St. John’s recently agreed to host a series of chess tournaments at the Marshall Chess Club in Manhattan. The tournaments are expected to attract the chess world’s most elite players. The first tournament was held Jan. 17.

Every third Tuesday of the month from January to April players will gather from all points of the globe to compete in this tournament against the cr√É®me de la cr√É®me of the chess world.

Organizing the tournament is Dr. Frank Brady, who along with serving as the Chair of Mass Communications, Journalism, Television, and Film at the University, also operates as an International Arbiter of the World Chess Federation and the coach of the St. John’s chess team.

“A few years ago, when a similar tournament was held at Marshall, players came from around the United States and flew in from Europe and South America at their own expense, just to play against some of the finest competition in the world,” Brady said.

“We expect that the same level of excellence will prevail in the St. John’s Masters,” he continued. “We are honored that the Marshall Chess Club has invited St. John’s to conduct this tournament.”

In order to compete, players must have a minimum rating of 2,100, a qualification that, according to Brady, three or four St. John’s students possess. These students are expected to take part in the upcoming tournaments, Brady said.

The tournaments at the Marshall Chess Club are followed by spectators around the world as they watch the games on moving diagrams which can be viewed via the Internet. It is a way of keeping the international chess community involved in the sport.

“People are playing more for the prestige than the chance to get the title,” Brady said.

St. John’s is among those participants gaining respect and admiration in intellectual circles thanks to the tournaments.

“We have proven ourselves on the basketball court,” Brady said, “[and] we can prove ourselves here too.”

Visit www.marshallchessclub.org for more information.