Hales Corners Chess Challenge IX: More Photos!

Hola darlings! I'm taking a break for the moment from yard work! You just would not believe how many nut shells I've raked up thus far - well, that's what I get, feeding 13 squirrels. Anyway, it's such a gorgeous day that instead of painting the bathroom prior to Mr. Don's arrival from Montreal on the 7th, I'm outdoors and at this break I've got the laptop set up on the patio. A wireless connection is a wonderful thing, indeed :) Here are two more photos from the Hales Corners Chess Challenge IX held last Saturday. The top one (at least, I hope it's the top one, I'm not too swift working with a croll pad rather than a mouse) shows the action in Round 3 on the top tables; the other shows some of the chess femmes who attended this tournament in action. Whoa, the wind is starting to pick up, and the lap top is exhibiting signs of wanting to tip over; time to put a jacket on and put the laptop away, and get my butt back to work.

Hales Corners Challenge IX: Interview with Elizabeth Emery

One of the winners of the special prizes funded by Goddesschess for the Hales Corners Challenge IX is Elizabeth Emery (WI 877) (in the green sweater, during action at the HCC IX), who had a tie score with Sandra Pahl in the Reserve Section and were the highest-finishing chess femmes in that section. Elizabeth finished in 9th place in the Reserve section (out of 51 players), with 3.0/4. Sandra finished in 5th place, with 3.0/4. Congratulations, once again, to Sandra and Elizabeth! Here is an email interview Elizabeth Emery was kind enough to do with me. Enjoy, and thanks, Elizabeth! Good luck and wishes for a knock-out performance at the Arpad Elo Open! Q: Your age? A: I am 11. Q: How old were you when you learned to play chess, and who taught you? A: When I was 8, my papa taught me how to play when we would stay at the lake during the summer. Q: How often do you play chess, and where do you play? At a club? School? Online? A: I play at the Mequon Scholastic Chess Club once a week and online two or three nights per week. Q: What kind of chess player would you describe yourself as - serious? More casual? Somewhere in between? A: I am somewhere in between serious and casual. Q: Is there a study program you follow? A: I have lessons a couple times a week with my step-dad and I try to always analyze my games online, win or lose. Q: What are your goals in terms of where you'd like to be with your chess in say, 5 years? A: I would like to be in the top 100 girls in the country. Right now I am trying to get in to the top 100 girls under age 13. Q: How would you describe your style of play? A: I try to be tactical and make every move do something. Q: What's the next event you'll be playing in? A: The Arpad Elo Open on May 16-17 in Pewaukee, WI. I'll play in the Reserve section, though. Q: How do you think more girls and women can be encouraged to play in tournaments? A: Prizes, like the ones funded by GoddessChess.com, which can only be won by girls are nice. Maybe free entries for girls in reserve sections, too. I think when girls see other girls playing and beating boys they are encouraged and may want to play more. If you'd like to publish your best game from the HCC IX with or without a few comments, I'd be happy to put it up at the Goddesschess blog. Here is the game Elizabeth sent me (in PGN) - ah, she's a chess femme after my own heart, she wins with the black pieces against much higher rated Chao Yang (WI 1370): [Event "HCC IX"] [Site "Hales Corners Chess Club"] [Date "2009.04.25"] [Round "4"] [White "Chao Yang"] [Black "Elizabeth Emery"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C50"] [WhiteElo "1370"] [BlackElo "877"] [PlyCount "82"] [TimeControl "G60"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 h6 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. a3 Be7 6. d4 exd4 7. Nxd4 Nxd4 8. Qxd4 O-O 9. g4 c5 10. Qd2 Nxg4 11. Rg1 d6 12. f4 Bh4+ 13. Kd1 Nf2+ 14. Ke2 Bh3 15. f5 Bg4+ 16. Kf1 Qg5 17. Qxf2 Bxf2 18. Bxg5 Bxg1 19. Be7 Rfe8 20. Bxd6 Bd4 21. Re1 b6 22. Bd5 Rad8 23. Bc6 Bxc3 24. bxc3 Rxd6 25. Bxe8 Rd1 26. Bb5 Rxe1+ 27. Kxe1 g6 28. f6 Bf3 29. e5 g5 30. Be2 Bxe2 31. Kxe2 g4 32. Ke3 Kh7 33. Kf4 h5 34. a4 Kg6 35. c4 g3 36. Kxg3 Kf5 37. e6 Kxe6 38. Kh4 Kxf6 39. Kxh5 Kf5 40. Kh6 Kg4 41. Kg7 f5 {White Resigns} 0-1 I love it, I love it, I love it! It is evident from her answer to my last question that Elizabeth has the makings of a diplomat. But maybe she'll become world chess champion before taking up diplomacy as a career. I like how this young lady thinks - she has big plans. One of her goals is to make it into the top 100 U-13 girls in the United States. On the April, 2009 ratings list, #1 has a rating of 1972; #100 has a rating of 1190. Step 1: Get into the Top 100 of U-13 Girls. Step 2: Take over the world (well, okay, I made that part up). Elizabeth, Goddesschess will continue to fund special prizes just for the chess femmes at the Hales Corners Chess Challenges as long as the Southwest Chess Club continues to put on those great events (2x a year). Maybe we'll see you at the Hales Corners Chess Challenge X! Well, you probably won't actually "see" me as I prefer to be The Mysterious Woman in the Background with Cash in Her Pockets... The G-chess Magnificent Four are going to tinker with the funding formula for chess femme prizes a little and (don't tell anyone, this is a big secret) increase the prize fund so that more chess femmes can win some Goddesschess cash! Cash is Queen! Thanks for the interview, Elizabeth! Please let us know how you do in the Arpad Elo Open.

