May 11 – 13, 2012  (May 10 – Bughouse & Blitz) - Nashville, TN

$20,000 in Scholarships to be Awarded!!

Location
Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center
2800 Opryland Dr
Nashville, TN 37214
615.889.1000 or 888.777.6779

7SS, G/120, (K-1 G/90). A Junior Grand Prix (JGP) event.

9 sections:

• K-6 Championship
• K-6 Under 1000
• K-6 Unrated
• K-5 Championship
• K-5 Under 900
• K-3 Championship
• K-3 Under 800
• K-3 Unrated
• K-1 Championship

Main Event rounds:

• Friday 1 pm, 7pm;
• Saturday 9 am, 2 pm, 7 pm;
• Sunday 9 am, 2 pm.

Schedule for K-1 section:

• Friday 1:30 pm, 6:30 pm;
• Saturday 9:30 am, 1:30 pm (not 2 pm), 6:30 pm;
• Sunday 9:30 am, 1:30 pm (not 2 pm).

Opening Ceremony: 12:30 pm Friday.

Awards: 7 pm (approximate) Sunday.
K1 Section – 5:30 PM [approximately]

Scholarship Information:

The following Championship sections will offer scholarships at the 2012 USCF National Elementary Championship: K-6, K-5, K-3, and K-1.

All scholarship awards will be determined by the same tie break system used to determine trophy awards; however, there will be no ties for scholarships. Individual scholarship awards will be the top three players in each section listed above based on tie breaks. Team scholarship awards (the top team in each section) will be based on the top four board scores (the top four scoring members of the team) determined by the final tie break points of the tournament.

Individual Scholarships:

All Scholarship places determined via Tie Break Order

• K-6 Championship 1st Place: $1,500 2nd Place: $1,000 3rd Place: $500
• K-5 Championship 1st Place: $1,500 2nd Place: $1,000 3rd Place: $500
• K-3 Championship 1st Place: $1,500 2nd Place: $1,000 3rd Place: $500
• K-1 Championship 1st Place: $1,500 2nd Place: $1,000 3rd Place: $500

Team Scholarships:

All Team Scholarship places determined via Tie Break Order

• K-6 Championship 1st Place: $2,000 ($500 to each of the Top 4 Boards on Team)
• K-5 Championship 1st Place: $2,000 ($500 to each of the Top 4 Boards on Team)
• K-3 Championship 1st Place: $2,000 ($500 to each of the Top 4 Boards on Team)
• K-1 Championship 1st Place: $2,000 ($500 to each of the Top 4 Boards on Team)

For Championship Sections K-6, K-5, K-3, and K-1, scholarships will be awarded as follows:

• Individual Scholarships – $3000 total awarded according to placement: 1st – $1,500; 2nd – $1000; 3rd – $500.
• Team Scholarship – $2000 to the first place team divided equally ($500 each) between the top four boards based on the top four scoring members of the team determined by the final tie break points of the tournament.

Scholarships will be awarded at the time of the student’s enrollment in a post-secondary learning institution. The player will be responsible for having proof of enrollment letter from the institution sent to the USCF. The recipient may then choose at that time whether the funds are sent directly to him/her or to the institution.

Prizes:

Section /  Team Trophies /  Individual Trophies

K-6 Championship /  Top 25  /  Top 20 [plus ties for 20th place]
K-6 Under 1000 /  Top 25  /  Top 20 [plus ties for 20th place]
K-6 Unrated /  Top 25  /  Top 10 [plus ties for 10th place]
K-5 Championship / Top 25  /  Top 30 [plus ties for 30th place]
K-5 Under 900 / Top 30  /  Top 30 [plus ties for 30th place]
K-3 Championship / Top 25  /  Top 20 [plus ties for 20th place]
K-3 Under 800 /  Top 25  /  Top 30 [plus ties for 30th place]
K-3 Unrated / Top 25  /  Top 10 [plus ties for 10th place]
K-1 Championship / Top 30  /  Top 30 [plus ties for 30th place]

Top five teams receive plaques [five plaques per place - four players plus the coach].

Class trophies to the top three in the following classes:

• K-6 Championship: 1300-1399; 1200-1299; 1100-1199; 1000-1099; 900-999; 800-899; Under 800; Unrated.
• K-5 Championship: 1300-1399; 1200-1299; 1100-1199; 1000-1099; 900-999; 800-899; Under 800; Unrated.
• K-3 Championship: 1100-1199; 1000-1099; 900-999; 800-899; 700-799; 600-699; Under 600; Unrated.
• K-1 Championship: All players in this section receive a trophy.

All participants will receive a commemorative medal at the completion of the final round.

First place individual and team in the K-6 Championship section, including ties, will be the National Elementary Champion.

Special Events:

Play

• National Elementary Bughouse Championship: Thursday 11 am. Bughouse entries on site only. $25 per team. Registration ends at 10 AM Thursday.
• National Elementary Blitz Championship: Thursday 5 pm. This event will be using ‘Clock-Move’ rules. Two Sections: K-6 and K-3. Blitz EF: $15 per player/$20 on site or if after 17 April.
• Parents and Friends Tournament: 4SS, G/30. Saturday 10:30 am, 12:30 pm, 2:30 pm, 4:30 pm, $20 on site registration only. Rated and unrated sections. Trophies for parent and child combined results.

Meetings

• Scholastic meeting: 3 pm Saturday.

