Category: State Events

San Antonio Chess Club Announces New Officers

On February 12, 2019

In San Antonio Chess Club, Texas, US Chess

A new year is fully underway and the San Antonio Chess Club has elected new officers for its executive board.

President: Rosalinda Romo
Vice President: Joel Salinas
Treasurer: Juan Carrizales
Director-At-Large: JP Hyltin
Webmaster: Martin Gordon

Founded in 1888, the San Antonio Chess Club is the oldest chess club in the state of Texas. They currently meet at the Lions Field Center on Broadway from 1730-2100 every Thursday (except holidays). They are also the official governing body for US Chess activities and tournaments in the greater San Antonio area.

The club is currently exploring ways to expand chess activities in scholastic and amateur arenas across the city. If you’re interest in joining or would like more information, check out their official website for details.

Chess, Chess Everywhere in San Antonio!

By Commander Exorcist

On April 29, 2016

In San Antonio Chess Club, Texas, Tournaments

For chess players and fans across South Texas, San Antonio is the place to be this weekend and throughout the next few weeks. Aw, who am I kidding? San Antonio is the place to be, period. This weekend, Trinity University and the Jesse James Chess Academy is hosting a tournament at their main campus in downtown. You can read more about that tournament here on Campfire Chess or visit the official website to register. Yours truly is registered and will be playing in the rated section.

Rackspace, the cloud company that converted the abandoned Westgate Mall into their technological metropolis, is hosting its annual Rackspace Chess Scholastic Tournament on April 30 (tomorrow) beginning at 0730 CST. There is no entry fee and the tournament is open for K-1 through High School Seniors. Visit the Rackspace website to see more about the tournament. Note that all participants must have a parent with them.

As if that was not enough, the 2016 San Antonio Chess Club Championship begins this coming Thursday, May 5 at 7pm. The tournament is played at the Lions Field Center, which is the same location that my church, Mission Vineyard Church, meets on Sunday mornings at 10am (hint hint). Entry is free, but is closed to members of the SA Chess Club. Club officers will be on hand at Lions Field before the tournament to start a new membership or renew an existing membership. First place is a championship trophy and free entry into the upcoming San Antonio City Championship. Time controls are G75+5, but are subject to change based on availability of the Lions Field Center for late night play. Visit the club on Facebook and RSVP if you would like to participate.

Finally, the San Antonio City Chess Championship is also fast approaching and will be held from July 30-31. Exact times, location, and other details are forthcoming. I will post more details on that tournament when I know they have been solidified. I am also examining the possibility of conducting some live commentary for that tournament. At the very least, I intend to offer a daily tournament report, photos, and possibly some interviews. More to come.

In the meantime, enjoy the amazing amount of chess on the horizon in the Alamo City!

Three-Way Tie for First in San Antonio

By Commander Exorcist

On July 14, 2015

In San Antonio Chess Club, Texas

The San Antonio Chess Club hosted its annual city championship tournament from June 27-28 at the Hornbeak Building in San Antonio. This year’s event was a huge success with over 100 players descending on the Alamo city to compete for the coveted title of best chess player in San Antonio. Featured in this year’s tournament was NM Jesse Lozano, NM Curtis Brooks, and the always lovely and engaging WCM Claudia Munoz.

WCM Munoz and others compete for the San Antonio Championship title.

This year, NM Lozano, NM Brooks, and Gregg Stanley shared a three-way tie for first place, but it was Gregg Stanley who took home the title of San Antonio City Champion. Congratulations to Mr. Stanley on his achievement! The complete crosstable for the event is below, courtesy of the United States Chess Federation.

Event ID:        201506282842
Event Name:      2015 SAN ANTONIO CITY CHAMPIONSHIP
Location:        SAN ANTONIO TX 78229
Event Dates:     2015-06-27 - 2015-06-28
Stats:           2 Sections, 113 Players, 253 Games
Affiliate:       A5011779 SAN ANTONIO CHESS CLUB 
Chief TD:        10399289 JOHN PAUL HYLTIN
Asst Chief TD:   12755968 ROSS EVAN JOHNSON
Other TDs:       15166820 EDGAR MUNOZ

