The annual NOVA Cherry Blossom tournament on April 2 raised $702 for disaster relief for Japan, “which will be split into equal donations to the Kansai Kiin and Pandanet relief funds,” reports organizer Allan Abramson. Fifty-nine players participated in the NOVA Cherry Blossom tournament, with Daniel Chou 6d topping the field. “This was our first Cherry Blossom in the new George Mason University Founder’s Hall, now that the beautiful Sumner School in DC (longtime Cherry Blossom tourney site) closes on weekends,” Abramson added.
Winner’s Report: First Place: Daniel Chou 6d, 4-0; Hal Small 3d, 3-1; Liu Hong Chun 1d, 4-0; Jacob Lewellen 2k, 4-0; Kevin Chin 3k, 3-1; Baifu Li 5k, 3-1; Caleb Vickers 8k, 4-1; Julian Erville 11k, 4-0; Chris Tolley 15k, 4-0 and Adam Chambers 15k, 4-0 (tie); and Robert Burdsal 17k, 3-1.
Second Place: Jing Guo 7d, 3-1; Keiju Takehara 3d, 2-1; Gary Li 1d, 2-2; Kelsey Dyer 2k, 3-1 and Xiaojing Du 2k, 3-1 (tie); Yukino Takehara 3k, 3-1; Raymond Yeh 6k, 3-1 and Joey Phoon 6k, 3-1 and Michael Lash 6k, 3-1 (tie); Joseph Lee 7k, 3-1 and Gurujeet Khalsa 8k, 3-1 (tie); and Tristan Tran 15k, 3-1
