Pennsylvania State Chess Federation
The Pennsylvania State Chess Federation (PSCF) is the official Pennsylvania affiliate of the United States Chess Federation (US Chess). PSCF is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. PSCF sponsors about 20 annual state championship events, held throughout the state. The Pennsylvania State Championship rotates between the eastern, central and western regions of the state each year. PSCF publishes a quarterly newsletter, The Pennswoodpusher. PSCF was founded in 1939, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania under the leadership of William M. Byland. PSCF affiliated immediately with US Chess, which was founded the same year, and has been the official state affiliate for Pennsylvania ever since. In 1943, the PSCF State Championship was the first championship event in USCF history to be paired with the Swiss system. The chief director of that event was George Koltanowski. Currently the highest-ranking member is Grandmaster Alexander Shabalov. The state has two Grandmasters - Shabalov, and Bryan G. Smith. The current PSCF president is Tom M. Martinak. PSCF Presidents: 2002–present: Tom M. Martinak 1978-2002: Ira Lee Riddle 1939-1977: William M. Byland PSCF State Champions 2001–present: 2016: Grant Xu 2015: Grant Xu 2014: Peter Minear, Rodion Rubenchik, Ilya Shvartsman 2013: Peter Minear 2012: Daniel Malkiel 2011: Peter Minear 2010: Thomas Bartell, Alisa Melekhina 2009: Mark Heimann 2008: Peter Minear 2007: Bryan Smith 2006: Bryan Norman, Mark Heimann 2005: Mark Eidemiller, Bryan Norman 2004: Edward Formanek 2003: Stanislav Kriventsov 2002: Rodion Rubenchik, Zakhar Fayvinov, Elvin Wilson, Tom Martinak 2001: Stanislav Kriventsov, Matthew Traldi PSCF State Champions 1981-2000: 2000: Stanislav Kriventsov 1999: Stanislav Kriventsov 1998: Edward Formanek, Rodion Rubenchik, Albert Bingaman, Jr., Marty Frank 1997: Edward Formanek 1996: Wesley Ward 1995: John Hathaway, Jr. 1994: Alexander Shabalov 1993: Igor Khmelnitsky, Edward Formanek, Andrew Rea 1992: Ruben Shocron, Brent Schwab 1991: Mark Eidemiller 1990: Vivek Rao, Stephen Rakowsky 1989: HiTech 1988: HiTech 1987: Mark Eidemiller, Craig Jones, Albert Bingaman, Jr. 1986: Karl Dehmelt, Ruben Shocron, Michael Shahade 1985: Karl Dehmelt, William Atkinson 1984: Edward Formanek 1983: Igor Ivanov 1982: Albert Bingaman, Jr. 1981: Boris Baczynskyj PSCF State Champions 1961-1980: 1980: Alex Dunne 1979: Anatoly Dozorets 1978: John Fitzpatrick 1977: John Fitzpatrick 1976: Tim Taylor 1975: Paul Cornelius 1974: Harvey Bradlow 1973: Jon Jacobs 1972: Michael Shahade 1971: Michael Shahade 1970: Michael Shahade 1969: Robert Bornholz 1968: Bruce Alberston 1967: Arnold Chertkof 1966: Richard Abrams 1965: Richard Abrams 1964: Clarence Kalenian 1963: Jeffrey Harris 1962: Robert Bornholz 1961: Attilio Di Camillo PSCF State Champions 1939-1960: 1960: Attilio Di Camillo 1959: Joseph Schaffer 1958: Max Cohen 1957: Robert Bornholz 1956: Hermann Hesse 1955: Charles Kalme 1954: Joseph Schaffer 1953: Robert Sobel 1952: Donald McClelland 1951: William Ruth 1950: Thomas Gutekunst 1949: William Byland 1948: Paul Deitz 1947: Attilio Di Camillo 1946: Attilio Di Camillo 1945: Irving Heitner 1944: Hermann Hesse 1943: Thomas Gutekunst 1942: William Steckel 1941: Hermann Hesse 1940: L. W. Gardner 1939: William Steckel, Hermann Hesse External links Pennsylvania State Chess Federation (official) PSCF Facebook site (official) Chess organizations Chess in the United States 1939 establishments in Pennsylvania