June is the Strawberry Moon – Dewmin-Giizis (or Ode’min-Giizis) in the local Nishnaabe language. It’s strawberry season in Ontario, and farms outside the city will soon have pick-your-own available. Meanwhile, downtown Toronto chess players are playing in the ACC Strawberry Season Swiss.

ACC Strawberry Season Swiss is a five-round CFC-rated tournament in three sections, Crown, U1800, and U1400. Time control is 90 min/side with a 30-s increment. The round starts at 7:30 pm on Monday nights June 11 to July 23. (Off June 18 for the GTCL Cup and July 2 for Canada Day.) Register on site each round by 7 pm. Email registration or bye requests before 6pm.

Round One – June 11

We’re off and running. Dave Southam gives up a Rd-1 draw to fall to third behind the top two seeds, Sergey Noritsyn and Sergey Malakhovets. See full results on the cross-table.

Off-week – June 18

Don’t miss the GTCL Cup, Toronto’s Rapid Team Chess Championship. $20 per team, or $5 per player – free for ACC players. Put your team together and email it in, or we’ll put teams together between 6 pm and 7 pm on site.

Round Two – June 25

Sergey Malakhovets wins with black on top board to take a lead in the Crown section with 2.0/2 as Southam and Liao are tied for second at 1.5/2.

In U1800, it’s Robert Wagner and Hooshang Ab-Barin who are tied for the lead at 2.0/2.

And finally, in U1400, as one game runs late, nobody is perfect, but there’s a big tie for the lead at 1.5/2.

Off-week – July 2

It’s a Canada Day long weekend! The club will be closed.

Round Three – July 9

We’re back up and running on July 9. It’s a bit of a strange night as many of our regulars are away for one reason or another, while quite a few new players drop in, especially in the casual section. If you’re in Toronto for whatever reason this summer, come check us out on a Monday night!

In the Crown, Dave Southam scores a win on Board 1 to take a share of the lead at 2.5/3 with Sergey Malakhovets.

In U1800, Toy Chack Kwan scores a win to take a share of the lead at 2.5/3 with Hooshang Ab-Barrin.

And in U1400, there’s a three-way tie for the lead with Ivan Noritsyn, Charlie Grisar, and Peter Lambert all sharing first with 2.5/3.

Round Four – July 16

In U1400, Charlie Grisar takes sole possession of first place, rising to 3.5/4 with a win over Peter Lambert.

In U1800 play, Bharath Ramesh is proud of his miniature against the higher-rated Arkadiy Ugodnikov, while Hooshang Abbarin with a win over Toy Chack Kwan who takes sole first with 3.5/4.

And in the Crown, it’s Sergey Noritsyn in first with 3.0/4 with a win over Dave Southam.

See full results below.

Round Five – July 23

Join us in the final round! New players are always welcome. Please email before 6:00, or register on site before 7:00 pm to sign up. You need both CFC and club membership, but both can be purchased from us, and we have a variety of club membership options available. If you’re already signed up, but you can’t make it, again please email before 6:00 pm to let us know so we don’t put you in the pairings.

Or, if you wait till next week, we’ll be starting a brand new 5-week tournament on July 30, running to Sept 10.

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Ranking cross-tables after Round 4

ACC Strawberry Season Swiss – Crown section

Rk.	Name	Rtg	FED	1.Rd	2.Rd	3.Rd	4.Rd	Pts.
1	Noritsyn Sergey	2284	CAN	7b1	3w0	8b1	2b1	3
2	Southam David	2176	CAN	9w½	4b1	6b1	1w0	2.5
3	Malakhovets Sergey	2122	CAN	5b1	1b1	-½	4w0	2.5
4	Subramanian Arun	1959	CAN	-½	2w0	5w1	3b1	2.5
5	Bitton Michael	1726	CAN	3w0	7w1	4b0	9b1	2
6	Liao Run Ming	1761	CAN	-½	9b1	2w0	-½	2
7	Fines John	1907	CAN	1w0	5b0	9w1	8b½	1.5
8	Gao Raymond	1762	CAN	-½	-½	1w0	7w½	1.5
9	Tavana Joseph	1739	CAN	2b½	6w0	7b0	5w0	0.5

Updated results are also available on the Chess-Results server.

