Category: Uncategorized

Samuel Zhang – Communications

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Samuel Zhang is a first year undergraduate student studying Math, Physics, and Economics. From when he learned the game at the age of 10, chess realized his thirst for competition, from playing his dad to competing in tournaments just a year later. Samuel reached the title of USCF candidate master less than 2 years after his first tournament, and continued to play throughout high school and now into university. He’s been teaching chess for the past 4 years at his own chess club that he started for his town, and continues to teach now in Toronto. Samuel first visited the Hart House Chess Club when he competed in the 2024 Canadian Zonals, scoring 6/7 winning 6 games in a row, and reaching a CFC rating of 2322. He is grateful to be a part of the club’s board and hopes to grow HHCC’s community in any way he can.

2025 FIDE Arbiters’ Seminar

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The Hart House Chess Club is pleased to announce an upcoming FIDE Arbiters’ Seminar at Hart House, Friday, January 10th to Sunday, January 12th, 2025. The seminar will be conducted by one of Canada’s leading Arbiters and Organizers, 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, January 10th, 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm, Saturday, January 11th 10:00 am – 8:00 pm, Sunday, January 12th 10:00 am – 8:00 pm
  • WHERE: Hart House (7 Hart House Cir, Toronto) – Committees Room.
  • WHO: The Lecturer will be IA/IO Bond, Hal (CAN), FIDE Lecturer.
  • ENTRY FEE: $250 paid online only
  • CAPACITY: 16 participants
  • LANGUAGE: The seminar will be conducted in English.
  • ORGANIZERS: Hart House Chess Club
  • EQUIPMENT: All materials provided by HHCC.

The Seminar will give norms and titles of FIDE Arbiter, according to the Regulations for the titles of Arbiters.

Requirements: All participants must be National Arbiters before the seminar begins. 

SCHEDULE (tentative, subject to change):
January 10
6 pm – 10 pm: Role of Arbiters, Laws of Chess (4hrs)

January 11
10 am – 1 pm: System of Games, Tie-Breaks (3hrs)
2 pm – 4 pm: Ratings and OTB Title Regulations (2 hrs)
4 pm – 6:30 pm: Swiss System and Pairing Rules (2.5 hrs)

January 12
10 am – 11:30 am: Competition rules, Equipment standards and clocks (1.5 hrs)
11:30 am – 12:30 pm: Arbiter Title Regs (1 hr)
12:30 pm – 1:30 pm: Fair Play Guidelines (2 hrs)
2 pm –  6 pm: Exam (4 hrs)

REGISTRATION:

Registration is available online here. Please note that all participants must be National Arbiters before the seminar begins. Details on becoming a National Arbiter are available here.

For any inquiries, please email us at hhchess@studentorg.utoronto.ca. 

For more information regarding the FIDE Arbiter seminar and system, see:
1. https://handbook.fide.com/chapter/B0602
2. https://arbiters.fide.com/arb-titles/fide-arbiters-system

Results: https://arbiters.fide.com/news/9781. Congrats to Mark, Deepanshi, Grace, Andrew, and Egidijus for successfully passing the exam

FIDE Arbiter Seminar 2025 at Hart House

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2024 First-Year Representative Election

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Attention all First-Year Students!

An election shall be held to elect the First-Year Representative for Fall 2024.

The First-Year Representative is responsible for “working to ensure the voices of first-year students are heard and represented. The First-Year Representative may work to organize activities that are specifically tailored to the needs of first-year students, such as introductory workshops and beginner chess tournaments. The First-Year Representative serves as a mentor and resource for first-year members who may be new to chess or new to the Club. The First-Year Representative provides guidance and support to help these members feel welcomed and included in the Club, and they also help to facilitate connections between first-year members and more experienced players. The First-Year Representative plays a role in creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for first-year members and ensuring that they have a positive and enjoyable experience with the Club,” according to the Constitution of the Hart House Chess Club.

UPDATE: Please view the list of nominees here.

Eligibility

All first-year students at University of Toronto are eligible to run for election for this position.  A candidate for the position of First-Year Representative is not required to be a member of the Club for one month before the election.

All club student members have the right to vote. To become a member, students can sign up here.

Important Dates

Students interested in the First-Year Representative position are asked to email the Alumni Chair at elections@harthousechess.com expressing interest, and a short bio/background by  September 20th at 10 pm. They are asked to include [HHCC Elections] as the subject of the email.

If there are two or more candidates for a position, a vote will be held to determine the successful candidate on September 27th at 7 pm in-person in the Hart House Reading Room. The voting is done by secret ballot.

