North Carolina Chess Association

The largest number of players ever assembled for a chess event in North Carolina got toghether at the Blake Hotel in Charlotte this past weekend to contest the 2012 NC State Scholastic Championship. This year's K-12 champion is NM Josh Mu who scored 4.5 and earned the title and a $2000 scholarship from the NCCA ( up from $1500 in previous years ) Josh also earns the right to represent North Carolina in the Denker Tournament of High School Champions which will be held in conjunction with the US Open this summer in Vancouver, Washington. Other individual winners were:

• K-8 Aaron Balleisen and Cameron Chandler
• K-5 Jack Miklaucic, Alex Tong, Derek Chen and
• Aaron deJong
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• K-3 James Dill
• K-1 Peter Crowley
• K-12 U1300 Spencer Hallyburton and Vincent Xia
• K-8 U1000 Colin Grant and Ali Mirzazadeh

The 2012 All-Girls championship will be held at Charlotte Prep on May 5. The NCCA will provide a $500 scholarship to the winner. More details here.

The invitations are out. The following six people have been invited to this event, which will determine the 2012 State Champion:

1. LM Chris Mabe (current co-champ)
2. CM Oliver Fernando (current co-champ)
3. NM Joshua Mu (1st NC Open qualifier)
4. IM Jon Schroer (2nd NC Open qualifier)
5. FM Miles Ardaman (1st Rating qualifier)
6. FM Ron Simpson (2nd Rating qualifier)

In addition to the title of State Champion, the players will be competing for a $1100 prize fund. The dates are April 27-29 and it will take place at the home of NCCA VP Dr Walter High.

See you at the Big Enchilada!

Gary Newsom
NCCA President