Sacramento Championship This Weekend

The annual Sacramento Chess Championship takes place this weekend at the Holiday Inn Express off Business-80 in Northeast Sacramento.  The tournament is the biggest and strongest event in the Sacramento region each year, attracting a good number of players from the Bay Area.  Can we break 100 participants this year?  Players rated above 2000 should take note that the Open section will be FIDE rated for the first time.  

Last year saw Bay Area experts Byron Doyle and WFM Uyanga Byambaa split the top prize ahead of five masters.  Check out Uyanga's report and annotations.  IM Ricardo DeGuzman won this event frequently over the years, most recently the 2013 edition.  Who will show up this year?  Check the advance entry list.

The weather forecast calls for low to mid 90s on Friday through Sunday, considerably more comfortable than the 100s projected for the week.  Dress comfortably!

• Event: Sacramento Chess Championship
• Dates: July 3-5 (3-day) or 4-5 (2-day)
• Location: 2224 Auburn Blvd in Sacramento (take Business-80 freeway to Howe Ave)
• Format: 6 Rounds in 3 Sections (Open, Reserve = U2000, Amateur = U1600)
• Schedule
  • 3-day Rounds: Fri 10:00 and 3:30; Sat 10:30 and 4:00; Sun 10:00 and 3:30
  • 2-day Rounds: Sat 9:00, 11:15, 1:30 and 4:00; Sun 10:00 and 3:30
• Time control -- Set Chronos clocks to mode CH-P6 (3-day) or CH-P5 (2-day)
  • Open: 40/90, G/30 + 30/inc (2-day rounds 1-3 at G/50 + 15/inc)
  • Res/Ama: 30/75, G/45 + 30/inc (2-day rounds 1-3 at G/50 + 15/inc)
• Entry: $90 (includes late fee)
• Projected Prizes: $625 for first in Open, $550 for first in two lower sections
• Flyer: http://sacramentochessclub.org/weekend_events/2015scc.pdf
• Entries: http://sacramentochessclub.org/weekend_events/2015scc.htm
• Hotel: Holiday Inn Express - Northeast Sacramento
• Bring Boards, Sets and Digital Clocks!

Experts Win in Sacramento!

California's newest National Master: Uyanga Byambaa!

The 2014 Sacramento Chess Championship attracted 90 players old and young to the comfortable Holiday Inn Express on Auburn Blvd over the 4th of July weekend.  The weather outside was seasonably hot and the competition heated up as well, with a Sacramento area record $5000 up for grabs!  Naturally, the weekend saw plenty of fireworks, both on and off the chess boards.  Perhaps half of the participants psyched up for round 4 by watching the scintillating penalty shootout between the Netherlands and Costa Rica on a big screen in the spacious lounge.

The Open section drew 35 entries, including five rated 2200 or higher.  The conspicuous absence of defending champion IM Ricardo DeGuzman left the field wide open.  Top rated NM Jimmy Heiserman turned in a solid performance of 3 wins and 3 draws, but this proved insufficient for first place.  Congratulations to WFM Uyanga Byambaa and her boyfriend Byron Doyle for sharing top honors!  They took home $525 each, with Byron earning the trophy on tiebreaks (not that it mattered).  Officially rated as experts, both co-champions gained many rating points: Uyanga to 2206 and Byron to 2164.  Special kudos to Uyanga for earning the National Master title with her final round miniature against FM Kenan Zildzic!

Section Winners

• Master/Expert: Uyanga Byambaa and Byron Doyle
• Reserve (U2000): Bernie Lu, Ziad Baroudi and Bayaraa Bekhtur
• Amateur (U1600): Srinivas Susarla

National TD John McCumiskey capably organized this event, as he has done each year since 2001.  The location on Auburn Blvd offers a quiet and air conditioned playing hall with plenty of elbow room for all sections.  The skittles room includes tables, bar stools, sofas, large TV screens, and free wifi internet.  Great for chess players and parents alike.  Almost perfect--if you ask me.

Sacramento Championship on July 5-7

Are you looking for some hot chess competition during the dog days of summer?  If you're not attending the World Open in our nation's capital, then join the fun at the Sacramento Chess Championship.  Enter one of three rating sections and choose from the leisurely 3-day schedule (6 rounds of 30/75, G/45 + 30 second increment) or a thrill ride in the 2-day schedule (rounds 1-3 at G/50 + 15 second increment).  You can always count on an efficient event with the experienced National TD John McCumiskey at the helm.

