Tournaments and Results!

Wow, time can really fly! Just finished exams & starting to get better from illness (I must have caught a flu), yet trying to keep busy...'the show must go on' :D

This tournament section will be updated monthly from now on. I'm making important changes to my academic priorities and general schedule that will allow enough flexibility to improve my blog structure and punctuality. I really appreciate communication with readers, so thank you for following along, and please send me an email if you have any comments/suggestions!

Tournaments:

This weekend - 5th Annual Grand Pacific Open in Victoria, BC, Alberta Closed in Calgary, AB, and Canadian Junior in Mississauga, ON! Good luck to all participants!

Note - Good luck to participants in other Easter weekend tournaments, including the Philadephia Open http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4928

Oriole Chess Club
- Junior Tournaments
- Every Sunday
- Oriole Community Centre, Toronto
- 12:45 - 1:00 pm registration, 1:15 pm start
- $12 per tournament, $80 for membership + ten tournaments
- Snacks and drinks provided
- http://www.angelfire.com/alt/ochess/

Chess for Children (Swansea Chess Club)
- Every Saturday
- Swansea Town Hall Community Centre
- 12:45 - 1:00 pm registration, 1:00 - 4:00 pm tournament
- $15 per tournament, family discount available
- http://www.chessforchildren.ca/

Knights of Chess Sunday Rated Tournaments
- Every Sunday
- 5635 Yonge Street, Suites 201 - 202, Toronto
- 3:30 - 3:55 pm registration (pre-registration by phone or email recommended), 4:00 - 6:00 or 7:00 pm tournament
- $18 per tournament, family discounts available
- http://sites.google.com/site/theknightsofchess/

* The three regular tournaments listed above can also be found on the CMA calendar http://www.chess-math.org/calendar

Chess in the Library (17 locations and counting!)
- free games and lessons!
- http://www.chessinthelibrary.com/
- http://yuanlingyuan.blogspot.com/
- Toronto Star http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4798

London April Open
- April 30
- Hillside Church, London
- 9:30 - 9:55 am registration, 10:00 am start
- $20
- Bring your own equipment
- http://www.chess.ca/ontario.shtml

30th Annual Arnprior Open
- April 30 - May 1
- Nick Smith Centre, 77 James St., Arnprior
- Saturday 9 am, 2 pm, 7 pm, Sunday 9 am, 2pm
- $50, $30 amateur
- http://www.eoca.org/htm/tournaments_2010-11.html
- http://www.chess.ca/ontario.shtml

Ontario Girls' Chess Championship
- May 7
- Marshall McLuhan Catholic S. S., Toronto
- 10:15 - 10:45 am check-in, 11:00 am start
- $30
- Lunch and snacks included
- Activities, parents/siblings tournaments, and more
- Register and pay by April 27 to receive a souvenir t-shirt at the event
- http://www.freewebs.com/ogcc/

Guelph Spring Pro-Am
- May 6 - 8
- Peter Clark Hall, Guelph University Centre
- Friday 6 pm, Saturday/Sunday 10 am & 4 pm
- Pro $60, others $40, add $10 for on site entry, add $20 per 100 points to play up sections
- Equipment and snacks provided
- http://www.chess.ca/ontario.shtml
- http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4761

3rd Canadian Forces Championship
- May 6 - 8
- Royal Military College of Canada, Kingston
- 8:30 am & 1:30 pm each day
- $25
- Canadian Forces (CF) members or civilians working for CF or DND
- Accommodation available if confirm in advance
- http://www.chess.ca/ontario.shtml

Charlottetown Open
- May 7 - 8
- UPEI, Charlottetown, PEI
- 9:00 - 9:20 am registration, see link for round times
- $40, $30 for juniors, $20 for elementary school students , pre-register to save $5
- http://www.chess.ca/pei.shtml

2011 Canadian Closed and Zonal Championship
- May 7 - 11
- Peter Clark Hall, Guelph University Centre
- Accommodation available
- http://www.chess.ca/ontario.shtml
- http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4664
- http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4902
- SAP (sponsor) http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4923

Calgary International Active Fundraisers
- May 8 and May 15
- http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4753

