After the fourth and final round concluded, the Charleston Chess Club Championship will be shared by Stephen Welt and David Causey, who won their final games after drawing each other in the 3rd round.  Each player finished with a score of 3.5 – .5.  The “Under 1500″ prize was won by Michael Doyle, who came out of semi- retirement to defend his title, scoring 2.5-1.5 in a field where he played both higher and lower rated opponents.  The “Under 1500 Runner-Up” prize will be shared by Zach Darga and Gregg Passmore, both with a final result of 2.0-2.0.  Congratulations to all the winners!

 We will have an awards presentation during next week’s meeting and make plans for some upcoming “Quick-rated” and “Blitz” tournaments.  Click on the following link to view the USCF-rated crosstable:

2013 CCC Championship Crosstable

Due to unforeseen circumstances, the “Make a Difference III” tournament scheduled for May 11 will be postponed and re-scheduled later.

The third round of the Charleston Chess Club Championship did not produce any real upsets, but it did produce some interesting fighting games and build the stage for the critical final round next week.  The following grid shows the results of the games:

Congratulations to Alan Hopkins on achieving his first USCF-rated tournament win!  It’s all easy from here, Alan!

Here are the current point standings for each player:

Unlike Round 1, there were some upsets in Round 2 that will make the rest of the pairings rather interesting!  See below for the Rd. 2 results:

Fourteen members registered Wednesday night to compete in the 2013 CCC Championship.  We decided on a Swiss System format to provide flexibility for those who can’t make it every night but still want to play.  If you have not signed up to play, you can still register and just take a 1/2 pt. bye for any rounds missed.  First round results are as follows:

No upsets in Rd. 1, but some games were closely contested.  Since the lower rated players are playing for the “Top Under 1500″ and “Runner Up Under 1500″ prize, the tournament will be really just beginning for them in Rd. 2! 

Hope to see more join us for Rd. 2!

President – Dennis Dawley

Vice President – Stephen Welt

Secretary/Treasurer – David Causey

Club championship will be a Game 90, delay 10 sec., with the 1st round beginning Wednesday, April 10th, followed by subsequent needed rounds each week.  Registration begins at 7pm and 1st round will begin at 7:30pm.  Get there early to register so that we can begin on time.  Entry fee is just $5.00 and we will offer trophies for 1st place and runner-up, plus an “Under” prize and runner-up to be determined by entries.  Club membership is also required ($5.00) as well as USCF current membership.  We will determine the rounds and format when we know the number of entries.  Bring your set, board, and clock!

Just a reminder to all members, former members, and future members – our annual meeting and election of officers will be on Wednesday, April 3, 2013, at 7:00pm.  If you need to re-new your club membership or join, please arrive at 7:00pm so that we can take care of it before the official meeting begins at 7:30pm.  Dues are just $5 per year!  Also, we will be planning our club championship which begins the following Wednesday, April 10.  Join us so that you can be involved in the affairs of our club.  Hope to see you there!

Click the following link for the USCF crosstable – 8th PHM Scholastic

Report and photos to follow soon.

National Life Master Klaus Pohl of Greenville, S.C., winner of the 39th Snowstorm Special

NM Klaus Pohl of Greenville, S.C., won his tenth Snowstorm Special last weekend with a final score of 4.5 – .5, drawing only his compatriot from the upstate, Expert Wayne Christensen.  Two crucial games decided his final standing, one in the 3rd round when he defeated NM Philipp Lamby, and the other in the final 5th round when he defeated NM Pat Sciacca.  Lamby won against Christensen in the final round to finish 2nd, with local “A” player, Ian Morton, who also took the U2000 prize.  Sixteen players competed in the Open section, including the U1700 prize winner, “B” player, John Retarides of North Carolina.

In the U1400 Section of the tournament, local player, John King, and upstate player, Joe Rochester, Jr., tied for 1st-2nd with a final score of 4-1.  John was returning to chess after a long layoff and showed he was not “out of form” with his result.  Only seven players competed in the newly established “U1400″ section, so we hope this will grow as players realize their missed opportunity to compete.

Thanks to all who played and we hope you had an enjoyable tournament!  We even had a little snow in Summerville to commemorate this special tournament!

