Mechanics' Institute Chess Club News 544"The stupidest rule in chess is losing on time. The idea of the chess clock was to make the players move more quickly, not to decide the out-come of the game." Yasser Seirawan (New In Chess - 2011, issue 4, page 106) Note - The Mechanics' Institute Chess Club Newsletter will take a three week break while MI Chess Director John Donaldson travels to China to captain the US entry in the 2011 World Team Championship 1) Mechanics' Institute Chess Club Newss 2) Two Ches Poems by Dennis Fritzinger 3) GM Alex Baburin visiting Bay Area 4) Jacqueline Piatigorsky 5) Upcoming Special Events at the Mechanics' Institute 6) Upcoming Events 1) Mechanics' Institute Chess Club News Photographs from the early 1900s to the present are displayed on the walls of the Mechanics' Institute Chess Club. Some of the classiest and most distinctive were taken by Nancy Roos who ranks among the best chess photographers of all. The following short bio, written for her induction into the California Chess Hall of Fame (www.chessdryad.com) , offers a quick summary of this remarkable individual's most important accomplishments. NANCY ROOS (1905-1957): Nancy Roos packed a lot of living into a relatively short life. Born Nancy Krotoschin (mother Cohn) in Germany she later moved to Belgium before immigrating to the United States in the late 1930s. Mrs. Roos was active in New York City between 1939 and 1944 distinguishing herself not only at chess (=2-3rd in the 1942 US Womens Championship) but also at Go where she was also recognized expert. Mrs. Roos and her husband Martin moved to Los Angeles in 1944 where she opened a photo studio in the Wilshire district. Her artistic eye and skill in photography played an important role in promoting chess in her new home state of California. She served as staff photographer, first with George Koltanowski's publications California Chess News and Chess Digest and later with the California Chess Reporter. She took all the photos that appeared in the tournament book of Hollywood 1952 edited by H.J. Ralston and Guthrie McClain. Many of her timeless black and white photos from the late 1940s and the first half of the 1950s can be found hanging on the walls of the Mechanics' Institute Chess Club in downtown San Francisco. They provide ample evidence that Nancy Roos belongs on the short list of the great chess photographers of all time. Besides being an outstanding photographer Nancy Roos was also the first women from California to win a US Women's Championship, tying for first with Gisela Gresser (who she beat in their individual game) in the 1955 event. The next Golden State winner would be Diane Savereide twenty years later. What made this victory particularly significant for Mrs. Roos is that she did it near the end of a nine year battle with cancer. 2) Two Chess Poems by Dennis Fritzinger fourth of july chess moves 3) GM Alex Baburin visiting Bay Area Irish-Russian GM Alex Baburin is currently visiting the Bay Area through July 22. The seven-time Olympiad participant and founder of the online daily Chess Today (www.chesstoday.net) currently in its 11th year of operation, is available for lessons during his stay. Baburin is an experienced coach who worked for some time with super GM Alexander Morozevitch. Contact GM Baburin at baburin@gmail.com. 4) Jacqueline Piatigorsky Jacqueline Piatigorsky, one of the most important sponsors in the history of American chess, will be 100 on November 6. Mrs. Piatigorsky did not only confine her chess activities to elite competitions. The Piatigorsky Foundation, which she founded with Gregor, sponsored chess in public schools and for underprivileged and disabled children throughout Southern California for several decades. This was in many ways her most lasting legacy as tens of thousands of children were exposed to the Royal Game thanks to her efforts. One of the highest rated women in the United States in the 1950s and 60s, Mrs. P. played in many US Womens Championships these two decades. Her best performance came in 1965, when at the age of 53, she finished half a point out of first with the excellent score of 7 1/2 - 2 1/2. She represented the United States internationally in the first womens Chess Chess Olympiad held in Emmen in 1957 where she scored 7.5 from 11 to win the bronze medal on second board.
