List of our Players.

1st Metropolitan International (GM/IM/WGM/WIM norm capable!)

 

The 1st Metropolitan International was held from August 17th to August 21, 2011 in Los Angeles, California, USA. 86 players competed in the 9-round Swiss open which was valid for FIDE title norms. Top seeded were reigning British champion GM Michael Adams (ENG), GM Loek van Wely (NED) of Netherlands and winner of the Chicago Open GM Timur Gareev

 

England's GM Michael Adams won the 1st Metropolitan International chess tournament on Sunday, August 21st, 2011, in Los Angeles, finishing clear first a full point ahead of the field. Adams claims 5000 USD prize and Swarovsky trophy. Loek Van Wely and Timur Gareev share the second place with 6.5 points each.

Name: GM Michael Adams (ENG)

USCF: 2691

FIDE: 2715

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Photo Credit: Tara MacGowran

 

Michael Adams (born November 17, 1971 in Truro, Cornwall, England, UK) is a British Grandmaster (1989) of chess. His highest ranking is world number 4, achieved several times from October 2000 to October 2002. and he has achieved a peak elo rating of 2755.

Name: GM Loek van Wely (NED)

USCF: 2737

FIDE: 2683

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Photo Credit: Betsy Dynako

 

Loek van Wely (born October 7, 1972) is a Grandmaster from the Netherlands. He won the Dutch championship six times straight from 2000 through 2005. He was rated among the world's top ten in 2001. In 2002, in Maastricht, Netherlands, van Wely took on the computer program Rebel in a four-game match. The computer won two games and van Wely won two games. In 2005, he led the Dutch team to victory at the European Team Championships in Gothenburg.

Name: GM Varuzhan Akobian (USA)

USCF: 0

FIDE: 2613

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Varuzhan Akobian (born November 19, 1983 in Yerevan, Armenia) is an Armenian-American Grandmaster, originally from Armenia, who now resides in Los Angeles.

He became an International Master at age 16. In 2001, he moved to the United States and one week after his 20th birthday in November 2003, earned the title of Grandmaster.

Akobian won the World Open tournament in Philadelphia on three separate occasions; he shared first place in 2002 and won it outright in 2004 and 2007.

 

Name: GM Timur Gareev (UZB)

USCF: 2673

FIDE: 2613

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 Photo Credit: Betsy Dynako

Timur Gareev (born March 3, 1988) is a chess International Grandmaster from Uzbekistan. In 2004 he became the youngest-ever chess grandmaster from Asia at age 16. Timur was a part of the University of Texas at Brownsville's Chess Team from August 2005 to August 2006 where he helped the University obtain its first National Championship. In 2007 he tied for 1st in the Uzbekistani Chess Championship.[1]

As of 2010, Gareev studies Business & Accounting in the University of Texas at Brownsville.

 

 

Name: GM Alejandro Ramirez (USA)

USCF: 0

FIDE: 2592

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Name: GM Robert Ruck (HUN)

USCF: 0

FIDE: 2569

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Robert Ruck (born December 10, 1977) was awarded the Grandmaster title in 2001. In 1994, he took 2nd place in the World Under-18 Chess Championship.

 

Name: GM Dejan Bojkov (BUL)

USCF: 2534

FIDE: 2544

Short Description:

Bulgarian Grandmaster (2008). Bulgarian Champion in 2009. Best results: Balkan championship 2000, 2nd; Bulgarian championship 2001 and 2008, 2nd; Groningen Atlantis 2007 and 2008, 1st; Veria Open 2008, 1st; Bergamo Open, 2nd; Dajo Batricevic Memorial 2009 (MNE), 1st -2nd, Sydney Open 2010, 1st; Atlantis Meestertienkamp 2010, 1st; Groningen 2010, 1st.

A member of the national team in the 2005 and 2009 European Team Championships.
Bojkov is the owner of a very interesting chess webblog to be found at  http://dejanbojkov.blogspot.com/.

Co-author of

A Course in Chess Tactics

(2009).

Name: GM Mesgen Amanov (TKM)

USCF: 2537

FIDE: 2517

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Photo Credit: Betsy Dynako

 

Mesgen Amanov (born September 6, 1986) is a Grandmaster from Turkmenistan. He is the highest rated player in his country, and has represented Turkmenistan in Chess Olympiads. Amanov is also a prominent chess teacher, working closely with fellow grandmaster Yury Shulman.

Name: GM Melikset Khachiyan (USA)

USCF: 2581

FIDE: 2505

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Photo Credit: Betsy Dynako

 

Melikset Khachiyan (born 1970 in Baku) is an Armenian-American Grandmaster of chess, originally from Armenia, who now resides in Los Angeles.