Click this link to see the USCF final crosstable and ratings – 39th Snowstorm Special

39th Snowstorm Special

February 16-17, 2013

5SS, 30/90, SD/1 t/d 5 (Rd. 1 G/90 t/d 5),

New Venue: Holiday Inn Express,
120 Holiday Drive, Summerville, SC 29483

Prize Fund: Open Section – $1000 b/30 ($500 Gtd.) U1400 Section – $250 b/15($125Gtd.)
Open Section Prizes: $400-200, u2000-200, u1700-200

U1400 Section Prizes: $175-75

EF:$50 for Open Section if rec’d by 2/13, $60 at site, $25 re-entry

EF: $25 for U1400 Section; USCF & SCCA req’d, OSA both sections

Schedule: Reg.- Sat. 8-9am Rd. 1: 10am, 2pm, 8pm, Sun. 9am, 2:30pm

Half pt. byes: avail. all rds., must commit before Rd. 2 for Rds. 4&5 (irrevocable)

HR: $85 (mention “Charleston CC”) reserve by Jan. 15, 2013 (843-875-3300)

Other info: Free entry to Masters and above($50 deducted from any winnings)

Info/Reg/Pmt: Charleston Chess Club c/o David Y.Causey, 741 Dragoon Dr., Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464

To see the most recent “Tournament Life Announcements” for S.C., click on the following link:

Upcoming Tournaments for South Carolina

Very light turnout for our annual event commemorating this special date.  For those that did support our cause, it was a competitive event and we thank them.  The following link is the USCF final crosstable:

National Chess Day Quads

International Master John Bartholomew, who is playing in this year’s Columbia Open, will be visiting our club on August 15th and will be giving a simultaneous exhibition.  We urge all interested participants to show up at 7pm and support us in raising funds for scholastic chess by donating $10 to play the IM.  Just bring your board and set and be ready to give him your best game!  See you there!

                                  The Charleston Chess Olympic Spirit tournament was held Saturday, June 23, 2012, at the office of SPARC (2387 Clements Ferry Road on Daniel Island).  Six supporters attended and battled against a full array of rated players, some with surprising results.  Chris Falter, who organized the event and secured his company’s office for the playing site, also succeeded in placing first with a 3-0 score, upsetting last year’s tournament winner at this location, John Von der Lieth.  Congratulations to Chris for his efforts and well deserved result.  Below is a link to the USCF- rated crosstable for the event:

Charleston Chess Olympic Spirit crosstable

Mark your calendar for June 23, 2012, to participate in the “Charleston Chess Olympic Spirit Tournament”!  All net proceeds will benefit the 2012 U.S. Chess Olympiad team.  Time and place: Saturday, June 23, 2012, at the office of SPARC (2387 Clements Ferry Road on Daniel Island).  On-site registration: 9:15am-9:45am  Rounds: 10:00am, 1:00pm, and 3:15pm.  Entry fee: $10 (USCF membership required; join online at “uschess.org”)  Time control:  Game/50min + 10 second increment.  Format: TBD based on attendance.  Advance entry/contact:  Charleston Chess Club c/o Chris Falter, 213 Goldfinch Ln, Summerville, SC 29485 (ph#843-696-8277) 

Come support our men’s and women’s teams while having fun!  The Charleston Chess Club thanks SPARC for their generous support.

Update:  Chris Falter wins 3-0!  Picture and crosstable coming soon!

The 2012 CCC Championship finished last Wednesday night and Expert Stephen Welt repeated as the Upper Section champion with a 5-0 score.  David Causey scored 3 1/2 – 1 1/2 to finish as the runner-up.  In the Lower Section Championship, Wando High junior, Elijah Neuman, scored 3-0 to dominate that section and become the Lower Section Champion.  (To top off his great showing, he scored 2 1/2- 1/2 in the CCC Fundraiser held on Saturday, 5/19/2012, to tie for 1st amongst some of the CCC’s top players!  Nothing like a two hundred point plus rating increase to get your rating up!)  Ken Fickling scored 2.0 – 1.0 to finish as the Lower Section runner-up.  Check out the link below for the crosstables and photos of the champions and runner-up’s:

2012 CCC Championship/CCC G75 Fundraiser crosstables

Charleston Chess Club

Game 75 Quads Fund Raiser

For Park Circle Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall

When:  Saturday, May 19, 2012

Where:  Park Circle Presbyterian Church, 4701 Park Place at West Durant Ave., N. Charleston, SC 29406

Format will be Game 75 Quads based on attendance.  Quads that have all USCF members will be rated.

