The Edmonton Chess Club

10/23/2026

If you are not able to play in the Sectional this weekend but would still like to play some speed chess this Saturday afternoon, please join us at the new St. Albert Chess Club! No membership required, and everyone is welcome. We hope to see you there!

10/08/2026

* We would like to announce that the Edmonton Chess Club will hold its Annual General Meeting next Thursday, October 15, starting at 6:30 p.m., at the Club, 10840 - 124 Street.
The meeting will begin with a brief report from the President, followed by a time for discussion of various topics by the members present. Then, at about 7:00, there will be the election of the 7-member Board Of Directors for the next year. The positons to be elected are : President , Vice-President , Secretary , Treasurer , and 3 General Directors. Any club member who is 18-years of age or older is eligible to be nominated to run in the elections. Any club member, even those under 18-years of age, can vote in the election.
The regular Thursday night chess game will still be played that night, probably starting around 7:30 p.m.

09/22/2026

A new St. Albert Chess Club is opening this week. The first day is Tuesday September 22nd, and the Grand Opening is Friday October 2nd. Learn more at

St. Albert Chess Club Discover the game of chess in a growing community where players of all backgrounds can improve, compete, and connect. Our chess club offers opportunities to play, learn, and enjoy chess. Something for Every Chess Player Everyone is Welcome All ages and skill levels can enjoy ch...

09/12/2026

The Edmonton Chess Club would like to say thank you to all the people who volunteered at our Casino on September 8 + 9.
Amir Bahmani , Paris Dorn , Dustin Koperski , Steve Panteluk , John Quiring , Gerhard Reuter , Trevor Robertson , Roland Schech , and Ford Wong each did 2 shifts , while Henadzi Arakelian , Daton Best , Brett Bilida , Ian , Rene Jacobs , Kim Olstead , Jade Roasting-Peters , Jordan Rohatynski , Aidan Seeseequasis , Dat Tran , Adria Trilla , Elly Zeggelaar , and Mike Zeggelaar each did 1 shift.
Your efforts will help keep the Chess Club operating for another two years.

08/20/2026

Hello, everyone. For anyone who might not be aware, the Edmonton Chess Club is scheduled to have a Casino in less than 3 weeks from now, on September 8 + 9 (Tuesday & Wednesday). The location will be the Century Casino, 13103 Fort Road, which is in the north-east part of the city, near the Belvedere LRT station.

The Chess Club has had a Casino about every two years for the last 35 years. They produce almost all of the Chess Club's funding, and the Club would not be able to operate without it.

Casinos are regulated by and operated through the government's Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission (AGLC). To receive our funding, the AGLC requires that we have a number of volunteers in the Casino, to do some easy tasks. The volunteers are not required to do anything difficult. If anything unusual occurs, the AGLC professional Casino Advisors take care of it. They are always there, supervising and directing the volunteers. Volunteers must be 18-years of age or older, with no criminal record. Also, the volunteers do NOT have to be a member of the Chess Club.

There are three shifts each day, an Early shift from 9:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. , a Late shift from 6:30 p.m. - 3:00 a.m. , and the late-night money-counting Room from 11:30 p.m. - 3:30 a.m.

The Late shift has been completely filled both days. We still require several volunteers in the Counting Room both days , and on the Early shift both days, in the positions of Cashier (who give players money for their chips at the cashier's window), Banker (who just occasionally types numbers into a computer), and General Manager (who just has a general observer role, and fills in for others when they have their 1-hour breaks).

A benefit for all volunteers is that you can have free meals from the Casino restaurant during the two-day event. On the Early and Late shifts, each person gets a 1-hour break to have a meal, and you can have a second meal before or after the shift, if you want. It should be noted that for the Counting Room volunteers, you must arrive and order before 11:00 p.m., if you wish to have a meal from the restaurant. There are also free snacks in the Volunteer Room at all times.

As well, if anyone would need a taxi ride to or back from the Casino, that can be paid for by the Club.

So, if anyone is able to volunteer, please send an e-mail to : [email protected] . Indicate which day(s) and shift (Early , or Counting Room) you would prefer. Also, send an e-mail if you would like more information.

07/02/2026

The 2026 Edmonton Championship was played, from January 15 - March 5. Here are some of the more interesting games from the tournament, for those who might not have seen them.

Tymur Keleberda (now an IM) defeated the 2025 Champion Amir Bahmani (now an FM) in the final match , 1½-½ . Here was the decisive game of the match :
(the ratings shown in brackets were the players' CFC ratings at the time of the tournament)

Bahmani (2412) - White vs Keleberda (2504) - Black
1. e4 c5 2. Ne2 d6 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 g6 5. O-O Bg7 6. c3 O-O 7. d4 e5 8. Na3 Nc6 9. Nc4 cxd4 10. cxd4 exd4 11. Nxd4 Nxe4 12. Nxc6 bxc6 13. Qa4 d5 14. Qxc6 Be6 15. Ne3 Rc8 16. Qa4 Nc5 17. Qa3 d4 18. Rd1 Re8 19. Qxa7 Re7 20. Qa3 Qe8 21. Nf1 Bg4 22. Bg5 Re2 23. Rac1 Ne6 24. Rxc8 Qxc8 25. Rc1 Rc2 26. Rxc2 Qxc2 27. Qa8+ Bf8 28. Bh6 Be2 29. h4 Qxb2 30. Bh3 Qb1 31. Kh2 Qe1 32. Kg1 Bxf1 33. Bxf1 d3 34. a4 d2 35. Bxd2 Qxd2 36. a5 Kg7 37. a6 Bc5 38. Qf3 Qd4 39. Bg2 Nf8 40. Qe2 Nd7 41. Bb7 Nf6 42. Kg2 Ng4 43. f4 Qg1+ 44. Kf3 Nh2+ 45. Ke4 Qd4 # 0-1

In the Semi-finals, Keleberda defeated Yanchen Zheng 1½-½ , while Bahmani defeated 5-time Champion Belsar Valencia 1½-½ .
Bahmani produced a fine attack to win the decisive game against Valencia :

Bahmani (2412) - White vs Valencia (2303) - Black
1. e4 c5 2. Ne2 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. Bd3 Nc6 7. Nxc6 bxc6 8. O-O Nf6 9. f4 d5 10. Kh1 d4 11. e5 dxc3 12. exf6 gxf6 13. Be4 Bb7 14. Qd4 Be7 15. f5 e5 16. Qc4 cxb2 17. Bxb2 c5 18. Rad1 Bxe4 19. Qxe4 Rc8 20. Bc1 h5 21. Rd5 c4 22. Rfd1 Rg8 23. h3 Rd8 24. Rxd8+ Bxd8 25. Qa8 Rg3 26. Qxa6 Qb6 27. Qc8 Qc7 28. Qa8 h4 29. Qa4+ Kf8 30. Bh6+ 1-0

Keleberda played with great accuracy to force a decisive passed pawn early in his game against Zheng :

Keleberda (2504) - White vs Zheng (2233) - Black
1. d4 d5 2. e3 Nf6 3. Nf3 g6 4. c4 c6 5. Nc3 Bg7 6. Bd3 O-O 7. O-O Nbd7 8. b3 dxc4 9. bxc4 c5 10. Rb1 cxd4 11. exd4 Nb6 12. h3 Bf5 13. Bxf5 gxf5 14. Qd3 e6 15. c5 Nbd5 16. Rxb7 Nxc3 17. Qxc3 Ne4 18. Qc4 Qa5 19. Bf4 Rac8 20. c6 Qa3 21. c7 1-0

In the Quarter-finals, Keleberda defeated Ivan Korolov 2-0 , Bahmani defeated Yash Darvekar 2-0 , Valencia defeated Samuel Hoekman 1½-½ , and Zheng defeated Rauf Kohestani 3-1 (winning an active-timed playoff 2-0 after having tied the long games 1-1) .

Rauf Kohestani (1941) was the surprise of the early rounds ; defeating the 2018 Champion Rafael Arruebarrena in the first round 1½-½, then almost doing the same against Yanchen Zheng in the second round (Kohestani won the first game in 75 moves, then lost a 105-move, 6-hour-long marathon second game).