Blitz Trophies:

Section   /  Team Trophies  /  Individual Trophies

K-6 Blitz Championship  /  Top 15 /  Top 15
K-3 Blitz Championship  /  Top 10  /  Top 10

Class trophies to the top three in the following classes:

• K-6 Blitz Championship: 1300-1399; 1200-1299; 1100-1199; 1000-1099; 900-999; 800-899; Under 800; Unrated.
• K-3 Blitz Championship: 1100-1199; 1000-1099; 900-999; 800-899; 700-799; 600-699; Under 600; Unrated.

Bughouse Trophies:
Top 5 – two trophies per place.

For more information, please visit the U.S. Chess Federation website at: http://www.uschess.org/tournaments/2012/elem/

2012 U.S. Chess Championships, Photo Courtesy Saint Louis Chess Club

By Mike Klein

SAINT LOUIS, May 8, 2012 — The 2012 U.S. Chess Championship and U.S. Women’s Championship began in the most serene setting, belying the pressure that will mount over the next two weeks.

The opening ceremony and drawing of lots took place outside the Missouri Botanical Garden on Monday evening. After the players enjoyed a cocktail reception and were introduced, they took turns selecting their random starting assignments. Then they hurriedly boarded the bus back to their hotels to prepare for the first game.

The tournament begins Tuesday, May 8, and concludes Saturday, May 19, with a possible playoff on May 20. The top 12 players in the country will play in an 11-game round robin to decide the title of U.S. Champion. Grandmaster Gata Kamsky will attempt to defend his title and win his third consecutive championship, a feat not accomplished since GM Walter Browne in the 1970s.

The top 10 female players will play a nine-game round robin. Woman Grandmaster and International Master Anna Zatonskih will attempt to repeat. In 2011, using a different format, it took her 19 grueling games to wrap up the victory.

“It represents the best that America has produced,” said Tony Rich, executive director of the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis. The club is hosting its fourth straight U.S. Championship and U.S. Women’s Championship.

Photo Courtesy Saint Louis Chess Club: World' s Largest Chess Piece

Club founder Rex Sinquefield highlighted some other local chess news. Earlier in the day, the Chess Club and the World Chess Hall of Fame, located across the street from the club, unveiled the world’s largest chess piece. The white king, made up of layers of ¾-inch exterior grade plywood, stands more than 14 feet tall, weighs more than 2,200 pounds and is approximately the height of an average female giraffe.

Photo Courtesy St Louis Chess Club, Guinness Record World's Largest Chess Piece

More than 70 students from Saint Louis language Immersion School took a field trip to the Chess Club and Hall of Fame to witness the unveiling of the world record and to tour both facilities. The students got the opportunity to play some of the competitors from the U.S. Championships. Throughout the day, competitors from both events visited area schools to put on simul exhibitions and to speak to students about the benefits of chess.

At the opening ceremony, Sinquefield also explained that local Lindenwood University would begin its chess program in the fall, which will include numerous scholarships for promising players and will be coached by the club’s Grandmaster-in-Residence Ben Finegold. “We will have a lot of grandmasters living in Saint Louis,” Sinquefield said, also referencing the chess team about to begin at Webster University.

“We’re so very, very proud to be the chess city of America,” said Saint Louis Mayor Francis Slay.

In the first round of the U.S. Championship, Varuzhan Akobian will play Yasser Seirawan, Yury Shulman will face Gregory Kaidanov, Alex Stripunsky will play Alexander Onischuk, Alex Lenderman plays Ray Robson, Gata Kamsky goes against Alejandro Ramirez, and top-seeded local Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura plays Robert Hess. All 12 players are grandmasters, with Robson, 17, the youngest, and Kaidanov, 52, the senior statesman. Ramirez, a native of Costa Rica, is the only player competing in his first U.S. Championship. Robson will begin his college studies at Webster starting this fall.

In the women’s event, play will begin with Viktorija Ni against Tatev Abrahmyan, Iryna Zenyuk against Alisa Melekhina, Irina Krush versus Sabina Foisor, Rusudan Goletiani against Camilla Baginskaite, and Anna Zatonskih facing Alena Katz. Ni and Katz are the two newcomers. Ni’s husband is Shulman and Brooklynite Katz is the only member of either tournament that has yet to graduate high school. She took her SAT exam the day before flying to Saint Louis.

The total prize fund for the U.S. Championship is $160,000. If someone should score a perfect 11-0, the bonus “Fischer Prize” (so named because Bobby Fischer was the last to win every game) of $64,000 will be awarded. The women’s purse is $64,000.

All games will commence at 1 p.m. local time. Spectators can visit the club or watch the action live with commentary at www.uschesschamps.com.

May 7, 2012 – www.fide.com

Executive Director UN Women, Dr. Michelle Bachelet and FIDE Vice President, Beatriz Marinello

The U.N. Women Executive Director, Dr. Michelle Bachelet and FIDE Vice President, Beatriz Marinello met to discuss a partnership between both organizations.

Meaningful dialect with global organizations such as U.N. Women serve as a positive motivator for great accomplishments, in and outside of the chess community.  Working towards a common goal can result in a very positive exchange, one which can have great benefits for humanity.

