1) Mechanics' Institute Chess Club News

Berkeley Expert Larry Snyder upset SM Craig Mar last Tuesday to grab a share of first place in the Ben Gross Memorial Tuesday Night Marathon. Joining him in the lead in the 78-player event with 3-0 scores are NM Andy Lee and Experts Carlos Davila and Victor Ossipov. Right behind them is a large group at 2 1/2 led by IM Ricardo DeGuzman and NM Sam Shankland.

Three members of the Mechanics' Institute - Gregory Young, Daniel Naroditsky and Nicholas Nip - have been selected to attend a session of the US Chess School which will be held January 2-6 at the Mechanics' and taught by GM Yury Shulman. The US Chess School (http://www.uschessschool.com/) which is another brainchild of US Chess League founder Greg Shahade, brings together the best young juniors and top coaches in the United States. Jim Roberts and America's Foundation for Chess are key sponsors.

John Blackstone sends along the following tidbit from the Mechanics' past which appeared in Clif Sherwood's column in the Los Angeles Times on May 4, 1930.

A simultaneous exhibition at the Mechanics' Institute, San Francisco, Saturday night, April 27, by Herman Steiner, New York State Champion, recently of Los Angeles, resulted in his winning 14, losing 2 and drawing one.

http://www.uschessleague.com/SanFrancisco.htmlhttp://www.uschessleague.com/SanFrancisco.htmlSan Francisco Mechanics vs Carolina Cobras http://www.uschessleague.com/Carolina.htmlhttp://www.uschessleague.com/Carolina.html

All Time Series Record: (San Francisco leads 1.5-0.5)

Starts at 8:30 PM ET Time Control - Game 60 with 30 second increment

3) Renier Gonzelez ties for first in Baynoles

To learn more about the 35-year-old Gonzelez, who has made Miami his home since moving from his native Cuba in 2001, go to http://www.reniergonzalez.com .

Note the interesting mix of youngsters and veterans in the field and the nice result by 66-year-old Nona Gaprindashvili, one of the greatest female players in the history of the game.

Here are the final standings:

1. Simutowe, Amon m ZAM 2421 7.5
2. Barua, Dibyendu g IND 2462 6.5
3. Wang Puchen f NZL 2348 6.0
4. Gaprindashvili, Nona1 g GEO 2364 5.0
5-8. Panno, Oscar g ARG 2457 4.0
5-8. Hendriks, Willy m NED 2420 4.0
5-. Muhren, Bianca wg NED 2334 4.0
5-8. Olafsson, Fridrik g ISL 2452 4.0
9. Ziska, Helgi Dam m FAI 2392 3.5
10. Rothuis, Vincent NED 2441 0.5

For more information go to http://www.euwe-stimulans.nl/

5) Here and There

The newly reorganized Berkeley Chess Club will be holding a Sunday Marathon September 9 through October 14 starting at 7pm each evening. Entry fee for the first event is only $6 for the 6 round event which features a guaranteed prize fund of $350. The location of the club is 1581 Le Roy Ave. at the Hillside School. Go to www.berkeleychessschool.com for more information.

6) A poem by Dennis Fritzinger

putting it in perspective

a chess tournament in
the student union building,
with alan benson directing.
such accommodations!
like a swank hotel,
only without the bellhops.
no fancy rugs either,
carefully monogrammed
with the hotel's initial,
and no vases of flowers.
the bathrooms were clean
(sort of),
and the chessplayers
were intense.
this used to be
natural land--
no city, no university,
just strawberry creek running by
tinkling merrily,
strawberries along its banks.
did salmon come up to spawn?
did grizzlies linger on the banks,
hoping to catch them?
that page was torn
from the book of Life
many years ago--
now we can only guess.
meantime, a city.
meantime, a university.
meantime, a student union building
renting out space.
meantime the chessplayers arriving,
carrying their clocks and boards,
their chess sets, score books, pencils.
meanwhile the minds
about to engage
in combat,
of a mortal kind.