The electoral process will be administered by the club’s Alumni Chair, Ben Hahn. If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Hahn at elections@harthousechess.com, indicating [HHCC Elections] as the subject of your email.

Hart House Chess Club is an open and inclusive environment. There is no requirement to be good at the game of chess to run for the first year representative. Everyone is encouraged to nominate themselves. As a positive space we welcome and encourage members of all sexes, genders, sexual orientations, ethnicities, languages, abilities, religions and creeds to participate in the student government of the club, either as members of the executive or as volunteers! 

Thank you very much for your attention!

2025 Pan-American Intercollegiate Chess Championship Qualifiers

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The Hart House Chess Club is pleased to host its Pan-American Intercollegiate Chess Championship Qualifiers from September 14-15, 2024 to select players to represent the Club at the 2025 Pan-Ams hosted by the Charlotte Chess Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA from January 2nd – 5th, 2025.

The annual Pan American Intercollegiate Chess Championship is the pinnacle of international collegiate chess. Dubbed the “World Series of College Chess”, the Club has fundraised and fielded teams in the tournament every year since 1965. The storied championship pits the best collegiate chess teams against one another from the North and South Americas. The Hart House Chess Club, representing the University of Toronto, has won the championship 6 times, the most from any non-American school. The qualifier is only open to UofT students, and winners will receive financial support from the Club.

Format and Details

  • WHEN: Saturday, September 14th – Sunday, September 15th, 2024
  • WHERE: Hart House Debates Room Room, 7 Hart House Circle, Toronto, ON M5S 3H3
  • FORMAT: 5-round unrated, Swiss Tournament
  • ROUND TIMES:
    • Check-in: 9:00 AM – 9:30 AM
    • Round 1: 9:30 AM, September 14th
    • Round 2: 12:45 PM, September 14th
    • Round 3: 4:00 PM, September 14th
    • Round 4: 9:30 AM, September 15th
    • Round 5: 12:45 PM, September 15th
    • Tiebreaks (if needed): 4:00 PM, September 15th
  • TIME CONTROL: 60 mins + 30 secs/move increment from move 1 for all sections
  • BYES: 0-point byes are in effect. Players are expected to play all rounds. Forced byes will be awarded 1 point.
  • RATINGS: Ratings will be used for seeding/pairing purposes, but the tournament itself will not be Chess Federation of Canada rated.
  • EQUIPMENT: HHCC will supply all chess equipment.
  • DRAWS: Players are not allowed to agree on a draw before 40 moves are made.
  • ELIGIBILITY: Current students enrolled in a degree-granting program at the University of Toronto
  • CONTACT: hhchess@studentorg.utoronto.ca
  • CHECK IN: Players are required to check in by 9:30 am to be paired for Round 1.
  • REGISTRATION: Registration is available online or in-person at the Hart House Hub with a valid proof of student enrollment.
  • ELIGIBILITY:
    • To participate in the Pan-Ams Qualifier, one must be enrolled in a degree-granting program and enrolled in at least 6 credit hours of classes.
    • You must also be a student member of the Hart House Chess Club. The membership cost for 2024-2025 is $15 for all U of T students for the year, $10 for one semester. Memberships will include a t-shirt.
    • To participate in the Pan-Am tournament itself, you must be available to travel to Charlotte, North Carolina from Wednesday, January 1st to January 5th, 2025 and you must meet the following requirements:
      • A $250 fee must be paid to Hart House within a week after the qualifying tournament
      • Participants will be required to attend a tutorial on Safety Abroad as per U of T policy
      • Participants will be responsible for and required to have valid passports, travel visas if applicable, and travel health insurance
      • Participants must complete travel forms provided within outlined timelines
      • Participants are responsible for getting a verification of enrollment signed by their Registrar’s office.
  • For further information, please consult the Collegiate Eligibility Rules here.

Selection of Players

The tournament will select 7 players (of a total 8) based on final standings to represent the Hart House Chess Club and the University of Toronto at this year’s Pan-Ams. A mandatory fee of $250 for all participants is required and paid before the end of September, however, the Club will cover the rest of the fundraising costs. Players should only play in the tournament if they intend to play in the Pan-Ams. 

Note that one spot has been reserved per Section 7.3.1 of the Charter for Yunshan Li who is competing for Canada in the Canadian Olympiad in Budapest during the Qualifiers. 

