Chicago Class: Class D recap

Congratulations to two Illinois players, David Sye and Terrence Aguinaldo, who tied for first in Class D with 4½-½ scores. (Sye's prize was limited to $500 because he had recently had a rating more than thirty points over the class ceiling; Aguinaldo won a full $1,000.)  Another local player, Ga Luang Liu, shared third place with Hongbin Chen of Michigan and Sean Cramer of Ohio: each won $166.67.

David Sye shares nice analysis of what could have occurred in his pawn ending in the money round in his post on chess.com.

(David titles his post "A complicated endgame position from the Chicago Class," but really, the position is easy if you've taken the time to learn some basic tricks--and there are several cute finesses in this simple-looking position. There might even be lines that David correctly doesn't mention because they're not Black's best try, but are still worth looking at....)

  Class D crosstable is here!

Self-analysis is cheaper than psychotherapy

I had narrowly escaped against NM Nolan Hendrickson at King's Island last year: one would think that I would have learned not to challenge him in an objectively dead-drawn ending.  (Right around the time I made the losing blunder, I told Albert Chow that the game would be over soon: I was right about the timing, but wrong about the result.)

Chicago Class hangover report

It's normal to feel exhausted on the morning after a weekend event.  I did not enjoy (deservedly) losing a superior bishop-vs.-knight ending in the last round, but I had fun!

The Nikola Mitkov-Gopal Menon time scramble in round one sounded like an metronome: I have never heard players move as quickly in tournament play as they did.

And it was pure joy to watch Carl Boor and William Aramil analyze a speculative queen sac in another player's Dragon Variation game: they got so engrossed in the possibilities that they were looking at a plethora of variations fifteen to twenty moves deep.

More later: for now, the crosstables are here!

See you at the Chicago Class!

Still time to enter on site tonight or tomorrow a.m.!

Only a few hours left for Chicago Class early entry

You can still enter online for this weekend's event (it's in Wheeling, July 20-22 or 21-22, take your pick) after Monday, July 16, but it'll cost more.

I don't like to play chess for money: I find it a distraction.  On the other hand, I do cash my prize checks, and I bet you do, too.  This weekend's guaranteed prize fund is $20,000!  (As always, not guaranteed by me, but Bill Goichberg has been doing this since the 1960s....)

So enter now!

Details on ICA Tournament Calendar.

ugly HTML, beautiful event

The Chicago Class is an Illinois Tour event!


5th annual
CHICAGO CLASS

July 20-22 or 21-22, 2012 - Wheeling, Illinois

$20,000 GUARANTEED PRIZES

July 20-22 or 21-22   Illinois
Trophies Plus Grand Prix Points: 120 (enhanced)

5 round Swiss, 40/2, SD/1, d5 (2-day option, rounds 1-2 G/75, d5).
No residence requirements.

At the luxurious Westin Chicago North Shore Hotel, 601 North Milwaukee Avenue, Wheeling IL 60090. From Chicago, I-294 north to US-45 north; from Milwaukee, I-94 to Lake Cook Rd to US-45 south). Free parking.  

In 8 sections; no unrated allowed in Master or Expert.  Rated players may play up one section.

Master Section (2200/up): $2000-1000-600-400, clear win or 1st on tiebreak $100, top U2400 $800-400. FIDE rated.

Expert Section (2000-2199): $1400-700-400-200.

Class A Section (1800-1999/Unr): $1400-700-400-200.  No unrated may win over $900.

Class B Section (1600-1799/Unr): $1400-700-400-200.  No unrated may win over $700.

Class C Section (1400-1599/Unr): $1200-600-400-200.   No unrated may win over $500.

Class D Section (1200-1399/Unr): $1000-500-300-200.  No unrated may win over $300.

Class E Section (Under 1200/Unr): $1000-500-300-200.  No unrated may win over $200.

Under 1000 Section: (Under 1000/Unr): $200-100-60-40, trophies to first 5, top Under 800, Under 600, Unrated.  No unrated may win over $100.

Balance of any limited prize goes to next player(s) in line.

