The Art of Chess Calculation: Advanced math professor FM Andrey Chumachenko (L) shows Greensboro's Zakir Ahmed the logarithm of pain.

Board Two Tears!? Mark Gragg (R) brought his "A" game to defeat last month's champion Patrick McCartney in round one.

Hocus Focus: Thomas Paradis (L) looks for the magic moment in his first round match with David High.

Scholastic Sharpshooter in Action! Connor Labean (L) held the always tough Dr. Joe Graves to a first round draw.

Ship Shape! Greensboro's Josh Lawson (L) takes a break from the US Navy and Hawaii to challenge first round opponent Joshua Taylor.

Super Solid Stephen Styers (L) has things under control in his first round matchup with Robert Jackson.

How Dare That Pawn Invade My Territory? Gilberto Araya (L) survived a pawn thrust to earn a draw against first round opponent Zachary High.

Hunting Joe King: Craig Rogers (R) attempts to dethrone Andrew Dejong's King in round one. The hard fought game concluded with a draw.

Rear: Derek Zhang (L) and Mike Eberhardinger square off.

Rook on the Seventh Blues: William Campbell (R) waits for the inevitable in his round one game with David Murray.

Scholastic Showdown! Chad Moody (L) and Dane Simon chess it up in round one. Rear: Dr. Walter High (L) faces house player Randy Dejong.

The Journey of 1000 Miles Begins with One Game: Brett Hunter (R) faced Michael Clay in his first USCF rated event. Welcome to rated chess, Brett!

NC's Future Polgar Princess! Grace Campbell (L) showed her potential in round one action with Kevin Chen.

Fast, Accurate, Humbling: FM Andrey Chumachenko (R) gives second round opponent Mark Gragg a chess check-up.

Taylor Tenacity: Joshua Taylor (R) surprised higher rated Thomas Paradis, earning the upset victory.

Care for a Game of Positional Chicken? Fayetteville's Larry Williams faced an uphill battle with Charlotte's Patrick McCartney in round two.

Former TAO Champion faces Time Trouble! Paul King (L) survived severe time pressure to earn a draw with second round opponent Connor Labean.

It's Popeye the Sailor Man! Josh Lawson (L) has obviously indulged in some spinach lately. Here he plays 2nd round opponent Zakir Ahmed.

Scope'n Out The Position: William Campbell (R) eyes Robert Jackson's king in round two action.

Shockingly Strong Players! Dane Simon (L) matches wits with Grace Campbell in round two. Rear: Daniel Su (L) plays Brett Hunter.

A Determined Chin: Andrew Dejong (R) concentrates intently during his round two match with Zachary High.

High Hopes: Dr. Walter High (L) was outgunned by second round opponent Michael Clay. Rear: Robert Jackson (L) and William Campbell lock horns.

Chess Gadget! Chad Moody (L) utilizes the latest move recording technique on his Mon Roi. Kevin Chen uses the old reliable pencil and scoresheet.

Can I Get a Refill on This Coffee!? Joshua Taylor (L) has his hands full in his third round match with FM Andrey Chumachenko.

Coffee Powered Chess! Charlotte's Ken Ivens (L) matches wits with Thomas Paradis in round three action.

I'll Take White and a Large Mountain Dew: Charlotte's Patrick McCartney (L) overcame a serious challenge from talented David High in round three.

Take A Picture of my Hand! Connor Labean (L) had a tough pairing with Zakir Ahmed in round three.

Cool Under Pressure: Mike Eberhardinger (R) battles Stephen Styers in round three. At Stake: $$$

Roger That! Craig Rogers (L) faces serious scholastic talent in his round three match with Zachary High.

Don't Underestimate Derek! Derek Zhang (R) fought David Murray to a draw in round three.

A Solid Day: Gilberto Araya (R) picked up 50 rating points with one win, one draw, and one loss. His third round opponent was Robert Jackson.

A Battle of Wills: Young Dane Simon (L) concentrates intently during his third round game with Michael Clay.

Scholastic Talent on Display: Grace Campbell (L) outlasted third round opponent Daniel Su. We want to welcome Daniel to his Asheboro Open!

Is This In The Book? Dr. Walter High (L) and Kevin Chen square off in round three.

Call In The Geek Squad! Brett Hunter (R) fought opponent Chad Moody to a third round draw.

Battle Fatigue...Josh Lawson rests after a hard day of chess.

The Karpov of North Carolina Triumphant! FM Andrey Chumachenko dominated the field with his flawless 3-0 performance to win 1st Place. Ka-Ching!

Undefeated! Zachary High (L) and Michael Eberhardinger finished with 2.5 each to share 1st place in the Candidates Section. Nice Job!

Is This The Future NC Champion? William Campbell won the class prize in the tough Candidates Section with two wins.

What a Performance! Dane Simon swept the Club Section at 3-0, winning first place and earning 126 rating points. Awesome!

Three Way Tie for Second Place: (L-R) Kevin Chen, Michael Clay, and Grace Campbell earned a share of the loot in the Club Section.