Contact and Additional Links

For additional details about the event, please visit: https://www.charlottechesscenter.org/events/collegiate

For any questions, please contact the Executive at hhchess@studentorg.utoronto.ca 

Pre-Registered Players

Pairings and Results

Tiebreaks

Player NameCFC IDCFC RatingFIDE IDFIDE Rating
Nicholas Vettese154199249226200902341
Fengxi Mao166033236926325862115
Samuel Zhang1711472322309429932141
Eilia Zomorrodian1692382294125518052145
Henry Zhang153836222226201622133
Nicolai WolteryN/A–4368872075
Victor Zheng150532219226201891892
Cindy Qiao155864214726202431894
Bingfei Wang172444195786185851792
Yun Hong Li162472189726310831796
Yukuan Zou178153166926586151598
Chol Elijah Akol179537157626357631594
Punnawit PayapvattanavongN/AN/A62065901589
Eli Schyngera 164976156426357631652
Jayden Henry Tan179333152526636601640
Zi Sheng Wang18383615122668050Unrated
Timothy Vo1837331516N/A–
Evan Andersen175925148026429481579
Qing Yuan Zheng1691601235N/A–
Coby Cheung174460985N/A–
Ishan KapoorN/AUnratedN/A–
Osman OkmenN/AUnratedN/A–
Muneem KhanN/AUnratedN/A–
Ahnaf ChowdhuryN/AUnratedN/A–
Sebastian SkjensvoldN/AUnratedN/A–
Chris NguyenN/AUnratedN/A–

Kaiy Cao – Communications

Published on by harthousechess

Kaiy is a 3rd-year undergraduate student pursuing a degree in civil engineering. Having learned the game and its rules in early elementary school, he picked chess back up during the early days of the pandemic as a hobby after seeing friends playing a casual game online in 2020. This spark snowballed, and in high school, he became one of the founding members of the chess club, helping to organize and play in tournaments schoolwide and citywide.

Although still a casual player, he has previously played and volunteered at multiple tournaments at Hart House, including the Reading Week Open and Canadian Zonals. Through these experiences in the first and second years and seeing all of the hard work by all of the executive members and volunteers, he decided to run as a communication representative at the HHCC. He hopes to stand on the over-100-year history of the club and to further show the magic of the game to the university community at large.

Mark Li – Fundraiser

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Mark Li is a third-year undergraduate student at U of T majoring in Physiology and Molecular Genetics and Microbiology. First introduced to chess by his father and brother as a small child, he has grown to greatly love and appreciate the game of chess and its unique complexities. With the goal of beating his brother one day, he consistently played chess and was the president of his school chess club for 6 years where he managed to popularize and lead their competitive chess team to provincial tournaments. As a person who loves playing online and recently breaking the 2400 online rating barrier on chess.com, he hopes to start playing FIDE tournaments with aspirations to one day get a title.

Mark has joined the Hart House Chess Club executive team with aspirations to further support and improve the inclusive and supportive environment that the club offers to all chess players. With the goal of putting the players first, he will work to make sure all members of the U of T community fully enjoy their chess experiences.

Bingfei Wang – Secretary & President

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Bingfei is a second-year undergraduate student at U of T’s Rotman Commerce program, specializing in finance. He currently serves as the President & Secretary of the Hart House Chess Club (HHCC) and is excited to contribute to the club’s vibrant community. At age 9, Bingfei discovered chess at a youth board game center and has been hooked ever since. He plays regularly at club meetups on Wednesdays and Saturdays, constantly honing his skills.

An active member of the chess community, Bingfei began coaching fellow players when he was in Grade 9, sharing his love for the game with younger students. By 16, he was already serving as a tournament arbiter, helping to run competitions smoothly. After immigrating to Canada, he continued competing in tournaments and steadily improved his game. His dedication is reflected in his current CFC (Chess Federation of Canada) rating of 2206, and he has earned a National Master norm.

Bingfei has proudly represented the University of Toronto and HHCC in major intercollegiate events. He has competed in the Pan-American Intercollegiate Chess Championship, the Canadian University Chess Championship, and the annual U of T vs. UWaterloo match. As the club’s Secretary, he aims to uphold HHCC’s rich traditions while introducing new events to boost member participation and community involvement.

Outside of chess, Bingfei is an avid gamer and sports enthusiast. He was once ranked #46 in North America and #127 in China in the game Hearthstone. He’s a master-level player in Clash Royale. In his spare time, he enjoys playing badminton.

Deepanshi Matai – Communications

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Deepanshi is a third-year undergraduate student majoring in Psychology and English. They are excited to be part of the Hart House Chess Club executive team and be more involved in the community as one of the Communication reps. 

