Nevada Chess is sad to announce the passing of renowned chess coach and 2006 Nevada state chess champion Virgil Reyes. Virgil won more than 800 games in US Chess Federation sanctioned tournaments, achieving an expert level peak regular rating of 2147 in 2016. In internationally rated competition, he achieved a peak World Chess Federation standard rating of 1998 in 2015 by defeating a FIDE Master at the 2015 Downtown Chess Festival in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Virgil was a US Navy veteran. He was the chess coach at Saint Viator Parish School for several decades. A Memorial Service will be held at Southern Nevada State Veterans Cemetery, 1900 Veterans Memorial Drive, Boulder City, Nevada 89005 on Friday, April 10, 2026 at 1:20 p.m. Interment will take place immediately following the service. All are welcome. There is a gofundme page at www.gofundme.com/f/CoachVirgilReyes to support funeral expenses and create a scholarship in the name of Virgil Reyes to support chess playing students in the Archdiocese of Las Vegas Catholic Schools.
The board of directors of the Silver State Chess Association have decided to name the K-5 team championship trophy at the Southern Nevada Scholastic Chess championship in honor of Virgil Reyes. There will be a remembrance ceremony to honor Virgil at the 2026 Southern Nevada Scholastic Chess Championship on March 7th at Del Sol. The remembrance ceremony is planned to be held just before the start of the awards ceremony at approximately 6PM.
IMPORTANT: This year, the Nevada State Scholastic Chess Championship will be held in a different format. Both the Southern portion of the state (defined below) and the Northern portion of the state will hold separate Over-The-Board tournaments to determine individuals and teams from each region who will then compete in the Nevada State Scholastic Chess Championship to be held on Saturday March 29th (individuals) and April 26th (teams). We expect this new format to attract more students to the State tournaments.
Congratulations to Leo Creger (USCF 2155) from Henderson, NV who scored 4.5/5 in the State Championship tournament Round Robin playing against Menachem Dorfman and Lance Manalo from Southern NV and Kevin Chung, Aastik Grover, and Aiden Chen from Northern NV.
Congratulations also goes to Alex Skoczylas (USCF 1542) also from Henderson NV who won the title of 2024 State Reserve Championship winner among players rated under 1600. Alex played in a Round Robin with Justin Zhou and Max Castro from Southern NV and Chris Richard, Alan Howe, and Eli Kaufman from Northern Nevada.
Each of the players entered their respective qualifiers in the last month in which each saw over 20 players from both halves of the State. The results of the tournament can be found on the US Chess MSA site
Nevada Chess thanks all players who participated in this year’s qualifiers and championship event (missing from photo below: Justin Zhou)
Congratulations to Daniil Fedunov on winning the 2024 Northern Nevada Championship, held at the Reno Chess Club on the weekend of October 11-13. Congratulations to Aastik Grover and Yajur Chandar for their tied finish in second place. Due to scheduling conflicts, players competing for the title of State Champion over the weekend of November 11-13 from both Northern and Southern Nevada may differ from the top three winners of the respective tournaments. Three top finishers from Northern and Southern Nevada rated Under 1600 will also compete for the first annual State Reserve Champion on the same weekend. In the photo below, Chief TD and Reno Chess Club President Fred Roscher awards the trophy to Daniil.
Congratulations to Lance Manalo on his win in the 2024 Southern Nevada Championship. Congratulations to Jarl Bitoon and Leo Creger on the tied finish for second place. All three players will compete in November against the three winners from the 2024 Northern Nevada Championship in Reno, scheduled for October 11-13.
Nevada Chess presents 2024 Southern Nevada Chess Championship September 20-22, 2024 Southern Nevada Chess Club * 6284 Spring Mountain Road * Las Vegas NV 89146 Swiss 5 Rounds Game/90+30 Two Day schedule available with Rounds 1 and 2 using Game/25+5
Schedule: Three-day (all rounds G/90+30) Round 1: Friday September 20 @ 6:00pm Round 2: Saturday September 21 @ 1:00pm Round 3: Saturday September 21 @ 6:00pm Round 4: Sunday September 22 @ noon Round 5: Sunday September 22 @ 5:00pm
Schedule: Two-day (Rounds 1 and 2 G/25+5) Round 1: Saturday September 21 @ 1:00pm Round 2: Saturday September 21 @ 3:30pm Merge with three-day after Round 2
Prizes $1000.00 based on 20 paid players. With 20 players: Top Prize: 400 + trophy Second: 250 U2000: 200 + free entry into any SNVCC Monthly Thursday Series in 2024 for first place U1600: 150 + free entry to any SNVCC single-day tournament in 2024 for first place U1200: Free entry into any SNVCC single-day tournament in 2024 for first place
All prizes adjusted proportionally for more or fewer players.
Registration not confirmed until payment received. Entry fee: $95 by September 13th, $110 later.
Additional Info:
The three top scorers will meet and play the top three scorers from Northern Nevada at SNVCC on November 8-10, 2024 for a Round Robin Tournament for the title of State Champion. Details TBA.
The three top scorers U1600 will meet and play the top three scorers in the U1600 category from Northern Nevada at SNVCC on November 8-10, 2024 for a Round Robin Tournament for the title of NV Reserve Champion. Details TBA.