The United Nations General Assembly approved the creation of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women—known simply as U.N. Women in 2010. Intended to give (in Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s  words) “a much stronger voice for women and for gender equality” around the world, the organization replaced four underfunded and obscure bureaucracies devoted to women with a single entity that would finally give half the world’s population the high-profile platform it deserved.

Leading the new organization and charged with boosting it’s profile is one of the world’s most powerful and inspiring women, Dr. Michelle Bachelet, the former president of Chile.

Both U.N. General Secretary Ban Ki-moon and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that they worked hard to persuade Dr. Bachelet to accept the post, pledging their support, convincing her that U.N. Women would be more than the sum of it’s predecessors, and appealing to her sense of duty to help women.

For the World Chess Federation (FIDE), partnering with like-minded organizations for a common goal is key to the betterment of our societies. For those of us who have dedicated our lives to chess and the promotion of it’s educational value, it makes perfect sense to make the connections in and outside of our communities because we have witnessed first-hand the benefits of chess.

Chess as a tool to promote positive change has long been a focus across many countries including the United States. Many organizations are working to bridge the gap between the social and economic differences that impact people across the world.

Chess involves all levels of critical thinking, improving areas of your brain across the two hemispheres – it’s the  “brain booster”.  It also encourages socialization skills that extend across cultures and generations. It only makes sense that we promote chess, not solely for the game, but the benefits it provides.

How can chess extend it’s impact and make a greater difference?  This is a question which searches for many answers, there is no one ‘right way’, there are many ways.

The World Chess Federation “FIDE” has been moving in the direction of integrating more women in leadership roles within the organization. The current FIDE Vice President, Beatriz Marinello, was the first woman elected as a member of the World Chess Federation (FIDE) Presidential Board (2010), and she was also the first woman elected President of the U.S. Chess Federation in 2003.  As a member of the chess community for over 34 years, she has worked hard promoting chess both on a national and international level.

The meeting between the U.N. Women Executive Director, Dr. Michelle Bachelet and FIDE Vice President, Beatriz Marinello included talks about chess, women’s role in chess, the importance of empowering girls and women aiming for equality and building a better world for all of us.

The initial projects will focus on leadership and participation by introducing chess to young girls ages 4-6.  Gender equality in chess is a big issue, 19% of the FIDE National Federations don’t have women with FIDE ratings, and the percentage of women and girls who play chess in the world is around 2% of the overall population of chess players (including casual players).

The second project discussed during this meeting was support for women in prisons aiming to empower them and increase their self esteem.

There will be a follow up meeting to touch base on the process of the strategic plans for these two new projects.  GM Darcy Lima, FIDE Advisor for Social Projects, Mr. Pablyto Ribeiro, and Mr. Charles Neto are also expected to attend the meeting at U.N. Women to give a presentation of the Brazilian Model for the Prison system and the connection with chess.

This partnership is the beginning of a new approach that can help women to increase their participation in chess and break the cultural barriers to empower girls and women to excel in mathematics, science and as leaders for the future.

For more information about these projects, contact:

Beatriz Marinello

FIDE Vice President

PB Adviser to Social Projects

Email: beatriz@chesseducators.com

Yang Dai, 2012 Scholar-Chessplayer Award recipient

2012 Scholar-Chessplayer Award Recipient

“Can you talk?” Yes, maybe, not really. I responded with a nod.

My elementary school classmates knew me as “that girl who doesn’t talk,” while teachers labeled me as “the kid with selective mutism.” Class presentations were anxiety-filled ordeals that perhaps could only compare to the awkwardness of social situations. I was the observer in the background who eventually became the background.

When I was nine, I started playing chess, a game that opened up a new world of epic struggles on a checkerboard. Losing tested my confidence, which hardened along with the losses I absorbed. I became known as “that girl who plays chess,” who was quiet rather than silent.

I gradually outgrew my childhood habit of communication in three-word phases, and by high school, I could pride myself in giving audible presentations and could handle conversations with reasonable certainty. This was when I was offered a position to teach a chess class, and for some reason, I agreed. To no one’s surprise but mine, the first class ended in little less than chaos. Several lessons were learned: there’s clear inverse relationship between the loudness of kids’ voices and their attention spans, and it’s about ten times harder to teach chess than it is to play it.

Despite the rocky start, I persevered. The classes were initially a fight between being jerked out of my comfort zone and teaching a game I love. Eventually teaching won out as I meticulously prepared lessons, using techniques ranging from comics to instructive games to “solitaire” chess. I taught my kids that chess is a fight to be won by the strong-willed rather than the big-brained.

After three years of sharing chess with my community and teaching over a two hundred kids, I can finally flaunt my ability to shout over screaming children. I thank those kids for giving me a chance to teach a game that has transformed me from an awkward, quiet girl to a confident, capable leader, stripping away a coat of silence that I’d been wearing for too long.

