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CHESS NEWS!
November 2005
- Silence is Golden
- Draw Agreements
- Rhythm, Blues & Chess
- Free Internet Chess Server
- Deciphering Tournament Announcements
- Make an Impact on the Future of Chess
- New Time Controls
- OSCF Qualifiers
- Tie Breaks Explained by Ollie
- Share your news!
SILENCE IS GOLDEN...
Never were those words more true than at the 2005 Senior U.S. Deaf Chess Championship held this summer.
Congratulations to Kelso WA player, Donovan De Yarmon for bringing home the gold, with a 1st place win!
DRAW AGREEMENTS...
Feeling Feisty and looking for a great debate? Just bring up the subject of pre-arranged draws in
a mixed group of chess players! Many masters will tell you that there's no point in forcing players to play in
the last round of a tournament when they are willing to split the prize fund. But... when that agreement adversely affects
someone in the running for cash - it can bring a few gray hairs to the forehead of any seasoned TD. This is what the
USCF Rule Book - 5th edition, has to say:
14B6. Premature or Prearranged draws. It is unethical and unsporting to agree
to a draw before a serious contest has begun. The same is true of all arrangements to prearrange game results.
In case of clear violations of the moral principles of the game, penalties should be imposed at the director's discretion.
See also 20L. Manipulating results.
20L Manipulating Results. Collusion to fix or throw games, whether before or
during the game, in order to manipulate prize money, title norms, ratings, or for any other purpose is illegal and may result
in severe sanctions, including revocation of USCF membership. Such agreements include arrangements to split prize money
no matter what the result of the game. See also Chapter 6, USCF Code of Ethics.
At the HB Foundation Chess Challenge held in Minneapolis in May they made it clear to all players that with
the large amount of prize money available and the potential for pre-arranged draws that no one could agree to a draw early in
the game in the Championship section.
Even though this is a hot topic, there is one thing we can all agree on... if a TD plans to strictly
enforce these rules, they should remind players in their pre-tournament announcements in order to save
headaches at the end of the day.
RHYTHM, BLUES & CHESS...
According to chessgames.com: Ray Charles was known to be a chess fan and often
played against fellow band members, friends, and even at times interviewers. Ray's chess board was designed so that each square
has the same color, but the 'dark' squares were slightly elevated and the 'light' squares were slightly lowered. Each square
also had holes on the bottom to fit the pieces into, in the style of traveling sets. The dark pieces' tops had sharper edges
in comparison to the whites. For more information about this well-known chess player, visit http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessplayer?pid=81063
FREE INTERNET CHESS SERVER (FICS)...
Did you know that you can play chess on the web for free on a website that's set up very similar to ICC?
With over 150,000 registered users, the FICS is one of the oldest and largest internet chess servers. A great place
for players who go bananas over blitz or are just searching for a serious game. Visit their website for more information
http://www.freechess.org
TOURNAMENT ANNOUNCEMENTS 101...
Ever wondered what all that gobbledygook in the tournament announcements stands for? Here's a primer
for those of you who are new to chess lingo.
Nov 19 Portland CC Game in 60. 4SS, G/60. TD may switch to 5SS and G/45 if more than 25
entries. Portland Chess Club, 8205 SW 24th Ave, EF: $20, $5 discount for PCC Members. OCF/WCF and USCF memb req'd, OSA. No
advance entries. Reg: 9-9:30 Byes: 1/2 point bye if requested at reg. Prizes: ($200/b20) 60-40-30 U1800, U1500 $35 each Info:
portlandchessclub@gmail.com, 503-246-2978, www.aboutchess.org.
