5 Stars Puzzle: The Chess Tournament

By Frank “Boy” Pestaño
Chessmoso

LOGIC problems are entertaining opportunities to practice thinking clearly and to enjoy the fruits of such activity. Here is an excellent puzzle, composed by William Pelletier, which will surely test your solving skills. If you get stuck and you still persist on answering this puzzle, then tips for solving logic problems may be helpful. I can e-mail this to you or, if you prefer, I can send you the correct answers.

I will be surprised if someone out there will be able to get the correct solutions. This is definitely a killer and only those with high enough IQ should attempt to solve this puzzle.

During the final round of Georgia’s All-State Chess Tournament, the eventual top four finishers in the tournament played their final game against four different opponents. The tournament boards were numbered 1-50 to facilitate location and identification of games. Each of the top four played a different opening in this last game. Use the clues below to determine the first and last names of the first through fourth place winners of the tournament, the chess opening each used in his last game, and the number of the chess board on which he played his final game.

1. Mr. Hart played the King’s Indian Defense.

2. Steve placed ahead of the one who used the Ruy Lopez opening.

3. The top four players were Larry, Mr. Korn, the contestant who opened with Queen’s Gambit, and a player who played on an even-numbered board.

4. Mr. Rose finished exactly two places ahead of the player on board 31.

5. The number of the third place winner’s board is at least 10 higher or at least 10 lower than that of Mr. Baird.

6. The number of the board of the contestant who placed immediately after Bert is exactly

15 higher than the number of the board played by the one who placed immediately before Tom.

7. The lowest board number of the top four finishers was exactly half the number of the board played by the one who placed immediately after the one who played the Giuoco Piano opening.

8. The highest board number was exactly eight higher than the board number of the man, who finished exactly two places after Bert.

UNIFICATION TOURNAMENT. In a surprise move, Fide president Kirsan Ilyumzhinov has announced that a special championship tournament will be played in October this year to determine once and for all the undisputed champion of the world.

Under the latest plan, Fide champion Rustam Kasimdzhanov of Uzbekistan, his runner-up Michael Adams of England, Peter Leko of Hungary, Vishwanathan Anand of India, Bulgarian Veselin Topalov and Russians Vladimir Kramnick, Garry Kasparov and Alexander Mozorevich will play two round-robin rounds to decide the world title.

This will supersede the Prague Agreement and the projected Kasparov vs. Kasimdzhanov match, which Kasparov cancelled last month.

“A historical decision was made, that will ease the nervousness of the chess world,” Ilyumzhinov said after the federation presidential council meeting in Tbisili, the capital of the former Soviet republic of Georgia.

The venue will likely be in Elista, Kalmykia but several other options are being considered. Prize money for the event will be $500,000 or even higher. All the participants will have to sign up by March 15 or risk being replaced.

Given the current situation and considering the mood of some of the players and money involved, I believe this proposal will be rejected.

LINARES 2005. As expected, Garry Kasparov leads this unofficial world championship with two wins and four draws after seven rounds. He defeated Michael Adams and Vallejo Pons and drew with Peter Leko, Anand, Topalov and Kasimdzhanov, who has been labeled “The Great Wall of Tashkent” after drawing all his games.

Anand and Topalov are half a point behind. The whipping boy of this tournament has been the Spaniard Vallejo Pons with three losses and three draws.

CEPCA FEBRUARY TOURNAMENT. We again had another surprise winner in our monthly tournament for February. An invited lady varsity player from University of San Jose-Recoletos, Therese Gonzales, busted the egos of the members of the Cebu Executives and Professionals Chess Association (Cepca) by scoring five straight wins after an initial loss to garner five points in a tie with Jerry Rallos. However, Therese was the winner with a superior tiebreak score. Third place went to new member Jongjong Melendez.

There were 30 participants including new members Luis Sabar, Jason Ginobiagon and Jade Garson. Another lady player was high school senior Jenny Rose Palomo. The children of Felix Balbona – Marc and Jessa – also played and won a few games among themselves. Also a new member is Jun Quidlat, who joined our tournament for January but did not play this time.