Author: markdrury

Posted on

I, COVID (Club Championship Delayed)

Well, after three and a half years of deftly avoiding the infernal virus my wife and I tested positive for COVID Tuesday afternoon. Kim feels worse than I do and may have gotten it earlier (my symptoms are like a bad cold with body aches but will likely worsen). This clearly throws a wrench in the club championship which was supposed to begin Thursday but I’m hoping I’ll test negative well before October 12th and perhaps we can begin then (I’m reasonably certain I wasn’t contagious last Thursday). This again highlights the need for another tournament director in the club, when my absences would be a non-issue. I know a few members are interested in directing so perhaps we can make this happen early next year.

You are still welcome to stop by the club Thursday, of course, but you’ll need to bring your own equipment and set up the room for play (and return the tables to the center of the room before you leave). I’m very sorry for the delay but I’m certain everyone understands, and I hope to see many of you at the club next week! Regards,

Mark Drury

Posted on

Impromptu G/2+3 Double-Round Blitz #6

We enjoyed another excellent turnout for our casual evening this past Thursday and 26 people played in our impromptu G/2+3 double-round blitz tournament (two games played against each opponent), with Andy Applebaum taking sole first with a perfect 8 points. One point behind in sole second was first-time club visitor Ramkumar Jeyaraman, while Cesar Tamondong claimed sole third with 6 points. Of particular note was the result of Hayden Brongersma at 5 points, a young player who seems to get stronger each week and, if memory serves, only took up the game seriously earlier this year. Full results for the tournament are given below and we’ll continue to offer these blitz events (with different formats and time controls) on casual nights given it’s clearly what club membership wishes to do.

#Name/Rating/IDRd 1Rd 2Rd 3Rd 4Rd 5Rd 6Rd 7Rd 8Total
1Andy ApplebaumW 22B 22B 17W 17W 11B 11W 3B 3 
 1.02.03.04.05.06.07.08.08.0
2Ramkumar JeyaramanB 6W 6W 15B 15W 8B 8B 11W 11 
 0.01.02.03.04.05.06.07.07.0
3Cesar TamondongW 16B 16W 13B 13B 7W 7B 1W 1 
 1.02.03.04.05.06.06.06.06.0
4Rohan KaprebyebyeW 6B 6B 19W 19W 5B 5 
 0.51.01.02.03.04.04.05.05.0
5Kornel CsernaiB 24W 24W 7B 7W 12B 12B 4W 4 
 1.02.03.03.04.04.05.05.05.0
6Hayden BrongersmaW 2B 2B 4W 4B 21W 21W 10B 10 
 1.01.02.02.03.03.54.55.05.0
7David ZhaoW 19B 19B 5W 5W 3B 3B 15W 15 
 1.02.02.03.03.03.04.04.54.5
8Mark DruryW 10B 10byebyeB 2W 2W 17B 17 
 1.02.02.53.03.03.04.04.54.5
9Josen KalraB 15W 15W 16B 16W 18B 18W 21B 21 
 0.00.01.01.01.52.53.54.54.5
10Amogh RaoB 8W 8W 26B 26B 13W 13B 6W 6 
 0.00.01.02.03.04.04.04.54.5
11Pranav JindalB 14W 14W 21B 21B 1W 1W 2B 2 
 1.02.03.04.04.04.04.04.04.0
12John VitlacilbyebyebyebyeB 5W 5B 14W 14 
 0.51.01.52.02.03.04.04.04.0
13Lasha LakarbaiaW 26B 26B 3W 3W 10B 10W 22B 22 
 1.02.02.02.02.02.03.04.04.0
14Paul HartelW 11B 11B 23W 23B 17W 17W 12B 12 
 0.00.01.02.03.03.03.04.04.0
15Jay WackerW 9B 9B 2W 2B 22W 22W 7B 7 
 1.02.02.02.03.03.53.54.04.0
16Atul DhingraB 3W 3B 9W 9W 20B 20W 23B 23 
 0.00.00.01.01.02.03.04.04.0
17Nikita GrinkinB 25W 25W 1B 1W 14B 14B 8W 8 
 1.02.02.02.02.03.03.03.53.5
18Aditya Dhamdherebyebye—-—-B 9W 9B 25W 25 
 0.51.0U1.0U1.01.51.52.53.53.5
19Isaiah ScottB 7W 7W 24B 24W 4B 4W 20B 20 
 0.00.01.02.02.02.03.03.03.0
20Hugo Pubyebye—-—-B 16W 16B 19W 19 
 0.51.0U1.0U1.02.02.02.03.03.0
21Ashwin GaneshW 23B 23B 11W 11W 6B 6B 9W 9 
 1.02.02.02.02.02.52.52.52.5
22Richard WangB 1W 1W 25B 25W 15B 15B 13W 13 
 0.00.01.02.02.02.52.52.52.5
23Jerome OrielB 21W 21W 14B 14B 26W 26B 16W 16 
 0.00.00.00.01.02.02.02.02.0
24Victor ChenW 5B 5B 19W 19B 25W 25W 26B 26 
 0.00.00.00.01.01.01.02.02.0
25Michael DarrW 17B 17B 22W 22W 24B 24W 18B 18 
 0.00.00.00.00.01.01.01.01.0
26Ganesh R.B 13W 13B 10W 10W 23B 23B 24W 24 
 0.00.00.00.00.00.01.01.01.0
Posted on