Chess Achievements

• 2005-2011 Qualified for World Youth Chess Championship, Qualified as Official Rep for World Youth Chess Championship 2007, 2009-2011
• 2010 North American Youth Chess Championship – Girls U18 Champion
• 2009 Susan Polgar Invitational Champion
• 2006-2008 Virginia State Scholastic Championship K-8 Co-Champion
• 2007 World Youth Chess Championship Girls U14 14th Place (Tie for 7th)
• 2006 National Elementary School Chess Championship 3rd Place
• 2009 Member of my high school’s 4-person team that placed 2nd at the National High School Championship

Chess Service

• Founder and main instructor of the Vienna Stars Chess Club – a chess club at my local library. Founded in Sept. 2009, 90 total participants (mostly children ages 5-12). Current session has over 30 kids and has included two other teachers.
• Chess Instructor at the Hope Chinese School (Sept. 2009 – Dec. 2011). Taught groups of 20 kids. Designed curriculum, taught lessons, organized tournaments.
• Chess Instructor at the Little Einstein Explorers Summer Camp (2010, 2011). Taught groups of 20-30 kids of all levels. Organized end of camp tournament.
• Chess Instructor at Silver Knights Chess Company (July 2011, Jan. 2012). Helped with tournament training classes and taught all girls class to promote chess among girls in the community.

Leadership

• Founder and main instructor of local chess club to promote chess among kids.
• Chess group leader at the Hope Chinese School (organized curriculum for chess classes).
• Vice President of the Little Sunshine Project – a school organization that has established pen-pal relationships with orphans in Vietnam, China, and Somalia.

Joshua Mu, 2012 Scholar-Chessplayer Award Recipient

2012 Scholar-Chessplayer Award Recipient

As Benjamin Franklin once stated, “Life is a kind of chess, with struggle, competition, good and ill times.” Franklin, one of many prominent historical figures with an interest in chess, understood that chess has value beyond just being a highly entertaining and deeply complex game. I am so lucky that my parents encouraged me to play chess when I was only three years old. For many, the many trials one will face in a game of chess, including the traps, decision making, and inevitable defeat, are mirrored in life. In my case, chess has had a great effect in a multitude of ways in the past 12 years, all of them for the better.

Most notably, chess has improved my ability to concentrate. While many people find it amazing that chess players can sit and stare at a problem or position for hours, the wonderful feeling of immersion that I experience at the board can make time fly by. Before chess, I remember being the hyperactive child who would never listen to the daycare supervisor. However, as time passed, and I became more fully committed to playing chess, my concentration, and as a result my behavior, improved. This ability to concentrate has helped me in all areas of life, from withstanding sometimes tedious lectures in school to maintaining focus on lengthy tests such as the SAT.

Chess has also aided me in the development of my decision-making skills, especially grasping the ramifications of each choice of move that I face while playing. A chess player must understand the importance of thinking through the consequences of each choice and carefully considering it before making an actual move on the board. Just as careful thought is required to navigate through a sharp position filled with land mines, one must ponder real-life decisions just as carefully. This key skill aided me in deciding to go to the North Carolina School of Science and Math, a notoriously difficult boarding school which many of North Carolina’s top scholars attend. When I found out that I had been admitted, I was extremely happy because I had been successful at the highly competitive application process. However, after actually considering my potential future at NCSSM, I became less certain. I realized that going there would present some significant challenges: harder classes, getting homesick, and a totally new social atmosphere. These troubling possibilities weighed heavily on my mind. But in the end, I made what I can now say confidently was the right choice in taking the leap of faith and going to NCSSM. As it turned out, not only were the classes harder, but more rewarding, the homesickness was just there to help me prepare for the freedom of college, and the new atmosphere was the perfect place for people like me. My chess experience helped to consider both the negative and positive outcomes of attending NCSSM, and I feel that I made a more informed and satisfying decision as a result.

Ultimately, chess has played a huge role in my life. Not only has the game itself mesmerized me for over a decade in its complexity, but the skills I learned from it have also helped me to think more clearly and reflect more deeply about important decisions in my life. In the end, chess has helped me become a more sophisticated and patient person and prepared me to take on new and greater challenges, both now and in the future.

Chess Achievements

• 2011 World Open U2200 Champion
• National Master Certificate
• 5 Time State Champion
• Denker Representative of NC in 2010
• Many top 25 finishes in Nationals including one 2nd place and one 3rd place.

Chess Service

• Taught at Charlotte Mecklenburg School system program for underprivileged kids
• Volunteered many years as an assistant coach at summer chess camps in Charlotte and Henderson area
• Provided free service to Charlotte Discovery Place Summer Chess Camps
• Volunteered to help Myers Park and other high school students who need assistants at chess competition
• Contributed over 200 hours of free chess coaching to elementary, middle school and high school chess players and chess clubs in Charlotte area since 2005.
• Introduced chess to many Chinese kids in this area.

Leadership

• Lead my chess team to multiple state titles and national competition places
• Conducted for the Charlotte Chinese School Orchestra
• Served as lead chess player since first grade

Andrew Ng, 2012 Scholar-Chessplayer Award Recipient

2012 Scholar-Chessplayer Award Recipient

Chess has certainly been an integral part of my life; however, the game itself is only a small portion of the overall experience. Garry Kasparov once said that “I find it hard to imagine my life without chess,” and at this juncture in my life, I could not find a statement more applicable. Ever since I moved my first pawn at age 6, chess has had some inexplicable hold over my life. In a way, it always had an ineffable presence, guiding me towards my future. This guidance first began to manifest itself as my skill grew and I began winning national and international tournaments.

With my abilities that I have honed through years of training, I started giving back to the community that supported my ascent in the chess world. I helped found a chess club at a local elementary school, volunteering my time every week to teach around 70 students. I have been with the chess club for over four years, and every season the number of children in the club increases. It is comforting to know that I am instilling a love for the ancient game in others, giving them the same opportunities that I had.

