More than 400 of Chicago’s inner city youth will be gathering at the De La Salle Institute, 3434 South Michigan Avenue, on Saturday, January 19, 2019 to compete for seven separate trophies that reflect excellence in chess. The tournament will be held from 9:45 a.m. to 4 p.m., when the awards will be given.

This tournament is being named “The Michael Cardinale Chess Tournament” and is sponsored by the Chicago Chess Foundation (CCF). “It has been underway for the past 19 years with CCF running it for the past four years and I am extremely pleased that this specific tournament has been funded going forward for the next decade,” said Ben Wong, President of CCF. “Through donations, entry in the tournament is free,” he added.

“Michael Cardinale, a CCF Board member, has been instrumental in bringing inner city youth to this tournament over the years and has made a real difference,” said Wong.

“What could be better than involving young boys and girls in the mind- bending experience of competing in chess,” said Cardinale. “They learn about strategy, thinking ahead, how to win or how to lose gracefully plus the importance of hard work,” he said.

“When we started, we were able to attract only a handful of young boys and girls,” said Cardinale. “Now with 8,000 participants throughout the past four years, the number is growing every year and the competition is serving as a model for inner city schools, clubs and other activities,” he added.

“Over the next decade our goal is to have inner city high school students participating in the chess program,” said Wong.

The competition is “swiss style” and ranges from novice to intermediate and advanced play, said Wong. “We will stack our players up against any other group in the United States,” said Wong and “hope that one day soon inner city youth from Chicago will be competing with players from across the country.

Michael Cardinale, member of the CCF Board and a longtime figure in Chicago scholastic chess, will be receiving the Foundation's highest honor, the “Ted and Susan Oppenheimer Award” at this tournament.

Last summer, Cardinale also received the top honor from the Illinois Chess Association, the “Natalie Broughton Award.” “Mike has been a leader and an inspiration to those of us involved in Chicago chess for more than 20 years,” said Mr. Wong.

For more information or to make a donation, contact Ben Wong: Phone: (773) 529-0347 or benjamin.wong@chicagolandchess.org

CCF is a 501(c)(3) Not For Profit Corporation formed with a mission to provide every student in Chicago the opportunity to learn, play, and compete in chess at low or no cost.