Twenty-four players gathered in Front Royal on November 8 for the SVCC Fall ’25 Open. It was the first official USCF event held by SVCC in five years. The group was hosted at the spacious Raymond Santmyers Student Union & Activity Center, the home of Reaching Out Now nonprofit.
Players came from near and far, including a surprise guest from the United Kingdom. SVCC was delighted to meet Jonathan W. Arnott (left photo), a world-class player and FIDE arbiter, who volunteered time and expertise to support the day.
Congratulations to Ryan Davidson (1st), Alex Miller (2nd) – winners of the Open Section (Over 1300).
Congrats to Ethan Buffa – winner of the Reserve Section (950-1300) with a nearly perfect score (4.5). Congrats to Sam Sabbagh who finished in 2nd place.
The Non-Rated Section saw five rounds of chess action for tournament beginners. Congratulations to undefeated winner – Caleb Armes. 2nd place was a battle that ended in a three-way tie. Congrats to Henry Crawford, Tyler Lane, and Rommel Torres.
A very special thanks to Assistant Tournament Director, David Holcomb, who ensured pairings ran smoothly. A huge thank you to the Reaching Out Now team for their invaluable support – Susie Chamberlain, Sina May, and the Barber family. We could not do it without you.
All ages and skill levels are welcome for weekly Saturday chess at Bowman Library in Stephens City. The Shenandoah Valley Chess Club is excited to further our collaboration with Reaching Out Now, bringing the Royal Game to Front Royal in 2026.
~ The SVCC Team