NTD John McCumiskey

This annual tournament has attracted 70 to 80 players in recent years, but 100 would sound nice.  Probably a half dozen masters will enter the Open section, including an IM or two.  Indeed, IM Ricardo DeGuzman won the 2010 and 2011 editions, but he was trumped by FM Kenan Zildzic in 2012.  Yours truly intends to participate for the first time since 2009--when he actually won!

The latest weather forecast calls for low-90s on Friday through Sunday, much more comfortable than this week's 100s.

• Event: Sacramento Chess Championship
• Dates: July 5-7 (3-day) or 6-7 (2-day)
• Location: 2224 Auburn Blvd in Sacramento (take Business-80 freeway to Howe Ave)
• Format: 6 Rounds in 3 Sections (Open, U2000, U1600)
• 3-day Rounds: Fri 10 and 3:30, Sat 10:30 and 4, Sun 10 and 3:30
• 2-day Rounds: Sat 9, 11:15, 1:30 and 4, Sun 10 and 3:30
• Time control: 30/75, G/45 + 30/inc (2-day rounds 1-3 at G/50 + 15/inc)
• Chronos Clock use mode CH-P6 (3-day) or CH-P5 (2-day). 
• Entry: $70 by July 1 or $80 on-site
• Prizes: $550 for 1st in Open, $425 for 1st in two lower sections
• Flyer: http://www.sacramentochessclub.org/weekend_events/2013scc.pdf
• Entries: http://www.sacramentochessclub.org/weekend_events/2013scc.htm
• Hotel: Holiday Inn Express - Northeast Sacramento
• Don't Forget to Bring Boards, Sets and Digital Clocks!

Fpawn Rolls Over Opponents in Sacramento

(Left: Fpawn holds the trophy and 1st place check. Right: Masters Koepcke and Lazetich battle on top board in the final round.)




The annual Sacramento Chess Championship on 4th of July weekend provides a leisurely opportunity to push pawns on a holiday weekend. Even the mild weather was enjoyable this year! The 72 player attendance was down nearly 20% from last year, but that did not decrease the competition in the top section. I was paired with three veteran masters and three talented youngsters who all may be over 2200 by next summer. At the end of three days, I finished at 5.0 out of 6 for undisputed 1st place. NM Zoran Lazetich, NM Richard Koepcke and 11 year old Kyle Shin (rated only 1956 officially) shared 2nd at 4.5, with Kyle earning the top prize for players under 2200.

As a scholastic coach, I focus attention on the many up and coming local juniors. Two earned 2250+ performances in their quests to become masters themselves! 12 year old Yian Liou (first photo at left) started out hot with a perfect score after three rounds, beating FM Kenan Zildzic. However, he lost twice to finish with a modest rating gain, leaving him 39 points short of his goal of 2200. Not to be outdone, 11 year old Kyle Shin (second photo at left) picked up the slack. After losing badly in the first round, he recovered to win four straight games, including a pivotal victory against Yian. Kyle was even tied for the lead going into the final round, but only was able to draw. With an impressive 2273 performance rating, Kyle gained 48 rating points to 2045, and he may be near 2100 when the ongoing Tuesday Night Marathon is rated next week!

Several other youngsters gained both experience and rating points in the Master/Expert section. Honorable mention goes to Roland Zhu (3.0 points, +14 rating) and 8 year old Tanuj Vasudeva (2.5 points, +26 rating). Kudos to everyone who fought hard!

On a personal note, I must mention how difficult it is to play a serious game against your own students. On one hand, I want the kids to do well and improve; on the other hand, I really hate to lose or even draw! Making matters worse, the kids know my favorite openings, forcing me to improvise. This led to disaster in round 2, when Yian beat me after a stupid blunder--I hung an undefended knight on c6 to a simple fork with Qd5 check. I reentered into the 2-day schedule and was determined to atone for my mistake; unfortunately for Kyle, he was first in line to play an angry fpawn. The fresh start worked out well for me, and luckily Kyle was able to bounce back from the loss.

The 48 player Reserve (under 2000) section saw stiff competition between the A players and the up-and-coming adult B players. With the elite juniors all playing up in the Master/Expert section, this was the opportunity for Sacramento resident Robert Russo (see photo at right) to dominate. By scoring 5.5 out of 6, Robert certainly earned his promotion to A player! Mathew Benson (rated only 1646 going in) and Michael Da-Cruz shared second place at 5.0. Amazingly, the only junior to win money in the Reserve section was Ted Xiao at 4.0--who won the "top junior" prize.