Hales Corners Challenge IX: Goddesschess Prize Winners

Hola! Here is Nicole Niemi, the winner of the Goddesschess cash prize (chess femmes only), Open Section, in the Hales Corners Challenge IX, deep in concentration during a game.

Hales Corners Challenge IX

From USCF, here are excerpted final standings for the Open and Reserve Sections (full final standings) - and I hope I did not miss any of the chess femmes! Final standings, Hales Corners Challenge IX (April 25, 2009): Open Section (56 players) (4 rounds): 1 MESGEN AMANOV 3.5 (IL 2391) 22 NICOLE NIEMI 2.0 WI (1861) (Winner of Goddesschess prize $65) Reserve Section (51 players) (4 rounds): 1 ADEM MUSIC 4.0 IL (1594) 5 SANDRA R PAHL 3.0 WI (1372) (50% of Goddesschess prize $20) 10 ELIZABETH CATHERINE EMERY 3.0 WI (877) (50% of Goddesschess prize $20) 13 JOANNA HUANG 2.5 WI (1462) 27 ALENA HUANG 2.0 WI (1260) 29 RACHEL J ULRICH 2.0 IL (1187) 37 DANAE MALISSA ALEXANDER 1.5 WI (810) 43 STEPHANIE MARIE YAHR 1.0 WI (881) 45 CLAUDIA JOY SCHNEIDER 1.0 WI (718) 46 SUSANNA KRIVULIS 1.0 WI )662P5) 49 ISABELLA ILCHENKO 0.5 WI (425P25) Congratulations to the winners of the Goddesschess prizes! Assuming I have all of the chess femmes named above who participated in the HCC IX (11), there was an overall participation rate of 10.28% for the chess femmes, with strong participation in the Reserve section of 19.61%. Hmmm, with so many chess femmes playing in the Reserve section, we may need to rethink our prize structure a bit. Well, with our Goddesschess anniversary get-together coming up shortly in New York (May 12-19), that will be added to our agenda for discussion. We would really like to see more chess femmes participate in the Open, but we were absolutely delighted to see so many chess femmes come out to play in the Reserve. What to do, what to do... Stay tuned for the Hales Corners Challenge X!!!

