Chess Stuff


After a 28 year absence, Mike started playing competitive chess again. If you haven't played tournament chess, well, each game's a bit like taking a four-hour final exam in college. "Fun" is not really a good word for it, but it's gripping, absorbing, addicting. Mike did most of his tournament playing back in the late '60s through the mid '70s . He enjoys relatively low-key regional tournaments.


In December of 2006, he entered Clint Ballard's Bainbridge Island Slugfest tournament, mostly to show support for chess in this region. With a gig on Sunday, he could only play the first day of the weekend event, and since he hadn't played in so many years, he entered the Reserve section. His opponents turned out to be two fellow Port Townsend residents! But it was enough. He was hooked again. Since then, he's


Won the 2006 Montana Open in Helena Montana.
Tied for 2nd - 4th in the 2007 Grand Pacific Open in Victoria, BC.
Second Place on Tiebreaks in the 2007 Montana Open in Missoula, Montana.
Tied 4th through 11th in the 2007 Inland Empire Open in Spokane, Washington.
Second Place on Tiebreaks in the 2007 Turkey Open in Missoula, Montana.
Third Place in the 2007 Washington State Quick Chess Championship in Tacoma, Washington.
had a mediocre result in the 2008 2008 Grand Pacific Open in Victoria, BC.
had another mediocre result in the 2008 Inland Empire Open in Spokane (although he did win the Class A prize).
made a decent score (8.5 - 5.5), in the 2008 Washington State Blitz Championship in Bellevue. Probably a tie for 5th-6th -- the official crosstable hasn't been published and the event was unrated.
Won the 2008 Turkey Open in Missoula.
Second Place in the 2008 Washington Class Game-10 Open in Redmond, Washington.
Tied for 3-6 place in the 2008 Washington State QuickChess Championship in Seattle.
Won the 2009 Port Townsend Open.
Shared the Under 2000 prize at the 2009 Grand Pacific Open in Victoria.
Scored 5.5 - 4.5 in an even stronger "midnight blitz" Grand Pacific Open side tournament, won by International Master Vincente Lee. That crosstable hasn't yet been published,
Awarded third place in the 2009 Washington State Blitz Championship in Bellevue. Actually, fourth place since the organizer took himself out of the list of prize winners.
Took second in the 2009 Spokane Game-10 Championship.
Took second in the 2009 Cranberry Blitz tournament in Missoula.
Tied for First through Third in the 2009 Turkey Open in Missoula (taking 3rd on tiebreaks).
Tied for Second through Fifth in the 2010 Port Townsend Open .
Mediocre result (but very strong opposition) in the 2010 Grand Pacific Open in Victoria, BC.

Some photos, thanks to Jay at Junior Chess up in BC, from the tournament website):

(versus BC's Sam Churchill, from the 2007 Grand Pacific Open website)
(versus BC's Elliot Raymer, from the 2008 Grand Pacific Open website)

Some games from these recent competitions: