2 Texans from Austin are participating in 2007 Frank K. Berry US Championship: FM Joe Bradford and FM Michael Langer. Both are in contention for IM norms.
Joe has been one of the strongest players in Texas for decades. His rating has been around 2500+ before the rating inflation. He is clearly strong enough to be an IM or more. But the lack of International competition kept him with only the FM title.
Michael’s second home can actually be considered Stillwater, Oklahoma. He has played so many tournaments there and he’s basically a part of the Stillwater chess scene. I played Michael once when Women’s Olympiad Team Captain Paul Truong brought the entire team to Stillwater, Oklahoma a few years ago to compete in an event generously sponsored by Frank K. Berry, the same organizer of the 2007 Frank K. Berry US Championship.
Joe needs a win with Black and Michael needs a draw with White to get their IM norms.
Good luck to Michael and Joe!
Official site: www.MonRoi.com
How are you so up to date with all the news? I wish the uscf website can do 10% of what you do.
Joe Bradford with black in a must win situation against Krush. I will be watching that one.
Joe has quite an impressive resume for an FM, including one US Open title and two National Open titles.
Excellent reporting, Susan. The official site seems unreachable, server problems?
Question of information: What are the five top spots for, and would there be playoffs or tie-breaks?
What are the top five spots for? What tie-breaks or playoffs will be applied if needed?
5 tops spots – for qualifucation to the 2007 World Cup in Russia (Kamsky probably already in by rating or as a current candidate),
the winner of the 2007 World Cup is planning to play 2009 World Championship Match against World Champion.
It would be play off for the first place and tie-breaks for all other places.
Incidentally, Bradford took clear 1st in the 1978 US Open.
Joe actually played in the US Championship once before, in 1980, where he swindled Robert Byrne.
Yes, good luck to Joe and Michael on their journey towards their IM norms!