Last updated June 12, 1997
The Chess'n Math Association hosts an annual tournament for young people each year. The champions at each grade level compete against their peers in a tournament. This year it was held in Montréal. And the Nova Scotia Team was there!
Front Left to Right: Anthony Federico, Stefan Bjorson, Ian MacMullin, Igor Geshelim, Chris Witters, Iahn Mahar.
Back Left to Right: Jarrett Gabriel, Mathew Furrow, Billy McGee, Cedric Davies, Tyler Reddy, Jason Kenney.
Photo by David Kenney. Click on the image for a larger view!
Matthew Furrow mfurrow.hgs@hgs.ednet.ednet.ns.ca reported on the Canadian Chess Challenge Nationals, held May 18 and 19 in Montréal hosted by the Chess'n Math Association. Mathew says "Well, we finished LAST! Yay! Oh, well, we finished just 1 point behind P.E.I.":
"Tyler finished with 6 out of 9... he drew Stefanie Chu to do it, too... Cedric Davies finished with 5 in Grade 12... coming I think in 4th. I personally beat B.C.'s Shahin Mohammad Nabi in our match against B.C.... but it's active, so anything can happen. I only finished with 3 points, with tough competition, including Igor Zugic and Danny Goldenberg. Poor Billy McGee, our Grade 11, had to play Andrew Ho... ah, well, he didn't lose badly at all..."
Looking at the Chess'n Math report, our team had really tough competition. On an individual basis here's how our team did:
Nova Scotia Team member Tyler Reddy jbreddy@ibm.net writes: First congratulations to the N.S. team on their recent win in the match against N.B.
I had my fifteen minutes of fame in Montreal at the Nationals and it was great fun and to be truthful I enjoyed the people as much as the chess!
I would like to thank Kim Tufts for all his efforts especially for all the tournaments he held prior to the Nationals. It took a great deal of his time and patience and I for one really appreciated it. I never missed one and they were such a great help.
Please allow me to thank Jim Brennan as I could always count on him being there if nobody else came and playing a person of his caliber in chess helped me tremendously.
Cedric Davies was good enough to play me extra games before going to Montreal and I have already thanked him privately but he deserves a public thank you as well.
Lastly but most importantly I would like to thank Rob Villeneuve for his great teaching. He is certainly a man with a lot of achievements and in my opinion a true gentleman.
Kim Tufts an169@chebucto.ns.ca comments, "Our result this year was kind of disappointing because I felt we had the potential to score about 36 and finish as high as eighth. I still think this year's team overall was stronger than in the previous two years I've been involved with the Chess Challenge. There is a good nucleus of kids now and I wouldn't be surprised if NS scores at least 40 points next year." "Some reasons for the result were expected as certain kids were overmatched in their grades. Others lost confidence and didn't play anywhere near their capabilities. And of course inexperience at a national chess event played a part as some kids looked overwhelmed." "We also had some very bad luck with disasters against Newfoundland and PEI where we scored much less than expected, losing won games, stalemating, flagging, etc etc." "The results for the other Atlantic provinces may have been worse though, put in context. Nfld scored 10 pts less than last year; PEI 8.5 less; and NB has gone down from a high of 66 to maintaining a mid 40's score in the last few years (46 this year). Its quite possible the all the smaller provinces are becoming "have not" provinces while ONT, QUE, BC, ALBT continue to improve."
"On a brighter note, Tylers result in grade 8 proved Rob Villeuneuve's prediction quite prescient. He played at quite a mature level and never seemed fazed by the madness that active chess sometimes turns into with time scrambles, clocks being pushed over, pieces misplaced/dropped, etc."
"Planning for the 1998 Chess Challenge has already begun and it will be held in Toronto. Planning in NS is also underway. Goals include complete team sponsorship next year (a first!) and many more Chess 'n Math events, beginning in October as various schools in metro."
"Also, Jeff Coakley editor of Scholar's Mate and national coordinator for the Canadian Youth Chess Festival,is moving to NS in July and plans to teach in the area, perhaps in Bridgewater. He's one of the foremost teachers in Canada and is a capable player at about 2300 FIDE, although he tells me he's retired from the maddness of weekend swisses."
"I expect 1997-98 will be a tremendous year for chess in the province so stay tuned. It is quite likely though that I'll stop completely on the CFC side of things as I've hinted at for over a year. We'll see..."
Where do we go from here? Kim Tufts suggests a warm up match next year, "I think next year the three Maritime provinces should definitely play a warm-up match before the Nationals. Hopefully this can be arranged in a central location such as Moncton and all team members or substitutes would be available to play," writes Kim. The younger kids especially (grades 1-4) would benefit tremendously from such an event. If anyone is in contact with Victor Goguen or Mike England let them know...and I'll also make this a priority for next year."
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