Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Boylston Chess: August Scholastics report





BCF August Scholastics - 08-25-2019
Image may contain: 1 person, sitting, chess, table and indoor 





 
 




Nicholas Sterling added 79 photos to the album: BCF August Scholastics - 08-25-2019 in Bay State Chess Kings Facebook Group.


Fellow BCF Scholastic players,Something truly extraordinary happened on Sunday at the BCF August Scholastics. In the 8 & Under Section, because a brother and sister tied with 4-0 scores, we had a SEVEN-WAY tie for 3rd Place! That was a boatload of medals to give out.

Thanks to the 20 players who came and increased the attendance from last month. We had quite a few new players appear, and two of them, Nathan and Alfred, took 2nd and 3rd Places in the 14 & Under Section behind the up-and-coming Champion Kaustubh Kislay. In the 8 & Under, new player Harry Tan was one among the big group of 3rd Place medalists.



Winners:
14 & Under:
1st: Kaustubh Kislay
2nd: Nathan Klempf
3rd: Alfred Greisen
8 & Under:
1st-2nd (tied with 4-0 scores): Santhosh Ayyappan, Anushka Ayyappan
3rd (tied): Kartheban Yoganandam, Theerthan Yoganandam, Fuzail Basheeryasmin, Eilam Kuo. Jaswant Ambati, Harry Tan, Johanna Greisen


We hope to see many of you at the New England Open.
See you over the board back at the BCF Scholastics on September 22.

Nicholas P. Sterling, Ph.D.
BCF Scholastics TD







Sunday, August 25, 2019

Boylston Chess: Photos from the centennial simul



banner:  Tony Cortizas, Jr.

Hi all,

Thanks to 
GMs Roman Dzindzichashvili and Larry Christiansen 
for a simultaneous exhibition and an entertaining evening and at BCC on August 23, 2019.

Here’a link to a photo gallery of the evening….


Enjoy.

Tony Cortizas, Jr.




















Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Boylston Chess: August Scholastics

banner:  Tony Cortizas, Jr



DateSunday, August 25, 2019
Event Format4SS
Time ControlG/30 d5
Sections14 & Under and 8 & Under. A current USCF membership is required for both sections.
Entry Fee$25, $20 for BCF members, $5 more at door if not registering online in advance
PrizesTrophies for 1st/2nd each age group section, medal for 3rd
Registration10:00am - 10:20am
Round Times10:30am, 11:50am, 1:00pm, 2:00pm
Entry ListCurrent Pre-Registration List










Sunday, August 18, 2019

Boylston Chess: Centennia Celebration


banner:  Tony Cortizas, Jr.



Boylston Chess Foundation

 Centennial Celebration
  
DateSaturday, August 24, 2019
Event Format4SS
Time ControlG/60 d5
SectionsOpen & U1900
Entry Fee$35, $20 for BCF members; $5 more if not registering online in advance. Free entry for 2300+ rated BCF members, but entry fee deducted from won prize. $50 appearance fee to each of first 3 titled players (GM or IM) to register and complete at least 3 rds.
Prizes$$400 Guaranteed: Open 1st $150, 2nd $100, 3rd $50 U1900 1st $100
Registration9:15am - 9:45am
Round Times10:00am, 1:00pm, 3:30pm, 6:00pm
DescriptionIn accordance with BCF policy, unrated players may play in any section. Rated players rated within 200 points of the lower section maximum may play up one section.
Entry ListCurrent Pre-Registration List










Boylston Chess: GM Roman Dzindzichashvili Simul

banner:  Tony Cortizas, Jr.


DateFriday, August 23, 2019
Event FormatSimultaneous exhibition
Entry Fee$15 in advance, $20 at the door
Registration6:30pm - 7:00pm
Round Times7:00pm - 9:00pm
DescriptionTwo-time U.S. champion Grandmaster Roman Dzindzichashvili was born in Tbilisi, Georgia. He won the Junior Championship of the Soviet Union in 1962 and the University Championships in 1966 and 1968. In 1970, he was awarded the title of International Master by FIDE.

He left the U.S.S.R. in 1976 for Israel and earned the Grandmaster title in 1977. In 1979, Dzindzichashvili settled in the United States, and he won the Lone Pine tournament the next year. He led the U.S.team at the Chess Olympiad in 1984.

 
One of his best career performances was first place at the 53rd Hastings Chess Festival in 1977/1978. He scored 10½ out of 14 points, a full point ahead of former World Champion Tigran Petrosian. He had a cameo in the 1993 film Searching for Bobby Fischer.


Prominent students include GM Eugene Perelshteyn and IM Yaacov Norowitz.


Roman has lectured at the Boylston in the past, and we are honored to welcome him back to help us celebrate our Centennial!


Parking on Massachusetts Avenue is free after 6 PM.
Entry ListCurrent Pre-Registration List











NM Tim Sage wins G15 section at the 2019 US Open




NM Tim Sage wins the G15 section of the 2018 US Open.

