Geriatric Weekend Warriors' Society (80+)

**Bob Armstrong** · Tuesday, 19th May, 2026, 04:29 AM

2nd National Annual Inter-generational Chess Challenge

Moving Forward

Continuing to bring it to reality (May 17, 2026 email):

"Hi April:

At the Ontario Open this weekend, Min approached me to say that Chess4win would like to sponsor our match again, subject to being OK with its terms. I had told her that you and I had agreed to again hold it, if they'd sponsor it again, and that we were going to discuss any changes proposed to last year's format.

I explained that one change I'd like is to this year field two separate teams (To play at the same time): One over 1700; one U 1700.

Over 1700 Senior Team

The reason for this is that we would like to field the strongest senior team we can put together in our Over 1700 team. We have 9 seniors over 1700 who have said they'd consider playing on our teams, if available. At the top of this list, we have one IM and one FM. Given the limited number of potential volunteers, I'd like to shoot for a team of 5 boards.
We will issue invitations, and take the top five who volunteer.

Under 1700 Senior Team

We wish to handle the formation of this team differently. We have 7 potential volunteers under 1700 (And we likely could scare up a few who are not on our list yet, if we need to to get a 5 player team again).

But rather than taking the top rated of those volunteering, we want to give the lowest rated seniors an equal chance to play on one of the teams. So when we issue our invitations for this team, it will be first come, first served.....if a low-rated senior is keen, and moves fast, they can get themselves onto the second team!

Comments?

The rest of the terms of this "Teams' Match" can be the same as last year as far as we are concerned. But we will be quite happy to entertain other changes either Chess for Connection or Chess4win might want.

Do either you, or Min, have any comments on our proposed change, or any other matters about the match?

Thanks.

Bob A (For Geriatric Weekend Warriors' Society (80+) )

Any ChessTalkers have any suggestions/comments/questions?

Bob A

**Bob Armstrong** · Thursday, 4th June, 2026, 05:55 AM

2nd National Annual (2026) Inter-Generational Chess Challenge

First, see post # 136 above.

Secondly, GWWS (80+), Chess for Connection, and our sponsor, Chess4win, have now all agreed on the 2-Team format, and the terms being generally as in the 1st Inter-generational Chess Challenge in August, 2025. Chess4win is now developing its calendar, and is looking for a weekend in August to hold the 2nd annual match. We will announce the actual date as soon as Chess4win lets us know. If the format is identical to last year, the match will be within a weekend of chess tournaments by Chess4win. It will be on the Sunday afternoon.

Once we know the date, we will start sending out invitations to our list of senior chess players who have indicated they will play on one of our teams, if available. We are looking for seniors 65+ (Though in a pinch, we will sometimes conscript a "Veteran" = included in the FIDE definition of "Senior": 50 - 64 y.o.). If you are a senior, and might be interested in getting involved in one of our teams (We put teams in for the annual GTCL Team Tournament, for the team prize in Hart House CC tournaments, and other tournaments where there is a team component.), please email me at:

bobarm111 at gmail dot com.

So far, we have only formed teams in Ontario, but we are a national organization, and have senior supporters in many provinces who might be willing to organize a seniors' team in your province. Let me know, and I can put you in touch with someone.

Bob A (Communications Secretary)

**Bob Armstrong** · Thursday, 4th June, 2026, 08:07 PM

Seniors' CHESS Bulletin
(26/6/4)

Published by

Geriatric Weekend Warriors Society (80+)
Canadian National Organization/Unincorporated Not-for-Profit Cooperative

[Article]

Description of GWWS (80+)

A. Mission Statement

Chess seniors, inevitably, since they are aging, see the quality of their chess deteriorating incrementally. Our mission is to encourage them, if all else is equal, to keep playing.

How? We encourage them to change their chess world view. They must see the merit in evolving their former very competitive, old approach:

"Opponent is the Challenge"

To the now more appropriate & realistic approach:

"Personal Best is the Challenge"!

B. Our Goals

1. Keep all chess seniors playing (Until they no longer can! They should continue to pursue the passion they've enjoyed over so many years)!

2. Encourage each other to go against all known wisdom, and raise our ratings when seniors!

3. Mutual support, friendship & camaraderie.

4. Highlight, and promote, the contribution of Canadian chess seniors to Canadian chess.

5. Information sharing – info of interest, to seniors in particular. We intermittently publish the Seniors' CHESS Bulletin.

