Hales Corners Chess Challenge X

Alexandra Kosteniuk: Jan from Goddesschess has asked me to post information about the coming Hales Corners Chess Challenge X which will take place this Saturday, October 17. I will be the biggest challenge in SE Wisconsin and we hope that many women will take part in it!

Both Goddesschess and myself will be supporting the event with prizes. All needed information is below:

I'm very excited, but anxious too. Goddesschess wants Hales Corners Challenge X to be the biggest and best Challenge in SE Wisconsin yet! And we want to see a record-breaking number of chess femmes come out and play. In HCCC IX, a record-breaking 107 players turned out -- many registering on the morning of the Tournament! Of those, 11 were females, for an overall participation rate of 10.28% (Open and Reserve Sections); female participation in the Reserve Section was a whopping 19.61%.

The economy is lousy, money is tight, and playing four two-hour long games (total time both players) in one day is an absolute GRIND. Can we do it? I believe we can - more female players!

For Challenge X, Goddesschess changed its prize structure a bit. We are now offering three prizes for the best female players in the Reserve Section, and two prizes in the Open Section in the hopes of encouraging more females to play in the Open.

And for HCCCX, we have something new - current Women's World Chess Champion GM Alexandra Kosteniuk generously donated several books (autographed) and other items just for the female players who participate in HCCCX! She has provided these items in the hopes of encouraging more female players to sign up and play in this great local event.

GM Kosteniuk is co-chair with GM Susan Polgar of the FIDE Women's Commission, and is dedicated to improving playing conditions and enlarging playing opportunities for female chessplayers around the world, in addition to doing educational outreach. She does this while balancing family life and playing schedule (she just competed in the Women's European Club Cup on the Monaco team and is one of three women who will be playing in the upcoming World Cup).

HALES CORNERS CHALLENGE X

October 17, 2009

FORMAT:
Four Round Swiss System - Four Games in One Day
USCF RatedTwo Sections – Open & Reserve (Under 1600)

TIME LIMIT:
Game in One Hour (60 minutes per player)

ENTRY FEE:$35 – Open; $25 – Reserve
(both sections $5 more after October 14, 2009)
Comp Entry Fee for USCF 2200+: Entry fee subtracted from any prizes won

SITE REGISTRATION:8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.

ROUNDS:10 am -- 1 pm -- 3:30 pm -- 6 pm
Pairings by WinTD---No Computer Entries---No Smoking

PRIZES: OPEN RESERVE
1st—$325* 1st—$100
2nd—$175* 2nd—$75A—$100 D—$50B & Below—$75 E & Below—$40* guaranteed

Goddesschess prizes for top performing females: Open Section: 1st - $60, 2nd - $40; Reserve Section: 1st - $40, 2nd $30, 3rd $20

Additional items (books, CDs, etc.) just for female chessplayers donated by "Chess Queen" GM Alexandra Kosteniuk

Tournament Director: Tom Fogec
Assistant Tournament Directors: Robin Grochowski & Allen Becker

SITE:
Wyndham Milwaukee Airport Hotel—4747 S. Howell Avenue—Milwaukee—Telephone 414-481-8000 (formerly known as Four Points Sheraton, across street from airport)

ENTRIES TO:
Allen Becker—6105 Thorncrest Drive—Greendale, WI 53129 allenbecker@wi.rr.com

QUESTIONS TO:
Tom Fogec—414-425-6742 (home) or 414-405-4207 (cell)

USCF I.D. Required -- Bring your own clocks – Sets and Boards Provided
Half point bye available in Round 1, 2 or 3 if requested prior to round 1; not available in Round 4.

Registration form

See the announcement in the September, 2009 print edition of Chess Life Magazine under Grand Prix.

Goddesschess will increase the dedicated prize money for the female players in the next HCCC if we get one more female playing in Challenge X. And the more females who sign up and play in Challenge X, the more we will increase the prize fund and number of prizes available for Challenge XI.