Hales Corners Challenge IX

OHMYGODDESS! The thunderstorms are thundering, the house is shaking, the lightning is flashing and my lights are flashing too, but I am one happy chess femme tonight, darlings! First report fresh from the "Getting to 2000" blog about the Hales Corners Challenge IX, which took place earlier today in Milwaukee, Wisconsin: History: number of players (open+reserve) and the winner(s): HCC IX...04/2009 (56+51=107)AMANOV, YOUNG, SANTARIUS, KOHLENBERG GM Amanov wins the Open! Nearly as many players in the reserve as the Open! 107 players! WOW! This turn-out totally smashed all prior participant records (information thanks to Ivan's post): HCC VIII.10/2008 (33+32=65) TATE,YOUNG,TENNANT,BECKER HCC VII..04/2008 (22+30=52) BURGESS,TENNANT,PARKER HCC VI...10/2007 (30+32=62) TENNANT, BREIDER,SANTARIUS HCC V....04/2007 (40+22=62) TATE,STAMNOV HCC IV...11/2006 (23+26=49) STAMNOV HCC III..04/2006 (28+17=45) TENNANT HCC II...10/2005 (20+18=38) BURGESS,BECKER HCC I....04/2005 (34+36=70) BETANELI Thanks and smooches to Ivan for posting the news - he's up tonight as late as I am (it's now 12:24 a.m. Milwaukee time). I will be receiving more information and photos from Allen Becker and will post it all here. Darlings, I cannot tell you how thrilled I am about this turn-out! The last report I had was 70 pre-registered - and to have 107 participants today! I can't wait to see how many chess femmes played and who won the Goddesschess prize money. Oh, I'm so happy happy happy, dancing in my chair happy - okay, time to get up and dance around the den - thank Goddess no one can see me! LOL!

Hales Corners Challenge IX

Hola! I checked my email this morning and received notice from Allen Becker of the Southwest Chess Club that all pre-registration records for the Hales Corners Challenge have been smashed - 78 pre-registered!!!!! The highest previous number of attendees was 70. FABULOSO! There may also be a GM playing - Allen writes "last night GM Mesgen Amanov says he is coming to play." If so, there will be seven masters playing. I am like sitting here in my office typing this, jumping up and down in my chair - good thing no one can see me. I am unable to attend, but as soon as I get my hot little hands on photos they'll be published here, and hopefully I'll be able to bring you question/answer interviews with the winning chess femmes! Good luck to all of the players tomorrow and especially the chess femmes :)

Hales Corners Challenge IX

Hola darlings! The HCC IX, April 25, 2009, has gone international with publicity on the Susan Polgar Chess Daily News and Information blog, popular world-wide! The HCC IX is worth 10 Grand Prix points in the national GP sponsored by World Chess Live, with cash and merchandise prizes totally $25,000 for the 2009 cycle! Goddesschess "adopted" the Southwest Chess Club last year, and sponsored some prizes in the Hales Corners Challenge VIII. We're pleased to be back this year for the HCC IX, with an emphasis on encouraging all you chess femmes out there to come and play in this fantastic regional event. To that end, we're sponsoring prizes just for you. I was informed earlier today that there are already 60 pre-registered players - including 9 chess femmes! Way to go! (HCC VIII had 65 players total, including pre-registered and day-of registrations). Goddesschess particularly hopes that chess femmes will come out for this event! Can we get a couple more of you to come out and play in the Open Section??? (Psssst, the more chess femmes who come out this year will just encourage us to make our prize sponsorship larger for the HCC X). The Wyndham Milwaukee Airport Hotel (formerly known as the Four Points Sheraton), is a very nice hotel and has comfortable, first-class facilities for hosting the HCC IX. I've visited there many times for various events over the years and can say with confidence that the surroundings are very nicely decorated, clean, spacious, and the staff is gracious and top-notch. You'll be very comfortable playing at the Wyndham Milwaukee Airport Hotel. Who knows? Maybe I'll put in an appearance - I'll be that mysterious dark-haired woman of a certain age going crazy taking photos with her digital camera...