Impromptu G/2+3 Double-Round Blitz #5

We enjoyed another good turnout for our casual evening this past Thursday and 24 people played in our impromptu G/2+3 double-round blitz tournament (two games played against each opponent), with Andy, Pranav and Alaric sharing first place with 7 out of 8 points. The time control was a bit unusual and was chosen solely because we wished to try something different, something a little faster than normal. I don’t know that we’ll play G/2+3 again as it was not obviously better than G/3+2 or the like but it was perhaps worth trying. We’ll play another impromptu blitz tournament next week (September 28th) and our club championship will begin the following week, October 5th. Regards,

Mark Drury

#PlayerRd 1Rd 2Rd 3Rd 4Rd 5Rd 6Rd 7Rd 8Total
1Andy ApplebaumbyebyeB 13W 13W 15B 15B 10W 10 
 0.51.02.03.04.05.06.07.07.0
2Pranav JindalW 17B 17B 5W 5W 10B 10W 3B 3 
 1.02.03.04.05.06.07.07.07.0
3Alaric SteinB 18W 18W 6B 6W 11B 11B 2W 2 
 1.02.03.04.05.06.06.07.07.0
4Rohan KaprebyebyebyebyeW 21B 21B 11W 11 
 0.51.01.52.03.04.05.06.06.0
5David ZhaoB 20W 20W 2B 2W 13B 13W 7B 7 
 1.02.02.02.03.04.05.05.05.0
6Josen KalraW 9B 9B 3W 3B 8W 8W 12B 12 
 1.02.02.02.02.03.04.05.05.0
7Julian TaibyebyeB 15W 15W 19B 19B 5W 5 
 0.51.01.02.03.04.04.05.05.0
8Paul HartelB 15W 15B 17W 17W 6B 6W 20B 20 
 0.01.01.02.03.03.04.05.05.0
9Austin ChenB 6W 6W 18B 18W 23B 23B 16W 16 
 0.00.01.01.02.03.04.05.05.0
10Richard WangB 21W 21W 16B 16B 2W 2W 1B 1 
 1.02.03.04.04.04.04.04.04.0
11Nikita GrinkinW 19B 19W 12B 12B 3W 3W 4B 4 
 1.02.03.04.04.04.04.04.04.0
12Ashwin GaneshW 24B 24B 11W 11W 14B 14B 6W 6 
 1.02.02.02.03.04.04.04.04.0
13Isaiah ScottB 22W 22W 1B 1B 5W 5W 21B 21 
 1.02.02.02.02.02.03.04.04.0
14Hugo PubyebyebyebyeB 12W 12B 24W 24 
 0.51.01.52.02.02.03.04.04.0
15Thomas GerberW 8B 8W 7B 7B 1W 1B 18W 18 
 1.01.02.02.02.02.02.03.03.0
16Arnav BhavsarB 23W 23B 10W 10W 20B 20W 9B 9 
 1.02.02.02.02.03.03.03.03.0
17Amogh RaoB 2W 2W 8B 8W 18B 18B 19W 19 
 0.00.01.01.01.02.02.03.03.0
18Hayden BrongersmaW 3B 3B 9W 9B 17W 17W 15B 15 
 0.00.00.01.02.02.03.03.03.0
19Jeff UngarB 11W 11W 24B 24B 7W 7W 17B 17 
 0.00.01.02.02.02.03.03.03.0
20Aditya DhamdhereW 5B 5W 22B 22B 16W 16B 8W 8 
 0.00.01.02.03.03.03.03.03.0
21Michael DarrW 10B 10W 23B 23B 4W 4B 13W 13 
 0.00.01.02.02.02.02.02.02.0
22Johann LoebW 13B 13B 20W 20B 24W 24B 23W 23 
 0.00.00.00.01.01.01.02.02.0
23Victor ChenW 16B 16B 21W 21B 9W 9W 22B 22 
 0.00.00.00.00.00.01.01.01.0
24Maxime GerberB 12W 12B 19W 19W 22B 22W 14B 14 
 0.00.00.00.00.01.01.01.01.0
Posted on

