Special report by NM Master Michael Aigner
Since fifth grader Daniel Naroditsky won the K-12 section of the CalChess Scholastics, a G/45 playoff was conducted among six players tied for second place. The winner of this playoff would represent CalChess at the national Denker Tournament for High School Champions. (Per wishes of Arnold Denker, this person must be in high school, thereby making Naroditsky ineligible.)
I was there on Saturday. It was ugly. Really ugly. Unless your name is Nicolas Yap or Adarsh Konda. There was blood, tears and even a broken nose.
Anyone who predicted that G/45 wizard NM Sam Shankland and reigning National High School champion Michael Zhong would combine for 1.5 out of 8 against the other four players in the field should book a ticket to National Open (to play at the casino). Three players broke 2100, but two going in the wrong direction.
At least three people did well in the round-robin. Congratulations to top seed NM Nicolas Yap for earning his second trip to the Denker Tournament of High School Champions with an impressive 4.5 out of 5 result. He also hit 2300 USCF for the first time ever and is two points away from the FM title.
Since Nic will graduate from high school in two weeks, the Denker will be his final scholastic tournament ever.
Further kudos to Adarsh Konda for drawing with both of the masters and breaking 2100 (in the upwards direction) and to lowest rated Micah Cohen for breaking 2000 with a respectable 50% score.
The sixth player was David Chock. At least everyone who didn’t win can still try again next year.
CalChess Denker Playoff
NM Nicolas Yap 4.5
Adarsh Konda 4.0
Micah Cohen 2.5
NM Sam Shankland 2.0
David Chock 1.5
Michael Zhong 0.5
IMO, Michael Aigner is one of the best chess writers around. He is up there with Michael Weinreb in terms of making descriptions of scholastic chess tournaments come alive on the page. I also enjoyed his blogs from the U.S. Championship. But this report demands a sequel: “Blood, tears and even a broken nose.” ????
Bloody nose? What happened? Michael don’t leave us hanging.
One of the competitors, obviously upset with his performance, broke his nose on his way home by walking face-first into a street pole.
That was an exciting read and I dont know any of the people. Makes it sound like excitement was everywhere.
wow, the kid can play high level chess but cannot avoid walking into a street pole. Hmm…
I feel sorry for the poor kid who walked head first into a pole… I’ve done that before (when distracted/upset), but luckily never broken my nose… 🙂