CHESS : NATIONAL NEWS
The U.S. Chess Federation’s showcase tournament, the U.S. Open Championship, has drawn a total of 528 players to Concord, Calif. The two-week-long tournament, played at the leisurely pace of one game per day, serves as a sort of national chess convention. The USCF fills the spare hours by running its annual business meeting, chess workshops and a variety of side events.
With three rounds to go, Senior Master Omar Cartagena and top-rated GM Alex Yermolinsky share first place, at 8-1. One of the favorites, former U.S. champion Walter Browne, dropped out after losing games to SM David Gliksman and master Gabriel Sanchez. Jennie Frenklakh, a 15-year-old expert, stunned everyone by leading the tournament after six rounds. She won her first five games, defeating three masters, then drew Cartagena before fading from contention with three losses.
Eric Sevillano and Rostislav Tsodikov tied for first in the U.S. Open Blitz Championship. Each scored 12-2, a point ahead of Walter Browne.
Faneuil Adams of New York defeated Paul Shannon of Westminster, 231 votes to 77, in the election for a three-year term as member-at-large on the USCF Policy Board. The seven-member policy board makes most of the important decisions about how to spend the dues collected from the 80,000 USCF members.
CORRECTION
Many readers have offered a superior solution to Position #5334. My solution, which appeared Aug. 6, went 1 . . . Qf3+ 2 Bxf3 exf3+ 3 Kh2 Nf4+ 4 Kg1 Ne2+ 5 Qxe2 fxe2, winning a Rook. But Black can force mate by 3 . . . Nxf2+! 4 Kg1 Nh3+ 5 Kh2 Ng5+ 6 Kg1 f2+ 7 Qxf2 Rh1 mate. If 5 Kh1, then 5 . . . f2+ leads to 6 Kh2 Ng5 mate or 6 e4 Nf4 mate. Thank you to all who wrote.
LOCAL NEWS
The San Luis Obispo City Championship, a four-round tournament in two sections, will be held Aug. 25-26 in the Church of the Nazarene, 3396 Johnson Ave. in San Luis Obispo. For more information, call Barbara McCaleb at (805) 544-0717.
The Wilshire Chess Society, which meets on the fourth Sunday of every month in the Community Room (third floor, near the food court) of the Westside Pavilion in Los Angeles, will conduct a quad tournament (three rounds of 45-minute games) on Aug. 27. Register at the site before 10:45 a.m., or call Michael Jeffreys at (310) 473-6291 for details.
The Court Street Chess Club plans two outdoor chess events at the intersection of Court and E streets in San Bernardino on Aug 26. The club will begin a five-minute tournament at 10 a.m. and will follow with a 20-minute tournament afterward. For details, call Robb McDermott at (909) 796-7127.
The Gallant Knights Chess Club will host a quick-play tournament (10-minute games) on Aug. 27 at Stuft Pizza, 25352 Crenshaw Blvd. in Torrance. Registration closes at 1 p.m. For information, call Rick Okubo at (310) 544-1140.
The Barnes and Noble bookstore at 23630 Valencia Blvd. in Valencia will host Chess Challenge Night from 7:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Aug. 23 and Aug. 30. The Knights of Valencia Chess Club has made the store its summer home. For more information, call (805) 254-6604.