Mar. 25, 2019
 
Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s),
 
             Congratulations to the players who spent the previous weekend in Schaumburg for the K-12 High School National Championships.  Most of our players were in the Under 800 section, where we placed 14th out of 63 teams and brought home one of the top 20 team trophies!  That group was led by Kayin T. who finished in 21st place out of more than 300 players!  We also were represented by Andrey N. in the U1600 section with 4 points and Chris S. in the U1200 section, also with 4 points.  And we even had a father/daughter team take 1st place in the combined Friends and Family section. 
Congratulations Jocelyn S. and dad for your successful Saturday!
            Also, congratulations to the 3rd/4th grade team who finished in the top 3 at the CPS north-side Playoffs and qualified for the City Championships this this coming Sat. 3/30 back at Whitney Young!  I regret that not everyone on the team can participate in these events due to size limitations.  Although our other grade level squads just missed out on qualifying as a team (they all got 4th or 5th place), we did have some individuals that earned a spot in the Championships.  A big applause for Kalen A., Andrey N. (who was the overall winner of the 5th/6th grade section!), and Steven U. for advancing to the finals.  If you are invited, please return the attached permission slip as soon as possible to adequately prepare for the event.
Here are some important updates about our upcoming chess activities:

• Unfortunately, the Chicago chess community lost one of its finest individuals, Mike Cardinale, to a long fight with brain cancer.  Mike ran the Youth Chess Foundation of Chicago for many years, which offered the free tournaments that Bateman has attended since I first started coaching in 2006-2007.  He was also a dear friend of mine, so I will be attending his funeral on Tuesday, Mar. 26.  Therefore, we will be cancelling all practices on Tue. 3/26.  Also, due to a scheduling conflict, there will also be no Free Chess this Fri. 3/29.  I apologize for the inconvenience.
• Many of the Bateman chess team members are now sporting the new shirts.  There is a back order on some them, so if your child has not yet received hers/his, thank you for being patient.  As soon as they arrive, they will be sent home with your child.  We will be sticking with the new logo and design, and will place future orders with the vendor.  We might also consider names on the back of the shirt, which some players and parents have requested.  Stay tuned for more information about that development.
• This is a reminder that we have some upcoming April events to consider for participation. 

-The Lozano Library will host its free spring tournament on Apr. 6.  A flyer is already linked on the Bateman Chess website (http://bateman.cps.edu/bateman-chess.html).  This event is limited in size, so it does require preregistration.  The information is on the flyer, but if you need any help registering, please let Mr. Geisler know.
-The All-Girls National Tournament is a three-day event on 4/12-4/14.  All CPS female students qualify for a free entry.  I will be sending home an interest form and flyer for anyone interested in participating in this special event.
-A reminder that the MVP tournament on 4/17 is by invitation only.  If a student hasn’t already received their invitation, they will get it this week (There are only 12 spots awarded to Bateman).
-The next free CCF tournament is scheduled for Sat. 4/27.  The Foundation is finalizing the location details which will be shared as soon as they are confirmed.

•  The All-Stars program is currently scheduled to wrap up at the end of April.  However, we will likely get a few extra sessions extended as soon as the available funding is evaluated.  I will also continue to open the room for Free Chess every Friday until the end of May.  When we receive confirmation on the official last day, a notice will be sent out.
• Many Bateman families have continued to show interest in the K-6 Chess Nationals in Nashville, TN on May 10-12.  I will be sending home a final interest form so that we can plan as a team as to which sections would best fit and to discuss travel arrangements.  If you are even just curious about this big event, please let me know.
• Bateman was recently complimented for having a very well-organized website and Facebook page.  Shout out to the parent volunteers who have really helped get those resources together this year!
• We are still planning to do a couple of spring fundraisers for the Bateman chess program: Our annual Chess-a-thon, and a Chess Movie Night.  We would like to do one of the events during the week of Apr. 29 to help support families that are going to the K-6 Nationals.  The other event will be after May 13, and will be updated as soon as we get confirmation.
• Please consider joining the Chicago Chess Foundation for their Chess Night Out fundraiser on Thu. Apr. 4 at Metropolitan Brewing.  The Foundation has been sponsoring free chess events like tournaments, camps, and coaching for the past five years, and Bateman has been involved in many of those activities. 
• As a reminder, students should be using their chesskid.com accounts for additional practice and study.  I encourage students to enjoy using the website for targeted lessons, videos, skill workouts, and online matches with friends.  I do, however, emphasize the importance of doing school work first, as well as maintaining a healthy lifestyle with limited screen time. 

