MASON Chess

Players,

We did it! We established a legacy of chess at George Mason University, and we did it together.

In six years, we’ve watched the University literally change around us. We held events like in-house tournaments and simuls, and lectures and socials. We also partnered with the Arlington Chess Club to bring successful USCF-rated tournaments like the GMU Spring Open and Arlington Chess Club Championships to our campuses.

For four of those years, we shared our best game with with hundreds of young players at Fairview Elementary. I envision some of our students joining our own ranks, as the oldest of them should be applying soon to higher education. Our leadership must not forget to invest in these prospective Patriots, and make an endowed chess scholarship a priority for recruiting their talent and imagination to our boards.

With the help of the Virginia Chess Federation we brought the Virginia Collegiate Chess State Championship to George Mason–and then we won it! It’s a title the Team has held proudly for four years. Congratulations to those of you who competed, and to those of us who helped train them!

All of these achievements, including our developing international relationship with Kazan University, contribute to the success of our organization and George Mason University as a whole. I can only anticipate that the University will support us even further on our mission to promote chess as an academic, professional and social institution on our campuses and in our communities. We’ve fostered a tradition that will ensure that thousands more after us will one day ask for that next game–and Mason Chess will give it to them!

In your new President, Clinton May, please find an enthusiastic chess player, a proud Patriot, and an eager leader. I hope that you will support all of the new officers as you have my colleagues and me over the years. Each of them brings with him invaluable talents that overshadow my own both on and off the board.

It has been a privilege serving our organization over the years and I thank you all sincerely for the enriching opportunity.

Respectfully,

Jeff Brown
Founder
Mason Chess