Closer to home (2013 Illinois Open!)

2013 ILLINOIS OPEN

The Illinois Chess Association's Premier Championship Event!

Enter now and save!

Face the grandmasters! (Or, if you prefer, your fellow patzers...)

Come join us for affordable fun in Oak Brook, August 31-September 2, 2013

A 2013 Illinois Tour Event

Details and entry at chessforlife.com

DoubleTree Hotel: 1909 Spring Road, Oak Brook, Illinois 60523

(630) 472-6020, (630) 472-6000: $95 room rate until 8/16!

Reservations: 866-812-3959, please ask for Illinois Chess Association block rates.

Six rounds

(Three-day) Saturday & Sunday 12 noon and 6 p.m.; Monday 11 a.m. and 4 p.m.

(Two-day) Sunday 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m., and 6 p.m; Monday 11 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Time controls: (Three-day) Game in 90 minutes plus 30-second increment

Time controls: (Two-day) Game in 45 minutes plus 5-second delay for rounds 1-3, then merges with three-day section

2 Sections - 2 Playing Schedules - Book Dealer - An ICA Tour Event

Plus Score Prizes! - Increment - Discounted EF for ICA members- Scholastic Side Event!

Free Entry to Illinois Grandmasters, International Masters, & FIDE Masters

GM Nikola Mitkov, GM Dmitry Gurevich, GM Mesgen Amanov, IM Angelo Young and FM Albert Chow have already signed up!

Plus Score Prizes!! All players scoring at least 3 1/2 can claim a $20 book store gift certificate!

$7,000 based on 150 paid entries: $$$ increase to maximum as attendance increases.

Can't play all three days? Check out our two-day Busy Person Schedule.

OPEN SECTION PRIZES

• Overall $1,050 - $735 - $525
• Under 2400 $490 - $350 - $245
• Under 2200 $335 - $260
• Under 2000 $245 - $175

RESERVE SECTION PRIZES

Open to all players rated below 1800.

• Overall $700 - $490 - $350
• Under 1600 $280 - $210
• Under 1400 $210- $140
• Under 1200 $140 - $70

Trophies Plus Grand Prix Points: 30

Save money and preregister! $94 by mail (until August 24th) or $94 online (until 6 p.m. August 30th). Note: $20 play-up fee for entrants rated below 1799 who choose to play in the Open Section

ICA members save $5! Preregister for $89.

Register now at chessforlife.com!

Organized by Chess for Life LLC for the Illinois Chess Association.

The Illinois Chess Association is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. We are the official Illinois affiliate of the United States Chess Federation. By joining ICA, you support our efforts to promote chess in Illinois and you receive member benefits.

Why Join ICA?

