Knight Relocation Program

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Sunday, March 21, 2010

Chess Camp!


The Knight Relocation Program is now a chess camp!
Download an application and complete details by following the above link.

The camp is going to be held from July 12-16.

We will have 4 instructors, Jenny Skidmore, Mike Skidmore, Mike Smith, and FM Nate Solon.

Here are instructor bios:

Jenny Skidmore is the current scholastic coordinator for the Michigan Chess Association. In recent years, I have organized our major scholastic events and hold a senior TD card. I have many private students whom I have nick-named “J” Force. These players won the K-8 section of the club tournament in 2009 and were the team leaders on school teams who 4 state championship titles in 2010. Additionally, I am an active player and rated 1950 USCF. I have won 10 Michigan Women’s championships, I am the current Michigan Amateur champion, I am a former Michigan Junior champion, and I twice represented the US at World Youth championships in Singapore and Germany.

Mike Skidmore, my father, is in the Michigan Chess Hall of Fame. He has previously served as Michigan Chess Association scholastic coordinator and board member. In 2010, his Kearsley chess team won their 9th state championship over 5 decades. At the National level, his teams have won first place on 6 different occasions in 3 decades. Five of his players earned individual first-place finishes at National events. Mike maintains contact with his former players and has assembled them for 50 alumni matches against his current team. He is also an active player with a Class A rating.

Mike Smith is a currently serving on the Michigan Chess Association board of directors as a member at large. He began his chess career as a scholastic player in Monroe and is currently an expert-level player. He has had several private students and is committed to improving the skills of scholastic players. He has been a director at all of the National scholastic events in Michigan and has been instrumental in making sure that our recent scholastic events have started on time.

FM Nate Solon was the winner of the 2009 Michigan Master/Experts championship. He is the coach of several private students. He has previously taught chess in Montana and has most recently taught chess classes through the Ann Arbor and Saline recreation programs. Nate also had an accomplished career as a scholastic player, winning the Michigan Junior championship, and representing Michigan at 2 invitational tournaments, the Arnold Denker Tournament of High School champions and the US Cadet Championship.