CSCA Online Tournament Event -- Registration is OPEN!!!
Nov 28 - FCCO Evening (7 PM) Duel: 3|0 Arena on Lichess.org, part of FREE Fall Chess Club for ALL Ages sponsored by the CSCA on Lichess.org. $60 in prizes! FREE entry. Register for CSCA Fall Club Online to participate.

CSCA Championship Event -- Registration Opens Soon
Dec 3 - Hartford County & City Championships (Hartford), sponsored and organized by the Connecticut State Chess Association and Trinity College Chess Club. Register now! Awesome Venue, Low Entry Fees & $1,000+ in Prizes!!!

For tournaments and activities, please visit our Events Calendar

11/26/2023
Nearly 1,700 Take Part in CSCA's Great Turkey Bullet

Today, the CSCA hosted the Great Turkey Bullet Thanksgiving chess tournament on Lichess.org in a G/1+0 format. 1,681 players joined the event, including 79 Masters. This was the Association's second largest event ever, overshadowed only by the November 5, 2023 Fawkes Vendetta. CSCA's Open Events team is now in the top 70 on Lichess.org, breaking the mark of 6,600 members worldwide. Connecticut prize results will be announced, shortly. Final results are pending Lichess competition integrity check.

11/20/2023
GM Alexander Ivanov Wins 2023 Windham County & Willimantic City Championships


Round 4 at the 2023 Windham & Willimantic Championships,
November 18 at ECSU. Front to back and left to right: Kushagra
Bhargava facing GM Alexander Ivanov and Punyavrat Upadhyay
facing Joseph Bihlmeyer, with Matthew Marshall looking on.

On November 18 at Eastern Connecticut State University, the CSCA, with the help of the ECSU Chess Club, organized the first Windham County & Willimantic City Championships. GM Alexander Ivanov traveled from Boston, Massachusetts to participate and win the event with a perfect score of 4.0/4. Joseph Bihlmeyer of Durham won second with a score of 3.0/4. In the U1800, Avon's Max Wang won first place with a perfect score, while AJ Alvares-Filshtein, Adam Clough and Timothy Jacques finished in a three-way tie for second. In the U1200, Nadav Hartman of Mansfield won the section with 3.5/4, David Zheng Lei also of Mansfeild finished in second, and Willimantic's Robbie Jay won third, as well as the Willimantic City Champion title. Meanwhile, Gary Kanaby, new to rated play, won the U700 section with West Hartford's Brian Dai taking second and New Fairfield's Matthew Carlacci winning third. Finally, ECSU's Matthew Marshall won the NR (not rated) section with Glastonbury's Samar Bist winning second and New London's Carlos Rivera taking third. The event was organized and directed by CSCA President Alexander Lumelsky and co-organized by ECSU Chess Club President Timothy Jacques. Special thanks is extended to the Bhargava family for assisting in post-event administration. See Final Standings, Rating Report and Awards Summary.

Chess News Wire -- November 2023

• Omkar Maralappanavar wins November 14 Evening 2+1 Duel in a dramatic come from behind win. Omkar won only two of his first 10 games before going on an 8-game winning streak to finish the event ahead of the field by 14 points. Jack Qian of South Glastonbury finished in second, and Pablo Ato of Bridgeport finished third. (11/19)
• CSCA Postpones Lunchtime Duels for November 14 and 28 to 7 PM, renaming the events "Evening Duels". The change is made to permit more Fall Online Club members to participate in these prize tournaments. (11/14)
• GM Maxim Dlugy will hold a book signing between Rounds 1 and 2 at the 2023 State Championship this Sunday. More details to follow. (11/8)
• Yale Chess Club hosted a collegiate invitational November 4 at Yale's Rosenfeld Hall. Six universities took part. (11/7)
  
  
  YCC's November 4 collegiate invitational at Rosenfeld Hall, Yale.
  
  
• Wesleyan University President Michael Roth will make the ceremonial first move at the 2023 State Championship. (11/7)
• 2023 Connecticut State Championship registration breaks all-time record. The tournament is at 149 participants and growing. (11/7)
• DIG Chess cancels Bridgeport Open, a three-day six-round G/60 tournament, featuring GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, due to low registration. (11/6)
• Aaron Piao of Ridgefield wins FCCO Club Rapid 10+3 Arena on Lichess.org, held today. Nathan Dula of Wisconsin won second, and Aadvik Gudipati of Groton finished third. (11/6)
• CSCA member organizations and other organizers should contact CSCA in advance to include their promotional materials on the promotions desk at the 2023 State Championship. This service is free for member organizations. All promotional material must be submitted to the CSCA 24 hours ahead of the event to be included. (11/2)
• 2023 State Championship reaches 2022 record registration of 85 players. Wesleyan Chess Club is contemplating some additional features for participants to mark the event. (11/1)

11/13/2024
GM Maxim Dlugy Wins 2023 Connecticut Championship; Record 221 Players Participate


Round 2 of the 2023 State Championship at Wesleyan's Fayerweather event hall.

On November 12 at Wesleyan University, the CSCA held the 2023 Connecticut State Championship. The Association received a total of 241 registrations for this annual tournament, of which 221 participated, setting a new State Championship attendance record. GM Maxim Dlugy won clear first in the Championship section with a score of 3.5/4, becoming the 2023 Connecticut Champion. Two-time defending Champion GM Nico Checa finished in clear second with a score of 3.0/4. The next seven players finished tied with a score of 2.5/4. In the U2200 section there was a three-way tie at the top with Chris Brooks of New York winning first on USCF tie breaks. In the U1700, Philip Adams of Massachusetts won clear first with a perfect score. In the U1200, Sacred Heart University's Mark Khalil won clear first with a perfect score. In the U800, a three-way perfect score tie between Nathan Dandrea, Ryan Cheung and Benny Rosenbloom was decided by two rounds of Armageddon tie breaks. The three, ironically, still finished in USCF tie break order with Nathan winning the section, Ryan finishing second and Benny finishing third. Finally, Wesleyan's Ro Barrett won clear first in the NR (not rated) section with a perfect score. The event's Chief Tournament Director was Senior TD NM Ian Harris, who was assisted by ANTD Frank DelBonis and Local TD Matthew Freeman, as well as floor assistants Jake Lumelsky and Shaina Mezheritskiy. The tournament was organized by CSCA President Alexander Lumelsky and Wesleyan Chess Club co-President Collin Holson with assistance from CSCA Vice President NM Mikhail Koganov and Treasurer Gert Hilhorst, as well as several local club leaders and organizers. The tournament also featured a ceremonial first move by Wesleyan's President Michael Roth and a book signing by Connecticut's 2023 Champion GM Dlugy. See Final Standings, Rating Report and Awards Summary. [See official event page for more.]

11/5/2023
CSCA's Fawkes Vendetta Draws Over 2,000 Players Worldwide

Today, the CSCA marked the 5th of November with the Fawkes Vendetta Arena Tournament on Lichess.org, a Blitz competition in a G/5+0 format. Although results are pending Lichess competition integrity check, 2,090 players joined the event, including 21 Grand Masters and a total of 100 Masters. The tournament, albeit online, was the Association's largest ever, eclipsing the CSCA's first online event just six weeks ago, the September 23 Fall Open Arena, which drew 960. As a result of the excellent attendance, CSCA's Open Events team moved into the top 100 on Lichess.org, breaking the mark of 5,000 members worldwide. In the mean time, Connecticut players Mark Wilkin of Manchester and Ryan Zheng of West Hartford won the free entry prize to the 2023 Connecticut State Championship at Wesleyan University this coming Sunday, as the top finishing Connecticut players in the two competition sections.

10/31/2023
Renowned Player, Author and Philanthropist FM James Eade to Guest Lecture November 6 Meeting of CSCA's Fall Club Online

On November 6 at 7:30 PM, the CSCA Fall Chess Club Online will host a lecture by California's renowned master, author, publisher, philanthropist, organizer, podcast host and broadcaster and US Chess Delegate and former Policy Board member, as well as former American Zone President to FIDE, FM James Eade. Read more about Jim here. Presently, Master Eade is the founder and leader of the nonprofit Eade Foundation that brings chess activities and experiences to places in need around the world. The lecture will include live reviews of players' games. FCCO is a FREE CSCA service for the Connecticut chess community. The club meets every other week with lecture and play, and Lunchtime Duels are held on alternate weeks. Please join the club to participate.

10/28/2023
IM Yoseph Theolifus Taher Wins CSCA Bullet King

On October 22, Indonisian International Master Yoseph Theolifus Taher (left, courtesy of FIDE) won the CSCA Bullet King 1|0 Arena on Lichess. Taher took an enormous lead in the first 40 minutes and held on to it the rest of the way, finishing 17 points ahead of second place finisher, IM Renato Lujan of Peru. CSCA allowed five business days for Lichess fair play review, before adjudging the results final.

10/25/2023
CSCA Joins FB!

The Connecticut State Chess Association is now on Facebook! All are welcome to visit and follow.

