Mechanics' Institute Chess Club Newsletter #367
 
 
The loss of my childhood was the price of becoming world champion in history. When you have to fight every day from a young age, your soul could become contaminated. I lost my childhood. I never really had it. Today I have to be careful not to become cruel, because I became a soldier too early.
 
Garry Kasparov
 
1) Mechanics' Institute Chess Club News
2) Serper wins Western States Open
3) Americans Abroad
4) Berkeley Chess Club
5) Dennis Fritzinger Poem
6) Highest and Lowest rated States
7) Tal at the 1988 Software Toolworks Open
8) Upcoming Events
 
The Mechanic's will be hosting the seventh annual J.J. Dolan G/45 this Saturday starting at 10am.
 
 
1) Mechanics' Institute Chess Club News
 
 
Next Tuesday night, October 23, will be the start of the Fall Tuesday night Marathon. The nine round event ends December  18.
 
The San Francisco Mechanics' split their matches in weeks seven and eight in the US Chess League and remain in the hunt for the playoffs in the US Chess League. Vinay Bhat won against IM Lev Milman of Carolina. This makes Vinay 5-0 this year and an undefeated 11 out of 13 over three seasons! Vinay started the season the highest rating in the USCL (2729) and he has definitely improved on it.
 
Local high school student Sam Shankland, who was an all-star in the US Chess League last year on board 4 has given the Mechanics' two keys wins this season and improved his lifetime record in the USCL to 7.5 from 9 for a performance in the neighborhood of 2400. His win against Craig Jones was very nice and should be a contender for the best game of the week with its interesting opening novelty and crisp tactics.
 
Don't miss Dmitry Zilberstein's slugfest with fellow IM Marcel Martinez from week seven. Marcel sacs the house for mate but Dima comes up with 24...Nf3+!, 28...e3! and 30...Rb3! and Marcel has to bail out with a perpetual. Nice defense!
 
Next Monday night the MI squares off with Seattle in a key match for the playoffs.
 
 
Week 8
 
 
 
 
Milman,Lev (2531) - Bhat,Vinay (2465) [C96]
USCL Carolina vs San Francisco Internet Chess Club (8), 17.10.2007
 
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 Na5 10.Bc2 c5 11.d4 Nd7 12.Nbd2 exd4 13.cxd4 Nc6 14.d5 Nce5 15.a4 Rb8 16.axb5 axb5 17.Nxe5 Nxe5 18.f4 Ng6 19.Nf3 Bh4 20.Rf1 Bg3 21.f5 Ne5 22.Ng5 Nd7 23.Nxh7 Kxh7 24.f6 g6 25.Qd2 Kg8 26.Qh6 Nxf6 27.Bg5 Be5 28.Ra3 c4 29.Kh1 Rb7 30.Raf3 Ng4 31.hxg4 f6 32.Bh4 g5 33.Rh3 Rh7 34.Qg6+ Rg7 35.Qh6 Bxg4 36.Be1 Bxh3 37.gxh3 Qe8  0-1
 
 
Pruess,David (2448) - Schroer,Jonathan (2449) [C92]
USCL Carolina vs San Francisco Internet Chess Club (8), 17.10.2007
 
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.c3 d6 9.h3 Bb7 10.d4 Re8 11.a4 h6 12.Qd3 exd4 13.axb5 axb5 14.Rxa8 Qxa8 15.cxd4 Nb4 16.Qxb5 Bxe4 17.Qxb4 Bxb1 18.Qc4 d5 19.Qxc7 Be4 20.Ne5 Qc8 21.Qxc8 Rxc8 22.Bd2 Rb8 23.Re3 Bd6 24.f4 Bb4 25.Bc3 Bxc3 26.Rxc3 Ra8 27.Rc1 Rb8 28.Rc3 Ra8 29.Rc1 Nh5 30.Rf1 Ng3 31.Re1 Rb8 32.Re3 Nf5 33.Nc6 Nxe3 34.Nxb8 Nxg2 35.Kf2 Nxf4 36.Ke3 g5 37.Nc6 h5 38.Bd1 Kf8 39.b4 Bf5 40.b5 Bxh3 41.b6 Bc8 42.Na5 Ke7 43.b7 Bxb7 44.Nxb7 f5 45.Nc5 h4 46.Bf3 h3 47.Bh1 Kd6 48.Nb7+ Ke7 49.Kf3 Ne6 50.Kg3 Nxd4 51.Kxh3 Ne6 52.Kg3 Nf4 53.Kf3 Kd7 54.Ke3 Kc7 55.Nc5 Kd6 56.Nb3 Ne6 57.Nd4 f4+ 58.Kd3 Nc5+ 59.Ke2 g4 60.Nf5+ Ke5 61.Nh6 g3 62.Ng4+ Kf5 63.Nh6+ Kg6 64.Kf3 Kxh6 65.Kxf4 Ne4 66.Bxe4 dxe4 67.Kxg3 Kg5 68.Kf2 Kf4 69.Ke2 e3 70.Ke1 Kf3 71.Kf1 e2+ 72.Ke1 Ke3 ½-½
 

