CHESS : NATIONAL NEWS
The 1994 U.S. champion, Boris Gulko of New Jersey, leads the Pan-Pacific International tournament in San Francisco. Gulko defeated Josh Waitzkin and Larry Christiansen in the first two rounds of the 12-player event, the strongest invitational tournament scheduled this year in the United States. With 1 1/2- 1/2 are Victor Korchnoi of Switzerland and John Nunn of England.
The tournament is sponsored by the Mechanics Institute Chess Club and Mindscape, the Novato company that publishes the Chessmaster 4000 computer program.
The U.S. Amateur Team Championship set attendance records last weekend at all four of its locations. In Buena Park, the USAT West drew 76 teams and 328 players. “Ramos and Romulans,” a team composed of Steve Ramos, Jerry Hanken, John Toulouse, Tracy Gray and Skip Hollomon, won its first five matches and then drew “Los Pescados Mojados” in the final round to take first prize. “WCC 1-Get Medieval” (Adrian Casillas, Mitchell Vergara, Mike Shvartsman and Paul Shannon) also scored 5 1/2- 1/2, but finished second on tiebreak.
Individual prizes went to Dan Lee, 5 1/2- 1/2, best first board on tiebreak over Jim Thinnsen; Robert Trombley, 5 1/2- 1/2, best second board; Javier Torres, 6-0, best third board; Mark Sokolovski, 6-0, best fourth board; and Robert Bryan, 4 1/2- 1/2, best alternate.
Silly team names have become traditional in the 25-year history of the tournament. This year, “If Rooks Could Kill” was voted best team name. “Neon Knights,” which distributed brightly colored score sheets, earned the prize for best promotional idea.
The USAT East in Parsippany, N.J., attracted an amazing total of 1,165 players on 230 teams. The Brooklyn College “A” team, led by IM Gennady Sagalchik and masters Alex Kalikshteyn and Yurij Lapshun, finished in first place.
In Baton Rouge, La., a team from Florida called “Shaq-Mate Magic II” won the USAT South. There were 27 teams and 120 players.
“Bucky Badger’s Battling Bishops” took first prize in the USAT MidWest. The Oak Brook, Ill., tournament included 54 teams and 230 players.
The four regional winners will contest a three-round playoff by telephone on March 11-12 for the title of U.S. Amateur Team champions.
LOCAL TOURNAMENTS
The 1995 State High School Championship will be held next weekend at the Bicycle Club, 7301 Eastern Ave. in Bell Gardens. There will be a one-day, five-round section on March 5 for players rated under 1300, and a two-day, six-round Open section on March 5-6. Each section will award individual and team prizes to students in grades K-12. For details, call Ed Portillo at (818) 282-6798.
The third Pacific Coast Open, a Grand Prix tournament offering a minimum of $14,000 in prizes, takes place Friday through March 5 at the Holiday Inn, 7000 Beach Blvd. in Buena Park. For more information, call Bill Goichberg at (718) 336-3988.
The Santa Monica Bay Chess Club Championship, an eight-round tournament on Monday evenings, begins Monday at 1450 Ocean Ave. in Santa Monica. Call Steve Hughes at (310) 450-7201 for information.
The Pasadena Chess Club, which meets at 7 p.m. Fridays in the Pasadena Senior Center, 85 E. Holly St. in Pasadena, will start a six-round tournament on Friday. Call Neil Hultgren at (818) 243-3809.