The 2025 Labor Day Tournament took place on September 1, 2025, at the Houston Chess Studio in Houston, TX. The event brought together 23 players for a five-round Swiss tournament with a time control of G/30, d10 (30 minutes per player with a 10-second delay per move).
View the official US Chess crosstable and rating report for the 2025 Labor Day Tournament.
Results and Prizes
GM Joshua Ruiz won all five rounds to finish in 1st place with 5 points out of 5. Along with a commemorative plaque, he received the $350 first prize.
Ekrem Kizilkaya and Chauncey Rowe-Watters tied for 2nd place with 4 points out of 5 and each received $75.
U1600 Category Winners
The following U1600 category winners each received a free one-hour lesson with GM Ulvi Bajarani:
- Ekrem Kizilkaya
- Vyas Chari
- Ved Windlass
- Joseph Padilla
- David Reyes
- Kenson Lo
Appreciation
Azeri Chess Academy extends its gratitude to all participants for making the event a success. Special thanks go to Edgar Acosta, whose efforts in handling the setup and technical details were invaluable.
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