Warm up for the big event at the Illinois Class Championships!

This year's Illinois Class is an affordable one-day event in Lisle.  Have fun, warm up for the Midwest Class Championships, win Tour Points, and support the Illinois Chess Association.  See you there!

A State Championship Event
Sunday, November 24, 2013
2013 Illinois Class Championships
An Illinois Chess Tour Event

4SS: G/60, 5 sec. increment. Location: Hilton Lisle/Naperville; 3003 Corporate West Drive; Lisle, Illinois, 60532; USA TEL: 1-630-505-0900, $89 + tax room rate if reserved by 6pm Nov 15th, mention Illinois Chess Association. 

Six Sections: Master & Expert, Class A, Class B, Class C, Class D, U1200. For a fee, you may play up one section, but you must be an E player to play up into the Class D section. November rating supplement determines section eligibility. 

Prizes: Master & Expert (one section): $500-$200-$50. Classes A, B, C, D (four sections): $150-$75-$40 each section. U1200: Trophy-Medal-Medal (no cash prizes, tie breaks apply). Cash prizes based on 90 entries in MX through D sections.

EF: MX through D $40, U1200 $20, plus $5 for non-ICA members, plus $10 after Nov 17th. Play-up fee $20 cash, payable on-site. Free entry to GM, WGM, IM, WIM, FM, WFM FIDE titleholders who list Illinois as their state of residence with the USCF. Contact Tom Sprandel, secretary@il-chess.org, to register.

Registration: On-site 8:30 - 9:30am. Online http://shop.il-chess.org/ (ends 9:00pm, Nov 23rd). Or, mail check, name, USCF#, and phone number to: Class Championships; Illinois Chess Association, Inc.; 150 N Wacker Dr, Ste 3100; Chicago, IL 60606. (Must arrive by Nov 16th.) Round Times: 10:00am, 12:30pm, 3:00pm, 5:30pm. 

Other: All special rules, details, and tournament conditions are subject to change without notice and will be posted ASAP at the site or on-line.

I'll Take You There: Illinois Class Championships at Concordia University

Concordia University's Koehneke Community Center

Last year's Illinois Class Championships were held at the Orland Park Cultural Center, an attractive location with a lot of pluses. But for me, at least, it had one severe drawback: I couldn't get there except by bumming a ride. The nearest transit access was a Metra station a mile away, on a route that doesn't serve Orland Park on Saturdays until 1:30 in the afternoon and has no service at all on Sundays.

Life can be tough for the car-free chess player in Chicago; suburban organizers often don't take us into account. At all. So when I was asked to take over the organization of this year's Illinois Class Championships, I decided to make it a priority to find a location that would be easily reachable by transit-dependent city dwellers as well as suburban and downstate motorists. I found that location in River Forest's Concordia University. Just outside the city, it's close enough to make a transit commute feasible, yet it also offers free garage parking.

Despite its streetcar-suburb location, Concordia is still a hike from the nearest 'L' or Metra station. So I'm conducting an experiment: From 9 to 9:50 AM on Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 17 and 18, Illinois Class players and their guests will be able to hop a free shuttle van from the Harlem Green Line station in Oak Park, which sits adjacent to the Oak Park Metra station, to the Concordia campus. The van will leave the train station every 10 minutes. If you're a transit-dependent city resident, like me, I hope this will give you one more reason to attend the Illinois Chess Association's "other championship," which also happens to be the final event in this year's Illinois Chess Tour. (If your pride prevents you from accepting a handout -- or if you find yourself running late -- you can still get to Concordia from the Harlem 'L'/Oak Park Metra station via the 307 Harlem Pace bus.)

Another difference this year is that the event has been moved back to the weekend before Thanksgiving, to coincide with the ICA's annual meeting. The meeting will take place at the event site on Saturday, Nov. 17, at 1:30 PM. It's an open meeting, and ICA members are encouraged to attend. In place of the traditional banquet, there will be a catered luncheon buffet, with service starting at 1. Place your order in advance, and we guarantee there'll be food left for you even if your round 1 game runs long.

As for the main event, the Master/Expert section offers $1,000 in guaranteed place prizes, plus $100 prizes for the top players rated under 2200 and under 2100. Early entry (before Nov. 3) is $50, and FIDE-titled players with Illinois residency who register early play free. (ICA membership is required for this state championship event.) NTD Wayne Clark will be the ringmaster, with help from the Evanston Chess Club's Maret Thorpe and the St. Charles Chess Club's Gary Janssen.

And for players just starting out in tournament chess, we're offering a side event that, in my opinion, this area doesn't see enough of: a rated beginners' open. This G/30 Swiss is open to players without ratings or with ratings under 1200; the one-day, five-round schedule is designed to move you as efficiently as possible toward ditching that provisional rating. Early entry for the RBO is just $25 before Nov. 3.

