The Wellsburg Open - Part 3

After my second round game, I enjoyed a 20 minute break as the remaining games finished.  Soon, I was fired up and ready to go for the 3rd round.  Pairings were relatively easy this time, especially with printer problems resolved.  

In the photo above, players review games in the skittles room after the second round.  The only players in the Reserve section with perfect scores at this point were matched against each other for the third round: Ben Darr played Seth Derby, and Steve Jacobs played Daniel Carson.  Ben and Daniel both won their games and would meet for the Reserve championship in round 4.

In the Open section, Gokul Thangavel (1891), who crushed me in the first round, was wreaking havoc.  He scored an upset against James Neal (2148) in the second round, and then went on to draw Seth Koenig (2001) in the third round.  FM Alex Betaneli (2324) won his first two rounds before yielding a draw to Joseph Wan (2105) in round 3. 

And while all this drama unfolded, I found myself playing Clive Power (1675).  I gained some lovely passed pawns, but was unable to queen them, and Clive held a draw in spite of my efforts.

Jerry Slominski surprised me by driving up from Nebraska.  Since he volunteered to play the final round, I had time to relax...and play more bughouse!  Thomas Hesse, philosophy professor and a former IASCA board member, came to show his support and watch a few games.  And...lo and behold!  My dear friend Karen, an accomplished violinist and member of the The Johnson Strings stopped by to see the tournament!

I talked Karen into learning how to play bughouse, so she and I teamed up against sgs and William Polzin.  William (1718) had a fairly well-played tournament himself, drawing against one player 348 points higher rated,  and upsetting another 182 points higher.  

It gave Karen and I extreme satisfaction to win at least 1 (maybe 2) bughouse games against him and FICS bughouse player sgs.  We spent most of the games in deep trouble, but Karen played tremendously well considering that she had never played bughouse before and rarely plays chess.  I think her natural aptitude and dedication (she has been known to practice the violin 8 hours a day) will serve her well if she ever decides to become a professional bughouse player.  

Seth Derby and Nathaniel Arnold joined sgs and I for a few more games, and Gokul, after completing his day of upset victories with a last round win against Joseph Wan (2105), also joined in the fun. 

I headed back upstairs to take note of how many games were still in progress, enter results, and distribute prizes.

L-R: Benjamin Darr, Daniel Carson, Mark Capron, Nathaniel Arnold.

Ben Darr beat Daniel Carson in the last round to complete his reign of terror on reserve board 1 with a perfect score and become the Wellsburg Reserve Champion.  Second place was shared by Daniel Carson, Nathaniel Arnold, and Mark Capron.  Top U1400 was won by Seth Derby, George Hopkins, Tim Carson, and Sarah Faith Carson.

In the Open Section, FM Betaneli held a final round victory against Dan Vasto to clinch first place, which he shared with Gokul Thangavel.  Both players finished the tournament with 3.5/4.  

Second place went to James Neal and Seth Koenig (Also top U2000).  Top U1800 went to Kevin Townsend, Joseph Michael Baker, William Polzin, and Michael Takahashi.

Wellsburg Open Champions:  FM Alex Betaneli and Gokul Thangavel.

  It would be hard to ask for a better group of participants.   Clean-up after the tournament was super easy. I did find one sunflower seed shell on the floor, but perfection is hard to attain.

 My list of things to possibly change for future events is as follows: add online registration, post pairings 8-10 minutes before start time, and have sausage pizza, more water, and less pop and candy bars.

Playing and directing at the same time is something I will have to think about.  I love playing way too much to *want* to give it up while directing, and I'm hoping directing will get easier as I get used to it.

One drawback is I did not have much time to talk.  (For all I know, this could have been a great relief to some--who knows?!  But for me it was slightly frustrating!)  Chess players are an interesting lot, generally well educated and well traveled; so I usually get to learn something new--or at least drill them with questions on new locations to visit and write about for my blog.   

Thanks again to Hank Anzis and to all others who helped with, played in, and/or showed up to watch the tournament.  A database of games from the Wellsburg Open & Reserve, selected based on the availability and readability of score sheets, is available online. You can also visit the  tournament photo album and the crosstables.  

I was satisfied with how the tournament turned out and glad I could organize it.   It was nice to have a tournament near my home, and it was a dream come true in the sense that running a tournament was something I had wanted to do for a long time.

What is the latest project/adventure you've checked off your bucket list (or the next you're planning)?

"The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul."  --Proverbs 13:9

"In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths."  --Proverbs 3:6