Hales Corners Chess Challenge XIII - Final Update!

The final results/standings have been posted at the USCF website.  Final tally of players:  105!  This is just two players short of the highest-ever registration in Challenge IX in April, 2009.  Several photographs from Challenge XIII have been posted at the Southwest Chess Club's blog. Goddesschess' heartfelt thanks to Southwest Chess Club for once again putting on a fine event and congratulations to all of the winners.

There was a four-way tie for first place in the Open:

I hope I did not miss any chess femmes - here are the ones I have for the Open:
42 | TEJA KARIMIKONDA               |1.5  |L  24|D  20|L  43|B   0|
   WI | 14212197 / R: 1108  - 1138 
      |            Q:  882   - 921
  48 | PATRICE B CONNELLY             |1.0  |L  45|L  34|W  57|L  28|
   IL | 12728968 / R: 1587  - 1564
      |            Q: 1181  - 1203
 50 | RACHEL J ULRICH                |1.0  |W  56|L  16|L  26|L  29|
   IL | 13384485 / R: 1493  - 1508
      |            Q: 1440  - 1449
  53 | SANDRA R PAHL                  |1.0  |L  40|W  56|L  11|L  30|
   WI | 10318033 / R: 1349   ->1381
      |            Q: 1258  - 1281

Each win by a woman in the Open won $40 and each draw won $20 from Goddesschess. In addition, should the top female scorer choose to enter Challenge XIV, Goddesschess will pay her entry fee.

Reserve Section:

The ladies:

  8 | SUSANNA G ULRICH               |3.0  |W  38|L  19|W  20|W  21|
   IL | 13498414 / R: 1234  - 1361
      |            Q: 1059  - 1227 
48 | REBECCA RHEA MACKEY            |0.0  |L  17|L  42|L  39|L  44|
   WI | 14563835 / R:  363P7 - 351P11
      |            Q:  346P7 - 186P11

If she chooses to enter Challenge XIV, Goddesschess will pay Ms. Susana Ulrich's entry fee as her prize for finishing as top female scorer in the Reserve Section.

Congratulations to the ladies!  You go girls! 

Second Best Turnout Ever for Hales Corners Chess Challenge XIII!

Whoopee!  Highest attendance ever was 107 players at Hales Corners Challenge IX.  Challenge XIII produced 102 players!

Three chess femmes (as far as I can tell from their names only) in the Open - results after R3:

Patrice Connelly IL 1574 1.0/3 (she's already won $40 for her win)
Rachel Ulrich IL 1462 1.0/3 (ditto)
Sandra Pahl WI 1380 1.0/3 (ditto)

(Added April 18, 2011:  Teja Karimikonda also played in the open and finished in 42nd place with 1.5.  And so, there were four ladies who played in the Open.  Outstanding!)

Total players in Open:  57.

Two chess femmes (as far as I can tell from their names only) in the Reserve - results after R3:

Susanna Ulrich IL 1229 2.0/3
Rebecca Mackey WI unr 0.0/3

Top female finishers in each section will have their entry fee paid for the next Challenge in the event they choose to enter. Stay tuned...

Hales Corners Chess Challenge XIII

There is still plenty of time to register for this all-in-one-day event in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, my hometown!  Check out the flyer for the particulars.  Worth 10 USCF Grand Prix points AND a Wisconsin Chess Association Tour event!

Goddesschess will pay the entry fee for the top female finishers in both the Open and Reserve sections for Challenge XIV, should they choose to enter.  Cash prizes for all females playing in the Open:  $40 for a win; $20 for a draw. 

Attendance records were smashed for Challenge IX two years ago, in April 2009, with 107 players!  The last two Challengex (XI and XII) each saw 78 players participate.  So far, so good!  There are 62 players pre-registered. Traditionally, there is a good walk-up turn-out on the day of the Challenge.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed and wishing for the best turn-out ever!

The playing venue is the Wyndham Milwaukee Airport Hotel, 4747 South Howell Avenue, Milwaukee, WI (414) 481-8000 (mention chess rate $59).

Plan for a great day of chess, competition, and comraderie.  You can have your games analyzed in the skittles room by Life Master Sheldon Gelbart throughout the tournament! 



I'm the um, "mature" beauty :)  I look like I'm about to fall asleep
and those infamous "chipmunk cheeks" of mine are in full view.
Not the most flattering photo, especially next to the lovely Shira Evans
of  Computer Labs 4 Kids!  Oh well.  It was a long day and I was
exhausted for Game 4, which did not last very long.  I just wanted
 to go home.  I still did manage to whip up a gourmet meal when we
finally got there!  Note to self: never wear my hair short again.'
Ohmygoddess. Inside beats the heart of an 18 year old. 