Although my success in chess has contributed significantly to my leadership abilities, I cannot thank the game enough for revealing to me a means to success. Few experience early on in their life such fulfilling accomplishments, and I consider myself fortunate to have achieved so much in chess. Since I started playing the game, I had to mold my work ethic into a model of efficiency, for competition at the higher levels requires a dedication of a significant amount of time and effort. Thankfully, this quality exhibited itself also in my academics – I realized that chess has had a strong correlation with the improvement of my problem-solving and logical faculties, essential traits for one who wishes to become an engineer.

On a more personal note, chess has allowed me to meet incredible new people that have assisted in my academic progress. One of these people, Jennifer Shahade, introduced me to the founder of the Adventures of the Mind program, Victoria Gray in 2009. At Princeton University, I had the opportunity to meet eleven Nobel Prize winners in the fields of chemistry and physics, the CEO of Mozilla Firefox, Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont, and two former Poet Laureates of the United States. Such a contingency would have been impossible without the guiding hand of chess by my side, turning the handles towards opportunity in every direction.

For me, chess taught me invaluable qualities that had applications beyond the game itself. When examined in starkest terms, chess was originally meant to train the minds of kings who ruled over realms far larger than the three square feet to which chess players confine themselves, and this realization allowed me to view the whole world as my own giant chess board; an apt proving ground for my analytical abilities.

Chess Achievements

Scholarships

• 2008 Super Nationals Chess Tournament Scholarship ($500)

Awards

Member of the United States National Team at the 2009 World Youth Chess Championship in Turkey

• Will be a member of the United States National Team at the 2012 Pan American Chess Championship in Peru
• 2011 North American Chess Champion U18
• 5-time United States National Chess Champion
• Nationally Ranked Top 10 Chess Player for Age Group since 2005, currently ranked #2 in the nation for 16 year-olds
• Full 4-year college scholarship to the University of Maryland in Baltimore County and unrestricted $500 scholarship for winning the 2009 United States U16 Cadet Championship (valued at $79,480)
• 2011 United States Chess Federation Scholar-Chessplayer Award ($1,500)
• 2010 Rentscheler Foundation Chess Scholarship ($1,750)
• 2008-2010 Recipient of the Holly Heisman Foundation Scholarship ($1,500)
• 2009 National Denker Tournament of High School Champions Scholarship ($500)
• United States National Chess Master (Title)
• Member of the New Jersey Knockouts 2008-2011, a State Chess Team that competes in the United States Chess League
• 4-time New Jersey High School Chess Champion
• 6-time New Jersey Scholastic Chess Champion
• 6-time New York State Scholastic Chess Champion
• Represented New Jersey at the 2009 Denker High School Tournament of Chess Champions
• Has played in over 300 chess tournaments
• Keynote motivational speaker at the 2009 Chess Fest sponsored by Verizon Wireless in Asbury Park

Chess Service

• Promoted chess in Marlboro Memorial Middle School by creating a state competing Chess Team. Lead team to multiple New Jersey State Championships in 2006 2007 & 2008. MMMS won the NJ State Championship for 3 straight years. In 2008 MMMS won the NJ High School Booster Championship.
• Helped create a chess club at Lincroft Elementary School. Has taught the chess club since 2009 and continue to do so today; the current membership of the club is over 70 students.
• Volunteer to give simultaneous exhibitions at the annual Chess Fest sponsored by Prevention First held in Asbury Park, New Jersey since 2007
• Volunteer at the Monmouth County Chess School and Club, raising money for the local YMCA by giving simultaneous exhibitions
• Keynote motivational speaker at the 2009 Chess Fest sponsored by Verizon Wireless
• Self-employed Chess Coach

Chess Leadership

• Captain of school chess team for the last four years, have lead the chess team to various local championships such as the annual Knights of Columbus and Toms River Elks tournaments.
• Teacher’s assistant that the Stars Challenge program hosted at Monmouth University. This program is a science enrichment program for top middle school students throughout Monmouth University, and I have assisted in the marine biology and forensic courses offered by this program.
• Volunteering to teach at the chess club in Lincroft Elementary school as described in “Chess Service.”
• Entrepreneur and developer for the start-up Orchive, a company whose goal is to revolutionize the reporting of news around the world

Jesse Orlowski, 2012 Scholar-Chessplayer Award Recipient

2012 Scholar-Chessplayer Award Recipient

I can say without hesitation that chess has made a positive impact on my life in two ways. The first is something I am sure that many players can relate to, but I firmly believe that the second is unique to only a select and fortunate group of players I count myself blessed to be among.

The first, and definitely more common, impact chess has made on my life revolves around the area of concentration. As a young child, I was diagnosed with ADHD and frequently reached my limits after sitting still for five minutes. However, to turn my absentmindedness into intense focus, all I ended up needing was an complex, constantly shifting, interesting avenue that could channel my abundant physical energy into mental concentration. Chess fit the bill perfectly. After playing for about a year, I noticed my physical energy, which had first worked against me, was now allowing me to think creatively and formulate active attacks over the board. To this day, I am an attacking player as it an outlet for my energy. As I began to play longer and longer tournaments and started to think about chess seriously, my concentration and channeling abilities grew to the point where to I could see a drastic improvement in other areas besides chess, such as school and music. Today, while still active and energetic, I am a collected and focused individual, largely due to chess.