2013 Illinois Open: Labor Day Weekend in Oak Brook!

A State Championship Event

30 Grand Prix Points

Aug 31 - Sep 2, 2013

2013 Illinois Open State Championship

Oak Brook, IL

6SS, G/90, 30 sec. inc., (2-day option, rds 1-3 G/45 d5).
Doubletree Hotel, 1909 Spring Rd., Oak Brook, IL 60523, (866) 812-3959, $95 room rate if reserved by 8/16, mention Illinois Chess Association block of rooms when registering. An Illinois Chess Tour Event. Prize Fund $7,000 b/150 paid entries.
In 2 sections, Open and Reserve. Open Section: $1,050-$735-$525 U2400 $490-$350-$245 U2200 $335-$260 U2000 $245-175. Reserve (U1800) Section: $700-$490-$350 U1600 $280-$210 U1400 $210-$140 U1200 $140-$70.
Unrateds qualify for top prizes only. $20 bookseller prize given to all participants finishing with 3.5 pts or more. EF: $94 USPS received by 8/26 and on-line by 8/30 6 PM, $115 at the door by 11:30 AM on 8/31 or 10:30 AM on 9/1.
Free to Illinois GMs, IMs, FMs. $5 discount to current ICA members for IL Open only (ICA annual dues $15 regular, $10 scholastic - obtain membership at www.il-chess.org).
Register online at www.chessforlife.com by 8/30 6 PM, or mail checks payable to Chess For Life, LLC to Chess For Life, c/o Tim Just, 37165 Willow, Gurnee, IL 60031 must be received by 8/26.
No phone entries. $20 extra to play up in Open Section with rating of 1799 and below.
Re-entries $50 with appropriate byes. 3-Day Schedule Saturday-Sunday 12 Noon and 6 pm, Monday 11 am and 4 pm. 2-Day Schedule Sunday 11 am, 1 pm, 3 pm, then merge with 3-day schedule at 6 pm, Monday 11 am and 4 pm.
Half-point byes ok all rounds, must commit by end of round 2.
Maximum 2 half-point byes. On-site registration 10-11:30 Saturday, 9-10:30 Sunday, Entries after that may be given ½ point byes for round 1.
Advance entries posted at www.chessforlife.com. Boards, sets, and clocks not provided, please bring your own.
All special rules, details, and tournament conditions are subject to change without notice and will be posted ASAP at the site/on-line.
Scholastic side event on 8/31, details and registration at www.chessforlife.com.
Info only: 847-773-7706 (before 6 PM).

The information shown above is based on information in USCF records prior to publication of the TLA in Chess Life (or Chess Life for Kids.)
As such, the information shown above is subject to change and any URLS may not yet be activated or may refer to other events.
Please check the TLA in Chess Life (or Chess Life for Kids) for any corrections, updates or other changes.
In special cases, changes that are made after the publication of Chess Life may be found on the Tournament Listings by State page.
Sponsoring Affiliate: T5009961, ILLINOIS CHESS ASSOCIATION.

Tell the TD you heard about this event via TLA Mail or saw it on the USCF website. TLA ID: 11555

TJWO in Oak Brook this weekend!

The $64 preregistration fee for Tim Just's Winter Open/Reserve XXIX is good until Friday afternoon: register online here for the kickoff event of the 2013 Illinois Tour!

Saturday's scholastic tournament has a $25 preregistration fee: register online here and save a few clams.

See you in Oak Brook!

It's called "Labor Day Scholastic Tournament", but...

...the event (run in the same venue as the Illinois Open) is NOT on Labor Day, but on Saturday, September 1st!  So parents, have your child play chess on Saturday, swim on Sunday, and eat hot dogs on Monday.

You can enter online for $25 until 6 p.m. Friday!  Enter here.

Labor Day Scholastic Tournament, 9/1/12, DoubleTree Hotel: 1909 Spring Road, Oakbrook, Illinois 60523, (630) 472-6020, (630) 472-6000. $25 Discounted EF USPS by 8/28, $25 Discounted EF on-line until 8/31, 6 pm, $30 at door by 11:30 am, $35 after that, Rnds: 12-1-2-3-4, G/25 Delay 0, Open to under 18 years of age, 2 sections: U1200, U700, 10 individual trophies per section (team trophies not available), Participation award to each player. Bring sets-boards-clocks, none provided. All rules, regulations, and procedures may be superseded by announcements/postings at the site. Ent: Tim Just, 37165 Willow, Gurnee, IL 60031 Info only (847) 244-7954 before 6 PM. e-mail for info only (sorry, e-mail entries not available): registration@chessforlife.com , Checks payable to Chess For Life, LLC, info andPayPal discounted entries until 6 PM 8-31-12: http://chessforlife.com NS, NC, W. 

More info here.

Beat a world champion at the Illinois Open

OK, so the world champion is nine-year-old Awonder Liang, the reigning FIDE 8-and-under world champion: this year may be your last best hope to take Awonder down!  Hey, GM Larry Kaufman probably had Awonder busted before Awonder managed to win somehow, and Awonder didn't even come close to beating GM Joel Benjamin, who held Awonder to a comfortable draw.  A player who shall remain nameless (rhymes with "Nad Nosen")  already thinks it's too late for me... (blogger arches eyebrows).

