Strong 2010-11 Scarborough CC Championship Coming Up!

[Bob Armstrong]

Here is an article coming out in the Feb. 15 Issue of Scarborough Community of Toronto Chess News & Views ( SCTCN&V ), the newsletter of the Scarborough CC:

Scarborough CC – Very Strong 2010-11Club Championship !

Scarborough Chess Club starts its 2010-11 Club Championship in a little over a week – on Thursday, February 24.

The feature attraction is the very strong Championship Section 10-player round robin of the 9 highest rated club members registering, plus the winner of the 2009-10 Reserves Top Section ( or the next place finisher in case the winner qualifies by rating or is not playing ). 8 players will be over 2100, the ninth player will be just shy of 2100, and the Reserves Qualifier will be over 2000 – it will include 5 Masters! The current average rating of the 9 by rating is 2200! This may well be the strongest club championship in Canada. Unfortunately, last year’s champion, WIM Yuanling Yuan ( 2352 ), is unable to return to defend her title. So it’s wide open !

As of today’s rating and activity criteria, the top section looks to be:

1. Master Rune Pedersen ( 2311 )
2. Master Andrei Moffat ( 2255 )
3. Master John Hall ( 2226 )
4. Master Josh Guo ( 2225 )
5. Master Andrew Picana ( 2206 )
6. Michael Song (2187 )
7. Bryan Lamb ( 2156 )
8. Erwin Casareno ( 2136 )
9. Ilyas Nasirov ( 2095 ) - games qualification to be met by playing Rd. 7 of current Jack Frost Swiss
( next by rating if a cancellation – David Southam ( 2083 ) )
10. 2009-10 Reserves Top Section Qualifier
Reserves Qualifier:
Since Andrew Picana, 2009-10 Top Reserves Winner, should qualify by rating then it
looks like the next one from the Top Reserves will either be Robert Bzikot ( 2008 ) or Kevin Wu ( 2011 ), who finished tied 3rd /4th with equal tie-break ( note: 2nd place finisher will not satisfy the activity requirement of the championship section ).

The balance of the players play in the Reserves – it has a top Open Section 1700 & over, and a lower U 1700 section ( a player U 1700 has the right to play in the higher section if within 100 points of the higher section rating floor ). As was said, the winner of the Reserves Open Section qualifies into the 2011-12 Championship Section. So there is definitely a prize to play for in playing in the top Reserves section !

This year we have averaged 93 players in our 3 swisses. And the club championship is usually our largest tournament.

Though our top section is now almost determined, there will be stiff competition in the top Reserves section, which will be headed up by a number of experts this year. This section and our U 1700 section provide good competitive games to the average club player. So come on out, join one of the Reserves sections, and enjoy 9 weeks of SCC’s competitive, but friendly, tournament chess.

Help us break the 100 registrants mark for the first time since back in the 90’s !

Bob

SCC Website:http://www.scarboroughchessclub.ca

SCTCN&V Website: http://scarboroughchess.webhop.net

SCTCNV Subscribing is free: to become a subscriber, e-mail bobarm@sympatico.ca

[Bob Armstrong]

I misread the 2009-10 Scarborough CC Championship cross table when I prepared the original post - re the Reserves Qualifier:

2009-10 Scarborough CC Championship

.........................................Tie-Break
Andrew Picana 7.5 - now qualifies by rating
Randy Moysoski 7 - doesn't meet activity criteria
Mike Conte 6 - doesn't meet activity criteria
Kevin Wu ( 2011 ) 6................32
Pepin Manalo ( 1817 ) 6...........32
Robert Bzikot 6......................29.5

So the issue is whether Kevin Wu or Pepin Manalo gets the Reserves Qualifier position in this year's club championship.

Club Pairings Master, Steve Karpik, is now going back into the cross table to determine secondary tie-break, and his result should be announced shortly.

As mentioned above, SCC puts a high priority on the fact that one of the Open Section Reserves players will always get into the next year's club championship - it is a significant enticement to high-rated players to come out and play in the Reserves, as well as class players. Since it is a " trickle down " prize, if the winner doean't use it, then it falls to the runner-up, etc..

In this years' secenario, we are looking at the 4th or 5th place finisher managing to qualify, where they would never do so by rating - kind of a chance of a lifetime !

We'll let you know once our research is concluded. The candidates are anxious to hear as well !

Bob

[Bob Armstrong]

The Scarborough CC Pairings Administrator, Steve Karpik, has now determined that the Reserves Qualifier from the 2009-10 Open Reserves is Pepin Manalo. Should he decline to participate, then next in line is Kevin Wu.

Here are the 9 players by rating in the top group:

1. Master Rune Pedersen ( 2311 )
2. Master Andrei Moffat ( 2255 )
3. Master Josh Guo ( 2244 )
4. Master John Hall ( 2226 )
5. Master Andrew Picana ( 2206 )
6. Michael Song (2187 )
7. Bryan Lamb ( 2156 )
8. Erwin Casareno ( 2136 )
9. Ilyas Nasirov ( 2095 )

The list will get a final adjustment to comply with the ratings as of Wed., Feb. 23. The Championship starts on Thursday, Feb. 24.

Bob