The second, and more unusual, impact chess has made on my life comes in the realm of leadership. I am amazingly fortunate to be on a team with three other driven young players, but I realize that the experience I have gained as team captain is invaluable. It may come as a surprise, then, that I lead from an untraditional position. Despite my expert rating and passionate love for the game, I am the worst player on the team. I play our fourth and lowest board during matches and often watch as my teammates draw the attention of passersby with their elegant, drawn-out, “high-profile“ games. Even though my board is looked down upon, I am looked up to for leadership when plotting match strategies, and all draw offers are subject to my evaluation before they are offered or accepted. It is from the bottom that I have guided my team two years in a row to the title of Junior Champions at the Amateur Team West Chess Championships. The experiences I have had have translated well into other facets of my life. Relying on some ideas I’ve learned from leading over the chessboard, I have assumed leadership positions in music, sports, and relationally with other people.

Truly chess has taught me so much. So much more than a game, it is a representation of an entire mindset that has changed forever the way I see the world and interact with it.

Chess Achievements

Chess’ strategic nature drew my attention at age eight and has kept it ever since. I moved on from playing scholastic tournaments at age eleven and have competed against adults ever since. Chess gave me the ability to channel my previously unchecked energy into a single focused stream. This has served me well in all walks of life.

• Nationally ranked 40th for 17 year olds, US Chess Federation (October 2011)
• Selected as one of 24 young players in California invited to play in Sean Reader Master-Junior Simul Chess Tournament, Valencia, California + Member, 2nd Place team (2011)
• 1st Place, Junior section, team division, US Amateur West Chess Tournament, Woodland Hills, CA; Team Captain (2011)
• Chess mentorship with grand master, Ronen Har-zvi (2010)
• Selected as one of 24 young players in California invited to play in Sean Reader Master-Junior Simul Chess Tournament, Valencia, California + Member, 1st Place team (Team Sevillano) (2010)
• Individual Best Game winner against International Master Ambartsoumian (2010)
• Published Chess game against International Master Ambartsoumian, United States Chess Federation (USCF) website (2010)
• 1st Place, Junior section, team division, US Amateur West Chess Tournament, Woodland Hills, CA; Team Captain (2010)
• Player of the Month, San Diego Chess Club (2009)

Music

While I thrive in the world of physics and math, I am very passionate about music. I began playing the violin when I was 6 years old and, over the years, have expanded my classical repertoire to include a number of major concertos. My love of music is by no means limited to the classical realm. I enjoy both playing and songwriting for pop and rock music, and have contributed on these fronts for two different bands and their debut EPs. Other musical hobbies of mine include busking (playing as a street musician), teaching, and improvisation. I’ve also taught myself four instruments.

Alexandra Wiener, 2012 Scholar-Chessplayer Award Recipient

2012 Scholar-Chessplayer Award Recipient

The Secret Life of a Teenage Chess Player
by Alexandra Wiener

Flipping through the pages of my seventh grade yearbook, I come across the picture of a girl who resembles me, but not quite exactly. Although her hair is the same chestnut brown, her noses’ arch is indistinguishable and her broad smile is almost identical, there is something different about the girl who stares back at me; she seems conflicted. Gazing into the open window of her midnight blue eyes, I see a girl too scared to be different, and without the confidence to be herself.

The five-year span between fourth and ninth grade was spent darting across a tightrope string of deceptions even with my closest friends, due to the perceived pressure from my peers to be “cool.” What started, as a harmless way to protect my identity and salvage my social life quickly became an uncomfortable game of circumvention. When friends would ask why I couldn’t attend a certain event on a Saturday night, I would reply that I was, “visiting a family friend,” or that I had “soccer.” To everyone who knew me, I was a “jock”, who scurried back and forth between soccer and softball practices and state championship games. In reality however, this label only covered half of my life. The other half, my best-kept secret, stayed tucked away for fear that I would be stereotyped as a “nerd.” It wasn’t until ninth grade that anyone other than my family learned that I was a nationally ranked chess player.

The first time that I uttered the words, “I’ll be away this weekend…playing chess,” to a close friend, they came out in a whisper. Now, three years later, I openly talk about my chess competitions to anyone who is willing to listen. I must attribute this change to my experiences with chess over the last nine years, which have given me the confidence to be myself, and to be comfortable with who I am. Chess, introduced me to a worldwide community that has no limitations on age, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, wealth, ability or disability. As a result, I was forced from an early age into situations where I had to interact with people much older and quite different from me. Even more daunting was the fact that I was often only one of a few girls in a room filled with hundreds of males. Overcoming my discomfort with the environment at chess competitions, taken with my successes as a competitive chess player, have greatly increased my self-confidence and helped me to see that being a chess player made me unique, not a “nerd.”

Looking back on it now, I laugh at the thought that for five years of my life, I led two separate lives as a “jock” and a “nerd”. I now think of these labels as absurd and limiting. Today when I look into the mirror, I see a woman who embraces the most unique aspects of her life and who hides them from no one, because she is proud of who she is.

