The Bobby Fischer I Knew and Other Stories

Transcription

The Bobby Fischer I Knew
and Other Stories
The Bobby Fischer
I Knew
and Other Stories
By
Grandmaster Arnold Denker
and
Larry Parr
Hypermodern Press
San Francisco
Copyright©
1995
by Arnold Denker and Larry Parr
Hypermodern Press is a registered trademark of Master Piece
Development, Inc., San Francisco, California
Great Chess Literature Series
Cover art by William Cone
Book design and typography by M.L. Rantala for Sisu Solutions
Set in Caslon, Gill Sans, Bellevue, and Linares Diagram
ISBN:
1-886040-1 8-4
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number:
Printed in the USA
1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2
95-078503
Table of Contents
Foreword:
Introduction:
by Grandmaster Larry Evans
Babbitts and Botvinniks
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5
Section 1: Men of the Manhattan
Chapter 1:
Albert Pinkus: The Indiana Jones of Chess
Chapter II:
Death Be Not Proud of Dreams Destroyed
Chapter III:
. . . . . . .
15
. . . . . . . .
35
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
43
Oscar Tenner: A Character if Ever
There Was One
Chapter IV: A Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze
. . . . .
52
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
61
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
71
Chapter V: The Frightened, Little Rabbit . .
Chapter VI:
The Incomparable Max
Chapter VII : A Knight i n Shining Armor
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chapter VIII: The Kenesaw Mountain Landis of Chess
75
. . . . . . . . . . .
85
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
93
Section II: Chess Among the Stars
Chapter IX:
Starry Knights in Hollywood
Chapter X:
The Bobby Fischer I Knew
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
102
Chapter XI:
One-on-One with Kasparov
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1 13
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
120
Chapter XII:
Fine Distinctions
Chapter XIII: The Little Big Man of Chess
Chapter XIV:
Chapter XV:
"I Am an Officer of the Czar!"
Chapter XVIII:
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The Man Who Beat Alexander Alekhine
Chapter XVI: An Offer I Couldn't Refuse
Chapter XVII :
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The Gentle Giant o f Chess
132
148
. . . . . . . . .
155
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
170
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1 78
Isaac Kashdan: The Gentle, Scientific
Grandmaster
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
191
Chapter XIX:
AI Horowitz: He Burned the Candle
at Both Ends
200
The Paderewski of Chess
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
211
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
221
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chapter XX:
Chapter XXI: An American Original
Chapter XXII : Move Over, Valentino!
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
236
Section Ill: Chess Among the Bowery Boys
Chapter XXIII:
For George Treysman the Pay
Was the Thing
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chapter XXIV:
Chapter XXV:
Stormin' Norman: Caissa's Conman
Road to the Rapture
251
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
262
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
275
Chapter XXVI: The Poetaster of Chess
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
278
Section IV: Chess Among the Scholarati
Chapter XXVII : The Man of a Hundred Books
Chapter XXVIII: Mr. Believe It or Not . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
295
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
306
Chapter XXIX:
"A Gentleman of the Old School"
Chapter XXX:
"Mr. Helms," a Perfect Gentleman
Afterword:
Index Two: Name Index
314
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
328
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
339
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
345
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
351
by Grandmaster Lev Alburt
Index One: Game Index
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
From Arnold to Nina Denker, in loving memory
and
From Larry Parr to my parents Lawrence and
the late Irene Parr plus Tai and Christianna
Foreword
'Ihe Moves of the People
By Grandmaster Larry Evans
Five-time U.S. Chess Champion
"It's not the moves of the pieces but of the people that
interest me."-Tim Rice, author of the musical Chess.
Although more books have been written about chess than any other
game, there are very few good chess memoirs-and nothing quite
like The Bobby Fischer I Knew and Other Stories.
Arnold Denker is a superb raconteur and famous grandmaster
whose chess career spanned seven decades from Alekhine to
Kasparov. He teamed up with former Chess Life editor Larry Parr, a
graceful stylist and tireless researcher, to produce this sparkling
memoir containing pen portraits of some of the most raucous and
colorful figures in 20th century chess. I knew many of them and
often catch myself saying, "Yes, they got it just right!"
There is George Treysman's face "like the death mask of a Mon
gol warrior." Or young Bobby Fischer's habit of never looking up
from the board as if "he had perhaps dropped something and was
still looking for it." Or Albert Pinkus, a mild-mannered New York
master whose hobby was collecting chess books. Until now, how
ever, I never knew that he was also the Indiana Jones of chess who
sought "fame and glory in the darkest regions of South America
places with lazy, muddy rivers and ill-shaven soldiers of fortune who
wear white suits and Panama hats, and who travel on tramp steam
ers into desolate green hells."
Denker and Parr have a photographic eye for the telling detail ;
and they possess a gift for sifting among a thousand trivial events to
find the one or two that somehow capture the essence of a person's
life . For example, take their treatment of Herman Steiner, "the hot
Hollywood hunk of chess." Herman took me and other young chess
1
2
talents under his wing in the 1940s, but I was sufficiently ungrateful
to defeat him in a match for the U.S. Championship in 1952. On the
set of the movie Cass Timberlane, he got away with telling Lana
Turner, "Don't play chess. Sitting at a chess board for hours might
make you fat and spoil that perfect figure. " That was Herman. H e
was a ladykiller.
This work recalls a world now lost: leisurely dinner parties at the
Savoy with Max Euwe; elegant evenings at the penthouse of chess
patron Maurice Wertheim; carousing at bistros with Alexander
Alekhine; long, lazy afternoons at the Manhattan Chess Club with
Oscar Tenner, Al Simonson, and so many others who are now faded
memories of my chess youth in Manhattan-not to mention the
likes of Ossip Bernstein, Salo Flohr and Miguel Najdorf.
The Damon Runyons of Chess
Denker and Parr remind me a lot of Damon Runyon as they recreate
the lives and foibles of the "guys and dolls" of New York chess. Not
only do they chronicle giants like Reuben Fine, Bobby Fischer,
Isaac Kashdan and Sammy Reshevsky-all of whom I had the pleas
ure (and pain) to face across the board-they also describe such pe
ripheral figures as Irving Chernev (the Ripley of chess) , who would
buttonhole me with a new chess study to solve whenever we en
countered each other at a chess club. Or the ratty Norman Whitaker
(of Lindbergh-kidnapping infamy) . During the U.S. Open in 1946 I
asked him to take me to see The Outlaw with Jane Russell, a movie
considered too racy for minors unless they were accompanied by an
adult. He gladly obliged.
There is also plenty of hard chess-about 300 games, many
hitherto unpublished, with interesting theoretical ideas that have ei
ther been forgotten or neglected in opening manuals. Yet the core of
the book is about people Denker knew and often loved. His own life
is skilfully intertwined with the funny and sad, tragic and heart
warming fates of men who often dedicated 30, 40, SO, 60 years t o
the ludicrous task o f "cornering a wooden king o n a wooden
board," as Stefan Zweig put it in The Royal Game.
A Haunting Memorial
This book radiates life. So many people in these pages, shades of the
past, seem to emerge from the walls to take one last bow. They in
evitably step backwards into the walls as their figures recede, for
even Denker and Parr cannot indefinitely hold open the door of
memory.
Arnold Denker appears to be genuinely fascinated by these
Foreword
3
people. He renders their features with a Dickensian precision, and
no chess writer ever had a sharper eye for the compelling detail. Un
like so many of his fellow grandmasters, Denker can see beyond the
end of his own nose. How fortunate for us that he and his collabo
rator have the rare gift to tell it like it was.
Larry Evans
Reno, Nevada
April 1995
I ntroduction
cBabbitts and cBotl/inniks
Not too long ago-oh, just five or six decades back-the Manhattan
Chess Club was considered to be the strongest aggregation of chess
players in the world. Winning a Manhattan club championship was
the equivalent of finishing first in a strong international tournament.
The great men of the Manhattan made up a Who's Who of world
chess. They included the likes of Jose Capablanca (who kept an
apartment just across the way at 157 West 57th Street) and Isaac
Kashdan, Sammy Reshevsky and Reuben Fine, Herman Steiner and
AI Simonson, Arthur Dake and AI Horowitz-well, you get the idea.
Unfortunately, Capablanca seldom deigned to play with us Young
Turks and usually confined his activities to giving Knight odds to AI
Link and Charlie Saxon, two of his old Columbia University cronies .
But so what? We got plenty of practice among ourselves, not to
mention competition from at least another 20 masters capable of
beating any of us on a given day.
With this bursting treasury of talent, it is no wonder that the
United States won four Olympiads during the 1930s. Also, it is no
wonder that membership in the Manhattan Chess Club was much
desired.
Glitterati and Literati
Aside from the chess stars, the general membership of the old
Manhattan included many of the glitterati and literati of New Deal
era New York. In those days great men walked the aisles between
boards and pondered the fate of pawns.
Several of this century's finest musicians spent their leisure hours
shifting wood at the club. Almost all of the great Leopold Auer's
most famous students were Manhattan members. These included
Eddie Brown, Mischa Elman, Jascha Heifetz, Leo Kahn, Ivor
Karman, Max Rosen and Toscha Seidl. Gregor Piatigorsky, the
world-renowned cellist, was also a member and could occasionally
be found playing a game with his friend and fellow cellist, Jimmy
Liebling.
