Sevan Muradian Conferred Broughton Award Posthumously

 

For his tragically-shortened lifetime contributions to chess, Sevan Muradian has been awarded the ICA's 2016 Natalie Broughton Award. 

The award will officially come Friday, November 25 at 5pm at the RAM Restaurant and Brewery, 1901 McConnor Parkway in Schaumburg. The restaurant is around the corner from the Hyatt Schaumburg where the Sevan Scholastic (Friday) and Sevan Memorial (Friday through Sunday) are taking place.

There is no cost to attend -- other than the price of food or beverages purchased -- and adults as well as children are welcome.

A preview of the restaurant's menu is found here: http://www.theram.com/menu-location/il-schaumburg/

In order to get a headcount of attendees, ICA President Bill Buklis -- who is organizing the ceremony -- requests an email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Mr. Muradian passed away in February, days before the US Amatuer Team North which he had been organizing, along with Glenn Panner.

Muradian had been a strong advocate for FIDE competition in both Illinois and nationwide, conducting FIDE workshops at his North American Chess Center in Skokie. The center was rebranded as Chess IQ before it closed in 2015. The centers often hosted world-class Grandmasters for memorable one-day workshops followed by simultaneous exhibitions. Muradian was also the developer of the e-Notate software which was only the second electronic notation solution certified by the USCF for use in competition.

Muradian directed over 200 USCF events -- many of which were also FIDE-rated. His directing career began in 2005 and continued through the 2015 Senior Open. He rose from Class C to Class A player over the course of his 20-year career as a player. Coincidentally, his last two competitions at the board came at Chess IQ with the event name: "This Is The End".

Registrations are still open for both the Sevan Scholastic and the Sevan Memorial to benefit the family. Details of both events are posted on the ICA calendar.

Organizer Glenn Panner has confirmed that nine members of the Muradian family are expected for the dinner:  Yana (widow), Kassie and Jessica (daughters), Greg (brother), Kevin (brother) and his wife, Sevan's Dad, and Yana's parents.

Past Broughton Award winners:

	1995		Angelo Sandrin		2003		No award given		2011		Andrew Karklins
	1996		Erik Karklins		2004		No award given		2012		James Brotsos
	1997		Eugene Martinovsky		2005		Fred Gruenberg		2013		Mike Zacate
	1998		Ray Doyle Satterlee		2006		No award given		2014		Garrett Scott
	1999		Frank Skoff		2007		No award given		2015		Hector Hernandez
	2000		Bill Smythe		2008		No award given		2016		Sevan Muradian
	2001		Jim Warren		2009		No award given
	2002		Tom Fineberg		2010		Helen Warren