November 06 1934
Evening Chronicle, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England, Tuesday, November 06, 1934
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Max Swinton Burkett, 1978
January 01 1978
The Sacramento Bee, Sacramento, California, Sunday, January 01, 1978
Chess by R. E. Fauber with Frank Garosi
Chess Players: Biker Doesn't Fit The Stereotype
THE STEREOTYPE of chess as an effete game for the anemic and underweight is slow dying. In fact chess provides pleasure and a creative outlet for all types and sizes of people. There is a sense of completeness about the micro-world of chess.
One of the leading players and organizers in the Bay Area illustrates this perfectly. A stocky, muscular character, Max Burkett travels to tournaments on his bike and swaggers to the registration table swinging his crash helmet. In Oakland they call him Motorcycle Max.
Burkett is not a person to be treated flippantly. He likes his beer and his Scotch in generous quantities and while some people treat chess tournaments as though they had just taken the Crusader's vow, Burkett refuses to stop living at night just because he has another game in the morning. He might be a higher-rated player today were he not vulnerable in morning rounds. By evening he is a tiger, but in the morning he sometimes succumbs as the result of living not wisely but too well.
Burkett's lifestyle, for all its colorful aspects, centers around chess. He publishes bulletins of the games of Bay Area tournaments, directs tournaments, and cooperates with anyone who is trying to give chess a boost. If you want to do a macho number, do not perform the rendition around Burkett — he'll floor you; but if you want to play chess or help promote it, Burkett is a perfect gentleman.
His current project is to organize the master and nearmaster players into an association to encourage quality tournaments and chess in Northern California. To have more time for this, for tournaments and his bulletins, he recently relinquished his job with the post office and now derives his non-chess income from a newspaper delivery route. One pictures him zooming crash-helmet on his bike through the streets of Oakland, hurling papers at high speed and bellowing: “Check, check, and double check!”
Over the board, Burkett is known for his deep opening knowledge and a preference for getting a wrestler's bind on the opponent and crushing him. He is most vulnerable when he sacrifices material, but here he coaxes a risky variation to victory.
Max Swinton Burkett, 1966
June 26 1966
The Odessa American, Odessa, Texas, Sunday, June 26, 1966
Man vs. Clock—Max Burkett, Las Cruces, ponders his move while his clock ticks away seconds that may become vital later in the game. But Burkett, an expert player, knows that haste makes waste.
July 15 1966
Max Burkett (Aug. 11, 2023) notes: “I finished 3 places ahead of Bobby in the 1955 US Junior, only on tie-breakers and only because he took draws in good positions. I spent one morning with him and won every game - of table tennis 🙂. I have Robin Adair of Albuquerque to thank for the photographs of me in the Abq. Journal, Abq. Tribune, Chess Life, and Chess Review. George Koltanowski gave me some print in a 1955 Chess Life in one of the twice-monthly tabloid CL of the 50s (probably a November 1955 issue). I'll indulge myself a bit here with the end of my first (and only) win over my archrival in the Southwest, Ken (Smith-Morra Gambit) Smith in the 1966 Oran Perry Memorial in 1966 Odessa, Texas. Black to move and win:”
Kenneth Smith vs Max Burkett
Oran Perry Open (1966), Odessa, TX USA, Jul-15
Zukertort Opening: Dutch Variation (A04) 0-1
Max Swinton Burkett, 1964
May 31 1964
The Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, California, Sunday, May 31, 1964
Phoenix Open Tournament
Richard Moran of Denver scored 5½-½ to take first prize in the open tournament at Phoenix. He won five games outright and drew one with Frederick Stahl of Phoenix.
Daniel Gollub of Phoenix and Dennis Naylin of Denver tied for second place with 5-1 scores. Stahl finished in a tie at 4½-1½ with Max Burkett of University Park, New Mexico. Burkett had been tied for first up to the final round, when a loss to Moran knocked him down.
July 26 1964
The Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, California, Sunday, July 26, 1964
The Las Vegas Open Tournament had a record-breaking entry list of 164 players, who struggled through seven rounds of a Swiss system in four days.
The result was a six-way tie for the top prizes, all winding up with scores of 6-1. The trophy was awarded on tie-breaking points to William A. Bills of Houston, Tex., who won four games and drew with Duncan Suttles of Reno and Peter S. Cleghorn of San Francisco.
Suttles and Cleghorn were in the top-ranking group. The others were Irving Rivise of Los Angeles and Arthur Spiller and Tibor Weinberger of Santa Monica.
Ties are inevitable when a large number of players contest a relatively few rounds. Seven of the participants reached the next position, with final tallies of 5½-1½.
They were: Max Burkett, Kenneth R. Smith, Roy H. Hoppe, Stewart Reuben, Michael N. Robinson, Robert S. Brieger and James E. Berry.
August 31 1964
The Odessa American, Odessa, Texas, Monday, August 31, 1964
California Man Wins Chess Meet
Max Burkett of San Francisco copped top prize in the first Pan Handle - Permian Basin Open Chess Tournament held this weekend at the Lincoln Hotel.