5
6
All of the musicians played a pretty strong game. Louis Persinger,
the violinist who taught Yehudi Menuhin, Ruggiero Ricci and Isaac
Stern, was strong enough to qualify for the 1944 U.S. Champion
ship. True, he finished last, but that was because, as he explained it,
"The boards were out of tune. " Here is a hard-fought loss of his
against world-class violinist and rated master David Oistrakh:
Louis Persinger-David Oistrakh
Poznan, 195 7
Double Stonewall
I . P-Q4 N-KB3 2. P-K3 P-Q4 3. P-KB4 P-K3 4. B-Q3 P-B4 S. P-B3 B-K2 6. N
B3 N-B3 7. 0-0 B-Q2 8. P-KR3 Q-B2 9. N-KS N-KS I 0. Q-B3 P-B4 I I . BxN
NxN 1 2. BPxN QPxB 1 3. Q-RSch P-N3 1 4. Q-K2 0-0 I S. N-Q2 P-QR3 I 6.
P-QR4 R-B2 1 7. P-KN3 QR-KB I 1 8. P-N3 PxP 1 9. BPxP Q-B7 20. Q-B4 R
B I 2 1 . QxQ RxQ 22. N-B4 P-QN4 23. N-N6 B-QB3 24. R-B2 R-B6 2S. R
QN2 B-Q I 26. B-Q2 R-Q6 27. PxP BxP 28. N-B4 B-K2 29. K-B2 P-N4 30.
N-Q6 BxN 3 I . PxB R-Q2 32. B-N4 P-BS 33. NPxP PxP 34. PxP R-B6ch 3S.
K-N2 R-N2ch 36. K-R2 P-K6 37. B-K I B-B8 38. K-R I RxPch 39. R-R2 B-N7ch
40. K-N I B-B3dis.ch., White resigns
Sinclair Lewis, the author of several Great American Novels,
showed up now and then. Sorry, I can't recall whether he was a
Babbitt or a Botvinnik at the board. But I do remember that Morris
Schapiro, this nation's leading expert on government bonds and
victor in match play over both Charles Jaffe and Oscar Chajes,
played risky attacking chess. So, also, did Harold Phillips and Lester
Samuels, two prominent attorneys. To provide an idea of the
latter's playing strength, this casual club spieler smashed Herman
Steiner in a match in 1931 without the loss of a game.
Still other members included Dr. Albert Pulvermacher, the highly
regarded German music critic; Dr. Ely Moschkowitz, who along
with his brother, headed the cardiac department at the world
famous Mount Sinai Hospital; Arthur Meyer, who gained fame for
settling numerous New York labor problems as head of the State
Labor Mediation Board, and his brother Leonard Meyer, who
headed the long-gone Usona Shirt Company and who once served as
president of the Manhattan. On one occasion in January 1938, this
very strong amateur also took the shirt right off the back of
Emanuel Lasker:
Emanuel Lasker vs. Leonard Meyer, james Newman, and Robert Willman
New York, 1 938 (Consultation Simultaneous)
Four Knights Opening
I . P-K4 N-KB3 2. N-QB3 P-K4 3. N-B3 N-B3 4. B-NS B-NS S. 0-0 0-0 6. P
Q3 P-Q3 7. B-NS BxN 8. PxB Q-K2 9. N-Q2 P-KR3 I 0. B-KR4 P-N4 I I . B
N3 B-NS 1 2. P-B3 B-Q2 1 3. P-Q4 N-KR4 1 4. B-B2 N-BS
Introduction
7
This game, played at the Manhattan Chess Club, is from a two
hoard consultation simultaneous. Lasker also faced the team of
Arnold Denker-Harold Phillips in a match-up that he won. As it
happens, Leonard Meyer was a notorious assassin of champions. In a
three-board consultation simultaneous at the Manhattan Chess Club
In March 1929, he teamed with Lester Samuels (once again, as
Black) to maul Alexander Alekhine: 1 . N-KB3 P-Q4 2 . P-QN3 N-KB3
.1. B-N2 B-B4 4. P-Q3 P-K3 5. P-N3 QN-Q2 6. B-N2 P-B3 7. 0-0 Q-B2
H. P-B4 B-K2 9. N-B3 R-Q1 10. Q-B2 0-0 1 1 . P-K4 PxKP 12. PxP B
N3 13. QR-Q1 P-K4 ! 14. N-KR4 KR-K1 15. N-BS? ! B-B1 16. P-KR3
N-B4 17. P-KN4? ! N-K3 18. N-K2 B-B4 19. RxR RxR 20. R-Q1 ?
luRch 2 1 . QxR P-KR4 22. Q-R1 ? ! N-Q2 23. N-R4? Q-Q3 24. K-B1
Q-Q6 25. NxB PxN 26. K-K1 B-NSch 27. B-B3 N-QS ! , White resigns.
I S. R-K I K-R2 1 6. N-B I R-KN I 1 7. N-K3 R-N3 1 8. P-QS N-QR4 1 9. B-Q3
QR-KN I 20. K-R I P-N3 2 1 . R-KB I N-N2 22. P-N3 N-R6 23. N-BS Q-B3 24.
B-K3 N-B4 2S. BxN NPxB 26. K-N2 N-BSch 27. PxN PxPch 28. K-R I BxN
29. PxB R-N7 30. Q-K I RxPch!, White resigns
From the world of high finance came the likes of Howard Hoit of
the Wall Street firm of Hoit, Rose & Troster. During the Great
Depression, Howard gave employment to many of our top players.
He was also an enthusiast of the Kingside attack who could beat
anyone on a good night.
Paul Little-Howard Hoit
New York, 1 94 1
Nimzoindian Defense
I . P-Q4 N-KB3 2. P-QB4 P-K3 3. N-QB3 B-NS 4. Q-B2 N-B3 S. N-B3 P-Q3
6. P-QR3 BxNch 7. QxB P-QR4 8. B-NS P-KR3 9. BxN QxB I 0. P-K3 P-K4
I I. P-QS N-K2 1 2. B-Q3 0-0 1 3. 0-0 B-B4 1 4. P-K4 B-R6 I S. P-BS N-N3 1 6.
KR-Q I ? B-NS 1 7. B-K2 N-BS 1 8. K-B I Q-N3 1 9. Q-K3
1 9 . . . . NxP!
Howard was typical of many of the old Manhattanites. Relatively
unschooled in the opening, he relied on raw tactical talent to topple
8
top masters-the kind of talent he evidenced when employing a
combinational theme that the Germans call a nette Doppelwendung .
Howard Hoit-Anonymous
Manhattan Chess Club, / 938
White to move
Howard played 1 . Q-K3 ! , and after Black responded with 1 . . . .
RxP, he replied with the amazing move, 2 . Qx:Pch ! ! ! . Black is
busted. If 2 . . . . RxQ, then White wins a piece with 3 . RxQch; and if
2 . . . . KxQ, White finishes with 3 . RxRch Qx:R 4. N-BSch.
20. KxN BxNdbl.ch. 2 1 . KxB P-B4 22. Q-B3 PxPch 23. K-K3 Q-N4ch 24. KxP
RxP 25. Q-Q2 R-BSch 26. K-K3 QR-KB I , White resigns
Another Manhattan chess angel was Maurice Wertheim, banker
and philanthropist extraordinaire, who served on the War Produc
tion Board during World War II as a dollar-a-year man. Investment
bankers Jacques Coe, Sidney Kenton and Richard Warburg were
also members-as was J. Lessing Rosenwald, chess patron and
sponsor of the famous Rosenwald tournaments of the 1950s and
1960s. These competitions served as the U.S. championships of
those years.
Four additional luminaries were James Newman, a lawyer,
author, mathematician and armaments specialist, who went to
Washington in the 1940s to assist in the war effort; E. Schuyler
Jackson, a rich amateur who played tournament chess for about 60
years; and the brothers Robert and Rudolph Raubitschek who hit
pay dirt in real estate.
No roster of great Manhattanites would be complete without
mentioning Henry Atlas, an immigrant from Hungary, who really
was kinder and gentler and who never failed to help struggling chess
players seeking him out at his cotton emporium . And how many
readers remember Felix Kahn of the famous steel family? In a fit of
depression after losing a fortune in the Great Crash, Felix jumped
from his penthouse at the Majestic Apartments, though not before
treating his fellow club members to a great farewell party the
previous night. Felix was ever a gent of the beau geste.
Introduction
9
Tea Drinkers, Knee Slappers
The Manhattan Chess Club was not merely an intellectual oasis for
the rich and famous; it was also a great joint for meeting odd
characters. Tea drinkers, knee slappers, Vichy water quaffers,
nonagenarian kibitzers, amiable "customers"-the place was filled
with fascinating people ranging from the chablis and brie set to the
rib and bib bunch to the down and out crowd.