Zaikov,Oleg (2369) - Donaldson,John (2458) [D11]
USCL Carolina vs San Francisco Internet Chess Club (8), 17.10.2007
 
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 Bg4 5.Qb3 Qb6 6.Ne5 Bf5 7.cxd5 Qxb3 8.axb3 cxd5 9.b4 e6 10.b5 Nbd7 11.Nxd7 Kxd7 12.Nc3 Ne4 13.Nxe4 Bxe4 14.Bd2 Bd6 15.Bc3 Bc2 16.Kd2 Bb3 17.Bd3 Rhc8 18.Ra5 b6 19.Ra6 Kc7 20.h4 h5 21.Rg1 Kb7 ½-½
 
Shankland,Sam (2211) - Jones,Craig (2323) [C11]
USCL Carolina vs San Francisco Internet Chess Club (8), 17.10.2007
 
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.f4 c5 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.Be3 cxd4 8.Nxd4 Bc5 9.Qd2 0-0 10.0-0-0 a6 11.Nb3 b6 12.Na4 Bxe3 13.Qxe3 Qc7 14.Bd3 b5 15.Nac5 Na5 16.Kb1 Nc4 17.Qh3 g6 18.Nxd7 Bxd7 19.Qh6 Rfc8 20.h4 Qd8 21.h5 Qf8 22.hxg6 Qxh6 23.Rxh6 hxg6 24.Rdh1 Kf8 25.Bxg6 Be8 26.Rh8+ Ke7 27.R1h7 Ne3 28.Nd4 Nxg2 29.Rxe8+ Rxe8 30.Bxf7 Kf8 31.Nxe6+ Ke7 32.Bxe8+ Kxe6 33.Bd71-0
 
 
 
Week 7
 
 
 
 
 
 
Friedel,Josh (2543) - Becerra,Julio (2634) [C96]
USCL San Francisco vs Miami Internet Chess Club (7), 10.10.2007
 
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 Na5 10.Bc2 c5 11.d4 Nd7 12.Nbd2 exd4 13.cxd4 Nc6 14.d5 Nce5 15.Nxe5 Nxe5 16.f4 Ng6 17.Nf3 f5 18.e5 dxe5 19.fxe5 Bb7 20.d6 Bh4 21.Re2 Bg3 22.b4 Bxf3 23.gxf3 Qh4 24.Bxf5 Bxe5 25.Bxg6 Bxa1 26.Be4 Qg3+ 27.Kh1 Rad8 28.bxc5 Be5 29.Qf1 Bd4 30.Be3 Bxe3 31.Rxe3 Kh8 32.Re2 b4 33.Qe1 Qf4 34.Kg2 Qg5+ 35.Qg3 Qxc5 36.Rd2 Qe3 37.Rc2 Qh6 38.Rc6 Rf6 39.Qe5 Rfxd6 40.Qe7 Qd2+ 41.Kg3 Rxc6 0-1
 
 
Martinez,Marcel (2462) - Zilberstein,Dmitry (2453) [C78]
USCL San Francisco vs Miami Internet Chess Club (7), 10.10.2007
 