2011 Calgary International
- May 19 - 23
- Norm opportunity
- http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4607
- http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4888
- http://www.calgarychess.com/2011CICC/

36th Annual Paul Keres Memorial
- May 20 - 23
- River Rock Casino Resort, Richmond, BC
- See link for schedule and fees (discounts available)
- $4000 guaranteed prize fund
- All equipment provided
- Open section is FIDE and CFC rated
- http://keresmemorial.pbworks.com/w/page/1785469/FrontPage
- http://www.chess.ca/british_columbia.shtml

Ontario Open 2011
- May 21 - 23
- Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School, Hamilton
- 10 am & 4 pm each day (registration 9 am - 9:45 am)
- $60 by May 1, $70 by May 20, $80 cash at door
- Bring your own equipment
- http://www.chess.ca/ontario.shtml
- http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4419

Victoria Day East Toronto Pre-Qualifiers for CYCC
- May 23
- 58 Deerbrook Trail, Scarborough
- 9:30 am arrival, 11 am start
- $40
- Half of participants in each section will qualify for the CYCC
- Free refreshments
- http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4918

23rd Canadian Chess Challenge
- May 22 - 23
- University of Victoria, BC
- For provincial qualifiers
- Beach Festival May 21
- http://members4.boardhost.com/chess-math/msg/1294608454.html
- pairing schedule http://members4.boardhost.com/chess-math/msg/1303244255.html
- http://victoriajuniorchess.pbworks.com/w/page/34644693/2011-Canadian-Chess-Challenge

London May Open
- May 28
- Hillside Church, London
- 9:30 - 9:55 am registration, 10:00 am start
- $20
- Bring your own equipment
- http://www.chess.ca/ontario.shtml

Ontario Youth Chess Championships
- May 28 - 29
- CYCC qualifier
- http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4933

Chicago Open
- May 26 - 30
- Westin Chicago North Shore Hotel
- http://www.chesstour.com/chio11.htm
- http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4872

2011 KWCC Teams Active Challenge
- June 18
- Kitchener City Hall
- 10 am registration, 10:30 am start
- $40 per team of four
- Equipment provided
- http://www.chess.ca/ontario.shtml

London June Open
- June 25
- Hillside Church, London
- 9:30 - 9:55 am registration, 10:00 am start
- $20
- Bring your own equipment
- http://www.chess.ca/ontario.shtml

Montreal Summer Chess Camps
- http://members4.boardhost.com/chess-math/msg/1301064015.html
- Check out other summer chess camps in Toronto and Ottawa http://www.chess-math.org/calendar/?date=2011-07

North American Youth Championship
- June 25 - 29
- http://www.chesseducators.com/2011/01/09/2011-north-american-youth-championship/
- http://www.chesseducators.com/northamericanyouth/

Eastern Ontario Open
- June 30 - July 3
- RA Centre, Ottawa
- See link for times and fees (discounts available)
- Accommodations available
- CFC and FIDE rated
- Bring your own equipment
- http://www.chess.ca/ontario.shtml
- http://www.eoca.org/PDF/2011%20Eastern%20Ontario%20Open.pdf

CYCC (Richmond Hill, Ontario)
- July 6 - 9
- http://www.2011cycc.ca/
- http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4919

Canadian Open (Toronto, Ontario) + chess camp
- July 9 - 17
- http://www.canadianchess.info/2011canadianopen

Quebec Open 2011 + chess camp
- July 23 - 30
- Norm opportunity
- http://www.fqechecs.qc.ca/coq/coq2011-revue196.pdf
- http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4686
- http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4687
- camp: http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4746

2011 BC Open
- July 30 - August 1
- Executive Airport Plaza Hotel, Richmond, BC
- See link for schedule
- $60 by June 24, $65 by July 26, $70 on site, additional $20 to play up a section
- Accommodation deal available until June 1
- $1000 guaranteed prize fund
- All equipment provided
- http://victoriachessclub.pbworks.com/w/page/35682117/BC-Open
- http://www.chess.ca/british_columbia.shtml

Montreal City Championship
- September 9 - 11
- http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4809
- http://www.chess.ca/misc2010/2011MontrealCh.pdf

