News
US Amateur Team Tournament Returns to Chicago Area
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- Written by Maret Thorpe Maret Thorpe
- Created: 13 January 2011 13 January 2011
The U. S. Amateur Team (USAT) North, a popular USCF national event, is returning to the Chicago area for the first time since 2005. The USCF invited veteran organizers Tim Just and Glenn Panner to run the event, which will be held February 18-20 at the Crowne Plaza in Northbrook, Illinois. The event includes a Scholastic Team side event on Saturday, as well as ICA’s 2011 Illinois Blitz Championship on Saturday night.
Parmet Draws U.S. Champ at Simul
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- Created: 25 December 2010 25 December 2010
He's not yet rated high enough to be part of the Chicago Blaze team he manages, but last weekend Illinois' own Dan Parmet proved he knows a thing or two about chess when he drew reigning U.S. Champion Gata Kamsky at an 8-player simul in Atlantic City. Parmet discusses the game and the simul on a Chess Scoop video, and the game is featured on the USCF site. In the main event after the simul, Parmet went on to score 4.5/6 points, breaking the 2000 mark and officially becoming an expert. Congrats to Dan on a great event.
The tournament was organized by two other prominent Illinois Chess figures, Glenn Panner and Tim Just, and helping with TD duties was fellow Illinoisian Wayne Clark.
Helen Warren Honored at ICA Banquet
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- Created: 09 November 2010 09 November 2010
More than 40 ICA members from near and far gathered Sunday to celebrate Helen Warren, for her decades of contributions to Illinois and United States chess. While Warren is best known among current ICA members because her name is attached to the state program she founded for Illinois’ top junior players, her contributions over the years were much broader and far-reaching.
She served as the longtime editor of what at the time was the highly regarded Illinois Chess Bulletin, and held numerous leadership roles in the United States Chess Federation. Past ICA president Fred Gruenberg, the banquet’s keynote speaker, praised her organization and running of the Midwest Masters tournaments in the 1980s, which brought top chess players from around the country and the world to Chicago. “Those tournaments were run to perfection, as was everything she did,” Gruenberg said.
Chicago Blaze Headed to Playoffs
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- Created: 28 October 2010 28 October 2010
The Cubs and White Sox couldn't make it happen this season, but thanks to the Blaze, Chicago can boast at least one team that's clinched a playoff spot this month. Wednesday night's crucial victory over the Dallas Destiny in the last week of regular season play not only nabbed a postseason spot for Chicago's beloved internet chess squad, but it clinched second place in the Western Division, which means that in next week's matchup with the Miami Sharks, Chicago will have coveted draw odds. In the Dallas matchup, IM Florin Felecan at board 3 and NM Trevor Magness at board 4 both had exciting wins, while at Board 1 GM Dmitry Gurevich held IM Sal Bercys to a draw, to come out ahead 2.5-1.5. Fans are encouraged to come support the team in person at next week's playoff match on Wednesday, Nov. 3, at the Blaze's home, the newly opened North Shore Chess Center, 5500 W. Touhy, Suite A, Skokie, Illinos. Rumor has it there may even be prizes for some lucky fans.
For complete coverage of the match and for all the latest Blaze news, check out the Blaze blog. And see the U.S. Chess League site for news and info about its 16 teams across the country.
See Bill Brock's analysis of the games at the new ICA Chess Blog.
In the Shadow of the Arch: The 2010 US Championship
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- Written by Jim Egerton Jim Egerton
- Created: 27 October 2010 27 October 2010
St. Louis has always been the gateway for those seeking their fame and fortune by going west. Now the city is leading a revival of one of the oldest competitions known to man. For a fortnight in May, twenty-four of the best American CEO’s (Chess-playing Executive Officers) competed against each other to determine a champion. The CEO’s implemented their strategies with astute planning and ruthless tactics. They rallied their employees (pieces), evaluated and undertook projects, attacked the competition, defended their enterprises, engineered fortresses and even invested when necessary with timely sacrifices, all in the pursuit of the championship.