(Explanation is in brackets)
Nov 19 Portland CC (Chess
Club) Game in 60 (Each player will have 60 minutes to play for a
total game time of two hours). 4SS (Four rounds using the Swiss pairing
system), G/60 (Game in 60). TD (Tournament Director) may switch to 5SS (Five
rounds using the Swiss pairing system) and G/45 (Game in 45 - with
each player having 45 minutes on their clocks) if more than 25 entries. (They do this because with 25+ players more rounds will be needed to reduce the number of ties for awards) Portland
Chess Club, 8205 SW 24th Ave, EF:(Entry Fee) $20, $5 discount
for PCC (Portland
Chess Club) Members. OCF/WCF (Oregon
Chess Federation or Washington Chess Federation membership
is required) and USCF (US Chess Federation) memb req'd,
OSA(Other States Accepted, meaning residents from other states who belong to their
state federations do not have to join the OR or WA federation). No advance entries (Registrations are accepted at the door only). Reg(Registration):
9-9:30 (am) Byes: 1/2 point bye if requested at reg (If you need to miss a round, you can receive a 1/2 point bye for the rounds you miss - if you notify
the tournament director when you register). Prizes: ($200/b20) ($200
prize fund guaranteed based on 20 entries.) 60-40-30 (1st $60, 2nd $40 and 3rd $30),
U1800 & U1500 $35 each. Info: portlandchessclub@gmail.com, 503-246-2978, www.aboutchess.org.
MENTORING FUTURE CHESS GENERATIONS...
Thanks to the efforts of scholastic organizations like the OSCF, OHSCTA, AF4C and CFS, we're seeing an explosion
of chess in Oregon & Washington schools! With the new growth in the number of scholastic players - there's
a tremendous need for chess mentors. If you, or someone you know, has a knack for the game of chess - or just a knack
for organization and a little chess knowledge - please consider mentoring a program in your local school. Many times
schools don't know where to find a chess coach/advisor and, even though they have a group of kids excited to learn, their
chess programs falter and fail because no one is available to lead the charge. I encourage you to pick up the
phone today and call your local school to offer your services in starting or maintaining their chess program. The
benefits to kids are obvious, but you'll benefit as well when you realize the positive impact you can have on the future of
chess in the Pacific Northwest.
This request just in... Marysville Elementary in Portland needs an instructor for their Chess For Success
afterschool program. Contact Jacque Shayne, Principal
Marysville Elementary - 7733 S.E. Raymond - Portland, OR
97206 - 503-916-6363 - FAX 503-916-2656
COMING TO A TOURNAMENT NEAR YOU - NEW TIME CONTROLS...
If you're planning to attend the WA Class Championships on November 25-27, in Bellevue WA - be sure to check
out the time controls in the two-day event: Game/15 +30 seconds/move to end of game. According to National
Master Carl Haessler, who recently used this time control at a FIDE event, "It's like a really long game of blitz!
You get low on time - make a few quick moves and then have time to think again. It's really a different thought process
and adds an extra challenge to the game." If you're planning on attending the WA Class Championships - you might
want to familiarize yourself with the time control by practicing on ICC or FICS.
OSCF QUALIFIERS...
The first few tournaments of the season have qualified several Oregon students for the Oregon Scholastic
Chess Federation Championship to be held on April 1st at the Oregon State Fairgrounds in Salem. To see the current list
of qualifiers or to find out more about the championship event, visit: http://www.oscf.org
SPECIAL NOTE TO ALL OREGON TOURNAMENT DIRECTORS: If you're interested in boosting
scholastic attendance at your next Open event, consider making it an OSCF qualifier. To learn more about
the simple OSCF qualifier requirements, visit www.oscf.org The OSCF is actively seeking tournament directors to hold qualifying events in all areas of the
state. Contact Sudhakar Kudva, OSCF President for more information smkudva@comcast.net
TIE BREAKS EXPLAINED...
Recently, Jon Licht (St. Michaels Elementary in Olympia WA) forwarded this great explanation of tie breaks
written by the late Ollie LaFreniere. It's awesome and timeless and I thought I'd share it with all of you.
TIE BREAK SYSTEMS
Ollie LaFreniere
Associate National Tournament Director
Tie breaks are an unfortunate necessity of chess tournament life. Frequently players, parents and coaches
do not understand why certain players in a winning score group receive awards, and others do not. All realize that tie breaks,
despite inherent fairness, are out of the control of the players.
