Welcome back to a new school year! The Hart House Chess Club is hosting its Back-To-School Blitz tournament on Friday, September 15, 2023. Join the Hart House Chess Club for the first blitz tournament of the fall at Hart House! We’re playing 11 rounds of 3 minutes + 2 seconds blitz starting at 7 pm! We hope to see you there!
FORMAT AND EVENT DETAILS
WHEN: Friday, September 15th, 7 pm – 9:30 pm.
WHERE: Hart House (7 Hart House Cir, Toronto) – East Common Room.
WHAT: 11-round Blitz Event (Swiss), with a 3 minute + 2 second time control. One section.
RATED: Unrated
ENTRY FEE: Free for members, $10 for non-members, free for titled players. Register onsite before 7 pm.
PRIZE FUND: Guaranteed $300. Distribution announced onsite. Prizes for top-woman, top-unrated.
To officially welcome back everyone to the HHCC, we’ll be hosting our semi-annual Welcome Back Pizza Party! We hope you will join us on Friday, September 8th, 6-7pm in the Hart House Reading Room as we celebrate the start of another chess-filled year.
We are also happy to announce that Outdoor Chess will be available outside Hart House on Hart House Circle facing the newly renovated Front Campus between 4 pm and 8 pm only on Fri. September 8th. Tables will be set up outside the Arbor Room Café.
This is a wonderful opportunity to see your old chess friends and to meet new ones. Take a flyer and chat with our executives to learn more about the club. We’ll also be sharing lots of exciting news and would love to answer any questions you might have about HHCC, so please do come by! See you there!
The Hart House Chess Club is hosting its annual Rapid Championship at the Hart House Music Room on Sunday, November 5th. The rapid tournament is a 6-round FIDE-rated and CFC-rated Rapid Swiss Event with a 15 mins + 10 seconds increment time control. The event will be during this year’s 2023 Reading Week at U of T St. George. Students are encouraged to attend and enjoy a break with chess! We hope to see you here!
TOURNAMENT DETAILS:
WHEN: Sunday, November 5th, 10 am – 6 pm. Rd #1 starts at 10:00 A.M. WHAT: 6-round FIDE Rated, CFC-Active Rated Swiss Tournament, using a 15 mins + 10 secs/move increment time control. WHERE: Hart House (7 Hart House Circle) Music Room and Burwash Room (analysis) RATINGS: CFC Quick Rated & FIDE Rapid Rated for Premier and U1800. CFC classical ratings will be used for Rd #1 pairings and final prizes. All players must have a valid CFC membership to play. ROUND TIMES: 10 am, 11:15 am, (lunch), 1:00 pm, 2:15 pm, 3:30 pm, 5 pm SECTIONS: Premier (FIDE and CFC), U1800 (FIDE and CFC), U1200 (CFC) EQUIPMENT: HHCC will supply all chess equipment PRIZES: $2000 based on 100 players (paid via cheque 1-3 weeks processing time)
Registration: via the Hart House Registration website by noon Saturday, November 4. Also, via phone and in-person at Hart House Info Hub.
Entry Fees: $35 by midnight October 4th, $40 by noon Saturday, November 4th. $45 onsite (if space permits). Discounts: $10 discount for unrated players in their first tournament (see below) and $20 discount for U of T students. Max one discount per player. U of T student discount applied automatically. Unrated players are ineligible for prizes. Free for WIM/IM if emailed by October 20th.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Daylight Savings: Please make note of Daylight Savings on the Sunday morning before the tournament. Byes: Up to one 1/2 point bye for rounds 1-5 can be requested by emailing us by noon on November 4. CFC Memberships: Registrants must be current CFC members or bring payment before playing – https://chess.ca/membership-fees ($12 for adults, $6 for juniors for single-tournament). Section Eligibility: No playing up allowed. Highest of CFC/FIDE regular ratings used. Unrated Players: use code Unrated10 to receive a $10 discount. You can also review our New To Tournament Guide for expectations before playing in your first tournament. Photography: By signing up, you permit HHCC the ability to take and use photos from the tournament on its social media. If you would not like your photo used, please email us at hhchess@studentorg.utoronto.ca. CFC Active or CFC Regular: this tournament will use the highest of either CFC Regular or CFC Active for section eligibility, however, CFC Regular will be used for pairings. Up to TDs discretion. Foreign Ratings: all participants must disclose all foreign ratings at time of registration or via email. Accessibility and Visitor Information: Hart House is a accessible building and conveniently located. For further details, visit Visitor Information and Accessibility.
As September approaches, which marks the inception of another fresh academic year, the Hart House Chess Club is thrilled to announce that we will be joining the UofT Student Union’s Clubs Fair on Wednesday, September 6th. The Club looks forward to welcoming new and returning students from various chess skill levels and to promote the upcoming chess events at the Club this year.
Stop by at our designated table at St. George Street from 1p.m. to 4 p.m. Take our flyers for more club info, talk to an Executive, and play a game.
Our booth is D15, which is in the middle of the Fair.
