Fall - Chess Journalists of America

THE CHESS JOURNALIST
VOLUME XLII, NºS 2–4
CJA Journalist of the Year
JAMAAL ABDUL-ALIM
CONSECUTIVE Nº 145
FALL 2013
The Chess Journalists
of America
President
Frank Niro
[email protected]
Vice-President
Jeff Roland
[email protected]
Interim Secretary-Treasurer
Randy Hough
1826 W. Garvey Ave. #5
Alhambra, CA 91803
(626) 282-7412
[email protected]
Interim Webmaster
J. Franklin Campbell
[email protected]
Interim Editor
Mark N. Taylor
P. O. Box 350
Mt Berry, GA 30149-0350
[email protected]
Memberships:
The CJA offers three types of memberships:
• Regular Memberships ($10/year)
• Associate Memberships ($10/year), and
• Foreign Memberships ($15/year).
New memberships and renewals should be
sent to Secretary-Treasurer Randall Hough
at the address above. Make checks payable
to CJA.
The Chess Journalist is published quarterly
by the Chess Journalists of America. Onetime only publication rights have been obtained from signed contributors. All other
rights are hereby assigned to the authors.
Articles do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the CJA, its officers, or its members.
Copyright © 2013 by the Chess Journalists of
America.
the chess journalist—fall 2013
3! Notes and Notices
3! Editor’s Announcement
4! 2013 CJA Awards for Best Journalism
! by Joshua Anderson
6! A Forgotten Interview with David Bronstein
! by Momir Radovic
10! Chess and Music: A Starter’s Kit, part 2
! by Bob Basalla
15! Introducing the New CJA Officers
! by staff
16! Obituaries: Jerry Bibuld and Edwin Albaugh, Jr.
! by Daaim Shabazz and Kirsten Wolter
18! The Blogger Within by Hank Anzis
! Analyze This
20! Redactions by Mark N. Taylor
! What I’ve Learned Editing a State Chess Magazine
21! 2013 Membership List
23! Code of Ethics
24! Puzzles
! selected by Momir Radovic
Cover: Jamaal Abdul-Alim
(photograph courtesy of Chess Life)
Cover design by Mark N. Taylor
Chess Journalists of America
Patrons
The following members have put CJA on a firmer financial footing by
donating at least $25 during Fiscal Years 2005-2010:
Herb Hickman!
Don Schultz
Ira Lee Riddle!
Peter Tamburro
Frank Berry!
Carol Hochberg
Kenneth Hamilton!
Michael Aigner
Alexandra Kosteniuk!
Jim Berry
Myron and Rachel Lieberman
Donations may be directed to CJA, c/o Treasurer Randy Hough (see
address at left).
NOTES & NOTICES
AL LAWRENCE RESIGNS AS
CJA INTERIM PRESIDENT
Al Lawrence’s new duties directing the
chess program at Texas Tech University have
regrettably caused him to resign as interim
CJA president. He has recommended a
team of Frank Niro as interim president
and Jeffrey Roland as VP. Both are writers
and editors. Jeff has considerable experience with the Idaho Chess Association
newsletter and website and he was in attendance at last year’s CJA meeting. Jeff’s presence helps us move closer to the goal of
younger leadership. Both have been elected.
[See the introductions to both in this issue.]
Al would like to keep helping in some
role—perhaps as membership VP, with the
duties of contacting expired members and
promoting membership in general.
NEW CJA INTERIM OFFICERS
We continue to look for a new treasurer ad
a new webmaster to replace the long-serving
Randy Hough and Franklin Campbell.
(Daniel Freeman, webmaster for
Chessgames.com, had indicated he would
be taking over at some point, but that appears to have fallen through.) Both officers
have continued with the day-to-day business
of keeping the organization and the site
going.
CJA ARCHIVIST WANTED
Franklin Campbell set up the site in 1999
and has been the only webmaster since
then. He has written a document with information on the site needed by a new
webmaster and provided copies of this
document to the officers. He notes that
there was a terrible loss of historic games a
few years ago when the ICCF archivist died;
thousands of world class and world championship games were lost.
Franklin suggests that a new position be
created: archivist for CJA. The CJA has a
tremendous history, but very little of this is
documented in a clear way. It would be
great to show the past officers and other
fall 2013
important information on the web site.
Others can think of a lot of information
that should be available on the web site.
blasted it open with a water cannon. “A
deputy clad in body armor moved in for a
closer look,” discovering the chess set.
“‘When we X-rayed it, it was a mirror image
“HOW DID THE QUEEN GO MAD?” of a pipe bomb,’ Richard said. ‘I’ve been
Your editor’s day job has got him some noaround this business for 30 years and I've
tice, in a chessic way. He contributed an
never seen something that looked so real.’”
article, “How Did the Queen Go Mad?” on Good thing nobody reported what was set
chess in the Middle Ages, for a collection
up at a local chess tournament! In better
published by De Gruyter: Chess in the Middle days, the Times-Picayune reported on the
Ages and Early Modern Age: A Fundamental
exploits of Paul Morphy.
Thought Paradigm of the Premodern World
(Fundamentals
ANNOUNCEMENT
of Medieval and
FROM THE EDITOR
Early Modern
Well, damn. I said I would if it did, and so
Culture), edited
it has and so I will. I said if I came out with
by Daniel O’Sulanother double issue I might as well resign.
livan. The artiWorse, this is a triple issue. Sigh. I have
cle, which exsimply been overwhelmed with other replores how
sponsibilities and maybe some burn out as
(rather than
well. Nonetheless, when I produce an issue,
why) the queen
I try to giver it my best. This issues includes
took on her
the concluding part of Bob Basalla’s premodern moveliminary study of chess in music. Momir
ment over the
Radovic continues to come up with interestcourse of three centuries, was featured on the ing material never before translated from
Russian publications. Visit his blog at http:
Medievalists.net site
(http://www.medievalists.net/2013/06/06/ //iplayoochess.com. Hank Anzis continues
how-did-the-queen-go-mad-examining-chang to instruct with his column on chess blogging.
es-in-chess-moves-in-the-middle-ages/). This Joshua Anderson gives us the annual report
on the CJA Awards in lieu of his regular colin turn was picked up by the History News
umn. Lastly, I continue my Redactions.
Network (http://hnn.us/article/152155).
In resigning, I should just walk off into the
sunset,
but, alas, there is no one to take over.
CHESS IN MAINSTREAM MEDIA
Thus,
in
resigning as editor I am accepting
The Times-Picayune headline screams:
once
again
the role of interim editor.
“Checkmate! Suspected Mandeville bomb
This,
too,
is problematic. Too many CJA
turns out to be chess set” (June 29, 2013).
officers
for
too
long a time have “interim”
The article continues: “A suspected bomb
in front of their titles. I do not know why
that led to some tense moments, evacuated
this is. All organizations and endeavors ebb
homes and closed streets in Mandeville
and flow and we may simply be in an exturned out to be a chess set.” The package,
tended ebb. We are looking for new and
a “suspicious briefcase-like container,” was
younger members to step up and make their
left on the doorstep of a recently retired
mark. The CJA is a good organization and
IRS agent.
it needs to be as good as its potential sugNearly 50 officers took part in the investiga- gests. Surely, in an organization of journaltion. “A Sheriff's Office helicopter hovered ists there must be a number of competent
above the neighborhood for much of the
people who could edit the organization’s
day.” The police x-rayed the package, then
quarterly. You, for example. l
The Chess Journalist
3
2013 CJa AWARD WINNERS
Joshua Anderson
HIS YEAR’S CHESS JOURNALIST OF AMERICA
(CJA) Awards had even more organizations enter than last year,
and I want to start off by thanking all those who entered this year’s competition. I would also like to thank our
many judges (in no particular order): Dan Heisman, J. Franklin Campbell, Peter Tamburro, James Quinn, Myron and Rachel Lieberman, Howard Goldowsky, Eric Johnson, Arlen Walker, Mark N. Taylor, Peter Minear,
Diego Garces, Dan Lucas, Al Lawrence, Rodion Rubenchik, Dov Gorman, Jeff Roland, Eric Holcomb, Frank
Niro, Harvey Lerman, David Sands, Matthew Bengtson, Randy Hough, Adam Caveney, and John J. Dill II.
THE TOP FIVE
Chess Journalist of the Year
Jamaal Abdul-Alim was the winner
of this year’s prestigious Journalist
of the Year award for his many diverse stories ranging from tournament reports to articles on the social and cultural aspects of chess.
He was nominated by Chess Life.
Best State Magazine/
Newsletter
Published by the Georgia
Chess Association and edited by Mark N. Taylor,
Georgia Chess won this
award for the fourth
straight year.
Best Story of the Year
“The Resolute Grandmaster,” by
former Chess Journalist of the
Year winner, Macauley Peterson,
easily won for best story of the
year.
Best Chess Column
My Best Move. This new column in Chess Life has
proven quite popular, scoring points with every judge.
4
Best Book (imprint only)
Amateur to IM, by Jonathan
Hawkins and published by
Mongoose Press, is the CJA’s
award in this category, now
in its second year, following
Andy Soltis’s new edition of
the history of the United
States Championship.
The Chess Journalist
fall 2013
VISUAL ARTS
Best Chess Magazine/Newsletter Layout
Georgia Chess May/June 2013, edited by
Mark N. Taylor, nominated by the
Georgia Chess Association. This issue
of Georgia Chess was voted no lower
than 3rd place by every judge. (Honorable Mention: August 2012 Chess Life,
nominated by Chess Life)
Best Chess Photojournalism
Chess Life November, 2012 front cover,
“The Queen of Katwe” (photograph by
Mark Schenkel), is quickly becoming a
favorite chess photo, receiving high
marks from many of the judges.
