Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Summer Chess Clinic with IM David Vigorito July 6-10



Mark your calendars and plan ahead for this opportunity!
Register soon and save your spot!


The Boylston Chess Foundation presents


Summer Chess Clinic

for Advanced Tournament Players

with 

IM David Vigorito




July 6-10    9:00am-4:00pm


  • open to all scholastic players USCF 1650-2250
  •  improve tactics and calculation
  •  positional and strategic play
  •  studying the classics
  •  opening preparation
  •  blitz tournament, and more!


IM David Vigorito

  •  highly experienced trainer of scholastic tournament players and has coached players of all levels up to and including Grandmaster
  • author of eight highly acclaimed chess books
  • USCF 2517; FIDE 2422
  • 2007 Massachusetts Champion
  • 2009 and 2012 New England co-champion
  • former state champion of New Hampshire and Nevada
  • player and manager of New England Nor’easters, U.S. Chess League 2010 Champions

·        $350, July 6-10, 9:00am-4:00pm (early drop off/late pickup available; please inquire)
·        Space is limited! Class size will be limited to ensure individual attention so please sign up early.
·        BCF membership required ($120/year; $67/six months; members are entitled to discounts on tournament entry fees, various foundation activities, lectures, access to our library, and use of the facilities during member days. In addition, when you join, you get to play in your first tournament free)
·        send payment to: 

BCF 40 Norris St. Suite B101 Cambridge, MA 02140
·        email dvigorito@msn.com with any questions