Impromptu G/5+0 Blitz Tournament #4

There was another good turnout for our casual evening this past Thursday and twenty people played in the 4-round G/5+0 blitz tournament, won (yet again) by Pranav Jindal with a perfect 4-0 score, followed by Kunal Modi, Nikita Grinkin, Satya Chitturi and yours truly at 3 points. At the conclusion of this tournament quite a few people wanted to play another 4-rounder but we simply didn’t have time–perhaps if we manage to start earlier we can hold two complete blitz tournaments in one evening. Regards,

Mark Drury

#PlayerRd 1Rd 2Rd 3Rd 4Total
1Pranav JindalB 15W 5B 4W 2 
 1.02.03.04.04.0
2Kunal ModiW 16B 9W 3B 1 
 1.02.03.03.03.0
3Nikita GrinkinB 12W 11B 2W 6 
 1.02.02.03.03.0
4Satya ChitturiW 17B 13W 1B 10 
 1.02.02.03.03.0
5Mark DruryB 18B 1W 14W 11 
 1.01.02.03.03.0
6David ZhaoW 14B 8W 9B 3 
 0.51.52.52.52.5
7Hugo PubyebyeB 12W 14 
 0.51.02.02.52.5
8Josen KalraW 13W 6B 19B 17 
 0.00.01.02.02.0
9Cesar TamondongB 20W 2B 6W 18 
 1.01.01.02.02.0
10Rohan KaprebyebyeB 18W 4 
 0.51.02.02.02.0
11Arnav BhavsarB 19B 3W 13B 5 
 1.01.02.02.02.0
12Eddie ZhaoW 3B 20W 7B 19 
 0.01.01.02.02.0
13Hayden BrongersmaB 8W 4B 11W 16 
 1.01.01.02.02.0
14Aditya DhamdhereB 6W 15B 5B 7 
 0.51.51.52.02.0
15Ashwin GaneshW 1B 14W 17B 20 
 0.00.00.01.01.0
16Kornel CsernaiB 2W 18W 20B 13 
 0.00.01.01.01.0
17Michael DarrB 4W 19B 15W 8 
 0.00.01.01.01.0
18Jeff UngarW 5B 16W 10B 9 
 0.01.01.01.01.0
19Kyan AgdassiW 11B 17W 8W 12 
 0.01.01.01.01.0
20Paul HartelW 9W 12B 16W 15 
 0.00.00.00.00.0
Posted on

Impromptu G/3+2 Blitz Tournament #3

Our casual/blitz/bughouse evening this past Thursday was more lightly attended than usual, perhaps due to the upcoming Labor Day Weekend and the fact that we completed our Quick-rated tournament the week before, but many club stalwarts and several first-time visitors played in a five-round impromptu blitz tournament, with Andy Applebaum taking sole first with a perfect 5-0 score (I gave Andy a run for him money in the final round). Satya Chitturi was second with 4 points and Jeff McGinnis third at 3.5. It was another fun event and we may do this every casual evening as there appears to be an appetite for it. Full results follow and note that our Surfeit of Blitz Redux event will likely occur over two weeks September 23rd and 30th. Regards,

