Madison City Chess League players compete at the recent North Alabama Team Scholastic Chess Tournament. Their Chess Challenge will be held on April 1 at the Central Office. (Photo by Scott Wilhelm)

MADISON – Can you measure up to the challenge? Madison City Chess League is hosting its premiere Chess Challenge.

The challenge is the league’s first fundraising event as a recognized 501(c)3 tax-exempt charitable organization, executive director Ranae Bartlett said.

“Our league kids, who are 10 years old or younger, would like to challenge any local leader or business person to a chess match on April 1 at 5 p.m. at Madison City Schools Central Office, 211 Celtic Drive,” Bartlett said. The league will provide all equipment.

Adults or league players can register at madisoncitychessleague.weebly.com/news.html. Click the “Sign Up Here” link.

“If an adult player or sponsor loses to one of our league kids, the sponsor must donate to Madison City Chess League,” Bartlett said. “It’s that simple. I think it will be a lot of fun.”

Madison personalities who have accepted the challenge include Mayor Troy Trulock, City Council President Tommy Overcash, COLSA VICE PRESIDENT Joe Collazo, managing partner with Summit 7 Systems Scott Edwards, ADTRAN Vice President Kevin Heering Sr., Intergraph Government Solutions Vice President Gerald King, WHNT reporter David Kumbroch, Hitachi manager Craig McGirr, BancorpSouth Vice President Taron Thorpe and Bradley Wallace with PowerbookMedic.com.

“The more local leaders who sign up to play, the more chess kids get to participate,” Bartlett said.

League youngsters also can register for the challenge at weekly practices on Mondays from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Hogan Family YMCA.

The league will gladly accept any donation. “Our purpose is exclusively charitable and educational,” Bartlett said.

The league supports all chess programs in local schools by offering free sessions on Mondays, hosting chess camps and tournaments and connecting chess coaches to every Madison school chess club.  Students throughout Madison County, including Huntsville and Madison, and Decatur attend league meetings at the YMCA.

The league also welcomes home school, private school and public school students to participate in all activities, including camps and tournaments.

For more information, visit madisoncitychessleague.weebly.com, Facebook/Madison City Chess League or Twitter #rbartlett14.