Registration:  8:00am – 9:00am

Rounds:  9:30am, 12:45pm, 3:30pm

We are asking for a minimum donation of $10.00, but more will be welcomed to help defray the cost of our hosts for allowing us to utilize their facility on a weekly basis throughout the year.

All players are welcome to play in order to support our event.

Even if you cannot play, any donation would be appreciated to help our cause!

The 2012 Charleston CC championship began on April 11 with four players in the Top Section playing a Quad format and four players in the Lower Section playing also a Quad format.  If others want to join, you can register on Wednesday, April 18, and we will either expand the sections or with enough numbers, add an additional Quad with a future playoff of the winners of each Quad in their section.  The key is to be at the club meeting by 7pm so that we can determine how to place you in the competition.  Entry is free to current club members, so just bring your set and clock.

Results thru 5/16/12 (Note: Morton and Vonderlieth have been added to the Upper Section to make it a 6 player Round Robin.  Colors have been adjusted to ensure players have no more than three Black’s.):

The election of club officers will be held on April 4th during our weekly meeting.  Our club championship will begin the following week, April 11th.

Don’t forget to bring $5 to join or re-new your club membership!

*Results of Annual Meeting Elections:  Pres. – Stephen Welt, V-Pres. – Dennis Dawley, Sec. – Ian Morton, Treas. – David Causey

Congratulations for winning  another term in office!

For all you long-time players as well as newcomers, try taking the “Chess Career” test by clicking on the link on the right side of the home page.  See how you measure up as a veteren chess player.  It’s just for fun, but it is a good way to see how much your involvement has been throughout your chess career.  Give us your feedback on the message board.

The 38th Snowstorm Special will be held begining Saturday, February 11, 2012, with rounds 1-3 that day and rounds 4-5 on Sunday.  This is a change from past Snowstorm’s, but actually it reverts back to the original format in the early years.  In a effort to reduce entry fee costs for our players, but still maintain the same class prizes of $100, we have gone to the 2 day schedule by reducing the cost of the meeting room by one day.  We encourage all of our local players to not miss the opportunity to play in a weekend tournament in their home area, thus saving on hotel and travel costs.  Early registration at the lower $50 entry fee is available until Wednesday, Feb. 8, and if you cannot get it in the mail before then, just stop by our club meeting that night and you can still register for the lower rate.  USCF and SCCA membership is required for play.  If your USCF membership has expired, you can renew online at “uschess.org”, but if you just need a SCCA membership, you can join or renew at registration.  SCCA memberships are just $10 a year for adults and $5 a year for juniors under 19 years of age.

Our annual Snowstorm Special is considered a “heritage” event by the USCF, having been held for more than 25 years.  It is our premier tournament in Charleston and is proud to have not only strong International Masters as winners, but also some of our best local players.  This year’s tournament has been tailored more towards the “class” player, since it does not offer grand prix points to attract touring masters, but instead focuses on giving the class players a chance to win either a place prize or a class prize.  For those that have not played in awhile, dust off that set and clock, confirm your USCF membership, and get your entry fee in so that you can “capture the glory” once again with your “over-the-board” chess prowess!

The site for this year’s tournament is the same as in the past few years, the Best Western Plus Downtown near the corner of Spring St. and Lockwood Blvd.  Parking is free and there are many eateries nearby, including a restaurant in the hotel.  We look forward to seeing our regular tournament players, but are always encouraged by those that show up and support our tournament as their lone annual tournament.  Newcomers are welcome and we will help with the details of joining all the required associations so that you can become a rated tournament player. 

The tournament announcement details can be viewed by clicking on “Upcoming Tournaments” on the right side of the home page.  Any questions can be sent to David Causey (email:chessbass@att.net).

Looking forward to seeing all our players!

May 19, 2012  -  Charleston Chess Club/Park Circle Fundraiser

May 25-27, 2012  -  The South Carolina Open, Greenvile, SC

Don’t miss your locally held tournaments!