PRIZE LIMITS: If any post-event rating posted at uschess.org 7/19/11-7/19/12 is more than 30 points over section maximum, prize limit $500.

Top 7 sections entry fee: 3-day $103, 2-day $102 mailed by 7/11, all $104 ONLINE at chesstour.com by 7/16, $110 phoned to 406-896-2038 by 7/16 (entry only, no questions), $120 at site. No checks at site, credit cards OK.

Under 1000 Section entry fee: $70 less than top 7 sections entry fee.

Online late entries accepted from 7/17 to 2 hours before your first game (same fee as on site late entries).

All: Online or mailed entry fee $5 less to ICA members; join/renew at ilchess.org. An ICA Tour event.

Special 1 year USCF dues with paper magazine if paid with entry.  Online at chesstour.com, Adult $30, Young Adult $20, Scholastic $15.  Mailed, phoned or paid at site, Adult $40, Young Adult $30, Scholastic $20.  Re-entry $50; not available in Master Section. GMs free, $80 deducted from prize.

Unofficial uschess.org ratings usually used if otherwise unrated.

3-day schedule: Reg. ends Fri 6 pm, rds. Fri 7 pm, Sat 11 am & 6 pm, Sun 10 am & 4:30 pm.
2-day schedule: Reg. ends Sat 10 am, rds. Sat 11 am, 2:30 pm & 6 pm, Sun 10 am & 4:30 pm.

Half point byes: OK all rounds, Master must commit before rd 2, others before rd 3.

Hotel rates: $103-103-103-103, 800-937-8461, 847-777-6500, reserve by July 6 or rate may increase.

Room sharing: If you want to share a room to save money, see or post this on the CCA FORUM, or email us and we will post it for you.

Car rental: Avis, 800-331-1600, use AWD #D657633, or reserve car online.
Bring set, board, clock if possible- none supplied.

Ratings:  July official USCF rating list used.  Foreign player rating info. 
Entry: Continental Chess, Box 249, Salisbury Mills NY 12577. $15 service charge for refunds. No smoking. Questions:chesstour.com, DirectorAtChess.us, 845-496-9658. Advance entries posted at chesstour.com. Chess Magnet School Junior Grand Prix Points available.

2012 Chicago Class in Wheeling July 20-22

Another mail cut-and-paste: (kids, this is what the internet looked like in 1994).  The Chicago Class is an Illinois Tour event!


5th annual
CHICAGO CLASS

July 20-22 or 21-22, 2012 - Wheeling, Illinois

$20,000 GUARANTEED PRIZES

July 20-22 or 21-22   Illinois
Trophies Plus Grand Prix Points: 120 (enhanced)

5 round Swiss, 40/2, SD/1, d5 (2-day option, rounds 1-2 G/75, d5).
No residence requirements.

At the luxurious Westin Chicago North Shore Hotel, 601 North Milwaukee Avenue, Wheeling IL 60090. From Chicago, I-294 north to US-45 north; from Milwaukee, I-94 to Lake Cook Rd to US-45 south). Free parking.  

In 8 sections; no unrated allowed in Master or Expert.  Rated players may play up one section.

Master Section (2200/up): $2000-1000-600-400, clear win or 1st on tiebreak $100, top U2400 $800-400. FIDE rated.

Expert Section (2000-2199): $1400-700-400-200.

Class A Section (1800-1999/Unr): $1400-700-400-200.  No unrated may win over $900.

Class B Section (1600-1799/Unr): $1400-700-400-200.  No unrated may win over $700.

Class C Section (1400-1599/Unr): $1200-600-400-200.   No unrated may win over $500.

Class D Section (1200-1399/Unr): $1000-500-300-200.  No unrated may win over $300.

Class E Section (Under 1200/Unr): $1000-500-300-200.  No unrated may win over $200.

Under 1000 Section: (Under 1000/Unr): $200-100-60-40, trophies to first 5, top Under 800, Under 600, Unrated.  No unrated may win over $100.

Balance of any limited prize goes to next player(s) in line.

PRIZE LIMITS: If any post-event rating posted at uschess.org 7/19/11-7/19/12 is more than 30 points over section maximum, prize limit $500.

