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The match is over. if 46 Kxf2 d1(Q)+, and if 46 Kd1 Rc1 mate.
White resigns. Benjamin wins the match by the score of 2 1/2 - 1/2. This is the same score
with which he defeated Kaidanov in the 1997 Semi-Finals. Then, in the 1997
Finals, a rested Joel Benjamin took game 1 from Christiansen (who had had to
win a harrowing playoff against Seirawan to get to the Finals) on the road to
becoming U.S. Champion. This year, Benjamin again has extra time to prepare,
for either deFirmian or Shaked in the Finals match.
In the 1998 Semi-Finals games, Benjamin played very well. In Game 1, Dmitry
Gurevich put pressure on him, but the position was never a measurable
disadvantage. Benjamin played accurately and secured the draw. In Game 2,
extravagant maneuvers by Gurevich landed him in a difficult position, and
Benjamin took full advantage. Gurevich then blundered, and Benjamin took the
point. In Game 3, nice preparation work by Benjamin led to a good opening as
Black, as he showed courage in repeating the somewhat offbeat line from Game
1. Benjamin followed with a positional pawn sacrifice which ended up with him
about to recover the pawn with interest. Gurevich decided he would rather
sacrifice the Exchange. Benjamin defended actively and showed that Gurevich
did not have enough compensation. After last year's Semi-Finals, everybody
noticed Benjamin's smooth performance. This year, he sailed through the Semis
in similar exemplary style.
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