 
 
    If you have any questions or concerns, you can contact me at [email protected] or (773)534-5055.
 
Sincerely,
Mr. Geisler
Member: United States Chess Federation, Illinois Chess Association, Chicago Chess Foundation

Mar. 6, 2019
 
Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s),
 
            March is always an important month for the chess team.  We have city, state, and national championship events, where all of the skills that we have been working on are put to the test.  Thank you to those of you who signed up to play the IL K-8 state championships.  Bateman once again has a competitive group representing our school!  Here are several important reminders for the rest of the month and beyond:

• As a reminder, due to some scheduling conflicts, there will be no practices for All-Stars or Chess Club on Thu. 3/7.  Sorry for the inconvenience.  The schedule is also updated on the Bateman chess website (http://bateman.cps.edu/bateman-chess-schedule.html)
• There will be a separate letter and permission slip going home for the players that are invited to play in the CPS playoffs on Sat. (3/23).  Unfortunately, there is a limit for how many players can participate from each school.  I am appealing to have more roster spots, and if/when they are offered, I will extend the invitation.
• Some players have also qualified for a special invitational event called the MVP tournament.  It takes place on Wed. 4/17 (during Spring Break) at the Chicago Symphony Center.  Most invitations will be sent home next week.  Please note that this date has been revised on the April calendar on the Bateman chess website.
• The next whole team tournaments will be in April.  The Lozano Library will host its Spring tournament on Apr. 6.  A flyer will be sent home when available.  The April 27 CCF tournament will be at a location to be determined.  More information will be sent out in April. 
• As of right now, the All-Stars program is officially scheduled to end on Thu. Apr. 30.  However, I will continue to open the room for Free Chess every Friday until the end of May.  Sometimes, we get extra funding to extend the programs, so if the schedule changes, I will send out a notice.  Chess Club will continue until mid-May.
• We still have two major national tournaments coming up for this school year.  The first is the All-Girls National Championships here in Chicago at the McCormick Place, April 20-22.  A flyer will be sent home to all girls on our chess team soon.
• The other big tournament is the Elementary Nationals on May 10-12 in Nashville, TN.  We have a few families who are already planning to attend.  Let’s keep building an even larger team to represent Bateman and Chicago!  An updated flyer will be sent home soon about that event, but feel free to ask any questions in the meantime, if you have any interest.
• We are hoping to do two spring fundraisers for the Bateman chess program: Our annual Chess-a-thon, and a possible Chess Movie Night.  Both dates are still TBD.  The Chicago Chess Foundation is also doing its annual Chess Night Out on Thu. April 4.  See the flyer on the Bateman Buzz or the Bateman Chess website.
• The Bateman Chess Team Facebook page is now live.  You can find it by searching that title in Facebook.  We will have tournament updates and other chess news posted there.  “Check” it out!
• As a reminder, students should be using their chesskid.com accounts for additional practice and study.  I encourage students to enjoy using the website for targeted lessons, videos, skill workouts, and online matches with friends.  I do, however, emphasize the importance of doing school work first, as well as maintaining a healthy lifestyle with limited screen time. 

 
    If you have any questions or concerns, you can contact me at [email protected] or (773)534-5055.
 
Sincerely,
Mr. Geisler (Member: United States Chess Federation, Illinois Chess Association, Chicago Chess Foundation)

​

Feb. 19, 2019
 
Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s),
 
The next Chicago Chess Foundation of Chicago (CCF) tournament is this coming Saturday, Feb. 23 at Mt. Carmel High School.  Here are the details about the tournament:
 
CCF Tournament on Sat. Feb. 23 at Mt. Carmel High School
6410 S Dante Ave, Chicago, IL 60637 
 
All players are required to pre-register before Friday, February 22nd at 3:00pm. CCF will accept walk-in registrations on the day of the tournament as well, but all registrations received after 3:00pm on February 22nd will not be paired for the first round. Walk-in registrations will be accepted until 9:30am. 
 
Volunteers: In order to keep their tournaments free, CCF relies heavily on the help of volunteers to provide the best experience for all competitors. Parent volunteers can sign up in advance via this link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b0f4ea4ad28a5fa7-february1 (You can also just let Mr. Geisler know if you would like to volunteer.)

