uschess.org

CHESSLIFE

CHESSLIFE

JUNE 2016JUNE 2016 Official Scholastic Publication of US Chess

16 June 2016 www.uschess.org

Mickey Rooney and JudyGarland chose to put on a show.Jake and Elwood put the bandback together for their cause.But I’ll bet they never thought oforganizing a chess tournament …at a football stadium!

Brothers Corbin, Jory, andCody Pomeranz didn’t need acause. They weren’t out to savean orphanage. While attending aBengals game at the Paul Brown

continued sponsorship of theCincinnati Bengals and the CrisCollinsworth Proscan Fund.

HEY GANG, LET’S PUT ON A

Queen City Chess Scholarships

The Queen City Chess Scholarships were created to recognize anoutstanding 12th grade student in the Greater Cincinnati area whoexpresses strong leadership qualities, dedicates time to volunteeringand has a profound interest and understanding of the game of chess.First ($1,500), 2nd ($1,000), and 3rd ($500) place winners this yearwere Isaac Smearsoll, Jayren Andrews, and Kyle Costa.

THE REASON FOR IT ALL!

Google Babes inArms and TheBlues Brothers.

Stadium in Cincinnati, they justthought it would be a great placeto hold a chess tournament.

Now in its 15th year, the QueenCity Classic Chess Tournamentwas held March 11-12 at the PaulBrown Stadium Club West,drawing 625 players from ninestates, including our friends fromthe Detroit City Chess Club (seeCL4K, April 2015). The QueenCity Classic (QCC) has becomethe largest, regularly scheduledscholastic event in the Midwest,due in no small part to the

… CHESSTOURNAMENT!!

2016 Queen City Classic

Chess Life Kids June 2016 17

A FULL SCHEDULEA lot of activity was packed

into the two day schedule, forplayers and guests, whichincluded Grandmasters MauriceAshley, Irina Krush, and GregoryKaidanov, and this year’s ShiningKnight Award recipients, theQueen of Katwe Phiona Mutesiand Robert Katende. Early Fridaymorning Ashley and Krush, andMutesi and Katende visited localschools to interact with thestudents enrolled in the CrisCollinsworth Proscan Fund(CCPF) Chess in SchoolsProgram. Started in 2013, theprogram now reaches students in25 local schools.

In the evening, event emceeCris Collinsworth introduced thehonored guests, and local masterand Cincinnati Chess Clubchampion Russell Wilson, alongwith the founders of the CCPFChess Program, Dr. Stephen andMrs. Penny Pomeranz and theirsons, Corbin, Jory and Cody. TheShining Knight Award winnerswere introduced, and thewinners of the annualscholarship awards wereannounced.

Then GMs Kaidanov andKrush engaged in a blindfoldchess game, with GM Ashleydoing what he does so well,providing commentary.

Shining Knight Award

At the Queen City Classic Simultaneous Exhibition reception,CCPF presents the annual Shining Knight Award, which was createdin 2010 to recognize deserving individuals for their commitment totheir communities. Over the years, we have recognized a diversegroup of people who share a common passion: improving the livesof others and being a positive role model to the children they serve.

2016: Phiona Mutesi and Robert KatendePhiona has overcome incredible odds to become one of Uganda’s

top chess players. At age nine, she began learning chess from Robert,a missionary whose program offered a free meal to children whostopped in to learn the game. Having grown up in the slums ofUganda, Phiona only went for the food at first, but she quicklydeveloped a talent and love for chess.

Robert and Phiona now work together to provide chess education,using it to transform the lives of children like Phiona. Theirremarkable story will be told in the upcoming Disney film, Queen of

Katwe, based on the book by Tim Crothers.�Please turn to page 18

18 June 2016 www.uschess.org

And then 170 kids sat down toplay in a simultaneous exhibitionagainst Ashley, Kaidanov, Krush,and Wilson.

And the tournament hadn’t yetstarted!

LET THE GAMES BEGIN!And begin they did on Saturday at

9 am. While the kids did battle,Maurice and Gregory providedrunning commentary on the topboards, while Irina and Russell wereon hand to keep the kids occupiedbetween rounds. Phiona and Robert

were on hand to sign books. When the dust had cleared, we

had our winners:

Non-rated K: Team: Dragon Chess CenterNon-rated Grade 1: Team: Dragon Chess CenterNon-rated Grade 2:

Team: Dragon Chess CenterNon-rated Grade 3:

Team: Dragon Chess CenterNon-rated Grade 4: Team: Dragon Chess CenterNon-rated Grade 5:

Team: Dragon Chess CenterNon-rated Grade 6:

Team: Dragon Chess CenterNon-rated Grades 7-9:

Team: Dragon Chess CenterNon-rated Grades 10-12:

Team: Walnut Hills

Rated K-3: Team: Dragon Chess CenterRated 4-6: Team: CCLRated 4-6, U800:

Cris Collinsworth Proscan Fund

Our Mission

by providing education, support, and earlydetection services, including free mammograms, to the community.

by fostering self-esteem, sportsmanship,and critical thinking through the game of chess.

With the success of the Queen City Classic Chess Tournament, theCris Collinsworth ProScan Fund saw a growing enthusiasm for chessin the Cincinnati community. Inspired by the many benefits chessoffers young minds, CCPF launched the Chess in Schools Program inSeptember, 2013.

The program places trained chess instructors in elementary,middle, and high schools throughout Greater Cincinnati to teach thegame to local students. Providing both in-school and after-schoolchess instruction, CCPF empowers children by cultivating skills thatwill serve them throughout their lives: critical thinking,concentration, patience, and sportsmanship.

TOURNAMENT!!Continued from pg. 17

Team: Dragon Chess CenterRated 7-9: Team: Detroit City Chess ClubRated 10-12: Team: CCL

BE INSPIREDFor more information about the

Cris Collinsworth Proscan Fundand the Queen City Classic, visithttps://ccpf.proscan.com. Be sure towatch his video. And onYouTube, check out CodyPomeranz and his TEDx lectureon How Chess Can RevolutionizeLearning:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3yDvM8aplY

Google CrisCollinsworthProscan Fund.