Monday, June 29, 2015

MUSIC // CHESS // MATHEMATICS // BRAIN WORKS TO CREATE MASTERPIECES //

SERGEI PROKOFIEV 
(1891 - 1953)
CHESS CAREER HIGH POINT:
["St. Petersburg, Russia"] [Date "1914.05.16"][Round "3"][Result "0-1"]
[White "Jose Raul Capablanca"] [Black "Sergei Prokofiev"] [ECO "D02"]
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 Bf5 4.Qb3 Nc6 5.Qxb7 Na5 6.Qa6 Nxc4 7.Nc3 e6 8.e4 dxe4 9.Bxc4 exf3 10.Qc6+ Nd7 11.g4 Bg6 12.Bg5 Be7 13.Bxe7 Kxe7 14.O-O-O Re8 15.h4 h5 16.gxh5 Bxh5 17.Nb5 Kf8 18.d5 Qf6 19.dxe6 Ne5 20.Qc5+ Kg8 21.exf7+ Bxf7 22.Bxf7+ Qxf7 23.Kb1 Rab8 24.Nxc7 Rbc8 25.Rc1 Re7 26.Qd6 Rexc7 27.Rxc7 Qxc7 28.Qe6+ Kh8 29.a3 Qc2+ 30.Ka1 Nd3 31.Rb1 Nxf2 32.h5 Qc6 33.Qf5 Ne4 34.Qxf3 Nd2 35.Qxc6 Rxc6 36.Rd1 Rc2 37.Rg1 Rc5 38.Rg6 Rxh5 39.Ra6 Nb3+ 40.Ka2 Ra5 41.Rxa5 Nxa5 42.b4 g5 43.Kb2 g4 0-1
Jose Raul Capablanca (1888 - 1942) World Chess Champion: 1921 - 1927
Capablanca vs Emanuel Lasker,
Havana, Cuba, 1921
[Site "Chicago, IL"] [Date "1922"][Result "1/2-1/2"]
[White "Sergei Prokofiev"] [Black "Edward Lasker"] [ECO "C68]
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.b3 Bc5 6.Bb2 f6 7.d3 Bg4 8.Nbd2 Ne7 9.h3 Bh5 10.Qe2 Ng6 11.g3 Qe7 12.Qf1 Bxf3 13.Nxf3 O-O-O 14.Nd2 h5 15.O-O-O h4 16.gxh4 Nf4 17.Nc4 Rxh4 18.Ne3 g6 19.Ng2 Rxh3 20.Nxf4 Rxh1 21.Nxg6 Rxf1 22.Nxe7+ Bxe7 23.Rxf1 Bc5 24.Kd2 Rh8 25.Ke2 Rh2 26.c3 Kd7 27.Bc1 Rh3 28.Be3 Bxe3 29.fxe3 1/2-1/2
IM Ed Lasker was born in Kempen (Poland) German Empire in 1885; died In NYC in 1981.
Lasker earned a university degree in mechanical and electrical engineering from 
Technical College of Charlottenburg. He invented a mechanical breast pump which 
served to sustain many a prematurely born baby!
["Mont La Joli, FRANCE"][Date "1924.03.14"][Result "1-0"]
[White "Sergei Prokofiev"] [Black "Maurice Ravel"] [ECO "E30"]
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Bg5 Nc6 5.e3 O-O 6.Bd3 d5 7.Nge2 a5 8.Qc2 h6 9.h4 hxg5 10.hxg5 Re8 11.gxf6 Qxf6 12.O-O-O dxc4 13.Bh7+ Kf8 14.Ne4 Qe7 15.Nf4 b5 16.Rh5 e5 17.Ng6+ fxg6 18.Bxg6 Be6 19.Rdh1 Rad8 20.Rf5+ Kg8 21.Qe2 Bxf5 22.Rh8+ Kxh8 23.Qh5+ Kg8 24.Qh7+ Kf8 25.Qh8# 1-0
Joseph-Maurice Ravel, composer 1875 - 1937: famous piece: Bolero;
Piano Concerto for Left Hand in D Major;
TAKE A LOOK/LISTEN: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6fMOflJMio
["Paris: Simultaneous Exhibition][Date "1933"][Result "1-0"] 
[White "Emanuel Lasker"] [Black "Sergei Prokofiev"] [ECO "C62] 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 d6 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 Bd7 6.Nbd2 g6 7.Qe2 Qe7 8.O-O Bg7 9.Re1 O-O 10.d5 Nb8 11.a4 a6 12.Bd3 Nh5 13.Nb3 a5 14.Be3 Bg4 15.h3 Bxf3 16.Qxf3 Nd7 17.Bb5 f5 18.exf5 Rxf5 19.Qd1 Nf4 20.Bxf4 Rxf4 21.Bxd7 Qxd7 22.Nd2 Qf5 23.Qe2 Rf8 24.f3 Bf6 25.Ne4 Bd8 26.b4 Qf7 27.Red1 axb4 28.cxb4 Qd7 29.a5 Be7 30.b5 Ra8 31.Rdb1 Rff8 32.Qc4 Kg7 33.a6 b6 34.a7 Rf7 35.Kf2 Bh4+ 36.Ke3 Rf4 37.Qc6 Qxc6 38.bxc6 Rff8 39.Kd3 h6 40.Kc4 Rfc8 41.Kb5 Bg5 42.Ka6 Be3 43.Kb7 Bc5 44.Ra2 Bd4 45.Rb3 Kf7 46.Nd2 Ke7 47.Nc4 Bc5 48.Rb5 Kd8 49.Rxc5 dxc5 50.Na3 Rxa7+ 51.Kxa7 1-0
Emanuel Lasker was an accomplished mathematician; his brother was a professor of
mathematics.

SAVIELLY TARTAKOWER VS EDWARD LASKER, NEW YORK 1924
["Paris"][Date "1934"][Result "1-0"] 
[White "Savielly Tartakower"] [Black "Sergei Prokofiev"] [ECO "C51"]   
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bb6 5. a4 a6 6. Bb2 d6 7. b5 axb5 8. axb5 Rxa1 
9. Bxa1 Nb8 10.d4 f6 11. dxe5 dxe5 12. Qe2 Nh6 13. Nxe5 fxe5 14. Qh5+ Kf8 15. Qxe5 Bxf2+ 
16.Ke2 Qd7 17. Rd1 Qg4+ 18. Kxf2 Nd7 19. Qxc7 Ke7 20. Nc3 Rf8+ 21. Kg1 Rd8 22. Qd6+
Ke8 23. Be6 Qh5 24. Rd5 Nf7 25. Bxd7+ Bxd7 26. Qxd7+ Rxd7 27. Rxh5 Rd2 28. Rd5
Rxc2 29. Nd1 1-0   

Maurice Delage 1879 - 1961, Paris,

composer, pianist: "Quatre Poemes Hindous" (India) (1912- 1913)

