Greater Peoria Chess Foundation
i
The Greater Peoria Chess Foundation is a 501(c)3 non profit organization dedicated to encouraging chess in our community and school systems. Chess helps students to develop many life skills that will help them as they navigate with challenges that lay ahead.
Scholastic Chess Scholarship Tour The 2024-25 school schedule features our new Grand Prix Chess Tour program that offers scholarships for some lucky players to attend the USCF K-8 Championships in Bloominton or the Nationals in Orlando, Florida at the end of the chess season. Learn how you can paticipate and perhaps win a trip to the Nationals at Orlando, Click ==> here <== and get all the details.
Congratulations Elbert!!!
Peoria Speed Championship
The GPCF Speed Champion is determined over the course of 4 Monday nights. On the first Monday night 3 Game 20 games are played. On the second night the speed increases to Game 15 and 4 games are played. The third night goes to 5 rounds of Game 10. Then the time control goes to Game 5 with 6 rounds played.
In the event of a tie the tied players play a Sudden Death playoff Game 5 game until one of them wins.
The name of this tournament originally was the Beat Pete Speed Tournament in honor of Pete Karagianis the tournament’s designer. And since Pete won the first tournament the title remained the Beat Pete Speed Tournament. He defended his title once and Peter McConaghie seized the traveling trophy so for awhile it remained a Beat Pete Tournament. But when Michael Leali won it it became the Massacre Mike Tournament. When Drew won it became the Destroy, Decimate, Dump and Demolish Drew tournament.
No Speed Championship was held in 2020 & 2021 due to the Wuhan COVID-19 pandemic.
Over the years it was held at irrgeular intervals. We now plan to rename to the Peoria Speed Championship and make it a once a year event, starting January 17th.
Peoria Speed Championship Past Winners
The winner takes possession of the Traveling Speed Chess Trophy
| Date | Winner |
|---|---|
| 03/25/2019 | Pete Karagianis |
| 04/02/2018 | Pete Karagianis |
| 08/29/2016 | David Sye |
| 08/31/2015 | Daniel Garrett |
| 10/27/2014 | Patrick Li |
| 08/26/2013 | Michael Leali |
| 03/18/2013 | Michael Leali |
| 08/27/2012 | Peter McConaghie |
| 03/12/2012 | Wayne Zimmerle |
| 03/28/2011 | Michael Leali |
| 04/05/2010 | Michael Leali |
| 03/23/2009 | Murrel Rhodes |
| 09/29/2008 | Michael Leali |
| 03/03/2008 | Michael Leali |
| 08/27/2007 | Michael Leali |
| Date | Winner |
|---|---|
| 11/06/2006 | Michael Leali. |
| 03/06/2006 | Henry Getz |
| 03/28/2005 | Michael Leali |
| 09/27/2004 | Andy Voss |
| 04/19/2004 | Drew Streitmatter |
| 11/03/2003 | Michael Leali |
| 06/30/2003 | Peter McConaghie |
| 01/27/2003 | Michael Leali |
| 10/28/2002 | Michael Leali |
| 06/24/2002 | Pete Karagianis |
| 03/11/2002 | Peter McConaghie |
| 09/17/2001 | Michael Leali |
| 05/21/2001 | Peter McConaghie |
| 11/13/2000 | Pete Karagianis |
| 07/31/2000 | Pete Karagianis |