Colorado State Chess Association
         
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Colorado Springs Open 2018 (By Richard Buchanon)

The 2018 Colorado Springs Open brought 44 players to enjoy a warm, pleasant weekend in Manitou Springs on March 3-4. As usual, we had folks from near and far. Three strong Colorado masters led the crosstable, and several experts, including young stars who showed their stuff to the dismay of their opponents. These included the amazing McConnell brothers, who literally won every game they played, but were kept from the top spot by 3rd round Byes and an early departure. Sheena Zeng from Kansas was another such, taking down Rhett Langseth again and yielding only to Brian Wall in round 4. Alas, she, too, had to leave us before round 5.

Among the other new friends we made there was Ohio player Michael Abron, who is making a tour of the nation playing rated chess in every state. We also had a visitor from Texas.

Josh Bloomer was unstoppable on Board One, by far the highest rated and playing like it. He took clear first with 4.5, followed by Brian, Daniel Herman, and Brian Rountree, who upset Master Richard Shtivelband in round 5, thus earning the U2100 prize with a rating of 1854. Other prize winners were Sam Bridle, Vedanth Sampath, Mukund Gurumurthi, Karthik Selva, Clinton Eads, Vedant Margale, and Gilberto Gaxiola. You will notice the high number of young players among these winners.

My computer and printer worked this time (thanks to help from Earle Wikle and Paul Covington). Most players registered online, which made things easier but also added a few complications.

In all, it was an enjoyable and satisfying tournament. Thanks to all who played, and we hope to see you all again soon.

# Player USCF # Rating Rd 1 Rd 2 Rd 3 Rd 4 Rd 5 Total
1 Josh Bloomer 12626102 2353 W14 W20 W2 W10 D3 4.5
2 Daniel Herman 14345456 2107 W26 W4 L1 W15 W12 4
3 Brian Wall 10923344 2248 W43 W12 D5 W11 D1 4
4 Brian Rountree 12477167 1854 W24 L2 W27 W28 W10 4
5 Sara Herman 14345441 1942 W28 W30 D3 L8 W19 3.5
6 Neil Bhavikatti 14919064 2040 W37 W21 L10 D19 W22 3.5
7 Sam Bridle 12498212 1871 W40 L10 W22 D14 W18 3.5
8 Sulliva McConnell 14696346 2041 W27 W35 H--- W5 U--- 3.5
9 Griffin McConnell 14692997 2007 W23 W38 H--- W25 U--- 3.5
10 Richard Shtivelband 12630593 2262 W32 W7 W6 L1 L4 3
11 Sheena Zeng 14640432 2004 W17 W19 W25 L3 U--- 3
12 Duwayne Langseth 11197175 1905 W36 L3 W13 W30 L2 3
13 Mukund Gurumurthi 15095415 1546 L25 W31 L12 W29 W28 3
14 Vedanth Sampath 15543043 1605 L1 W36 W38 D7 D16 3
15 Charles Alexander 11307949 1804 L18 W39 W23 L2 W26 3
16 Calvin Dejong 15617641 1837 W31 L25 H--- W32 D14 3
17 Karthik Selva 15050522 1504 L11 W33 H--- D21 W30 3
18 Vedant Margale 16018722 1164 W15 L22 W39 D20 L7 2.5
19 Steve Kovach 12687854 1710 W33 L11 W40 D6 L5 2.5
20 Kurt Kondracki 13442735 1932 W29 L1 D32 D18 H--- 2.5
21 Frank Deming 10267811 1753 W41 L6 L28 D17 W36 2.5
22 Jeffrey Kerbow 15238358 1744 H--- W18 L7 W37 L6 2.5
23 Aditya Krishna 15351472 1511 L9 W42 L15 W40 H--- 2.5
24 Clinton Eads 12435350 1250 L4 L26 W44 H--- W37 2.5
25 Rhett Langseth 13392987 2137 W13 W16 L11 L9 U--- 2
26 James Mulberry 10311128 1530 L2 W24 L30 W33 L15 2
27 Joe Beane 12226870 1521 L8 W34 L4 W42 U--- 2
28 Doyle Lobaugh 12437813 1500 L5 W44 W21 L4 L13 2
29 Dean Brown 10224098 1422 L20 L32 W41 L13 W34 2
30 Atharva Vispute 15046237 1705 W44 L5 W26 L12 L17 2
31 Ayush Vispute 16045256 1209 L16 L13 L33 W44 W42 2
32 Austin Harbach 16160691 1576 L10 W29 D20 L16 U--- 1.5
33 Gilberto Gaxiola 16489881 unr. L19 L17 W31 L26 D39 1.5
34 Shirley Herman 14812654 1115 L35 L27 D36 W39 L29 1.5
35 Richard Pugh 12525508 1753 W34 L8 H--- U--- U--- 1.5
36 William Wolf 14762885 1412 L12 L14 D34 W43 L21 1.5
37 George Peschke 15618142 1517 L6 W41 H--- L22 L24 1.5
38 Cory Foster 12928613 1752 W42 L9 L14 U--- U--- 1
39 Michael Abron 11326846 1500 H--- L15 L18 L34 D33 1
40 Patrick Losique 15022095 1289 L7 W43 L19 L23 U--- 1
41 Ben Rubin 16511644 827 L21 L37 L29 B--- F43 1
42 Shrey Rohilla 16238920 632 L38 L23 B--- L27 L31 1
43 Christopher Motley 16231534 1556 L3 L40 H--- L36 F41 0.5
44 Caleb Cheung 16647072 unr. L30 L28 L24 L31 U--- 0