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World News: Chess In the Media: Chess Stories Across the USA and Around the World
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National NewsEstablishment of the Dan Heisman Chess Scholarship FundDr. John F. Bayley of Gladwyne, PA has been leading the way to establish chess as a worthy scholarship activity in the Philadelphia area. On May 31 Dan Heisman of Wynnewood, PA made a donation to establish a tax-deductible fund at the Philadelphia Foundation (www.philafound.org ) called the Dan Heisman Chess Scholarship Fund. The fund was established to provide scholarship money to worthy chess players who do well in local scholastic events like the Greater Philadelphia Junior Invitational Championship and the Greater Philadelphia Scholastic Chess Championship. A donor to the fund can specify if the money is to go for endowments (future years) or non-endowments (may be disbursed this year), or any percentage of each. If the type of funds are not specified, they automatically will go to the non-endowment portion of the fund so the Fund's Scholarship Advisory Committee can either disburse it this year or decide to endow it. All donations are tax-deductible. Donors will receive a tax confirmation letter from The Philadelphia Foundation. All prize money donated by these funds goes directly (and only) to the recipient's college upon matriculation. To donate on-line: If you want to make a tax-deductible donation on-line to this fund, send to http://www.philafound.org/donors/donate%20on-line.html. If a donor wishes to send a check, make checks payable to "The Philadelphia Foundation" with "Dan Heisman Chess Scholarship" in the memo field and mail to: The Philadelphia Foundation In 1995 Mr Heisman, his sister, and mother, established the Holly Heisman Memorial Fund to aid women in need, to honor his first wife Holly, who died of breast cancer the year before. This fund is also run by the Philadelphia Foundation and donations can be made in a similar manner. For more information, contact Dan Heisman 610-649-0750 or visit http://mywebpages.comcast.net/danheisman/Main_Chess/donations.htm. Kurt Schneider Wins Greater Philadelphia Jr. Invitational Chess ChampionshipThis press release originally appeared on the USCF website. National Master Kurt Schneider of Blue Bell, who will be a senior at Wissahickon High School, took home clear first and a first prize of $800 at the 4th annual Greater Philadelphia Junior Invitational Chess Championship held June 16-19 at Haverford College in Haverford, PA. Schneider, the highest rated scholastic player in Pennsylvania, scored 6½ points against seven other strong All-Star opponents and will have his name inscribed on the permanent Heisman-Shahade Trophy. The other seven participants and their final scores were Chris Bechis (of Pennsbury HS and, in the fall, Univ. of Maryland Baltimore County) 4½, Rory Wasiolek (Devon Prep and Duke) 4, Dan Yeager (Keith Valley MS) 4, Tommy Hsiao (Allentown) 3, Mike Guber (Masterman and Wharton) 3, Rahul Swaminathan (Princeton Landing CC) 2, and Josh Bowman (Stony Creek MS) 1. The strenth of this championship was shown by the excellence displayed by these players in other recent events. For example, Dan Yeager recently won the US Amateur East title, a national event open to all experts and below (non-masters). Rahul Swaminathan tied for 2nd in the K-5 section of the National Elementary Championship. Mike Guber is the 2005 Pennsylvania State High School Champion; Hsiao tied for second there – and none of these finished in the top two at Haverford! Two special prizes were donated by International Master Igor Khmelnitsky of King of Prussia. They were $100 for most wins in a row (Schneider) and a copy of his book Chess Exam and Training Guide (Hsaio). The Greater Philadelphia Junior Invitational Championship invites the top six rated players age 18 and under in the Philadelphia area, plus the Greater Philadelphia High School Champion and the top eligible junior at the Philadelphia Championship. Dr. John F. Bayle, the President of sponsor Main Line Chess Club http://www.mainlinechessclub.com, was the principal organizer and raised the $1,500 prize fund through private donations (note: the tournament is always looking for corporate sponsorship). Main Line Chess Club Vice President Dan Heisman was the tournament director. He was assisted by MLCC members Richard Pariseau, James Blakey, and Paul Petrillo. Special thanks go to host Haverford College and Haverford Professor Paul Jefferson for arranging for the facilities. For more information, contact Dan Heisman, 610-649-0750. Fernandez Tramples Field in U.S. Chess 2005 Junior InvitationalThis press release originally appeared on the USCF website. What happens when the top juniors get together? They got together in Kings Island, Ohio to participate in the 2005 Junior Invitational Championship. It was like a bulldozer ran through the competition as Daniel Fernandez (2399), from Florida, emerged victorious as he went undefeated scoring eight points in this 10 round event. Finishing tied for a distant second through fourth with six points were John Bartholomew (2444), from Minnesota, Robert Hess (2336), from New York, and Mackenzie Molner (2318), from New Jersey. By coming in first, Fernandez earned the right to play in the 2005 U.S. Championship and face off against some of the country’s best. This event was organized by the Warren County Convention and Visitors Bureau and directed by Mike Anders. The event is open to the top juniors under 21 years old. Next year the event will be held in Dallas, Texas in July. U.S. Team Medals at 2005 Pan Am Youth Chess FestivalThis press release originally appeared on the USCF website. Four U.S. players claimed medals at the 2005 Pan-American Youth Chess Festival in Balneario Camboriu, Brazil. Robert Hungaski achieved the Silver in the Boys Under-18. Julia Kerr brought home the Silver in the Girls Under-16. Ray Robson won the Silver in the Boys Under-12. And Christopher Heung took the Bronze in the Boys Under-10. U.S. Team results:
Congratulations are due the U.S. team, coached by Aviv Friedman (Head of Delegation) and Armen Ambartsoumian, which took 5th place overall. This is an excellent showing considering the relatively small size of the U.S. delegation -12 players- compared to delegations such as Argentina and Ecuador with 41 and Brazil with 119. 380 players from 14 countries gathered for this annual FIDE (World Chess Federation) event. The U.S. Chess Trust helps to sponsor the American representatives. The official website for the tournament is http://www.interspace.com.br/jardel/14A.php. |
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