Checkmate! Tournament Comes to Marlborough This Weekend

Carissa Yip of Andover, youngest female master, is one of the headliners of the 84th Massachusetts Open, the state chess championship on Memorial Day weekend at the Best Western Royal Plaza Hotel in Marlborough.

The championship section is headlined by defending state champion and 2015 Massachusetts scholastic champion Mika Brittain, 14-time state champion, and former U.S. co-champion Alexander Ivanov, youngest female master Carissa Yip, Women’s International Master Megan Lee from Washington and Boston Globe chess columnist FIDE Master Christopher Chase. Other notable participants include 92-year old Boston Globe chess columnist Harold Dondis playing in the U2100 section.

There are four sections in the main tournament: Championship, Under 2100, Under 1800, and Under 1500, with additional prizes for players rated under 2300, under 1950, under 1650, under 1350, and under 1200. The Championship section is FIDE rated, open to players rated 1800 and above, and only has a three-day schedule. The three lower sections have both three-day schedules (May 23-25) and two-day schedules (May 24-25). Each section has 6 rounds. The two schedules merge starting in round Four and compete for the same prizes.

In addition to $4,200 in projected prizes, $3,600 guaranteed, there are prizes for the most interesting game in each section.

For more information, and to register for the tournament online, see the tournament page at 84th Massachusetts Open. Full advanced entries can be found online.

Full history of the Massachusetts Open can be found on the website.

Photo Credit: Massachusetts Chess Association and Boylston Chess Club Facebook pages, courtesy of Steve Stepak at the Boylston Chess Club.