Hovhannes Gabuzyan grabs North American Open

by Ruifeng Li
1/5/2020 – Close to a hundred chess players spent the last days of 2019 participating in the 29th edition of the North American Open at the Bally's Casino Resort in Las Vegas. Hovhannes Gabuzyan and Zviad Izoria finished atop the standings on 7 out of 9 — Gabuzyan took home the bonus prize money reserved for the winner, as he had a higher score in the second tiebreak criterion. GM RUIFENG LI sent us a report with expert analyses and a selection of noteworthy games. | Photos: Crystal Jiuzhou Gu
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End of year in Vegas

The 29th Annual North American Open was held at Bally’s Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, from December 26th to 30th. GMs Zviad Izoria and Hovhannes Gabuzyan topped the Open Section, with final scores of 7/9. The latter got the title and the $200 bonus for first place thanks to his superior score in the second tiebreak criterion — the co-leaders drew both on points and on the first tiebreaker score.

Gabuzyan is a 24-year-old Armenian grandmaster, who is currently the 15th highest-rated player in his country. Born in Yerevan, he won the Armenian National Championship in 2017, a ten-player single round robin that had Robert Hovhannisyan, Zaven Andriasian and Arman Pashikian in the line-up.

Hovhannes Gabuzyan

Getting in the zone — Hovhannes Gabuzyan | Photo: Crystal Jiuzhou Gu

Before the eventual winners rose through the ranks, it was GM Nikola Mitkov who snatched a one-point lead after soundly defeating the top seed. 

 
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1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 d6 3.f4 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.d4 cxd4 6.Nxd4 Bd7 7.Be2 Nc6 8.Be3 Nf6 9.Nb3 0-0 10.0-0 b5!? A sharp idea. 11.Bf3 If 11.Bxb5 then Black's point is Ng4 with strong compensation everywhere. 12.Qd2 12.Bf2 Nxf2 13.Rxf2 Qb6 14.Ba4 Bxc3 15.bxc3 Rac8 12...Nxe3 13.Qxe3 Nb4! 14.Rf2 14.Bxd7 Nxc2 15.Qh3 Nxa1 16.Rxa1 e6 17.Ba4 Qb6+ 18.Kh1 Rac8 14...Bxb5 15.Nxb5 Bxb2 16.Rd1 Bg7 11...b4 12.Nd5 Nxd5 13.exd5 Na5 14.Bd4 Bxd4+ 14...Bf6! is a fascinating idea. If Bxf6, then Black no longer has to worry about a weak e7 pawn; and even if white doesn't capture, e7 is completely protected. 15.Qxd4 Qb6 16.Qxb6 axb6 17.Rfe1 Nc4 17...Rfe8 was more circumspect. 18.Re4 Rac8 18.Rxe7 Rfd8 19.Nd4 Kf8 20.Ree1 Nxb2? A tactical mistake; Black had to play for compensation. 20...Rdc8 21.Nc6 21.Kf2 Nxb2 22.Reb1? Rc4! 21...Bxc6 22.dxc6 Nd2 23.Bd5 Ra5 21.Reb1 21.Ne6+‼ was exceedingly strong. Bxe6 21...fxe6 22.dxe6 Bxe6 23.Bxa8 22.dxe6 Ra7 23.Rab1 Nc4 24.Rxb4 d5 25.exf7 Rxf7 26.Bxd5 Rxd5 27.Rxc4 b5 28.Rc8+ Kg7 29.g3+- 21...Na4 22.Rxb4 Re8 23.Kf2 Ra6 24.Rab1 Rc8 25.R1b3 Nc5 26.Re3 Rca8 27.a3 b5 A waiting policy was not unreasonable. 27...Re8 28.Rc3 Rea8 28.Nc6 Rxa3 29.Rxa3 Rxa3 30.Rxb5 Ra2 31.Rb8+ Kg7 32.Nd4 Bf5 33.Rb6 Bxc2 34.Nxc2 Rxc2+ 35.Ke3 Rc3+ 36.Kd4 Ra3 37.Rxd6 Nd3 38.f5 gxf5 39.Rd8 Ne1? 39...Kf6 40.d6 Ne5 40.d6 Now the pawn is just too strong. Rd3+ 40...Nxf3+ was an interesting try. 41.gxf3 Rxf3 42.d7 Rf1 43.Rg8+ Kxg8 44.d8Q+ Kg7 45.Qg5+ Kf8 Now White needs to play 46.h4! and Black cannot make a fortress. 46.Ke5? Re1+ 47.Kf6 Re6+ 48.Kxf5 h6 49.Qd8+ Kg7 If Black waits with king moves or rook moves, it doesn't seem like White can make progress. 41.Kc4 Rd2 42.Bc6 Rc2+ 43.Kb5 Rb2+ 44.Ka5 Nd3 45.d7 Ne5 46.Rg8+ Kh6 47.Ba4 Nxd7 48.Bxd7+- Rd2 49.Bc6 Rb2 50.Ka4 Rb6 51.Bd5 f6 52.Ka3 Rb1 53.Bb3 Rh1 54.h3 Kh5 55.Kb2 Kh4 56.Kc3 Re1 57.Kd2 Re5 58.Bd1 h5 59.Rg6 f4 60.Rxf6 Kg3 61.Bf3 Ra5 62.Rg6+ Kh4 63.Rh6 Kg3 64.Rg6+ Kh4 65.Rd6 Kg3 66.Rd5 Ra2+ 67.Kd3 Ra3+ 68.Kd4 Ra4+ 69.Kc3 Ra3+ 70.Kc4 h4 71.Rg5+ 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Mitkov,N2508Gabuzyan,H26101–02019B74Las Vegas North American Open5