Deepanshi grew up in India, where it was near-impossible to escape the excitement chess brought about with every major tournament. Even though they’ve been following chess since childhood, they only started playing recently and hope to keep improving. Deepanshi has previously worked as a photographer for the Club and volunteered at several events, including Zonals 2024. In their role as Communication rep, they hope to increase outreach and promote participation for beginners from diverse backgrounds. 

When they’re not too busy blundering their pieces away, you will probably find Deepanshi reciting Shakespeare to themselves or on a badminton court.

2025 Hart House Reading Week Open

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The Hart House Chess Club is pleased to announce the 2025 edition of our annual Reading Week Open held over the Family Day weekend from Saturday, February 15th to Monday, February 17th. With six different sections to accommodate varying skill levels, the tournament is suitable for everyone – from experienced players to those playing their first ever tournament. 

We are also running the Juniors section with a shorter time control, similar to the Junior section at the 2024 Holidays Open. The Junior-U1500 one day event (Feb 16) is a separate event geared towards children rated under 1500. 

Tournament Details

  • WHEN: February 15th to February 17th
  • WHERE: Hart House Great Hall (7 Hart House Circle, Toronto, ON)
  • ROUNDTIMES: 6-Round Swiss
    • Open Sections: Saturday 10:00 am & 4:00 pm, Sunday 10:00 am & 4:00 pm, and Monday 10:00 am & 4:00 pm
    • Juniors-U1500: One day, Sunday 10:30 am, 12:30, 3:00 pm, 5:00 pm 
  • TIME CONTROL: 90 minutes + 30 seconds increment per move for the Open
    • 30 minutes + 30 seconds increment per move for Juniors
  • SECTIONS:  Crown, U2200, U1900, U1600, U1300
    • Juniors – U1500 
  • RATING: Sections will be determined using the highest of CFC or FIDE rating. All sections will be CFC rated. U1600 and above will also be FIDE rated. Crown section paired using FIDE ratings. 
  • EQUIPMENT: HHCC will supply all chess equipment.
  • FORFEIT TIME: Players who do not arrive within 30 minutes of the round start time will be forfeited.
  • BYES: Maximum 2 half-point byes in Rounds 1-4 if requested in advance before the start of Round 1
  • ORGANIZER: Hart House Chess Club with Tanner McNamara Chief Arbiter,
  • EMAIL: hhtournaments@gmail.com
  • CAPACITY:
    • 210 for Open
    • 40 for Juniors 

Registration

Online registration is available until February 13th, 11:59 PM. In-person and telephone registration is available through the Hart House Information Desk during Hart House hours.

Entry Fees

Open: $70 by January 31st at 11:59 pm, $80 by February 13th at 11:59 pm

Juniors: $40 by February 13th at 11:59 pm 

$35 discount for student members and unrated players (max one discount per player). Unrated players are not eligible for prizes. Free entry for IMs/WIMs/GMs/WGMs if registered by January 31st. Please email us for all discount information.

Playing up

Extra $20 to play up a section. Playing up is allowed only for players within 100 rating points of the section’s minimum rating. For example, a player in the Under 1600 section wanting to play up in the Under 1900 section must have a rating no lower than 1500. Play-up fees must be paid on-site at the tournament.

No playing up to the Crown section. Players must be 2200+ CFC or 2000+ FIDE.

Other Info

  • DGT boards: HHCC will utilize DGT boards for portions of the Crown section. Live games will be available here.
  • CFC memberships: Registrants must be current CFC members or bring payment prior to playing — please visit https://chess.ca/membership-fees for more info
  • Withdrawals: see our Policies.
  • New Players: review our New To Tournament Guide.
  • Parking: Parking is available at a daily rate; however, it is limited. Be prepared and come early to find parking.
  • Prize Payments: Any prize less than or equal to $100 will be paid via Gift Cards. Direct deposit is required for prizes above $100. All prizes will be payable via direct deposit on request. Please expect 1 week – 3 weeks for payments to be processed
  • 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.
  • Foreign Ratings: All participants must disclose all foreign ratings at time of registration or via email.
    Accessibility and Visitor Information: Hart House is an accessible building and conveniently located. For further details, visit Visitor Information and Accessibility.
  • TEAM PRIZE: $400 ($100 per player), teams of 4 players, representing at least 3 different sections. All individual scores will be added up to find the winning team. Register your teams in-person before Round 2.
  • Questions? Any question regarding the tournament, including registrations, must be sent to hhtournaments@gmail.com, not the Hart House Hub.
  • Withdrawals: Last minute withdrawals, bye requests, inquiries, please email hhtournaments@gmail.com, and do not call Hart House.

