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2009 Cover Sheet
   Word format
   Adobe Acrobat PDF format
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Jerry Hanken, President of the Chess Journalists of America, and Jonathan Hilton, Chairman of the CJA Awards Committee, announce their annual call for entries to the 2009 Awards program. Winners will be recognized in Chess Life and The Chess Journalist and will receive certificates.

Please note that submission rules have changed from past years. The Chief Judge’s storage space for print entries is limited this year, so he would like to encourage CJA members to submit their entries via email. Email entry is now available for every category and is preferred when possible. To submit an email entry, simply email a filled-out cover sheet to cja-entries2009@chessjournalism.org and write “Awards Entry” in the subject line. Attach the actual entry as a .pdf or .doc file or include a web link to it in the body of the email. Then, mail a check for the appropriate amount to the address below.

If you must submit a print entry, mail five copies of the entry (photocopies are acceptable) to the aforementioned address; then, email a copy of the cover sheet to cja-entries2009@chessjournalism.org. By submitting an entry to the Awards, you are giving the CJA the right to display the entry on its website.

Eligibility: Entries must be for work published between 6/1/08 and 5/31/09. Articles may be submitted to multiple categories.

Fees: All entries, except category 18, require an entry fee of $15 for the first entry (includes 1 year of membership in the CJA) and $8 for each additional entry. Life members free first entry, $8 for each additional entry.

Cover Sheets: One cover sheet must be stapled to each copy of print entries (originals and copies). Sheets are available at http://chessjournalism.org or by mail upon request.

Entry Deadline: Entries should be postmarked by 6/1/09 or submitted by email by 6/3/09.
      6/9/09 Update: deadline extended to 6/15/2009.

Address: Mail checks (or print entries) to Chief Judge Jonathan Hilton, 2590 Jupiter Dr, Fairfield, OH 45014. Make checks payable to Chess Journalists of America.

Judges: Volunteer judges needed. CJA members or others interested in chess journalism should contact Jonathan Hilton at cja-awards@chessjournalism.org for information.

Send entries to the Chief Judge, with checks payable to Chess Journalists of America:

Jonathan Hilton
2590 Jupiter Dr
Fairfield, OH 45014

The coversheet can be downloaded by clicking one of the following links. For those unable to download there is a web page version provided.

• Cover Sheet (Word format)
• Cover Sheet (PDF format)
• Cover Sheet (Web Page, opens in new browser window)
  

To view Entries Received click here.

1. Chess Journalist of the Year: Awarded to the person who has contributed the most to chess journalism in the past year. Only work from the past year will be considered. CJA members vote by mail ballot to select the winner; please provide résumé for CJA website.

2. Best Chess Column: Submit three columns from the past year.

3. Best State Magazine: Submit two issues from the past year.

4. Most Notable Achievement in Correspondence Chess: For journalistic work of any type regarding correspondence chess.

5. Best Chess Art: Send a magazine cover, Internet display, cartoon, etc.

6. Best Photograph: A single photograph portraying some aspect of chess.

7. Best Tournament Report: A story of one tournament occurring in the past year.

8. Best Newspaper Column: Send three columns from the past year. Special award given to best column of local interest; please mark the appropriate box on the cover sheet if the entry is eligible for this award.

9. Best Chess Website: Open to news sites, “blogs”, state websites, and so on. Special award given to the best example of each type of website.

10. Best Historical Article: For articles describing an aspect of chess history, especially those tying chess history to social or cultural events from the past.

11. Best Interview: Shows skill in eliciting instructive, revealing responses.

12. Best Editorial: Clear stand on a chess issue.

13. Best Review: For reviews of books, software, etc.

14. Best Analysis: For openings, middlegames, endgames, games, or groups of games analyzed deeply.

15. Best Instructive Lesson: For written lessons. (Should be a lesson, not just an annotated game.)

16. Best Humorous Contribution: Open to chess jokes, satire, irony, parody, etc. Judges decide appropriateness.

17. Special Recognition Award: For entries that do not fit comfortably into any other category.

18. Excellence in Chess Writing, Mainstream Media: Entries ineligible for other categories. Awarded to chess writing in a mainstream publication (defined as a magazine listed in the Readers’ Guide to Periodical Literature). Regular chess features ineligible. No fees are applicable for this category.