My most recent opponents at the Berkeley and Mechanics Institute chess clubs were rated 1580 and 1600. The rating system says they're about equal in playing ability, but the games serve to remind that kids are almost always much under-rated. [Event "Berkeley CC Walter Browne Memorial"] [Site "?"] [Date "2018.06.15"] [Round "?"] [White "Frisco [...]
The Berkeley Chess School blog has seen just a couple of entries in years, so they brought me in, an old chess writer, to boost the signal. I sought a miniature game to test pgn4web integration with the blog. This is a gem by BCS founder Elizabeth Shaughnessy. your web browser and/or your host do [...]
Have you heard the news?!?!? Berkeley Chess School alumnus, Grandmaster Sam Shankland, was recently crowned the 2018 U.S Chess Champion! With 3 of the12 players in the competition rated among the top 10 in the world – GM Fabiano Caruana, GM Hikaru Nakamura & GM Wesley So –GM Sam Shankland finished undefeated, - won [...]
Over holiday break a couple of our Friday Night students, Matthew and Suzie Erdenebileg, went to Las Vegas to play in the Annual North American Open. This is the biggest cash tournament in North America (besides the World Open) attracting 800 chess players . Matthew and Suzie played together as a team in the mixed [...]
Masters Rise to the Top. BCS's 5th Weekender of the year had 8 titled players show up for our 100% guaranteed $1,500 Prize Fund. It was a hard fought weekend, but in the end 4 masters were able to stay ahead of the rest of the field and tie for first. Each took home $162.50 [...]
Congratulations to Berkeley Chess School alumni: FM Josiah Stearman, who has made FIDE Master at age 12 and GM Sam Shankland who is now #58 in the world at age 25. Most of Josiah’s qualifying FIDE games were played locally either at Berkeley Chess Schools Friday night marathon or at the Mechanics [...]
We've just completed week 1 of our new full-day chess camp in Dublin. It was a great success, with 18 campers becoming much stronger players. Attending chess camp is the best way to improve, with four hours of lessons per day. And it's fun! Two levels were offered, one for students rated over 600, and [...]
This year's Sacramento City Championship had its strongest line-up ever, with one Grandmaster, two International Masters, and five National Masters! Berkeley Chess School sent two National Masters to compete: 2014 Sacramento Champion Bryon Doyle, and 12-year-old World Youth contender Josiah Stearman. Josiah played extraordinarily well, winning against both of his opponents on Saturday, starting with a [...]
The first Women’s California Chess Championship took place in Berkeley, California on April 2 and 3, 2016. The two-day event was sponsored by Cal Chess, NM James Eade, and The Berkeley Chess School, who hosted the tournament at the local historic landmark Hillside Elementary School. The tournament was well attended by players rated from [...]
In a field that included many masters, BCS alumnus NM Josiah Stearman scored a clear first with 4.5/5 and picked up 30 rating points! NM Ladia Jirasek took clear second with 4/5 in the March Weekender. In the Under 2000 Section Brendyn Estolas took clear first with 4.5/5 and tied for second were Farid Watson [...]