Schedule: Sign-in: 8:30 - 9:30am      -All players must check-in at the tournament site by 9:30!
                  Tournament: 10:00am - 3:30pm     -Late arrivals will not be paired in the first round.
                  Trophy Presentation: 3:45pm (est.)
 
6 Sections: Novice K-2, Novice 3-4, Novice 5-6, Novice 7-8, Intermediate (K-8), Advanced (K-8)
 
Tournament details: Non-rated; no entry fee; sets provided; Swiss-style; USCF standard tiebreaks.  Novice - 5 rounds (clocks used to finish rounds); G/20 + 5 sec. delay in five rounds for the intermediate section; G/30 + 5 sec. delay in four rounds for the advanced section.  Notation required in the Advanced section.  Please bring clocks if possible. 
 
Awards:  Individual trophies to the top 7 in all sections.  Team trophies to the top two teams in all Novice sections, top team in Int. & Adv. sections.  Team score calculated by top four scores in novice sections, top three scores in int. & adv.
 
Please complete the attached permission slip by Thu. Feb. 21 if your child is planning to participate.   I have attached an updated calendar for practices and events in March and April.  We will have our annual chess-a-thon in late May or early June, and we will be hosting another CCF-sponsored summer camp week in the summer.  More details will be forthcoming.
 
     If you have any questions or concerns, you can contact me at [email protected] or (773)534-5055.

 
Feb. 14, 2019
 
Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s),
 
            Congratulations to both of our K-6 squads for their performance at the Greater Chicago Championships at our last tournament!  They won the Novice and Reserve team sections!  Our K-3 teams also played some great games and gained a wealth of experience.  The Reserve team narrowly missed out on a team trophy, finishing in 4th place.
            As we move closer to March Madness (Chess Style), we do have some upcoming events to keep our eyes on:

• The Chicago Chess Foundation just received confirmation from a new host school, Mt. Carmel High School (6410 S. Dante), for the Feb. 23 tournament.  I will send home the details and permission slip for that next week, but I wanted to share the update.  For now, keep that date on your calendars.  Let’s get another big Bateman group there!
• Some Bateman families have expressed interest in playing in the Illinois K-8 State Championships in Normal, IL on Mar. 9-10.  Because Illinois State University is about 3 hours from Chicago, it would require an overnight stay at a hotel.  The entry fee is $40 if registered by Feb. 20.  Please complete the attached interest form if this prestigious event is something you would like to consider for your child.  There is also more information linked on the events calendar on the Bateman chess team website (http://bateman.cps.edu/bateman-chess.html). 
• We have once again qualified for the CPS north-side playoffs.  They will take place on Sat. Mar. 23 at Whitney Young High School.  We will have a limit on the total number of players, so preference will be given to players who have already been participating in tournaments.  If we earn a spot in the CPS City Championships, they will be taking place the following Saturday, Mar. 30.  More information will be sent home soon about the playoffs, but please mark your calendars.
• Now that many players and parents are sporting the new gray hoodies, more people have asked about placing a second order.  If you missed out on the first order, or if you want to get some more, please complete the separate order form.  As a reminder, it is wise to order a slightly larger size than usual since your child will be growing into it, and they tend to shrink a little after the first wash.
• Speaking of great team gear, a parent volunteer will be making some stylish shirts with our brand new logo (see above).  The logo was designed by our very own Ms. Tambone!  Please complete the attached order form to select your free shirt!
• There are some families who are planning to attend the K-6 Nationals in Nashville, TN on May 10-12.  Details about the tournament are available on the Bateman chess team website.  All players are welcome, so if you are interested, please complete that information in the attached form.

 
 
If you have any questions or concerns, you can contact me at [email protected] or (773)534-5055.

Sincerely,
Mr. Geisler


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Download IL State K-8 Championships (2019) and K-6 Nationals interest form

Download shirts and hoodies order forms                  


​

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 [email protected] or (773)534-5055.
 