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 b5 6.Bb3 Bc5 7.a4 Rb8 8.axb5 axb5 9.c3 d6 10.d4 Bb6 11.Na3 0-0 12.Nxb5 exd4 13.cxd4 Bg4 14.Be3 Nxe4 15.Qc2 Qe8 16.Ba4 Bd7 17.Nc3 Nf6 18.Rfe1 Qd8 19.Qd2 h6 20.Bxh6 gxh6 21.Qxh6 Ng4 22.Qh5 Nxd4 23.Ne4 d5 24.Bxd7 Nxf3+ 25.gxf3 Qxd7 26.fxg4 dxe4 27.Qg5+ Kh7 28.Ra3 e3 29.Raxe3 Bxe3 30.Rxe3 Rb3 31.Qh5+ Kg8 32.Qg5+ Kh7 33.Qh5+ ½-½
 

Pruess,David (2448) - Espino,Miguel (2307) [B15]
USCL San Francisco vs Miami Internet Chess Club (7), 10.10.2007
 
1.d4 g6 2.e4 Bg7 3.Nc3 c6 4.Be3 d5 5.Nf3 Nf6 6.e5 Ng4 7.Bf4 f6 8.exf6 exf6 9.Qd2 Qe7+ 10.Be2 f5 11.0-0 0-0 12.Rae1 Nf6 13.Ng5 Ne4 14.Ngxe4 fxe4 15.f3 Qb4 16.Be3 exf3 17.Bxf3 Bf5 18.g4 Bd7 19.a3 Qb6 20.Na4 Qc7 21.Bh6 Na6 22.Bxg7 Kxg7 23.Re7+ Rf7 24.Rxf7+ Kxf7 25.Bxd5+ Ke7 26.Qe3+ 1-0
 
 
Rodriguez,Eric (2192) - Naroditsky,Daniel (2170) [E60]
USCL San Francisco vs Miami Internet Chess Club (7), 10.10.2007
 
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nf3 Bg7 4.g3 0-0 5.Bg2 d6 6.0-0 Nc6 7.d5 Na5 8.Qa4 c5 9.Bd2 b6 10.Bc3 a6 11.Nbd2 Bd7 12.Qc2 e5 13.dxe6 fxe6 14.e4 e5 15.Bxa5 bxa5 16.Nb1 Bg4 17.Nc3 Qc8 18.Rad1 Nh5 19.Rd3 Bh3 20.Ne1 Be6 21.b3 Qc7 22.Qd1 Rad8 23.Nc2 Nf6 24.Qd2 Ng4 25.f3 Bh6 26.Qe2 Nf6 27.Rfd1 Rf7 28.Qf1 g5 29.Ne3 g4 30.f4 exf4 31.gxf4 Nh5 32.f5 Bxe3+ 33.Rxe3 Qe7 34.Qe2 Qg5 35.fxe6 Rf3 36.e7 Re8 37.Rxf3 gxf3 38.Qxf3 Rxe7 39.Rf1 1-0
 
 
WESTERN DIVISION W
L
Game
Points

Opp Avg Rating
Opps Record  
Dallas @
6.0 2.0 19.5/32 (61%)

2377
26.5-27.5 (49%)
Seattle 4.5
3.5
18.0/32 (56%) 

2371                   
29.5-24.5 (55%)
San Francisco 4.0 4.0 18.0/32 (56%)

2368
28-26 (52%)
Carolina 3.5 4.5 15.0/32 (47%)

2377
24.5-29.5 (45%)
Miami 3.0 5.0 14.0/32 (44%)

2361
24.5-29.5 (45%)
Tennessee 2.0 6.0 11.0/32 (34%)

2369
24-30 (44%)
(Opponent Record Column only counts match results against other teams.)

 @ = clinched Playoff Berth
# = clinched Division Title
Whoever has the most points in the "W" (win) column, is in the lead in the standings.
Total game points + win percentage are used as a tiebreaker. To see the rest of the tiebreak procedures click here

Playoff Procedures:

* Top three teams from each division qualify for the playoffs. Results are calculated by Total MATCH points.
** The first round of the playoffs will consist of the 2nd+3rd place team from each division playing each other in the "wildcard round".
The 2nd place team gets draw odds. The division winners receive a first round bye.
*** The Semi-Finals of the playoffs consists of the wildcard winners facing off against the division champions.
The division champions receive draw odds.
**** The League Championship consists of both Semi-Final winners playing each other.
There are no draw odds in this match and if tied there will be a tiebreaker.
 


