Illinois Chess Database update coming soon

I received my update of ChessBase's Mega Database 2013 a couple weeks ago.  This gives me a good reason to stop procrastinating and update the Illinois Chess Association's Illinois Games Database in the next month or so.  I expect to have the update completed before March 1st: might take a bit longer for the goodies to appear on the site.

Folks who make substantial contributions to the database (please send me your games in PGN or CBV format) and/or who are current members of the Illinois Chess Association as of February 28, 2012 (time to renew!), can, upon request, receive the PGN file of the completed 2013 database.

Submitted games should have been played under tournament conditions by an Illinois resident or in an Illinois event.

We're particularly interested in adding missing games of the friends we've lost in the past year: Morris Giles, Jon Burgess, Tom Fineberg, Isaac Braswell, Ron Washington, and Fidel Serrano, among others.

Fidel Serrano, Jr.

I'm sorry to report that we've lost another member of our community. Fidel Serrano was a paramedic for the Chicago Fire Department, one of the people who risk their own safety to protect us.

Details are sketchy, but I believe that Fidel passed away (reportedly from a heart attack) on Sunday, his 41st birthday, and possibly (this too is unconfirmed) in the line of duty. Our condolences to Fidel's family and many friends.

UPDATE:  Visitation will be at 8300 W. Lawrence in Norridge, 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. both Thursday and Friday.   Funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m Saturday, St. Eugene's, 7958 W. Foster, Chicago.  More info here.  Our deepest condolences to Fidel's parents and his brother.

Fidel G. Serrano Jr. Air Force Veteran, Died Suddenly August 26, 2012. Fidel was a Firefighter with the City of Chicago. He is survived by his parents, Venecia Nee GAL-LANG Serrano and Fidel H. Serrano Sr. and His Brother Alen Serrano. Visitation for Fidel will be Thursday and Friday from 3:00 - 9:00 p.m. and funeral prayers will be said Saturday at 9:00 a.m. at the funeral home, Preceeding to St. Eugene Catholic Church for mass at 10:00 a.m. Committal service and military Honors will follow at Acacia Park Cemetery Interment Chapel.