To prepare for the Final Four of Chess Tournament,  UT Dallas will host two events during spring break:  the UT Dallas Spring Blitz Tournament and the UT Dallas Spring FIDE Open Underwritten by Turner Construction.

Chess Team Sponsors Turner Construction Company

The sponsors join two UT Dallas Chess Team stars at last year's invitational tournament.  From left: Matthew A. Papenfus, senior vice president of Turner Construction Co.; GM Julio Sadorra; GM Conrad Holt; and Glenn W. Anderson, executive director at Turner.

On Friday, March 8, from 3 to 5 p.m., UT Dallas will hold the Spring Blitz Tournament at the Perot Museum of Nature and Science. The tournament will feature speed-chess matches among more than 40 competitors, including UT Dallas chess team members.

Visitors to the Perot Museum who purchase general-exhibit tickets on the day of the tournament are invited to watch the competition.

Then starting the next day and continuing through March 13, UT Dallas chess team players will compete against top local and international talent in the Spring FIDE Open Underwritten by Turner Construction. That tournament will be held at The Embassy Suites Dallas – Park Central.

Local players will include International Master (IM) Darwin Yang, 17, who has been awarded a full chess scholarship to the University. Also playing will be a five-time Texas state champion: Richardson Chamber Executive Vice President John Jacobs.

The international player list includes Grandmaster (GM) Parimarjan Negi of India, GM David Berczes of Hungary, GM Nijat Abasov of Azerbaijan and IM David Anton Guijarro of Spain.

“We sponsor the Spring Chess Tournament to give the UT Dallas Chess team the best opportunity to prepare for their competition on the national and international stage. We believe that UT Dallas world-class talent should be seen by the DFW Metroplex as an example of excellence and as an inspiration for grandmaster aspirants in Texas.”

Glenn Anderson,
executive director at Turner

The FIDE tournament opening ceremony is at 11 a.m.  Dmitri Shneider BS’07, an international master,  is scheduled to speak about his days at UT Dallas, where he was captain of the chess team and president of the chess club. Shneider gave the JSOM commencement speech in 2007 and graduated with a degree in finance. He has worked at JP Morgan in New York as a business analyst for five years.

The event is free for the public and can be viewed online at the Mon Roi website and the Chess Bomb website.

The upcoming Final Four Chess Tournament determines the top spot in collegiate chess. This year's tournament will be held April 6-7 in Herndon, Va.

“We sponsor the Spring Chess Tournament to give the UT Dallas Chess team the best opportunity to prepare for their competition on the national and international stage. We believe that UT Dallas’ world-class talent should be seen by the DFW Metroplex as an example of excellence and as an inspiration for grandmaster aspirants in Texas,” said Glenn Anderson, executive director at Turner.

Turner Construction Co. offers construction management, design, general contractor and related services on projects of all types and sizes throughout the state. The company supports the community through philanthropic activities and providing professional services.

The Perot Museum of Nature and Science, which recently opened in downtown Dallas, aims to inspire minds of all ages through education, exhibitions and research.