The first Puzzle Rush Tournament in Bavaria happened last weekend
Last Saturday I held the first PUZZLE RUSH TOURNAMENT in the Bavarian town of Ebersberg - about 35 km (25 miles) east of Munich.
The players played alternately on 2 laptops and all the action was broadcast on two screens with projectors, so that all participants and spectators could watch and cheer. Furthermore there were also free drinks and sandwiches available for all participants.
In the preliminary round, each participant was allowed to complete 6 attempts and only the best of them counted. The best two players were endowed with cash prizes and also the rating prizes were paid after the preliminary round. In addition, however, the best 4 players of the preliminary round also qualified for the final round.
The semi-final was then played in KO mode and got decided a single duel in direct comparison.
In the first match, Gerhard Grundhammer had no chance against preliminary round winner Robin Schlichtmann, but the duel between the number 2 and the number 3 of the preliminary round was exciting until the last second: FM Uli Zenker then narrowly prevailed against Arthur Gil.
In order to give Uli Zenker a break before the final, a duel for third place was spontaneously scheduled. At first, Arthur Gil looked like the sure winner, but then Gerhard Grundhammer started to catch up and Arthur saved himself with just one extra point.
The semi-final between FM Uli Zenker (right) and Arthur Gil was thrilling until the last second - Photo: Christoph Keil
Then the big final started. Robin Schlichtmann was not only tactically superior to FM Uli Zenker, whose strength is indeed the positional game, but also with his mouse-handling skills and thus Robin could celebrate the first place in the 1st Ebersberg Puzzle Rush tournament and got rewarded a Chess.com Diamond Membership. Finalist Uli Zenker then won a voucher for a Pizza in the Italian Restaurant "Osteria am Tor" nearby.
Robin Schlichtmann (right) won the final vs. FM Uli Zenker. - Photo: Christoph Keil
Here are some statements from the participants:
Robin Schlichtmann (winner): This was very much different from playing puzzle rush at home. At your own computer you play absolutely without pressure, and if you have a bad try, then you just start a new one. But here, in front of a audience and knowin that a single bad try could end your tournament, puzzle rush reaches a completely new level!
Georg Schweiger (Chair SU Ebersberg-Grafing): It was great to see with how much enthusiasm every single player played and how thrilling the whole tournament was. Time went by like nothing. We will surely repeat this event very soon.
Johannes Kanz (SU Hirschbichl): Puzzle Rush is really fascinating. Now I have to become a chess.com member, just so I can practice and compete with you guys.
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