Sevan Muradian Conferred Broughton Award Posthumously

 

For his tragically-shortened lifetime contributions to chess, Sevan Muradian has been awarded the ICA's 2016 Natalie Broughton Award. 

The award will officially come Friday, November 25 at 5pm at the RAM Restaurant and Brewery, 1901 McConnor Parkway in Schaumburg. The restaurant is around the corner from the Hyatt Schaumburg where the Sevan Scholastic (Friday) and Sevan Memorial (Friday through Sunday) are taking place.

There is no cost to attend -- other than the price of food or beverages purchased -- and adults as well as children are welcome.

A preview of the restaurant's menu is found here: http://www.theram.com/menu-location/il-schaumburg/

In order to get a headcount of attendees, ICA President Bill Buklis -- who is organizing the ceremony -- requests an email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Mr. Muradian passed away in February, days before the US Amatuer Team North which he had been organizing, along with Glenn Panner.

Muradian had been a strong advocate for FIDE competition in both Illinois and nationwide, conducting FIDE workshops at his North American Chess Center in Skokie. The center was rebranded as Chess IQ before it closed in 2015. The centers often hosted world-class Grandmasters for memorable one-day workshops followed by simultaneous exhibitions. Muradian was also the developer of the e-Notate software which was only the second electronic notation solution certified by the USCF for use in competition.

Muradian directed over 200 USCF events -- many of which were also FIDE-rated. His directing career began in 2005 and continued through the 2015 Senior Open. He rose from Class C to Class A player over the course of his 20-year career as a player. Coincidentally, his last two competitions at the board came at Chess IQ with the event name: "This Is The End".

Registrations are still open for both the Sevan Scholastic and the Sevan Memorial to benefit the family. Details of both events are posted on the ICA calendar.

Organizer Glenn Panner has confirmed that nine members of the Muradian family are expected for the dinner:  Yana (widow), Kassie and Jessica (daughters), Greg (brother), Kevin (brother) and his wife, Sevan's Dad, and Yana's parents.

Past Broughton Award winners:

  1995   Angelo Sandrin   2003   No award given   2011   Andrew Karklins
  1996   Erik Karklins   2004   No award given   2012   James Brotsos
  1997   Eugene Martinovsky   2005   Fred Gruenberg   2013   Mike Zacate
  1998   Ray Doyle Satterlee   2006   No award given   2014   Garrett Scott
  1999   Frank Skoff   2007   No award given   2015   Hector Hernandez
  2000   Bill Smythe   2008   No award given   2016   Sevan Muradian
  2001   Jim Warren   2009   No award given        
  2002   Tom Fineberg   2010   Helen Warren