Lecture with Chess Master Clif Kharroubi, News & Events

Wednesday, December 20th

We will be having our annual Holiday Party tonight at the Chess Center, starting at 6:30pm.

The Community Chess Club will provide pizza, eggnog and soft drinks.

If you would like, please bring a dish to share.  We have been informed that Mike Runnells will be bringing a fresh batch of his wife's famous chocolate chip cookies!

Everyone is welcome!  Happy Holidays!

The Rochester Chess Center will be open for chess on Saturday, Dec. 23rd and 30th for the Youth Tournament at 10am (G/30d5), Open Tournament at 2pm (G/60d5) and for your last-minute shopping needs!

The Community Chess Club is open for their regular chess club meetings on Wed. Dec. 20th and Wed. Dec. 27th.  Registration: 6:30pm to 7:20pm (G/80d5).

Monday Night Chess League

The next Monday Night Dr. Farley Memorial Chess League begins Monday, Jan. 8th.

Sign-up at the Chess Center.  Register by 6:30pm on Jan. 8th.

From the United States Chess Federation December 2017 Rating Supplement

Chess Master Lev Paciorkowski  

has achieved at 2408 USCF Rating!

Lev is currently the #1 rated chess player

in the Rochester area and also the 

2016-2017 Club Champion.

Awards Night Photos

Here are some photos from Awards Night, celebrating the achievements of club players who participated in the annual Community Chess Club of Rochester Chess Championship held in October and early November of this year.

The Club Champion: Chess Master Lev Paciorkowski

U1000: Mike Connelly

U1200: Richard Warmus

U1400: Joshua Stevens

U1600  by tie-break: Dan Burnside

tie-break prize: David Worl

tie-break prize: Toby Rizzo

U1800: Aidan Kharroubi

U2000: Brian Jesse

tie-break prize: Randy MacKenzie

tie-break prize: Ken McBride

5th Place by tie-break: David Phelps

4th Place: Don Stubblebine

3rd Place: Jamshed Ahmed

2nd Place by tie-break: Clif Kharroubi

Club Champion by tie-break: Lev Paciorkowski

Chess Camp, Upcoming Tournaments & Events

Chess Camp: Dec. 26th thru 29th

Wednesday night, December 20, 2017
at the Rochester Chess Center
Details to follow...

The Community Chess Club of Rochester will have their regularly scheduled chess games during the holidays on November 22nd (preceding Thanksgiving), December 20th and December 27th.

Club Championship "Awards Night"

21st Annual Community Chess Club Championship 

"Awards Night"

Wed. November 15th, 2017

 **

Please join us for the award ceremony which will be held at 7:30 pm at the Rochester Chess Center.  Cake and will be served.  The club's regularly scheduled chess games will follow the awards ceremony.

1st Place: Lev Paciorkowski

2nd Place: Clif Kharroubi

3rd Place: Jamshed Ahmed

4th Place: Don Stubblebine

5th Place: David Phelps

U2000: Brian Jesse

U1800: Aidan Kharroubi

U1600: Dan Burnside

U1400: Joshua Stevens

U1200: Richard Warmus

U1000: Mike Connelly

Chess Friend and Teacher, Adam DeSantis passed away Nov. 3, 2017

In Memoriam

Adam P Desantis
(Mr. Chess)

1923-2017

Adam DeSantis (center) with James Hiltunen and Ken McBride

Chili: On Nov 3, 2017. Predeceased by his son David; great-granddaughter Avery. Survived by his wife Arlene; children Sharon Rogers, Daniel DeSantis, Christine SaintOurs; brother Joseph (June) DeSantis; 6 grand & 4 great-grandchildren; nieces; nephews & cousins. Adam was a WWII Veteran.

Friends may call Tuesday 4-7 pm at James R. Gray Funeral Home, 1530 Buffalo Rd. Burial in Sampson Veterans Memorial Cemetery. Kindly consider the National Kidney Foundation in memory of Avery Frechette.

Published in Rochester Democrat And Chronicle on Nov. 5, 2017
To leave a special memory or note for the family, please visit Legacy.com

The Chess Community wishes sincere condolences to Adam's  family.
The games played this Wednesday night with the Community Chess Club of Rochester
 will be dedicated in memory of Adam.