Melik began playing chess at the age of eight. Two years later he won the Baku Junior Championship. When he was twelve he became a Soviet candidate master. He earned the title of grandmaster in 2006 after immigrating to the USA.

Name: IM Robert Hungaski (USA)

USCF: 0

FIDE: 2495

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Name: IM Enrico Sevillano (USA)

USCF: 2560

FIDE: 2492

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Photo Credit: Betsy Dynako

 

Enrico Sevillano won the Asian junior crown in 1986 and took part in the 1992 Manila Olympiad before immigrating to the U.S. He was the first Filipino ever to qualify for the U.S. Championship and has the best track record among Filipino players in America. He’s won a number of California championships and tournaments.

Name: IM Salvijus Bercys (USA)

USCF: 2576

FIDE: 2487

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Name: GM Dmitry Gurevich (USA)

USCF: 2542

FIDE: 2479

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Photo Credit: Betsy Dynako

 

Dmitry Gurevich (born 11 September 1956, Moscow, Russia) is a Russian-American Grandmaster. Gurevich immigrated to New York in 1980 and earned the grandmaster title three years later. Dmitry has won the U.S. Open three times (in 1988, 1994, and 2009). Also, Gurevich has had especially good results at the National Open in Las Vegas, sharing first place on numerous occasions e.g. 1985, 1986, 1990, 1991, 1996, 1997, and 2005.

Name: IM Andranik Matikozyan (ARM)

USCF: 2550

FIDE: 2451

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IM Andranik Matikozyan hails from the famous Armenian Chess School which produced World Champion, numerous Super GMs, World Title contenders and the current Olympic Champions. Being immersed in this rich chess environment Andranik began his first steps at the Chess School where he quickly progressed to a Master level. His peers in the early years were today's elite players, among them his friends Levon Aronian and the late Karen Asrian who competed with Andranik as his teammates for the Junior Olympic Team title in Linares, Spain. First success came very early at the age of 10 when Andranik won the coveted title of Soviet Union Champion in his age group in 1989. In the following years he consistently topped the charts at various World and European youth events. Most notable and memorable performances were in 1995-1996 when he won Silver medal at the European Junior Championship in Zagain (Poland)  and was selected to represent Armenian National Team to compete in the World Chess Olympiad, Yerevan 1996.

 

 

Name: IM Mackenzie Molner (USA)

USCF: 2526

FIDE: 2447

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Photo Credit: Betsy Dynako

Name: IM Conrad Holt (USA)

USCF: 2520

FIDE: 2438

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Name: IM Darwin Yang (USA)

USCF: 0

FIDE: 2434

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Name: IM Levon Altounian (USA)

USCF: 2478

FIDE: 2431

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Photo Credit:  Betsy Dynako

 

Levon Altounian is Armenian Junior Champion of 1993. He majored and graduated with Cum Laude in Art and Design from SCUN. Became a Professional Coach in 2001- students include National Individual, Team (Castlehill Country Day School- 2003) and AZ State Champions between 2001-2011. President of Arizona Chess For Schools where the goal is to provide excellent chess education to every child and adult through lessons, chess clubs, lectures and camps. (arizonachessforschools.com). CA and AZ State Champion 7 times. Participated in 3 US Championships, last one in 2010 by becoming the Champion of all State Champions. Looking for last 2 GM norms.

Name: IM Raja Panjwani (CAN)

USCF: 2417

FIDE: 2420

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Photo Credit: Anonymous

 


Raja Panjwani is a 21 year old international master from Canada. He was the 2009 Canadian Junior Champion, and has represented his country at many world youth events. His best result was placing 5th in the world youth for U16 in 2006.

Name: IM Hafizulhelmi Mas (MAS)

USCF: 0

FIDE: 2416

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Name: IM Daniel Rensch (USA)

USCF: 0

FIDE: 2410

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Name: FM Michael Lee (USA)

USCF: 2437

FIDE: 2395

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Name: IM Siddharth Ravichandran (IND)

USCF: 0

FIDE: 2387

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Name: IM Zhanibek Amanov (KAZ)

USCF: 2413

FIDE: 2382

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Photo Credit: Chris Roberts

 

Zhanibek Amanov (KAZ) (born in February 20, 1989), in Atyrau, Kazakhstan. He has been playing chess since he was 14. He got his International Master title in 2008. Recent achievements include 2nd place at Asian Junior Championship 2009 in Sri Lanka.

Name: IM Jack Peters (USA)

USCF: 2412

FIDE: 2377

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Photo Credit: Anonymous

 

Jack Peters has been one of the leading Southern California players since his arrival in Los Angeles in 1976. He wrote the chess column for the Los Angeles Times for 28 years.

