Banawa and Atoufi Achieve IM Norms
By Ankit Gupta   
April 11, 2011
The 4th Metropolitan FIDE Invitational concluded this weekend on April 10th. It was organized by Ankit Gupta and directed by Randy Hough and Michael Belcher. FM Joel Banawa and FM Pedram Atoufi both achieved IM norms. This is Banawa's second norm, and Atoufi's first. On the way to the norm, FM Joel Banawa also picked up clear first, along with 38 USCF points, with a very respectable final score of 7.5 out of 9.0. FM Pedram Atoufi gained 74 USCF points. The full MSA crosstable for the tournament is here.

The tournament was sponsored by California Market CenterFashion Business, IncChess.com, MonRoi, LawyerFy, and Betty Bottom Showroom.


sponsorsLAMet.jpg
Standings from this tournament are fully updated on the website on the schedule page of the Metropolitan Chess website at www.metrochessla.com

The participants included: IM Zhanibek Amanov (KAZ), IM Timothy Taylor (USA), IM Andranik Matikozyan (ARM), FM Pedram Atoufi (IRI), FM Joel Banawa (USA), FM Michael Casella (USA), NM Alessandro Steinfl (ITA), Vadim Kudryavtsev (RUS), NM Yian Liou (USA), and SM Roman Yankovsky (RUS). 
 
Please join the Metropolitan Chess e-mailing list to keep updated on our events at www.metrochessla.com.  Metropolitan Chess will run several more closed round robins this year before leading up to our main event, the 1st Metropolitan International, which will include the participation of the likes of England's super-GM Mickey Adams.