United States g/15 Open Championship

Final standings
United States g/15 Open Championship
Albuquerque, New Mexico

1 | GM GEORG MEIER |6.0 TX | 14508324 / Q: 2646P23 - 2691 (SPICE - Knight Raider)

2 | BENJAMIN CORARETTI |5.0 NM | 12705539 / Q: 2018 - 2079

3 | GM ALEX YERMOLINSKY |4.5 SD | 12534917 / Q: 2670 - 2658

4 | GM MELIKSET KHACHIYAN |4.5 CA | 12827326 / Q: 2548 - 2542

5 | IM JUSTIN SARKAR |4.5 NY | 12561884 / Q: 2321 - 2316

6 | IM - elect FAIK ALESKEROV |4.0 TX | 13669090 / Q: 2300 - 2303 (SPICE - Knight Raider)

7 | STEPHEN M SANDAGER |4.0 NM | 10424101 / Q: 2181 - 2176

8 | LIOR LAPID |4.0 NM | 12563733 / Q: 2140 - 2135

9 | MARK W DEJMEK |4.0 TX | 12350320 / Q: 2071 - 2063

10 | BRYON DOYLE |4.0 UT | 12905977 / Q: 1895 - 1903

11 | TREY MODLIN |4.0 OH | 12803731 / Q: 1855 - 1881 (SPICE - Knight Raider)

12 | ZACHARY JOHN HASKIN |4.0 TX | 12827624 / Q: 1865 - 1876 (SPICE - Knight Raider)

13 | CURTIS COOPER |4.0 NM | 12485868 / Q: 1747 - 1832

14 | OSWALDO LUIS OLIVO |4.0 TX | 14243006 / Q: 1754 - 1831

Full standings here: http://www.uschess.org/msa/XtblMain.php?201202269462

SPICE - Knight Raiders win US g/15 Open Championship

Grandmaster Georg Meier went 6-0 to win the 2012 US g/15 Championship! The event was held on the campus of the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque.

In October 2011, Meier won the SPICE Cup Blitz Championship and finished 2nd in the SPICE Cup A group, the highest rated International Invitational round robin tournament in U.S. history.

In November 2011, he helped his German National Team win their first ever European Team Championship. In December 2011, Meier helped the Knight Raiders qualify for their third straight Final Four appearance.

On March 30 - April 1, he will lead the Knight Raiders in their Final Four title defense in Washington, DC.

Tech senior Zachary Haskin (Wichita Falls, TX) and freshman Trey Modlin (Ohio) tied for first in the United States g/15 Championship, under 2000 section. They both scored 4 points in 6 games.

Congratulations to Georg, Zach, and Trey!

Passing up baseball for chess

Shaker Heights' Trey Modlin gets chess scholarship from Texas Tech
Published: Wednesday, July 20, 2011, 3:54 PM
By Brian Lavrich,
Sun News Sun Press

The average sports fan in Shaker Heights probably recognizes Trey Modlin for his exploits on the baseball field, which comes as no surprise.

Modlin, an outfielder, hit .386 with 20 RBIs as he helped the Raiders reach a Division I regional semifinal.

However, those who really know Modlin, know his true love is chess. He’s earned a scholarship to play chess at Texas Tech University.

“My dad taught be at the age of 4,” Modlin said. “From there, I kept playing. It’s a great hobby. It really challenges the mind.”

Modlin helped the Shaker Heights chess team advance even farther than the baseball team as they tied for first in the state tournament.

Modlin first got interested in Texas Tech when his friend, Rebecca Lelko, introduced him to the program. Lelko, a Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin graduate, is at Texas Tech on a full ride chess scholarship.

“She told me about the tournaments they play in and the team,” Modlin said.

Modlin considered playing baseball at Oberlin College, but couldn’t pass up his first love of chess.

“I really liked the campus,” Modlin said. “I really liked the buildings and overall feel of the campus. The students seem real nice.”

Modlin said he’s thinking about majoring in either math or political science.

“It will be a whole new experience with west Texas,” Modlin said. “It’s definitely in the desert region. It will be interesting. I can’t wait until August.”

But Modlin will definitely miss Shaker Heights.

“I’ll miss the community here,” Modlin said. “We have a great neighborhood with great people and families.”

Source: http://blog.cleveland.com

Baseball, like chess, is a game of strategy, mental focus and concentration and physical stamina

College scholarship? Check: It's no surprise that Texas Tech recruiters love the way Charles Modlin III, aka Trey Modlin, plays the game and went after him hard, offering him lots of scholarship money to play for them.

The Shaker Heights High School senior, after all, led his baseball team last year in batting average, was voted varsity offensive player of the year and earned All Lake Erie honors. He was Channel 3 athlete of the week. He hits clean-up, plays just about any position and is tough to hit on the mound.

But baseball has nothing to do with the Red Raiders' interest.

Modlin was recruited by for his mastery at chess.

No kidding. International Chess Grandmaster Susan Polgar recruited Modlin to play chess as part of the Texas Tech University Chess Team and the Susan Polgar Institute for Chess Excellence there for his mastery at chess.

No kidding.

He's Bobby Bonds meets Bobby Fischer.

"They're serious about chess there," said Trey's dad, Dr. Charles Modlin, a Cleveland Clinic kidney transplant surgeon. His mom, Dr. Sheryl Modlin, is a pediatric anesthesiologist at Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital.

Trey's chess dominance all started as a 4-year-old playing checkers.

"Then he wanted me to teach him how to play chess," said his dad.

Then he got private lessons from Michael Joelson and later was mentored by International Grandmaster Maurice Ashley, a role model because he is the first black chess player to achieve that top ranking.

"He's a lot better than me," Trey's dad admitted. "I haven't beaten him in years."

Dad's not alone. Trey beats a lot of competitors, racking up two national titles and four state championships (in grades 2, 10, 11 and 12). He's also a great trumpet player in the marching band and jazz ensemble.

Said Trey: "Baseball, like chess, is a game of strategy, mental focus and concentration and physical stamina. Many chess matches are 3 or 4 days long, 12 hours a day and require the player to be physically and mentally strong. Chess and baseball both require more practice and preparation off the field before the player enters the field."

Source: http://www.cleveland.com