DCC April 2024 Report
4:56pm Thursday, May 2nd, 2024
...think of the DCC as being a gymnasium for your brain.
All these years later, I finally know what I'm doing thanks to Liesl Johnson and her Make Your Point column. With these reports, I am singing the praises and "extolling" the virtues of the Denver Chess Club. There are other sports where it's all you - in Golf, it's you against the course, or one on one in sports like Tennis, Boxing, Pool, and others where there is little or no luck involved. But they all require physical strength. Chess does not, but without question to play serious tournament chess, mental "indefatigability" is required. You can increase your physical strength by exercising, but mental stamina is necessary to stay focused throughout a serious USCF rated game, with prize money on the line. So think of the DCC as being a gymnasium for your brain. A place where you can strengthen the power of your mind and memory. As you see Eamon Montgomery (w) and DCC President, Earle Wikle (b) doing in the heading photo by Shirley Herman, as are most pictures used in this DCC report.
The lady in the foreground is a welcome DCC newcomer playing casual chess.
So then with that unscholarly philosophy stated, on to who won not only the usual monthly prize money but also who will take home the Tuesday night 2024 Championship trophy, and a 20 dollar bonus prize for each section. Last year we had the DCC Championship tournament in May, before that I think in January, and now this year in April. I guess it's when a five Tuesday month occurs, and we remember that another year has gone by :-)
Eamon Montgomery is in deep thought... working out his brain cells.
In the Tuesday night Premier section, the Colorado Closed Champion, Eamon Montgomery, has now also become the 2024 Denver Chess Club Champion. Taking the title from Daniel Herman, the 2023 DCC Champion. Eamon's perfect 5-0 score won 236 dollars in addition to the Premier section trophy and 20 dollar bonus check. I am hoping Mr. Montgomery will also take 1st place in the upcoming DCC Denver Open, and the Labor Day weekend CSCA Colorado Open. Thus giving him a 2024 trifecta of Colorado chess championships.
Vedant Margale (w) vs. Eamon Montgomery(b). DCC President, Earle Wikle is setting the clock as Rhett Langseth looks on.
Rhett Langseth (2062) was upset by Vedant Margale (1864) in Round 1 but then won his next four games to take 2nd place and win 141 dollars. The young Vedant also upset Joe Ford (1983) and NM Richard Shtivelband (2207) to finish with 3.5 points and tie for 3rd place with Matthew Wofford and earn his share of the 94 dollar 3rd place prize. Vedant also won the Premier section 30 dollar Best Upset Prize for his win over Mr. Shtivelband.
Richard Shtivelband and Daniel Herman are waiting for their Round 1 opponents.
Another youngster, Reyansh Agarwal(1589) won the 20 dollar Honorable Mention Upset Prize, for his win against Joe Ford (1983) in round 4. I doubt if Mr. Ford has ever been upset twice in any chess tournament. Don Wisdom (1708) didn't win money but he'll certainly gain USCF rating points for his wins against Habtamu Aseged (1969), Turpana Molina (1990), and Kenzie Moore (1898)
Wyatt Backhouse (w) vs. Mark Brandao (b)
In the Tuesday night U1900 section Mark Brandao (1557) took a 1st round bye and then won all his games. Including a last round upset win against Wyatt Backhouse (1729). Thus taking 1st place and winning 228 dollars. In addition to taking the U1900 trophy and 20 dollar bonus check. Alex Bonn was the 2023 U1900 DCC champion.
Left to right, facing the camera, Jeff Nohrden, Bill O'Neil, and Kristopher Zelkin
Jeff Nohrden (1572) and Adhiram Palle (1500) ended up with 4 points to finish in 2nd place, and they each won 114 dollars. Mr. Palle upset both Bill O'Neil (1600) and Kristopher Zelkin (1826). Mr. Zelkin was also held to a round 4 draw by Mr. Hohrden.
The 30 dollar U1900 Best Upset prize was won by Mark Kingsley (1179) for his round 2 win against Wyatt Wear (1532) Mr. Kingsley also held Randolph Schine (1500) to a round 1 draw. The 20 dollar Honorable Mention Upset prize goes to Pranav Male (1256) for either his win over Bill O'Neil (1600) in round 5, or yours truly(1600) in round 3. I failed to consider both ways my unsound Knight sacrifice could be captured, and let's just say Pranav chose the better way :-)
Enrico Moss (w) vs. Nicholas Sagerer (b) in front. Other board is Richard Eveleigh (w) vs. Alex Von Kaenel (b)
Like Eamon Montgomery in the Premier Section, Nicholas Sagerer ruled the Tuesday night U1500 section, with a 5-0 perfect score. Hence, Mr. Sagerer becomes the DCC U1500 Champion. Nicholas takes home 209 dollars for his excellent play, in addition to the U1500 trophy and 20 dollar bonus check. Seth Fortinsky was the 2023 U1500 DCC Champion. In my opinion, no repeating DCC Champions indicates that the competition at the Denver Chess Club is at a high level...
