May 5 Tucson Chess Fest invites Chess Queen Kosteniuk

Press Release: 9 Queens brings Chess Queen Alexandra Kosteniuk to celebrate Tucson’s chess community. Alexandra will be honored at the 5th Annual Chess Fest and will receive the 9 Queens Award. The event is sponsored by the Soroptomist International of Desert Tucson and Chess King software. Read the full press release below and mark your calendars if you can make it to Tucson on May 5!







PRESS RELEASE




Contact: Jean Hoffman
 Phone: 347 409 1276
 Email jhoffman@9queens.org




World Chess Champion and Chess Queen Honored at 5th Annual Chess Fest.
9 Queens brings Chess Queen Alexandra Kosteniuk to celebrate Tucson’s chess community





March 12, 2012- TUCSON, AZ- On May 5, 2012 from 2-5 pm at the Hotel Congress (311 E. Congress St., Tucson, Arizona, 85701), local nonprofit organization 9 Queens will host the 5th Annual Chess Fest- a free, family friendly chess extravaganza designed to promote and celebrate chess within the Tucson community. The event will feature a simultaneous chess exhibition where former Women’s World Chess Champion Grandmaster Alexandra Kosteniuk will play multiple games at a time against Tucsonans interested in challenging the Grandmaster. Kosteniuk is the recipient of the 9 Queens Award. 

“The 9 Queens Award is given to a player who embodies the mission of 9 Queens and our commitment to empowering under-served and under-represented populations. “ explains 9 Queens executive director Jean Hoffman, “As one of the world’s most popular and influential chess players, Grandmaster Kosteniuk is an inspirational role model to thousands of women and girls throughout the world.”




This will be Grandmaster Kosteniuk’s second participation in a 9 Queens event in Tucson, Arizona. In 2009, she gave a free simultaneous exhibition at MAST Boutique as part of her Holiday Goodwill Tour. Kosteniuk is the 12th Women’s World Chess Champion and the author of How I Became a Grandmaster at Age 14 and Diary of a Chess Queen. 





Held on Cinco de Mayo, the 2012 Chess Fest will also celebrate the fifth anniversary of the launch of 9 Queens a nonprofit organization founded by Hoffman and former Women’s U.S. Chess Champion Jennifer Shahade. In contrast to traditional chess tournaments and events, the Chess Fest will have something for everyone, regardless of age or chess experience. For those more artistically inclined, Chess Fest will pay homage to Marcel Duchamp an artist and avid chess player known for selecting ordinary manufactured objects and using them to create “readymade” pieces of art. Participants can visit the arts and crafts station to create their own “readymade” chess sets and crowns. Other activities include: beginner chess lessons, pick-up chess games, face painting, chess simultaneous exhibits.




This event is sponsored by the Soroptomist International of Desert Tucson and Chess King (www.chess-king.com) software. All activities are free and open to the public. No pre-registration is necessary. For more information email jhoffman@9queens.org.







A photo taken by Jeff Smith from Alexandra’s Christmas 2009 Goodwill visit to Tucson







A Description of the software program Chess King, only $49 with coupon code “INTROKING”, part of the proceeds will go to 9Queens.




Tags: 9Queens, tucson chess fest
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