BCC HOSTS GM WALTER BROWNE MEMORIAL BLITZ TOURNAMENT // 31 PLAY // GM LARRY CHRISTIANSEN 1ST // LEVIN / SMOLENSKY / KARAMALI 1-3RD U2000 // BEN PARKER U1600 PRIZE //

BOYLSTON CHESS CLUB

CAMBRIDGE, MA 

PRESENTS

GM WALTER BROWNE MEMORIAL

BLITZ TOURNAMENT

GM Walter Browne, Round 1, US Open, Boston, 1988,

plays "Alex" long-time denizen at the chess tables of

Au Bon Pain Cafe, Harvard Square, Cambridge, MA.

This is a print of a photo I took of Alex playing GM Browne

which I developed and printed before the end of the event,

which enabled Alex to get Browne to autograph it!

This is a photo of that photo taken July 12, 2015, at the

chess tables of Au Bon Pain Cafe. Alex was good enough

to bring the photo since all of my negatives from that era

of my photography career were destroyed in a flood.

Thank you Alex for enabling all of us to reconnect to

chess history through the memory of a great Australian

born USA Chess Champion: GM Walter Browne.

GM Roman Dzindzihashvili checks his phone as

GM Larry Christiansen looks on, just before the

festivities began at the BCC Friday Night Blitz

event honoring the memory of GM Walter Browne.

[Interesting game gleaned from the Wikipedia entry

of GM Walter Browne includes this:

Browne–Christiansen, U.S. Championship 1977
1.d4 e6 2.c4 b6 3.d5 Ba6 4.e4 exd5 5.exd5 Nf6 6.Nc3 Bb4 7.Qe2+ Be7 8.Qc2 c6 9.Bd3 b5 10.cxb5 cxb5 11.Nge2 b4 12.Ne4 Nxd5 13.0-0 0-0 14.Rd1 Qa5 15.N2g3 g6 16.Bh6 Re8 17.Qd2 Nf6 18.Qf4 Qb6 19.Bxa6 Nxa6 20.Rd6 Bxd6 21.Nxf6+ Kh8 22.Bg7+ Kxg7 23.Ngh5+ gxh5 24.Qg5+ Kh8 25.Qh6 Bxh2+ 26.Kh1 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 1–0]

Larry annotated this game which appears in Bob Oresick's BCC Blog of June 26 2015.
http://boylston-chess-club.blogspot.com/2015/06/the-stress-of-chess.html
(note above by: Steve Stepak)

SHARING STORIES OF GM WALTER BROWNE

GM Roman Dzindzichashvili tells some funny stories from an 

earlier time when he and Larry Christiansen knew the great

GM Walter Browne, from Sidney Australia. (surrounding crowd,

left to right): Corey Tolbert, Saleem Karamali, FM Bill Kelleher,

Natasha Christiansen, GM Larry Christiansen, NM Ahmet Bolat,

NM Alejandro Botta.

GM Larry's turn to relate some funny Walter Browne stories
from their long friendship . . .
THE PAIRINGS ARE UP! 
LET THE GAMES BEGIN!!

TD NM Andrew Hoy (right) prepares the parings
for Round 1.

  
GM Larry Christiansen, white vs Evan Meyer. Larry did not
lose a game, scoring 11.5 out of a possible 12, drawing with
Ahmet Bolat.  Bravo Ahmet!

GM Larry Christiansen plays black, vs NM Chris Williams.
FM Bill Kelleher observes.

GM Larry Christiansen defends with black vs NM Ahmet Bolat.

Bolat drew this game!  Bravo, Ahmet!

GM Larry Christiansen on the move vs expert Anatoly Levin.
FM Bill Kelleher, observes.
THE FINAL GAME: LARRY WINS THE TOURNAMENT!

Light-hearted conversation breaks out as Larry secures clear

1st place in the BCC Walter Browne Memorial Blitz event

which Larry and his wife Natasha co-sponsored. 

Bravo, Larry!  And thank you!

SCENES FROM AROUND THE TOURNAMENT HALL

Nikita Roldan-Levchenko, black vs NM Chris Williams.

J. Fara, black vs Vesna D; Bob Sullivan (blue).

NM Ahmet Bolat, black vs Natasha Christiansen, co-sponsor

of the BCC GM Walter Browne Memorial Blitz.

Harvard Square blitz player Sergio faces off with Evan Meyer.

Girnicus vs Vinson Chen

Saleem Karamali white vs FM Bill Kelleher.

