News

 

22 players turned out on Saturday February 11, 2017 to help honor the memory of Howard Cohen, a long-time Illinois chess player who passed away last April at the age of 62. 

 

My brother Howard would have been 63 on February 8, so with the help of the Glenwood Chess Club I put on a tournament to honor his memory. 

 

All of the participants went away with a doorprize of one or more of Howard's books or pamphlets. 

 

As he came down from Wisconsin I thought it appropriate to give John Ritz (along with the regular doorprize) the book "Instant Replay:  the Green Bay Diary of Jerry Kramer" as an additional gift.

 

I was surprised that there were no players rated over 2000 for the event [I as being one of two house players did not count].

 

The $490 advertised prize fund include a $80 prize for top expert.  Although only 22 players showed [73 1/3% of the 30 based-on] $390 in prizes (almost 80%) was paid out. 

 

All of this was topped by the free (Aurelio's) pizza dinner, and some exciting chess in the final round. 

 

After all of the smoke had cleared (and chess was played) there was a tie at 3.0/4 for first place.  Two of the players were Class A and two were Class B, so these 4 players split 1st / 2nd/ A / B prizes. 

 

The players who had no loses & two draws each were: Daniel Sajkowski, Hiro Higuchi, Martin Franek, and John Ritz. 

 

I want to thank all the players for coming out to honor Howard's memory with the game he and all of us like so much.

 

Just as Howard always claimed that Ron Santo would not get into the baseball hall of fame until after his death, it not a surprise that Howard did not live to see his beloved Cubbies win the World Series. I only remember one time in the past 40+ years that Howard wasn't constantly claiming the Cubs would make the playoffs. 

 

Die hard Cub fan and devoted chess player was a perfect way to describe Howard Cohen.