Once I was paired against the master, Alex Simchow, a chain tea
drinker. Now, that in itself would not have been so bad. But every
time he took a sip, up went his glasses to the top of his head and
down went his fingers into a box of sugar cubes, which he placed
between his teeth so that the tea would sluice through the sugar on
the way to his stomach. After each gulp would come a very soft,
satisfied "aah-ah. " It took all of my will power to keep my eyes off
this beautifully coordinated operation, which Alex had down to a
"T . "
Another piece of good luck was to match wits against a knee
slapper, always an interesting breed of chess player. Arthur
Lamport, a successful banker, came to the club nearly every
afternoon. A most charming man, he sported perfectly coiffed white
curls on both sides of a well-oiled scalp. Although Arthur received
Knight odds, he was, as the saying goes, a "good customer," since he
invariably lost at 25 cents a game.
Lamport was, however, a tough fighter, and in his excitement at
trying to win, he would start slapping his ample thighs with his
carefully manicured hands. Slapa-slapa-slapa-slapa-slapa-his hands
and thighs would soon be reverberating like a riveting gun
throughout the club. When one of the members approached, Arthur
invariably stopped and said, "I know, I know ! " , before the
complainant could utter a word. Fifteen minutes later, the slapa
slapa-slapa-slapa-slapa would start all over again.
Howard Chandler, another outstanding customer, did not use his
knee as a pogo stick. This sophisticated man was addicted to Vichy
water. He usually came to the club with at least two quarts of the
liquid. We played even up for quarters, though I could easily have
given him odds. After finishing off a bottle of Vichy, he would let
loose with tremendous pear-shaped burps that could have been
heard across Yankee Stadium. Following each burp, he smiled and
winked at me as if we were sharing some secret. Years later, he
confided that Vichy quaffing was his remedy for a weekend of
overindulgence.
Any director casting a movie about the Gold Rush of '49 could
have used Old Man Zeckendorf, the Manhattan's nonagenarian
10
The Bobf:>y Fischer I Knew and Other Stories
kibitzer and p,troud member of the Grand Lodge of the State of New
York. Having, once won a chess game from Confederate General
James Longstreet, this crusty sourdough from the Southwest was a
huge man wi�h a head of tousled white hair and plenty of nose and
chin. His ma,:ssive shoulders were stooped, but only slightly and
certainly not badly for a man of 90-plus.
Louis Zeckendorfs main ambition was to live to 100, which he
failed to fulfill by less than one month, dying in March 1937. H e
seldom played. His great joy was to bet a quarter o n me, sit quietly
at the side of the playing table, his huge hands folded over a cane,
and watch thoughtfully as the game progressed. When my opponent
was about to lose, this Civil War veteran would let out a whoop of
delight by announcing, "Busted ! " , while simultaneously holding out
a hand to collect. Of course, he was none too pleased when I lost.
In all the years that Old Man Z. came to the club, I never heard
him say anything except "Busted ! " Which leads me to wonder if
that's what he said when his valet and chauffeur made off with his
bond coupons.
And while on the subject of getting busted, I am reminded of the
handsome Swede, Buster Horneman, who made a mint in export
and import. This amiable amateur would have gladly sold his soul
to win just one Rook odds game against Isaac Kashdan. At $10 a
game, this mania must have cost him thousands, but he never quit
trying. Here is one of their immortal contests in which White
removes his Queen Rook.
Isaac Kashdan-Buster Horneman
Manhattan Chess Club, I 9 30
French Defense
I . P-K4 P-K3 2. P-Q4 P-Q4 3. P-KS P-QB4 4. Q-N4 PxP 5. N-KB3 N-KR3 6.
Q-R3 B-K2 7. B-Q3 P-QN3 8. Q-N3 N-B4 9. BxN PxB I 0. QxP R-B I I I .
NxP B-R3? 1 2. NxP N-Q2 1 3. B-NS P-B3? 1 4. P-K6!
"Busted ! "-as Old Man Z. said so often.
1 4. . . . PxB
Introduction
11
15. Q-N6ch!! PxQ I 6. N-N7, mate
Brilliant masters,, famous artists, captains of industry, magnates
of Wall Street, life' s losers-they were all men of the Manhattan.
They made the club great.
Thanks, gentlemtm, for the memories.
Acknowledgments
For any effort of remembrance, there are always heroes who labor
without charge-worthies who aid in adding yet another particle of
information to the mountain of human knowledge. Those who
aided with research suggestions include Dale Brandreth, Grand
master Robert Byrne, Lee Hyder, James Schroeder and Fred Wilson.
We also thank Jack Collins, his late sister Ethel Collins and Grand
master Arthur Dakt:l for sharing memories with us. Those who
helped with reseamh include FM Ron Burnett, John Campbell,
Rogelio Caparros, R•obert Dudley, Gil Ellithorpe, Jeremy Gaige, NM
Stephen Gordon, M.�tthew Green, John Hillery, Alan Kantor, Allen
Kaufman, Peter Lahde, AI Lawrence, Alice Loranth (director of the
Fine Arts and Special Collections Department of the Cleveland
Public Library) , Hu1�h Myers, Bob Nasiff, Jack O'Keefe, Lawrence
Pinkus, Edward Qu intal II, David Saponara, IM Walter Shipman,
Frank Skoff, Jim and Helen Warren, IM Elliott Winslow, and Rob
Verhoeven of the Van der Linde-Niemeijer chess collection at The
Hague. Important �:tnalytical comments came from Grandmasters
Lev Alburt and Larry Evans. The latter also shared memories of his
good friend, Bobby Fischer.
Special recognition goes to Chess Life editor Glenn Petersen and
former Manhattan Chess Club managers Russ Garber and the late
Billy Colias for permitting us to consult the chess libraries of their
respective institutions. We are grateful to Nigel Eddis for his superb
photography. Our a biding gratitude goes to M.L. Rantala for her fine
book design and vatluable editorial suggestions. An indelible thank
you goes to best-selling diet book author Dr. Martin Katahn whose
12
financial generosity made this memoir possible.
Finally, a word about the narrative. It is written in the first
person from the point of view of Grandmaster Denker even though
Larry Parr is the co-author.
Arnold Denker and Larry Parr
New York City
June 15, 1995
I
*
Men of the Manhattan
Chapter I
filbert Pinkus:
'Ihe IndianaJones of Chess
A second later, I was up in panic, heart pounding, eyes
staring fearfully into the blackness around. Something was in
the hammock with me: some "thing" that crawled. A snake!
What else of that size crawled? Any second I expected the
strike-it was as if I could feel the creeping numbness, the
pain and writhings. I waited, tormented by a frantic mind
feeding on its own fears. But nothing happened, and painful
seconds lengthened to the pro'Verbial minute of eternity.
And yet it waited. Why? Was it all really a dream? Just a
tenderfoot's nightmare? Maybe I had imbibed too freely of
jungle-book mystery and stealthy blackness. I became bolder.
My hand stole cautiously to the tickling spot, inch by inch. But
halfway to its objecti'Ve, it paused. Strained neroes resisted
further progress, and its newfound daring withered under
the logic of possibility. There was just a chance, an outside
chance, that something was there. . . .
-A Lost World Beckons by Albert Pinkus and Milton Pauley
Albert Pinkus-young American Tal of the 1920s, powerful kingpin
of both the Manhattan and Marshall chess clubs, eventual owner of
the seventh best won-lost record in U.S. Championship history,
intrepid jungle explorer better remembered at New York's Museum
of Natural History than by the chess world, and the man whom I
call the Indiana Jones of Chess-was spending his first night in the
jungles of British Guiana.
The year was 1932. And AI was out to win fame and glory in the
darkest regions of South America-in places with lazy, muddy rivers
and ill-shaven soldiers of fortune who wear white suits and Panama
hats, and who travel on tramp steamers into desolate green hells.
Al's mission was to Bring 'Em Back Ali'Ve, as in the title of Frank
Buck's hit movie of the same year. The "'Em" were rare plants and
animals for museums, botanical gardens, zoos and the private
15
16
collections of men with the means to pay.
Short, serious and soft-spoken, AI was not a head-turner. His
dark, broad and flat Slavic face was as square as a block of granite
and looked a lot like the map of current Supreme Court Justice
Antonin Scalia. Most people probably mistook Al for a conservative,
buttoned-down businessman with a penchant for three-piece pin
stripes . Any movie director seeking someone to play a shoe sales
man would have cast Al on the spot.
But I knew better. Al was not an accidental tourist in the tropics
but a man in whom celestial fire burned. Its flames shot up in his
eyes and glinted off his wide, toothy smile. Possessed of what a New
York Times reporter termed "a quick, sure manner of speech," Al
was described in Raymond Ditmars and William Bridges' Snake
Hunters' Holiday (1935) as a "solidly built young fellow, muscled
like a prizefighter and a demon of energy."
That got it just right.
Boy with a Butterfly Net
Born March 20, 1903, AI Pinkus grew up in a small, third-floor
walk-up on West 82nd between Amsterdam and Broadway. A tough
neighborhood in those days! Al and his brother Milton found that
the price for being budding Tom Swifts interested in chemistry,
ham radios and natural science was having to defend themselves
against neighborhood toughs.