Check out the details on the above tournaments and others by clicking “Upcoming Tournaments” on the right of this page.

The December Scholastic Tournament this past weekend in Charleston was attended by almost 30 very talented players! Many up-and-coming chess stars came out to Pinckney Elementary on December 3rd to battle for glory (and trophies!). Filled with enthusiasm, and showing unparalleled sportsmanship, these scholastic players are a force to be reckoned with.

Members of the Charleston Chess Club had better watch out for these faces in the next few years; they’ll give you a run for your money!

Hopefully we’ll see all of these promising young players, and more, at the Pat Hart Scholastic Tournament on January 21st, 2012!

–posted by Susan Reed

Just so our CCC members and guests can get in some last minute games before the Thanksgiving holiday, the club will meet on Wednesday night at 7pm.  In the past, we have had reasonably good turnouts before the holiday, so plan to come out and play some chess.

Charleston has two scholastic tournaments scheduled.  One will be held December 3rd and another, the Pat Hart, January 21st.  Please refer to the scholastic page of this site for more details.

Charleston Scholastic Chess Kick Off Tournament

Saturday, Nov. 5th

10:00 a.m.

Location: Charles Pinckney Elementary Cafeteria

3300 Thomas Cario Blvd, Mt. Pleasant, SC 29466

Cost: $10 to enter

All participants MUST have a valid USCF card.

Please go to www.uschess.org and click USCF (left side).

Then click join/renew (top right).

Tournament Details:

USCF Rated

4 Rounds in 3 Sections*

K-2, K-5, K-12

Game time: 30 minutes*

1st Round starts at 10:30

Swiss System

The tournament will last up to 5 hours

Many players will be finished by 2:30.

Parents may watch quietly from specified sections.

Please remember to bring lunch & snacks!

*Number of rounds and game duration may be subject to slight alterations depending on

section size. Sections may be combined for pairing purposes only.

Questions?

Contact sawelt@yahoo.com or 843-991-1116

Mark you calendar and get prepared for the 2nd Annual National Chess Day and Festival being held Oct. 7-9, 2011, at the Hawthorn Suites, 2455 Savannah Hwy (US 17S), Charleston, S.C.  Be sure to take advantage of the early entry fee of $49 if received before 9/07/11; otherwise, it’s $59 thereafter and at the site.  Check out the following link at the SCCA site for details – 2nd Annual National Chess Day and Festival or click on “Upcoming Tournaments” on our main page.  This is an important event for Charleston chess since it’s the largest tournament being held in our state commemorating this important date.

Early report:  Final standings at  following link – 2nd Annual National Chess Day

Grandmaster Lubomir Ftacnik of Slovakia will be at our club on Wednesday, August 24th, 2011, to present a chess lecture and simultaneous exhibition.  The lecture is free to all members and guests, while for the simul, we request a $5 contribution from adult players which goes towards scholastic chess.  Scholastic players can play for free!  Join us at 7:00pm to attend both events and bring your set and board if you plan to play in the simul.  GM Ftacnik has attended twice before in the past and has given very instructive lectures on famous games.  His tour of our state has been sponsored by the generosity of Precision Tune Auto Care.

Check out his info at Wikipedia – GM Lubomir Ftacnik

The “Make a Difference 2″ chess tournament held on Saturday, July 23rd, brought out fourteen supporters who graciously donated their entry fees for the benefit of the fledgling Summerville High Chess Club.  The organizer and tournament director, Chris Falter(pictured below, right), held the tournament in the office of SPARC on Daniel Island, where he is employed.  The conditions where excellent for the players, where the amenities in the office were well suited for creativity and thought. 

With numerous players from the Charleston Chess Club as well as high school players, a Swiss-system format was used, so many of the newcomers had games against higher rated players.  After three rounds, the only player achieving a 3-0 score was CCC member, John Vonderlieth, a long-time class ”A” player and former Expert.  Congratulations to John for his effort!  

For the benefit of the younger players, the CCC offered a free set and board for the top player under 1400.  After tiebreaks, Joshua Hutchins(pictured below, left), won the prize and has an extra set and board to help with his chess career.  Thanks to all who participated and keep up the good chess! 

Best under 1400 - Joshua Hutchins

We will be starting a 3 round G:75 Swiss this Wednesday.  Feel free to miss any week, half point byes will be available for all our Swiss formatted tournaments during club!

