Dr. Judit Sztaray contributed to this post.
On August 15, Mechanics' Institute (MI) wrapped up a highly successful Blitz Tournament of the Americas on Chess.com. Organized by MI in partnership with KmadaChess and Chess Sin Fronteras, the free event connected masters from across the Americas and brought several diverse communities together through chess. The tournament's mission is to build new relationships and partnerships while showcasing top chess players from the Western Hemisphere.
Through MI's collaborative partnerships and social media channels, 91 players--nearly all masters--participated. The group included 9 Grandmasters (GM) and 13 International Masters (IM) representing 15 different countries, 20 of which were female players. The event was broadcast on MI's Twitch channel and also globally, including Women's International Master (WIM) Ivette Garcia Morales and GM Josh Friedel.
Since this was a blitz event that included many titled players, the action was fast and furious. In the end, GM Juan Carlos Obregon Rivero from Cuba won the series with a score of 8/9. GM Conrad Holt took second place with a score of 7.5/9 and IM Andrew Hong and FM Kyron Griffith tied for third place with a score of 7/9. MI Trustee and former two-time U.S. Champion GM Patrick Wolff turned in a fine performance, including a victory over second place finisher GM Conrad Holt.
Women's Grand Master (WGM) Lisandra Teresa Ordaz Valdes (Cuba) was the top female finisher with 6/9 and Ann Lindsay Chumpitaz Carbajal (Peru) scored 5.5/9. Women's participation was significant during this event as females comprised more than 20% of the field.
MI is grateful to the team at KmadaChess and to Juan Cendejas from Chess Sin Fronteras for their collaboration and partnership in this outstanding free event. Thanks to all the players for their time and to all who helped promote the tournament. Once again, the MI chess community and its supporters turned a highly successful gathering and into an enjoyable forum for chess players to socialize, participate, and compete.
Here are the final results:
Final Standings
# |
Name |
Fed |
Rd 1 |
Rd 2 |
Rd 3 |
Rd 4 |
Rd 5 |
Rd 6 |
Rd 7 |
Rd 8 |
Rd 9 |
Total |
T-Sonneborn |
1 |