Georgia Chess Sept. 2012 cover by Mark
N. Taylor, photograph by Fun Fong.)
NEWSPAPER MEDIA
Best Regular Newspaper Column
Peter Henner’s fine article on Magnus
Carlsen led to Mr. Henner’s column
winning this year’s award. (Honorable
Mention: Bill Cornwall.)
Best Humorous Contribution
“Queen Interview,” by Matt Traynor.
This entry almost tied with Matt
Traynor’s companion piece, “King Interview.”
Best Regular Newspaper Article of
Local Interest
“Power Moves in Politics and on the
Chessboard,” by David Sands. This well
Best Historical Article
researched article scored well with every
“Poe vs. the Turk,” by Dr. Gerald Levitt,
judge and easily won the category.
Chess Life June, 2012. Dr. Levitt’s article
easily won this award.
NEWS/FEATURES
Best Tournament Report Article
Best Interview
“Two Weeks of Theater,” by Mike
Janis
Nisii’s
interview
of Sam Shankland,
Klein, Chess Life August 2012 scored
Chess
Life
September
2012. This article
three first place votes and easily won
barely
beat
out
the
Honorable
Mention:
this category, despite many fine entries.
Peterson’s interview with GM Ashley,
Chess Life Nov. 2012.
Best Features Article
“The White Collection: Exploring the
Best Analysis
largest chess library in the world,” by
“Nakamura/Robson,”
by GM Ray RobMark N. Taylor, Chess Life December,
son,
Chess
Life
August
2012.
2012. Taylor’s piece on the chess collection in the Cleveland Public Library
ELECTRONIC MEDIA
barely edged out the Honorable MenBest USCF State Chapter Website
tion: “Assault on Mount Karpov” by
idahochessassociation.org narrowly
GM Yasser Seirawan, Chess Life, Sept.
edged out the previous winner, North2012, both nominated by Chess Life.
ern California’s calchess.org, which received Honorable Mention.
Best General Chess Website
The United State Chess Federation’s
website, uschess.org, easily won for best
general website.
Best Chess Art
“Rhino Chess” by Frankie Butler, Chess
Life April 2013, barely edged out several
other fine entries in this extremely close
competition. (Honorable Mention:
Best Chess Blog
John Hartmann’s chessbookreviews.
wordpress.com. This entry impressed
many of the chess journalists, as reported at the U. S. Open.
Best Instructive Lesson
“Stay on Attack,” by Todd Andrews,
Chess Life, Dec. 2012, narrowly won
over the Honorable Mention: “Winning with White,” by GM Varuzhan
Akobian and William Faulk, Chess Life
March 2013.
fall 2013
Best Review
“Making the Leap,” Howard
Goldowsky’s review of Amateur to IM,
by Jonathan Hawkins, Chess Life January, 2013. This entry scored first place
from four of the five judges and easily
won first place.
The Chess Journalist
I would like to add a final word of
thanks to those who entered and those
who judged this years event. Even those
who did not win helped make the
awards more competitive. We hope that
the lasting impact is to raise the overall
quality of chess journalism in the U. S.
Last year, I concluded with a word of
thanks to Brandy, my wife, for her understanding and patience. I am fortunate
to be in her debt once again this year. l
5
A FORGOTTEN INTERVIEW WITH DAVID BRONSTEIN
CHESS IS NO MORE A GAME
Momir Radovic
DAVID BRONSTEIN (1924–2006) WAS ONE OF
MOST BRILLIANT CHESS MINDS. He narrowly
missed becoming World Chess Champion as
he drew the 1951 challenge match with Mikhail
Botvinnik. By his peers he was described as a
creative genius. An intuitive player, he often
sought complications and played wild, imaginative games. In his own words, “I always try to
vary my openings as much as possible, to invent
new plans in attack and defense, to make experimental moves which are dangerous and
exciting for both players and also for the
audience.”1 He also wrote one of the all-time
classics in chess literature2 and was a giant of
moral integrity—he made headlines in Western
media in the 50s and 60s as he defied Soviet
authorities. He expressed cogent thoughts on
chess in the 2003 Russian-language interview
that he gave to Dmitry Stakhov for the Russian
magazine site Ogonek.com. We are pleased to
present it here for the first time in English.
STAKHOV: What is the meaning of modern chess?
BRONSTEIN: Just to take control over sixteen
unoccupied central squares, the two central
horizontals.3 The art of chess has long ago been
reduced to a struggle for space. So, following that
logic, he who knows how to take up and use space
is a chess pro, while he who doesn’t is an amateur.
STAKHOV: Chess players are so smart, with a
stunning intellect, and you think the meaning of
chess lies only in these squares?
BRONSTEIN: Chess has lost its creative component. It is no more the game it used to be fifty years
ago. The primacy of the struggle for space has led to
the fact that chess ceased to be a game. Formerly,
chess was entertainment to people of culture who
6
David Bronstein’s caricature in Evgeny Ilin’s Pegasus Gambit.
The Chess Journalist
fall 2013
played it in their free time. After chess has been reduced to
a mere struggle for space, culture is no more relevant.
STAKHOV: But how about the “theater” of chess pieces?
BRONSTEIN: You may watch an interesting theatrical
performance, or perhaps you leave the theater after a few
minutes. In the past, chess was sort of intriguing, pieces
somehow get engaged and performance begins. Each actor
puts forward his plan, mounts challenge, shows boldness.
But only the result is important now. The relationship between chess players have turned into a relationship between
boxers before a fight. They both stage various acts of psychological intimidation. Most importantly, everything the leading chess players have to study to get there has long been
known in the special literature.
STAKHOV: And what about an amateur?
BRONSTEIN: The amateur is under the illusion that
there are many possibilities in chess. He looks at the board
and it seems to him there are so many moves to make. But
there are no moves. The pawn goes only forward, all other
pieces are also restricted. It looks like there are billions of
possible combinations, but these are mostly meaningless
ones! Chess is a way of choosing one move from a pool of
several billion useless ones, some kind of a model for
problem-solving. You have several ways out of a situation,
but you can only choose one and each one has drawbacks.
In real life, you can stall for time, but in chess you have to
make a move, normally by taking into account how your
opponents sees the situation. When computers arrived, it
finally killed everything.
Exhaustive search for move selection rules chess out as a
game of intelligence. Well, all solutions out of a situation
have long been known and we know how to play various positions. If I say play e2-e4 and my opponent responds with e7e6, that is the French defense, I already know well in advance
how the situation will develop. Standard positions arise. It’s
like a little tug of war. I find it funny when the chief engineer
of a large plant says he does not know how to play the French
game. He has ten thousand people under him, and he
doesn’t know of such nonsense. It is ridiculous!
STAKHOV: So where did the art of chess go?
BRONSTEIN: The art apparently existed before Botvinnik introduced the system for preparation in chess in his
1936 article. The Soviet chess school was, after Botvinnik,
based on research. What did they research? The opening.
They were doing very much what Lobanovsky was doing
before his soccer matches. However, in soccer they can
change their original plan at any moment, while chess players can’t—they are hostages of choice.
STAKHOV: But Botvinnik’s training system brought a
certain professionalism and its methods of preparation to
Soviet chess. Perhaps we shouldn’t grieve about the past?
BRONSTEIN: True, yet those who are in better health win
today. The fact that a 12-year old boy can become a Grandmaster, is there a better proof for my words? He has acquired
some minimal knowledge; for example, he knows that if he
puts his knight in the center, his opponent will be left with
tied hands—the rest is just a matter of habit. Then the newlyborn champion, like Ruslan Ponomarev, speaks of Kasparov
like, “Who is that guy? Why should I play him? He’s just one
fall 2013
of many Grandmasters out there….”
STAKHOV: I suppose that’s because of his youth?
BRONSTEIN: No, it’s a trend.
STAKHOV: Okay, so the knight can’t be pushed away?
BRONSTEIN: How, by a pawn push? Well, when the knight
moves, the pawn is unable go backwards and the opponent’s
position will become worse, with newly created weak squares.
STAKHOV: But Ponomarev’s strategy was designed to win!
BRONSTEIN: Yes, but that was uninteresting to the
audience! In chess, like in the theater, there should be lively
play, not clash of strategies. Actors do not go on stage to do
the drill. The audience will chase them out. They should
perform a play. Likewise, the chess players should be playing, not going over the same lines over and over again.
In the past, there was something in chess we might call
“responsibility.”4 For example, when they sent me abroad, I
was responsible to the State. You were expected to always
win the first prize! And I knew nothing about my competition. No computer, no reference materials were available
back then. In 1954 they called me to the Central Committee, I had to go to a tournament in Belgrade and win the
first prize. It sounded like an order. “Who is coming
along?” I asked. “Petrosian.” Had I hesitated or refused, I
would have lost my job. “Okay,” I replied. When we arrived
in Belgrade, I read in the papers, “We thought Keres and
Kotov would come, but to our disappointment it was Bronstein and Petrosian, although we must remember that the
Soviet federation never sends anyone who does not take the
first place.” Well, I took the first place. At the time, diplomatic relations with Yugoslavia were broken off. The Russian
ambassador planned a reception on my behalf. Before the last
round, he called and asked me if I was going to win.
“With white pieces? Against Matanovich? I should.”
“Okay then, you will inform me how
the game finished.”
“But I will win.”
“No, no, if it is a draw, there will be no
reception.”
