Welcome to the
New Britain Chess Club
The Quartette Club, 225 Wooster Street, New Britain, CT 06052
Joe Mansigian, President
Schedule of Events through June 2007
Current and Upcoming Events
Results of Recent Events
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2005 New Britain Chess Club Championship
1st Place ROBERT LAWRENCE 4.5
2nd Place Tie DOUGLAS FISKE 4
2nd Place Tie JOHN BACLAWSKI 4
Top Class A (Tie) ANDRES CASTANEDA 3.5
Top Class A (Tie) ANTHONY DIAZ 3.5
Top Class B (Tie) JOSEPH MANSIGIAN 3
Top Class B (Tie) OWEN WALSH 3
Top Class B (Tie) CHRISTIAN JENSEN 3
Top Class B (Tie) JOZEF MADEJ 3
Top Class C OWEN GOMEZ 3.5
Top Class D ANDRIS STRAZDINS 2
Top Class E and UNR JAMES HARRIS 2.5
BIGGEST UPSET SOFIA LEJA (1055) DEFEATED JOHN MAURO (1624) IN ROUND 1, A RATING DIFFERENCE OF 569 POINTS!
THIS EVENT ATTRACTED 35 OF OUR CLUB MEMBERS AND INDEED WAS ONE OF THE LARGEST TOURNAMENT TURNOUTS IN OVER 2 YEARS.
- The winners of the 2005 New Britain City Chess Championship Round-Robin Finals Tournament are
1-3: Andres Castaneda, Joe Bihlmeyer, and Bill Grzesiak
4th: Anthony Diaz
5th: Douglas Fiske
- Here the winners of the 34th (2005) annual New Britain City Chess Championship Open Reserve Tournament.
Robert Lawrence wins first place with a score of 4.5! He won $80! Congratulations! This is the second time Bob has won the City Reserve tournament.
Coming in at a very close second is Owen Walsh scoring 4-1. For his second place award, he won $60.
There was a four way tie for third place! Chris Jensen, Kevin Blais, John Chapman, and Bob Kozlowski each won 3.5 games! Each player will be awarded $35. Below is the prize allocation calculation.
Third place - $50
TOP Class B - $30
TOP Class C - $30
TOP Class D and under - $30
Note: Jensen and Blais are both Class B players, Kozlowski is a Class C player and Chapman is a Class D player. The total prize pool equals 50+30+30+30 = 140/4 = $35
Since the players involved in the tie for 3rd place also tied for class prizes, all cash awards for the place and respective rating classes were included in the pool and divided equally among all winners. However, it must be noted that the number of prizes awarded (4) did not exceed the number of the players in the pool (4).
The second top Class C prize went to Kevin Zimmerman who won 3 games. He won $30.
A special award for the biggest upset game went to Nicholas Meredith, who incidentally is the youngest member of the club, for his outstanding victory against Irene Salukvadze in the final round. Meredith’s win ranks in one of the biggest upsets of all time in club history, defeating a player rated 603 points higher than him. This is indeed a commendable achievement. Fantastic play, Nick! - The results are in for the 2004 (54th Annual) New Britain Chess Club Championship. The winner and crowned the 2004 NBCC Champion is FIDE Master Nelson Castaneda who scored 4½-½ on his way to claiming 1st place. Nelson was awarded $100. It should also be mentioned that Nelson is currently playing in a tournament in Vermont and according to his son Andres, Nelson has an opportunity to obtain, from this event, his third and final IM NORM! We wish him the best in obtaining the title of International Master.
Commanding a solid second place in the club championship with an outstanding performance was Andres Castaneda who scored 4-1. He was awarded $70 last Tuesday night for his place prize. In addition, Andres won the BIGGEST UPSET prize ($15) for his victory against Mark Bourque in Round 4. The rating differential between Castaneda and Bourque at the time of the match was 317 points!
Tied for 3rd place and TOP Class A prizes were the following players: Bill Grzesiak, David Aldi, and Joe Bihlmeyer. They each earned 3½ points and were presented with $25.
Tony Diaz and Karl Kochman both tied for the TOP Class B prize with each scoring 3-2 and winning $25.
Claiming the class C prize solo was Bill Dworski. Dworski won $25 and scored 3-2. - 2004 New Britain City Chess Championship Finals
The tournament was won by Sarathi Ray of Newington with a score of 8/9. In second place was Joe Bihlmeyer of Southington at 6.5/9, and tied for third with 5/9 were Mark Bourque of Stafford Springs, John Baclawski of New Britain, and Joe Mansigian of New Britain. - 33rd Annual New Britain City Chess Championship Reserve
There was a 3-way tie for first place. Tony Diaz of West Hartford, Chris Jensen of Shelton, and Bill Grzesiak of Cheshire each scored 4/5.Click here for games with notes by FM Bauer - 12/09/2003 - Match vs. Springfield Chess Club.
