INTERNATIONAL NEWS

How is chess like basketball? Neither grandmasters nor NBA stars are competing this month. The chess equivalent of the NBA lockout can be blamed on the cancellation of the 100-player World Chess Federation (FIDE) world championship tournament, which had been scheduled for December in Las Vegas. FIDE has not yet announced new dates for the tournament, although they are trying to arrange it in Las Vegas in June 1999.

At least chess fans know when their drought will end. World champion Garry Kasparov and several of his leading rivals will participate in a tournament in Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands, beginning January 15.

LOCAL NEWS

Super Sunday at Chess Palace last Sunday attracted 34 players, including five masters. David Bassett took first prize with a score of 4 1/2- 1/2, a half-point ahead of Mark Duckworth, Eduardo Ortiz and Mel Tyner. Class A winners James Hilliard, Tom Kellogg, R.C. Rice and Randy Smolensky and Class B winner Alen Melikadamian finished with 3-2 scores. Alberto Mendez earned under-1600 honors.

The turnout was the best yet for the new series of Action chess (30-minute games) tournaments at Chess Palace, 4336 Katella Ave. in Los Alamitos. Owner Charles Rostedt plans another Super Sunday on January 10. For details on Super Sunday or Chess Palace’s many other events, call (562) 598-5099.

The Chess Center, 3400 Irvine Ave. in Newport Beach, offers a variety of chess tournaments and instruction for both children and adults. Matthew Beelby, a master and an experienced teacher, will join the Chess Center staff in January for Wednesday and Thursday evening classes. For the full schedule, leave a message at (949) 474-6909.

John Voll and 7-year-old Joshua Shaham tied for first place in the latest Action chess tournament at Chess Academy, 1335 N. La Brea Ave. in Hollywood. The club conducts a three-round Action tournament every Sunday at 11 a.m., followed at 3 p.m. by a simultaneous exhibition by Southern California’s only grandmaster, Eduard Gufeld. For more information, call (323) 883-0164.

The Cool Knights Chess Club, which meets Tuesdays at the Jewish Community Center, 250 E. Baker St. in Costa Mesa, has expanded its hours. The club will continue to meet from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. and will add a daytime session from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. All ages are welcome. Call (714) 755-0340 for information.

The Court St. Chess Club, the largest in the Inland Empire, meets 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Tuesdays in the Carousel Mall, E St. at 2nd St. in San Bernardino. The club runs rated tournaments and quick chess events, plus blitz, casual play and even bughouse, the four-player, two-board version of chess. Call Rob McDermott at (909) 799-6487 for more details.