| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | Contact: Joan DuBois |
| August 16, 2005 | (931) 787-1234 #123 |
| Press Release #40 of 2005 |
jdubois@uschess.org |
EXCITING FINISH AT THE 2005 U.S. OPEN CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP
(CROSSVILLE, TN)With Grandmaster Larry Christiansen, from Massachusetts,
leading the field until the very last round, Grandmasters Joel Benjamin, from New Jersey,
and Vadim Milov, from Switzerland, surged through the field of 455 participants in
Phoenix, Arizona to win the 106th Annual U.S. Open with 8 points out of a total of nine.
Milov bested Christiansen while Benjamin ran through Grandmaster Alex Yermolinsky.
Finishing close behind with 7.5 points were Grandmaster Alek Wojtkiewicz, from
Maryland, Christiansen, International Master David E. Vigorito, from Nevada,
International Master Amon Simutowe, from Texas, and International Master and newly elected Executive
Board member Greg Shahade, from New York. With more than just prize money and
the title at stake, six people qualified to play in the U.S. Championship by paying
a $75 fee before the tournament started and be near the top of the tournament.
Those that qualified were: Christiansen, Vigorito, Shahade, Grandmaster Gregory Serper,
from Washington, Elizabeth Vicary, from New York, and
Women’s FIDE Master Hana Itkis,
from New Jersey.
Along with the main events there were many side events including the 2005
GM Arnold Denker Tournament of High School Championships
Official Denker PR
and the 2005 GM Susan Polgar National Invitational for Girls
Official Polgar PR. The 2006 U.S. Open will be held August 6-13 in Oak Brook, Illinois.
******************
The United States Chess Federation (USCF), founded in 1939, serves as the governing
body for chess in the United States and is now headquartered in Crossville, Tennessee.
USCF is devoted to extending the role of chess in American society. It promotes the
study and knowledge of the game of chess, for its own sake as an art and enjoyment,
and as a means for the improvement of society. The USCF is a not-for-profit membership
organization nearing 90,000 members. For additional on the USCF see:
http://www.uschess.org.
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