2012 US Amateur West Championship

The US Amateur West turns 20 years old! This year's tournament marks the 20th Anniversary of the event. US Amateur West May 26-28, at the Holiday Inn - Palo Verde. The tournament is open to all players rated under 2200 (May Suppliment).


The available sections include:

• Championship (U2200)
• Reserve (U1600)
• Booster (U1200)
• Scholastic I (K-6/U1000) *
• Scholastic II (K-6/U600) *

 * The scholastic sections are three 1-day tournaments (Saturday, Sunday and Monday). Players can play one, two or all three days.

 

Registration is available online at the SACA webpage. A flier with all the information is also available.

 

This year's chess celebrity is IM MacKenzie Molner who will be available each round to analyze your games with you. Additionally, he'll give a simul on Sunday for anyone (tournament and non-tournament players welcome!) who wants to challenge him.

 

The chess weekend starts off with a Blitz tournament on Friday night at 7:00pm. Registration for that event is available online or at the site. EF is $10 ($15 for non-tournament players). Prizes are ($b/20) $75-$45 and Top U1600 $30. There are also prizes for Top K-12, K-8 and K-6 players.

US Amateur West this weekend

Just a reminder to everyone that the US Amateur West is this weekend, May 28-30, at the Holiday Inn - Palo Verde. The tournament is open to all players rated under 2200 (May Suppliment). Today is the last day to register before the $10 late fee goes into effect!!

The available sections include:

Championship (U2200)
Reserve (U1600)
Booster (U1200)
Scholastic I (K-6/U1000) *
Scholastic II (K-6/U600) *

* The scholastic sections are three 1-day tournaments (Saturday, Sunday and Monday). Players can play one, two or all three days.

This year's chess celebrity is IM Levon Altounian who will be available each round to analyze your games with you. Additionally, he'll give a simul on Sunday for anyone (tournament and non-tournament players welcome!) who wants to challenge him.

The chess weekend starts off with a Blitz tournament on Friday night at 7:00pm. Registration for that event starts at 6:00pm. EF is $10 ($15 for non-tournament players). Prizes are ($b/20) $75-$45 and Top U1600 $30. There are also prizes for Top K-12, K-8 and K-6 players.

US Amateur West Concludes!

Another US Amateur West has come to a close. 161 players played 499 games in 7 sections (not including the Blitz tournament) this past weekend. Congratulations to this year's winners!

Top Prizes
Championship

1. Andrew Lebovitz (5 - 1)
2. Joesph Kruml (5 - 1)
3. Bryan Hu (4.5 - 1.5)

Reserve

1. Raymond Tan (5.5 - 0.5)
2. Jeff Semmens (5 - 1)
3. Alek Pensky (4.5 - 1.5)

Booster

1. Evan Kuo (5 - 1)
2. Neal Schrodetzki (5 - 1)
3. Zac Smith (4.5 - 1.5)

Saturday Scholastic

1. Gabriel Gutierrez (4 - 0)
2. Dylan South (4 - 0)
3. Ivan Andreopoulos (3 - 1)

Sunday Scholastic

1. Alexander Vogel (3.5 - 0.5)
2. Gabriel Gutierrez (3 - 1)
3. Vishwa Srinivasan (3 - 1)

Monday Scholastic

1. Alexander Vogel (4 - 0)
2. Milind Jetty (4 - 0)
3. Ivan Andreopoulos (3 - 1)

A complete prize list is available here. The tournament has been rated.

Thank you to GM Alejandro Ramirez who was there all weekend to analyze the players' games and for his Sunday simultaneous exhibition. Thank you to Karen for organizing this year's event and to all the players for participating in it. See you all at the Ye Olde Pueblo!

Final Standings:
Championship
Reserve
Booster
Saturday scholastic tournament results
Sunday scholastic tournament results
Monday scholastic tournament results
Blitz results

US Amateur West Day 2 Update

We have completed another day of the US Amateur West Championship. We have 160 players participating in 3 main sections, 3 scholastic tournaments and various other side events. But with just one more day, the games are starting to get more tense!

In the championship section, defending Amateur West champion, Joseph Kruml (2170) is the lone 4 - 0 in the field of forty-nine. But right behind him, with 3.5 - .5, are top seed Bryan Hu (2180) and Pavel Savine (2012), who drew each other in round 3. With two more rounds to go, the title is far from having been decided.

The reserve section, like the championship section, has one perfect 4 - 0 player remaining. Raymond Tan (1500) is half a point of ahead of close friend, and top seed, Jeff Semmens (1590) and brother Rex Tan (1391), each with a score of 3.5 - .5.

