The Autzen Stadium Tournament

Do you know your states? How about Oregon? Recently I went up to Oregon for an unofficial chess tournament. This was a blast of a time, and probably one of my favorite tournaments I've ever played in, even if all of them I did were and are unofficial. But that's ok, since it is still competitive chess (they have an unofficial Elo system).

This was one of my biggest challenges as a chess player ever. Why? Most of my opponents were rated higher than me. When I say higher, I mean much higher. Like nearly 100-250 points stronger. But I prevailed and dictated the tournament to my liking. So sit back, relax, and grab a snack while I tell you the story of the 2025 5th Annual Autzen Stadium Classical Tournament.

My flight to Oregon was 4 PM on Friday, October 3rd. The tournament started the next day at 9:30 in the morning. We flew out (there are 6, including me, in my chess club) and got there around 8 PM. We got our hotel and slept as well as we could.

Then the tournament rolled around, being held outside on the field of Autzen Stadium. Autzen Stadium is the stadium the U of O Oregon Ducks play at home in. Favorite college football team, by the way. Anyhow, back to the main topic.

The brackets for the tournament were posted. It was a simple spreadsheet being projected onto a sheet-screen. I looked for my name and.... there it was. I was playing someone named Quincy Howell. His rating was 1503. Mine, at the time, was 1421. Then the tournament director told us to our boards, and the games began.

The time control was an hour. This was spectacular for me, giving me a ton of time to think my moves through. Quincy looked very comfortable, like a bit too comfortable. So when we shook hands, I knew it was time to lock the actual [insert censored word here] in. This was our game; I played as White.

I won by checkmate when my clock was just about to strike 0. Clearly I thought my moves through. By the end of the game, he still had 45 minutes on his clock. I had clearly outplayed him. I was happy with my performance, and so was my coach.

After the first round, I was one of the only few in my club (of the six total) to move on to round 2. Only half of us moved on. We had a 5 minute break between the two rounds, and in that time I reviewed my game. It was good, but not the best. Moving on.

The tournament director said round 2 was starting in 30 seconds and for everyone to be at their boards. I was ready for this. I was locked in. I was going to win. Or at least, at the time, I hoped. I made my way to my board and found my opponent. He was rated higher than my previous opponent. Enter Graysen Maxim, rated 1699. My Elo was 1504.

For the league, he was ranked #11. To give a perspective on this, there are over thousands of members in the UNational League (don't bother trying to find it; the website was recently taken down).

Our game was the last to finish during round 2. Why? We both spent nearly all of our time. This was our game against one another, with me playing as Black.

I played well. Rc4 was an absolute killer move. It basically won me that game, though the panic in his expression when he moved R3c2 was blatant as the sky is blue. It wasn't funny by any means, but for some reason I found it hilarious. Either way, I won the game.

I was the only one in my club to survive to round 3. All eyes were on me. So far I was the leading competitor, having +2.0 points. The others who made round 3, of course, also had +2.0 points, but I also had the highest Elo climb, hence why I led.

Then round 3 was to begin in 5 minutes. During this time, I talked to my club members about the tournament thus far. They showed me their games, and I hardly understood why they lost. But it was time to move on. There was time for pondering their games, only time for what lie ahead. And what was ahead of me? Round 3, of course.

I was about to face my most difficult opponent I have ever faced before in my chess career. This person being a man named Sawyer Madison. He was ranked #6 in the league with 1972 Elo. My Elo after round 2 was 1602. This was it. My hardest match of the tournament yet. Do I win? Do I lose and let my team down?

I won. No, no, I mean it. Want to see the game? Here it is.

Why did he play Kb1? I'm crying now. I am literally crying. I was completely dumbfounded when he played Kb1 instead of a3, a4, b3, b4, c3, or c4. He should've played one of those moves rather than Kb1. He clearly wasn't thinking. He moved it in 0.1 seconds, no joke. Like he moved it as soon as I hit the clock to end my turn.

As soon as I played Rd1# he got up and left. He didn't just leave the table, he left the stadium. He left the tournament all together, not even staying to watch. It was pathetic.

Anyhow, my club was cheering me on, proud that I made it this far. By tomorrow I would be titled, no matter if I lost the QF or not. The Quarter Finals were to be challenging. Even more challenging, perhaps, since my next opponent played and took down #2 in the league, Rudy Tillmann.