Braeside Men's Chess Clinic
- September 24
- Braeside Camp, between Cambridge and Paris, Ontario
- 10:00 - 10:30 am registration, 10:45 am start
- $35
- Light lunch and BBQ dinner included
- Hans Jung teaching clinic, simul at noon
- For all levels of experience
- http://www.chess.ca/ontario.shtml

Richmond Friday Chess
- http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=3599

Tournaments in Victoria, BC
- http://victoriajuniorchess.pbworks.com/Tournament-Schedule

Various CMA Events for Juniors (many locations across Canada!!!)
- http://www.chess-math.org/calendar

Toronto regular scholastic tournament dates (Marshall McLuhan Catholic S. S.)
Jun 5 http://www.chess-math.org/calendar/?details=405&date=2011-06

GRAND PRIX #3 May 1 (Marshall McLuhan Catholic S. S.)
- http://members4.boardhost.com/chess-math/msg/1303371138.html

CMA Fee Increase
- http://members4.boardhost.com/chess-math/msg/1303222422.html

CMA Chess Lessons
- http://www.chess-math.org/chess/lesson.htm

More Tournaments Outside Ontario
- http://www.chess.ca/tournaments.shtml

FQE (Quebec) Calendar
- http://www.fqechecs.qc.ca/index.php?typ=actu&categorie=1&id=2995

FIDE (International) Calendar
- http://www.fide.com/component/fidecalendar/?view=fidecalendar
- more international: http://www.torneosajedrez.com/ajedrez47/Paginas/ver_torneos.php

Tournaments in the U.S.
- http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4460

Scarborough Chess Club
- http://www.scarboroughchessclub.ca/

Simcoe County Chess Club
- http://www.simcoecountychessclub.com/index

EOCA
- http://www.eoca.org/htm/tournaments_2010-11.html

KW Chess Club
- http://www.kwchess.com/

Annex Chess Club
- http://annexchessclub.com/

Ajax Chess Club
- http://www.ajaxchessclub.com/

Saguenay Chess Club
- http://www.clubechecssaguenay.com/

Mississauga Chess Club for Kids
- http://www.mississaugachessclub.ca/

More Clubs
- http://annexchessclub.com/2010/12/chess-in-toronto/

*If you wish to have your tournament/club listed, feel free to send me an email!*

Some Results:
Winter 2010/2011 (November to April)

*I'm sorry if your result was missed. Due to the long 'winter' time span, some results may not be listed.*

2010 Guelph Fall Pro-Am, November 6 - 7
Open
1st: GM Bator Sambuev 5.0/5.0
2nd: IM Artiom Samsonkin 4.0/5.0
3rd to 6th: Victor Plotkin, Roman Sapozhnikov, IM Nikolay Noritsyn, Josh Guo 3.5/5.o
U2000
1st & 2nd: Adam Cormier, Stuart Brammall 4.0/5.0
3rd to 5th: Rob Gashgarian, Richard Moran, Robert Laszlo 3.5/5.0
U1700
1st & 2nd: Leslie Tang, Zachary Dukic 4.5/5.0
3rd: Michael Ashcroft 3.5/5.0
http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4181
games: http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4174

Toronto Junior Chess Championship 2010, November 7 - December 19
1st: Roman Sapozhnikov 4.5/5.0
2nd: Michael Song 3.0/5.0
3rd: Jesse Wang 2.5/5.0
http://tjcc2010.blogspot.com/

2010 National Capital Open, November 12 - 14
Open
1st: GM Bator Sambuev 5.0/5.0
2nd: IM Tom O'Donnell 3.5/5.0
3rd to 5th: IM Brian Hartman, Nikita Kraiouchkine, Alexandre Levkovsky 3.0/5.0
U2200
1st & 2nd: David Filipovich, William Doubleday 3.5/5.0
3rd: Halldor Palsson 3.0/5.0
U2000
1st & 2nd: Saeid Sadeghi, Mocktar Adamou-Ndiaye 3.5/5.0
3rd & 4th: Ruokai Li, Emil Smilovici 3.0/5.0
U1800
1st: Jacob Krolczyk 4.5/5.0
2nd: Kevin Zhang 3.5/5.0
3rd: Gordon Ritchie 2.5/5.0
U1600
1st: Liiban Farah 5.0/5.0
2nd to 5th: Michael Sun, Brian Murray, Kevin Eyre, Emil Levkovsky 3.5/5.0
http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4215
http://www.eoca.org/htm/tournaments_2010-11.html
report and photo: http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4218

