Yermolinsky wins 2010 Okoboji Open
Iowa youths stand out

  GM Alex Yermolinsky swept a field of 38 players in going 5-0 to win the 2010 Okoboji Open held 4/16 to 4/18 at the Arrowwood resort in Okoboji Iowa. After beating C player Don Evans on Friday night, Yermolinsky defeated experts Joe Knapp and 2 time Iowa Closed Championship finalist Robert Keating in rounds 2 and 3 on Saturday, and dispatched Minnesota masters Okechukwu Iwu and Robert Plunkett in rounds 4 and 5 on Sunday. In between his perfect performance, Yermolinsky performed a simultaneous exhibition on Saturday afternoon, going 8-0 in a field which included Iowa closed finalists Keating and Matt Anzis.

  After surrendering a draw to B player John M Baker in round 2, Anzis defeated fellow expert Zachary Tverstol and NM Iwu on Sunday to finish second with 4.5 out of 5 points. The current Iowa HS champion was the only undefeated player besides Yermolinsky.

  1 week after finishing 9th at the National Junior High Championships, 13 year old Kushan Tyagi defeated experts Dan Vasto, Keating, and Knapp to tie Plunkett for 3rd place with 4 points. Tyagi's only loss was to 3 time Iowa champion NM Tim McEntee in round 3.

  With their impressive performances, Anzis and Tyagi take the lead in the Iowa Grand Prix points chase to join champion Pete Karagianis in the 2011 Iowa Closed Championship.

  Tieing for 5th at 3.5 points were Tverstol, Jeremy Madison, and former Iowa state champions Robert Reynolds, Dan Goffstein, and Dan Vasto.

  Joe Delay (B), Michael Trettel (C), Don Evans (C), Russ Swanson (C), Brian Jansen (D) won their respective classes with 3 points apiece. Jodene Kruse (E) and Gerald Smith (F) won their classes with 2 points. For the second year in a row James Muehlbach won the upset prize, this time with a 289 point upset of Robert Boland of South Dakota. 87 year old Dick Rostrom won a trophy for the top scoring senior.

  As usual, organizers John Flores and Jodene Kruse put together a great tournament that all the participants enjoyed. The tournament was directed by Hank Anzis and Bill Broich.

href='http://www.chess.com/photos/view_album/HankAnzis/2010-okoboji-open' target='_blank'>

Pictures at the Iowa Chess page on chess.com

Round 1 games

Round 2 games

Round 3 games

Round 4 games

Round 5 games

Games from the Yermolinsky simul

The TD's 'sometimes' humorous take of the tournament

 No.    Name                         St Rate 1     2     3     4     5     Score
   1. Alex Yermolinsky (1)..........  SD 2572 W15   W12   W21   W10   W3      5.0
   2. Matt Anzis (9)................  IA 2054 W26   D18   W19   W5    W10     4.5
   3. Robert Plunkett (2)...........  MN 2252 W34   W9    W6    W11   L1      4.0
   4. Kushan Tyagi (13).............  IA 1893 W32   W7    L11   W21   W12     4.0
   5. Zachary Tverstol (5)..........  MN 2155 W36   D11   W18   L2    W20     3.5
   6. Daniel Goffstein (7)..........  IA 2100 W25   W14   L3    W13   D8      3.5
   7. Daniel Vasto (8)..............  IA 2067 -H-   L4    W36   W17   W18     3.5
   8. Robert Reynolds (11)..........  IA 2000 W30   W33   L10   W15   D6      3.5
   9. Jeremy  Madison (12)..........  IA 1935 W38   L3    W16   W14   -H-     3.5
  10. Okechukwu  Iwu (3)............  MN 2210 W16   W13   W8    L1    L2      3.0
  11. Tim R Mc Entee (4)............  IA 2200 W35   D5    W4    L3    -H-     3.0
  12. Joseph  Knapp (10)............  NE 2011 W17   L1    W23   W22   L4      3.0
  13. Joe Delay (15)................  IL 1699 W27   L10   W26   L6    W23     3.0
  14. Michael L Trettel (18)........  MN 1564 W28   L6    W27   L9    W26     3.0
  15. Don Evans (20)................  MN 1542 L1    W20   W32   L8    W24     3.0
  16. Russ A Swanson (22)...........  MN 1521 L10   W30   L9    W27   W22     3.0
  17. Brian D Janssen (27)..........  IA 1393 L12   W28   W33   L7    W31     3.0
  18. John M Baker (16).............  MN 1656 W29   D2    L5    W19   L7      2.5
  19. Tim Harder (17)...............  IA 1593 -H-   W34   L2    L18   W30     2.5
  20. Riaz A Khan (26)..............  MN 1461 -H-   L15   W25   W33   L5      2.5
  21. Robert F Keating (6)..........  IA 2108 W24   W22   L1    L4    -N-     2.0
  22. Raymond Br Bagley (14)........  MN 1705 W31   L21   W24   L12   L16     2.0
  23. William Broich (21)...........  IA 1524 -N-   W31   L12   W36   L13     2.0
  24. Sigurd A Rydland (23).........  SD 1518 L21   W29   L22   W28   L15     2.0
  25. Dick Rostrom (24).............  SD 1505 L6    L27   L20   W37   W33     2.0
  26. Sam R Smith (25)..............  MN 1466 L2    W37   L13   W32   L14     2.0
  27. Alexander Golubow (30)........  NE 1340 L13   W25   L14   L16   W36     2.0
  28. Jodene Kruse (31).............  IA 1159 L14   L17   W38   L24   W35     2.0
  29. Gerald D Smith (33)...........  IA  942 L18   L24   L30   W34   W37     2.0
  30. Jorg Lueke (29)...............  MN 1360 L8    L16   W29   D31   L19     1.5
  31. Alan G Kingsley (28)..........  SD 1360 L22   L23   W35   D30   L17     1.5
  32. Rich Mc Manimon (38)..........  IA nnnn L4    W38   L15   L26   -H-     1.5
  33. John B Flores (19)............  IA 1551 W37   L8    L17   L20   L25     1.0
  34. Robert F Boland (32)..........  SD  958 L3    L19   L37   L29   W38     1.0
  35. Swetha Saravanan (34).........  SD  919 L11   L36   L31   W38   L28     1.0
  36. Nathaniel Boland (35).........  SD  916 L5    W35   L7    L23   L27     1.0
  37. James Muehlbach (37)..........  MN  689 L33   L26   W34   L25   L29     1.0
  38. Thomas  Boland (36)...........  SD  874 L9    L32   L28   L35   L34     0.0