Burkett was tied with R. R. McCready of Dallas with 4½ points after regular tournament play, but won the tie-breaker. They split the combined first and second prize money which totaled $106.
In a three-way tie for third place were Hector Fabela, El Paso, Robert Parmelee, Las Cruces, N. M., and local attorney Charles Winston. Fabela won the tie-breaker.
Best junior prize went to John Hall, Dallas, who finished tenth and the best unrated prize went to 13-year-old John Jacobs of Dallas who finished eighth. There was a total of 40 players entered.
Other local finishers were Harry Halsell, 13th, Jay Terk, 21st, Jimmy Geers, 27th, Jim Cubellier, 28th, J. R. Lackey, 29th and Billy Perry, 38th.
Max Burkett (Aug. 12, 2023) notes: “I hitch-hiked from San Francisco to retire the Panhandle Open Trophy, winning it for the third time. I travelled with roomie Bob Henry. Bob Parmalee had earlier been my travelling buddy while we were both at NMSU. Hector Fabella, the promoter of the El Paso Open, was a good friend. Check out the El Paso Times for my two victories in the El Paso Open; 1961, 1962, and 1963 are possibilities. I returned briefly to the area in 1972 and won the Las Cruces Open. Check the Las Cruces Sun-News.”
October 18 1964
The Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, California, Sunday, October 18, 1964
Rocky Mountain Open
Californians practically dominated the Rocky Mountain Open Tournament in Phoenix, taking seven of the first nine places in the event.
The winner was Sidney Rubin of Los Angeles, who scored five wins and a draw to head the field of 71. He defeated Don Benge of Burbank in the final round to clinch the prize.
Sam Priebe of Flagstaff, Ariz., was awarded second prize on tie-breaking points. He finished with 5-1, a score equalled by Paul Quillen of Santa Monica, Karl Stani of Los Angeles and Max Burkett of San Francisco.
Benge dropped to a tie at 4½-1½ with Saul Wanetick of Los Angeles, Stephen Skrypzak of Redlands and A. M. Gardner of Phoenix.
Max Swinton Burkett, 1963
February 17, 1963
El Paso Times, El Paso, Texas, Sunday, February 17, 1963
Times Chess Columnist To Direct Meet
International master George Koltanowski from San Francisco will direct the Fourth El Paso Open Chess Tournament next weekend.
The tournament will consist of six rounds, with pairings made according to the Swiss pairing system. The time limit for individual games will be 45 moves in two hours.
The local tournament committee reports that pre-registration has been brisk, and a record participation of players from El Paso, Juarez and the entire Southwest is expected. Registration closes at 6 p.m. Friday at the downtown Hilton Hotel, the tournament site.
Last year's overall championship resulted in a three-way tie for first place between Max Burkett of Las Cruces, Jack Shaw of Albuquerque, and Mike Brame of San Antonio. All three are expected to defend their title and should run into heavy competition from such players as El Pasoans Hector Fabela and William Bragg. Both have lately been successful in national competitions.
Numerous cash prizes and trophies await the winners in all classes of playing strength, which include ladies, juniors and beginners.
July 01 1963
El Paso Herald-Post, El Paso, Texas, Monday, July 01, 1963
Champ Name In Chess Meet
Park Bishop president of the Chess Club of El Paso has announced the winners of the Fourth Annual Yucca IV Regional held at the YWCA here over the weekend.
Walter Dome Albuquerque was winner with 4.5 points Peter Cook and Hector Favela, El Paso, Max Burkett, University Park N.M., Yolando Lobato, Juarez, and Oran Perry, Midland, tied for second and third places with 3.5 points.
Donald Obiter, El Paso, was highest unrated player. Francisco Contreras, Juarez, made the highest improvement over his previous tournament scores.
Ed Hutchens directed the tournament.
August 26 1963
Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, Lubbock, Texas, Monday, August 26, 1963
Burkett Repeats As Chess Champ
Max Burkett took the Panhandle Open Championship Chess Tourney trophy back home with him to University Park, N. M. as he earned his second straight championship Saturday.
In so doing, Burkett became the first player in the more than 10-year history of event to capture the title two years in succession. He earned the crown with a perfect score of five to top a field of 27 entries.
John Robert Wheelock, 2407 24th St., earned the Panhandle championship and the crown for Lubbock.
State high school chess champion Jimmy Stallings, Dallas, captured the junior division championship.
Sponsoring the event, which drew from throughout the Southwest, was the YMCA. Host club for the two-day tournament was the Lubbock Chess Club.
December 28 1963
Corpus Christi Times, Corpus Christi, Texas, Saturday, December 28, 1963
Top-Rated Chess Player Held to Draw in Contest
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP)—Michael Valvo of Columbia top-rated player in the Intercollegiate chess association was held to a draw by James Horvath of Toledo last night in the third round of the national intercollegiate chess championships.
Horvath is ranked No 19.
Players with 3-0 records included Walter Cunningham, Los Angeles State, ranked No. 2; John Meyer, Yale; Henry Dove and Henry Davis, Texas; Max Burkett, New Mexico; Norris Weaver, California; George Berry, Dartmouth, and Charles Hoey, Marietta.
Texas and California were tied for the team lead with 10½ points each.