2010 Southern Alberta Open, November 20 - 21
1st to 3rd: Vlad Rekhson, Rick Pedersen, Roy Yearwood 4.0/5.0
http://www.albertachess.org/2010SAO.html

25th Annual Jack Taylor Memorial, November 20 - 21
1st: WFM Valeria Gansvind 4.5/5.0
2nd to 5th: Ed Seedhouse, Colin Aykroyd, FM Jason Cao, Greg Churchill 3.5/5.0
http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=3576

World Youth U16 Chess Olympiad, November/December
Captain: Gary Gladstone
First board: Nikita Kraiouchkine
Second board: Konstantin Semianiuk
Third board: Mike Ivanov
Fourth board: Simon Gladstone
Result - tied 8th place/22
http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4270

William F. Darch Memorial, November
1st: Jaime Solis 5.0/6.0
2nd & 3rd: Sam Sharpe, John Erickson 4.5/6.0
http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4286

2010 Winter Open, December 4
Open CFC
1st: IM Nikolay Noritsyn 4.0/4.0
2nd to 7th: Roman Sapozhnikov, Wajdy Shebetah, Josh Guo, Vinit Bansal, David Wyatt, Dante Zuniga 3.0/4.0
U1700 CFC
1st: Kajan Thanabalachandran 3.5/4.0
2nd to 4th: John Zhang, Sasha Chuchin, Sergey Noritsyn 3.0/4.0
900+ CMA
1st: Keith Tang 5.0/5.0
2nd: Daiqi (David) Wu 3.5/5.0
3rd & 4th: Jerick Siemeon, Benedict Cheung 3.0/5.0
Best Girl: Constance Wang
U900 CMA
1st: Catherine Li 5.0/5.0
2nd: Kevin Ku 3.5/5.0
3rd: Luxiga Thanabalachandran 3.0/5.0
U600 CMA
1st: Vivek Chachcha 5.0/5.0
2nd: Darwin Mahmoud 4.0/5.0
3rd & 4th: Haotong (Hazel) Guo, Kieran Gara 3.0/5.0
Best Girl: Hao Yang (Liana) Liu
Youngest Boy: Aidan Mo
Youngest Girl: Naeema Garcia
http://chesstournamentintoronto.webs.com/resultsarchives.htm
report: http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4277

2010 Marcel Duchamp International (Argentina)
Charles Filion 4.5/9.0
http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4338

2010 Hart House Holiday Open
Open
1st: GM Bator Sambuev 4.5/5.0
2nd: IM Nikolay Noritsyn 4.0/5.0
3rd to 11th: IM David Cummings, Victor Plotkin, Roman Sapozhnikov, Daniel Abrahams, Yuri Aronov, Dante Zuniga, Michael Dougherty, Vladimir Birarov, Alexander Martchenko 3.5/5.0
U2100
1st: Laurence Crichton 4.5/5.0
2nd & 3rd: Alexander Friedman, Razvan Preotu 4.0/5.0
http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4354
great pics: http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4414

2010 Pan American Intercollegiate Team Championships
University of Toronto A: tied 4th/28
University of Toronto B: tied 22nd/28
http://www.panamerican.wichessacademy.com/intercollegiate-team-championships/
http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4387

Ottawa Winter Open, January 14 - 16
http://www.eoca.org/htm/tournaments_2010-11.html
http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4496
http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4489

2011 Canadian Post-Secondary Chess Championship, January 15 - 16
1st: University of Waterloo
2nd: University of Toronto
3rd: McGill University
more results and games:
http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=2698
http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4495

Guelph Winter Pro-Am, February 5 - 6
Pro Section
1st: GM Bator Sambuev 5.0/5.0
2nd: IM Nikolay Noritsyn 4.0/5.0
3rd: Josh Guo 3.5/5.0
U2000
1st: Adam Cormier 5.0/5.0
2nd: Rob Gashgarian 4.0/5.0
3rd to 6th: Scott Hare, Guannan Terry Song, Mahmud Hassain, Yuanchen Zhang 3.5/5.0
U1600
1st: Sergey Noritsyn 4.5/5.0
2nd: Richard Chen 4.0/5.0
3rd: Corin Schneider 3.5/5.0
http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4451&highlight=Guelph

