The Excelsior Chess Club March Open 2024 Championship Tournament Report!

This March, the Excelsior Chess Club, renowned for its commitment to providing chess activities that enrich the lives of children and adults, played host to an electrifying event that brought together chess enthusiasts from far and wide. The Excelsior Chess Club's 2024 March Open Championship, held from March 15th to 17th, proved to be a spectacle of strategic prowess and keen intellect.

With a total of 61 players registered, ranging from eager novices to seasoned masters, the tournament promised intense competition and thrilling encounters, and boy it didn't disappoint! What set this championship apart, however, was the presence of 10 tilted players, each bringing their own formidable skill and experience to the tournament. Among these titans of the chess world were 3 Women's Candidate Masters (Laksshana Deepak, Ashley Qian, and April Yunwei Zhong), 1 National Master (David Filipovich), 2 FIDE Masters (Tymur Keleberda, Christian Stevens), 1 International Master (David Cummings), and 3 Grandmasters (Bator Sambuev, Razvan Preotu, Shawn Rodrigue-Lemieux). 

The presence of titled players injected the tournament with a heightened level of intensity and intrigue. Every move was scrutinized, every decision weight carefully, as both titled and non-titled players alike sought to outmaneuver their opponents and secure 1st prize for their respective section. 

Among the notable performances was that of the Grandmasters, with many eyes on Canada's newest GM Shawn Rodrigue-Lemieux who looked to take over the tournament and attempt to secure top prize by himself. He did not disappoint!

Round One

Feature Match: