News
Jeff Smith recognized as TD of year for 2024 by US Chess
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- Written by Jacob Plotnick - Editor / Staff Reporter Jacob Plotnick - Editor / Staff Reporter
- Created: 02 August 2024 02 August 2024
The most memorable part of any chess tournament is a powerful tactic during your game or talking with friends after your games, but none of that would be possible without the careful orchestration and management from tournament directors. These individuals play a vital role in ensuring that tournaments run smoothly, fairly, and efficiently – making them indispensable to the success of any event. Due to their supreme importance, every year at the US Open, one tournament director is awarded the designation as the Tournament Director of the Year.
With that, the Illinois Chess Association would like to congratulate one of our own TD’s – Jeff Smith – who received this prestigious award at the US Open this year. Jeff has worked in over 750 sections across the country since 2005. Beginning in 2007, where he worked the Illinois All Grade, Jeff has been a major part of Illinois Chess. Since 2009 Jeff has worked at many national events, the first of which was the Supernationals of that same year. Just in 2018, Jeff finally became a National Tournament Director. More recently, you may have seen him working at many IHSA and IESA tournaments.
On a personal note, Jeff is an amazing person and an excellent addition to the Illinois and US chess communities, as well as chess as a whole. The ICA is proud to say that this excellent director is one of our own and we are deeply proud of him for receiving this award. This award is well deserved and best of luck to Jeff as he continues to help our great community into the future.
High School Team Victorious in Romania
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- Written by Jacob Plotnick - Editor / Staff Reporter Jacob Plotnick - Editor / Staff Reporter
- Created: 10 July 2024 10 July 2024
Congratulations to the Waubonsie Valley chess team for their victory in the The International School Chess Festival last week from July 2nd to July 6th. Waubonsie Valley sent five players – Anjaneya Rao, Aryan Shrigadi, Arnav Karthikeyan, RIa Raj, and Christan Cheng – as well as their coaches Dr. Mikhail Korenman and Robyn Whitlock.
Nineteen teams, representing seven countries competed at the Festival. Waubonsie went a perfect 8-0 in the tournament, the only team to do so. The team from Israel came in a close second with 7 points followed by Ukraine with 6 points. Here is the final ranking after 8 rounds(for specific information pertaining to each team click on their respective name).
|
Rk. |
SNo |
Team |
Games |
+ |
= |
- |
TB1 |
TB2 |
TB3 |
TB4 |
|
1 |
1 |
8 |
8 |
0 |
0 |
16 |
0,00 |
31 |
123 |
|
|
2 |
2 |
8 |
7 |
0 |
1 |
14 |
0,00 |
25 |
135 |
|
|
3 |
4 |
8 |
6 |
0 |
2 |
12 |
0,00 |
21,5 |
136 |
|
|
4 |
5 |
8 |
5 |
0 |
3 |
10 |
0,00 |
19 |
141 |
|
|
5 |
15 |
8 |
4 |
0 |
4 |
8 |
0,00 |
17,5 |
108,5 |
|
|
6 |
7 |
8 |
4 |
0 |
4 |
8 |
0,00 |
16,5 |
142,5 |
|
|
7 |
11 |
8 |
4 |
0 |
4 |
8 |
0,00 |
16 |
142 |
|
|
8 |
12 |
7 |
3 |
0 |
4 |
8 |
0,00 |
16 |
109 |
|
|
9 |
9 |
8 |
4 |
0 |
4 |
8 |
0,00 |
15 |
143,5 |
|
|
10 |
18 |
6 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
7 |
0,00 |
16 |
88 |
|
|
11 |
10 |
8 |
3 |
1 |
4 |
7 |
0,00 |
13,5 |
117,5 |
|
|
12 |
14 |
7 |
1 |
3 |
3 |
7 |
0,00 |
13,5 |
99 |
|
|
13 |
8 |
4 |
3 |
0 |
1 |
7 |
0,00 |
12 |
73,5 |
|
|
14 |
13 |
7 |
2 |
0 |
5 |
6 |
0,00 |
12 |
105 |
|
|
15 |
6 |
8 |
1 |
4 |
3 |
6 |
0,00 |
10 |
112 |
|
|
16 |
16 |
7 |
1 |
2 |
4 |
6 |
0,00 |
10 |
110 |
|
|
17 |
17 |
7 |
1 |
1 |
5 |
5 |
0,00 |
9,5 |
83,5 |
|
|
18 |
3 |
4 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
5 |
0,00 |
9 |
62,5 |
|
|
19 |
19 |
7 |
0 |
1 |
6 |
3 |
0,00 |
6 |
92 |
On July 4th, the day off the competition, the team participated in Bucharest at the Torch Ceremony for the 100th anniversary of FIDE. It was the first experience for WVHS to play in Europe and the team enjoyed the trip. Dr. Korenman greatly appreciated the families who traveled with students to participate in the event. Pictured below is the WVHS team with FIDE Executive Director GM Victor Bologan.
