Mechanics' Institute Chess Club Newsletter #361
It began to feel as though you were playing against chess itself.
IM Walter Shipman - on playing against Fischer
This is a special edition of the Newsletter devoted to Mechanic's and California Chess History. The regular schedule for the Newsletter will resume on Wednesday, September 12.
1) Los Angeles Times Chess Column
2) A.J. Fink - Master of Chess and Chess Problems
3) Pruner-Bisguier, Fort Worth (US Junior) 1949
4) Alekhine at the Mechanics' 1929
5) First US Champion to live in California
6) A letter from Norman Whitaker to Irving Chernev
7) Here and There
8) Upcoming Events
1) Los Angeles Times Chess Column
The long run of George Koltanowski's column in the San Francisco Chronicle is well noted as is that of England's Leonard Barden who has been engaged in chess journalism since the 1950s, but for longevity and excellence the collective effort of several columnists for the Los Angeles Times may be without equal.That the Times has a long running column with IM Herman Steiner, GM Isaac Kashdan and IM Jack Peters (still going strong) is well known, but that Steiner had predecessors was until recently knowledge to only a few if any. It may well be that the premier paper on the West Coast has hosted a chess column for over 90 years without interruption. Credit for many recent discoveries with this column go to NM John Blackstone of Las Vegas
Mr. Blackstone has confirmed the following:
Los Angeles Times Chess Columnists:
Clif Sherwood starts October 9, 1927 - end May 28, 1933
R. J. Ryan starts June 4, 1933 ends July 2, 1933
Herman Steiner starts July 9, 1933 -November 27, 1955 (his last column was run posthumously)
Isaac Kashdan starts December 1955 - September 1982
Jack Peters Sept. 19, 1982 to present
John is now investigating John Dougherty who was the editor of a Chess and Checkers column in the Sunday Times. He writes: "Doughtery had a checker/chess column in the LA Times,
this is based on the fact that his checker column dated May 28, 1916 started to put chess games in it and the one on that date was number 1. When we get to March 16, 1919 the game has a number of 124. This to me seems to be a column that is just hidden." The question is did Doughtery's column run up until October of 1927?
It should be noted that the column has missed a few weeks over the decades. There was no gap between Sherwood, Ryan, Steiner and Kashdan ( though the latter was not promoted to full-time until a month after taking over) but when Kashdan had a stroke Jack Peters remembers that the Times had no column for either one week or two weeks Peters wrote his first column on Sept. 19, 1982. His name appeared at the top of the column, but he was considered a temporary replacement. Peters' first four columns contained the notice: "Isaac Kashdan, Times chess editor, has been hospitalized with a stroke. During his illness, the chess column will be written by Jack Peters, international master." Later it became clear that Kashdan would not fully recover from his stroke and Peters was named the permanent replacement toward the end
of the year.
We note that the 25th(!) anniversary of Peters taking over the column is coming up in less than a month. He was responsible for making the most controversial decision in the history of the column, switching from descriptive to algebraic notation, a decision that elicited strong complaints from some readers in the early 1980s. However it is likely that no Los Angeles Times chess editorwill ever come close to achieving the notoriety of Clif Sherwood. Sherwood, who came from a wealthy family with several state governors in the family tree, was born in Newark around 1884. He ran a chess column in the Los Angeles Evening Express from September 1921 to October 1922 and served in the mid 1920s as President of the Los Angeles Chess and Checker Club which had several hundred members. Sherwood's columns were informative and did a
good job of documenting chess in not only Los Angeles, but the rest of the state as well. A column by Sherwood from 1930 where he shared personal details might have given readers the idea that he was eccentric but no one could have suspected what would happen just a few years later.
First came a terse announcement from R.J. Ryan, the brief caretaker for the column between Sherwood and Steiner. "Cliff Sherwood, who started this column back in October, 1927, is taking a vacation for two or three months, and has turned the column over to the present writer for that time.This announcement make it sound like it was Sherwood's decision to give up the column, but that might be the way the newspaper would handle it if Sherwood had begun to behave strangely and they felt he needed a long vacation. The "two or three months" seems vague.
