Bryon Nickoloff Annotations

[Brad Thomson]

Thanks Frank!!

[Hans Jung]

Nick used his own form of Swiss Gambit in that he would offer a draw to give him better positioning for the next round. He was always aware of the opportunity and how his main rivals were doing.

[Brad Thomson]

I am not sure if Nick played his version of the Swiss Gambit, but in the 1995 Canadian Open in Toronto I recall that he never played a player higher rated than himself and then finished equal first thanks to this Hergottian masterpiece. Of all of the fabulous creative games I watched Deen play this is the most memorable.

Deen Hergott - Kevin Spraggett (1995) - Master Chess Game - Chess.com

[Hans Jung]

Thanks for the memories. I was there playing and watching. Deen successfully squeezed kevin which was not at all easy to do.

[Frank Dixon]

That IM Hergott 1-0 GM Spraggett game, from round 10, Canadian Open 1995, saw Deen win by stepping outside his often crazy style to win in what one could call true Super-GM fashion, a positional masterpiece where Black had almost no play. GM Spraggett needed just a draw for clear first; the loss dropped him into a five-way tie for first place.

[Brad Thomson]

Deen tended to play more in his "crazy style" with the Black pieces, and by his own admission. He actually felt that he was something of a positional player with White. He tended to play 1.d4 most of the time. But of course he conceded that with Black his plan was to imbalance the game and seek counterplay. He once told me that he played ...Nh6 any time he possibly could. His games are beautiful and Nick was always very impressed with Deen's fearless creative approach. Then Bryon would crush him by playing in Deen's style and refute him at his own game- this too Deen admitted.

[Aris Marghetis]

I am not sure if Nick played his version of the Swiss Gambit, but in the 1995 Canadian Open in Toronto I recall that he never played a player higher rated than himself and then finished equal first thanks to this Hergottian masterpiece. Of all of the fabulous creative games I watched Deen play this is the most memorable.

Deen Hergott - Kevin Spraggett (1995) - Master Chess Game - Chess.com

THAT'S an incredible game!! Thanks Brad!!

[Hans Jung]

"Every now and then a puff of blue smoke drifted out from an apparently immobile mouth and throat. But despite the appearance of a complete somnolence suggested by the relaxation of his body there were indications of an internal activity discernible at two points: the eyes, like instrument dials of the mind and emotions, registered thought, perplexity, a faint hairline trace of anxiety." This reminded me of Nick. - a perfect descriptive picture. The quote is from Edward Abbey's book the Brave Cowboy, page 6 paragraph 3. - a great book with fantastic descriptions and a gripping story. I hope you dont mind me posting this Brad.

[Brad Thomson]

Thanks Hans! Nick was Nick, and this thread has been very respectful, emphasizing the positive.