Also, of note, Steve Vinson, over-the-board, in a tournament, defeated IM Michael Brooks, of Kansas City in the 1990's..  We hope we can locate that game score and add it to the site.  I believe Steve played a Caro-Kann against Brooks, if memory serves me correctly.  (Click here to view the game.)

Another offering, this one from my hyper-modern period. I think we all go thru those phases, looking for those chess openings and defences that interest us and/or suit us stylistically. I dabbled in the flank openings ie; English, etc. later returning to the more direct 1.) P-K4. While culling through some old games to present for our web-site, I decided to select games that meet the criteria of being played at the park board center, against local club members, and hopefully present some aspect of quality in terms of our level of play. 
OK, now a little background info...this game was played in our Ladder League, in what Roger Pagel and I dubbed "the Second Golden Age" of Springfield chess. During the pre-Internet chess days, the club's roster was swelling with members. The A class was well represented, and epic struggles would ensue each and every Friday evening. 
Now for the scouting report on Steve: Mr. Vinson is a very seasoned (A level) player, known for being extremely solid. Steve is well versed on Caro Khan/Slav type defense systems and plays them exclusively. Needless to say wins don't come easy when playing Vinson, and I have numerous draws along with several black eyes in my many encounters with him. The game that follows typifies the trench warfare, fraught with maneuvering, as every square is fought over, lasting 77 moves and several time controls. It's never fast and easy when dealing with Steve!

Get Reti to rumble!
Springfield Park Board Chess Club May8th 1991 (board one)
Ressmeyer USCF 1888 vs. Vinson USCF 1850  Reti Opening New York System

40/75 G/30

1. Nf3 d5 2. c4 c6 3. b3 Nf6 4. g3 Bf5 5. Bg2 e6 6. Bb2 Nbd7 7. 0-0 h6 8. d3 Be7 9. Nbd2 0-0 10. a3 a5 11. Qc2 Bh7 12. Bc3 Qb8 13. Qb2 Bd6 14. e4 dxe4 15. dxe4 e5 16. Rfe1 Re8 17. b4 axb4 18. axb4 c5 19. b5 Ra1 20. Qa1 Nf8 21. Nh4 Ne6 22. f4 Nd4 {not 22....exf or 23. e5} 23. Bd4 cxd4 24. fxe5 Be5 25. Nhf3 Nd7 26. Ne5 Qe5 27. Nf3 Qc5 28. Qd4 Qd4 29. Nd4 Nc5 30. Nf3 Re4 31. Re4 Be4 32. Nd2 Bg2 33. Kg2 f5 34. Kf3 Kf7 35. Ke3 b6 36. Kd4 Ke6 37. Nf1 Kd6 38. Ne3 Ne6 39. Kc3 g6 40. Nd5 Kc5 41. Ne7 f4 42. Ng6 f3 43. Ne5 Ng5 44. Nd3 Kd6 45. Nf2 h5 46. Kd4 Nf7 47. Ne4 Ke6 48. Ke3 Ne5 49. c5 bxc5 50. Nc5 Kd6 51. Ne4 Ke6 52. Nd2? Kd5? 53. Nf3 Ng4 54. Kf4 Kc5 55. h3 Nf2 56. Ng1 Kb5 57. Kg5 Ne4 58. Kh4 Kc5 59. Ne2 Kd6 60. Kh5 Nf6 61. Kg6 Ke7 62. Nf4 Ne4 63. g4 Nf2 64. g5 Kf8 65. h4 Kg8 66. h5 Ne4 67. h6 Nd6 68. Ne6 Ne8 69. Kh5 Kf7 70. Nd8 Kg8 71. g6 Nf6 72. Kg5 Ne8 73. Ne6 Kh8 74. Nf8 Kg8 75. h7 Kg7 76. Ne6 Kh8 77. Kh6 1-0
​Chess viewer link Copy and paste game score into chess viewer link or viewer of your choice to play over the game

Springfield's A players garnered a reputation for being booked up! The years of weekly ladder play (a.k.a. running the gauntlet) provided the incentive to hone one's repertoire, and to think we did this all for fun?