At the reception, our Ambassador said to
the Yugoslav Minister of Foreign Affairs, “You
haven’t come to see us for a long time!”
“We haven’t had an invitation for a
long time,” the other replied.
After the tournament, Khrushchev did
Cartoon by
go to visit Tito.
S. A.Vlasovsky
STAKHOV: So you were an unofficial
ambassador of the USSR?
BRONSTEIN: In the same way as the American pingpong team that went to China. I witnessed the start of
renovations of the Hotel Moscow in downtown Belgrade, its
doors and windows nailed with boards before. The tournament marked the change of course in relations between the
two countries. The players were not only responsible for
playing well, they were also part of the system that stood
behind them.
STAKHOV: The chess system?
BRONSTEIN: The political, in the first place. “Soviet chess
is the best!” In the twenties, it was decided that every library
should offer chess and checkers to the public, for people to
The Chess Journalist
7
“Firm friendship and cooperation between USA and
USSR for world peace” (the Ballroom of the Henry
Hudson New York Hotel during the 1945 USAUSSR radio match).
play for fun and to develop their intelligence. It is true, there
was a great chess school in Russia before, the one of
Chigorin. But there were no champions. Steinitz suggested
the idea of a world chess championship and later Dr. Lasker
famously said that chess is played by people, not pieces. Thus
chess in the Soviet Union became one of the means of educating people, an inexpensive one but serving the purpose.
They say that Soviet school of chess is the best, but I don’t
think so.
STAKHOV: But it is still true, if you look at results.
BRONSTEIN: Well it all began in 1945 when we played
the match with the US. And won it. Do you know how
come that we won? We studied the openings. And we didn’t
give them the chance to get out of the opening. We beat
them on their half of the board. They didn’t get off the
ground. The entire opening theory is about not letting
Black get off the ground. In contrast, for Black it is all about
how to take off from the ground.
STAKHOV: The State also contributed with its resources?
BRONSTEIN: The state was helping chess players by providing benefits, like extra food and scholarships which attracted young people.
I learned chess from my grandfather. In 1937 my father
was arrested and given seven years in prison. Somehow I got
into chess because of this situation. I played in tournaments
at the Kiev Palace of Pioneers. And in 1945 they got me
into Dynamo Kiev Chess Club, probably for my combinatorial abilities in chess. Chess doesn’t require any special talent, just good memory and ability to reproduce many different lines. And that’s
all. It’s also true that
chess reflects the skill to
solve various problems.
I became a Master when
Here’s how Bronstein
was “distracting”
Reshevsky.
8
I was still in school. Tournament after tournament. They
paid me. Not much, but they did pay something. And trips
abroad. Ballet dancers, diplomats, and chess players were
those who traveled abroad. Chess players more often than
other athletes. In the 50s, before you go abroad, they would
take you to the special section of the GUM5, and give you
1,500 rubles, which was enough for a suit, white shirt, gabardine raincoat, boots, hat. You would get 500 rubles for
playing at chess Olympiads, and for tournaments won, including Hastings, you would get 500 rubles too. And when
abroad you had to live up to your reputation, to say that you
stayed in a five-room apartment, while I lived in public
housing. The main thing was to win the first prize. And
how they followed us down! For example, at one of chess
Olympiads after I had exchanged a few words with the
American grandmaster Reshevsky, Postnikov, the head of
delegation, approached me: “You are rubbing shoulders
with the Americans?”
“Actually I’m distracting him so he wouldn’t give hints to
other American players.”
Postnikov: “Well then, why are you standing here? Go distract him!”
There were such characters.
Moving
pawns, the
King’s way.
The same Reshevsky wanted to play a match with Botvinnik, but the latter refused. They proposed Smyslov to play,
but he refused too. Then they called me and asked, “Can
you guarantee the win?” “How can I give any guarantees?”
“No, you must sign a paper that you will win.” Reshevsky
wanted to come to Moscow to play 12 games, and then another 12 games in the US. The prize money was $6,000.
And now some paper with a guarantee! I refused to sign.
Then I was summoned to the Central Committee of the
Party where they asked me again to sign a paper.
“I can’t do that.”
“There won’t be a match then.”
“Well, how can I give you a guarantee like that? What if I
dropped a knight in a game?”
“You can’t drop a knight,” they told me, “You are a Soviet
citizen. We’d better let Reshevsky drop a piece.”
After these words I said, “OK, just give me the paper and
I will sign it.”
The match didn’t take place because of the 1956 events in
Hungary.
STAKHOV: But the respect they always showed you in
the West—
BRONSTEIN: In the West they envied us, while I envied
them, as they lived in freedom. During tournaments abroad,
The Chess Journalist
fall 2013
I would go to a bookstore when I got a chance, reading between the shelves. I couldn’t afford to buy anything. If only
my comrades could have seen what I was reading! “The Government is supporting you,” they would all tell us in the
West. They wanted to practice chess an hour a day and then
play Botvinnik, or Keres. Well, that does not happen.
STAKHOV: So the idea that Soviet chess is the best…
BRONSTEIN: …is a myth. Well, we simply didn’t want to
see that foreign players had been winning most tournaments. We have written only about the tournaments where
we had taken the first place. And there were some great
chess players out there. Larsen, for example.
STAKHOV: But he wasn’t getting in the top three!
BRONSTEIN: What kind of nonsense is that? Why
should one be getting in the top three?
STAKHOV: You yourself were getting in the top three.
That is why it is so easy for you to say.
BRONSTEIN: I too was praised for the results and not
for the beauty of my games. It is a shame! One is playing in
tournaments and is invited all over the world, not only for
points and victories; however, a principle has been established: you should play for a win, the main thing is the
points and victories. And an aura has been created that
chess players are geniuses. But what do they really do? They
are moving pawns from one square to another.
STAKHOV: But you too have been moving pawns!
BRONSTEIN: But what I want is that they praise me for
imagination, for original creations, and not for how I play
openings or standard positions.
STAKHOV: If you want to become a pro in soccer, you
have to practice, you have to shoot at the gate. In order to
demonstrate the beauty of an attack, you need to know
openings, that is, the basics.
BRONSTEIN: The majority of chess players today know
only that and it stops there. They know how to set groups of
pieces. They don’t think in a combinatorial way any more.
Groups of pieces fight for some square on the board. And
that’s all! That is what sponsors pay for, that is what is interesting to the public that has no idea of what is going on in the
inner world of chess. Chess players have known that since long
Devik and Misha. Who moved my chess?
ago and they want to keep that perception up.
STAKHOV: In other words chess as art and culture
turned to a sort of commercial show and the most important thing in the show is fooling the public that buys into
what they don’t understand? Okay, but if you want to trick
them, one has to do it professionally. If I read one book on
openings I would still have no chance against Masters.
BRONSTEIN: You can! Let us form a team, find a sponsor
and play. I will be coaching you. For free. What is more, I will
play for your team. And I guarantee you, you can stand up to
big-name players! I guarantee you, one could hold off even
Kasparov. A Candidate Master playing white pieces will withstand against the World champion. I assure you! The main
thing is to find a sponsor who will pay for your inadequate (no
offense!) preparation. Then we will buy some players who play
for several teams already and then—hold on. Think the German Bundes Liga. There are only five or six German players,
the rest are legionaries. It’s all in the hands of sponsors. For
example, Kasparov played a computer for a million dollars. A
million for what? Absolutely no justification for that. Kramnik
got $700,000. Not for creativity, but for a grueling match in
which there is no art at all. The chess player has turned into a
racehorse that mustn’t stop running. He has coaches to whom
he provides jobs. The horse is running, but there is no riddle
in it anymore.
STAKHOV: How about we get back to the era of Sturm und
Drang?6
BRONSTEIN: It is possible. I have made a suggestion on
rapid chess, it is my contribution. It is an attempt to get
back to the province of problem-solving in chess.
STAKHOV: So, Big Chess is a… scam?
BRONSTEIN: Chess Masters are praised for highly intellectual work. In fact, it is only about calculation and memory abilities. And good health. And money. Chess doesn’t
excite anyone anymore. The system does work without
chess. They won’t let anyone into their world, but those
who are welcome from a business perspective. Kasparov has
once said he is generations apart from me, so he did not
(continued on p. 22)
Covers of the 1980 Russian edition of Bronstein’s
Modern Chess Self-Tutor.
fall 2013
The Chess Journalist
9
part 2
CHESS AND MUSIC—A STARTER’S KIT
Bob Basalla
OVING ON TO LESS FORMAL STYLES
of music, let’s start with albums
with high chess content.
On their collection, Out of Our
Hands (1973), the group Flash
(key member Ray Bennett) wrote
songs titled: “None the Wiser
(King),” “Farewell Number One
(Pawn),” “Man of Honor (Knight),” “Dead Ahead (Queen),”
and “Bishop.” In 1974 Gryphon put out Red Queen to Gryphon Three, sporting four instrumental suites: “Opening
Move,” “Second Spasm,” “Lament,” and “Checkmate.” Michael Haas and Emmerich Haimer’s band, Angizia, released
in 1999 Das Schachbrett des Trommelbuben Zacharias, eight
songs based on a “novelty” by Michael Haas about two Russian players. The album Grandmasters by GZA includes
“Smothered Mate,” “Destruction of a Guard,” and “Unprotected Pieces.” The band Dak (with key members Daniel
Boulaine and Andre Mongeon) released the album E4 in
2004. The playlist: “White,” “Black,” “Reflexion,” “P-K4
(E4),” “Time is Up,” “Castles,” “Inside Your Head,” “Sacrifice,” “Paranoid Pawn,” and, predictably, “Checkmate.”
