Midwest Class this weekend in Wheeling

Don't miss this Illinois Tour event!  Details on the ICA website.  The prize fund is guaranteed to be $16,000, and if the 250 paid entry quota is hit, the prize fund will be $20,000. Not bad for a weekend event!

I won't be there to play (I make my living as a tax accountant, and the procrastinator's deadline is October 15th), but hope to stop by on Sunday to kibitz and see friends.

Preregister for the 2011 Midwest Class!

The event returns to the Westin Chicago North Shore in Wheeling next weekend, October 14-16! Play on Friday night, or begin play Saturday morning: your choice! Details here!

While I don't like to play for money, I do tend to cash my prize checks. So I should note that there are $16,000 in guaranteed prizes next weekend, and that the projected prize fund is $20,000....

Save money and preregister by Tuesday, October 11th!

This weekend: Chicago Class in Wheeling

Info here.  Next, they'll be holding the Wheeling Class in Chicago....

All sections are five games: you can choose between a Friday evening or a Saturday morning.first round.  Online entry closed on the 11th, but you can enter onsite until 6 p.m. Friday Saturday or until 10 a.m. Saturday Sunday.

This is the last Continental Chess Association event for which ICA membership is required.  For future events, ICA members will receive a $5 discount.  Carrots work better than sticks.

Where to play this weekend?

On Saturday, there's the Lincoln-Way West Open in New Lenox.  Outside the metro area, there's the Route 20 Rated Beginners' Open/Open Swiss in Freeport.

And we've already mentioned the Blaze fundraiser in Skokie.

On Sunday, there's the 67th Knights Quest in Northbrook.

Next weekend, it's the 4th Annual Chicago Class in Wheeling.

As always, look to the ICA Tournament Calendar for info on upcoming events!

And of course, there's always the Chess Pavilion.

It's not too late to enter the Chicago Open, this weekend in Wheeling

The tournament site is the Westin Chicago North Shore Hotel in Wheeling.

For the top players (and patzers like me who wish to try their luck against them), play begins tomorrow night at 7 p.m.  But if one doesn't wish to devote 4½ days to chess, there are also 3½-day (1st round Friiday night), 3-day (Saturday a.m.), and 2-day (Sunday a.m.) schedules.

Details here!  Note the garish colors and vintage-1995 HTML layout.

Enter here!  The instructions say that you can enter online up to two hours before the first game, but I wouldn't cut it that close.

20th annual Chicago Open

Another cut-and-paste from my email: make your plans for Memorial Day weekend!  Please remember that Illinois Chess Association membership is required for all rated Illinois residents.  You get a discount when you renew your ICA membership at the same time you register for the Chicago Open!

CHICAGO AREA CHESS FESTIVAL
Memorial Day Weekend

20th annual CHICAGO OPEN
Open Section: May 26-30, 9 rounds, norms possible
Other Sections: May 27-30, 28-30 or 29-30, 7 rounds

At the luxurious, AAA four diamonds Westin North Shore Hotel, Wheeling, Illinois.  Special chess rates $99 for 1-4 in room.  Reserve your room as early as possible by calling 800-937-8461 or 847-777-6500.  The reservation deadline is May 13, but the chess block may sell out earlier.

$100,000 GUARANTEED PRIZE FUND

     NEW THIS YEAR!
     1) FREE ANALYSIS OF YOUR GAMES by Grandmaster John Fedorowicz.  Begins two hours after the start of each 4-day round and continues for about three hours.  All players are welcome to submit their game scores for analysis.
     2) FREE LECTURES by Grandmaster John Fedorowicz each day May 27-30, beginning 5 pm May 27, 9 am each day May 28, 29, 30.
     3)  QUICK OR BLITZ side events twice daily May 28, 29, 30.
     4)  LARGE CLASS PRIZES in each section in addition to the place prizes. This event has had Master class prizes in the past, but this year will also have a $1000 class prize for U2000 in the U2100 Section, U1800 in the U1900, U1600 in the U1700, U1350 in the U1500, and $800 for U1000 in the U1200.          In 6 sections.  FIDE ratings used for Open Section, USCF official May list for other sections.  ENTER BY MARCH 15 FOR LOWEST FEE.
OPEN SECTION: $10000-5000-2500-1200-1000-700-600-500-400-400, clear or tiebreak 1st $200 bonus, top FIDE 2300-2499 (NOT 2449) $2500-1500-1000, top FIDE Under 2300 or unrated $2500-1500-1000.  300 Grand Prix Points (enhanced). 

UNDER 2100 SECTION: $6000-3000-1500-1000-700-500-400-300-300-300, top U2000 $1000.  Unrated may not win over $2000.

UNDER 1900 SECTION: $6000-3000-1500-1000-700-500-400-300-300-300, top U1800 $1000. Unrated may not win over $1500.
UNDER 1700 SECTION: $6000-3000-1500-1000-700-500-400-300-300-300, top U1600 $1000. Unrated may not win over $1000.

UNDER 1500 SECTION: $5000-2500-1300-1000-700-500-400-300-300-300, top Under 1350 $1000. Unrated may not win over $600, provisional (4-25 lifetime games) may not win over $2500.

UNDER 1200 SECTION: $4000-2000-1000-700-600-500-400-300-300-300, top Under 1000 $800.  Unrated may not win over $300, provisional (4-25 lifetime games) may not win over $1500.

RATING DROP PRIZE LIMIT: Players who have had official ratings more than 30 points above section maximum any month May 2010 through April 2011 may not win over $1500.

 Full details (in many garish colors) here!

 Enter here!