Rochester Chess Club Blog: Upsets Shake Up Matt Parry Memorial Club Championship Heading into Final Round

Wilson Liu (Left, Black pieces) vs Henry Swing

ROCHESTER, N.Y., Oct. 21, 2026 – The race for the title tightened considerably Wednesday night as several lower-rated players scored notable upsets in Round 3 of the 2026 Matt Parry Memorial CCCR Club Championship at the Rochester Chess Center, creating a wide-open battle entering the fourth and final round.

Following the awarding of the evening's door prizes, attention turned to the chessboards as competitors prepared for what many viewed as a pivotal round in the championship. With several contenders vying for position near the top of the standings, Tournament Director Ken McBride asked that the chess clocks be started and Round 3 was officially underway at the Rochester Chess Center.

The biggest surprise of the evening came on Board 1, where Wilson Liu (1918) knocked off top seed Henry Swing (2055). The victory vaulted Liu into contention for the championship and denied Swing an opportunity to take sole possession of first place. post.

Another upset occurred on Board 11, where Nathan Pedersen (1345) defeated Matthew Sherman (1357) despite being the lower-rated player. While modest in rating difference, the result kept Pedersen in the hunt and earned him a favorable final-round pairing.

Elsewhere, the higher-rated players generally held serve. David Carr Jr. (1971) defeated Thomas Weaver (1805), while Jacob Snell (2032) overcame Nicholas Secours (1634). Rolando Scrubb (1797) continued his strong tournament by defeating David B. Carr (1543), joining the crowded group of players with two points.

Among the lower boards, Deyan Mihaylov (1610) defeated Joseph Sarratori (927) and John Strazzabosco (1400) scored against Anastasia Gore (772). Eric Luce (1850), Adam Snyder (1675), and James Attaya (1500) also collected important victories.

After three rounds, no player has emerged as a runaway leader, setting up several critical encounters in the championship-deciding fourth round.

Round 3 Results

Board 1: Wilson Liu (1918) defeated Henry Swing (2055)
Board 2: David Carr Jr. (1971) defeated Thomas Weaver (1805)
Board 3: Wesley Ross (1770) defeated Nathan McKay (1734)
Board 4: Jacob Snell (2032) defeated Nicholas Secours (1634)
Board 5: Eric Luce (1850) defeated Bill Pollifrone (1600)
Board 6: Rolando Scrubb (1797) defeated David B. Carr (1543)
Board 7: Adam Snyder (1675) defeated Michael Lionti (1423)
Board 8: James Attaya (1500) defeated Chris Floro (1316)
Board 9: Deyan Mihaylov (1610) defeated Joseph Sarratori (927)
Board 10: John Strazzabosco (1400) defeated Anastasia Gore (772)
Board 11: Nathan Pedersen (1345) defeated Matthew Sherman (1357)

Final Round Pairings

Several games in Round 4 will have direct implications for the championship.

Board 1: Wilson Liu (1918) vs. David Carr Jr. (1971)
One of the tournament's most important contests will be played on Board 1, where co-leader David Carr Jr., sporting a perfect 3-0 score, takes on Wilson Liu, coming off the tournament's biggest upset of the event. Liu will look to continue his momentum against a player who has yet to drop a point in the championship.

Board 2: Henry Swing (2055) vs. Wesley Ross (1770)
Ross enters the final round with a perfect score of three points and controls his own destiny in the championship race. Swing, despite suffering a surprising setback in Round 3, remains one of the tournament's strongest players and will be looking to play spoiler while keeping any remaining title hopes alive. Despite his upset loss, Swing remains dangerous and may still have title hopes if results elsewhere break his way.

Board 3: Rolando Scrubb (1797) vs. Jacob Snell (2032)
Scrubb has been one of the tournament's biggest success stories and now faces one of the event favorites.

Board 4: Eric Luce (1850) vs. Adam Snyder (1675)
A strong performance by either player could result in a high overall finish.

Other final-round pairings:

Thomas Weaver (1805) vs. James Attaya (1500)
Nathan McKay (1734) vs. David B. Phelps (1931)
Deyan Mihaylov (1610) vs. Nicholas Secours (1634)
Nathan Pedersen (1345) vs. Bill Pollifrone (1600)
Dakaylah Winfield (1467) vs. Michael Lionti (1423)
John Strazzabosco (1400) vs. Chris Floro (1316)
Joseph Sarratori (927) vs. Matthew Sherman (1357)
Anastasia Gore (772) receives a pairing with a house player

As the championship enters its final round, the standings remain closely contested. Liu's upset of the top seed was the headline result of Round 3, but with several players clustered near the top, the 2026 Matt Parry Memorial CCCR Club Championship appears destined for a dramatic finish.