A few weeks later Sherwood was in the paper for non-chess reasons. He had shot and killed Gabriele Andrieux, a French dressmaker who was unresponsive to his romantic advances, on Monday afternoon June 19, 1933, and fled to Burbank where he shot himself in his car sometime before dawn Tuesday morning. He was found by police not long after and died
in a hospital that afternoon.
2) A.J. Fink - Master of Chess and Chess Problems
Until the last 1940s the standard bearers for the Mechanics' Institute were Walter Lovegrove and A.J. Fink. Neither traveled a great deal - to get Fink to visit Oakland was a big deal - but both did very well against local talent and visiting masters. Fink was even more accomplished as a problem composer having an international reputation.The following article covers his career to the mid 1930s.
Who's Who In Problemdom
By Maxwell Bukofzer
A. J. FINK
The problem master I am introducing today to our family is in one respect the most remarkable chess personality in the United States. He is not only, like his predecessors in this series, one of the greatest problem composers, internationally reputed, but he carries the rare and unusual distinction of being the only American problemist who has achieved an acknowledged ranking position as a master of the game. From the beginning of his chess career he has maintained leadership on both fields of chess with an ease and thoroughness that astonish the chess world. This dual competence is all the more amazing, because he is not a chess professional, but an amateur whose vocation in life does not permit him ample time for the study of chess.
A. J. Fink was born on July 19, 1890 in the City of San Francisco, California, where he still resides today. He received the fair schooling provided by Uncle Sam for all of his children. Qualifying for the Postal Service he later abandoned it in favor of a business occupation and became Traffic Manager for a large wholesale concern. In 1928, however, he returned to his first vocational choice, the Postal Service, in which he is employed at the present date. Long hours and hard work granted him but little time to devote to the game he loves so well, yet by dint of perseverance and his great talents he conquered the enviable position as an undisputed leader in both sections of chess which he now holds so securely.
He turned to chess in 1906 during the memorable time when the earthquake nearly demolished the city of his birth. On the field of board chess it took him only 7 years to climb to the position of a champion. In 1913 and again in 1916 and once more in 1919 he was Champion of the well known Mechanics' Institute of San Francisco. This was, however, a mere start. In 1922 he rose to the dignity of a State Champion of California. Like all thoroughbreds Fink came back to win the State Championship again for two consecutive years, 1928 and 1929.
He participated in numerous tournaments, always finishing with scores that proved him to be a master of the first rank. Among the great masters against whom he was successful are such experts as Torre, Kupchik, Kashdan, Mlotkowski, Dake and Steiner. Truly an enviable record that speaks its own language.
One wonders what Fink would have been able to accomplish had he not been compelled to treat chess as a mere hobby.
Such is A. J. Fink, the valiant board master.
Source: CHESS REVIEW (Volume 3, Number 3, March 1935)
3) Pruner-Bisguier, Fort Worth (US Junior) 1949
The US Chess Federation first started holding the US Junior Open in 1946 and they quickly became quite strong. The 1949 event, a 38-player affair held in Fort Worth, finished in a three way tie for first at 8-2 between Arthur Bisguier ( getting the nod on tiebreaks), Larry Evans and James Cross of Glendale. Fourth place was taken by Earl Pruner of San Francisco who made his national debut in the event. The August 1949 issue of Chess Review (page 228) had this to say about his performance. "A new name in junior chess, Pruner played superbly to earn his position ."
The following game was annotated by Pruner for the California Chess News and News of the Pacific Coast , a predecessor of the California Chess Reporter.