GM Juan Carlos Obregon Rivero |
CUB |
W58 |
W39 |
W25 |
W3 |
W12 |
W5 |
W18 |
L2 |
W11 |
8.0 |
44.5 |
2 |
GM Conrad Holt |
USA |
W83 |
W32 |
W79 |
L24 |
D6 |
W25 |
W19 |
W1 |
W5 |
7.5 |
37.25 |
3 |
IM Andrew Hong |
USA |
W34 |
W28 |
D9 |
L1 |
W47 |
W20 |
D4 |
W30 |
W16 |
7.0 |
37 |
4 |
FM Kyron Griffith |
USA |
W44 |
L5 |
W58 |
D46 |
W36 |
W26 |
D3 |
W18 |
W12 |
7.0 |
35 |
5 |
GM Andres Felipe Gallego |
COL |
W13 |
W4 |
W14 |
W19 |
W24 |
L1 |
W10 |
D12 |
L2 |
6.5 |
38.5 |
6 |
GM Enrico Sevillano |
USA |
W7 |
D40 |
W30 |
W9 |
D2 |
D19 |
L11 |
W36 |
W21 |
6.5 |
36.25 |
7 |
FM Kelvin Sánchez |
VEN |
L6 |
W84 |
W45 |
W8 |
L23 |
W29 |
D21 |
W24 |
W26 |
6.5 |
30.25 |
8 |
GM Aramis Alvarez |
CUB |
W62 |
W15 |
L23 |
L7 |
D37 |
W77 |
W64 |
W19 |
W9 |
6.5 |
29.25 |
9 |
NM Kirk Ghazarian |
USA |
W56 |
W17 |
D3 |
L6 |
D15 |
W34 |
W27 |
W10 |
L8 |
6.0 |
32.5 |
10 |
CM Sriram Krishnakumar |
USA |
W72 |
D18 |
W11 |
W16 |
W20 |
D24 |
L5 |
L9 |
W29 |
6.0 |
31 |
11 |
IM Christopher Woojin Yoo |
STP |
W47 |
L25 |
L10 |
W38 |
W52 |
W28 |
W6 |
W23 |
L1 |
6.0 |
29 |
12 |
FM Anish Vivekananthan |
RUS |
W37 |
D27 |
W40 |
W23 |
L1 |
W48 |
W24 |
D5 |
L4 |
6.0 |
28.75 |
13 |
NM Kevin Pan |
USA |
L5 |
W44 |
W28 |
D32 |
W40 |
D46 |
L14 |
W53 |
W36 |
6.0 |
27 |
14 |
FM Javier Benitez Lozano |
MEX |
W68 |
W49 |
L5 |
L17 |
W63 |
W35 |
W13 |
L16 |
W25 |
6.0 |
26.5 |
15 |
WGM Lisandra Ordaz |
CUB |
W59 |
L8 |
D48 |
W75 |
D9 |
L21 |
W45 |
W31 |
W23 |
6.0 |
25 |
16 |
FM Dachey Lin |
USA |
W64 |
L19 |
W52 |
L10 |
W83 |
W59 |
W25 |
W14 |
L3 |
6.0 |
24 |
17 |
FM Alberto Salazar |
NIC |
W88 |
L9 |
W60 |
W14 |
L25 |
W50 |
L23 |
W48 |
W33 |
6.0 |
23.5 |
18 |
CAN |
W70 |
D10 |
D74 |
W80 |
W50 |
W23 |
L1 |
L4 |
W30 |
6.0 |
23.25 |
|
19 |
NM Linden Li |
USA |
W76 |
W16 |
W36 |
L5 |
W34 |
D6 |
L2 |
L8 |
W41 |
5.5 |
25.75 |
20 |
USA |
D38 |
W42 |
W22 |
W26 |
L10 |
L3 |
L37 |
W56 |
W39 |
5.5 |
25.75 |
|
21 |
GM Dmitry Gurevich |
USA |
L45 |
W68 |
W83 |
L47 |
W49 |
W15 |
D7 |
W37 |
L6 |
5.5 |
22.75 |
22 |
WIM Ann Lindsay Chumpitaz Carbajal |
PER |
D61 |
W86 |
L20 |
L40 |
W38 |
L36 |
W43 |
W63 |
W53 |
5.5 |
19.75 |
23 |
IM Abhimanyu Mishra |
USA |
W54 |
W45 |
W8 |
L12 |
W7 |
L18 |
W17 |
L11 |
L15 |
5.0 |
27 |
24 |
GM Patrick Wolff |
USA |
