THE GAME | Rivalry on the chess board
For Elis and Cantabs alike, this weekend will be a defining moment in the battle for glory. But quarterbacks and wide receivers will not be the only ones defending their school’s honor. Before The Game there must come The Match, where pawns, rooks and rousing calls of “checkmate” will determine the reigning champion of the Ivy League.
“For me, it’s a big deal,” said Kathryn Au ’08, a past member of the Yale College Chess Club. “I’m definitely more excited about it than Harvard-Yale.”
In keeping with an annual tradition, chess-savvy Elis and Cantabs will meet tonight to play...
Richard: According to Wikipedia, "Joel Benjamin (born March 11, 1964) is a chess Grandmaster and is currently the highest rated active chess player who was born in the United States."
I'm not entirely sure I would trust Wikipedia as the most reliable of sources. Though generally accurate, there are still mistakes from time to time. Unless you meant to highlight the "born in the United States" bit? In which case, did you also research the origins of the other players representing the US?
Larry Christiansen is a west-coast native.
Joel Benjamin '85 has had a distinguished chess career, but he is currently ranked tenth in the United States, not first. See the U.S. Chess Federations's rating lists at http://tinyurl.com/5bssbo, and click on the one that says "Overall." And most of the players ranked higher are indeed active; in fact, nos. 1, 2, 3, 6, and 7 are representing the United States in the Olympiad (or world team championship) right now in Dresden, Germany.