Dallas Chess Club
Encyclopedia
The Dallas Chess Club is one of the major chess
organizations in the United States, with approximately 300 members, including a number of FIDE masters
such as: Grandmaster Alejandro Ramírez, GM Amon Simutowe
, IM Jacek Stopa, IM Marko Zivanic, IM John Bartholomew, FM Keaton Kiewra, FM Keith Hayward, FM Darwin Yang, CM Tommy He, and WCM Sarah Chiang. There is also a number of US Chess Federation (USCF) masters such as: Mihail Bantic, Austen Green, Jimmy Heiserman, Adarsh Jayakumar, Nelson Lopez, Jarod Pamatmat, and Abhishek Mallela. International Master (IM) Stopa is the club's most prominent member, as he tied for first place at the US Open
in Indianapolis during August 2009. Historically, the club's most famous member was Ken Smith
for whom the Smith-Morra Gambit
is named, and the DCC hosts an annual tournament in his honor. In 2010, DCC hosted the state chess tournament.
In 2009 the DCC hosted the annual Southwest Open, which in September 2009 had 240 players and was won by IM Gergely Antal. The club also has several smaller tournaments every week, with approximately one hundred participants during the weekly event on Friday night. This makes DCC arguably the most active club in the United States, with more than twice as many regulars as New York's Marshall Chess Club
. Indeed, the DCC has been described as "one of the most active chess clubs" in publications by the USCF. This sentiment is echoed in one unaffiliated chess blog which in 2008 declared the DCC to be "one of the most active clubs in the nation with over 2000 events hosted since 1991." Part of the reason for this success has been the chess program at the nearby University of Texas at Dallas
, which is helmed by Director James Stallings, team coach IM Rade Milovanovic, (who tied for first in the 2008 US Open in Dallas), assistant director Luis Salinas of the DCC, and senior lecturer Alexey Root
(a former US women's national champion). The DCC is affiliated with the UTD Team, which is the nation's top-ranking collegiate team, and regularly hosts them in tournaments. The DCC also has local affiliates in the nearby cities of Fort Worth
, Denton
, Lewisville
, and Plano
.
The club employs two fulltime tournament directors. Senior Tournament Director Luis Salinas has directed 1938 tournaments and 4477 sections, while Senior Tournament Director Rob Jones has directed 574 tournaments and 1093 sections. Dallas Chess club also hosts Robert Smeltzer, who set the world record in 1995 for playing the most rated chess games in a single year, for a total of 2266. Smeltzer was subsequently featured on the cover of the official USCF monthly magazine, Chess Life
. He died in March 2010. In addition, the DCC hosts a number of adolescents who are ranked among the top 10 in the world for their age, this includes CM Tommy He, Jonathan Chiang, WCM Sarah Chiang, Jeffery Xiong, Andy Shao, FM Darwin Yang, Jarod Pamatmat, and a number of others. In 2007, Sarah Chiang received the silver medal at the World Youth Chess Championship
held in Turkey. In 2008, Darwin Yang was the nation's top 11-year-old. In 2009, more than a dozen of the USCF's 58-member World Youth team were also members of the Dallas Chess Club. Also in 2007 and 2009, the DCC hosted the Girls National Championships, in conjunction with the Kasparov Chess Foundation. Furthermore, the DCC hosts the annual state scholastic tournament for elementary, high-school, and college students.
Chess
Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
organizations in the United States, with approximately 300 members, including a number of FIDE masters
Chess master
A chess master is a chess player of such skill that he/she can usually beat chess experts, who themselves typically prevail against most amateurs. Among chess players, the term is often abbreviated to master, the meaning being clear from context....
such as: Grandmaster Alejandro Ramírez, GM Amon Simutowe
Amon Simutowe
----Amon Simutowe is a Zambian International Grandmaster of the Fédération Internationale des Échecs or World Chess Federation. He currently resides in Oxford, where he is studying for the MSc in Economics for Development.- Childhood and early career :Amon's mother died before his second birthday...
, IM Jacek Stopa, IM Marko Zivanic, IM John Bartholomew, FM Keaton Kiewra, FM Keith Hayward, FM Darwin Yang, CM Tommy He, and WCM Sarah Chiang. There is also a number of US Chess Federation (USCF) masters such as: Mihail Bantic, Austen Green, Jimmy Heiserman, Adarsh Jayakumar, Nelson Lopez, Jarod Pamatmat, and Abhishek Mallela. International Master (IM) Stopa is the club's most prominent member, as he tied for first place at the US Open
U.S. Open Chess Championship
The U.S. Open Championship is an open national chess championship that has been held in the United States annually since 1900.-History:Through 1938, the tournaments were organized by the Western Chess Association and its successor, the American Chess Federation .The United States Chess Federation ...
in Indianapolis during August 2009. Historically, the club's most famous member was Ken Smith
Ken Smith
Ken Smith grew up in Iowa, and attended Iowa State University, where he graduated with a Bachelor’s of Landscape Architecture in 1976. After graduation, he apprenticed with sculptor Paul Shao, and worked for the Iowa Conservation Commission in Parks and Recreation Planning...
for whom the Smith-Morra Gambit
Smith-Morra Gambit
In chess, the Smith–Morra Gambit is an opening gambit against the Sicilian Defence distinguished by the moves:The Smith–Morra is not common in grandmaster games, but at club level chess it can be an excellent weapon.-History:...
is named, and the DCC hosts an annual tournament in his honor. In 2010, DCC hosted the state chess tournament.
