The CCC is hosting the November Scholastic on Saturday, 11/12/16, at our meeting site, Church of the Holy Cross, 299 Seven Farms Dr., Daniel Island, 29492.  Click below for the flyer and entry form:

ccc-november-2016-scholastic-12nov16

The 77th S.C. Championships were held in Columbia this past weekend and after all the games were finished, our own club champion is now the 2016 S.C. Co-Champion.  Elijah tied Columbia’s Ben Caiello at 3-2 and was 2nd on tiebreaks for the 1st place trophy.  His score does make him the co-champion and he can represent South Carolina at any event Ben Caiello is unable to make, including the Border Battle with North Carolina.  Congratulations to Elijah for his solid play and tremendous result.

For those members that would like to play a rated match, let us know and we can arrange one.  You and your opponent must have an established USCF rating and be within 400 points of each other.  The minimum number of games is four and you can choose the time control.  Games with Quick Chess time controls (less than Game/30) can play at least two games per meeting night.  Longer time controls may only allow one game per night.  It’s good training and good experience, so let us know if you are interested.

This week’s meeting will feature our club champion (and Prez), Elijah Neumann, giving us a presentation on the King’s Gambit.  This is an opening that will test your ability to play double-edged positions where either mate or a material advantage will decide the game.  Sometimes, one player will have the material advantage only to succumb to mate by the opponent.  Join in and watch some of the variations in the opening that Elijah will demonstrate, then test yourself in a few thematic games playing both White and Black.

GM Lubomir Ftacnik will be visiting our club on Wednesday night to give a lecture and simul.  Visitors are welcome to attend and watch the lecture, but if you want to play in the GM simul, there is small fee of $5 that goes toward scholastic chess.  Scholastic players can play for free, but the fee will only apply to non-scholastic players.  Bring your set and board if you wish to play against GM Ftacnik.

Update:  Thanks to all that showed up and attended GM Ftacnik’s lecture and simul.  Around 25 attended the lecture with 17 giving it their best to upset GM Ftacnik, but he held his own 17-0!

Due to a church event requiring all rooms, we will not meet on July 13th.  The next meeting on July 20th is a special event for the club with GM Lubomir Ftacnik giving a lecture and simul for our members and guests.  The simul is usually a $5 entry fee for non- scholastic players which supports our scholastic chess events.  The lecture is free to all, so don’t miss the chance to listen to a strong GM show how they think in complicated chess positions.  Be sure to bring your board and set if you plan to participate in the simul.

2016 CCC Upper Section Champion – Expert Elijah Neumann

2016 CCC Lower Section Champion – Robert Webb

The 2016 CCC Championship has finished!  Congratulations go out to Elijah Neumann/Upper Section Champion and Robert Webb/Lower Section Champion.  Other trophy winners in the Lower Section are as follows:

2nd Place – Matthew Johnson

3rd Place – Braeden Reed

Top U1000 – Sam Stone

Thanks to everyone for playing and supporting our club championship.

Click here for final USCF cross tables:  CCCCh2016

Our meeting this Wednesday, June 15th, will have some exciting chess.  Elijah Neumann and David Causey will have a playoff featuring two Game 15;d5 games, and if they are still tied, two 5min blitz games.  If there is still a tie, an Armageddon game will be the final tiebreak to determine the club champion.

In the Lower Section, the 4th round matchups should produce some critical chess for those vying for the top three places and the Top U1000 prize.  We plan to have a 5th round to determine the final standings.

It is important as we finish our championships that players attend and play their games.  This avoids further byes and makeup games so that we can finish by the following Wednesday meeting.  Trophies will be ready for the eventual winners.

Show up and lets have some exciting chess!

We still only have 4 players in the Upper Section with only three games played thus far.  After wins by Elijah Neumann against Jim Bickley and David Causey against Michael Gorlitsky in the first round, Neumann and Causey squared off in the second round Wednesday night.  After 50 moves, they agreed to a draw in a position that neither player wanted to risk trying to win.  Bickley and Gorlitsky was postponed due to Bickley’s absence, so their game will hopefully be made up next Wednesday.  In the Lower Section, fifteen players are competing and after two rounds, John King and Robert Webb have two points, but two games were postponed due to absent players and could produce another two point score for one player.  If games are not made up, they will be given a 1/2 point bye in order to pair future rounds.  Those that missed need to be sure to show up next Wednesday or you may lose ground to the leaders.  Hope to see another good turnout!

Update:  In the Upper Section, Bickley vs Gorlitsky was made up Wednesday night, June 1, with Bickley winning.  Next week will be Neumann vs Gorlitsky and Bickley vs Causey to finish the round robin pairings.  In the Lower Section, many players did not show after missing last week  so makeup games were not feasible.  Those that were not present to play the 2nd and 3rd round were given half point byes for games missed and eight players were paired for the round.  Reed vs King will be made up next week, but results for the rest were Neiffer (0) vs Johnson(1), Magill (0) vs Hitopoulos(1) and Fowler(1) vs Billings(0).  Trophy prizes for the tournament will be Champion and Runner Up in the Upper Section and 1st through 3rd and Best U1000 in the Lower Section.  Be sure to show up for the next round!  There still might be a trophy in your future!