ACC Strawberry Season Swiss – U1800 section

Rk.	Name	Rtg	FED	1.Rd	2.Rd	3.Rd	4.Rd	Pts.
1	Ab-Barin Hooshang	1545	CAN	9b1	18b1	-½	4w1	3.5
2	Daldal Erdem	1705	CAN	17b0	12w1	19b1	7w1	3
3	Ramesh Bharath	1591	CAN	21b1	-½	-½	8w1	3
4	Kwan Toy Chack	1505	CAN	6b1	-½	5w1	1b0	2.5
5	Wagner Robert	1568	CAN	14b1	17w1	4b0	-½	2.5
6	Saltat Michael	1626	CAN	4w0	22b1	-½	12w1	2.5
7	Jevtic Dragan	1630	CAN	20b0	9w1	16b1	2b0	2
8	Ugodnikov Arkadiy	1689	CAN	19w0	13b1	14w1	3b0	2
9	Supol George	1331	CAN	1w0	7b0	13w1	18b1	2
10	Moiseev Alex	1182	CAN	-½	-½	17b1	0	2
11	Gao William (zhimao)	1465	CAN	-½	-½	0	17w1	2
12	Gao Lucy	1576	CAN	13w½	2b0	21w1	6b0	1.5
13	Kalmanson Evgeny	1447	CAN	12b½	8w0	9b0	22w1	1.5
14	Belanger Colton	1281	CAN	5w0	21w1	8b0	-½	1.5
15	Randle Bill	1094	CAN	-½	-½	0	21b½	1.5
16	Stroganov Victor	1297	CAN	-½	-½	7w0	-½	1.5
17	Schwartz Lorne	1542	CAN	2w1	5b0	10w0	11b0	1
18	Li Yun Hong (kevin)	1741	CAN	22b1	1w0	0	9w0	1
19	Armstrong Robert J.	1529	CAN	8b1	0	2w0	0	1
20	Terra Arthur Schneider	1518	BRA	7w1	0	0	0	1
21	Dixon Javier	1483	CAN	3w0	14b0	12b0	15w½	0.5
22	Stefanovich-Thomson Alexis	1329	CAN	18w0	6w0	-½	13b0	0.5

Updated results are also available on the Chess-Results server.

ACC Strawberry Season Swiss – U1400 section

Rk.	Name	Rtg	FED	1.Rd	2.Rd	3.Rd	4.Rd	Pts.
1	Grisar Charlie	1232	CAN	3w½	13b+	6b1	4w1	3.5
2	Shogilev Sandon	1125	CAN	-½	5w1	-½	3b1	3
3	Noritsyn Ivan	969	CAN	1b½	7w1	5b1	2w0	2.5
4	Lambert Peter	1185	CAN	9w1	6b½	-1	1b0	2.5
5	Souchko Larissa	963	CAN	13w1	2b0	3w0	11b1	2
6	Davies Philip	1298	CAN	12b1	4w½	1w0	7b½	2
7	Teram Eli	989	CAN	10w½	3b0	11w1	6w½	2
8	Stroganov Victor	1297	CAN	14w1	-½	0	0	1.5
9	Brent-Hurst Liam	0	CAN	4b0	12w-	-½	-1	1.5
10	Wadhwa Rymn	902	CAN	7b½	-½	0	0	1
11	D’Souza Carina	0	CAN	-½	-½	7b0	5w0	1
12	Moiseev Alex	1182	CAN	6w0	9b-	-½	-½	1
13	Patton Mark A.	1192	CAN	5b0	1w-	0	0	0
14	Kamnitzer Benjamin	1003	CAN	8b0	0	0	0	0

Updated results are also available on the Chess-Results server.

