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.

"Tip the king"

Ted Cox on Ron's death.

Photos from Ron Washington memorial

Many people shared many decades of memories of Ron.  Attendees included a couple National Masters, a member of the 1969 World Champion Boston Celtics, and others who loved Ron and who miss him.

The last two people who saw Ron alive spoke: he was going in "for a dip" with everything but shoes on ("I'll dry out in a minute").  The gentleman who was in the water with him turned around to head back to shore, and Ron was gone. He and others tried to save Ron, but it was too late.

Sorry I couldn't stay for food and blitz...but here are a few photos.

Rest in peace, Ron.

Ron Washington memorial at Chess Pavilion

No official word, but I believe that folks are doing something at the North Avenue Beach pavilion at 5 p.m. today.

Hope to see you there as we pay respects to Ron's memory.

"Chicago's Ron Washington, 1951-2012"

Daaim Shabazz remembers Ron (click to read) .

Ron in 2007; swiped from The Knights of Castle Kimbark

"Chess hustler of North Ave. Beach drowned in Lake Michigan"

7-18-06 Chess Pavilion on the Lakefront at North Avenue. Ron Washington (Left) and Daniel Jones (Right) enjoy an evening of warm weather and chess as citizens come out and play and take to the bike paths. Photo by Scott Stewart/Sun-Times

Photo and story (follow this link) copyright Chicago Sun-Times.

Ron Washington: Gone but not forgotten

This impromptu memorial was set up at the Pavilion today:

And here are a few of Ron's friends who gathered to honor his memory today:

David Franklin, who sent these photos, writes, "Another, bigger, memorial will take place this coming Friday, August 3, 5 p.m. at the pavilion at North Avenue Beach." It's likely that there will be another memorial service on Saturday at Christian Funeral Home (3100 W. Irving Park), but that's only tentative...more tomorrow.

Sad news

Updated 2:46 p.m.  it's confirmed that our friend Ron Washington drowned in Lake Michigan on Friday.

At 2 p.m., [North Avenue Beach] lifeguards attempted to rescue 61-year-old Ronald Washington, a former collegiate hoopster and self-described chess “hustler” who for years had been a fixture near the beach.

Washington, of the 100 block of West Maple Street, was fully clothed when a lifeguard pulled him from the water near 1400 N. Lake Shore Drive, according to police and park district spokespeople.

Washington was pronounced dead at 4:30 p.m. at Northwestern Hospital.

Earlier report (without Ron's name) on the WGNTV website.

Much more later: enjoy your summer day, but please enjoy it safely.

It's hard to argue with Ron Washingon....

Only a couple weeks left to this summer; only so many summers in our lifetime.  See you at the lakefront!