2024 Illinois Senior State Championship
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- Written by Jacob Plotnick - Editor / Staff Reporter Jacob Plotnick - Editor / Staff Reporter
- Created: 21 June 2024 21 June 2024
The 2024 Illinois State Senior Championship was run at the same time as our Youth Invitational in Park Ridge early last month. This tournament had some of the best seniors(50+) in the state of Illinois compete for the opportunity to represent Illinois in the Erwin Tournament at the US Open later this year.
We had two separate sections, Reserve and Open, while only the winner of the Open would move onto the Erwin.
Reserve Section
The Reserve section only had eight players. Entering the final round Kevin McAlister was alone in first place with 2.5 out of 3 points. By winning his last game Kevin McAlister won the Reserve section undisputed.
Below is the final cross-tables.
|
# |
Name |
Rd 1 |
Rd 2 |
Rd 3 |
Rd 4 |
Total |
Prize |
|
1 |
McAlister, Kelvin |
W7 (b) |
W3 (w) |
D2 (b) |
W4 (w) |
3.5 |
95.84 |
|
2 |
Stoltz, Robert M |
H--- |
W4 (b) |
D1 (w) |
W7 (w) |
3 |
53.67 |
|
3 |
Hansel, Mark |
W5 (w) |
L1 (b) |
D6 (w) |
W8 (b) |
2.5 |
46 |
|
4 |
Marshall, Kenneth N |
W6 (b) |
L2 (w) |
D5 (b) |
L1 (b) |
1.5 |
|
|
5 |
Rao, Srinivas |
L3 (b) |
W7 (w) |
D4 (w) |
U--- |
1.5 |
40.25 |
|
6 |
Slayton, Stephen North |
L4 (w) |
B--- |
D3 (b) |
U--- |
1.5 |
40.25/Upset1 |
|
7 |
Wishner, Michael |
L1 (w) |
L5 (b) |
W8 (w) |
L2 (b) |
1 |
34.5 |
|
8 |
Lobraco, Michael J |
H--- |
U--- |
L7 (b) |
L3 (w) |
0.5 |
30.67 |
Open Section
FM Camilo Pangen had a perfect score of 3.0 going into the last round. Where he drew Michael Mazock, leaving him as the undisputed first place finisher. Lawrence Cohen also drew his final round to finish in a tie for second. Unfortunately, Camilo was not able to make it to Norfolk to be our state representative. Michael came in second by tie-break. However, since he is not a resident of Illinois, he is not eligible to be our state representative. Lawrence (Larry) Cohen came in third by tie-break. Because both our first and second place finishers were unable to compete in the Erwin, Lawrence was offered and accepted his invitation to represent Illinois in this tournament.
Below is the final cross-table.