"I endured the special attention of gangs of hoodlums who
fancied any boy with a butterfly net delicious bait," Al wrote in the
autobiographical A Lost World Beckons. "We fought with fists,
fairly, no chains, clubs, or belts. Never was there two or three
against one, and pairings usually gravitated to contenders of equal
age and weight. In all justice, our opponents were 'rough gentle
men,' though greedy for our subservience."
Al became an Eagle Scout in 1917, and his early interest in
natural science blossomed into deep study. He compiled a notable
butterfly collection and was featured in a two-page spread in the old
New York World. "My mecca," he wrote, "was the Museum of
Natural History, a few convenient blocks from home; the curators
there were my heroes. They spun tales of exciting incidents in
strange lands with the enviable ease of those who have seen all-my
impressionable eyes widening with wonder. "
"Eyes widening with wonder"-that was the man I knew.
Chapter I
17
Like a Mike Tyson Uppercut
On April 27, 1 924, the young and unknown Pinkus sat down to
play against Alexander Alekhine in a 26-board blindfold simul
taneous . The exhibition, a record-breaking affair, was held shortly
following the famous New York International, and AI won his game
from the great man as did another unknown, Isaac Kashdan.
The following year, AI came into his own. Indeed, he hit the New
York chess scene like a Mike Tyson uppercut. Not only did he
sacrifice chess pieces like the young Tal, he won every tournament
in sight. From 1925 to 1928, Pinkus outpaced all of the peers in his
age group, including Kashdan, AI Horowitz, Sammy Reshevsky,
Tony Santasiere and Herman Steiner.
Consider Al's record. In October 1925, he won one of Eddie
Dimock's theme tournaments, a particularly strong event played to
test the M0ller Attack in the Giuoco Piano. He finished ahead of
Frank Marshall, Carlos Torre, Santasiere and Steiner. In December
came the Albert Hallgarten Tournament in which he scored 9 1/2-21f2
to outstrip Kashdan and Steiner. In early 1926, he tallied 41f2-1 lf2 to
tie with Marshall for top spot in another Dimock event, winning
several Wing Gambits in scorching style.
Albert Pinkus-Anthony Santasiere
Dimock Theme Tournament, 1 926
Sicilian Defense
I. P-K4 P-QB4 2. P-QN4 PxP 3. P-QR3 PxP 4. NxP P-Q4 5. PxP QxP 6. N83 B-NS 7. B-84 Q-KSch 8. K-B I P-QR3 9. P-Q3 BxN I 0. PxB Q-RS I I . N
NS K-Q2 1 2. P-83 P-K3 I 3. Q-R4 Q-R6ch 1 4. K-K2 N-QB3 I S. N-Q4 Q-R4
16. NxN PxN 1 7. R-QN I Q-K4ch 1 8. B-K3 B-Q3 1 9. R-N7ch B-82 20. P-Q4
Q-Q3 2 1 . P-QS! PxP 22. BxQP N-K2 23. BxP K-B I
24. Q-N4ch!! KxR 25. R-N I ch B-N3 26. RxBch! K-82 27. B-KB4 QxB 28.
QxQch KxR 29. Q-N4ch K-82 30. QxNch, Black resigns
At about this point, I always like to quote what John Adams
once wrote to Thomas Jefferson: "Our last resource is resignation."
18
A1 became champion of the Marshall Chess Club in 1927, a
success that he followed by winning the prestigious Young Masters'
Tournament of the same year. He scored 7-3 to finish in front of
Kashdan, Santasiere, Erling Tholfsen and other comers.
After which . . . nothing. Tournament appearances became scarce,
and in early 1928, A1 tallied an inexplicable 0-6 in a double-round
quad in New York. He would not play seriously again until 1939 !
Here is a power game from his first life in chess, for which he
received the Best Game Prize:
Albert Pinkus-lsaac Kashdan
Manhattan C.C. Championship, 1 928
Queen's Indian Defense
I . P-Q4 N-KB3 2. P-QB4 P-K3 3. N-QB3 P-QN3? 4. P-K4! B-N2 5. P-B3 B
NS 6. B-Q3 N-B3 7. P-QR3 BxNch 8. PxB P-K4 9. B-K3 Q-K2 I 0. N-K2 0-0
I I . 0-0 P-Q3 1 2. N-N3 B-B I 1 3. Q-K2 N-QR4 1 4. QR-K I P-B4 1 5. P-B4 N
NS I 6. BPxP Q-RS
1 7. P-R3!! QxN 1 8. B-B4 Q-RS 1 9. PxN PxKP 20. BxP PxP 2 1 . PxP BxP 22.
Q-K3 QR-B I 23. B-Q6 KR-Q I 24. P-BS PxP 25. BxP R-B3 26. Q-B4 Q-R4
27. R-N I R-KR3 28. R-N8 N-B3 29. RxRch NxR 30. B-K7 N-B3 3 1 . B-KNS
R-K3 32. P-QS R-K I 33. PxN P-KR3 34. B-B4 B-K3 35. BxB PxB 36. B-K7!,
Black resigns
Street Smarts
A1 left chess for a new game, the dizzying lunacy of 1920s Wall
Street. Hired by Howard Hoit, a strong club player who was
chairman of Hoit, Rose & Troster, A1 quickly became the firm's
youngest junior partner and, according to A1 Horowitz , made
.860,000 in 1929. In today's debased dollars, that translates to a
cool half mil or more. Not bad-and better than the likes of
Kashdan and Horowitz , who worked at the same company. Pinkus
had what the boys called "Street smarts."
But then came Black Tuesday, October 29, 1929, a disaster
Chapter I
19
described by John Kenneth Galbraith in The Great Crash as not
only "the most devastating day in the history of the New York stock
market," but also as "the most devastating day in the history of
markets." Share values of some issues plunged from $60 to three
dollars-just like that. Brokers with margin calls sticking out of
their suit pockets were fished from the Hudson River and quite
literally scraped off Wall Street, which became known as "Wailing
Wall Street."
AI got caught up in the horror. As a junior partner, he had to
help make good the firm's losses, which left him broke and deeply
depressed. For the first and probably last time, chess masters
employed at the stock market went back to chess in order to make
11 living. "I returned to chess," AI Horowitz once said about leaving
the exchange in 1932, "on the theory that I could win a quarter a
�arne and that a quarter could buy a meal."
As for Pinkus, he took a vacation to British Guiana in early 1932,
ostensibly to catch butterflies for New York's Museum of Natural
History, but in truth to escape from Wall Street. When the butterfly
dodge fizzled, he stayed on to form a business partnership with one
J>lantagenet Lechmere Guppy, who was the son of the man for
whom tiny minnows are named. P.L., as he was called, ran an outfit
that supplied rare and expensive fish to the highly successful Empire
Tropical Fish Import Company in New York City.
Wrote AI, "What did I know about catching tropical fish? Noth
Ing! But with my pocketbook skinny and my eyes peeled for pay
the-way adventures, I jumped at the chance to become Guppy's
partner. Seemingly, fish fanciers had taken the bait and were glad t o
be hooked, even for fancy prices, and s o I agreed to 'bring 'em back
alive'-delivery, price, and payment in New York City." AI also
contracted to provide snakes and lizards to the Bronx Zoo.
Thus did AI's career as a scientific soldier of fortune begin-and
his life as a chess master nearly end. Over the next eight years, Al
played in one or two Metropolitan League matches, competed in a
couple of Manhattan Chess Club championships and, according to
the British Chess Magazine, conducted a simultaneous exhibition
at the Royal Victoria Institute in Trinidad. That's all.
One of AI's last games from his first career in chess was the
following win over Aiekhine from a nine-board clock exhibition in
which the world champion scored an extraordinary +6 -1 =2
against several of this country's top masters:
20
Alexander Alekhine-Albert Pinkus
Manhattan Chess Club (March 23, 1 929)
Ruy Lopez
I . P-K4 P-K4 2. N-KB 3 N-QB 3 3. B-NS P-QR3 4. B-R4 N-B 3 5. 0-0 B-K2 6.
Q-K2 P-Q3 7. P-B 3 0-0 8. P-Q4 B-NS 9. R-Q I Q-B I I 0. P-KR3 B-R4 I I . B
B2 R-K I 1 2. B-K3 B-B I 1 3. QN-Q2 P-Q4 1 4. PxKP QNxP I S. PxP NxP 1 6.
K-B I NxBch 1 7. PxN B-B4 1 8. P-KN4 BxNP! 1 9. PxB NxP 20. N-B4 P-QN4
21 . R- QS RxP 22. BxPch K-B I 23. N/4-KS RxQ 24. KxR NxN 25. NxN B
Q 3 26. B- K4 Q-K3 27. R-R I R-K I 28. R-R8ch K-K2 29. N-B 6ch K-Q2 30.
RxR QxRIK I 3 1 . K-Q3 P-N3 32. P-R4 P-B4 33. B-B 3 Q-K8 34. PxP PxP 35.
