Battling Through the Japan Open 2024: A Chess Tournament Review

Battling My Way Through the Japan Open

Welcome to my review of the Japan Open 2024, which took place in Nagoya, Japan, from November 1st to November 4th. I wish I could say I prepared thoroughly by studying endgames or playing training games, but I didn’t. Between blogging, working on chess prints, and studying Japanese, I had little time for chess. This was a significant tournament, featuring 151 players from 22 different chess federations, making it the largest event in the Japan Chess Federation’s history.

Despite my lack of preparation, I aimed for 4 points out of 7. This goal was ambitious since I had never scored above 3 points in a 7-round FIDE tournament. To meet my goal, I would face many challenging opponents, including children, unrated players, and streamers.

Tournament Location

The Nagoya Congress Center hosted the event, a beautiful venue both inside and out.

My Performance

In Round 1, I played against Toma Matsunaga, a young player who had previously beaten me. After a shaky start, I found myself ahead by two pawns. However, time pressure caused me to make mistakes. Despite the loss, Toma’s strong performance afterward showed his skills.

In Round 2, I faced Andy Ma from Hong Kong. He played well and had me in a tough position by move 28. I was losing but sought a chance to turn the tables. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find a way to win.

Round 3 was against Tony Wijaya, a strong player rated 1973. I sacrificed material but eventually lost the game. In Round 4, I beat another unrated player, which was a nice boost.

The Highlights

Round 5 was special as I played Farzaan Nathoo-Khedri, a Canadian. He had prepared for my style but fell into trouble when he made a significant blunder on move 29. I took full advantage and won.

Round 6 matched me against Akira Kinoshita. I played my best chess so far and managed a draw. In Round 7, I did not perform well and lost to an 1800-rated player.

Conclusion

I finished with 3.5 points, my best result in a major tournament. The experience was rewarding despite not reaching my goal. Notably, many opponents recognized me from my blog, which was flattering. I received a souvenir from CM Alex Averbukh, and a pen from Melody, who participated in the Budapest Olympiad, added to my luck.

Thank you to everyone who supported me! Your encouragement is invaluable.

Final Standings

• 1st Place: FM Mirai Aoshima (JPN) – 6/7
• 2nd Place: IM Shinya Kojima (JPN) – 6/7
• 3rd Place: IM Abdul Arif Hafiz (INA) – 6/7

About the Author

I’m Sheldon Donaldson, originally from Canada. I’ve lived in Japan for 13 years and started playing chess 10 years ago. I began competing in over-the-board tournaments last year.

Thank you for reading, and feel free to share this with friends at your chess club!