7) Upcoming Events

MI events - go http://www.chessclub.org/ for more information

MI Events

Howard Donnelly Memorial - September 15th
J.J. Dolan Memorial - October 20th
Carroll Capps Memorial - November 3rd and 4th
Pierre Saint-Amant Memorial - November 17th
Jim Hurt Amateur - December 1st and 2nd
Guthrie McClain - December 8th

go http://www.chessclub.org/ for more information

Sept. 1-3 2007 CALCHESS LABOR DAY CHAMPIONSHIPS GPP: 15 California Northern

6SS, 30/90, SD/1 (2-day option rds. 1-3 G/60). Golden Gateway Holiday Inn, Van Ness at Pine, San Francisco. $$ b/160 paid entries (not counting free or unrated entries). Six Sections: Master: $725-$375-$200; U2400 $300; Expert $430-$230-$110. "A": $375-$200-$120. "B": $375-$200-$120. "C": $375-200-120. "D/E": $375-$200-$120; U1200 $250. Unr: Trophy first. Trophy to top finisher (State Champion) in each section. All, EF: postmarked by 8/27, $70 (Jrs. $60), $80 at site (Jrs. $70). Unrateds $20 in the D/E section or may play up to the Master section for the regular fee. $5 discount to CalChess members. USCF memb. req'd. May play up one section for add'l $10 (Jrs. $5). GM/IM free entry. Reg.: Sat. 9/1 8-9:30 am, Sun. 9/2 8:15-9:15 am. RDS.: Choice of schedules- 3-day, 2-day merge at round 4, all compete for the same prizes. 3-day schedule: Sat. 10:00-4:00, Sun. 11:00-4:45, Mon. 10:00-3:30. 2-day schedule: Sun. 9:30-11:45-2:00-4:45, Mon. 10:00-3:30. 1/2 pt. bye(s) any round(s) if requested in advance (byes rds. 5-6 must be requested before rd. 1). 2007 August Ratings List, CCA minimums and Directors' discretion will be used to place players as accurately as possible. Please bring clocks and equipment. HR: Golden Gateway Holiday Inn (415)-441-4000. INFO: Richard Koepcke (650)-964-2640. Ent: CalChess, P.O. Box 1432, Mountain View, CA 94042. No phone entries. Master Section FIDE Rated.

A Classic Event!
Oct. 6 California Classic Championship 18 California, Northern

4SS G/60. 3003 Scott Blvd., Santa Clara, CA 95054. EF: $39, Juniors $35. $16 more after 10/2, $2 Cal Chess Discount, $4 discount if combined with 11/10 Classic. $850 b/36: Open 200-100 U2000 50, Reserve: 200-100 U1600 50, U1400 50, U1200 50, U1000 50. Reg: Sat 9:00-9:30 AM, Rds: 10:00-12:00, lunch, 12:30-2:30 PM, 2:40-4:40 PM, 4:55-6:55 PM. Ent: Salman Azhar, 1551 Garvey Pl. San Jose, CA 95132. Payable to Salman Azhar or paypal to sazhar@yahoo.com. Info: http://www.bayareachess.com/. NS NC W

A Classic Event!
Nov. 10 California Classic Championship 20 California, Northern
4SS G/60. 3003 Scott Blvd., Santa Clara, CA 95054. EF: $39, Juniors $35. $16 more after 11/6, $2 Cal Chess Discount, $4 discount if combined with 10/6 Classic. $850 b/36: Open 200-100 U2000 50, Reserve: 200-100 U1600 50, U1400 50, U1200 50, U1000 50. Reg: Sat 9:00-9:30 AM, Rds: 10:00-12:00, lunch, 12:30-2:30 PM, 2:40-4:40 PM, 4:55-6:55 PM. Ent: Salman Azhar, 1551 Garvey Pl. San Jose, CA 95132. Payable to Salman Azhar or paypal to sazhar@yahoo.com. Info: http://www.bayareachess.com/. NS NC W

Southern California

September 1-3
27th Annual Southern California Open
6-SS, 3-day 40/2, SD/1, 2-day rds. 1-3 G/60 then merges. LAX Hilton, 5711 W. Century Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90045.
$$10,000 b/200, 60% of each prize guaranteed.
In 2 sections:
Open: $$T+1700-1000-800-450-300, U2400 400, U2300 200, U2200 600-300, U2000 $$600-300.
Amateur (U1800): T+750-400-200-150-100, U1600 $$500-300-200-100, U1400 $$300-150, U1200 100, Unr 100.
All: Half-pt bye available in rds 1-4 if requested with entry, limit 2. SCCF membership req. of S. Cal. res., $14 reg, $9 junior. No credit card entries or checks at door. SCCF Annual Membership Meeting: 2:30 p.m. Sept. 3. $25 Best Game prize, all sections eligible.
Reg: 3-day 9-10 a.m. 9-1, 2-day 8:30-9:30 a.m. 9-2.
Rds: 3-day: 10:30-5 Sat-Sun, 10-4:30 Mon. 2-day: 10-12:15-2:30 Sun., then merges.. EF: $83 if received by 8/31, $95 door. Special EF: U1400/unrated $67 adv, $80 door.
HR: $95 (310-410-4000, use group code SOU). Reserve by 8-26 or rates may rise. Parking $8/day.
Inf: John Hillery.
Ent: SCCF, c/o John Hillery, 835 N. Wilton Pl. #1, Los Angeles CA 90038 or on-line at http://www.westernchess.com/.
NS. NC. F. GP: 50. State Championship Qualifier