Formula for MVP points:
a win on board 1 is worth 4 points, a loss on board 1 is worth -4 points
a win on board 2 is worth 3 points, a loss on board 2 is worth -3 points
a win on board 3 is worth 2.5 points, a loss on board 3 is worth -2.5 points
a win on board 4 is worth 2 points, a loss on board 4 is worth -2 points
if you draw or win with the black pieces you receive 1 bonus point.
 
 
 
2) Serper wins Western States Open
 
Seattle GM Gregory Serper won a late night playoff to take the title of 2007 Western States Open in Reno last weekend. Tying with Serper for first at 4.5 from 6 in the open section of the 340-player event organized and directed by a team headed by Jerry and Fran Weikel and Barbara Woodward were GMs  Ildar Ibragimov (West Haven, CT , Melik Khachian (Los Angeles), Alex Yermolinsky (Sioux Falls, SD), Alexander Ivanov (Boston) , Sergey Kudrin (Stanford, CT) and IM Enrico Sevillano (Tehachapi, CA). Several MI members did very well. To mention four: young NMs Sam Shankland and  Daniel Naroditsky both turned in plus scores in the Open playing up nearly every round , veteran Victor Ossipov was undefeated in sharing second in the Experts section while San Ramon high school student Louiza Livschitz had 4 points playing up a class with the Experts. More details on this event next week.
 
3) Americans Abroad
 
One very welcome development at the top level of American chess is the activity of its top three FIDE rated players. Gata Kamsky, Alex Onischuk and Hikaru Nakamura don't have any high level round robins to play in the US but they are seeking out strong competition where they can find it. Gata and Alex both played in the European Club Championship which Gata's club, Linex Magic of Spain, won. Now Hikaru and Gata  have strong round robins to play in.
 
Alexander Baburin's excellent online daily Chess Today ( www.chesstoday.net) offers the details.
 

Magistral d'Escacs, Barcelona


A Category 15 closed tournament takes place from October, 18th to 26th. The players are Lenier Dominguez (last year's winner with 8 out of 9, 1½ ahead of Ivanchuk),
Michal Krasenkow, Vugar Gashimov, Hikaru Nakamura, Alexander Beliavsky, Rafael Vaganian, Miguel Illescas, Marc Narciso, Jordi Fluvia and Josep Oms.

Tal Memorial, Moscow

 
This event will take place on November 9-19. Well-known Russian journalist, Yuri Vasiliev, wrote in Sport Express Daily that the 10 players participating in the round robin tournament with classical time control will be: Kramnik, Ivanchuk, Gelfand, Leko, Carlsen, Shirov, Kamsky, Mamedyarov, Alekseev and Jakovenko.
 
American representatives IM Robert Hungaski and FM Mackenzie Molnar both gained useful experience in the recently concluded World Junior in Erevan, Armenia. They each scored 6 from 13 in the event won by Egyptian GM Ahmed Adly ahead of many more highly rated players. Tatev Abrahamian finished with an even score in the Girls Under 20 World Championship.
 
4) Berkeley Chess Club
 
Art Marthinsen won the first Berkeley Chess Club Sunday Marathon scoring 5.5 from 6 to take home the $200 first prize. Sharing second at 4.5 were Steven Swoboda and Mike Anderson.
 
Here are the details for the next BCC Marathon which starts this Sunday.
 
Start Date: 7:00 P.M. October 21, 2007
Location: Room 17 at Hillside School, 1581 LeRoy, Berkeley.

Tournament Format: Six rounds, one game every Sunday
Other Rounds:October 21, 28; November 4, 11, 18, 25
Time Control: 40/90 followed by G/30.

Byes:
Up to two half-point byes are available for rounds 1-5. All byes should be requested before 12pm the Friday before the next round

Entry Fee: $30.00.

http://www.berkeleychessschool.org/chessclub.htm
 
5) Dennis Fritzinger Poem
 
 
bringing home the bacon

i'm eating breakfast,
getting ready to play
my first game--
eggs, bacon and toast,
and a cup of coffee.
someone has dropped a quarter
in the jukebox,
and the music plays--
i can barely hear it.
wrapped in my own thoughts,
thinking
about the game ahead.
who will i play?
what color will i have?
what will i play?
one song is over,
now another song
begins.
i take another sip
of coffee,
turn to my eggs, tackle them,
have a few crunchy bites
of bacon,
and one of toast.
then i take a slug
of orange juice
for good luck.
the orange juice
will sustain me
through the opening,
the eggs and toast
through the middlegame,
and by the endgame
i'll be riding on the bacon
all the way.
 
