James Blann plans a course of action while Bob Sassaman looks over the field of play. Mr. Sassaman, a Burlington area software developer, finished first in the tournament with four victories and no losses. Mr. Aronowitz, Bill Storz, and Mike Stridsberg tied for second place. Each had three wins and one loss. Photos by Joseph Gresser
NEWPORT — A deep hush fell as the tournament started. Muscles strained furrowed brows. Competitors stared intently at the chess pieces arrayed before them and gazed two or three moves into the future.
It was a typical chess tournament, except for its location — Northern State Correctional Facility in Newport. The Community High School of Vermont held its third open chess championship Friday afternoon, October 26, with a mixed field of 13 inmates, four visitors, and Bill Storz, a teacher at Community High and a chief proponent of chess at Northern State.
Mr. Storz started a chess club at the prison, which soon turned into a regular academic class. As befits a serious chess program, all the members of Mr. Storz’s class are rated by the U.S. Chess Federation, that is, each has a number expressing his level of skill. The ratings are determined by the quality of opponents a person plays and the result of the matches.
Because the inmates are rated by the U.S. Chess Federation, Northern State’s tournaments attracted competitors who hope to add to their ratings. Friday’s contest attracted two players from central Vermont and one from Montreal. The one local player is John Ward, Newport’s city manager, who hopes to polish his rusty chess chops.
Charles Aronowitz, a retired lawyer now living in Montreal, fretted as he waited to be admitted to the prison.
“I won the first time. I didn’t do so well the second time. This time, I expect to get slaughtered. They’re getting better,” he said.
The inmate players are trying hard to move their game forward. Richard Doner said he has chess books in his room to study. He said he learned to
Glidden Luna shows one of the drawers built into his chessboard. Each set of chessmen, black and white, has its own storage compartment.
play while he was in a group home, but stopped playing for about eight or ten years.
Now he’s back into the game, but is worried about his rating. A string of recent losses has brought his ranking down to 1,124, he confessed.
Glidden Luna’s love for the game has found a material expression. He proudly shows off an inlaid chessboard he crafted with the help of two friends. The board is made from oak, birch, and cherry and features drawers to hold the chessmen, which Mr. Luna designed himself.
Mr. Luna says he’s been playing chess since he was 15.
As the tournament progresses, the intensity of play skyrocketed. In a match with inmate Jason Peets, Mr. Ward ran out through the allotted time on his chess clock. He should have lost the game, but both players were so focused on their positions that neither noticed. Only after Mr. Ward
Eric Loesch concentrates on his next move while next to him Charles Aronowitz studies his position. Newport City Manager John Ward waits to see what Mr. Loesch has up his sleeve.
checkmated him was Mr. Peets made aware of his mistake.
Earlier Mr. Ward lost to Eric Loesch, who kept his shades on throughout the tournament, an intimidating tactic that could have been devised by one-time world chess champion Bobby Fischer. Mr. Loesch’s sunglasses failed him when he played Mike Stridsberg.
“I try to stay three or four moves ahead,” Mr. Loesch said after a mental lapse cost him the game. “I should have stayed five with you.”
Mr. Stridsberg, who runs youth tournaments in central Vermont, smiles and the two players rehashed their match, looking forward to improving their game for future contests.
Chess pieces designed by inmate Glidden Luna stand proudly on an inlaid wooden board built by Mr. Luna and two friends.
