Since
1965, the American Open has
been a Southern California fixture over Thanksgiving weekend. This
year, the
beautiful LAX Renaissance Montura Hotel will again host the event.
The American Open offers a number
of features lacking in other tournaments. These include demonstration
boards,
lectures (IM Jeremy Silman, a perennial favorite, will be speaking
Sunday
afternoon, November 30), and chess videos and DVDs. The Chess Piece (http://www.thechesspiece.com)
will be
providing beautiful wood sets and boards for the top 13 boards in the
Open
section, with the special used on Board One to be auctioned off after
the
tournament. See details here. MadCap Software
(formerly Saitek) is donating clocks for the top boards. The clocks
will be sold at discount prices after the tournament.
The prize fund, with a
minimum of
$18,000 guaranteed, is the largest in the state. In addition, there are
$1400 in special
prizes in
memory of Joyce Jillson. Dr. Harold Valery has graciously donated $500 in special prizes which
will go to the biggest upset winners: $100 each in Open, Under 2200,
and Under 2000; $75 in Under 1800; $50 in Under 1600 and Under 1400;
and $25 for Under 1200 players in the Under 1400/Unrated section.
Players
may choose between the
four-day
(two rounds a day at 40/2) and three-day
(beginning the day
after
Thanksgiving, with the first four rounds at Game/1)
schedules.
Chess
Palace will be offering a full selection of books, DVDs, and
equipment,
as well
as special American Open T-shirts.
Side events
include a scholastic in
four sections (Saturday, November 29), a Quick
rated
tournament Saturday night, and an Action
(Game/30) event on Sunday
afternoon.
The
luminaries who have won the
American Open over the years include Gata Kamsky, Yasser Seirawan, Pal
Benko,
Robert Byrne, and Walter Browne. See
full list.
Thanks
to Organizer Emeritus Jerry
Hanken, who has played in every American Open, for his help with
sponsorship
and other details. Organizer Randy Hough is happy to answer your
questions (randallhough@yahoo.com).
We look
forward to seeing you at this special event!
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