N-N8ch K-K3 36. RxNP Q-B8ch 37. B-K2 Q-N8ch 38. K-K3 Q-KSch 39. K
B2 Q-BSch 40. K-K I Q-K6 4 1 . N-B 6 B-N6ch 42. K-Q I B-B S 43. N-Q4ch K
B3 44. N-N3 Q-KS 45. N-Q2 Q-RSch 46. N-N3 Q-KS 47. N-Q2 Q-R8ch
48. N-B I P-B 3 49. R-N4 P-N4 50. R-Q4 P-B4 5 1 . R-Q8 Q-KS 52. B-Q3 Q
RSch 53. P-N3 QxPch 54. B-B2 QxP 55. R-B8ch K-K3 56. RxP QxB ch 57.
KxQ KxR, White resigns
Danger Was Al's Business
In his standoff with the "thing" that was no longer moving, AI
Pinkus had become immobilized by fear. Sweat rolled from his face,
and he labored at breathing air thicker and wetter than any he had
known before.
"Whereupon," wrote Pinkus, "something long and quivery slid
across my bare ankle. I jumped, my tensed body a released spring,
hitting the wooden floor with a most-painful jar. Madly, I flung off
the tangle of netting and raced blindly for the door; instead, my
shoulder struck brutally against a wall, sending me sprawling
backward to the floor. Groggily, I rose and fled in the opposite
direction until my knee stabbed suddenly into something hard and
sharp-the pain excruciating! I groped in agony for the aching joint,
but instead found the trunk that I hazily recalled was near the door,
and I flew straight ahead through a gray-black opening . . .into the
arms of a man, knocking him down."
The man, Al's host, was a local missionary named Archer, who
then helped our hero search for the "thing, " which turned out to be
a foot-long black centipede . "As it scurried on a thousand
synchronized legs for the safety of some dark niche," AI wrote of
the deadly insect, "I took aim and threw a shoe, luckily hitting the
mark, the 'thing's' remains spattering in a quivering, loathsome
muddle of blood and legs."
Danger was Al's business. It was a business that included a
midnight battle on a jungle trail against the red-eyed, lethal fer-de
lance; several hours up a Mora tree as hostage from a phalanx of
Chapter I
21
angry wild pigs just a few feet below; and even a stint as a "general"
directing members of one of his expeditions in a desperate battle
against Brazilian bandits. About which, more anon.
Of course, there were lighter moments-such as the time that AI
arrived in New York with a vast collection of animals for the Saint
Louis and Bronx zoos, but found himself left with an extra giant
anteater and two 20-foot anacondas . AI never tired of telling how he
inveigled a taxi driver to deliver both him and the tropical animals
to his mother's home, where he hid the creatures in her warm cellar.
And while on the topic of animals, AI would return every year
from the jungles and regale us with hilarious tales about Boswell, a
pet monkey that followed him everywhere. My wife Nina was
charmed by the stories, and during a car trip up north to play in the
1939 New York State Championship, AI promised to bring us back a
monkey from his next journey.
We chess players know that the threat is often worse than the
execution, and for months, I worried that he might actually keep
the promise.
Into "The Lost World"
On September 6, 1938, AI left Georgetown, British Guiana, on the
trip of his life, a six-month expedition to Mount Roraima. Located
along the borders of Venezuela, Brazil and British Guiana, this
nearly inaccessible peak was made famous by Sir Arthur Conan
Doyle in The Lost World and by Hollywood in countless movies as
the home of 65-foot brontosauruses and other beasts a Ia Jurassic
Park. In reality, the 9,100-foot, red-sandstone table mountain with
its 25-square mile plateau contains a power far mightier than a
thousand prehistoric monsters, for it is the source of the Amazon,
Essequibo and Orinoco rivers.
AI was leader and sole financial backer of a 200-man force, which
was called the "Pinkus-Peberdy Expedition into the Lost World"
(Paul S. Peberdy was the curator of the British Guiana Museum) .
Al's goal in this, his lOth and final foray for flora and fauna, was to
become only the 13th white man to scale Mt. Roraima. For six
months, as the New York Times put it, he "hacked his way through
brush and swamp to collect rare specimens of birds and animals."
Picking off birds was a specialty of the aborigines. "Experts with
bamboo blow-pipes," wrote the Times , "the natives would creep
within 10 feet of a sitting bird and with a short, noiseless puff lodge
a dart in its breast. " AI, too, became adept with a blow-pipe, though
I don't recall my friend ever skewering a sitting chess opponent.
22
Conditions on the trek were tough. An exjpedition member
moaned, "Nowhere else have I ever seen published: an official report
of the temperature in the sun, but yesterday it wa�� 156 degrees. " As
for food, Al loved the "particularly fine meat" of the Laba. "It is a
rodent," he wrote, "perhaps the world's largest rat; as big as a small
pig. There is a saying that if you eat Laba and drink swamp water,
then you will always return to British Guiana."
Or never leave it.
In an old letter on yellowing, parchment-like paper, Al described
his Christmas dinner of 1938 in The Lost World. "It consisted," Al
scratched in his small, pinched script, "of Breast of. Marudi and Wild
Pigeon, cooked in casserate (a dark brown sauce made from the
poisonous juice of the cassava), raw fried potatoes, .rice yams, gravy,
N.Y. coffee, yellow crystal sugar and grapefruit." Al further noted
that the food was "seasoned" by· d_roppin�,
. frorn diving· vampire
.
��-
No one ever said that being_ the h1diana.Jones o{Chess.was a lark.
On November 16, after 1() weeks., of collecting �ples, the
Pinkus-Peberdy Expedition reached• the_ cH;{fs. surro1.mding Mt.
Roraima's plateau. "Adjectives/' Al wrote; of. the. pl�teau, "pale
before its smooth, perpendicular purple sides, which spout 2 4
cascading 1 ,000-foot-high waterfalls that a,r e like open. faucets of a
bathtub. It was as if a gargantu.an. han,d were squee_:dng a wet
sponge. The roar, even from four mile_s. away, w� insistent and
pervading. It seemed alive, pulsing, tb�s' mo.untain�certainly not
inanimate, truly the Indians' 'Water of;Waters,"'
·.
The expedition to The Lost . World mad¢. it back to. this world
or, if you will, to Georgetown---,oll. Mar�h 3, 1�39. It became a leg
endary success. "The material_c.olle�ted," r�(i)rted·. the Georgetown
Daily Argosy, "numbers over· 710QO spec;i,uJ;ens· of· birds, plants,
insects, fishes, reptiles, batrachians arid land and fresh water
mollusca. " From this huge collection, Al sent some 700 birds to the
University of Michigan and about 300 rare or new flower species (a
total of 3 ,000 specimens) to New York's Botanical Gardens. Hun
dreds of the more marketable monkeys, sloths, snakes and so on
were sold to animal dealers.
After eight years spent slogging through steaming jungles, Al had
finally scaled the heights of a profession that he called "scientific
adventure. " One of his discoveries, a hitherto unknown rubber tree,
was named Vochysia pinkusii. A nearly transparent fish with red
eyes that Al found in an isolated mountain pool was dubbed the
Pinkusis by curators at the Museum of Natural History.
But before all of this fame and glory came a . . .
Chapter I
23
Firefight at Night
Having assembled thousands of the above-mentioned specimens, Al
needed to pack them back to civilization. Leaving Mt. Roraima on
January 22, he set out at the head of a line of m arch that stretched
for miles.
"Not surprisingly," Al wrote of the six-we�lk, 350-mile return
journey to Georgetown, "our pace quickened once the expedition's
feet were pointed homeward. We were already imagining the
acclaim of a breathless, waiting world. Indeed, had we not
conquered Roraima and left evidence-names and dates of our visit
In a stone-protected bottled cache on its peak? We were travelling
an easy downhill course, from approximately 9,000 to 2 ,000 feet.
"But I resisted being caught up in the euphoria. Why? Because
we were being followed ! ! "
The attack on Al's group came three hours before dawn. Thanks
to an agreement signed in advance by the major members of the
expedition, Al was the unquestioned leader. His orders were law,
and he now worked out a strategy worthy of any general.
"About 3 a.m.," he wrote, "we heard ominous noises: shrill
whistling warnings first from our alert Acawoio Indian scouts, then
three quick shots in rapid succession. We jumped up like released
springs, weapons of all kinds cocked.
"Everyone glanced in my direction, and I made a quick decision.
Rounding up all but a handful of men, I gambled on a frontal
attack, not crediting the enemy with a deceptive flanking maneuver;
but just in case, I left behind Peberdy and a handful of braves as
reserves.
"Quickly instructing my braves to shout at the top of their lungs
and to shoot into the air, 25 of us streaked forward shouting like
banshees. But we encountered only the sound of barely audible
retreating feet. I yelled 'Back, back,' pointing toward camp, still
concerned about the maneuver being a diversion. I had some
difficulty with the more impetuous youngsters. However, they soon
saw my reasoning-that it was not cowardice-and followed the
orders.
"At camp, our reserves came out of their strategic hiding spots
with disappointed faces showing in the wet, gray-streaked dawn. "
New Zion i n the Tropics
Shortly after returning from The Lost World, Al became involved
through brother Milton in a little-known American effort to create a
24
haven for fleeing �European Jews in the wilderness of British Guiana.
In response to a British offer to donate 42 ,000 square miles of
largely unexplored territory, President Franklin Roosevelt estab
lished the British Guiana Commission to the Advisory Committee
on Political Refugees. The Commission, using funds provided b y
Anthony d e Rothschild, was to conduct feasibility studies for what I
call a New Zion in the Tropics.