Aeroflot Open 2011 (Moscow), February 7 - 18
Section A
GM Mark Bluvshtein 4.5/9.0
GM Thomas Roussel-Roozmon 2.5/9.0
Section B
Antoine Berube 3.0/9.0
Section C
Victor Plotkin 5.5/9.0
Doug Sly 1.5/9.0
http://www.aeroflotchess.com/material.php?id=4D507D8491DDF

2011 Ontario Junior Championship, February 12 - 13
http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4466

Fundraiser for the Grand Pacific Open (raised $231), February 20
Open: WFM Valeria Gansvind 4.5/5.0
U1700: Deron Stewart, Phynn Maison 3.0/5.0
U1400: Garth Edgar, Braven Rayne 2.0/5.0
http://victoriachessclub.pbworks.com/w/page/36531246/Results-Feb-2011-GPO-Fundraiser

Hart House Reading Week Open, February 19 - 21
http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4651
http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4670

2011 Brantford Active, February 26
1st: IM Brian Hartman 5.5/6.0
2nd: FM Doug Bailey 4.5/6.0
3rd - 5th: Adam Cormier, Li Hongyi, Keith Wight 4.0/6.0
Top Junior: Zachary Dukic, Razvan Preotu 3.5/6.0
http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4691

Toronto Closed Chess Championship 2011, January 23 - March 6
Championship
1st: Victor Plotkin 5.0/7.0
2nd: Michael Kleinman 4.5/7.0
3rd: Roman Sapozhnikov 4.0/7.0
Reserved
1st: Egidijus Zeromskis 4.0/4.0
2nd: Mike Ivanov 2.0/4.0
http://tccc2011.blogspot.com/
http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4202

Ottawa Spring Open, March 4 -6
http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4721
http://www.eoca.org/htm/tournaments_2010-11.html

KW Winter Open, March
http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4759 http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4669

Hamilton Winter Open 2011
Open
1st: GM Bator Sambuev 5.0/5.0
2nd to 4th: GM Wesley So, IM Nikolay Noritsyn, IM Artiom Samsonkin 4.0/5.0
U1900
1st: Ferdinand Supsup 4.5/5.0
2nd to 4th: Peter Ammerman, Victor Itkin, Daniel Coren 4.0/5.0
Juniors
1st: Owen Qian 5.0/5.0
2nd & 3rd: Josh Perl, Manjot Chelli 3.5/5.0
http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4445

2011 New Brunswick Chess Challenge, April 9
Kindergarten: Alexandre X. Leblanc
Grade 1: Ethan Hache
Grade 2: Simon Latour
Grade 3: Ethan Pearson
Grade 4: Etienne Saint-Aubin
Grade 5: Sam Song
Grade 6: Nathaniel Schrader
Grade 7: Xinyu (Bob) Feng
Grade 8: Nicholas Robichaud
Grade 9: Cody Carson
Grade 10: Jordan Stackhouse
Grade 11: Patric St.-Coeur
Grade 12: Jason Manley
http://members4.boardhost.com/chess-math/msg/1302392865.html

2011 Alberta Chess Challenge, April 9
Grade 1: Ian Zhao
Grade 2: Kaixin Wang
Grade 3: Patrick Tolentino
Grade 4: Andre Tolentino
Grade 5: Jakob Kaiser
Grade 6: Diwen Shi
Grade 7: Dennis Situ
Grade 8: Yuekai Wang
Grade 9: Tony Cai
Grade 10: David Zhang
Grade 11: Jeff DeGuzman
Grade 12: Raymond Ong
http://members4.boardhost.com/chess-math/msg/1302452105.html