Sincerely,
Mr. Geisler
Member: U.S. Chess Federation, Illinois Chess Association (Youth Committee), Chicago Chess Foundation (Board member)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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 [email protected] 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 ([email protected]).
• 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 [email protected] 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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​

​Dec. 18, 2018
 
Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s),
 
            Thank you to everyone who was able to make it to the last CCF tournament at Rickover.  Although we narrowly missed out on a few team awards, we did have four Bateman players earn individual honors in their respective sections!  This was our biggest turnout as a team, so let’s keep it up in 2019!
Here are some important updates before the winter break:

• We are extremely excited to announce the launch of our new and improved Bateman Chess Team website!  One of our amazing chess parents, Ms. Alexandra, has been working tirelessly on organizing all of the different chess announcements, documents, and information.  You can also use the website to find any forms that may have gotten lost in those book bag black holes, as well as plan ahead for upcoming events.  Please “check” it out: http://bateman.cps.edu/chess-team.html
• Students are receiving an updated calendar that includes all of the practices and events from now until the end of February.  Please keep that schedule in a handy place to plan ahead.  You may also check the Bateman School Google Calendar for any practice updates. 
• Remember that we will have our next free tournament the Saturday after we return (Jan. 12) at Chicago Vocational High School.  A flyer is attached for your reference.  This is a special team tournament with a different format, so I hope we can get several players to participate.  We have to pre-register for that tournament this week, so please return the attached permission slip by this Thu. (12/20), even if you’re not 100% sure you can attend.  We can make changes the week that we return in January, if necessary.
• I have also attached some flyers for events that are happening during winter break.  If you have any questions about them, please let me know.
• We have the Greater Chicago Championships in early February (2/2/2019), which is a great opportunity to play in a rated tournament.  Our school can qualify for free entries (which includes a free annual membership to the official US Chess).  A flyer for that event will also be sent home when we get back to school, but please plan ahead.
• You have probably heard of NCAA March Madness for basketball.  Well, we have our own chess March Madness, with city, state, and national championships!  All of the tournament dates and locations are listed on the back of the updated calendar.
• Did you know that Bateman has had students represented at National tournaments for the past six years?  We would love to continue our streak and get even more players participating.  Another one of our fantastic parents, Ms. Joy, has been recruiting interested parents for the National Elementary (K-6) Championships in Nashville, TN on May 10-12.  If you are even remotely interested, please let us know so that we can help you plan, and we can get a full team!
• Finally, we just renewed every Chess team member’s Chesskid.com Gold membership.  We have also received free Internet Chess Club accounts (play.chessclub.com/cps).  Students should be using their accounts for additional practice and sharpening of their skills.  Family and homework should always come first, but the Chesskid memberships were paid for by school fundraising, and therefore should be used when possible.

 
I wish everyone a safe holiday season and a prosperous new year!  See you in 2019…
 
If you have any questions or concerns, you can contact me at [email protected] 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 Chess Schedule

Download CPS Kings&Queens Tournament Flyer

Download CPS Kings&Queens Tournament Permission Slip     (Due 12/20/2018)

Download Winter Break Chess Clinic and Tournament Flyer and Registration Form

Download 2019 Winter Scholastic & Tim Just Winter Open Tournament Flyer

12/6/18
 
We are ready to put in an order for Chess team zip-up hoodies!  The hoodies are dark purple with yellow lettering and light purple chess team logo (see image above) on the back of the hoodie.  We are still finalizing the design for our new team shirts, so we will hold off on ordering those.
 
If a parent wants a chess hoodie for themselves, they are available too.  The following sizes are available:
 
YOUTH Small, Medium, or Large, and  
ADULT Small, Medium, Large, and XL. 
 
The hoodies are $25 each.  Please keep in mind that some families said that the hoodie sizes were a little smaller than expected, so to be safe, you may want to go one size up.  We will be placing the order on Thursday, Dec. 13, so if you are interested in purchasing one, please let me know what size you would like.  By signing, you agree to pay the money as soon as possible, but no later than the day the clothes arrive at the school.
 
    If you have any questions or concerns, you can contact me at [email protected] or (773)534-5051, or stop by and see me in room 311.
Sincerely, Mr. Geisler 
 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Student Name:__________________________________________________________
 
(Check which item[s] you want):
 
______Student Hoodie              Size(s):_____________
 
______Parent hoodie                Size(s):_____________
 
Parent Name:____________________________________________________
 
Parent Signature:_________________________________________________ Date: _____________
 
Email____________________________________________________ Phone #:_______________________
 


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Nov. 20, 2018
 
Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s),
 
          Congratulations to the players who participated in their first tournament last weekend at Brooks High School.  Two of our teams got 2nd place, and we had four individuals earn trophies!  Please see several important updates below and on the back of this letter:

• Many flyers have been and will be sent home for other chess events.  Some of these are rated tournaments that require entry fees, while others are free events offered by a variety of organizations like the Chicago Chess Center, the Knights Move Chess Club in Pilsen, among others.  Whenever the event is a team event that is open to all of our players, I will attach a permission slip.  Otherwise, the participation is optional.  As always, if you ever have any questions about any of the upcoming chess events, do not hesitate to contact me.
• One of the recent flyers is for a free event happening during the Thanksgiving break, if you are interested.  The Chicago Latino Chess Championship is happening at the Lozano branch of the Chicago Public Library in the Pilsen neighborhood on Sat. Nov. 24.  It is not a full team event, but if you are free and want your child to have another chance for chess competition, this is a good opportunity.  If you plan to participate in this event or if you have questions about it, please email me to let me know ([email protected]).
• There is also a rated tournament over the break with a 1, 2 or 3 day option called the Sevan Memorial.  The one-day event is on Friday, and is called Black (and White) Friday Scholastic.  You should have already received a flyer about these events, but if you have questions about them, you may email me.
• Please save the date of Sat. Dec. 1.  That will be the next Chicago Chess Foundation (CCF) tournament at Rickover Naval Academy.  More details are on the back of this letter, as well as a permission slip.
• Many parents have expressed an eagerness for more chess apparel, so I have contacted our hoodie vendor, and we are also working on a new design for chess team shirts.  Next week, I will be sending home an interest form if you are considering an order for a shirt or hoodie.  More information will be on the form, but if you have any questions, let me know. 
• There will be more tournaments in 2019.  In December, I will be sending home an updated calendar of practices and upcoming events to allow parents and guardians time to mark their calendars.  One date that is confirmed in January is Sat. Jan. 19 for the first CCF tournament of 2019 at De La Salle Institute.
• Every Chess team member now has their Chesskid.com Gold membership.  Students should be using their accounts for additional practice and sharpening of their skills.  Family and homework should always come first, but the Chesskid memberships were paid for by school fundraising, and therefore should be used when possible.
• Thanks to the help of some intrepid parent volunteers, we will be revamping the Bateman Chess Team website, and linking that to a Bateman Facebook parent page.  As soon as they are live, I will be sending out more information on how to use these great resources, but in the meantime, please continue to check the Bateman School website and its Google calendar for updates.
• Finally, in case you haven’t heard, the Chess World Championship is happening right now in London, England.  For the first time in 46 years, an American is competing for the title!  If you would like to root on Grandmaster Fabiano Caruana as he challenges the current World Champion, Magnus Carlsen, you can follow the games on a variety of platforms, including chess.com and the main tournament website, worldchess.com.  We have even taken some time during our lessons to analyze some of the great games the two have already played.

 
 
    Thank you for involving your child in this program.  If you have any questions or concerns, you can contact me at [email protected] or (773)534-5055.
 
Sincerely,
Mr. Geisler
Member: U.S. Chess Federation, Illinois Chess Association (Youth Committee), Chicago Chess Foundation (Board member)
 
 
CCF at Rickover Naval Academy (connected to Senn High School)
5900 N. Glenwood (1400 West), just south of Thorndale
 
Entrance/Parking:  We'll be using Door 10 on the west side of the building, facing Ridge Ave. and the athletic fields.  We have use of the small parking lot adjacent to the entrance at Door 10.  The entrance to the lot is off of Thorndale, on the north side of the school.  Thorndale is a one-way street headed west, so you will need to approach the school from the east on Thorndale to enter the lot.  There should also be some street parking available.
 
Schedule:  Sign-in  8:30 - 9:30am      -All players must check-in at the tournament site by 9:30!
                  Tournament  10:00am - 3:15pm  -Late arrivals will not be paired in the first round.
                  Trophy Presentation  3:30 (est.)
 
5 Sections:  Novice K-2, Novice 3-4, Novice 5-6, Novice 7-8, Advanced
 
   Non-rated, no entry fee, sets provided, Swiss-style, 5 rounds, USCF standard tiebreaks
   G/20 + 5 sec. increment in Advanced section when clocks are available
  Advanced players please bring clocks if possible; Notation required in the Advanced section
 
Awards:  Individual trophies to the top 7 in all sections.  Team trophies to the top two teams in all sections.  Team score calculated by top four scores in novice sections, top three scores in advanced.
 
Please complete the attached permission slip by Tue. Nov. 27 if your child is planning to participate. 
 

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