At this point, enter Al. The Commission needed to address in
detail the suitability of the proffered territory for European
settlement, which meant studying the agriculture, natural resources,
transportation and climate of the area. As an Old Guiana Hand, Al
was contacted by Dr. Joseph Rosen, the Commission's agricultural
expert. "We have had many friendly talks," Al wrote to his brother
on April 6, 1939. "Unofficially, I'm sure the Jews are coming here,
but Rosen can tell you more about it. He says that he feels too old
now to do the field work, so I guess he will give way to younger
men. The plan will be to settle experimental groups (500-1,000) in
various places and let them explore the country for the best sites."
Continued Al, "I am seeing many pitiful sights of Jews going
down to French Guiana from here. So far, 14 have come thru, but
I'm afraid the plan is a failure. The men are working on a sugar
estate for 15 francs a day (45 cents) which hardly can pay for food,
and the place is malarial, so in case of sickness they are goners. We
have been helping out some refugees who come here. One former
diamond polisher got an overseer's job on an estate. Salary, $33 a
month and all expenses paid. I don't think I ever saw a happier man
after we got him the job."
In May 1939, the Commission submitted its report, which
concluded that the territory "undoubtedly possesses potential
possibilities that would fully justify the carrying out of a trial
settlement project on a substantial . . . scale." But the start of World
War II four months later ended Jewish emigration from Europe.
His Second Career in Chess
By July 1939, Al was in New York selling off his huge collection of
flora and fauna. Celebrated in the New York Times as the "Ex
Broker Back from Exploring Conan Doyle's 'Lost World"' and
touted in several newspapers as "that one man in a million who is
doing just what he wants to do," Al planned a new, still more
ambitious expedition. "In September," Al told a Times reporter, " I
set out for a completely uncharted territory in Central British
Guiana. I'm going straight to the Merema Mountain range, and I
hope to find even rarer birds and beasts than any I've found so far."
Chapter I
25
Al never made it. His plans, like the hopes for New Zion, were
demolished when Hitler's artillery began pounding Poland on
September 1 , 1939. In 1940 Al married the former Sereta Tessler,
and during World War II, he worked for Lummis, Inc. as a bridge
draftsman. In 1945 he returned to Wall Street as a trader of
Insurance stocks.
Al launched his second career in chess at the 1939 U.S. Open,
where in the words of Chess Review , he "made an auspicious re
entry into top-flight tourney play after an absence of many years."
J?inishing fourth, he came close to upsetting Reshevsky.
AI Pinkus-Samuel Reshevsky
U.S. Open, I 939
Ruy Lopez
I . P-K4 P-K4 2. N-KB 3 N-QB 3 3. B-NS P-QR3 4. B-R4 N-B 3 5. 0-0 B-K2 6.
R-K I P-QN4 7. B-N3 P-Q3 8. P-B 3 N-QR4 9. B-B2 B-NS?! I 0. P-Q4 PxP I I .
PxP 0-0 1 2. P-KR3 B-R4 I 3. P-KS ! N-K I 1 4. N-B3 PxP 1 5. PxP P-QB 3 1 6. Q
K2 N-B2 1 7. N-K4
In the American Chess Bulletin, Tony Santasiere suggested 1 7 .
R-Q1 as stronger, giving the line, 1 7 . . . . Q-B1 18. N-K4 N-K3 1 9 . P
QN3 ! Q-B2 20. N-Q6 QR-Q1 2 1 . B-R3 P-QB4 22. N-BS.
1 7. . . . N-K3 1 8. R-Q I Q-B2 1 9. N-Q6 KR-Q I ?!
Oversight or provocation? The correct move is 19 . . . . B-N3 .
20. BxPch! K-R I ! 2 1 . B-K4?!
White lets slip a probable win after 2 1 . B-BS ! BxQN 22. PxB RxP
23. RxR QxR 24. N-KS ! BxQ 25. NxPch K-N1 26. NxQ.
2 1 . . . . BxQN 22. PxB RxP 23. RxR QxR 24. P-KN4 B-N3 25. BxB PxB 26.
N-KS N-QS! 27. N-B7ch
Santasiere claimed 27. Q-K4?? as a winning try, but he over
looked 27 . . . . QxN ! .
27. . . . K-N I 28. NxQ NxQch 29. K-B I NxB 30. RxN R-Q I
Black draws by squeezing out every drop of counterplay.
3 1 . N-K4 R-QS ! 32. P-B 3 N-BS ! 33. P-N3 N-Q7ch! 34. NxN RxN 35. RxP
RxP 36. P-N4
White needed to try 36. RxNP.
36 . . . . P-N4! 37. R-KN6 K-R2 38. R-Q6 P-N3 39. R-N6 K-N2 40. R-Q6 K-B 2,
drawn
26
Further successes followed. Most notably, AI scored very well in
four U.S. championships, finishing 4th-5th in 1940, 3rd-4th in
1942, fifth in 1944 and eighth in 1946. His overall record of +35
-16 =26 is the seventh best in U.S. Championship history. Other
successes included winning the Manhattan Chess Club champion
ships of 1941 and 1945. In the latter event, he scored 10-2 to finish
ahead of both Kashdan and myself. In August 1946, he won a strong
training tournament with a field that included several members of a
U.S. national team that met a Soviet squad the following month.
"Le Style est L'Homme Meme"
Never was Georges Buffon's insight that "the style is the man" more
true than in the case of A1 Pinkus. As a young man, my friend was
distinguished by fast speech and unbridled confidence, just as in
turn he distinguished himself by derring-do as a stock trader and
attacking master. In middle-age, he mellowed noticeably and signed
a peace treaty with his earlier ambition, just as in turn this family
man began to perform solidly rather than brilliantly as a stock
trader and positional master.
For a long time, I blamed the hard winds of life for the apparent
dimming of Al's candle-a conventional and probably shallow expla
nation. You see, AI was by nature and design a Great White Hunter,
who was a fish out of water when selling securities and playing chess
spare-time in New York. If in the jungle, as AI wrote, "strict adher
ence to a credo that leaves nothing to chance, unless very calcu
lated" means "staying alive," then the requirements of competition
in civil society or over the chess board are far different. Paradoxi
cally, bold adventurers battling nature must exercise supreme cau
tion, while businessmen and chess masters battling the competition
must speculate if they are to accumulate.
What saved AI from becoming a chess drone was that along with
caution, he also brought to our art a scientist's passion for truth. A
session of chess analysis can reveal a lot about a person's character
because all pretense is cast aside; and AI, like the philosophers of
old who poked through history in futile attempts to explain it,
analyzed his beloved Ruy Lopez and other openings to reach firmly
grounded conclusions, not to score points. I will never forget the
little smile that always lit up his face when after digging deeper and
deeper into a position, he finally hit paydirt.
During the 1940s, AI and I became good friends-and rivals. I
soon discovered that the outcome of a given game, no matter how
important, meant less to him than holding the game up to the light
and turning it this way and that during the post-mortem. Take, for
example, our game in the 1946 Manhattan Chess Club Champion-
Chapter I
27
ship, which deprived him of the title and garnered me the brilliancy
prize.
On my lOth move, I offered a pawn for no immediate advantage
other than rapid development and control of the board. Many
masters would have passed on the pawn . But not AI the Scientist,
who cheerfully entered into my proposed experiment. After he
moved, I noticed that he wrote something on his score sheet. When
he left the table, I leaned over to read two words typical of Pinkus:
"Show me." I made my next couple of moves, picked up his score
sheet and added the words: "Don't worry, I will." We were like two
scientists politely disagreeing about the merits of a new discovery.
Arnold Denker-Aibert Pinkus
Manhattan C.C. Championship, I 946
Queen's Gambit Declined
I . P-Q4 P-Q4 2. P-Q84 P-K3 3. N-Q83 P-Q83 4. P-K4 PxKP 5. NxP 8-NSch
6. N-83 P-Q84 7. P-QR3 8xNch 8. Px8 N-K83 9. N-83 N-83 I 0. 8-Q3!
Here's the pawn sac-a novelty at the time.
1 0. . . . PxP I I . PxP
I I . . . . NxP
Following this move, AI penned, "Show me."
1 2. 0-0! N-83
Black cannot play 12 . . . . NxNch because of 13. QxN 0-0 14. B-N2
B-Q2 15. QR-Ql B-B3 16. Q-R3, when White wins.
I 3. 8-N2 8-Q2 1 4. R-K I !
And here I wrote, "Don't worry, I will." But to be fair to AI, who
often lost to me because of a scientific chivalry more practical in a
laboratory than in a chess game played under a time limit, here is
a superb rapid transit effort in which he batters me brilliantly:
Pinkus-Denker (New York, 1948): 1 . P-K4 P-QB4 2. N-KB3 N-QB3
28
3 . P-Q4 PxP 4. NxP N-B3 5. N-QB3 P-K3 6. B-K2 B-N5 7 . B-B3 P-Q4
8. PxP NxP 9. NxN PxN 10. 0-0 B-R3 1 1 . R-K1 NxN 12. BxPch K-K2
13. PxN R-QB1 14. Q-B3 Q-N3
15. RxPch ! ! PxR 16. B-N5ch K-Q3 17. R-Q1ch K-B2 18. B-B4ch ,
Black resigns.