Mark Drury

#PlayerRd 1Rd 2Rd 3Rd 4Rd 5Total
1Andy ApplebaumB 8W 4B 2W 9B 7 
 1.02.03.04.05.05.0
2Satya ChitturiW 10B 9W 1B 6W 4 
 1.02.02.03.04.04.0
3Jeff McGinnisbyebyebyeB 11B 9 
 0.51.01.52.53.53.5
4Deep BardhanW 11B 1W 7B 10B 2 
 1.01.02.03.03.03.0
5Aranya KunduW 12W 14B 6B 15W 10 
 0.01.01.02.03.03.0
6Chase WangW 7B 16W 5W 2B 12 
 0.01.02.02.03.03.0
7Mark DruryB 6W 12B 4byeW 1 
 1.02.02.02.52.52.5
8Hayden BrongersmaW 1B 11W 16B 13—- 
 0.00.51.52.5U2.52.5
9Ashwin GaneshB 17W 2B 12B 1W 3 
 1.01.02.02.02.02.0
10Arnav BhavsarB 2W 17B 14W 4B 5 
 0.01.02.02.02.02.0
11Hugo PuB 4W 8B 17W 3W 13 
 0.00.51.51.52.02.0
12Esther MendozaB 5B 7W 9W 14W 6 
 1.01.01.02.02.02.0
13Colin TaylorbyebyebyeW 8B 11 
 0.51.01.51.52.02.0
14Aditya DhamdhereW 16B 5W 10B 12B 17 
 1.01.01.01.02.02.0
15Abhik ChatterjeebyebyebyeW 5B 16 
 0.51.01.51.51.51.5
16Michael DarrB 14W 6B 8W 17W 15 
 0.00.00.00.01.01.0
17Paul HartelW 9B 10W 11B 16W 14 
 0.00.00.01.01.01.0

Posted on

August Quick-Rated Double-Round Quads + Swiss

We had another full house (and a considerable wait list—register early!) for our quick-rated, double-round quads plus Swiss which ran from August 10th – 24th, with clear winners in all sections save Quad 1, wherein Andy Applebaum and Pranav Jindal tied for 1st-2nd with 4 points apiece out of 6. Tobin Bennion took sole first in Quad 2 with 4.5 points while David Zhao had the only perfect score in the event with his impressive 6-0 in Quad 3. Kornel Csernai also tallied 4.5 to win Quad 4 and Umar Rasyid had perhaps our best junior showing with his excellent 5 points to take Quad 5.

Quad 6 was dangerously close to seeing a 4-way tie at 3 points until Michael Darr bested six-year-old phenom Rosalyn Chu (remember that name) in their final game to win outright with 4 points. In the Swiss event, Travis Torres-O’Callaghan, the front runner after four rounds, became ill and was unable to play rounds 5 and 6, regrettably, leaving Austin Chen and Victor Chen to square off atop that section. Austin prevailed over both games and claimed 1st with an admirable 5 points. The full results for this event may be found here.

Thank you to everyone who played in this fun event, please let me know if you have any feedback (good or bad) and congratulations to all of our prize winners–their winnings are given below and I’ll reach out to individuals via email about how they wish to be paid. Regards,

Mark Drury

Quad 11st-2nd: Andy Applebaum, Pranav Jindal, $20
Quad 21st: Tobin Bennion, $25
2nd: Triet Vo, $15
Quad 31st: David Zhao, $25
2nd: TBD (Cesar Tamondong and Michael Sherrard to play August 31st), $15
Quad 41st: Kornel Csernai, $25
2nd: Hamdanil Rasyid, $15
Quad 51st: Umar Rasyid, $25
2nd: Atul Dhingra, $15
Quad 61st: Michael Darr, $25
2nd: Paul Hartel, Kushal Dhingra, $7.50 each
Swiss1st: Austin Chen, $30
2nd: Siddharth Kalra, $25
3rd: Travis Torres-O’Callaghan, Rosaleia Torres, Nicholas Bao, $15 each
Posted on

Impromptu G/3+2 Blitz Tournament #2

We had another good showing at our casual night this past Thursday and threw together a second impromptu G/3+2 blitz tournament, which Pranav won with a perfect 4-0 score. Full results are below for the curious. We’re overdue to host our second Surfeit of Blitz marathon so that may happen in September or October, at the latest.