The New Britain Club won the match by a 9-1 score. - 09/23/2003 - 2003 New Britain City Championship Qualifier
Click here for games from 1st 5 Rounds, with notes by FM Bauer
New games with notes by FM Bauer - 08/19/2003 -2003 Connecticut State Blitz G/5 Championship
SM Michael Casella won the event scoring 17-2 and winning $105. Unfortunately
since Casella is not a Connecticut resident (he is from California and was a member of the club many years ago in the 80s and early 90s), Harris Appelman,
who scored 16½-2½ and earned second place, was crowned the 2003 Connecticut Blitz champion. Appelman won $75 and was very gracious with his winnings by not
only paying his club dues but also buying beers for the entire club! Way to go Harris! Coming in at a very close third was Rick Bauer who scored 16-3 and won
$45. The Top U2000 prize went to Jimi Wilkin, scoring 13½-5½ and winning $45.
20 players partook in the championship, which was directed by Mr. Strazdins with the assistance of Bob Kozlowski. - 08/12/2003 - Simultaneous Exhibition by FIDE Master Nelson Casteneda
The winners (in order) were as follows: Harris Appleman (awarded a chess book by the NBCC), David Aldi, Dennis Himes, Joe Mansigian, and Andres Castaneda (Nelson's son).
Draws were earned by the following:
Charles Wojtyniak, Marcus Komons, and Pat King.
There were 21 players in the simul, which lasted approximately 4 hours. - 07/01/2003 - 39th NBCC Summer Open
Click here for Round 1 games with notes by FIDE Master Rick Bauer
Click here for Round 2 games.
Click here for Round 3 games. - 06/24/2003 - Match vs Springfield Chess Club
- 05/06/2003 - Results of 2003 New Britain Chess Club Championship
Games from Rounds 1 & 2 with notes by NM Rick Bauer
More games with notes by NM Rick Bauer - 01/28/2003 - New Britain City Finals Championship
Click here for games annotated by NM Bauer
The 2003 New Britain City Champion is NM Rick Bauer, who gave up one draw (to John Baclawski) and one loss (to Aquilino Pena). Bauer won $120.
In 2nd Place was Mark Bourque at 9-2. Bourque earned $90.
Bill Grzesiak won the $70 3rd place prize, going 8-3 - 04/29/2003 - Results of Simultaneous Exhibition by GM Gildardo Garcia
Of the 27 games, the GM scored 22½-4½. The only player to defeat Mr. Garcia was Albeiro Restrepo. The following players drew to the GM: Mark Bourque, Robert Kozlowski, Arkadijs Strazdins, Martin Garcia, Danny Elkayam, and Richard Bauer
Here is the win by Restropo - 02/04/2003 - 2003 New Britain City Reserve Tournament
Click here for games annotated by NM Bauer - 09/24/2002 - 53rd Annual New Britain City Chess Championship Qualifying Tournament
Click here to replay games with light notes by NM Rick Bauer - Here are some replayable games from the Simultaneous Exhibition given 9/17/2002 by Grandmaster Gildardo Garcia. Annotations are by FIDE Master Rick Bauer.
- FM Nelson Casteneda recently had a very fine showing at the US Open. He worked his way to the top boards for the last two rounds, knocked off one IM and had another one on the ropes. He has generously agreed to share all of his games with us. FIDE Master Rick Bauer has added some light notes.
Click Here to replay these games
- 08/09/2002 - RESULTS OF EXHIBITION BY FIDE MASTER NELSON CASTENEDA
There were 24 players. Castaneda scored +18 -2 =4. THE WINNERS WERE FRANCIS GASPER and DENNIS HIMES
DRAWS WERE EARNED BY:
ARKADIJS STRAZDINS, MANUEL MEJIAS, ED VALAUSKAS, and JOE MANSIGIAN
- 07/02/2002 - Summer Open Results
- 06/04/2002 - Club Championship Results
Congratulations to FIDE Master Nelson Castaneda and USCF National Master Rick Bauer for becoming the 2002 Club Champions. Each finished with 4.5 points out of 5. In the final round Castaneda defeated Expert Alan Cabot while Bauer disposed of Expert Arkadijs Strazdins.