The tournament will continue through Monday. There are 103 players from 31 colleges and universities competing.
December 29 1963
Albuquerque Journal, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Sunday, December 29, 1963
University Student Leads Chess Tourney
South Bend, Indiana (AP)—Max Burkett of the University of New Mexico took a fourth round Saturday in the seven-round national intercollegiate chess tournament at the University of Notre Dame.
Burkett led with a perfect record of four victories, no losses and no draws. He had four points.
Burkett, No. 11 in pre-tournament rankings, defeated second-ranked Walter Cunningham of Los Angeles State College in Saturday's fourth round. The 103 contestants from 31 colleges and universities will play in two rounds today and a final one Monday.
Top-rated Michael Valvo of Columbia was one of the eight contestants in second place with 3½ points. One-half point was awarded for a draw. Others at 3½ points were Norris Weaver, University of California, Berkeley; George Berry, Dartmouth; John Meyer, Yale; Don Sutherland, University of California, Berkeley; Chuck Hoey, Marietta (Ohio) College; Henry Davis, University of Texas; and James Horvath, University of Toledo.
Team standings were not complete, with point tallies expected by today.
Max Burkett (Aug. 14, 2023) notes: “A loss to Michael Valvo kept me from winning that tournament. I played 1st board for NMSU, not UNM. Bob Parmalee played 2nd board. It was a combined team and individual event.”
The South Bend Tribune, South Bend, Indiana, Sunday, December 29, 1963
College Students In Chess Tournament at Notre Dame—These six college men are among 101 entrants from 31 colleges participating in the National Intercollegiate Chess Tournament at the University of Notre Dame. The players are, left to right, Douglas Ray, Pennsylvania State College; Joseph McCarty, Notre Dame, the tournament's general chairman; Max Burkett, New Mexico State College; W. Cunningham, Los Angeles State College, the tourney's second seeded player; George Tessaro, University of Illinois, and Steve Shutt, also of Penn. State. Burkett, with four victories, no losses and no draws, took a fourth round lead Saturday in the seven-round contest. — Photo by Tribune Staff Photographer.
December 31 1963
The Albuquerque Tribune, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Tuesday, December 31, 1963
Chess Player In Top Group
South Bend, Ind., Dec. 31 (AP)—Henry Davis of the University of Texas won his seventh round game from George Berry of Dartmouth last night and claimed the National Intercollegiate Chess Championship.
Both Davis and top-ranked Michael Valvo of Columbia had six points, each winning five games and drawing two and it took the second order of tie-breaking points to give Davis the title.
Trailing them with 5½ points each were Norris Weaver, California; Walter Cunningham, Los Angeles State; Max Burkett, University of New Mexico, and Peter Irwin, unattached. At ninth and tenth with 5 points each were Berry and Donald Sutherland, California.
The four-day meet at the University of Notre Dame drew 103 contestants from 31 colleges and universities.
The universities of California and Texas tied for first place in team standings, and Columbia was third.
Max Swinton Burkett, 1962
February 25 1962
El Paso Times, El Paso, Texas, Sunday, February 25, 1962
Juarez Boy Cops Chess Honors Here
Chess experts, masters, and aspirants in fourth-round play at the Hilton Hotel fought several close games until a late hour Saturday, with Joachim Lobato, 11, of Juarez winning against a powerful opponent.
Henry Davis of San Antonio and Max Burkett of Albuquerque played a draw contest, while Jack Shaw of Albuquerque and Henry Morgan of Phoenix, Ariz., repeated.
The results found Hector Fabela of El Paso, Davis of San Antonio, Shaw and Burkett of Albuquerque, and Morgan in the lead with 3½ points scored. Fifth round play begins at 8 a.m. Sunday. Sixth, and final, round will come after the lunch break.
Tournament director George Koltanowski, of San Francisco, El Paso Times chess editor, said that young Lobato had displayed skill, daring and endurance to mark him for possible international honors.
“I have the feeling that he has the making of a chess master, and I hope the City of Juarez may recognize its opportunity and give the young man a chance for more tournament play. For this he needs backing.”
“A few years ago,” Koltanowski said, “Mexico had a famous chess master, Torre. Now, once again they have a possibility of a second Bobby Fischer and that is saying a great deal.”
Fischer, now 18, is one of the top players of the game in the world, and started only some five years ago. He lives in Brooklyn, N.Y.
February 26 1962
El Paso Times, El Paso, Texas, Monday, February 26, 1962
Three Tie For Top Spot In El Paso Chess Tourney
Max Burkett and Jack F. Shaw of Albuquerque, N. M., and Mike Brame of San Antonio each scored five points for a three-way win of the third annual El Paso Open Chess Tournament which ended Sunday.
George Koltanowski, international chess master who directed the tournament, said it was one of the best held in El Paso.
Players came from as far away as Seattle. Three of the 40 players were chess masters and a number of them were rated as experts.
Players who scored 4.5 points were Henry Davis, San Antonio; Charles T. Morgan, Phoenix; Kenneth R. Smith, Dallas, and William L. Kirk, Los Alamos, N.M.
