Middletown >> The first Summer Marathon Double Round Robin Tournament sponsored by Middletown Chess Club took a few extra weeks to complete thanks to the firestorm.
In marathons, games can be played at the club or arranged privately between opponents. Usually, three months is sufficient, but not this time round. Still, the entrants gave fierce competition to one another and a clear victor emerged.
Charles Berry, who also won the Winter Marathon in April, again captured first place with 6 wins, no draws, and no losses. His perfect score earns a double-dip into the club’s Prize Pool, a selection of donated chess books in a range of skill levels. Charles selected two copies of a very popular beginners manual. He intends to present them to a couple young people who have expressed interest in the game.
Errol Jones came in second place with 4 wins. John Babbitt and Giora Harel were tied for third place with a win each.
The club also features an ongoing Ladder Tournament that awards prizes in January and July. The 2nd MCC Winter Marathon Double Round Robin begins in January 2016.
There are no club dues and no tournament fees. The club normally meets 1 to 5 p.m., Thursdays in the Middletown Community Room, at 21256 Washington St. However, the recent disaster has affected even the local chess scene. One club member lost everything and another no longer has his former place of employment. Even the librarian who unlocks the doors lost his house. The club cannot convene in its usual venue because the Community Room now serves as Middletown’s Disaster Recovery Center.
For the next few weeks, perhaps even longer, the club will go nomadic, playing at various south county locations. For information on when and where players will convene, contact MCC’s manager, Keith Halonen, at 987-0166.
