Will this be Tate's year?

February and March are typically slow months for major chess events in the U.S., but in April activity will pick with the upcoming Foxwoods tournament. One player hoping to make a presence at the U.S. major will be FM Emory Tate. Will this be the year that the dangerous tactician will finally show us the depths of his talent?

Tate has been on the U.S. chess circuit for many years winning many tournaments and dishing out pain to many a chessplayer… including many GMs.  However, Tate has been plagued by inconsistency when he otherwise would be flirting with earning the coveted GM title. However, this is a new year and Tate appears ready to impress at the U.S. qualifying events in 2003.

Residing in Las Vegas, Tate has recently been a fixture at west coast tournaments. In early November of last year, he shared joint 1st with IM Mladen Vuvic in the Nevada Chess Vineyard tournament tallying an impressive 4½-½. Enroute to his victory, he drew with Vuvic and beat IM Enrico Sevillano in a thrilling last round encounter (32.Rxd5! and 35.Rc5!). Later on in the same month he played in the American Open in Los Angeles scoring 5-2 and tying for 1st under 2450. In December 2002, Tate scored a respectable 4-2 in the North American Open in Las Vegas drawing with GMs Alexander Stripunsky and Vitali Golod (Israel).

So will this be the year that Tate wreaks havoc on the tournament scene culminating in an appearance in the next U.S. Championship? Of course, time will tell, but hopefully we will see him at several of the major events this summer going "blow-for-blow" with America's finest.

Posted by The Chess Drum: 7 April 2003