Chess Achievements and Awards

• United States All Girls National Chess Co-Champion (16 years & under – 2010) (5th Place: 12 years & under – 2006) (2nd Place: 10 years & under – 2004)
• Six time Connecticut State Female Scholastic Champion (2005-2006 and 2008-2011)
• Top chess competitor in the United States since age nine: Female Ranking – 99%
• Five time Official CT State Representative to Polgar National All-Girls Invitational (2005-2006 and 2008-2010) (Youngest State Champion Representative at age 11 in 2005)
• United States Chess Open Championship (Tied for 3rd Place – Class A) (2011)
• World Chess Open Championship (Tied for 11th Place – Under 1600) (2006)
• United States Girls Junior Open Championship (Top A Class Prize & Best Game Award- 2011) (Top B Class Prize – 2010)
• Chess Magnet Junior Grand Prix National Competition (2010 National Top 50 Prize: Placed 22nd of 5,175) (2011 Current Standing: 18th of 5,563)
• Chess Service, Leadership Activities and Employment
• Chess Scholarships for Kids: Raised money with fellow chess champion at 2011 CT K-8 Chess Championship by offering autographs, photos and the chance to play five minute blitz games. Chess sets were bought and donated to CT State Chess Association to establish a scholarship program for inner-city children who will receive free lessons, a donated chess set and entry into chess tournaments. In 2012, I will mentor the program. (April 2011-Present)
• Chessboard Auction: Arranged for 31 Grandmasters, so far, to sign a chessboard for auction. The proceeds will be used to fund Chess Scholarship for Kids Program. (April 2011-Present)
• Bridgeport Board of Education Donation: Used prize winnings from 2011 United States Chess Open to purchase chess sets, which were donated to the Bridgeport Board of Education for distribution to first grade classrooms in school district. (September 2011)
• National Educational Chess Association: Volunteer Chess Instructor of weekly class in elementary school program and volunteer Assistant Tournament Director. (2010-Present)
• Fairfield County Chess Club: Volunteer Instructor/ Coach of weekly club program. Developed marketing strategy to attract disadvantaged students to join chess programs. (2011-Present)
• Creative Idea Day: Corresponded with President Obama, Senator Lieberman, CT BOE & other officials proposing a “Creative Idea Day” to encourage students to become socially engaged by working collaboratively to offer creative solutions to community problems. (2010)
• Personal Appearances: Ran chess workshop for CT Assn. for the Gifted “Minds in Motion” Program (3/11). As State Champion, invited speaker at scholastic tournaments. (2010-Present)
• Light the Night Walks- Leukemia & Lymphoma Society: Beachside Club fundraiser (2008-9)
• Teacher Certification: U.S. Chess Federation Certified Coach-one of two certified in CT (2011)
• Private Chess Instructor/Coach: Employed as private chess teacher/coach. (2008-Present)

Chess Service, Leadership Activities

• Chess Scholarships for Kids: Raised money with fellow chess champion at 2011 CT K-8 Chess Championship by offering autographs, photos and the chance to play five minute blitz games. Chess sets were bought and donated to CT State Chess Association to establish a scholarship program for inner-city children who will receive free lessons, a donated chess set and entry into chess tournaments. In 2012, I will mentor the program. (April 2011-Present)
• Chessboard Auction: Arranged for 31 Grandmasters, so far, to sign a chessboard for auction. The proceeds will be used to fund Chess Scholarship for Kids Program. (April 2011-Present)
• Bridgeport Board of Education Donation: Used prize winnings from 2011 United States Chess Open to purchase chess sets, which were donated to the Bridgeport Board of Education for distribution to first grade classrooms in school district. (September 2011)
• National Educational Chess Association: Volunteer Chess Instructor of weekly class in elementary school program and volunteer Assistant Tournament Director. (2010-Present)
• Fairfield County Chess Club: Volunteer Instructor/ Coach of weekly club program. Developed marketing strategy to attract disadvantaged students to join chess programs. (2011-Present)
• Creative Idea Day: Corresponded with President Obama, Senator Lieberman, CT BOE & other officials proposing a “Creative Idea Day” to encourage students to become socially engaged by working collaboratively to offer creative solutions to community problems. (2010)
• Personal Appearances: Ran chess workshop for CT Assn. for the Gifted “Minds in Motion” Program (3/11). As State Champion, invited speaker at scholastic tournaments. (2010-Present)
• Teacher Certification: U.S. Chess Federation Certified Coach-one of two certified in CT (2011)

United States Chess Federation National Committee on Education

• National Scholastic Representative/Member. First student appointed to Committee. (2011)
• Featured Presenter at annual Committee meeting. Addressed strategies to educate public officials about the benefits of incorporating chess into the school curriculum. (Aug. 2011)
• Published letter to Editor, Can Chess Make Kids Smarter?, Hartford Courant, October 11, 2011: Letters To The Editor — Courant.com

Official Press Release
The U.S. Chess Trust
Contact: info@uschesstrust.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The winners of the 2012 Scholar Chess Player Awards were announced at the National High School Championships (Minneapolis, MN) by Sunil Weeramantry, Scholastic VP for the US Chess Trust and Executive Director of the National Scholastic Chess Foundation.

The 2012 Scholar-Chessplayer Award winners are (in alphabetical order):

• Yang Dai, Virginia

• Joshua Mu, North Carolina

• Andrew Ng, New Jersey

• Jesse Orlowski, California

• Alexandra Wiener, Connecticut

Congratulations to the winners for their outstanding achievement!