6) Highest and Lowest rated States
 
Mike Nolan of the USCF, who has done so much to modernize the Federation's computer systems, provides the answer to which states are highest and lowest rated in the USCF. He writes:

This list only includes those who were USCF members as of 9/30/07, were 20 or older on 9/30 (or are in an adult membership category but without a birthdate) and who have been in at least one rated event since 1/1/2006:

Highest:
Southern California  1657.7
Massachussetts     1641.3
New Jersey           1625.9
New York             1623.2
Connecticut          1620.1
Northern California  1617.3


If I group N Cal and S Cal together, the combined average is 1640.8, so MA would just beat them out. The 22 active players with military APO/FPO addresses have an average rating of 1649.3, so they'd qualify for 2nd place (or arguably for 1st place if I combine California.)

Hawaii        1418.3
Idaho           1404.9
Mississippi  1400.4
Kentucky     1392.4
Maine         1370.5



 
 
7) Tal at the 1988 Software Toolworks Open
 
John Blackstone of Las Vegas asks if anyone might have the following blitz games played by Mikhail Tal at the
1988 Software Toolworks blitz tournament in LA which are missing..

Stiwich      3 games out of 3
Andreopoulas 2 games out of 3
Cross, J     3 games out of 3
Fishbein, A  4 games out of 4
Duckworth    1 games out of 3
 
 
8) Upcoming Events
 
 
 
Northern California


I will be running USCF rated chess tournaments in Cupertino! Events for scholastic (K-12) players will be on Nov 25, Dec 22, Jan 12, and Feb 16. These will all be
trophy prize quads. Please note the earlier start time of 2pm. Please check in before 1:45pm. I will also have an Adult tournament on Nov 24. These are octos, 3-SS. I expect some masters to play in this one. The players will be distributed into sections of 8 each. This allows a first prize of $100 for each section. If you have
any questions, please contact me.

Albert Rich
USCF Tournament Director
USCF National Master

albertjrich@yahoo.com


Oct. 27   Exchange Bank Fall Classic  

4-SS, G/1. Exchange Bank, Andrew J. Shepard Building, 444 Aviation Blvd., Santa Rosa, CA. $$ GTD: $1,000. 3 Sections: Open, open to all: $$ 425: $250-175. Reserve, open to 1500-1899. $$ 325: $200-125. Booster, open to U1500. $$ 250: $150-100. All EF: $35 if rec’d. by 10/20. $40 at site. Reg.: 8:30-9:30. Rds.: 10-12:30-3-5:30. Contact: Mike Goodall (415) 491-1269 or Paul Stagnoli (707) 539-6368. Unrated must play in Open Section; No phone nor e-mail entries. Bring equipment, none provided. NS, NC, W. FIDE

Nov. 10   California Classic Championship 

4SS G/60. 3003 Scott Blvd., Santa Clara, CA 95054. EF: $39, Juniors $35. $16 more after 11/6, $2 Cal Chess Discount, $4 discount if combined with 10/6 Classic. $850 b/36: Open 200-100 U2000 50, Reserve: 200-100 U1600 50, U1400 50, U1200 50, U1000 50. Reg: Sat 9:00-9:30 AM, Rds: 10:00-12:00, lunch, 12:30-2:30 PM, 2:40-4:40 PM, 4:55-6:55 PM. Ent: Salman Azhar, 1551 Garvey Pl. San Jose, CA 95132. Payable to Salman Azhar or paypal to
sazhar@yahoo.com. Info: http://www.bayareachess.com/. NS NC W

 
Regional
 
 