Here are his games against Arruebarrena :

Arruebarrena (2208) - White vs Kohestani (1941) - Black
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 d6 7. Bxc6+ bxc6 8. d4 exd4 9. Nxd4 Bd7 10. Nc3 O-O 11. Bf4 Ne8 12. Qd3 Bg5 13. Bg3 g6 14. Rad1 Bh4 15. Nf3 Bxg3 16. hxg3 Ng7 17. e5 d5 18. Na4 Qe7 19. c4 c5 20. Qa3 Bxa4 21. Qxa4 d4 22. b4 Ne6 23. Qc6 cxb4 24. Nxd4 Qc5 25. Qxc5 Nxc5 26. Nc6 a5 27. Rd5 Ne6 28. Rxa5 Rxa5 29. Nxa5 Ra8 30. Nc6 Rxa2 31. Rb1 Ra6 32. Nxb4 Ra4 33. Nd5 Rxc4 34. Rb8+ Kg7 35. Nf6 g5 36. Rg8+ Kh6 37. f4 gxf4 38. Ng4+ Kh5 39. Nf6+ Kh6 40. Rg4 Rc1+ 41. Kh2 fxg3+ 42. Kxg3 Rh1 43. Ng8+ Kh5 44. Nf6+ Kh6 45. Rg8 Rd1 46. Kh4 Rh1+ 47. Kg4 Rd1 48. g3 Rd8 49. Ne8 c5 50. Kf5 Rxe8 51. Rxe8 Ng7+ 52. Kf6 Nxe8+ 53. Kxf7 Nc7 0-1

Kohestani (1941) - White vs Arruebarrena (2208) - Black
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Bd2 O-O 5. Nf3 d5 6. e3 b6 7. cxd5 exd5 8. Be2 Re8 9. O-O Bb7 10. a3 Bd6 11. Nb5 Bf8 12. Ne5 c5 13. f4 Nc6 14. Nxc6 Bxc6 15. Rc1 Qd7 16. Nc3 b5 17. Nb1 Ne4 18. Be1 b4 19. axb4 cxb4 20. Bg4 Qb7 21. Bf5 Bb5 22. Rf3 Nd6 23. Bxh7+ Kxh7 24. Rh3+ Kg8 25. Qh5 f6 26. Bxb4 Bd3 27. Bxd6 Bxd6 28. Nc3 Rac8 29. Ra1 Be4 30. Nxe4 Rxe4 31. Qh7+ Kf7 32. Qh5+ Ke7 33. Qg6 Rg8 34. Rh7 Kf8 35. Qxf6+ gxf6 36. Rxb7 Rg7 37. Rxg7 Kxg7 38. Rxa7+ Kg6 39. Kf2 Bxf4 40. exf4 Rxd4 41. Ke3 Re4+ 42. Kf3 Rb4 43. Rd7 Rb3+ 44. Kg4 Rxb2 45. f5+ Kh6 46. g3 Rb4+ 47. Kf3 Rb3+ 48. Kf4 Rb4+ 49. Ke3 Rb3+ 50. Kd4 Kg5 51. Rxd5 Rb2 52. h4+ Kg4 53. Kc5 Kxg3 54. Rd6 Kxh4 55. Rxf6 Kg5 56. Rf8 Rf2 57. Kd6 Rxf5 58. Rxf5+ Kxf5 ½-½

Two of the top Junior players in Edmonton, Samuel Hoekman and Michael Prianichnikov, produced two very complex games in the first round of the tournament, each winning one :