Name: FM Joel Banawa (USA)

USCF: 0

FIDE: 2374

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Name: FM Philip Wang (USA)

USCF: 0

FIDE: 2371

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Name: IM-elect Bence Szabo (HUN)

USCF: 0

FIDE: 2362

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Name: FM William Mark Duckworth (USA)

USCF: 0

FIDE: 2352

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Name: IM-elect Keaton Kiewra (USA)

USCF: 0

FIDE: 2351

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Name: WFM Tatev Abrahamyan (USA)

USCF: 0

FIDE: 2343

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Photo Credit: Betsy Dynako

Name: FM Alexandre Kretchetov (USA)

USCF: 0

FIDE: 2340

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FM Alexandre Kretchetov, referred to simply as "Sasha" by many, was born in Russia (Former Soviet Union) and immigrated to the United States at the start of this current century. He started to play chess at the age of 5, became a Soviet Candidate Master at the age of 14, and a FIDE master at the age of 17. He is currently one of the strongest FIDE masters in the Southern California area and had a peak rating of 2446 USCF and 2395 FIDE, far above the standard FM. He was on the winning team of the 2010 Amateur West Championship, which eventually went on to win the playoffs against the Eastern, Northern and Southern Division Champions. Sasha qualified for the 2008 and 2009 Southern California State Championship.

 

Name: IM Jonathan Tayar (CAN)

USCF: 0

FIDE: 2335

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Name: IM-elect Robby Adamson (USA)

USCF: 0

FIDE: 2324

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Photo Credit: Betsy Dynako

Name: NM Yian Liou (USA)

USCF: 2337

FIDE: 2299

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Name: NM Howard Chen (USA)

USCF: 2362

FIDE: 2293

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Name: IM Ray Kaufman (USA)

USCF: 0

FIDE: 2293

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Name: NM Garush Manukyan (ARM)

USCF: 2291

FIDE: 2292

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Name: FM Elliott Liu (USA)

USCF: 0

FIDE: 2291

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Name: IM Leon Piasetski (CAN)

USCF: 2452

FIDE: 2289

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  • International Master 1975
  • Canadian Junior Champion 1970
  • Represented Canada at Olympiads (1974, 1976, 1978, 1988, 1992)
  • Represented Canada at World Championship Interzonal 1990
  • One of only 4 players to compete in Canadian Championships in each of 4 consecutive decades of 1960s-90s

Name: NM Kayden Troff (USA)

USCF: 2367

FIDE: 2282

Short Description:

Kayden William Troff (born 1998) is a Utah chess player who won the silver medal in the 12/under section at the World Youth Chess Championships in Greece in 2010. He is the reigning North American Youth Champion under age 12, winning the Gold Medal in Mazatlán. He also became a FIDE Candidate Master in Mazatlán. At 11, he was also the highest-rated chess tournament player in Utah. He won the 2010 Utah Open, the state's oldest and most prestigious tournament for all ages. Kayden became a National Master at the American Open in November 2009, at age 11.

Name: IM Timothy Taylor (USA)

USCF: 2352

FIDE: 2279

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Name: NM Alexander Chua (USA)

USCF: 0

FIDE: 2278

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Name: FM Alisa Melekhina (USA)

USCF: 2376

FIDE: 2263

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Photo Credit: Anonymous

 

Beginning to play chess at age 5, FM Alisa Melekhina has represented the US in eight consecutive World Youth Chess Championships, in three Pan-Americans, the World Juniors, and the World University Chess Championships, placing in the top 10 several times. She was the youngest player invited to the 2007 US Women's Chess Championship, finished tied for third in the 2009 Championships, and remains the youngest player once again in the 2011 US Women's Championships. Her biggest chess accomplishments are the gold medal at the 2009 Women's World Team Championships held in Ningbo, China, and an International Master norm earned in 2008. Alisa has also been active in ballet and dance since in the age of 6, but after earning her bachelor's degree in philosophy at 19, she will be focusing on starting law or graduate school in the fall. 

 

Name: NM Alex Cherniack (USA)

USCF: 0

FIDE: 2262

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Name: NM Alex Barnett (USA)

USCF: 0

FIDE: 2254

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Name: CM Giovanni Nieto Carreto (MEX)

USCF: 0

FIDE: 2251

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Name: NM Richard Wang (CAN)

USCF: 0

FIDE: 2240

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Name: FM Ali Morshedi (USA)

USCF: 0

FIDE: 2238

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Name: FM Eugene Yanayt (USA)

USCF: 2305

FIDE: 2236

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Name: NM Konstantin Kavutskiy (USA)

USCF: 0

FIDE: 2225

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Photo Credit: Bailey Massey

 

Kostya Kavutskiy (born November 23, 1992, in Kiev, Ukraine) learned chess at the age of 4 and had a fairly successful national scholastic career. After losing interest in his teen years he picked up the pace in 2008 and earned the title of USCF National Master in 2009. Kostya likes writing about chess and has written articles for Chess Life Online and on his own blog, happychess.blogspot.com. In 2011, he graduated from California State University Los Angeles with a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration. 

