The CICL's Season Concludes

The 2013-14 season of the Chicago Industrial Chess League concluded on May 10, 2014 at Fermilab. The competition by the CICL's top eight teams in its league championship tournament was fierce. By winning in the final round against top-rated Argonne Lab's Rooks, the Wombats team became the CICL's new league champion. Wombats are from the South Suburban Chess Club. Congratulations to team captain Len Weber and all of the Wombats, well done!

Fermilab's team placed in second. Tied for third were Argonne Labs Rooks, Motorola Solutions Kings, and Rogue Squadron.

During the regular season of the CICL, in its North Division, Motorola Solutions Kings won first place. SSCC Wombats won first in the West Division. DRW Trading won first place in the East Division. Competition was fierce here too, with the final match of the season in both the North and West Divisions determining who would win those Divisions. Also as of the last match in the West Division, six of its ten teams still were in contention to play in the league championships. Four of them made it to the playoffs, and two of them, Wombats and Fermilab, took first and second places.

An outstanding individual achievement was accomplished by Romas Fabijonas of the SSCC Pawns team. Romas has played 401 games in the CICL, earning the Quadruple Centurion award. Since the CICL formed in 1957, he is only the sixth player ever to have earned this distinction.

Irwin Gaines of Fermilab completed his seventh year as CICL President and is now passing along the torch to Brian Smith of Downers Grove Chess Club.

On May 10th in parallel with the team championships, Steffen Klug won the CICL's tournament for individuals. 

This season the CICL's teams' rosters had 332 players, including 37 masters and experts, with one FIDE Master. They played on 23 teams who competed in 102 matches. 639 CICL rated games were played. These matches were played across the greater Chicago land area in three geographically based Divisions. Teams represent companies, government agencies, educational institutions, and chess clubs, either in downtown Chicago or its suburbs.

The league will celebrate this season's accomplishments at an awards banquet in June. The banquet will feature a chess lecture by IM Florine Felecan. Other fun activities are being planned for the summer. The next season's regular competition starts after Labor Day. New teams wishing to join the CICL should contact us by mid-August. More info about the CICL can be found at www.chicagochessleague.org or contact Matt Vail via email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.