Grandmasters Gurevich and Mitkov are among the preregistrants: action begins Saturday, September 1st!


Sept 1-3. 2012 Illinois Open State Championship. 6R-SS. Open Section (40/90 SD/30 + 30/sec incr). Reserve and Booster Sections (G/90 + 30/sec incr). Doubletree Hotel 1909 Spring Road Oak Brook, IL 60523 - Phone 630-472-6000. $8500 Guaranteed + $250 Isaac Braswell Fighting Chess Award in Open Section. 


3 sections: Open, Reserve (U1800), Booster (U1400). Prizes (non-IL players eligible for max 3rd place in Overall Prizes and 2nd place prize for rating bracket prizes: Open - Overall: $1600-1000-300, (2399-2200): $350-275-200; (2199-2100): $250-200; (2099-2000): $200-100; (1999-1900): $200-100; (1899-1800): $200-100; Reserve (U1800) - Overall: $750-450-225; (1699-1600): $250-200-150; (1599-150): $150-100; (1499-1400): $150-100; Booster (U1400) - Overall: $250-125-75; (1299-1200) - $100-50; (1199-1100): $100-50. Open & Reserve FIDE Rated. Free Entry for IL FIDE titled players (WFM & above). 


EF: $64 by 08/04/2012, $96 by 08/18/2012, $128 thereafter and on-site. No checks at site, credit cards ok. Online registration preferred. No phone entries. Re-entry: $60 with 1/2 pt in first two rds only. Rd 6 bye must committ by end of Rd 2 otherwise zero pt. Players in contention for prizes must play final rd or have 1/2 pt bye committed to by the end of Rd 2 otherwise ineligible for prizes. Special Rules for Playing Up: $10 more if 150 pts or less from cut off of section, $25 more if 151-300 pts from cut-off, $50 more if 301+ pts from cut-off (Example: 1620 wants to play in open, 180 pts from cut-off, pay $25 more to play up).NOTE: Playing up fee paid in cash at the door - players will be registered in their normal rating section unless you come to the TD room to request playing up. 


Schedule: 10am and 4pm each day. Mailed entries: North American Chess Association 4957 Oakton Street Suite 113 Skokie IL 60077. All mailed entries must be received by 8/24/2012. Questions: sevan@nachess.org. No Phone Calls. Advance entries and online registration at: http://www.nachess.org/ilopen2012. 


Hotel: $91/night + tax. Ask for Chess Rate. 


Boards, Sets, Clocks Provided. Must use organizer provided equipment. Chess vendor onsite. August Rating Supplement. Special Workshops: Chess in Education plus TD/Rules Workshop. 1-day Scholastic Event. For registration on the 1-day scholastic event please visit http://chessforlife.com/chess/wint11/scholastic.html. 


USCF and ICA mbrshp required for main event.

Illinois Open in Oak Brook this Labor Day weekend!

Grandmasters Gurevich and Mitkov are among the preregistrants: action begins one month from today!


Sept 1-3. 2012 Illinois Open State Championship. 6R-SS. Open Section (40/90 SD/30 + 30/sec incr). Reserve and Booster Sections (G/90 + 30/sec incr). Doubletree Hotel 1909 Spring Road Oak Brook, IL 60523 - Phone 630-472-6000. $8500 Guaranteed + $250 Isaac Braswell Fighting Chess Award in Open Section. 


3 sections: Open, Reserve (U1800), Booster (U1400). Prizes (non-IL players eligible for max 3rd place in Overall Prizes and 2nd place prize for rating bracket prizes: Open - Overall: $1600-1000-300, (2399-2200): $350-275-200; (2199-2100): $250-200; (2099-2000): $200-100; (1999-1900): $200-100; (1899-1800): $200-100; Reserve (U1800) - Overall: $750-450-225; (1699-1600): $250-200-150; (1599-150): $150-100; (1499-1400): $150-100; Booster (U1400) - Overall: $250-125-75; (1299-1200) - $100-50; (1199-1100): $100-50. Open & Reserve FIDE Rated. Free Entry for IL FIDE titled players (WFM & above). 


