DCC 2025 Spring Classic Report

So many sections, so many prize winners.

NM Brian Wall's games have been added to the Games section. Now including his Round 4 loss to Jason Nigatu.

Note that all the pictures used in this report were taken by John Brezina. Thanks to Mr. Brezina, names have been added to previously unnamed players. Also, the photos are not necessarily related to the text but were selected mainly to show the incredible range of people who play chess. 

Of course, I had to use another room shot to show the record attendance :-)

Another DCC record tournament registration. The inaugural DCC Spring Classic in 2023 attracted a not bad 90 players. Last year, 138 players signed up. This year, 164 players registered to participate with high hopes of winning a share of the over 5000 dollar prize fund. Over because DCC President Earle Wikle announced in the TLA that if more than 135 registered the prize fund would grow and did it ever. 6000 dollars was paid out to the winners by DCC Treasurer Niall Case. If a prize winner could not wait for the last round to finish, Mr. Case would have the prize check in the mail the next day. 27 players went home with money in their pocket, or in their mailbox within a few days. Any amount won over the entry fee I consider to be free money, and with six sections, every player has a chance for that free money. 

Last room shot, I promise :-)

All that said, the truth is most players are gladly paying an entry fee just to test their skill or to gain USCF rating points. Trying to move up to the next higher USCF rating bracket. Simply because to do that results in a real sense of accomplishment. I've been a "b" player for 40 years and only have a 1600 floor because I briefly went over 1800 many, many years ago. Yet, the fascination with chess remains. No bells, no whistles, no cards, no dice, and everything is in plain sight, and still, I usually have no idea what the best move is in any given position all these years later.

Everyone who plays chess in Colorado knows who this is: Mr. Colorado chess, Brian Wall.

So then, on to who won what at the 2025 DCC Spring Classic. In the Premier Section, only Rhett Langseth held Sullivan McConnell to a draw in Round 4, and Sullivan won all his other games. Ending up tied with Eamon Montgomery, who only gave up a draw to Kayie Zang in Round 3. Rhett and Sullivan both took home the tidy sum of 657 dollars and 57 cents. 

Dean Brown is another player who has been playing in Colorado since forever. 

Rhett Langseth, a USCF Candidate Master, tied for 3rd place with Jason Nigatu and Emmett Lignell. Each player scored 4 points, but Mr. Nigatu's (1869) other than in round 1, were all upset wins. Namely, against Griffin McConnell (2177), Brian Wall (2204), and a last round draw against  Mr. Langseth (2154). Mr. Lignell's points were also Upsets, but all were less than a 100 point rating difference. Just my arbitrary definition of not a real Upset. Nevertheless, Jason, Rhett, and Emmett each won 213 dollars and 13 cents. Jermey Roldan (1821) won the 115 dollar Upset Prize for his Round 1 win against Daniel Herman (2168).

Jason Nigatu will likely be playing chess in Colorado for a long time. See his win against Brian Wall in the Games Section

And it's also likely that Charlie Kovacs will be playing chess in Colorado for a long time.

In the U1800 section with a 1st round forfeit win (his opponent didn't show up) Henry Kovacs went on to take 1st place and win 450 dollars with 4.5 points. Only allowing a last round draw to John Schoenke. . Mr. Schoenke finished with 4 points and took home 350 dollars. Ethan Crane won the 3rd place prize of 250 dollars with 3.5 points. The 115 dollar U1800 Upset Prize was won by Adan Dawdy (1525) for his Round 1 win over Charlie Zetterower (1733)

I'm sure Henry Kovacs is about to make a winning move.

Unrated Vincent Kiftenbled ruled the U1600 section. Only allowing a Round 1 draw to Owen Christ, and otherwise winning all his games, to take home 400 dollars. Rohan David scored 4 points and won the 2nd place prize of 260 dollars. Jack Gottlibe and James LaMorgese each won 75 dollars by scoring 3.5 points. Karthick Sakthisaravanan won the 115 dollar Upset Prize when she won against Mr. Gottlibe in Round 4. 

This gentleman has probably been playing since before he could grow a beard.

In the U1400 section again, an Unrated player took 1st place. Jothan Buck had a last round bye and won all his other games to take home 375 dollars. Truan Karthikeyan, Zander Mcelhinney, and Jonathan Olson all finished with 4 points and each player won 95 dollars. Jonathan Reinhard (893) won the 115 dollar Upset prize when he won against Carter Worcester (1300) in round 4. 

Joe Aragon didn't have a mustache when he started playing chess. 

Simon Steel scored a perfect 5-0 to take 1st place in the U1200 section and won 350 dollars. Eric Zhang (654) took 2nd place by winning against higher rated players in every round, to end up with 4.5 points and take home 230 dollars. Big bucks and lots of rating points makes a good tournament. Jude Heffern won the 3rd place prize of 115 dollars with 4 points. Rishabh Nair and James Goodin share the 170 dollar U1000 prize. The 115 dollar Upset prize was won by Tyler Amick (451) for his Round 2. win over Frank Atwood (945).

Shirley Herman is improving her game by leaps and bounds. 

See all of John Brezina's fine photography: 

So many sections, so many prize winners. DCC President Earle Wikle spreads the prize money as far and wide as possible in all the DCC tournaments he arranges and directs along with TD Peter Barley. Thank you both, and especially thanks to the players who play in DCC tournaments. Congratulations to all the prize winners.  

Chris Peterson plans to select a Best Game from the DGT boards  and add it here when he has time apart from his medical school studies. In the meantime we have Brian Walls games.

2) Omar Beltran vs Brian Wall. Round 2.  2025 Spring Classic. After 29. Ng5 Brian's comment is "With 34 minutes left to Omar's 2 minutes the game should be over after 29 ... f6!!  or ... Rh5!! Instead, after 7 minutes, I got carried away with 29 Nf4+??  30 Bxf4  Bxf4  31 b6!! +4, and I had to accept Omar's draw offer before I got crushed."

2k3rr/p1q2p2/P2bp3/1Ppn2N1/Qp6/6P1/1P3PK1/R1BR4 b - - 29 57

5) Austin Battles vs. Brian Wall. Round 5.  2025 Spring Classic. After 34...Qxd5 Quoting NM Wall "Queen sac to punish a non resigner" Is nonresigner a word?? :-)

Thanks again to all, 

 J.C. MacNeil