Port Huron Chess Club

The Port Huron Chess Club meets Thursdays, except holidays, from 6:30-10:00 PM, at Palmer Park Recreation Center, 2829 Armour Street, (NE corner of Garfield  Street and Gratiot Ave…1 mile North of the Blue Water Bridge) Port Huron, Michigan. Everyone is welcome. Founded in 1969 the PHCC offers instruction, casual play, nationally rated and locally related tournaments. Membership is not required to play on Thursdays, but is required for tournament play. Membership fees are $20/yr for adults; $10/yr for those under 19. The PHCC publishes a monthly newsletter, Chess Chatter, which is available on its website, or directly by contacting Lon Rutkofske at 810-388-9219. Learn to play, improve your game, or just come in to enjoy the camaraderie. The club has a number of highly rated players including two state champions if you might be interested in serious play or even private lessons. All equipment provided. Website: http://porthuronchessclub.yolasite.com/ 

An International Affair: Port Huron and Sarnia Chess Clubs Renew Their Partnership!

July 25, 2019 proved to be red-letter day for a recently reactivated Sarnia Chess Club, as it renewed a longstanding, friendly border rivalry by besting the Port Huron Chess Club 12-8 in a 10 board match.  Each club fielded a 10 player squad facing off in a pair of games, one game with white and the next with the black pieces with each player having 30 minutes per game.  The Port Huron Recreation Department hosted the event at its Palmer Park venue, and long time home of the Port Huron Chess Club, by providing its guests with complimentary refreshments, first class tournament equipment, and exceptional playing conditions. The match  was really the brainchild of long time Sarnia councilman, Andy Bruziewicz and president of the fledgling Sarnia Chess Club , Andre DesRochers  who approached Port Huron Chess Club Director, Lon Rutkofske with the proposal. Eager to assist our Canadian comrades in their endeavor to resurrect the Sarnia club after the passing of long time Sarnia native and chess activist, John MIllman, this “international combine” quickly put in motion the plan that came to fruition on that fateful day in July.

Probably the most unique thing about the entire event was the fact that DesRochers is still a grade 10 student at St. Francis Xavier’s secondary school. Driven by a passion for chess and blessed with the enthusiasm and optimism of youth, Andre managed to parlay his activism into a personal “mission” to reinvigorate the dormant chess culture that had always been present in the Sarnia area, by combining the assistance of Andy and Shardool Mhaskar, who was happy to merge his fledgling club with Andre’s, successfully solidified the local chess scene into a single entity reborn as the new Sarnia Chess Club. 

Enjoying its 50th year, the Port Huron Chess Club was more than happy to help create the positive environment that propelled the first international chess competition between Sarnia and Port Huron in over 20 years.

The return encounter will take place sometime in mid-September with Sarnia as the host and the PHCC hoping to regain a measure of respect with more positive results. ( For more information on the Sarnia Chess Club please read the article by Carl Hnatyshyn of Sarnia This Week reprinted on pages 8-9 of Chess Chatter. View Pictures in Chess Chatter as well!)

Results for Match of Port Huron Chess Club vs Sarnia Chess Club – July 25, 2019

*****PHCC  IS IN NEED OF VOLUNTEERS TO FIELD A TEAM FROM

 THE PHCC TO PLAY THE REMATCH WITH THE SARNIA CHESS

 CLUB IN MID-SEPTEMBER. WE WILL BE PLAYING AT THEIR SIT

E BETWEEN 6-8 PM ON A TUESDAY. YOU MUST HAVE YOUR

 PASSPORT OR ENHANCED DRIVERS LICENSE IN ORDER TO

 COMPLETE.  LET LON KNOW ASAP.

August 8, 15,22nd - 

PHCC /USCF Rated 

G/90 w 5 sec delay

Quads (or Mini-Swiss depending on 

registration)

3 Round- USCF Rated Mini-Swiss. Game/90 minutes with/5 sec. delay. USCF and PHCC membership required. One game per night (August 8, 15 & 22)! EF: $5.00 Play will begin at 7:00PM. A minimum of 4 participants are required. Prizes: based on entries. Please register in advance by contacting Lon Rutkofske by August 7th so he can determine if there are enough entries to hold the event.

See the EVENTS Section for the latest 

information on upcoming events!

 Annual Dues for 2019:

Adult: $20.00; Under 19: $10

   Enquiries 

Lon Rutkofske   810-388-9219   PtHuronChessClub@aol.com

Alan Gregg    810-679-3081   

                        Updated 8/6/2019 by LWR