Chess News Wire -- October 2023

• Omkar Maralappanavar wins October 31 Lunchtime Duel. Kevin Zimmerman came in close second, followed by Nathan Dula of Wisconsin, who won the tight race for third. (10/31)
• The Fairfield County Interscholastic Chess League (FCICL) returns to action with four new schools: King School (Stamford), Ludlowe High School (Fairfield), Trumbull High School and Bethel High School. Bridgeport combined and Ridgefield High are not participating this year. The league now stands at twelve schools, both private and public. (10/31)
• CSCA to mark 5th of November with nod to V for Vendetta in a FREE online event, Fawkes Vendetta 5|0 Blitz Arena, featuring Open and U2101 sections, $500 in prizes and special prize: free entries to the 2023 Connecticut State Championship for the top Connecticut player in both sections. (10/30)
• CSCA moving all cash prizes to PayPal payments. Barring special circumstances, checks will no longer be provided to over-the-board and online placement winners. CSCA will explore other online methods, as well. (10/27)
• UConn Chess Club's Omkar Maralappanavar wins CSCA FCCO October 23 Rapid on Lichess.org. West Hartford's Brian Dai and South Glastonbury's Jack Qian finished second and third, respectively. (10/24)
  
  
• 
  Farmington's Nabeel Chasmawala wins October Scholastic at Way of the Board Club in Ridgefield on October 22, in which ten players took part. (10/23)
  
  
  
• Former Connecticut State Champion (Chess) and MMA Fighter NM Arslan Otchiyev won his MMA return match at Foxwoods on October 20 by TKO at 3:23 in Round 1 with paralyzing kicks. The fight followed a four-year injury riddled hiatus. Clearly, and finally, Arslan's knees are fully healed. Congratulations to Arslan on this remarkable comeback and victory! See full fight video. (10/21)
  
  
  Arslan Otchiyev sits atop the ring cage after a first round TKO win
  in his comeback fight at Foxwoods on October 20.
  
  
• CSCA revives University of Connecticut School of Engineering Annual High School Scholarship Tournament. The event was discontinued in 2016, following the passing of UConn's tournament director, Thomas Hartmayer. After several years of CSCA effort, UConn SOE leadership agreed to renew the event last summer and also to increase the scholarship prize from $3,500 to $5,000. The event will be held this spring at the UConn Storrs Campus. CSCA is working with UConn officials and UConn Chess Club to finalize this prestigious competition. (10/19)
• CSCA fall library programs register almost 300 players. The new Meriden Library program, which started October 18, received the interest of a record 124 players so far. In addition to NM Ian Harris, who continues his service with the Norwalk Library program, students from the University of New Haven and Wesleyan University are assisting the CSCA in bringing chess to new underserved areas around the state. (10/19)
• Omkar Maralappanavar wins October 17 CSCA Fall Chess Club Online Lunchtime Duel on Lichess.org. Venkat Sai and Nathan Kuo finished two and three, respectively. (10/18)
• Sacred Heart University Chess holds Third Pioneer Open. Hamden Chess Club's NM Jordan Groff won the event on tie-break over SHU's NM Mark DeDona in the Open section, with a six-way tie for third. Barry Lee Hammons won the U1800 Section, and SHU's Aidan Shamas won the U1400 on tie-break over Amit Piryatinsky of Massachusetts, both finishing with a perfect 4/4 score. 73 players took part in the event. (10/17)
  
  
  Pioneer Open action ongoing under the DGT broadcast at SHU's
  Martire Center.
  
  
• CSCA Chess Day USA online Arena on Lichess.org draws over 600 players on National Chess Day. New Canaan's Henry Buczkiewicz won the Connecticut section, finishing with a six point lead. Trumbull's Kushagra Bhargava finished second, and West Hartford's Ryan Zheng took third. After less than a month of activities, CSCA's Open Club on Lichess is now at nearly 2,500 members and in the top 250 Lichess clubs worldwide. (10/15)
• Sixty-nine Connecticut players participated at the Hartford Open, organized by the Continental Chess Association at Bradley Airport from October 6 to 8. Connecticut's WIM Natasha Morales Santos and Zachary Petit won the U2100 and U1200 sections, respectively. The mixed doubles title was also awarded to Ms. Morales Santos and her teammate, Nathan Chang. NM Yelfrey Torres was the top Connecticut result in the Blitz, finishing third. (10/11)
• After a long injury-plagued absence, NM Arslan Otchiyev heads back to the ring October 20 in a charity event at Foxwoods. "I’m feeling excited," Arslan responded to CSCA questions. "The opponent is very good, has a good record. I'm injury free. Thank, God. After the physical therapies over a year, the knee healed and feels better than new." Asked what he is looking to achieve in MMA now, he said: "Nothing specific. I like the sport and to fight. Just enjoying the process and want to showcase all the skills I've been working on recently." (10/5)
  
  
  Arslan Otchiyev back in the ring October 20 at Foxwoods!
  
  
• West Haven Library fall program fills all slots ahead of its first class tonight. The waitlist option will remain open for several weeks. (10/3)
• Meriden Library fall program is full. Players still hoping to participate should register for the waitlist. Waitlist calls will be made ahead of program start and for four weeks into the program. (10/2)
• Michael Uwakwe wins the Free Center Celebration Tournament in Hartford, organized by Kevin Zimmerman and Matthew Shirvell. (10/2)

10/24/2023
CM Zachary Tanenbaum Wins First New London County & City Championships


The top boards in Round 3 at the New London Championships
hosted by Connecticut College.

On October 21, the CSCA continued its efforts to bring state-level chess to all corners of Connecticut with the First New London County & City Championships. The event was hosted by Connecticut College and co-organized with the Connecticut College Chess Club. CM Zachary Tanenbaum made the trip from Greenwich, Connecticut, to go perfect in the Open Section with a 4/4 score and win the first New London County Champion title. In second place was a four-way tie, shared in tie-break order by Pennsylvania's NM Mitch Fishbein, NBCC's Joseph Bihlmeyer, Connecticut Open and Women's Champion NM Jasmine Su and Fairfield's Max Ingargiola. Jasmine's brother, Alan Su, won the U1700 section with a score of 3.5/4. Bristol's Luca Festa won the U1200 section also with 3.5/4. West Hartford's Mark Krechet won the U800 section with a perfect 4/4 score. New London's Eli Prybyla won the NR (not rated) section on tie-break over New London's Jordan Morgan, IV. And U.S. Navy's and New London's John Ulett, playing in the U1200, won the New London City Champion title, scoring 2/4. 63 players took part in this inaugural competition, directed by Alexander Lumelsky and Matthew Freeman with surprise assistance and visit from NTD Alex Relyea and Senior TD Nita Patel, who recently moved to Connecticut from New Hampshire. The CSCA would like to thank CCCC co-Presidents Williams Mears and Adithya Saranathan for their extensive and devoted efforts over the past four months in organizing this tournament with the Association. See Final Standings and Rating Report.

10/22/2023
Connecticut State Chess Association Sets Record with $10,000 in Prizes at 2023 Connecticut State Championship


The 2022 State Championship at Wesleyan's Fayerweather event
hall last December, which will once more host the state's flagship
tournament.

After another year of records and firsts, the CSCA will close out 2023 in style with yet another state, if not national, record: a $10,000 single-day event prize fund at the 2023 Connecticut State Championship. The CSCA's flagship annual tournament and US Chess mandated annual event, will be held on Sunday, November 12 at Wesleyan University's Fayerweather main event hall. The CSCA is pulling all of the stops to create a year-end celebration where all Connecticut players can come together for high quality play, comfort, appreciation and entertainment. In addition to prize and excellent collegiate venue, players and accompanying family and friends can expect player friendly entry fees with many discount options, on site dining at Wesleyan's Usdan Student Center cafe and dining hall, a DGT broadcast of live games from the event hall, and a top directing team lead by Senior TDs NM Ian Harris and Frank DelBonis. Participants will also be part of a new expanded tournament format, which increases the number of sections from three to six with new U800 and NR sections, as well as 32 cash prize placements in the Championship, U2200, U1700 and U1200 sections. As a courtesy to our state's masters and top players, the Championship section will be open to Connecticut residents, students, alumni, business owners and employees, only. However, out of state players rated under 2200 can play for prizes in any of the other five sections. The U800 will also include a team competition for collegiate and scholastic players. The CSCA plans to utilize the latest in expedited event management, including multiple time controls for multiple skill levels, online posting of pairings and standings, live online updates, and email and, possibly, text notifications of Round starts. Please visit the 2023 State Championship Event Page for all updates and information.

Chess News Wire -- September 2023

• Thirty-two participate as Kushagra Bhargava wins the CSCA Online Sunday Pick Up Arena. (9/24)
• CSCA will celebrate National Chess Day on Lichess.org with a free $500 prize tournament: CHESS DAY USA 3+0 Arena. Sections--organized as parallel events--are Open, U1501 and Connecticut only. Registration is open! (9/24)
• CSCA organizes Pick Up Arena Event on Lichess.org for today, September 24. Parallel events/sections are Open, U2001 and U1301. (9/24)
• FCICL welcomes Trumbull and Ludlowe (Fairfield) High Schools to the annual league competition. (9/22)
• Norwalk Knights fall program is full. Players still hoping to participate should register for the waitlist. Waitlist decisions will be made ahead of program start and for four weeks into the program. (9/21)
• After two years of administrative challenges to formalize the club, Trinity College Chess Club joins the CSCA as its nineteenth member organization. Club President Edward Fleming and fellow officers seek to make the most of 2023-24 TCCC club activities with an innovative approach, creative problem solving and some unique Trinity opportunities. (9/20)
• CSCA opens another fall program registration, this time for the new Meriden Public Library Chess Program. The program is co-sponsored by the CSCA, the library and US Chess Trust. (9/20)
• GM Ben Feingold resigns from US Chess over the treatment of WGM Jennifer Shahade and others by US Chess leadership and President Randy Bauer. Feingold discussed his decision to discontinue his US Chess membership on his webcast this week. (9/20)
• US Chess Executive Board mandates all Tournament Directors to undergo "SafeSport" Training on sexual misconduct. TDs must complete training before June 1, 2024 and repeat the training annually or, otherwise, be declined certification. Following October 1, 2023, TDs and others working for US Chess or US Chess sanctioned events must complete such training one week before the event. The new requirement was neither presented nor approved by the US Chess Board of Delegates and was introduced only after the 2023 Delegates Meeting was concluded. The New England Chess Association and nearly all of its member State Affiliates, including Connecticut, oppose the training mandate in its current form. (9/19)
• Petition for the immediate resignation of US Chess President Randy Bauer posted on Change.com. The public demand is in response to US Chess, and particularly Bauer's, treatment of WGM Jennifer Shahade, following her claims of sexual assault against GM Alejandro Ramirez. The Petition received over 600 signatures thus far in about 24 hours. To date, no member of US Chess leadership or management has been held accountable for the alleged disregard of Shahade's complaints, which was finally made public on March 7, 2023 in the Wall Street Journal. (9/19)
• Praharsh Varada and Aidan Chan tie for first at the September 11 Way of the Board Scholastic in Ridgefield. Fourteen players participated. Meanwhile, Marcus Kim won the September 18 event, in which thirteen players competed. (9/18)
  
  
  Praharsh Varada and Aidan Chan at the September 11
  WOB tournament and Marcus Kim at the September 18
  event.
  
