2011 Australian Open - 3 tie for first

The 2011 Australian Open ended in a 3 way tie for first place between GM Zong Yuan Zhao, IM George Xie and Moulthun Ly. Zhao and Ly played a quick draw on the top board to reach 8.5/11 while Xie defeated early leader FM Junta Ikeda to join them. According to the tie break system used (Sum of opponents ratings minus the lowest rated opponent) Xie finished with the title of Australian Open Champion.

Tied for 4th place were Andrew Brown and FM Vladimir Smirnov. Smirnov also scored the only IM norm of the tournament, which is his third and final norm.

The minor event (under 1600) which ran alongside the open also finished in a tie with Dennis Wan and Megan Setiabudi finishing well ahead of the field with 9/11.

Andrew Brown's equal 4th placed finish was one noticeable result from the event, and signified that he can be a danger to any player he meets. Although he lost to two of the tournament winners (Zhao and Ly) he had a particularly strong finish with wins overs IM's Feldman and Solomon, and a final round victory of FM Max Illingworth.

Brown,Andrew (2175) - Illingworth,Max (2311) [D85]

Australian Open NSLCC, Cammeray, NSW (11.4), 13.01.2011

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Bb5+ c6 8.Ba4 b5 9.Bb3 b4 10.Bb2 bxc3 11.Bxc3 Ba6 12.h4 Nd7 13.h5 e5 14.Bb4 Qf6 15.Rh3 Bf8 16.Bc3 Qf4 17.Qf3 Bg7 18.dxe5 Qxf3 19.Nxf3 gxh5 (D)

20.Ng5 0-0-0 21.Nxf7 Nc5 22.Nxd8 Rxd8 23.Bc2 Ne6 24.Rd1 Re8 25.Rxh5 h6 26.Rf5 Bb5 27.Rd6 Nc5 28.f4 Bf8 29.Rdf6 Nd7 30.Rg6 Nc5 31.Rxf8 Rxf8 32.Bb4 Rxf4 33.Bxc5 Rf1+ 34.Kd2 h5 35.e6 Bc4 36.Bb3 Bxb3 37.axb3 Kb7 38.e7 1-0