The 2013 Sean Reader Master-Junior Simul drew its strongest field ever. Four teams competed each consisting of a seasoned GM or IM and 6 promising junior players. In each round, the titled players competed simultaneously against the juniors on the other team and vice versa. To win a match, a team needed 6.5 of the 12 possible points.

In Round 1, Team Sevillano (GM Enrico Sevillano and his 6 juniors) beat the slow-starting Team Ambartsoumian (IM Armen Ambartsoumian) 9-3, while Team Matikozyan (IM Andranik Matikozyan) squeaked by Team Khachiyan (GM Melik Khachiyan) 6.5-5.5.

In the afternoon round, Team Sevillano clinched victory when junior South African native Tameez Latib won over IM Matikozyan. Besides Tameez (2061), the other juniors on Team Sevillano were NM Yusheng Xia (2247), Leo Creger (2055), Annie Wang (2048), Matt Shuben (1907) and Joaquin Perkins (1872).

With U.S. G/60 Champ GM Sevillano completing the sweep (6-0) of the juniors from Team Matikozyan in Round 2, Team Khachiyan was able to sneak in and steal 2nd Place by virtue of earning a match point from Team Ambartsoumian while garnering enough individual points (Khachiyan, like Sevillano was 11-1) to edge Team Matikozyan by a half-point. Team Khachiyan juniors were Joshua Sheng (2175), Craig Hilby (2173), Alexander Xie (2029), Elkaei Rivera (2027), Danial Asaria (1930) and Stephanie Shao (1899).

The Sean Reader Master-Junior Simul invites Southern California’s best young players (average rating this year was 2067!) to this mentoring event at which all costs are covered by Sean’s Fund. The players enjoy a relaxed environment with their peers and their role models without any concern of rating loss. Players and their families enjoyed a catered lunch.

Each “Master” selects a Best Game winner. This year, the winners were:

GM Sevillano: NM Michael Brown

GM Khachiyan: NM Daniel Mousseri

IM Matikozyan: NM Yusheng Xia

IM Ambartsoumian: Craig Hilby

Here are some fun finishes by the titled players:

 GM Sevillano – NM Daniel Mousseri 

2013 Sean Reader Master-Junior Simul

  27. Bc5!! Re1+ 28.Qxe1 Bxe1 29.Rxd5 Qe6 30.Rd8! 1-0.

GM Khachiyan – Lu (2169)

2013 Sean Reader Master-Junior Simul

 

19.Rxg4! hxg4 

Now Melik’s knights will control the board. 

20.Ne5 Bc8 21.g3 Rf5 22.Ncd3 Ref8 23.Nxg4 Bd7 24.f4 Be8 25.Nc5 Bd7 26.Ne5 Be8 27.Nxa6 c5 28.Nxc5 Bb5 29.a4 Be8 30.b3 R8f6 31.Kb2 Bc6 32.a5 Bb5 33.Qb4 c6 34.a6 1-0. 

Sheng (2175) – IM Ambartsoumian, 

2013 Sean Reader Master-Junior Simul

28. … Qxb7! 29.Nxb7 Nxe2 30.Qa5? Missing the only move that keeps it close: 30. Bb4! with the idea that White can meet 30. … Bf4+ and 31. … Bg3 with 32. Qa2+ forking the king and knight. 30. … Bf4+ 31.g3 Bxg3 32.Kh1 Rf1+ 33.Kg2 Rf2+ 0-1. Next is 34.Kh1 Rh2#.

Jay & Michel Stallings organized the event with assistance from Chan Reader. NTD Randy Hough officiated. 

This event originated in the 1970’s and was revised in 2000. It missed a few years, then was resurrected by Sean’s Fund, in honor of Sean Reader who participated in the event in 2003. Sean, who was diagnosed with leukemia on April 1, 2005, led his school team to a tie for 2nd in the K-6 Open at SuperNationals III (2005) a few days later, before dying on August of 2006. One of Sean's teammates, Sam Kennedy (starting at 2:10), talked about how moving it was to play on Sean's team in the US Chess Scoop video from the recently concluded SuperNationals. 

Sean’s Fund not only sponsors this event, but also offers financial aid to chess students in the Santa Clarita Valley (CA) who cannot afford classes, camps, tournaments or other special events. Additionally, Sean’s Fund takes chess-themed backpacks (and teaches chess) to the young patients at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, City of Hope Hospital, and The Painted Turtle Camp. More at www.seansfund.org.