EF: $64 by 08/04/2012, $96 by 08/18/2012, $128 thereafter and on-site. No checks at site, credit cards ok. Online registration preferred. No phone entries. Re-entry: $60 with 1/2 pt in first two rds only. Rd 6 bye must committ by end of Rd 2 otherwise zero pt. Players in contention for prizes must play final rd or have 1/2 pt bye committed to by the end of Rd 2 otherwise ineligible for prizes. Special Rules for Playing Up: $10 more if 150 pts or less from cut off of section, $25 more if 151-300 pts from cut-off, $50 more if 301+ pts from cut-off (Example: 1620 wants to play in open, 180 pts from cut-off, pay $25 more to play up).NOTE: Playing up fee paid in cash at the door - players will be registered in their normal rating section unless you come to the TD room to request playing up. 


Schedule: 10am and 4pm each day. Mailed entries: North American Chess Association 4957 Oakton Street Suite 113 Skokie IL 60077. All mailed entries must be received by 8/24/2012. Questions: sevan@nachess.org. No Phone Calls. Advance entries and online registration at: http://www.nachess.org/ilopen2012. 


Hotel: $91/night + tax. Ask for Chess Rate. 


Boards, Sets, Clocks Provided. Must use organizer provided equipment. Chess vendor onsite. August Rating Supplement. Special Workshops: Chess in Education plus TD/Rules Workshop. 1-day Scholastic Event. For registration on the 1-day scholastic event please visit http://chessforlife.com/chess/wint11/scholastic.html. 


USCF and ICA mbrshp required for main event.

Mark your calendars for the Illinois Open, Sept. 1-3!

Come join us Labor Day weekend: it's a great event for grandmasters, serious amateurs, and folks who just want to have a weekend of fun.

Note that the thirty-second increment begins at move 1.  So the time control of 40 moves in 90 minutes, followed by sudden death is 30 minutes, is only slightly faster than the "old" 40 moves in 2 hours followed by sudden death in 1 hour.  And you are guaranteed a minimum thirty seconds for every move, no matter how long the game!

FIDE Rated!

60 Grand Prix Points

Sep 1 - 3, 2012

2012 Illinois Open State Championship

Oakbrook, IL

6R-SS. Open Section (40/90 SD/30 + 30/sec incr).
Reserve and Booster Sections (G/90 + 30/sec incr).
Doubletree Hotel 1909 Spring Rd., Oakbrook, IL 60523 - Phone 630-472-6000.

$8500 Guaranteed + $250 Isaac Braswell Fighting Chess Award in Open Section. 3 sections: Open, Reserve (U1800), Booster (U1400).

Prizes (non-IL players eligible for max 3rd place in Overall Prizes and 2nd place prize for rating bracket prizes):

Open - Overall: $1600-1000-300, (2399-2200): $350-275-200; (2199-2100): $250-200; (2099-2000): $200-100; (1999-1900): $200-100; (1899-1800): $200-100;

Reserve (U1800) - Overall: $750-450-225; (1699-1600): $250-200-150; (1599-150): $150-100; (1499-1400): $150-100;

Booster (U1400) - Overall: $250-125-75; (1299-1200) - $100-50; (1199-1100): $100-50.
Open & Reserve FIDE Rated.
Free Entry for IL FIDE titled players (WFM & above).

EF: $64 by 08/04/2012, $96 by 08/18/2012, $128 thereafter and on-site.
No checks at site, credit cards ok.
Online registration preferred.
No phone entries.
Re-entry: $60 with 1/2 pt in first two rds only.
Rd 6 bye must committ by end of Rd 2 otherwise zero pt.
Players in contention for prizes must play final rd or have 1/2 pt bye committed to by the end of Rd 2 otherwise ineligible for prizes.