Players with 4 points were Dan W. Denney, Dallas; Vernon Zeigner, Los Alamos; John Freeman, El Paso; Peter K. Cook, El Paso, and Clifford J. Roberson, Las Cruces, N.M.
Players with 3.5 points were Carter Ward, Roswell, N.M.; Hector M. Fabela, El Paso; Murray Projector, El Paso and Alfredo Berroteran, El Paso.
Players with 3 points were Joaquin Lobato, Juarez; Alfonso R. Almeida, Minneapolis; Armand Bosco, Scottsdale, Ariz.; M. Sgt. Lyle F. Oje, White Sands Missile Range, N.M.; Del Celani, San Antonio; Park E. Bishop, El Paso; Jack Galicia, El Paso; James R. Gallivan, University Park, N.M.; Robert Parmelee, Las Cruces, and J. R. Dodson, Gallup, N.M.
Players with 2.5 points were Phillip J. Dodderridge, Albuquerque, and Sostenes Pacheco, El Paso.
Players with 2 points were Robert Oppenheimer, El Paso; Yolando Lobato, Juarez; M. Sgt. Eddie Hadden, El Paso; Dan R. Carter, Midland, Tex.; Donald D. Brattin, El Paso; Francisco Contreras, Juarez, and Saul Gonzales, El Paso.
Players with 1.5 point were Thomas H. Massengale, White Sands and Howard Rosenbaum, Phoenix.
Players with 1 point were Baker Bonnell, Sayre, Okla., and Richard Aliaga, El Paso.
Max Burkett (Aug. 14, 2023) notes: “On Joaquim Lobato: His father was a Juarez barber, and his sister was a much better player than he was. His father's machismo kept her from becoming a contender.”
March 03 1962
The Albuquerque Tribune, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Saturday, March 03, 1962
The Pony Express By Dan Burrows
Perhaps when El Paso grows to be bigger it will get itself some chess players. There was an open chess tournament down there last week with 39 participants from Texas, Arizona, New Mexico and Juarez. Max Burkett of Albuquerque won first place, and Jack F. Shaw of Albuquerque won second. There is lots of brawn in El Paso but sometimes a tiny shortage of brains.
March 06 1962
El Paso Herald-Post, El Paso, Texas, Tuesday, March 06, 1962
Be Careful
SNIPING FROM THE SAFETY of that distant region in which he exists, Editor Dan Burrows of the Albuquerque Tribune makes this crack about El Paso in his column:
“Perhaps when El Paso grows to be bigger it will get itself some chess players. There was an open chess tournament down there last week with 39 participants from Texas, Arizona, New Mexico and Juarez. Max Burkett of Albuquerque won first place and Jack Shaw of Albuquerque won second. There is lots of brawn in El Paso but sometimes a tiny shortage of brains.”
Our advice to this brash fellow is that he should tread lightly and speak softly should he ever come to El Paso again. There is a possibility that one of the brawny boys at whom he sneers might shove him about in a rough chess lesson.
March 13 1962
The Albuquerque Tribune, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Tuesday, March 13, 1962
Chess Team Holds Trophy
The Albuquerque Chess Team retained the traveling trophy this year after the annual match with Los Alamos Sunday. The match was played in Santa Fe.
The final score was 14-14, but since Albuquerque was the defending champion the tro phy remained in possession of local team.
Fourteen players from each team participated in the match. The Albuquerque team was headed by Max Burkett, Jack Shaw, and Tom Heldt. Heading the Los Alamos team were Mark Wells, Tom Swihart, and Sid Brower.
Max Burkett (Aug. 15, 2023) notes: “I had a lifetime score of 12 wins, 1 loss, and 1 draw against Mark Wells. The draw came in the 1971 US Open and the loss came in the 1960 New Mexico Open (which I won with a 4.5-1.5 score), so I must have won both the games in the 1962 team match.”
March 28 1962
Tucson Citizen, Tucson, Arizona, Wednesday, March 28, 1962
Varis Tucson's Chess Champion
Tucson's first annual nationally recognized U.S. Chess Federation tournament produced an unusual winner who took three trophies, a rarity in chess circles.
John Varis of Tucson won three trophies winning a total of six games (from points tabulated from winning 4½ and 1½ games), and is officially recognized nationally as Tucson chess champ.
Varis placed third in the weekend tournament but was the highest scoring Tucson player.
Max Burkett, of Albuquerque, N.M., won the first place trophy winning six games with no losses. He is recognized by the Chess Federation as a master player.
Charles Morgan, of Phoenix, also a master player, took second place with five games. Edward Stacy of Tucson was first in the class, and Sgt. George Rybarczyk of Ft. Huachuca won the C class trophy.
E. J. McGuire of Yuma took first place in unrated classifications, and Frank Leffman, a former Tucsonian on leave from the Navy to play in the tournament won the special trophy.
Earl R. (Dick) Phillips, president of the Tucson Chess Club said 22 players took part in 2½ days of tournament play at the Central YMCA.
Phillips said there are at least 1000 chess players in Tucson, “and we should have had a much larger turnout for the tournament, but perhaps some were scared away.”
