Due to the shutdown of many public facilities throughout the country that came about from the COVID-19 pandemic, chess clubs and over the board (OTB) events have been canceled since March. In fact, March 3rd was the last time that our club met. It was, by the way, the first round of the 2020 WOCC Championship which was slated for 5 rounds. After hearing the news reports of the rapidly accelerating worldwide pandemic, I was considering postponing for a few weeks club meetings until the crisis, hopefully, would diminish quickly which it unfortunately did not. On March 5th I called the Recreation Department of West Orange to inform them of my decision on this situation. It was then that Juan Pintado, the gentleman who works with setting up other groups besides the chess club for usage of the Toby Katz Center, told me that the town was suspending indefinitely any usage of the building until further notice. Yesterday, I spoke to Juan inquiring about how soon the chess club could return to use the building. I was informed that more than likely the club and other groups (even those groups willing to rent the building for private events) would have to wait until September at the earliest to be allowed back in.
Fortunately, under the direction of Andrew Chan, our Director of Player Development, Lev Zilbermintz, one of our two Vice Presidents and President of the Garden State Chess League (GSCL) and John Moldovan who is an officer in the GSCL, online chess events have been organized to keep activity that is akin to OTB chess going. I also want to mention that, under the leadership of Lev and John Moldovan, the GSCL was able to finish the schedule online in a mostly smooth manner. John Moldovan is also running his Sunday Westfield events online. These events are, to my understanding, being rated in a separate system.
In closing, I want to reassure everyone that the games that were played on March 3rd will be eventually rated as "extra games" and "tacked on" to the next available OTB tournament (more than likely, the Mohan Nayak Memorial which is held in October) at the club when it reopens. It is sad and unfortunate that we have to wait for 2021 for the next club championship (which will be dedicated to the memory of Charles Hart) but these are unusual times for us to deal with. Those wishing a refund of their entry fee can contact me or they can let me keep their entry fee as a credit to the next event at the club.
As usual, any comments directed to me will be kept confidential at one`s request.
Sincerely,
John M. Hagerty
President of the West Orange Chess Club
P.S. Please stay safe and well and I look very forward to seeing all you guys when the town gives us the go ahead to get back to our "home".