As summer comes to Toronto, we have fond memories of summer street chess from the past. The spot in the 1970s and 80s used to be beside Sam the Record Man on Yonge, and one of the celebrities from those days was Josef Smolij. His favourite opening was the “Smash-Crash Gambit.” So our current club tournament is named Smash Crash in his honour.

ACC Smash Crash Swiss is a five-round CFC-rated tournament in two sections, Top and U1400. (We usually have three sections, but many of our top players are currently participating in the concurrent Toronto Closed Chess Championship.) Time control is 90 min/side with a 30-s increment. The round starts at 7:30 pm on Monday nights April 30 to Jun 4. Register on site each round by 7 pm. Email registration or bye requests before 6pm.

Round One – April 30

Round One players include a four-player contingent from Ryerson Chess Club, and Ryerson’s Tony Yueh (1390) scores an upset victory over Bharath Ramesh (1638) to join the U1800 lead group at 1.0/1.

In U1400 action, father-son team Valery Stroganov and Victor Stroganov are both victorious, joining the 5-way tie for first with 1.0/1.

Round Two – May 7

The leader group in the Top section is down to four players as Arkadiy Ugodnikov, Dragan Jevtic, Salim Belcadi, and Erdem Daldal all win their games.

In U1400, only two players are still perfect. Dennis Tran and Valery Stroganov have 2.0/2.

Round Three – May 14

In the Top section, just two players are perfect through 3 rounds, Salim Belcadi and Dragan Jevtic.

In U1400, Dennis Tran wins the playoff on Board 1 to take sole possession of the lead at 3.0/3. Six players trail him at 2.0/3.

Off week – May 21

The tournament is taking a break for the Victoria Day long weekend – but don’t miss the 2018 Ontario Open.

Round Four – May 28

As the U1400 leader takes the night off, Alex Moiseev climbs to a share of first place with 3.0/4.

Meanwhile, in the Top section show-down, it’s the “young up-and-coming player,” Dragan Jevtic over Salim Belcadi to take sole first at 4.0/4.

Round Five – June 4

In the final round, Dragan Jevtic loses his game, but he still finishes with 4.0/5, and with the best tie-break, to take the tournament. Congratulations, Dragan! In U1400, it’s Alex Moiseev with the win, to take clear first with 4.0/5. Congratulations, Alex!

See full results below.

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Ranking cross-tables after Round 5

ACC Smash Crash Swiss – Top section

Rk.	Name	Rtg	FED	1.Rd	2.Rd	3.Rd	4.Rd	5.Rd	Pts.
1	Jevtic Dragan	1442	CAN	13b1	14w1	4b1	3w1	2b0	4
2	Ugodnikov Arkadiy	1720	CAN	27b1	11w1	3b0	17w1	1w1	4
3	Belcadi Salim	1388	CAN	15b1	20w1	2w1	1b0	9w1	4
4	Daldal Erdem	1764	CAN	-1	10b1	1w0	5b+	8b1	4
5	Liao Run Ming	1671	CAN	-½	-1	21b1	4w-	10w1	3.5
6	Ramesh Bharath	1638	CAN	25b0	7w1	8b0	11w1	14b1	3
7	Kalmanson Evgeny	1368	CAN	21w0	6b0	24w1	22b1	13b1	3
8	Belanger Colton	1113	CAN	10w0	24b1	6w1	21b1	4w0	3
9	Bitton Michael	0	CAN	-½	-½	14b1	13w1	3b0	3
10	Kwan Toy Chack	1556	CAN	8b1	4w0	11b½	20w1	5b0	2.5
11	Wagner Robert	1544	CAN	24w1	2b0	10w½	6b0	23w1	2.5
12	Stefanovich-Thomson Alexis	1285	CAN	14b0	15w½	-½	23b½	21w1	2.5
13	Saltat Michael	1656	CAN	1w0	27b1	23w1	9b0	7w0	2
14	Schwartz Lorne	1564	CAN	12w1	1b0	9w0	15b1	6w0	2
15	Armstrong Robert J.	1605	CAN	3w0	12b½	-½	14w0	20b1	2
16	McSherry Peter	1831	CAN	-½	22b1	-½	0	0	2
17	Hanratty Brian	1683	CAN	-½	-½	27w1	2b0	0	2
18	Li Yun Hong (kevin)	1730	CAN	-½	-½	0	0	24w1	2
19	Vigneswaramoorthy Vinorth	1670	CAN	-½	-½	0	0	26w1	2
20	Ab-Barin Hooshang	1598	CAN	-½	3b0	22w1	10b0	15w0	1.5
21	Guo Haotong Hazel	1569	CAN	7b1	-½	5w0	8w0	12b0	1.5
22	Stroganov Victor	1319	CAN	-½	16w0	20b0	7w0	27b1	1.5
23	Supol George	1343	CAN	-½	-½	13b0	12w½	11b0	1.5
24	Chen Sihao	1597	CAN	11b0	8w0	7b0	27w1	18b0	1
25	Yueh Tony	1390	CAN	6w1	0	0	0	0	1
26	Lambert Peter	1160	CAN	-½	-½	0	0	19b0	1
27	Dixon Javier	1517	CAN	2w0	13w0	17b0	24b0	22w0	0