Dr. Sage , a physics professor at Northeastern University, is a board member of the Boylston Chess Foundation

Congrats!









Monday, August 12, 2019

Boylston Chess: Sunday event survey

Sunday event survey


Dear chess playing friend of the Boylston ...

Yesterday we had a very pleasant and very small tournament - Milestones Sunday.
Some of us are puzzled why more than 40 people played chess at the club on Saturday and only a handful on Sunday.  

We are curious why Sunday events are so consistently under attended.
Sundays would appear to be a fine time for a weekend chess event. 
Sunday tournaments are less hectic and crowded.
And importantly for some, parking at meters is free on Sunday.

Would you mind taking a minute to give us some feedback on 
why you play or don’t play on Sundays at the Boylston.   
- What are the main obstacles to your playing on Sunday?
- What  could we do to attract you to play on Sunday events?

Please send your comments to oresick@gmail.com.
Thanks.

Amici summus,
Bob










Sunday, August 11, 2019

GM Larry Christiansen Simul Monday, Aug 12



GM Larry Christiansen Simul





On Monday August 12, from 1 to 3pm I will be doing a simul at the Countway Courtyard located very close to Harvard Medical Center. 

 
The address for Countway Courtyard is 

10 Shattuck St., Boston, MA 02115  

It is very close to the Brigham Circle stop on the Green E line.
The closest T stop is Brigham Circle which is a 4 minute walk to the simul site. Countway courtyard is the very large, sunken outdoor plaza next to Harvard Medical Library.  There is public parking in and around the whole complex. 

Prizes for best games. Free to all comers. Sponsored by MASCO.

Regards,

Larry


Tuesday, August 06, 2019

Boylston Chess: Milestones Sunday

banner:  Tony Cortizas, Jr.



 .
 .
 .
 .............................................

DateSunday, August 11, 2019
Event Format3SS
Time ControlG/65 d10
SectionsPlayers will be arranged in groups of 6 by rating, to the extent possible.
Entry Fee$35, $20 for BCF members, $5 more at door if not registering online in advance
PrizesTBA
Registration9:30am-9:45am
Round Times10:00am, 1:15pm, 4:00pm
DescriptionOpen to all players born in 1998 or earlier.
Accelerated pairings may be used. Free parking on Sundays!
Entry ListCurrent Pre-Registration List







Boylston Chess: Charles Drafts Memorial

banner:  Tony Cortizas, Jr.



DateSaturday, August 10, 2019
Event Format4SS
Time ControlG/60 d5
SectionsOpen, U2000, & U1500
Entry Fee$35, $20 for BCF members, $5 more if not registering online in advance. Free entry for BCF members rated 2300+, but entry fee deducted from won prize.
Prizes$$360 GUARANTEED: Open 1st $150, 2nd $90 U2000 1st $70, U1500 1st $50
Registration9:15am - 9:45am
Round Times10:00am, 1:00pm, 3:30pm, 6:00pm
DescriptionIn accordance with BCF policy, unrated players may play in any section. Rated players rated within 200 points of the lower section maximum may play up one section.
Sections with fewer than 10 players may be merged.
Entry ListCurrent Pre-Registration List

______________


26nd annual
Charles Drafts Memorial
 

 


 ........ 
This is a great tournament for several reasons:

  • always a good turn-out,
  • competitive level, and
  • an event honoring a truly remarkable man.

Please consider playing.




Walter Driscoll more than two decades ago honored and remembered his friend Charles Drafts by helping sponsor a tournament.

Walter is a long time member of the Boylston, chess traveler [having competed in Hungry and visited Fischer's home and grave in Iceland before he was exhumed], former boxer, actor, and stand-up comedian.



 



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Charles Drafts

by David Glickman

[republishing of a previous post]

This Saturday the ... Annual Charles Drafts Open is being held at the Boylston Chess Club. Charles died several years ago and so for newer members of the club and the broader readership of the weblog I thought it might be worthwhile to briefly review his story.

Charles was a disabled, double-amputee living in the housing projects in Mission Hill. He loved to play chess but his condition made it difficult for him to come to a club or attend tournaments. At some point in time he contacted the BCC to see if any players would be willing to come to his apartment to play. Over the years several heeded the call, but in particular club member Walter Driscoll was a frequent visitor. I believe Walter was also the driving force behind the Charles Drafts Open. At the beginning and for many years, the tournament was held at Charles' building in Mission Hill so that at least one time a year Charles would have an opportunity to play in a "traditional" chess tournament. Since his death, the tournament has continued at the club as a memorial event.

The introduction of internet chess was obviously a boon to Charles and he was an active player on the ICC. It was, in fact, in the middle of a chess game on the ICC in 1996 when the event occurred which thrust Charles into momentary international prominence:

BOSTON -- A disabled man who became ill while logged on to an Internet chess site reached out to fellow players from around the world for emergency assistance.