For an account of the event by James Cross go to http://www.chessdryad.com/articles/ccn/sep49V2N8/p_06.htm . We are happy to report that Earl is alive and well, enjoying his retirement in Las Vegas
Pruner,Earl - Bisguier,Arthur [C86]
US Junior Ch. Fort Worth (8), 1949
Annotated by Earl Pruner
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Qe2 b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.c3 d5 9.d3
9.exd5 Bg4! (9...Nxd5 10.Nxe5 Nf4! 11.Qe4 Nxe5 12.d4! Bb7! 13.Qxf4 Nd3 14.Qe3 Nxc1 15.Rxc1 Bg5 With some attack for the pawn.) 10.h3 Bxf3 11.Qxf3 e4 12.Qe2 Na5 13.Bc2 Qxd5 Hjorth - Keres, Lidkoping 1944.
9...d4 10.cxd4 Bg4
Bisguier evidently feels that he must play for a win, hence he adopts an enterprising sacrifice that Cross used against him in the fifth round. [10...Nxd4 11.Nxd4 Qxd4 12.Be3 Qd6 13.Nc3 Be6= Keres - Euwe, Moscow 1948; 10...exd4? is refuted by 11.e5.
11.dxe5
11.d5? Nd4 12.Qd1 Nh5! 13.Be3 Nxf3+ 14.gxf3 Bh3 15.Re1 Bg5! 16.Kh1 Bf4 17.Bxf4 Nxf4 18.Rg1 Qh4 19.Qd2 Rad8 20.Nc3 Rd6 21.Nd1 Bd7! 22.Ne3 Qxh2+ and mates in two moves, J. Donovan - S. Bernstein, Ventnor City 1942.
11...Nd7
In the Bisguier - Cross game, Cross played 11...Nxe5 and regained his pawn after 12.d4 (Bernstein refutes 12.Rd1 with 12...Nh5 13.d4 Bxf3 14.gxf3 Ng6) 12...Bxf3 13.gxf3 Qxd4 However Black's position cannot be considered satisfactory as his game is exposed to attack.
12.Be3 Ndxe5 13.Rd1 Bd6
Black threatens 14...Nxf3+ 15 gxf3 Qh4 with decisive effect.
14.Nbd2
14.d4 Nxf3+ 15.gxf3 Qh4 16.e5 Nxe5 gives Black a strong attack.
14...Nxd3
14...Qh4 15.h3!
15.Qxd3 Bxh2+ 16.Nxh2 Qxd3 17.Nxg4
According to ordinary standards, a Queen and pawn is about equal to the three minor pieces. Here however, Black's game is not satisfactory as his pieces are either out of play or awkwardly posted. White's pieces, on the other hand, will all be placed in effective positions.
17...h5 18.Rac1 Nd4 19.Bxd4
19.Ne5 is even better.
19...Qxd4 20.Ne3 Qxb2 21.Rxc7 Rad8
21...Rac8? 22.Bxf7+
22.Bd5 a5 23.Nf3 Rxd5
White threatened 24 Bxf7+ which was tough to meet.
24.exd5 Qxa2
Black's sacrifice has given him two pawns on the Queenside, but White's d-pawn will keep him so busy that he will never have a chance to advance them.
25.d6 Qe6 26.d7 Rd8 27.Rc8 Qe7
27...Rxc8 28.d8Q+ Rxd8 29.Rxd8+ Kh7 30.Ng5+ wins Black's Queen.
28.Nf5 Qf8 29.Rxd8 Qxd8 30.Ne7+ 1-0
SOURCE: California Chess News and News of the Pacific Coast (November 1949, page 14)
4) Alekhine at the Mechanics' 1929
John Blackstone has been very busy of late researching California chess history from the 1920s in Clif Sherwood's chess column in the LA Times. The following account of Alekhine's simul at the Mechanics' Institute on May 11, 1929, which appeared in the Times on May 19, adds to our knowledge of the event, specifically all the names of those who beat or drew the world champion.
" World Champion Alekhine's simultaneous exhibition at San Francisco, Saturday night, the 11th, packed the chess club rooms in the Mechanics' Institute. against forty-four players he won 28, lost 8 and drew 8.
