Chess Tournaments – San Gabriel Valley Chess Club

A Hogwarts Swiss Starts July 23!

Cast a spell on your opponents! A six-round event in three Wizarding sections. It starts July 23 and ends August 27 with two half point byes available. There is one round each Tuesday night and games start at 6:45 pm. The Club opens at 6:00 pm. Time control is Game/90 min. with 5 second delay. The entry fee is $40 and should be paid online. Total prize fund to be determined based on entries. Advance registration is strongly advised. If you have trouble registering online contact us and we can register you. Registration closes at 6:30 pm. All players must be SGVCC members and have current USCF memberships. You can join or renew your SGVCC dues online at our website or in person. You can renew or join the USCF here. We meet at Altadena Community Church in Heicher Hall, located at 943 East Altadena Drive, Altadena, CA 91101 For more information contact John Wright at (626) 864-5744 or at wright.john82@yahoo.com

Three Wizard sections! Register here

Standings here

Chess Tournaments

2024 Calendar

Following is a list of our recent and upcoming tournaments:

The New Year Swiss
1/9/24 – 2/6/24

We get 2024 started on January 9 with a five round event that concludes February 6. There are two sections and the time control is G/90 with 5 second delay.

Standings here

Eaton Canyon Open
2/13/24 – 3/12/24

This is a 5-round event in two sections (over 1400 and under 1400). Most recent “live” US Chess regular ratings used for all sections. You must play in the section determined by that rating. There is one round each Tuesday night and games start at 6:45 pm. The Club opens at 6:00 pm. Time control is Game/90 minutes with 5 second delay. Two 1/2 point byes are available. Last round byes must be requested before the start of Round 4. The entry fee is $35 and should be paid online. Advance registration is strongly advised.

Standings here

Play in the Club Championship
3/19/24 – 4/30/24

One Champion to rule them all! We start our 2024 Club Championship tournament on March 19. It’s seven rounds over seven Tuesday evenings in one big Open section. The winner will be Club Champion and have their name engraved on the SGVCC Champions Cup trophy. We will also give out engraved Best-in-Rating-Class plaques and have a $550 prize fund.

Standings here

Mount Wilson Challenge
5/7/24 – 6/4/24

We start the Mount Wilson Challenge on May 7, a five round event in two sections that concludes June 4th.

Standings here

Summer Fun 3
6/11/24 – 7/16/24

This is a 6-round event in two sections (over 1400 and under 1400). Most recent “live” US Chess regular ratings used for all sections to ensure close match-ups. You must play in the section determined by that rating. There is one round each Tuesday night and games start at 6:45 pm. The Club opens at 6:00. Time control is Game/90 min. with 5 second delay. Two 1/2 point byes are available. Last round byes must be requested before the start of Round 4. Total prize fund is $600 with prizes awarded to the top three in each section.

Standings here

The Hogwarts Swiss
07/23/24 – 08/27/24

Cast a spell on your opponents! A six-round event in three Wizarding sections: Harry’s Over 1600, Hermione’s Under 1600, and Ron’s Under 1000. It starts July 23 and ends August 27 with two half-point byes available. Most recent “live” US Chess regular ratings used for all sections to ensure close match-ups. You must play in the section determined by that rating. There is one round each Tuesday night and games start at 6:45 pm. The Club opens at 6:00 pm. Time control is Game/90 min. with 5 second delay. Total prize fund to be determined based on entries. Registration closes at 6:30 pm. All players must be SGVCC members and have current USCF memberships.

Standings here

Feel free to contact us with any questions.

Chess Club News Chess Tournaments

Getting Started with Chess Tournaments

When you first open our Webpage you will see a reference to “Your home for tournament rated games.” So what does that mean? In general this refers to any tournament sanctioned by U.S. Chess, the national organization in the United States with over one hundred thousand members. The term “rated” means that the results of the tournament are submitted to U.S. Chess. San Gabriel Valley Chess Club (SGVCC) is an affiliate of U.S. Chess and authorized to hold such tournaments. Everyone who plays in their first such event is considered unrated. Once you have completed your first tournament you get a “rating.” It is a 3 or 4 digit number that reflects how you have performed in rated tournaments and is used to match you against players of similar strength. One of the big differences between a rated event and a non-rated one is that you use a chess clock and also must write down your moves using what is called chess notation. But wait before you say this is not the Club for me!