Three tie break systems are common to Washington scholastic chess. They are figured at the end of a tournament
by the computer pairing program and may or may not be printed on the final results sheet. Rest assured that they have been
properly applied, whether or not they appear. The Washington Scholastic Rating System uses the same tie breaks (which is now
known as the Northwest Scholastic Rating System).
Here are the systems and a brief explanation of each:
- Solkoff. The first applied, this system adds the scores of all a player's opponents and
compares them to the addition of the scores of opponents of others in the score group. Example: Elizabeth and Timothy have
won 5 games each and are tied for first. Elizabeth has played opponents scoring 2, 4, 3, 4, 4 = 17 Solkoff points. Timothy
has played opponents scoring 2.5, 3, 3, 4, 4 = 16.5 Solkoff points. Elizabeth has played, in theory, a stronger field
(by their results, anyhow) and wins first place. A fairer variation of Solkoff is the Harkness Median, in
which the highest and lowest score of opponents the compared players have faced are thrown out and the central scores only
are added. However, the Median is used only in tournaments of at least 6 rounds, preferably 7 like Nationals, because with
only 5 rounds it breaks few ties.
- If the event is large, players may still remain tied after Solkoff is applied. In those cases, the unbroken
ties are further broken by the Cumulative tie break system. The simplest to use, it theorizes that a player
must have faced a tougher field in a tournament if he won in the early rounds, thus upping his opportunity to meet stronger
players. Mikaila has a cumulative wall chart reading 1, 1, 2, 2.5 2.5 (she won round 1, lost 2, won 3, drew 4, lost 5), has
a cumulative of 9. She is being compared with Gray, who has 1, 2, 2.5, 2.5, 2.5 (he won round 1, 2, drew 3, and lost the rest.)
He has a cumulative of 10.5, and gets the higher place.
- If players still remain tied after these two tie breaks are applied, the final tie break "Opponents'
cumulative" is applied. All the cumulative scores of all five opponents are added, producing a large number which
is nearly certain to break all remaining ties. If it does not, the computer simply puts remaining tied players in the order
of their ratings at the start of the tournament. Lesser values are given players who score unearned points (forfeits). (So
it behooves directors to conduct good check-ins to avoid lots of first round forfeits.) There are as well some other fine
points too lengthy to be detailed here.
Searching for other chess events? Visit the following websites:
Want to stay informed about chess in the Pacific Northwest?
Join one or all of these email lists!
Pacific Northwest Chess for TD's & Coaches Only
Portland Chess Club
Northwest Chess Forum
If you have an event or chess news to share, send it our way and we'll include it in the next
edition of "Chess News".
CHESS NEWS!
July 2005
- New Chess World Record
- Maryhill Museum
- Good Tournament / Bad Tournament
- Blitz, Bughouse & all that Jazz
- Local World Chess Network Finals Qualifier
- New Northwest Scholastic Rating System (NWSRS)
- AF4C Workshop for Teachers
- New version of Blitzin
- Share your news!
NEW CHESS WORLD RECORD...
Pachuca, Mexico - On Saturday, June 25th - 12,388 chess players gathered together at a public park
in central Mexico to set the Guinness World Record for simultaneous chess matches. The previous record was set in Havana
in 2002 with 11,320 competitors. Children made up 80% of the players. Knowing how to play chess was the only requirement
to participate. A Guinness World Record representative noted that Mexico has also produced the world's biggest batch
of guacamole and the tallest cactus.
MARYHILL MUSEUM...
Washington is famous for many things, but did you know that the Maryhill Museum near Goldendale WA has a permanent
display of over 100 unique and/or antique chess sets? Once you see the Maryhill Museum Building, you
won't be surprised that it houses a collection of chess sets... because it looks just like a castle! They also hold
a chess set design contest for kids every few years, where the sets have been made using everything from M&Ms
to costume jewelry. To learn more about this chess treasure, visit the museum website: http://www.maryhillmuseum.org
GOOD TOURNAMENT/BAD TOURNAMENT...