• Click for USCF rating report.
• Check out my photo album on Flickr.
  

A few readers have commented how rare it is to see a photo of me on this blog. It makes sense considering that I am usually behind the camera. After I won the final round in Sacramento, the tournament organizer John McCumiskey and some others insisted that I pose for the candid camera. Thanks to parent Jung Shin for taking the photo at the top of this article.

The Young and the Younger

(Tanuj at left prepares to write down IM Shipman's latest move.)

A total of 72 chess enthusiasts of all ages turned up for the Sacramento Championship on the 4th of July. The 25 player Master/Expert section features a competition between 5 masters and 11 nationally ranked juniors. After four rounds, 3 masters are tied for first at 3.5/4: NM Zoran Lazetich, NM Richard Koepcke and this writer, who took the reentry option. The top kids are just half a point behind at 3.0, both losing to one of the leaders. 12 year old Yian Liou already beat two masters while 11 year old Kyle Shin defeated a pair of experts. The final two rounds are scheduled for Sunday.

The exciting pairing that I hoped for in my blog post three days ago did indeed occur. The tournament's youngest player, 7 year old (edit: he turned 8 recently) Tanuj Vasudeva (1800), challenged the sly veteran 79 year old IM Walter Shipman (2209) in a battle for the ages. They traded into an endgame of queens, rooks and pawns that should have been drawn by best play. In the end, the young kid got greedy and took a poisoned pawn, allowing the more experienced master to deliver a mating attack. No doubt that's a lesson that the kid will now know.

Battle of Generations in Sactown This Weekend

(The young and the old! 7 year old Tanuj Vasudeva next to 79 years young IM Walter Shipman.)


The Sacramento Chess Championship is one of the stalwarts on the Northern California tournament calendar, occupying the 4th of July weekend since 2001. In an era when one-day G/45 or G/60 events have become the norm, it is a relief to still find long games (30/90, SD/60) against serious competition, directed by well-respected TD John McCumiskey. The relaxed atmosphere at the Best Western Expo Inn on Howe Avenue contributes to the fighting spirit seen on dozens of 8x8 boards.

The advance entry list sets the scene for two intriguing subplots in the Master/Expert section. It will be nationally ranked juniors against masters and kids under 10 versus seniors over 65. Both CalChess K-12 co-champions, Yian Liou and Evan Sandberg, will no doubt hunt for master scalps and rating points as they near 2200 themselves. Another exciting pairing could pit the nation's top 7 year old, Tanuj Vasudeva, against a legend dating back to the 50s and early 60s, 79 years young IM Walter Shipman.

It is not too late for procrastinators to enter. A total of 58 players have signed up by Thursday afternoon; some others intend to sign up at the door. Players may choose between the leisurely 3-day schedule or the more economic 2-day option with three G/60s on Saturday. I would not be surprised to see IM Ricardo DeGuzman, defending champion NM Daniel Schwarz (see photo at left) and another two or three masters show up on Saturday morning for the 2-day schedule.

The annual Cal Expo fireworks show is scheduled for Saturday (July 4) evening at 9:30, but I expect to see fireworks at the chess boards begin much sooner. Be there!

Schwarz Plays in the Red Zone, Wins Sacramento

Despite soaring gas prizes and hot temperatures, the annual 4th of July tournament attracted a solid turnout of 84 players to California's capital city. Perhaps attracted by a quality tournament at longer time controls, adult players came from all over Northern California and as far away as Washington state; in fact, only about 1/3 of the participants were juniors. The field was officially split up into two sections, Open and Reserve (U2000), but a majority of A players chose to play for experience in the Open section.

Eight masters entered the tournament, headlined by International Masters Ricardo DeGuzman and Walter Shipman. In the end, Sacramento native and Stanford University sophomore NM Daniel Schwarz (2249) dominated the competition in the Open section, taking clear 1st place with a 5.0/6 score. He did not get easy pairings, instead facing five straight masters and beating three of them for a 2546 performance rating! Daniel even defeated defending champion and top rated IM DeGuzman in the 5th round. Proving that he has come a long ways since his days as a scholastic champion, Daniel beat his first teacher NM Zoran Lazetich and earned a tense final round draw with the black pieces against yours truly, his coach for over a half dozen years. Congratulations Daniel!

