The 44th Annual Liberty Bell Open will take place over the Martin Luther King weekend from January 13-16, 2012, at the Sheraton City Center Hotel, Philadelphia. The event has a $20,000 projected prize fund with $14,000 guaranteed.
The event has 9 sections: Open, Under 2300, Under 2100, Under 1900, Under 1700, Under 1500, Under 1300, Under 1100 and Under 900. All sections are 7-round Swiss tournaments having 4-day, 3-day and 2-day schedules to play in.
Prizes $20,000 based on 320 paid entries, else in proportion, except minimum 70% of each prize guaranteed. In 2006 to 2011, the tournament had over 320 paid entries each year and the $20,000 projected prize fund was increased in proportion. In 9 sections.
Open Section prizes: $1700-1000-500-300-200, 1st clear or on tiebreak $100 bonus, top Under 2400 $800. FIDE rated.
Last year four players tied for 1st in the Open Section, GMs Alex Shabalov and Sergey Kudrin, IM Marc Esserman and FM Farai Mandizha, who each finished with 5½ points.
