Some of the best collegiate chess teams in North America compete on SPI
2009 Pan-American Intercollegiate Team Chess Championship
Sunday, Dec. 27, through Wednesday, Dec. 30
Sheraton South Padre Island Beach Hotel and Condominiums
South Padre Island
Matches are at 6 p.m. Sunday; 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday and Tuesday and 9 a.m. Wednesday
The public is invited to watch the matches, but they must remain quiet and not use camera flashes or video lights. All matches are free.
For more information on the tournament, log on to http://www.utb.edu/sa/chess/Pages/default.aspx
SOUTH PADRE ISLAND – While some people had presents, good food and shopping on their minds this week, Alan Gracia thought about his gift of playing the game of chess.
Gracia, 20, a junior biology and chemistry major from Brownsville, practiced his game skills this week with his brother, Arturo Gracia. The brothers are both members of The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College Chess Team.
The team will face off against some of the best collegiate teams in North America at the 2009 Pan-American Intercollegiate Team Chess Championship from Sunday through Wednesday on South Padre Island.
"It’s a real big honor for us to host this tournament," Alan Gracia said. "There are some very strong teams coming down."
Some of the teams scheduled to take part are the University of Chicago, Miami-Dade College, Stanford University, The University of Maryland, Baltimore County and the University of Toronto, of Canada. More than 20 teams are registered to take part.
"I’m nervous because it puts a little pressure on us and we want to perform at our best," Alan Gracia said.
Rusty Harwood, UTB-TSC’s chess program director, said the quality of competing teams could make the tournament one of the strongest in years.
The top four American teams will move on to The President’s Cup, also known as the Final Four of Chess, which will be held in early April at UTB-TSC. These teams will be announced at Wednesday’s closing reception.
This will be the second time a UTB-TSC chess player has competed at the Pan-Am.
Timur Gareyev, 21, a sophomore marketing major from Tashkent, Uzbekistan, competed in 2008 for The University of Maryland, Baltimore County.
"You don’t feel like you are on your own," he said. "It’s a team competition even though you are playing your own game; you have to think about your teammates and how they are doing."
This year’s team has players from Brownsville and Florida along with Chile, Colombia, Paraguay and Peru.
"We have an edge, but things like team spirit and preparation and great conditions will affect our results," Gareyev said.
Daniel Perry is an informational writer for The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College. For more information, log on to www.utb.edu.