W73 |
W52 |
W46 |
W2 |
L5 |
D10 |
L12 |
L7 |
D32 |
5.0 |
24 |
25 |
NM Jeevan Karamsetty |
USA |
W67 |
W11 |
L1 |
W37 |
W17 |
L2 |
L16 |
W51 |
L14 |
5.0 |
23.5 |
26 |
IM Greg Shahade |
USA |
W51 |
D74 |
W27 |
L20 |
W32 |
L4 |
D53 |
W34 |
L7 |
5.0 |
22.25 |
27 |
NM Marcos Ortiz |
NIC |
W69 |
D12 |
L26 |
D70 |
W41 |
W31 |
L9 |
L33 |
W51 |
5.0 |
21 |
28 |
USA |
W31 |
L3 |
L13 |
W43 |
W70 |
L11 |
L51 |
W45 |
W49 |
5.0 |
20.5 |
|
29 |
USA |
U--- |
W54 |
L34 |
W42 |
W51 |
L7 |
W49 |
W47 |
L10 |
5.0 |
20.5 |
|
30 |
IM Carlos Andres Perdomo |
USA |
D86 |
W38 |
L6 |
W39 |
D31 |
W56 |
W46 |
L3 |
L18 |
5.0 |
20.25 |
31 |
WFM Fiorella Contreras Huaman |
PER |
L28 |
W64 |
W62 |
D74 |
D30 |
L27 |
W35 |
L15 |
W52 |
5.0 |
19.75 |
32 |
USA |
W81 |
L2 |
W33 |
D13 |
L26 |
L39 |
W68 |
W64 |
D24 |
5.0 |
19 |
|
33 |
IM Elliott Winslow |
USA |
L46 |
W87 |
L32 |
W44 |
L53 |
W69 |
W50 |
W27 |
L17 |
5.0 |
17.5 |
34 |
FM Andy Lee |
USA |
L3 |
W85 |
W29 |
W79 |
L19 |
L9 |
W70 |
L26 |
W56 |
5.0 |
16 |
35 |
WCM Alice Lee |
USA |
W57 |
L36 |
L41 |
W81 |
W78 |
L14 |
L31 |
W73 |
W50 |
5.0 |
15 |
36 |
USA |
W63 |
W35 |
L19 |
D77 |
L4 |
W22 |
W39 |
L6 |
L13 |
4.5 |
19.75 |
|
37 |
NM Jorge de Jesus Perez Marimon |
CUB |
L12 |
W82 |
W53 |
L25 |
D8 |
W40 |
W20 |
L21 |
U--- |
4.5 |
19.25 |
38 |
WFM Munkhchuluu Tsegmed |
MNG |
D20 |
L30 |
W61 |
L11 |
L22 |
W66 |
W40 |
L39 |
W59 |
4.5 |
17.75 |
39 |
USA |
W71 |
L1 |
D70 |
L30 |
W66 |
W32 |
L36 |
W38 |
L20 |
4.5 |
17.5 |
|
40 |
IM Ali Farahat |
USA |
W90 |
D6 |
L12 |
W22 |
L13 |
L37 |
L38 |
W54 |
W58 |
4.5 |
16.25 |
41 |
NM Oscar Jesus Roldan Luna |
MEX |
L79 |
W72 |
W35 |
L48 |
L27 |
D76 |
W75 |
W59 |
L19 |
4.5 |
15.25 |
42 |
CM Nabí Isaías Pérez Torres |
MEX |
W50 |
L20 |
L80 |
L29 |
L44 |
W82 |
W69 |
D65 |
W64 |
4.5 |
14.25 |
43 |
WIM Tania Regla Hernandez Alvarez |
CRI |
U--- |
D75 |
D78 |
L28 |
D61 |
W55 |
L22 |
W76 |
W65 |
4.5 |
14 |
44 |
CM Mauricio Marrujo |
VEN |
L4 |
L13 |
W90 |
L33 |
W42 |
L45 |
W66 |
D58 |
W63 |
4.5 |
13.25 |
45 |
CM Rohan Rajaram |
USA |
W21 |
L23 |
L7 |
W60 |
L59 |
W44 |
L15 |
L28 |
W67 |
4.0 |
16.5 |
46 |
FM Josiah Stearman |
USA |
W33 |
W77 |
L24 |
D4 |
W74 |
D13 |
L30 |
U--- |
U--- |
4.0 |
16.5 |
47 |
USA |
L11 |
W66 |
W73 |
W21 |
L3 |
