03/24/2005

   Baltimore Kingfishers join the USCL

 
   Baltimore already has a few sports teams named after birds (the Orioles, the Ravens), and now they will have another. Alan Sherman, the manager of the Kingfishers, is responsible for the rise of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County chess program. Baltimore is hoping he can repeat his success in the United States Chess League.
   Heading the team will be the Canadian born IM, Pascal Charbonneau (2506 USCF). Although Pascal is only an IM, he has two GM norms under his belt, and shuold provide a powerful punch for the Kingfishers. Other charter team members are the husband and wife duo of FM Tegshsuren Enkhbat (2453) and WIM Battsetseg Tsagaan (2273). The final original member of the team is 2000 Ukraine Women's champion, WGM Katerina Rohonyan (2309 FIDE). Baltimore already has a very well rounded squad, and it will receive bonus points towards it's average rating, due to the two female members that are participating. It should be interesting to see whom the Kingfishers find to fill out the final four spots, as there should be no lack of enthusiastic players at the UMBC campus.
  The Baltimore logo was displayed today for the first time:



  Will Baltimore show the same success they have enjoyed in the college chess realm, or will they have a much harder time of it when faced with other professional chess team's around the nation? Only time will tell.....


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