  
• CSCA opens fall registration for the following programs: the Norwalk Knights Library Chess Program, co-sponsored by the CSCA, the library and RedBandit Chess; West Haven Library Chess Program, co-sponsored by the CSCA, the library and US Chess Trust; Fall Chess Club Online on Lichess.org, sponsored by the CSCA; and CSCA Open Club at Wesleyan University, co-sponsored by the CSCA and Wesleyan Chess Club. Additional programs are still being finalized and will start registration soon. (9/16)
• CSCA opens registration for the first New London County & City Championships, scheduled for October 21 at Connecticut College. The event is co-sponsored by the Connecticut College Chess Club. (9/12)
• Following her resignation from US Chess on September 6, WGM Jennifer Shahade released a statement that US Chess treated her with hostility, criticism, threats of policy violation, minimization and disregard, after her organizational and public claims of sexual assault against GM Alejandro Ramirez to US Chess and St. Louis Chess Club. "Based on what I've seen," Shahade wrote in a September 5 Facebook post, "I cannot currently lend my credibility to [US Chess] in good conscience. This is especially true since I've become a de facto confidante for so many women and girls--making it essential for me to have faith in executive decision making and communication. ... Those familiar with institutional betrayal and whistleblowing won't find any of this surprising. As painful as it was, I am confident the insights I gained will help me in my advocacy and work." (9/9)
• CSCA receives US Chess Trust recognition and grant for program format implemented at the Norwalk Library. The grant will greatly advance the CSCA goal to bring chess to all parts of the state. The Trust's assistance is expected to create at least four new programs in 2023-24. (9/8)
• Weylin Newell wins U1200 Section at 2023 New England Open, held in Medford, Massachusetts on September 2-4 by the Massachusetts Chess Association. Owen Anatra finished second in the U1800. Norwalk Knight regular Aaron Piao finished third in the U1200. NM Jordan Groff, the only Connecticut player in the Championship section, finished 11th with 3.5/6. Overall 16 Connecticut players took part. (9/7)
• NECA will complete an organizational website during the 2023-24 cycle with the help of CSCA's Gert Hilhorst, MACA's George Mirijanian, NECA President Bob Messenger and Vice President Alexander Lumelsky. (9/4)
• CSCA Web Admin, Gert Hilhorst, receives special thanks and accolades from NECA for reviving the New England Clearinghouse. (9/4)
• New England Chess Association votes 5-1 to support a repeal of the US Chess "SafeSport" Training Policy, which was never presented for approval to the US Chess Board of Delegates. The motion was proposed by New Hampshire President and US Chess Delegate Hal Terrie. (9/4)
• NM Arslan Otchiyev to return to MMA competition for the first time since his January 2021 injury. The fight will take place at Foxwoods on October 21. (9/1)

9/23/2023
Russia's GM Dmitry Andreikin Wins CSCA Fall Open 2|1 Arena on Lichess.org; Event Draws 960 Participants from Around the World


GM Dmitry Andreikin, shown here at the FIDE Grand Prix in March
2022 in Belgrade, wins the CSCA first Fall Open 2|1 Arena on
Lichess.org. Photo courtesy of Mark Livshitz, Chessbase.com.

On Saturday, September 23, the CSCA held its first open online event on Lichess.org, the CSCA Fall Open 2|1 Arena. The two and a half hour bullet event brought 1,740 members to the CSCA Open Events team, of which 960 joined the competition and over 850 played. The competitors included five GMs, thirteen IMs and overall nearly fifty masters from around the globe. Many players finished over 40 games, several over 60 games, and one player, the fourth-place finisher from Hungary, came within one of 80. As the competition unfolded, the battle for first place became a back and fourth struggle between Russia's GM Dmitry Andreikin and France's GM Maxime Lagarde. The lead changed hands multiple times, and the two faced one another four times with Andreikin taking the first three. In the final thirty minutes, Lagarde appeared to take a commanding double-digit lead, but with just minutes or less remaining, Andreikin stormed back to recapture the lead and finish first, scoring 155 on 58 games. Lagarde finished in close second, scoring 153 on 58 games. IM Jakub Pulpan of Czech Republic finished third, scoring 121 on 71 games. The top Connecticut finish was by NM Mikhail Koganov, who came in 64th place with 57 points on 34 games. The results of the event were verified by Lichess.org competition integrity. See final standings.

9/10/2023
NM Mark Dedona Wins 2023 Fairfield County & Norwalk City Championships


Full house at Norwalk Public Library Auditorium, as 79 players compete in CSCA's 2023 Fairfield County & Norwalk City Championships.


Norwalk Knights regular Anabelle Berg
poses with her first place trophy at
the FCNCC.

On Saturday, September 9, the CSCA held its inaugural Fairfield County & Norwalk City Championships at the Norwalk Public Library. Seventy-nine players, including six Masters, competed in the five-section, four-round, Game 30 event. NM Mark Dedona won the hard-fought Open section on tie breaks over NM Jordan Groff and New York's NM Furqan Tanwir, who all finished 3.5/4. Norwalk resident Gilad Drillich won the Norwalk City crown with 2.5/4 in the Open section. Connecticut tournament staple, Kevin Zimmerman, won the U1700 section with a perfect score. Praharsh Varada won the U1200 section with 3.5/4, and John Tembeck won the U700 section with a perfect score. Finally, Norwalk Knights devotee, Anabelle Berg won the NR (not rated) section with a perfect score. The Championships raised nearly $1,000 for the Connecticut chess community and the Norwalk Knights library program. The tournament was directed by CSCA President Alexander Lumelsky with assistance from CSCA Board Member Ismael Pagan and Jake Lumelsky. See final standings and rating report.

Chess News Wire -- August 2023

• The CSCA Summer Club at Norwalk Library finished the season with 110 members. The fall program is expected to start in October. (8/31)
• The CSCA Online Club finished with 91 members for the summer and was renewed for fall, starting later in September. (8/29)
• Kevin Zhao of Wellesley, Massachusetts wins final Summer Lunchtime Duel, scoring 9.5/10 in the ten round 2|1 Swiss competition on Lichess.org. This was Kevin's second Duel event victory. Omkar Maralappanavar of Brookfield finished second, and Sarthak Kansal of Bothell, Washington finished third. (8/29)
• NM Derek Meredith wins 58th NBCC Summer Open, held at Wickham Park in Manchester on August 27. Jithya Sajeevan won the U1623 Section, and Praharsh Varada won the U1123. 66 players participated in this year's event. (8/28)
  
  
  NBCC's Mario Guevara Rodriguez on the grill and over-
  the-board at the 2023 NBCC Summer Open.
  
  
• CSCA membership now over 900 individual members. (8/25)
• NM Derek Meredith wins the CSCA Summer Rapid with a near-perfect score: 5/5. Allan Vega won second, and Elizabeth Smith won third. Derek also played prize ineligible to allow Allan Vega to collect the first place prize, and Lisa to collect the second place prize. The event was held today at Taino Chess Club in Berlin. Fifteen players participated. See final standings and rating report. (8/25)
  
  
• 
  FIDE Events Report: Carlsen Wins 2023 World Cup, but Pragg Shocks the World. CSCA FIDE Events Reporter George Webb (left) provides summary of the 2023 Chess World Cup held July 30-August 24 in Baku Azerbaijan. (8/25)
  
  
  
• Local player George Webb joins the CSCA leadership volunteers as FIDE Events Reporter. (8/25)
• CSCA opens entry for CSCA 2+1 FREE Fall Open Arena Tournament, featuring $500 in prizes on Lichess.org, to be held September 23. (8/25)
• CSCA opens registration for 2023 Fairfield County & Norwalk City Championships to be played September 9 at Norwalk Public Library. (8/25)
• Brent McCreesh wins the CSCA Summer Blitz with a near-perfect score: 11.5/12. Newcomer Yadid Bar-Asher Siegal won second with nine points. The event was held today at Milford Chess Club. Ten players participated. See final standings and rating report. (8/24)
• Drew Rigaut of New Hampshire wins the CSCA SCCO final club tournament. Venkat Yapati of New Haven and Advik Singh of Avon finished second and third. 24 players participated in the 10|3 arena event, and NM Arslan Otchiyev delivered the guest lecture on combating the Fried Liver Attack with aggressive play. The online club will be renewed for the fall. (8/23)
  