[Paris] [Date "1937"][Result "0-1"]
[White "Maurice Delage"] [Black "Sergei Prokofiev"] [ECO "C18]
 1. d4 e6 2. e4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+
 6. bxc3 Ne7 7. Qg4 cxd4 8. Qxg7 Rg8 9. Qxh7 Qc7 10. Ne2 Nbc6 11. f4 dxc3 12. Qd3 d4 13. Nxd4 Nxd4
14. Qxd4 Nf5 15. Qf2 Bd7 16. Bd3 Bc6 17. Rg1 O-O-O 18. Bxf5 exf5 19. g3 f6 20. Qxa7 fxe5 21. Kf2 exf4
22. Bxf4 Qxf4+ 23. gxf4 Rd2+ 24. Kf1 Bb5+ 25. Ke1 Re8+ 0-1
 
David Oistrakh 1908 - 1974 Odessa, Russian Empire; died Moscow, USSR
Renowned violinist . . . 
PRESS HERE: DAVID OISTRAKH PLAYS PROKFIEV VIOLIN CONCERTO NO. 1
[Moscow]
[Date "1937"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[White "Sergei Prokofiev"]
[Black "David Oistrakh"]
[ECO "B72"]
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Be3 Bg7 7.Be2
a6 8.Qd2 Ng4 9.Bxg4 Bxg4 10.f3 Bd7 11.Bh6 Rg8 12.Bxg7 Rxg7
13.Qh6 Kf8 14.O-O-O Nc6 15.Nxc6 bxc6 16.Rhe1 Rb8 17.e5 d5
18.Qf4 Kg8 19.Rd4 e6 20.Red1 Qb6 21.b3 Be8 22.R4d2 Qc7 23.Qe3
Qe7 24.Re1 Kh8 25.Kb2 Rg8 26.Qf4 Bd7 27.Qf6+ Qxf6 28.exf6 Rb7
29.g4 g5 30.h4 gxh4 31.Rh2 Rg6 32.Rxh4 Rxf6 33.Reh1 Kg8
34.R1h3 Kf8 35.Rxh7 Rb4 36.Ne2 e5 37.Kc3 c5 38.R7h6 d4+ 39.Kd2
Rbb6 40.Rxf6 Rxf6 41.Rh5 e4 42.fxe4 Bxg4 43.Rg5 Bf3 44.Rxc5
Bxe4 45.Nxd4 Bg2 46.a4 Ke7 47.b4 Kd7 48.Ke3 Rd6 49.b5 Rd5
50.Rxd5+ Bxd5 51.bxa6 Kc7 52.Nb5+ Kb6 53.Kd4 Bg2 54.a7 Kb7
55.Kc5 Bf3 56.c3 f6 57.Kd6 Bd1 58.a5 Be2 59.Nd4 Bf1 60.Nc6 f5
61.Ke5 Bd3 62.Kd4 Be4 63.a6+ Ka8 64.Nb4 Kxa7 65.c4 Kb6 66.c5+
Ka7 67.Ke5 Kb8 68.Nd5 Bd3 69.Nb4 Be4 70.c6 Kc7 71.a7 Bxc6
72.Nxc6 Kb7 1/2-1/2
             PRESS HERE: PROKOFIEV: PIANO CONCERTO NO. 3 // YUJA WANG, PIANIST
 
Albert Einstein (1879-1955), theoretical physicist, Nobel Laureate, Physics, 1921.
Einstein played in a string quartet/chamber group throughout his life. ["Princeton: Center for Advanced Studies"] [Date "1933"] [Result "1-0"] [White "Albert Einstein"] [Black "Robert Oppenheimer"] [ECO "C70"] 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 b5 5.Bb3 Nf6 6.O-O Nxe4 7.Re1 d5 8.a4 b4 9.d3 Nc5 10.Nxe5 Ne7 11.Qf3 f6 12.Qh5+ g6 13.Nxg6 hxg6 14.Qxh8 Nxb3 15.cxb3 Qd6 16.Bh6 Kd7 17.Bxf8 Bb7 18.Qg7 Re8 19.Nd2 c5 20.Rad1 a5 21.Nc4 dxc4 22.dxc4 Qxd1 23.Rxd1+ Kc8 24.Bxe7 1-0 Dr. Robert Oppenheimer, Ph.D. physics, was head of the "Manhatten Project" to 
develop the atomic bomb during World War II and head of the Center for Advanced
Studies, at Princeton University, where Einstein spent the last years of his life.
Robert Openheimer, circa 1953
 
