The first annual ACE Chess (Arizona) State Championship is set to take place over the weekend of March 2nd-4th, and will be held at the Chess Emporium — Tempe Location. The event is sponsored by Steven Kamp, as well as a number of other corporations. Below you can find the complete player’s list, with a little information on each one of the participants. All games will be relayed, LIVE, on Chess.com! Sign up for a FREE membership now to follow the action!

1) International Master Mackenzie Molner — USCF Rating  2520. Though new to the top ranks of the “Arizona Chess Scene”, Mackenzie Molner has been ranked amongst the top juniors in the United States for more than ten years. Originally, from New Jersey, “Mac” recently graduated from NYU with a Bachelor’s Degree in Romance Languages, with a specialty in Spanish (he also speaks German, French and Russian). Mac considers himself a Professional Chess Player/Coach.

International Master Mackenzie Molner

2) International Master Daniel Rensch — USCF Rating  2479. Danny was born and raised in Arizona and is currently the only ever “Arizona born” International Master. Danny is the President of American Chess Events LLC, and the Director of Content and Professional Relations for Chess.com and ChessKid.com. He lives with his wife and three children in Tonto Village, Arizona where he hopes to rebuild the Shelby School (his Alma mater) back to the top ranks in the Arizona Scholastic Chess Scene.

International Master Daniel Rensch

3) International Master Joel Banawa — USCF Rating  2444. Joel was born in the Philippines, and he learned to play chess at the age of 7. Joel won his first National Championship in the Under-10 years division of the Philippine National Championships. He recently relocated from Southern California to Arizona, and is an active player in the Arizona Chess Scene.  You can read his entire biography here.

International Master Joel Banawa

4) International Master Mark Ginsburg — USCF Rating  2406. Mark Ginsburg has been an International Master since 1982.   He won the Manhattan Chess Club Championship in 1988 and 1990 and has tied for first place in the Arizona State Championship three times. Recently he has been doing video lectures on Chess.com (click here to check those out) and also has been working on an iPhone educational chess application called “Chess U”.  Chess U is available on iTunes for free at: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/chess-u/id416507647?mt=8 

International Master Mark Ginsburg

 5) International Master Shahin Mohandesi — USCF Rating  2365. IM Mohandesi recently took first place at the Tucson Open in January, and is also working alongside IM Banawa and FM Atoufi. He was a team member of Belgium in the 1992 championship tournament of Europe. His full biography can be found here.

International Master Shahin Mohandesi

6) FIDE Master Pedram Atoufi– USCF Rating  2299. FM Atoufi is the founder of the Unity Chess Club. He is also won the 2005 World Open (U2300 Section) in 2005. A full bio and history of FM Atoufi can be found here.

FIDE Master Pedram Atoufi