In 2009 the DCC hosted the annual Southwest Open, which in September 2009 had 240 players and was won by IM Gergely Antal. The club also has several smaller tournaments every week, with approximately one hundred participants during the weekly event on Friday night. This makes DCC arguably the most active club in the United States, with more than twice as many regulars as New York's Marshall Chess Club
Marshall Chess Club
The Marshall Chess Club in New York City is one of the oldest chess clubs in the United States, located in Greenwich Village. The club was formed in 1915 by a group of players led by Frank Marshall. It is a non-profit organization.-History:...
. Indeed, the DCC has been described as "one of the most active chess clubs" in publications by the USCF. This sentiment is echoed in one unaffiliated chess blog which in 2008 declared the DCC to be "one of the most active clubs in the nation with over 2000 events hosted since 1991." Part of the reason for this success has been the chess program at the nearby University of Texas at Dallas
University of Texas at Dallas
The University of Texas at Dallas, also referred to as UT Dallas or UTD, is a public research university in the University of Texas System. The main campus is in the heart of the Richardson, Texas, Telecom Corridor, north of downtown Dallas...
, which is helmed by Director James Stallings, team coach IM Rade Milovanovic, (who tied for first in the 2008 US Open in Dallas), assistant director Luis Salinas of the DCC, and senior lecturer Alexey Root
Alexey Root
Alexey Wilhelmina Root , is a chess player, teacher, and writer, who was the 1989 U.S. Women's Chess Champion. She holds the title of Woman International Master, and received a Ph.D...
(a former US women's national champion). The DCC is affiliated with the UTD Team, which is the nation's top-ranking collegiate team, and regularly hosts them in tournaments. The DCC also has local affiliates in the nearby cities of Fort Worth
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
, Denton
Denton, Texas
The city of Denton is the county seat of Denton County, Texas in the United States. Its population was 119,454 according to the 2010 U.S. Census, making it the eleventh largest city in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex...
, Lewisville
Lewisville, Texas
Lewisville is a city in Denton County in the U.S. state of Texas. The 2010 United States Census placed the population at 95,290 within . The city also includes of Lewisville Lake....
, and Plano
Plano, Texas
Plano is a city in the state of Texas, located mostly within Collin County. The city's population was 259,841 at the 2010 census, making it the ninth-largest city in Texas and the 71st most populous city in the United States. Plano is located within the metropolitan area commonly referred to as...
.
The club employs two fulltime tournament directors. Senior Tournament Director Luis Salinas has directed 1938 tournaments and 4477 sections, while Senior Tournament Director Rob Jones has directed 574 tournaments and 1093 sections. Dallas Chess club also hosts Robert Smeltzer, who set the world record in 1995 for playing the most rated chess games in a single year, for a total of 2266. Smeltzer was subsequently featured on the cover of the official USCF monthly magazine, Chess Life
Chess Life
Chess Life is a monthly chess magazine published in the United States. The official publication of the United States Chess Federation , it reaches more than a quarter of a million readers every month. A subscription to Chess Life is one of the benefits of Full Adult, Youth, or Life membership in...
. He died in March 2010. In addition, the DCC hosts a number of adolescents who are ranked among the top 10 in the world for their age, this includes CM Tommy He, Jonathan Chiang, WCM Sarah Chiang, Jeffery Xiong, Andy Shao, FM Darwin Yang, Jarod Pamatmat, and a number of others. In 2007, Sarah Chiang received the silver medal at the World Youth Chess Championship
World Youth Chess Championship
The World Youth Chess Championship is a chess competition for girls and boys under the age of 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 and 18.The first predecessor of the youth championship was the Cadet Championship. It started off unofficially in 1974 in France for players under 18. The 1975 and 1976 editions were also...
held in Turkey. In 2008, Darwin Yang was the nation's top 11-year-old. In 2009, more than a dozen of the USCF's 58-member World Youth team were also members of the Dallas Chess Club. Also in 2007 and 2009, the DCC hosted the Girls National Championships, in conjunction with the Kasparov Chess Foundation. Furthermore, the DCC hosts the annual state scholastic tournament for elementary, high-school, and college students.