Philidor plays blindfold chess at Parsloe's Chess 
Club, London, 1780.
FRANCOIS-ANDRE DANICAN PHILIDOR 1726-1795: French composer, mathematician 
and chess player:  Famous for "l'Analyse du jeu des Echecs (1777) "Philidor Defense": 
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 . .  
NM Noam Elkies, Harvard's youngest tenured professor at 26, uses chess to help
illustrate mathematical points to his undergraduate students. Dr. Elkies has also
composed an opera and other formats. Dr. Elkies is an accomplished pianist as well 
as a good opera singer, himself.  A chess master, Dr. Elkies won the World 
Composition Championship (individual) as well as on the Israeli team for the
same event.  He is on the Advisory Board of the Journal of Mathematics and Music!
He is a composer of chess problems and won the 1996 World Chess Solving 
Championship.  Bravo, Noam !
                    Professor of Mathematics, Noam Elkies, pianist
Israeli Championship Team in Chess Composition: Paz Einat, Ofer Comay, Aharon 
Hirschenson, Noam Elkies . . . 47th World Congress of Chess Composition, 
Halkidiki,Greece. 2004 . . . 
                  BCC CHESS PLAYERS: CHESS INTERFACE MUSIC
Mateos Sahakian, chess expert, pianist and piano teacher.
Brandon Wu, chess expert and violinist
Sowa Brothers
 
Ryan and Aidan: piano
Professor Jerry Williams plays black vs Aiden Sowa, BCC, Somerville 2014
Aidan Sowa plays Luis Baez, BCC, Somerville
Derek Jin, top 8 yr old in Massachusetts
Alex Jin, Derek's older brother, recently
gave a piano recital at Carnegie Hall, NYC
The mind sings with tunes of the
heart and combinations of the mind for
winning chess on the geometric grid...
[ps: How did I come upon the motivation for this
blog post, you ask? Well, I was looking up
openings covering C62 and C68 Ruy Lopez,
for white, and I came across Prokofiev's name.
Wow, was I surprised: he beat Capablanca!]

BCC GRAND PRIX: KIDS MAKE IT HAPPEN // LAST GP EVENT OF BCC CALENDAR: NM HAL TERRIE / HOWARD GOLDOWSKY 1-2ND // DAVID MARTIN / BOSHEN LI / RICHARD ALAN CHEN 1-3RD U1800

BOYLSTON CHESS CLUB
GRAND PRIX 2015
25 PLAYERS / 2 SECTIONS
OPEN SECTION
CRITICAL GAME
NM Hal Terrie vs Terrence Fricker, Round 3.
Hal won this game, scored 3 points and tied 1-2nd place
with Howard Goldowsky.
CRITICAL GAME
NM Andrew Hoy vs Howard Goldowsky, Round 2.
Andrew won this game, scored 2 points and was +2
for 2204 rating,  sharing 4-6th place.  Had Howard
won or drawn this game, he was destined for 1st place.
Yet! Howard scored 3 points to tie for 1-2nd place
and a +24 to 1890 rating. Bravo, Howard!
HATS OFF TO THE GENERAL
Terrence Fricker plays white vs Harold Dondis, Esq.
in Round 2. Terrence went on to score 2.5 points and a
claim to clear 3rd place in the Open Section. Bravo, Terrence!
Jason Tang, black vs Derek Chubo Zhao, Round 2.
Jason won this encounter but Derek held even on the day
both players tallying 2 points to share 4-6th place.
TRUE GRIT
Maxwell Chen (1687) vs NM Eric Godin (2212) . . . 
Eric offered a draw in a slightly better position.
Max declined but was out-played in a complex ending.
It is possible, that Max was emboldened to play on by
his Round 1 win over Jason Tang.  No doubt, Max will
become a master in the coming years.
U1800 SECTION
SURROUNDED BY KIDS: ROUND 1
David Martin (1732) vs Jason Xiong (1498) : draw!
David scored 3 points to share 1-3rd place with Boshen Li
and Richard Alan Chen! (background): Lewis Tu vs Richard
Alan Chen; Thomas T Ha.
KIDS THRIVE AT THE BCC: ROUND 3
Boshen Li, consistent and creative, scored 3 points to share
1-3rd place with David Martin and Richard Alan Chen.
Here Boshen is playing Thomas T Ha. (background):
Richard Alan Chen vs Lewis Tu; Lawrence Tu, black
vs David Martin.  Bernie Xu, black vs Bob Oresick;
Stephen Savage vs Rajanna Heggadahalli. 
(extreme right):  Ed Chiu.
ROUND 2
David Martin, black vs Bernie Xu; Stephen Savage, 
black vs Jason Xiong. Stephen and Jason both scored
2.5 points to share 4-5th place. Jason was +53 to
1461 rating. Bravo, Jason.
GREAT POTENTIAL: TU BROTHERS
Lewis Tu was 2/4 on the day for a +145
to 1257 rating.
6 yr old Lawrence Tu. [I played both these lads
and they display an uncanny grasp of chess tactics 
and combination skill. Lewis taught Lawrence how to
play chess (very recently); keep your eyes on
these boys; they are destined for greatness!]
STEADY IMPROVEMENT
Juan Payan (1854) black, vs Skyler Zhou (1432)
Round 3: draw. Skyler, clearly the younger of the
two players is rapidly acquiring solid chess 
technique and enjoys playing "up"; for this
Skyler, with 1.5/4 was +8 to 1440 rating.
Bravo, Juan and Skyler for devoting lots of
time and energy in studying and playing chess!
AND THE WINNERS ARE:
(winners for the 6 month BCC GP 2015)
Open/U2300: Eric Godin 11 points
U2100: Pinyi Hu 8 points
U1800: Harold Dondis 8.5 points
U1500: Bishen Li: 8.5 points
U1200: Ajay Potula , Charles Bing
and Lewis Tu: 2 points
BERNARDO IGLESIAS: TD
PHOTOS: STEVE STEPAK

