Game/60 event at North Shore Chess Center this weekend

Details on ICA website.

"Skokie honors Niles North’s champion chess team"

Article here!

Niles North Chess Team Day: May 7th in Skokie

Niles North High School won the  Illinois High School State Chess Championship this past February. This was their second state championship  in three years. Next week, the High School and the Village of Skokie will be honoring the coaches and team.


On Monday May 7, 2012, Niles North High School will celebrate the chess team's accomplishments and unveil a prominent banner facing the  Edens expressway. Later on May 7th ( 8:00 p.m), at the Skokie Village Board Meeting, the Mayor George Van Dusen will be reading a proclamation honoring the coaching staff and team.  


Chicago Chess Blog has scooped its competition by obtaining an exclusive advance copy of this proclamation:

WHEREAS, the Niles North High School Chess Team won all seven of its matches and captured the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) 2012 State Chess Championship crown at the state tournament held February 10th and 11th, 2012 in Peoria, Illinois; and

WHEREAS, Junior, David Paykin, demonstrated exemplary skill, tenacity, and fighting spirit by winning his crucial sixth round match in a momentous come from behind victory which kept the Team's title hopes alive, and ultimately lead to the Team securing the championship title; and

WHEREAS, the Niles North Chess Team finished in 5'h place at the United StatesFederation (USCF) National K-12 Championship Tournament held April 12 through 15, 2012, held in Minneapolis, Minnesota; and

WHEREAS, Senior, Eric Rosen, finished in second place, individually, at the National K-12 Championship and forther, along with his partner, Matthew Dahl of Edina, Minnesota, captured the National Bughouse Championship in a sanctioned side event competition; and

WHEREAS, Chess Team Coach, Harry Kyriazes, is recognized as one of the premier high school coaches in the United States and the State of Illinois having coached the Chess Team since 1999, and guided the Niles North Chess Team to state championship titles in 2006, 2010, and 2012, as well as four second place finishes, and two third place finishes at state championship tournaments during his tenure as coach; and

WHEREAS, Coach Kyriazes, and fellow coaches Heather Ingraham, and Mases Hagopian, are recognized for their unique and innovative approaches in providing a nurturing training environment where the qualities of teamwork, mutual respect, camaraderie, and leadership development are held in the highest regard; and

WHEREAS, Niles Township High School District 219 has supported the chess program over the years, and in so doing has furthered its mission to improve the academic achievement of every student by offering programs such that every student may achieve his or her optimal potential; and

WHEREAS, Niles North High School has unveiled a prominent banner on today's date recognizing the accomplishments and congratulating the 2012 Niles North State Champion Chess Team, and that said banner will be displayed on the west side of the Niles North building and visible to all motorists who travel the 1-94 Interstate.

NOW, THEREFORE, L GEORGE VAN DUSEN, Mayor of the Village of Skokie, do hereby proclaim May 7, 2012 as

"NILES NORTH CHESS TEAM DAY"

in the Village of Skokie and congratulate the members and coaching staff of the Niles North Chess Team on their many accomplishments, and wish each team member the very best in his future endeavors.

Congratulations to Niles North! 

Congratulations to NM Adarsh Jayakumar!

Adarsh also made it to the magical 6½-2½ necessary to earn an IM norm, his first!

Here's the crucial Round 9 game.White wins material out of the opening, but has to deal with the "meh" bishop vs. good knight conversion issue.  Adarsh finds an energetic solution to the problem.

Another Bogo-Indian

Illinois Co-Champion FM Aung Thant Zin knows how to make his opponent suffer!

Stop by the North Shore Chess Center to catch the action! Rounds are at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m.

Fighting chess

Congratulations to NM Adarsh Jayakumar, who became a United States citizen yesterday! 

Adarsh and IM Arjun Vishnuvardhan had a fun brawl on Tuesday.  Arjun makes me want to start playing the Bogo-Indian: he was very close to putting the game away.  But Adarsh slipped away to a tenable ending, Arjun pushed too hard, and....

(Updated to correct scoresheet transcription error.)

More from Monday: Young 0 - Jayakumar 1

NM Adarsh Jayakumar won two games and drew GM Mesgen Amanov.  A round four loss doesn't help his hunt for an International Master norm: he needs to score 4-1 in the final five games.


Here's how he beat IM Angelo Young in the first round:

Updated to correct scoresheet transcription error: Adarsh writes, "I played 7...Qc7 against Angelo. Qe7??? haha."

Play continues Wednesday at the North Shore Chess Center, with rounds at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m.

Last call - Akobian seminar

Greetings from Mason, Ohio.  I may not be posting much this weekend....

Here's a cut-and-paste from tonight's email.  The North Shore Chess Center is at 5500 West Touhy Ave. in Skokie: looks like a great event!