Four players shared 2nd place and top U2200 honors at 4.5 in the Open section: IMs Ricardo DeGuzman and Walter Shipman, expert James al-Shamma and the fpawn. Your reporter drew a short game against DeGuzman, but was unable to win lengthy endgames against NM Viktors Pupols from Washington state and Schwarz on the final day. Other than Schwarz, the biggest story of the weekend must be the impressive result by my student 11 year old Yian Liou (1956), who defeated former master Kenneth Hills (2120) and drew with FM Bela Evans (2303). Yian ended up with 4.0/6 after losing just once (to his teacher), thus gaining tons of experience and bumping his rating up to 1987.

Kudos to Douglas Legvold (1934) for winning the 53 player Reserve (U2000) section with 5.5 out of 6, drawing only in the last round to clinch 1st place. Sacramento club member Romeo Pilar, rated just 1652, took clear 2nd place at 5.0 while juniors Arun Gomatan (1795) and Ted Xiao (1731) shared 3rd place at 4.5.

Finally, thanks to National TD John McCumiskey (wearing red, white and blue for the holiday) for once again directing a smooth and enjoyable weekend tournament in Sacramento. He has run every single major chess event in town since the mid 1990s and since established himself as the top director in Northern California. This year, there were actually two McCumiskey's present at the tournament, as John's younger brother Tom (see photo here) visited from Virginia and played in the Open section.

• tournament crosstables and prize winners
  
• rating report on USCF website
• Happy 4th of July report
  
• photos 1 -- photos 2 -- photos 3

Photos from 2008 Sacramento Championship Part 3

More photos from the Sacramento Chess Championship. You don't need to be a kid to play! Upper left: NM Viktors Pupols from Washington state (originally from Latvia). Upper right: venerable class player Bob Baker. Lower left: Tom McCumiskey came all the way from Virginia to play in his brother's tournament. Lower right: NTD John McCumiskey poses with Sacramento Chess Club President Steve Bickford.

Photos from 2008 Sacramento Championship Part 2

Photos of more of my students at the Sacramento Chess Championship last weekend.

Photos from 2008 Sacramento Championship Part 1

Photos from Sacramento Chess Championship held over 4th of July weekend. Upper left: tournament winner NM Daniel Schwarz. Upper right: Daniel holds a draw with the black pieces against his former teacher in the last round. Lower left: top seed IM Ricardo DeGuzman struggled this weekend, even losing to Schwarz. Lower right: FM Bela Evans and US Junior co-champion NM Gregory Young are hard at work during round 5.

Happy 4th of July from Sacramento Chess Championship

The first two rounds of the annual Sacramento Chess Championship were played on the 4th of July holiday at the Best Western Expo Inn. While the Cal Expo fireworks show (see photos below) in the evening was a pleasure to watch, I also had fun playing with fire on board during my round 2 game. Four players are tied at 2-0 in the top section: my students NM Gregory Young (upper left) and Yian Liou (upper right), veteran Martin Marshall and myself (round 3 pairings: Yian versus fpawn). Four masters played today and another four are expected for the faster 2-day schedule tomorrow; the overall attendance will probably be between 90 and 100 players.

Sacramento Championship on July 4th Weekend

(Photos from 2005 Sacramento Chess Championship on my website.)

If you're looking for some serious chess action and a mini family vacation, then I suggest the 2008 Sacramento Chess Championship on 4th of July weekend (July 4-6). The kid-friendly venue at the Best Western Expo Inn and experienced tournament director John McCumiskey (photo at upper right) are merely two reasons why this tournament is one of the largest annual adult events in Northern California, with a peak turnout over 100. Actually, there will be two McCumiskey's at this event--expect twice the laughter! I would have to be out of country to miss this tournament (yes, it happened a few years ago).

• two sections: Master/Expert (2000+) and Reserve (U2000)
• 3-day schedule = all six rounds at 30/90, SD/60 starting on Friday
  
• 2-day schedule = first three games at G/60 on Saturday, then merge
  
• 1-day schedule = play in 2-day on Saturday with byes for rounds 5 and 6
  
• $325 + trophy for 1st place in both sections
• prize fund of about $2,600 based on about 85 entries
• mail in entry fee by June 27 or pay on site for $5/$10 more
• click here for the entry form
• check out the advance entries
• defending champion IM Ricardo DeGuzman (see last year's crosstable)
  
• Cal Expo fireworks show on Friday night after the round concludes

I recommend the 3-day schedule for my students to play serious tournament games at a long time control, but the 2-day option may work better for some players and their parents. Juniors rated between 1800 and 1999 should consider playing up, depending on whether they seek experience against stronger opponents or an opportunity to win money.