Section:         1 OPEN
Section Dates:   2015-06-27 - 2015-06-28
Sec Chief TD:    12755968 ROSS EVAN JOHNSON
Sec Asst Chf TD: 15166820 EDGAR MUNOZ
Stats:           5 Rounds, 111 Players, 252 Games, Swiss
Rating Stats:    Regular Ratings Full K
Dates:           Received: 2015-06-28, Entered: 2015-06-28, Rated: 2015-06-28
Re-Rated:        2015-07-07
 USCF ID PAIR       NAME        ST PRERATE PSTRATE   1     2     3     4     5   TOTAL
-------- ---- ----------------- -- ------- ------- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
10400481    1 STANLEY, GREGG    TX 2176*   2186*   W--57 W---8 W--65 D--15 W--13  4.5 
12767972    2 BROOKS, CURTIS    TX 2220*   2224*   W--47 W--23 W--68 D--14 W--16  4.5 
12937011    3 LOZANO, JESSE JAM TX 2256*   2264*   W--53 W--63 D--13 W--17 W--15  4.5 
12857760    4 VASQUEZ, SIMON, I TX 2115*   2132*   W--40 W--26 D--45 D---5 W--35  4.0 
15428404    5 RODRIGUEZ, DANIEL TX 2338*   2331*   W--25 D--17 W--20 D---4 W--14  4.0 
12722825    6 GUERRA, ANTHONY   TX 2138*   2130*   W--28 W--24 L--14 W--36 W--37  4.0 
10293472    7 MCCUE, MARK E     TX 1919*   1944*   W--31 D--19 H---0 W--33 W--27  4.0 
15166820    8 MUNOZ, EDGAR      TX 1813*   1849*   W--34 L---1 W--88 W--65 W--23  4.0 
12715176    9 LOYOLA, EDUARDO   TX 2064*   2072*   W--44 L--45 W--52 W--53 W--24  4.0 
13942060   10 NGUYEN, KHOA MINH TX 1991*   1979*   L--29 W--58 W--94 W--26 W--25  4.0 
11406751   11 FLOURNOY, DONALD  TX 2014*   2030*   W--62 H---0 W--69 D--45 W--30  4.0 
14793255   12 WANG, YANKE       TX 1952*   1956*   H---0 W--51 D--64 W--48 W--32  4.0 
13481236   13 MUNOZ, CLAUDIA E  TX 2064*   2085*   W--96 W--46 D---3 W--18 L---1  3.5 
15224818   14 CARLL, GARRETT B  TX 1429*   1581*   W-109 W--31 W---6 D---2 L---5  3.5 
12029800   15 HUDDLESTON, JAMES TX 2114*   2115*   W--41 W--50 W--27 D---1 L---3  3.5 
13517950   16 MALAZARTE, ERNEST TX 2130*   2123*   W--33 W--29 D--18 W--21 L---2  3.5 
13942054   17 NGUYEN, DUY MINH  TX 2075*   2081*   X-110 D---5 W--49 L---3 W--47  3.5 
15757280   18 VIDJEACOUMAR, SIN TX 1586/03 1824/08 W--83 W--34 D--16 L--13 W--51  3.5 
10070759   19 MOORE, BOBBY G, J TX 2200*   2200*   W--36 D---7 H---0 D--47 W--28  3.5 
14509898   20 LOPEZ, LUKE       TX 1864*   1885*   H---0 W--22 L---5 W--69 W--49  3.5 
14450427   21 YU, RAY           TX 1917*   1918*   H---0 W--55 W--71 L--16 W--50  3.5 
14502963   22 FAN, WILLIAM G    TX 1931*   1922*   H---0 L--20 W--98 W--74 W--54  3.5 
10399831   23 SMITH, ANDREW I   TX 2032*   2015*   W--39 L---2 W--58 W--42 L---8  3.0 
12430764   24 TAYLOR, BRYAN WES TX 1918*   1914*   W--73 L---6 W--76 W--29 L---9  3.0 
13510941   25 FLORES, BRANDON M TX 1797*   1794*   L---5 W--43 W--87 W--56 L--10  3.0 
15585988   26 BULGER, JAMES     TX 1469*   1516*   W--30 L---4 W--99 L--10 W--74  3.0 
15757295   27 RAVINDRAN, MAGESH TX 1300/03 1586/08 W--97 W--73 L--15 W--39 L---7  3.0 
12777105   28 VISWANATH, LAKSHM TX 1657*   1696*   L---6 W--75 W--97 W--38 L--19  3.0 
14783745   29 HERRERA, BLAKE    TX 1632*   1662*   W--10 L--16 W-102 L--24 W--65  3.0 
14605830   30 BANDI, ROHIT CHOU TX 1819*   1794*   L--26 W--94 W--60 W--68 L--11  3.0 
15121826   31 RAMESH, SREENEVAS TX 1735*   1710*   L---7 L--14 W--86 W--82 W--84  3.0 
12596133   32 DELEON, JOSE      TX 1774*   1771*   L--45 W--70 W--78 W--66 L--12  3.0 
12430464   33 ECKERT, ALLEN     TX 1700*   1701*   L--16 W--87 W--67 L---7 W--68  3.0 