  
• 
  
  Praharsh Varada (left) wins August 13th Scholastic at Way of the Board Chess Club in Ridgefield. Six players participated. (8/22)
  
  
• CSCA membership approaches new record 900 individual members. For the first time, the Association has more members than US Chess members in Connecticut. CSCA is on track to surpass 1,000 individual members by year's end. (8/19)
• CSCA Summer Clubs continue to grow. The in-person club at Norwalk surpassed 100 members this week, and the online group is now at 80 players. (8/17)
• Omkar Maralappanavar of Brookfield dominated the field, finishing ten points ahead of the group, to win August 15 CSCA SCCO Lunchtime 3|2 Arena Duel. Nathan Kuo of Massachusetts and Kaden Chen of New Jersey finished second and third, respectively. (8/16)
• Lichess.org and Chess.com disassociate from US Chess and St. Louis Chess Club for their failure to hold their leaderships accountable for not taking action on years-old complaints of sexual harassment and assault from female players against male title players. See Lichess article. (8/12)
• SCCO Wednesday Report: After IM Jan van de Mortel put on a show with his "How I beat Vladimir Kramnik without knowing it" Lecture Spectacular, Kevin Zimmerman won the 10|3 Club Rapid. Evan Banerjee won second, while Venkat Yapati won third. 18 players participated in the tournament play part of the online club meeting this evening. (8/9)
• Alvin Hamilton's "The Advent and History of the Fairfield Interscholastic League", entered in the Connecticut Chess Journal on January 24 (see below), wins Cramer Award for Best Personal Narrative from the Chess Journalists of America. This is the first CJA and Cramer Award received by Mr. Hamilton and the CSCA. The CJA Cramer Awards recognize the highest level of achievement in chess journalism at the state level. (8/8)
• NM Nathaniel Moor and Bryan Weisz finish 37 and 38 of nearly 500 players, who took part in the 2023 U.S. Open in Grand Rapids, Michigan. GM Andrew Tang of Maryland won the event. (8/7)
• CM Jasmine Su finishes in three-way tie for first and third on tie breaks in the 2023 US Chess Barber Tournament of Middle School State Champions. (8/1)
  
  
  Connecticut Nominees Lacey Wang, CM Jasmine Su and
  Kushagra Bhargava at the 2023 US Chess National
  Invitational Tournaments in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
  (Denker Nominee IM Maximillian Lu not shown.)
  
  
• IM Maximillian Lu finishes second in the 2023 US Chess Denker Tournament of High School State Champions. (8/1)
• Lacey Wang finishes 20th in the 2023 US Chess Haring Tournament of Girls State Champions. Lacey was one of only two contestants in the competition whose age is in the single digits, the other finishing 44th of 45. (8/1)
• Kushagra Bhargava finishes 30th in the 2023 US Chess Rockefeller Tournament of Elementary School Champions. (8/1)
• Kevin Zhao of Wellesley, Massachusetts wins the CSCA Summer Chess Club Online 1|3 Swiss Lunchtime Duel. Aaron Piao of Ridgefield won second, and Venkat Yapati of New Haven won third. All three placement winners scored 8 of 10 game points, and final standings were decided by a narrow tie break difference. (8/1)
  
• Connecticut Rockefeller Nominee Kushagra Bhargava wins the 1400-1799 Section of the US Chess Weeramantry Blitz Tournament of State Champions at the ongoing 2023 National Invitationals in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Kushagra finished with a perfect 8/8 score. Meanwhile, Connecticut Denker Nominee IM Maximillian Lu finished fifth in the 2000+ Section, and Connecticut Barber Nominee CM Jasmine Su finished 34th of 73 in the 1800-2199 Section. (8/1)

8/15/2023
Kushagra Bhargava Dominates at Inaugural CSCA Summer Clash!!!


Front: Local players Jayce Adams (sitting) and Kaison
Bennett squaring off at Summer Clash!!! Back, left to
right: Kushagra Bhargava facing Wilson Estrella and
Adam Clough facing Omkar Maralappanavar.

On Sunday August 13, the CSCA held the inaugural Summer Clash!!! in Montville, Connecticut, which may be the first CSCA tournament to be organized in New London County, ever. Connecticut's Rockefeller Nominee Kushagra Bhargava won the event and the Juggernaut Prize, losing only two of twenty games, both in the Blitz event. Kushagra placed first in the Bullet, second in the Blitz and first in the Action tournaments. Mark Wilkin and NM Derek Meredith finished second and third in the Bullet. Omkar Maralappanavar won the Blitz tournament, and Mark Wilkin finished third. In the Action, Punyavrat Upadhyay finished second, and Albert Dong finished third. The event was directed by CSCA President Alexander Lumelsky with assistance from Ocean State Chess' Frank DelBonis and CSCA Regional Events Coordinator Esteban Ramirez, who was instrumental in securing the wonderful outdoor venue in the village of Oakdale. See final standings and rating reports: Action and Blitz.

Chess News Wire -- July 2023

• 69 Connecticut players participated in 2023 Bradley Open from July 28-30 at the Bradley International Airport's Sheraton Hotel. Overall participation was 255. Top Connecticut results were: Jack Klein finished third in the Major Section, as well as fifth in Blitz and Top Mixed Doubles Team with Isabella Hall. Joseph Bihlmeyer finished fourth in the U2100. Danny Hoffman finished second in the U1800. Ryan Zheng won the U1500, and Wyelin Newell finished second in the U1200. (7/31)
• Consecutive flight cancellations preclude GM Sergey Kudrin from reaching the 2023 U.S. Chess Irwin Tournament of State Senior Champions, presently ongoing in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The loss of the Irwin participant derails Connecticut's 2023 Invitational Team bid. (7/30)
• Aaron Piao wins the CSCA Summer Chess Club Online 10|10 Arena Tournament, finishing undefeated with six wins and a draw. Nathan Kuo wins a close second with six wins and one loss, and Evan Banerjee wins third with five wins and a loss. NM Ian Harris joined the group ahead of the event for a game lecture. The online club is now at 57 members and will host its second lunchtime duel next Tuesday. (7/26)
  
  Final standings excerpt from July 26 SCCO 10|10
  Arena Rapid.
  
  
• CSCA leaders Ismael Pagan and NM Mike Koganov will supervise the CSCA Summer Chess Club at Norwalk Library. Additionally, parents Yulei Gong and Hani Jardaly have come forward to act as volunteer program coordinators. CSCA thanks our supervisors and volunteers for their effort in making summer club possible. (7/19)
• CSCA finalizes summer competitions: Summer Clash!!! on August 13, Summer Blitz on August 24 and Summer Rapid on August 25. CSCA thanks Estaban Ramirez, NM Arslan Otchiyev, Milford Chess Club, Luis Delgado and Taino Chess Club for their efforts in making these events possible. Registration is now open to all three competitions. (7/18)
• Seann Dubrovsky wins first Lunchtime Duel, a CSCA Summer Chess Club Online G/2+2 event, held today on Lichess.org. Evan Banerjee and Krishanth Maheshkumar finish second and third, respectively. Fifteen SCCO players participated. (7/18)
• NM Ian Harris, IM Jan van de Mortel and NM Arslan Otchiyev will be guest lecturers at the July 26, August 9 and August 23 CSCA Summer Chess Club Online, respectively. SCCO registration remains open. (7/17)
• Six participate at Taino Chess Club's Lecture and Simultaneous with NM Derek Meredith. Taino is planning a similar event in the near future with FM Nelson Castaneda. (7/16)
• CSCA marks new membership record with 850 individual members. (7/14)
• Thirty-three join CSCA Summer Chess Club Online ahead of the first meeting this evening. The Lichess.org-based club held a Rapid tournament as its first activity. Chris Cui of Springfield, MA won the event with a perfect 6/6 score. The club will hold an Arena Blitz event next week on Tuesday, as part of its Lunchtime Duel series. (7/12)
• CSCA Summer Club at Norwalk Library reached initial capacity this morning with 80 registered players. The waitlist is open for additional registrations. The free summer program is sponsored by the CSCA and the Norwalk Library. (7/11)
  
  
• 
  
  Khrishanth Maheshkumar (left) wins July 9 Scholastic at Way of the Board Chess Club in Ridgefield. Ten players participated. (7/9)
  
  
• Ali Hamed of Rhode Island wins inaugural Chess960 Scholastic. Zaydan Siddiqui, Andrew Nguyen and Mark Krechet win the High, Middle and Elementary School titles, respectively. (7/9)
  
  
  Round 2 play at the 2023 Connecticut Chess960 Scholastic
  Championship.
  
  
• Sixteen players participated in the Hamden Chess Club July Jamboree on July 8. Trophy winners were: Daniel Deshpande, Luca Festa, Aarav Singh Lemar, Logan Carney, Sahil Singh Lemar and Aditya Regmi. (7/8)
  
  
  Scholastic players at HCC July Jamboree.
  
  
• Arthur Nagel wins the inaugural Chess960 Classical with a score of 2.5/3. Matthew Gerdon wins the U1700 section with 2.5/3. Andrew Nguyen wins the U1000 with 1.5/3. (7/8)
  
  
  Arthur Nagel playing in Round 3 of the CSCA Chess960
  Classical Championship at Taino Chess Club.
  
  
• Nadav Hartman wins CSCA's inaugural Chess960 Blitz Championship. Shanmugam Vangili takes second. (7/7)
  
  
  Taino Chess Club hosts the 2023 Connecticut Chess960 Weekend,
  starting with the Friday Blitz Championship.
  
