Photo Jennifer Shahade

This weekend features two premier team events, the U.S. Amateur Team playoffs on ICC on March 24 and the Collegiate Final Four (March 24-25, Dallas, TX). So go ahead and watch the spring flowers bloom and your NCAA picks get knocked out, but keep one eye on the chess madness!

U.S. Amateur Team playoffs

The U.S. Amateur team playoffs will begin at 1 pm EST on the Internet Chess Club. Each team plays from the same location with TD approved by International Arbiter Carol Jarecki.

The winners of the U.S Amateur Team East, "Beavis and Butt-Vinnik" will play against the winners of the U.S. Amateur Team South, "Four Found Fischers" in the playoffs. Meanwhile, the North's "Repeat Offenders" will face off against the West's "Orange County Chess Club." If there is a tie there, a speed playoff will determine who makes it to the finals.

At 6 pm, the two winning teams will compete in the finals. In preparation for the grueling day, the East's Nick Panico is practicing the notorious ending Two Knights and King vs. King and pawn on the ICC. (Wild 20) " It requires me to really pay attention and focus on the 2D screen" Nick explains, "we aren't allowed to transfer moves to an actual board." The South better watch out for technical Knight endgames!

Here are the pairings for the playoffs:

Beavis and Butt-vinnuk (East) vs. Four Found Fischers (South)

Board 1. James Critelli (White) vs. Daniel Ludwig

Board 2. Evan Turtel vs. Corey B.Acor (W)

Board 3. Evan Rabin (W) vs. Jeffrey De Jesus

Board 4. Alan Kantor vs. Anthony Felicione (W)

Orange County Chess Club (West) vs. Repeat Offenders (North)

Board 1. Alexander Kretchetov (W) vs. John Cole

Board 2. Ilia Serpik vs. John Langreck (W)

Board 3. Takashi Iwamoto (W) vs. FM Jim Dean

Board 4. Krishna Kaliannan vs. Drew Hollinberger (W)


Intercollegiate Final Four

University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) , The University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), Duke University and Miami Dade College will compete this weekend (March 24,25) in the “Final Four” chess tournament in Dallas. The round-robin tournament is open to the public and will take place at the Centreport Room of the Dallas/Fort Worth Airport Marriott South Hotel. Round 1 kicks off at 10 AM Saturday. Round two is at 6 PM, Saturday and round 3 at 10 AM Sunday.

Read the AP article, Fla. community college checkmates Ivys.