... and so are the NBA playoff games :-)
Enrico Moss and Alex Von Kaenel both only lost to Mr. Sagerer to end up with 4 points, and finish in 2nd place. They each win 114 dollars. Mr. Von Kaenel (998) also wins the 30 dollar Best Upset Prize for his round 1 win over Maxwell Fischer (1347). Jacob Helle (662) won the 20 dollar Honorable Mention Upset Prize for his round 5 win over Tanay Kataru (964)
Thursday night players analyzing a tactical position...
... and here is a Shirley Herman montage of some of the new players on Thursday night.
Maybe next year we will also have a Thursday night championship. Then arrange a playoff match against the Tuesday night champion to determine the overall DCC Champion. Till then, in the Thursday night Premier section, once again Daniel Herman took 1st place with a perfect 4-0 score. His excellent play put 103 dollars in his pocket. I'm going to go ahead and just declare that Mr. Herman is the Thursday night champion until proven otherwise.
Daniel Herman (w) vs. Kristopher Zelkin (b)
The DCC Treasurer, Luis Jimenez, is improving by the game. Only losing to Mr. Herman, he finished in 2nd place with 3 points to win 77 dollars in addition to the 20 dollar Premier Upset Prize for his 281 rating point difference round 4 win against NM Richard Shtivelband.
DCC Treasurer, Luis Jimenez (w) vs. NM Richard Shtivelband (b)
Another player who is getting stronger fast is Ben DeGuire (1732). He won his last round game against Forrest Lundstrom (1789) to end up with 2 points and win the 3rd place prize of 38 dollars. Also steadily improving is Kristopher Zelkin, who won the 38 dollar U1900 prize. I doubt if Mr. Zelkin's USCF rating will be U1900 for much longer.
Mark Brandao (w) vs. James Robertson.
In the Thursday night U1600 and Unrated section two players fairly new to DCC tournament chess tied for 1st and 2nd place. Mark Brandao and John Schoenke both scored 3.5 points and each player won 90 dollars. Timothy Mendosa and Mark Kingsley share the combined 3rd place, U1600, and U1300 prize of 76 dollars. Mr. Kingsley (1179) had a big last round upset win over the DCC Thursday night TD, Weston Taylor (1393). But Glen Holguin (1003) won the 20 dollar U1600 Upset Prize for his round 4 win against Benjamin Hanson (1566)
Benjamin Hanson (b) vs. Glen Holguin
As always a big THANK YOU to all the players who play on Tuesday and Thursday night. Each and every one of you is why the DCC is thriving. Thanks also to the DCC TDs. Namely, Phil Brown, Peter Barlay, Sikander Baker-Nagar, Weston Taylor, and Luis Jimenez. Thanks to DCC President, Earle Wikle for organizing all the DCC Tournaments and providing the DGT boards. Without their time and effort, the DCC would just be players meeting to play casual chess. Instead, we have well run USCF rated tournaments for significant prize money and rating points. Speaking of prize money, the combined total payout for the DCC Tuesday and Thursday tournaments was - are you ready for this - Two thousand and eighty five dollars. I am not making that up. The DCC paid out 2085 dollars to 22 individual players in April. Thanks again to Luis Jimenez for writing all the DCC tournament prize checks and keeping track of all DCC financial matters, and thanks again to Shirley Herman for her much better than my photography.
Games Section
First, don't miss Eamon Montgomery's YouTube analysis of his DCC Championship Games
Eamon mentions this simultaneous game against Ben DeGuire (Ben had a Round 2. forced bye) and his Round 2 pairing opponent, Forrest Lundstrom. Note that Eamon is playing Black in both games against strong players!!
Other than Chris Peterson's Best Game selection, It has dawned on me that I forgot to add other games to the DCC Spring Classic report. My bad. Here is a belated selection: Evan McCormick vs. Matthew Wofford - Shubh Misra vs. Evan McCormick - Evan McCormick vs. Vedant Margle - Henry Kovacs vs. Evan McCormick
Now on with the DCC April Games:
1) Mark Kingsley vs. Randolph Schine. Tuesday. Round 1. In this position, Mr. Kingsley played 31. Rf3-h3. What is a much better move?
5) Mark Kingsley vs. Benjamin Hanson Tuesday. Round 3. With 17. Nh3xg5 White sacrifices a piece for two pawns but never gets a Kingside attack going. I am also prone to wishful thinking sacrifices :-)