Category: News

The Hart House Chess Club is excited to host an electrifying chess showdown between International Masters Mark Plotkin and Nicholas Vettese. Join us for this spectacular event where two of Canada’s top chess talents will compete across multiple formats.

Who is IM Nicholas Vettese:

Nicholas Vettese is a current student at the University of Toronto who began playing chess at the tender age of six, in Grade 1. This was by way of an elementary school lunchtime program that his mother discovered. Excelling rapidly, he became the top-rated player on the Canadian Under-10 list and at the age of 10, he became the youngest-ever Canadian National Master. In 2021, he won the North American Youth Chess Championship, which crowns the best U18 chess players in North America and subsequently achieved his International Master title. He has played for the Hart House Chess Club’s PanAmerican Intercollegiate and Canadian University Championship teams.

Who is IM Mark Plotkin:

Mark Plotkin is a distinguished Canadian chess player and coach, holding the FIDE title of International Master. Mark’s journey in the world of chess began with the aid of his father, Victor Plotkin, a strong FIDE Master and captain of several Canadian Olympiad teams. His early exposure to the game laid the foundation for a notable career that would see him rise to prominence in the chess community. Mark pursued higher education at the University of Toronto, getting a degree in Political Science and Journalism, where he not only sharpened his academic skills but also joined the Hart House Chess Club and contributed to the university team’s victory in the Canadian University Chess Championship.

Why should you watch the match

The match pits the two of the strongest University of Toronto students of the past 10 years against one another to see who is the strongest of all. There is a lot on the line as the two battle to see who is truly the master of all formats (Classical, Rapid, and Blitz).

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Event Details

Dates:
Thursday, January 30th, 2025 – Saturday, February 1st, 2025

Organizer:
Hart House Chess Club

Location:
Hart House, University of Toronto
7 Hart House Circle, Toronto, ON M5S 3H3

Rated:

• FIDE rated in Standard, Rapid, and Blitz
• CFC rated in all formats

Spectators:
Spectators are welcome for all portions of the match. Please note that all electronic devices must be turned off. The organizers reserve the right to revoke spectator access at any time.

Livestream

A live broadcast for rounds will be available on our YouTube page, https://www.youtube.com/@harthousechessclub

DGT Boards
All games will be broadcasted and will feature a delay on lichess.org at the follow link.

• Classical chess: 15-minute delay
• Rapid chess: 2-minute delay
• Blitz chess: 30-second delay

Points System:

• 10 points for a Classical match win
• 5 points for a Rapid match win
• 2 points for a Blitz match win

Each format totals 40 points, with a combined total of 120 points available. The player with the most points at the end will be declared the winner. In the event of a tie, the prize fund will be split equally.

Prize Fund:
$500, distributed based on the percentage of wins.

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Schedule and Format

Classical

Time Control: 60 minutes + 30-second increment from move 1

• Thursday evening: 1 game (7:05 PM, South Sitting Room)
• Friday: 3 games (10 AM, 2 PM, 6 PM, Bickersteth Room)

Rapid

Time Control: 15 minutes + 5-second increment from move 1

• Saturday Morning: 8 games starting at 10 AM
  • Rounds begin approximately 10 minutes after the previous game concludes.
  • Lunch break at 1 PM

Blitz

Time Control: 3 minutes + 2-second increment from move 1

• Saturday Evening: 20 games starting at 5:30 PM
  • Games are scheduled approximately every 12 minutes, with short breaks after every set of 5 games.

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Detailed Schedule

Thursday, January 30th, 2025 – South Sitting Room

• 7:05 PM: Classical Game 1

Friday, January 31st, 2025 – Bickersteth Room

• 10:00 AM: Classical Game 2
• 2:00 PM: Classical Game 3
• 6:00 PM: Classical Game 4

Saturday, February 1st, 2025 – South Sitting Room

Rapid Schedule:

• 10:00 AM: Game 1
• 10:50 AM (approx): Game 2
• 11:40 AM (approx): Game 3
• 12:30 PM (approx): Game 4
• 1:00 PM: Lunch Break
• 2:00 PM (approx): Game 5
• 2:50 PM (approx): Game 6
• 3:40 PM (approx): Game 7
• 4:30 PM (approx): Game 8

Blitz Schedule:

• 5:30 PM: Game 1
• Games follow approximately every 12 minutes, with breaks after every set of 5 games.

