EventReport2025

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Grand Pacific Open 2025

Event Report

(this is a work in progress: still to come - a pgn file of the top games.)

The 2025 Grand Pacific Open, the 18th annual, is closing in on twenty years of events (having missing one year due to the pandemic). This year's version drew 193 players which while not the largest turnout we've had, a fairly robust crowd size and returned to the tradition of drawing players from all over. Players came from Alberta, Saskatchewan, Quebec, Yukon, Washington, Ohio, Illinois, and France. Clearly, the prospect of an island in the Pacific at this time of year is appealing and the weather did not disappoint with the cherry blossoms in full bloom.

The big gun this year was GM Dimitri Komarov - a Ukrainian emigre living in Edmonton. He duly tied for first with WIM Penny Pham and NM Zachary Liu, both from the mainland. All the co-winners took a slow and steady approach - generally winning with draws as necessary.

The 2025 champions: left to right Marc Moisan (head TD), NM Zachary Liu, WIM Bich (Penny) Ngoc Pham, GM Dimitri Komarov, Paul Leblanc (organizer)

Victoria no longer has the oomph it once had in strong contenders for the place prizes as our masters are either inactive or aging out with their stars not as bright as they once were. Patrick Huang, back from university for a co-op stint was the top Victorian player with 4/6 - losing two games to the top 3 finishers. Players of a certain age will recognize the names of NM Jeff Reeve and FM Paul Ross further down the crosstable who both now live in Victoria.

As usual, there were two side events - the ever popular Midnight Blitz won by WIM Bich Ngoc Pham and the Victoria Youth Chess Championship, organized by the Victoria Junior Chess Society.

You can find the Midnight blitz results here:

The VYCC had a respectable 43 players. You can find the results and winners here:

As always, it takes a lot of people and organizations to make this event successful. Many thanks to all that contributed - our volunteers, TDs, floaters, and the Hotel Grand Pacific.

U2000 Winner Jason Williamson

U1600 Winner Denis Shumeyko (center)

U13000 Winner Kai (Casey) Fan and U1100 Winner Austin Liao

Two of our TDs, NA Marc Moisan, Michael Beaulieu (missing NA Long Le)

A few more photos: WIM Bich Ngoc Pham, previous winner FM John Doknjas, GM Dimitri Komarov, Top Victoria player Patrick Huang.

Final Standings:

Prize distribution. $8000 Guaranteed

Premier Section:

Prize:	Amount per winner:	Winners	Trophy
1st $1400 2nd: $825 3rd: $525	$916.67	WIM Bich Ngoc Pham NM Zachary Liu GM Dimitri Komarov	Trophy + BC Closed spot
4th: $325	$108.33	FM John Doknjas NM Justin Xu FM Ted Wang
U2100 1st: $625 U2100 2nd: $450	$537.50	Elliot McCallum Liam Tu
U2100 3rd: $225	$25	Aadit Arya Alan Nagelberg Peter Mingrone Bowen Yu Nathan Yi-Hsin Yang Arpak Worya Barath Suresh Conrad Burget Samuel Lu

U2000 Section

Prize:	Amount per winner:	Winners	Trophy
1st: $550	$550	Jason Williamson	Trophy
2nd: $400 U1800 1st: $300	$350	Zachary Chruszcz Roy Yearwood
3rd: $275 U1800 2nd: $200	$237,50	Adrien Howard Moses Li
U1800 3rd: $125	$20.83	David Crook Aiden Hao-Ting Lu Henry Fan Ryder Hsu Mark Gulbinowicz Eric Gu

U1600 Section

Prize:	Amount per winner:	Winners	Trophy
1st: $300	$300	Denis Shumeyko	Trophy
2nd: $200 U1400 1st: $175	$187.50	Vladimir Belousov Zachary Halfar
1st UNR: $125	$125	Gyuwon Lee
3rd: $125	$62.50	Richard Doyle Kaelan Cooke
U1400 2nd: $150 U1400 3rd: $125	$137.50	Seth Miller Malcolm Blanchard

U1300

Prize:	Amount per winner:	Winners	Trophy
1st: $200 2nd: $150 3rd: $125	$158.33	Kai (Casey) Fan Ivan Nicolici Coen Holmgren	Trophy
Biggest Upset $50	$50	Kari Wang
2nd UNR: $50	$50	Fei Rao
U1100: (trophy only)		Austin Liao	Trophy