11289258   34 RIMPEL, LOUIS H   TX 1680*   1668*   L---8 L--18 W--85 W--97 W--64  3.0 
12283310   35 MINSKEY, CHARLES  TX 1869*   1849*   D--48 D--52 W--80 W--84 L---4  3.0 
14714240   36 ROMO, BENJAMIN    TX 1747*   1752*   L--19 W--78 W--90 L---6 W--70  3.0 
11346600   37 HERNANDEZ, JULIAN TX 1853*   1843*   H---0 D--48 W--72 W--64 L---6  3.0 
12871427   38 DIAZ, ADRIAN      TX 2039*   2010*   H---0 D--49 W--70 L--28 W--55  3.0 
12424200   39 MALCOLM, BARRINGT TX 1674*   1660*   L--23 W--82 W--89 L--27 W--78  3.0 
12620982   40 CARRIZALES, JUAN, TX 1634*   1683*   L---4 W-106 F--56 W--87 W--63  3.0 
14750730   41 BATTULA, RAHUL    TX 1778*   1765*   L--15 D--64 H---0 W--75 W--72  3.0 
15187722   42 QIN, ANDREW       TX 1651*   1649*   L--63 W--67 W--79 L--23 W--66  3.0 
11476791   43 BURKLOW, FREDDY R TX 1418*   1431*   W--66 L--25 L--63 W-101 W--79  3.0 
14793323   44 THOMAS, MICHAEL D TX 1655*   1627*   L---9 L--68 W--95 X-106 W--76  3.0 
12839764   45 DE JESUS, JEFFREY TX 2306*   2301*   W--32 W---9 D---4 D--11 U---0  3.0 
12730225   46 GITHORO, MBUGUA B TX 2262*   2252*   W--54 L--13 W--59 W--63 U---0  3.0 
13156795   47 MCDONALD, GABRIEL TX 1774*   1785*   L---2 W--60 W--75 D--19 L--17  2.5 
12498848   48 GRILLO, RAYMOND A TX 1610*   1618*   D--35 D--37 W--81 L--12 D--60  2.5 
14987180   49 DELEON, CARLOS DA TX 1484*   1571*   W--80 D--38 L--17 W--57 L--20  2.5 
12755968   50 JOHNSON, ROSS EVA TX 1520*   1539*   W--61 L--15 H---0 W--59 L--21  2.5 
14484332   51 ORTIZ, MATTHEW    TX 1784*   1759*   D--52 L--12 W--93 W--71 L--18  2.5 
13731991   52 PACHECO, DAVID, I TX 1577*   1589*   D--51 D--35 L---9 D--67 W--89  2.5 
15506010   53 MURALIDHARAN, SAN TX 1746*   1746*   L---3 W--88 W--82 L---9 H---0  2.5 
12561407   54 DAVIS, CHARLES R  TX 1735*   1731*   L--46 W--72 W-106 H---0 L--22  2.5 
14998896   55 CASAS, MICHAEL    TX 1562*   1549*   D--59 L--21 W--91 W--92 L--38  2.5 
15004804   56 AKELLA, NITIN SRI TX 1260*   1267*   L--58 W--86 X--40 L--25 D--61  2.5 
13467667   57 MILLS, WILLIAM RI TX 1781*   1746*   L---1 D--71 W--77 L--49 W--90  2.5 
12703789   58 PUTNAM, BILL HOWA TX 1463*   1466*   W--56 L--10 L--23 D--89 W--93  2.5 
15585601   59 KANG, ZHILING     TX 1228*   1324*   D--55 W--93 L--46 L--50 W--88  2.5 
15052858   60 AUNG, CHRISTOPHER TX 1357*   1371*   W--98 L--47 L--30 W-103 D--48  2.5 
12773482   61 REA, JONATHAN     TX 1488*   1437*   L--50 L--74 W-108 W--83 D--56  2.5 
12625674   62 ESTRADA, JAIME    TX 1665*   1633*   L--11 L--65 H---0 W-100 W--92  2.5 
13997116   63 MCNIECE, BRIAN    TX 1904*   1884*   W--42 L---3 W--43 L--46 L--40  2.0 
15166312   64 POTHIREDDY, VAMSH TX 1284*   1337*   W--77 D--41 D--12 L--37 L--34  2.0 
15197776   65 MALCOLM, MATTHEW  TX 1264/11 1321/15 X-111 W--62 L---1 L---8 L--29  2.0 
15348463   66 ALEXIS, FREWIN    TX 1177*   1216*   L--43 W-104 W--96 L--32 L--42  2.0 
15606662   67 CORREA, RAMON     TX 1296*   1338*   W--81 L--42 L--33 D--52 D--73  2.0 
15105036   68 YELLAMRAJU, AMBIC TX 1271*   1312*   W-108 W--44 L---2 L--30 L--33  2.0 
15196107   69 ALVAREZ CARRIZALE TM 1443*   1415*   D--89 W--91 L--11 L--20 D--77  2.0 
15461241   70 MIELES, ANTONIO W TX 1421*   1420*   W-101 L--32 L--38 W-102 L--36  2.0 
14908373   71 GUNDAM, ROHIT RED TX 1364*   1369*   W--99 D--57 L--21 L--51 D--81  2.0 
15472194   72 PULLABHOTLA, VENK TX 1377*   1375*   W-102 L--54 L--37 W--98 L--41  2.0 
