“I Have a Dream” tournament calls all local chess players

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KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. - Community chess players are invited to honor nonviolent freedom fighter Martin Luther King Jr., by playing their peaceful war game at the 25th annual “I Have a Dream” chess tournament, Monday, Jan. 20, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Klamath Union High School.

The event on the 25th anniversary of the MLK holiday is a five-round tournament that will prepare players for upcoming tournaments hosted by Chess for Success and the Oregon Scholastic Chess Federation. It is open to any age and will be NWSRA rated. Unranked players will be grouped based upon ability.

There is a $10 fee for pre-registered players in kindergarten through the 12th grade, payable on the day of the tournament. To pre-register by Jan. 19 at 5 p.m., players are asked to send their name, grade, school and contact information to tournament organizer Ciara Dykstra at cecedee224@gmail.com.

Late registrants and all adult players will be charged $15 at the door between 8:30 and 9:30 a.m. Registration will take place outside Pel Court.

“Chess really brings people together,” says Dykstra, calling it a “game of the mind” that is accessible to people of all ages and physical abilities. Dykstra began playing at 3 or 4 years old and participated in the chess club at Fairview Elementary School. For her senior project at KU, she organized a summer chess camp for children in grades one through eight.

Dykstra has been running the tournament since 2015 with support from her father, KU health teacher Marvin Dykstra. Both father and daughter coach elementary players at Triad and in the after-school programs at Conger, Roosevelt, Pelican and Mills elementary schools.

“I want to keep excitement for the game going in Klamath for my niece and nephew and for my own kids,” said Dykstra, who has a three-year-old son.

Dykstra requests that parents stay to help with supervision and that players bring quiet games and snacks for between rounds. Adults and players in grades nine through 12 are asked to bring tournament-sized chess boards and clocks.