One of our goals at SGVCC is to help those who have never played in a rated tournament get started. This includes showing you how to join U.S. Chess, use a chess clock, and learn chess notation. We have a playing area where we can help you practice before jumping into a tournament. Joining U.S. Chess and playing in your first event places you in a very special class of chess players. It shows that you want to make the move from casual or online player to more serious chess and it is a step worth taking!

Our Calendar feature has a list of our upcoming tournaments and events. Here’s a short guide on how to better understand it. You will see that most of our tournaments are over a five or six week period and say, for example, “Six Rounds.” A round refers to a game and we play one round (or game) each Tuesday evening. Players do not have to play every week and can usually miss two rounds or weeks if their schedule requires. Also, rated games are slower than what you are likely used to and can last from one to three hours. Kids and adults play in the same tournament and many of the kids at our Club are among our strongest players. Each tournament listed also has a registration link. If you have already played in rated tournaments then registering should be familiar to you. But, if this is your first time considering joining a tournament and you have more questions please reach out to us through our Contact Us tab. Remember, all of us here at SGVCC were once just starting out too. So, drop us a line or just come by the Club to check it out!

Chess Tournaments

Mount Wilson Draws 62 Players

Mount Wilson Draws 62 Players

The Mount Wilson Challenge concluded June 4, 2024, with tough competition in both sections. Rohan Daftuar and Axel Muller tied for first place with 4-1 in the over 1400 section. Five players tied for third place, including Mladen Kolar, Forest Sherwood, Kevin Ludwig, Kaiwin Yu and Haig Amloyan. Renton Chandler was clear first in the under 1400 section with a score of 4.5 out of 5. Haoxuan Huang took second at 4-1. And, just like in the top section, another five-way tie for third place with Andrew Chang, Leya Daftuar, Annie Liu, Lawrence Preciado and Daylen Riggs sharing the honors. Congrats to all!

We start Summer Fun 3, a six round tournament, on June 11. See our Calendar for a registration link.

Chess Tournaments

Leo Wang Wins Club Championship

Expert Leo Wang went 6-1 to become the 2024 SGVCC Champion. The annual seven round event concluded April 30 and drew 62 players. It all came down to Round 7, when Wang faced top seeded Axel Muller (2141). They were both tied at 5 points and a draw would have resulted in a four way tie. It was a worthy final game and both players showed their competitive spirit. Muller played the Dubov Gambit with White, a sharp line in the Giuoco Piano. Leo’s response was not to be found in the opening books but he’s shown a tenacity for defending tough positions. As the clock became a factor for both players Wang found his way through the complications and earned a hard fought victory.

Leo is now our second Club Champ and has his name engraved on the Club’s Perpetual Trophy, just below last year’s winner NM Karl Tolentino. Second place was shared by Expert Mladen Kolar and Craig Vieregg, who also won the Best Class A plaque. Other Best in Class winners were Gary Tao (Class B), Michael Colangelo (Class C), Garik Yegoryan (Class D), Haoxuan Huang (Class E) and Ethan Kinoshita (Best under 1000).

In addition to the trophy and plaques there was also a $605 cash prize fund, courtesy of the Arcadia Chess Club. Arcadia Chess Club ran rated events for over 40 years, meeting on Monday nights at the Senior Center in Santa Anita Park. Additional cash prize winners were Amin Zoghlami, Davit Bakhtaryan, Leya Daftuar and Lawrence Preciado.

As often occurs with a one Open Section event, upsets are bound to happen and we included an upset prize for best single game rating difference. Veteran players will tell you that lower rated players are much stronger than in the “good old days,” when you just waited for a blunder. And this event proved the point. In Round 1 alone Briana L (1387) beat a 1900 player, Aaron Bosch (780) beat a 1557 player and Paul Longstaffe (837) bested a 1614 opponent. And as if that wasn’t enough, Round 2 saw young Albert Bao (866) beat a 1900 player, a difference of 1034 points! It was widely thought he had the upset prize in the bag. But it didn’t last long as Thomas Pehlivanos (365) beat a player 1249 points higher the very next round and secured the upset prize. Now we know why our higher rated players are relieved when we have a two section event, these lower rated players have no fear!