BCC FRIDAY NIGHT BLITZ : JUNE 26 2015 //

BOYLSTON CHESS CLUB
CAMBRIDGE
FRIDAY NIGHT BLITZ
JUNE 26, 2015
NM STEPHEN SWANSON (Scotland) (2250) 6   1-2nd
NM ANDREW HOY (MIT) (2200) 6      1-2nd
NM ALEJANDRO BOTTA (Argentina)  3rd
NM Alejandro Botta white, vs NM Andrew Hoy.
Andrew scored 6 points, sharing 1-2nd place. Bravo, Andrew!
NM Stephen Swanson (SCOTLAND) vs Soren Pedersen (DENMARK).
Stephen scored 6 points sharing 1-2nd place. Bravo, Stephen!
Stephen and his lovely wife are here on holiday, on the way
to Cape Cod. Soren is sporting his summer haircut.
TD: STEVE STEPAK
PHOTOS: STEVE STEPAK
NEXT FRIDAY, JULY 3rd
is warm-up for the big
blitz event on July 10th,
the following Friday:
WALTER BROWNE MEMORIAL
BLITZ (see post below) . . . 

Friday, June 26, 2015

GM Walter Browne Memorial Friday Night Blitz - July 10

GM Walter Browne Memorial Friday Night Blitz

The Stress of Chess ... and its Infinite Finesse





GM Walter S. Browne Memorial
 - 
Friday Night Blitz

                                                     GM Walter Brown  6x US Champion                                                                                                                         Photo: Tony Cortizas, Jr.


Fri, July 10

7:30pm – 11:00pm

40 Norris St, Cambridge, MA 02140, USA
          
  
6SS G/5, d0; double-round swiss, single section
.
Entry fee: $5, $10 (non-BCF members)

Prizes: 
$$200 GUARANTEED
(Prize fund anonymously contributed to the BCF.)

$100-$50; U2000 $30; U1600 $20


Registration  7:00 - 7:25 pm
Round 1 starts at 7:30 pm, rest ASAP







GM Larry Christiansen and  WCM Natasha Christiansen invite you to a blitz tournament to be held July 10, in memory of GM Walter Browne, who was a blitz aficionado.  Larry will play.  



_________

Report of GM Browne's sudden death:










GM Walter S. Browne 1949 – 2015


by Janelle Losoff, Co-Organizer of the Las Vegas International Chess Festival and National Open Chess Championship

It’s with great sadness, we must pass along the tragic news that


Grandmaster Walter Shawn Browne has quietly and suddenly passed away in Las Vegas Nevada.