Name: FM Michael Kleinman (CAN)

USCF: 0

FIDE: 2221

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Name: NM Eric Rosen (USA)

USCF: 0

FIDE: 2216

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Name: FM Harutyan Akopyan (USA)

USCF: 0

FIDE: 2213

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Name: FM Dale Haessel (CAN)

USCF: 0

FIDE: 2211

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Name: SM Jeff Arnold (USA)

USCF: 0

FIDE: 2206

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Name: NM Dereque Kelley (USA)

USCF: 2241

FIDE: 2203

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Name: NM Ryan Milisits (USA)

USCF: 2218

FIDE: 2203

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Name: NM Michael Bodek (USA)

USCF: 0

FIDE: 2191

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Name: WIM Lorena Zepeda (ESA)

USCF: 0

FIDE: 2187

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Photo Credit: Betsy Dynako

Name: FM Michael Langer (USA)

USCF: 0

FIDE: 2180

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Name: NM Adarsh Jayakumar (USA)

USCF: 0

FIDE: 2177

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Name: NM Sam Sevian (USA)

USCF: 0

FIDE: 2172

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Name: NM Alessandro Steinfl (ITL)

USCF: 2273

FIDE: 2164

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Photo Credit: Christian Glawe

 

Alessandro Steinfl is a local national master who has a penchant for an aggressive style. While originally from Italy, Alessandro has lived in the United States for a majority of his life.

Name: NM Ben Marmont (USA)

USCF: 0

FIDE: 2154

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Name: NM Vincent Huang (USA)

USCF: 0

FIDE: 2128

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Name: NM Michael Brown (USA)

USCF: 0

FIDE: 2121

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Name: NM Craig Clawitter (USA)

USCF: 0

FIDE: 2118

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Name: NM Jimmy Heiserman (USA)

USCF: 0

FIDE: 2111

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Name: NM Varun Krishnan (USA)

USCF: 0

FIDE: 2099

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Name: NM Christian Tanaka (USA)

USCF: 0

FIDE: 2098

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Name: NM Amanda Mateer (USA)

USCF: 2110

FIDE: 2096

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Photo Credit: Betsy Dynako

 

Amanda Mateer is currently attending the University of Arizona in Tucson. She has been playing chess since she was 11 years old and is the second highest active woman chess player in Arizona. She is ranked among the top 30 US female chess players in the country and is also rated in the top 15 players for females under the age of 21.

 

Amanda was a two time Arizona representative for the Susan Polgar Girls Championship which only invites the top scholastic female chess players in the country.

 

In addition, Amanda is a very active chess coach in Tucson. She works for Arizona Chess for Schools teaching at Elementary after school programs and giving private lessons. She also works for the non-profit chess organization 9 Queens that is based in Tucson and is geared towards helping and introducing women and girls to chess.

 

Amanda is attending the US Chess School in St. Louis in August 2009 and is among Arizona’s most promising and influential young juniors.

Name: Thomas Ulrich (USA)

USCF: 2182

FIDE: 2093

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Photo Credit: Anonymous

 

Tommy Ulrich is a high school sophomore from Grayslake, Illinois (a suburb of Chicago).  He has been playing chess competitively for about six years. He tied for first at the U.S. Game/60 championship in Skokie, IL, last October, and he took second place at the Illinois Denker Qualifier and state high school championship in March.

Name: NM Jeff Phillips (USA)

USCF: 2208

FIDE: 2071

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Name: WIM Sonia Zepeda (ESA)

USCF: 0

FIDE: 2068

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Photo Credit: Betsy Dynako

Name: NM Robert Akopian (USA)

USCF: 0

FIDE: 2047

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Name: Bobby Hall (USA)

USCF: 0

FIDE: 2044

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Name: Kofi Tatum (USA)

USCF: 2111

FIDE: 1995

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Name: Kesav Vishwanada (USA)

USCF: 0

FIDE: 1919

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Name: Michael Anderson (USA)

USCF: 0

FIDE: 1900

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Name: Dylan Quercia (USA)

USCF: 0

FIDE: 0

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Name: Jonathan Soo Hoo (USA)

USCF: 0

FIDE: 0

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Name: Alejandro Ruiz JR (USA)

USCF: 0

FIDE: 0

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