This year’s Club Championship was certainly a success but it takes a team of people to make that happen. So thanks go to Senior TD Phil Chase, Club VP Axel Muller, Board Member and NTD Randall Hough, Facilities Manager Gary Schenk, Club Webmaster Chris Roberts and Vina Awards of San Gabriel. Thanks as well to all of our players and parents who help each week with set up and take down of all the tables and chairs. It really takes a collective effort and is truly one o the great things about SGVCC.

Chess Tournaments

Take the Mount Wilson Challenge!

We start the Mount Wilson Challenge on May 7, a five round event in two sections that concludes June 4th. Register here:

https://caissachess.net/online-registration/index/4189

Chess Tournaments

Making Chess a Family Affair

Making Chess a Family Affair

If you’ve played at San Gabriel Valley Chess Club (SGVCC) it’s very likely you have played a member of the Daftuar family. First, there’s 10 year old Rohan, rated 1867, his eight year old sister Leya, rated 1357, and also dad Sumit, who only started playing last June and has a respectable 1200 rating. Mom Lilyn is part of the team too, helping with much needed transportation and sometimes getting the kids back home early when dad has a long game. It has become quite common to look at the pairings chart and see that all three won their games on a given night. In fact, at the Mount Lowe Swiss in October of 2023 this trio all won prize money. And don’t look now, but little brother Ojas has just started playing rated events.

This ability for everyone in a family to engage in the same activity is truly one of the unique aspects of chess. Unlike other sports or activities, age, gender, or size matter not. You don’t have to be the fastest or the strongest, just play good chess moves! At SGVCC we are pleased to have quite a few chess playing families. Plus, we discount our club membership dues by offering a family membership plan. So as they say, if you’re looking for a night out the whole family can enjoy, SGVCC is your place!

Chess Tournaments

Follow the Club Championship

It all comes down to the final round! After six rounds we have three players tied for first at 5-1 and another group right on their heels at 4 1/2- 1 1/2. It’s been quite a tournament, with upsets every round. In addition to crowning a new Club Champ, there are Best in Class plaques as well. You’ll be able to check out final standings on May 1st. And spectators are welcome if you’d like to drop by!

Standings here

Chess Tournaments

New Year Swiss Draws a Record 66 Players

New Year Swiss Draws a Record 66 Players

We got 2024 off to a great start with a record number of players at our first event this year! There was some great chess too, with battles in the last round to see who would prevail. Top seed Axel Muller won his first 4 games and then had to concede a draw against the very talented Ararat Bagdasarian, who defended a tough position. Although just ten years old, Bagdasarian is making a strong impression with a rating of 1946. He tied for second with veteran Arturo Armagnac, both scoring 4-1. It was Muller’s second straight clear first place finish. A National Master, he seems to be regaining his old form.

The under 1400 section saw the youngsters having their way. Garik Yegoryan (also 10!) posted an impressive 5-0 to take clear first. There was a log jam for second with four players going 4-1, which included Leya Daftuar and Ryan Lu (both age 8) Evan “Jet” Lew ( the “old guy” at age 13 ) and Patrick Harrigan of the CSU Northridge college team. The total prize fund was $600 and shared by the winners in both sections.

We start the Eaton Canyon Open, another 5 rounder in two sections, on February 13. And stay tuned for our Club Championship, a 7 round tournament with one Open section, starting March 19.

Axel Muller (left) vs. Ararat Bagdasarian (right)

Garik Yegoryan (foreground) deep in thought against Patrick Harrigan (background)

Chess Tournaments

Play in the New Year Swiss

We get 2024 started on January 9 with a five round event that concludes February 6. There are two sections and the time control is G/90 with 5 second delay.

Standings here

Category: Chess Tournaments