Prianichnikov (1996) - White vs Hoekman (2167) - Black
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. f4 c5 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. Be3 a6 8. Qd2 b5 9. dxc5 Bxc5 10. Bxc5 Nxc5 11. Qf2 Qb6 12. Bd3 b4 13. Ne2 b3 14. axb3 Nxd3+ 15. cxd3 Qxb3 16. Qc5 Qb4+ 17. Qxb4 Nxb4 18. Kd2 Bd7 19. Rhc1 Bb5 20. Ned4 Bxd3 21. Ra4 a5 22. Rxb4 axb4 23. Kxd3 Kd7 24. Ng5 Rhf8 25. Nb5 Rac8 26. Rxc8 Rxc8 27. Nxf7 Rf8 28. Nbd6 Ke7 29. g4 h6 30. f5 Ra8 31. Ke3 Ra2 32. Nh8 Rxb2 33. Ng6+ Kd7 34. Nf8+ Ke7 35. Nxe6 Rc2 36. Nxg7 b3 37. f6+ Kd7 38. f7 d4+ 39. Kxd4 Ke7 40. Ngf5+ Kf8 41. e6 Rd2+ 42. Kc3 1-0

Hoekman (2167) - White vs Prianichnikov (1996) - Black
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5 4. cxb5 a6 5. bxa6 e6 6. dxe6 fxe6 7. Nc3 d5 8. e4 Nxa6 9. exd5 exd5 10. Bb5+ Kf7 11. Nf3 Qe7+ 12. Be3 Bb7 13. O-O h6 14. Re1 Qc7 15. Rc1 Be7 16. Qd2 Rhd8 17. Bf4 Bd6 18. Bxh6 gxh6 19. Qxh6 Bf4 20. Qh3 Bc8 21. Qh4 Bb7 22. g3 Rg8 23. Rcd1 Rg7 24. Ne2 Rg4 25. Qh3 Bd6 26. Nc3 d4 27. Bc4+ Kg7 28. Nh4 Bc8 29. Be6 Bxe6 30. Rxe6 Rh8 31. Nf5+ Kg8 32. Nh6+ Rxh6 33. Qxh6 Be7 34. Rde1 Rg7 35. Rxf6 Bxf6 36. Nd5 Bg5 37. Re8+ Kf7 38. Qe6 # 1-0

The complete results from the first round of matches was :

Tymur Keleberda (2504) defeated Sheldon Chow (1818) 2-0
Amir Bahmani (2412) defeated Mark Tuvera (1839) 2-0
Belsar Valencia (2303) defeated Lester Soco (1866) 2-0
Yanchen Zheng (2233) defeated Adria Trilla (1919) 2-0
Rauf Kohestani (1941) defeated Rafael Arruebarrena 1½-½
Samuel Hoekman (2167) defeated Michael Prianichnikov 2½-1½
Yash Darvekar (2139) defeated Micah Hughey (2025) 1½-½
Ivan Korolov (2050) defeated Zlata Butenko (2030) 1½-½

05/18/2026

The Edmonton Chess Club would like to congratulate Tymur Keleberda for several recent outstanding achievements.

On April 30, Tymur was officially awarded the International Master (IM) title by FIDE , by having achieved a rating of over 2400 and having obtained three tournament performance ratings of over 2500.

On April 7, Tymur tied for 4th place in the 2026 Canadian Chess Championship, after having tied for 1st place in the July 2025 Canadian Open.

On March 29, he won the 2026 Alberta Championship, repeating his victory of 2025.

On March 5, Tymur won the 2026 Edmonton Championship, defeating defending champion Amir Bahmani in the final match 1½-½ .

And, Tymur had won the Alberta Open tournament of 2025 , as well as scoring 3-straight Alberta Junior Championships in 2023 , 2024 , & 2025.

This is probably a series of success that is unprecedented in the history of Alberta chess !

03/30/2026

And that is a wrap! thank you to all who participated in the Alberta Reserves/championships!

Reserves: Congratulations to Yash Darvekar for winning clear first place and taking home $270 in prize money! Maybe next year he will play the closed!

Championship: After a lot of hard fought games, with triumph and tragedy, as well as many minutes of arguing over tiebreaker procedures, Tymur Keleberda emerges victorious, as he had a better Koya Tiebreaker than Amir. Additionally, congrats to Amir on a well played tournament, and Sherzod for a very respectable 3rd place finish! Full standings and results can be viewed in the photos:

03/28/2026

Results of the tournament and pairings can be found at this link:

Tournament details and information.

03/28/2026

Round 2 pairings!