  
• US Chess Executive Board (EB) publishes the names of sanctioned members, a practice that was discontinued by the EB over ten years ago. The change, effective immediately, is made "in the interest of transparency" and will include matters decided under Ethics, TD Cert, Safe Play, Rules, FIDE Events and State Chapter and Affiliate obligations. Minors will not be named. It is unclear if organizations will also be named. (7/1)

7/11/2023
Inaugural Chess960 Weekend Held at Taino Chess Club


Players set up their boards for Round 1 of the Inaugural
Chess960 Classical Championship.

From July 7 to July 9 at the Taino Chess Club in Berlin, the CSCA held a three-day Chess960 Championship event. Friday night was the Chess960 Blitz with G/5 d2 time controls. Ten players participated, and Nadav Hartman of Mansfield won the competition, while Shanmugam Vangili of Manchester took second. Saturday was the Classical Championship with G/75 d10 controls. Eight players took part, and Arthur Nagel of Salem won the State Chess960 Champion title, while Matthew Gerdon of Milford won the U1700 section and Andrew Nguyen of Farmington won the U1000. Finally, on Sunday, ten scholastic players participated in the Scholastic Chess960 Championship with G/25 d5 controls. Ali Hamed of Rhode Island won the event, and Zaydan Siddiqui of South Windsor, Andrew Nguyen of Farmington and Mark Krechet of West Hartford won the Connecticut High, Middle and Elementary School Chess960 titles, respectively. See final standings: Blitz, Classical and Scholastic.

7/6/2023
Connecticut Chess Journal
On the National and International "Senior Circuit"
by NM Mikhail Koganov (Below at FIDE World Senior Championship 2022. Photo courtesy of Andreas Kantokanis/FIDE)

Inspired by his travels to the FIDE World Senior Championship last year, former Connecticut Irwin Representative and CSCA Vice President NM Mikhail Koganov provides a look at the available senior-only competition opportunities, nationally and internationally. From the Connecticut Senior Championship in Middletown to the FIDE Senior events in Italy, Mikhail invites others to share in his experience: "Although not many, there are some notable tournaments for seniors to compete against their peers." See article here.

7/4/2023
Connecticut Chess Journal
Inaugural Hall of Fame Induction: Acceptance Speech
by Beatrice Low

Beatrice Low, the six consecutive-time Connecticut representative to the Girls/Haring National Invitational Tournament and four-time Connecticut Girls Champion, shares her Connecticut Hall of Fame Induction: Acceptance Speech. Unable to attend in person, Beatrice's father, Kee Low, presented this oral history of a scholastic chess career at the Hall of Fame Induction on May 20. See article here.

7/4/2023
Connecticut Chess Journal
Inaugural Hall of Fame Induction: Acceptance Speech
by FM Kapil Chandran

FM Kapil Chandran returned to Connecticut from the University of Chicago for the Inaugural Hall of Fame Induction and the Connecticut Action Chess Championship on May 20. Kapil delivered this retrospective on his scholastic playing days. To this day, Kapil remains the only Connecticut player to win a National Invitational Tournament, the 2013 Denker Invitational. Complete article here.

Chess News Wire -- June 2023

• CSCA appoints Esteban Ramirez to the position of Regional Events Coordinator. (6/30)
• CSCA appoints Saurabh Kumar to the position of Interim Membership Secretary. (6/30)
• CSCA appoints Edward Faber to the position of Senior Clubs Coordinator. (6/30)
• Taino CC hosts Simultaneous Exhibition with NM Yelfry Torres. (6/30)
• CSCA finalizes FREE summer club online for all ages on Lichess.org. Club will meet every other Wednesday, starting July 12, and hold lunchtime competitions with money prizes on alternate Tuesdays, starting July 18. Registration is open. (6/28)
• Taino CC host simultaneous with NM Yelfry Torres on June 30. (6/27)
• CSCA partners with Norwalk Library for a FREE summer club for all ages, July 13 to August 31. Registration is open. (6/21)
• CSCA partners with Taino Chess Club for Chess960 Weekend, July 7-9: Blitz Championship, July 7; Classical Championship, July 8; Scholastic Championship, July 9. Registration is open: Blitz; Classical; Scholastic. (6/15)
• CSCA partners with Milford Chess Club for NM Nathaniel Moor's Lecture and Simul on June 23. (6/14)
  
  
• 
  
  Tyler Nakajima-Graham (left) wins June 11th Scholastic at Way of the Board Chess Club in Ridgefield. Seven players participated. WOB's next scholastic event is scheduled for July 9. (6/11)
  
  
• NM Arslan Otchiyev opens Milford Chess Club. The club offers weekly camps, open house casual play, and club and tournament activities this summer. (6/1)

6/12/2023
CM Jasmine Su Wins 2023 Connecticut Open; First Female Player to Win Connecticut Major


CM Jasmine Su at the board in Round 5 of the
Connecticut Open, facing NM Jordan Groff.

This past weekend, fifty-four players participated in the CSCA's 2023 Connecticut Open, a rare Connecticut two-day tournament, which was held at the new Cambria Hotel in South Windsor. This was the first Connecticut Open held since 1997 and the first CSCA two-day tournament going back over a decade. However, the biggest news from South Windsor was the Open section winner: CM Jasmine Su, who finished with a score of 4/5 and in clear first, notably tying GM Sergey Kudrin in Round 2 and defeating NM Jordan Groff in Round 5. Kudrin and Groff finished second and third, respectively. In winning the Open, Su set several Connecticut records, including becoming the first female player to win the Connecticut Open and a Connecticut major tournament. Meanwhile, Massachusetts' Evan Banerjee won the Under 1800 Section and Ryan Zheng won the Under 1200. The event was directed by STD Frank DelBonis, assisted by CSCA President Alexander Lumelsky and NM Arslan Otchiyev. Additional administrative support was provided by CSCA Treasurer and Web Administrator, Gert Hilhorst. See rating report and final standings.

6/4/2023
Ethan Shemo Wins Musicant Cup at 27th Musicant-Yazgoor Memorial


Scholastic players mid-round at the 27th MYMT at the Norwalk
Library Auditorium.

Yesterday, forty-one players took part in the CSCA 27th Annual Robert Musicant-Donald Yazgoor Memorial Tournament at the Norwalk Public Library. The tournament raised funds for the 2023-24 Norwalk Knights chess program. Directed once more by NM Ian Harris, assisted by Harlan Keller, the event consisted of four rounds with G/25 d5 time controls. Ethan Shemo won the Musicant Cup with a perfect 4/4 score. Praharsh Varada won the Yazgoor Cup for the top payer Under 1200 with a score of 3.5/4. Lucas Routhier won the Reserve Section. Weston Middle School won the Open team title, and the Norwalk Knight library club won the Reserve team title. See rating report and final standings.

Chess News Wire -- May 2023

• NM Derek Meredith won the U2100 section at the Massachusetts Open, held in Westford this past weekend. CM Jasmine Su finished tied for 16th in the Championship section. Four Connecticut players participated. (5/30)
• Connecticut IM Maximillian Lu finished with a record of 6-3-2 and a total score of 7/11 at the XVI Continental Championships, held May 15-23 in Juan Dolio, Dominican Republic. Also participating were Connecticut GM Robert Hungaski, scoring 6/11, and winner of the 2023 Connecticut Speed Championships, GM Fidel Corrales Jimenez of New York, who finished third overall with 8.5/11. (5/28)
• CSCA Board raises annual membership to $20. CSCA also introduces premium and family premium membership options, which include tournament entry discounts. (5/26)
• CSCA opens registration for the Connecticut Open; the CSCA's first two-day tournament in over a decade. The event will be held at the all new Cambria Hotel at Evergreen Walk in South Windsor. (5/22)
  
  
  The all new Cambria Hotel at Evergreen Walk in South Windor,
  site of the 2023 Connecticut Open
  
  
• CSCA Board welcomes new member, Ismael Pagan. (5/21)
• 25 participate at NBCC Planet Earth. CM Jasmine Su won the event. (5/20)
• Taino CC draws 12 in first tournament. Alex Guziak won the event. (5/19)
• Jordan Groff breaks 2200 to become Connecticut's newest National Master. (5/16)
• Connecticut sends three to Polgar Invitational. 2023 Connecticut Women's Champion and Barber Nominee CM Jasmine Su, 2023 Connecticut Girls Champion and Haring Nominee Lacey Wang and former US Representative at the Pan American Youth Championships and one of the top-rated Connecticut females, Serena Evans, will represent Connecticut at the 20th Annual Susan Polgar Foundation Girls' Invitational, June 20-25 at Webster University, St. Louis. (5/4)
• Local player and enthusiast, Luis Delgado, opens Taino Chess Club, a new storefront club at 1020 Farmington Avenue, Berlin. The club is open for casual play Monday thru Saturday 3 to 8 PM. (5/3)
  
  
  Club Owner Luis Delgado outside Taino Chess Club in Berlin.
  
  
• New Britain and Southbury Chess Clubs regular, Ronald Bourassa, passed away on April 29 in Daytona Beach, Florida. One of the most active players in Connecticut from the 1970s to 2009, Bourassa's over-the-board achievements include winning the 1979 NBCC Championship. (5/3)
• Registration is now open for the Hall of Fame Action Championship (May 20) and the 27th Annual Musicant-Yazgoor Tournament (June 3). Please visit our Events Calendar to review and register for these competitions. (5/2)
• NTD Harold Stenzel to direct CSCA's upcoming Connecticut Hall of Fame Action Championship. The event will take place on May 20 at Sacred Heart University's beautiful Bowman Hall, which will provide an inspirational setting for the induction of the first class of the CSCA Hall of Fame. (5/1)
  
  
  Bowman Hall at Sacred Heart University, venue of the 2023 Hall of Fame
  Action Championship.
  