Meanwhile, Izoria faced tough and creative resistance in the form of IM Dionisio Aldama, whose three connected passed pawns offered interesting compensation for a whole rook deficit.

 
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1.b3 d5 2.Bb2 Nf6 3.e3 g6 4.Bxf6 Essentially a weird Trompowsky. exf6 5.d4 f5 6.g3 Nd7 7.Bg2 Nf6 8.Ne2 c6 9.0-0 Be6 10.a3?! Preventing Ba3, presumably, but that's not really part of Black's plan. 10.Nd2 Bd6 11.c4 is normal. 10...Bd6 10...h5! was already possible. 11.h4 g5! 12.hxg5 Ne4 12...Ng4 11.Nd2 Qe7 12.Qc1 h5! 13.h4 Ne4 14.Nf3 g5 15.c4 f6 16.c5 Bc7 17.b4 Bd7 18.Rb1 Kf7 18...0-0-0 may have been a stronger continuation. 19.a4 f4! Black needed to see this one, however, or White's pawn storm on the q-side is no joke. 20.exf4 Bg4 21.Rb3 Bxf3 22.Rxf3 gxh4 23.gxh4 Rhg8 19.a4 a6 20.b5 cxb5 21.Nc3 Qe6 22.axb5 22.hxg5 is terrifically scary for White. h4!? 22...Rag8 23.axb5 h4 24.c6 23.g6+ Kxg6 24.Nxh4+ Rxh4 24...Kf7 25.axb5 Rag8 26.Nf3 25.gxh4 f4 26.exf4 Rg8 22...Ba5 23.Nxe4 fxe4 24.bxa6 Right idea, wrong execution. If humans were computers the game should have ended like this: 24.Nxg5+! fxg5 25.bxa6 bxa6 26.f3 Bb5 27.fxe4+ Bxf1 28.Qxf1+ Kg6 29.Rb7 Rab8 30.Qd3 Kh6 31.hxg5+ Kxg5 32.Rg7+ Kh6 33.exd5 Qf6 34.Rd7 Rbd8 35.Ra7 Ra8= 24...exf3 25.Bxf3 Bc6 25...bxa6 26.Rb7 Kg6 27.Qc2+ f5 26.Rxb7+!? Ordinary people would have played 26.axb7 but Aldama is a creative guy. 26...Bxb7 27.axb7 Rad8 28.hxg5 fxg5 29.e4?! 29.c6 Bc7 30.Qc5 h4 31.b8B Bxb8 32.c7 Bxc7 33.Qxc7+ Rd7 34.Qe5 Qxe5 35.dxe5 Rdd8 36.Bg4 d4 37.exd4 Rxd4 38.f3 Rd2 39.gxh4 gxh4 40.Rf2 seems fairly drawish. 29...dxe4 30.Be2 Kg6 31.Qe3 Bc7 32.Ra1 Qf5 33.Bc4 Rhf8 34.Re1 h4 35.Qxe4 Qxe4 36.Rxe4 hxg3 37.fxg3 Bxg3 38.Kg2 Bb8 39.c6 Rf6 39...Rde8! was an important finesse, luring White's bishop to block the e-file. 40.Be6 Rf6 41.d5 Ref8 42.Re2 Rf3-+ 40.d5 Rf4 40...Rh8 41.Re7 Rh2+ 42.Kg1 Rff2-+ 43.c7 Ba7‼ 44.b8Q 44.Bd3+ Kf6 45.Re6+ Kf7 46.Re7+ Kxe7 47.c8N+ Kf6 48.Nxa7 Rfg2+ 49.Kf1 Ra2 50.Kg1 Rhg2+ 51.Kf1 Rgb2-+ 44...Rfg2+ 45.Kf1 Rg1# 41.Re6+ Kf7 42.Ba2 Kf8 43.Rh6 Rh4? 