At John Burroughs Elementary School this past Thursday, we held a Pawn Game tournament for the second and third grade students. Behavior was excellent and the skills both classes had learned were evident. The teachers were impressed by their students’ abilities to visualize, execute plans, and win and lose with grace and dignity.
We hope everyone is enjoying their holiday season and getting to spend time with loved ones. Remember, whether you’re visiting in person or catching up through a video screen, a game of chess is a great way to connect.
Since chess players plan ahead, we’re posting some of the major competition dates for 2022 right here for folks who wish to mark their calendars.
The Virginia Scholastic Chess Championship is scheduled for the weekend of March 26-27 in Fredericksburg, VA. State championship tournaments are exciting for children no matter their playing strength, and we hope many of our Virginia-based students will decide to attend this year’s event. The Virginia Chess Federation has more information and online registration here.
Further ahead are the national championships. The National High School Championship for 2022, open to all students in grades K-12, is happening in Memphis the weekend of April 8-10 at the Renasant Convention Center. Online registration is available here.
Three weeks later, from April 29-May 1, is the National Middle School Championship for grades K-8. The venue is the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center in Grapevine, Texas (Dallas-Fort Worth area). An entry form and additional details can be found here.
Two weeks after that, from May 13-15, is the National Elementary School Championship for grades K-6, slated for Columbus at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. Online registration for the elementary school Nationals is not available yet, but we believe it will be soon. You can visit the USCF’s calendar of national events for more information, and the Chess Center will also be updating our tournament calendar as more details become open.
Regardless of how many games they win, participating in these state and national championship competitions tends to be an experience that children never forget. If you’re interested in forming a school group to travel to a tournament and you’d like to connect with other families who want the same, we encourage you to speak with your chess club instructor.
We wish you all a safe, healthy and happy New Year, and we look forward to seeing you in 2022!
Congratulations to Sal Rosario and David Sherman, two of the Center’s former teachers, for splitting the championship honors as 2021 District of Columbia Champion and Senior Champions.
Eighteen players competed over the weekend in this year’s DC Championship, where Dennis Norman went 4-0 to capture first place overall and Bijan Tahmassebi took clear second with 3½. The top two finishers are from Maryland, so were ineligible for the DC titles. Rosario and Sherman each went 3-1.
Special congratulations to the students who played. Two of our young champions, Ben Nemelka and Amanda Lossef both did well against the adult competition, and we are very pleased to see Anna Miller and newcomer Samson Neuberger playing.
All photos provided courtesy of Mr. Bill Simmons, used with permission.
The District of Columbia Championship for 2021 is December 11-12 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Washington. The 2020 champion, IM David Recuero, is out of town for the next couple of months so the field is wide open.
The highest-scoring DC player earns the title of District of Columbia Chess Champion, but any player with an up-to-date USCF membership is eligible to participate, not just DC residents. For more information and registration, go to https://www.kingregistration.c
Tomorrow, Dec. 2, there will be a free blitz tournament open to all members of the public. Come play and engage with other members of the local chess community!
Space will be limited to the first 16 players to sign up, and an official U.S. Chess Center tournament set will be awarded to the winner. Time control will be game/5, no delay or increment. Registration is open here:
In compliance with local COVID safety and health protocols, participants are required to wear masks at all times during our in-person events.
Congratulations to Robin Ramson and Chess Girls DC for another successful All Girls Tournament! It was our pleasure to help with another wonderful event.
Catholic University again hosted the outdoor event, which attracted 13 players. Anna Miller, among the most active members of Chess Girls DC, swept the four-round event.
Directing the tournament was US Chess Center President David Mehler, assisted by Robert Teachey. DC Girls Champion Amanda Lossef also helped, analyzing games and teaching first-timers how to record their moves.
This Saturday, June 5, 2021 at 9:30 am ET, the All Girls K-12 Spring Tournament will be held outdoors at Catholic University’s Edward J. Pryzbyla Center (on the patio), weather permitting.
PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED (walk-ups will not be permitted). The Fee is $15.00.
Masks will be required at all times during the tournament or you will be asked to leave and will be disqualified. No exceptions.
For more information, or to register, please visit: https://dcscholasticchess.org/tournaments
Congratulations to Benjamin Nemelka and Benjamin Tyrrell for earning the right to represent the District of Columbia in the GM Arnold Denker National Tournament of High School State Champions (Denker) and the Dewain Barber National Tournament of Middle School State Champions (Barber).
The qualifying tournaments were held this past Saturday, May 22nd, outdoors on the Catholic University campus. Organized by DC Chess League Scholastic Coordinator Robin Ramson and directed by David Mehler, ten players braved the sunshine and cicadas for a morning of excellent competition.
Mrs. Ramson announced the DC All-Girls tournament will be held at the same location on June 5, and that Amanda Lossef will represent the District in the WIM Ruth Haring National Tournament of Girls State Champions (formerly the National Girls Invitational Tournament).
These are a few of the games played (click the board to view the game at Lichess):
Time forfeit.
Zach was in time trouble and in the scramble lost.
This Saturday, May 22, 2021 at 9:30 am ET, the qualifiers for the Denker (grades 9-12) and Barber (grades 6-8) Tournaments of Champions will be held outdoors at Catholic University’s Edward J. Pryzbyla Center (on the patio), weather permitting.
PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED (walk-ups will not be permitted).
All competitors must also be members of the US Chess Federation to play, and due to COVID-19 and space restrictions, each category (students in grades 6-8 for the Barber, grades 9-12 for the Denker) is limited to a maximum of 16 players. Masks will be required at all times during the tournament or you will be asked to leave and will be disqualified. No exceptions.
For more information, or to register, please visit: https://dcscholasticchess.org/tournaments