  
• US Chess DEADLINE to register to vote in the June 2023 Executive Board election--six candidates competing for four seats--is today. All eligible US Chess members should login to their US Chess accounts and register to vote. Ballots are sent by June 10. (5/1)

5/21/2023
CSCA Celebrates Connecticut Chess with Inaugural Hall of Fame Induction and First Hall of Fame Class


GM Sergey Kudrin (center left) and FM Kapil Chandran (center
right) pose for a photograph with Chandran's parents at the
Inaugural Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on May 20.

Also yesterday at Sacred Heart University, the CSCA held its first ever Hall of Fame Induction. The first Hall of Fame class was a collection of some of the greatest contributors and personalities in Connecticut chess history. The honored inductees were:

• Nick Stevens, posthumous - CSCA Tournaments Coordinator (1970s), organizer, Hartford Chess Club President (1970s-1980s)
• James Bolton, posthumous - Player and State Champion (1953, 1957, 1974 and 1993(Open))
• Bortil Clareus, posthumous - Player and State Champion (1935, 1939 and 1940)
• Robert Mitchell, posthumous - Player and State Champion (1934, 1938, 1939 and 1948)
• Dr. Joseph Platz, posthumous - CSCA President (1960s) and first to incorporate the CSCA, State Champion (1955 and 1960)
• Arkadij Strandins, posthumous - Organizer, Player and State Blitz Champion (1976-1979), NBCC President (30 years)
• Thomas Hartmayer, posthumous - CSCA Director (2000s-2016), UConn Chess Club Organizer, Tournament Director and Player
• GM Sergey Kudrin - Grandmaster Player and State Champion (2004-2009), Senior State Champion (2020, 2022 and 2023)
• Robert Roy - CSCA President (1980s and 1990s), Chess Journalist, Publisher, Organizer and Tournament Director
• NM Hanon Russell - Publisher, Author, Player and State Champion Quick (1992)
• Christopher Potts - Volunteer Organizer and Coach at Norwalk Library Chess Club (1989-2019)
• FM Kapil Chandran - Scholastic Player, Connecticut Barber and Denker Representative, Denker Winner (2013)
• Beatrice Low - Four-time Girls State Champion and six-time Connecticut Girls/Haring Representative

5/21/2023
NM Nathaniel Moor Wins Connecticut Action Chess Championship


NM Nathaniel Moor at 2023 Connecticut Action
Championship Awards Ceremony.

Yesterday at Sacred Heart University, fifty players took part in the Inaugural Hall of Fame Action Chess Championship. NM Nathaniel Moor, GM Sergey Kudrin and NM Zachary Tanenbaum finished in a three-way tie for first in the Open section with a score of 4/5. However, on tie breaks, it was Moor finishing in first, Kudrin in second and Tanenbaum in third. In the U1600 section, Sebastian Lopez finished in first with 4/5. In the U1200, Esaimani Balabishegam and Kashvi Madhwani finished tied for first with 4/5, and Balabishegam took first on tie breaks. This part state championship and part celebration was organized by the CSCA in honor of thirteen Hall of Fame inductees and was directed by NTD Harold Stenzel. See rating report and final standings.

4/30/2023
China's GM Ding Liren is New World Chess Champion!


GM Ding Liren at press conference after winning Game 12,
to tie the 2023 World Championship at six all.
(Photo courtesy of David Llada/FIDE.)

Today in Astana, Kazakhstan, China's GM Ding Liren defeated Russia's GM Ian Nepomniachtchi on rapid-play tie breaks 2.5-1.5 after never leading in the 14-game classic stage, which the two finished deadlocked at 7-7. Ding is the first player from China to become World Chess Champion. After being unlikely to participate in the Candidates Tournament and mounting an improbable comeback to finish second there, Ding was catapulted into the Championship match by GM Magnus Carlsen's surprise decision to decline another defense of his World Champion title. Against Neponiachtchi in the final, Ding mounted three wins with white to tie the match, after his opponent took a one-point lead on those three occasions. However, after winning Game 12, Ding would not allow Neponiachtchi another lead, tying Game 13 and 14 and the first three rapid games in the first tie break, before winning the final rapid game and the match.

4/29/2023
NM Rajesh Shanmugasundaram Wins Herr Direktor's Cup at 2023 Hartmayer Memorial


Game 50 Open and U1600 (right) and Game 25 Scholastic (left) sections compete at HMT23 at the Wilson-Gray YMCA in Hartford.


Open winner NM Rajesh Shanmugasundaram (left) facing Jonathan Smucker in
Round 4 for the Herr Direktor's Cup.

Today, 73 players competed in the 2023 Thomas E. Hartmayer Memorial Tournament at the Wilson-Gray YMCA in Hartford. Rhode Island's NM Rajesh Shanmugasundaram, who was the event's and is Rhode Island's top rated player, won the Open section and Herr Direktor's Cup. Sebastian Lopez of Bridgeport won the Under 1600 Section. Ryan Zheng of West Hartford, Jack Qian of South Glastonbury, Eric Gu of Massachusetts and Jay Mehta of Farmington won the K-12 U1000, K-8 U800, K-5 U500 and K-12 Unrated sections, respectively. Scholastic team titles were awarded to Manchester High, Edwards Middle (South Windsor) and Bugbee Elementary (West Hartford). The event was co-organized by the CSCA, YMCA and Kevin Zimmerman. Play was directed by STD Frank DelBonis and TD Matthew Freeman of Rhode Island. See rating report and final standings.

Chess News Wire -- April 2023

• Connecticut's Girls Champion Lacey Wang finished fourth in the Under 10 age group at the National All-Girls Championship with a record of 5-1-0. Sophie Rohrs was the only other Connecticut participant and finished with a record of 3-2-1 in the Under 12 group. In all, 472 players participated in Chicago this year. (4/30)
• Greenwich High School wins 2022-23 FCICL after 9-3 tie break match win over Brunswick School for first place. The league will not hold an individual tournament this year. (4/30)
• CSCA begins premium membership initiative, offering members entry discounts and other benefits. (4/30)
• 18 players participate at RedBandit Chess' April scholastic tournament, held at CCFC. (4/29)
• CSCA President Alexander Lumelsky and Vice President Mikhail Koganov are the 2023 Connecticut Delegates to US Chess and will represent Connecticut at the 2023 US Chess Annual Meeting in August. (4/27)
• Only one Connecticut player, Aaron Krayn of New Fairfield, participated in the National Middle School Championship in Austin, Texas. Aaron finished 28th in the K-8 U1700 section. (4/25)
• Twelve players participate at Wesleyan Chess Club's Fischer Random Rapid. (4/24)
• Andrew Orlowski (below left) and Andrew Cai (below right) win their respective sections at the Way of the Board Chess Club's April Tournament in Ridgefield. Eleven players participated. (4/23)
  
  
  
  
• CSCA postpones first Connecticut Fischer Random/Chess960 Championship after venue conflict. Instead, Wesleyan Chess Club will hold a shorter Chess960 rapid tournament. (4/21)
• CM Jasmine Su is top Connecticut Player at Foxwoods 2023. Of the 444 participants, 58 players were from Connecticut. (4/12)
• Twelve Connecticut players traveled to Washington, DC to take part in the National High School Championship this weekend. IM Maximillian Lu finished in fourth place in the Championship section with five wins and two draws. CM Nathaniel Moor finished 24th with a record of 4-1-2. (4/4)
• Fairfield County Interscholastic Chess League ends league play with a two-way tie between Greenwich High and Brunswick. A tie break match for first will be played. (4/3)
  
  
  
  
• 2023 Connecticut Women's Championship sets attendance record with 16 participants. (4/1)
  
  
  Play More Chess Academy hosts the 2023 Connecticut Women's Championship.
  
  
• CSCA membership peaks at 849 members following the 2023 Connecticut Women's Championship. (4/1)

4/5/2023
CSCA Holds Its First Ever Online Events: New England Online Scholastic and Blitz Championships


NTD Judit Sztaray (top left) directs the CSCA-organized 2023 New
England Online Scholastic Championships.

On March 24 and 25, the CSCA held the first ever New England Online Scholastic Championships and Blitz Championships. These were also the first New England Chess Association tournaments, to be organized by the CSCA. 25 players from 8 states participated in the Blitz Championships on Friday, March 24. 48 players from 11 states participated in the Rapid/Classical Championships on Saturday, March 25. Connecticut notables were as follows:

• Nakul Ramaswamy of Simsbury High is the NECA High School Blitz Champion
• Nadav Hartman of Mansfield Middle is the NECA Middle School Blitz Champion
• Simsbury High School won the High School team Blitz title
• Renbrook School (West Hartford) won the Elementary School team Blitz title
• Calvin Leete Elementary (Guilford) won the Elementary School team Rapid/Classical title
• Bugbee Elementary (West Hartford) won the Primary School team Rapid/Classical title

4/2/2023
CM Jasmine Su Wins 2023 Connecticut Women’s Championship


CM Jasmine Su receives State Champion trophy and first place
prize from CSCA Board Member Saurabh Kumar and Vice President
Mikhail Koganov at the 2023 Connecticut Women’s Championship,
held at Play More Chess Academy in Hamden on April 1.

On April 1, 2023 at Play More Chess Academy in Hamden, sixteen women took part in the Connecticut Women's Championship. This marked only the third time that the event was organized and only the second time as an independent event. CM Jasmine Su won the competition with a score of 3.5/4, drawing her final match with new comer Marfa Esaulova, who finished second on tie breaks. Sophia Rosenholtz of Massachusetts finished third, Mridhulaa Rajagopal finished Top Under 1400, Shesh Budhabhatti finished Top Under 1000, and Annika Kumar won the Top Unrated. See final standings and rating report.

