03/07/2026
First-Ever GSL Viking Gambit Ends in Blitz Showdown
On Friday, March 6, the first-ever GSL Viking Gambit Chess Tournament was held at Shaw Middle School, bringing together 15 players for a four-round Swiss event filled with surprises and intense competition.
The tournament saw early changes, as two players withdrew during the first two rounds, while two players who had originally registered arrived late and joined the event starting in round two.
One of the most memorable moments of the tournament came in Round 1, when Giovanni Wences scored the biggest upset of the event, defeating Riot Hessel despite a 700-point rating difference between the two players.
During round 3, a player withdrew and gave us an odd number so the last round a player got a bye the same thing happened in round 1, we had an odd number of players.
After four rounds of play, the standings ended in a four-way tie for first place, with Riot Hessel, Spencer Worrell, Elizabeth Severynko, and John B. McIntyre all finishing with 3.0 points.
To determine the final standings, the tournament moved to a four-player blitz knockout playoff. After the semifinal matches, Riot Hessel and John B. McIntyre advanced to the final round.
In the final blitz match, Riot Hessel defeated John B. McIntyre, securing 1st place, while John B. McIntyre finished in 2nd place.
Despite his early upset loss in Round 1, Riot Hessel fought back through the remaining rounds and the blitz playoff to claim the championship, capping off a dramatic finish to the inaugural GSL Viking Gambit.
