Charles Krupin, a longtime member of both the Marshall and Manhattan Chess Clubs, passed away February 5th in Florida. The cause of death was reported to be a heart attack. Charlie was a very active NYC player until he moved to Boca Raton a few years ago. He continued playing actively in Florida.

Charlie had a great sense of humor. Once, after he had been absent from several tournaments, I asked him where he'd been. He replied that he had to take a break from chess for family functions. Then he laughed and said: "I can't tell them chess is more important than they are. It's true, of course, but I can't tell them that."

We played many times over the years. Here's three of his flashier wins:
I thought I was winning this one.. right up until I grabbed a poisoned pawn on Move 31.

Kleinman,J (1845) - Krupin,C (1740)
August Congress Rd.4, 1997

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d3 g6 4.g3 Bg7 5.Nbd2 e6 6.Bg2 Nge7 7.0-0 0-0 8.Ne1
f5 9.f4 b6 10.e5 Ba6 11.Nc4 Bxc4 12.dxc4 Qc7 13.Nf3 Rad8 14.Qe2 h6
15.c3 d6 16.exd6 Rxd6 17.Bd2 Rfd8 18.Rae1 Qd7 19.Rf2 Kh7 20.Rd1 Ng8
21.Ne5 Nxe5 22.fxe5 Rd3 23.Bd5 Rxd2 24.Rxd2 exd5 25.cxd5 Re8 26.e6 Qd6
27.g4 fxg4 28.Qxg4 Ne7 29.Qa4 Ra8 30.Rf7 Nf5 31.Rxa7? Taking the bait
31...Rxa7 32.Qxa7 Qf4! 33.Rg2 Ne3 34.Qf7 Qxf7 35.exf7 Nxg2 (And now,
unfortunately, 36 d6 falls just short to 36.. Nf4, 37 d7 Ne6! which
stops both Queening threats.) 36.Kxg2 Bf8 37.Kf3 Kg7 38.Ke4 Bd6 39.h3
Kxf7 40.a3 Ke7 41.Kf3 Be5 42.Ke4 Kd6 43.a4 Bf6 44.Kd3 Kxd5 45.b4 c4+
46.Kd2 Bd8 47.Ke3 Ke5 48.Kf3 Kd6 49.Ke2 Bf6 50.Kd2 g5 0-1

In this next tournament, I needed only a draw to take clear 1st in the U2000 section. Unfortunately, I had to get by Charlie. His piece sac on Move 13 ended my hope of clear 1st.

Krupin,C (1720) - Kleinman,J (1810)
Father's Day Weekend Rd.4, 1996

1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 (Charlie loved the Vienna. He said it was the only
opening he knew.)2...Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 Na5 5.f4 Nxc4 6.dxc4 exf4 7.e5
Ng8 8.Nf3 Bb4 9.Qd3 g5 10.h4 g4 11.Ng5 Qe7 12.Bxf4 f6 13.0-0-0!!fxg5
14.Bxg5 Qc5 15.Nd5 d6 16.exd6 cxd6 17.Nxb4 Qxb4 18.Qd4 Bf5 19.Qxh8 Qxc4
20.Rhe1+ Kd7 21.Qc3 Qxa2 22.Qa3 Qxa3 23.bxa3 Rc8 24.Rd2 Rc3 25.Re3 Rc4
26.g3 h6 27.Bf4 Rc6 28.Rb3 b6 29.Rb4 h5 30.Rbd4 Nf6 31.Rxd6+ Rxd6
32.Rxd6+ Ke7 33.Rc6 Ne8 34.Rh6 Ng7 35.Be5 1-0

And finally, Charlie finishes me off with a Rook sac on Move 24 in this one.

Kleinman,J (1760) - Krupin,C (1800) [B33]
June Congress Rd, 1994

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5 6.Ndb5 d6 7.Nd5 Nxd5
8.exd5 Ne7 9.c4 Nf5 10.Bd3 Be7 11.0-0 0-0 12.Kh1 a6 13.Nc3 Bg5 14.Bxg5
Qxg5 15.Ne4 Qd8 16.Qd2 Nd4 17.Nc3 f5 18.Ne2 Nxe2 19.Bxe2 Rf6 20.Rac1
Rh6 21.Rc3 f4 22.g3 Bf5 23.Rfc1 Qg5 24.b4 Missing Black's neat shot.
Fritz recommends 24 Qd1, though Black is better in that case as well.
24...Rxh2+!! 25.Kxh2 fxg3+ 0-1

Submitted by Jay Kleinman