12575888   73 DUGAN, DON        TX 1646*   1598*   L--24 L--27 W-104 D--90 D--67  2.0 
13306488   74 JOHNSON, LUKAS DA TX 1039*   1133*   D--76 W--61 H---0 L--22 L--26  2.0 
14830707   75 PEREZ, ETHAN HUNT TX 1336*   1334*   W-100 L--28 L--47 L--41 W--99  2.0 
15352433   76 LEONARD, FAUSTIN  TX 1331*   1314*   D--74 D--89 L--24 W--99 L--44  2.0 
15349870   77 SUDARSHAN, ANIRUD TX  942*   1009*   L--64 D--83 L--57 W--95 D--69  2.0 
15184345   78 ZOU, ERIC         TX 1347*   1337*   W-103 L--36 L--32 X--96 L--39  2.0 
15258881   79 CRANE, JAKE RYAN  TX 1038*   1081*   L--88 W-107 L--42 W--80 L--43  2.0 
14512488   80 AYALA JR, PAUL, J TX 1429*   1391*   L--49 W-100 L--35 L--79 W--97  2.0 
15759684   81 CRANE, JUDE BARTO TX 1008/03 1171/08 L--67 W-101 L--48 D--88 D--71  2.0 
15531337   82 GURUNG, KRISHNA   TX 1271*   1268*   W-107 L--39 L--53 L--31 W-103  2.0 
15460247   83 GUTZ, JOSHUA ALLE TX 1313*   1286*   L--18 D--77 H---0 L--61 W-100  2.0 
14140920   84 DETCHEVERRY, MIKE TX 1321*   1297*   D--91 W--95 H---0 L--35 L--31  2.0 
15667341   85 RAJENDRA, AFREN   TX  826/19  879/24 L-106 L--92 L--34 W-108 W--98  2.0 
15643412   86 GONZALEZ, ENRIQUE TX  992/23 1012*   L--87 L--56 L--31 W-107 W-101  2.0 
14989604   87 WAN, AUDREY X     TX 1317*   1328*   W--86 L--33 L--25 L--40 D--96  1.5 
12542411   88 BOURGEOIS, LANE M TX 1459*   1415*   W--79 L--53 L---8 D--81 L--59  1.5 
13769254   89 GONZALEZ ORTIZ, A TM 1253*   1268*   D--69 D--76 L--39 D--58 L--52  1.5 
15281604   90 MARRAPU, DHANVI   TX 1365*   1362*   W-105 L--96 L--36 D--73 L--57  1.5 
15424093   91 MARRAPU, SAKETH   TX  834*    876*   D--84 L--69 L--55 L--93 W-104  1.5 
13306494   92 JOHNSON, AARON CO TX 1176*   1165*   L--94 W--85 H---0 L--55 L--62  1.5 
12228820   93 SHORT, WALLACE B  TX 1229*   1207*   H---0 L--59 L--51 W--91 L--58  1.5 
12454484   94 GRAW, JOHN H, JR  TX 1387*   1391*   W--92 L--30 L--10 H---0 U---0  1.5 
15351451   95 BAO, EDWARD MING  TX  761*    746*   H---0 L--84 L--44 L--77 X-108  1.5 
12560128   96 SALINAS, GUILLERM TX 1687*   1644*   L--13 W--90 L--66 F--78 D--87  1.5 
15184963   97 LUO, ANDREW       TX 1255*   1236*   L--27 W-103 L--28 L--34 L--80  1.0 
15353573   98 LUO, HELEN HANQI  TX  959*    925*   L--60 W-109 L--22 L--72 L--85  1.0 
15105042   99 YELLAMRAJU, APARN TX  993*    976*   L--71 W-105 L--26 L--76 L--75  1.0 
15071377  100 ZHAO, EASON YICHE TX  959*    947*   L--75 L--80 W-105 L--62 L--83  1.0 
12503749  101 FRAY, RICHARD     TX 1156*   1090*   L--70 L--81 W-107 L--43 L--86  1.0 
12667389  102 CHACON, THOMAS ED TX 1108/20 1094/24 L--72 W-108 L--29 L--70 U---0  1.0 
15426895  103 WANG, JEFFREY     TX  971*    943*   L--78 L--97 X-109 L--60 L--82  1.0 
15127606  104 TAYLOR, JACKSON   TX  775*    763*   U---0 L--66 L--73 W-105 L--91  1.0 
15725984  105 MARTINEZ, ABEL    TX  541/10  553/15 L--90 L--99 L-100 L-104 W-107  1.0 
15745773  106 MEDRANO, DAVID    TX 1327/12 1320/15 W--85 L--40 L--54 F--44 U---0  1.0 
15725990  107 OVIEDO, MATTHEW   TX  679/10  624/15 L--82 L--79 L-101 L--86 L-105  0.0 
15336077  108 GEDALA, AARAV     TX  708*    685*   L--68 L-102 L--61 L--85 F--95  0.0 
15741214  109 TURNER, MARK CHRI TX 1300/00  539/02 L--14 L--98 F-103 U---0 U---0  0.0 
13181604  110 MONTAZERI, EBRAHI TX 1689*   1689*   F--17 U---0 U---0 U---0 U---0  0.0 
15726003  111 ACUNA, ROCKY      TX  155/10  155/10 F--65 U---0 U---0 U---0 U---0  0.0 