|
# |
Name |
Rd 1 |
Rd 2 |
Rd 3 |
Rd 4 |
Total |
Prize |
|
1 |
FM Pangan, Camilo C |
W15 (b) |
W4 (w) |
W5 (b) |
D2 (w) |
3.5 |
172.51 |
|
2 |
Mazock, Michael J |
W9 (b) |
D3 (w) |
W11 (b) |
D1 (b) |
3 |
51.11 |
|
3 |
Cohen, Lawrence S |
W14 (b) |
D2 (b) |
W6 (w) |
D5 (w) |
3 |
51.11 |
|
4 |
Bondar, Leonid |
W10 (w) |
L1 (b) |
W14 (w) |
W7 (b) |
3 |
51.11 |
|
5 |
Sax, Robert David |
W16 (b) |
W13 (w) |
L1 (w) |
D3 (b) |
2.5 |
|
|
6 |
Landfair, Dean |
W11 (b) |
D7 (w) |
L3 (b) |
D8 (w) |
2 |
24.92 |
|
7 |
Lung, Richard Earl |
D8 (w) |
D6 (b) |
W10 (w) |
L4 (w) |
2 |
24.92 |
|
8 |
Viray, Norman Eugenio |
D7 (b) |
D12 (w) |
D13 (b) |
D6 (b) |
2 |
24.92 |
|
9 |
Cohen, Fredric S |
L2 (w) |
L14 (b) |
W16 (w) |
W15 (b) |
2 |
24.92 |
|
10 |
Kosteris, Dimitri |
L4 (b) |
W15 (w) |
L7 (b) |
D11 (w) |
1.5 |
|
|
11 |
Marshall, James A |
L6 (w) |
W16 (b) |
L2 (w) |
D10 (b) |
1.5 |
|
|
12 |
Szpisjak, Steven J |
L13 (w) |
D8 (b) |
L15 (w) |
W14 (b) |
1.5 |
|
|
13 |
Abbott, James |
W12 (b) |
L5 (b) |
D8 (w) |
U--- |
1.5 |
/Upset1 |
|
14 |
Rojas, Venric Tabiliran |
L3 (w) |
W9 (w) |
L4 (b) |
L12 (w) |
1 |
|
|
15 |
Wiewel, Jeff K |
L1 (w) |
L10 (b) |
W12 (b) |
L9 (w) |
1 |
|
|
16 |
Brynjelsen, Sean E |
L5 (w) |
L11 (w) |
L9 (b) |
H--- |
0.5 |
Jack Heller named 2024 Scholar/Chessplayer by the US Chess Federation
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- Written by Jacob Plotnick - Editor / Staff Reporter Jacob Plotnick - Editor / Staff Reporter
- Created: 20 April 2024 20 April 2024
Congratulations to Chicago Public Schools student and ICA Warren Jr. Scholar Jack Heller for being named a 2024 Scholar/Chessplayer by the US Chess Federation and the US Chess Trust. The award recognizes and encourages outstanding high school juniors and seniors who promote a positive image of chess, while excelling in academics and leadership.
Jack volunteers with the Chicago Chess Foundation and traveled to Ghana with it last year to teach chess to children in an impoverished fishing village.
Jack is a senior at Walter Payton College Preparatory High School in Chicago. He hopes to become a veterinarian.
To read about the award, visit: https://new.uschess.org/news/2024-scholar-chessplayer-awards-announced-six-players-honored-2024-national-high-school
Jeff Wiewel: 40+ years as a Tournament Director
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- Written by Jacob Plotnick - Staff Writer Jacob Plotnick - Staff Writer
- Created: 01 April 2024 01 April 2024
Jeff Wiewel: 40+ years as a Tournament Director
Tournament directing is undeniably a craft that must be cultivated through
years of practice and gaining expertise, and who better to learn from, than the
best. Jeff Wiewel has been a pillar of the Illinois, and nationwide, tournament
directing scene for over 40 years. In that time he has worked over 700
tournaments, including 65 national events.
I myself have worked under Jeff at several events during my short tenure as
a tournament director. He is an amazing asset as he is always there to support the
staff with his limitless knowledge and brighten everyone’s day with his common,
albeit sometimes corny, jokes.
Jeff has been playing chess since he was eight years old, and has been in
the chess community semi-regularly ever since. He began directing scholastic
tournaments in 1982, and continued directing until he progressed to the national
level by working at the National Junior High in 1988.
Jeff reached his national breakthrough in 2001 when he began working
more and more national events. Which eventually led him to begin substantially
traveling throughout the country a few years later. Which is when he became a
NTD, in 2003.
Besides that, he has been on the US Chess tournament director certification
committee, being the chair or vice chair since 2008. He has been the chair of the
Chicago Industrial League's West division for ten years. Further, he has been a US
chess delegate multiple times.
During our discussion, I inquired with Jeff about his most cherished aspects
of serving as a tournament director. He mentioned the joy he receives from
mentoring new tournament directors, seeing the joy of the players, and being
part of a community where he can fully be himself. And happily, being able to do
it with his son, be it directing while he played in the past, or directing together in
the present.
Jeff’s personal belief on how to become a good tournament director is to
always be cordial and nice, even when you need to be commanding. Beyond
simple niceties, the importance of understanding your own limitations and when
to defer to those above you is of keen importance.
A favorite memory of his is when many USCF tournaments were canceled
due to COVID, tournament directors were asked to submit a small clip that would
then be cut together into a video to put on the website for morale. While most
TD’s focused on staying safe and the present, Jeff touched on hoping to see us all
in the future – almost subconsciously saying the world would get back to normal –
this was put at the finale of the video. I believe that beautifully sums up who he
is: the man, the myth, the chess legend, the realistic optimist.