UPPER LAKE, Calif. – Chess anyone?

Lake County Wine Studio in Upper Lake is launching a special series of chess education and game playing from 2 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Thursdays, beginning Jan. 27 and continuing through April 28.

Grandmaster-trained chess expert Thomas Southerland will be that guest educator at this series.

Southerland has written articles for the prestigious European Chess Web site, www.chessdom.com and also for the Official U.S. Chess Federation Web site, http://uschess.org.

Southerland had two games from the Chicago Open 1996 published in the official magazine of the USCF, Chesslife, for their brilliance according to Life Master Jerry Hanken.

He also has organized and sponsored the first-ever Online Grand Master Chess Event at Internet Chess Club in 1996, and has remained active partners in organizing and promoting Grand Master Chess Events with ICC to this day.

Southerland has interviewed for radio, Grandmasters Var Akobian, Yury Shulman (2008 U.S. Champion) and Israeli Grandmaster Victor Mikhalevski, and was promoted by Grandmaster Susan Polgar (Former Women's World Champion) during his last event.

Southerland organized the two-day multiple rapid chess matches between Grandmasters Var Akobian and Yury Shulman held in April 2009 at the Lake County Wine Studio and is currently working to organize his next major chess event to be held in beautiful Lake County early this summer.

Southerland will devote the first hour of each Thursday session to going over strategy fundamentals of end, middle and opening games as published in “Modern Chess Strategy” by International Master of chess, Edward Lasker (Dec. 3, 1885 – March 25, 1981).

Lake County Wine Studio is located on the corner of First and Main Streets in historic Upper Lake, across from the famous Tallman Hotel and Blue Wing Saloon.

For more information, contact Susan Feiler at 707-275-8030 or 707-293-8752, or visit This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..