Section:         2 SIDE
Section Dates:   2015-06-27 - 2015-06-28
Sec Chief TD:    10399289 JOHN PAUL HYLTIN
Sec Asst Chf TD:  
Stats:           1 Round, 2 Players, 1 Game, Swiss
Rating Stats:    Regular Ratings Full K
Dates:           Received: 2015-06-28, Entered: 2015-06-28, Rated: 2015-06-28
Re-Rated:        2015-07-07
 USCF ID PAIR       NAME        ST PRERATE PSTRATE   1   TOTAL
-------- ---- ----------------- -- ------- ------- ----- -----
12228820    1 SHORT, WALLACE B  TX 1207*   1183*   D---2  0.5 
15351451    2 BAO, EDWARD MING  TX  746*    777*   D---1  0.5

Support the Dayton Chess Festival!

By Commander Exorcist

On June 20, 2015

In Dayton Chess Club, Ohio

The following is a communication from the Dayton Chess Club‘s Board of Directors and the President of the Ohio Chess Association. The Dayton Chess Club is organizing the first ever Dayton Chess Festival and is in need of financial support to make the event a reality. Dayton, Ohio is my hometown and I join them in imploring the chess community to reach out and help a city bring the wonder of chess to its citizens through this amazing tournament and festival in honor of our game! If after reading this letter you would like to make a donation to support the chess festival, please give online at www.daytonchessfestival.com or mail a check to the Dayton Chess Club (18 West 5th St, Dayton OH 45402).

As the Dayton Chess Festival draws near (a little over a month away) we have fully turned our energies to our fund raising drive…we are currently short and we are asking for your support.

I’m a member of the Dayton Chess Club’s Board of Directors; we are a good group…we are a strong team of professionals.

We are the committee that’s organizing the upcoming International Chess Event in Dayton.

