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.