Updated results are also available on the Chess-Results server.

ACC Smash Crash Swiss – U1400 section

Rk.	Name	Rtg	FED	1.Rd	2.Rd	3.Rd	4.Rd	5.Rd	Pts.
1	Moiseev Alex	1119	CAN	5b½	12w1	7b½	3w1	9b1	4
2	Tran Dennis	1265	CAN	14b1	10w1	6b1	0	0	3
3	Tuchow Ryan	1168	CAN	7w0	14b1	5w1	1b0	13w1	3
4	Lambert Peter	1160	CAN	-½	-½	13b1	0	-1	3
5	Souchko Larissa	954	CAN	1w½	6b0	3b0	8w1	7w1	2.5
6	Stroganov Valery	1064	CAN	8b1	5w1	2w0	-½	0	2.5
7	Noritsyn Ivan	955	CAN	3b1	-½	1w½	-½	5b0	2.5
8	Kalniev Stefan	1166	CAN	6w0	9b0	14w1	5b0	15b1	2
9	Kamnitzer Benjamin	965	CAN	11b0	8w1	10b0	14w1	1w0	2
10	Bar-Natan Itai	1285	CAN	15w1	2b0	9w1	0	0	2
11	Stroganov Victor	1319	CAN	9w1	0	0	0	0	1
12	Spahic Matthew	1296	CAN	-½	1b0	-½	0	0	1
13	Patton Mark A.	1228	CAN	-½	-½	4w0	0	3b0	1
14	Wadhwa Rymn	1040	CAN	2w0	3w0	8b0	9b0	0	0
15	Pancer Jeff	1062	CAN	10b0	0	0	0	8w0	0

Updated results are also available on the Chess-Results server.

The feature image is from a photograph of Joe “Kill as you Go!” Smolij by Norman A Bolduc. Click the link to see the original and more of his work.

Despite a few flurries, the snow pack in Toronto has melted and the days are getting longer. The birds are coming back home, Toronto residents are coming out of hibernation, and we’d love to see you come out to play on Monday nights at ACC – your friendly neighbourhood chess club!

ACC Spring Thaw Swiss is a five-round CFC-rated tournament in three sections, Crown, U1800, and U1400. Time control is 90 min/side with a 30-s increment. The round starts at 7:30 pm on Monday nights Mar 19 to Apr 23. Register on site each round by 7 pm. Email registration or bye requests before 6pm.

Round One – Mar 19

The tournament gets started with 36 players in three sections. See full results below.

