Gambito #402

Gambito #402  January Super Gambito  1/03/09

30 players today, pretty good turnout considering many players were reluctant to play because they didn't want to miss the Chargers game at 5 PM. And what a game that was! I was able to drive all the way home to Rancho Bernardo after the Gambito and still managed to catch most of the second half and that wonderful overtime win. GO BOLTS!!

Congratulations to Jesse Orlowski, who raised his rating today to Expert level for the first time. He beat NM Avram Zaydenberg in Round 1, lost to Cyrus in Round 2, drew with Expert Varun Krishnan in Round 3 and won his crucial last round game against Expert Eric Montany.  Pejman Sagart also had a good day, beating Experts Carey Milton and Varun Krishnan and drawing with NM Zaydenberg in the last round. Jamieson Pryor was another Class A player with a good day, beating Expert Eric Montany, earning a draw with NM Zaydenberg (tough day for Avram, Eric and Carey) and a last round win over Carey Milton.   

Also welcome to new players Datris Robinson, Mike Friedel and Alex Grossman. Alex was just visiting from the SF Bay area, Datris is a military man fresh from Hawaii, but now based here, and Mike is an old club member from way, way back who has renewed his interest in chess. Eric Shoemaker also filled in as a house player today, we haven't seen him in ages either. Kim Ogden and Helmut Keil also filled in as house players; Kim won his game against Ben Barquin and Helmut was 1 for 2.  

A wall chart will be posted here later. In the meantime here are the prize winners:  

Open Section

First Place: Cyrus Lakdawala (4), $125  Second Place: Raoul Crisologo (3 1/2), $75

U2400/U2200/U2000/2ndU2400/2ndU2200(5-way tie!) : Jorge Balares (2 1/2), Leonard Sussman (2 1/2), Jesse Orlowski (2 1/2), Pejman Sagart (2 1/2), Jamieson Pryor (2 1/2), $45 each

2nd U2000: Chuck Ensey (2), $25

Reserve Section

First Place: Jason Arbeiter (3 1/2), $75    Second Place: Aaron Householder (3), $25

U1600: Michael Chen (2 1/2), $50   2nd U1600: Datris Robinson (2), $20

Best Games Prizes to be announced here in a day or two

Total Prizes: $700