WIM Alexey Root, PhD

Alexey Root is a Woman International Master and the 1989 U.S. Women's chess champion. Her peak US Chess rating was 2260. She has a PhD in education from UCLA. You can find her books on chess on Amazon.com.

Chess Historical Literacy

Chess Historical Literacy

For chess historical literacy, becoming familiar with the World Chess Champions is essential. Their games and writings influenced both their contemporaries and those that came after them. Therefore, one should be able to name, in order, the World Chess Champions. More 🡢
International Chess Day

International Chess Day

Saturday, July 20th, is International Chess Day. Share why you love chess or what chess means to you. International Chess Day 2019 is also the 95th anniversary of FIDE, the World Chess Federation. FIDE has an agreement with Nielsen to research the marketability of chess. If you complete the survey, you can enter into a drawing to win a two-hour online masterclass with former World Champion Vladimir Kramnik. More 🡢
US Chess Championships

July Chess Championships in Saint Louis

The Saint Louis Chess Club is hosting three championships from July 10-21: The U.S. Senior Championship, the U.S. Junior Championship, and the U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship. The senior tournament is for players ages 50 and older. The junior tournaments are restricted to players under age 20 as of January 1, 2019. More 🡢
Norm Tournament

Women’s Chess Tournaments

In August of 2019, two women’s chess tournaments will be held in the US that SparkChess readers might like to play in or to support. From August 16-20, the Berkeley Chess School in California is hosting the Berkeley Summer International Master Norm Tournament. From August 17-18, the 2019 Texas Women’s Chess Championship will be held at the North Richland Hills Library. More 🡢
Kazan Chess Tournament

The FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament

Right now in Kazan, eight women are competing to become the challenger to the current Women’s World Chess Champion, Ju Wenjun. More 🡢
FIDE Master Keith Hayward (standing)

Where to host a chess club?

In most cities, rents are high. So a full-time, dedicated building or room for a chess club may be unaffordable. But there are free alternatives. Libraries usually have meeting rooms. Cafés are another choice. This article highlights chess at libraries and at two cafés. From this article, you may get ideas for where a chess club could meet in your city. More 🡢
Saikhanchimeg Tsogtsaikhan

Chess Vacation of the Year! Contest

The International Chess Festival in Las Vegas, Nevada is known as “The Chess Vacation of the Year!” With tournaments, simultaneous chess exhibitions, lectures, a chess camp, and side events such as blitz, there is enough chess to keep anyone entertained from June 11-16, 2019. By commenting on this article, you may win a $25 gift certificate, good toward a side event entry fee or for merchandise/food from on-site vendors. More 🡢
Girls, Chess, Money, and Careers

Girls, Chess, Money, and Careers

One initiative to encourage girls is already in place at all US Chess scholastic nationals, including the JHS. That initiative is the Girls Club Room, where girls, their teammates and coaches, and their families are welcomed. The special guests at the Girls Club Room for JHS will be me (WIM Alexey Root) and WGM Katerina Nemcova. We will give simultaneous exhibitions, teach chess, and provide game analysis. More 🡢