According to a report published by Owen Hewitt in The Philadelphia Inquirer, former Philadelphia 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey and Philadelphia-born Woman Grandmaster Jennifer Shahade headlined a charity event hosted by the Rittenhouse Chess Club on Sunday afternoon.
The Charity Blitz Tournament, which took place at the Queen & Rook Game Cafe, drew 64 competitors from various local chess groups, including South Philly Chess and the Capitolo Chess Club. Despite recently parting ways with the 76ers following the team’s Eastern Conference semifinal defeat, Morey fulfilled his prior commitment to support the charity initiative.
The event was organized by Rittenhouse Chess Club members, including Andrew Graham, who founded the club in 2021 to foster real-life community connections, Zach Pepsin, Helen Sdao, and Sarah Court.
Through a combination of a $30 tournament entry fee and a raffle, the organizers announced that the event raised enough resources to donate more than 100 chess boards to several local organizations. The beneficiaries include: The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, The Ronald McDonald House and After School Activities Partnerships.
“Hand and Brain” and Exhibition Matches
The tournament featured an appearance by Morey, an avid chess enthusiast whose interest in the game is well-documented. He teamed up with Shahade, a three-time National Chess champion and WGM since 2005, for a “hand and brain” exhibition match against two of the tournament’s top performers. In this format, Shahade served as the “brain,” specifying which piece to move, while Morey acted as the “hand,” deciding the destination square. The duo ultimately lost the match on time.
Additionally, Shahade conducted a simultaneous exhibition against five players selected via the event’s raffle, winning four of the matches. The raffle also featured copies of her latest book, Thinking Sideways.
