For complete tournament results for all participants, go to
and select 2007 Columbus Open from the list of labeled Tournament Results.
Record Attendance!!!
$5075.00 in Prize Money entices more players!!!
IM Emory Tate and GM Lobomir Ftacnik vie to first place in last round.
Organizer’s Report on 2007 Columbus Open
by Lou Friscoe
President, Central Chess Club
The Aleksander Wojtkiewicz Memorial 2007 Columbus Open Tournament held July 6 - 8 was a huge success, setting new records in attendance with 120 players, and in prize money, more than $5000.00 total.
My personal thanks go to Jim Aman, our tournament director who also instumental in persuading Grandmaster Lubomir Ftacnik to come to Columbus and play in our tournament. Lubo’s accessability and willingness to analyze the games he played was most appreciated by his opponents and all the spectators who gathered around. Jim advises me that Lubo enjoyed himself here, and may be persuded to appear again next year.
My thanks also go to the many players who competed in the Columbus Open. Some of them had been absent from chess for several years which may indicate that tournament chess is enjoying a resurgence.
Five years ago, I started guarenteeing all prize money unconditionally. It was risky, and we lost money at first. Beginning last year, we began to attract more players and turned a profit. Our $1500.00 surplus last year was used to increase the prize fund by $1000.00 and to pay for an increase in the site rental.
This year we also made money, approximately $1200.00 after payment of all prize money and expenses. I plan to put most of this money into more prizes, the amount depending on the cost of the site rental. It is also apparent that we will need more space at next year’s playing site since comfort was somewhat lacking this year.
My aim is to keep the Columbus Open afforable yet continue to attract the kind of strong competition which has characterized this tradiionally “top-heavy” tournament.