Special Rules for Playing Up: $10 more if 150 pts or less from cut off of section, $25 more if 151-300 pts from cut-off, $50 more if 301+ pts from cut-off (Example: 1620 wants to play in open, 180 pts from cut-off, pay $25 more to play up).

NOTE: Playing up fee paid in cash at the door - players will be registered in their normal rating section unless you come to the TD room to request playing up.
Schedule: 10am and 4pm each day.

Mailed entries: North American Chess Association, 4957 Oakton Street, Suite 113, Skokie, IL 60077.
All mailed entries must be received by 8/24/2012.
Questions: sevan@nachess.org.
No Phone Calls.
Advance entries and online registration at: http://www.nachess.org/ilopen2012.

Hotel: $91/night + tax.
Ask for Chess Rate.
Boards, Sets, Clocks Provided.
Must use organizer provided equipment.
Chess vendor onsite.
August Rating Supplement.

Special Workshops: Chess in Education plus TD/Rules Workshop. 1-day Scholastic Event.
See website for details on Workshops and Scholastic Event.
USCF and ICA mbrshp required for main event.

Chess Magnet School JGP.

The information shown above is based on information in USCF records prior to publication of the TLA in Chess Life (or Chess Life for Kids.)
As such, the information shown above is subject to change. 
Please check the TLA in Chess Life (or Chess Life for Kids) for any corrections, updates or other changes. 
In special cases, changes that are made after the publication of Chess Life may be found on theTournament Listings by State page. 
Sponsoring Affiliate: A6021470, NORTH AMERICAN CHESS ASN.

Still time to enter the Illinois Open and Scholastic!

(Counts on fingers) 119 players have preregistered for the Championship and 48 preregistered for the Scholastic: nice!

Haven't registered yet? Online registration is closed, but please come to the DoubleTree in Oak Brook: you can still register at the door!

For the three-day schedule, be there before 11:30 a.m. tomorrow, Saturday 9/3/11: the entry fee is a reasonable $90. If you register after 11:30, the price goes up to $100.

For the two-day schedule, be there before 10:30 Sunday 9/4/11: the entry fee is again $90. If you register after 10:30, the price goes up to $100.

If you are rated under 1799 and playing in the Open Section (a good thing to do for ambitious players rated above 1600, but probably a bit much for the rest of us), there's a surcharge of $10.

If you are registering for Saturday's scholastic event, be at the site before 10:30: the price is $30 cheap. After 11:30 a.m., $35.

U.S. Chess Federation membership is required for these events. You can join or renew online or onsite.

Stamnov wins All American Double Class

NM Aleksandar Stamnov scored an impressive 4½-½ to take clear first in Larry Cohen's All American Double Class, held July 2-3 in Oak Brook.  IM Angelo Young, FM Albert Chow, NM Peter Gilruth, and NM Kevin Cao tied for second, a full point back.

Zhaozhi Li and Andrew Pheasant tied for first in the A/B section with 4-1 scores.  Rudy Padilla and Jordan Nach shared B/C honors, also with 4-1.  And Andrew Hochstadt's undefeated 4-1 score was good for clear first in the E/Unrated diviision.

Crosstable here!

Choose one of two great tournaments this weekend!

On July 1-4 in Rosemont, it's the 2011 FIDE Continental America's Amateur Chess Championship. There's only one game on July 4th, so you'll have time to recover for work on Tuesday morning! And this event has a $15,000 guaranteed prize fund!!

I'll be playing in the All American Double Class on July 2-3 at the DoubleTree in Oak Brook. One IM and six masters have already registered. The schedule is a bit unusual in that play doesn't begin until Saturday afternoon, and Round 3 is 9:45 Sunday morning. (If you're not staying at the hotel, you may wish to consider asking for a ½-point bye at registration.). This tournament has a $12,000 based on 250 players; approximately $7,000 of the prize fund is guaranteed! (At least that's the way I read it; please correct me if I'm wrong.)

For info on these and other upcoming events (including summer camps, lectures, simuls, and classes), check out the ICA Tournament Calendar!

