Ted Winick had a lifelong passion for chess. In the mid-nineties he began teaching chess to young children in local schools, with the firm belief that through chess he could impart critical life skills to young people.

Around the same time, he established National Chess Camp, an annual week-long overnight camp associated with National Music Camp. Every summer National Chess Camp brings together several dozen enthusiastic young chess players to learn, play, compete and enjoy all of the offerings of summer camp.

Shortly after that, Ted founded Chess Institute of Canada, a more formal organization that expanded on his chess teaching by hiring additional instructors, expanding to more schools and in new directions. Today Chess Institute of Canada offers in-school programs in Toronto and Vancouver, operates tournaments and chess day camps, and also partners with various private clubs, boys and girls clubs, and libraries to offer chess to the wider community. Chess Institute of Canada is Canada's only registered charity dedicated to bringing chess to young people.

Finally in 2010, Ted started Annex Chess Club, a social club dedicated to playing and teaching chess. The club has entered its fifteenth year and has established itself as a very important part of chess culture in Toronto and Canada.

Ted's volunteerism, friendliness, dedication to community, passion and drive were second-to-none. His ability to create partnerships on the fly was nothing short of incredible. He organized many chess tournaments and events across the city, partnering with the TDSB, Branksome Hall, and many other organizations. In 2014 he launched ChessFest, a two-day celebration of chess held at Harbourfront Centre which was a joint venture between Chess Institute of Canada and Annex Chess Club.

Ever dedicated to education, Ted ran the Central Toronto chapter of Spirit of Math for many years.

Ted's passion for music was evident in his involvement in the Royal Canadian Legion Concert Band, where he played trombone. Ted served as the band's president for some 25 years.

Ted also created the Jacques Katz Spirit of Chess Award, in honour of his friend Jacques Katz, to be awarded annually to a person who had made extraordinary contributions to the chess community. The ACC board secretly selected Ted to be its inaugural recipient.

Ted died in May 2019, and is sorely missed by all those who knew him. His spirit continues in our club, and in the thousands of lives that he has touched over the years. ACC honours him each year with the Ted Winick Memorial Tournament, which takes place in the early fall to coincide with his birthday.