The lucky winners were: A.J. Fink, State Champion; E.W. Gruer, former State Champion; Charles Bagby, A.B. Stamer, D. Vedensky, S. Silvius, L. Goldstone and Dr. a. Epsteen. Draws were obtained by Dr. W.r. Lovegrove, prof. G. K. Branch, Henry Gross, J. Drouillard, Leo Christianson, Fred Byron, G.Traum, and L. Rosenblatt. One of the players, almost totally blind, sat alongside and recorded the game move by move, on his braille typewriter. Arthur Dake, 19-year-old Oregon champ, who came from Portland to Los Angeles to lose his game in the exhibition here, stopped off at San Francisco on his way home to take a second crack at the world's champion and suffered defeat again. Alekhine states he was not feeling
well up north and visited a Russian doctor upon his return to Los Angeles."
Sherwood's column did not offer any new games. Besides the three consultation games played on May 10, the following seven games are preserved from Alekhine's visit.
A - Cook 1-0
A-Folger 1-0
A-Dake 1-0
A-Fink 0-1
A-Vedensky 0-1
A-Bagby 0-1
A-Gruer 0-1
In a column on May 12, 1929, Sherwood commented on Alekhine's appearance. "The champion has a decided "Chesty" appearance, his physical makeup more that of a heavyweight boxer or football goliath than the popular conception of a chess player."
A photograph of Alekhine in action at the Mechanics' simul in 1929 has hung on the walls of the Chess Club for almost 80 years.
5) First US Champion to live in California
Who was the first US Champion to live in California?
Give yourself an honorable mention if you came up with Herman Steiner (1948), John Grefe (=1st in 1973) or Walter Browne ( 6 times US Champion) but for full credit you need the name Samuel Lipschutz. Lipschutz, whose first name is sometimes given as Solomon or Samuel - I use the first name as given by Gaige and Gillam but note that the American Chess World of July 1892 hedges its bets by calling him simply S. Lipschutz - won the title when he decisively defeated Jackson Whipps Showalter in April/May of 1892 in a match held in New York by the score of +7, =7, -1. According to Soltis and McCormick in their The U.S. Chess Championship, 1845-1985, "He then did something quite unexpected. The frail 28-year-old Lipschutz gave up his New York business and his chess career to move west to California where he would be better able to nurture his failing health." The cause of his ill health was likely
tuberculosis which was to take his life in 1905 at the age of 42.
The tournament record for Lipschutz, in A. J. Gillam's Samuel Lipschutz (The Chess Player - 2000) gives no results or games played by S.L. in the period between the 1892 match with Showalter and another against the same opponent in October-December 1895 in New York where Showalter got his revenge by a score of (+7, -4, =3).
Presently all we know about Lipschutz's stay in Los Angeles from roughly the second half of 1892 to possibly near the end of 1895 are the following two items.
From Dr. Ralston's memorial to Lovegrove which appeared in Chess Life and the California Chess Reporter in 1956:
" In 1893 Dr. Lovegrove visited Los Angeles, where he met and conquered Simon Lipshutz by a score of 3 1/2 - 1/2. The American Championship was in a rather foggy state in those days, but technically, the present writer believes, Lipshutz was still the champion, by virtue of his decisive win over Showalter, in their match of 1892. However, one must admit that Dr. Lovegrove's victory over Lipshutz must be weighed with caution because of the very uncertain nature of the champion's health. Lipshutz was a chronic sufferer from tuberculosis, which caused his premature death at the age of 42."
Ken Whyld's Chess Columns A List mentions that Lipschutz edited a chess column for the Los Angeles Herald in 1895. That Los Angeles, which had only around 50,000 people living in it in 1890, had a chess column, suggests that there must have been some sort of chess activity, but presently all pre-1900 California chess history and games are from the north which is logical as San Francisco was a much larger city.
6) A letter from Norman Whitaker to Irving Chernev
Thanks to the generosity of Melvin Chernev, son of the late Irving Chernev, we have a fair amount of correspondence written and received by the recent USCF Hall of Fame inductee. Here is a pencil written letter to Chernev from the notorious Norman Whitaker, subject of an excellent biography by John Hilbert - Shady Side: The Life and Crimes of Norman Tweed Whitaker Chess Master.
