MACA election results are in!
Congratulations to new board members Chris Chase, Maryanne Reilly, Dmitry Barash, Frida Kuzmin, Ed Chiu, and Tiffany Wang. For full results, go to masschess.org.
Congratulations, Denys Shmelov!
The 2008 Mass Open champion earned his final IM norm at this year’s World Open, held during the Independence Day weekend, with an impressive score of 5.5 out of 9 is the country’s strongest open field. Also earning an IM norm in Virginia was man of the moment Mika Brattain, who held his own against an unrelenting barrage of titled players from around the world. It was his first such norm.
Qibiao Wang, another Massachusetts representative who tied for 3rd in the tough U2400 section, is also on quite the hot streak. Wang had previously won the U2300 section of the 2014 Chicago Open outright, good for a $5,000 prize haul.
The Massachusetts Game/60 Championship was held April 27th in Marlborough. IM David Vigorito and Steven Winer shared 1st in the open section with 3.5 points out of 4 each. Sharing 3rd-4th with 3 points apiece were Robert Perez and Carissa Yip, whose 44 rating point haul put her over 2100 for the first time.
In the U2000 section, Robert Holmgren, Michael Isakov, and Michael Yu would tie for tops with 3/4. All three reached new peak ratings in the process. The U1800 and U1600 sections were swept by Varun Palnati and Danila Poliannikov, respectively, while a large U1200 section would have twin clean sheets in David Sigman and James Rao.
Michael Isakov’s personal rating record would not last long, however, as he shattered the mark while sharing first in the U200 section at this year’s 19th Annual Bradley Open in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, held July 18th through the 20th. Isakov’s 4/5 tied with five other players, including Massachusetts’ Jeremy Bader and Ross Eldridge. Alone atop the open section with a perfect 5/5 was none other than GM Alexander Ivanov.
Southbridge’s Samuel Sevian earned his second GM norm at a St. Louis invitational event held from May 28th through June 1st. Well on his way to breaking Ray Robson’s record for youngest American GM, the 13-year-old has been active in norm tournaments all across the country. He is currently ranked #1 in the world in his age
group.
 Meanwhile, since her success at the G/60, Carissa Yip has been knocking on the door of youngest female master in USCF history. From the 17th through 21st of July, she participated in the U.S. Girls’ Closed Championship, run by Relyea Chess in Manchester, New Hampshire. Massachusetts’ own Ken Ballou directed.
Lastly, we must sadly mention MACA life member Donald Sampson of Holden, who passed away April 14th at the age of 89. The piano teacher and church organist had a chess career of over 50 years. He is survived by six nieces and nephews.
Photo Credit to Nita Patel |