GM Gurevich Blitzes to 2012 State Title

Illinois resident Grandmaster Dmitry Gurevich scored 9 out of 10 to win the 2012 Illinois Blitz Chess Championship. Gurevich's triumph was no easy feat: The event brought out 19 players with regular ratings over 2000, including some of the GM's own students. Second place overall went to NM Erik Santarius of Wisconsin, who scored 8.0 and narrowly beat NM Sam Schmakel and NM Gopal Menon, who tied for third overall in the 7.5 score group.

Gavin McClanahan and Zhaozhi Li tied for the U2200 prize with 6.5 points. Wesley Clark was sole winner of the U2000 prize. Other prizewinners were Philip Parker-Turner (U1800), Christian Pena (U1600) and William Cuevas (U1400).

The State Blitz Championship was revived in 2011 by the Illinois Chess Association and organizers Tim Just and Glenn Panner. Attendance at this year's edition was 38, up from 31 in 2011. Prizewinners here. USCF results here.