Saturday, August 30, 2014

Did you know it is the 40th Anniversary of 1974 Pan-Am ?

Did you know it is the 40th Anniversary of 1974 Pan-Am ? PDF Print E-mail
Written by Administrator
Friday, 27 August 2004
Many of you may have been too young, not in the country, not in chess, or you just may not realize it, but the latter half of August represents the 40th Anniversary of the 1974 Pan American Championship. Held in Winnipeg from August 17 to September 6, the tournament brought together representatives from several countries in the region. It was a 16 player round robin – (trivia query - is this the highest player count for a Canadian held international round robin ?).

I remember attending several of the rounds, but at the time I did not appreciate what a unique event it really was. Therefore it is more appropriate to provide the verbatim report of the Tournament Director and wunderkind, Jonathan Berry, who wouldn’t turn 22 until just after the tournament.


From CFC Bulletin

PAN AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL CHESS TOURNAMENT
August 17th – September 6, 1974

From the Director’s Chair – by Jon Berry

It all started for me while I was visiting Cecil Rosner in August 1973. He was relating all the plans for the Pan American Individual Championship, to be held the following year. The only problem was that they needed a Tournament Director who could speak both Spanish and English. Who could they get ? Well…

The first “Pan Am” was a team tournament held in Tucuman, Argentina in 1971. With the North Americans absent, the Argentina team ran away with the event. The top first board player was Pedro Donoso of Chile, who was to be that country’s representative at Winnipeg, the second Pan Am event. Don’t get these mixed up with the Pan Am Championships previously held in Cuba. Those tournaments were organized by the Cuban Chess Federation. Winnipeg and Tucuman came directly under the auspices of FIDE, just like, say, an Interzonal tournament.

RESULTS:
Browne, W. 2575 USA 13.5
Sanguineti, R. 2530 Argentina 12
Biyiasas, P. 2420 Canada 11
Segal, A. 2350 Brazil 11
Jimenez, E. 2340 Cuba 10
Castro, O. 2330 Columbia 10
Lipnowski, I ---- Canada 9.5
Garcia, Gildardo 2335 Columbia 7.5
Donoso, P. 2395 Chile 7.5
Frey, K. 2275 Mexico 7
Nurmi, P. ---- Canada 6
Juliao, Cesar ---- Dominican Republic 5
Lozano, T. ---- 4
Ochoa, H. ---- 2.5
Thompson, C. ---- 2
Scherman, A. ---- U.S Virgin Islands 1.5

The games were played in a large lounge-study area at the University of Winnipeg. Walter Browne was quick to point out that the lighting was “no good” in the original spot. After two rounds, the whole tournament was shifted to another part of the room !
The boards were set up in an L-shape, with the demonstration boards leaning against the walls behind them. Spectators, about fifty each night, were situated on the other side of the players. Throughout the tournament, my main problem was keeping the noise at an acceptable level. The spectators – and players ! – would occasionally get over-exuberant about some position.

The tournament continued. Segal, Sanguineti, and Biyiasas went into the lead at first, with Browne in hot pursuit. Such was the nature of the tournament that even by winning game after game one could still not pull away from the field. With four rounds to go, the race was quite tight. The key game between Biyiasas and Segal was adjourned. The general opinion was that Biyiasas stood better, but this was not so. In an attempt to win and keep up the pace, Biyiasas over-pressed and lost.

Just when Browne seemed to have the tournament in the bag, his opponents put up herculean efforts. Castro, Juliao, and Garcia all had excellent positions, but all lost in the end. Thereby, the irrepressible Walter Browne won the tournament by 1.5 points.

It was unfortunate that the strengths of the players were so diverse. Scherman and Thompson, for example, are both about 1700 players (TB note: Yes, I can vouch for that, I can remember playing some speed with Andy Scherman, and I was about 1700 at the time). Of course, there is the factor of having each nation in the Americas represented, but this certainly doesn’t do much for the competitiveness of the tournament. Normally 10 out of 15 would win an international tournament. Winnipeg 1974 had six such winners.

I will dispense with the customary recapitulation of the how each player played. Each player’s score generally indicated how well he played. Only Frey, and perhaps Donoso might have done better had the “breaks” been different.

