De Firmian Wins the Bermuda Open
February 8, 2010
rainbowBermuda.jpg
A Bermuda rainbow, Photo by Donna Reis
The 2010 Bermuda International Open ended Sunday night with the traditional after-tournament buffet dinner free for all players and their families.  This time it was moved to the Watford Sports Club which was an excellent venue for the dinner and prize awards, as well as the dual playoff matches which became necessary because of two-way ties for first overall and first untitled player.  Both divisions receive airfare from the NE and hotel room at the Southampton Fairmont Resort for 2011.  The Club facility has a spacious lounge where devotees could watch the amazing SuperBowl with their drinks and dinner.  It was a tough decision whether or not to start the playoffs before the big game was finished but some people didn’t want to wait.  Nick de Firmian pleaded for “just another 10 minutes” since it was into the 4th quarter.  Suddenly it was 31-17 and even Nick decided it was ok to break away from the TV.

The playoff for first overall became necessary when GM de Firmian won a long, intense final game against GM Larry Christiansen.  GM Alexander Ivanov drew with GM Pascal Charbonneau to retain his lead in the tournament and only a win by either de Firmian or Christiansen could cause a tie.  The playoff format was double G/5 + 2 second increment with an Armageddon game as final if necessary.  The other match was between Canada’s Andrei Moffat and Aleksandr Ostrovskiy of New York.  Both went into the final Armageddon so it was especially exciting for the spectators.  De Firmian, with white, defeated Ivanov in spite of black’s draw odds benefit but one-minute disadvantage.  After also splitting both games Ostrovskiy defeated Moffat in the same fashion.

Then cash prizes were distributed and the famous Longtail hand blown glass statuette (Bermuda’s national bird) awarded to first in the different classes.  Some players, after a shaky start at the tournament, were happily surprised to find they had won a cash prize. 

Tied for first overall were de Firmian and Ivanov.  Tied for 3rd were Charbonneau, Moffat, Esther Epstein, IM David Cummings and Aleksandr Ostrovskiy.  Top U2200 went to Andrei Moffat, U2000 to Anatoly Ostrovskiy, U1800 to Blog Queen and photographer Polly Wright and U1600 to Bermudian Kennedy Simmons.  Two players traveled quite far for the event.  Charles Green from his government post in Ecuador and Garry Forbes from the Guernsey Channel Islands.

An earlier version of this article has been updated with more information from chief arbiter Carol Jarecki.

The Bermuda Chess Association promises to have a functioning website for next year’s event so games and current tournament events can be posted. Also see www.fideamerica.com and www.castlingqueenside.blogspot.com for photos and blogs.

SwissSys Standings. 2010 Bermuda International Open



  # Name Rtng Rd 1 Rd 2 Rd 3 Rd 4 Rd 5 Tot
1 GM Nick de Firmian 2553 W35 W9 D4 W13 W8 4.5
2 GM Alexander Ivanov 2545 W31 W22 W16 W6 D3 4.5
3 GM Pascal Charbonneau 2509 W36 W26 W7 D8 D2 4.0
4 Andrei Moffat 2180 W34 W15 D1 D5 W12 4.0
5 WIM Esther Epstein 2194 W21 D20 W14 D4 W17 4.0
6 IM David Cummings 2360 W28 W12 W32 L2 W16 4.0
7 CM Aleksandr Ostrovskiy 2158 W51 W19 L3 W32 W18 4.0
8 GM Larry Christiansen 2582 W58 W23 W43 D3 L1 3.5
9 Ben Gershenov 2047 W39 L1 W31 W15 D10 3.5
10 Michael Khodarkovsky 2260 W40 L32 W35 W11 D9 3.5
11 Conrad Ho 2073 H--- W44 W27 L10 W26 3.5
12 Anatoly Ostrovskiy 1963 W48 L6 W40 W14 L4 3.0
13 FM Joel Salman 2169 W37 D27 W20 L1 D24 3.0
14 CM Nick Faulks 2111 W29 W24 L5 L12 W35 3.0
15 Michael Radford 1908 W52 L4 W21 L9 W37 3.0
16 Sylvester Smarty 2062 W50 W18 L2 X25 L6 3.0
17 Anne Marie Charbonneau 2010 W53 L43 W34 W19 L5 3.0
18 Gary Cooper 1881 W46 L16 W39 W23 L7 3.0
19 CM Sami Lill 1890 W38 L7 W37 L17 W39 3.0
20 Garry Forbes 1925 W54 D5 L13 D36 W34 3.0
21 Polly Wright 1700 L5 W42 L15 W53 W32 3.0
22 Mike Somers 2007 W30 L2 H--- D27 W36 3.0
23 Denis Strenzwilk 2028 W47 L8 W49 L18 W31 3.0
24 Max Steinberg 1860 W56 L14 W33 D26 D13 3.0
25 Clevert Bacchas 1900 W41 L45 W29 F16 W33 3.0
26 Moses Mufandaedza 2003 W42 L3 W51 D24 L11 2.5
27 WC Natasha Christiansen 1915 X44 D13 L11 D22 D29 2.5
28 Bobby Miller 1729 L6 D30 W50 L31 W38 2.5
29 Brianna Conley 1606 L14 W52 L25 W49 D27 2.5
30 Kennedy Simmons 1503 L22 D28 L36 W48 W51 2.5
31 Shuaib Worrell 1785 L2 W47 L9 W28 L23 2.0
32 Gordon Ritchie 1924 W57 W10 L6 L7 L21 2.0
33 Rey Casanova 1648 L45 W41 L24 W46 L25 2.0
34 Charles Green 1673 L4 W38 L17 W52 L20 2.0
35 Guilbert Cancino 1787 L1 W55 L10 W50 L14 2.0
36 Nigel Freeman 1734 L3 H--- W30 D20 L22 2.0
37 Alexander Reis 1664 L13 W46 L19 W51 L15 2.0
38 F. Leon Wilson 1464 L19 L34 W55 W44 L28 2.0
39 Jamel Warren 1603 L9 W56 L18 W40 L19 2.0
40 Carlos Tavares 1708 L10 X48 L12 L39 W53 2.0
41 Anthony Moffat 950 L25 L33 L47 W57 W55 2.0
42 Hal Sprechman 1545 L26 L21 L52 W56 W49 2.0
43 FM Adnan Kobas 2319 W49 W17 L8 U--- U--- 2.0
44 Daniel Iwaloye 1520 F27 L11 W54 L38 W50 2.0
45 Jeremy Mandelkern 2128 W33 W25 U--- U--- U--- 2.0
46 Ed Westing 1500 L18 L37 W56 L33 D47 1.5
47 Steven Siggins 1550 L23 L31 W41 F--- D46 1.5
48 Patricio Robiso 1500 L12 F40 H--- L30 W57 1.5
49 Louis Gal 1715 L43 W53 L23 L29 L42 1.0
50 Larry Ebbin 1622 L16 W54 L28 L35 L44 1.0
51 Greg Ashby 1664 L7 W57 L26 L37 L30 1.0
52 Philip Dennis 1167 L15 L29 W42 L34 U--- 1.0
53 Larry Monk 1550 L17 L49 W57 L21 L40 1.0
54 Luca Legrenzi 900 L20 L50 L44 L55 W56 1.0
55 Chanjiv Simons 1578 U--- L35 L38 W54 L41 1.0
56 Lishon Martin 850 L24 L39 L46 L42 L54 0.0
57 Dwayne Robinson 1400 L32 L51 L53 L41 L48 0.0
58 Ralph Italie 1805 L8 U--- U--- U--- U--- 0.0