Round One Games

In the Crown, Max England scores an upset win over Dave Southam in a Queen’s Pawn Game. While in U1800, Sihao Chen and Jean-Marc David play to a draw in a Scotch, but it’s a wild game with big evaluation swings, and there are still shots in the final position…

Round Two – Mar 26

Notching up second wins, Allan Munro and Sergey Noritsyn are now tied for the lead in the top section, but its future is uncertain as almost everyone in it is registered for the upcoming Toronto Closed, starting next week on April 9.

In U1800, Arkadiy Ugodnikov and Bharath Ramesh are tied for the lead at 2.0/2. And in U1400, it’s Victor Stroganov and Alexis Stefanovich-Thomson in the lead at 2.0/2. We’re off Monday April 2, and looking forward to seeing everyone on April 9!

Off-week – Apr 2

The club is closed for the holiday.

Round Three – Apr 9

The Crown section has joined the Toronto Closed en masse, leaving just two sections. In the new Top/U1800 section, Arkadiy Ugodnikov scores his third straight victory to hold sole first with 3.0/3. Meanwhile, in U1400, it’s Victor Stroganov, who is still perfect at 3.0/3.

Round Three Games

I hope no one minds if I share my own game. It was highly enjoyable as it’s a kind of fantasy outcome for the white side of a KID (similar to what you want when you’re white against the Dragon, for all you e4-heads).

Round Four – Apr 16

In U1800, Arkadiy Ugodnikov draws Bharath Ramesh, but still holds his lead with 3.5/4 going into the final round. Ramesh, Wilker, and McSherry trail by half a point at 3.0/4. In U1400 action, Dennis Tran defeats Victor Stroganov to take over the lead in the section with 3.5/4. Four players with 3.0/4 trail by just half a point: Stroganov, Stefanovich-Thompson, Moiseev, and Chandra.

Round Five – Apr 23

See results below.

A new tournament starts next week at 7:30 pm on April 30! New players are welcome to join. Please email before 6:00, or register on site before 7:00 pm to sign up. You need both CFC and club membership, but both can be purchased from us, and we have a variety of club membership options available. If you’re already signed up, but you can’t make it, again please email before 6:00 pm to let us know so we don’t put you in the pairings.

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Final ranking cross-tables after Round 5

ACC Spring Thaw Swiss – Crown section

(Most of these players are now participating in the Toronto Closed)

Rk.	Name	Rtg	FED	1.Rd	2.Rd	Pts.
1	Noritsyn Sergey	2232	CAN	10b1	7w1	2
2	Munro Allan	2165	CAN	9w1	5b1	2
3	Humphreys Michael	2350	CAN	6w1	-½	1.5
4	Southam David	2208	CAN	5w0	8b1	1
5	England Max	2050	CAN	4b1	2w0	1
6	Malakhovets Sergey	2138	CAN	3b0	11w+	1
7	Daldal Erdem	1752	CAN	-1	1b0	1
8	Zotkin Daniel	2207	CAN	11b½	4w0	0.5
9	McSherry Peter	1832	CAN	2b0	-½	0.5
10	Wiebe Daniel	2138	CAN	1w0	-½	0.5
11	Boles Fadi	1932	EGY	8w½	6b-	0.5

Updated results are also available on the Chess-Results server.