I have indicated some of my own problems in directing the tournament, but have said nothing about the players’ own problems. Some players arrived with visas which expired while the tournament was in progress; Jimenez, the Cuban, had to get a transit visa to go through Mexico… Some of the players seemed to be cursed with insomnia, spending the whole night playing cards. The same players, if they finally did get to sleep, would sleep round the clock if allowed. Frey, at one point, slept 17 hours and had to be sent for fifteen minutes after the games had begun ! The explanation is that Winnipeg is much more tranquil than Mexico City …

To make a tournament successful, a lot of people must work hard behind the scenes. Just so these heroes won’t be “unsung”, I’ll sing them. John Burstow, who produced the tournament bulletins; Boyd Winsor, who directed the other events and constructed the demonstration boards.; Jack Filkow, who provided food and entertainment; David Woodbury, my assistant; Abe Yanofsky and Joe Dreman, who raised the necessary money; and, last but not least Cecil Rosner, who did all the necessary dirty work in advance of the tournament. Heroes, sung and unsung, the chess world salutes you for a job well done !

Thursday, August 28, 2014

12th Annual Abe Yanofsky Memorial Chess Tournament starts Friday

12th Annual Abe Yanofsky Memorial Chess Tournament starts Friday

12th Annual Abe Yanofsky Memorial Chess Tournament
This tournament is the signature event of the Manitoba Chess Association. It is named in honour of Abe Yanofsky, the first chess player in the British Commonwealth to be awarded the Grandmaster title.
Mr. Yanofsky, who died in 2000, was a prominent Winnipeg lawyer and city councillor.
Dates: Friday, August 29 to Sunday,August 31, 2014

Location: Room 3L08 – University of Winnipeg - 

Prize Fund: $ See below
Format: 5 round Swiss System, Two Sections
Open Section (CFC and FIDE rated)
U 1800 Section (CFC rated)
Round Times: Friday 7:00 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, 10:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m
Time Control: Round 1 G/ 110 ; Round 2-5 Game/90 + 30 second increment
Entry Fee: Entry Fee: $ 40, $ 10 discount if paid by July 15
Also, second and subsequent entries from immediate family members receive $ 5 discount.
Free entry to FIDE Masters or higher (Entry must be paid up front, but will be refunded after completion (playing) of all five rounds)
CFC Membership also required (available on site) Annual Fee – Adults $ 49, Juniors $ 36. (First time members – Adults $ 36, Juniors $ 24) -or One-Tournament CFC Memberships for Adults of $ 20; or Junior (under 20)  $ 10.


Rules to be noted:
Anti-draw rules will be in effect (no agreed draws before move 31)
New FIDE Zero tolerance forfeit rule NOT in effect -old rule in effect; players will not be forfeited for non-attendance until one hour after scheduled start of round.
Half-point byes OK, any of first four rounds, limit 2, must commit before rd 2.
Registration: on site, Friday, August 29 at 6:15 – 6:50 p.m., or -
cheques payable to:
Manitoba Chess Association
c/o Blair Rutter
76 Newcroft Rd.
Winnipeg, MB R2J 3M8

or see Tony Boron / Steve de Groot/ Blair Rutter  on Tuesday nights at the TNT tournaments.
If you wish to pay by PayPal – please send an email to chessmanitoba@gmail.com and an “Invoice” will be sent to you.

Prizes:
Prizes will be based on entries – but minimum guaranteed

Prizes:
Open Section: 1st $ 250 , 2nd $ 140, 3rd $ 80
Top A Class – $ 100, 50, 30

U 1800 Section 1st $ 100, 2nd $ 50
Top U1600 $ 60, $ 30
Top U1400 $ 50, 30
Top Manitoban in the Open Section qualifies for the 2015 Manitoba Championship Candidates Tournament.

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Cecil's Saturday Puzzle - August 23, 2014

from the Winnipeg Free Press

White to mate in three (Vallejo)
1. Ne6
e.g.  1...Nd5 2. Qe5+ Nxe5 3. Nd6#

Saturday, August 16, 2014

Cecil's Saturday Puzzle - August 9, 2014

from the Winnipeg Free Press
White to mate in 3 (Kipping)
1. Qa1

Sunday, August 10, 2014

One night Active Tournament - Tuesday, August 12

4 round Active Tournament - . Open Section and Under 1800 section.
One night Active Tournament - Tuesday, August 12
University of Winnipeg  -  Room 4CM42

Players will play all 4 rounds
Time Control - Game 20 + 10 second delay (Bronstein mode setting 5B on Saitek clocks)

 $ 10 entry -

Prizes - 2 Entries (or equivalent portion thereof, if ties) to the 2014 Abe Yanofsky Memorial Tournament  in each Section.


(More prizes may be awarded depending on entries)

 4 rounds

Not CFC rated - CFC Membership note required.



Registration 6:35 - 6:55 pm

First round to start at 7 pm

Normal tournament rules apply - touch move, etc.

Entry fee $ 10

Saturday, August 2, 2014

Cecil's Saturday Puzzle - July 26, 2014

from the Winnipeg Free Press
White to mate in 3 (Gerbec)