[imagefield_assist|fid=16170|preset=fullsize|lightbox=true|title=FM Seth Homa from Detroit leads the IM Norm event with a perfect score of 2/2.|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=700|height=467]
By Tony Rich
Round two of the 2012 CCSCSL Invitational saw some excitement, with decisive games on more than half the boards. In the GM norm section, Webster University student IM Vitaly Neimer defeated IM Priyadharshan Kannappan of Lindenwood University to take the lead. The game was a complicated c3 Sicilian, where black sacrificed an exchange on move 20 to reach a level position. However, Kannappan, who should have focused on developing his queenside, misjudged the position and subsequently lost.
IM Darwin Yang outplayed GM Denes Boros to reach an endgame with two bishops versus a single knight. Try as he might, Darwin couldn’t snag the full point and settled for a draw after 118 moves.
A small incident arose in IM Marc Esserman’s battle against IM Mac Molner. According to the FIDE Laws of Chess, both players are required to take notation for the entire game due to the 30-second increment the players receive per move. Esserman stopped taking notation near the end but was able to catch up after the arbiter pointed it out. In time trouble, Molner blundered and resigned before waiting for Marc’s reply.
In the IM norm section, FM Seth Homa widened his lead by defeating fellow FM Konstatin Kavutskiy. Homa, a native of Michigan, is on track for his IM norm with a perfect 2-0 score.
FM Tom Bartell sits just a half point behind the leader thanks to his round two victory over WIM Inna Agrest. The game started as a King’s Indian Defense, but soon began to look more like a Benoni. In the sharp middlegame that ensued, Agrest was unable to find a safe haven for her king and resigned on move 48.
Chicago resident IM Angelo Young, who is known for his offbeat hypermodern style, defeated NM Tommy Ulrich in what appeared to be a Maroczy Bind with colors reversed.
The final decisive game was the encounter between Lindenwood University teammates IM Levan Bregadze and WGM Anna Sharevich. The game started as a typical English Opening, but Levan demonstrated the weakness of Anna’s isolated queen pawn. After losing this important pawn, Sharevich’s position collapsed.
Live games from both events can be viewed by clicking the link here. Games start at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. Central each day, with the final round taking place on Friday. Tune in to see if any of our GM/IM hopefuls will emerge with the highly coveted norm.