Evan Kuo (898) leads the booster section with a score of 3.5 - .5. He is followed by a pack of six players with 3 - 1 who intend to make his path to victory a bumpy one.

The scholastic section completed another 1-day event. Twenty-one players in the K-6/U1000 tournament participated. Leading the way was Alexander Vogel who scored 3.5 - .5 points.

GM Alejandro Ramirez has been here all weekend analyzing games for the players. This afternoon, he also put on a simultaneous exhibition back taking on 12 opponents at once. Derek Chen (1671) was the only blemish on Alejandro's record of 11 wins, 0 losses, and 1 draw. Derek received a complementary entry into the Ye Olde Pueblo for his effort.


Tomorrow is the final day as we wrap-up with rounds 5 and 6 in the main tournament and the final scholastic tournament of the weekend.

Current Standings:
Championship
Reserve
Booster
Saturday scholastic tournament results
Sunday scholastic tournament results

The Calm...

The US Amateur West is underway! We have over 160 players signed up for this weekend's events. We started off with the Friday Night Blitz event. Ashu Thakur and IM Levon Altounian tied for first. There was even a rare Enrique Huerta sighting. Who knew he could play chess? (Editor's note: I saw his games, there's still debate as to whether he can play chess.)

The Storm...


Two rounds done and four to go. The first of three scholastic tournaments has completed. Gabriel Gutierrez and Dylan South finished tied for first with a score of 4 - 0. Today is round 3 and 4, the second scholastic tournament, and the GM Ramirez Simul.

Current Standings:
Championship
Reserve
Booster

US Amateur West this weekend!

The US Amateur West is this weekend, May 29 - 31, at the Holiday Inn on Palo Verde. The tournament is a 6 round event open to players rated 2199 and below (USCF). There will also be three, 1-day scholastic tournaments (4 rounds) open to players in K-6 who are rated below 1000 USCF.

Prizes include:

Free entry to the National Open to 1st place in Championship and Reserve sections.

Championship Section: Chronos chess clock + plaque to 1st - 3rd Place.

Reserve Section: Chronos chess clock + plaque to 1st, Digital clock + plaque to 2nd, 3rd.

Booster Section: Chronos clock + trophy to 1st. Trophy to 2nd-5th.

Scholastic Sections: (each day) Digital clock + trophy to 1st. Trophy to 2nd-5th. Trophy to Top U800, U600, Unrated. Perfect scores that don’t win the clock will receive 1 yr. of USCF Membership.

Other Prizes: Top 2 Family Pair in the non-scholastic sections. Biggest Upset of each round (Championship, Reserve, or Booster only). Chronos clock to Scholastic player with highest combined score for all three 1-day tournaments.

Plus digital clocks and plaques to each rating group U1200 - 1999!

There is still time to register for the event. Just go to the SACA webstore and register there, or print out a flier and mail in your registration. But hurry! Because the entry fees go up on Wednesday!

Grandmaster Alejandro Ramirez returns to analyze your games between rounds. Additionally, he will also give a simul on Sunday. The simul is open to all players, not just those playing in the event. Space is limited, so be sure to reserve your seat early.

The weekend begins Friday night with a blitz tournament. Like the simul, the blitz tournament is open to all players, not just those playing in the event.

Date: Friday 5/28/10; Location: Holiday Inn Palo Verde; Format: USCF Rated, G/5, 5 Rounds, Double SS; Entry Fee: $10 ($15 to non-tournament players); Reg.: 6:00–6:45pm at site; Rounds: begin at 7:00pm Prizes: ($$b/20) $75-$45, Top U1600 $30, Medallion to top K-12, K-8, K-6.

We look forward to see you this weekend!

US Amateur West has been rated

The US Amateur West and Blitz tournaments from this weekend have been rated. A complete wrap-up with prize lists, photos, and games will be available soon.

UPDATE: Added links to the SACA Webpage.

US Amateur West this weekend

Today is the last day to register for this weekend's US Amatuer West Championship without an additional late fee. Starting tomorrow the entry fee raises an additional $10 ($5 in Scholastic). So be sure to get your entry in!

A pre-registration list is available online (as of 9:30 pm Tuesday night). If you've already registered, please double-check your entry to make sure we have all the information correct and contact us if there needs to be any changes. Thank you.

Don't forget about the Blitz tournament on Friday night. No pre-registration or late fees for that one. Just show up and have some fun! The Blitz tournament is open to all players, not just those in the tournament.

U.S. Amateur West Blitz (Open to players of all ratings)
Date: Friday 5/22/09; Location: Holiday Inn Palo Verde; Format: USCF Rated, G/5, 5 Rounds, Double SS; Entry Fee: $10 ($15 to non-tournament players); Reg.: 6:00–6:45pm at site; Rounds: begin at 7:00pm Prizes: ($$b/20) $75-$45, Top U1600 $30, Medallion to top K-12, K-8, K-6.

