Whitehouse Station chess master plays 105 games at one time in Raritan
Published: Monday, April 11, 2011, 4:43 PM
Updated: Monday, April 11, 2011, 4:50 PM
RARITAN — Dean “Dean of Chess” Ippolito of Whitehouse Station played chess with 105 opponents simultaneously on Saturday. His intent was to set an Guinness-sanctioned world record, but he was licked before he started — an Iranian chess master in Teheran played 135 opponents in February. Ippolito had been hoping for 136 opponents, but that didn’t happen.
He arrives at his chosen venue, St. Ann’s school in Raritan Borough, at 9:30 a.m. The Rev. Edmund A. Luciano III begins with a prayer and a blessing as the games begin.
Ippolito looks over his competition. The players range in age from 6 to 63, all eager to take him on. His wife, Dawn, keeps him going emotionally and physically by supplying him with his bottles of Gatorade, power-bars, and the occasional energy drink.
This is a new world record category for chess. According to the Guinness rules, players must have a minimum established United States Chess Federation or World Chess Federation rating of 1000. That means everyone over the rating of 1000 is eligible; from Class D players to Grandmasters. He also has to win at least 80% of the games.
The official rules say Ippolito is not allowed to sit. This requires him to eat and drink while standing during the duration of the event and he is allowed a 3-minute bathroom break. It is estimated he will walk about 30 miles by the time the event is completed.
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He’ll get them next time.
The only hard part about setting this record is getting enough players, with the required ratings, who are willing to sit around long enough. Give me the players and I’ll set the record.