43...Kg7 44.Re6 Rb4 45.c7 Bxc7 46.Re7+ Kf6 47.Rxc7 Rb8-+ 44.Rf6+ Kg7 45.c7! Bxc7 46.Rf7+! Kxf7 47.d6+ Kf6 48.dxc7 Rhh8 49.cxd8Q+ Rxd8 50.Bd5 Ke5 51.Bc6 The pawn on b7 is too strong. Kf4 52.Bd7 g4 53.Kf2 g3+ 54.Kg2 Rh8 55.Kg1 Kf3 56.Bc6+ Ke3 57.Bd7 Rd8 58.Kg2 Kf4 59.Kg1 Kf3 60.Bc6+ Kg4 61.Bd7+ Kf4 62.Kg2 Rh8 63.Kg1 Kf3 64.Bc6+ Ke3 65.Kg2 Kf4 66.Kg1 Rd8 67.Bd7 ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Aldama Degurnay,D2411Izoria,Z2599½–½2019A01Las Vegas North American Open6

In round seven, Mitkov decided to go for the gold with an attack on Izoria’s king; but it backfired severely, and his own king ended up in mortal danger...

 
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1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 e6 3.Nf3 d6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 a6 6.Bd3 Nf6 7.0-0 g6 8.f4 Bg7 9.Kh1 0-0 10.Qe1 Nfd7 11.Be3 Nc6 12.Nxc6 bxc6 13.Rd1 Re8 14.Na4 Qc7 15.b3 Bb7 16.Bd2 c5 17.Bc3 Bxc3 18.Nxc3 d5 19.e5 Rf8 20.Qg3 f5 21.Nb1 Rf7 22.Nd2 Nf8 23.Nf3 Qa5 24.Qe1 Qb6 25.c3 a5 26.Qf2 Rc7 27.Rb1 Ba6 28.Bxa6 Qxa6 29.h3 c4 30.bxc4 Rxc4 31.Rb6 Qc8 32.Qh4?! 32.Nd4 Rxc3 33.Rfb1 Rc1+ 34.Rxc1 Qxc1+ 35.Kh2 Rc8 36.Rb7= Rc7 37.Rb8 Rc8 38.Rb7 Rc7 32...Rxc3 33.Ng5? Rb8 34.Rxe6 Unfortunately for Mitkov, he is not threatening anything... Rc1 35.Rxc1 Qxc1+ 36.Kh2 Rb1 but black threatens Qh1/Qg1+ followed by Qe1+ 37.Nf3 Nxe6-+ 38.Kg3 Rb2 39.Qh6 Qf1 40.Nh4 Qf2+ 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Mitkov,N2508Izoria,Z25990–12019B42Las Vegas North American Open7

Zviad Izoria, Hovhannes Gabuzyan

Zviad Izoria drew the eventual champion in the last round | Photo: Crystal Jiuzhou Gu

The adventures of Nikola Mitkov continued in round eight, when GM Mark Paragua nonchalantly sacrificed a piece for a decisive long-term initiative. Mitkov redeemed his tournament life in the final round, crushing IM Richard Wang’s Sicilian. Meanwhile, Paragua was half a point behind Izoria and Gabuzyan, but was unable to make headway against the undefeated and newly-minted GM Joshua Ruiz. A safe draw between Izoria and Gabuzyan sealed the standings at the top.