Top 7 sections entry fee: 3-day $103, 2-day $102 mailed by 7/11, all $104 ONLINE at chesstour.com by 7/16, $110 phoned to 406-896-2038 by 7/16 (entry only, no questions), $120 at site. No checks at site, credit cards OK.

Under 1000 Section entry fee: $70 less than top 7 sections entry fee.

Online late entries accepted from 7/17 to 2 hours before your first game (same fee as on site late entries).

All: Online or mailed entry fee $5 less to ICA members; join/renew at ilchess.org. An ICA Tour event.

Special 1 year USCF dues with paper magazine if paid with entry.  Online at chesstour.com, Adult $30, Young Adult $20, Scholastic $15.  Mailed, phoned or paid at site, Adult $40, Young Adult $30, Scholastic $20.  Re-entry $50; not available in Master Section. GMs free, $80 deducted from prize.

Unofficial uschess.org ratings usually used if otherwise unrated.

3-day schedule: Reg. ends Fri 6 pm, rds. Fri 7 pm, Sat 11 am & 6 pm, Sun 10 am & 4:30 pm.
2-day schedule: Reg. ends Sat 10 am, rds. Sat 11 am, 2:30 pm & 6 pm, Sun 10 am & 4:30 pm.

Half point byes: OK all rounds, Master must commit before rd 2, others before rd 3.

Hotel rates: $103-103-103-103, 800-937-8461, 847-777-6500, reserve by July 6 or rate may increase.

Room sharing: If you want to share a room to save money, see or post this on the CCA FORUM, or email us and we will post it for you.

Car rental: Avis, 800-331-1600, use AWD #D657633, or reserve car online.
Bring set, board, clock if possible- none supplied.

Ratings:  July official USCF rating list used.  Foreign player rating info. 
Entry: Continental Chess, Box 249, Salisbury Mills NY 12577. $15 service charge for refunds. No smoking. Questions:chesstour.com, DirectorAtChess.us, 845-496-9658. Advance entries posted at chesstour.com. Chess Magnet School Junior Grand Prix Points available.

Upcoming Illinois Tour events this summer

The next Tour event is the Chicago Class, July 20-22 or 21-22 in Wheeling.

The Bradley Summer Open is in Peoria on August 25th.  (The link to the Summer Open info is not on the ICA website yet, but the info is on the Greater Peoria Chess Federation website.)

And don't miss the Illinois Open State Championship in Oak Brook this Labor Day weekend!

Mitkov, Gurevich, Sarkar, Rosen win Chicago Class

GM Nikola Mitkov, GM Dmitry Gurevich,  IM Justin Sarkar, and NM Eric Rosen tied for first with 4-1 scores.  Sarkar is from New York, but we otherwise defended our turf.  GMs Amanov and Kekelidze also played.

I tied for dead last with two former masters (edit: they're under 2200, but the NM title is for life) and a future master, and I didn't play that badly: tough event! 

Congratulations to Max Villareal, who I believe was the only clear winner of a section.  Max won Class C with a perfect 5-0, going from 1412 to 1598 in five games.  (He was rated 1244 after the Chicago Open, then went from 1244 to 1412 at the Conitnental Americas Amateur--history here.)  At this rate of progression, we expect to see him playing for the 2013 World Championship.

ICA Secretary Maret Thorpe picked up 97 Elo in the Under-1000 section.  I kibitzed the under-1000 section a bit on Saturday: my impression is that most players with established ratings under 1000 have deflated ratings, simply because they're playing improving juniors in under-1000 sections. 

More to follow....

Results here!

This weekend: Chicago Class in Wheeling

Info here.  Next, they'll be holding the Wheeling Class in Chicago....

All sections are five games: you can choose between a Friday evening or a Saturday morning.first round.  Online entry closed on the 11th, but you can enter onsite until 6 p.m. Friday Saturday or until 10 a.m. Saturday Sunday.

This is the last Continental Chess Association event for which ICA membership is required.  For future events, ICA members will receive a $5 discount.  Carrots work better than sticks.