ACC Spring Thaw Swiss – Top/U1800 section

Rk.	Name	Rtg	FED	1.Rd	2.Rd	3.Rd	4.Rd	Pts.
1	Ugodnikov Arkadiy	1679	CAN	10b1	9w1	14b1	3w½	3.5
2	Daldal Erdem	1752	CAN	24b1	0	18w1	9w1	3
3	Ramesh Bharath	1619	CAN	22b1	8w1	-½	1b½	3
4	Mcsherry Peter	1832	CAN	-½	-½	15b1	7w1	3
5	Wilker Marcus	1597	CAN	-½	21b1	11w1	-½	3
6	Chen Sihao	1631	CAN	17w½	20b1	7b0	13w1	2.5
7	Armstrong Robert J.	1557	CAN	23b1	-½	6w1	4b0	2.5
8	Wagner Robert	1495	CAN	18b1	3b0	21w1	-½	2.5
9	Schwartz Lorne	1527	CAN	13w1	1b0	19w1	2b0	2
10	Dixon Javier	1460	CAN	1w0	23b½	16w½	14b1	2
11	Saltat Michael	1692	CAN	20w1	-½	5b0	-½	2
12	Lambert Peter	1154	CAN	-½	-½	20b1	0	2
13	Supol George	1318	CAN	9b0	24w1	-½	6b0	1.5
14	Ab-Barin Hooshang	1635	CAN	-½	16b1	1w0	10w0	1.5
15	Szucs Gregory	1442	CAN	-½	-½	4w0	21b½	1.5
16	Guo Haotong Hazel	1440	CAN	-½	14w0	10b½	-½	1.5
17	David Jean-Marc	1429	CAN	6b½	-½	-½	0	1.5
18	Finkelstein Michael	1306	CAN	8w0	-1	2b0	-½	1.5
19	Kwan Toy Chack	1593	CAN	-½	-½	9b0	0	1
20	Jevtic Dragan	1473	CAN	11b0	6w0	12w0	-1	1
21	Spahic Matthew	1327	CAN	-½	5w0	8b0	15w½	1
22	Kalmanson Evgeny	1410	CAN	3w0	-½	-½	0	1
23	Dong Yiwei	1378	CAN	7w0	10w½	-½	0	1
24	Ballkaniku Darlen	1400	CAN	2w0	13b0	0	0	0

Updated results are also available on the Chess-Results server.

ACC Spring Thaw Swiss – U1400 section

Rk.	Name	Rtg	FED	1.Rd	2.Rd	3.Rd	4.Rd	5.Rd	Pts.
1	Stefanovich-Thomson Alexis	1237	CAN	10w1	2b1	4b0	9w1	3w1	4
2	Chandra Ambarish	930	CAN	5b1	1w0	13b1	14w1	4b1	4
3	Tran Dennis	1239	CAN	15b½	17w1	6b1	4w1	1b0	3.5
4	Stroganov Victor	1276	CAN	19w1	9b1	1w1	3b0	2w0	3
5	Moiseev Alex	1054	CAN	2w0	10b1	9w1	12b1	0	3
6	Chodoriwsky David	1262	CAN	-½	-½	3w0	17b1	12w1	3
7	Tuchow Ryan	1094	CAN	-½	-½	0	19b1	8w1	3
8	Weng David	1178	CAN	-½	15w1	14b1	0	7b0	2.5
9	Kalniev Stefan	1233	CAN	11b1	4w0	5b0	1b0	16w1	2
10	Noritsyn Ivan	981	CAN	1b0	5w0	12w0	16b1	19w1	2
11	Teram Eli	971	CAN	9w0	19b1	16w1	0	0	2
12	Kamnitzer Benjamin	966	CAN	-½	-½	10b1	5w0	6b0	2
13	Patton Mark A.	1248	CAN	-½	-½	2w0	0	-1	2
14	Randle Bill	1113	CAN	-½	18w1	8w0	2b0	0	1.5
15	Stroganov Valery	995	CAN	3w½	8b0	19w1	0	0	1.5
16	Zuo Roger	761	CAN	-½	-½	11b0	10w0	9b0	1
17	Lambert Peter	1154	CAN	-½	3b0	-½	6w0	0	1
18	Matetski Konstanstin	1203	CAN	-½	14b0	0	0	0	0.5
19	Souchko Larissa	1049	CAN	4b0	11w0	15b0	7w0	10b0	0
20	Cvetkovic Nikola	835	CAN	0	0	0	0	0	0

Updated results are also available on the Chess-Results server.

For more on the red-winged blackbird, a sure sign of spring in Toronto, and more photos (including this one by Jacques C. Pelletier) see Hinterland Who’s Who.