Chess Weekly

The day before the adult championship started, the junior championship of Canada completed there. Many boys and girls stayed to try themselves against the older opponents. Canada is not a chess country, there are few top-rank players and foreign guest are desirable at the championship. This time 10 grandmasters and international masters took part amongst 140 players in total.
Many traditions of the North American tournaments were completely new for us. For example, the prizes were distributed in each rating group and anyone (even a third grade player) could obtain a prize of $1000! Drawing of lots was also something special. Until round 4, everyone played in the same single tournament. Afterwards, practically separate tournaments are organized for each rating group; sometimes this tournaments swap players. Well, what would you say about the 'bye' rule? Before drawing each round, a player may claim a 'bye' obtaining half a point without playing. That is the American democracy! And we, the naive Europeans, fight in each game…
Alexander Wojtkievic (USA) took the lead from the very start - 5.5 out of 6. However, four draws in a row by the end of tournament allowed him to obtain only the second prize. Alexander Moiseenko (Ukraine), rating favorite of the tournament, conquered the first prize quite confidently. His brilliant result (6 wins, 4 draws) could have been even better, if he had not run into time troubles so frequently.
Alexei Iliushin demonstrated a solid play, doing without a single defeat in the tournament. Having won in the last round, Alexei shared 3-5th places with the American Larry Christiansen and the Cuban Walter Arencibia.