'05 Senior Open

4/10/2005, SCCF Senior Open, Reported by Chuck Ensey

Bruce Baker Is SCCF Senior Champion!

  

Bruce Baker Won This Rook and Pawn Endgame With Robert Richard In Rd 3

The Southern California Chess Federation's Senior Open had an odd twist in the first round – last year’s Co-Champions, Bruce Baker (4 1/2) and Alejandrino (Ed) Baluran (3) were paired on the top board in round one! Bruce won the encounter this year and went on to score 4 ½ points out of 5 to take first place all for himself. This year’s prize fund was enhanced beyond the guaranteed $1,000 by some very generous donors, including Bill Conrad and several others, who felt that this prestigious event should have bigger monetary rewards for the winners. The extra funds made up for a low turnout of only 17 players and allowed Bruce to go home with a $500 check instead of the projected $300.

 

Raoul Goes To Make A Move Against Rick As San Diego Club Champion Adam Corper Tries To Figure Out What's Going On... Adam is way too young to play in this event, you must be at least 50 YEARS OLD!  

Raoul Crisologo (4) of Murrieta came in second place with 4 points after losing only to Bruce in round 2 and defeating 4 other opponents, including Rick Aeria (3) in a very long and close last round game. Rick was the only one to get a draw out of Bruce, but he finished out of the money since his USCF rating is over 2100.

Leonard Sussman (3 1/2) took third place, and four players tied for Best Under 2100 with 3 points: Carey Milton (3), Dennis Saccuzzo (3), Michael Nagaran (3) and the previously mentioned Chess Balladeer, Ed Baluran.

 

Ed has a sly smile and something up his sleeve for me, Chuck Ensey, just before he played 24 Bc8!!, a pretty sac that seals the win for him in Rd 4 

The Best Under 1900 prize of $100 went to Keith Wilson (2 ½), whos is rated 1546! How did he do that?? Well, first of all he lost to Sussman, but then he beat me, Chuck Ensey (1), rated 1832, in Round 2, and then took a bye in Rd 3, lost to Saccuzzo in Rd 4, but then beat Narayan De Vera (1/2) in the last round. Meanwhile all the other players rated U1900 were knocking each other off or losing. Kimberly Ogden (2) lost to Art Taylor (2) and that probably helped Keith win money and then I lost to Kimberly in the last round, but by then I was out of it and so was Kimberly. I told Kimberly we probably weren't playing for money, so to please take it easy on me, but he crushed me anyway.   

The Best Under 1700 prize of $100 was won by Robert Henderson (2), who also won the $50 Biggest Upset Prize for a win in Round 1 over Expert Carey Milton.  

 

Carl Wagner worked out a crushing attack against Chuck Ensey a few moves after this shot was taken in Round 1   

Two former title holders had rough outings. Carl Wagner (2) lost to Leonard Sussman and also blundered badly against Raoul Crisologo. Robert Richard (2) lost to Bruce and to the suddenly very hot Leonard Sussman. But even Lenny couldn’t hold back Bruce in the last round despite having the White pieces. Bruce won with his favorite Dutch Defense as Black even though he had prepared and expected to play with White himself.

In another odd turn of events, Joel Batchelor (0), who recently swept to the SDCC Reserve Championship with an impressive score of 6 out of 7 points, was completely shut out in this event! Those seniors are pretty tough old birds!!

The Best Game Prizes were won by Ed Baluran for his sparkingly win against Chuck Ensey, and sadly for me, the other Best Game was played by Kimberly Ogden, also against me. Hey, I did win one game, just barely against Narayan De Vera, rated 1314, the only player to venture down from Los Angeles. I will post both Best Games here tomorrow (after I get over the embarrassment!) OK, here is Baluran vs Ensey   along with Ogden vs Ensey