2 sessions available - Saturday Nov 12 or Sunday Nov 13

Enjoy a 6 hour training session with one of the top Grandmasters in the United States - GM Varuzhan Akobian! GM Akobian helped the US team achieve a bronze medal twice in the 2006 and 2008 Chess Olympiads, and a Silver medal in the 2009 World Team Championships. In 2010 GM Akobian was tapped to become the trainer/coach for the US Men's Olympiad Team as well.

You can join GM Akobian in a 6 hour marathon lecture covering openings, middle game, and end-game. He will review popular opening lines, the ideas behind them and how to transition to the middle game along with middle game strategy, and what to do (and not to do) in the end-game. You'll be invited to ask questions and discuss the pro's and con's of variations, along with testing your inner-GM against this battled hardened veteran with on the spot puzzles and challenges.

The session will begin at 11:30am and continue until 5:30pm. After a 30 minute break, GM Akobian will perform a simul. Feel free to bring your personal chess boards if you want GM Akobian to autograph it for you also! Snacks and beverages will be available.

This session is $75 for members of the North Shore Chess Center and $100 for non-members if registered by Friday evening 9pm on Nov 11. Add an additional $20 at the door. Onsite registrations cannot be guaranteed for space!

Seating is limited to 30 people on a first registered basis.

Register online - http://www.nachess.org/events

March Madness in Skokie

 Penny Yu vs. Sam Schmakel

Brad Rosen takes a look at the big weekend ahead.  ICA sponsors three different invitational youth championships this weekend!  Stop by the North Shore Chess Center for a glimpse of the action!  (But be aware that access to the tournament floor may be limited.)

Perhaps the blogger quoted in the article meant his last sentence ironically, signalling that he had run out of tired clichés.  But these young men and women are truly brilliant, hard-working, and nice people.

Lufei Ruan at North Shore Chess Center

Brad Rosen reports on last Saturday's lecture.

Escape from Snowmaggedon, part 2 - 1st North American Amateur Open

There's a five-round event at the North Shore Chess Center, 5500 W. Touhy, Skokie, this weekend (Friday night, Saturday & Sunday afternoons). 

No prizes to speak of, but this looks like a very cool event--the time control is particularly friendly to serious amateurs.  But note the qualifications before you show up!  You must have either an established FIDE rating (you can check here if you're not sure) or a USCF rating above 1599.

Details on the Illinois Chess Association website!

Reminder: Illinois Class Championship in Skokie this Saturday!

Details here!

It's not *billed* as a Hannukah tournament...

On Sunday, December 5th, Chess Scholars is holding a K-8 tournament at the Solomon Schechter Day School in Skokie. 

Details on the JUF website!

2010 Illinois Class Championships

Snipped and pasted from my email:

2010 Illinois Class Championship
Saturday December 4, 2010
Holiday Inn Chicago North Shore --- 5300 West Touhy Ave --- Skokie, IL 60077
847-679-8900 --- Google Map

ICA will pay the entry fee for FIDE titled players (FM IM GM WFM WIM WGM) who list Illinois as their residence on their USCF registration.

Free 90 days added to all players' ICA memberships. All they need to do is send their name, section, USCF number and contact details to freemembership@il-chess.org by Feb 28, 2011.

$2,000 Prize Fund Details at: http://il-chess.net/goto.php?a=class

Time control will be Game-60 with a 5-sec delay. All equipment provided. All you have to do is show up, register (or pre-register), and play! --- Register On-line

Round Times: 10:00am, 12:30pm, 3:30pm, 6:00pm (extra 30 minutes provided between Round 2 and 3 for lunch)

Two NATIONAL one-day events in Skokie this weekend!

This Saturday, October 23rd, it's the US Game/60 National Championship. Details on the ICA tournament calendar! The concept is simple: each player has sixty minutes (plus five seconds delay per move) for the entire game!

On Sunday, October 24th, it's the US Game/30 National Championship. Details on the ICA tournament calendar! As you might guess, each player has thirty minutes (plus five seconds delay per move) for the entire game! It's rumored that at least one of last year's National Co-Champions will be there to defend his title.

The site for both events is the congenial Holiday Inn on 5300 W. Touhy in Skokie.

Sets, boards, and clocks are being provided by the organizer, Sevan Muradian's North American Chess Association.  Bring your lucky pen, show up, and play!

Please note the sizable discounts for preregistration and for playing in both events: for one event, the cost is $60 if you register by 6 p.m Friday; for both events, it's a very reasonable $100. But if you don't preregister, the onsite cost is $20 per event higher.  (Also note that there are multiple sections based on rating: it's possible to play up one section for an additional fee.)

Free registration is avaiable to FIDE titled players!

You can register online here!

"Old Orchard hosts first chess tournament"

David Rubin knew me back when I had hair....

Story here!

2010 World Amateur Chess Championsihp in Skokie!

You'll find more info on the ICA Calendar and at the official website.