On the first Friday of September, GM Vinay Bhat made a stop at HHCC promoting his newly released book “How I became a Chess Grandmaster”. Vinay once held the record for the youngest player to earn a National Master (NM) and International Master (IM) titles in the USA. The book not only highlights Vinay’s personal journey from novice to grandmaster in a captivating manner and also provides instructive anecdotes for chess enthusiasts of all levels.
Vinay gave an entertaining and well-attended lecture covering a selection of his memorable games. This was followed by a book signing session. HHCC purchased 3 copies of “How I became a Chess Grandmaster”, two of which were entered into a raffle and the third now resides in the HHCC library. Overall, it was a delightful event and we thank Vinay for visiting!
See below for original post:
GM Vinay Bhat is making a stop at the Hart House Chess Club on Friday September 1st from 6:30-8:00 PM, as part of his book tour. His book “How I became a Chess Grandmaster”, details an unique, personal journey towards the pinnacle of chess mastery. GM Bhat will give a lecture on some of his memorable games followed by a book signing session in the East Common Room. All are welcome to attend! See below for more details including the giveaway.
When: Friday, September 1st, 2023, 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm with Q&A and book signing Where:East Common Room, Hart House Cost: Free for HHCC Members and students / public by donation onsite
Book Tour: Vinay is making a stop at Hart House as part of a book tour to announce his new book, “How I became a Chess Grandmaster“. Copies of the book will be available for purchase onsite. HHCC will be giving away 2 signed copies of the book to attendees. Attendees can enter the draw onsite. Online orders can be purchased here.
About the book: Vinay Bhat rose through the ranks of chess in the 1990s and 2000s, overcoming plateaus, competitive challenges, and academic and professional commitments, before achieving the highest title in chess. Follow Vinay’s path to improvement, and the struggles he had to go through, to carve out your own path to improvement and achieve your chess goals. How I Became a Chess Grandmaster is a personal story that entertains as it instructs. With numerous photographs and anecdotes, you can follow the inspirational rise of a young player from novice to Grandmaster.
The book also won the Chess Journalists of America award for “Best Instruction Book”, which is awarded every summer for books in the prior 12 months.
Bio: Vinay Bhat became a National Master at the age of 10 and an International Master at 15 – at the time the youngest American IM since Bobby Fischer. In October 2008, he achieved his International Grandmaster title with his three Grandmaster norms coming from Qingdao (China, 2002), Balaguer (Spain, 2006), and Balaguer (Spain, 2007). More info.
Join the Hart House Chess Club on Friday, September 22nd, from 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm in the Hart House Reading Room for a Master Simul hosted by International Master Mark Plotkin. Students and members can join for free; non-members are asked to donate to the Club onsite. We hope to see you there!
When: Friday, September 22nd, 2023 from 7:30 pm
Where: Hart House Reading Room, 7 Hart House Circle, Toronto, ON M5S 3H3
Entry-Fees: U of T students and HHCC members FREE, otherwise $10
Bio: Mark Plotkin was born in Israel to Victor Plotkin, FIDE Master and the captain of the Canadian Olympiad team. He attended the University of Toronto, where he helped the team win the Canadian University Chess Championship. During the pandemic chess boom, Mark became a full-time chess teacher with students all across North America while still continuing to participate in Grandmaster norm tournaments. In 2021, Plotkin won the popular Canadian Banff Chess Tournament, finishing ahead of Grandmaster Joel Benjamin. In 2022, Plotkin finished 5th in the Titled Tuesday Tournament, ahead of strong Grandmasters like Baadur Jobava, Dmitry Andreikin, Hans Niemann and Samuel Sevian. Currently, Plotkin is ranked number 16 among active players in Canada and has a CFC rating of over 2500. (from Wikipedia)
The Hart House Chess Club (HHCC) hosts the Hart House October Open Tournament from Sat. October 21st – Sun. October 22nd, 2023. The event is the perfect opportunity for students and community members wanting to play a classical-rated tournament over only two days. The tournament will be a 5-round Swiss, with 60 mins plus a 30-second increment added per move. We hope to see new and old faces again!
TOURNAMENT DETAILS:
When: Sat. October 21st to Sun. October 22nd. Rd #1 starts at 10:00 A.M. Format: 5-round CFC-Rated, Swiss Tournament Location: Hart House Debates Room, 7 Hart House Circle, Toronto, ON M5S 3H3. Analysis/Skittles: Committees Room Time Control: 60 mins + 30 secs/move increment Capacity: 100 Rounds: Saturday: 10 am, 2 pm, 6 pm, Sunday: 10 am, 2 pm Sections: Crown, U1800, U1200 (all CFC rated) Equipment: HHCC will supply all chess equipment Prizes: $3000 based on 100 players Organizers: Hart House Chess Club
ENTRY FEES & REGISTRATION – entries sold-out Entry Fees: $50 by September 20th, $60 by October 20th (see discounts below)
Registration: via the Club website by noon Fri. Oct. 20. No onsite registration. Registration is also available in person or via telephone at the Hart House Hub. SOLD OUT
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Byes: Up to two 1/2 point byes for rounds 1-4 can be requested by emailing us by noon October 20th. Please email for bye requests. Check-In: no checking in required, players are paid based on latest CFC ratings update for week of Oct 18 CFC Memberships: Registrants must be current CFC members or bring payment before playing – https://www.chess.ca/en/players/membership-fees/. Section Eligibility: No playing up allowed. CFC regular ratings used for pairings. Discounts: $30 discount for unrated players in their first tournament and U of T students. Max one discount per player. Unrated players are ineligible for prizes. Free entry for IM/WIM by October 1st (email us for all details). Notation: Chess notation is required for all moves starting from move 1. Email: hhchess@studentorg.utoronto.ca.
