Not Throwing Away My Shot

The U.S. Open is my favorite tournament of the year, and I’ve played in seven of them, even managing to win a class prize in 2019. There’s a lot about it I enjoy: the languid pace of the traditional schedule, seeing old friends, making new ones. As a former delegate, I could even endure the governance meetings!

But what I really love about the U.S. Open is the chance to play masters and even FIDE-titled players.

It’s rare that someone like me gets to play a GM, but if you’re a club player you have a decent shot at facing off with one at the U.S. Open. Because everyone plays in one section, the first rounds of each schedule usually feature games between chess mortals and America’s elite, and everyone watches to see if David can topple Goliath... or at least battle him to a standstill.

Over the years I’ve done battle with two GMs, an FM, and a future IM at the Open. The first of these games was against GM Alex Shabalov in Round 1 of the 2016 U.S. Open in Indianapolis. The notes in what follows are largely contemporaneous and unrevised, so I apologize in advance for any errors.

Goliath (L) versus David. (Photo by Anne Buskirk)

While this game didn’t go well for me, I like to think I was Shabba’s lucky charm — he won the event and the seat at the 2017 U.S. Championship. I found him at the bar after the playoff and bought him a congratulatory beer.

The 2016 champion with his good luck charm. (Photo courtesy of the subjects)

It’s not just the Open that is “open” – many of the side events, including the National G/15 Championship and the Blitz are also contested in one section. That’s how I got to play two quick games with GM Illia Nyzhnyk at the 2016 National Blitz Championship.

As I recall, I was crushed out of the opening in the first game. The second was competitive, until it wasn’t. That’s how it goes playing GMs.

Photo by John Hartmann.

In 2017 I was, incredibly, paired with Shabalov once again, and this time I acquitted myself somewhat better. After I sacrificed material in the late opening I looked up to see the likes of GMs Joel Benjamin and Alex Lenderman studying my board while Shabalov chewed his collar.

Disoriented by the attention, I quickly returned to my normal station: I played rotely, then badly, losing in under 30 moves.

Shabalov was once again generous with his time, doing a brief post-mortem with me at the board. As we analyzed, him largely showing me what I missed, Lenderman came over to make a few suggestions. At that point I couldn’t have cared less about losing! What a memory.

I came to the 2018 Open half-expecting to get the Shabba trifecta, but instead I was paired with FM Michael Langer, whom I knew from the Delegates Meetings. (It was from him that I learned the trick of preparing for my evening game while our colleagues droned on.)

Hartmann at the 2018 U.S. Open, on the verge of a defining performance. (Photo courtesy of the subject)

Pairings were up relatively early, so I got to check out Langer’s games in the database. He had a very static repertoire, and together with IM John Watson on the phone I was able to prepare extensively. So what happened?

Ugh. Looking back, I’m mortified that I couldn’t convert the win, but it’s not like it was trivial. While it felt good to get the draw — my first against a titled player — this one definitely still smarts.

The 2019 U.S. Open saw my best performance to date. I scored 5½/9 to share the top U1800 prize, picking up 102 rating points in the process. While I didn’t get to play a titled player in Round 1, my opponent was the son of one!

Martin Hansen’s father is GM Lars Bo Hansen, and he’s a master in his own right. He showed his skill in grinding me down from a pretty equal position.

In Round 3 I was paired with a 9-year-old master and future IM.

Ryo Chen and his father. (Photo by John Hartmann)

The old adage is you have to defeat kids while they’re young because you won’t be able to later, and with a pretty cheap swindle I was able to do just that.

Ryo was visibly annoyed when he saw what he’d missed, but he was a good sport about it both then and now. Here’s hoping we cross paths soon and he can exact his revenge.

I hope the reader will forgive my presenting one more position from the 2019 Open. It featured perhaps my best bit of calculation to date.

After 2019 came COVID-19 and some personal health issues. Combine both with my new position as Chess Life / Chess Life Online editor and any dreams of playing the Open dwindled.

With JJ Lang brought on as CLO Editor I tried to play the traditional schedule at the 2023 U.S. Open in Grand Rapids but had to withdraw after three rounds after contracting COVID. I spent five days in my hotel room and watched the livestream between naps.

I won’t be able to play in the 2026 Open, but I’ll be in back in Grand Rapids to work the event. I’ll also try to play in at least one or two of the side events.

Likely I won’t get to face Shabalov again, and that’s OK. If I can avoid getting COVID this time, I’ll consider it a win!