Charles Drafts, a double amputee who types using a stick in his mouth, was playing chess in cyberspace Saturday on the multi-use World Wide Web site where 159 others also were logged on.

Suddenly, he sent out this message: "i'm having physical illness problems and need help."

"He was starting to have some really bad feelings, shortness of breath and dizziness, and he typed in a message to all our members," said Daniel Sleator, a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon University near Pittsburgh who founded the Internet Chess Club.

"It took a little while to know whether it was serious or not because there's an awful lot of kidding and bantering that goes on," Mr. Sleator said. "At first, I think some people were thinking it was a joke. But others realized it was a serious thing and started getting the information right away."

Mr. Drafts managed to type in his address.... while several users tried to find out what symptoms Drafts was suffering, Andy McFarland of Owensboro, Kentucky, was calling Boston's emergency medical services on his second phone line. "When he finally got through, he told dispatchers where he was calling from and explained the situation," Howland relates. 'I think I lost them for just a second,' McFarland said. 'It's not something they get every day.'"

...firefighters rushed to Draft's home, but no one answered the door. They called McFarland back to verify the address. McFarland told the wire service, "The last thing I heard them say was, `We're going in,' and they hung up." ...a short while later Boston firefighters broke down his door to get inside. They rushed the 48-year-old man to Beth Israel Hospital, where he was listed in stable condition ..., suffering from an undisclosed ailment.

About 20 minutes later, a Boston dispatcher called to tell McFarland that they had found Drafts inside and that he had needed help.

[This text is a re-gifting of David Glickman's 2005 post.]

















Thursday, August 01, 2019

Boylston Chess: August School Break Program



banner:  Tony Cortizas, Jr.




 with  Jacob Rasin
 

August 13, 14, 15, 16
9am - 12:30pm each day

This program invites young chess players who already have a complete understanding of the rules of chess to come and develop their abilities. With a combination of lecture, question/answer and guided cooperative learning, the instructor will cover essential elements of the game: Tactics, Strategy, Openings, Middlegames, Endgames, Problems. Students will develop their memory, visualization ability, attention span, critical thinking skills, as well as their sense of fairness and good sportsmanship — all while having fun!
.
Who can join? School-age children, K-12, who are interested in improving at chess and maturing from motivated beginners to skilled intermediate players.

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How much does it cost? Club membership is required for participation (Junior: $120/yr; $67/6 months; Family: $180/yr; $100/6 months). Participation fee: $180; $140 per child, if two or more per family. For first-time Club members, the fee is reduced to $150. Please make checks payable to the Boylston Chess Foundation and please pay on site.

.

Registration: Located in the renovated former Ellis School building, there is plenty of room at our pristine site. Reservation is not required. Just show up to unit B103, at 40 Norris Street the morning of the first day, before or around 9:00 a.m.! Use the right-side door of the building.
  .

About the instructor: A master of the game and a Boylston Chess Club member for over 25 years, Jacob Rasin has been a professional chess teacher for over 35 years in the Soviet Union and the United States. 1978-1989, Jacob served as head coach at the Pioneers Palace of the Leningrad Province; 1982-1985, he had the additional assignment of training Soviet grandmasters and international masters. Since 1990, he has taught privately and at schools in the Boston area. His students have won dozens of scholastic state championships and medals, and more than ten national championships in various brackets. Jacob has directed the School Break Program since 1994.
.

For more information, call Jacob Rasin at home after 9pm (617) 783-6307; cell (857) 225-1297 or email boylstonchess@gmail.com










Boylston Chess: Thursday Night Swiss

banner:  Tony Cortizas, Jr




 
 
 
 
DateThursdays, August 8, 15, 22, 29
Event Format4SS
Time ControlG/105 d10
SectionsOpen & U1900
Entry Fee$35, $20 for BCF members; $5 more if not registering online in advance. Club members rated 2200+ may play in the Thursday Night Swiss with no entry fee and no prize deductions.
Prizes$300 based on 25 paid entries: 1st $125, 2nd $75; U1900 1st $60, 2nd $40
Register6:15pm - 6:45pm
Round Times7:00pm
DescriptionBye and withdrawal requests must be received by 6:45pm.
Sections with fewer than 10 players may be merged.
** A current USCF membership is required. **
Entry ListCurrent Pre-Registration List










Boylston Chess: August Quads

banner:  Tony Cortizas, Jr.



DateSaturday, August 3, 2019
Event Format3RR
Time ControlG/65 d10
SectionsPlayers will be arranged into quads by rating
Entry Fee$35, $20 for BCF members, $5 more if not registering online in advance. Free entry for BCF members rated 2300+, but entry fee deducted from won prize.
Prizes$80 First place in top quad, $50 First place in each of the other quads
Registration9:15am - 9:45am
Round Times10:00am, 1:15pm, 4:00pm
DescriptionABSOLUTELY NO ONSITE REGISTRATION AFTER 9:45AM.
** No byes or withdrawals are allowed. All rounds must be played.
Entry ListCurrent Pre-Registration List