October 19-21
5th Annual Western Pacific Open
5-SS, 3-day 40/2, SD/1, 2-day rds. 1-2 G/75 then merges. 
LAX Hilton, 5711 W Century Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90045. 
$$10,000 b/200, 50% of each prize guaranteed.
In 3 sections: 
Open: 1600-1000-800-400-200, U2400 300-200, U2200 700-500-300. EF: $83 if received by 10/18, $95 door. 
Premier (U2000): $$ 700-500-300-100, U1800 400-200-150, U1600 400-200-150. EF: $83 if received by 10/18, $95 door. 
Amateur (U1400/Unrated): $$400-200-100, U1200 100, Unr 100, unrated may win unrated prize only. EF: $67 if received by 10/18, $80 door.   
All: $25 Best Game prize, all sections eligible. One half point bye if requested with entry, rds 4-5 cannot be revoked. SCCF membership req. of S. Cal. res., $14 reg, $9 junior. No checks or credit card entries at door.
Reg: 5:30-6:30 p.m. 10/19, 9-10 a.m. 10/20. 
Rds: 3-day 7 p.m., 11-5:30, 10-4:30. 2-day: 10:30-1:30 (G/75), then merges. 
HR: $104, (310) 410-4000. Be sure to mention Western Chess. Parking $9/day. 
Info: admin@westernchess.com. Web site: http://www.westernchess.com/
Ent: SCCF, c/o John Hillery, 835 N. Wilton Pl. #1, Los Angeles CA 90038. On-line entry: http://www.westernchess.com/.
NS. NC. F. GP: 40. State Championship Qualifier
.

 

A Heritage Event!
An American Classic!

Nov. 22-25   43rd Annual American Open   GPP: 100   California Southern

8SS, 40/2, SD/1. LAX Renaissance Hotel, 9620 Airport Bl, Los Angeles, CA 90045. $$40,000 b/o 400 entries, 50% of each prize gtd. In 6 sections (Unr. must play in Unr. or Open). Open: $4000-2000-1000-700-600-500, U2450/Unr. $1000-500, U2300/Unr. $600-300. U2200, U2000, U1800: Each $3200-1600-800-400. U1600: $2600-1300-650-350. U1400/Unr: $2200-1100-550, U1200 $1000-500 (not a separate section; U1200s also eligible for U1400 prizes), Unrated: $350-200 (Unrateds in this section eligible for these prizes only). EF: Open, U2200, U2000, U1800, U1600, U1400 $120 if rec’d by 11/20, $50 more for players rated under 2000 playing in Open, Unrated $40. All: $25 more at door. SCCF membership req’d, $14, $9 jrs under 19 includes Rank & File magazine, OSA. Elegant trophy each section winner. Special $1000 gtd. prizes in memory of Joyce Jillson: 100 (brilliancy), 100 (positional win by player 1700+), 100 (positional win by player U1700), 100 (known true gambit); biggest rating gain by established player rated over 1000: $400, 200 (latter female only). No checks at door – cash, credit card or money order only. 4-day schedule: Reg. closes noon 11/22, Rds. 12:30-7:30, 12:30-7:30, 10:30-5, 10-4:30. 3-day schedule: Reg. closes 11:30 a.m. 11/23, Rds. 12-2:30-5-8 (G/1), schedules merge in Rd 5 and compete for common prizes. Byes (2 max) with advance notice. CCA minimum ratings and TD discretion will be used to protect you from improperly rated players. November Rating Supplement used. Lectures and videos. HR: $99, (310) 337-2800, mention chess. Parking only $7. Info: NTD Randy Hough (626) 282-7412, randallhough@yahoo.com. Ent: American Open, PO Box 205, Monterey Park, CA 91754 or www.americanopen.org. NS, W, F.

 
Dec 8, 2006   3rd Annual Igor Ivanov Memeorial.

GPP 15

5SS, G/60, 1st round is G/45, St. George Chess Club Tournament, 354 E. 600 S. #301, St George, Utah 84770, JUST 120 MILES NORTH OF LAS VEGAS. EF:$35.  GMs and IMs free entry. $150 appearance stipend for IMs and GMs; and free room and Lunch.  Prize fund: $1200 absolutely guaranteed. $400-225-125, other distributed as class prizes Reg: Friday Dec. 7th, 6:30pm- 7:30pm, Saturday Dec. 9, 8:00am to 8:45am.  Please register in advance if Possible.  Rds: 1st round 9:00am. Next rounds ASAP.  Byes must be submitted before the 2nd round for a half point.  Award Ceremony: there will be an Awards Ceremony immediately after the last round.  All cash prizes are unconditionally
guaranteed.  What to bring: chess clocks, pen.  Please turn cell phones off.  
Ent:  St. George Chess Center, the same address as given above.  You can also
register and have questions answered at:
www.stgeorgechess.com or call Alan Crooks at1-888-GO-CHESS