As we grieve, Alan and I extend our condolences to his wife, family, friends, and the fans of this towering giant.
    GM Browne had just finished playing in our 50th Anniversary National Open. He tied for 9th-15th. He played a 25 board simultaneous exhibition here at the Las Vegas International Chess Festival. He also taught at our chess camp and gave a lecture series. After the Chess Festival, Browne stayed the night at the home of his life-long friend, Ron Gross, who reported to us that Walter died suddenly in his sleep. We are shocked and saddened by this sudden loss.

GM Walter Browne was a 6 time U.S. Champion and eleven time winner of the National Open. He won the American Open seven times, the World Open three times, and the U.S. Open Chess Championship twice. Please visit his United States Chess Federation profile to learn more about him. Many thanks to our friends and chess journalists who have linked to this page as the original source for this story.
  Walter is survived by his wife, Raquel, his sister Susan and his brothers, Stephen and Roger.
  Walter was a good man, a great friend, and a mentor to generations of players. He will be sorely missed, yet his games, his brilliance, his generosity, and his explorations of the game, as well as his presence will live on. Farewell Walter. We will remember you. Rest in Peace.
Born January 10, 1949 in Sydney, Australia
Died June 24, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada
from the obituary by Janelle Losoff


Read a great interview with GM Browne


"Walter Browne has won more open Swiss chess tournaments than any other American player. He is a living legend, often referred to by other Grandmasters as six-time, for his six U.S. Championship victories, a number topped only by Bobby Fischer and Sammy Reshevsky.


Walter is known for precise calculation skills. ...  He rattles off variations in analysis rooms with the energy of a teenager who just drank a gallon of coffee. 
 ...
Browne is both a fine blitz player and a time-trouble addict. He founded the World Blitz Chess Association, and the magazine Blitz Chess. Time after time, Browne's serious tournament games turn into blitz. ..."  
From USCF profile:       https://www.uschess.org/content/view/146/203

You can read  a summary of his chess life at:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Browne



Here is a critical game annotated by Larry Christiansen:

Walter Shawn Browne - Larry M Christiansen [A10]
USA 24/124 ch, 1977

Going into the last round of the 1977 US Championship, Robert Byrne and Walter Browne shared the lead. Byrne could only draw his last round game, giving Browne the chance to win the title clear. 1.d4 e6 2.c4 b6 3.d5 Ba6 4.e4 exd5 5.exd5 Nf6 6.Nc3 Bb4 7.Qe2+ [7.Bd3] 7...Be7 8.Qc2 c6 9.Bd3 b5 [9...cxd5 10.Nxd5 Nxd5 11.cxd5 Bxd3 12.Qxd3 0-0=] 10.cxb5 cxb5 11.Nge2 [11.Bxb5 Bxb5 12.Nxb5 Qa5+ 13.Nc3 Nxd5=] 11...b4 12.Ne4 Nxd5 13.0-0 0-0 14.Rd1 Qa5 15.N2g3‚ g6 [15...Rc8 16.Qe2 Bxd3 17.Rxd3 Nc6 18.Nf5‚] 16.Bh6 Re8 17.Qd2! A fine "creeping move" that begins a coordinated assualt on the dark squares. 17...Nf6? [17...Nc7 18.Qf4 Ne6 19.Nf6+ Bxf6 (19...Kh8 20.Qf3) 20.Qxf6] 18.Qf4± Qb6 [18...Nxe4 19.Bxe4 Nc6 20.Rxd7] 19.Bxa6 Nxa6 Now comes a series of hammer-blows. 20.Rd6!! Bxd6 21.Nxf6+ Kh8 22.Bg7+! Kxg7 23.Ngh5+! gxh5 24.Qg5+ Kh8 25.Qh6 Bxh2+™ 26.Kh1! [26.Kxh2?? Qd6+ 27.Kg1 Qd3] 26...Qxf6 27.Qxf6+ Kg8 28.Qg5+ Kh8 29.Qf6+ Kg8 30.Qg5+ Kh8 31.Kxh2 Re6 32.Rd1 Rg8 33.Qf4 Reg6 34.g3 f6 35.Rxd7 Nc5 36.Rd6 h4 37.Qxh4 a5 38.Qd4 This win clinched the title of US Champion in the 1977 US Championship. 1-0