(CROSSVILLE, TN)The 2006 US Amateur Team Midwest was held Feb. 18-19 at the Doubletree Oakbrook Hotel in Oakbrook, Illinois. Winning team (on tie breaks)with 4 points: 2 FMs and 2 Losers [Shivkumar Shivaji, John Langreck, Jim Dean, & Les Kistler], which was the top rated team at 2188. 2nd place: CICL [Gustavo Garzon, Peter Stein, Yuri Fridman, & Robert D Morris]. Also scoring 4 points Top U2000 (with a team rating of 1992): Team G [GM Dmitry Gurevich, Zach Kasiurak, Eric Rosen, Sam Schmakel, & Douglas Baird].

Top Team in the Reserve section with 4.5 points: Title Bout [Patrick Lacey, Dan Gannon, Mark Hamilton, Jeff Paykin, & Mases Hagopian], which was the top rated team at 1798. Tied at 4 points were (2nd on tie break): Team Wisconsin [Benjamin Weaver, Andy Applebaum, Juan Hernandez, & Robbie Kleinmuntz], and none of the team members are from Wisconsin. Top team 1400-1599 at 4 points: Meet the Forkers [Michael Failor, Nick Hyslop, Jonathan Doran, & Michael Bartus]. 3rd place with 4 points: A Master and Three Patzers [Glen Gratz, Mike Barkdoll, Jacek Rejdych, & Don Ward].

In the Scholastic Section 3 teams finished with 4 points. Winning on tie break was Pushy Pawns [Wilmette Jr High], 2nd was ChessDepot.com, & 3rd was Nichols Lions.

The prize of 4 "Bad Bishop" chess CDs for Best Team Name went to: Brokeback Maters.

Winning board prizes in the Open were: Bd1 IM Angelo Young [5 points], Bd2 John Langreck [5 points], Bd3 Yuri Fridman, Bd4 Robert D Morris, Alternate Bryon Chen.

Winners of board prizes in the Reserve were: Board 1: Patrick Lacey with 4.5 points, Board 2: Mike Barkdoll with 5 points, Board 3: Wayne Ellice with 5 points, Board 4: Vivek Shekhawat, & the Alternate prize went to William Carpenter with 1 point. Two other players scored higher, but failed to meet the requirement of all other team members playing at least 2 games.

This press release was submitted by Lawrence Cohen, Organizer of this years event. Details for an online playoff between the winners of Amateur Team East, Midwest, South and West will be announced soon.

******************

The United States Chess Federation (USCF), founded in 1939, serves as the governing body for chess in the United States and is now headquartered in Crossville, Tennessee. USCF is devoted to extending the role of chess in American society. It promotes the study and knowledge of the game of chess, for its own sake as an art and enjoyment, and as a means for the improvement of society. The USCF is a not-for-profit membership organization nearing 90,000 members. For additional information on the USCF see: http://www.uschess.org.