Chess Club Holds Tournament

More than 100 chess players from around the country gathered at Lowell Hall this weekend for the 26th annual Harvard Open chess tournament.

Sergey Kudrin and Alexander Ivanov went home tired but happy last night, having won all four of their matches to tie for first place in the tournament's uppermost division and splitting a cash prize of $450.

Jacob Chudnovsky '01 was one of six competitors tied for second place in the same division. Chudnovsky declined comment.

Christopher M. Dingle, an extension school student who won three of his four matches and placed first in the middle division, said he enjoys chess more for its artistic value than its scientific. "There are many beautiful things that can happen on the chess board," he said. "It's nice to be able to create those and then execute them."

The Harvard Chess Club planned the two-day event, which ended late last night. The tournament, advertised in national chess magazines, was open to the public and drew 110 adult competitors.

New Englanders made up most of the competitors, but others joined them from as far away as Texas. Ten Harvard undergraduates and five graduate students also competed.

Entrants could choose to play at one of three levels based on their rank with the United States Chess Federation.

Chess Club President Shearwood "Woody" McClelland '00 said he was enthusiastic about the level of competition.

"We have two grand masters in this tournament, and there are only 400 in the world," he said.

Cash prizes were awarded to top players in all three levels. The top prize in the uppermost level was $450; in the middle level, $200, and in the lower level $125. The total amount of prizes awarded was $1,650.

McClelland said the Harvard open is an especially appealing tournament because the prize amounts are fixed at the beginning of the tournament, and not contingent on the number of entrants, as they are at most tournaments.

The club lost money last year because of the fixed system, though this year's tournament yielded a profit.

An entry fee of $39 was charged to all but Harvard affiliates, who paid $4.

The rest of the funds were used for cash prizes.

The tournament consisted of four rounds, one at 10:00 a.m. and one at 4:30 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday.

Players played all four rounds and gained a point for each win and half a point for each game tied.

The chess club has about 25 members who attend their weekly meetings, up from just five last year.

It is open to all Harvard undergraduates and holds weekly meetings. Members play games against each other, give lessons to other players and compete in tournaments and matches.

The club's annual match against Yale, which Harvard has won the past six years, is held the morning of The Game.

McClelland, the first black club president, said he would like to expose more people to the game, especially minorities.

With this in mind, the club plans to introduce "quick chess" tournaments, played in just 10 minutes, in order to involve players who would not have time for longer matches, like this weekend's six hour rounds.

McClelland said the game cultivates important skills and respect from others.

"I once spent 90 minutes just thinking about one move," he said. "[Chess is] held in high regard because it requires patience and discipline."

The third-annual Harvard Open Scholastic tournament, open to children in grades K-12, was also held at Lowell Hall this weekend. About 45 children competed. No cash prizes were awarded to players in this division.

More information about the club can be found at the club's Web site, http://hcs.harvard.edu/hcc.