Visit www.illinoisclass.com to read all the details, and get your registration squared away: after Nov. 3, the entry fee goes up to $60 ($30 for the RBO), and it's $70 ($35 for the RBO) if you register onsite.

Still more games from the Illinois Class

On the ICA website!

More games from the Illinois Class

Opinions are like, er, belly buttons: everybody's got one.  More annotations here!  Your corrections and comments are always welcome.

Look for another batch later this week!

Profoundly embarrassing!

I heard a report Thursday that was confirmed yesterday. Prize checks from last weekend's Illinois Class Championships issued by Mikhail Korenman's IntECS, Inc., were returned unpaid, marked "Account Closed." Mikhail Korenman is currently out of the country and will return on December 22nd.

There may be a reasonable explanation for this.  Or not. Whatever the cause, the Illinois Chess Association is profoundly embarrassed that this happened in one of its championship events, and yesterday, ICA board members voted unanimously to pay the prizewinners in full and to reimburse them for any returned item or other bank fees that they may have incurred.

Sevan Muradian has recreated the prizewinners' list for me, and ICA Treasurer Carl Dolson will have checks in the mail as soon as he has contact info for the prizewinners.

EDIT: I have email addresses for fourteen prizewinners: please drop me a line with your mailing address.

Again, our apologies!

Games from the 2011 Illinois Class (part one)

Annotations on the ICA website!

Illinois Class Championships: Under 1000 and Under 700

These two sections were listed as Game/75, but try to get kids to think about anything for seventy-five minutes.  Pairings were made as soon as the previous round was completed, and the five-round event was done before the other sections began round two! 

Kyle Kras took clear first in the Under 1000 section with a 3½-1½ score; Giorgi Vanderway, James Calcagno, and Ankush Moolky tied for second with 3-2.

Daniel Polski swept the Under 700 section with a perfect 5-0!  Alexander Smirnov lost only to Polski and took clear second with 4-1.

Illinois Class Championships: Classes C, D, and E

Congratulations to Jonathan Hrach for winning clear first in Class C with 3½ points and picking up 90 ELO points in the process.  Cristian Peña took clear second with 3-1. In Class D, Anthony Gasunas drew his first game, then reeled off three in a row for 3½ points and the title. His Round 1 opponent, Richard Lewis, took clear second with 3-1 and gained 80 ELO. Class E was a bit of a bloodbath, as there were no undefeated players. Shereya Mangalam lost Round 1, then won three straight to execute a perfect Swiss Gambit: Shereya's 3-1 took the undisputed title. George Ries, Robert Kunke, Douglas Campbell, and Brian Suganraj finished in a four-way tie for second at 2½-1½.

A Basic Drawing Technique in King, Rook and Rook's Pawn v. King and Rook

Consider the following two positions which were inspired by Robert Moskwa's game at the Illinois Class with World Under 8 Champion Awonder Liang. White has just checked the Black king with his rook and Black has the choice of moving away from the White king and pawn with 1...Kd7 or towards them with 1...Kb6. The only difference is that the White rook is on c4 in the first and c3 in the second.  Both positions are theoretical draws if Black makes the correct choice. See if you can figure out what the right move is in each case before you look at the analysis on my blog.

Tansel Turgut wins Illinois Class

ICCF Grandmaster Tansel Turgut knows something about over-the-board play, too, as evidenced by his victory in this past weekend's 2011 Illinois Class Championships with a 3½-½ score.

Dr. Turgut had a narrow escape in the final round against 8-year-old (!!!) Awonder Liang.  It appeared to this kibitzer that Awonder (in clear first at the beginning of the round) had his esteemed opponent on the ropes at one point.  But he lost, and tied for second with FM Albert Chow with 3-1 scores (Chow was undefeated and beat NM Greg Bungo in the last round.  Don't ask me what I was thinking when I wrote the last sentence: Chow and Bungo played a very correct draw, and I even played a small role in the post-mortem.) 

In the skittles room, Awonder was disconsolate about his loss in an eight-year-old kinda way.  But his father and siblings reminded him that he played very well, that he should be proud, and it's that only a game. (Useful advice for adults, too.)  Dr. Turgut came to collect Awonder's signature on the scoresheet "so I can show other people someday that I beat a world champion."  Adream Liang chimed in, "But he's already world champion!"  Thus cheered up, Awonder started kibitzing my post-mortem:

Brock-Moskwa (variation)
White to play and win with style

(yes, 1.Bf4 and 1.Rf4 are good enough, but look for the coolest move)

I don't think it took Awonder more than two seconds to spot the shot.  (Hint: leave your queen and rook en prise, and allow Black to capture a third piece with check.)  What a phenomenal talent!

