Chess – Stephen Dann
Sunday, July 28, 2013
Despite being one of the most celebrated writers of player tributes, this is a landmark day for George M. Mirijanian of Fitchburg, who turns 70 today. He has had nearly a week of tributes. A 50-year member of the Wachusett Chess Club, away only for a few years of military service, he has done all that a chess volunteer could ever be expected to do, including serving at least eight years as president of the Mass. Chess Association, and 25 years as a national TD for the U.S. Chess Federation.
We are told that Martin Laine will interview his co-host of many years for the August Chess Chat feature at www.FATV.org, where years of this program are archived. Few are aware that he has given more free public chess lectures to amateurs than probably anyone in New England history, as well as taught elite military units European languages in his role as a professional instructor.
Eric Strickland of Brattleboro, Vt., spent a fortune on gasoline, but swept the five-week Harlow B. Daly Memorial at Fitchburg State University. Tied for second were Bruce Felton of Fitchburg and Paul Godin of Burlington in the 43-player event, summarized at www.wachusettchess.org. It is the largest single section event in the state so far this month in rating reports at www.uschess.org. On Wednesday a tribute event begins to honor Lubomir Kavalek of the Washington, D.C., area, who turns 70 on Aug. 9 and who competed in Boston shortly after he emigrated to the U.S. in 1970, five years after becoming a grandmaster.
“Simple Knight Forks” is the top of Bruce Pandolfini’s historic lesson of Sept. 23, 1986, portrayed on Tuesday at www.chesscafe.com. The 21 diagrams go from beginner positions to challenging ones for an amateur, and Pandolfini uses his Q&A system to present this at the level of instructor and student. You’ll always learn something at Cape Cod’s world-class chess website now in its 17th year.
Justus Williams of New York won the U.S. Cadet title on a playoff, with full details at www.mdchess.com.
The 50th Canadian Open in Ottawa ended a week ago, with GM Nigel Short taking first on tiebreak in the 178-player event. Preceding the event, GM Lazaro Bruzon of Cuba won the Edmonton International, 8-1, defeating Short. The last time we remember Short coming to Mass. was in 1985 for a celebrated U.S. vs. U.K. match of champions in Foxboro.
The Mass. Chess Assn. board meets today in Westwood, pondering items such as conducting a memorial benefit for Boston’s One Fund. Board minutes are posted at www.masschess.org.
Source: http://www.telegram.com
Love this column.