1st Charity Chess Tournament

The Ukraine Chess Charity Tournament was held on May 14, 2022, at Rachel Carson Middle School in Herndon, VA. The event successfully raised over $5,500 to support children in Ukraine—surpassing its original goal of $3,500 by more than 50%. A total of 79 players participated across three sections: Open, Under 1000, and Unrated.

The tournament was one of the first major in-person chess events at Carson following the COVID-19 pandemic, offering students a chance to reconnect, compete, and support a meaningful cause. According to Ameya Haldankar, one of the tournament organizers, “We’re trying to ensure that the children of Ukraine have access to clean water, nutrition, [and] healthcare. We have provided pizza, chips, cookies and other items, and we’re going to use those [to fund Ukraine] as well.”

We were able to receive sponsorships from several local businesses and we want to thank them for their support as well.

Players and families contributed generously through entry fees and snack purchases, raising a significant portion of funds outside of registration. The top five players in each section earned trophies, and all participants had the chance to test their skills against challenging opponents.

The final results:

Open:

1st - CRISTINEL COSTEL LEAUA 

2nd - ELVIN BAIM      

3rd - WALDEN LAMBERT 

U1000:

1st - NEIL CHAWAT

2nd - KEVIN JOSEPH TANN 

3rd - SPENCER KALKE 

Thanks to the generosity of the community, the Ukraine Chess Charity not only exceeded its fundraising goal but also brought students together for a memorable day of chess, learning, and compassion.