Northeastern Open chess championship in Neenah attracts more than 100 players from several states
Tournament attracts more than 100 players to Neenah event
NEENAH — Patience, visualization and a good memory.
Those are the key skills needed to compete at a high level in chess, like the players at the 47th Northeastern Open chess championship held this weekend at the Holiday Inn Neenah Riverwalk.
Chess player families relaxed and talked strategy in the hotel’s ballroom Saturday afternoon between rounds of the two-day tournament.
It was all business, however, once an official round began and the mental gears churned in the battles of skill and wits.
“I’d say patience and the ability to visualize are the most important,” said Dennis Kosterman, assistant tournament director. “Not only what the board is now, but what it will be several moves from now. Memorization is also important in terms of opening moves and strategy.”
The tournament, hosted by the Northeastern Wisconsin Chess Association, drew 102 players from Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin and was headlined by 8-year-old Awonder Liang, who recently won a world championship in his age group and is ranked “expert.”
Matches can last up to five hours, and a player’s first 35 moves must be completed within the first 90 minutes.
Wade Christensen, of Madison, provided some early drama for the tournament by defeating Liang in the first set of matches.
“He missed a move and dropped his bishop and that was it,” Christensen said. “These young players keep getting better and better though. They’ve learned the fundamentals early on and have time to study online.”
Other young players often hire coaches to develop their game.
Alex Betaneli was the lone “master” at the event and the top-seeded player.
Originally from Russia, Betaneli lives in Brookfield and tutors students all over the state.
“I do this full time, teaching and playing,” said Betaneli, who has recently returned from a 10-day tournament in San Francisco.
He gives lessons using the online video-chatting system Skype to students as young as 5-years-old.
“Kids learn patience and to be gracious in victory and defeat,” Betaneli said. “Chess is a game where you can’t blame anybody but yourself if you lose, there are no other factors.”
When asked about the skill gap between a master and novice player, Betaneli said if someone challenged him off the street to a $1,000 chess match he would win every time.
The pure skill is what separates chess from other strategic games like poker, where Betaneli said even the novice can defeat professionals due to the mathematic skew of luck.
Michelle Hintz, 17, of Marion, said as serious as many of the players take the game, she was playing the tournament to have fun.
“Whether you win or lose you still learn something new,” Hintz said.
Source: http://www.postcrescent.com
This kid is good.