We are pleased to feature some of the participants at this year’s California Youth Chess League’s SuperStates Scholastic State Championship on the cover of this issue.  (L-R) clockwise around the board: Lleyton Chan, Gregory Salazar, Alex Buckley, Joshua Chan, Benjamin Buckley, Ava Kirchmann, Anthony Kirchmann, Mateo Vasquez.

It’s time for the California Youth Chess League (CYCL), a Santa Clarita Valley based non-profit organization, to host their 2012 SuperStates Scholastic State Championship.  From as far south as San Diego to Northern California’s San Francisco Bay area, over 400 young players from throughout California will compete in the exciting weekend long event which will take place March 23 through March 25 and will be held at the beautiful Valencia Hyatt.   It will be three days of competition, camaraderie, skill and talent.
CYCL has been teaching chess and organizing chess tournaments, camps, and special events in the SCV since 1996. Currently, CYCL teaches chess in 20 local schools and holds evening classes as well. Additionally, CYCL hosts free play every Monday night at Vincenzo’s Pizza on Lyons Avenue in Newhall.
Students have been diligently working to prepare for the upcoming SuperState Championships.  Be it lessons at school, evening classes, private lessons, online play, or practice at Vincenzo’s, they are determined and ready. “This is a huge event,” states CYCL director Jay Stallings, “and the students are excited to meet the challenge of facing some of the top teams in the nation right here in Santa Clarita.” In fact, CYCL students have faced challenging opponents for many years.
Coach Jay and his wife Michel,  founded CYCL in 1996. Since that time, CYCL has taught chess to over 20,000 locals. “It’s rewarding for us to see our students grow as people, not just as chess players. We have had dozens of former students work for CYCL as coaches to help pay their way through college. And I can’t even guess how many of our students’ college applications have mentioned competing at state and national championships among their accomplishments.”
CYCL students and teams have won many individual and team state titles over the years and notched a National title this past December when Hart High won the National Youth Action Championships in Irvine, CA. Hart High’s team will travel to Minneapolis in mid-April to meet the tough teams from the East Coast at the Spring Nationals.
For more information on chess in Santa Clarita, please visit www.cycl.org or call 661-288-1705. For more information on USCF, visit www.uschess.org.

cover photo by Carlos Vasquez