Other albums with chess sounding titles include: Fool’s
Mate by Peter Hamil (1971), e2-e4 by Manuel Gottsching
(1984), The Noah’s Ark Trap by Nic Jones (1977), and Pawn Hearts
10
(1971) by the progressive group Van Der Graaf Generator.
(Such chess titles count, but it would perhaps be a topic too far
afield to discuss chess in album cover art.)
Two albums deserve special mention. Deeper Blues is a
1999 independent offering by a group going by King Bishop
and the Squares. The 12 track chess song line up: “Deeper
Blues,” “Fifteen Queens,” “B-Player Blues,” “John Henry,”
“I Had a Won Game,”
“Chess for Blood,”
“Chess-By-Mail,” “Chess
for Fun,” “American
Team,” “Sacking the
King,” “The Queen’s
Rook Pawn,” and “Music
of the Game.” A plurality
of these songs have a
country flavor, but the
title track is a moody piece
about Kasparov going
down to Deep Blue in
game 6 of their second match, “Chess-By-Mail” is a steel drum
island piece, and “The Queen’s Rook Pawn” has an Irish lilt.
Then we have Checkmate, original music from the two
season (September 1960–September 1962) CBS TV detective series starring Anthony George, Doug McClure, and
The Chess Journalist
fall 2013
Sebastian Cabot. Composer and conductor of these inmals/ playing chess with camels.” One must beware not to
strumentals is a first-timer named Johnny Williams, who
automatically include cover versions of “Talk to the Anisubsequently went on to soundtrack stardom as John Wilmals” in the collection, as I know of no other version that
liams, writing memorable themes for Star Wars, Raiders of the
reaches this particular iteration of the verse. Thus, for exLost Ark, and so on. Eight of the twelve tracks have a chess
ample, Anthony Newley’s album version, Roger Williams’
related title: “Theme From ‘Checkmate’” (think Peter Gunn
cover and Sammy Davis, Jr.’s rendition at the Oscars for
meets Mission Impossible), “The Isolated Pawn” (melancholy),
that year must be suspect until proven otherwise. Busby
“Hassle in the Castle” (hints at bossa nova, then picks up),
Berkeley’s Babes in Arms (1939) had a musical skit featuring
“En Passant” (sedate 60s lounge jazz), “The Black Knight”
Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland as FDR and Eleanor in
(walking bass line with later big band horns and vibes),
which Rooney delivers the following in familiar Roosevelt
“The Bishop’s Retreat” (Pink-Patherish early, then sounds
cadence: “I signed a bill declaring war on bugs in Carolina/ I
like a Mannix-type theme at times), “Queen Sacrifice” (a
refereed a game of chess between Japan and China.” This scene
slinky piano bar tune), “The King Swings” (upbeat swing,
was removed from the film at the time of the President’s
hinting of victory).* Mr. Williams appears again in our lists
death in 1945 but restored much later. It’s likely to exist in
shortly. Amazingly, “Theme from Checkmate” was covered
copies circulating today. A song entitled “(Crossroads) of
by pianist Valjean on his 1962 album.
Your Life” from the grisly Massacre at Central High (1976)
The Checkmate “soundtrack” above leads us to chess mustrangely mentions “another chess move to make….” Hooper, a
sic in movies, a topic I have more completely explored than
1978 Burt Reynolds vehicle, has a song on its soundtrack
most of the others (for reasons that should be obvious). The
entitled “A Player, a Pawn, a Hero, a King,” sung by Tammy
earliest I know of is the music Henri Rabaud composed for
Wynette! The obscure 1999 TV movie King’s Pawn had a
local orchestras to play along with showings of the 1927
“King’s Pawn Theme” sung by known performers June
silent production of Le Jouer D’Echecs. Searching for Bobby
Pointer and Bobby Womack. The animated semi-musical
Fischer (1993) had its own full soundtrack, of course. Many
Tangled (2011) contains a song sung by Rapunzel (voice of
others just include an individual song, often specifically for
Mandy Moore), “When Will My Life Begin?” In it the charthe chess scene. An exception is the film Sleuth (1972) in
acter sings about her lifelong confinement in a tower and
which John Addison’s Best Original Score Oscar nomihow she spends her days. One item listed: “chess,” although
nated soundtrack includes a cut called “End Game.” Comthe only opponent possible is her pet chameleon! Most of
poser Michel Legrand created the evocathe remaining chess lyric movie songs
tive, sultry jazz of “The Chess Game,”
are well-known pop tunes co-opted for
played behind the highly flirtatious
the screen, such as the almost ubiquichess scene in 1968’s The Thomas Crown
tous “White Rabbit.” They will be dealt
Affair. Background music under segment
with in the pop chess lyrics section.
three of the Japanese thriller anthology
Rarities: a made for TV version of Alice
Tales of the Unusual (2000) is named, like
of Wonderland (1985) has a couple of
the segment, “Chess,” composed by Tosongs with chess lyrics written by Steve
shihiko Sahashi. Best known is probably
Allen, and one, a changed lyric version
“The Chess Game,” dramatic instruof “Rock-a-bye Baby” (“go to the ball/ with
The
Thomas
Crown
Affair
(1968)
mental orchestration for the iconic battle
the Red Queen and White Queen and Alice
on the large chess set in Harry Potter and
and all”) appeared first in the all-star 1933
the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001) written by chess song veteran John
Alice in Wonderland. Then in the avant-garde artist film 8 x 8:
Williams. “White Queen” is a short nothing on Danny
A Chess Sonata (1956/7), the execrable minstrel song in the
Elfman’s 2010 Alice soundtrack. As for lyrics, most signifi“Black Schemes” section manages to mention chess; so anycant is Leslie Bricusse’s Oscar-winning song, “Talk to the
one looking for a complete list would have to add this misAnimals” from Doctor Dolittle (1967), which Rex Harrison
erable morsel to their menagerie.
sings piecemeal throughout the movie, ultimately arriving at
Let’s next examine chess names in music before discussa late verse with the couplet, “I’ll be the marvel of the maming individual chess inclusive songs. Even though the labels
on their 45s often had chessmen as part of the logo, Chess
*Jazz drummer Shelly Manne adopted seven of these pieces for
Records were not named in honor of the Royal Game. The
his 1961 album, Checkmate. (Editor’s note.)
fall 2013
The Chess Journalist
11
founder and owner was a man actually
named Leonard Chess. His story is told
in the musical biopic Cadillac Records
(2008). The Checkmates, Ltd, sometimes listed as Sonny Charles and
Checkmates, Ltd., was a 1969 interracial quintet from Fort Wayne, Indiana,
who had one Billboard top 40 hit
(“Black Pearl”). The rock group
Queen’s name does not directly refer to
chess, but it is interesting to note how
some of their song titles seemingly
evoke the game: “White Man” (1977),
“White Queen (As it Began)” (1974),
and “Play the Game” (1982). But most
curious of all is the story of the man
who riffed his stage name off of
Chubby Checker, who of course had
previously riffed his stage name as a
take on Fats Domino. I am referring to (I swear I
am not making
this up) Tubby
Chess! Mr.
“Chess” and his
Candy Stripe
Twisters put out
an early 1960s album, The Twist as a
mimicry group trying to draft on
Chubby Checker’s success. One can
imagine confused, unhip parents buying the wrong album for their kiddie’s
Christmas present, just as they may
have later bought The Bugs rip off album instead of The Beatles. The
cheapness of this production is evident
in the title track wherein Tubby Chess
turns away from the microphone and
audibly clears his throat during the key
song on the album. No time for retakes!
Now on to songs with chess titles that
may or may not be fuller chess songs.
“Checkmate” is the title for probably
two different songs, one by SRC (1969),
the other by Barrabas (1975), both likely
not the one covered by Valjean previously mentioned. “Chess and Checkers” is a song from the Original Cast
album of New Girl in Town (1957). Ladislov Simon composed “Sachova
Dama” (Chess Queen), a likely instru-
12
1944. The song is about the fact that all
men of the proper age for a girl are
overseas in the war. One line relates
getting a call from Grandpa “for a
snappy game of chess.” Arthur Schwartz’
music and Frank Loesser’s lyrics were
also sung by Bette Davis in the wartime
cavalcade Thank Your Lucky Stars (1943),
garnering a Best Song Oscar nomination. The tune also partially appeared
8 x 8: A Chess Sonata (1956/7)
(ending on the chess line) in Woody
Allen’s Radio Days (1987).
mental blues piece for jazz orchestra,
One of the most memorable chess
released in 1971. “Chessboard” by Kill- lyric pop songs is “White Rabbit,”
ing Joke came out in 1987. I have a
whose iconic version was recorded by
1995 live version of this song where the Jefferson Airplane, reaching #8 in 1967.
title is pluralized (can’t understand the The implicit drug use in Alice in Wonlyrics, though). Wayne Shorter comderland lyrics (including for our purposed “The Chessplayers” for the alposes Through the Looking Glass imagery
bum The Big Beat by Art Blakey and the as well) contain the lines, “When the men
Jazz Messengers. “End Game” by Robin on the chess board/get up and tell you where
Trower (1981) is another probable into go,” and later, “And the White Knight is
strumental, whereas “End Game” by
talking backwards/and the Red Queen’s off
Megadeth (song and album 2009) is
with her head.” Actually “White Rabbit”
not. “Endgame” by R.E.M. off of their was recorded as far back as 1965 by
1991 #1 album Out of Time is just a tiGrace Slick and her then group Great
tle, nothing more, as is “Endgame” by
Society, although the album it was on
Cleveland rocker Michael Stanley and
did not reach the charts until 1968.
the album and song “Endgame” by Rise Cover versions include the hard rock
Against (2011). Robert Jan Vermeulen
band Lizzy Borden (1987) and much
wrote “Gary [sic] Kasparov—Black and
later, Patti Smith (2007), numerous
White,” an eight minute piece on the
times appearing on movie soundtracks:
album Portraits (1997) by the AmsterComing Home (1978), Fear and Loathing
dam Jazz Quintet. And “Stalemate” is a in Las Vegas, (1998) The Game (1997),
track from the 1988 Mac Band album,
Platoon (1986), Wild Thing (1987), and
featuring the McCampbell Brothers.
