in 43 moves. Bonin's career in chess really took off in the 1980s. He won the New York State Championship for the first time in 1982. He has won clear first three times (1982, 1997 and 1999) and tied for first in 1993 but tie-breaks gave the title to GM Michael Rohde. Bonin earned the international title of FIDE Master in 1983 and the title of International Master in 1985. Bonin also won the championship of the Marshall Chess Club in 1984, 1987 and 1997. He won the National Congress in 1982. He joined the prestigious Manhattan Chess Club in 1984 and won the club championship three times. Chess abroad In 1986, Bonin took a trip to the UK to play in the Lloyds Bank Master Chess Tournament. In 1987 he played in Switzerland and the UK in three tournaments and in 1989 played in the Lloyds Bank tournament once again. The 1990s and beyond In 1992, Bonin hit his peak all-time rating of 2526. In October 1995, he was profiled in the New York Times highlighting his active tournament play and the financial struggles of a professional chess master in New York. 1997 was a successful year for Bonin as he won four club championships: Marshall Chess Club, Manhattan Chess Club, Nassau Chess Club and Queens Chess Club. He also achieved something never before done, winning the "Triple Crown" of New York chess events: The New York State Championship, Manhattan Chess Club Championship, and Marshall Chess Club Championship all in the same year, 1997. From 1998 until 2002, he worked at the Manhattan Chess Club as a manager and tournament director. In 2007, Bonin competed in the US Chess Championship Tournament consisting of thirty six players gathered from the best in the country. In 2005 he competed in the New York Masters events winning three tournaments in a row, defeating Grandmasters Leonid Yudasin, Alexander Stripunsky, Aleksander Wojtkiewicz, and Kamil Miton. In March 2012, Bonin's life as a prolific but struggling chess master was again profiled in The New York Times. In 2014, Bonin tied for first in the Cleveland Open and in 2015 he took clear first in the same event. In 2014 he tied for 2nd in the New York State Championship. In 2015, Bonin played a blitz match against FM Asa Hoffmann billed as the "Iron Man" vs. the "Gladiator". Iron Man Bonin won 8 - 5.