Gambito #202

12/6/04, Gambito #202, Reported by Chuck Ensey, Photos by Chuck & Rick Aeria

Dimitry Dominates Super Double

 

Dimitry Kishinevsky Won This Round 7 Game Against The #1 Rated Bruce Baker 

Bruce Baker (5) got off to a slow start in this year's edition of the Super Double Gambito, losing twice in the first day. He staged a comeback on Sunday, winning three out of four, but it wasn't quite enough, as the loss to Dimitry pictured above kept him from storming back to the top of the wallchart. Bruce lost several close ones in the last few minutes of the game - as most people know by now, blitz chess is not Bruce's strong suit. Most players don't even survive long enough to get to that point, but if you do make it to the end of the game and are roughly even with only five minutes to go, then you have a decent chance to pull an upset against Bruce. IM Cyrus Lakdawala, of course, has made a living off winning in the last few minutes against Bruce, who is often dead even late into the game with Cy, but that's when Cyrus' special endgame skill and incredible focus kick in and when Bruce's Achilles heel becomes apparent. As everyone knows, Cyrus did not play this year because he was busy with some other little tournament, what was it? I forget, I'll have to talk to Cy about getting his priorities straight, I mean what could be more important than the biggest Gambito event of the year, a tournament that Cy faithfully plays in week after week?? Oh yeah, the US Championship, I guess that's a good excuse. He won $3,250 in La Jolla, slightly more than the $300 Dimitry pulled down this weekend, but I think both players were happy.   

 

Jets fan Mario Amodeo lost to Dimitry in the first round on Saturday and then took two byes on Sunday so he could watch his team roll to another victory - they are 9-3, the same as the Chargers!  

Cyrus won this event last year, and Bruce the year before, so maybe it will be a tradition that a different person will win each year. Next year it could be your turn! But in 2004 the glory went to the hard working Ukranian with his unique inventive style, Dimitry Kishinevsky (6).  He held the lead for most of the tournament, winning his first three games, but then in Round 4, Mariano Lozano (5 1/2), the young Mexican phenom, won an exciting battle against Dimitry that came down to a wild time pressure scramble from which Mariano emerged victorious. And in Round 5 Mariano maintained his 1/2 point lead over Dimitry by defeating the #3 highest rated player, Ron Bruno (3). Ron had won against NM Bruce Baker in Rd 4, but then lost to Mariano and then to Dimitry in Round 6 and then withdrew. Ron might have been a little burned out, as I heard he had recently won the Expert Section at the American Open in Los Angeles, a very long, grueling four day battle of 8 rounds over the Thanksgiving holiday.

 

Mariano Lozano started with a bye, then won 4 in a row to nearly win the 202nd Gambito 

Finally in Round 6 Bruce defeated Mariano, allowing Dimitry to regain first place, which he held onto for the rest of the way, despite losing the last round to Adam Corper (5). Mariano also lost in the last round to Rick Aeria (4 1/2). Had he beaten Rick , Mariano would have won the tournament, but he finished second, a half point behind Dimitry. For prize purposes, he won the Best Under 2200 ($200), while Bruce and Adam tied for second and third, winning $125 each. Rick was 2nd Best Under 2200 ($100), and then there was a three way tie for 3rd Best U2200 between Antonio Gonzalez (3 1/2), Richard Gimeno (3 1/2) and Mario Amodeo (3 1/2).

 

Richard Gimeno Likes Open Files For His Pieces Even At The Cost Of Doubled Pawns. This was a Rd 7 game vs Adam Corper that was won by Adam with a nice florish. I will post the game here later tonight. 

Richard Gimeno beat Ron Bruno in Rd 1, Bruce Baker in Round 2 and then lost a heartbreaker to Dimitry in Round 3 when he had no scoresheet to prove a three move repetition, as he was low on time and stopped writing down the score. When playing with a time delay clock, the game must go on if there is no proof from a scoresheet. Richard just got his Expert rating, and proved he deserved it by defeating the strong Expert Carey Milton (2) in Round 6.      

 

Antonio Gonzalez says he likes the Game in 45 minutes time limit of Gambito chess             

Antonio lost to Bruce in the first round, but then beat Adam Corper, James Mahooti (3) and drew with Carey Milton in day one, and also beat Rick Aeria in day two, but suffered losses against Dimitry, Mariano and Mario Amodeo. The Open Section only had 14 players, so with 8 rounds, it was almost like a round robin, especially after a few players withdrew after round 6. There were only a few Class A players, so points were really hard to come by for the under 2000 set and James Mahooti was able to win $200 for only scoring 3 points! Chuck Ensey (2 1/2) took a $100 as 2nd Best U2000 and Daniel Hughan (2) got $50 for 3rd BU2000, which helped pay his gas fare back to Yuma, Arizona. Dan left early, after a 6th round loss to Mahooti, but said he enjoyed the tournament a lot and plans to come back again. He also won the Reserve Section (U1900) earlier this year at the San Diego County Championships in June. In the Super Double Gambito this year he beat Rick Aeria in Round 1 and me, Chuck Ensey, in Round 5. I had a good game against him, but I faltered in a rare double Knight endgame (2 on each side) in the last few minutes of the game. Rats! It was a tough loss to take. I finished strong though, drawing Mario in the 7th round and winning a nice endgame against Richard Gimeno in the last round. 

To see a report on the Reserve Section click here. It was won by Philip Gerstoft (6 1/2).

  

You would smile too if you won six games in a row to start the tournament...