Thanks to the Orland Park Cultural Center, organizer Mikhail Korenman, and TD Sevan Muradian for a smooth and fun event.

A report on the other sections will follow: look for games on the ICA website in the next few days!

Edit: here are the crosstables!

Another reason to enter the Illinois Class Championships this weekend

World under-8 champion Awonder Liang will be there!  I hope he's playing up: it's necessary to beat the prodigies while they're still young.


Join us this coming Saturday and Sunday at the Orland Park Cultural Center.  


Details here!


Enter online here!


Hat tip Brad Rosen.

Illinois Class in Orland Park, December 10-11!

Enough of that.  Back to constructive things.

Cribbed from the ICA Tournament Calendar:

Illinois Class Championships

12/10/2011 - 12/11/2011 

Orland Park Cultural Center - Orland Park

4SS, G90 + 30 sec. U1000/U700 Sections plays 5SS, G/75 with separate schedule. Orland Park Cultural Center, 14760 Park Lane, Orland Park, 60090 (from    I-355 take IL-171 Archer Rd Exit toward 143rd Street (7.5 mi), take West St toward 147th St and follow the curve.  From I-55 take US-12E/US-20E/US-45E/ S LaGrange Rd (10 mi); take W 144 PL and follow the curve). Free parking. Prizes $2,000 based on 80 paid entries. In 8 sections; no unrated allowed in Master/Expert section. Master/Expert (2000/up): $250-175-150-100-75. FIDE.  Class A (1800-1999/unr): $125-75-50. FIDE. Class B (1600-1799/Unr): $125-75-50. Class C (1400-1599/Unr): $125-75-50. Class D (1200-1399/Unr): $125-75-50. Class E (Under 1200/Unr): $125-75-50. Under 1000 (K-12 only): Tro­phies to top 5. Under 700 (K-12 only): Trophies to top 5. Rated players may play up one section (additional $10). Unrated prize limit $50 on each section. Top 6 sections EF: Top 6 sections EF: $50 by 11/20, $60 after 11/20; $70 at site. U1000/U700: $25 by 11/20, $30 after 11/20; $40 at site. No credit cards on site! Online reservations and payments at www.intecsus.org Official uschess.org December supplement for ratings will be used if otherwise unrated. Schedule: Reg. on Dec. 10^th at 8:30 – 9:30 am  Top 6 sections: Sat: 10:00 am & 3:00 pm; Sun: 10:00 am & 3:00 pm U1000/U700 sections: Sat: 10:00 am, 1:00 pm, 3:00 pm; Sun:  10:00 am, 1:00 pm Bye: all, must commit before rd 2 or not have plus score.  Boards, Sets, and Clocks will be provided by the North American Chess Association. Organizer supplied equipment must be used. Hotels: Comfort Inn Suites (8800 W 159TH ST Orland Park, IL 60462); HR: $85; Homewood Suites by Hilton (16245 LaGrange Road Orland Park, IL 60467); HR: $135 Both hotels are located in 10-15 minutes drive from the tournament site.
Ent: IntECS, Inc., 63 W 75^th St., Willowbrook, IL 60527 www.intecsus.org 630-789-2951
Chess Magnet School JGP.

2009 Illinois Class Championships

Congratulations to Grandmaster (and reigning Illinois Open Co-Champion) Mesgen Amanov, winner of the top section of the 2009 Illinois Class Championships with a solid 3.5-0.5 score.  International Master Angelo Young, FIDE Master Aleksandar Stamnov, and Class A player Michael Chen of Michigan tied for second, each with 3-1. 

And congratualtions to the winners of the class sections: Mike Mei (Class A), Tony Christian (Class B), Roquito Bruno and Jae Lim (sharing Class C honors), Lauro Nava (Class D), and Pavithra Ramakrishnan (Class E / Unrated).  Thanks to Sevan Muradian of the North American Chess Association, who organized and directed this Illinois Chess Association event.

Here are the full results from the U.S. Chess Federation's Member Services Area (MSA).  (Click on the image below or the preceding link to get a legible copy.)

 

 

 

 

 

Be there tomorrow!

It's the Illinois Class Championships in Skokie.  I'll be collecting memberships for ICA: if you're not already a member, you can join via PayPal now.

Illinois Class Championships in Skokie this Saturday

The Holiday Inn in Skokie is right off the Edens.
View Larger Map

We hope to see you there!

Illinois Class Championships coming to Skokie 12/12

Yet another reminder for the Illinois Class, to be held on December 12th at the Holilday Inn at 5300 W. Touhy in Skokie.  Details are here!

2009 Illinois Class Championships: December 12th in Skokie!

And you'll also see me at the Illinois Class, to be held on December 12th at another familiar spot, the Holilday Inn at 5300 W. Touhy in Skokie.  Details are here!