2017 Tennessee State Open 
was held on March 3^rd thru 5^th 2017
at Comfort Suites in Lebanon, TN 37090

Congratulations, Michael! 1st place	Congratulations, Jim! 2nd place	Congratulations, John! 3rd place	Congratulations, Larry! TN Master Champ & 4th place

(Official Crosstable Results)
3-Move / Eight 2 game rounds (Swiss) of 1½ hour per game - playing 2 rounds Friday, 4 rounds Saturday, and 2 Sunday

2017 Tennessee Open Masters By Round, 2Gm

8 Rounds of Swiss

before

after

Finish

Name

City, State

ACF#

Rate

Rate

Op

Rd1

Rd 2

Rd 3

Rd 4

Rd 5

Rd 6

Rd 7

Rd 8

Gm Pt.

H Pt.

Cash

Comments

1

IM Michael Holmes

Louisville, KY

10144

2089

2137

4

1T4/4

6T2/6

9T2/8

7T4/12

5T4/16

2T2/18

3T3/21

6T2/23

23

$410

2017 TN Open Masters 1st Place Finisher

2

GM Jim Morrison

Glasgow, KY

10156

2122

2131

6

ByeT3/3

4T2/5

5T4/9

9T2/11

2T3/14

1T2/16

7T3/19

4T2/21

21

$360

3

IM John Webster

Stoneville, NC

10147

2119

2106

9

5T2/2

8T4/6

4T2/8

6T2/10

1T2/12

7T3/15

2T1/16

1T3/19

19

$310

4

IM Larry Keen

Halls, TN

10149

2109

2084

5

9T2/2

7T3/5

6T0/5

3T3/8

4T0/8

8T4/12

1T2/14

2T3/17

17

$460

2017 TN State Master Champion (10th Time) $260+$200 TN Bonus

5

Anthony Bishop

College Grove, TN

10143

1978

1994

1

4T0/0

ByeT3/3

3T4/7

2T1/8

9T2/10

6T2/12

5T2/14

9T1/15

15

128

$195

Split 5th & 6th Place Cash

6

Bobby Gerringer

Pittsboro, NC

12442

1904

1953

2

8T1/1

3T1/2

ByeT3/5

1T3/8

6T1/9

4T2/11

9T3/14

5T1/15

15

122

$195

Split 5th & 6th Place Cash

7

Alex Holmes

Sellersburg, IN

10066

2012

1968

3

7T2/2

2T3/5

1T0/5

5T1/6

8T2/8

ByeT3/11

4T1/12

7T2/14

14

$145

8

Teal Stanley

Greensboro, NC

10107

2010

1978

7

3T2/2

5T1/3

8T3/6

4T0/6

ByeT3/9

9T1/10

6T1/11

3T2/13

13

121

$130

Split 8th & 9th Place Cash

9

CM Albert Tucker

Minden, LA

10127

1926

1901

8

2T3/3

9T0/3

7T1/4

ByeT3/7

3T2/9

5T0/9

ByeT2/11

ByeT2/13

13

110

$130

Split 8th & 9th Place Cash

$2,335

• Congratulations! To IM Michael Holmes from Louisville, KY as the 2017 Tennessee State Open 1st Place Masters Finisher.  Congratulations! GM Jim Morrison from Glasgow, KY as 2nd Place Masters Finisher. Congratulations! IM John Webster from Stoneville, NC as 3rd Place Masters Finisher.  Congratulations! IM Larry Keen from Halls, TN as the highest Tennessee Masters Player and recognized as the 2017 Tennessee State Champion which makes his 10th time winning this title.  Larry was awarded an additional $200.00 Tennessee State Player's Cash Bonus for his performance. 

• Congratulations! To Harvey Powell from Hendersonville, TN as first place finishers in the Majors Division and the highest Tennessee Major Player and recognized as the 2017 Tennessee State Major Champion and Harvey was also awarded an additional $100.00 Tennessee State Player's Cash Bonus for his performance.  Congratulations! To Gary Ellison, Lynn Steelman, Mike Choate, and Gene Ellison as respectively finishing 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th in the Majors Division. Congratulations! To Dustin Belcher from Madisonville, TN as the 2017 Minors Tennessee State Champion and the highest Tennessee Minor Player who also received $50 Tennessee State Player's Cash Bonus.  Congratulations! To Ted Williamson, Bobby Rice, and John Gibson as 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place finishers respectively in the Minors Division.