March 29 1962
Arizona Daily Star, Tucson, Arizona, Thursday, March 29, 1962
Varis Is Top Chess Winner
Tucsonan John Varis won three of the eight trophies awarded at the recent Tucson Open Chess Tournament.
Varis was named city champion, took first place in the class A competition and was third place winner in the open competition.
Max Burkett of Albuquerque, N. M., was the tournament winner. Arizona Champion Charles Morgan of Phoenix took second place. Burkett won all six of the games he played; Morgan won five and Varis 4½.
Tucsonan Ed Stacey was the Class B winner. Sgt. George Rybarczyk of Ft. Huachuca won the Class C trophy and E. J. McGuire was the first place unrated player.
Twenty-two players competed in the tournament which was directed by George Koltanowski, international master and leading director of tournaments in the United States.
June 24 1962
Albuquerque Journal, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Sunday, June 24, 1962
Six Players Tie In Chess Open
After two rounds of play, six men remained atop the field in the Albuquerque Open Chess tournament, under way this weekend at the East Central Branch of Albuquerque National Bank.
Don Wilson, Albuquerque Chess Club president, listed the top six as Max Burkett, Jack Shaw, and Waltern Dorne of Albuquerque; William Bragg and Hector Fabela of El Paso; and Jack Gibson of Ft. Defiance, Ariz.
The six were tied for first place at the close of play Saturday night, Wilson said. Each had two points.
Tied for runner-up with one-and-one-half points each were Tom Heldt and Phillip Dodridge, both of Albuquerque.
The third round of the five-round tourney will begin today at 8 a.m., Wilson said.
June 25 1962
Albuquerque Journal, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Monday, June 25, 1962
Shaw Recaptures Open Chess Tourney Championship Title
Jack Shaw Sunday night recaptured his title of Albuquerque Open Chess Champion, winning out over 27 other contenders to regain the crown he lost last year to Max Burkett.
The city's open chess tourney was held over the weekend at the East Central branch of Albuquerque National Bank.
Runners up were William Bragg of El Paso, second, and Tom Heldt of Albuquerque, third.
Bragg took the meet's upset trophy for his unexpected win over Max Burkett, the defending champion. Gary Anderson of Albuquerque took the junior trophy.
The next major event on the chess club agenda is the state tournament, to be in Los Alamos sometime this fall.
Albuquerque Journal, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Monday, June 25, 1962
WINNER AND NEW CHAMPION: Jack Shaw of Albuquerque puffs on a cigar and ponders during the city's open chess tournament Saturday and Sunday at the East Central Branch of Albuquerque National Bank. Shaw won out over 27 other contenders to recapture the title he lost a year ago to Max Burkett.
Max Swinton Burkett, 1960
February 21 1960
El Paso Times, El Paso, Texas, Sunday, February 21, 1960
Nine Players Take Lead In EP Chess Tournament
The first round of the first nationally rated chess tournament in El Paso closed Saturday evening with nine of the 49 participants in leading positions.
The nine won both of their games in the day's round in the Hilton Hotel to pick up two points each — one for each win.
Outstanding player of the day was Sostenes Pacheco, of 611 N. St. Vrain St., dark horse competitor who beat tournament favorite Max Burkett, of Memphis, Texas, for one of his two wins.
Played in the recent El Paso Open.
F. Sosthenes Pacheco (white) vs Max Burkett (black)
Sicilian Defense: Old Sicilian
May 31 1960
Albuquerque Journal, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Tuesday, May 31, 1960
Jack Shaw Keeps City Chess Crown
Jack Shaw, 3430 Monte Vista NE, retained his title Monday as city chess champion after three days of competition at the YMCA.
Winning second place was Warren Miller, 316 Spruce SE. Max Burkett, address unknown, won third and Roger Hains, 8041 Bellamah NE, won fourth.
Kent Pullen, 4812 Aztec NE, was awarded the junior trophy. More than 20 persons competed for the title.
August 31 1960
The Albuquerque Tribune, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Wednesday, August 31, 1960
80 Players Expected For Chess Tourney
More than 80 players are expected for the Southwest Chess Tournament opening Saturday at the Hilton Hotel. The three-day tourney will be in the ballroom.
From three to five master players are expected to attend the local event. Top players expected include Max Burkett formerly of Memphis, Tex., and Jack Shaw, both of Albuquerque.
Mr. Shaw, Warren Miller, Kent Pullen and Don Wilson, all members of th Albuquerque Chess Club went to the Panhandle Chess Tournament at Lubbock last weekend. Mr. Miller and Mr. Shaw placed seventh and eighth and Mr. Pullen placed 11th among 28 entered.
The Southwest open tournament is sponsored each Labor Day weekend by the Texas Chess Assn.
Registration for the local event starts at 9 a.m. Saturday. The first round begins at 1 p.m.
Prize and trophy winners will receive their awards at 5:30 p.m. Monday.
Max Burkett (Aug. 14, 2023) notes: “RE 1960 SW Open in Abq: I lost to Ron Gross, now living in Las Vegas, and drew Jerry Milburn in that event. Jack Shaw and Kent Pullen are dead. I'm uncertain about Warren and Jerry. Chess was a small world in those days and all the above were good friends of mine.”
