Sunday, August 28, 2011

Illinois Open in Oak Brook Labor Day weekend!

Here's the calendar listing.  I just checked the preregistration: GMs Gurevich and Amanov head the three-day schedule, while GM Mitkov and IM Young top the two-day schedule.  Both schedules merge after the third round.

The time control for all rounds of the three-day schedule is game/90 plus 30-second increment (that is, each player has 90 minutes to complete the game, plus 30 extra seconds added to the clock with each move made).  You'll never have a crazy time scramble with this control!  In fact, those of you accustomed to blitz play will need to learn to think prior to moving.  Minor downside: restroom breaks after move 40 must be efficient pit stops.  I'd like to see the time control for next year's championship be something like 40/90, sudden death/30, still with the 30-second increment from move 1.  But this is a quibble: the thirty-second increment is a big improvement over five-second delay.

Save a few dollars and enter now: I just did!  $79 for three days of play is incredibly reasonable.  If you're entering by mail, play it safe and enter today (mail entries must be postmarked by Tuesday). 

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