July 2-3: All-American Double Class in Oak Brook

Cut and pasted from my email (exclamations and all).  Mailed entries save several dollars over online entries: deadline is Friday.

Note the innovative/weird schedule of play (ideal for out-of-towners and members of Reform congregations): two games on Saturday at 2:15 and 7:15, three games on Sunday, 9:45 a.m.-2:15 p.m.-7 p.m..

NO LONG HOTEL STAY! NO HOTEL PARKING TO PAY!

NO SATURDAY MORNING ROUNDS! FREE TO MASTERS!

FREE RAFFLE for BREWER-CUBS Tickets [or Pirates-Cubs].

JULY 2-3 ALL AMERICAN DOUBLE CLASS.

In 4 sections rating restricted. M/X [1900 & higher],

A/B [1500-1999], C/D [1100-1599], E/U [Unrated & Under 1200]

At the Doubletree Hotel in Oak Brook, site of 2006 US Open.

UPSET PRIZE in EACH SECTION of $100 on 7/2, and $50 on 7/3.

GRAND PRIX EVENT. MAGNET SCHOOL JUNIOR GRAND PRIX EVENT.

Go to http://allamericaschess.eventbrite.com for credit card entry

and tournament details, or e-mail allamericaschess@gmail.com for

more information and any questions.

EF: M/X $97, A/B $86, C/D $75, E/U $64 if mailed by 6/17/11.

Unrated players $30 off, but Unrated can ONLY play in E/U section!

Mail Entries to: Lawrence Cohen P.O. Box 6632 Villa Park, IL 60181.

Details also available in JUNE Chess Life,& JUNE Chess Life for Kids.

Tim Just Winter Open XXV!

Another cut-and-paste from my email: see you there this weekend!

Tim Just's
Winter Open/Reserve XXV
A Heritage Tournament

 

Chicagoland's longest continuously run chess torunament organized by the same organizer for the past 25 years!
January 8, 2011 - January 9, 2011
DoubleTree Hotel : 1909 Spring Road , Oakbrook, Illinois 60523, (630) 472-6020, (630) 472-6000 

             
Same $64 Early EF - 2 Sections - Book Dealer - one day Winter Scholastic ($25) - $70 Hotel Room Rates -
Sets, Boards, & Clocks provided by North American Chess Association  for Winter Open/Reserve

Winter Open/Reserve info and registration: http://chessforlife.com/chess/wint11/index.html

Winter Scholastic info and registration: http://chessforlife.com/chess/wint 11/scholastic11.html

25th Tim Just's Winter Open - January 8-9 in Oak Brook

Details on ICA website!

Last day for advance entry in Chicago Class

Got this in the mail from the Continental Chess Association this a.m., just getting around to posting it.  (I occasionally do real work!)  You have a few hours left to save $$...

3rd annual CHICAGO CLASS
July 16-18 or 17-18 at Doubletree Oak Brook
$20,000 GUARANTEED PRIZE FUND
In 9 sections, no residence requirements.  Master, Expert, Class A, Class B, Class C, Class D and Class E are 5 rounds, 40/2, SD/1, with two-day option of game/75 in the first two rounds.  Under 1000 and Under 700 are 6 rounds, game/75, two days only, July 17-18.  Players may play up one section only.

The Doubletree is believed to be sold out.  Nearby hotels are available- for details see the Chicago Class page of the CCA website.

LAST DAY FOR ADVANCE ENTRY IS MONDAY, JULY 12

Details on ICA website!

Enter here!

2010 Illinois Open State Championship, September 4-6 in Oak Brook

More info here!

The Illinois Chess Association will be offering conditions to Illinois GMs and IMs.

2009 National Youth Action: Nov. 20-22 at the DoubleTree Oak Brook!

Here's a great national championship event for students in K through 12!  Each player has thirty minutes to complete his or her game.  The DoubleTree is the same quality site that has been used for the Chicago Open in past years.

See website for details.