D53 |
D48 |
L29 |
U--- |
4.0 |
16 |
|
48 |
USA |
L49 |
W61 |
D15 |
W41 |
W77 |
L12 |
D47 |
L17 |
U--- |
4.0 |
15.5 |
|
49 |
FM William Alfaro |
NIC |
W48 |
L14 |
W59 |
L50 |
L21 |
W54 |
L29 |
W68 |
L28 |
4.0 |
14.5 |
50 |
USA |
L42 |
W67 |
W51 |
W49 |
L18 |
L17 |
L33 |
W70 |
L35 |
4.0 |
14 |
|
51 |
IM Benjamin Gongora Montes |
MEX |
L26 |
W69 |
L50 |
W76 |
L29 |
W67 |
W28 |
L25 |
L27 |
4.0 |
13.5 |
52 |
IM Alvaro Blanco |
MEX |
W60 |
L24 |
L16 |
W67 |
L11 |
W73 |
L56 |
W62 |
L31 |
4.0 |
13 |
53 |
FM Marco Zapata Ferrada |
CHL |
U--- |
W90 |
L37 |
W73 |
W33 |
D47 |
D26 |
L13 |
L22 |
4.0 |
12.5 |
54 |
WCM Anika Rajaram |
USA |
L23 |
L29 |
W85 |
L59 |
W71 |
L49 |
W60 |
L40 |
W70 |
4.0 |
11.5 |
55 |
FM Jorge Arturo Vega Garcia |
MEX |
U--- |
U--- |
U--- |
U--- |
W86 |
L43 |
W61 |
W75 |
W68 |
4.0 |
10.5 |
56 |
WCM Claudia Munoz |
USA |
L9 |
L60 |
W69 |
W89 |
W80 |
L30 |
W52 |
L20 |
L34 |
4.0 |
10 |
57 |
NM César Arturo García Rosas |
MEX |
L35 |
L63 |
L67 |
W90 |
L68 |
L58 |
W82 |
W69 |
W76 |
4.0 |
7.5 |
58 |
CM Advay Bansal |
USA |
L1 |
W71 |
L4 |
L78 |
L76 |
W57 |
W67 |
D44 |
L40 |
3.5 |
12.25 |
59 |
NM Abhishek Mallela |
USA |
L15 |
W81 |
L49 |
W54 |
W45 |
L16 |
D63 |
L41 |
L38 |
3.5 |
11.75 |
60 |
WCM Alexandra Naira Prado Serrano |
BOL |
L52 |
W56 |
L17 |
L45 |
L81 |
W85 |
L54 |
W84 |
D62 |
3.5 |
9.75 |
61 |
NM Helen Montiel |
PRY |
D22 |
L48 |
L38 |
D62 |
D43 |
L75 |
L55 |
W87 |
W84 |
3.5 |
9.75 |
62 |
NM Alejandro Waldo |
MEX |
L8 |
D78 |
L31 |
D61 |
L69 |
W71 |
W81 |
L52 |
D60 |
3.5 |
9.5 |
63 |
CM Anthony Rozenvasser |
USA |
L36 |
W57 |
L77 |
W87 |
L14 |
W81 |
D59 |
L22 |
L44 |
3.5 |
8.75 |
64 |
USA |
L16 |
L31 |
W82 |
D66 |
W75 |
W74 |
L8 |
L32 |
L42 |
3.5 |
8.75 |
|
65 |
FM Lenin González Arroyo |
MEX |
U--- |
U--- |
U--- |
U--- |
W85 |
W87 |
W76 |
D42 |
L43 |
3.5 |
7.75 |
66 |
WIM Thais Castillo Morales |
CRI |
U--- |
L47 |
W91 |
D64 |
L39 |
L38 |
L44 |
W72 |
W75 |
3.5 |
7.25 |
67 |
FM Gustavo Hector Garza Ramo Maass |
USA |
L25 |
L50 |
W57 |
L52 |
W88 |
L51 |
L58 |
W71 |
L45 |
3.0 |
8 |
68 |
NM Manas Paldhe |
IND |
L14 |
L21 |
L87 |
W86 |
W57 |
W83 |
L32 |
L49 |
L55 |
3.0 |
7.5 |
69 |
NM Vanessa Descarrega Zacarias |
VEN |
L27 |
L51 |
L56 |
W72 |
W62 |
L33 |
L42 |
L57 |
W89 |