My opponent for the QFs was someone named Hayden Morales. His new Elo after beating Rudy Tillmann was 1809. I didn't see the game. It was over long before mine was over. This insinuates that Hayden was able to watch my game. And he did. He was there for basically the whole thing (Sawyer and I used most of our time).

And thus the Quarter Finals began. Another hour on the clock. It was already 2 PM by the time it started, but I was ready (and tired). Let it begin. Hayden and I played a back and fourth game of strategy and logic. It was a full on war.

On Line 39, the reason he let his queen get taken was because he had absolutely zero safe spots for his queen to move. I was quite proud I did that to him. The 57 lines? All worth it. It was time to get ready for the Semi Finals. My group was so [insert censored word here] proud of me. They knew I was going to go further. Perhaps to the Finals?

Now it was time for the longest break we had. It was 30 minutes. I used this time to get in a power nap. I don't know how I slept, but I somehow did. When the 30 minutes were up, I made my way to my board and met my next opponent.

He was rated significantly lower than me, being rated 1603. My rating at this point in the tournament was 1854. I was locked in for this round, and I was going to win. I had to, right? I mean, I am stronger than he is, so it only makes sense, no? Before you ask, I did not fall into the trap of 'should' in chess.

Needless to say, I was ready. I was locked. I make my way to my board, meet my new opponent, and focus. I drown out surrounding noises. Welcome Frank Orzcaro, my new opponent. I was playing as White in this game, and I was ready.

26 lines and I trapped his queen early on. I was stoked. Two times in a row I trapped someone's queen, somehow. I was going to the Finals. I was going.. to the Finals. This was the second time I have made it to the Finals, the first time being a week prior to this, but I lost the game.

This time, I was going to win. I was going to make my team even more proud to have me with them. I was going to show why I was their new #1 player. I was going to show why I made it this far. I can't lose. I couldn't lose. If I did, I was a letdown.

Thus I met my sixth and final opponent. Andrieu (Andrew, spelled differently) Dunlap. I was going to beat him. I must. His rating is only 1699 compared to my 1889. I was going to win. Or at least I should have, right?

Well, I did. And it wasn't over yet. Tomorrow would bring new challenges and players to my table, giving me more challenges. I was [insert censored word here] ready for it. I was born ready.

Sunday, October 5th rolled around. Now it was Titled Tournament Sunday. With my new 1954 rating from my last game, I was going in strong. I also qualified for a UNational League title: UNM. UNational National Master.

My first opponent in Titled Tournament Sunday was a much weaker UNM. Introducing Robin Pelinsky, rated 1760. My rating was just under 200 stronger than his. He went in knowing full well he was facing a very strong player.

For Titled Tournament Sunday, we had 90 minutes instead of 60. Likely since the bracket was significantly smaller, having only four rounds instead of six.

I ended up winning by checkmate after putting him into a losing game. My position was insanely better. This game also happens to have the ending excerpt under the 'Puzzles' folder in my Game Library (I also have many more from previous games as well, check those out!).

I made it to round 2 in Titled Tournament Sunday. I was going in and playing my next opponent. My new opponent was... UGM (UNational Grandmaster) Rudy Tillmann. Oh no. He was the #2 player in the UNational league and I was #4. If I lose this game, I get bumped down to #10 in the league. If I win, I get bumped to the top spot in the league. This is my game against UGM Rudy Tillmann.

My rating going into the game was 2017. My rating now is 1789 (Rudy's Elo is shown as his current, his game current was unable to be obtained, but I think it was around 1650 or so, though he is much stronger than that, only sitting there since he lost to Hayden Morales).

In the end, I got [insert censored word here] owned. I didn't know what else to expect towards the end. In the beginning I had a confident demeanor, ready to win. In the end it broke into a facade of confidence. I couldn't believe it. I was stressed after the game.

Regardless, I had a great time up in Oregon this weekend. I was amazed by it all. I got to meet several new people and play against their skills, see how they think it through. This was by far the most fun tournament I had ever been a part of. I was glad to be in it.

If you made it this far, thank you for reading The Autzen Stadium Tournament! I love the support you guys give me! It makes me proud of myself!

If you liked this post, consider going back to read My Chess Journey Parts 1-4 and Cen10 Tournament! My Chess Journey and Cen10 Tournament are both fantastic stories!

Stay tuned for more!