Here are ROUND 1 GAMES
GAMES from ROUND 2 & 3
- 04/23/2002 - RESULTS OF EXHIBITION BY NATIONAL MASTER RICK BAUER
There were 25 players. Bauer scored +16 -1 =8. THE ONLY WINNER WAS DENNIS TORTORA of WATERBURY
Click here for games with notes by NM Rick Bauer
DRAWS WERE EARNED BY:
ARKADIJS STRAZDINS, HERMANN ZICKFELD, WILLIAM MURDOCH, TIMOTHY FENNELL, DENNIS HIMES, JOZEF MADEJ, ROBERT MILARDO, JOSEPH MANSIGIAN
- 01/29/2002 thru 04/16/2002 - New Britain City Chess Championship Finals was won by Mark Bourque of Stafford with the fine score of 10-1. 2nd place went to Bob Milardo with 8-3. Complete results and crosstable
The Brilliancy Prize was awarded to Jason Lenore. Replay Brilliancy Prize Candidates with notes by NM Rick Bauer
- 01/22/2002 - RESULTS OF EXHIBITION BY NATIONAL MASTER TED McHUGH
Click here for games.
THE WINNERS WERE:
JASON LENORE (First Winner, awarded chess book), JOE MANSIGIAN, PETER GALAZAN, and DENNIS HIMES
DRAWS WERE EARNED BY:
EDMUND VALUASKAS, RUSLAN GREGOR, DENNIS TORTORA, and JOHN PASCO
- 12/04/2001 - RESULTS OF EXHIBITION BY INTERNATIONAL GRANDMASTER GILDARDO GARCIA
30 PLAYERS PARTICIPATED IN THIS SIMUL!! GARCIA SCORED 25-2-3
Click here for games.
THE WINNERS WERE:
RICK BAUER and JOHN PASCO
DRAWS WERE EARNED BY:
ARKADIJS STRAZDINS, CHRIS JENSEN, and FRANCIS GASPER
- 11/19/2001 - Springfield Chess Club vs. NBCC
Click here for games. - 09/25/2001 - 52nd Annual New Britain City Championship Qualifying Tournament Brilliancy Prize Game Submissions with annotations by FM Rick Bauer He writes: "Here are the games that were submitted to me for the brilliancy prize for Fall of 2001. There were only 8 games submitted but I awarded a prize anyway. For that you can thank Pena, who 'stuffed the ballot box' with 3 late entries. Anyway the brilliancy prize goes to Jensen-Galazan, with an exchange sacrifice that stumped me and Fritz , but was probably sound.
Jason Lenore gets an honorable mention for the best played games, but this was a brilliancy prize."
The following 12 players have qualified to play in the finals:
Pasco, Milardo, Baclawski, Lenore, Madej, Kochman, Himes, Berube, Mansigian, Strazdins, Bourque, Heineman - 08/28/2001 - RESULTS OF EXHIBITION BY FIDE MASTER NELSON CASTANEDA
SPONSORED BY THE NBCC AND THE QUARTETTE CLUB.
30 PLAYERS PARTICIPATED IN THIS SIMUL!!!!
THE WINNERS WERE:
FIRST - ROBERT MILARDO OF CROMWELL. BOB WAS AWARDED A CHESS BOOK DONATED BY THE NBCC.
JOHN PASCO OF NEW BRITAIN
MARK WHITE OF NEWINGTON
JOHN BACLAWSKI OF NEW BRITAIN
DOUGLASS MILLER OF SPRINGFIELD, MASS.
DRAWS WERE EARNED BY:
FIRST - ARKADIJS STRAZDINS OF NEW BRITAIN
DENNIS TORTORA OF WATERBURY
JASON LENORE OF WEST HARTFORD
EDMUND VALAUSKAS OF SOUTHINGTON
NELSON PLAYED VERY FAST AND FINISHED ALL 30 GAMES IN JUST OVER 3 HOURS AND 30 MINUTES! HE WON 21, DREW 4, AND LOST 5 GAMES. - 08/14/2001 - CLUB MEMBERS TED McHUGH AND HARRIS APPELMAN TIED FOR 1ST PLACE IN THE 2001 CONNECTICUT STATE OPEN "BLITZ" CHAMPIONSHIP.Click here for full crosstable.
THEY EACH SCORED 13.5-.5 AND WON $89.
MARK WILKIN, OUR NEWEST CLUB MEMBER AND PROBABLY THE RICHEST AFTER WINNING OVER $130 IN THESE PAST TWO EVENTS, WAS THE WINNER IN THE TOP U2000 CATEGORY IN THE BLITZ EVENT AND TOOK HOME $51.
15 PLAYERS PARTICIPATED IN THIS EVENT. - 36th Annual New Britain Summer Open Championship Tournament - 5 Round Swiss System
- A $25 Best Game prize has been donated by Will Soto. Please make submissions to Bill Grzesiak as soon as possible. Click here for Best Game prize submissions.
- 6/26/2001 - Springfield CC vs New Britain CC Results - Games
- 06/19/2001 - New Britain Chess Club Blitz Championship
- Results of 51st Annual New Britain Chess Club Championship
- 04/25/2001 - Simultaneous Exhibition by National Master Edward McHugh
- 01/23/2001 - 51st Annual New Britain City Chess Championship Finals Tournament - Single RR for 8 qualifying players
- 01/16/2001 - Simultaneous Exhibition by National Master Edward McHugh
- 12/19/2000 - New Britain Christmas Open Blitz Tournament (G/5)
- 11/28/2000 - Simultaneous Exhibition by SM Richard N. Bauer
Bauer played against 15 opponents, scoring +12 =3 -0!
Draws were earned by Arkadijs Strazdins of New Britain, Robert Milardo of Cromwell, and Alan Cabot of East Longmeadow MA.
Bauer finished all games in about 3 hours. - 08/15/2000 - 2000 Connecticut State Open Blitz Championship - Game in 5 minutes, authorized by the CSCA
- 8/01/2000 - Simultaneous Exhibition by FIDE Master Nelson Castaneda
- 7/04/2000 - 35th Annual New Britain Summer Open Championship Tournament
- 6/20/2000 - New Britain CC Blitz Championship
- 5/30/2000 - 50th Annual New Britain Chess Club Championship
- 1/25/2000 - 50th Annual New Britain City Championships Finals Tournament
- Single Round Robin for 12 qualifiers
Games by the Winner! - Club Champion Rick Bauer recently had a great result at the 1999 National Chess Congress in Philadelphia. Click Here for his annotated games.
- 9/21/1999 - 1999 New Britain City Chess Championship Qualifying Tournament
Final results and games - 9/14/1999 - Results of Simultaneous Exhibition by SM Richard Bauer
- 9/07/1999 - 1999 Connecticut State Open Blitz Chess Championship
- 8/10/1999 - Results of Simultaneous Exhibition by NM Kerry Leahy
- 7/1999 - 1999 New Britain Chess Club Summer Open
- 5/1999 to 6/1999 - 1999 New Britain Chess Club Championship
- 1/1999 to 2/1999 - 1999 New Britain Chess Club Reserve
- 1/1999 to 2/1999 - 1999 New Britain Chess Club Finals Championship
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International Grandmaster Gildardo Garcia
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Won by NM Ted McHugh with a perfect 22-0 score!
International Grandmaster Gildardo Garcia was second with 20.5 - 1.5
NM Rick Bauer took third place with 20-2
4th was Expert Harris Appelman with 18.5 - 3.5
There were a total of 23 players participating.
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Click here for all games annotated by NM Rick Bauer
Time started: 7:45 Time ended:10:30 Score 18.5-3.5
Total number of players: 22 Number of wins against McHugh: 2 Number of draws against McHugh: 3
First winner: Robert Kozlowski. Was awarded a chess book donated by the NBCC
Second winner: Joseph Hladun
Draws by: Arkadijs Strazdins, John Baclawski, & Jason Lenore
Time started: 7:40 Time ended:10:35 Score 17-4
Total number of players: 21 Number of wins against McHugh: 3 Number of draws against McHugh: 2
First winner: Karl H. Kockman of South Windsor. Was awarded a chess book donated by the NBCC
Second winner: Sib S. Ray of Newington
Third winner: Keith D. Little
First draw: Peter Galazan of New Britain
Second draw: Joseph Hladun of New Britain
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- The New Britain Chess Club meets every Tuesday night in New Britain's Quartette Club on Quartette Club Road. Members start arriving at 7:00PM to set up.Tournaments start at 7:30. The club is open to 12:00 at night.
- Events are often scheduled, such as rated tournaments, simultaneous exhibitions, etc. However, casual play goes on almost any night.
- Arkadijs Strazdins has been president of the club for over 25 years. Most of our members have been coming for over 10 years. Our club is the strongest tournament chess club in the state of Connecticut. We are also the largest club in the state as well, with close to 70 paid members.
- The club is also a very social club. Our members form strong friendships, and are very friendly to new members. We like going over our games together and helping each other improve.
- Club Membership is required for rated tournaments. This annual fee is $30. However, we allow discounts for seniors and students ($5 less). Additionally United States Chess Federation membership is required for rated tournaments. This is because you must be a USCF member to receive a rating. (Club membership is not required for speed tournaments or simultaneous exhibitions)
- Tournament participation is optional. You do not have to join the USCF.
- The club has a sizeable chess library. All volumes are available to be borrowed by club members.
- Want to become a New Britain Chess Club Member? Try us out! Come on down for 3 nights with no obligation. We're confident you'll like us!!
- Want chess lessons? We can accommodate you!
- (Please understand that dues are needed to pay for the rent of our building, equipment, advertising, etc. which can be quite expensive. Please help us keep a good thing going!!)
The New Britain Chess Club Fact Sheet
Comments? Suggestions? Need more information? Send an e-mail
to us at the New Britain Chess Club.
Last modified 08/15/2005