“Jerry was a friend going all the way back to high school, this even though we lived 180 miles apart. We had a bet of a case of beer on who would become a master first. I beat him by a few months and we shared that case of beer at his Ft. Worth home during the 1984 US Open. I inherited $100k (now all gone) but he did a great job managing it while it lasted [no brokerage fees🙂].”
“My excuse is that I had just spent two months being a beatnik, hitchhiking from Albuquerque to Detroit to South Florida to my mother's apartment in Memphis, TX, to El Paso. As it happened, three Abq. best buddies, Pepe Cortez, Warren Miller, and Max Wilkerson, finished 1-2-3. Max W gave me (and them) a ride back to Abq., to finish my 3000+ mile adventure. Max W preceded me in my move to the Bay Area and was a major part of my life the entire 20 years I lived there.”
September 05 1960
Albuquerque Journal, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Monday, September 05, 1960
California, Colorado Retain Chess Lead
After five rounds New Mexico players have failed to reach a contending position in the Southwest Open Chess Tournament now in progress at the Hilton Hotel.
“There is too much outside strength,” Don Wilson, president of the hosting Albuquerque Chess Club, said.
Highest ranking New Mexico players are Max Burkett of Albuquerque with three wins and Ken Pullen of Albuquerque with two wins and a draw. Play will continue today with the two final rounds at 8 a.m. and 1 p.m.
November 16 1960
Albuquerque Journal, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Wednesday, November 16, 1960
BURKETT CHESS CHAMP
University of New Mexico student Max Burkett of Albuquerque won the state chess tournament at Los Alamos over the past weekend. Burkett hopes to organize a four-man university team to compete in the national collegiate chess championships in December.
November 19 1960
Albuquerque Journal, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Saturday, November 19, 1960
Albuquerquean Captures Chess Championship
Journal Special
Los Alamos—Max Burkett, Albuquerque, captured the state chess championship in the recent 1960 New Mexico Open Tournament here.
Loyd Kile, Grants, took second with Mark Wells, Los Alamos, third, Sid Brower, Los Alamos, fourth and Michael Wertheim, Los Alamos, fifth.
Max Swinton Burkett, 1959
May 31 1959
Albuquerque Journal, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Sunday, May 31, 1959
Six Players Win In Chess Match
Six players in the Albuquerque City Chess Tournament scored two points, for two games won, during opening day of the competition.
Entrants winning two games Saturday were Jack Shaw, Max Wilkerson, Ken Pullen, Roger Haines and Warren Miller, all of Albuquerque and Max Burkett, Carlsbad. Shaw is defending city champion.
Entrants earning one point during Saturday's play were O. Miller, W. A. Muff, Dave Funderberg, Max Miller, Robin Adair, Dr. H. M. Johnson, Jose Rodriguez and Jim Wolfe, all of Albuquerque and John Freeman, El Paso; E. SMith and Jim Brazeal, both of Amarillo.
The tournament ends today after three rounds.
June 01 1959
The Albuquerque Tribune, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Monday, June 01, 1959
Shaw Takes Chess Honors
Jack Shaw, 3430 Monte Vista NE, defending chess champion of Albuquerque, has repeated for the fifth time in six years to take the honors of the 1960 Albuquerque chess championship.
Playing over the weekend, Mr. Shaw and the second and third place winners each took four out of five points.
Shaw said his play was steady through the tournament with his stiffest competition coming from John Freeman, 17, El Paso, who won sixth place and the junior open trophy. Max Burkett, Carlsbad, also proved to be a tough opponent, Shaw said.
September 13 1959
Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth, Texas, Sunday, September 13, 1959
Chess and Chessmen by Kell C. Terry, Jr.
In the light of an 80-player turnout for the Southwest Open, the event may be considered a smashing success.
Kenneth Smith, the only master in the event, coasted effortlessly to victory, with 6½ points out of 7 possible points. His lone draw was to Stephen Jones in the last round. Henry Davis and Max Burkett tied and shared the second and third place prize money, while Stephen Jones came in for the fourth place trophy, but divided the prize money for fourth and fifth places with John Payne, Blake Stephens, Louis Dina, Leon Poliakoff, W. F. Janes, George Smith, Eric Bone and Robert Miller divided the prize money for sixth through 10th places.
A total of 17 trophies was distributed and while the Fort Worth players did not win one of the trophies for the first four places in the event, they did quite well with the other class trophies. In the B class John Steele of Fort Worth won first place with Thomas Cunningham of Port Arthur and Hector Fabela of El Paso coming in second and third respectively.
September 21 1959
The Albuquerque Tribune, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Monday, September 21, 1959
Local Man Chess Champ
Santa Fe, Sept. 21 (UPI)—Max Wilkerson of Albuquerque became the new state champion at the New Mexico Open Chess Tournament which ended here Sunday, but a visiting fireman from Denver stole the show.
Defending champ Jack Shaw of Albuquerque finished third.
Tom Swihart of Los Alamos was fourth, Max Burkett of Memphis, Texas, fifth; Kenneth Grant of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, sixth and Sid Brower of Los Alamos, seventh.
Max Swinton Burkett, 1961
February 18 1961
The Albuquerque Tribune, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Saturday, February 18, 1961
One of Favorites
El Paso, Tex. Feb 18 (AP) Max Burkett of Albuquerque was picked as one of the favorites in the El Paso Chess Tournament which opened here today.
February 19 1961
The Santa Fe New Mexican, Santa Fe, New Mexico, Sunday, February 19, 1961
Named Favorite
El Paso, Tex. (AP) — Max Burkett, of Albuquerque, N.M., was picked as one of the favorites in the El Paso Chess Tournament which opened at the Hilton Hotel Saturday. Players are entered from Texas. New Mexico', Arizona, California. Oklahoma, and Mexico.
March 25 1961
Albuquerque Journal, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Saturday, March 25, 1961
Six-Game Chess Match Planned
New Mexico chess champion Max Burkett will put his title up against Albuquerque's Warren Miller, third ranked in the state, in a match of six games beginning Sunday.
Burkett, a University of New Mexico student, said the first game will be played at The Grave Coffeehouse, 1210 Rio Grande NW, at 3 p.m. Sunday. The public is invited. An admission fee will be charged.
Walter Dorne, the state's sixth-ranked player, will be on hand to explain the play as it progresses. Non-chess addicts are invited to come 20 minutes early to hear Dorne explain the action that will take place.
The match will be spread over a month with play confined to weekends.
Burkett said that since the state open tourney, to be held in Albuquerque, will not start until October or November, he would like to meet as many challengers as possible before then. That is, if he gets by Miller.
March 27 1961
Albuquerque Journal, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Monday, March 27, 1961
N.M. Chess Champion Wins Challenge Match
New Mexico chess champion Max Burkett defeated Warren Miller in 47 moves Sunday at The Grave Coffeehouse in the first game of their special six-game challenge match. The skillful champion humbled his challenger in just over two hours.
Burkett, a University of New Mexico student, said the subsequent games of the match would be suspended until after a combined Albuquerque and Los Alamos team represent New Mexico against a Colorado state team in Trinidad, Colo., in two weeks.
April 15 1961
The Albuquerque Tribune, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Saturday, April 15, 1961
New Mexico Chess Players in Meet
Trinidad, Colo., April 15 (AP)—Sixteen top New Mexico chess players meet 16 top Colorado chess players at the Trinidad Jr. College today and Sunday.
Don Wilson president of the Albuquerque Chess Club is captain for the New Mexico team.
Other members of the New Mexico team are Max Burkett, Jack Shaw, Warren Miller, Walter Dorne, Robert L. Zing, F. H. Fornoff, W. A. Muff, Max Miller, D. E. Wilson, John Troyer and Robert Felt, all of Albuquerque; Phillip Stone, S. H. Brower, Mark B. Wells and Tom Swihart, all of Los Alamos, and Loyd E. Kile of Grants.
June 05 1961
The Albuquerque Tribune, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Monday, June 05, 1961
Study Move: Art Innis (left) and Max Burkett are shown in the final round of the ninth annual Albuquerque Open Chess tournament at the YMCA. Mr. Burkett won the match and was declared champion of the tournament which ended yesterday.
Burkett Wins Chess Title
Max Burkett of Albuquerque won the five-round ninth annual Albuquerque Open Chess tournament at the YMCA.
Twenty players took part in the meet which ended yesterday.
Last year's openw inner, Jack Shaw, Art Innis and Warren Miller, all of Albuquerque were close behind the champion.
Other Albuquerque players entered were: K. Pullen, Roger Haines, P. Doddridge, F. Fornoff, W. Muff, R. Felt, V. Zeigner, G. Anderson, R. Adair, R. Norman and L. Sanders.
Out of town entrants included: three Roswell men, Bill Henry, Dalton Kincheloe and N. Bartimus; Vernon Zeigner of Los Alamos; and a foreign student at the University of New Mexico, Monty Mir-Hasheine of Iran.
August 16 1961
The San Francisco Examiner, San Francisco, California, Wednesday, August 16, 1961
2nd Round of Chess Tourney
The U.S. Open Chess Championship completed its second round late last night in the Sheraton-Palace Hotel. The highlight of Monday's round was a tense struggle between Pal Benko and Ray Cuneo on Board 1. Benko, an International Grand Master and the highest-rated player in the tournament, was held to an even position by the Oakland expert, who is rated in the lower half of the contestants.
Here are partial results in last night's play:
Max Burkett (Aug. 15, 2023) notes: “Not my best US Open. Check out the 1966 US Open in Seattle. I also did well in the 1966 National Open in Las Vegas, sharing the Expert Prize and won the 1966 Oran Perry Memorial in Odessa, TX.”
August 26 1961
The San Francisco Examiner, San Francisco, California, Saturday, August 26, 1961
U.S. Chess Tourney Ends Today
The Open Chess Championship of the United States will be decided this afternoon at the Sheraton-Palace Hotel as the tournament goes into its last round.
Pal Benko of New York holds a half point lead over Arthur Bisguier, also of New York, by virtue of his easy victory over Irving Rivise of Los Angeles.
If Benko is held to a draw in his next game while Bisguier wins, a tie will result and the champion will be decided on the basis of the strength of the opponents he has faced. It is a tie-breaking system known as the Sonnenborn-Berger system.
Interest is now focused on the important cash prizes for second, third and fourth places.
The second prize will be fought for by Robert Byrne and Zoltan Kovacs.
The prizes will be distributed at the awards banquet at 8 o'clock tonight in the Comstock Room of the Sheraton-Palace.
August 28 1961
Oakland Tribune, Oakland, California, Monday, August 28, 1961
Here Are Complete, Final Chess Tourney Standings
Here are the complete final standings of players competing in the two-week U.S. open chess tournament which ended Saturday night at the Sheraton-Palace Hotel in San Francisco:
…
6½ Points
Max Burkett…
September 30 1961
The Albuquerque Tribune, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Saturday, September 30, 1961
State Chess Tourney Opens
Chess players were to start the first round of the state chess tournament this afternoon at the East Central branch of the Albuquerque National Bank.
The second round starts at 6 p.m. Three rounds will be held tomorrow. Max Burkett, state chess champion, is defending his title in the tournament.
Albuquerque Journal, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Saturday, September 30, 1961
Chess Tourney Begins Today
Defending state chess champion Max Burkett, Albuquerque, puts his title on the line today as the New Mexico state chess tournament gets under way at the community room of the Albuquerque National Bank, East Central branch, at 1 p.m.
The tournament will feature two rounds of competition today and three rounds Sunday. Trophies will be awarded to first and second place winners in class A and competition. Sunday's action begins at 8 a.m. and is not expected to be over until around 10 p.m.
Contestants from all over the state are entered. Spectators are invited.
October 03 1961
The Albuquerque Tribune, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Tuesday, October 03, 1961
Max Burkett Chess Champ
Max Burkett of Albuquerque is still New Mexico chess champion after defending his title in a state tournament here this past weekend.
Tom Heldt also of Albuquerque was runner-up. Mr Burkett won the contest with a score of 4½-½. Mr. Heldt's score was 4-1.
Class B winners were Ken Wilson of Los Alamos and Roger Haines of Albuquerque. The junior-class trophy went to Ronald Mason of Las Vegas.
The five-round Swiss-type tournament started Saturday at 1 p.m. It ended Sunday night. Twenty-seven chess players from throughout the state participated.
November 20 1961
Albuquerque Journal, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Monday, November 20, 1961
Chess Champion Named at UNM
Phillip James Doddridge of Los Alamos, a sophomore, became the unofficial chess champion of the University of New Mexico Sunday when he topped a field of eight in a four-round tournament at the student union.
Doddridge and Walter G. Dorne, a senior, each won three games and drew one (the game between themselves), but Doddridge was declared winner because his opponents had a higher total score than Dorne's. Thus it was assumed Doddridge met stiffer competition.
Others in the tournament, in the order in which they finished, were Gary Anderson, Jim Evatt, Jerry Baker, Paul Woodworth, Ken Wilkinson and Ted Barry.
Dorne, who helped Max Burkett plan the tournament, said he hopes to revive interest in chess at the university by promoting more tournament play.
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'til the world understands why Robert J. Fischer criticised the U.S./British and Russian military industry imperial alliance and their own Israeli Apartheid. Sarah Wilkinson explains: Tweets by swilkinsonbc |
 “What a sad story Fischer was,” typed a racist, pro-imperialist colonial troll who supports mega-corporation entities over human rights, police state policies & white supremacy. |
To which I replied: “Really? I think he [Bob Fischer] stood up to the broken system of corruption and raised awareness! Whether on the Palestinian/Israel-British-U.S. Imperial Apartheid scam, the Bush wars of ‘7 countries in 5 years,’ illegally, unconstitutionally which constituted mass xenocide or his run in with police brutality in Pasadena, California-- right here in the U.S., police run rampant over the Constitution of the U.S., on oath they swore to uphold, but when Americans don't know the law, and the cops either don't know or worse, “don't care” -- then I think that's pretty darn “sad”. I think Mr. Fischer held out and fought the good fight, steadfast til the day he died, and may he Rest In Peace. Educate yourself about U.S./State Laws -- https://www.youtube.com/@AuditTheAudit/videos After which the troll posted a string of profanities, confirming there was never any genuine sentiment of “compassion” for Mr. Fischer, rather an intent to inflict further defamatory remarks. |
This ongoing work is a tribute to the life and accomplishments of Robert “Bobby” Fischer who passionately loved and studied chess history. May his life continue to inspire many other future generations of chess enthusiasts and kibitzers, alike.
March 9, 1943 - January 17, 2008The photograph of Bobby Fischer (above) from the March 02, 1956 The Tampa Times was discovered by Sharon Mooney (Bobby Fischer Newspaper Archive editor) on February 01, 2018 while gathering research materials for this ongoing newspaper archive project. Along with lost games now being translated into Algebraic notation and extractions from over two centuries of newspapers, it is but one of the many lost treasures to be found in the pages of old newspapers since our social media presence was first established November 11, 2017.