Women in Rock (1986), with a wild, fresh
Pop songs with chess in their lyrics
version done by Emiliana Torrini for
will comprise the largest portion of
Sucker Punch (2011).
smaller entries in anyone’s collection.
Frank Sinatra’s “That’s Life” (1966)
Being a little toward the OCD side of
ascended to #4 (the eponymous album
things will help you gather tons of
to #6) containing the famous section,
these. We’ll begin with those songs that “I’ve been a puppet, a pauper, a pirate, a
charted as singles. (All numbers are
poet/ a pawn and a king.” Covers
peak positions on Billboard.) Full write abound, including John Davidson, Areups, of course, would mention the altha Franklin, The Temptations, Billy
bum, if any, it is from as well as taking a Vaughn (instrumental?), and Nancy
stab at the lyric’s meaning.
Wilson (all 1967), James Brown (!), Earl
Don’t think pre-rock era songs are
Grant, Bill Medley, Wayne Newton and
exempt from chess lines. Consider
Joe Tex (all 1968), O. C. Smith (1969),
“They’re Either Too Young or Too
Nektar and Billy Preston (both 1975),
Old,” a #2 hit for Jimmy Dorsey and his ADC Band (1978), Roger Whittaker
Orchestra (vocal by Kitty Kallen) in
(1981), David Lee Roth (#85 in 1986),
The Chess Journalist
fall 2013
Helix (1990) and M. C. Breed & DFC
(1991). There must be more.
“Anyone for Tennis?” a surprisingly
mellow song by Cream (1968, #64)
from The Savage Seven soundtrack contains the poetic lyric, “And fate is setting
up the chessboard while death rolls out the
dice.”
Another iconic one that many remember is “Your Move” by Yes (1971,
#40). Chess fan Jon Anderson salts the
lyric with a number of Caissic lines,
though only in a poetic sense. “Make
the White Queen run so fast…” “…and his
news is captured/ for the queen to use//
Move me on to any black square, use me any
time you want/ just remember that the
goal’s for us all to capture all we want…”
and “…move on back two squares.…”
The Guess Who’s “Guns Guns
Guns” (1972, #70) has “You be the red
king/ I’ll be the yellow pawn.”
Jethro Tull’s “Bungle in the Jungle”
(1974, #12) has this apparent description of God: “He’s a lover of life but a
player of pawns/ Yes, the king on his sunset
lies wait until dawn/ to light up his jungle
as the play is resumed….” On the same
War Child album, “Only Solitaire” continues the metaphor: “So it all must be a
game of chess he’s playing.”
Elton John got in the game with two
charted chess lyrics. First was “Levon”
(1972, #24): “He was born a pauper to a
pawn….” More substantively, “Someone
Saved My Life Tonight” (1975, #4): “Just
a pawn outplayed by a dominating queen.”
One presumes R & B man Walter Jackson’s 1976 cover includes this line.
“Fly by Night” by Rush (1975, #88)
exults “It’s time I was king now, not just
one more pawn.”
Aerosmith’s 1977 “Draw the Line”
(#42) starts off with a bang: “Checkmate,
honey, I beat you at your own damn game.”
Jumping to 1993 we find R.E.M. and
“Man on the Moon,” (1993): “Let’s play
checkers, let’s play chess.” This group apparently likes the Royal Game. “I sit at
my table and make war on myself.… I recognize the weapons, I used them well.… I’ve
rich understanding of my finest defenses/ I
fall 2013
From the music video of “Weird Al”
Yankovic’s “White and Nerdy”
proclaim that claims are left unstated/ I
demand a rematch/ I decree a stalemate,”
from album track, “World Leader Pretend” (1988), which chess players kind
of are. “It’s not that she wasn’t rewarded
with pomegranate afternoons and Mingus,
Chet Atkins and chess,” from “She Just
Wants to Be” (2001).
“Fortune Faded,” by the Red Hot
Chili Peppers 2003 single begins, “They
say in chess you’ve got to kill the queen and
then you’ve made it.”
Then there is “Weird Al” Yankovic
and his parody song, “White and
Nerdy” (2006, #9), a takeoff on “Ridin”
by Chamillionaire. The inevitable reference is there: “I was in the A/V Club and
Glee Club and even the chess team.” (Here
is a good spot to mention chess song
parodies. The earliest I know of was a
skit on Saturday Night Live back in its
late 1970s heyday where “Pizza Face”
Todd (Bill Murray) sang his altered version of “Grease” to Lisa Loopner (Gilda
Radner): “Chess is the word, is the word, is
the word/it’s got moves, it’s got meaning.”
A chessified “Star Spangled Banner” by
Stu Goodgold was published in the December 2012 Chess Life. I’ve heard rumor of a Christmas parody “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot like Checkmate.”
And there is also this guy I’ll have to
track down who has reportedly done
chess lyric parodies for all of the original Beatles songs. And so on.)
A controversial nominee for this singles list would be The Doors’ “Break on
Through” (1967, #2), which might as
well be a chess song considering the
The Chess Journalist
totality of the lyrics. Listen to it in that
mind set and see if you agree.
Album tracks or other non-single material also contain interesting chess lyrics. Take Bob Dylan for instance. “Only
a Pawn in Their Game” (1964) is an
obvious pick up, and “Love Minus
Zero/No Limit” (1965) provides another: “Even the pawn must hold a
grudge.” Similar in vein is “Flowers
Never Bend with the Rainfall” by Simon and Garfunkel (1966): “It’s no matter if you’re born to play the king or the
pawn.”
Prog rock titans Deep Purple put
these words in “Listen, Listen, Read
On” (1969): “The hare he bounds across
the page/ past castles white and fair/ past
dreaming chessmen on their boards/ with a
fool’s mate as a snare.” In Black Sabbath’s
“War Pigs” (1971) generals are skewered
for “treating people just like pawns in
chess.”
From Steely Dan’s “Dirty Work”
(1972): “Like the castle in its corner in a
medieval game/ I foresee terrible trouble.…”
“Naked Eye” by the Who (1974)
“We’re not pawns in any game” and
“Children’s Crusade” by Sting (1985)
“Pawns in the game are not victims of
chance,” and “Prince of Darkness” by
Indigo Girls (1989) “I will not be a pawn
for the Prince of Darkness any longer.” are
similar and minor.
“Big Beng” by Squeeze (1985) says: “I
couldn’t win with my thoughts forever playing chess.” And “Chess Piece Face” is a
short, weird song by They Might Be
Giants (1986). I like the group, but unfortunately this one is not too good.
“Whatever happened to Chess Piece Face?”
Indeed.
“Pawns in the Game” is both a song
and the 1990 album by Professor Griff
& the Last Asiatic Disciples. The “Professor” is rapper Richard Griffin, formerly of Public Enemy. Annihilator’s
“Knight Jumps Queen” (1993) is about
a chess game, with piece names and
terms throughout. On his album Marching Mystery (1994) Dougie MacLean
composed a song whose subjects are the
13
Isle of Lewis Chessmen. Grunge rockers
Soundgarden on “Never the Machine
Forever” (1996) end verses with “Stalemate machine on tie,” and “Checkmate
watch machine die.” A 15-minute track by
Mats Johansson and his group Isildurs
Bane, “Holistic Medicine” (1997), recites the moves of a chess game throughout. Much shorter is “Padrino” by
Smashmouth off of their breakout album
Fush Yu Mang (1997). It begins its breakneck lyrics: “Life imitates a game of chess/
you can be the rook or the pawn/ but if you
have a strategy that’s best/ you can be a king
or in this case a don.”
Rock band Weezer has a song entitled
“Chess” (2004). “Chess is such a difficult
game/ so many pieces/ so many squares where
you can go” and later “anticipating your next
move.…” The song reportedly uses the
game as a metaphor for relationships.
Songs of particular interest out on the
net: “A Rook House for Bobby” by I
Like Trains (2006), exploiting Fischer’s
famous remark that he’d like to live in a
house shaped just like a rook. “Bad
Losers on Yahoo Chess” by Half Man
Half Biscuit concerns Internet chess
playing.
The modern pop era is not bereft.
John Mayer, “My Stupid Mouth”
(2008): “I played a quick game of chess
with the salt and pepper shakers.” And
Taylor Swift’s “Dear John” (2010), allegedly about her failed relationship with
John Mayer, says, “and I lived in your
chess game but you changed the rules every
day.”
Lastly, here’s a sampling of rap/hip
hop entries. Most seem to deal with
chess as a man/woman thing or chess as
the social hierarchy—who are kings, who
are pawns, etc. “Life is a Game of
Chess” by
Red-Foo &
Dre’ Koon,
featuring
Promise;
“Pass the
Dutch” by
Young
Money
14
(“Life’s a game of chess and I’m headed for
your queen”; “The Game of Chess” by
Cemetery of Scream; “King Piece in the
Chess Game” by Slick Rick; “The
Game” by 50 Cent; “It’s Good” by Lil
Wayne; “Project Princess” by Tony Yayo
“Every man need a woman when his life is a
mess/ ‘cause a queen protect the king like a
game of chess.” “Chess” by Papoose begins with a clip from Samuel L. Jackson’s chess as life instruction in the film
Fresh, then goes on to intimate that the
powers that be play chess and, to get
yours, you have to play chess too.
