Bruce Baker tried mightily to draw a Rook and Pawn ending down one pawn on Saturday night in Round 2, but IM Valentin Iotov of Bulgaria ground out the win in a grueling 5 1/2 hour game. Valentine won $3,000 for his superb performance against many top players in Southern California. He drew with Akobian in Round 4 and defeated Sevillano in Round 5.
The National City Chess Club was out in force, here Richard Gimeno takes on Alexandre Kretchetov in Round 2. Gimeno upset IM Tim Taylor in Round 1. Next to them are BU2300 winner and Angels fan Gregg Small playing against Takashi Kurosaki. Gregg drew this game and also earned a draw with GM Melikset Khachiyan in Round 5. Takashi also drew with Melikset and with NM Jouaquin Banawa.
San Diegans Dimitry Kishinevsky and Brad Salz played a long endgame in Round 2 that Dimitry finally won. Next to them are Expert Vanessa West of Gardena and IM Tim Taylor from L.A.
Expert Takashi Kurosaki lost a close one to IM Tim Taylor in this last round game. All players with a plus score in the Open Section (3 1/2 or better) won at least enough money to cover the $130 entry fee, and most of them won a lot more. No prize winners took any byes in any section, with only one exception - Cleofas Rojas in the Booster Section took a 4th round bye, won his 5th round game, but then withdrew and didn't play the last round, yet he still won clear Third Place for $250.
NM Alaa-Addin Moussa as White plays GM Varuzhan Akobian in Round 6. Akobian gave a simul to the San Diego Chess Club a few days before this event. See GM Simul.
Also see lots of games from this event at the http://westernchess.com website. And Jennifer Shahade was nice enough to include a write up I sent in on her USCF online site.