Round 2 Delivers Upsets and Black-Side Successes

The second round of the Community Chess Club of Rochester's club championship was held Wednesday, October 14, 2026, at the Rochester Chess Center, featured several notable upsets and an exceptional showing by the Black pieces. While top seed Henry Swing continued his march through the field with a win over Eric Luce, lower-rated players Thomas Weaver, Wesley Ross and Mike Lionti scored impressive victories against opponents rated more than 150 points higher. In a rare occurrence, Black won eight of the twelve games played, turning conventional wisdom about White's first-move advantage on its head.

The biggest upset came on Board 2 where TJ Weaver (1805) defeated Jacob Snell (2032) with the black pieces, overcoming a rating deficit of more than 200 points. Another major upset occurred on Board 4 where Wesley Ross (1770) also scored with Black against David Phelps (1931). Another upset occurred on Board 8 where Mike Lionti (1423) defeated the higher-rated Deyan Mihaylov (1610). 

Board 1 saw tournament favorite Henry Swing (2055) continue his strong start, defeating Eric Luce (1850) from the Black side. Higher-rated players generally held serve on most boards, as David Carr Jr., Wilson Liu, Bill Pollifrone, and David Carr all converted their rating advantages into victories.

Black pieces proved to be a powerful weapon throughout the round. Fully eight of the twelve games were won by Black, an unusually high percentage and a reversal of the traditional first-move advantage enjoyed by White. Several of those Black victories came on the top boards, dramatically reshaping the standings heading into Round 3.

Among the lower boards, Nathan McKay, Nicholas Secours, James Attaya, and Dakaylah Winfield scored important victories to remain in contention. Winfield's win over Anastasia Gore and Attaya's victory over Matthew Sherman ensured that several players remain within striking distance as the tournament enters its second half.

With two rounds now complete in the four-round event, the standings have tightened considerably. The upsets in Round 2 demonstrate once again that ratings provide only a forecast, not a result, and every remaining game could have a major impact on the final standings.

Round 3 promises several key pairings as tournament leaders and upset winners collide in the battle for the championship.                                                    

A big thank you to Eric Luce who provided a complete analysis of his game with Henry Swing on Board 1. 

                                                     Round 2 Results:

                Round 3 Preliminary Pairings"

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