This week, 7/13,  we will be doing another G:30 quad.  The following week, 7/20, we will be having a business meeting to discuss what activities we would like to do in the coming weeks.  After the business meeting, on the 20th, current club champion Stephen Welt will be performing a simul, he promises to play quickly if not very well.

We will be doing more G:30 quads this week (7/6) as we wait for the CCCC to finish up.

On Saturday, July 23, 2011, the Charleston Chess Club will host a USCF-rated tournament at the office of SPARC on Daniel Island.  The net proceeds from the $10 entry fee will be used to assist the fledgling chess program at Summerville High School.  Time control: G/60 (45′ + 15″ with increment clock).  Registration: 9-9:30am. Rounds:  9:45am, 1pm, and 3:15pm.  Tournament format (Swiss,  quads, etc.) will be decided based on number and rating profile of participants.  USCF membership required.  Pre-registration and contact: Chris Falter, 213 Goldfinch Ln., Summerville, SC 29485 (843)-696-8277.  Come have fun and make a difference!

3 round round robin.  G: 30.  EF: $3  1st- $10.

At the request of one of our newest members National Master Ananth Pappu we will be doing G:30 quads next week.  Although the lower section of our club championship is yet to be completed many of the participants are finished and we encourage players in all sections to come out and play.  This format, one of my favorites, is a great opportunity for players to get a lot of rated games into one night.

If you are wishing to play please show up before 7:30, when we will be starting.

2011 Club Champion, Stephen Welt (L) and Runner Up, Ananth Pappu

 With a victory against new CCC member,  NM Ananth Pappu, in the final game of the Upper Section last night, club president, Stephen Welt, becomes our 2011 Club Champion.  Many games in the Upper Section came down to flag-hanging conclusions for many of the players.  Stephen, after dropping one game against fellow A player, Dennis Dawley, survived the other competition to score 4-1 and take the title.  Ananth, who also dropped a previous game against John Vonderlieth, survived to the final game against Stephen, but succumbed to Stephen’s pressure play, but was still rewarded for his effort with the Runner Up trophy.  Congratulations to Stephen and Ananth for their hard-earned prizes.

Revised (#2):  The 2011 CCC Championship has begun with twelve club members participating in two sections.  The following round robin crosstables reflect games played thus far (for pairings, click on “Club Calendar”):

 Trophies will be awarded to the winner and runner up in each section.

The annual election of officers will be held during the April 6, 2011, meeting.  For those who need to renew their memberships, we will be taking annual dues ($5) from 7:00pm until 7:30pm.  The business meeting will begin at 7:30pm.  Come out and give your support for the club officers of your choice and have your voice heard.   See you there!

* Results of annual election meeting (6 members present):

President – Stephen Welt

Vice President – Dennis Dawley

Secretary – Ian Morton

Treasurer – David Causey

Before departing with their prize money, we captured the above Snowstorm Special winners for the record.  Left to right, Wayne Christensen (Top Expert prize), Expert Donny Gray and current S.C. champion, Philipp Lamby (Tied for 1st/2nd).

37th Snowstorm Special –             Cross Table
February 4-6, 2011
Charleston, SC
Chief TD – Stephen Welt

  No.    Name                              St Rate 1     2     3     4     5     Score

   1. Lamby, Philipp (1)…………  SC 2190 D12   W15   W11   D3    W4      4.0  1st/2nd
   2. Gray, Donny (2)……………  GA 2099 W16   D6    D8    W5    W3      4.0  1st/2nd

   3. Christensen, Wayne (3)……..  SC 2056 W13   W5    W4    D1    L2      3.5  Top X

   4. Morton, Ian Gregor (7)……..  SC 1882 W14   W10   L3    W6    L1      3.0  Top A(tie)
   5. Vonderlieth, John (8)………  SC 1830 W19   L3    W13   L2    W9      3.0  Top A(tie)
   6. Murrah, Erik Lee (11)………  SC 1691 W18   D2    D9    L4    W10     3.0  Top B(tie)
   7. Falter, Christophe (12)…….  SC 1652 D8    L11   W16   -H-   W13     3.0  Top B(tie)