1 4. .. . Q-B2?! 1 5. N-KS P-KR4? 1 6. Q-B3! R-R3 1 7. Q-N3 NxN 1 8. BxN Q
B4 1 9. P-R3!
I could have won a piece with the routine 19. QxP N-N5 20. B
Q4 Q-B2 2 1 . P-R3, but I discarded the variation in an attempt to
create a more artistic finish. A dangerous luxury, though this time
around, I got away with it.
1 9 . . . . Q-KB I 20. B-Q6 Q-R I 2 1 . B-N4 0-0-0 22. B-RS! P-QN3 23. P-B S!
K-N2 24. PxP R-QB I 25. PxP N-Q4 26. Q-Q6 B-B 3 27. B-R6ch! KxB 28.
P-R8=Qch RxQ 29. QxB ch K-R2 30. QR-N I R-QN I 3 1 . B-B7, B lack resigns
If Al's determination to follow the truth occasionally hindered
him in over-the-board competition, he could still topple the mighty.
At his best, AI played with the disciplined vigor of Bobby Fischer,
essaying well-prepared openings and evaluating an advantage with
straightforward positional maneuvers and tactics. Many of his wins
were model games, and to plagiarize Irving Chernev, he was often
"the life of the partie" :
Reuben Fine-Albert Pinkus
Marshall vs. Manhattan, Metropolitan League Match, I 94 I
I . P-Q4 N-KB 3 2. P-QB4 P-K3 3. P-KN3 P-Q4 4. B-N2 PxP 5. Q-R4ch
Nowadays, the preferred move is 5. N-QB3, followed by P-K4 .
5 . . . . B-Q2 6. QxB P B-B 3 7. N-KB 3 B-Q4 8. Q-Q3 N-B 3 9. 0-0 B-KS I 0. Q
Q I B-K2 I I . N-B 3 B-Q4 1 2. NxB PxN 1 3. N-KS 0-0 1 4. B -B4
The move, 14. B-N5, which threatens NxN and BxN followed by
R-B1, strikes me as much stronger.
1 4. . . . B-Q3 1 5. R-B I
Chapter I
29
Fine is having an off day. He delays too long in playing NxN, with
idea of a further B-N5.
1 he
1 5 . . . N-K2 1 6. B-NS N-KS 1 7. B-B4 P-QB 3 1 8. P-B 3 N-B 3 1 9. P-K4 N-K I
.
JO. R-KB2?!
White is swimming. More to the point is either 20. B-R3 or 2 0 .
N -Q3 .
JO. . . . P-KB4!
��xcellent. Black challenges the center and threatens to open the
lllshop file for his Rook.
2 1 . N-Q3 BxB 22. NxB N-B2 23. Q-N3 P-KN4 24. N-Q3 R-N I 25. R-Q I
K-R I !
The threat is . . . QPxP, followed by . . . QxP.
26. PxB P NxP 27. N-KS Q-Q3 28. Q-B 3 QR-K I
Black must still take care. On 28. . . . N-N4, White picks up
material by 29. Q-Kl N/N4xP (if 29 . . . . N/B4xP, White wins after 30.
P-QR4 R-B4 3 1 . P-B4) 30. P-KN4 QR-Kl 3 1 . N-B7ch RxN 3 2 .
UxRch R-Bl 33 . Q-Kl .
29. P-B4 PxP 30. RxP?
White's last chance was 30. PxP, though it opens his King to
tt ttack.
30. . . . N-K3 3 I . R-B 2 K-N I !
AI was nothing if not thoroughly careful. He guards against such
eventualities as 3 1 . . . . N/6xP? 32. RxN/Q4 QxN 33 . R/K4-B4 P-Q5
.14. Q-B2 or 3 1 . . . . N/4xQP 32. N-B7ch RxN 33. RxR. In the latter
line, Black cannot play . . . N-K7ch because of the pin.
32. B-R3 N/3xP 33. Rl l xN NxR 34. RxRch KxR 35. N-Q7ch QxN!
After this fine move, planned long in advance, Black has only a
hit of mopping up to do.
36. BxQ N-K7ch 37. K-B I NxQ 38. BxR NxP 39. B-Q7 N-NS 40. K-K2 K-K2
4 1 . B-BS P-KR3 42. P-N4 K-B 3 43. P-R4 P-B4 44. K-B 3 P-QS 45. B-K4 P-BS
Bogus generosity based on having counted out the ending.
46. BxP P-B6 47. PxP PxP 48. K-K3 P-QR4 49. B-K4 K-K4 50. P-NS P-R4 5 1 .
B-N6 P-RS, White resigns
Fine resigned because of 52. B-B7 P-R6 53. B-N3 P-R7 54. BxP
NxB 55. K-Q3 K-B4 56. K-B2 N-N5ch 57. KxP N-Q4ch, when Al
30
picks up both pawns and wins easily.
Old-Fashioned Sense of the Fitting
If someone were to ask me what set AI apart from other men I
knew, I would cite a trait that remained unchanged throughout his
life: An old-fashioned sense of the fitting. I'm not talking about his
even-tempered behavior or his invariable grace in defeat. Not at all.
I'm talking about his practice of precisely tailoring personal conduct
to fit the demands of a situation.
Typical of the man was a little incident near the end of a speed
tournament at the Marshall Chess Club in which AI did very well.
His son Larry remembers wanting to hang around to savor his
father's success and to milk the glorious day for still more fun. But
AI said quietly, "Larry, we had our fun, so let's go home"-an
example of voluntary self-restraint, a quality on this society's
endangered species list. You see, AI knew that a person can get too
much of a good thing. Even too much fun. Perhaps that's why I
never met anyone who derived more genuine enjoyment from the
fun that he did have. "Mirthful" is a word not often used these days,
but it perfectly describes Al's laugh.
Al's great joy and gentleman's obsession was to remove the
bindings from rare tournament books and rebind them with the
most beautiful gilt covers to be found outside of a medieval
monastery. Trips to his home were a treat because we always got
around to examining the books and opening them to play over
some classic games. The last time I visited him, he had already
bound hundreds of books which formed one of the finest libraries in
the world.
In today's market this collection would be priceless, and I often
wonder what happened to it.
His Final Years
During the 1950s, AI continued to play in Manhattan Chess Club
championships, though these appearances became less frequent. His
final year in chess, so far as I have been able to determine, was
1973, when he competed in the World Open. Here is a game he won
in the Greater New York Open of that year.
Michael Rohde-Aibert Pinkus
Greater New York Open, 1 9 73
Ruy Lopez
I . P-K4 P-K4 2. N-KB 3 N-QB 3 3. B-NS P-QR3 4. BxN QPxB 5. 0-0 P-B 3 6.
P-B 3 P-QB4 7. P-Q3 B-K3 8. B-K3 Q-Q2 9. Q-K2 B-Q3 I 0. P-Q4 B PxP I I .
Chapter I
31
PxP N-K2 1 2. N-B3 0-0 1 3. KR-Q I N-N3 1 4. QR-B I QR-K I I S. P-KR3 B-B2
1 6. Q-B2 Q-K2 1 7. PxP PxP 1 8. N-QS BxN 1 9. RxB K-R I 20. B-BS? RxN!
2 1 . PxR N-BS 22. R/S-Q I Q-RS 23. K-B I QxRPch 24. K-K I BxB 2S. QxB
QxP 26. Q-B4 P-QN4 27. Q-B I QxKPch 28. K-Q2 R-Q I c h 29. K-B3 N
Q4ch 30. K-Q2
The problem with 30. K-N3 is 30 . . . . Q-RS, mate.
30. . . . N-K6dis.ch. 3 1 . K-B3 NxRch 32. RxN RxR 33. QxR Q-BSch, White
resigns
On February 4, 1984, Al Pinkus died from Alzheimer's Disease at
Wyckoff Heights Hospital in Brooklyn. His son Larry says that the
disease ground him down inexorably and that he eventually had
difficulty remembering to punch his chess clock after moving.
That's hard to believe about my friend-the young "demon of
c.:nergy" who was "muscled like a prizefighter." Yet I must believe it.
For so many of the great men of chess I once admired and even
loved-Alexander Alekhine, Edward Lasker, dear sweet Oscar
Tenner-are gone.
And time, that relentless enemy of remembrance, insatiably
drains tangibility from their memory. In the Biblical phrase, the
places that knew them shall know them no more; and they, who
once seemed so alive and distinct, grow distant and become blurred
In the mind's eye like figures stepping backwards into a mist.
Selected Games
Albert Pinkus: The Master Who Loved Fish
Several of the games in this section appear here either for the first
time in print or for the first time beyond the confines of newspaper
columns.
HERMAN STEINER-AL PINKUS (Stuyvesant C.C. Championship, 1 924): I . P
Q4 P-Q4 2. P-QB4 P-K3 3. N-QB3 N-KB3 4. B-NS B-K2 S. P-K3 QN-Q2 6.