3/19/2022
Thirty Eight Players Take Part in NKSC23; Sebastian Imperati Cruises to Second Knights Title


Brent McCreesh managing the floor at the 2023 Norwalk Knights Spring Championship; CSCA President Alexander Lumelsky conducting the awards ceremony. (photo courtesy of STD NM Ian Harris/RedBandit Chess)

On March 18, the CSCA with the aid of Norwalk Library and RedBandit Chess held the Spring Championship of its Norwalk Knights Library Chess Program at the Norwalk Library. Sebastian Imperati won the Open section with a perfect five-win score, repeating as Program Champion. Kenan Al-Jajeh won the Reserve section, also with a perfect 5-0 score. The event was directed by volunteers STD NM Ian Harris and Brent McCreesh. See final standings Open and Reserve and the event's rating report.

Chess News Wire -- March 2023

• NM Arslan Otchiyev opens the Milford Chess Academy and will hold an open house on April 22. (3/30)
• 28 participate at RedBandit Scholastic at the Chess Club of Fairfield County. (3/27) UPDATED 4/30
  
  
  Players pose with prizes at RedBandit's scholastic tournament,
  held at CCFC.
  
  
• CSCA membership passes 800 individual members following NE Online Championships. CSCA adds Ocean State Chess Association as its eleventh organization member group. (3/26)
• Nakul Ramaswamy wins NE Online Scholastic Blitz Championships. Full report coming soon. (3/26)
• CSCA completes its first online Championship events for New England Chess Association. Final results are pending standard Fairplay Review by Chess.com. (3/25)
• 242 players, of whom 48 were from Connecticut, took part in the CCA's Eastern Class Championship, held in Windsor Locks last weekend. IM Danny Edelman finished in fourth in the Master section with a record of 3-1-1. Meanwhile, Uma Perla won the Class C section with a record of 4-0-1. (3/20) UPDATED 5/1
• 38 participate in CSCA's Norwalk Knights Spring Championship held today at the Norwalk Library. Full update coming soon. (3/18)
• Jordan Groff wins NBCC Club Championship, concluded last week. (3/14)
  
  
• 
  
  William Safianoff (left) wins March 12 Scholastic at Way of the Board Chess Club in Ridgefield. Eight players participated. (3/12)
  
  
• NECA opens renewed New England Clearinghouse to all organizers. Organizers can obtain independent login ID to automatically post events to the Clearinghouse regionally, to avoid event conflicts and promote their activities. (3/10)
• CSCA's Norwalk Knights Spring Program, which starts March 30, is now full and a waitlist option is available. (3/8)
• CSCA to provide lessons with IM Jan van de Mortel to Manchester High School Chess Club. (3/6)
  
  

3/6/2023
Greenwich High, Avon Public, Norfeldt Elementary and Calvin Leete Elementary Are 2023 Scholastic Team Champions


Greenwich High Chess Team (left to right: Victoria Liu, Isaac Dcruz, Elias
Orrell, Carl Homan and IM Maximillian Lu) with CSCA President Alexander
Lumelsky at the 2023 Scholastic Team Championships high school
awards presentation at Manchester High School

On March 4, 2023 at Manchester High School (MHS), the CSCA held its annual Team Championships, for the first time in a new team-focused format. 80 players and 24 teams took part. Greenwich High School, led by IM Max Lu, edged out West Hartford Schools by one point to win the High School title. Avon Public Schools dominated the Middle School section, finishing with a five-point lead over the rest of the field and the state title. Norfeldt Elementary (West Hartford), competing without State K-3 Champion Louise Lu, captured the Elementary School crown on tie breaks over town rival Braeburn Elementary (West Hartford). Calvin Leete Elementary, featuring K-1 State Champion Rylan Chang and K-3 placement holder and older brother Leroy Chang, put on a dominant performance, finishing undefeated, to win the Primary School title. The event was delayed by 90 minutes due to inclement weather over night and into the morning. Regardless, the Elementary and Primary sections were completed by 3 PM, well ahead of the original schedule, and the upper sections concluded on schedule at 6 PM. The CSCA thanks Chief TD NM Ian Harris for another efficiently run CSCA tournament. CSCA also thanks Parag Joshi of MHS and the MHS Chess Club and volunteers for hosting and coordinating a great event. See Final Awards and Rating Report. Additional photos follow.

2/26/2023
GM Sergey Kudrin Wins Third Consecutive Connecticut Senior Title


Sergey Kudrin at the board in Round 3 of
2023 Connecticut Senior Championship

The 2023 Connecticut Senior Championship was held at Wesleyan University, Exley Science Center on February 25. Twelve players took part. GM Sergey Kudrin won his third consecutive senior title scoring 3.5/4. NM Mikhail Koganov finished second with 3/4. Both will repeat as Connecticut's Irwin National Nominee and Alternate. Other prizes included NM Derek Meredith finishing third, Elizabeth Smith finishing top U1800, Charles Rutan finishing top U1400 and Graig Simera finishing top U1000. New comer Hennadii Vasylenko, recently from Ukraine, finished fourth and top unrated. The story of the event, however, may have been the participation of Wesleyan alumnus and New Jersey resident Doran Race, who took multiple trains and a snowy 25-mile bike ride from New Haven to Middletown to play in this tournament. See Final Awards, Standings and Rating Report.

Yale's Maxim Yaskolko Wins Collegiate Championship; Wesleyan Wins 2023 Team Crown


Round 1 gets under way at 2023 Connecticut Collegiate
and Senior Championships at Wesleyan

The 2023 Connecticut Collegiate Championship was held at Wesleyan University yesterday. 33 players took part, including several Connecticut scholastic players. Yale's Maxim Yaskolko (right) won the event with a score of 3.5/4 in the Open Section. UConn's Jonathan Smucker won Second, and SHU's NM Mark Dedona won Third. Yale's Christopher Tanaka finished top U1800, and Farmington High School's Punyavrat Upadhyay won the Top Prospect prize after defeating NM Dedona in Round 2. In the Under 1600 Section, West Hartford's Carter Clayton of Conard High School finished first with a perfect score, also winning the Top Prospect award. SHU's Aidan Shamas won Second and top U1200, and Wesleyan's Collin Holson took Third. Yale's Laurel Turner won top U800. The team competition ended in a two-way tie at the top with 7/12 for Wesleyan and Yale, but tie breaks gave Wesleyan the 2023 Collegiate team title. SHU finished third. The Collegiate and Senior Championships were held together and directed by Senior TD Frank DelBonis and Assistant TD Wayne Powers of Ocean State Chess Association. See Final Awards, Standings and Rating Report.

Chess News Wire -- February 2023

• NM Derek Meredith wins WMCA's Western Mass/Connecticut Valley Championship. (9/27)
• Twelve participated in Hamden Chess Club’s February Fortress on February 25, 2023. Quad winners were Alexander Emmons, Omkar Maralappanavar and Brayden Sabol. (2/26)
• CSCA opens registration for New England Scholastic and Scholastic Blitz Championships on March 24 and 25, CSCA's first online tournaments. [updated: new event dates] (2/23)
• Thirteen players participated in the Hamden Chess Club's Presidents' Day Action Quads Tournament on February 20, 2023. Quad winners were Alexander Emmons, Michael Cuppernull and Amir Perk. (2/21)
  
  
  
  
• CSCA updates team format for March 4 Scholastic Team Championships to give players more team opportunities, including home school and school district options. (2/20)
• Twenty-one participate at the Hamden Chess Club's February Frenzy Scholastic Tournament on February 18. Quad winners finishing with 3.0/3.0 points were: Owen Chance Anatra, Zen Pererra, Aarav Singh Lemar, Dev Girish Kumar and Cassius Rudensky Huge. (2/19)
  
  
  
  
• Fairfield County Interscholastic Chess League standings through Week 9 of competition. (2/13)
  
  
  
  
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  Marcus Chan (left) wins February 12th Scholastic at Way of the Board Chess Club in Ridgefield. Eight players participated. (2/12)
  
  
• The rebirth and redesign of the New England Clearinghouse is nearing completion thanks to the efforts of CSCA Treasurer/Web Admin and NECA Clearinghouse Coordinator, Gert Hilhorst. (2/3)
  
  

2/21/2023
Connecticut at 2023 USATE
Six Connecticut teams and about 40 Connecticut players took part at the 2023 US Amateur Team East, held in Pasippany, NJ this past President's Day weekend. Top Connecticut Team was "In Memoriam: Mr. Melvin Patrick", comprised of IM Maximillian Lu, CM Nathaniel Moor, Jack Klein and William Ewald. Nathaniel Moor also won Top Board on Board 2 with a score of 5.5/6. Meanwhile, the Top Under 1600 Team was Sacred Heart University: NM Mark Dedona, Brent McCreesh, Declan Coleman and Ryan Richter. Addiitonally, the Top Corporate Team was Azure Knightmare, featuring Connecticut's Harlan Keller on Board 3. Other Connecticut teams were "Dracarys" (NM Ian Harris, NM Mikhail Koganov, Oliver Chernin and Hannon Russell), "Carlsen's Niemasis" (Daniel Cooper, Jeffrey Lawrence, Christopher Potts and Sebastian Botta), "CT Knights" (Vedanta Bhargava, Kushagra Bhargava, Truman Kaczmarczyk and Lacey Wang) and "Magnus Won't Play Me, Either" (NM James Nitz, Michael Pascetta, Mario Guevara-Rodriguez and Norman Burtness). In all, 328 teams took part.