Adam will be sadly missed.  Adam was a tremendous friend to many, a long-time chess teacher and chess player.  With his teaching, he introduced literally thousands of young people in the Rochester area to the game of chess. Adam loved the game of chess and he loved teaching.  Over many years, Adam taught chess in the schools, many libraries and essentially any place where a chess board could be set up. You might have found Adam teaching chess at the Wegmans cafe, Leaf and Bean coffee shop in Chili, one of the many sports gyms, and the list goes on and on. He was absolutely the biggest proponent of chess with the biggest heart the Rochester community have ever come to know. This is why Adam DeSantis was known also as "Mr. Chess".
Adam always had chess sets in his car's trunk.  Adam was always ready to bring out the chess board and chess pieces to teach chess and bring a wonderful smile of excitement to somebody new who maybe heard of the game of chess, but did not know the moves or the thrill of the game.
Among many chess clubs that Adam founded over the years is the Chili Library Chess Club. Adam ran the kids chess club with Fred Mellender for many many years.. This wonderful chess club for kids is growing and meetings several times a month.  

Chili Library Chess Club, founded by Adam DeSantis

Fred Mellender said he will continue Adam's work to run the Chili Library Chess Club, which Adam founded and was so proud of.  This is what Fred had to say about Adam, "Adam taught chess to Rochester kids over the last 50+ years. He started chess clubs in schools, libraries, and recreation centers. His influence in the lives of so many kids cannot be overestimated".  
If you would like to leave a remembrance of Adam, the Legacy site is linked here for you to do so.

Adam DeSantis playing chess during a simultaneous event.

Adam DeSantis with Calvin Moulton at the 2016 Marchand.

Adam DeSantis with Ken McBride at the 2016 Marchand.

Adam DeSantis (left front) played new Community Chess Club member Bob Talbot.
In the background, Braden Holcomb (left) played Jim Trowbridge.  July 30, 2014.

From left to right: Daniel Johnston, Adam DeSantis, Ken McBride, Abe Glasser, Mike Lionti (holding the camera) and Neil Parry (not pictured) arrived for the weekly chess battles. Ice, snow and extreme cold can't hold back these chess players!
** This picture was taken during a chess tourney during a snowstorm. Nothing could keep Adam away from being with his pals at the chess club! From 2014 **

Round 2: Adam DeSantis aka "Mr. Chess" (left) lost to Spencer Dewey.
** from 2013 **

Left to Right: Adam DeSantis, Grant Glor, Laszlo Tapaszto and David Love, Sept. 2016

From left to right: Adam DeSantis, Jim Trowbridge, Caleb Carroll, Jim Attaya, Laszlo Tapaszto, Mike Lionti, Joe Sarratori. Sept. 1, 2016.

Ken McBride, Isay Golyak and Adam DeSantis. May 20, 2015.

Over the years, Adam found the game site itsyourturn.com to be one of his favorite hobbies. On the site, Adam could play chess from anywhere (frequently from Roberts Wesleyan College Library) and anytime. It was not uncommon to see that Adam was making chess moves at 3am in the morning. 

Adam's User Id on the site was "kandahar" aka "alyeska".  He joined the site on Jan. 31, 2000.

2017 Community Chess Club Championship - Rnd5

Chess Club Champion Lev Paciorkowski

Chess Master 

Lev Paciorkowski

Wins 2017 Club Championship!

4.5 point tie broken by tie-break rules.

2nd Place: Clif Kharroubi

3rd Place: Jamshed Ahmed

4th Place: Don Stubblebine

5th Place: David Phelps

U2000: Brian Jesse

U1800: Aidan Kharroubi

U1600: Dan Burnside

U1400: Joshua Stevens

U1200: Richard Warmus

U1000: Mike Connelly

Awards night will be held on Wednesday, Nov 15th, 2017 at 7:3pm

at the Rochester Chess Center.  Please join us for the awards presentation.
We will celebrate with cake & coffee. Following the awards presentation,
we will have our normal rated games.

More tournament coverage coming soon.

Lev Paciorkowski (2398) won his game with Randy MacKenzie (2016) and tied for 1st place with 4.5 points.

Clif Kharroubi (2114) won his game with David Phelps (1936) and tied for 1st place with 4.5 points.

2017 Club Championship Photo.

Jan Tarwid

Jerry Birmingham and Jim Attaya

Richard Motroni and David Worl

LINK TO CHESS GAMES !!!!!!!!!!

For a great selection of games from this year's club championship,

visit Jim Trowbridge's blog at "Smoke the Pawn"