Indy Chess

The early bird price for our Club Championship ends this Saturday, August 29 at 11:59pm!

REGISTER: indychess.org/events
PLAYERS: tinyurl.com/indychess

Join National Masters Harvey Hanke and Greg Kennedy, plus 2025 Club Champion Nate Criss at the event!

Don't think there is anyone we would rather see right now get the norms for this title. She is such an amazingly strong player.

One draw away from her first GM norm!

16-year-old Alice Lee enters the final round of the Cairns Cup needing just a draw to secure the first GM norm of her career!

Alice, a student of the Kasparov Chess Foundation, has been having a fantastic tournament in Saint Louis. Now, one final game stands between her and a huge milestone.

And there is even more motivation for the next generation of American women in chess. In 2024, Dr. Jeanne Cairns Sinquefield created the Cairns Chess Queens Award, offering $100,000 to each of up to five eligible U.S. women who earn the GM title by July 4, 2029. 🇺🇸🏆

Alice still has a journey ahead to earn the full GM title, but today could be a very important first step.

Let’s wish Alice the best of luck in the final round!

Many players in our Club Championship will get good trophies, but the 1st place section winners will get the one trophy topper we save each year for the championship: The GOAT!

3rd annual Indy Chess Club Championship
Saturday, September 12
@ St. Paul's Episcopal Church | 6050 N Meridian St., Indy
Rounds: 9:30a, 12:30p, 3p, 6p
Four sections: 1800+/Open, 1400-1799, 1000-1399, Unrated-999
Five trophies per section, plus $1,175 total prize fund
Other awards: Most Improved, Volunteer of the Year, and more

Register today at indychess.org/events!
Club members AND guests welcome to play ($ bonus prizes for club members)

Previous champions:
2024: Rev. Mike Gant
2025: Nathaniel Criss
2026: ...YOU?!?!

A KIDS' TOURNAMENT ON THE SOUTH SIDE!?!? AND NEW SECTIONS!?!?

Our monthly Scholastic Sunday tournament on Sept. 6th is moving to St. Barnabas School Gym at 8330 Rahke Rd. (It returns to St. Monica on Oct. 4.)

AND in response to feedback, the sections for Scholastic Sunday tournaments moving forward will be...
♟Casual/Unrated
♟Under 500 (USCF-rated)
♟Under 800 (USCF-rated)
♟Under 1100 (USCF-rated)
♟Premiere/1100+ (USCF-rated)

Still 5 trophies per sections | Still $50 gift card for Premiere winner.

Register today at indychess.org/events!

The price for the Indianapolis Open (Aug 21-23) goes up $22 tomorrow, so register today!

It is a Continental Chess Association tournament, so remember...

CONS
1) They won't provide any boards or clocks
2) You'll be squished together (feels worse when the kids get up and leave their boards 20 times per game and squeeze thru the narrow walkways)
3) The GM on board one will be tucked away in a corner where no one can spectate (and no broadcast in Indianapolis)
4) The time control will be rare and your game will be delayed to start b/c neither of you figured out how to set it on your clock

PROS
5) The prize fund will be huge b/c they have a big following from decades in the biz
6) More than 150 players will register no matter what the entry list says, so great competition
7) Parking will be free and hotels affordable
8) Top two sections are FIDE rated, but that doesn't mean your games will be if your opponents don't have FIDE ratings (or if you lose all of them)
9) High rated in your section? Find a female (if you're male) and ask if they'd partner with you for the Mixed Doubles prize! Low rated in your section? Don't waste the female's time. Females, don't choose your partner and turn in your Mixed Doubles form till after round two to make sure they're sitting on 2.0/2.0, no matter how good a friend they are. They will understand; chess is logical.
10) Without CCA, our country would have a lot fewer opportunities to play rated chess.

PLAYER LIST (AND REGISTRATION): https://chessaction.com/tournaments/advance_entry_list.php?tid=nKOnog==

Thanks to all who came out to Scholastic Sunday yesterday! We had 62 kids competing in five sections, including dozens from our summer camps who were continuing with rated chess games.

We've had some feedback about creating all sections based on rating instead of grade, for example Casual, Under 500, U800, U1100, U1400, etc. What do you think?

USCF Results: https://ratings.uschess.org/event/202608020083?section=0

Here are the 1st place winners of each section (1st-5th received trophies):
♟Premiere (1000+) - Abhiram Ashok (3.5/4.0)
♟12th Grade & Under - Jude Persin (4.0/4.0)
♟6th Grade & Under - Maxwell Murphy and Zachery Walker (both 4.0/4.0)
♟3rd Grade & Under - Enkhsaruul Undrakh-Orgil (4.0/4.0)
♟Casual - Az Ev Undrakh-Orgil (4.0/4.0)

Our gratitude to Chief TD Jerika Eppel, Coach Ryan McCrea for free game analysis in the Skittles Room, Noah Chapuran for TD assistance, and St. Monica School for hosting.

For those who play in the Indianapolis Open, Bill Goichberg founded CCA (the organization behind that event, the World Open, and more). Imperfections aside, he did so, so much for there to be chess events in the US. Rest in peace.

We are sad to report that our former long-time president, New York Chess Hall of Famer FM Bill Goichberg, has passed away today. Bill's legacy in chess in New York and the United States is unparalleled. He leaves a legacy of greatness that is reflected in our New York State Scholastics, one of the largest tournaments in the country that he created, and the continued success of the New York State Chess Championship, which is the longest-running chess tournament in the United States. Further details on arrangements will be announced once they are available. Bill was 83 years old.

Sharing this on behalf of the Indiana State Chess Association . Head to Fort Wayne in a couple weeks to win the best in your class! Info at indianachess.org.

Give em a go