For the 25th consecutive year, chess players came from WV and the surrounding states to play in a chess tournament in Parkersburg. Several of them had just completed playing in Cleveland and had come for the last chance to tune up in completion prior to the in the 71st annual WV State Championship to be held in Summersville, WV, the weekend following Labor Day. The Mid-Ohio Valley Open Chess Tournament was held on Sunday at the historic Blennerhassett Hotel in downtown Parkersburg. One player said it was like taking a refreshing step back in time to a setting that the Grandmasters enjoyed for their matches.
Thomas Magar (North Versailles, PA) a Chess Master, took 1st place and the championship trophy with a perfect score of 4 wins. Omkar Yadav (Bridgeport, WV), David Hines (Wiley Ford, WV), John Sefton (Raceland, KY), Sam Timmons (New Albans, WV), tied for 2nd place with 3 wins. Omkar Yadav was awarded the 2nd place trophy on tie breaks and had an impressive 206 pts increase in his US Chess Federation rating.
The non-rated chess tournament was won by Phillip Collins (Parkersburg, WV) with a perfect score of 3 wins.
Robert Greer (Bridgeport, WV), a Senior Level TD, directed the tournament. Pat Kelly (Marietta, OH) served as Organizer/Assistant TD.
