2007 World Open

World Open June 30 – July 4, 2007 Hola! So, nobody won the big “first prize” of $30,000 that was dangled for winning the Open outright. Instead, eight players who finished with 6.5/9 each received $5,102.12 for their efforts and Akobian, who was the winner against Stripunsky after an “Armegeddon play-off,” got a little extra - $5,468.12. Whoopdedoo, folks. The guys who won in the lower rated sections in some instances did better cash wise! My question is - is there something the matter with the top male players in the USA? Have they lost that fighting feeling? $30,000 isn't enough to fight for? Not ONE of them could manage to eek out 1/2 more point to break clear of the pack??? I guess not, given all the complaints I've read at various online sites about all those last-round shortish draws among the top boards :) For the record, here are the winners and the chess femmes who participated in Open and top sections. I also noted what the winner of these sections took home $$$ wise and whether any of the chess femmes won $$$. Five women who will be playing in the 2007 U.S. Women’s Chess Championship (hooorah!) also played in this event – they are highlighted in bold. Open (92 registered players): (1) GM Varuzhan Akobian (USA 2651), 6.5/9 ($5,648.12); (33) WGM Ketevan Arakhamia-Grant (GEO 2458), 5.0/9; (35) WIM Batchimeg Tuvshintugs (USA 2275), 5.0/9; (53) WFM Alisa Melekhina (USA 2163), 4.0/9. Under 2400 (131 registered players): (1) Anton P. Del Mundo (PHI 2388), 7.0/9 ($5,922.80); (35) WGM Katerine Rohonyan (USA 2304), 5.0/9; (37) WIM Evgenia Hansen (DEN 2275), 5.0/9; (39) WFM Tatev Abrahamyan (USA 2265), 5.0/9; (67) WFM Iryna Zenyuk (USA 2204), 4.0/9. Under 2200 (170 registered players): (1) Chris J. Mabe (USA 2188), 8.0/9 ($14,624.00); (7) Tatiana Vayserberg (USA 2087), 7.0/9 ($1,462.33); (20) WFM Elizabeth Vicary (USA 2127), 6.0/9 ($195.11); (32) Anna Levina (USA 2063), 5.5/9; (55) Lilia Doiban (USA 2126), 4.5/9; (58) Hana Itkis (USA 2089), 4.5/8; (80) Jennie S. Liu (USA 1831), 4.0/9; (115) Vanessa West (USA 2062), 2.5/8. There were several other lower rated sections that I did not report on. I'd say the pattern of players is rather clear, though, judging by the upper sections. In the sections I reported on here, there were 393 total players, of which 15 were women. That's 3.82% women players in this event. Oh and gee, they sure did rake in a lot of cash in prizes too, didn't they?