Three Illinoisans Share 2015 Iowa Open Championship

Inducing the fifth-round resignation of WGM Camilla Baginskaite with seconds left on her clock brought Illinois IM Angelo Young into a four-way tie for the championship of the 2015 Iowa Open. With the best tiebreaks amid the 4.5 score group, Young received the first place plaque in the shape of Iowa.

Young tied Illinois Masters Gopal Menon and Pete Karagianis along with Missouri IM Michael Brooks. Brooks had won (or tied for first in) the last three Iowa Opens; Karagianis has been a multi-time winner of the event.

Karagianis and Brooks had agreed to an early draw in the fifth round, before Menon and Young joined the fun with last round victories.

10-year old Patrick Rao created a lot of buzz at the Open with his second-round upset over a 1900 and a fourth-round upset over a 2100.

Patrick's only losses were no shame, coming at the hands of Karagianis and Iowa Master Robert Keating, the top-finishing Iowan in the tournament. Patrick tied with two others for top score among Under 1800's with 3.0/5.

Illinois' Joe Willett finished in a three-way tie for best score among U1600's with 2.5/5.

90 players competed in the 61st Iowa Open. All totalled, a dozen Illinois players competed in the Open with five walking away with prize money. Collectively, that meant $900 of the $1900 in prizes went to the Land of Lincoln quintet. Players from nine states competed.

Host Iowa showed no mercy to the event's top-rated entry, GM Alex Yermolinsky. Arshaq Saleem drew the grandmaster in the third round while Valeriy Kosokin defeated Yermolinksy in the fourth round. The South Dakota GM finished with 3.5/5.

US Chess crosstables are posted here.

The two-day competition was hosted at the Marriott Convention Center August 29 and 30. Mark Capron served as Chief TD and organizer with Bill Broich in the role of Floor Chief.