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1996-97 UMBC Chess Teams

UMBC (The University of Maryland Baltimore County) won the "World Series" of college chess. Thirty-six teams from North and South America competed in the six-round event, held December 27-30, 1996, at the Renaissance Harborplace Hotel in Baltimore, Maryland. The 1996 Pan-American Chess Championships were hosted by UMBC in partnership with the United States Chess Federation. After five rounds, with the UMBC "A" and "B" teams tied one point ahead of the field with 4.5 points, the two UMBC faced off in the final round--the first time two teams from the same school have ever played each other in the final round of any Pan-Am.

1996 Pan-Am Team A

  1. Valery Atlas, International Master (2570 est. USCF rating)
  2. William "The Exterminator" Morrison (2460), 1995 Maryland Champion
  3. Dmitry Atlas, International Master (2395 est.)
  4. Greg Shahade, Senior Master (2392 USCF, National High School Co-Champion)
  5. First Alternate; Pavel Pasmanik (2113)

1996 Pan-Am Team B

  1. Erez Klein
  2. Bella Belegradek (2087)
  3. Oxana Tarrassova (2073)
  4. Derrick Longo (2022)
  5. First Alternate: Alexander Shinn (1954)

Coach: Master Igor Epshteyn.

1996 Pan-Am Team C

  1. David Ford
  2. Eric Shumaker
  3. Jay Beale
  4. Rajib Hussain