   8. Holmes, Douglas R (5)………  SC 1992 D7    W12   D2    D10   -U-     2.5
   9. Causey, David Y (6)………..  SC 1951 L10   W19   D6    W12   L5      2.5
  10. Sellards III, Harry (13)……  NC 1608 W9    L4    W18   D8    L6      2.5

  11. Welt, Stephen Alex (4)……..  SC 1994 -H-   W7    L1    -H-   -U-     2.0
  12. Musulin, Rade (9)………….  SC 1788 D1    L8    W15   L9    -H-     2.0
  13. Bryan, Paul A (15)…………  SC 1429 L3    W14   L5    -X-   L7      2.0  Top C
  14. Woodworth, Robert (17)……..  SC 1148 L4    L13   W19   D15   D16     2.0  Top E

  15. Goodwin, Bruce (10)………..  NC 1707 -H-   L1    L12   D14   -H-     1.5
  16. Doyle, Michael Mal (14)…….  SC 1473 L2    L18   L7    W19   D14     1.5

  17. Miller, Gordon (18)………..  SC  868 -B-   -U-   -U-   -U-   -U-     1.0  W/D
  18. Cook, Randall Burk (19)…….  SC nnnn L6    W16   L10   -F-   -U-     1.0

  19. Pilaud, William (16)……….  SC 1400 L5    L9    L14   L16   -H-     0.5

Check out the official USCF crosstable by clicking here – 37th Snowstorm Special 2011

Even with a light turnout of only eighteen players, the 37th Snowstorm Special will plod forward to determine prize winners by Sunday afternoon.  Representation by class “B” through Expert is average in numbers, but the lower classes, “E” through “C”, are slim.  Many of our lower rated players are missing out on the opportunity to win a class prize this year.  If you are reading this post and can arrive before the 2nd round begins, we will still enter you with a half-point bye in the first round and at the pre-entry fee of $70.  If you can’t play, but have some time this weekend, stop by and check out the chess books and equipment for sale, some at “rock-bottom” prices and even some free!  We still have some bags, boards and sets available, too.  Hope to see you here!

The 37th edition of the Snowstorm Special Open chess tournament begins Friday night, February 4th.  This USCF Hertiage event started in 1973 when the Charleston Chess Club held a junior championship during one of the heaviest snowstorms in Charleston history.  Still, young players from around the state showed up and vied for the title.  Due to the support in inclimate weather, Ernie and Joan Schlich, the club’s officers, decided to commemorate the event each year since with an open format tournament.  Though the tournament was not held in 2002 and 2003 due to lack of organizers, it was re-started in 2004 and has continued to be held ever since.  The list of champions for the event extends from  local favorites to state champions to International masters.  It is a tournament for all players since you are always competing for a prize either at the top or in your rating class.  It’s a great tournament to achieve your first “scalp” of a higher rated player since you can be paired against the top group of players, especially in the first round.  But don’t despair, since even a loss does not hurt you from competing against your own level players for the class prizes.  Many times, a 3-2 score wins or ties for the class prize and anything higher competes sometimes for a place prize. 

Check out the announcement on the main page, right column, under “Upcoming Tournaments”.  The last chance to register at the pre-entry rate is tonight at our club meeting.

Join us this weekend and support the Snowstorm Special!

Results of the latest Weekly Swiss tournament are posted and after the abbreviated rounds for each section, Stephen Welt took  first place in the Upper Section with three wins and a draw.  In the Lower Section, Gordon Miller turned in an impressive 3-0 score to take first place.  For the next weekly swiss, Stephen has proposed lengthening the time control to Game 75.  If you were hesitant to play Game 60 in the past, this should help those worried about time pressure.  Remember, the club championship is normally Game 90, so this is a good way to build up your game beforehand.  Check out the results by clicking “Weekly Swiss Results” on the right of the main page.