There's more to tournaments than winning trophies and cash! Even last place finishers can come away with a sense
of accomplishment, if tournament directors keep a few things in mind:
1) Start on time! Or at least as close to your advertised start time as humanly possible. Yes... people
will sign up at the last minute and some will want to change sections and your computer may have a mind of it's own.
But it's just good manners to get things going as soon as possible. If things do go awry, as they sometimes do -
make an announcement and perhaps set up a master simul to keep the natives from getting restless.
2) Be consistent. State your rules (especially unique rules) ahead of time and be consistent.
If you announce in your flyer that pairings and sections will be set up a certain way or that USCF rules will be followed,
then that's what you need to do. If you're not sure about your sections, you can post a note on your flyer that
says you reserve the right to reorganize in order to evenly distribute prizes. That way, people will know
what to expect.
3) Be generous with awards. Whatever you promised in your announcements - that's what you must do.
But, if you want to be a popular TD and wish to bring people back... give even more. Sending everyone home with a little
something in scholastic events is a great way to reward their hard work and effort... even if it's just a small piece of candy
to brighten their day.
4) Make if fun for everyone. It's no secret that kids love tournaments that offer lots of fun things
to do. But adults appreciate this as well. Name your sections something wacky and then give out prizes that
fit the theme. Let family and friends know about your community and other activities going on during the tournament.
Encourage visitors to explore local eating establishments, museums, shops, etc.
5) Provide comfortable accommodations. Good lighting, elbow room, fresh air and onsite concessions all
help to make a positive tournament experience.
6) Encourage good sportsmanship. Remind players to shake hands and then analyze their games in the Skittles
room, remove chatty folks from the playing room and compliment players when you catch them doing something remarkable.
7) Ask for help if you need it. There's almost always someone willing to lend a hand if you get in a bind.
They just need to know what to do.
That's just a few of the things that make tournaments great, (things I've learned from a bit of trial and error)!
If you have one or two items to add to the list, please let me know and I'll include it in a future issue of Chess News or
add it to the website. Email your ideas to katetaylor@clatskanie.com
BLITZ, BUGHOUSE & ALL THAT JAZZ...
We'll be blitzing at Portland Chess Club on Thursday evenings this summer, with a little bughouse thrown in for good
measure at Round Table Pizza on Barbur Blvd. beforehand. But there's a little something extra you might like to
check out... local chess dad and renowned jazz pianist, Randy Porter joins David Friesen most Thursdays in August
and early September at Koji's Japanese Restaurant on Barbur Blvd (behind Round Table Pizza!). The music is mighty fine
and the company couldn't be better when chess folks are around.
LOCAL QUALIFIER IN WORLD CHESS NETWORK CHAMPIONSHIP...
Congratulations to Vancouver WA player, Andy (Bob) May for qualifying to play in the World Chess Network playoffs in
Las Vegas next month. Only the top 16 players made it to the finals after a 5 round knock out. Congratulations
Andy!
NORTHWEST SCHOLASTIC RATING SYSTEM (NWSRS)...
Working together in a collaborative effort, Washington and Oregon scholastic chess folks are moving the current
Washington Scholastic Rating System into the Northwest Scholastic Rating System. Ollie LaFreniere, rating system creator,
handed the reigns of the WSRS over to Kirk Winges shortly before his death four years ago. Kirk has streamlined the
system, making improvements to the original and has generously offered to share this wonderful resource with Oregon!
(We've watched with envy as Washington scholastic chess has grown over the years. They now have approximately 9,000
kids playing chess with well over 1,000 participating in their annual state events.) The NWSRS allows scholastic
players to track their rating and encourages them to improve their skills and play lots of chess. The rating service
is free to players and costs just pennies per game for tournament directors. TD's should see an increase in the number
of participants and receive the added benefit of improved pairings on tournament day. The OSCF is thrilled to work in
partnership on this project and everyone involved is certain this will help scholastic chess grow in Oregon.
