Club News
Aidan Carey Sweeps Field of DeKalb's Nevermind Classic
- Details
- Written by Bill Feldman Bill Feldman
Oak Park's Aidan Carey won all five of his quick chess matches as he was crowned champion of the 2016 Nevermind Classic in DeKalb September 24.
The event honored the 25th anniversary of the "drop" of the classic Nirvana album on 9/24/91. (What's an album, right?)
Fellow juniors Shreyas Reddy and David Chen both compiled strong 2.5 scores to split the top Under 1400 prize.
Although the Game/25; zero-delay time control only impacted "quick" ratings, regular ratings were used for pairing and prize purposes.
Rockford Jefferson High School Senior Nate Blair played in his first US Chess event, receiving a USCF-membership scholarship for the year!
South Suburban Chess Wars XVI
- Details
- Written by Dr. Orlan Smith, PhD Dr. Orlan Smith, PhD
Bill Smythe Wins DeKalb's Judd Lauger Memorial Classic
- Details
- Written by Bill Feldman Bill Feldman
With an exciting endgame finale, Bill Smythe edged Joe Zemgulys to close out the Judd Lauger Memorial Classic with a perfect 3.0/3 score. Smythe earned a crisp $100 bill (or its equivalent) for the Open section championship.
David Yong and Alex Zhao split the Under 1800 prize fund, both with 2.0/3 scores.
In a theoretical draw, Josh Kueker managed to make his three clock seconds last long enough to prevail over previously-unbeaten Jonathan Gaenzle, winning the Reserve Section. In a fascinating pawns and bishop vs. pawns and rook endgame, Kueker wound up sacrificing his rook to get the job done.
Kueker repeatedly made moves within the five-second delay to keep the game alive.
Family Honors Son Through Tournament Sponsorship
- Details
- Written by Bill Feldman Bill Feldman
It's been six years since the Lauger family lost their son Judd to a tragic car accident. But Barbara and Steve Lauger are perpetuating their son's memory -- and his love of chess -- through sponsorship of the Lauger Memorial Classic September 10 in DeKalb.
The DeKalb club often honors chess luminaries through events like the Steinitz, Grunfeld, Lasker, Tarrasch, Alekhine and Najdorf. For six years the club has even recognized George Orwell who purportedly played chess with shopmates at his first job clerking at a London bookstore. Now Judd Lauger's name is added to the list of Memorial tournaments in DeKalb.
Says his mother Barbara: "My son Judd loved chess — he got the chess gene that runs in both sides of the family, from two grandfathers."
"He loved to play it, study it, ponder it, discuss it and compete in it. Chess was serious business to Judd and he expected people to understand that."
Henderson Grand Champion of Star Wars XV; Zhang Wins Open
- Details
- Written by Dr. Orlan Smith, PhD Dr. Orlan Smith, PhD