Chess in Keaau

[birdmove]

By the way, if anyone would like to learn how to play or get some tips on the game, come on by on a Saturday (see above). I would be happy to spend some time if I could be some help. If I'm in the middle of a game I'd have to finish it first.
I've seen quite a few little kids home in on us playing chess and want to find out about it.

jon

Jon in Keaau/HPP

[taropatch]

In August of 1998, the U.S. Open Chess Championship was played at the Kona Surf Resort. I didn't play in it but I checked out the action and watched many of the world's best do battle. For the first time, a woman won the title. Judit Polgar (youngest of the 3 grandmaster sisters) tied for first with Boris Gulko. I almost didn't drive out there from Hilo but I figured it would be my only chance ever to see that level of play.

Sadly the state of chess on the Big Island is not very strong. Maybe this "chess in Keaau" will boost interest. The following link to the Hawaii Chess Federation also shows that the scholastic participation from the neighbor isles is almost nil as I see only representatives from Oahu schools in the scholastic tournament news. Given the population of Oahu and the number of schools, I'd have to say even Oahu's participation in chess could be greatly improved.

http://www.hawaiichess.com/

[birdmove]

If you go to this website:


http://www.hawaiichess.com/

...mentioned by taropatch above, you will see two short articles about the National Open and Hawaii chess players that played there. Scroll down a little for "Seven Hawaii Players at the National Open", and the article above that one is "National Open Results-Players from Hawaii".

I am the only Puna based player that entered the tournament. There is another player in the seven that lives in Kona. The rest, I believe, are from Oahu. I got to meet Dustin Honda and we talked about chess on Oahu and the Big Island. Very nice young man, and he invited me to fly to Oahu for there big annual tournament for three days during Labor Day weekend in September. I believe I will go compete in that one. Though competing will now get a lot tougher for me, as my record at the National Open has pumped me up into the next higher class.
Had a great time in Las Vegas at the tournament that was held at the Riviera. This was my 6th time. There were about 614 players there. That was down from the 1106 at the 2002 event. I came down with a nasty cold just in time for the first days two rounds. Lots of cold medicine and cough drops. I had decided that if I got bad cough or sneezing fits I would have to withdraw because it would be disruptive to the other players, but I was able to control it.
Anyway, though this wasn't an event in Puna, yours truly (a Puna resident and loving it) did enter and compete and won a little bit of money (just covered the air fair) in what I believe may be the largest attended chess tournament in the US. And, despite the 104 degree blast furnace temperatures, I plan to return next June for another go. I asked a cab driver if they ever get and rain in Vegas. He said they get about 2 inches a year!! I think we get that in a half hour in a heavy rain here.

Jon

Jon in Keaau/HPP

[taropatch]

Birdmove, congrats on the 94 point gain on your rating. Back in the 80's the highest my rating ever got was a shade under 1700. I'm a little hesitant on coming out to play as I'm afraid I will get addicted again. Hmmm... if that tourney in Vegas is in June, I might be interested in flying up to the desert with you guys not only for chess but for the World Series of Poker. Winning a little bit of money in chess can make your day -- nice job.

[birdmove]

Our chess club has a few changes starting this last Saturday. First, we have now moved to Pahoa to the Pahoa Neighborhood Facility, at 15-2710 Kauhale Road, P#257;hoa, HI 96778. If you enter Pahoa from the main highway from the end of town where Long's Drugs is, go to Kauhale Road and turn right. That is the street Bank of Hawaii is on. Go just past the Senior Center on your right and turn in to the right. It's in the building just below the skate board park and the children's play park. The hours are now every Saturday from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. We will be happy to give chess lessons for free to anyone wanting to learn how to play, or wanting to learn more advanced play. We can teach you chess notation so that you can go through games from the great players in history and study chess books also. Notation is easy to learn. We had our first tournament while still in Keaau and had twenty players enter. Jim Lee has moved his business to Pahoa also. The club is now called the Big Island Chess Club.

Jon in Keaau/HPP