As can be seen, this list is heavy on
certain eras and certain genres. My
conclusion: There’s a lot more out there!
We’ll wrap up our survey with some
unclassifiable rarities. Best known of
these is “The Ballad of Bobby Fischer”
(1972), an independently produced
piece of vinyl by Joe Glazer (“and the
Fianchettoed Bishops”) out of Maryland. Obviously intended to catch the
era’s Fischer chess wave, this long (6 ½
minutes, 19 verses) country song came
out before the Spassky match, but after
Petrosian’s licking. It is a pretty literal
recitation of Bobby’s career up to that
point, name dropping famous players
all over the place. Child prodigy, US
champ at 14, 1962 Curacao Soviet
treachery, playing conditions stickler,
Interzonal triumph, Candidate Match
victories, it’s all there. Cleverest line
concerned Larsen, the “melancholy
Dane”: “Despite his attempts to innovate,
Larsen was bent right out of shape.” Of
course he predicts Fischer’s win against
Spassky and the Ex-Champion’s exile to
Siberia. A different “Ballad of Bobby
Fischer” by Micah Ellison appeared on
You Tube in 2011. Also a country song,
it is more of a tribute to the now deceased Bobby.
Candidate for the most bizarre item is
“Harry Nelson Pillsbury.” a 1985 song
by the English punk rock band Eton
Crop. From Hastings 1895 “all his
games were a treat to look at.” The chorus: “Harry Nelson Pillsbury/ Harry baby,
hey hey/ He’s my hero, he’s my man/ made
The Chess Journalist
those moves that no one can.” A second
song on their album It’s My Dog, Maestro, “Rocking the Chessboard,” featuring it says, “Frisky Bob and his skittles
pawns,” disappoints as only the title is
chess related.
From 1990 to 1998 The Chess Show
appeared regularly on public access TV
in Portland, Oregon. This less than serious program sometimes made their
own chess songs and accompanying videos. The only one I can recall clearly is
“Polishing the Bishop,” a chess punning
term for, well, you get the idea. (Chess
as it appears in rock videos is probably
another “bridge too far” topic.)
Finally, there is the Christmas record
“Silent Knight” by Son of Pete (1976).
The picture sleeve of this 45 shows a
black chess knight in a drift with an
icicle forming on its muzzle. And although there is an arranger, producer
and remixer listed on the label, when
needle is applied to groove “Silent
Knight” is just that, entirely silent—blank!
A truly complete overview of Chess
and Music should also discuss the connections and similarities between the
two fields, such as the fact that, along
with mathematics, they are the main
areas that spawn child prodigies. I don’t
feel qualified to do so.
So how about it? Anyone out there
willing to take this admittedly incomplete Starter’s Kit and run with it? (But
be forewarned. The above was compiled
with only minimal web searching.) How
long will this article be allowed to
stand, embarrassingly, as the most comprehensive Chess and Music compilation? l
Bob Basalla is the author of
Chess in the Movies (Thinkers’
Press, 2005).
fall 2013
INTRODUCING NEW CJa OFFICERS
HE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF CHESS JOURNALISTS OF AMERICA has announced the election of Frank Niro and Jeffrey Roland as
president and vice president, respectively, of CJA. Mr. Niro replaces Al Lawrence who recently stepped down in order to undergo surgery. Mr. Roland, currently President of Idaho Chess Association and editor of Northwest Chess, fills an existing vacancy. The leadership
of CJA has been disrupted in recent years as a result of the passing of veteran journalists Jerry Hanken, John Hillery and Ira Lee Riddle. Niro and Roland have agreed to serve two year terms until the following CJA regular election.
Frank Niro is former President of the US Chess Trust and was
As mentioned above, Jeffrey Roland of Boise, Idaho, was
the executive director of the United States Chess Federation from
elected CJA vice president to a two-year term at the 2013 U.S.
2001 to 2003. He was the editor of the Chess Horizons, the awardOpen in Madison, Wisconsin, filling a vacant position on the
winning Massachusetts state magazine, from 1984 to 1986, and he
CJA Board.
served as interim editor of Northwest Chess from August to NoJeff played his first chess tournament at the age of 17 in 1980.
vember 2012. Over the years, Frank has been recognized by the
Shortly thereafter, his career as a chess journalist began when he
CJA with individual awards for best feature article, best layout,
prepared a bulletin for the 1981 Boise State University Invitaand best photograph. In 1986, he received Honorable Mention in
tional. He bought a new typewriter for the purpose of typing each
the CJA category of Chess Journalist of the Year.
of the games from the October 1981 Boise Open, when he meAdditionally, Frank served brief editorial stints with Cap’n
ticulously typed every game of every player in English Descriptive
Harry’s Long Diagonal, where he was co-editor with Harry Simon,
notation in order to save them for posterity. Later, with the help
Princeton Children’s Chess News and APCT News Bulletin. He has
of his mother’s 35mm camera, he began a lifelong fascination
contributed one or more articles, games, letters or photos to Chess
with chess photography.
Life magazine in each of the past five decades. Most recently his
Jeff has since gone on to initiate the ambitious Idaho Chess
piece on the 36th Cardinal Open and the passing of Mike Anders
History project (www.idahochessassociation.org/ich.asp) and he
appeared in the March 2013 issue of Chess Life and the May 2013
currently edits Northwest Chess. l
Ohio Chess Bulletin. His eight-page tribute to the life and games of
Robert Byrne appeared in the August 2013 Chess Life.
(continued on p. 17)
Frank Niro
by
Jeff Roland
fall 2013
The Chess Journalist
Jeff Roland
by
Frank Niro
15
OBITUARIES
JERRY BIBULD (1928–2013)
Daaim Shabazz
Jerry Bibuld , FIDE International Arbiter, a
mainstay in the U.S. chess scene and a Life
Member of the U.S. Chess Federation, and longtime chess advocate for the expansion of chess in
the African Diaspora, died on October 22nd.
The chess world is at a great loss.
If you met Jerry, you would have to go through
one of his political orientations where you were
exposed to his own unique language. One of the
principles he fought for was the right for liberty
and equality. He would recount his history and
the times he was accosted and jailed for his activism. Jerry took on some unpopular views, but
you always knew exactly where he stood.
As far as chess is concerned, Jerry took more
joy in organizing, directing and documenting
than playing. He had a 1600 rating (1800 peak)
and said with conviction, “The average strength
of all chess players is 1500. That means I’m relatively a strong player.” Besides his volunteer work
in chess, he reveled in documenting chess in all
its glory.
One of the most beautiful contributions of Jerry was his stunning photography. He had compiled a huge collection of photographs of different events over the years, but was especially proud
of his photographs of players of African descent. He donated
countless prints to the Schomburg Center for Research in Black
Culture (Harlem, New York).
Jerry was well-respected in the African Diaspora, particularly
the federations he adopted: Uganda, Kenya, and Mozambique.
He had been an International Arbiter since 1980 and directed
tournaments in these countries to provide them with needed direction in places were there was nary an International Arbiter. He
was also instrumental in organizing the historic Wilbert Paige
Memorial tournament in Harlem. This tournament featured ten
of the top players of African descent.
Of course, Jerry had a number of detractors, but it did not
seem to faze him. In fact, it gave him more resolve. On a number
of listserves, Jerry could be seen debating on USCF and FIDE
politics. There was even a discussion on the merits of Jerry’s list of
“Afro-American” players. This valuable list provided the year the
player earned the National Master title, their current ratings and
their peak rating. He used this list as a showcase of talent and a
validation that players of African descent could excel. Chess became the ultimate stereotype buster for him.
Back in 2007, Bibuld wrote a sort of an autobiographical piece
that he made public. It revealed some interesting tidbits about his
philosophy, lifestyle and interests:
I consider myself an immigrant into Afro-America, essentially because all of my family, except my two brothers, is Afro-American. It
is my belief that Afro-America is a colony of the United States.
When it becomes a sovereign state — if I live that long — I shall apply for citizenship in Afro-America. I have hopes that citizenship will
be granted me, because of the status of my immediate family and in
recognition of services rendered the nation.
I have been active intellectually all my life, especially in chess and
in struggles for human rights, which, in the United States, essentially
16
was subsumed into the “civil rights movement”,
especially in the 1950s, 1960s and early 1970s.
In my later years, I became an active photographer. At one time, I was the best known “chess
photographer” in the United States.
Last January, I enrolled as an undergraduate
student at Western Connecticut State University.
…[M]y Love Woman suggested that, as long as I
was going back to school, I go after the baccalaureate. So I wrote to NYU, which had kicked me
out in 1952, … because I was considered a loose
cannon. Many persons who know me consider
that I still am a loose cannon, although I am
older and less volatile today. Socio-politically, I am
more radical, I believe, than I was in 1952.
He also took the apartheid fight to FIDE
and rallied support of constituents in the
General Sessions. Thus, Jerry was successful
in helping to get the South African Chess
Federation (SACF) banned and to later abolish apartheid policies. In 1992, South Africa was reinstated. Jerry
was CAPSA’s first life member. His reputation followed and he
became endeared by the African continent. It was then that he
began to take on another mission of helping African federations
to join the world’s chess landscape. He adopted three federations
(Uganda, Kenya and Mozambique), but directed tournaments in
several countries to help them gain momentum as new federations.