US Amateur West

The US Amateur West is 1 week away! The "Amateur" is May 23-25 at the Holiday Inn-Palo Verde. Only players below Master-level (under 2200) may play. It will be a 6-round event with time controls of 40/2, 25/1 (note the lack of "sudden death") separated in 4 sections: Championship, Reserve (U1600), Booster (U12oo) and Scholastic (K-8/U1000). The Scholastic section is actually 3 separate, 1-day events of 4 rounds each. You can play one, two, or all three days!

GM Alejandro Ramirez will be the chess celebrity this year. He'll be available all weekend to offer free chess analysis of your games between rounds. Additionally, he'll give a simul (seats are limited) on Sunday at 2:00 pm and a free lecture on Monday.

Prizes for the tournament include:

• Free entry to the National Open for the winners of the Championship and Reserve sections.
• Door prizes donated by GM Susan Polgar and the Susan Polgar Foundation.
• Digital clocks added to all rating plaque prizes.
• Family prizes for the Top 2 families.
• Upset prizes each round (Championship, Reserve and Booster sections only).

The weekend starts off with a Blitz tourament Friday night.

U.S. Amateur West Blitz (Open to players of all ratings)
Date: Friday 5/22/09; Location: Holiday Inn Palo Verde; Format: USCF Rated, G/5, 5 Rounds, Double SS; Entry Fee: $10 ($15 to non-tournament players); Reg.: 6:00–6:45pm at site; Rounds: begin at 7:00pm Prizes: ($$b/20) $75-$45, Top U1600 $30, Medallion to top K-12, K-8, K-6.

Registration is available online or by postal mail (see flyer). Registration will also be available at the site the morning of Saturday, May 23 from 8:30 - 9:30. Get your registration in early and avoid a $10 late fee that starts on May 21. Those that have already registered should look at the pre-registration list to make sure all information is correct. Contact the Chief TD of there are any errors.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.

USCF awards SACA the Amateur through 2011.

The Southern Arizona Chess Association (SACA) has been awarded the bid to run the US Amateur West tournament for the years of 2009, 2010, and 2011. SACA has hosted this event for many years so we expected to win the bid. But being awarded a National Title Event for 3 years into the future is something the USCF does not do often, so it shows their confidence in SACA to host a quality event year in and year out.

Over the past 6 years of SACA running this event, participation has gone up every year from 117 players in 2003 to 168 last year.

The 2009 US Amateur West will be held Memorial Day weekend (May 23-25, 2009) at the Holiday Inn - Palo Verde. It is open to all USCF members under the rating of 2200. Other features of the Amateur include a Friday night blitz tournament (open to all ratings) and Master-level analysis of players' games, guest lecture, and simultaneous exhibition.

More details about the tournament will be available as we get closer to the event. For more information, please contact Karen Pennock.

US Amateur West Championship

Next on SACA's tournament schedule is the US Amateur (West) Championship on May 24-26. The tournament will be held at the Holiday Inn on Palo Verde, just north of I-10. The "Am West" is a 3-day event that traditionally draws players from not only Tucson, but from all over Arizona as well as neighboring states. There will be lots of prizes for everybody.

The Am West is open to all USCF members rated under 2200 (below Master). There are 4 sections to choose from: Championship (U2200), Reserve (U1600), Booster (U1200) and Scholastic (U1000 and K-8). The Scholastic section is three 1-day tournaments, so you can choose to play in 1, 2, or all 3 events.

Once again this year the Las Vegas International Chess Festival has donated 2 free entries into the National Open and the Susan Polgar Foundation has donated DVDs as door prizes. Other features of the tournament include, free game analysis by FM Danny Rensch, a blitz tournament Friday night (May 23) and a Simul against FM Rensch on Sunday (May 25).

Full details of the tournament are available on the flier for the tournament.

National Open Free Entry Rules

As mentioned, the Las Vegas International Chess Festival has donated 2 FREE entries into the National Open to the winners of the Championship and Reserve section (1 entry each) of the US Amateur West Championship. Here are the details regarding those FREE entries:

Free entry to National Open for Winner(s).
Non-transferable unless winner already entered the National Open.
      Must notify SACA of transferee's name within 24 hours.
      Then it is non-transferable again.
Winner (or transferee) must stay at Riviera to claim prize.
      Unless Vegas resident.
      I (the organizer) will hold a room Thu-Mon since the Am West is after the cutoff.
      Must confirm room by 6/3.

Thank you again to the organizers of the Las Vegas International Chess Festival for these prizes!