Special Guest Host
Each year we invite a player who is or was famous as a child star to host the International Youth Championship. This year our guest host, Dewain Barber, has done so much for scholastic chess that the US Chess federation named him the Dean of Scholastic Chess.
He has taught the game to thousands of kids and organized and promoted numerous events. He actively promotes the US Chess Invitational Tournaments for State Champions and sponsors the Barber Tournament of Middles School Champions.
He is co-author of the book Humor In Chess and will be available to autograph copies on Saturday at 3:00 p.m. Proceeds from copies sold at this event will be donated to chess scholarships.
Mr. Barber is a world class promoter of youth chess but, alas, he is not a great player. WGM Tatev Abrahamyan will be giving the Simul For Kids at 7:00 p.m. Saturday on his behalf. Perhaps we can even persuade Mr. Barber to take a seat.
Past hosts have included Woman Grandmaster Jennifer Shahade, Woman Grandmaster Sabina Foisor, Grandmaster Kayden Troff, Grandmaster Irina Krush, Grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky, Woman Grandmaster Annie Wang, Grandmaster Ruifeng Li, and Former World Champion Grandmaster Anatoly Karpov.
This is a great opportunity for young players to meet their chess heroes.
