2020 US Chess Annual Award Recipients

The US Chess Federation is pleased to announce the 2020 Annual Award recipients.  Congratulations to all of these individuals and organizations who are advancing our mission to "empower people, enrich lives, and enhance communities through chess." (Note: photos will be added as they are received.) Distinguished Service Award – FM Sunil Weeramantry (NY)

Courtesy of the Saint Louis Chess Campus

Outstanding Career Achievement Award -Bruce Pandolfini (NY), John Watson  (CA) 

John Watson, Cover May 1969 Chess Life

  Meritorious Services Award – Paul Covington (CO), Edward Baur (MO), Thomas Braunlich (OK), Jeffrey Ashton (TX), Janelle Losoff (NV), Walter High (NC)

Janelle Losoff

Walter High

Paul Covington

Tom Braunlich

Special Services Award – Mark Wells (NM), Jonathan Crumiller (NJ)

Jonathan Crumiller

Mark Wells

Tournament Director Lifetime Achievement Award – Todd Barre (IL) Accessibility and Special Circumstances Person of the Year – Abel Talamantez (NCA)

Photo credit: Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group. Used with permission.

Chess City of the Year – New York, NY

The Chess and Checkers House in New York City's Central Park.

Chess Club of the Year – San Diego Chess Club (SCA)

Chuck Ensey at the San Diego Chess Club. Photo: James Woodward

Chess College of the Year – Texas Tech University (TX)

The TTU Pan-Am Champions

Committee of the Year – Scholastic Committee

Frank J. Marshall Award – FM Aviv Friedman (NJ)

Grandmaster of the Year – GM Fabiano Caruana (NV)

Photo credit: Lennart Ootes

Honorary Chess Mate – Maxine Brady (NY) Koltanowski Awards

• Gold – Frank P. Samford III (GA), St. Louis Chess Club (MO) (Rex & Jeanne Sinquefield), John D. Rockefeller V (MD)

Rex hands the mike to Dr. Jeanne Sinquefield at the first Cairns' Cup, Photo Lennart Ootes

John D. Rockefeller V (right) playing chess with his grandfather, John D. Rockefeller III. Photo courtesy of the subject.

• Silver – New Jersey State Chess Federation (NJ), American Intercultural Education (Lin Johnson) (NC), Richard and Barbara Schiffrin (PA), Maureen and David Grimaud (SC)

Richard and Barbara Schiffrin

David and Maureen Grimaud

Organizer of the Year – Jay Stallings (SCA)

Outstanding Team Performance Award – U.S. team at the 2019 World Cadet

Scholastic Service Award

• Individual – Christina Schweiss (VA)

• Organization – The Renaissance Knights Chess Foundation (IL)

Outstanding Player Achievement Award –Viktors Pupols (WA), Dmitry Gurevich (IL), Michael Brooks (MO)

Viktors Pupols. Credit: Badchess666, wikimedia commonss

IM Michael Brooks, courtesy of Saint Louis Chess Campus

Tournament Director of the Year – Glenn Panner (IL)

Woman Chessplayer of the Year Award – IM Carissa Yip (MA)