3.0 |
7.5 |
70 |
USA |
L18 |
W91 |
D39 |
D27 |
L28 |
W84 |
L34 |
L50 |
L54 |
3.0 |
6.75 |
|
71 |
CM Nelson Muñoz |
PAN |
L39 |
L58 |
L81 |
W82 |
L54 |
L62 |
W89 |
L67 |
W87 |
3.0 |
4 |
72 |
WCM Bitia Esther Cruz Castro |
HND |
L10 |
L41 |
L84 |
L69 |
L82 |
W89 |
W87 |
L66 |
W78 |
3.0 |
4 |
73 |
USA |
L24 |
W88 |
L47 |
L53 |
W87 |
L52 |
W84 |
L35 |
U--- |
3.0 |
4 |
|
74 |
GM Michael Rohde |
USA |
W85 |
D26 |
D18 |
D31 |
L46 |
L64 |
U--- |
U--- |
U--- |
2.5 |
10 |
75 |
NM Rodrigo Del Puerto |
ARG |
U--- |
D43 |
W86 |
L15 |
L64 |
W61 |
L41 |
L55 |
L66 |
2.5 |
7.25 |
76 |
NM Victor Emmanue Aguilar Mosivais |
MEX |
L19 |
L83 |
W88 |
L51 |
W58 |
D41 |
L65 |
L43 |
L57 |
2.5 |
6.75 |
77 |
NM Kevin Yang |
USA |
W87 |
L46 |
W63 |
D36 |
L48 |
L8 |
U--- |
U--- |
U--- |
2.5 |
6.75 |
78 |
NM Ismael Roberto Acosta Perez |
CUB |
L80 |
D62 |
D43 |
W58 |
L35 |
U--- |
U--- |
U--- |
L72 |
2.0 |
7.5 |
79 |
NM Vinesh Ravuri |
USA |
W41 |
W80 |
L2 |
L34 |
U--- |
U--- |
U--- |
U--- |
U--- |
2.0 |
6.5 |
80 |
NM Enrique AlfonsoFonseca Manrique |
MEX |
W78 |
L79 |
W42 |
L18 |
L56 |
U--- |
U--- |
U--- |
U--- |
2.0 |
6.5 |
81 |
NM Victor Salomon Vargas Sotelo |
ECU |
L32 |
L59 |
W71 |
L35 |
W60 |
L63 |
L62 |
U--- |
U--- |
2.0 |
6.5 |
82 |
WFM Carolina Torres Hernandez |
HND |
U--- |
L37 |
L64 |
L71 |
W72 |
L42 |
L57 |
U--- |
W85 |
2.0 |
5 |
83 |
USA |
L2 |
W76 |
L21 |
W84 |
L16 |
L68 |
U--- |
U--- |
U--- |
2.0 |
4.5 |
|
84 |
WFM Miriam Parkhurst Casas |
MEX |
U--- |
L7 |
W72 |
L83 |
W89 |
L70 |
L73 |
L60 |
L61 |
2.0 |
4 |
85 |
WIM Andrea Ortez |
SLV |
L74 |
L34 |
L54 |
L88 |
L65 |
L60 |
B--- |
W89 |
L82 |
2.0 |
1 |
86 |
WCM Patricia Castillo |
DOM |
D30 |
L22 |
L75 |
L68 |
L55 |
W88 |
U--- |
U--- |
U--- |
1.5 |
3.5 |
87 |
CM Clarence Lehman |
USA |
L77 |
L33 |
W68 |
L63 |
L73 |
L65 |
L72 |
L61 |
L71 |
1.0 |
3 |
88 |
NM Javier Omar Gonzalez Carrillo |
MEX |
L17 |
L73 |
L76 |
W85 |
L67 |
L86 |
U--- |
U--- |
U--- |
1.0 |
2 |
89 |
IM Navarro Mónica Segura |
VEN |
U--- |
U--- |
B--- |
L56 |
L84 |
L72 |
L71 |
L85 |
L69 |
1.0 |
0 |
90 |
USA |
L40 |
L53 |
L44 |
L57 |
U--- |
U--- |
U--- |
U--- |
U--- |
0.0 |
0 |
|
91 |
WFM MarjoireJ. Bocangel |
PER |
U--- |
L70 |
L66 |
U--- |
U--- |
U--- |
U--- |
U--- |
U--- |
0.0 |
0 |