MI Advanced Chess Camp with GMNick deFirmian, IMsVince McCambridge and John Donaldson, FM Mark Pinto and MI Scholastic CoordinatorAnthony Corrales from July 24-29 Go to www.chessclub.org for more information. July 31st Neil Falconer Blitz 6) Upcoming Events MECHANICS' TOURNAMENTS (go to www.chessclub.org for more information) 2011 Events Charles Bagby Memorial - July 16Vladimir Pafnutieff Memorial - August 6Bernardo Smith Memorial - August 20-21Howard Donnelly Memorial - September 17J.J. Dolan Memorial - October 8Carroll Capps Memorial - November 5-6Pierre Saint-Amant Memorial - November 19Guthrie McClain Memorial - December 3 July 23-24 Freedom Open 3 Sections: 1900+, 1500-1899, u1500. Prizes: $2020 b/55. 1900+: 300-200-70 (u2100 100-70). 1500-1899: 300-200-70 (u1700 100-70). Under 1500: 200-100-70 (u1300 100-70). Sched: Reg. Sat 10-10:30. Rounds Sat 11, 4:30, Sun 10 3:30. EF: Pre-reg $66 by 7/21, Onsite $85. Jul '11 Supp & TD discretion to assign ratings. Chess Center, 1590 Oakland Rd., Ste B213, San Jose. Info/flyer: BayAreaChess.com/july11. NS NC September 3-5 2011 Labor Day Chess Festival 6-SS, 30/90, SD/1 (2-day option rds 1-3 G/60). Golden Geteway Holiday Inn. Van Ness at October 1st - 2011 U.S. Game/60 Championship - Santa Clara 4SS, G/60 - $4,000 b/117 fully paid entries - 75% guaranteed. Hotel rate $99 by 9/16: Hyatt Regency, 5101 Great America Pkwy, Santa Clara, CA 95054. Free Parking. In 3 sections, Open Section: $500-201-105, u2300 $200-110, u2100 $150, u2000 $130, u1900 $100. 1400-1799 Section: $500-201-100, u1700 $200, u1600 $150, u1500 $100. Under 1400 Section: $500-201-100, u1300 $200, u1200 $150, u1100 $100. Unrated may play in any section but maximum prize is $100 except no limit in the Open Section. Trophies for top 3 places in each section. Entry Fee: Mailed by Mon 9/26 or online by Tue 9/27: $60. Online 9/28-29 or onsite: $75. Add $20 to play-up in a higher section. DISCOUNTS: $10 off each event if also registering for G/30 on Oct 2. $10 cash rebate onsite if staying at the hotel under chess rate. Byes: One 1/2 pt bye allowed must commit by start of Rd 2. Reenter with 1/2pt bye in Rd 1 for $39. September 2011 Supp, CCA min, TD discretion used to place players accurately. SIDE KIDS EVENT for K-12 students rated under 1000: 4SSxG/60 in 2 sections, 600-999 and under 600. Prizes: Trophies to Top 10 players and Top 5 teams in each section. Best 4 players count for team score. Also trophies to top u800, top u700 in 600-999 section and top u400, top u300, and top u200 in u600 section. EF by Mon 9/26 or online by Tue 9/27: $39. Online 9/28-29 or onsite: $54. Add $10 to play-up in a higher section. Schedule: Onsite Registration 8:30-9:30am; Round Times: 10:00am, 12:30, 3:00, and 5:30pm. Mail payments to: Bay Area Chess, 1590 Oakland Rd., Suite B213, San Jose 95131. $20 for refunds. T: 408-786-5515. E: ask@BayAreaChess.com, Info/Form/Entries: BayAreaChess.com/usg60g30. NS, NC, W. October 2nd - 2011 U.S. Game/30 Championship - Santa Clara 4SS, G/30 - $3,006 b/88 fully paid entries - 75% guaranteed. Hotel rate $99 by 9/16: Hyatt Regency, 5101 Great America Pkwy, Santa Clara, CA 95054. Free Parking. In 3 sections, Open Section: $400-200-102, u2300 $101, u2100 $101, u2000 $100, u1900 $99. 1400-1799 Section: $400-200-102, u1700 $101, u1600 $100, u1500 $99. Under 1400 Section: $400-200-102, u1300 $101, u1200 $100, u1100 $99. Unrated may play in any section but maximum prize is $100 except no limit in the Open Section. Trophies for top 3 places in each section. Entry Fee mailed by Mon 9/26 or online by Tue 9/27: $60. Online 9/28-29 or onsite: $75. Add $20 to play-up in a higher section. DISCOUNTS: $10 off each if also registering for G/60 on Oct 1. $10 cash rebate onsite if staying at the hotel. Byes: One 1/2 pt bye allowed must commit by start of Rd 2. Reenter with 1/2pt bye in Rd 1 for $39. September 2011 Supp, CCA min, TD discretion used to place players accurately. SIDE KIDS EVENT for K-12 students rated under 1000: 5SSxG/30 in 2 sections, 600-999 and under 600. Trophies to Top 10 players and Top 5 teams in each section. Best 4 players count for team score. Also trophies to top u800, top u700 in 600-999 section and top u400, top u300, and top u200 in u600 section. EF by Mon 9/26 or online by Tue 9/27: $39. Online 9/28-29 or onsite: $54. Add $10 to play-up in a higher section. Schedule: Onsite Registration 8:30-9:30am; Round Times: 10:00am, 12:30, 3:00, and 5:30pm. Mail payments to: Bay Area Chess, 1590 Oakland Rd., Suite B213, San Jose 95131. $20 for refunds. T: 408-786-5515. E: ask@BayAreaChess.com, Info/Form/Entries: BayAreaChess.com/usg60g30. NS, NC, W. 2012 Northern California International Presented by NorCal House of Chess Dates: January 2nd - January 8th http://dotq.org/chess/
Upcoming events at the Metropolitan Chess Club: July 8-10, July 22-24, July 29-31 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th Metropolitan ChessFIDE Qualifier |