6. Chess Advocacy – on any chess issue, but, in particular, issues affecting seniors.

7. Organize Super-Seniors (80+) teams (“Old Pharts”) for team tournaments. To fill out teams, we will conscript from Veterans up (FIDE: 50+ = Veterans; 65+ = Seniors), though preference is

given first to seniors on our Members Waiting/Supporters List, and then 65+ seniors. We have participated in the University of Toronto 2025 Hart House Holidays Open Tournament (They often have a “Team Prize”) & the 2026 Greater Toronto Chess League (Regular Rated) Annual Team Tournament. We will consider the 2026 FIDE World Senior Team Chess Championship, and will encourage Canadian Seniors to play in the 2026 Canadian Seniors in Calgary & the 2026 FIDE Individual Senior Championships, etc.

Notes re GWWS(80+) Competitive Teams:

a. Seniors "Playing" is to be more dominant than Seniors "Placing" (Though we'll try to be competitive). We try to get our strongest 1^st 5 players in a 1700 + team. But then we go for U 1700 seniors who wish to play, chosen according to our own invitation system to this seniors' network and on a first come-first serve basis. Our possible volunteer list now is 30 Seniors [Including FIDE "Veterans"]).

b. We will reduce our placing chances in a 7-player team in order to achieve a spread of games. Everybody plays; we don't just play our top 4 boards for as many rounds as we can.

8. Organize tournaments, including seniors only tournaments.

[All the above depending on member energy and interest :)]

C. Additional Items

We are neither a chess club, nor, a general chess tournament organizer.

We promote seniors' chess by information-sharing in our periodic "Seniors' CHESS Bulletin", and in our thread on ChessTalk, the national Canadian chess Discussion Board.

As well we enter a team of seniors in various team tournaments, or tournaments having a "Team Prize", as noted above.

So far, we have not organized any tournament chess for seniors only. We do not organize seniors' casual chess.

We take referrals of chess seniors (Tournament & Casual) who desire more information on Canadian senior chess.

D. Subscriptions

Contact: Bob Armstrong, Editor: bobarm111 at gmail dot com

Current Subscribers: 40

To Subscribe: It's free; you don't have to be a senior.

To Unsubscribe: Reply to this email and so advise.

E. Publisher Notes:

Lists (As shown on our flyer):

I - Members

Notes:

1. * = Core Member
2. ** = Consultative Member
3. ^ = Foreign National who plays regularly in Canada = Honorary 80+ Canadian for our group purposes.
4. Age (FIDE Definition): Oldest age in the calendar year
5. Date: The day the Member's Stats were last checked.

Name..........................................Age......CFC No..CFC..FQE..FIDE

…..........................................................................Rating.Rating.Rating

A. Core Members (Have a vote)

1700+

U 1700

1. *^Beloungie, Lance........................83 y.o. ...170713... 1682...----.....1841...2026/6/4

2.. *Armstrong, Robert (Bob) J.........81 y.o.....100034....1456...1517..1442...2026/6/4

B. Consultative Members (To be Consulted)

1700+

U 1700

3. **Monné,John...............................95 y.o.......193130...(1096)...---....----....2026/6/4

II.Members' Waiting/Supporters List (Must have played a rated CFC/FQE/FIDE tournament in the prior year):

1700+

1. Finlay, Ian …..............................80 y.o..........101866..1788....-----... 1786....2026/6/4

2.Jung, Hans..................................68 y.o..........100182..1980....2255....1894....2026/6/4

3. McKim, Fred..............................68 y.o......…100145...1857...1960. …----.....2026/6/4

4. Balakrishnan, Shankar..............62 y.o...........147024..1746....-----.....1635....2026/6/4

U 1700

5. Verde, Pino................................78 y.o...........108688..1598.. ------.....1553....2026/6/4

6. Leblanc, Paul............................77 y.o............104186..1670....----......1682.....2026/6/4

7.Teram, Eli.................................77 y.o.....…...107314 .1180... -----...... ----......2026/6/4

8. Gillanders, Bob........................70 y.o............108202..1606....1243....1642.....2026/6/4

9. Parakin, Don............................66 y.o............106488..1602....1173....1523 ....2026/6/4

Explanatory Note:

These players receive copies of our public emails - to know what we're up to from time to time.

Our waiting/supporting seniors get some preference in our senior team creation.

If you are 79 y.o. (or close), and are considering joining on your 80th birthday, contact us and you will be added to our list.......get all the latest poop immediately.

Same goes for those who would like to "support" our effort by lending their name publicly (goes on our flyer).......just let us know you'd like to be added to this list.

Don't be shy - Contact us!

Thanks.

