News
Justus Williams wins 2021 Illinois Open - Jack Heller and Kevin Velazquez named state co-champions
- Details
- Written by Bill Buklis Bill Buklis
- Created: 02 October 2021 02 October 2021
Article written by James Hodina and edited by Bill Buklis
Justus Williams dominates at Illinois Open. Jack Heller and Kevin Velazquez named Illinois State Co-Champions.
Justus Williams went a perfect 7-0 at the Illinois Open during Labor Weekend of September 3-6 taking home the $1,500 first-place prize. As Justus is from Missouri, the runner up players from Illinois became the Illinois State Co-Champions. Jack Heller and Kevin Velazques both tied for second place with scores 5.5 points. Aitegin Akmatbekov also dominated the Reserve section with a perfect 7-0 score.
STEVE SZPISJAK FIFTH AT 40 PLAYER 2021 IRWIN NATIONAL TOURNAMENT OF SENIOR STATE CHAMPIONS
- Details
- Written by Ken Marshall Ken Marshall
- Created: 30 August 2021 30 August 2021
Master Steve Szpisjak [pronounced SPEE-zak] (2234) represented Illinois in the July 31 – August 3 Irwin National Tournament of Senior State Champions in Cherry Hill, NJ. He scored 4-2 along with six others (including GM John Fedorowicz) to finish equal fourth through tenth in the 40 player field, taking fifth place on tiebreaks. Szpisjak won four games, losing only to International Masters Douglas Root (2556) and Igor Khmelnitsky (2488), the tournament’s top seeds who ended up second and first at 5.5 and 5.0, respectively.
Szpisjak, a Master since 1989, earned his spot in the Irwin event by winning the Illinois Senior Open in May. He is a four time state Senior champion, having previously taken the title outright in 2018 and tied for first in 2017 and 2020.
Local Teen Earns $12,000 Scholarship Playing Chess, SAT Perfect Score
- Details
- Written by Hector R. Hernandez Hector R. Hernandez
- Created: 15 May 2021 15 May 2021
Daniel Zhang, a Junior at Whitney Young Magnet High School, earned a $12,000 college scholarship at the recently held MVP tournament. He is co-captain of his school’s chess team and helped to lead their team to a first-place finish in this year’s IHSA State Tournament.
Daniel is a former City of Chicago Chess Champion for fifth grade. He was tutored by Hector Hernandez for years and improved his game by participating in the Knight Moves Chess Club of the Chicago Public Library’s Rudy Lozano Branch.
Another amazing accomplishment of Daniel’s is his perfect score of 1600 on the SAT exam which is a standardized test widely used for college admissions in the United States.
Cook County Jail Chess Team Places Second in International Chess Tournament
- Details
- Written by Eva Harrison Eva Harrison
- Created: 13 May 2021 13 May 2021
COOK COUNTY, IL – Seven individuals in custody at the Cook County Jail competed this morning in an online international chess tournament against individuals in custody in Armenia, Spain and Russia, Sheriff Thomas J. Dart announced today, May 11.
The tournament began at 8:30 a.m. with opening remarks from Sheriff Dart, FIDE President, Arkady Dvorkovich, and 12th World Chess Champion Anatoly Karpov. After a six-match, round robin competition, Russia was declared the victor with a total of three match wins. Cook County, representing the United States, came in second place with two match wins.
“Chess is more than an entertaining past time, the game teaches its players valuable life lessons,” said Sheriff Dart. “It requires these men to practice critical thinking and they consider the risks and rewards of their decisions, which are valuable skills they can take with them when they return to their communities.”
NAYCC Announcement
- Details
- Written by Eva Harrison Eva Harrison
- Created: 12 May 2021 12 May 2021
With the relaxing restrictions and Chicago’s goal of reopening by July 4, the organizers of the 2021 North American Youth Chess Championship (NAYCC) are excited to announce they are moving forward with tournament in Chicago from August 16 – 21, 2021. The tournament will take place at the Hilton Chicago, a centrally located luxury hotel in downtown Chicago that overlooks Lake Michigan, Grant Park, and the Museum Campus.
The Renaissance Knights Chess Foundation, the International Chess School, the United States Chess Federation, the Confederation of Chess for America, and the International Chess Federation (FIDE), are pleased to invite players under 18 years old (as of Jan 1, 2021) from the USA, Mexico, Canada, and Bahamas to the 17th Annual North American Youth Championship. Players will participate in the following categories: Under 8 years old, under 10, under 12, under 14, under 16, and under 18; Open and Girls sections.