No. 1  Tate-Sevilliano (2002 Chess Vineyard Open)
Fascinating and very complex game between two gladiators. The first pieces were exchanged on move 20 in what would become a fierce attacking battle. Tate broke through with a kingside pawn storm and a few moves earlier, "sacked" a rook on d5 which actually couldn't be taken due to a powerful attack on the centralized black king.   In the position above, Tate's rooks were dominating the board and after 35.Rc5! black must lose massive material. Sevilliano played on a few more moves before resigning. (See game)

No. 2 Wilson-Burnett (2000 Eric Marchand Open)
NM Elvin Wilson has been a long-time Philadelphia resident noted for his days as a scholastic standout. These days Wilson spends more time coaching and organizing, but this game proves that his skills are still in tact. In this King's Indian, the Philly Master literally stormed the black king with his pawns, placing them on e4, f4, g4, and h4 while his king sat on h1. Burnett tried to counter the flank attack with a central thrust, but only weakened himself in the process. Wilson's pieces poured in after 25.Rxh7+! Kxh7 26. Qh3+ Kg8 27. Rh1 and white's attack was unstoppable. After making an effort to organize a defense, black resigned in a hopeless position. (See game)

No. 3  Simutowe-Gwaze (2000 African Zonal 4.3)
At the time of this game, both players  were the brightest young stars of the continent. Gwaze had won consecutive Junior titles in 1998 and 1999 and Simutowe would win in 2000 with 10/11. Both earned the IM title as a result. This  exciting game evolved out of a Maroczy Bind English and Simutowe used his spatial advantage to overrun Gwaze's queenside. In the position, black is about to queen the pawn on e2. In addition, black may have drawing chances with the threat of perpetual check. The young Zambian ignored the pawn and played 48.b7! allowing the pawn to queen with check! On 48.Bf2? (48.Bc3?? allows a draw after 48…Qe3+ 49.Kh2 Qxf4+) black would have kept fighting after 48…e1(Q)+ 49.Bxe1 Qxe1+ 50.Kh2 Qb4 hitting the f4-pawn. After the text move, the game concluded after 48…e1(Q)+ 49.Kh2! Qb4 50.b8(Q)+ Qxb8 51.Qxb8+ and the extra piece decides. (See game)

No. 4 Fedorowicz-W. Kobese (3rd Mechanics Institute GM Invitational, 1998)
IM Watu Kobese of South Africa has been one of Africa's strongest players for quite some time.  In 1998, he was aggressively touring the Western Hemisphere in quest of GM norms. One of the tournaments took him to San Francisco in which he played the game above. The game was exceedingly complicated as both pairs of rooks roamed the board. Fedorowicz was forced to trade off a pair of rooks which left his white king open to attack by the other rook. So after 51…Rh1+ 52.Kd1-c2, the African Lion pounced with 52…Be4! winning in all lines.  Black simply threatens 53…e2, 54…e1(Q) and on 53.Bxe4 fxe4, white has to give up his rook to stop the e-pawn so white settled for 53.Kc3 after which black played 53…Rc1+ and "Big John" had seen enough since 54.Kd4 loses a piece to a pin with 54…Rd1 and 54.Kb2 loses a piece to a skewer with 54…e2! 55.Bxe2 Rc2+.  (See game)