Pizza lunch included on Saturday @ 12:30pm and Sunday 11:30am. Maximum two half-point byes available. Byes for R4 and R5 must be requested before Round 3 and are irrevocable
Players must reside in Nevada in one of the following counties and have their eligible address on file with USCF:
Nevada Chess presents 2024 Northern Nevada Chess Championship October 11-13, 2024 Reno Chess Club * 125 West Plumb Lane * Reno NV 89509 Swiss 5 Rounds Game/90+30 Two Day schedule available with Rounds 1 and 2 using Game/65d5
Schedule: Three-day (all rounds G/90+30) Round 1: Friday October 11 @ 6:00pm Round 2: Saturday October 12 @ 10:00am Round 3: Saturday October 12 @ 4:00pm Round 4: Sunday October 13 @ 10:00am Round 5: Sunday October 13 @ 4:00pm
Schedule: Two-day (Rounds 1 and 2 G/65d5) Round 1: Saturday October 12 @ 10:00am Round 2: Saturday October 12 @ 1:00pm Merge with three-day after Round 2
Prizes $1000.00 based on 20 paid players. With 20 players: Top Prize: 400 + trophy Second: 250 U2000: 200 + free entry into any Reno Chess Club Money Tournament in 2024 or 2025 for first place U1600: 150 + free entry to anyReno Chess Club Money Tournament in 2024 or 2025 for first place U1200: Free entry into any Reno Chess Club Saturday Quad Tournament in 2024 or 2025 for first place
All prizes adjusted proportionally for more or fewer players.
Maximum number of players: 60
Registration not confirmed until payment received. Entry fee: $95 by October 5th, $110 later.
Info and registration: https://kingregistration.com/event/NNVState2024
Other:
The three top scorers will meet and play the top three scorers from Southern Nevada at the Southern Nevada Chess Club in Las Vegas on November 8-10, 2024 for a Round Robin Tournament for the title of State Champion. Details TBA.
The three top scorers U1600 will meet and play the top three scorers in the U1600 category from Southern Nevada at the Southern Nevada Chess Club in Las Vegas on November 8-10, 2024 for a Round Robin Tournament for the title of NV Reserve Champion. Details TBA.
Maximum two half-point byes available.
If insufficient entrants in the 2 day, they will be given a ½ point bye for the Friday round and join the Saturday/Sunday 3 day schedule.
All players should bring sets and clocks!
The tournament will use the October 2024 rating supplement.
Tie-break information on site.
Players must reside in Nevada in one of the following counties and have their eligible address on file with USCF:
Washoe, Humbolt, Elko, Pershing, Storey, Churchill, Lander, Eureka, White Pine, Lyon, Douglas, Mineral and Carson City
Congratulations to 14-year old Kate McCullough for winning the 2024 Nevada State Girls Championship held April 20th in Incline Village, NV. Kate, a 9th grader from Bishop Gorman HS in Las Vegas scored a perfect 5.0/5 in a field of 21 girls. In the photo below, Kate (L) accepts the trophy from Chief TD Annastasia Wyzywany. Kate will also represent the state of Nevada at the Ruth Haring Tournament of Girls in July. The full results can be seen on the US Chess website
Congratulations to Tom Brownscombe and Peter Bodziony for their tied scores of 4.0/5 in the five-round G90+30 tournament held this past weekend. Based on tie-breaks, Tom will represent Nevada at the John T. Irwin National Tournament of Senior State Champions later this year in Norfolk VA. Thanks to all 12 players who competed. The full results can be found on the USChess website.
Season 4 of the States Cup online chess league is scheduled to start on April 22. Nevada entered 2 teams in the league during season 3, and we are planning to enter at least 2 teams for season 4. Any Nevada player who is interested in playing should contact Tom Brownscombe at tkbrownscombe@hotmail.com no later than March 27. Full league rules and match schedule can be found at https://docs.google.com/…/1qmHRbNwB47J89LgsKUezEvj…/edit
Matches are played online on chess.com on Monday nights. Once our teams have been registered, players who wish to join a team should contact Ryan Phillips. Ryan will add players to existing team rosters based upon availability in accordance with the league rules. Note that high rated players (2130+) who might have any interest in playing in this league should contact Tom Brownscombe no later than March 27 to be put on an initial team roster because league rules restrict the addition of high rated players after rosters have been created.
This is the schedule for season 4:
Regular Season:
Match 1: Apr 22, 2024
Match 2: Apr 29, 2024
Match 3: May 6, 2024
Match 4: May 13, 2024
Match 5: May 20, 2024 – no matches during Memorial Day weekend –
Match 6: Jun 3, 2024
Match 7: Jun 10, 2024
Post-Season:
Quarterfinals: Jun 17, 2024
Semi-Finals: Jun 24, 2024
Finals & 3rd Place Matches: Jul 1, 2024
Relegation Matches: Jul 1, 2024
Matches may be live streamed on www.twitch.tv/nevadachess or on the personal channels of various Nevada chess players (such as my personal channel www.twitch.tv/1more1time). More information about streaming will be posted later. If you would like to live stream one or more matches please contact Tom Brownscombe sometime in March.
Nevada Chess, the official State Affiliate for USCF, will hold the annual State Seniors Championship during the weekend of March 22-24, 2024 at Bridgeopolis Chess Club in Las Vegas. The tournament, open to all Nevada residents who have reached Age 50 or will do so prior to July 26, 2024, will have five rounds of G90+30. USCF Membership is required. A minimum $1000 prize pool is included. The winner will advance to the national John T. Irwin Tournament of State Senior Champions to be be held July 27-30 in Norfolk, VA. Additional details and registration may be found on the King Registration website
Nevada Chess, the USChess State Affiliate, is excited to announce the 2024 Girls Scholastic Championship will be held at The Tahoe School, 995 Tahoe Blvd, in Incline Village, NV on April 20, 2024.. This will be the first time in memory that our State Girls Championship will be held in the northern part of our state. Open to girls in K-12 who are Nevada residents or attend school in the state are eligible. The winner will represent the State at the Ruth Haring National Tournament of Girl State Champions on July 25-29th in Norfolk VA. For details and Registration, please see https://www.kingregistration.com/event/NV2024StateGirls