Dayton Chess Festival 7-Day (July 27 – August 2)
Dayton Masters IM/GM Norm Tournament (July 27 – July 31)
FIDE Futurity tournament(s) to run parallel (July 27 – July 31)
Aviator Open Weekend Tournament FIDE/USCF (July 31 – Aug. 2)

The Dayton Chess Festival & Tournaments will be held every year. July 2015 is the 1st One…The Historic Kickoff:

Games broadcast live on Chess.com
Games broadcast live to spectators & website….thanks to Kelly Bloomfield.
The world is paying attention to our newest 14-year old GM-elect Jeff Xiong. Clear 1st Place 2015 Chicago Open (7 out of 9 games) Jeff Xiong is playing in the Dayton Masters.

We begin the Dayton Masters with an Opening Ceremony Monday, July 27 at 11:00am
And we close the tournament with a Closing Ceremony Friday, July 31 at 5:00pm
We want dignitaries present (which means media will be present) we are going after:

Mayor of Dayton
The Ohio Secretary of State
Owner of Dayton Daily Newspaper

Our total expenses is $12,000, so far we raised $5,200.

Our tremendous event has expenses: Grandmaster’s appearance fees, FIDE Arbitrator, Street Permits, Hotel Expenses, Marketing, Prize Fund, etc…

Who is managing the money, the budget: The DCC Board, we are a strong team of professionals. DCC Board members are listed on the website.

Why give a donation? Why support our efforts? A Dayton Chess Club Membership for starters….but wait, there’s more!! (see comments below)

Next year’s budget and fund raising follows a different plan. We need help on this “first one.” We need a successful launch. This is truly a significant moment. History is watching us and taking notes. We are asking the chess community to stand with us, make a donation and help make our 1st Dayton Chess Festival a true success.

Please Give online at www.daytonchessfestival.com or mail a check to the Dayton Chess Club (18 West 5th St, Dayton OH 45402).

Your name will be posted on the website under “Current Sponsors”…..or you can give Anonymously (as a few have done)

To be clear…this is a fund raising drive. We are driving toward $12,000. I will send out a follow up email reporting on our progress. Both donors and donation amounts are listed on the websitewww.daytonchessfestival.com. By adding up all the total donations, you can see where we stand. Please visit the website often to see who gave and to do the math. Tell a friend….help create a buzz. We are $7,000 short. Will the chess community come together and play a strong move? Believe and Give. Our “fund raising committee” will be contacting many of you, to help you “believe and give”….please be kind to us.

Dayton Masters IM/GM FIDE Norm Tournament Players

2550 – GM Vladimir Georgiev – Macedonia
2539 – GM Georgi Margvelashvili – Georgia
2496 – GM Dejan Bojkov – Bulgaria
2497 – GM-elect Jeff Xiong – United States.
2480 – GM Nikola Mitkov – Macedonia
2426 – FM Ruifeng Li – United States
2449 – IM John Bartholomew – United States
2370 – IM Calvin Blocker – United States (Ohio)
2365 – IM Farai Mandizha – Zimbabwe
2318 – FM Carl Boor – United States (Ohio)

Here is the story. FIDE IM/GM Norm Tournaments are usually held outside the US. These tournaments are in high demand, so players travel abroad for the opportunity to play and participate. These hungry and highly talented chess players are seeking “coveted” FIDE ratings and “life changing” IM/GM Norms. We have two home-grown Ohio masters looking to grab IM/GM Norms at the Dayton Masters Tournament. International Master Calvin Blocker is looking for his first GM Norm. FIDE Master Carl Boor is looking to gain either an IM or GM Norm. Did you hear? We have the winner of the 2015 Chicago Open in the line up…..14 year old GM-elect Jeff Xiong (currently TX….but Ohio alumni). This tournament will put Dayton and Ohio Chess on the International Chess Map. Ohio is already becoming a hot bed for chess. We are organizing an International FIDE Chess Event that will cultivate and grow talented chess players for years to come. All of this….in Dayton and in Ohio and in the USA. It’s all major.

What is a Norm…..IM Norm or GM Norm? A norm is a performance benchmark earned from playing in a FIDE tournament against other FIDE titled players. An IM/GM Norm is given by the World Chess Federation (FIDE) depending on how well a player performs in the tournament.

World Chess Federation (FIDE) – Examples of 3 FIDE Titles (awarded for Life) To be awarded the title of (FM) FIDE Master….your FIDE rating must be above 2300 To be awarded the title of (IM) International Master…a (FM) Fide Master needs 3 IM Norms (performances). To be awarded the title of (GM) Grandmaster…an (IM) International Master needs 3 GM Norms (performances) and a FIDE rating over 2500

Why give a donation? Why support our efforts? Donate $100 and receive “one year” DCC membership or donate $50 for 1/2 year DCC Membership. Ask for membership along with your donation. Chess players are making us proud and emotional, they are freely giving. And we will honor their belief in us.