The first NWSRS rated event in Oregon will be Clatskanie's Sizzling Summer Open on July 9th. For
additional information about this tournament visit http://clatskaniechessclub.tripod.com and for more information on the rating system, visit the OSCF website www.oscf.org
AMERICA'S FOUNDATION FOR CHESS WORKSHOP...
AF4C is now offering workshops for schools who are unable to participate in their "First Move" grant program. Teachers
who wish to use chess in the classroom can attend a 3-day workshop and will receive chess equipment and curriculum for their
students. Cost for the workshop is $1500. The next workshop is scheduled for August 9, 10 & 11 in Seattle.
For more information, contact AF4C First Move program coordinator Torrey Volk torrey@af4c.org
ICC TIP...
The Internet Chess Club now offers a new version of it's great Blitzin software. Still in beta, but it works just
fine for us, the new software has a sleek look and a few extra features. Bullet players will love the "premove" setting!
To learn more about the Internet Chess Club and the latest version of Blitzin visit their website http://www.chessclub.com
CHESS COACHES...
If you or someone you know is a chess coach, please send contact information to katetaylor@clatskanie.com We're compiling a list of coaches in the Pacific Northwest. Also include anything you'd like prospective
students to know... teaching style, focus, website, etc.
Searching for other chess events? Visit the following websites:
Want to stay informed about chess in the Pacific Northwest? Join
one or all of these email lists!
Pacific Northwest Chess
Pacific Northwest Chess for Coaches and Tournament Directors
Northwest Chess Forum
If you have an event or chess news to share, send it our way and we'll include it in the next edition
of "Chess News".
CHESS NEWS!
May 2005
- Oregon Junior Championship Results
- America's Foundation for Chess Classroom Grants
- How to Start a Club
- Free Chess Sets from USCF Chess For Youth Foundation
- World Chess Network - Online Chess Tournament with Hikaru Nakamura!
- Chalkboard? Try Chessboards instead!
- Chess Game with Live Pieces at Longview Public Library
- Share your news!
OCF - OREGON JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS...
The Oregon Chess Federation held a two-day championship April 22 and 23 in order to crown the 2005 High
School and Junior Chess Champion and the 2005 Girls Champion. The OCF Oregon Junior Open Championship was held in Clatskanie
and attended by more than 90 players, with 20 vying for the coveted titles in the Open/Championship section.
In
an upset match, expert Blake Salisbury defeated master Oleg Zaikov in the 4th round. Blake then went on to win the 5th round,
clinching the championship title and a trip to the Denker Tournament of High School Champions in August. He earned his perfect
score in a section of strong contenders from throughout Oregon.
Taylor Bailey confirmed her position as the highest
rated, active, girl chess player in Oregon by earning two points in the championship section. A class D player, Taylor defeated
a class C player and another female contender to earn her title. She is headed to the Susan Polgar National Invitational for
Girls.
Congratulations to both Blake and Taylor!
Class B player, David Rosenbaum, finished third in the Open/Championship
section to earn the U1800 Champion trophy.
Michael Taylor earned the U1600 Champion trophy; all three of his wins were over higher rated players.
In
the reserve sections, the following champions were crowned:
Cameron Gregson - Class D Junior Action Champion
Sean You
- Class E Junior Action Champion
Caleb Kesey - Class F Junior Action Champion
Calvin Yue - Class G Junior Action Champion
Griffin
Haas and Boris Piatski both earned perfect scores to win in the Novice and Family and Friends sections, respectively. The
coveted Sportsmanship Award (the tallest trophy there) went to Michael Baker.
For other great chess articles, visit the Oregon Scholastic Chess Federation website: www.oscf.org
AMERICA'S FOUNDATION FOR CHESS - CLASSROOM GRANTS...
Clatskanie Elementary School recently received the "First Move" chess curriculum grant from
AF4C for all 2nd and 3rd grade classrooms. The program is designed to prepare kids for future chess success.
