FM Aung Zin Wins 2015 Illinois Senior Open

With a fifth-round victory over Fred Allsbrook, FIDE Master Aung Zin has claimed the Illinois Senior Champion title at the 2015 Illinois Senior Open. Crosstables have been posted.

Only a fourth-round draw with FM Marc Lonoff kept Zin from the perfect score. Sharing second place with 4.0 / 5 were Lonoff and Class A-player Richard Easton.

The players competed in a single section, with prizes awarded to top scorers U1900, U1700, and U1500.

34 players, age 50 or older, braved a cool and rainy Halloween to begin the competition at the Hyatt Regency Schaumburg. Play concluded November 1, after competitors enjoyed an extra hour of sleep due to Daylight Savings Time and many had opted for a third-round bye. (See Bill Brock's posting). Either players were exhausted from the first two rounds of long-time control games, they wanted to go trick or treating (or perhaps accompany grandchildren), or they wanted to get a good night's sleep before Sunday's games. Adjustments are contemplated for next year's event.

Fred Cohen won his last three matches to finish 3.5 points and take the U1900 top prize. Sam Henderson and Jeffrey Hall, at 3.0, split the second place U1900 prize.

Mark Coleman took the top U1700 prize with 2.5 points, with three U1500 players, Craig Boskey, Carl Dolson, and Derrick Red, sharing second place U1700 and top U1500 prizes with 2.0 / 5.

Red, rated 1025 enterring the competition, won the $75 Ray Doyle Satterlee Upset Prize with his fifth-round win over Frank Lasch, a difference of 403 rating points. That marked the second 1400-plus rated player Red had upset in the tournament.

This prize was generously donated by Ken Marshall in recognition of the 10th anniversary of the death of his friend, Ray Doyle Satterlee, a noted Chicago-area chess player who, among other achievements, tied for first place in three U.S. Senior Opens (1987, 1991, and 1994). In 1996, Satterlee became only the fourth recipient of the ICA's Broughton Lifetime Achievement in Chess Award.

Sevan Muradian served as Chief TD, assisted by Vytautas Vitkauskas.

Bids are currently being accepted for next year's Illinois Senior Open.