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Join Us

Experience the thrill of competitive chess in a dynamic atmosphere at Hart House. Witness masterful strategies unfold live and cheer on your favorite IM as they vie for victory. Spectators are welcome to watch online or in-person!

Contact: hhchess@studentorg.utoronto.ca for questions.

Welcome back to a new year of chess at Hart House! The Hart House Chess Club is kicking off the new year with a Welcome-Back Pizza Party and the annual HHCC Blitz Championship on Friday, January 10th, 2025.

At 6 pm, come to Hart House to indulge in pizza, talk to Executives, ask questions, and learn about our offerings this semester. In addition, all guests are encouraged to participate in Casual Chess! All those intending to participate are asked to complete our RSVP form no later than Wednesday, January 8th at 6 pm.

Afterwards, join us for the 2025 Hart House Chess Club Blitz Championship! Open to all, this is a 9-round unrated swiss event to start off the semester! Students and community members are welcome and encouraged to come!

Pizza party details

• WHEN: Welcome Back Pizza: Friday, January 10th 6 pm – 7 pm – Reading Room
  • RSVP required for pizza, see this form and fill by 6 pm, Thursday, Jan 9
• WHERE: Hart House (7 Hart House Cir, Toronto) – Reading Room 

blitz Format and event details

• WHEN: Friday, January 10th, 7:30 pm – 10 pm. Rd #1 starts at 7:30 P.M.
• WHERE: Hart House (7 Hart House Cir, Toronto) – East Common Room.
• WHAT: 9-round single-round Blitz Event (Swiss), with a 3 minute + 2 second time control.
• RATED: Unrated
• REGISTRATION: On-site registration before 7:15 PM
• ENTRY FEE: FREE for members, $10 for non-members, free for FMs and above. Pay onsite with cash before 7:15 pm.
• PRIZE FUND (est. based on 60 entries): $400 as follows:
  • 1st place – $120
  • 2nd place – $80
  • 3rd place – $50
  • Top Woman – $50
  • Top U1900 – $50
  • Top U1400 – $50
• SPECIAL PRIZES: All participants will be entered into a door prize for a HHCC merchandise.
• MAXIMUM CAPACITY: 60 players.
• NOTE: chess sets and boards provided

Pre-registered, pairings, STANDINGS: Chess Manager.

Thank you for all coming. Winners below.

1st: Vettese, Nicholas
2nd: Mao, Fengxi
3rd: Plotkin, Mark
Top-Woman: Qiao, Cindy
U1900: Yuan, Justin & Gribilas, Tom & Alsaiah, Mohammad & Woo, Nicole
U1400: Zheng, Samuel

Contact:

Any questions can be sent to: hhchess@studentorg.utoronto.ca

The Greater Toronto Chess League Cup is back again for another year at the Annex Chess Club. The Greater Toronto Chess League runs chess matches between clubs in the Toronto region and this year’s Cup tournament will be held on Monday, December 9th from 7 pm – 11 pm. Full event info can be found here.

Matches are four-on-four, featuring some of the strongest players in each GTA club. This year’s GTCL Cup is a 5-round Swiss tournament with a time control of 15 minutes per player, plus a 5-second-per-move increment from move 1 team. Each team consists of 4 players with the option of including one alternate. The event is CFC quick-rated and, CFC membership is required. Games will be played on Monday, December 9th, 7-11:30 PM.

Format: 5-round Swiss (team vs. team) in two sections – Championship and U1800 teams play in separate sections.

Round Times: Round 1 starts at 7:00 pm sharp; subsequent rounds to begin every 45 minutes; event expected to be over by 11:30 pm. Players are expected to arrive by 6:30 pm to check-in. Hart House Chess Club members are expected to arrive by 6:50 pm.

Time Control: 15 minutes plus a 5 second increment after every move.

Location: Annex Chess Club, 918 Bathurst St, Toronto

CFC Memberships: The Club will subsidize student members’ first tournament CFC membership. Please contact us for details.

Entry Fee: 100% discounted entry for Hart House Chess Club members. Up to 12 players will be subsidized (first come first served), plus a waitlist for dropouts. HHCC will aim to cover as many interested players as possible.

Eligibility: All Hart House Chess Club members are eligible to represent our club at the 2024 GTCL Cup (a student membership is free). Our alumni are also welcome to play.