The grant includes chess sets for all classrooms and a chess mentor to assist teachers in finding creative ways to use chess
in their curriculum. The game of chess is also used as a learning tool to build math skills, reading skills and
self-esteem. To view the curriculum, visit their website: First Move
Curriculum Overview. To find out how to bring this great chess program into your school, write
to info@af4c.org.
GREAT REASONS TO START YOUR OWN CLUB...
by Mike Wolfe, OHSCTA Executive Secretary
* Chess
often touches kids who don't get involved in other activities.
* Chess
can help raise academic performance, often because it encourages logical thinking and problem-solving, and because it teaches
people to sit still and concentrate.
* Chess
is inexpensive.
* Like
many other competitive activities, participation in chess helps young people learn the values of sportsmanship and fair play.
* In recent
years, in many schools, chess has shed its "nerdy" image. At our school, the players earn athletic letters, are recognized
in the announcements and at assemblies, and the spirit squad puts signs up in the halls encouraging them and congratulating
them for their achievements.
* Those
trophies sure look good in your classroom, office, or trophy case!
* It's
just plain fun. I'm in my 27th year of teaching, and upon reflection, I realize that working with the chess teams has
been one of the highlights of my career. Some of the trips we've taken together, some of our unexpected victories, and
yes, some of our most disappointing losses, have all added up to make the experience one I would never trade.
To find out more about how to start your own club, visit the Oregon High School Chess Team Association
(OHSCTA) website http://ohscta.tripod.com and click on "Start
A Club"
FREE CHESS SETS FROM THE USCF CHESS-FOR-YOUTH PROGRAM...
To request free chess sets for your school or club, call 1-800-388-KING or Fax 1-845-561-2437 and
ask for their "Chess-for-Youth" Questionnaire. Return the completed questionnaire, along with a brief letter from the school
principal, or program administrator, on official letterhead (if possible) to US Chess Trust, P.O. Box 3967, Crossville, TN 33857.
The US Chess Trust will review the request and, if approved, will send the school up to 5 FREE chess sets and boards!
PLAY ONLINE AT THE WORLD CHESS NETWORK...
The World Chess Network is a great place to stay informed about chess worldwide. They are currently
running the Scholastic Internet Chess Championship with Hikaru Nakamura as one of the participants. I recently watched
one of his games where he played his infamous opening of e4, Qh5. Visit the WCN website: World Chess Network NOTE: Some of the content on this website is a bit
racy (PG13). Parents should preview first, before sending their kids there. For a kid-friendly chess training
site (Rated G for Great!), visit ChessKids.com
CHALKBOARDS? TRY CHESSBOARDS INSTEAD...
Thanks to Kris Field-Eaton for sending a link to this great article!
Published: April 12, 2005,
New York Times
...Mr. [Maurice] Ashley is teaching [a new class] called "Introduction to Logical Thinking Through Chess"
for the mathematics department at City College. Mr. Ashley and the dean of the college's school of education, Alfred S. Posamentier,
organized the class with a lofty goal: improve teaching by guiding a group of teachers through the problem-solving strategies
that are part of a good chess player's arsenal.
LIVE CHESS GAME...
Interested in playing a part in a live chess game? The Longview Public Library
(1600 Louisiana Street, Longview WA), as part of their Joust Read summer reading program (and in honor of the new Harry Potter
book), will have a living chess game on Tuesday, July 12 at 7 pm and Saturday, July 16 at 2 pm. There'll
be Music, Refreshments and Fun! Contact Jan Hanson, Youth Services Librarian, if you'd like additional information or
would like to play the part of a certain piece jan.hanson@ci.longview.wa.us 360-442-5323.
USCF RATINGS - SUPER FAST!...
The USCF recently updated their rating system. Tournament directors can purchase/renew
player memberships online during an event and then submit their ratings reports immediately following the tournament. The
database is updated on the hour. That's an amazing accomplishment and great news for chess players. You can see
the changes to your rating on the same day! Although, it does pose a dilemma for tournament directors. Since the
ratings are updated so quickly you might want to use the MSA ratings because they'll be more accurate. But... with ratings
changing so quickly we'll have to choose some sort of cut off date. I wonder if the supplements will become a thing
of the past as we move into the superfast computer age of tournament result reporting!
