ANTI HUNGER GAMES VII

Tomorrow is the 7th rendition of the Anti Hunger Games, now a holiday tradition. I started a new job and didn't think I was going to be able to do it. But I was able to take Thursday the 2nd of January off and here we are. Registration will be onsite at 09:00am to 9:45am you can email me to pre register and pay on site. I feel quite blessed that I have been able to keep this tradition going. As I face many struggles in my life and with the chess association I have a full belly (sometimes too full).

Thank you all for supporting the Iowa Chess Association this past year, we have gone through some major personnel changes. Treasurer, secretary, En Passant Editor, soon the Webmaster, with all these changes we need some people to step up and give us a hand with these two jobs. I am getting out the En Passant and hope to have the January Issue out next week. If I can get the games from the Iowa Open I will retro publish the October 2019 Issue.

The Iowa Scholastic Match Team play will be held on Jan 11th at the New Bohemian (the old Highlander) which is under new management. I would love to Get Edie Brickell to come and play... but well you know she is probably busy. What I find intersting about this is that 8 years ago we were asked never to come back to this hotel, and a couple months ago the new owners sent me a nice card inviting us back. I don't think they knew the history, but I liked the location and we will give it a try.

In February we will be honoring former President Carl Dunn at the 6th annual Port of Burlington Open. I am not inviting a grand master to so hopefully one will not come and an Iowan can win the prize money. The speaker fees from the City of Burlington grant will go to free commemorative coffee mugs for the first 50 people who register online. Carl's Spouse Marlene will be coming by to share stories and memories with chess players.

March our final qualifier in the 2019-2020 championship cycle is the Leather Jackets Open held in the PCI building. Thank you Robert Keating for your longtime support of Iowa Chess.

Arshaq Saleem will be defending his title as the Iowa Closed Champion April 18-19 at the Iowa Memorial Union in downtown Iowa City. Tentatively planning the Iowa Open for August 2020 at the IMU if we can get space.

Again thank you for playing chess

Eric G. Vigil

President IASCA