SPORTS NEWS: USCAK holds 1999 chess championship (07/11/99)

SPORTS NEWS

USCAK holds 1999 chess championship

by Orest Popovych

GLEN SPEY, N.Y. - The 1999 chess championship of the Ukrainian Sports Federation of the U.S.A. and Canada (USCAK) took place on June 12 here at the Verkhovyna resort. It was dedicated to celebrations of the 75th anniversary of Chornomorska Sitch of Newark, N.J., which sponsored the event.

Twenty chess players competed in a five-round Swiss-system tournament under the direction of Dr. Orest Popovych, the chess director for both USCAK and Sitch. The players represented six clubs: Chornomorska Sitch, Newark, N.J.; Dovbush, New Haven, Conn.; the S. Popel Club, Buffalo, N.Y.; Ukrainian Chess Club, Hartford, Conn.; Tryzub, Philadelphia; and the Ukrainian Center, Passaic, N.J.

The tournament ended in a tie for first place between two chess masters from Sitch, Peter Radomskyj and Steven Stoyko. They won four games each and drew with each other for a score of 4.5:0.5. The co-winners were awarded identical prize money of $175, while the 1999 USCAK title went to Peter Radomskyj on superior tie breakers. The champion received a special anniversary trophy donated by Chornomorska Sitch and also will have his name inscribed on the traveling trophy of USCAK champions, that was donated by Sitch years ago in memory of Lev Blonarovych, a former USCAK champion.

In third and fourth place were: (tied) the Rev. Marian Procyk (Popel Club) and Zenon Shpon (Sitch), 4 points and $62.50 each; 5-9 (tied) Dr. Ihor Podebriy (Popel Club), Sydir Nowakiwsky (Tryzub), Orest Kociuba (Ukrainian Center), Omelan Markiw (Dovbush) and Oleksa Podebriy (Popel Club), 3 points.

Mr. Podebriy also won the junior prize of $100 and possession of the traveling trophy donated by the Ukrainian National Association. Messrs. Kociuba and Markiw shared the $100 prize for a player with a rating under 2000.

Other results: 10-11 (tied) Leonid Kharchenko (Sitch) and Lew Markiw (Dovbush) 2.5 points; 12-15 (tied) Dmytro Kulyk (Sitch), Erast Markiw (Dovbush), Peter Galadzan (UCC Hartford) and Joseph Hladun (UCC Hartford), 2 points; 16-17 (tied) John Fil (Sitch) and Yaroslav Kuncik (Dovbush), 1.5 points; 18-19 (tied) Stepan Maryniak (Dovbush) and Theodore Prokopiw (Sitch), 1 point; 20 Nadia Procyk (Popel Club), 0 points.

The opening ceremonies were attended by Myron Stebelsky, the president of both USCAK and Sitch, and Omelan Twardowsky, vice-president of Sitch and press officer of both USCAK and Sitch. Mr. Stebelsky addressed the assembled chess players, pointing to the remarkable longevity and vitality of Sitch, whose 75th anniversary is now being celebrated, as well as the importance of organized Ukrainian sports activity in North America, which has been recognized even in Ukraine.

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