He was bestowed Life Memberships in both the Ugandan Chess
Federation and Jamaican Chess Federation.
This was Jerry’s legacy. He did not want to be soothed or appeased, nor did he appreciate condescension. He did not treat
anyone with pity, but tried to instill dignity. He was a straightlaced person fighting for principle and, in doing so, gained many
friends… and some enemies. Such is life. Memories of Jerry will
show both his hard side and his soft side—which he showed to
those closest to him. He had a beautiful spirit. l
The Chess Journalist
[Condensed from a longer piece at thechessdrum.net.]
The Bibuld Family picketing for
desegregation
during a 1962
protest. Jerry
and wife Elain
were disgusted
by the condition
of the schools
their children
were in.
Photo by Bob Adelman (Brooklyn
Congress of Racial
Equality – CORE),
Brooklyn Historical
Society.
winter 2012
EDWIN ALBAUGH, JR (1935–2013)
Kirsten Wolter
Edwin D. Albaugh, Jr., 78, of Frederick, MD, died June 20, at his
home in Fairfield, PA. In 1986 the CJA awarded him Chess Journalist of the Year for his work in Chess Life. He will be remembered by longtime partner Becky McCutcheon Griffin and her
family. Mr. Albaugh worked in print journalism as editor and/or
writer for 30-plus years at Baltimore Sun, Washington Star, and U.S.
News & World Report). His weekly chess columns appeared in The
Sunday Star, The Sunday Sun and The Washington Times. He also
contributed to Chess Life and New in Chess. l
Edwin D. Albaugh, Jr
INTRODUCING NEW CJA OFFICERS:
FRANK NIRO
(continued from p. 15)
Frank passed the CPA exam in 1974 but spent the bulk of his
professional career as a hospital administrator in the Boston area.
He was selected as one of the “Top 25 turnaround hospital administrators in the U.S.” by Healthweek magazine in March 1989.
After suffering a minor stroke in 1998, he enrolled at University
of Texas at Dallas (UTD) to pursue a Ph.D. in Chess in Education. He withdrew in December 2001 in order to serve as interim
Executive Director of the USCF. While at UTD he was assistant
coach of the national collegiate championship chess team.
Following a heart attack in February 2003 and a pulmonary
embolism a few months later, Frank was unable to maintain the
difficult travel schedule and, as a result, resigned his tenure at the
helm of the USCF prior to the 2003 US Open in Los Angeles.
Frank relocated to Seattle in 2006 where he lived on the farm of
radio personality Delilah Rene (www.delilah.com) while working on
his memoir. He is on the faculty of Cornell University in Ithaca,
NY, where he serves as Executive-in-Residence in the graduate program in Health Administration and teaches a course entitled “Strategic and Business Planning for Healthcare Professionals.”
Frank has collaborated on five chess books and is still trying to
finish his memoir, All Over the Board, scheduled for release in
2014. Since 2006, he has maintained a popular blog entitled This
Week’s Chess Safari (http://www.twchesssafari.blogspot.com). He is
a founding board member of the Susan Polgar Foundation, a nonprofit organization that has awarded over $3,000,000 in college
scholarships through its partners during the past ten years.
As president of CJA, Frank would like to see the web site exfall 2013
panded to provide resources and instruction to aspiring journalists on a variety of topics including style guides, copyright laws,
photo credits, grammar and punctuation tips, diagrams, applets,
writing feedback, outstanding examples of chess journalism, a
certification track, and use of publication software such as InDesign. l
Chess Life Dec.
2002 cover
story on then
newly-appointed
Executive
Director
Frank Niro
The Chess Journalist
17
ANaLYZE THIS
USE GOOGLE BLOGGER AS THE PLATFORM FOR MY ‘BROKEN PAWN’ BLOG
even though there are many other popular blogging platforms (WordPress, Tumblr,
and Live Journal come to mind). Almost all
my blogging friends use Blogger also. A big
reason Blogger is so popular in my circles is
that it is so easy to use, but another reason is
that it is a Google product, which integrates
seamlessly with other Google tools like AdSense
and Google Analytics. In this column I’ll be
delving into some of the many uses of Google Analytics.
Google Analytics is a free tool that allows web sites to track
visitor statistics. The tool can be used on any website, not just
Blogger. After signing up for your free Analytics account, you
set up each website you want to track and receive some javascript code that can be copied onto your website. I was able to
place the code into my Blogger template following the supplied instructions. After I added Google Analytics to my chess
web site (www.centraliowachess.com), I repeated the procedure
and copied the site-specific javascript code to the site’s master page and statistics were automatically collected for that
site also.
Once Analytics is installed on your website, Google will track
information about your visitors, accessible through the Google
Analytics website, https://www.google.com/analytics/web.
The standard interface defaults to a graph of visitors for the
last month. This gives a broad view of the number of visitors to your blog. The date range can be expanded by clicking on it and either entering the desired dates into the drop
18
Figure 1
down calendar control. In Figure 1, the date range is expanded to a three-month window. The spikes in visits correspond to the Sunday and Wednesday publishing of my blog
posts, with the large spike on the right happening right after
my post about the Iowa State Fair speed chess tournament.
Knowing how many visitors your blog gets is useful, but
knowing where they come from will help you make informed decisions on how and where to best publicize your
blog. Analytics allows you to quickly tell how readers are
finding your blog by selecting the ‘All traffic’ option from
the ‘Sources’ tab. Figure 2 shows an Analytics report of the
visitors to The Broken Pawn. There is plenty of important
information provided aside from the number of visits. The
‘% New Visits’ column shows how many users are visiting
your site for the first time. The low percentage of new visits
The Chess Journalist
Figure 2
fall 2013
from ‘Facebook’ and ‘Blogger’ show how my most loyal
readers get to my blog. A look at the Pages/Visit column
show that people who get to my blog via my LinkedIn profile are the most likely to look at more than one page (presumably to see if I’ve been writing anything that would
make me an unsuitable employment candidate). The
Bounce Rate is the percentage of users who leave the blog
after viewing a single page. The table shows I have a whopping 75 percent of my readers leave my site after a single
page view. Clearly some time spent on viewer retention
would be time well spent!
CJA member Tim Brennan (author of the Tactics Time blog
at www.tacticstime.com and the new Kindle e- book Tactics
Time! available on amazon.com) said he decided to write a
review of Fritz after seeing that a number of users came to his
blog to look for one. The way to tell what people are looking
for when they come to your blog is easily accomplished in
Analytics by selecting Traffic Search Overview, Keywords, and
View Full Report. Figure3 shows the results of a few months’
worth of searches on The Broken Pawn. I wrote a book review
of a Joe Namath biography by Mark Kriegel in March of 2011
in tandem with a review of the Bobby Fischer biography Endgame by Frank Brady. While I got minimal search activity
from the review of Endgame, I’ve gotten so much traffic from
the Joe Namath review that I’m convinced there is an unsatisfied demand for a Joe Namath blog (if only Broadway Joe
were a chess player…).
Figure 3
The ‘Landing Page’ metric of Google Analytics not only
informs what pages most attract users to a website, it can
also measure the effectiveness of a direct email campaign
with a minimum of computer know-how. After each of my
monthly chess tournaments, I write a short article including
links to crosstables and pictures to my centraliowachess.com
fall 2013
website. I then send an email to the participants to thank
them for playing. In the email, I include a direct link to the
website article using query string variables so the users
won’t have to drill-down to find the article. The query
string is the part of the website address starting with a question mark that helps the web server place specific content
on a general use web page. Figure 4 shows the landing page
information for the week after my February 2012 tournament. I sent 52 emails to the participants and 35 clicked on
the provided link. If I wanted to measure the effectiveness
of different email advertisements or promotions, adding a
different query string to the end of each link would then
allow me to use Google Analytics to measure the number of
responses.
Figure 4
I’ve only scratched the surface of Google Analytics in this
article, but I hope to have given you a taste for some of the
uses that the mountain of information you will receive can
be put to and motivated you to make your own analytical
discoveries.
Comments and feedback is welcome and valued. Please
email me at [email protected] with either or both. l
Hank’s Tip of the Quarter
Since I’ve been blogging, I’ve managed to come
into contact with a number of other people who
write for fun and livelihood. One malady common
to almost all the writers I’ve met is writer’s block;
the loss of the ability or motivation to write.
There are a number of remedies to help remove
the block, but the one I’ve found the most useful
to get me back writing is to make an outline of the
piece I’m working on. Once I have a ‘floor plan’ for
my project, I don’t have to start at the beginning.
Starting at the end or the middle of my story almost always gets me thinking about my subject in
fresh new ways and clears my ‘block’. l
The Chess Journalist
19
WHaT I’VE LEARNED FROM
EDITING A STATE CHESS MAGAZINE
GOT INTO THIS WHEN MY YOUNG SON, PAUL,
BEGAN A PRECOCIOUS ADVENTURE IN TOURNA-
ment chess. In my attempt to deal with this new
phenomenon: my son in a rather crazy world, I
submitted a controversial editorial about Bobby
Fischer to the state publication, Georgia Chess. e
intrepid Dan Lucas decided to publish it, expecting a back lash.
Before it was over, even the illustrious Pete Tamburro was asked to
weigh in. is is all in a day’s writing for a chess journalist, of
course, but it was my introduction. at was in 2002. I kept contributing and eventually took on some editing duties. Within six
years I would be at the helm of the magazine, and I’ve been at it
ever since. As my tenure draws to a close and I pause to reflect on
what it has all been about, I began to set down some of the observations and guiding principles I’ve discovered in the course of publishing over 30 consecutive bimonthly issues. ere is always more
to be said, but let this suffice for now.
