With only 10 pre-entries heading into Saturday morning registration, The 4th Best Western Northern Virginia Open wasn't looking like it could be a major success. Fortunately, the weather cooperated by producing rain all Saturday which often makes for the best chess weather. Who like to play inside when it is sunny and nice outside?!

A total of 50 players decided to spend the weekend in Mt. Vernon. The field was very much a "class" event as only 8 players rated over 2000 participated in the six round swiss. The tournament was ably organized by Catherine Clark and Helen Hinshaw and just about everyone gained weight from the combination of scrumptious donated pastries and doughnuts and free peanuts.

Matthew Morgan, playing in his first tournament in several years, was clear winner with 5.5 and pocketed $400 for his efforts. He entered late with a
half-point bye, another variation of the swiss gambit, and trailed Boris Zisman until their final round matchup. Boris was 5-0, having knocked off #1 seed Frederick Kagan, going into the sixth round and lost a tough game
with Morgan. Interestingly enough, Zisman was 5-0 going into the final round of last winter's Best Western Classic, also held here, only to lose to Charles Gelman in the last round.

Zisman and Edgar Inocencio finished at 5-1 to tied for 2nd-3rd. As one might expect with such a large class event, most of the class prizes wound up in massive ties. Virgilio, Rollamas, William Van Lear, Mark Lance,
James Guill, Marvin Lazo, Alexander Kane, and Lucius Hughes tied for a combination Under2100 + Under 1900 at 4-2. Joe Faries won the Under 1700 outright with 4-2. The Under 1500 was shared by Peter Schatz, Lindy Ergino, Mark Ludwinski, Patty Meade and Christopher Tull with 3-3. Maximo Mararac won the Under 1300/Unr with 3.5

The VCF thanks all the participants and looks forward to the next Mt. Vernon event in February, 1998 - The 2nd Annual Mt. Vernon Best Western Chess Classic.
Michael Atkins directed for the VCF.