The FIDE Futurity Tournaments gives chess players the opportunity to become FIDE rated or to gain “coveted” FIDE ratings. Ohio is making a move to have the most FIDE rated players….shh.

The Aviator Open is the concluding weekend tournament….a true open section, like the US Open, that means open to all. So you might face a beast, like a GM, in the first round….yes, this is a benefit of giving!!

Much like the WORLD OPEN, chess players have a new summer traveling destination. The Dayton Chess Festival, a yearly tradition “where chess players bang…and enjoying chess.” The Chess Community comes to play, scrap and participate…..witness history first hand, watch GM games live and in person. This whole show is a fiasco for the chess players. Who else can truly appreciate an International Master? Or a Chess Festival? When was the last time you’ve been to a chess festival?

Appreciate the beauty of the IM/GM games from the comforts of work (or home) on our website and at Chess.com. Brush up on your English, it needs a little help.

With your donation, all the chess players will “see and recognize” that you are helping to birth a prestigious International Chess Event, along with cultivating Ohio Chess and supporting a fun and beautiful experience for the chess players. Smiles.

Dayton Chess Festival will be 501-C3 non-profit status, next year. (we have a strong lawyer on the DCC Board) 501-C3 non-profit status, allows for donations to be tax write-offs.

We are specifically going after Corporate Sponsors (think NASCAR)

Crowd funding, Kick Starter. It’s hip, it’s new….it works!!

We have a full year of planning, compared to 1/2 year of planning in 2015. More time.

Next year, we have a powerful story, the Chess Community rallied, came together and made sure the 1st Dayton Chess Festival was well funded and a big time success.

GM Julio Sadorra Wins Texas State Championship

By Commander Exorcist

On June 4, 2015

In Texas, Tournaments

The 2015 Texas State and Amateur Championship chess tournament was held from May 22 to May 25 at the DFW Airport Marriott South in Fort Worth, Texas. Approximately forty-one people participated in the State Championship section while the State Amateur Championship section was packed with one-hundred and thirty-seven people! Social media saavy WCM Claudia Munõz was on hand to compete for the tournament championship and to take plenty of photos for the rest us! In the end, it was GM Julio Sadorro with 4 wins and 2 draws who took the overall tournament win. WCM Munõz played exceptionally well and placed 24th overall with 2 losses, 2 draws, and a win. The final standings for the top ten players in the Championship section were:

#	Name	Rtng	Post	Rd 1	Rd 2	Rd 3	Rd 4	Rd 5	Rd 6	Tot
1	GM Julio C Sadorra	2626	2625	W32	W17	W18	D16	W5	D2	5.0
2	IM Darwin Yang	2575	2576	H—	W7	D8	W13	W4	D1	4.5
3	NM Tianming Xie	2166	2224	W34	D30	W20	D28	W16	D6	4.5
4	NM Jeffrey De Jesus	2329	2338	W6	W9	D16	W27	L2	D5	4.0
5	NM Dachey Lin	2315	2322	W21	D19	W37	W8	L1	D4	4.0
6	Andrew J Widener	2142	2186	L4	W41	D10	W19	W28	D3	4.0
7	Joey Kelly	2100	2170	D12	L2	W22	W32	D18	W17	4.0
8	NM Atulya Vaidya	2254	2265	W40	W38	D2	L5	W27	D12	4.0
9	Robert Sanchez	2170	2199	W35	L4	W36	D17	D12	W18	4.0
10	NM Bovey Liu	2235	2234	D22	D39	D6	D37	W21	W20	4.0

GM Julio Sadorra and the Texas State Championship Trophy Photo: Texas Chess Association

The Amateur Section was open to players U2000 ELO or unrated, while the Championship Section was open to players over 2000 ELO or with a rating higher than the 2014 Amateur Champion, IM Darwin Yang (2570 ELO). This year’s Texas State Amateur Champion is Benjamin Frenkel who destroyed his competition to win a perfect 6/6 with an ELO of 1888!

