A Chess Master at the Age of 13

The Boston Globe, Boston, Massachusetts, Monday, August 19, 1985 - Page 2

A Chess Master at the Age of 13
Boy's parents immigrated to Mass. from Russia to better his future
Worcester — The pictures in the photo album tell the story of the goal 13-year-old Russian immigrant Ilya Gurevich wants to reach.
Pasted on one page is a photo of Bobby Fischer, America's most celebrated chess grand master, with his coach, Jack Collins.
Pasted on the next page is another picture of Collins, this time with Ilya, a Worcester schoolboy who earlier this month became the world's best chess player under age 14 by defeating Argentina's Alejo de Dovitiis in Buenos Aires for the title.
“Bobby Fischer was a grand master at 15,” Ilya said during a recent telephone interview. “I don't think I'll do that. But I hope so.”