Youth Chess News
8 Teams Still Undefeated After 4 Rounds At IHSA Finals
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- Written by Bill Feldman Bill Feldman
[Editor's Note: Due to server transition, the write up on the completed IHSA finals has been lost but we wish to congratulate IMSA, the 2016-2017 State Champions! That comprehensive article will be reconstructed and posted here. In the meantime, here's the Day 1 results to whet your appetite (thanks to Andon Mardov!).]
After four of seven rounds, eight schools are continuing the quest for the 2017 top Illinois high school chess team.
With three rounds remaining, wrapping up later today, it's likely we'll see just a single perfect score for the winning team. But you never know until the last king drops.
Avery Coonley and Whitney Young Dominate 2017 GCC
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- Written by Bill Feldman Bill Feldman
Almost 500 players participated in the 2017 Greater Chicago Championships February 4 at McCormick Place. The event was organized by the Renaissance Knights Foundation in conjunction with the City of Chicago.
Entrants participated in four varsity and junior varsity sections with separate prize categories for city residents.
In the K-3 Varsity competition Ria Raj of Naperville was the lone 5.0/5 finisher to claim the championship with Kaarthik Nagarathinam of Carmel and Yuvraj Chennareddy of Chicago finishing a point back, tying for second place. Yuvraj was named "City Champion".
Banner Day for Illinois Youth Chess: Over 1,000 Participate In Various Upstate / Downstate Chess Tournaments February 4
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- Written by Bill Feldman Bill Feldman
From Highland Park to Bloomington Normal, from Wheaton to Chicago, Illinois hosted youth competition aplenty February 4..
Benjamin Elementary in Normal hosted 255 for yet another BNASC event. Wheaton Christian Grammar School in Winfield hosted over 200. Both events featured four USCF-rated sections.
Almost 500 participated in the Greater Chicago Championships at McCormick Place and approaching 100 played in Highland Park with the advanced section submitted to US Chess. The Greater Chicago standings have been posted here, and ICA staff is diligently trying to create a narrative on this and the HP event.
Illinois Has Seven Top 10 Youth on January Lists
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- Written by Bill Feldman Bill Feldman
Aren Emrikian may have skipped First Grade -- but he hasn't missed a beat at the chess board!
The Wilmette wunderkind recently turned seven and is now the number two "7 & Under" in the US. He is just over 100 points away from the number one at that age -- from New Jersey. Aren's rating is more than 600 points greater than the second highest Illinois "7 & Under".
Six other talented Illinois youth are in the top 10 of their respective age groups as of January's official US Chess supplement including Dimitar Mardov (3), Arthur Xu (4), Aydin Turgut (6), David Peng (3), Jacob Furfine (9) and George Li (10).
US Chess Expert Giurgiu Wins Metro Suburban Conference Crown, Bensenville's Fenton High School Is Top MSC Team
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- Written by Bill Feldman Bill Feldman
Holding its second-ever conference tournament, the Metro Suburban Conference (MSC) fielded five teams at Walther Academy in Melrose Park on Saturday, January 21.
Ionatan Giurgiu of Ridgewood High School in Norridge posted the lone undefeated score in the 46-player field, defeating Joseph Ghanimah of Fenton High School in the final round.
Nonetheless, Joseph's Fenton team (of Bensenville) ran away with the team title with 19.0 from its top 5 players. Riverside Brookfield placed second with 17.0 while Aurora Central captured third place with 15.0.