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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