Benjamin Frenkel and the Texas Amateur Championship Trophy Photo: Texas Chess Association

The final standings for the top ten players in the Amateur section were:

#	Name	Rtng	Club	Rd 1	Rd 2	Rd 3	Rd 4	Rd 5	Rd 6	Tot
1	Benjamin Frenkel	1888	90%	W70	W106	W18	W10	W16	W9	6.0
2	Daniel Hung	1884	90%	W78	W113	W41	W39	D3	W17	5.5
3	Adrian Diaz	1993	100%	W34	W82	W19	H—	D2	W25	5.0
4	David R Gaston	1902	100%	W95	W36	D15	W24	D17	W19	5.0
5	Ryan S Ackerman	1862	100%	W98	W49	W57	D9	D7	W20	5.0
6	Peter Mikhail	1890	100%	W94	L15	W66	W18	W44	W23	5.0
7	Jonathan F Allen	1921	100%	H—	W65	W71	W85	D5	W15	5.0
8	Annastasia Wyzywany	1864	90%	W68	W75	D85	D40	W62	W16	5.0
9	Travis Guenther	1943	100%	W55	W63	W61	D5	W11	L1	4.5
10	Atreya Vaidya	1971	60%	W72	W14	W58	L1	D15	W52	4.5

2015 Texas State and Amateur Championship Underway

By Commander Exorcist

On May 23, 2015

In Texas, Tournaments

Yesterday was the first day of the 70th Annual Texas State and Amateur Championship chess tournament at the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport Marriott South in Fort Worth, Texas. The event itself is a 7-Round Swiss with both Champion Sections (G/90 with 30 second increments) and an Amateur Sections (G/90 with 30 second increments). The tournament runs from May 22 to May 25 and is the official State Championship Event for Texas! The Amateur Section is open to players U2000 ELO or unrated, while the Championship Section is open to players over 2000 ELO or with a rating higher than the 2014 Amateur Champion, IM Darwin Yang (2570 ELO).

The Playing Venue (from WCM Claudia Munõz)

The schedule of events for the 2015 Texas Championship should make for quite a fun-filled Memorial Day weekend for those looking to get out and see some fantastic Texas-style chess playing. Among the players is the always inspiring and social-media savvy WCM Claudia Munõz, who is reporting on her official website regularly from the tournament. The schedule for the three and four day events is below. Note that both schedules converge today, Saturday the 23rd:

Schedule of Events

May 22 @ 1945 CST: Round 1 (4-Day Event)
May 23 @ 1000 CST: Round 1 (3-Day Event)
May 23 @ 1430 CST: Round 2
May 23 @ 2000 CST: Round 3
May 24 @ 1100 CST: Round 4
May 24 @ 1715 CST: Round 5
May 25 @ 0900 CST: Round 6
May 25 @ 1445 CST: Round 7

Human-Sized chess board at The University of Texas – Dallas

Texas has a strong reputation for being the land of beer, BBQ, and cowboys. Yet, amongst those things (which are all real things…even the cowboys), Texas has an incredibly vibrant chess life. The Dallas Chess Club is one of the US Chess Federation‘s Gold-Member clubs. San Antonio, my current city, is home to its own flourishing chess club and it seems like I find chess players almost everywhere I go. The US Chess Federation’s governing body for chess in Texas is the Texas Chess Association, which publishes the Texas Knights Chess Magazine and does an incredible job of promoting chess across the state.

Good luck to all of this year’s State Championship participants and the families that have traveled from all-across the lone-star state to support them!

The Ohio Masters is Approaching!

By Commander Exorcist

On July 20, 2014

In Dayton Chess Club, Ohio, Tournaments

The Ohio Chess Association (OCA) is proud to present the first ever Ohio Masters at the Dayton Chess Club (DCC) on July 25-27. Sponsored by the Ohio Chess Academy and the Dayton Chess Club, the event consists of a unique open format which consists of One Section that is open to all players. On-site registration opens Friday, July 24th and is $95 per player for the primary Open Section. Rounds will be held on Friday at 8PM, Saturday at 11AM, and Sunday at 5PM.

The OCA and DCC are very excited about this tournament and hope that players of all ages and abilities will make the journey to Dayton to test their skills against the masters. DCC expects many strong players from the region to attend the event and to provide daily lectures and exhibitions throughout the weekend. Up to two byes are permitted, but those byes must be scheduled prior to the third round.

This is an official Ohio Grand Prix Event, so Ohio Chess Association members receive a $3 discount on their registration. Additionally, Dayton Chess Club members receive a $3 discount. To enter, visit the Dayton Chess Club at 18 West 5th Street in Dayton, Ohio or register online at http://www.daytonchessclub.com. NO CHECKS will be accepted for on-site registration!!

This event is sponsored by the Ohio Chess Academy and the Dayton Chess Club.