Our August Quick-Rated Double-Round Quads begin this Thursday and I’ll send the groups and round-by-round pairings later today or tomorrow. Note that we have one extra spot in the larger Swiss section for someone rated 750 or below—please contact me if you or someone you know may wish to play some quick-rated games over the coming three weeks. Regards,

Mark Drury

Posted on

June Dual-Rated Short Swiss Results

I’m a little late in sharing the results of our June Dual-Rated Short Swiss which wrapped up last week, though given how busy I’ve been it’s more a matter of better late than never, I suppose (I was able to submit the tournament for rating last Thursday, so there’s that). We had clear winners in each section and Kornél Csernai, Gregory Gauthier and Billy Barnds deserve special mention for the perfect 3-0 scores in their respective groups. The rest of our winners, their winnings and the full wall charts follow (I’ll contact those who are owed prize money to ask how each wishes to be paid). Note that this evening at the club we’ll play casual, blitz, bughouse and ladder games and we may consider holding another unrated blitz tournament next week. I hope to see many of you at the club tonight! Regards,

Mark Drury

1500+
Alex Chin, 2.5, $30
Triet Vo, Daniel Francis, 2.0, $5 each

U1500
Kornel Csernai, 3.0, $30
Nicholas Tan, Nikita Grinkin, Lasha Lakirbaia, 2.0, $5 each

U1000
Gregory Gauthier, 3.0, $30
Jeffrey Ungar, 2.5, $10

UNRATED
Billy Barnds, 3.0, $30
Sunny Tulsi, Austin Chen, Hugo Pu, 2.0, $5 each

Posted on

June Dual-Rated Short Swiss Round 1 Results

Thirty-five people are taking part in three rounds and four sections of our dual-rated short Swiss G/30;d5 tournament, the first round of which was played this past Thursday. The players, sections and results may be seen in the accompanying images and I will share the second round pairings this coming Monday. Thank you to everyone who is playing in this event! Regards,

Mark Drury

Posted on

Isles of Blood and Spices Blitz Results

We enjoyed an excellent turnout for our 5-round G/5 Isles of Blood and Spices Blitz tournament last night, with 28 players vying in one Open section for modest cash prizes in three ratings groups. Congratulations to Pranav and Adam S. for shared first overall, to Lasha and Nicholas for shared first 1000-1499 (and their excellent 4.0 result) and to young Siddharth for yet another strong showing in taking first alone in the U1000 group, with Hayden, Marc and Trinton tying for second a point behind. The common lament heard during this event was that “I was n moves away from mate or a draw but lost on time!” so we may revisit an increment or delay during our next blitz tournament. The full results may be seen in the attached image—I’ll follow up with prize winners about payment and, as always, please let me know if you have questions or if a correction is needed.

Our next tournament will be a 3-round, dual-rated G/30;d5 Swiss over three weeks beginning June 15th, and we’ll again offer 2, 3 or 4 sections to keep the ratings within groups as close as possible. The entry fee is $5, all of which will be returned in cash prizes. More information and a registration button may be found here: https://menloparkchess.club/event/june-dual-rated-short-swiss-round-1/. Note that you only need register for round 1 of this event and you’re good for all three rounds.

As mentioned at the club last night, I may be out of town next Thursday, June 8th, but I’ll try to find someone to bring the chess equipment to the club in my stead. If that turns out to be impracticable we may still open for casual/blitz/bughouse/ladder play but you’ll need to bring your own equipment, is all. I’ll send another note once I know more. Regards,

Mark Drury