On Fri. August 18th, the Hart House Chess Club is organizing a “Hand and Brain” Chess Tournament from 8 pm – 9:30 pm. Hand-and-brain is a chess variant of teams of two players per colour. Each player is assigned either the “brain” or the “hand”. The “brain” can choose any of the six pieces—king, queen, rook, bishop, knight, or pawn—and the other player (the “hand”) moves that named piece on the board that has a legal move. The catch: the “brain” cannot tell the exact move that they want to play or provide any hints to help the “hand”.
Players can sign-up individually or as teams prior to 8 pm onsite. We hope to see you there!
Format: 4-round unrated, Swiss Tournament Location: Hart House Reading Room, 7 Hart House Circle, Toronto, ON M5S 3H3 Time Control: 5 mins + 5 secs/move increment from move 1 Capacity: 20 When: 8:00 pm – 9:30 pm, Fri. August 18 Equipment: HHCC will supply all chess equipment Entry Fees: Free for students and members of the Club, $5 for non-members (per player)
The Hart House Chess Club is pleased to announce an upcoming FIDE Arbiters’ Seminar at Hart House, Fri. Nov 10th – Sun. Nov. 12th, 2023. The seminar will be conducted by Canada’s leading Arbiter and organizer, International Arbiter Hal Bond.
Amongst his many accolades, Hal Bond has served as the Chief Arbiter at the 2012 Women’s World Chess Championship, Deputy Arbiter at the 2012 World Chess Championship, and as the Chief Arbiter of the 2017 World Youth Chess Championship.
WHEN: Friday, November 10th, 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm, Saturday November 11th 10:00 am – 8:00 pm, Sunday November 12th 10:00 am – 8:00 pm WHERE: Hart House (7 Hart House Cir, Toronto) – Committees Room. WHAT: FIDE Arbiter Seminar hosted over 3 days WHO: The Lecturer will be IA/IO Bond, Hal (CAN), FIDE Lecturer. ENTRY FEE: $250 paid online only CAPACITY: 15 participants LANGUAGE: The language of the seminar will be English. ORGANIZERS: Hart House Chess Club EQUIPMENT: All materials provided
The Seminar will give norms and titles of FIDE Arbiter, according to the Regulations for the titles of Arbiters.
Note: All participants must be National Arbiters to register.
SCHEDULE: November 10: 6pm – 10pm Role of Arbiters, Laws of Chess (4hrs) November 11: 10 am – 12 pm Ratings and OTB Title Regulations (2hrs.) 12 pm- 1 pm System of Games, Tie-breaks (1 hour) 2 pm – 4:30pm: Swiss Pairings, (2.5 hrs) 4:30 – 6pm Competition Rules, Equipment standards and clocks (1.5hrs) November 12: 10 am – 11 am Arbiter Title Regs (1 hr) 11 am – 12 pm: Fair Play (1 hr) 12 pm – 2 pm: seminar review (2 hrs) 2 pm -6 pm : Exam (4 hrs)
Registration is available here. Please note that there are some pre-requisites required before signing up for this event. For information, please email us at hhchess@studentorg.utoronto.ca
The Hart House Chess Club is participating in an outdoor chess event organized by Queen’s University Chess Club on Saturday, August 5th. In association with Fred Victor, a Toronto non-profit with the mission to improve the health, income and housing of people experiencing poverty and homelessness. All proceeds from the charity event will be donated to Fred Victor.
Queen’s University Chess Club is the host of the 2024 Canadian University Chess Championship, which will be held in January 2024 in-person at Queen’s University. More information will be announced and posted on the HHCC website as information becomes available.
FORMAT AND LOGISTICS
Where: Regent Park, Toronto, M5A 3G1, Toronto, Ontario When: Saturday, August 5th, 2023 from 2:00 pm – 8:00 pm Format: Casual Play followed by a Blitz tournament from 4 pm – 8 pm Sections: – Beginner to intermediate (Online Elo: 100-1700) – Intermediate to advanced (Online Elo: 1800+) Cost: free casual play, $10 for blitz (students), $15 for blitz (non students) Eligibility: only to everyone including non-students Registration: online via Google Forms Organizer: Queen’s University Chess Club Email: Queen’s U: 19dt17@queensu.ca, hhchess@studentorg.utoronto.ca CFC: unrated Equipment: Chess sets and clocks supplied