Searching for chess news & events? Visit the following websites:
Want to stay informed about chess in the Pacific Northwest?
Join one or all of these email lists!
Pacific Northwest Chess for TD's & Coaches Only
Portland Chess Club
CHESS NEWS!
April 2005
- Rusty Miller's Email List
- Oregon Scholastic Chess Federation
- Portland Chess Club Events
- Bughouse & Blitz Evenings
- Oregon High School Chess Team Cyber League
- OCF Junior Championship
- ICC Slow Player List
- Microsoft Chess Club
- Share your news!
RUSTY MILLER'S EMAIL LIST...
Rusty Miller is the USCF Clearing House for tournament notification in the Pacific Northwest. He does
an excellent job of keeping us all informed of upcoming events and activities (USCF & others)in the Pacific Northwest.
A few weeks ago, Rusty's excellent Tournament Notification & Chess News email list blew up! In a cyberspace
sort of way. He's decided not to recreate the list and, instead, will now use the Pacific Northwest Chess Email
list. If you'd like to join the new list and stay informed on up to the minute chess happenings, send a message to:
PNWChess-subscribe@yahoogroups.com This email list is open to anyone interested in chess in the Pacific Northwest. You can post questions
and announcements there as well.
Tournament directors, coaches and teachers are encouraged to join the associated list created just for them
- to discuss the challenges and joys of running chess tournaments: PNWChessTD-subscribe@yahoogroups.com Membership on this list must be approved.
OREGON SCHOLASTIC CHESS FEDERATION...
A new chess organization has formed in Oregon! The mission of the OSCF is to promote, support,
sponsor and coordinate scholastic chess activities in Oregon. OSCF is a non-profit organization founded in March 2005,
by elementary, middle school and high school chess coaches, advisors, and parents.
To accomplish its mission, OSCF will:
- Maintain a statewide
ratings system accessible to all scholastic players, with no membership fee.
- Sponsor and encourage
new tournaments throughout the entire state of Oregon leading up to an annual state championship. The first championship
tournament is scheduled April 1, 2006.
- Assist schools
or community organizations in starting and operating chess clubs.
- Establish uniform
guidelines for holding high quality scholastic chess tournaments.
- Provide a community
forum to share chess news, events, stories, helpful hints, favorite links, etc.
To learn more about this new organization, visit their website www.oscf.org
PCC has a couple of very innovative and exciting upcoming events! For additional information visit
their website www.aboutchess.org or contact: Grisha Alpernas - President of the Portland Chess Club grisha.alpernas@gmail.com
- The Fisher Random Chess tournament will take place on April 9th at the club. It will be a club rated
tournament and WILL NOT have any impact on USCF ratings. Moreover, membership in USCF and/or any state federation IS
NOT required to play in this tournament. Entry is FREE for the members of the Portland Chess Club, and $10 for non-members.
There will be no prizes - we will play to enjoy the game of Chess and to explore this new approach to the chess competition.
- After a very successful first session with Carl Haessler, we are pleased to announce that the second session
of the new program "Wednesday with a Master" will take place in the Portland Chess Club on April 13, at 7 PM. One of the highest
rated Oregon players, Nick Raptis, will share some of his experience and play a simul against participants. The event is FREE
for the Portland Chess Club members (non-members fee is $10).
CASUAL BUGHOUSE & SERIOUS BLITZ!
Every so often on a Thursday evening, a group of teenage chess players have been seen gathering at
Round Table pizza on Barbur Blvd (near the Portland Chess Club) for a couple of hours of pizza & bughouse. At 7:30
pm they fly on over to PCC's Thursday night Blitz. If you would like to join this merry band of B&Bs or
receive advance notice of their activities, contact Kate Taylor katetaylor@clatskanie.com for more information.