Mark Paragua, Balaji Daggupati

Mark Paragua finished in third place — here playing Black against Balaji Daggupati | Photo: Crystal Jiuzhou Gu 

Other highlights from the event

 
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1.Nf3 d6 2.d4 g6 3.Bf4 Bg7 4.Nc3 c6 5.Qd2 b5 6.e4 Nd7 7.e5 d5 8.e6 fxe6 9.Bxb5 Qb6 10.Bd3 c5 11.Nb5 e5 12.dxc5 Nxc5 13.Nxe5 Nf6 14.Nc7+ Qxc7 15.Bb5+ Nfd7 16.Nxd7 e5 17.Nxe5+ 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Andrews,T2214Felecan,F23361–02019A41Las Vegas North American Open3
Katz,A2404Peng,S2315½–½2019B90Las Vegas North American Open6
Lehmann,S2236Katz,A24040–12019E27Las Vegas North American Open7
Niemann,H2471Aoshima,M23610–12019E10Las Vegas North American Open7
Izoria,Z2599Aoshima,M23611–02019D32Las Vegas North American Open8
Paragua,M2513Mitkov,N25081–02019A07Las Vegas North American Open8
Gabuzyan,H2610Liang,J22961–02019C00Las Vegas North American Open8
Mitkov,N2508Wang,R23421–02019B23Las Vegas North American Open9
Blatny,P2331Katz,A24040–12019A01Las Vegas North American Open9

You can select any game from the list!

Final standings (top 20)

# Name Rtng Country Tot Prize Amount
1 GM Hovhannes Gabuzyan 2610 ARM 7.0 1st-2nd/Bonus $7700.00
2 GM Zviad Izoria 2599 USA 7.0 1st-2nd $7500.00
3 GM Mark Paragua 2513 PHI 6.5 3rd-7th $1220.00
4 GM Nikola Mitkov 2508 MKD 6.5 3rd-7th $1220.00
5 IM Hans Niemann 2471 USA 6.5 3rd-7th $1220.00
6 IM John Daniel Bryant 2422 USA 6.5 3rd-7th $1220.00
7 IM Alexander Ross Katz 2404 USA 6.5 3rd-7th $1220.00
8 FM Ian Zhao 2320 CAN 6.5 1st U2400 $2400.00
9 GM Joshua D Ruiz C 2497 COL 6.0 8th-10th/Other $416.67
10 IM Florin Felecan 2336 USA 6.0 8th-10th/2nd U2400 $416.67
11 FM Jason Wang 2317 USA 6.0 8th-10th/2nd U2400 $416.67
12 FM Spencer George Lehmann 2236 USA 6.0 8th-10th/2nd U2400 $416.67
13 Logan Wu 2155 USA 6.0 8th-10th/2nd U2400 $416.67
14 Davaaoch Nyamdorj 2110 CAN 6.0 8th-10th/2nd U2400 $416.67
15 FM Mirai Aoshima 2361 JPN 5.5    
16 IM Richard Wang 2342 CAN 5.5    
17 GM Pavel Blatny 2331 CZE 5.5    
18 FM Shunkai Peng 2315 USA 5.5    
19 Jason Liang 2296 USA 5.5    
20 FM Todd D Andrews 2214 USA 5.5    

...91 players

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Ruifeng is one of the top junior players in the world. He received his IM title in 2016 and the GM title in 2017. 2016 was one of the best years in his chess career. He won the North American Junior Championship, National Open, and Philadelphia Open, also tied for first at 26th Annual North American Open.

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