Yes we're at #25 already! It's hard to believe that a single event ran by myself and my good friend Glenn Panner multiplied itself over and over again. It's been quite an adventure and definitely with bumps along the way.

Here is the info on this event:

• March 20 – 24 (5 days)
• Holiday Inn Skokie Hotel – 5300 W Touhy Ave Skokie, IL 60077
• 9R-SS G/90 + 30/sec increment
• GM/IM/WGM/WIM norms available
• Minimum 5 GM's to play
• EF: $200 flat for everyone rated over 2250 FIDE on the January rating list; $400 for those under 2250
• Round times: 1:30pm and 6:30pm Sat thru Tuesday; Final round – 10am Wednesday
• We have a special hotel rate of $99/night which includes hot breakfast. Maximum 2 people per room occupancy.
• Prize Fund: $5,000 guaranteed as follows:
  • 1st – $1500
  • 2nd – $1000
  • 3rd – $750
  • 4th – $500
  • 5th – $250.
  • Top U2450 – $500
  • Top U2350 – $500

Confirmed Participants -

Current stats = 3 GMs, 4 foreign players with GM/IM/WGM/WIM title, 8 rated non-titled foreign players

Goal = 6 GMs, 10 foreign players with GM/IM/WGM/WIM title, 20 foreign players total (these final two allows the tournament to be played under rule 1.43e for norms – http://www.fide.com/fide/handbook?id=58&view=article)

• GM Atanas Kolev (BUL) – 2571
• GM Ben Finegold (USA) – 2531
• GM Mesgen Amanov (TKM) – 2482
• IM Michael Mulyar (USA) – 2408
• IM Angelo Young (PHI) – 2334
• IM Arjun Vishnuvardhan (IND) – 2285
• FM Robby Adamson (USA) – 2332
• FM Gauri Shankar (IND) – 2295
• Siddharth Ravichandran (IND) – 2458
• Adarsh Jayakumar (USA) – 2109
• Janyl Tilenbaeva (KGZ) – 2060
• Mariano Acosta (USA) – 2108
• Timur Aliyev (ISR) – 2250
• John Gurczak (USA) – 2049

Event registration will open now – you can use the link of http://www.nachess.org/25thNAM – this link will redirect you to the World Amateur Chess Championship website where registration will be handled. You will be able to pay through PayPal.

Questions: sevan@nachess.org

Good Chess to All,

Sevan A. Muradian, Founder
North American Chess Association
International Arbiter and International Organizer