3 moves US National 2016.

[Alex_Moiseyev]

I can confirm with all my honesty: if FID have in Italy Open (English draughts) 1st prize $2,000 and no other prizes - I would definitely come at my own expanse and and play!

[sergio]

Hello everyone,
Alex and a few other people have already known that I was planning to take part in the tournament. It wasn't easy, because Springfield-Branson aiport has very few connections. For this reason I had decided not to go there. Tickets are too expensive. A few days ago, I had chance to find some tickets, so I changed my mind and now I have my tickets to get to Columbus. Alex and Brain Hinkle will help me with the rest of the journey.
Alex persuaded me to go there when we were in Rome last month.
I can now confirm that I will be at this prestigious tournament.
I'm looking forward to meeting all of you and the organizers of the tournament, especially Joe McDaniel. That was very kind of him to help me with my accommodations in Branson.

Sergio Scarpetta

[okrunjoe]

Sergio, that is great news. Looking forward to meeting you. We will have a large and talented group of players especially since you are coming.

Joe McDaniel

[Alex_Moiseyev]

Indeed great news for all of us (ACF players) and very honorable. More likely Sergio will stay over the night (Sunday-Monday) in my house and after then we'll go to Branson (stop on our way in Saint Louis).

I am looking forward to take a revange for my 2nd place in Rome!

I am also glad that my motivation in Rome was good enough and encourage Sergio to make a right decision.

This suppose to be the strongest annual (2016) Anglo-American Draughts event across the globe and perhaps one of the strongest or strongest ever ACF 3-moves National in the past 20 years.

More news later ...

Regards,

AM

[bazkitcase5]

Better be careful Sergio - if you keep beating Alex at these big tournaments, he may beat you up and leave you on the side of the road.

[Alex_Moiseyev]

I can confirm now that Sergio is already in Columbus, taken a rest and tomorrow we are going to Saint Louis. I am trying to keep Sergio safe and happy as best as I can - we need him in tournament for good rating!

AlexM

[bazkitcase5]

just not after the tournament on the way home haha

[Ingo_Zachos]

As a specatator from the sideline and a friend to both Alex and Sergio I wish that the best man may win.
And I hope that like in Rome, they will both show us how to dominate a field that is filled with very strong players.

Tough, Clayton, it would bre nice to see a young challenger emerging, like Matteo tried in Rome. How about that?



I dont fear that their aggression ends up in violence, as we already see too much violence on the streets in the USA and now, sadly, also here in Germany.

But for both Sergio and Alex I am sure the aggression ends once they leave the board.

In the end, the winner may be the one with the small extra luck in pairings and openings.



Will you and Sergio also play an 11-men match for the title while Sergio is in the USA, Alex?

Best wishes from sunny old Europe.

[Alex_Moiseyev]

Will you and Sergio also play an 11-men match for the title while Sergio is in the USA, Alex?

Not yet, but sooner or later

Next 11 man ballot event - my match with 2nd player in USA Open 2016 after me, Jim Morrison, in the beginning of September.

[jimloy]

This is from John Acker's Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/procheckers), which will usually be more up-to-date than what I copy from him:

Masters Standings (after 3 rounds)
King, Ron 12
Nash, Clayton 10
Scarpetta, Sergio 10
Keen, Larry 8
Kondlo, Lubabalo 8
Moiseyev, Alex 8
Moore, Joe 8
Morrison, Jim 8
Webster, John 8
Wells, Lorne 8
Francis, Jack 6
Mercado, Alfredo 6
Beckwith, Richard 4
Bryan, Paul 4
Hinkle, Brian 4
Laverty, Tim 4
Maughan, Desmond 4
Schwartz, Joe 4
Sokolovsky, Mark 4
Xiong, Chee 4
Schwartzberg, Phil 4
Holmes, Alex 2
Wilson, Gary 0

Majors Standings (after 2 rounds)
Bishop, Anthony 6
Clark, Matthew 6
Herberger, John 6
Acker, John 5
Askins, Jerry 5
Beachy, Dave 5
Millhone, Alan 5
Atwood, Larry 4
Mays, Shelby 4
Tucker, Albert 4
Wenberg, Neil 4
Weaver, Alex 4
Gain, Howard 3
Ramsey, Dallas 3
Weaver, Joe 3
Webster, Jeff 3
Smith, Buck 1

Minors Standings (after 2 rounds)
Coleman, Joe 6
Hines, Paul 6
Neverson, Wynnell 6
Myers, Robert 5
Branch, Wilma 4
Franks, Watson 4
Henderson, Kent 4
O'Hara, Michael 4
Stallsworth, George 4
Williamson, Ted 4
MacDonald, Ally 3
Smith, JR 3
Willis, Dale 3
Willis, Kim 3
Yoder, Ray 3
Hochstetler, Harley 2

[John Acker]

Here are the current standings; I corrected a couple data entry errors. Several games are still in progress.

