2023 Battleground Murfreesboro

Reflecting on our most recent event, which took place on August 19th, it's evident that it was a remarkable success, and objectively, our best to date! We shattered our previous participation record with a whopping 50 players in attendance, setting a new standard for the Murfreesboro Chess Club to uphold. What's even more exciting is that we welcomed back two esteemed titled players to our humble gathering.

It had been quite some time since we last saw NM Bill Melvin of Huntsville, AL, who also has strong ties to Murfreesboro as a former MTSU student. And of course, the sight of IM Ron Burnett is always a delight for our chess community. Of course, Hemachandra Rambha's return created an extra layer of competitiveness to the mix, as well.

Our tournament prize fund, originally set at $945 based on 35 entries, surged to an impressive $1170 thanks to the unexpected 50-player turnout. This boost allowed our dedicated Tournament Directors, Chris Prosser and Gary Garner, to proudly distribute 26 prizes, which is a nice healthy ratio.

The excitement didn't end there. We were honored to have Greg Tomerlin, the Chief Admin of Team Tennessee here on chess.com, and a long-time member/supporter of the MCC. His performance was equally impressive as he tied in his class. It was also a pleasure to witness Murfreesboro's Sabrina Hoja competing on the top boards, helping to showcase the strength of our local talent.

Our other members, too, deserve recognition for their stellar performances and ongoing improvement. You can find the complete crosstable here, and prize winners denoted below.

Lastly, we were fortunate to have our friend, FM Alex King, serve as the judge for our Best Game Contest in both sections, adding a little more provenance to the event.

Sabrina Hoja won the Best Game Prize in the Top Open Section:

Zachary Zuccaro won the Best Game Prize in the Amateur Section:

Prize Winners:

We will continue to create competitive chess events!  Thanks to all who participate!