OHSCTA CYBER LEAGUE...
Rural members of the Oregon High School Chess Team Association are interested in forming a chess team cyber
league. If you have experience with a cyber league and would like to offer assistance in setting one up, or you are
interested in joining one, contact katetaylor@clatskanie.com For more information about the OHSCTA visit their website: http://ohscta.tripod.com
In other OHSCTA news, Mike Wolfe, Executive Secretary for 2005-2007 has issued a challenge to all high
school coaches to seek out schools who have no chess program and encourage the formation of new clubs. Mike says, "My
goal is that by this time next year, there are at least 15 new programs out there. Please, accept my challenge.
Call a friend who works at or has a child or other contact at a high school without a chess program, and let's just see how
many programs we can get going!"
The Internet Chess Club is the best place to play chess online. At least that's what their website
says. And I believe it to be true! Author, coach and all around chess guru, Dan Heisman, has created a slow
play list for ICC for those seeking individuals who like to play leisurely, serious games of chess. To add your name
to the list, visit Dan's website: http://mywebpages.comcast.net/danheisman/Lessons/zadult_guide3.html#ICCslow To learn more about the Internet Chess Club http://www.chessclub.com
MICROSOFT CHESS CLUB...
The Microsoft chess club is growing by leaps and bounds! They play every Friday
evening at Microsoft Headquarters. Lots of fun events, skilled players and Master classes to help improve your chess.
To learn more about this dynamic club, visit their website: http://www.mrfixitonline.com/MicrosoftChessClub.asp or contact Davar Alai Davara@direcway.com
Searching for other chess events? Visit the following websites:
Want to stay informed about chess in the Pacific Northwest?
Join one or all of these email lists!
Pacific Northwest Chess for TD's & Coaches Only
Portland Chess Club
CHESS NEWS!
December 2005
- HB Global Chess Challenge Registration
- Unique Chess Item on Ebay
- Trigon Chess
- Rusty Miller's Updates
- National Champion Interview
HB GLOBAL CHESS CHALLENGE Time is running
out to take advantage of the discount for the HB Global Chess Challenge http://www.hbfoundation.org If you register before
January 1, 2005, the cost is only $295, if you sign up with a friend. In an effort to make chess a bit more friendly...
so to speak... I've compiled a list of folks who are planning to attend this event and would be glad to introduce you
to a new friend so you can both save a bit of money on the registration for this awesome chess event
UNIQUE ITEM ON EBAY! For the last two years,
folks have watched the evolution of the chess puzzle blanket. It's kept me off the streets and occupied during
the long hours of chess tournament day. This blanket has traveled to events throughout the Pacific NW including the
Oregon Open! I put the finishing touches on the border just a few days ago and the item was recently listed on ebay.
The Clatskanie Chess Club will benefit from the sale of this blanket. Here's your chance to find a unique Christmas
gift for the chess nut in your family and help out a really great cause. For photos and additional information
about this blanket, visit: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=6139268525 Thanks to Susan and Marcus Robinson for their inspiration!
TRIGON CHESS A few weeks ago, Charles Burns,
the inventor of Trigon Chess, called from Germany. He saw photos on the Clatskanie website from
our "Oddity Day" earlier this year. He was very excited to see his chess set in action. He said that FIDE has
now recognized Trigon as the only true 3-man chess and it's not considered a variant any more because the rules are the same
as a regular game of chess. There are currently about 40 different 3-player games in existence, but Trigon is the
only official version. Apparently, people have been trying 3-man variations since about 1722. To see
photos of our "Chess Variant Day" visit our website: https://clatskaniechessclub.tripod.com/id78.html To find out more about Trigon chess visit www.trigonchess.com or www.tri-chess.com
RUSTY MILLER'S EMAIL LIST To stay up to date
and informed of the latest chess events, I highly recommend Rusty Miller's email list. Rusty sends out weekly &
monthly notices of upcoming open and scholastic tournaments and local events. To join the list, contact Russell Miller
RMille9601@aol.com
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