Masters
Nash, Clayton 14
Scarpetta, Sergio 14
King, Ron 12
Kondlo, Lubabalo 12
Mercado, Alfredo 12
Moiseyev, Alex 12
Keen, Larry 10
Webster, John 10
Beckwith, Richard 8
Bryan, Paul 8
Francis, Jack 8
Holmes, Alex 8
Laverty, Tim 8
Maughan, Desmond 8
Moore, Joe 8
Morrison, Jim 8
Schwartz, Joe 8
Wells, Lorne 8
Schwartzberg, Phil 8
Hinkle, Brian 6
Xiong, Chee 6
Sokolovsky, Mark 4
Wilson, Gary 4

Majors
Acker, John 10
Bishop, Anthony 10
Atwood, Larry 9
Beachy, Dave 9
Askins, Jerry 8
Clark, Matthew 8
Weaver, Alex 8
Gain, Howard 7
Mays, Shelby 7
Millhone, Alan 7
Wenberg, Neil 7
Herberger, John 6
Smith, Buck 6
Tucker, Albert 6
Webster, Jeff 6
Ramsey, Dallas 5
Weaver, Joe 5

Minors
Smith, JR 11
Henderson, Kent 10
Hochstetler, Harley 10
Stallsworth, George 10
Franks, Watson 9
Hines, Paul 9
Neverson, Wynnell 9
Coleman, Joe 8
Willis, Dale 7
Willis, Kim 7
Myers, Robert 6
Williamson, Ted 6
Branch, Wilma 5
O'Hara, Michael 4
Yoder, Ray 3
MacDonald, Ally 2

[John Acker]

Masters Standings (after 4.5 rounds)
Nash, Clayton 14
Scarpetta, Sergio 14
King, Ron 12
Kondlo, Lubabalo 12
Mercado, Alfredo 12
Moiseyev, Alex 12
Keen, Larry 10
Webster, John 10
Beckwith, Richard 8
Bryan, Paul 8
Francis, Jack 8
Holmes, Alex 8
Laverty, Tim 8
Maughan, Desmond 8
Moore, Joe 8
Morrison, Jim 8
Schwartz, Joe 8
Wells, Lorne 8
Schwartzberg, Phil 8
Hinkle, Brian 6
Xiong, Chee 6
Sokolovsky, Mark 4
Wilson, Gary 4

Majors Standings (after 4 rounds)
Bishop, Anthony 13
Acker, John 10
Askins, Jerry 10
Millhone, Alan 10
Atwood, Larry 9
Beachy, Dave 9
Clark, Matthew 9
Weaver, Joe 9
Herberger, John 8
Ramsey, Dallas 8
Weaver, Alex 8
Gain, Howard 7
Mays, Shelby 7
Tucker, Albert 7
Wenberg, Neil 7
Smith, Buck 6
Webster, Jeff 6

Minors Standings (after almost 4 rounds)
Smith, JR 11
Henderson, Kent 10
Hochstetler, Harley 10
Stallsworth, George 10
Williamson, Ted 10
Franks, Watson 9
Hines, Paul 9
Neverson, Wynnell 9
Coleman, Joe 8
Willis, Dale 7
Willis, Kim 7
Myers, Robert 6
Yoder, Ray 6
Branch, Wilma 5
O'Hara, Michael 5
MacDonald, Ally 2

[John Acker]

Standings after Day 2 (R6 for Masters; R5 for Majors & Minors):

Masters
Scarpetta, Sergio 22
Moiseyev, Alex 20
King, Ron 16
Kondlo, Lubabalo 16
Francis, Jack 14
Moore, Joe 14
Nash, Clayton 14
Schwartz, Joe 14
Webster, John 14
Bryan, Paul 12
Holmes, Alex 12
Keen, Larry 12
Mercado, Alfredo 12
Morrison, Jim 12
Schwartzberg, Phil 12
Beckwith, Richard 10
Hinkle, Brian 10
Laverty, Tim 10
Xiong, Chee 10
Maughan, Desmond 8
Sokolovsky, Mark 8
Wells, Lorne 8
Wilson, Gary 4

Majors
Bishop, Anthony 15
Millhone, Alan 14
Clark, Matthew 13
Weaver, Joe 13
Atwood, Larry 11
Beachy, Dave 11
Acker, John 10
Herberger, John 10
Mays, Shelby 10
Tucker, Albert 10
Webster, Jeff 10
Weaver, Alex 10
Askins, Jerry 8
Gain, Howard 8
Ramsey, Dallas 8
Wenberg, Neil 8
Smith, Buck 6

Minors
Smith, JR 14
Henderson, Kent 13
Hines, Paul 13
Franks, Watson 12
Neverson, Wynnell 12
Williamson, Ted 12
Hochstetler, Harley 11
Stallsworth, George 11
Coleman, Joe 10
Branch, Wilma 9
O'Hara, Michael 9
Willis, Dale 9
Willis, Kim 9
Myers, Robert 8
Yoder, Ray 6
MacDonald, Ally 2

[Ingo_Zachos]

Half-time in Branson.

the early leader Ron King lost two consecutive rounds against Sergio Scarpetta and Alex Moiseyev. Sergio and Alex now looking like a good length ahead of the rest of the field, with Sergio so far only having conceded one drawn round (to Alex)-

It looks like the story of the QT in Rome may be retold.

Can Sergio make history and score the first italian title at the US Nationals? Or will Alex be able to turn the tide?

Internet star player Alfredo Mercado in his first master event started good, but then had to conceed rounds to Jim Morrison (lost on timer) and Ron King, but a good price is still possible at his debut.

Ron King and Lubabalo Kondlo will probaly fight for the bronce medal, but others are still in striking distance....


It does not look as if Sergio is affected my his recent loss against Michele Borghetti, but maybe Alex can prove his point that in Rome he would have won had they played a longer distance ?

[Ingo_Zachos]

Final Majors Standings:

Millhone, Alan 29
Bishop, Anthony 27
Herberger, John 26
Clark, Matthew 22
Ramsey, Dallas 21
Tucker, Albert 21
Weaver, Alex 21
Beachy, Dave 20
Acker, John 19
Askins, Jerry 19
Atwood, Larry 19
Weaver, Joe 19
Webster, Jeff 19
Mays, Shelby 18
Wenberg, Neil 18
Smith, Buck 16
Gain, Howard 15

Congratulations to the winners!