michaelbrooks16

2021 Review and Looking Ahead

Our 2020-2021 Story 2021 has been an exciting year for the Grand Rapids Chess Center. In mid-2020 we started going by the name of the Grand Rapids Chess Center. Relaunching our Spencer St. Chess Club into a chess center which can fully offer our local players and growing movement as well as become a newContinue reading “2021 Review and Looking Ahead”

Report! West Michigan Tune-Up

Our 2021-2022 tournament calendar began with an extremely tough event! The West Michigan Tune-Up, which is designed to help players prepare for the fall tournament calendar locally and regionally, was filled with strong players in the open section. 23 players participated in all with 17 in the Open and 6 in the scholastic. The openContinue reading “Report! West Michigan Tune-Up”

GRCC Player Highlight: Will Brooks

Grand Rapids is experiencing a boom in chess! The Grand Rapids Chess Center has over 40 paying members and is rolling out a full-year chess calendar for local players and enthusiasts, while also seeking to draw players from the greater Midwest. Our desire is to make Grand Rapids and West Michigan a draw to competitiveContinue reading “GRCC Player Highlight: Will Brooks”

Opening Repertoire Selection Using a Chess Database

by VP Henry Rankin Choosing an opening Repertoire is no small task for any chess player. Personal tastes, psychological comfort, and general opening knowledge all come into play. Using an opening database to help provides for a more reasoned approach to explore better fitting choices. What follows is my effort to choose a repertoire thatContinue reading “Opening Repertoire Selection Using a Chess Database”

West Michigan Students Shine in Online Tournament!

by Karen, the student’s Mother. Evan (12) and Ryan (10) learned chess when they were each five years old. They started attending tournaments in 2018, beginning with an unrated tournament in Ludington and then the Holland Open, the annual event from the Holland Chess Academy. These tournaments were divided by grade level instead of chessContinue reading “West Michigan Students Shine in Online Tournament!”

A Tribute to Dr. Tony Palmer

by the West Michigan Chess Community From Hollandchess.com Facebook Page It is with heartfelt sorrow, that we have to announce the passing of our beloved Coach Dr. Tony, who passed away on Saturday August 22, 2020, in St. Joseph, Michigan. He touched a lot of young and old chess players through his love of chess.Continue reading “A Tribute to Dr. Tony Palmer”

Five Ways to Improve Your Chess Right Now

There is a lot going on in the world right now and maybe because of the stay-at-home orders and social distancing guidelines you have some extra time on your hands. It does not look like May will be too much different for many here in Michigan even if the stay-home order is revoked. I haveContinue reading “Five Ways to Improve Your Chess Right Now”

Fischvogt, Eastwood, and Maliepaard Shine at the Inaugural Caledonia Quick Mini Swiss

Report By Henry Rankin Competitive chess invaded the bonnie lands of Caledonia Michigan on a misty, memorable, and colorful autumn day. A comfortable location in the Library’s community room belied the fighting quality of chess played on Saturday October 26, 2019. This was the Inaugural Caledonia Quick Mini Swiss organized by the Grand Rapids ChessContinue reading “Fischvogt, Eastwood, and Maliepaard Shine at the Inaugural Caledonia Quick Mini Swiss”