Benson Schexnaydre wins 4th State Championship, Burkes Rives sweeps U1500

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Benson Schexnaydre wins 4th State Championship

After finishing in a 4-way tie in 2022, top seed Benson Schexnaydre from McCall Creek took sole first place in the Mississippi State Championship, held October 21-22 in Ridgeland at C Spire with 48 players. Benson finished with 4.5/5 points, giving up only a draw in the last around to 2022 co-champion Ryan Wu. This was his 4th state championship - an impressive feat for anyone and especially a high school student. Benson adds the state championship to other 2023 accomplishments:
  • Top rated Mississippi player with an established rating
  • Top 50 nationally for his age
  • Drew a FIDE Grandmaster at the World Open this summer
Pictured: Tournament Director Mark Nicholas (left)  with State Champion Benson Schenaydre (right)

Burkes Rives Sweeps U1500

Burkes Rives, who has recently moved to the Jackson metro area from Oxford, won the Under 1500 section 5-0, finishing first among an impressive 29 players. No stranger to the victory podium, Rives won a section of a regular rated in-person tournament for the 4th time. Rives did this while also juggling assistant tournament director duties.

Other Finishers

In the Open section 2nd place was John Wesley Ozier, who pulled off an improbable swiss gambit after losing in the first round to 4-time State Champion Douglas Stewart.  There was a logjam in 3rd place including Stewart, Wu, 3-time State Champion Greg Turner, and scholastic player Will Ozier.

In the U1500 section there was a 3 way tie for 2nd place including Clark Nicholas, Kaleigh King, and Hugh Monkeith.

Many 50+ Point Rating Gains

Among players with established ratings, a number of players gained more than 50 rating points:
  • John Wesley Ozier, Open, 162
  • Beth Trasher, U1500, 151
  • Jecoree Walker, U1500, 113
  • Burkes Rivers, U1500, 72
  • Kaleigh King, U1500, 66
  • Younes Abuhakmeh, U1500, 66
  • Neil Witherow, U1500, 59
  • Timothy Gray Jr., U1500, 58
  • Earl Duhon, U1500, 52
Out of State Players

The first open state championship in Mississippi since 2003, out of state players did not show up in force. There was only one out of state player and they were a non-factor.

Out of State Players

The US Chess Federation provides online crosstables.

Crosstable at msa.uschess.org

Find the Best Move!

From a game in Round 2 between Douglas Stewart and Harrison Line in the Open section, find the best move for White. You can put your ideas in the comments for the best move and the reason why. White (the author of this article), did not find the best move.


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