Brownsville, Texas was recognized as the Chess City of the Year, both at the Annual Awards Ceremony at the US Open (Orlando, Florida, July 26-August 3) and also in a presentation to the Brownsville mayor and city Commissioners on August 19th. Russell Harwood, chess program director at University of Texas at Brownsville said, "They were very pleased and honored to receive the award!"

2014 Award Recipients:

CHESS CITY OF THE YEAR: Brownsville, TX 

CHESS CLUB OF THE YEAR: Central Florida Chess Club

CHESS COLLEGE OF THE YEAR: Texas Tech University

COMMITTEE OF THE YEAR: Senior

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE: Jim Berry (OK)

FRANK J. MARSHALL AWARD: IM Greg Shahade (PA)

GRANDMASTER OF THE YEAR: 2014 GM Alex Onischuk (TX)

HONORARY CHESS MATES: 2014 Joan Priest (KY)

KOLTANOWSKI MEDAL: Gold Bill Goichberg and the Continental Chess Association

MERITORIOUS SERVICE: Justin Morrison (GA), Daniel Fuller (MS) & Dr. Rose Marie Stutts (AL)

ORGANIZER OF THE YEAR: The Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis

OUTSTANDING CAREER ACHIEVEMENT: Gary Kitts (MI) & Harvey Lerman (FL)

OUTSTANDING TEAM PERFORMANCE AWARD: Julia R. Masterman Laboratory and Demonstration School (PA)

SCHOLASTIC SERVICE: Mitchell Denker (posthumously) (NC)

SPECIAL SERVICES: Alan Kaufman (MI)

TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: 

Denis Barry (posthumously) (AZ)

E. Steven Doyle (NJ)

Thad Rogers (GA)

Stephen Dillard (KY)

TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR: 2014 Bob Messenger (MA)
 

U.S. CHESS HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES: Abraham Kupchik & Jacqueline Piatigorsky

SPECIAL FRIEND OF USCF: Harris Rosen (FL)

OUTSTANDING PLAYER ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: Awonder Liang (WI)

WOMAN CHESSPLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARD: Tatev Abrahamyan (CA)