2011 Quebec Chess Challenge, April 10
Kindergarten: Nikita Khanin
Grade 1: Robert Liu
Grade 2: William Lai
Grade 3: Maili-Jade Ouellet
Grade 4: Zachary Saine
Grade 5: Kelly Wang
Grade 6: Olivier Kenta Chiku-Ratte
Grade 7: Chang Yun
Grade 8: Qi You Wu
Grade 9: Forest Guo
Grade 10: Myriam Roy
Grade 11: Seymour Gelet
Grade 12: Mathieu Poulin
http://members4.boardhost.com/chess-math/msg/1302525863.html

2011 BC Chess Challenge, April 10
Kindergarten: Harmony Zhu
Grade 1: Victor Zheng
Grade 2: Luke Pulfer
Grade 3: Joshua Doknjas
Grade 4: Jingzhi (Edwin) Xu
Grade 5: FM Jason Cao
Grade 6: John Doknjas
Grade 7: Jeremy Hui
Grade 8: Ryan Lo
Grade 9: Tanraj Sohal
Grade 10: Jack (Kun) Cheng
Grade 11: Roger Luo
Grade 12: Loren Laceste
http://members4.boardhost.com/chess-math/msg/1302551189.html

2011 Manitoba Chess Challenge, April 10
Grade 1: Joshua Huston-Earle
Grade 2: Ron Amrom
Grade 3: Theo Wolchock
Grade 4: Ethan Lin
Grade 5: Alexander Iomdina
Grade 6: Justin Lin
Grade 7: Ryne Swift
Grade 8: Michael Pang
Grade 9: Leor Wasserman
Grade 10: Christopher Delos Santos
Grade 11: Aaron Green
Grade 12: Igor Raihman
http://members4.boardhost.com/chess-math/msg/1302553834.html

2011 Ontario Chess Challenge, April 17
Kindergarten: Aidan Mo
Grade 1: Benjamin Lin
Grade 2: Frank Wang
Grade 3: Kevin Yie
Grade 4: Yuan Chen Zhang
Grade 5: Eric Song
Grade 6: Michael Song
Grade 7: Mark Plotkin
Grade 8: Christopher Knox
Grade 9: Joey Qin
Grade 10: Dan Liu
Grade 11: Arthur Calugar
Grade 12: Lloyd Mai
http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4901
http://members4.boardhost.com/chess-math/msg/1303142102.html

More Chess Challenge results - http://members4.boardhost.com/chess-math/msg/1302725146.html, https://sites.google.com/site/canadianchesschallenge/

NAYCC 2010 games - http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4152

GM Nigel Short in Ottawa videos - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5g4duuGVHyM, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZynwzaJH1Zs&feature=player_embedded, photos http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4237, article http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4265, report for GM Nigel Short simul and GM Alexei Shirov simul http://ottawarachessclub.pbworks.com/w/page/26647566/World-Class-Events, GM Alexei Shirov simul photos http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4572, more http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4573

GM Bator Sambuev simuls - http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4353, http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4824

GM Wesley So simul - http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4797, http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4790

Karoly Szalay simul for Japan Relief (raised $200) - http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4916, http://members4.boardhost.com/chess-math/msg/1303222917.html

FM Jason Cao - http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4251

GM Thomas Roussel-Roozmon - http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4402

Canadian accomplishments 2010 (Player of the Year incl. fan ballot - FM Jason Cao!) - http://www.canadianchess.info/canadianchesshistory/CanadianChessPlayerYear.html#2010

Pere Noel tournament games - http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4388

Schleinich Memorial - http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4444

Quebec Class Championships games - http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4514

2011 Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival - http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4524

2011 Toronto Closed and Reserves - http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4633

Northern Alberta Open - http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4657

2011 Lethbridge Open - http://www.albertachess.org/2011LO.html, http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4848

Montreal Ahuntsic Active games - http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4852

Richard Wang on CBC - http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/story/2011/01/06/edmonton-chess-player.html,
http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4437

GM Mark Bluvshtein's chess journey - http://markbluvshtein.wordpress.com/, his lecture at Annex Chess Club http://annexchessclub.com/2011/03/gm-mark-bluvshtein-chess-rock-star/, his simul at Wilfrid Laurier University http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4831

Other Canadians abroad - http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4819

IM Leonid Gerzhoy in Israel - http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4885

Request for Photos - http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4774

Endgame TV show - http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthread.php?t=4694

April Notice

Hello Readers!

