Bringing two quests together

Don Q has managed to build thriving blogging communities around two different quests, Chess - The Knights Errant and Weight Loss - The Knights of the Round Bottoms. While the two groups do share several members in common, the quests have never been fully integrated. Not so for Gretchen Zaitzeff of Normal, Illinois:

Gretchen ... had two problems: how to stick to her diet and how to raise money for the state chess championships....

"Chess season is hard, you tend to eat more," said Gretchen Zaitzeff. "At tournaments, the kids play chess all day while the parents sit and wait and snack. I had lost a total of 12 inches ... since the beginning of the chess season, but I needed more motivation to stick to it all winter."

... she decided to donate $10 for every inch she lost since the beginning of chess season until March 1 to the local chess association to help its fundraising efforts.

"I knew that the Bloomington Normal Area Scholastic Chess Association (BNASC) was trying to raise money to buy additional chess boards for the IL State K-8 Chess Tournament at ISU in March," said Gretchen Zaitzeff. "It seemed the natural thing to do. $10 would buy one chessboard, and they need four hundred more. I know I can't lose 388 inches in a month. My goal is six to eight more inches. It's not a lot of money, but maybe kids from our Grove team will play on a board I helped pay for."

I wonder if Gretchen is a neighbor of CD's.

Charity Simul at the BCC

A Simultaneous Chess Exhibition with
Grandmaster Eugene Perelshteyn
to raise money for the Aleksander Wojtkiewicz Funeral Fund

Sunday, November 19th at 3:30 PM
Admission: $20 ($10 for BCC Members)

In honor of Grandmaster Aleksander Wojtkiewicz, whose untimely passing shocked the chess world earlier this year, Grandmaster Eugene Perelshteyn will face all comers in a simultaneous chess exhibition to raise money for the Aleksander Wojtkiewicz funeral fund. Don'’t miss this rare opportunity to face New England's newest grandmaster in this charity event.

Anyone who wins against the grandmaster will receive a signed copy of both of his recently published repertoire books, Openings for Black, Explained and Openings for White, Explained. For a draw with the grandmaster, choose either one of the books as a prize.

All ages welcome. Spectators welcome. Boards and sets provided. Players must move when the GM gets to their board, or use a "“pass." Players are allowed three passes. No USCF membership required.

Players fee: $20 (a $10 discount applies to BCC members.) Spectators can watch for free.

To sign up, send your admission fee to:

The Boylston Chess Club
240B Elm Street, Suite B9
Somerville, MA 02144

Entries at the door will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis, so enter in advance if you can.

For more information call: Paul MacIntyre (781) 322-7936

Adapted from the event flyer