776 N. 26th St.
Philadelphia 30, PA
October 26, ??? (no date - around 1950 is a guess)
Irving Chernev Esq.
New York City
Dear Mr. Chernev,
Congratulations on your excellent book "Winning Chess Traps". Very well done!
I recall No. 15, a Black win in the Ruy. The first time it was played in this country was my win with it against Factor. Twas a long time ago 1922 in Louisville (sic Cleveland 1921), as I recall , but the win and trap was widely published.
In a future edition you may wish to include a Ruy Lopez trap, invented by me. With it I won many games. Several editions of MCO called it the Whitaker Trap. Why Fine omitted it from the last edition I do not know.
Continued good writing. Excuse pencil please.
Sincerely yours,
Norman T. Whitaker
(the following was given in English descriptive which has been converted)
1.e4 e5
2.Nf3 Nc6
3.Bb5 a6
4.Bxc6 dxc6
5.Nc3 Bd6
6.d4 exd4
7.Qxd4 f6
8.0-0 Bg4 (a crude but plausible way to win the Q!)
9.e5 and wins
if 9...Bxf3 11.exd6 Bh5 11.Re1+ Kf7 12.Qc4+ Kf8 13.Qc5 wins
It would appear the game Whitaker was referring to above was the following which appears with annotations in Shady Side: The Life and Crimes of Norman Tweed Whitaker Chess Master by John Hilbert.
Factor-Whitaker, Cleveland 1921
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 Nc5 9.Bc2 c5 10.d4 Qc7 11.a4 Rb8 12.axb5 axb5 13.dxe5 dxe5 14.Nxe5 Qxe5 15.Rxa5 Ng4 16.f4 Qc7 17.Ra1 c4 18.b3 Qb6+ 0-1
Source: American Chess Bulletin 1921, page 184
7) Here and There
The Los Angeles Times for September 27, 1931, reported the death of the first California State Champion, Elmer W. Gruer, who took top honors in 1921, scoring 10-0 in a all-play-all. He repeated winning the California state title in 1926 and 1927. A chemist by profession, who ran a X-Ray laboratory in Oakland, Gruer was educated at UC Berkeley. The Times column notes "He was a most popular member of the Athens Athletic Club in Oakland equally adept at bridge. He died July 16, 1931, at the age of 40.
Merchanics' Institute Championship results for 1927-28:1. E.J. Clarke 9.5/11; 2. Henry Gross 9; 3. reigning state champion E.W. Gruer 8.5
LA Times, May 13, 1928
8) Upcoming Events
Sept. 1-3 2007 CALCHESS LABOR DAY CHAMPIONSHIPS GPP: 15 California Northern
6SS, 30/90, SD/1 (2-day option rds. 1-3 G/60). Golden Gateway Holiday Inn, Van Ness at Pine, San Francisco. $$ b/160 paid entries (not counting free or unrated entries). Six Sections: Master: $725-$375-$200; U2400 $300; Expert $430-$230-$110. "A": $375-$200-$120. "B": $375-$200-$120. "C": $375-200-120. "D/E": $375-$200-$120; U1200 $250. Unr: Trophy first. Trophy to top finisher (State Champion) in each section. All, EF: postmarked by 8/27, $70 (Jrs. $60), $80 at site (Jrs. $70). Unrateds $20 in the D/E section or may play up to the Master section for the regular fee. $5 discount to CalChess members. USCF memb. req'd. May play up one section for add'l $10 (Jrs. $5). GM/IM free entry. Reg.: Sat. 9/1 8-9:30 am, Sun. 9/2 8:15-9:15 am. RDS.: Choice of schedules- 3-day, 2-day merge at round 4, all compete for the same prizes. 3-day schedule: Sat.
