MEGA Rapid Championship Results and Prizes

On Friday, we organized a bigger, 8-round rapid tournament instead of the usual 4-round affairs. With more rounds, we also took the opportunity to run the tournament as a single section, allowing players to play much higher- or lower-rated opponents in the first 2 rounds, before settling in to playing players near them in level. We had a turnout of 90, which nicely exceeded expectations (our normal weekly rapid events have ~50 players currently).

Today I would like to share with you the 5 best game/ beauty prize winners, as well as a list of all the other prize winners. Enthusiasm for the event seemed high, so I expect we will run another event like this next month.

#1 Best Game Prize

Unbelievably this game was played by a 900-rated player. It demonstrates understanding of his opening, alertness, aggression, willingness to sacrifice, and calculation.

#2 Best Game Prize

This next beautiful game also features long-term material sacrifice, but in contrast to the previous one, does not require much calculation. Instead, it reveals some very deep evaluative skill on the part of JBrzoz:

#3 Best Game Prize

A game which may seem "not hard enough" for its winner, but nevertheless features sparkling play from start to end, including the most precise calculation of the day in carrying out the decisive attack.

#4 Best Game Prize

Great confidence, guts, tenacity, and endgame skill are displayed by a 1000-rated player who gradually grinds out a win with Bishop and 1-2 pawns against Rook in a long and difficult game.

#5 Best Game Prize

Black seems to have all the right ideas in an extraordinarily complicated anti-Gruenfeld opening. I say seems to, as the complexity is far too high for me to be sure.

Originally, we were slated to offer 3 best game prizes, but I just could not cull the list shorter than this-- in fact there were a couple more games which also deserved praise!

Here, for the convenience of the winners-- and so they may receive merited applause-- is a list of all prize winners from the event. Please contact me about arranging to receive your prizes!

1st-2nd ComradeEyelash, JBrzoz - 7

3-5th Isolated_Warrior, MFabian, ViggNG 6.5

Under2000 - ViggNG 6.5, Qbird 6

Under 1800 - Travkusken 6, Gothmog0tv 5

Under 1600 - Nargaef, WhiteMac 5

Under 1400 - cm_9000 4.5, MrCharlieSilva 4

Under1200 - SenorJesus, Opferschach 4

Under1000 - DanielSchleith, sm_pooh_bear 3

Biggest Upset: Clarkdh 727 points!

Fastest Win: JBrzoz 8 moves, ruylopezgotdeported 9 moves

ComradeEyelash and JBrzoz have been added to the Dojo 2021 Tournament Leaderboard for their excellent win in this very strong event. Perhaps in Monday's MLK rapid tournaments someone will manage to be the first to wrack up two tournament victories this year.