Registration: If you want to represent Hart House Chess Club in the tournament, please fill out this form. We are happy to accommodate people who want to play alongside their friends (e.g. as a team of four/five)!

Deadline for Registration: Saturday, December 8th or until space runs out. The Club will also maintain a waitlist for participants.

Contact: hhchess@studentorg.utoronto.ca

The Hart House Chess Club is pleased to announce the Fall 2024 Lessons and Quads Schedule! All Lessons and Quads will be held in the Bickersteth Room of Hart House. All are free to attend or participate for Members of the Club.

Lessons: This Fall, join us on Fridays throughout the semester for exciting lessons and lectures to help you become a better player. Members are entitled to free lessons this fall provided by expert lecturers and experienced players. 

Quads: This Fall, join us on select Fridays, from 7 pm – 9 pm for weekly CFC and FIDE-rated Rapid Quad tournaments.  A time control of 10 mins + 5 seconds increment allows for structured improvement and game play. It is also a great tournament for those new to chess. No commitment to all weeks is necessary, play whenever you can!

Registration and Interest Form: Those interested in attending or participating are encouraged to fill out the following form.

Lessons Details

Complete Beginners: 

• The expected audience are players who have never played chess or who only know how the pieces move. No chess experience is expected and fundamentals starting from piece movement will be covered. Interactive sessions, informative demonstrations, resources, and discussions will be provided to help students learn how to play. Registration is required for all prospective attendees. 
• Lessons will be co-taught: Victor Zheng (CFC elo 2192), Steven Guo (CFC elo 1638)
• Registration: Registration is required. Please fill out this form.
• Lessons will cover:
  • Week 1: Piece Value, Piece Movement, Openings
  • Week 2: Opening theory, strategies
  • Week 3: Middlegame theory, strategies
  • Week 4: Endgames, General Play, Conclusion
• Time: 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm Fridays September 20, 27, October 4, 11

Intermediate Lessons: 

• The expected audience are players who are looking to up their game. Players are expected to know fundamental ideas of piece movement, basic strategies of chess, and calculation methods. 10 lessons will be offered and participants can still learn something if they miss a class. All participants are expected to be members of the Hart House Chess Club.
• Registration: Registration is required here. However, participants can join at any point during the lesson schedule.
• Lessons will be taught by: Uttam Dhungel (CFC elo 1928)
  • Pawn structure
  • Imbalances
  • Middlegame strategy
  • Understanding endgames
  • Studying games of Masters
• Time: 5:30 pm – 7 pm Fridays
  • September 20, 27 
  • October 4, 11, 25
  • November 1, 8, 15, 22, 29

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Quad Tournament Details

The following section describes the 2024 Fall Quad tournament schedule.

A Quad Tournament is where all players are sorted from highest rating to lowest rating and the top four highest-rated players are placed in one section (a Quad), then the following 4 highest rated players are placed in another Quad. This process continues until all players are given a designated Quad. If there are 1, 2 or 3 players remaining after the last full Quad has been designated, those players will be placed in the last quad section and that section will play a 3 round Swiss match.

WHEN: Selected Fridays in Fall 2024.

• September 20, 27 
• October 4, 11, 24
• November 1, 8, 15, 22, 29

WHAT: 3-round FIDE Rated (top two quads), CFC-Active Rated Quad Tournament, 10 mins + 5 secs/move increment time control.
WHERE: Hart House Bickersteth Room (3rd floor), (7 Hart House Circle, Toronto, ON)
RATINGS: CFC Quick and FIDE Rapid rated in top two quads. Otherwise, only CFC Quick Rated. CFC Quick ratings are used for all pairings. All players must have a valid CFC membership to play. Registration done in-person weekly first-come-first-served.
ROUND TIMES:  7:00 pm, 7:40 pm, 8:20 pm
SECTIONS: Players are split by ratings into pools of 4, with up to 4 pools.
EQUIPMENT: HHCC will supply all chess equipment
PRIZES: Each quad features a $50 first-place gift card prize.
CAPACITY: 16 per night
ENTRY FEES: Free for GMs, IMs, HHCC members. $20 otherwise.
REGISTRATION: Accepted ONLY in person from 6:00 pm – 6:45 pm. Fill out the following interest form to be notified of late-breaking news, updates, and to receive a weekly reminder email.