10:00-4:00, Sun. 11:00-4:45, Mon. 10:00-3:30. 2-day schedule: Sun. 9:30-11:45-2:00-4:45, Mon. 10:00-3:30. 1/2 pt. bye(s) any round(s) if requested in advance (byes rds. 5-6 must be requested before rd. 1). 2007 August Ratings List, CCA minimums and Directors' discretion will be used to place players as accurately as possible. Please bring clocks and equipment. HR: Golden Gateway Holiday Inn (415)-441-4000. INFO: Richard Koepcke (650)-964-2640. Ent: CalChess, P.O. Box 1432, Mountain View, CA 94042. No phone entries. Master Section FIDE Rated.
A Classic Event!
Oct. 6 California Classic Championship 18 California, Northern
4SS G/60. 3003 Scott Blvd., Santa Clara, CA 95054. EF: $39, Juniors $35. $16 more after 10/2, $2 Cal Chess Discount, $4 discount if combined with 11/10 Classic. $850 b/36: Open 200-100 U2000 50, Reserve: 200-100 U1600 50, U1400 50, U1200 50, U1000 50. Reg: Sat 9:00-9:30 AM, Rds: 10:00-12:00, lunch, 12:30-2:30 PM, 2:40-4:40 PM, 4:55-6:55 PM. Ent: Salman Azhar, 1551 Garvey Pl. San Jose, CA 95132. Payable to Salman Azhar or paypal to sazhar@yahoo.com. Info: http://www.bayareachess.com/. NS NC W
A Classic Event!
Nov. 10 California Classic Championship 20 California, Northern
4SS G/60. 3003 Scott Blvd., Santa Clara, CA 95054. EF: $39, Juniors $35. $16 more after 11/6, $2 Cal Chess Discount, $4 discount if combined with 10/6 Classic. $850 b/36: Open 200-100 U2000 50, Reserve: 200-100 U1600 50, U1400 50, U1200 50, U1000 50. Reg: Sat 9:00-9:30 AM, Rds: 10:00-12:00, lunch, 12:30-2:30 PM, 2:40-4:40 PM, 4:55-6:55 PM. Ent: Salman Azhar, 1551 Garvey Pl. San Jose, CA 95132. Payable to Salman Azhar or paypal to sazhar@yahoo.com. Info: http://www.bayareachess.com/. NS NC W
Southern California
September 1-3
27th Annual Southern California Open
6-SS, 3-day 40/2, SD/1, 2-day rds. 1-3 G/60 then merges. LAX Hilton, 5711 W. Century Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90045.
$$10,000 b/200, 60% of each prize guaranteed.
In 2 sections:
Open: $$T+1700-1000-800-450-300, U2400 400, U2300 200, U2200 600-300, U2000 $$600-300.
Amateur (U1800): T+750-400-200-150-100, U1600 $$500-300-200-100, U1400 $$300-150, U1200 100, Unr 100.
All: Half-pt bye available in rds 1-4 if requested with entry, limit 2. SCCF membership req. of S. Cal. res., $14 reg, $9 junior. No
credit card entries or checks at door. SCCF Annual Membership Meeting: 2:30 p.m. Sept. 3. $25 Best Game prize, all sections eligible.
Reg: 3-day 9-10 a.m. 9-1, 2-day 8:30-9:30 a.m. 9-2.
Rds: 3-day: 10:30-5 Sat-Sun, 10-4:30 Mon. 2-day: 10-12:15-2:30 Sun., then merges.. EF: $83 if received by 8/31, $95 door. Special EF: U1400/unrated $67 adv, $80 door.
HR: $95 (310-410-4000, use group code SOU). Reserve by 8-26 or rates may rise. Parking $8/day.
Inf: John Hillery.
Ent: SCCF, c/o John Hillery, 835 N. Wilton Pl. #1, Los Angeles CA 90038 or on-line at http://www.westernchess.com/.
NS. NC. F. GP: 50. State Championship Qualifier
Heritage Event!
An American Classic!
