My dear Brother in Chess:

The 2nd African‑American Unity Chess Tournament in the first Unity Chess Tournament Series (UCTS) produced 13 games testing the Zaitsev line in the Ruy Lopez. These games are published in the current bulletin, further down in this mailing. The thematic position and other details of the 3rd African‑American Chess Tournament also appear below.

However, first, I'd like to review some ideas from my February 8th mailing to you. It has long been a concern of mine (and yours, no doubt) that the African‑American chess community is as fragmented as it is. There is no place in this country I can think of that boasts four or five black masters meeting on a regular basis, if only just to 'throw down'. The UCTS is designed to correct this. Simply stated, it is designed to educate, uplift and unify the strongest players of African descent in the United States.

We must stop at nothing short of the World Championship. But, "the longest journey begins with a single step." What is that first step? More National Masters, more Senior Masters, some International Masters (for crying out loud!) and, inevitably, a handful of Grandmasters. Take a look at our Top Ten if you need to be convinced:

1. Maurice A. Ashley (NY) 2478 (has been 2500+)
2.   Emory A. Tate (NY) 2441
3.   Ron Buckmire (NY) 2424
4. Morris Giles (IL) 2423
5. Maurice Broomes (PA) 2408
6. Ronald Simpson (NY) 2390 (has been 2400+)
7.   Steve Booth (CA) 2387
8.   Alfred Blake Carlin (LA) 2386 (has been 2400+)
9.   Charles Lawton (MO) 2363
10. Marvin Dandridge (IL) 2351

Our strength is just under the elite of the international chess establishment. How do we go about making an assault on those heights? As I see it, it requires the following:

1. Get as many of us as we possibly can together under one roof on a consistent basis! This in and of itself would be a remarkable occurrence.

2. Furnish all the players with topical thematic positions, i.e., positions 12 to 14 moves deep in an opening variation which will be played on every single board. Advance notice gives everyone time to prepare a sequence for playing both with White and with Black. Herein lies the true secret to the entire strategy: instead of attacking each other in our own pet lines, we will be forced to do battle on even ground in positions that are guaranteed to be mind‑numbing, heart-thumping, pulse‑racing, hand‑quaking, knee‑jerking, nerve-wracking, mouth‑watering and deeeeeeliciously complicated!

3. Include only players rated over 2100 (over‑the‑board or documented in a correspondence organization) and our most talented youngsters.

4. Make up a bulletin for each tournament and distribute it to all the participants for further study. Then, repeat (I) the same positions in future tournaments. This will not only put the best ideas in everybody's hands, but it will also raise the quality of the games immensely.

5. Guarantee prizes at every tournament, so that, if the spirit of unity doesn't get you, the cash will. Prizes will be absolutely guaranteed up to eight places. With only 20‑30 players in each tournament, the chances of winning your money back will be pretty good.

6. Set up a "Continue the Unity Fund" to which anyone may contribute. The fund will assure that this series of tournaments remain a part of our community for as long as there are black chess players. Since my positions as organizer and participant could come into conflict, any share of the prizes I win will be contributed to this fund (minus my entry fee, of course).

7. Get some publicity.

8. Let the rest take care of itself. There is no question that things will snowball after that. New alliances will form: old rivalries will flare up; and a refreshing fighting spirit will be ignited in a very constructive fashion.

Items 2‑7 above have been taken care of by a few dedicated workers. Goals 1 and 8 are still to be achieved. In particular, Yet, are necessary to the program! With fuller participation by the Brothers, the bulletin will be improved because we will get more and better games to study.

"The time has come'
Needless to say, without everyone's wholehearted participation, the chances of our succeeding as a group become that much more diminished. The time has come to stop complaining about what could be and to bring life that which is. We need you. We need each other. I sincerely hope that I will see you at the neat two African‑American Unity Chess Tournaments, for the skills you have developed will enliven the discussions and the spirit you bring will give us strength. On your participation depends the future of the UCTS.