Chess Federation of Canada Memberships are Required: $12 for a one-time adult, or $48 for one year. https://www.chess.ca/en/players/membership-join/. For HHCC student members, a single tournament membership is covered for unrated players in their first tournament ($12 value).

Feedback Survey: please feel free to fill out this form

Questions?

hhchess@studentorg.utoronto.ca

The Hart House Chess Club is hosting its Fall Blitz tournament on Friday, November 1st, 2024. Join the Hart House Chess Club for an exciting 7-double-round tournament! We’re playing 7 rounds of 3 minutes + 2 seconds blitz starting at 7 pm! We hope to see you there!

FORMAT AND EVENT DETAILS

• WHEN: Friday, November 1st, 7 pm – 10:00 pm.
• WHERE: Hart House (7 Hart House Cir, Toronto) – Reading Room.
• WHAT: 7-double-round Blitz Event (Swiss), with a 3 minute + 2 seconds time control. One section.
• RATED: Unrated
• ENTRY FEE: Free for members, free for non-members but ineligible for prizes. Register onsite before 7pm.
• PRIZE FUND: Guaranteed $250. Distribution announced onsite. Prizes for top-woman, top-unrated. Note all prizes paid via Gift Cards
• MAXIMUM CAPACITY: 60 players.
• NOTE: chess sets and boards provided

PRIZE FUND

First: $120
Second: $60
Third: $30

Top-Woman: $20
Top-Unrated: $20

CONTACT:

Any questions can be sent to: hhchess@studentorg.utoronto.ca

Pairings, Standings, Crosstables:
https://www.chessmanager.com/en/tournaments/4807012074651648

Attention all chess enthusiasts and strategists! Get ready to experience the exhilarating world of Bughouse Chess, the most captivating and thrilling chess variant ever created! Join us this summer on Friday October 18th, 2024 from 7 pm – 8:30 pm for a great night of bughouse!

What is Bughouse Chess? Bughouse Chess is the fusion of lightning-fast gameplay and strategic teamwork, where two teams of two players apiece battle it out simultaneously on two chessboards. It’s like chess on steroids! Teamwork makes the dream work!

Tournament Details

• WHEN: Friday, October 18th, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm.
• WHERE: Hart House (7 Hart House Cir, Toronto) – Reading Room.
• WHAT: 7 round Blitz Event (Swiss), with a 5 minute time control.
• RATED: Unrated
• ENTRY FEE: Free for members, free for non-members but ineligible for prizes. Register onsite before 7pm.
• PRIZE FUND: Guaranteed $200. Distribution announced onsite.
• MAXIMUM CAPACITY: 50 players.
• NOTE: chess sets and boards provided

Registration: 

• Registration only available onsite before 6:45 PM
• Those without a partner will be paired onsite.

CONTACT:

Any questions can be sent to: hhchess@studentorg.utoronto.ca

Welcome back to a new school year! The Hart House Chess Club is hosting its Back-To-School Blitz and Pizza Party on Friday, September 6th, 2024. At 6 pm, come to Hart House to indulge in pizza, meet this year’s Executives, ask questions, and learn about our offerings this upcoming year. After that, join the first blitz tournament of the fall at Hart House! We’re playing 7 rounds of 5 minutes + 2 seconds blitz chess! We hope to see you there!

FORMAT AND EVENT DETAILS

• WHEN:
  • Welcome Back Pizza: Friday, September 6th 6 pm – 7 pm – Reading Room
    • RSVP required, see this form and filled by 6 pm, Thursday, September 5th
  • Blitz Event: Friday, September 6th, 7 pm – 9:30 pm
    • Registration onsite between 4 pm and 6:45 pm. 
• WHERE: Hart House (7 Hart House Cir, Toronto) – East Common Room.
• WHAT: 7-round Blitz Event (Swiss), with a 5 minute + 2 second time control. One section. Unrated
• RATED: Unrated
• ENTRY FEE: Free for members, Free for students & community. Non members are ineligible for prizes. 
• PRIZE FUND: Guaranteed $300. Distribution announced onsite. Prizes for top-woman, top-unrated.
• MAXIMUM CAPACITY: 60 players.
• NOTE: chess sets and boards provided
• REGISTRATION
  • All pizza must be RSVP. Students + members are free to RSVP online via form before 6pm, September 5th
  • Blitz only in-person before 7 pm. 

Blitz results/standings: https://www.chessmanager.com/en/tournaments/5196562477350912