CHESS : NATIONAL NEWS

Flesh, Bones, Marrow and Entrails won the U.S. Amateur Team Championship last weekend. Playing by telephone from a Times office in Los Angeles, the team of William Longren, Andrew Sacks, Mark Saylor (an editor at The Times) and Hiu Yong won two matches and drew another against teams representing three other regions of the country.

The West champions started badly, losing two games quickly in their first-round match against the East. But Sacks and Saylor came through with wins, and the West escaped with a 2-2 tie. Then they notched tense 2 1/2-1 1/2 victories over the Midwest and the South to clinch the national title. The East finished second at 2-1, followed by the South at 1-2 and the Midwest at 1/2-2 1/2.

The telephone playoff caps one of the largest tournaments in the country. More than 1,700 players competed on 402 teams in the USAT regional championships in February.

LOCAL NEWS

Several local chess organizers have cooperated to save a major tournament. The problem arose in January when Charles Rostedt, who had capably organized the Memorial Day Classic in Long Beach since 1993, learned that renting playing space in his preferred hotel would cost much more than in previous years. When Rostedt could not find a playing site at other nearby hotels, he dropped his plans for a 1997 event. Fortunately, officials of the Southern California Chess Federation (SCCF) decided to conduct their own search. They found a suitable playing hall in the Atrium, a hotel across the street from John Wayne Airport in Irvine.

The 1997 Memorial Day Classic, scheduled May 24-26, will resemble earlier editions of the tournament except for its new location. There will be an Open section, five sections for players in various rating categories, and a separate section for unrated players. All last six rounds. Chief organizer Jay Blem has guaranteed a minimum of $17,500 in prizes. For more information, call him at (714) 525-1615.

The sixth annual Western Class Championships take place March 28-30 at the Wyndham Hotel, 6225 W. Century Blvd. in Los Angeles. It’s a six-round tournament in nine sections. As in most Continental Chess Assn. tournaments, entrants have a choice of playing schedules. Call Bill Goichberg at (914) 496-9658 before March 26 for details.

A free scholastic tournament will be held April 5 in the Nakaoka Community Center, 1670 W. 162nd St. in Gardena. Entrants who register before March 31 pay no entry fee; there is a $3 charge for late entrants. To register, call the Gardena Recreation Dept. office at (310) 217-9537.