Meet the 2012 Scholar-Chessplayer Award Winners

Yang Dai

“After three years of sharing chess with my community and teaching over a two hundred kids, I can finally flaunt my ability to shout over screaming children. I thank those kids for giving me a chance to teach a game that has transformed me from an awkward, quiet girl to a confident, capable leader, stripping away a coat of silence that I’d been wearing for too long.” Read more

Joshua Mu

“Ultimately, chess has played a huge role in my life. Not only has the game itself mesmerized me for over a decade in its complexity, but the skills I learned from it have also helped me to think more clearly and reflect more deeply about important decisions in my life. In the end, chess has helped me become a more sophisticated and patient person and prepared me to take on new and greater challenges, both now and in the future.” Read More

Andrew Ng

“Ever since I moved my first pawn at age 6, chess has had some inexplicable hold over my life. In a way, it always had an ineffable presence, guiding me towards my future.  This guidance first began to manifest itself as my skill grew and I began winning national and international tournaments. With my abilities that I have honed through years of training, I started giving back to the community that supported my ascent in the chess world.” Read More

Jesse Orlowski

“The experiences I have had have translated well into other facets of my life. Relying on some ideas I’ve learned from leading over the chessboard, I have assumed leadership positions in music, sports, and relationally with other people. Truly chess has taught me so much. So much more than a game, it is a representation of an entire mindset that has changed forever the way I see the world and interact with it.” Read More

Alexandra Wiener

“Chess, introduced me to a worldwide community that has no limitations on age, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, wealth, ability or disability. As a result, I was forced from an early age into situations where I had to interact with people much older and quite different from me.  Even more daunting was the fact that I was often only one of a few girls in a room filled with hundreds of males. Overcoming my discomfort with the environment at chess competitions, taken with my successes as a competitive chess player, have greatly increased my self-confidence and helped me to see that being a chess player made me unique, not a “nerd.” Read More

About the Scholar-Chessplayer Awards Program

The Scholar-Chessplayer Awards program was established in the 1980s, and is administered by the US Chess Federation and the US Chess Trust.

These annual scholarships awarded by the U.S. Chess Trust, the National Scholastic Chess Foundation, and the USCF, are “intended to recognize and encourage high school junior or senior students who promote a positive image of chess.”

High School students who have shown outstanding merits in academics, sportsmanship and chess were eligible to apply for these scholarships. Five awards of $1,500.00 each (total of $7,500) in scholarship money are awarded. The funding for this program is provided by the US Chess Trust, a 501(c)(3) organization and the National Scholastic Chess Foundation.

This year’s students were selected from 58 applicants by a panel of judges appointed by the Scholastic Council of the USCF.  In recognizing this year’s winners, Mr. Weeramantry observed the geographical diversity of the recipients and drew attention to the high calibre of all the applicants.

Thanks to the generosity of it’s long-time supporters, the U.S. Chess Trust continues to fund many wonderful programs including the Scholar-Chessplayer Awards.

A special thanks to the National Scholastic Chess Foundation for their contribution to this program.

About the U.S. Chess Trust

The U.S. Chess Trust is an independent 501(c)(3), non-profit organization.
Created in 1967, the Trust was organized to promote, stimulate and encourage the study and play of the game of chess as a means of intellectual development. The Trust uses its resources for charitable purposes, including social, educational, scientific, historical endeavors. The U.S. Chess Trust takes an active role in supporting chess education programs across the nation. Our Trustees act without compensation, and are dedicated to the U.S. Chess Trust’s mission. Donations to the U.S. Chess Trust are tax-deductible.
For more information about the U.S. Chess Trust please visit: www.uschesstrust.org.

About the United States Chess Federation

The United States Chess Federation (USCF), founded in 1939, serves as the governing body for chess in the United States and is now headquartered in Crossville, Tennessee. USCF is devoted to extending the role of chess in American society. It promotes the study and knowledge of the game of chess, for its own sake as an art and enjoyment, and as a means for the
improvement of society. The USCF is a not-for-profit membership organization with over 80,000 members.
For additional information on the USCF see: http://www.uschess.org.

About the National Scholastic Chess Foundation

The National Scholastic Chess Foundation (NSCF) is a non-profit foundation organized for educational purposes under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The NSCF was created in 1991 as a merger between the Westchester Chess Foundation (founded in 1985) and the Fairfield County Chess Foundation. The Executive Director of the NSCF is FIDE Master Sunil Weeramantry.
For additional information on the NSCF see: www.nscfchess.org.

The benefits of chess are evident and have led to an increasing amount of interest in scholastic chess across the country. Are you wondering if you should start a Scholastic Chess Club in your school?  We can help you establish or continue your chess program.

The U.S. Chess Trust provides free U.S. Chess Federation memberships and chess playing equipment to support chess education programs across the nation. Restrictions apply.

There are two components to the Chess-For-Youth program:

• Provision of free chess equipment (limit of up to five free boards and sets) to help start your chess program.
• Provisions of free USCF memberships (limit of ten memberships per school) for needy students who are attending a Title I school and have never been a USCF member before (see definition of Title I under Free Membership Program Criteria).

Members receive a catalog filled with hundreds of the most up-to-date products, access to tournament information in print and on the website, as well as the right to play in rated OTB (over-the-board) and correspondence chess tournaments.

For more info about our program:

• CLICK HERE – Chess-for-Youth Program
• CLICK HERE for Chess for Youth Form/Application

If you have questions, comments or concerns, please feel free to contact us at info@uschesstrust.org.

Reading Material: A Guide To Scholastic Chess (2009 10th Edition) PDF