This sure is a busy season - assignments, exams, cleaning up, and so forth. As a result, I will not be posting any content until mid-April. At that time, I will simply tidy up the loose ends on what needs to be updated on this blog. Then, the exciting part comes after exams end in late April! Throughout the spring/summer, I will be adding new features + updating them regularly. I ordered some basic graphics software on top of my animations software. I will also be visiting some tournaments & generally looking for ways to support chess in Canada. As you may know by now, I'm full of surprises! 'Stay tuned' :)

Hazel

P.S. The custom pins ordered for the Elaine Howie Fund have arrived. I am still looking to contact Derick Aghamalian, Jeff Zhang, Yuekai Wang, and Juliaan Posaratnanathan if they are interested in receiving their pins and/or awards. Twenty-five happy face pins (different from the Elaine Howie Fund pins) are still available for my blog readers this coming summer. See the side bar for details.

Would You Rather?

More "Would You Rather?" Questions!

1. Would you rather play chess in a room that's a bit too bright or a bit too dark?

2. Would you rather have a chess-themed picnic or chess-themed campfire?

3. Would you rather receive a bag of promotional items (pens, coupons, etc.) or free refreshments (water, coffee, juice, etc.) at a chess tournament?

4. Would you rather have a friend/family member play on the board next to you or on the other side of the room?

5. Would you rather play a chess game in a beautiful plaza (with cafe, fountain, trees, etc.) or next to a beautiful ocean?

6. Would you rather play online chess games under your own name or a made-up name?

7. Would you rather play chess on top of the Great Wall of China or directly below the Eiffel Tower?

8. Would you rather come to a chess tournament on a bad hair day or after getting only four hours of sleep?

9. Would you rather play in a chess tournament at a moderately-nice venue with free parking or a deluxe venue with pay parking?

10. Would you rather have pairings made under the Swiss system (with large section size) or Round Robin system (with small section size)?

Top 12 Summarized

(Note: tournaments listed below have been condensed to the most major achievements of the players & are often divided by section – please see the full achievement post http://checkmateupdate.blogspot.com/2011/02/top-12-of-2010.html for further information)

Razvan Preotu is a grade six student from Burlington, Ontario. He regularly attends tournaments in Toronto, Guelph, Kitchener, and Hamilton, where he has seen a remarkable rating increase (CFC +589, CMA +440) in 2010. His major achievements include first place finishes in the Ontario Chess Challenge, Canadian Chess Challenge, and 2010 Lasker Series. He has also received recognition for his performance in the Canadian Open.

Nicole Birarov is a grade three student from Thornhill, Ontario. She regularly attends Knights of Chess and participates in tournaments every month. She has displayed spectacular rating progress (CFC +368, CMA +464) in 2010 as a result of a first place performance in the OYCC, first/second place performances in Scholastic Grand Prix tournaments, second place in the CYCC, and third place in the Ontario Chess Challenge. She has also participated in the WYCC and NAYCC.

Luke Pulfer is a grade two student from Surrey, B.C. He regularly attends the Langley Club. He has also shown great progress (CFC +295, CMA +543) in 2010. His major achievements include first place finishes in the Vancouver Chess Challenge and BC Provincials, as well as second place finishes in the Canadian Chess Challenge and BCYCC.

Yue Tong (Davy) Zhao is a grade three student from Scarborough, Ontario. He regularly attends Knights of Chess and the Scarborough Chess Club. He also participates in tournaments every month. His rating progress (CFC +195, CMA +228) in 2010 is marked by a first place finish in the Ontario Chess Challenge, and second place finishes in Scholastic Grand Prix tournaments and the Canadian Chess Challenge. He has received recognition for his performance in the Canadian Open.

Patrick Angelo Tolentino is a grade three student from Calgary, Alberta. He regularly attends/trains at the Calgary Junior Chess Club. His progress (CFC +238, CMA +195) in 2010 is marked by a great performance in the CYCC, and second place in the Canadian Chess Challenge.

Varshini Paraparan is a grade three student from Toronto, Ontario. She regularly attends Knights of Chess, Scarborough Chess Club, Queens & Kings School of Chess, and the Canadian Chess Academy. Her progress (CFC +200, CMA +376) in 2010 includes a first place finish in the OYCC.

