[imagefield_assist|fid=16140|preset=fullsize|lightbox=true|title=IM Priyadharshan Kannappan scored a big first-round victory over IM Darwin Yang.|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=700|height=467]
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By Alex Marler
2012 CCSCSL Invitational: GM Norm Event
IM Steven Zierk landed a major upset over GM Ben Finegold. These norm tournaments are all about making the necessary points to earn the norm, so defeating a GM is a major victory. In this game GM Finegold played a little bit too passively in the opening, and allowed IM Zierk to take over the initiative. Defending is tough, even for grandmasters; GM Finegold's position was tenuous after 11..Nf4?, but IM Zierk failed to find the best line. Both sides committed several blunders over the next 20 moves or so; when the dust settled, GM Finegold found himself a piece down in an endgame.
The players demonstrated great fighting spirit in this encounter. The game began in a quiet line of the Moscow Semi-Slav. IM Justin Sarkar tried to create winning chances by sacrificing the exchange with 21. Bb3!?. For the exchange, he gained a dominate knight on d5 and strong initiative. IM Marc Esserman defended well and eventually returned the sacrifice material by giving up his 'a' and 'b' pawns to get his rook doubled on the second rank. Both sides quickly liquidated material into an equal rook-and-pawn endgame.
IM Mac Molner vs IM Vitaly Neimer featured an archaic opening in the Italian Game. White sacrifices a pawn for long-term initiative. IM Neimer creatively thwarted white's play on the f-file and began creating his own threats on the queenside. White committed two inaccuracies that led him into a losing position, 28. Bh5 and 32. Rxa5.
This game was real tactical melee, and it was not surprising that one of the players blundered in the complications. IM Darwin Yang played the losing 21..Ke7??. Unfortunately, he should have captured the rook in the corner despite GM Larry Christiansen's advice. After that error, IM Priyadharshan Kannappan finished the game quite nicely.
GM Denes Boros versus GM Andre Diamant featured the ultra-fashionable Chinese Dragon, which mostly leads to wild, opposite-side castling positions in which both kings come under assault. However, in this gme white seem to skip all the fun, and forced a draw rather early.
2012 CCSCSL Invitational: IM Norm Event
IM Levan Bregadze versus FM Tom Bartell saw the players cautiously maneuver until they agreed to a draw on move 21.
WGM Anna Sharevich achieved a positional advantage out of the opening, but she was unable to convert her advantage to a victory. The players soon agreed to a draw.
This game was a hard technical fight. Tommy Ulrich essayed the Rubinstein variation against Konstantin Kavutskiy's Nimzo-Indian defense. Ulrich strived for early aggression with 12.e4. Kavutskiy was able to dissipate the pressure and eventually forcing the liquidation of several pieces. The game reached an equal endgame and the players shook hands after a few moves.
FM Seth Homa pulled off a great victory against the highest rated player in the field, IM Michael Brooks. The game started off as a Queen's Gambit Declined exchange variation, however Brook's played a suspect variation with 6..Bf5. Homa played accurately and forced IM Brooks to part with his d pawn. The rest was easy for Homa.
This game seemed to be heading for a draw when FM Eckert played 31.dxe6??. This move loses on the spot to 31..Bc6+, the move that Ecket missed.
