Boston University Chess Club:  Chess Photo Gallery

GM Joel Benjamin simul
 
  
 

 
 


 
 
 

  The Boston University Chess Club hosted Grandmaster Joel Benjamin in a 26 board simul Friday, April 14, 2000.

GM Joel Benjamin of New York won the US Championship in 1997 and 1987 (tied).  He was a consultant for IBM in the famous Kasparov vs. Deep Blue match (1997) and according to the April supplement is the number 1 player in the United States, rated 2677 by USCF, tied with GM Gregory Kaidanov. 

The GM played 26 players simultaneously for four hours, winning 24 and drawing with NM Jennie Frenklakh, president of the BUCC and NM Mark Glickman, a BU math professor.

Other BU students who played were Yi-Cheng Lin  (1375), David Silldorf  (1083), Jigar Mehta  (1515), Alexandra Fol  (unr), Roman Brusovankin (1863), John Bengson (unr), Tim Feinstein (grad LAW)  (2139), and Spyros Vassilaras  (grad ENG)  (1561).  Spyros, as he usually does in simuls, played tough and was the last to yield in a (somewhat) close queen and pawns endgame.

The BU faculty and staff (plus relations) included Jack Litwinsky  (1463), Bob Given  (1063), Tom Fitzgerald  (1250), Jim Lombardo  (unr), Dana Monnier  (1092), Kurti Monnier  (1217), Robert Oresick  (1492), Eric Oresick  (1051), Keith Stefanek  (1293), and Prof. Ted Davis  (unr) 

Students visiting from other campuses were Ilya Krasik (UMASS)  (1950), Andrey Shlyakhter (Brandeis)  (1983), Eric Eng (NU)  (1276), Yutaka Seki  (NU)  (903), and Rithvik Hegde  (NU)  (1503).

Gabe Kahane  (2113) a friend of Jennie's visiting from California, also played.

This very enjoyable evening concluded the BUCC's activities for the year.   After organizing a successful BU Open, arranging simuls with Woody McClelland, Jennie Frenklakh, and Joel Benjamin, and sending three teams to the Amateur Team East, one of which won the under 1600 prize, we were pleased with the year and look forward to more chess next fall.
GM Joel Benjamin begins with a handshake with each player.
  
 
 
Joel and Prof. Mark Glickman play to a draw.
  
The GM makes his move against Eric Oresick, while Jim Lombardo and Alexandra Fol of BU's School for the Arts look on.  Spryros concentrates on his position.
 
Bob Given and David Silldorf, a BU freshman.
  
Eric Oresick, son of Robert Oresick, BUCC advisor, who thinks this is too slow, 
and Yutaka Seki of Northeastern.
 
Prof. Davis, Gabe Kahane of California, and Rithvik Hedge of Northeastern University.
  
Ilya Krasik of UMass, Jim Lombardo (BU staff), Bob Given (BU staff) and David Silldorf.
 
   
Dana Monnier of the Devotion School in Brookline is a strong young player and regular player at the BU chess club.
 
 Jennie grabs a soda while Jack observes.
    
 
Keith Stefanek, Mark Glickman, Jennie Frenklakh, Yi-Cheng Lin, Spyros Vassilaras
  
The lucky end of the table. 
Mark and Jennie both drew. 
Gotta check the feng shui. 
Of course, they are both masters. 
And Jennie is our club prez.
 
Ilya, Jim, Bob, and David
  
Dana, Jack, Tim, Tom, Ilya, Jim, Bob, David, Kurti
 
In the foreground, Gabe Kahane plots his opening.
  
On the right, Jigar Mehta considers his options.
 
Yi-Chen observes the Northeastern contingent, while Prof. Davis ponders his position.  Ted Davis has a new introductory book on chess coming out soon.
  
Tom Fitzgerald had won a draw in a previous BUCC simul with GM Patrick Wolf.  This time it was not to be -- an early blunder.
 
Jigar, Eric, Roman, Yutaka Seki, and Eric Eng.
  
Well, at least Tom can catch up on his reading.
 
Jack Litwinsky, BU staff and long-time member and support of the BUCC, notes his move.
  
Ilya Krasik and Jim Lombardo.
 
     
 
   
Joel considers the position with Spyros.  Spyros always plays tough in these simuls.  He defeated Jennie last time.  In this simul, he was the last player to sucumb in a queen and pawns end-game.
 
Cool tie.
  
Joel faces John Bengson (BU, unr), Andrey Shlyakhter (Brandeis, 1983), Alexandra Fol (BU, unr but an avid chessplayer in Bulgaria), Keith Stefanek (BU alum and grad student, former BUCC president), NM Mark Glickman (BU math prof and statistical consultant to the USCF)
 
   
Kurti Monnier
 
Roman Brusovankin, BU student and club treasurer and captain of the team that won the under 1600 prize at the amateur team east.
  
Tim Feinstein, BU law (2139).
     

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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