Grandmaster Yury Shulman Simul Exhibition

About Yury Shulman

Yury Shulman’s record in U.S. Chess Championships is notable for both its excellence and consistency. Shulman played in nine of these events after moving to the United States from his native Belarus where he was national champion in 1994 and European Junior Champion the following year. Shulman won the U.S. Championship in 2008, finished second in 2006, 2010, and 2011; tied for third in 2005 and 2007; and shared fourth in 2004 and 2012. His lifetime winning percentage of 61.5 percent in these events is among the best ever. Shulman represented the United States in two Olympiads, winning team bronze in 2008, and two World Team Championships, winning team silver in 2011. In 2023 he was inducted into the US Chess Hall of Fame

Simul Exhibition

A simultaneous exhibition or simultaneous display is a board game exhibition in which one player (typically of high rank, such as a grandmaster) plays multiple games at a time with a number of other players. Such an exhibition is often referred to simply as a "simul".

Rockford Chess Simul History

Throughout the late 2010’s Coach Roland Brown, former Jefferson High School Chess coach, has invited GM Yury Shulman to play in Simul exhibition. In 2017, Yury Shulman would compete against 52 players and would suffer his only loss against the hands of Elijah Patterson after 55.. Ke7 stopping Shulman’s passed pawn from promoting.

This year, Shulman returns to the Forest city to once again challenge 50 players to a simul at Jefferson High School

How to play

Location: Jefferson High School.

4145 Samuelson rd, Rockford, Illinois. 61109

Format

Simultaneous Exhibition

One Grandmaster vs 50 players

Schedule

Doors open at 12pm

Simul starts at 1pm

Event ends at 4pm

Elgibility:

Any level of chess skill.

Rules for Players

  • Do not talk during the game except to say "check," "checkmate," offer a draw, resign, or to get help from the Tournament Director.

    • It's good sportsmanship to call "check" when you put your opponent in check, you are encouraged to do so.

  • If you think you are hopelessly lost, you may end the game by saying, "I resign."

  • If there are any disagreements about your game, if your opponent makes a move you don't understand, or if you forget some of the rules, get help from the Tournament Director immediately. If you wait until somebody moves, you lose most of your rights to make a claim.

  • When you finish a game, report the score of that game to the Tournament Director's designated scorekeeper.

Rules for Spectators

  • Spectators must be passive and silent while any game is in process.

  • Spectators should stand or sit well away from the players and make no gestures of recognition; even a nod of the head could be misconstrued as approving a position or a move.

  • If you need to communicate with a player who is playing, talk to the Tournament Director (or an assistant).

  • The Tournament Director may do whatever is needed to make each chess game a fair contest, including banning spectators from the playing area.

Player registration