Hales Corners Challenge IX

Hola! My adopted club, the Southwest Chess Club, is hosting the Hales Corners Challenge IX. Here is the flyer info: Hales Corners Challenge IX Sponsored by The Southwest Chess Club Saturday, April 25, 2009 Two Sections – Open & Reserve (Under 1600) FORMAT: Four Round Swiss System - Four Games in One Day - USCF Rated TIME LIMIT: Game in One Hour (60 minutes per player) ENTRY FEE: $35 – Open; $25 – Reserve (both sections $5 more after April 22, 2009) Comp Entry Fee for USCF 2200+: Entry fee subtracted from any prizes won SITE REGISTRATION: 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. ROUNDS: 10 am -- 1 pm -- 3:30 pm -- 6 pm Pairings by WinTD---No Computer Entries---No Smoking PRIZES OPEN RESERVE 1st—$325* 1st—$100 2nd—$175* 2nd—$75 A—$100 D—$50 B & Below—$75 E & Below—$40* Prize fund in each section is based on minimum of 25 players in that section; however 1st and 2nd prizes in Open Section are guaranteed Additional $105 in prizes from Goddesschess.com for best results by female players Tournament Director: Robin Grochowski Assistant Tournament Directors: Tom Fogec & Allen Becker SITE: Wyndham Milwaukee Airport Hotel—4747 S. Howell Avenue—Milwaukee—414-481-8000(formerly known as Four Points Sheraton, across street from airport) ENTRIES TO: Allen Becker—6105 Thorncrest Drive—Greendale, WI 53129 allenbecker@wi.rr.com QUESTIONS TO: Robin Grochowski—414-744-4872 (home) or 414-861-2745 (cell) USCF I.D. Required -- Bring your own clocks – Sets and Boards ProvidedHalf point bye available in round 1, 2 or 3 if requested prior to round 1. Round 4 bye not available.

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We hope the special prizes just for the ladies will encourage them to compete in this fab event! Goddesschess funded special prizes for the Hales Corners Challenge VIII held in October, 2008. You can find an entry form at Southwest Chess Club's website.

Southwest Chess Club Upcoming Events

Hola darlings! Good news - several upcoming events at my adopted chess club, Southwest Chess Club: THIS THURSDAY NIGHT - Blitz Chess Event ! Snowstorm Blitz-A-Matic: February 26 10-Round (Round-Robin) in One or more Sections (depending onnumber of players). Game/5 minutes. USCF Quick-Rated. EF: $5 members, $7 others. TD is Becker; ATD is Grochowski. Note that we are still meeting at our new location: The Southwest Chess Club meets every Thursday night from 6:00 PM at the St. James Catholic Church in the lower level of the Parish Center building (immediately in front of the church). The address is 7219 South 27th Street in Franklin. The club opens at 6 PM, Tournament Games at 7 PM. Here is a map to the club. We are just south of Rawson on 27th, and close to I-94 in Franklin. Other upcoming events: Lion-In and Lamb-Out Swiss: March 5, 12, 26 & April 24 Round Swiss in Two Sections (Open and U1600). Game/100 minutes. USCF Rated. EF: $5 members, $7 others. (One ½ Point Bye Available for any round (except round four) if requested at least 2-days prior to round). TD is Grochowski; ATD is Fogec. NOTE: This tournament takes a 1-week break in the middle, for the March 19th Annual Meeting. Annual SWCC Meeting: March 19 Casual chess after meeting. Melting Ice Action III: April 9 Round Swiss in Two Sections (G/30 Minutes and G/29 Minutes). USCF Rated. EF: $5 members, $7 others. (½ Point Bye available for only first round if requested prior to round) TD is Becker; ATD is Grochowski. Hales Corners Challenge IX: April 25, 2009 (Saturday) USCF Grand Prix Points: 104SS, G/60. 2 Sections: Open & Reserve (under 1600). Wyndham Milwaukee Airport Hotel—4747 S. Howell Avenue—Milwaukee—414-481-8000 (formerly known as Four Points Sheraton, across street from airport). EF: $35-Open, $25-Reserve, both $5 more after 4/22. Comp EF for USCF 2200+, contact TD for details. $$ Open (b/25)=1st-$325 (guaranteed), 2nd-$175 (guaranteed), A-$100, B & Below-$75; $$ Reserve b/25) =1st-$100, 2nd-$75, D-$50, E & Below-$40. Reg: 8:30-9:30, Rds: 10-1-3:30-6. Ent: Payable to SWCC, c/o Allen Becker, 6105 Thorncrest Drive, Greendale, WI 53129 ( allenbecker@wi.rr.com ). QUESTIONS TO: TD Robin Grochowski—414-744-4872 (home) or414-861-2745 (cell) Goddesschess is once again sponsoring some special prizes for the Hales Corners Challenge IX for chess femmes, so do come out ladies, sign up and play, you may win a Goddesschess cash prize:

• For best female finisher in the Open section, $65
• If there is only 1 CF in the Open, then she gets the prize no matter where she finishes, simply for playing in the Open!
• For best female finisher in the Reserve section $40
• If there are no female players in the Open, the prize money will go to best 3 female finishers in the Reserve section: $40/35/30
• If there are only 2 CFs in the Reserve, then money is split $60/45.

Hales Corners Challenge IX

Hola everyone! My adopted chess club will be hosting THE spring chess event in the Milwaukee area on April 25, 2009! Hales Corners Challenge IX Sponsored by The Southwest Chess Club Saturday, April 25, 2009 Two Sections – Open & Reserve (Under 1600) FORMAT: Four Round Swiss System - Four Games in One Day USCF Rated TIME LIMIT: Game in One Hour (60 minutes per player) ENTRY FEE: $35 – Open; $25 – Reserve (both sections $5 more after April 22, 2009) Comp Entry Fee for USCF 2200+: Entry fee subtracted from any prizes won SITE REGISTRATION: 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. ROUNDS: 10 am -- 1 pm -- 3:30 pm -- 6 pm Pairings by WinTD---No Computer Entries---No Smoking PRIZES OPEN RESERVE 1st—$325* 1st—$100 2nd—$175* 2nd—$75 A—$100 D—$50 B & Below—$75 E & Below—$40 * Prize fund in each section is based on minimum of 25 players in that section; however 1st and 2nd prizes in Open Section are guaranteed Tournament Director: Robin Grochowski Assistant Tournament Directors: Tom Fogec & Allen Becker SITE: Wyndham Milwaukee Airport Hotel—4747 S. Howell Avenue—Milwaukee—414-481-8000 (formerly known as Four Points Sheraton, across street from airport) ENTRIES TO: Allen Becker—6105 Thorncrest Drive—Greendale, WI 53129 allenbecker@wi.rr.com QUESTIONS TO: Robin Grochowski—414-744-4872 (home) or 414-861-2745 (cell) USCF I.D. Required -- Bring your own clocks – Sets and Boards Provided Half point bye available in round 1, 2 or 3 if requested prior to round 1. Round 4 bye not available. _____________________________________________________________________________ Checks payable to Southwest Chess Club (Please indicate section desired) __Open Section __Reserve Section Name: __________________________________________________ USCF ID#: ________________ Rating: _________ Expire Date: ___________ Address: ______________________________________ City: _____________________ State: _______ Zip: _________ Phone: __________________ e-mail Address: _______________________ 10 GRAND PRIX PTS. WCA TOUR EVENT

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NEWS! To promote more chess femmes playing in this event, Goddesschess will once again be sponsoring special prizes just for the ladies. Details to follow! Come on chess femmes! Please sign up and play in this great event. Who knows, I may even show up in person, and you'll see that yes, I am actually a real, live person trying to grow out a mistake-in-judgment haircut, and not just a Phantom (Phantomness?) of the Internet...