Over 560 players have stormed the Holiday Inn - Palo Verde in Tucson, AZ for this year's state scholastic chess championship. The participants will play 7-rounds (6 in high school) over the 2-day weekend to compete with players and schools from across the state for individual and team titles.
There are still 3 more rounds tomorrow and lots of chess to play!
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Levon Advances to US Championship
IM Levon Altounian has advanced to next month's US Championship. Levon won a spot in the tournament by defeating Damir Studen 1.5 - .5 in the finals of the ICC Champion of Champions tournament.
The US Championship will take place May 14 - 25 at the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis. The tournament will include 24 of the top players in the country competing for the title and share of the $170,000 prize fund.
The 24 invited players include:
GM Alexander Onischuk
GM Varuzhan Akobian
GM Yury Shulman
GM Jaan Ehlvest
GM Alexander Shabalov
GM Gregory Kaidanov
GM Robert Hess
GM Melikset Khachiyan
GM Joel Benjamin
GM Ben Finegold
The US Championship will take place May 14 - 25 at the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis. The tournament will include 24 of the top players in the country competing for the title and share of the $170,000 prize fund.
The 24 invited players include:
- The defending U.S. Champion - GM Hikaru Nakamura
- The winner of the 2009 U.S. Senior Open Championship - GM Larry Christiansen
- The winner of the 2009 U.S. Junior Championship - GM Ray Robson
- The top five qualifiers from the 2009 U.S. Open Championship - GM-elect Alex Lenderman, GMs Sergey Kudrin, Alex Yermolinsky, Dmitry Gurevich, and Jesse Kraai
- The winner of the 2010 ICC State Champion of Champions - IM Levon Altounian
- The top 11 U.S. players by rating of the United States Chess Federation:
GM Alexander Onischuk
GM Varuzhan Akobian
GM Yury Shulman
GM Jaan Ehlvest
GM Alexander Shabalov
GM Gregory Kaidanov
GM Robert Hess
GM Melikset Khachiyan
GM Joel Benjamin
GM Ben Finegold
- Four wildcard spots - TBD
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Arizona State Scholastic Chess Championships
The 2010 Arizona State Scholastic Chess Championships are being held in Tucson at the Holiday Inn - Palo Verde on April 23-25. A flier for the event with tournament details is available at the SACA website.
In order to play in the event, players much first qualify. Qualification requirements are as follows:
The last remaining chance to qualify in Tucson is the Tucson Scholastics (RQ 2), being held March 27 at Harelson Elementary. There are other qualifiers being held throughout the state and players in the Southern Region are allowed to play in those events. Contact us if you need a list of other qualifiers being held in the state.
Registration for the event can be done online at the SACA website. Select the tournament in the left side bar and registration information will load in the main frame. USCF membership is required for this event. You can check the status of your USCF membership here. If you need to join USCF or renew your membership you can do it online at the USCF website.
The special room rate at the Holiday Inn is $69/night (single/double) and $89/night for a suite. Mention "SACA" or "chess tournament" when you reserve your rooms. The phone number for the hotel is (520) 746-1161. You can also book your rooms online.
This is also a Blitz tournament Friday, April 23. Registration for that event is also available at the SACA website. There are no qualification requirements. USCF membership is required as well.
Please contact us if you have any questions regarding this event.
In order to play in the event, players much first qualify. Qualification requirements are as follows:
To play in the AZ State Scholastic Championships, a player must qualify a “slot” at a Regional Qualifier. A school may bring the number of players equal to the number of slots qualified at all regionals +1; a team qualifying exactly two in a section may bring 4 players in that section. Players in: K-1 who wish to qualify for the K-1 section do so by either playing four rounds OR by scoring three points, in any section of any qualifier; Primary, Elementary & Junior High must score at least 3 points at a qualifier; High School do not have to qualify.
The last remaining chance to qualify in Tucson is the Tucson Scholastics (RQ 2), being held March 27 at Harelson Elementary. There are other qualifiers being held throughout the state and players in the Southern Region are allowed to play in those events. Contact us if you need a list of other qualifiers being held in the state.
Registration for the event can be done online at the SACA website. Select the tournament in the left side bar and registration information will load in the main frame. USCF membership is required for this event. You can check the status of your USCF membership here. If you need to join USCF or renew your membership you can do it online at the USCF website.
The special room rate at the Holiday Inn is $69/night (single/double) and $89/night for a suite. Mention "SACA" or "chess tournament" when you reserve your rooms. The phone number for the hotel is (520) 746-1161. You can also book your rooms online.
This is also a Blitz tournament Friday, April 23. Registration for that event is also available at the SACA website. There are no qualification requirements. USCF membership is required as well.
Please contact us if you have any questions regarding this event.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Craig Jones wins 2010 US Masters
National master Craig Jones won the 2010 US Masters tournament held March 13-21 in Hendersonville, NC. Craig finished with a score of 7/9. Craig Jones is a former Tucson resident who coached the Castlehill Country Day School to the National Elementary title in 2002.
Levon Altounian advances to finals of State CofC tournament
IM Levon Altounian is one step away from winning the 2010 State Champion of Champions tournament and earning a bid into the US Championship. Levon won the Arizona State Championship last September in Scottsdale.
