Chess tournament set to help Hokie Spirit fund
BLACKSBURG — In May, Virginia Tech senior Chuck Ronco came up with an idea to raise money for the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund, formed to aid victims of April 16 and their families. The idea? A chess tournament.
He contacted Tech’s chess club president, Derek O’Dell, who coincidentally became famous as the first victim of the campus shootings to talk to the media. Together, they have worked to organize the Hokie Memorial Open to be held Saturday and Sunday at Squires Student Center.
The tournament is open to the public. The cost is $20 to play and there will be competitions for all skill levels.
“You hear about so much money coming into the fund,” O’Dell said, “this was a way to be part of that.”
The weekend events also will feature a lecture on Saturday by four-time women’s world chess champion Susan Polgar, who upon learning that O’Dell was president of Tech’s chess club has donated money both to O’Dell’s education and the club. She teaches chess at Texas Tech University.
For more information, go to http://www.chess.org.vt.edu/
Source: Roanoke.com News
Good luck Derek and Chuck!
Virginia Tech was a very nice and quite place when I studied there for my Ph.D. in 1990s. I didn’t know that there was an active chess club, didn’t see any advertisements for chess contests. Guess things have changed since.
Maroon and Orange ! Go, Hokie, Go !
Susan,how nice and handsome in that outfit you are!
I live in blacksburg, and I can’t wait for you to come!!!
Hey, sitting on a table is so cool! Who needs chairs any more?