General imperatives
1. Always publish a magazine.
2. If you can’t publish a magazine, publish a newsletter.
3. If you can’t publish a newsletter, publish something worthwhile: a tournament report, crosstables, games.
4. Always date what you publish.
5. Always publish on time.
6. If you can’t publish on time, publish late. But publish.
7. Always be complete, comprehensive, and accurate.
8. If you can’t be complete or comprehensive, at least be accurate.
9. Always acknowledge and correct your mistakes.
10. Always be essential in your thinking, in your content, and in
your presentation.
11. If you have not got what is essential, wait for it.
12. It is better to be complete than on time, unless you are the
editor of a national publication or operating as a de facto
newspaper (but state editors are neither).
20
General observations on procuring content
1. The editor is responsible for content, to procure it or produce it.
2. It is not the member’s responsibility to take the initiative to contribute. At least, it’s no good for an editor to assume that they should.
3. Calls for contributions go ignored.
4. People promise things and never deliver.
5. When they do contribute, the content is wrong or incomplete.
6. It is the editor’s job to build a corral of reliable contributors
and, with a good one, the editor’s job becomes so much easier.
7. If this is not possible, then a newsletter is the better option.
8. One person and a desktop publishing program can do a newsletter. A magazine requires a team.
9. Part of being a successful editor is leaving the publication in the
hands of a competent successor. is can be very frustrating.
General hierarchy of what is essential
1. Tournament records: date, place, time controls.
2. Tournament records: crosstables, games, report, photos.
3. Association activity: list of officers, official decisions, board reports.
4. Club activity: matches, games, profiles.
5. Individuals in the association: accomplishments, activities,
profiles, obituaries.
6. Original instructional content with a local flavor.
7. Other chess activity in the state or region.
8. Local reactions to national or international events: opinion
pieces, reports visiting out of state, editorials on USCF events
and elections.
General observations on relationships
1. Individuals: remember the rule of charity while striving for
accuracy.
2. Groups: guard against unfair discrimination.
3. Promoting chess activity: be honest in your reporting, but remember the purpose of your publication.
4. Archiving and preservation: publish with an eye to becoming
history for the future.
5. Principles; fine for consistency, but people always come first. l
The Chess Journalist
fall 2013
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players are not interesting to anyone anymore, now it is about “who will beat
whom.” Even the idea of the World
Championship humiliates chess. The
want to play me. What generations? I’m
still alive and I understand a lot about the points decide everything. Yet, creative tengame. If they had invited me I would have sion cannot be simulated. The only way
gone and played. But I don’t have a rating! out is return to rapid chess.
STAKHOV: But your idea is not comTherefore, I don’t exist anymore as a chess
patible with how much money is now
player. It is now all about rating which is
spinning in chess. No one will give money
calculated using the probability of winfor rapid chess. If you had played a rapid
ning. They stopped inviting me to tourchess match with Botvinnik, well, then….
naments when my rating was still good.
BRONSTEIN: In a way there was no
(True, I had FIDE give players of my rank
the right to play any tournament however reason to win the match against Botvinnik. My Father returned from prison, he
strong, thus sidestepping rating.) Chess
BRONSTEIN INTERVIEW
continued
22
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was sitting in the audience, even though
he wasn’t supposed to be in Moscow. In
the audience was also Abakumov; although he was a great supporter of my
Dynamo Club, the highest establishment
wanted to see Botvinnik as a champion.
He had an image of amateur, an engineer
who is moving pieces only in his free
time. As a matter of fact he killed Soviet
chess. He looked at his opponents with
such hatred! It is an entire school of haters: Lasker, Alekhine, Botvinnik, Fischer,
Karpov, Kasparov. Kasparov! Even if a
computer beat him, he would lose anything now. Let us get intrigue back in
fall 2013
Chess Journalists of America
CODE OF ETHICS
All journalism is reducible to a single primary function: to inform.
In all its many forms, journalism is a public trust; therefore, the ethical journalist is
duty-bound to protect the public interest and to preserve his own credibility and that of his publication. The two main ethical ideals on which the following guidelines are based are Truthfulness and Fairness.
1. The public's right to know is served when it is given all the
facts. It is the responsibility of the journalist to ensure the
accuracy of what he published. The omission of a relevant
fact is a distortion of the truth. Significant errors in a published article should be corrected as soon as possible after
they are discovered.
2. The journalist must be scrupulous in distinguishing between
fact and opinion and must make the difference clear to his
readers.
3. It is not ethical for a journalist or editor to knowingly misrepresent the organization he ostensibly serves or to improperly use its publication for personal ends.
4. Elected and appointed officials are accountable, but so are
journalists and editors. Criticism must be supportable by
factual evidence. The purpose and nature of such criticism
must be demonstrably in the public interest and not serve
merely to harass or discredit. Fairness dictates that a person
whose actions are criticized must be given the timely opportunity to explain those actions or reply to the criticism, although practical considerations may not permit concurrent
response.
BRONSTEIN INTERVIEW
continued
chess. If you lose, give the money back.
Only then will people come back to
chess. And if both art of chess and results
are there, it will then bring about chess
revival. As long as there is only one outcome, chess is not interesting to anyone,
except to those who are accepting and
those who are making bets.
STAKHOV: Nabokov was a good chess
player? He thought very highly of himself.
BRONSTEIN: I don’t think so. He
had intellect, and it is harmful to chess.
Intelligence actually opposes the primitive principles of chess such as winning a
tempo and gaining space. Nabokov, however, believed that if he was composing
chess problems that he’s smarter than
everyone else. Chess studies are just
combinatorics. Chess creates an illusion
of belonging to a high intellect. Just an
illusion. Believe me, I know what I am
talking about.
winter 2013
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
The public interest is best served when it hears all sides of an
issue, preferably in the words of each side's natural advocate,
and it is the editor's ethical duty to present all sides. This in
no way abridges a publication's right to support one side, but
the publication's bias must be clearly indicated as such. Unsigned articles are assumed to be the work of the editor.
Generally, more latitude in ethical matters may be tolerated
in letters to the editor. However, the editor must judge
whether printing a given letter is in the interests of the public
and the organization that his publication represents. Personal
abuse and unverifiable allegations should never be tolerated.
If a journalist or editor is engaged in any occupation which
may affect or seem to affect his objectivity, it is unethical to
withhold that fact from the readers.
The public has the right to know when it is being sold something; commercial advertisements may be presented in the
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No article or other proprietary work may be published without the necessary proprietary consents. This does not apply
to unannotated scores of chess games.
Chess Journalists shall not plagiarize the works of others. l
NOTES:
1. “David Bronstein, 82, Chess Champion,
Dies,” New York Times, 2006.
2. Zurich International Chess Tournament, 1953,
is regarded among the very best chess books ever
written (the printing quality of the English edition is pretty low, so don’t judge it by its appearance). What makes this book special is how
Bronstein focuses on the ideas behind the
moves and deep strategic explanations rather
than overburdening you with lines of
analysis. Humans think in a different way from
machines. This book shows a unique insight into
how (creative) grandmasters really think as opposed to cheap chips’ brute calculation power.
Here’s IM Jeremy Silman: “if you don’t buy and
read this fantastic book you will be doing yourself a great injustice. Get it, hold it, sniff it, rub it
on top of your head, place it under your pillow;
this is simply the greatest tournament book ever
written and it deserves to be in every selfrespecting chess library.”
3. In The modern Chess Tutor, Bronstein names
the two central horizontals as the zone of important squares.
4. See my story on responsibility from the Stalin
era, “From the Annals of Dirty Games of Chess
and Politics,” at iplayoochess.com.
5. The State Department Store in Soviet times.
6. The era of Tal and Botvinnik. l
The Chess Journalist
PUZZLE SOLUTIONS
Mark Liburkin, Chess in USSR 1949
1.Ng3+ Kh4 2.Kb2 c1Q+! [Black sacs one of
the pawns so the other can promote] 3.Kxc1
Be4! 4.Nh1! [to blockade the pawn by all
means; with the same idea 4.Bf5? Bxf5 5.Nh1
Kh3 6.Kd1! Kg2 7.Ke2 Kxh1 8.Kf2 doesn't
work, as then follows 8...Bd7! 9.Kf1 Bc6
10.Kf2 Bb5 winning] 4…Bxh1 5.Bh3!! [this
amazing move is necessary for the upcoming
sack; the move can only be understood when
you see the final position] 5…Bc6 6.Bg2!
Bxg2 7.d7 h1Q+ 8.Kd2! drawing.
Vitaly Chekhover, 1954
1.Rb1! cxb1Q 2.Bxb1 e3 3.Bxf5! e2 4.Bg4!
e1=Q [4...Kxg4 5.f3+ and Kf2] 5.h3! a
positional draw.
F. Sackmann, 1910
1.c7 [1...e7? 2.Rb8] 1…Rc6 2.e7 Re6
3.Nd6 Rcxd6+ 4.Ke4 Rc6 5.Kd5! Rcd6+
6.Kc5 Rc6+ 7.Kd5 and a positional draw.
l
23
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Mark Liburkin, Chess in USSR 1949
Vitaly Chekhover, 1954
F. Sackmann, 1910
White to move and draw
White to move and draw
White to move and draw
SOLUTIONS ON p. 23
The Chess Journalist
℅ Mark N. Taylor
P. O. Box 350
Mt Berry, GA 30149-0350
FIRST CLASS