Oct. 12-14 25th Annual SANDS REGENCY RENO-WESTERN STATES OPEN GPP: 200 Enhanced Nevada
6SS, 40/2, 20/1, SD/30. Sands Regency Hotel/Casino, 345 N. Arlington Ave., Reno, NV 89501. 1-800-648-3553 or (775) 348-2200. $$ 46,000 b/450, Gtd. $$ 29,850: $4,000-2,500-1,500-1,200-1,000-900-800-700-600-500 in Open Section plus 1/2 of all other prizes. 7 Sections: OPEN: EF: GMs & IMs free, Masters $123, (2000-2199)-$201, (1999-below)-$301. $$ Prizes 1-10 listed above, (2400-2499) $1,000, (2300-2399) $1,000-600-400, (2299-below) $1,000-600-400. If a tie for first overall then two (G/10) playoff for $100 from prize fund. (Note: GM/IM w/free entry not eligible for class prizes 2499 and below, may elect to pay entry fee and become eligible). EXPERT: (2000-2199) EF: $122. $$ 2,000-1,000-500-400-300-200-200-(under 2100)-$600. "A" Sec. (1800-1999): EF: $121, $$ 1,800-900-500-400-300-200-200-200-200-200. "B" Sec. (1600-1799): EF: $120, $$
1,600-800-500-400-300-200-200-200-200-200. "C" Sec. (1400-1599): EF: $119, $$ 1,400-700- 500-400-300-200-200-100-100-100. "D" Sec. (1200-1399): EF: $118, $$ 1,200-600-500-400-300-200-200-100-100-100. "E" Sec. (1199-below): EF: $60 ("E" Sect. entries count as 1/2 paid player toward prize fund), $$ 600-400-300-200-200-100-100-100-100-100. (Unrated Players) EF: Free + must join USCF or increase membership for one additional year thru this tournament ($49 adults, $25 juniors). Prizes: Top unrated in "D" & "E" sections wins one yr. USCF membership plus trophy. Note: Adult unrated will be put in "D" Sect., Junior unrated in "E", unless requested to play up. Seniors additional prizes (65/over): $$ 400-200-100. (Srs. not eligible: provisionally rated, unrated, & masters); Club Championship: $$ 1,000-500-300-200 decided by total score of 10 (and only 10) players from one club or area (not eligible - GMs, IMs,
"E"Sec., or unrated). Trophies to top three (A-E Sections). ALL: EF: $11 more if postmarked after 9/22 and $22 more if postmarked after 10/6 or at site. Do not mail after 10/6 or email after 10/9. $20 off EF to Sr. 65/over and Jrs. 19/under. Players may play up. Unrated players not eligible for cash prizes except Open 1-10. Provisionally rated players may win up to 50% of first place money except Open Section 1-10. CCA ratings may be used. Note pairings not changed for color alteration unless three in a row or a plus three and if the unlikely situation occurs three colors in a row may be assigned. Reg.: (10/11) 5-9 pm, (10/12) 8:30-10 am. Rds.: 12-7, 10-6, 9:30-4. Byes available any round (two byes max.) if requested before first round. SIDE EVENTS: Wed. (10/10) 7 pm clock simul, [40/2, G/1] (including an analysis of YOUR game on the next day [Thursday] at 2 pm!), either GM Larry Evans or IM John Donaldson (early entries may request exhibitor, later
entries may be assigned), $30 (a great value!). Thursday (10/11) 6-7:30 pm, GM Larry Evans lecture- Free, 7:30 pm, Simul (only $15!) GM Walter Browne, 7:30 pm, Blitz (5 min.)Tourney ($15). Sat. 10/13 (3-4:30 pm), GM Larry Evans Clinic (Game/Position Analysis)- Free. Sun. (10/14) Quick Tourney (G/25), 5 rd. Swiss ($15) [12 (Noon)-5pm] 80% of entries returned as prizes. ENT: Make checks payable and send to: SANDS REGENCY (address above) HR: $39! (Sun-Thurs) & $59 (Fri-Sat) + 13.5% tax. (mention CHE1011 & by 9/29 to guarantee room rates.) INFO: Jerry Weikel wackyykl@aol.com, (775) 747-1405, or website: www.renochess.org/wso (also go here to verify entry). FIDE .W