In the Evanston Chess Tri-Level held March 3, NM Jon Burgess and Matthew Wilber tied for first in the gold section with 3.5 points each. A more decisive outcome may have resulted when the two met in the third round, but Wilber played a conservative line. After much maneuvering the players drew. Greg Bungo and Guy Kittelsen were right on their heels with 3 points each.
In the Silver section, Jay Kushinsky was the winner with three wins and a draw. He attributed his success at the board to a good night's sleep, and playing solid chess instead of going for the quick attack. Bradley Guan, Charles Coffman, and Kymo Alboravas each had three points. Daum Hazners also did well, winning 1.5 games in this section and going one for two in cross-section pairings with Gold section players.
Our Bronze section was the largest it has been in a long time, and included players from Naperville North and Argo Township high schools (an Evanston Township student played in the Silver section), which just goes to show that the IHSA season may be over, but it's never too soon to sharpen the game for next year. Anjan Chittajallu came in clear first with 4.0 points, including a cross-section win against a Silver section player. Dan Margulis was second with 3.5 points. Big rating point gains for the day included Chittajallu and Adrian Villacorta who came into the tournament with low ratings, as well as Charles Coffman in the Silver section who picked up 111 points.
Chess players just can't get enough of the game. Whether their own games are finished or not, they've always got an extra set of eyes for someone else's board. If it's the last game going in the room, it will draw a crowd whether it's board 1 or board 17, as happened today when Dennis Doyle and Adrian Villacorta (pictured) played out their endgame in the bronze section. Why do we watch? Maybe we're testing ourselves: "Will he play Qf6?" Maybe we're cheering for a friend. Or maybe we just want to see how this particular story will come out (Stalemate! Flag Fall! Blunder! Brilliancy!). In case you were wondering, Dennis won.
What else have we been up to at Evanston Chess Club? Weekly Tuesday night attendance is in the range of 14-24, including players at all levels. One of the highlights is our monthly club blitz, a free round-robin unrated G/5 held on the third Tuesday of each month. See our events page for details.
by Maret
Weekly Chess for Adults
Wednesdays at Evanston's Levy Center
NOTE: as of June 15, 2022, masks are NOT required and proof of vaccination will NOT be checked to attend Chess Club. Naturally, this is subject to change as conditions and mandates change. Be a good sport and stay home if you have symptoms or were exposed to COVID. Thanks for your understanding.
Evanston Chess Club meets every Wednesday from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. at the Levy Activity Center, except for the last two Wednesdays of the year when the center is closed.
The club is now a City of Evanston program: There’s now an annual membership fee of $65 for Evanston residents, and $85 for non-residents, good for a full year from the time you sign up. No, it’s not free, but it’s cheap for a weekly activity! Sign up at the Levy Center (300 Dodge Ave., Evanston), or call 847-448-8250.
The club is open to anyone 18 and older. Evanston Chess volunteers continue to run the club. Sets (and some clocks) are supplied. And yes, an optional round-robin blitz tournament will be held the third Wednesday of every month, with inconsequential (usually edible) prizes.
Questions? enter@evanstonchess.org
Chess in Skokie is closed
Due to lack of volunteers and limited attendance, our Tuesday night chess for 55 and up in Skokie has been closed at the request of the Skokie Park District. Please direct any questions or concerns about this to enter@evanstonchess.org. Thanks to the Skokie Park District for their support of this program for almost three years.
Rated Tournaments
Evanston Chess Club runs US Chess-rated tournaments every other month at the Levy Activity Center. These are a separate program from Wednesday night chess. For complete information the the tournaments, see our events calendar here.
NM Todd Freitag vs. Nathan Yamaguchi
Evanston Three x Threel, November 11, 2017, Round 2, Board 1
Photo: Hiro Higuchi
ABOUT US
Evanston Chess offers rated play at our Saturday tournaments, and unrated play for adults 18 and over at Wednesday night chess, where beginners are welcome for slow or fast games as they prefer. Our focus is on enjoying chess, not on prize money. Our club includes ages 18 to over 70, and players from beginners to masters.
Evanston Chess, USCF Affiliate A6027684
Tournament History
Active Players
We meet at (map)
Levy Senior Center, 300 Dodge Ave., Evanston, IL 60202
PLAY CHESS
Open chess every Wednesday from 6:30-9:00 p.m. for players 18 and older. Visit to see if our club is right for you, then sign up for a year membership at $65 for Evanston residents and $85 for non-residents (the entire fee goes to the City of Evanston to pay for our club space). Boards and sets are supplied. The third Wednesday of each month we have a blitz chess round robin for those who want to participate.
We meet at: Levy Senior Center, 300 Dodge Ave., Evanston, IL 60202.