August schedule has full slate of events

By Bianca Gonzalez
(Photo above: Chess and reading summer camp, courtesy of Coach Michael A. McDuffie, surrounded by his students)

Buffalo and its neighboring areas are home to dedicated chess coaches and educators who believe that chess is a critical educational tool for the city’s youth, while also providing a wealth of benefits for players later in life. 

Many coaches and events are affiliated with the United States Chess Federation (USCF), the official governing body for chess in the US that manages the national standardized rating system, rules for chess and standards for education.

When Michael A. “Coach” McDuffie, a USCF-certified coach, founded the Archangel 8 Chess Academy in 1999, he wanted his son to be able to play the game closer to home. He got the idea to start a Buffalo-based tournament on the drive back from a chess event in Rochester, which has a thriving chess community to this day.

“I told him on the way back home, I bet you dimes and donuts I could do this in Buffalo and not put 120 miles on my car,” McDuffie says. So he began holding USCF-rated tournaments in the Main Place Mall. 

Today he hosts chess events at the Frank E. Merriweather Library in the heart of the East Side. He seeks to enrich the lives of students by teaching them the game of chess.

The chess academy is hosting a free chess and reading summer camp at the library on Thursdays from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. throughout August. Coach McDuffie is passionate about the benefits of chess on a child’s education and wants to fight the “Summer Slide,” the phenomenon of learning loss kids experience during the summer.

“Kids don’t stay engaged; there’s all this adjustment about reading and concentrating,” McDuffie says. By holding the summer camp at the library, players check out and return books each week, making a habit of both chess and reading.

Archangel 8 Chess Academy will also be hosting a free USCF-rated chess event on Aug. 9 in honor of democracy and civil rights. The four-game tournament will adhere to USCF notation rules, which means players must record the entire game in writing using standard chess notation. The time control is 45 minutes with a five-second delay, meaning each player has 45 minutes to make all their moves, and at the start of each move, players have five seconds before they start losing time on their clock. You must bring a tournament-grade chess set and digital chess clock to participate.

To join the tournament, email your name, USCF number and phone number to knightsof64@yahoo.com. The registration deadline is Aug. 7.

While Archangel 8 Chess has been serving the chess community for decades, Buffalo Chess Association (BCA) just opened its central location in East Amherst earlier this year. They have already established themselves as a hub for scholastic players. They offer lessons and instructors for every skill level and host a wide variety of events.

“Why is chess important? Because it is demanding!” says John Hanni, a beginner/intermediate instructor, director of operations and co-founder of the BCA. “It requires us to always plan ahead, to carefully consider our options and to gracefully adapt to whatever problems might arise. Life also demands these skills! Better to learn them on the chessboard and ruin some games of chess than to learn them in life and come to ruin yourself.”

Hanni began his chess journey under Mark Johnson, his fellow co-founder.

“Mark was actually my chess coach when I was on the North Tonawanda High School team,” Hanni says. “He was also president of the UB Chess Club when I joined it as a freshman, and even helped me get my first job teaching chess.”

The BCA has instructors for every level. Beginner and intermediate coaches can teach new players how the pieces move. But others can help more advanced players strive to hone their skills to an even higher level. The highest title in chess is a Grandmaster, and someone can spend a lifetime fighting to earn the title. Right now, the BCA is working with Grandmaster Ankit Rajpara to improve its curriculum for its Grandmaster Classes.

The BCA will be hosting a number of events at its central location. There will be a rated rapid tournament on Thursday, Aug. 14, from 5 to 8 p.m., with a time control of 10 minutes and no delay or increment. It will be in a round-robin or double round-robin format. The entry fee is $20 for online pre-registration and $25 at the door.

Its monthly unrated chess tournament includes an open section for all competitors and a scholastic section for participants in K-12, and will take place on Aug. 3 from 5 to 7:30 p.m. with a $20 entry fee. Registration for these events can be found on the BCA’s website.

Throughout August, the BCA will host a Summer Chess Camp, which will feature various chess lessons, including practice, puzzles and other activities. More information about the Summer Camp’s pricing and registration details is available on the BCA’s website.

Other casual nearby events welcome players of all levels. For instance, the Chess at Dash’s Club regularly meets on Thursdays from 6 to 9 p.m. at Dash’s on Hertel. On Wednesdays from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., a chess club meets on the second floor of Wegman’s on Sheridan Drive in Williamsville. Also on Wednesdays from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., 716SocialChess meets at Belt Line Brewery on Swan Street, which is more suitable for adult players.