 I will not, alas (cough cough), be able to repeat my performance from Challenge XII (zero wins, zero draws) at Challenge XIII.  I'd planned on it and had even drafted my sometimes significant other, Mr. Don, into coming to Milwaukee to suffer mutual humiliation with me; but after we received news that Shira Evans, my chess bud, was getting married, we changed our plans.  Shira also played in Challenge XII and did very well - it had been her first tournament in several years and she had a little rust but she won 2 of her 4 games against stronger players and finished at 50%.  She's currently listed in the USCF's active top 100 female chessplayers in the United States!  Hooray, Shira!

Hales Corners Chess Challenge XIII!

It's coming!  April 16, 2011 will be here in 30 days (hurray!) hopefully along with some balmy spring weather :)

The Challenge is grueling -- at least, I found it so - 4 games in one day!  Challenge XII was my introduction (crash-course) into the world of tournament chess, something I'd not done before and may never do again :)

Seriously, I had a great time and it was extremely educational to see what it's actually like to participate in a tournament and see how everything works.

We want to see Challenge XIII the biggest and best yet!  The Challenge is part of the Wisconsin Tour and also worth 10 USCF Grand Prix points. Flyer and information. 

Guaranteed prizes (higher amounts possible based on actual attendance):

In addition, Goddesschess is sponsoring prizes of $40 for each and every win and $20 for each and every draw by all chess femmes playing in the Open.  As in prior years, we will also pay the entry fee for the top female finishers in the Open and Reserve sections should they choose to play in the next Challenge. 

Hales Corners Challenge XIII!

It will be here before you know it!

2 Sections: Open & Reserve (under 1600).
Location: Wyndham Milwaukee Airport Hotel—4747 S. Howell Avenue, Milwaukee—414-481-8000 (mention Southwest Chess Club for $59 room rate).

EF: $35-Open, $25-Reserve, both $5 more after 4/13. Comp EF for USCF 2200+, contact TD for details. $$ Open=1st-$325 (guaranteed), 2nd-$175 (guaranteed), A-$100, B & Below-$75; $$ Reserve =1st-$100, 2nd-$75, D-$50, E & Below-$40.

Goddesschess prizes for female chess players.

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.

QUESTIONS TO: TD Robin Grochowski, 414-861-2745 (cell)

*****************************************************************************

Goddesschess has funded prizes for female players since Challenge VIII.  For Challenge XIII, we have a new prize structure.

For every female player in the Open, $40 for each win by a femme and $20 for each draw.  There are no prizes for the Reserve Section.  In addition, Goddesschess will continue its tradition of paying the entry fee for the top-finishing female player in the Open and the Reserve for the next Challenge, should they choose to play. 

We hope to see a great chess femme turn-out for Challenge XIII.  Take a chance, play in the Open - have some fun and maybe win some nice money, too.  Good luck! 

Southwest Chess Club Action!

Hola!  No chess club this Thursday, December 30.  But - 2011 starts out with a great event!  Play your way through it during the entire month of January --

Ice on Lake Michigan Swiss: January 6, 13, 20 & 27

4-Round Swiss in Two Sections (Open and U1600).

Game/100 minutes. USCF Rated. EF: $5. (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

Tom Fogec/President/Southwest Chess Club/414-425-6742As always, you can find more information on current and future tournaments at Southwest Chess Club at its website. 

Hales Corners Chess Challenge XIII!!!!!

Shortly after Challenge XII in October - an announcement about Hales Corners Chess Challenge XIII was heralded, setting the date:  April 16, 2011!

HCCC XII was the very first tournament I ever played in and I swore it would be my last.  Dare I call it a traumatic experience? I had so much fun!  Maybe semi-traumatic is more apt - I didn't even score a draw, which was my goal. There's nothing like a woman of a certain age losing to such youngsters to deflate one's chessplaying ego, let me tell you, darlings.  They were all the merest infants (ahem)...

Challenge XIII (thirteen just happens to be a very important number of the Goddess) will be played at a familiar venue -- Wyndham Milwaukee Airport Hotel, 4747 S. Howell Avenue, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 

Since that number - 13 - is sooooo important, Goddesschess is planning some special stuff. Well, we think it's special stuff.  Stay tuned as more details will be revealed the closer we get to XIII!