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The 30th Annual Chicago Open was held on the 2021 Memorial Day weekend after a 15-month break. // photo Sean Sean Hennessy

Overthe 2021Memorial Dayweekend,Grandmaster Dariusz Swiercz wonthe30thAnnual Chicago Open and theContinental Chess Associations(CCA) return toOver-The-Board chessin Wheeling, Illinois.

The last OTB event prior to the Chicago Openwas the Western Class Championshipnearly15 months ago!Just as players may have had to shake some rust off their play, tournament directors also needed to regain some skills that may have declined.

CCA President BillGoichbergcommentedthat very difficult decisionswere requiredwhen shutting down OTB chess,buteven more difficultwasdeciding how and when to bringitback again.BalancingCOVID protectionand regulationswithplayerscomfortandconveniencewas a constant challenge for the organizer and directing staff.While most players were appreciative that OTB chess had returned,there was a split between those who feltthe eventwenttoofar with COVID restrictions, and othersnot enough.Maskswererequiredand socialdistancingwas encouraged, with most players acceptingthese as necessaryregulations.On the bright side, everyone played attheir own six-foot table, so playing conditions were very spacious!

Restarting a major event under such unique conditionswas a challenge, the least of which was planning how many people would come to Chicago to play.While COVID conditions have trended mostly betterover the past months, advertisingchanged as new detailswere learned.One game per tablemeant twice as muchspace, andplanningnew details with the hotel,in turn,meant coordinating withlocalgovernmentto determine necessary protections.

Despite these challenges, the30thedition of the Chicago Openwas held with 559 total players, battling over chess boards for $100,000 in prizes.The Open section featured 69 players,including 8 Grandmasters, 9 International Masters, and 14 FIDE Masters.Champion Swiercz entered as the highest-rated player and led the event in its entirety, playing every round on Board 1 and finishing undefeated 7/9. He scored five wins, including victories over second-placefinisher GM Christopher Repka andthreeIMsPraveen Balakrishnan, SamSchmakeland Josiah Stearman.

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The 30th Annual Chicago Open Final Standings

There was little drama in the first round, withall titled players scoringfull points.GM OleksandrBortnyk, who would go on to tie for second place,played a nice tactic to bring home the full point.Can you find the winning combination?

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GM Oleksandr Bortnyk - FM Matthew Stevens after 20. ... Nxf6 -- can you find the winning combination for White?

Grandmasterswere being paired with International Mastersby Round 2, and most of the GMs made it to 2-0 though not all.FM Justus Williams knocked off GMAwonderLiang on the top board, andFM Joshua Posthuma nicked GM Alexander Shabalov for a drawon Board 3.Williams wenton toscore 6/7 andtie for the U2400 FIDEprizewith anIM-worthyperformance,though he did not receive anorm because he did not play enoughplayers from a foreign federation.

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FM Justus Williams tied for the U2400 FIDE Prize with an IM-worthy performance in the 30th Annual Chicago Open, though missed the norm. // photo Sean Hennessy

In this equal position,NM MikeZaloznyymadethenatural-looking15. Ne7, but his opponentNM Andrew Titusshowedthe positional move fails to a tactic.

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NM Andrew Titus NM Mike Zaloznyy after 15. Ne7. Black saw 16. Qc3 and intended Nxd5, however that fails to 16. Qc3 Nxd5 17. Nf5! And black gets mated.

More GMs paired with IMs in Round 3, withonly one draw on the top boards.GM Swierczrecountsthis win over IMSchmakelas one of his best games of the event.In the game, hegives up an exchangebut stays betterdespite the material deficit,ultimately earningthe full point.

Onlyfive playersremained with perfect scores after three rounds:GMsDariuczSwiercz, OlexandrBortnyk, Hans Niemann, Christopher Repka and IM Robby Kevlishvili.GM Repkawas served his only loss of the tournament, to the champion. Here, Swiercz has been winning for many moves andRepkas position is desperate, though Black has a miracle defense that could have saved equality.

White has manythreatsand it looks likeBlack might be lost, but he has a defense.44. Rd445. gxf6 Bd5 saves the game for black.

Swierczslowed his pace with a draw in Round 5, allowingGM Niemann back intoa first-place tie with this win overGM Shabalov.

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GM Hans Niemann at the 30th Annual Chicago Open. // photo credit Sean Hennessy

Niemann dropped from the leadersgroupafteran uncharacteristic blunder in the opening of his Round 7 game against IM Praveen Balakrishnan, and Swiercz separated himself from the pack in Round 8, defeating Balakrishnanwith the Black pieces after turning down an early draw offer.

Section winners for the 30th Annual Chicago Open:

U2300: NMCaleb Denby, 6.5/7

U2100: Kameron Tolliver, 6.5/7

U1900: Stephen Jennings and DaniloBucal, 6/7

U1700: Mohammad Khan, Theodore Epstein, and Aaron Marian, 6/7

U1500: Louisa Zhang, 6.5/7

U1250: Nathan Melnikov, 7/7

Mixed Doubles: BadakhandNorovsambuuand Max Zinski; Nura Baala and Aditya Gupta,10.5/14

Blitz: FM Aydin Turgut, 9/10

NTD Boyd Reed directed for Continental Chess assisted by David Hater, SteveImmitt, Jeff Wiewel, Jeff Smith, Tracey Vibbert, Terry Winchester, Chris Baumgarter, AdamRubinberg, Harold Scott, Gary Janssen, Danny Rohde, and Steve Plotnick.

Full tournament details can be found atwww.chicagoopen.net.Previous Continental Chess tournaments can be found at the Continental Chess website athttp://www.chesstour.com/cross.html.

Solution to GM OlexandrBortnykn - FM Matthew Stevens above:21. Rxf6Qxa122. Qxg6 Qc1(22. . Re723. Nf5)23. Qf7+Kh824.Rf5 Qh625.Rh5 Qxh526. Qxh5+ Kg827.Nf5

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CCA Returns to OTB Chess with 30th Chicago Open - uschess.org