Heritage Event!
An American Classic!
Oct. 12-14 25th Annual SANDS REGENCY RENO-WESTERN STATES OPEN GPP: 200 Enhanced Nevada

6SS, 40/2, 20/1, SD/30. Sands Regency Hotel/Casino, 345 N. Arlington Ave., Reno, NV 89501. 1-800-648-3553 or (775) 348-2200. $$ 46,000 b/450, Gtd. $$ 29,850: $4,000-2,500-1,500-1,200-1,000-900-800-700-600-500 in Open Section plus 1/2 of all other prizes. 7 Sections: OPEN: EF: GMs & IMs free, Masters $123, (2000-2199)-$201, (1999-below)-$301. $$ Prizes 1-10 listed above, (2400-2499) $1,000, (2300-2399) $1,000-600-400, (2299-below) $1,000-600-400. If a tie for first overall then two (G/10) playoff for $100 from prize fund. (Note: GM/IM w/free entry not eligible for class prizes 2499 and below, may elect to pay entry fee and become eligible). EXPERT: (2000-2199) EF: $122. $$ 2,000-1,000-500-400-300-200-200-(under 2100)-$600. "A" Sec. (1800-1999): EF: $121, $$ 1,800-900-500-400-300-200-200-200-200-200. "B" Sec. (1600-1799): EF: $120, $$ 1,600-800-500-400-300-200-200-200-200-200. "C" Sec. (1400-1599): EF: $119, $$ 1,400-700- 500-400-300-200-200-100-100-100. "D" Sec. (1200-1399): EF: $118, $$ 1,200-600-500-400-300-200-200-100-100-100. "E" Sec. (1199-below): EF: $60 ("E" Sect. entries count as 1/2 paid player toward prize fund), $$ 600-400-300-200-200-100-100-100-100-100. (Unrated Players) EF: Free + must join USCF or increase membership for one additional year thru this tournament ($49 adults, $25 juniors). Prizes: Top unrated in "D" & "E" sections wins one yr. USCF membership plus trophy. Note: Adult unrated will be put in "D" Sect., Junior unrated in "E", unless requested to play up. Seniors additional prizes (65/over): $$ 400-200-100. (Srs. not eligible: provisionally rated, unrated, & masters); Club Championship: $$ 1,000-500-300-200 decided by total score of 10 (and only 10) players from one club or area (not eligible - GMs, IMs, "E"Sec., or unrated). Trophies to top three (A-E Sections). ALL: EF: $11 more if postmarked after 9/22 and $22 more if postmarked after 10/6 or at site. Do not mail after 10/6 or email after 10/9. $20 off EF to Sr. 65/over and Jrs. 19/under. Players may play up. Unrated players not eligible for cash prizes except Open 1-10. Provisionally rated players may win up to 50% of first place money except Open Section 1-10. CCA ratings may be used. Note pairings not changed for color alteration unless three in a row or a plus three and if the unlikely situation occurs three colors in a row may be assigned. Reg.: (10/11) 5-9 pm, (10/12) 8:30-10 am. Rds.: 12-7, 10-6, 9:30-4. Byes available any round (two byes max.) if requested before first round. SIDE EVENTS: Wed. (10/10) 7 pm clock simul, [40/2, G/1] (including an analysis of YOUR game on the next day [Thursday] at 2 pm!), either GM Larry Evans or IM John Donaldson (early entries may request exhibitor, later entries may be assigned), $30 (a great value!). Thursday (10/11) 6-7:30 pm, GM Larry Evans lecture- Free, 7:30 pm, Simul (only $15!) GM Walter Browne, 7:30 pm, Blitz (5 min.)Tourney ($15). Sat. 10/13 (3-4:30 pm), GM Larry Evans Clinic (Game/Position Analysis)- Free. Sun. (10/14) Quick Tourney (G/25), 5 rd. Swiss ($15) [12 (Noon)-5pm] 80% of entries returned as prizes. ENT: Make checks payable and send to: SANDS REGENCY (address above) HR: $39! (Sun-Thurs) & $59 (Fri-Sat) + 13.5% tax. (mention CHE1011 & by 9/29 to guarantee room rates.) INFO: Jerry Weikel wackyykl@aol.com, (775) 747-1405, or website: www.renochess.org/wso (also go here to verify entry). FIDE .W