BIG CROWD MILLS ABOUT DURING THE EVENT

Ben Parker vs NM Andrew Hoy. Ben won the U1600 prize with

6.5 points. Andrew scored 7.5 points. (crowd, left to right):

NM Chris Williams, BCCBM Brian Salomon, Tony DiNosse (sitting)

NM Vadim Martirosov chats with Anatoly Levin (standing)

Nikita Roldan-Levchenki (green) 

NM Andrew Hoy (event TD), black vs Ben Parker from

New Orleans, Louisiana (winner, U1600 prize)

Khari Alexander vs NM Alejandro Botta.

(background): FM Bill Kelleher, NM Ahmet Bolat.

EXCITING CLIMAX

Ben Parket holds his own, right down to the wire.

NM Andrew Hoy prevailed in the long run to take the

match 2:0. (observing): Nikita Roldan Levchenko, Oscar Chan,

NM Chris Williams, Cory Tolbert, Tony DiNosse.

NM Ahmet Bolat, black vs BCC Veteran Bob Sullivan.

Anatoly Levin, white vs NM Vadim Martirosov.

Sergio Miranda-Elmaleh vs Cory Tolbert.

FULL HOUSE

Giranus, black vs NM Andrew Hoy; (background):

Brian Salomon vs Saleem Karamali; Sergio vs Corey.

NM Alejandro Botta plays Nathan Smolensky, current

BCC Blitz co-champion, Massachusetts Chess Association 

(MACA)  President and Chess Horizons Editor.

(background): GM Larry Christiansen, sitting at Board 1.

FM Bill Kelleher, black vs Antonio DiNosse.

Ben Parker and Joe Farah, two regulars at the

BCC Friday Night Blitz event, duke it out here.

Mr. Farah, father of 2 sons participating in this

event, to whom he taught chess, plays

Nikita Roldan Levchenko. (background): son,

 J. Farah vs Khari Alexander, David Milliern vs Vinson Chen.

NM Chris Williams vs WM Dr. Vesna Dimitrijevic.

THE PAIRINGS ARE UP!!

30 players crowd around the paring sheet.

Natasha Christiansen, co-sponsor of this event

chats with Vinson Chen. This is Vinson's 

first chess tournament of any kind! Welcome, Vinson.

Corey Tolbert vs Anatoly Levin

Sergio vs Mr. Farah

VIEW OF THE FIELD OF PLAYERS

Anatoly Levin vs Nathan Smolensky;

Girnius, black vs A. Farah; Charles Slade

vs Brian Salomon; (left) Khari Alexander and

Bob Sullivan; (right) David Milliern.

NM Chris Williams vs NM Vadim Martirosov.

Joe Farah plays "Doc" Harvard Square blitz chess group

member; Oliver Chan (Canadian-born, now living 

in Boston) vs Mr. Farah.

BCCBM Charles Slade vs Ben Parker.

Charles is the proud father of Jack Slade! 

Mazel Tov, Mazel Tov. Jack was not able to attend

this event due to his special eating and sleeping 

requirements being only a few weeks old.

DOUBLED ROOKS

Nikita Roldan-Levchenko vs Sergio Miranda-Elmaleh.

(background): Bob Sullivan.

WRAP-UP

Last game: Girnius, black vs WM Dr. Vensa D.

FINAL TALLY: AND THE WINNERS ARE

GM Larry Christiansen: 11.5/12 points: 1st place ($100).

NM Ahmet Bolat: 10: 2nd place ($50).

NM Chris Williams 9

NM Vadim Martirov: 8 

BCCBM* Brian Salomon 8

FM Bill Kelleher 7.5

NM Andrew Hoy 7.5

Anatoly Levin 7 1-3nd U2000 prize

Nathan Smolensky 7 1-3nd U2000 prize

Saleem Karamali 7 1-3rd U2000

BCCBM* Charles Slade 6.5

WM Vesna Dimitrijevic: 6.5

Cory Tolbert 6.5

Ben Parker 6.5 1st U1600 prize

NM Alejandro Botta 6

Nikita Roldan-Levchenko 6

Steve Stepak 6

Girnius 5.5
Bob Sullivan 5
R. Farah 5
David Milliern 5
Vinson Chen 5
Oliver Chan 4.5
D. Chen 4.5
Natasha Christiansen 4/6

Khari Alexander 4
Doc 4
Sergio Miranda-Elmaleh 3.5
A. Farah 3.5
Joe Farah 2.5
Tony DiNossi 2.5
________________________________________
*BCCBM = Boylston Chess Club Blitz Master


TD NM ANDREW HOY

PHOTOS: STEVE STEPAK