Manuel Jurado and Isaias Soriano of the Ronin were the first to win, so all we needed was one draw. Just a draw on either of the 2 remaining boards!!! Jurado had sacrificed a rook (without material compensation) on board 2 to gain position and tempo against James Harris. What looked to me and my co-captain like a terrible blunder, turned out to be a winning position and forced mate. When Harris recognized the inevitable, he conceded. Soriano came down to K, R, pawn vs. K & R against Al Freeman on board 3. Freeman fought hard all game and kept fighting to the bitter end, but couldn't pull out a draw.

It seemed we had St. Nick backed into a corner, but Peter Roberts and Ken Moody showed the resolve it takes to win a championship! Roberts had a fairly even game against Ernie Encarnacion on board 1. He methodically advanced his way into a winning position, moving closer and closer to mate and/or winning material advantage. Encarnacion finally resigned when the game was out of reach.

That left the entire season in the hands of St. Nick's fearless leader, Ken Moody, on board 4 vs. Jason Policarpio. Moody was down the exchange with a Rook & 2 Knights (+ King & pawns) vs. Policarpio's Bishop and 2 Rooks (+ King & pawns). But Policarpio was in terrible time trouble. With little time to think in the end, Policarpio couldn't come up with a favorable position. Moody maneuvered to 1 move away from checkmating Policarpio when time ran out on Policarpio and the Ronin's season. Excellent win by the undefeated St. Nicholas Unknowns!