Peace and love, my Brother. It's Unity time.

The surprise winner of the 2nd African American Unity Chess Tournament was Jeffrey Mitchell (2138), who beat one master and drew with another while scoring 3.5‑0.5, to pocket the $150 first prize money. Maurice Ashley conceded draws to Mitchell and Ernest ("Steve") Colding, to come in second, at 3‑1. As one of the conditions of the UCTS, Ashley cannot take home winnings, so $80 of his $100 prize went into the "Continue the Unity Fund". (He DID receive his $20 entry fee back.) Colding's 2.5‑1.5 was good enough for the $50 third prize. The other four players who put up $20 to play got their money back, because the prize fund guarantees eight winners.

Willie ("Pops") Johnson, whose over‑the‑board rating is only 2064, was allowed to play, based on his documented USCF 2134 postal rating. Nathaniel ("Nate") Jackson also was allowed to enter, despite his 1960 rating, originally because there were only five other players until 11:00 am, when the first round was supposed to start. However, a 2100+ player appeared after the pairings were made. It was considered insensitive to "boot out" Jackson after he had put up his money, so the first round was repaired with a bye for the lowest ranking player. Jerald W. Times, who finished second in the first UCT, had a morning meeting, so could not enter. However, he filled in for the last round, to provide an extra master vs. master match‑up.

Following is a cross table of the tournament:

All the games of the 2nd African‑American Unity Chess Tournament are printed on the following pages. It must be reported, however, that this required reconstruction by the Bulletin editor (who boasts how good he is whenever his rating goes over 1800, which is not the case at present). Although the tournament director has threatened to penalize players who have more than five minutes on their clocks and incomplete score sheets, he has limited himself to warning players in the first two tournaments. He has asked me to state in writing that penalties will be incurred by players who do not keep their score sheets up until they have less than five minutes on their clocks.

First 15 Moves Leading to the Thematic Position of the 2nd African‑American Unity Chess Tournament, 1992

Thematic Position:

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0‑0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0‑0 9.h3 Bb1 10.d4 Re8 11.a4 h6 12.Nbd2 Bf8 13.Bc2 exd4 14.cxd4 Nb4 15.Bb1 c5

Ashley, M.A. (2478) vs. Mitchell, J. (2138): 16.d5 Nd7 17.Ra3 f5 18.exf5 Bxd5 19.Rxe8 Qxe8 20.Nh4 Bf7 21.Rg3 Nf6 22.Nf1 Nh5 23.Re3 Qd7 24.Ng6 Nf6 25.Rg3 Kh7 26.Ne3 Re8 27.Ng4 Nbd5 28.Nxh6 gxh6 29.Nxf8+ Rxf8 30.Qd2 Ng8 31.f6+ Kh8 32.Rxg8+ Kxg8 33.Qxh6 33.Bh7!! {wins} {33...Be6 34.Qg6+ Kh8 35.Qh5+ Kg8 36.Qg5+ Rh8 37.Qh6+} ½-½

Johnson, W. (2064) vs. Simpson, R. (2390): 16.dxc5 d5 17.e5 Ne4 18.axb5 axb5 19.Rxa8 Qxa8 20.Nb3 Nxc5 21.Nxc5 Bxc5 22.Nd4 Qa4 23.b3 Qa1 24.Be3 Qa3 25.e6 fxe6 26.Qh5 Re7 27.Qg6 Bxd4 28.Qh7+ Kf7 29.Bg6+ Kf6 30.Bxd4+ e5 31.Bc5 {31.Bh5! wins.} 31...Nc6 32.Bxe7+ Nxe7 33.Bb1 e4 34.Qh8 Qa8 35.Qxa8 Bxa8 36.f3 Ke5 37.fxe4 dxe4 38.Kf2 Bd5 39.g4 Nc6 40.Ke3 Nd4 41.b4 Nc6 42.Rf1 Nxb4 43.Rf5+ Ke6 44.Bxe4 Bc4 45.Rf8 Nd5+ 46.Kd4 Nf6 47.Bf5+ Ke7 48.Rb8 Bf1 49.h4 96 50.Rb7+ Kd6 51.Rb6+ Ke7 52.Bc8 Bg2 53.g5 hxg5 54.hxg5 Nd5 55.Rxb5 Nf4 ½-½

Colding, E. (2277) vs. Munro, V. L. (2146/7): 16.d5 c4 17.Ra3 Nd7 18.Nd4 Qb6 19.N2f3 Nc5 20.axb5 axb5 21.Nh2 Ncd3 22.Bxd3 Nxd3 23.Rxd3 cxd3 24.Nf5 Bxd5 25.Be3 Qc6 26.Nd4 Qc5 27.exd5 Ra2 28.b3 Qxd5 29.Qxd3 b4 30.Nhf3 Rea8 31.Kh2 Ra1 32.Re2 Qa5 33.Rc2 d5 34.Rc6 Qd8 35.Nf5 R1a3 36.N3d4 Qd7 37.Qe2 Rd8 38.Qg4 Kh8 1‑0

Jackson, H. M. (1960) vs. Colding, E. (2277): 16.b3 Rc8 17.Ba3 Nd7 18.Nf1 bxa4 19.bxa4 Nb6 20.Qb3 a5 21.d5 Ba6 22.Qd1 Nc4 23.Bc1 Qf6 24.e5 Nxe5 25.Nxe5 Rxe5 26.Rxe5 Qxe5 27.Ra3 Qxd5 28.Qg4 Qc4 29.Qxc4 Bxc4 30.Ne3 Be6 31.Nf5 c4 32.Bb2 d5 33.Nxh6+ Kh8 34.Rg3 Nc6 35.Bf5 Rb8 36.Bf6 Bxf5 37.Nxf7+ Kh7 38.Bc3 d4 39.Bd2 c3 40.Bf4 c2 41.h4 c1Q+ 42.Bxc1 Rb1 43.h5 Rxc1+ 44.Kh2 d3 45.h6 d2 46.Ng5+ Kg8 47.Rf3 Bd3 48.g3 d1Q 0‑1

Simpson, R. (2390) vs. Ashley, M. A. (2478): 16.d5 Nd7 17.Ra3 c4 18.axb5 axb5 19.Nd4 Qb6 20.Nf5 Ne5 21.Rg3 g6 22.Nf3 Ned3 23.Be3 Qd8 24.N5h4 Kh7 25.Qd2 Rxe4 26.Bxh6 Rxe1+ 27.Kh2 Qxh4 28.Nxh4 Bxh6 29.Qc3 Nxd5 30.Qd4 Rxb1 31.Qe4 Rh1+ 0‑1

Mitchell, J. (2138) vs. Johnson, W. (2064): 16.d5 Nd7 17.Ra3 c4 18.axb5 axb5 19.Nd4 Qb6 20.Nf5 Rxa3 21.bxa3 Nd3 22.Bxd3 cxd3 23.Nxh6+ gxh6 24.Qg4+ Bg7 25.Qxd7 Rd8 26.Qg4 Bc8 27.Qg3 Qd4 28.Nf3 Qf6 29.Be3 Qg6 30.Qxg6 fxg6 31.Bd4 Ba6 32.Bxg7 Kxg7 33.Nd4 Rc8 34.Nc6 Bb7 35.Rd1 Bxc6 36.dxc6 Rxc6 37.Rxd3 Kf6 38.f3 Ke6 39.Kf2 Rc2+ 40.Kg3 Ra2 41.Rb3 Kf6 42.h4 Ra1 43.Kg4 Ra2 44.g3 Ra1 45.Rxb5 Rxa3 46.h5 gxh5+ 47.Rxh5 Kg6 48.Rd5 Ra6 49.Kf4 Rc6 50.Rf5 Rc4 51.Ke3 Rc1 52.g4 Re1+ 53.Kd3 Rf1 54.Kc4 Rd1 55.Rd5 Rc1+ 56.Kb5 Rf1 57.Rxd6+ Kg5 58.Rd5+ Kf4 59.Rf5+ Ke3 60.e5 Kd4 61.Kc6 Re1 62.Kd6 Ra1 63.e6 Ra8 1‑0

Colding, E. (2277) vs. Ashley, M. A. (2478): 16.dxc5 dxc5 17.e5 Nd7 18.e6 Rxe6 19.Rxe6 fxe6 20.Ne4 Nf6 21.Nxf6+ Qxf6 22.axb5 axb5 23.Rxa8 Bxa8 24.Qe2 Bd5 25.Ne5 Bd6 26.Nd7 Qd8 27.Ne5 Qf6 28.Nd7 Qd8 ½-½

Munro, V.L. (2146/7) vs. Mitchell, J. (2138): 16.d5 Nd7 17.Ra3 f5 18.Rae3 Nf6 19.axb5 axb5 20.R3e2 Ra1 21.e5 Nfxd5 22.exd6 Rxe2 23.Qxe2 Qxd6 24.Bxf5 Nf4 25.Qe8 Nbd3 26.Nb3 Nxe1 27.Nxe1 Ra8 28.Qxb5 Ba6 29.Qd7 Ne2+ 30.Kh1 Qxd7 31.Bxd7 c4 32.Be3 cxb3 33.Be6+ Kh8 34.Bxb3 Rb8 35.Bd5 Rxb2 36.Nf3 Rb1+ 37.Kh2 Bd6+ 38.g3 Bb7 39.Bxb7 Rxb7 40.Kg2 Rb3 41.Nd2 Rd3 42.Ne4 Be7 43.h4 Kg8 44.Kf3 Nd4+ 45.Kg4 Kf7 46.Bf4 Ke6 47.h5 Kd5 48.Nd2 Bg5 49.Bxg5 hxg5 50.Nf1 Nf3 51.Ne3+ Rxe3 52.fxe3 Ke4 53.Kh3 Kxe3 54.Kg4 Kf2 55.Kh3 Ne5 56.Kh2 g4 57.Kh1 Kxg3 58.Kg1 Kh3 59.Kh1 g3 60.KgI g2 61.h6 gxh6 0‑1

Simpson, R. (2390) vs. Jackson, N. M. (1960): 16.d5 Nd7 17.Ra3 c4 18.Rae3 Nc5 19.axb5 axb5 20.Nd4 Qb6 21.Qg4 Bc8 22.Nf5 Bxf5 23.Qxf5 Re5 24.Qg4 Ncd3 25.Rf1 Rg5 26.Qe2 Rxg2+ 27.Kh1 Rg6 28.Nf3 Be7 29.e5 Nxd5 30.Rxd3 cxd3 31.Bxd3 dxe5 32.Nxe5 Ra4 33.Nxg6 fxg6 34.Qf3 Qe6 35.Rg1 Rh4 36.Rg4 Rxg4 37.hxg4 Qe1+ 38.Kg2 Nf6 39.Be3 Kh7 40.Bxg6+ Kxg6 41.Qf5+ Kf7 42.Qxb5 Qb4 43.Qxb4 Bxb4 44.f3 Nd5 45.Bd4 Be7 46.b3 Bf6 47.Ba7 Ke7 48.Bb8 Kd7 49.Bh2 Kc6 SO.f4 Kb5 51.Kf3 Nc3 52.Bg1 Kb4 53.Be3 Nd1 54.Bb6 Kxb3 55.Bc5 Kc4 56.Bf8 Kd5 57.g5 hxg5 58.fxg5 Ba1 59.Ke2 Nc3+ 60.Kf3 Ne4 0‑1

Mitchell, J. (2138) vs. Colding, 8. (2277): 16.d5 Nd7 17.Ra3 f5 18.Rae3 f4 19.R3e2 Qf6 20.Nf1 Re7 21.N1h2 R8e8 22.Ng4 Qf7 23.Nh4 h5 24.Nh2 g6 25.N4f3 Bh6 26.h4 bxa4 27.Qd2 a5 28.Rd1 Bxd5 29.g4 fxg3 30.Qxh6 gxh2+ 31.Nxh2 Qg7 32.Qg5 Nf6 33.f3 Bc4 34.Rg2 d5 35.Kh1 Re5 36.Qf4 d4 37.Rdg1 Bf7 38.Bd2 c4 39.Nf1 Kh7 40.Ng3 R8e7 41.Nf5 Qf8 42.Nxe7 Rxe7 43.Qxf6 Re6 44.Qxd4 Rd6 45.Qc5 Qd8 46.Bg5 Qd7 47.Kh2 Nd3 48.Qxa5 Re6 49.Qd8 Qb5 50.Qf8 Ne5 51.Bh6 Nxf3+ 52.Kh1 Qe5 53.Qxf7+ Kh8 54.Qxf3 Rf6 55.Qc3 Qe6 56.Rxg6 Kh7 57.Rxf6 1‑0

Ashley, M. A. (2478) vs. Jackson, N. M. (1960): 16.d5 Nd7 17.Ra3 g6 18.h4 Bg7 19.h5 g5 20.Nf1 Ne5 21.Nxe5 Bxe5 22.Ne3 Bg7 23.Nf5 Qf6 24.Bd2 Qd8 25.Rg3 f6 26.Bxb4 cxb4 27.e5 Rxe5 28.Rxe5 dxe5 29.Nxg7 Kxg7 30.Qd3 Qh8 31.Qg6+ Kf8 32.Rf3 Bxd5 33.Rxf6+ Ke7 34.Rb6 Rd8 35.Rxa6 bxa4 36.Qb6 Rd7 37.Bf5 Bb7 38.Qxb4+ Kf7 39.Be6+ Kf6 40.Bxd7+ Bxa6 41.Qd6+ 1‑0

Johnson, W. (2064) vs. Munro, V. L. (2146/7): 16.dxc5 dxc5 17.e5 Nd7 18.e6 fxe6 19.axb5 axb5 20.Rxa8 Qxa8 21.Ne4 Bc6 22.Nh2 c4 23.Qh5 Nd3 24.Bxd3 cxd3 25.Qg6 Bxe4 26.Rxe4 Nf6 27.Re1 Qd5 28.Bxh6 Rd8 29.Bd2 b4 30.Nf3 Qf5 31.Qxf5 exf5 32.Ng5 Rd4 33.f3 Rc4 34.Rc1 Rc2 35.Rxc2 dxc2 36.Ne6 Bd6 37.Kf1 Be5 38.Bc1 Nd5 39.Nc5 Bf4 40.Nd3 g6 41.g4 Kg7 42.Ke2 ½-½

Times, J. W. (2216) vs. Simpson, R. (2390): 16.dxc5 dxc5 17.e5 Nfd5 18.Ne4 Nb6 19.axb5 Qxd1 20.Rxd1 axb5 21.Rxa8 Rxa8 22.Be3 Na4 23.Rd2 Nd5 24.Nd6 Nxe3 25.fxe3 Bc6 26.Ba2 c4 27.Nd4 Nc5 28.Bxc4 bxc4 29.Nxc6 Ra1+ 30.Kh2 Rc1 31.Nd8 Nb3 32.Rf2 f6 33.Ne6 Bxd6 34.exd6 Rd1 35.d7 Rxd7 36.Rf4 Kf7 37.Nd4 Nxd4 38.exd4 Ke6 39.Kg3 Kd5 40.Kg4 Rb7 41.Rf2 Rb3 42.Kf4 Kxd4 0‑1