Chessdom had the pleasure to interview Ryan Amburgy after his success at the 30th Space Coast Open.

The 30th Space Coast Open in Melbourne has just finished. Congratulations on your victory! How does it feel to win in a field containing 2600+ GM and multiple titled players?

It feels amazing. After playing very well in a norm tournament in Charlotte a few weeks ago (information / replay games), it was encouraging to have a good follow-up at this event. I haven’t won an open tournament out of state in over four years, so it’s a really nice feeling, especially being able to hold my highest rated draw ever against GM Zhou in the final round, knowing that a draw would possibly give me a chance to tie for 1st.

What was your best game of the tournament?

My best game of the tournament was my game against FM Rose Atwell, where I managed to win in a very complicated position out of the opening (replay the games here). Rose is a very talented player with a bright future. I was following the US Women’s Junior Championship in July of last year, where she finished a close second behind IM Alice Lee. I knew that she was a dangerous opponent that I couldn’t take lightly. I decided to play a surprise out of the opening and while it didn’t lead to an advantage at the board, I managed the complications a little better and her low time ended up being too much to overcome.

Throwback: Interview with Rose Atwell / 16 year old FM Rose Atwell takes Hikaru Nakamura’s scalp in Freestyle chess

You are close to reaching the 2400 mark. How far is the IM title?

I still need about 70 more FIDE points to get to 2400 FIDE, as well as needing one more norm which I hope to get at the Chicago Open in a few weeks. After that I’m hoping to play a GM Norm tournament in Austin, in mid-June.

Follow: Ryan Amburgy on X

Space Coast Open final standings

Participants include GM Jianchao Zhou, GM Gabriel Flom, GM Nikola Mitkov, IM John Ludwig, FM Eric Rodriguez, FM Ryan Amburgy, FM Brejesh Chakrabarti, FM Rose Atwell, FM Corey Acor, Nick Moore, FM Jean Marco Cruz, Jacorey Bynum, Theodore Slade, Ryan Hamley, etc. Live games will be daily on Chessdom

Space Coast Champions

2024 – GM Jianchao Zhou

2023 – GM Jianchao Zhou

2022 – GM Timur Gareyev

2020 – GM Olexandr Bortnyk

2019 – GM Hedinn Steingrimsson

2017 – GM Timur Gareyev

2016 – GM Andrey Stukopin, GM Julio Becerra (tie)

2015 – GM Julio Becerra

2014 – GM Mikheil Kekelidze, IM Alex Reprintsev, IM Javad Maharramzade (tie)

2013 – IM Nikolay Andrianov, GM Alex Yermolinsky (tie)

2012 – IM Javad Maharramzade

2011 – GM Julio Becerra

2010 – NM Eric Rodriguez

2009 – NM Jeffrey Haskel

2008 – IM Javad Maharramzade

2007 (Wojtkiewicz Memorial) – GM Alex Stripunsky

2006 – GM Aleks Wojtkiewicz

2005 – GM Julio Becerra

2004 – GM Aleks Wojtkiewicz

2003 – GM Aleks Wojtkiewicz

2002 – GM Aleks Wojtkiewicz

2001 – GM Sergey Kudrin

2000 – IM Virgil Grabliauskes, IM Blas Lugo, NM Marcel Martinez, GM Gennady Sagalchik (tie)

1999 – IM Rashid Ziatdinov

1998 – NM Fabio La Rota

1997 – GM Sergey Kudrin

1995 – GM Gabriel Schwartzman

1992 – NM Mikhail Braude

1991 – Bruce Koopmans