Pre-Registered

Registration lists are updated weekly. Chess Results will be used for pairings and standings.

Crown: https://chess-results.com/tnr1102404.aspx
U2200: https://chess-results.com/tnr1102415.aspx
U1900: https://chess-results.com/tnr1102429.aspx
U1600: https://chess-results.com/tnr1102433.aspx
U1300: https://chess-results.com/tnr1102440.aspx
Juniors-U1500: https://chess-results.com/tnr1102442

Chess in the Great Hall of Hart House, 2024

2024 Hart House Holidays Open

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We are thrilled to announce to the Hart House community that the annual Hart House Holidays Open Chess Tournament is back for another year! We invite you to join us from Friday, December 20th to Sunday, December 22nd at Hart House for another edition of our annual flagship event. Featuring six sections designed to accommodate all skill levels, this presents the ideal opportunity to participate in a competitive chess tournament.

Tournament Details

  • WHERE: Great Hall, Hart House, University of Toronto.
    • Juniors (U1200): East Common Room, Hart House
  • WHEN: December 20th, 21st, 22nd.
  • SCHEDULE:
    • Crown, U2200, U1900, U1600, U1300, Wisdom: Friday 20th at 6:30pm, Saturday 21st at 10:00am & 4:00pm, Sunday 22nd at 10:00am & 4:00pm
    • Junior Section (U1200): Sunday 22nd at 10:30am, 12:30pm, 3pm, & 5pm
  • TIME CONTROL: 90 minutes + 30 seconds increment from move 1 for all sections. 30 minutes + 30 seconds increment from move 1 for Juniors (U1200).
  • STYLE: 5 Round Swiss split in 5 rating sections – Crown (2200+), Under 2200, Under 1900, Under 1600, Under 1300. 4 Round Swiss for Juniors (U1200).
  • WISDOM SECTION: Open to players 50+, one section, not separated by rating. Section must have 12 players or players will be placed into their section by rating.
  • RATING: All sections will be CFC-rated. Crown, U2200, U1900, and U1600 sections will also be FIDE rated. The Crown Section will be paired using FIDE ratings.
  • FORFEIT TIME: Players who do not arrive within 30 minutes of the round start time will be forfeited.
  • BYES: Maximum 2 half-point byes in rounds 1-4 if requested in advance before the start of Round 1.
  • ORGANIZER: Hart House Chess Club with FA Alex Ferreira as arbiter.
  • EMAIL: hhtournaments@gmail.com
  • CAPACITY: 220 players in the Great Hall

Registration

Online registration is available until Wednesday, December 18th at 11:59 PM. In-person and telephone registration is available through the Hart House Information Desk during Hart House Hours.

Entry Fees

$70 by November 30th at 11:59 pm, $80 by December 18th at 11:59 pm and $100 cash-only on-site if space permits.

$35 discount for student members and unrated players (max one discount per player). Unrated players are not eligible for prizes. Free entry for IMs/WIMs/GMs/WGMs if registered by Fri. November 30th. Please email us for all discount information. Juniors section $30 discount, no cash prizes.

Playing up

Extra $20 to play up a section. Playing up is allowed only for players within 100 rating points of the section’s minimum rating. For example, a player in the Under 1600 section wanting to play up in the Under 1900 section must have a rating no lower than 1500. Play-up fees must be paid on-site at the tournament.

No playing up to the Crown section. Players must be 2200+ CFC or 2000+ FIDE.

Other Info

  • HHCC will utilize DGT boards for portions of the Crown section.
  • Registrants must be current CFC members or bring payment prior to playing — please visit https://chess.ca/membership-fees for more info
  • Withdrawals: see our Policies.
  • Unrated players should review our New To Tournament Guide.
  • Parking is available at a daily rate; however, it is limited. Be prepared and come early to find parking.
  • Prize Payments: Any prize less than or equal to $100 will be paid via Gift Cards. Direct deposit is required for prizes above $100. All prizes will be payable via direct deposit on request. Please expect 1 week – 3 weeks for payments to be processed
  • Live games: https://lichess.org/broadcast/2024-hart-house-holidays-open/round-1/MYd5iaVu

Pre-Registered, Standings, Pairings

Players will be placed in sections according to eligibility, based on the Dec 19 rating update, not necessarily according to how people registered themselves.

Chess Results: