Chess Helps Fundraiser for US Chess

Image

The Chess Helps Charity Tournament is an annual event that usually takes place in early fall, just as schools reopen in Arizona. The tournament for charity has been held the past six years over the board and has benefitted organizations such as KIVA, BASIS Chandler and Legends Chess. For its seventh iteration, the tournament has moved online to Chess.com and ChessKid.com with a focus on raising money to benefit the US Chess Federation.

Two non-profit 501(c)(3) organizations have partnered together to host the event on Saturday, August 29th, 2020, to benefit the US Chess Federation. ChessHelps, founded by Prateek Pinisetti, a sophomore at Harvard, and The Pawn Initiative, founded by Jonathan Martinez, a junior at Catalina Foothills High School in Tucson, AZ.

Image

Image Caption

Jonathan Martinez (L) and Prateek Pinisetti (R) (photo Michelle Martinez)

For Martinez and Pinisetti, traveling throughout Arizona and around the country to play in over the board tournaments has been a big part of their lives since they were in elementary school. With in-person tournaments on hold for the foreseeable future, they want to do something to support the US Chess Federation and give back to an organization that has played a prominent role in their chess careers. When asked why chess was important to him, Martinez said, “Chess can bring people together regardless of socioeconomic status, language, or background. It’s a universal game.”

The tournament will have three sections hosted on Chess.com: Open, U2000, U1600 on Chess.com. A K-8 scholastic section will be hosted on ChessKid.com. All sections start at 10 am PT/1 pm ET on August 29, 2020.

Several titled players have already committed to play in this event to support US Chess! 

GMs and IMs may play for free. Please send an email to Click here to show email address or Click here to show email address to be added to the registration. If you would like to donate to US Chess but not participate in the tournament, please see the below link. 

Prizes:

Open: 1st: $100, 2nd: $75, 3rd: $50
U2000: 1st: $60, 2nd: $30, 3rd: $20
U1600:  1st: $60, 2nd: $30, 3rd: $20
K-8:  1st: $15 Amazon GC, 2nd: $10 Amazon GC, 3rd: $5 Amazon GC

Quick Links:

Tournament information: https://pawninitiative.org/chess-helps-us-chess/ or http://www.chesshelps.org/p/tournaments.html
Registration: https://www.events4chess.com/events/?event_ID=1231
Donate to US Chess: new.uschess.org/give

Questions: Click here to show email address or Click here to show email address

The event will be streamed live on Twitch with commentary by FM Robby Adamson.