On March 24-25 the Internet Chess Club (ICC) hosted the Qualification Rounds of the Champion of Champions tournament. The qualification tournament was 17 rounds of 3-minutes Blitz against the other State Champions from the Western States. Levon took second place in the tournament with a score of 15 points (+14 =2 -1) out of 17. His only lost was to 1st place finisher IM Sam Shankland (16 pts.). (View Levon's games.)
On March 30 the top 2 finishers of each conference faced off in a 25-minute, 2-game playoff. Levon avenged his previous defeat but winning both games to advance to the finals. (View Levon's games.)
The finals will take place on April 11 at noon (Arizona time) on ICC.
Good luck to Levon!!
On March 24-25 the Internet Chess Club (ICC) hosted the Qualification Rounds of the Champion of Champions tournament. The qualification tournament was 17 rounds of 3-minutes Blitz against the other State Champions from the Western States. Levon took second place in the tournament with a score of 15 points (+14 =2 -1) out of 17. His only lost was to 1st place finisher IM Sam Shankland (16 pts.). (View Levon's games.)
On March 30 the top 2 finishers of each conference faced off in a 25-minute, 2-game playoff. Levon avenged his previous defeat but winning both games to advance to the finals. (View Levon's games.)
The finals will take place on April 11 at noon (Arizona time) on ICC.
Good luck to Levon!!
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
RQ1 and RQ2 Results Posted
Results for RQ1 and RQ2 are now posted on the website at:
http://www.sazchess.org/events/events.php
http://www.sazchess.org/events/events.php
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Tucson Scholastics (RQ2) this weekend
Just a reminder that the Tucson Scholastic (RQ2) is this weekend at Harelson Elementary. This is your last chance to qualify in Tucson for the Arizona State Scholastic Chess Championship. The State Scholastic Championship will be April 23-25 in Tucson at the Holiday Inn - Palo Verde.
The Tucson Scholastics (RQ 2) is a 5 round tournament with 6 sections.
* The Championship sections are NOT qualifers for the State Scholastic Championships. Players should not register for these sections if they're trying to qualify for the State Scholastic Championships.
USCF membership is required for this event. You can check the status of your USCF membership here. If you need to join USCF or renew your membership you can do it online at the USCF website.
Registration for the event can be done online at the SACA website. Select the tournament in the left side bar and registration information will load in the main frame.
Contact us if you have any questions.
The Tucson Scholastics (RQ 2) is a 5 round tournament with 6 sections.
K - 1 Qualifier
K - 3 Qualifer
K - 6 Qualifer
K - 9 Qualifer
K - 6 Championship *
K - 12 Championship *
* The Championship sections are NOT qualifers for the State Scholastic Championships. Players should not register for these sections if they're trying to qualify for the State Scholastic Championships.
USCF membership is required for this event. You can check the status of your USCF membership here. If you need to join USCF or renew your membership you can do it online at the USCF website.
Registration for the event can be done online at the SACA website. Select the tournament in the left side bar and registration information will load in the main frame.
Contact us if you have any questions.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
2010 Tucson Open is complete
The 2010 Tucson Open was this past weekend at the Holiday Inn - Palo Verde. We had 178 participants in the Open, Reserve (U1800), Booster (U1400), Saturday and Sunday scholastics sections. The event as already been rated.
Top Prizes:
Also, Steve Farmer has a video analysis (and tournament recap) of a Round 5 game between Bryan Hu and Jason Mueller.
The tournament was organized and run by Karen Pennock. Thank you to all who made this a wonderful event!!
Top Prizes:
Open SectionA complete prize list is available on the SACA website.
1-2. Levon Altounian and Jason Mueller [4.5 - .5]
3-4. Joseph Kruml and John Gurczak [4 - 1]
Reserve (U1800)
1. Nate Cromer [5 - 0]
2. Tony Yim [4.5 - .5]
Booster (U1400)
1. Jared Huggins [5- 0]
2. Alan Valenzuela [4 - 1]
Saturday scholastics
1. Jose Castillo [4 - 0]
2. Denham Carlisle [4 - 0]
3. Henry Wang [4 - 0]
4. Garrison Smith [4 - 0]
Sunday scholastics
1. Stephanie Burchard [4 - 0]
2. Jose Castillo [4 - 0]
Also, Steve Farmer has a video analysis (and tournament recap) of a Round 5 game between Bryan Hu and Jason Mueller.
The tournament was organized and run by Karen Pennock. Thank you to all who made this a wonderful event!!
Saturday, January 2, 2010
NY Times article regarding chess in Tucson
Enjoy this article found in the NY Times about woman playing chess in Tucson:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/25/us/25ladychess.html?_r=2&emc=tnt&tntemail0=y
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/25/us/25ladychess.html?_r=2&emc=tnt&tntemail0=y
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Women's World Champion coming to Tucson
GM Alexandra Kosteniuk is coming to Tucson this Sunday (Dec. 20) as part of her Christmas Goodwill offer. She will be attending the 9 Queens Chess Academy. Because of the addition of GM Kosteniuk, some details of the Chess Academy have been changed.
- The 9 Queens Academy will be now be held at the Parasol Project Arts Space (located at 299 Park Avenue) from 2-4 pm on Sunday Dec 20, 2009.
- Immediately following the Queens Academy, from 4-7 pm at MAST (a new boutique located directly next door to Parasol Projects), 9 Queens will host a reception and simultaneous chess exhibit featuring Ms. Kosteniuk.
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