Recent Events


Chess Magnet School Honor Roll

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – April 18, 2012 - For students with the ambition to work outside of class to make more rapid progress, we offer Chess Magnet School's Internet-based training as an optional supplement to our classroom work. (There's ample evidence that it really works: the students who work at this make noticeably faster progress.) Students create their own online accounts at Chess Magnet School and join a special class for FCA students only. In the Chess Magnet School training students earn titles from 1(Squire) to 21 (Wizard).

The following Honor Roll recognizes students (and instructors) who have attained level 5 or higher titles. 

21 - Wizard
Neil Dietsch (Instructor)
20 - Adept
James Gunn (Instructor)
19 - Overlord
18 - Admiral
17 - Commodore
Ioana Murgulet
16 - Captain
Arden Markin
15 - Commander
14 - Protector
13 - Defender
Brandon McMahon
12 - Marshall
Junmo Ryang
11 - Warden
Rose Marie Stutts (Instructor), Raj Ramey-Rodgers
10 - Yeoman
09 - Knight
Mike Song
08 - Jouster
07 - Herald
Hudson Markin, Hyunmo Ryang
06 - Guardian
05 - Earl
Keiandrea Thompson


First Tuscaloosa Scholastic Championship Results

Tuscaloosa, Ala. - March 26, 2012 - Freedom Chess Acadamy hosted two chess tournaments on Saturday, March 24, 2012.. The first Tuscaloosa Scholastic Championship and the Black Warrior Chess Championship drew a total of 87 chess players.

Freedom Chess Academy students achieved wins in two individual sections. Arden Markin won all his games in the K-6th grade rated section, an outstanding achievement considering Arden is a home-schooled 3rd grader.  Younger brother, Hudson Markin also won all 5 games playing in the unrated scholastic section.

4th grader Eric Wang won the K-12 section and James Shi won individual honors in  the rated K-3 section.

In team competition last years Alabama state team champion, ChessKidsNation, won against its Tuscaloosa team competition in both the K-3 and K-6 rated sections. Vestavia Hills Elementary Central won the K-12 team prize.

In the Black Warrior Chess Challenge, adults and a few highly rated youths competed for cash prizes.  The tournament was honored by a visit from FIDE Master Visweswaran Kameswaran who won first and graciously donated his winnings to Freedom Chess Academy. Tuscaloosa's Pat Alford took second place beating out tough competitors from Birmingham and Huntsville.  (Pat is a part-time volunteer who sometimes works with Freedom Chess Academy's advanced students. )

In the Reserve section, Joshua Anders and Andrew Rozsa III tied for first place. Both of these were scholastic-eligible players who chose to play against tougher adult competition for cash prizes.

For most of the Tuscaloosa team players, this was their first US Chess Federation sanctioned tournament competition. Thanks to the support of the Univerity of Alabama's Every Move Counts program developed by the Center for Ethics and Social Responsibility, chess programs are expanding within Tuscaloosa schools such as Tuscaloosa Magnet Schools and STARS.

Click on the following links for tournament details, including player ratings:

Tuscaloosa Scholastic Championship

Black Warrior Chess Challenge

TMS and FCA Tie for First in Scholastic Tournament

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – April 18, 2011 - Tuscaloosa Magnet School and Freedom Chess Academy tied for first place in a four-way scholastic competition.  Chess teams from Holy Spirit and STARS Academy also took part in the Black Warrior  Scholastic Chess Team Challenge. TMS took home the championship placque for the event based on tie-break rules.

Forty-five students attended the event hosted by the Tuscaloosa Magnet School. Players scoring perfect 3.0 scores were:

 

The event was organized by students and instructors from the Every Move Counts program in partnership with Freedom Chess Academy. This was the second scholastic chess tournament in what we hope will be a regular semi-annual event.

Other local chess clubs interested in participating in our next scholastic tournament in December 2011 may contact freedomchess@gmail.com.

Tuscaloosa Tournaments Draw 140 Players

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – September 21, 2010 - While the champion University of Alabama football team was away from campus last weekend, the state’s premier chess players came to the UA campus to play for the 2010 Alabama State Chess Championship.

Emory Tate of Midway, AL won the title of 2010 AL State Chess Champion racking up 5 wins and a draw against stiff competition. The one person managing a tie against Tate, a Life Senior Master, was the other Senior Master in the competition, Ronald Burnett of Tennessee, who took second place in the open section with 4 wins, 1 draw, and a bye.

In addition to the AL State Championship, a one-day tournament for children in grades K-12 was held. The total event drew 140 chess players as well as family members and chess coaches from around the state.

FCA Students Shine in September 18 Tournament Play

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – September 21, 2010 - Freedom Chess Academy students did well with some winning prizes and most students raising their ratings.  Trophy winners included:

Fearless Arden Markin (age 7), took on older, more experienced students in the Knight section, winning two games and raising his rating over 100 points to 695. John McNair, FCA's highest rated player, raised his rating further while playing in the Reserve section of the AL State Championship tournament.

Full Alabama State Championship Results

Full Alabama Scholastic Tournament Results