is proud to announce
The Asheboro Open XXIX
Results
Total Players: 32 (31 Paid, 1 House)
Total Prizes: $690.00
Cross table: USCF Crosstable
PHOTOS: The Asheboro Open XXIX
Section Winners:
Championship
(1601-UP):
1st:
2nd:
Class:
Candidates (1100-1600):
1st:
Class:
Club (UNR-1099):
1st:
Class:
Some Thoughts on The Asheboro Open XXIX
from William "Tom" Hales, Organizer & Chief TD
After our slump last month, it was highly encouraging to see a strong turnout of 32 players. That's nearly a 32% jump from last year! The numbers aren't important for bragging rights (although that may be a bonus). I love to see 30+ players because it makes the tournament better. This is especially true for the Candidates and Club Sections. This is when our Smart Sections philosophy gets put to the test. Flexibility to adjust our setup based on turnout and ratings distribution helps keep the tournament interesting and competitive. While a rigid structure may seem intrinsically more fair, it can lead to pairing absurdities in smaller tournaments. It can also lead to boredom after a while. The Asheboro Open has never been accused of being boring!!!
FIDE Master Andrey Chumachenko headlined a strong Championship Section this month. He was joined by five other former TAO Champions: Thomas Paradis, Patrick McCartney, Zakir Ahmed, Paul King, and Ken Ivens. In the end, the FIDE Master dominated as expected--but second place turned into a free-for-all which resulted in a five way tie. The Candidates Section turned out to be more competitive than anticipated despite a 400+ point spread in the ratings. When the smoke cleared, Mike Eberhardinger and Zachary High tied for first after a surprising third round draw between Mike and Stephen Styers. A strong statistical performance earned young William Campbell the class prize in the section. Perhaps the most competitive section this month, however, was the Club Section. While there were clearly four favorites, no one was statistically shut out. In the most impressive performance of the tournament, young Dane Simon pulled ahead of the pack by winning all three of his games, picking up 126 rating points and winning clear first place! Second place was divvied up three ways between Michael Clay, Kevin Chen, and Grace Campbell.
The North Carolina Championship is November 2-4 this year. Asheboro is proud to field three players in this premier event. You owe it to yourself to not miss this tournament! I will be there intent on breaking my lucky losing streak...
The good (!?) news for Asheboro is that November is already the month in which we average our lowest turnout. Savvy players will recognize this as a great opportunity. We had 17 players last November. Our Champion was Russian born Henry Mattison, with Kirk Vaughn taking the Candidates Section. Each earned $130.00, with a total prize fund of $370.00! That's not a generous prize fund, folks, it's insane! We are proud of our record of giving YOU more than advertised, month after month. If you can't make the North Carolina Championship, Asheboro offers you an excellent chance to flex your chess muscles. However, if the NC Championship is the main course, consider us the dessert! You know you have room for dessert! Join us in our quest to break last year's attendance record, and make November the best it can be.
Join us on Saturday, November 10th for The Asheboro Open XXX. We will work hard to make the tournament a great chess experience for you!
Sincerely,
William "Tom" Hales, Chief TD
The Asheboro Open
chess@triad.rr.com
Asheboro Chess Club subscribes to the "Activity Means Members" philosophy of the
US Chess Federation. Rated chess attracts new members, and helps regain those who have
lapsed. We want to thank everyone who participated, and we encourage you to support other
tournaments and clubs in the area:
http://www.ncchess.org/tournaments/index.htm
http://www.ncchess.org/clubs/index.htm
Asheboro Chess Club meets Tuesdays from 6:00pm until 9:00pm
at the Asheboro Public Library, 201 Worth St, Asheboro, NC 27203
Free Wireless Internet, Books, DVDs, and More!
We are USCF affiliates, and sponsor a variety of rated events.
Visit our website for more info: www.asheborochess.com
or email me with questions or comments: chess@triad.rr.com