Bob Armstrong (Communications Secretary/ Ontario Coordinator)

**Bob Armstrong** · Thursday, 4th June, 2026, 08:40 PM

Geriatric Weekend Warriors' Society (80+)

Stats

This is post # 139.

We have now had, since the start, 6,000 views.

This works out to 43.5 views per post, on average!

Thanks to all you ChessTalker's for your interest in Canadian Senior Chess.

Bob A (Communications Secretary/Ontario Coordinator)

**Bob Armstrong** · Thursday, 11th June, 2026, 06:50 AM

Seniors' CHESS Bulletin
(26/6/10)

Published by

Geriatric Weekend Warriors Society (80+)

Canadian National Organization/Unincorporated Not-for-Profit Cooperative

[Article]

Senior Tournament & Casual Chess

The only ongoing seniors' rated chess tournament we aware of is in the GTA and organized by Chess Initiative for Retired Persons (CHIRP). They play round-robins (Easy altering of schedules). The tournaments ares CFC-Rated. To our knowledge they are not currently looking for new members. We do not know if they keep a waiting list.

If there are other ongoing seniors' tournaments, please let us know so we can update our data base.

For casual chess there is a room at Annex CC on most Monday evenings when they hold their regular weekly rated tournaments; we believe there is an evening visitor fee, but this must be checked out.

Only casual chess clubs are Agincourt CC and Willowdale CC (It also bids to organize various GTCL & OCA tournaments).

There is also casual chess organized by the group, "Chess in the Park". Olga Mushtaler is the main contact.

There are also a few GTA locations where there are permanent chess tables for casual chess (Bring your own pieces & clock).

Lastly April Zhong is President of a junior chess organization, Chess for Connection. It provides casual chess visiting by volunteer juniors at the homes of seniors.

Subscriptions

Contact: Bob Armstrong: bobarm111 at gmail dot com

Current Subscribers: 40
To Subscribe: It's free; you don't have to be a senior.
To Unsubscribe: Reply to this email and so advise.

Publisher Notes:

Editor/Contact: Bob Armstrong (Communications Secretary): bobarm111 at gmail dot com.

Lists (As shown on our flyer):

I. Membership

Notes:

1. * = Core Member
2. ** = Consultative Member
3. ^ = Foreign National who plays regularly in Canada = Honorary 80+ Canadian for our group purposes.
4. Age (FIDE Definition): Oldest age in the calendar year
5. Date: The day the Member's Stats were last checked.

Name..........................................Age......CFC No..CFC..FQE..FIDE

…..........................................................................Rating.Rating.Rating

A. Core Members (Have a vote)

1700+

U 1700

1. *^Beloungie, Lance........................83 y.o. ...170713... 1682...----.....1841...2026/6/4

2.. *Armstrong, Robert (Bob) J.........81 y.o.....100034....1456...1517..1442...2026/6/4

B. Consultative Members (To be Consulted)

1700+

U 1700

3. **Monné,John...............................95 y.o.......193130...(1096)...---....----....2026/6/4

II. Members' Waiting/Supporters List (Must have played a rated CFC/FQE/FIDE tournament in the prior year) - our think-tank!:

1700+

1. Finlay, Ian …..............................80 y.o..........101866..1788....-----... 1786....2026/6/4

2.Jung, Hans..................................68 y.o..........100182..1980....2255....1894....2026/6/4

3. McKim, Fred..............................68 y.o......…100145...1857...1960. …----.....2026/6/4

4. Balakrishnan, Shankar..............62 y.o...........147024..1746....-----.....1635....2026/6/4
U 1700
5. Verde, Pino................................78 y.o...........108688..1598.. ------.....1553....2026/6/4

6. Leblanc, Paul............................77 y.o............104186..1670....----......1682.....2026/6/4

7.Teram, Eli...................................77 y.o.....…...107314 .1180... -----...... ----......2026/6/4

8. Gillanders, Bob........................70 y.o............108202..1606....1243....1642.....2026/6/4

9. Parakin, Don............................66 y.o............106488..1602....1173....1523 ....2026/6/4

Explanatory Note:

These players receive copies of our public emails - to know what we're up to from time to time.

Our waiting/supporting seniors get some preference in our senior team creation.

If you are 79 y.o. (or close), and are considering joining on your 80th birthday, contact us and you will be added to our list.......get all the latest poop immediately.

Same goes for those who would like to "support" our effort by lending their name publicly (goes on our flyer).......just let us know you'd like to be added to this list.

Don't be shy - Contact us!

Thanks.

Bob Armstrong (Communications Secretary/ Ontario Coordinator)