2/19/2023
Wesleyan Chess Club to Offer First CSCA Open Club
Wesleyan Chess Club is opening its doors to the chess community as the first CSCA Open Club, starting March 2. Club sessions will be held from 4 to 6 PM on select Thursdays during the spring semester when school is in session. Participation is free. Registration through the CSCA calendar registration system is required. WCC leadership is excited to share their club and make this valued contribution to the Middletown area and statewide chess communities.

2/15/2023
NECA Approves CSCA Proposal to Add Blitz to 2023 New England Online Scholastic Championships
The New England Chess Association approved the Connecticut State Chess Association's additional proposal for the 2023 New England Online Scholastic Blitz Championships. The Blitz event will take place on March 24 in the evening, starting at 6 PM. Registration will open soon. [updated 2/23: new event date/time]

2/13/2023
GM Fidel Corrales Jimenez wins the 2023 Connecticut Speed Championships


GM Corrales Jimenez (right) playing IM Jan van de Mortel in Round
5 of the Quick Championship at the 2023 Speed Championships,
held at Eastern Connecticut State University on February 11.

On February 11, the CSCA held its second Speed Chess Championships, a combined tournament of Quick, Blitz and Bullet chess. The event was hosted by Eastern Connecticut State University and Chess Club at the beautiful ECSU Student Center and Betty Tipton Room. 55 players from six states, including eight masters, participated. New York's GM Fidel Corrales Jimenez finished first, winning two of the three Speed events--Quick and Bullet--finishing third in the Blitz. Yale student GM Nicolas de Checa finished second overall and earned the title of Connecticut Speed Champion. Checa won the Blitz event, and finished second in the Quick, also attaining the titles of 2023 Connecticut Blitz and Quick Champion. Meanwhile, defending Connecticut overall and all three specific event Champion CM Zachary Tanenbaum repeated as Connecticut Bullet Champion, placing second in that competition. For complete results, standings and more photographs, please visit the Speed Event Page.

2/8/2023
CSCA Awarded NECA's 2023 Online Scholastic Championships
The New England Chess Association awarded the Connecticut State Chess Association the 2023 New England Online Scholastic Championships. The tournament is scheduled for March 25, 2023 and will be held over Chess.com. NTD Judit Sztaray of Northern California and other highly experienced national online directors will direct the event. Competition parameters include three to three and a half hours of online time and over 80, and possibly as many as 150, prizes for players and teams from all six New England states and those from outside the region.

Chess News Wire -- January 2023

• NM Derek Meredith wins Western Massachusetts Chess Association's 31st Mid-Winter Classic, held January 28 in Florence, MA. (1/29)
• Registration is open for the 2023 Women's Championship, April 1 at Hamden Chess Club. (1/26)
• CSCA opens registration for the all new Connecticut Scholastic Team Championships, March 4 at Manchester High School. Event features 74 trophy prizes and an all new team-focused format. (1/26)
• After much planning, CSCA opens registration for the 2023 Collegiate Championship and 2023 Senior Championship, to be held simultaneously on February 25 at Wesleyan University. (1/26)
• CSCA reschedules Thomas Hartmayer Memorial Tournament to April 29 at the Wilson-Gray YMCA in Hartford, to be organized jointly with the YMCA, Kevin Zimmerman and the YMCA's Bishop Chess Club. (1/25)
• CSCA to hold 2023 Connecticut Women's Championship as a standalone event at Hamden Chess Club on April 1. Registration is expected to open shortly. (1/25)
• Fairfield County Interscholastic Chess League standings through Week 5 of play. Eight matches are outstanding, pending completion and report. (1/23)
  
  
  
  
• After a chess-busy first three weeks of January, CSCA membership climbs past 700 individual members, a new record. (1/22)
• Final event page for the 2023 Connecticut Scholastic Championships, played January 7 at Sacred Heart University, is now available for review, including all available photos, reports, links and updates. (1/22)
• Twenty-eight participate at CSCA Girls Championship hosted by the Greenwich Academy. This is the event's second highest total since its inception in 2016. That first event, created over much CSCA and community pessimism and organized by Connecticut Chess Organization--an independent nonprofit project founded by current CSCA President Alexander Lumelsky and the late former CSCA Board member and UConn organizer Thomas Hartmayer--exactly seven years ago on January 21, 2016 at the Farmington Main Library, holds the tournament record with 35 participants. The Connecticut Girls event may not be the biggest, but it pre-dates like tournaments in neighboring states. (1/21)
  
  
  Mid-Round 1 at the 2023 Girls Championship in Young Auditorium at
  Greenwich Academy.
  
  
• BSA Troop 67 (Montville) to host first tournament at Lyme-Old Lyme High School. (1/19)
• Eighteen participate at January 15 Wilson-Gray YMCA Tournament, organized by Kevin Zimmerman and East Side Chess together with the YMCA Bishop Chess Club. NM Yelfry Torres won the event with a perfect score. Ocean State Chess Association's Senior TD Frank DelBonis travelled from Rhode Island to direct. (1/16)
  
  
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  Sam Rosamond (left) wins January 15 Scholastic at Way of the Board Chess Club in Ridgefield. Eight players participated. (1/15)
  
  
• Connecticut College wins top Small School prize at Pan Am Intercollegiate Team Championship, finishing 17th in the U1800 section. Meanwhile, Yale finished 10th in the Open. Sacred Heart University finished 16th in the U1800. Connecticut's FM Kapil Chandran's University of Chicago-A team finished seventh in the Open. 85 teams from universities across the United States and some from Canada participated in the annual event. (1/8)
  
  
  Connecticut College Pan Am team: (left to right) Miles Griffin, Jaron Bernard, William Mears and Adithya Saranathan.
  
  
• CSCA to broadcast six boards from 2023 Scholastic Championships taking place tomorrow, January 7. Broadcast link coming this evening. Round 1 is at 9:30a. (1/6)
• 51 play in DIG New Year's tournament in Weston on December 31. (1/2)
  
  
  Scholastic sections at DIG New Year's tournament in Weston.
  
  

1/24/2023
Connecticut Chess Journal
The Advent and History of the Fairfield Interscholastic League
by Alvin Hamilton

St. Luke's School's Alvin Hamilton (pictured left) discusses the history of scholastic league play in Fairfield County and the COVID-19-influenced creation of the Fairfield County Interscholastic Chess League, presently in its third year of activities. FCICL meets weekly online and holds an over-the-board individual competition annually. Complete article here.

1/22/2023
Lacey Wang Wins 2023 Connecticut Girls Championship!
Zaynab Chasmawala Wins U800!

It was a tournament of upsets at the 2023 Connecticut Girls Championship, held January 21 at the beautiful Greenwich Academy campus, as top seeds fell to rising stars in the first all-Girls competition since the start of the pandemic. Lacey Wang (pictured right), a Woodbridge fourth grader and Hamden Chess Club regular, who entered the event as the third seed, finished with a perfect 4-0-0 to win the 2023 Girls title and become the 2023 Connecticut Nominee to the US Chess Haring Tournament of State Champions. Lacey defeated both top seeds, including a strong performance against the six-time Connecticut Champion and top seed, Beatrice Low. However, the biggest surprises of the tournament came from Kashvi Madhvani of Farmington, as she defeated the second and fourth seeds in the first two rounds, a rating difference of over 600 and 300 points, respectively. Kashvi finished fourth overall, placing Top Under 1200. In the Under 800 Section, Zaynab Chasmawala of Farmington won first place with a perfect score. The event was directed by Senior TD NM Ian Harris and featured the new CSCA tournament administration upgrades, including online and email pairings and standings, in-event email updates to players and parents, and instant pairing of sections with completed rounds. The Open ran slightly ahead of schedule as all rounds went the distance, while the lower section finished in just four and a half hours. The tournament received thirty-two registrations of which twenty-eight participated, making it the second largest Connecticut Girls Championship to date. The CSCA thanks Greenwich Academy administration and staff, the Greenwich Academy Chess Club, Beatrice Low and Kee Low for hosting this event at the prestigious and historic all-girls school. The event page including final standings, reports, photos and updates is available for review.

1/9/2023
Norwalk Knights Winter Program is Full
As of 5:40 am this morning, the CSCA Norwalk Library Chess Program, featuring instructor NM Ian Harris is full. All 40 slots are now registered. Players interested in participating, who did not make the cut off should register for the wait list option, added to the registration. Wait listed players will be notified, if they may participate.

1/7/2023
IM Max Lu (HS), Jasmine Su (MS), Kushagra Bhargava (ES), Louie Lu (PS) and Rylan Chang (K-1) are Connecticut Champions!

Today at Sacred Heart University, 121 players took part in the 2023 Connecticut Scholastic Championships. The event set several Connecticut records, including a nine-hour completion of a G/55 tournament, a four and a half hour completion of the G/35 sections, participation of the first International Master in a Connecticut scholastic competition, over twenty-two percent female participation and one of the strongest fields in recent memory. Two sections also ended in tie break finales, with Norfeldt Elementary's (West Hartford) Louie Lu edging out Long Lots Elementary's (Westport) Isaac Lantsman for the Primary School title, and New York's Connor Wang defeating fellow New Yorker Ari Drucker in the Elementary section. This was the first tournament held at Sacred Heart's brand new Bowman Hall abbey with its floor to ceiling and in-ceiling windows and Hogwarts-style decor. The final event page and game broadcast, including the exciting NM Nathaniel Moor v IM Maximillian Lu (pictured right) Round 4 face off in the High School section, are available for review.

Click here for 2022 news archive.