The 6th Patrick D. Hart Memorial (PHM) Scholastic chess tournament is being held January 22, 2011.  The new site is the Hawthorn Suites, 2455 Savannah Hwy (US17South) in Charleston, SC.  This is a USCF-rated tournament, but features a special non-USCF section for beginning players.  Checkout the details by clicking on “Upcoming Tournaments” on our main webpage (right side).  For those who never knew Pat, he was an avid chessplayer who excelled in both over-the-board and postal chess, achieving an Expert rating in both.  Though stricken with muscular dystrophy since his youth and wheel chair bound, he was an able chessplayer, even excelling at speed and blitz chess.  Pat was also the backbone behind the Charleston Chess Club, where he served as President and perenial Treasurer until near the end of his life.  He also served as the S.C. Chess Assocation’s Treasurer from 1985 until his death.  He will always be remembered as a pillar of both Charleston and South Carolina chess.  For all scholastic players, join us at the 6th PHM Scholastic and help us support chess as Pat would have.

John Vonderlieth joined his other top club players by chalking up a victory in the Upper section of Weekly Swiss V.  His undefeated score included a win against past champion, Stephen Welt, and a draw with David Causey, who won the last tournament.  Also, in the Lower Section, Michael Doyle had to score points against his other competitors while subjecting himself to games against the upper section when he was paired twice due to lack of opponents.  Congratulations to both victors in their respective sections.  Weekly Swiss VI will begin on January 5 and will be limited to just 4 rounds in order to avoid pairing issues (but if sufficient players turnout, we can easily make it five rounds).  It’s a great time to tune up your game before our annual Snowstorm Special in February.

Approximately ten members and guests turned out for Wednesday night’s meeting venue at Mad River Bar and Grill.  Six members did battle in round 3 of the Weekly Swiss V, resulting in an upset win on top board between new expert, Stephen Welt, and former expert, now “A”, John Vonderlieth.  The second pairing in the Upper Section was Ian Morton playing White against David Causey.  An agreed draw was the result after Causey had been up two pawns, but could not consolidate his position with the presence of opposite-colored bishops.  John Vonderlieth now leads the Upper Section with 2 pts., with three others tied at 1.5.

One game was paired in the Lower Section due to only three players present.  Michael Doyle scored the point against Porter Claytor, while James Pollard graciously accepted the full point bye as the odd player.  Michael now leads the Lower Section with 2.5 points.

The CCC will meet next Wednesday at the usual site.  We need more participants to show up for the final two rounds of the Weekly Swiss V.  Remember, these games are great warm-ups for the upcoming Snowstorm Special in February, 2011.

Due to a church event at Park Circle Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall, the Charleston Chess Club will hold its weekly meeting on December 15th at the Mad River Bar and Grille Restaurant at 32 North Market Street in downtown Charleston.  There is a parking garage just south of Market Street on East Bay Street or you may find street parking on Market Street or East Bay Street.  Go to the following link for directions:

 Mad River Bar and Grill

Our meeting will officially commence at 7pm, but for those attending this special event, they can come earlier and enjoy the food and beverage before the meeting (during is okay, too!).  We will try to have our 3rd round weekly swiss if conditions are favorable, otherwise, be ready for lots of skittle and/or blitz games and chess chat.  See you there!

The Folloween IV chess tournament attracted  just 10 players in one section, but the competition more than made up for the low numbers.  In attendance was the 2010 South Carolina champion, Philipp Lamby, from Columbia, who scored two wins and one draw against three of the Charleston Chess Club’s top “A” players to take first prize.  Stephen Welt, Ian Morton and David Causey tied for 2nd with two points and split the 2nd and 3rd place prize money.  A special Under 1200 prize was created for the lower rated players playing in the main section and Charles Ommen and James Pollard split the prize with one point.  See USCF crosstable below for the  final results.

Folloween IV, Charleston, SC, 11/20/10

Just to be sure everyone is aware, the club will meet on Wednesday, 11/24/10, at the regular time and place.  Last year, we had a nice turnout of eager players, so don’t be detered that no one will show up to play.  We will start a new weekly swiss if turnout is sufficient.

 EF: $20     USCF membership required   

Free EF for players rated 2200 and over ($15 deducted from prize)   

Registration: 9:15- 9:45AM   

Rounds: 10:00AM, 1:00PM, 3:30PM   

10 – players sections   

Prizes: $90 1st, $40 2nd, $10 3rd   

Director reserves the right to adjust the number of players in the bottom section based on attendance.   

For questions, contact Josh Nissenboim (joshnissenboim@gmail.com)   

For pre-registration, include Name, USCF ID#, bye requests (Any prepayments by check can be made out to “Charleston Chess Club”.)