Hello all:

If you get a bounced email message when attempting to email the NACA, please use our backup email address of:

nachess at gmail dot com (replacing the word ‘at’ and ‘dot’ with the proper symbols).

We are in the process of migrating email servers so there could be some bounced messages.

Thanks all,

Sevan A. Muradian, Founder
North American Chess Association
International Arbiter and International Organizer

The final two rounds of the 24th North American Masters, Sponsored by Vince W. Berry Real Estate Services, has completed with the following results:

Round 9

FM Shankar - Jon L. Burgess: 1 - 0
IM Felecan - IM Pasalic: 1/2 - 1/2
FM Adamson - IM Vishnuvardhan: 1/2 - 1/2

Round 10

Jon L. Burgess - FM Adamson: 1/2 - 1/2
IM Pasalic - FM Shankar: 1/2 - 1/2
IM Vishnuvardhan - IM Felecan: 1/2 - 1/2

Standings after 10 rounds

1st place - FM Robby Adamson - 6.5/10 (6/9 was enough for his IM norm)
2nd - 3rd place - Jon L. Burgess, IM Arjun Vishnuvardhan - 5/10
4th - 6th - FM Gauri Shankar, IM Mehmed Pasalic,  IM Florin Felecan - 4.5/10

After 9 rounds FM Robby Adamson secured his second IM norm. He was able to do it with 4 draws in rounds 6 thru 9 because he was on fire in rounds 1-5. We’ll have a full article on the event on the USCF website (www.uschess.org) and a players perspective on both the USCF website by FM Robby Adamson, and on Chessdom (www.chessdom.com) by Jon L. Burgess.

Good Chess to All,

Sevan A. Muradian, Founder
North American Chess Association
International Arbiter and International Organizer

FM Adamson continues his slow and safe creep to his second IM norm with two draws in the 7th and 8th rounds. Jon L. Burgess, the only other norm hunters in contention, was eliminated after a draw with IM Pasalic.

Round 7 Results:

IM Felecan - FM Adamson: 1/2 - 1/2
FM Shankar - IM Vishnuvardhan: 1/2 - 1/2
IM Pasalic - Jon L. Burgess: 1/2 - 1/2

Round 8 Results:

FM Adamson - FM Shankar: 1/2 - 1/2
IM Vishnuvardhan - IM Pasalic: 1/2 - 1/2
Jon L. Burgess - IM Felecan: 1 - 0

Standings after 8 rounds:

1st place - FM Robby Adamson - 5.5/8 (Needs .5/1 for 2nd IM norm - 9R norm)
2nd  place - Jon L. Burgess - 4.5/8
3rd place - IM Arjun Vishnuvardhan - 4/8
4th - 5th place - IM Mehmed Pasalic, IM Florin Felecan - 3.5/8
6th place - FM Gauri Shankar - 3/8

Many people have asked for the PGN’s of the games. They will be made available after the event is done for download from this website.

Good Chess to All,

Sevan A. Muradian, Founder
North American Chess Association
International Arbiter and International Organizer

The 24th North American Masters, Sponsored by Vince W. Berry Real Estate Services,  kicked off tonight, Friday February 5, 2010 at the Holiday Inn North Shore Hotel (site of the 2010 World Amateur Chess Championships ).

Returning for the final 5 rounds are:

• IM Florin Felecan
• IM Mehmed Pasalic
• IM Arjun Vishnuvardhan
• FM Robby Adamson
• FM Gauri Shankar
• Jon L. Burgess

When last we left them in January, FM Adamson was on fire, scoring 4 out of 5 and in clear 1st place. Everyone else was trailing well behind him. For his 2nd IM norm, he needs 2 out of his first 4 games (2 wins or 4 draws). Both other norm seekers, FM Shankar and Jon L. Burgess, require perfect scores in the second leg of this double round robin for their norms.

Results from Round 6:

FM Adamson - IM Pasalic: 1/2  - 1/2
FM Shankar - IM Felecan: 0 - 1
IM Vishnuvardhan - Jon L. Burgess: 0 - 1

FM Shankar is eliminated from the norm hunt. Jon L. Burgess needs 4/4 to complete his first IM norm (a tall task). FM Adamson is slowly creeping his way to his norm.

Round 7 and 8 will be on Saturday February 6 at 10:30am and 3:30pm respectively.

Good Chess to All,

Sevan A. Muradian, Founder
North American Chess Association
International Arbiter and International Organizer