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Rudy Abate, president of the N.C. Chess Association and avid encourager for the game in the community, is holding a fundraiser for Michael Brown, a Vance Charter School eighth-grader with a rare form of bone cancer.

From 6 Friday night until 6 on Saturday night, Abate will play chess for 24 consecutive hours against all comers at the First United Methodist Church fellowship hall. He is soliciting monetary sponsors in advance and during the event for each hours he plays.

Brown plans to play the first game against Abate to kick off the event.

Henderson native John Smithwick, candidate master chess player and 1992 N.C. Chess Champion, will be present. He will begin playing simultaneous games on Saturday morning at 10 and continue through the end of the marathon.

Eleventh-grader Patrick Bounds, 2013 N.C. K-12 U1600 Scholastic Chess Champion and 2011 and 2012 Henderson-Vance Chess Club Scholastic Champion, will play any challengers blindfolded on Friday from 6 p.m. to midnight.

Also playing will be Carolynn Gaug, a 10-year-old Raleigh native who was the 2013 Wake County K-5 Scholastic Champion.

Henderson Collegiate School students, Vance Charter School students, area Boy Scouts, members of the Henderson-Vance Chess Club and the Wake Forest Chess Club will all be present.

Donations have been made by the Henderson Rotary Club, Oxford Rotary Club, First United Methodist Church and others.

The public is welcome to attend, and to gain sponsorships for playing. Abate said he will share instructional time and is welcoming all ranges of players in age and ability.

To play or to sponsor, email mbfund@embarqmail.com to contact Abate. He can also be reached at (252) 738-0375, or (252) 226-4224.

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