The United States Chess Federation - De Firmian Wins the Bermuda Open

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De Firmian Wins the Bermuda Open

February 8, 2010

A Bermuda rainbow, Photo by Donna Reis

The 2010 Bermuda International Open ended Sunday night with the traditional after-tournament buffet dinner free for all players and their families. This time it was moved to the Watford Sports Club which was an excellent venue for the dinner and prize awards, as well as the dual playoff matches which became necessary because of two-way ties for first overall and first untitled player. Both divisions receive airfare from the NE and hotel room at the Southampton Fairmont Resort for 2011. The Club facility has a spacious lounge where devotees could watch the amazing SuperBowl with their drinks and dinner. It was a tough decision whether or not to start the playoffs before the big game was finished but some people didn’t want to wait. Nick de Firmian pleaded for “just another 10 minutes” since it was into the 4th quarter. Suddenly it was 31-17 and even Nick decided it was ok to break away from the TV.

The playoff for first overall became necessary when GM de Firmian won a long, intense final game against GM Larry Christiansen. GM Alexander Ivanov drew with GM Pascal Charbonneau to retain his lead in the tournament and only a win by either de Firmian or Christiansen could cause a tie. The playoff format was double G/5 + 2 second increment with an Armageddon game as final if necessary. The other match was between Canada’s Andrei Moffat and Aleksandr Ostrovskiy of New York. Both went into the final Armageddon so it was especially exciting for the spectators. De Firmian, with white, defeated Ivanov in spite of black’s draw odds benefit but one-minute disadvantage. After also splitting both games Ostrovskiy defeated Moffat in the same fashion.

Then cash prizes were distributed and the famous Longtail hand blown glass statuette (Bermuda’s national bird) awarded to first in the different classes. Some players, after a shaky start at the tournament, were happily surprised to find they had won a cash prize.

Tied for first overall were de Firmian and Ivanov. Tied for 3rd were Charbonneau, Moffat, Esther Epstein, IM David Cummings and Aleksandr Ostrovskiy. Top U2200 went to Andrei Moffat, U2000 to Anatoly Ostrovskiy, U1800 to Blog Queen and photographer Polly Wright and U1600 to Bermudian Kennedy Simmons. Two players traveled quite far for the event. Charles Green from his government post in Ecuador and Garry Forbes from the Guernsey Channel Islands.

An earlier version of this article has been updated with more information from chief arbiter Carol Jarecki.

The Bermuda Chess Association promises to have a functioning website for next year’s event so games and current tournament events can be posted. Also see www.fideamerica.com and www.castlingqueenside.blogspot.com for photos and blogs.

SwissSys Standings. 2010 Bermuda International Open

	#	Name	Rtng	Rd 1	Rd 2	Rd 3	Rd 4	Rd 5	Tot
1	GM Nick de Firmian	2553	W35	W9	D4	W13	W8	4.5
2	GM Alexander Ivanov	2545	W31	W22	W16	W6	D3	4.5
3	GM Pascal Charbonneau	2509	W36	W26	W7	D8	D2	4.0
4	Andrei Moffat	2180	W34	W15	D1	D5	W12	4.0
5	WIM Esther Epstein	2194	W21	D20	W14	D4	W17	4.0
6	IM David Cummings	2360	W28	W12	W32	L2	W16	4.0
7	CM Aleksandr Ostrovskiy	2158	W51	W19	L3	W32	W18	4.0
8	GM Larry Christiansen	2582	W58	W23	W43	D3	L1	3.5
9	Ben Gershenov	2047	W39	L1	W31	W15	D10	3.5
10	Michael Khodarkovsky	2260	W40	L32	W35	W11	D9	3.5
11	Conrad Ho	2073	H---	W44	W27	L10	W26	3.5
12	Anatoly Ostrovskiy	1963	W48	L6	W40	W14	L4	3.0
13	FM Joel Salman	2169	W37	D27	W20	L1	D24	3.0
14	CM Nick Faulks	2111	W29	W24	L5	L12	W35	3.0
15	Michael Radford	1908	W52	L4	W21	L9	W37	3.0
16	Sylvester Smarty	2062	W50	W18	L2	X25	L6	3.0
17	Anne Marie Charbonneau	2010	W53	L43	W34	W19	L5	3.0
18	Gary Cooper	1881	W46	L16	W39	W23	L7	3.0
19	CM Sami Lill	1890	W38	L7	W37	L17	W39	3.0
20	Garry Forbes	1925	W54	D5	L13	D36	W34	3.0
21	Polly Wright	1700	L5	W42	L15	W53	W32	3.0
22	Mike Somers	2007	W30	L2	H---	D27	W36	3.0
23	Denis Strenzwilk	2028	W47	L8	W49	L18	W31	3.0
24	Max Steinberg	1860	W56	L14	W33	D26	D13	3.0
25	Clevert Bacchas	1900	W41	L45	W29	F16	W33	3.0
26	Moses Mufandaedza	2003	W42	L3	W51	D24	L11	2.5
27	WC Natasha Christiansen	1915	X44	D13	L11	D22	D29	2.5
28	Bobby Miller	1729	L6	D30	W50	L31	W38	2.5
29	Brianna Conley	1606	L14	W52	L25	W49	D27	2.5
30	Kennedy Simmons	1503	L22	D28	L36	W48	W51	2.5
31	Shuaib Worrell	1785	L2	W47	L9	W28	L23	2.0
32	Gordon Ritchie	1924	W57	W10	L6	L7	L21	2.0
33	Rey Casanova	1648	L45	W41	L24	W46	L25	2.0
34	Charles Green	1673	L4	W38	L17	W52	L20	2.0
35	Guilbert Cancino	1787	L1	W55	L10	W50	L14	2.0
36	Nigel Freeman	1734	L3	H---	W30	D20	L22	2.0
37	Alexander Reis	1664	L13	W46	L19	W51	L15	2.0
38	F. Leon Wilson	1464	L19	L34	W55	W44	L28	2.0
39	Jamel Warren	1603	L9	W56	L18	W40	L19	2.0
40	Carlos Tavares	1708	L10	X48	L12	L39	W53	2.0
41	Anthony Moffat	950	L25	L33	L47	W57	W55	2.0
42	Hal Sprechman	1545	L26	L21	L52	W56	W49	2.0
43	FM Adnan Kobas	2319	W49	W17	L8	U---	U---	2.0
44	Daniel Iwaloye	1520	F27	L11	W54	L38	W50	2.0
45	Jeremy Mandelkern	2128	W33	W25	U---	U---	U---	2.0
46	Ed Westing	1500	L18	L37	W56	L33	D47	1.5
47	Steven Siggins	1550	L23	L31	W41	F---	D46	1.5
48	Patricio Robiso	1500	L12	F40	H---	L30	W57	1.5
49	Louis Gal	1715	L43	W53	L23	L29	L42	1.0
50	Larry Ebbin	1622	L16	W54	L28	L35	L44	1.0
51	Greg Ashby	1664	L7	W57	L26	L37	L30	1.0
52	Philip Dennis	1167	L15	L29	W42	L34	U---	1.0
53	Larry Monk	1550	L17	L49	W57	L21	L40	1.0
54	Luca Legrenzi	900	L20	L50	L44	L55	W56	1.0
55	Chanjiv Simons	1578	U---	L35	L38	W54	L41	1.0
56	Lishon Martin	850	L24	L39	L46	L42	L54	0.0
57	Dwayne Robinson	1400	L32	L51	L53	L41	L48	0.0
58	Ralph Italie	1805	L8	U---	U---	U---	U---	0.0

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SwissSys Standings. 2010 Bermuda International Open

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