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Milan R. Vukcevich (born Milan Radoje Vukčević; March 11, 1937 – May 10, 2003) was a Serbian-American chemist, a grandmaster of chess problem Chess composer and writer.
Vukcevich decided on a career in science rather than chess, and in the year he moved to the United States he entered MIT. He was an instructor at Case Western Reserve University for six years before leaving to work for General Electric, where, from 1989, he served as Chief Scientist. He published two books on science.
Vukcevich continued to play chess. In 1969 he was joint winner of the U.S. Open Chess Championship, along with Pal Benko and Robert Byrne. In 1975 he finished third in the U.S. Championship, ahead of Samuel Reshevsky, Robert Byrne, Larry Evans and Arthur Bisguier among others. From 1976-79, he played in the National Telephone League, scoring 16.5 from 22 games, including wins against Bisguier, Yasser Seirawan, Nick De Firmian and Leonid Shamkovich.
Vukcevich died in 2003 in Shaker Heights, Ohio and is buried in Evergreen Hill Cemetery in Chagrin Falls.Vigil, Vicki Blum (2007). Cemeteries of Northeast Ohio: Stones, Symbols & Stories. Cleveland, OH: Gray & Company, Publishers;
His son, Marko, is a former guitar player in the band Mushroomhead from Cleveland. The "Vukcevich Super Cup" was created in his honor soon after his death. Vukcevich Super Cup. Vivacity Chess.
Vukcevich's compositions were gathered together in My Chess Compositions (2003). He composed in all genres, including directmate, , , problems with fairy pieces and a small number of endgame studies.
On the left is one of Vukcevich's famous problems. The key is 1. Bb6 with the threat 2. Qg6! and 3. Ne4# and 3. e4#. If 2. ... Rxf3 then 3. Rxf3#, which explains the choice of the key. In the main variations Black unpins the Queen, which can then form new batteries: 1. ... Rf5 2. Qf4!! (threat 3. Ne4#) Re5+ 3. Be4#; 2. ... Rxf4+ e4#. 1. ... Nf5! 2. Qh4!! (threat 3. Ne4#) Nxe3+ Rg6#; 2. ... Nxh4+ 3. e4#. Additional variation occurs after 1. ... e5 2. Qf5! Qxf5+ 3. e4#.
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