The ICA -- and this website -- encourages the submission of articles to this space from our chess-playing community. 

Earlier this year the ICA site was named the top website in the country out of all state affiliates. Unofficial calculations indicate our viewers enjoyed three times as many articles in 2015-2016 as the runner up (two-time defending winner Maine).

Nonetheless, we can do better. We would love more submissions from clubs and affiliates and also from coaches regarding their students and their progress.

Of course tournament organizers are encouraged to write up their events as Orlan Smith of the Glenwood Chess Club does regularly (Thank you, Orlan!).

The site is in desperate need of a games editor, someone who might regularly post and annotate games from tournaments.

We also need one or more folks who might bring us into the 20th Century with social media and someone else who might bolster our advertising sales and administration.

It goes without saying that the ICA and its editorship reserves the right to live up to that title as we endeavor to provide a consistency and high quality to the postings herein.

Over the course of the past couple years, this editor has encouraged many young people to submit articles and many have contemplated the challenge. If you -- or someone in your family -- would like to submit an article, or artwork, a photograph, or even a memorable game, you can contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

But below is one of the first true junior submissions, a first-hand account of his visit to the World Chess Championships going on in New York City.

Without further delay, I bring you the words of eight-year old Jacob Plotnick who recently eclipsed 1000 in his USCF rating:

Me and my dad went to new york city to watch the 7th world chess championship game between Magnus Carlsen and Sergey Karjakin.

The day before the game (we attended) me and my dad went to the washington square park to play chess but nobody was there (it was night time)

(So I...) played a chess tournament at Marshall Chess Club.  I did bad and got one point which would be 1/4 of the games played. (But the club was amazing:) they had 40 gm’s at (one) club!

When we were going to china town to have dinner we saw a shop called Chess Forum. The owner Imad (introduced) us to GM william lombardy who taught GM robert james fischer (aka bobby fischer!).

(Editor's note: for those who are not aware, this was the Reverend character in the recent movie "Pawn Sacrifice". Lombardy coached Fischer from the time he was 11 1/2 through the 1972 World Chess Championship when Fischer faced Spassky).

I played six games against IM philip rosenberd in the morning.  Me and my dad (returned) to washington square park and I played a game for $4.00 and i lost (but I got my money's worth!).

We saw (Mr.) Lombardy and we had lunch together. My father asked if he wanted to come to the championship match because we had a couple extra tickets.

When we were there Mr. Lombardy and me sat in front of the screen and I saw a seven move tactic (whereby) sergey karjakon would (gain) a pawn. Then they played (those exact) moves I had (predicted!).

The 7th world chess championship match was a draw (leaving both players) with 3 ½ points.

(Before leaving New York, we spent more time with Mr. Lombardy and he may come to visit us in the Chicago-area. We also had dinner with a really important person with Chess.com (and ChessKid.com) and exchanged contact information).

And that was the story of me and my dad in new york city (and our trip to the 2016 Chess World Championships!).

Thank you, Jacob, for that wonderful first-hand account of an historic event!