Jan. 17, 2019
 
Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s),
 
            The free entry deadline is fast approaching for the Greater Chicago Championships.  We need to make sure that everyone who is planning to play in this big event is prepared and registered on time for the Feb. 2 competition.  As a reminder, you get a free US Chess membership out of the deal as well.  We will also be taking a bus to this event.  Anyone that is planning to play, please complete the attached interest form by Tue. Jan. 22.  If you have any questions about the tournament, please let me know.    
Remember that we have another CCF tournament on Feb. 23 (the location will be announced soon).  Then, we will have our own version of March Madness with four big weekends of local, state, and national playoffs and championships.  Please review the Chess Team calendar on the Bateman Chess Team website (http://bateman.cps.edu/bateman-chess.html) and mark the important upcoming dates.  And don’t forget about the National Elementary (K-6) Championships in Nashville, TN in May.  I will be sending home more detailed information about that event soon, but if you’re interested, please let me know.  Many Bateman parents are already planning for this marquee event.  Let’s get a big group of players to these tournaments and represent our great neighborhood school!
     If you have any questions or concerns, you can contact me at acgeisler@cps.edu or (773)534-5055.
 
Sincerely,
Mr. Geisler
Member: U.S. Chess Federation, Illinois Chess Association (Youth Committee), Chicago Chess Foundation (Board member)

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GREATER CHICAGO K-12 CHESS CHAMPIONSHIPS
Please complete the following form if you are planning to participate in the tournament
(see the flyer for more details).

 Jan. 10, 2019
 
Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s),
 
    Please note that the location for this Saturday’s Kings & Queens tournament has been changed to Whitney Young High School (211 S. Laflin).  All of the other details of the event remain the same.  Please see the Bateman chess website: http://bateman.cps.edu/bateman-chess.html   
   
Our 2019 tournament schedule continues with the next free CCF tournament next Sat. Jan. 19 at De La Salle Institute.  As always, there will be food sales available, but players can certainly bring snacks.  Please complete the attached permission slip by Thu. Jan. 17 if your child is planning to participate. 
 
 
Here are the details about the tournament (there is also a Location Guide on the Bateman website):
 
Sat. January 19th CCF Tournament at De La Salle Institute High School
                     3434 S. Michigan (100 East), NW corner of Michigan and 35th St.
 
Schedule:  Check-in: 8:30 - 9:30a.m.                    -All players must check-in at the tournament site by 9:30!
                     Tournament: 10:00a.m. - 3:45p.m.  -Late arrivals will not be paired in the first round.
                     Trophy Presentation  4:00p.m.         (estimated)
  
6 Sections:  Novice K-2, Novice 3-4, Novice 5-6, Novice 7-8, Intermediate, Advanced
                      Unrated, no entry fee 
                      Swiss-style, 5 rounds (est.), USCF standard tie-breaks
 
Awards:  Individual trophies to the top 7 in all novice sections.  Team trophies to the top two teams in all novice sections, and top team in intermediate & advanced.  Team score calculated by top four scores in novice sections, and top three scores in intermediate & advanced.
 
Parking:  We have access to the IIT (Illinois Institute of Technology) parking lot adjacent to the west side of the school on the north side of 35th Street.  If you are proceeding east on 35th street from the Dan Ryan expressway, you will see the lot entrance on your left just before the school and Michigan Ave. 
 
Behavior: Remember that you are representing yourself and your school.  You are expected to follow the Blaze Ways wherever you go. 
 
            We also have some upcoming events for which to prepare.  As we mentioned last month, the Greater Chicago K-12 Championships are coming up (Sat. Feb. 2).  We have to begin registering players soon, so I will be sending home a flyer next week.  This is an excellent opportunity to compete in a more prestigious, rated tournament.  And all CPS students qualify for a free entry and US Chess membership.  Please consider joining us. 
 
     If you have any questions or concerns, you can contact me at acgeisler@cps.edu or (773)534-5055.
 
Sincerely,
Mr. Geisler  [Member: U.S. Chess Federation, Illinois Chess Association (Youth Committee), Chicago Chess Foundation (Board member)]


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Download Permission Slip          (Due 01/17/2019)

Jan. 8, 2019
 
Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s),
 
I hope everyone had a wonderful winter break!  Let’s resolve to make 2019 another successful year for the Bateman chess team!  Please see some reminders below:

• Before the break, I sent home a flyer and permission slip for this Saturday’s CPS Kings & Queens tournament at Chicago Vocational High School (2100 E. 87th st.) ***.  This competition is organized differently than the other tournaments in which we participate.  Our team will be divided into 5-player groups that will compete directly against five players from another school for each round.  I pre-registered several players, and will now need to confirm which students are definitely planning to attend.  Please indicate on the tear-off slip at the bottom of this letter if you would like your child to participate.  The permission slip and flyer are available on the Bateman team website under the Event Calendar.  If you already turned in a slip and are still planning to play, you do not need to turn it in again.  However, if your status has changed, please let me know.  Students will receive a free lunch.  I will have to step out before 9:00am until about 12:30 to attend a class, so I ask that you please stay with your child or make arrangements to have a fellow parent help supervise.  I apologize for the inconvenience, and appreciate your support. 
• The hoodie orders are slightly delayed due to the company running out of purple hoodies.  I made the executive choice to go with gray hoodies with purple and gold logos and lettering.  If you wish to cancel your order because of this, please let me know (acgeisler@cps.edu).
• I hope you got a chance to check out the new and improved Bateman Chess team website (http://bateman.cps.edu/bateman-chess.html).  I wanted to draw your attention to the parent email sign-up, which is available on one of the large tabs (“Bateman Chess Team Email Sign-up”) on the main page.  This will allow me to get word out to parents about tournaments and other related events.  For example, last year a tournament was cancelled due to a snowstorm.
• Before the break, I sent home an updated Jan. and Feb. 2019 schedule.  That schedule is also available on the team website, or you can refer to the Bateman School Google calendar.  As of right now, we only have one Thursday (1/24) that will be cancelled for the afternoon Chess Club.  If anything changes, I will inform you as soon as possible.
• I am excited to announce that the Chicago Chess Foundation has decided to renew our Pawns to Queens grant for 2019, so our advanced Chess Club players will once again have the opportunity for additional specialized instruction from Grandmaster Nikola Mitkov.  We are currently arranging a schedule that we hope to begin as soon as it is approved. 
• Finally, there are two upcoming tournaments to prepare for.  The next free CCF competition will be Sat. Jan. 19 at De La Salle High School.  I will be sending home a permission slip for that event on Thu., so please keep a lookout.  We will have a PDF of the slip as well on the team website. 

 
     If you have any questions or concerns, you can contact me at acgeisler@cps.edu or (773)534-5055.
 
Sincerely,
Mr. Geisler  [Member: U.S. Chess Federation, Illinois Chess Association (Youth Committee), Chicago Chess Foundation (Board member)]

 
Student Name:________________________________________________________________________________________
 
Grade Level:_________________
 
Parent email &/or phone number:______________________________________________________________________


*** Location changed from Chicago Vocational High School to Whitney Young High School (211 S.Laflin St.)

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