nick deFirmian and IM Daniel Naroditsky
- 8.0 IM Ray Kaufman, IM Odondoo Ganbold and NM Daniel Schwarz
- 7.5 IM Niccolo Ronchetti
- 7.0 IM Ricardo DeGuzman and FM Andy Lee
- 6.5 GM Walter Browne
- 5.5 NM Michael Aigner
On the day before the blitz, the Mechanics' hosted the
13th Powell Memorial (G/45). For the first time in four years,
Yours Truly ended up victorious! I beat master
Romulo Fuentes and improving expert
Aleksandr Ivanov before drawing with
National K-8 champion Siddharth Banik.
Most importantly, I finally got off my life master floor!
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| The Chess Room |
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