39th Eastern Open

All Things Chess
1

GM Larry Kaufman and IM Daniel Ludwig lead the top section with 3.5/4 halfway through the 39th Eastern Open. Despite winter storm systems coming through Washington the day before the tournament and today, 194 players are in attendance, marking a three-year high.

Standings and pairings for all sections are updated as staff time permits at easternopenchess.com.

2

Here’s an entertaining Round 4 win for GM Kaufman against IM Bryan Smith. Smith bounced back with a victory aganst Virginia NM Andrew Samuelson in Round 5 and is still very much in contention.

[Event “39th Annual Eastern Open”]
[Site “Washington DC USA”]
[Date “2012.12.28”]
[Round “4”]
[White “Kaufman, Larry”]
[Black “Smith, Bryan”]
[Result “1-0”]
[ECO “B06”]
[WhiteElo “2404”]
[BlackElo “2507”]
[PlyCount “119”]

  1. d4 g6 2. e4 Bg7 3. Nc3 c6 4. Be3 Qb6 5. Rb1 d6 6. h3 Nf6 7. Nf3 O-O 8. Be2
    Qc7 9. a4 Nbd7 10. O-O a6 11. Ra1 b6 12. Qd2 Bb7 13. Bh6 b5 14. Bxg7 Kxg7 15.
    Qe3 b4 16. Nb1 c5 17. d5 e6 18. dxe6 fxe6 19. Nbd2 Rae8 20. Rfe1 d5 21. e5 Nh5
  2. c3 bxc3 23. bxc3 Kg8 24. Bf1 Re7 25. g3 Ng7 26. g4 Ref7 27. Bg2 Rf4 28. Re2
    Bc6 29. a5 Bb5 30. Ree1 h5 31. Nh4 d4 32. cxd4 cxd4 33. Qg3 Nxe5 34. Rxe5 Qxe5
  3. Nxg6 Qf6 36. Nxf8 h4 37. Qa3 Qxf8 38. Qxf8+ Kxf8 39. Nf3 d3 40. Nxh4 Rb4
  4. Nf3 Ne8 42. Bf1 Nd6 43. Rd1 Nb7 44. Bxd3 Nxa5 45. Bxb5 axb5 46. Re1 Nc4 47.
    Rxe6 Rb1+ 48. Kg2 b4 49. Rc6 Rc1 50. Rc8+ Kg7 51. Rb8 Rb1 52. Nd4 Nd2 53. Nf5+
    Kf6 54. h4 b3 55. h5 Ra1 56. h6 Kg6 57. Rb6+ Kg5 58. h7 Ra8 59. Nh6 Nc4 60.
    Nf7+ 1-0
3

After a draw and a half-point bye, respectively, Daniel Ludwig has White against Larry Kaufman on Board 1 in Round 6. Scores updated as time permits on easternopenchess.com.

4

After a Round 6 win with White, IM Daniel Ludwig stands atop the Eastern Open with 5/6, a point clear of 9 players at 4/6. The final day is tomorrow, with play in the Open section beginning at 10 Eastern.

5

With this seventh round win against Samuelson, Daniel Ludwig earns at least a share of first place, entering the final round at 6/7 and at least a point clear of the field.

[Event “39th Eastern Open”]
[Site “Washington DC”]
[Date “2012.12.30”]
[Round “7”]
[White “Samuelson, Andrew”]
[Black “Ludwig, Daniel”]
[Result “0-1”]
[ECO “B80”]
[WhiteElo “2276”]
[BlackElo “2566”]
[PlyCount “100”]

  1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nf6 4. Nc3 cxd4 5. Nxd4 a6 6. Be3 e6 7. f3 b5 8. g4 h6
  2. Qd2 b4 10. Nce2 e5 11. Nf5 d5 12. exd5 Qxd5 13. O-O-O Be6 14. Bg2 Nc6
  3. Qxd5 Nxd5 16. f4 O-O-O 17. Rd3 Nxe3 18. Rxe3 Bd5 19. Bxd5 Rxd5 20. Rd1 Rxd1+
  4. Kxd1 g6 22. Nfg3 exf4 23. Nxf4 Bg7 24. Nd3 Rd8 25. Kc1 h5 26. Re4 hxg4
  5. Rxg4 Ne5 28. Rh4 Nxd3+ 29. cxd3 Rh8 30. Rxh8+ Bxh8 31. Ne4 Be5 32. h3 f5
  6. Ng5 Bd6 34. Ne6 Kd7 35. Nd4 Be5 36. Nf3 Bf6 37. h4 Ke6 38. Kd2 f4 39. d4 Kd5
  7. Kd3 a5 41. b3 Bg7 42. Nd2 Bxd4 43. Nc4 Bf2 44. h5 gxh5 45. Nxa5 h4
  8. Ke2 Bg3 47. Kf3 h3 48. Nc4 h2 49. Kg2 f3+ 50. Kh1 Bf4 0-1
6

IM Daniel J. Ludwig has won clear first at the Eastern Open with a draw against Maryland FM Ralph Zimmer in Round 8. In the Under 2200 section, Darius Pour of Pmbroke, NC, is two points clear of the field with a perfect 7/7, and is fighting for the shutout in the last round. Scores updated as games are completed and time permits at easternopenchess.com.