Chess — Stephen Dann
Sunday, January 12, 2014
Despite last week’s cold and stormy weather, the fourth and last Spiegel Scholastic Qualifying event in Cambridge attracted 71. Alvin Tan of Westwood, Andrew The and David Zhou, both of Lexington, became qualifiers for the Spiegel Cup finals in three of four age groups. The high school section, open to all Massachusetts secondary students on Feb. 9 in Marlboro, will be run concurrent with the now closed younger student final sections.
Scholastic events continue now year round, and next weekend, events are in Chelmsford, Somerville, Westwood and Warwick, R.I. MACA will also run the Winter Team tourney Feb. 2 in Marlboro. Details of many scholastic, club and open events are listed atwww.masschess.org.
Locally, Jadranka Grek’s scholastic group at the Auburn Public Library, 369 Southbridge St., Auburn, is scheduled at 7 p.m. on Mondays through the end of February. As the library may be closed on some Monday holidays, see www.AuburnLibrary.org. We also love their idea to encourage teenage volunteers to “adopt a shelf,” to encourage older youth to learn while serving their community. It can apply to teenagers in 351 cities and towns across the state volunteering at hundreds of public libraries helping to teach younger kids to play chess, like the past several years at the Southbridge Public Library, which received a grant of sets from the Mass. Chess Association under the Living Memorial Chess Fund program. Tournament chess sets are available for use at both Auburn and Southbridge and a number of other public libraries across the state.
The program at Nashoba Regional High in Bolton under the direction of Dr. Imre Toth continues on Jan. 24, Feb. 7 and 28 and March 7 and 21; details at www.nashobachess.org. The newest educational program will soon begin in the Concord-Carlisle Regional School district under the direction of Vadim Martirosov of Allston, one of the state’s top-rated players.
Donna Alarie offers chess coaching in connection with www.chesspals.com and the Greater Worcester Chess Club, meeting Thursdays in Worcester, as the club has a study session at each meeting open to all.
Still time to view the last rounds of Boston Chess Congress and the MACA Educational Expo today at the Hyatt at Logan Airport in East Boston. Sharon Burtman, 45, of Framingham, U.S. Women’s Champion about 20 years ago, will give a keynote presentation at 2 p.m. As a chess teacher and graduate of one of the early chess scholarship programs at Rhode Island College, she brings vast experience back to this state after decades of living and working in California.
Steve Winer of Belmont swept the Jan. 3 First Friday Open in Waltham, 7-0. Club details atwww.WalthamChessClub.org.
Carissa Yip, 10, of Chelmsford did get a “heroine’s” welcome at Fitchburg State University Wednesday and won her first-round game in the Reggie Boone Memorial; details at www.wachusettchess.org.
We shouldn’t forget the Metrowest Chess Club’s huge Tuesday night events in Natick; details atwww.metrowestchess.org.
Check out www.chessbase.com to view a “scientific study” Wednesday and Thursday of what the best opening move has been in elite human games, researched for what appears to be a doctoral dissertation.
Source: http://www.telegram.com
Too cold.