Club News
April Chess Roundup
- Written by Dan Leroy
April shows us that spring is being sprung. During this time of year, as far as chess is concerned it may be time to plant some new ideas. Resurrect an old opening that perhaps you had pass overed for something else. Whatever you choose to do, this month's tournament results really seperated the lions from the lambs.
48th Greater Peoria Open
- Written by Wayne Zimmerele
The 48th Greater Peoria Open was won by "Penny" Yue Xu, most likely the youngest winner ever, at age 15, according to Murrel Rhodes, one of the original founders of the annual event. There was a smaller than normal turn out, possibly due to competition in St. Louis, but games were still hard fought.
March Chess Roundup
- Written by Dan Leroy
March, besides being the birth month for Bobby Fisher, is known for many things, including St. Patick's Day and March Madness. I've found at times that chess can leave me green with envy or feeling like I have the luck of the Irish in a blitz game. This month, like all months, we pay tribute to those who have gone past the final four in a tournament to go on to the championship game to win it all. Here's some highlights from around the state:
January 6 to February 3: The John Montwid Memorial Tournament had some bumps along the way for a couple of the masters playing in the tournament by each of them drawing a game to one lower rated player. In the end Steven Tennant took first with 3.5 points. Crosstables.
February Chess Roundup
- Written by Dan Leroy
February has me thinking of love. Maybe it's because the Valentine's aisle is loaded with cards or it's my French heritage that enjoys dropping the word "amour" into as many sentences as possible this time of year and not being thought of as strange. Whatever the reason, I love (i.e. "amour") this game that I've played for most of my life. It started with me as a young Adonis believing I could both conquer the world and my dad at chess and it's been an infatuation ever since. It hasn't been all highs; there've been times when I've felt my love for the game has been unrequited. But overall, I enjoy tournament games or casual pick-up games in a coffee shop as well as the saccrarine-sweet rush of a blitz game.
Judging from all the players and tournaments around the state of Illinois, I expect I'm not alone in some of my feelings for the game. Here are highlights from Illinois tournaments.
December 1 to January 5: The Epiphany Tournament in Bloomington, IL had 18 players participating in this four round event with Ethan Catt coming out on top with 4 points. Crosstable.
2012 Peoria Winter Tornado
- Written by Wayne Zimmerle
Nikhilesh Kunche won the January 28th, 2012 Peoria Winter Tornado for the second year in a row again with a perfect 4/0 score. There was a four way tie for second place with scores of 3/1 between Pete Karagianis, Jordan Nach, Hanson Hao and Peter Mc Conaghie. There were 28 players in the Open section.
Aydin Turgut representing the up and coming young players at age 7, current US K-1 National Champion, played 3 games, winning 2 out of three vs higher rated players to raise his rating from 1509 to 1593.
At the last moment the organizers added a scholastic section which ended up with 16 players and was won by Maxwell Jong with a score of 4/0.
The playing site was Lakeview Museum's auditorium, so there was plenty of room, with a separate skittle room upstairs.