Seattle Seafair Open

From July 20-21 I played in the Seattle Seafair Open at the Seattle Chess Club. Normally attendance is about 60 people, but magically this year 80 people showed up for the event. The event included FM Tian Sang, FM Curt Collyer, FM David Bragg, NM Josh Sinanan, NM Viktor Pupols, NM Roland Feng, FM Paul Bartron, as well as tons of Experts and A players. FM Tian Sang and NM Josh Sinanan tied for first, each with 4.5/5. FM Sang dropped a draw to Ethan Bashansky, and NM Sinanan took a draw in round 4. I myself scored 3/5, a score that looked better than it actually was, although I should have won my 4th round game. Whatever. We move on in life. I have ended up dropping 19 rating points, from 1841 to 1822. My rating has dropped 48 points in 2 tournaments, not a good sign.

In the first round I played Maxwell Truluck, rated about 1300. This was one of the easier games and I won easily after I won material. On the board next to me, Masayuki Nagase was upset 700-800 points by Evan Ruan.

Next round, I played a unrated player who had defeated Gabriel Taffalla (~1700) the previous round. However, he blundered a rook on move seven and then it was a easy win for me. My opponent lost a 10 minute, 14 move game in the last round, the shortest game of the tournament. After this, I had a perfect 2/2. This was, however, the end of my winning streak.

In the third round I played FM Paul Bartron. I played him at the WA Open and I was up a pawn before he beat me. This time I played worse than at the WA Open and he got a attack and I had to sacrifice a piece to stop it, but then I lost quickly. Meanwhile, Kyle Haining (1928), was losing against FM David Bragg before Bragg blundered and Kyle was handed the win. Now he had a 3/3 perfect score, and played the only other "kid" perfect scorer, 12 year old NM Roland Feng in the next round.

Next round I played Travis Olsen (1662). We played a interesting Stonewall, and I was up ahead and kept pressing my position forward, so eventually he had to sacrifice a pawn to stop it. Then later he miscalculated and I won a piece, although he got the pawn back. In time trouble though, I list a knight a two rooks for a queen to a long tactic and I lost the game with a lot a lot of pain. Definitely my most frustrating game of the tournament. Had I won, I would have only let maybe 5 rating points, and might even have upset someone in the last round! So annoying!

In the final round I played Sujatha Chalasani (~1550). I played well in a scotch game, won a pawn while keeping my kingside attack, then really messed up and guess what? In the variation where I lose a piece, I found a saving resource that got me at least a draw, and probably a win. In the end, she fell for a trap and I won, completing my 3/5 score.

Thanks for reading everyone! Please leave a comment if you liked it! Thanks again!