Daniel Zotkin is a grade four student from Etobicoke, Ontario. He regularly attends Knights of Chess, Scarborough Chess Club, and Swansea Chess Club. His progress (CFC +194, CMA +94) in 2010 includes a first place finish in the CYCC.

Jamil Kassam is a grade five student from Edmonton, Alberta. He regularly attends the Edmonton Chess Club and participates in tournaments every month. His progress (CFC +301, CMA +212) in 2010 includes first place finishes in the Edmonton Chess Challenge, Alberta Chess Challenge, Northern Alberta Scholastic Championships, and AYCC. He also finished third at the Canadian Chess Challenge.

Derick Aghamalian is a grade five student from Thornhill, Ontario. He regularly attends Knights of Chess, Scarborough Chess Club, and Swansea Chess Club, and participates in tournaments every month. His progress (CFC +85, CMA +292) in 2010 includes a third place finish in the Ontario Chess Challenge. He also participated in the NAYCC.

Jeff Zhang is a grade five student from Nepean, Ontario. He regularly attends the Ottawa Summer Camp and RA Chess Club. His progress (CFC +247, CMA +178) in 2010 includes high finishes in Scholastic Grand Prix tournaments (third/first), and first place in the Eastern Ontario Chess Challenge. He also participated in the NAYCC.

Juliaan Posaratnanathan is a grade eight student from Toronto, Ontario. He regularly attends Scarborough Chess Club and Oriole Chess Club, and participates in tournaments every month. He is one of the most active players in the CFC. His progress (CFC +192, CMA +232) in 2010 includes high performances in the Ontario High School Championship and Canadian Open, second place in the OYCC, and third in the Ontario Team Chess Championship. He also participated in the NAYCC.

Yuekai Wang is a grade eight student from Calgary, Alberta. He regularly attends the Calgary Junior Chess Club. His progress in the CMA (CMA +288) in 2010 has been complemented by first place finishes in the Calgary Chess Challenge, Alberta Chess Challenge, and AYCC, and third place finish in the Canadian Chess Challenge.

Top Ten

Top 10 things a tournament organizer should consider before selecting a venue:

1. Location, location, location - nearby accommodations, transit routes, parking, residential areas, restaurants, etc.

2. Lighting - hmm was that a white piece I moved, or a black one?

3. Space - a little arm space would be nice!

4. Noise level - once I went to a tournament where the room we played in was directly below a room full of dancers; well, I guess that's only good if you want to show off your ceiling ;) Same for squeaky chairs and tables. Oh, and also consider if the sound of chess pieces + clocks will affect other conduct in the building.

5. Decor - chess players are creative thinkers, so try to make sure the atmosphere reflects that.

6. Rules - there are many rules to consider, but as an example, you don't want to have hundreds of players going through a high-rise hotel if the elevator limit is really low. You also don't want to have a junior tournament in a location more suited for adults (and vice versa).

7. Fees - everyone should know by now...you have to read the fine print!

8. Special considerations - are there different rooms for different sections or one room for everyone? Is there a stage or other feature to highlight key games? What is the connectivity and technology available in the room(s)? What about temperature/humidity? etc...

9. Reputation and past record of the venue - for instance, what other tournaments and events been held there before?

10. Instinct - be extra cautious if something doesn't feel right. If you don't like the venue, and have other suitable options, go with one of the alternatives. You'll probably run a better tournament in a location you are more comfortable with.

Anything else?

Addition to Youth Girls Award

The recipient of the Youth Girls Award will now receive free entry into the annual Ontario Girls' Chess Championship. The OGCC website can be found here: http://www.freewebs.com/ogcc/

Thank you to Corinna Wan for providing this additional opportunity!

Keep supporting Canadian chess!

(Image modified from http://vector-cartoons.com/)

Great News - Youth Girls Award!

A generous donor has put forth an amazing contribution to the Elaine Howie Fund in order to encourage female chess players. The new Youth Girls Award will provide $100 to one female player in the Top 12 each year for at least five years. The 2010 Youth Girls Award will be given to Nicole Birarov. Congratulations!

(Image modified from http://vector-cartoons.com/)