• Frank Davis opened the tournament by welcoming a field of 31 players from 12 states that registered to play. There were 8 entrants from KY, 7 from TN, 5 from NC, 2 each from AL & IL and 1 player each from VA, WV, IN, LA, GA, SC, & TX, which included 4 ACF & WCDF grand, international, or candidate masters, and 6 more soon to be titled master players participating for the ≈ $5,268 of prize funds. There were at least 3 other checker players: Vonda Jones from Talbott, TN; Steve Watkins from Clarksville, TN; and John Bowen from Granbury, Texas who visited and observed tournament play. John Bowen is Play OK under “jbonen” and a regular at past TX tournaments but stopped recently because of his 83 year old age.

• Frank Davis honored Larry Keen for his dedication and contribution to checkers by a presentation and plaque.  He also mentioned Ken Christian who again is responsible from the collection of door prizes.  He covered the Tournament Format, Schedule, and Playing Rules, and announced the pizza party was for 6:00 pm Friday evening and all players, spouses and family were invited to attend.  Frank displayed on the playing room bulletin board a certified bank statement letter from F&M Bank in Clarksville, TN on TCA's accounts reporting full disclosure of the current interest, withdrawal, and balances.  Mary furnished a posterboard detailing all amounts of contributions, funds, and entry fees and how they are allocated to each division for prize fund payout.
• We had a moment of silence to remember recent departed player who usually attended our TN State Open and supported the tournament, like: Larry Pollard, Hollis McClard, Otis Jones, Dale Hedrick, Bill Stanley, Homer Rankhorn, Ed King, Earl Harvell, Bill Pendleton, Raleigh Johnson, Dr. Robert Shuffett, and others names mentioned by players.
• This year's large prize fund $5,268.00 would not have been possible if not for the gifts from Gene Lindsay and Leonard Hickman.  You can read the specific details here: Leonard Hickman $10,000.00 gift and Gene Lindsay Fund.  Tennessee Checker Association (TCA) awards a bonus to the highest finishing Tennessee resident in each division in addition to the cash prize fund: as $200 Master, $100 Majors, and $50 to Minors.
• We also want to recognize this year's tournament contributors as: Frank & Mary Davis, Joe McDaniel, Larry Keen, Teal Stanley, Ted Williamson, and Perry McCracken.
• All players received several nice door prizes of some type which were supplied by several local merchants, Wilson County Visitors Center, Wilson County Chamber of Commerce, Wilson  Bank & Trust, and Cracker Barrel. We Appreciate Ken Christian who collets these door prizes from the local businesses and associations.  Mary randomly draws player's names until prizes have been distributed.
• Tennessee Checker Association (TCA) will keep their officers as: Frank Davis, President; Larry Keen as Vice-President; Mary Davis, Secretary/Treasurer.
• Frank Davis, president of Tennessee Checker Association (TCA) announced that the 2018 Tennessee State Open would be held March 2^nd thru 4^th at this same location, here at Comfort Suites, Lebanon, TN.
• Frank also opened the floor for players to announce their upcoming tournaments: 
• 11-Man Ballot National Tournament -“The Seres Checker Classic” March 28 thru 31 at the Honeysuckle Inn in Branson, MO;
• Illinois State Open - April 1^st & 2^nd in Marion, IL at the Illinois Star Centre Mall food court;
• North Carolina State Open - May 19^th & 20^th at the Econo Lodge in Burlington, NC;
• Texas/District 8 - June 2^nd & 3^rd at Holiday Inn Express in Vidor, TX;
• Southern July 7^th & 9^th at Comfort Suites in Lebanon, TN;
• GAYP National is scheduled for the week of July 24^th thru 29^th at Comfort Suites in Lebanon, TN (Calendar).
• GM stands for Grand Master, IM for International Master, and CM for Candidate Master, which are earned titles given to distinguish players by WCDF.
• Our oldest player was Harvey Powell who was 95 November 22, and our youngest player was Alex Holmes who turned 18 on February 28.  Harvey also won the Majors and the 2017 TN Majors Champion.
• We truly appreciate Frank & Mary as Tournament Director, Referee, and Scorekeeper.
• I would like to mention that Gene Ellison donated his complete collection of ACFBs and MCA newsletters to North Carolina Checker Association (NCCA).  Gene told me he would bring them with him when he attended the 2017 Tennessee Open, and he did turn them over to me as three full boxes of bulletins and newsletters.
• Sunday service was an enjoyable one with Ted Williamson bring a messages and The Williamson Branch performed inspirational Gospel Music.  Williamson Branch Family offered the checker players a senior discount on DVD's both new and past albums.
• A delightful tournament & wonderful fellowship was had by all who attended!