N-B3 0-0 7. R-B I P-QN3 8. B-Q3 PxP 9. BxP B-N2 I 0. P-KR4 P-B4 I I . Q
B2 R-B I 1 2. B-K2 PxP 1 3. NxP N-B4 1 4. P-B3 B-Q3!? (More circumspect is
14 . . . . N-Q4) I S. K-B2 P-KR3?! (Both players toss caution to the winds; the
sensible line here is I S. . . . Q-K2, followed by . . . KR-Q I ) 1 6. R-R3! PxB 1 7.
PxP KN-KSch 1 8. PxN NxPch 1 9. K-K I ? (White could have won with 1 9.
NxN!! RxQ 20. QR-KR I P-B4 2 1 . NxB QxN 22. P-N6!) 1 9 . . . . QxP 20. B
Q3 B-N6ch 2 1 . K-B I QxP! 22. N-B3 KR-Q I 23. R-Q I RxB! 24. RxR B-R3
2S. N-QNS N-Q7ch!, White resigns If, say, 26. QxN, then Black finishes with
26. . . . R-B8ch! 27. QxR Q-B7, mate. This wild game was typical of both of
these young masters. Steiner never "outgrew" a penchant for wild play, but
Pinkus would later adopt a defensive, maneuvering style.
32
ALB ERT PINKUS-AB RAHAM KUPCHI K (Rice-Progressive C.C. Champion
ship, 1 925): I . P-K4 P-K4 2. N-KB 3 P-Q3 3. B-B4 P-QB 3 4. P-Q4 Q-B2 5. N
B3 B-NS 6. P-KR3 B-R4 7. P-KN4 B-N3 8. P-KR4 P-KR4 9. P-NS N-Q2 I 0. B
K3 P-N4 I I . B-Q3 P-R3 1 2. P-R3 N-K2 I 3. N-Q2 P-Q4 1 4. PxKP NxP 1 5. P
B4 NxBch 1 6. PxN P-QS 1 7. BxP QxP 1 8. Q-B3 Q-Q3 1 9. N-N3 R-Q I 20.
R-Q I N-B I 2 1 . B-K3 B-K2 22. N-Q4 0-0 23. P-KS Q-B2 24. NxB P RxP 25.
RxR BxR 26. N-QS Q-Q2 27. R-N I B-BS 28. N-B6ch BxN 29. NPxB P-N3
30. N-Q4 Q-Q4 3 1 . Q-B4 N-Q3 32. Q-R6 N-K I 33. N-BS, B lack resigns
ALB ERT PIN KUS-ANTHONY SANTASIERE (New York, 1 925): I . P-K4 P
K4 2. N-KB 3 N-QB 3 3. B-B4 B-B4 4. P-B 3 N-B 3 5. P-Q4 PxP 6. PxP B -NSch
7. N-B 3 NxKP 8. 0-0 BxN 9. P-QS B-B 3 I 0. R-K I N-K2 I I . RxN P-Q3 1 2. B
NS BxB 1 3. NxB 0-0 (A major alternative is 1 3 . . . . P-KR3) 1 4. NxRP B -B 4
(Although considered playable, this move i s less popular than 1 4. . . . KxN) 1 5.
R-R4 R-K I 1 6. Q-RS N-N3 1 7. R-Q4 Q-Q2?! (Current theory gives 1 7. . . . R
K4 as best, when the position is mutually difficult) 1 8. N-NS N-K4 1 9. R-R4
N-N3 20. Q-R7ch K-B I 2 1 . N-K6ch!! RxN 22. PxR BxP 23. BxB QxB 24. R
R3 Q-B 3 25. R-K I N-K2 26. Q-K4 N-N3 27. QxP Q-Q I 28. R-QB 3 P-QB4
29. R-B 3 N-R I 30. R-K7! QxR 3 1 . QxRch Q-K I 32. QxQch KxQ 33. R-QR3
K-K2 34. RxPch K-K3 35. K-B I N-N3 36. P-KN3 N-K4 37. K-K2 N-B 3 38. R
B7 N-QSch 39. K-Q3 P-N4 40. P-QR4 P-B4 4 1 . P-RS K-Q4 42. P-R6 N-N4
43. R-QN7 K-B 3 44. RxN, B lack resigns
FRANK MARSHALL-ALB ERT PINKUS (New York, 1 925): I . P-K4 P-K4 2. N
KB 3 N-QB 3 3. B-B4 B-B4 4. P-B 3 N-B 3 5. P-Q4 PxP 6. PxP B-NSch 7. N-B 3
NxKP 8 . 0-0 NxN 9 . PxN P-Q4 I 0. B-QNS?! B-K2 I I . N-KS B-Q2 1 2. R-K I
0-0 1 3. NxB QxN 1 4. R-N I P-QR3 1 5. B-Q3 P-QN4 1 6. B-KB4 B-B 3 1 7. R
K3 P-N3 1 8. Q-B3 B-N2 1 9. P-QR3 QR-K I 20. QR-K I RxR 2 1 . RxR N-Q I
22. P-KR4 N-K3 23. P-RS R-K I 24. PxP RPxP 25. Q-N4 P-QB4 26. PxP P-QS
27. PxP BxP 28. P-B6 QxP 29. BxKNP PxB 30. QxPch B-N2 3 1 . B-KS Q-Q2
32. R-KN3 Q-KB2 33. Q-R6 P-R4 34. Q-Q2 R-Q I 35. Q-B2 Q-R4 36. P-B4
Q-Q8ch 37. QxQ RxQch 38. K-B2 K-B2 39. BxB NxB 40. R-NS R-Q6 4 1 .
RxP RxP 42. P-N4 N-K3 43. R-N7ch K-B 3 44. R-N6 K-K2 45. P-BS N-BS 46.
K-K I R-R7 47. P-NS N-N7ch 48. K-Q I N-K6ch 49. K-B I NxP 50. P-N6 R
KN7 5 1 . K-N I N-Q3 52. R-R6 N-BS 53. R-QB 6 N-R6ch 54. K-B I N-N4 55.
R-R6 N-QS 56. K-N I R-N4 57. K-N2 R-QB4 58. R-R7ch K-B I 59. R-B7ch K
N I 60. K-R3 R-BS 6 1 . R-N7 N-B7ch 62. K-R2 R-RSch 63. K-N3 R-NSch 64.
RxR NxR. White resigns Strictly for the record.
ALB ERT PINKUS-HERMAN STEINER (New York. 1 925): I . P-K4 P-K4 2. N
KB 3 N-QB 3 3. B-B4 B -B4 4. P-B 3 N-B 3 5. P-Q4 PxP 6. PxP B-NSch 7. N-B 3
NxKP 8 . 0-0 BxN 9 . P-QS B-B 3 I 0. R-K I N-K2 I I . RxN P-Q3 1 2. B-NS B xB
I 3. NxB 0-0 1 4. NxRP! KxN 1 5. Q-RSch K-N I 1 6. R-R4 P-KB4 (One of the
basic positions in the M0ller Attack) 1 7. Q-R7ch K-B2 1 8. R-R6 R-KN I 1 9. R
K I B-Q2? (Bad! B lack must play either 1 9 . . . . Q-B I or 1 9 . . . . K-B I ) 20. B-K2!?
(These days, the known win is 20. R/ I -K6 BxR 2 1 . PxBch K-K I 22. R-N6! P
B 3 23. RxP!) 20. . . . NxP? (B lack should probably try 20. . . . K-B I ) 2 1 . B-B4 P-
Chapter I
33
B3 22. Q-N6ch K-B I 23. QxQPch K-B2 24. BxNch PxB 2S. QxPch K-B I 26.
R-Q6 R-R I 27. RxB Q-B 3 28. R-K6, B lack resigns
ALB ERT PINKUS-ERLING THOLFSEN (Young Masters' Toumament, 1 927):
I. P-K4 P-K4 2. N-KB 3 N-QB 3 3. B-NS N-B 3 4. 0-0 P-Q3 S. P-Q4 PxP 6.
NxP B-Q2 7. N-QB 3 B-K2 8. P-QN3 0-0 9. B-N2 R-K I I 0. R-K I B-KB I I I.
B-KB I P-KN3 1 2. P-B 3 B-N2 1 3. NxN PxN 1 4. Q-Q2 B-K3 I S. QR-Q I
N-Q2 1 6. N-R4 BxB 1 7. NxB Q-N I 1 8. K-R I P-QR4 1 9. Q-B 3 P-QB4 20.
N-Q3 P-RS 2 1 . P-KS RPxP 22. RPxP P-BS 23. NPxP R-RS 24. PxP RxP 2S. Q
Q2 PxP 26. N-B2 R-B 3 27. N-K4 P-Q4 28. N-NS KR-QB I 29. P-QB4 N-N3
30. PxP BxP 3 1 . Q-Q4 P-R3 32. N-K4 Q-BS 33. B-R6 R-R I 34. B-NS R-K3
3S. B-Q7! NxB 36. QxB N-N3 37. Q-N3 R-QB I 38. P-N3 Q-B2 39. Q-K3
Q-K2 40. Q-N3 K-R2 4 1 . R-Q4 R-K I 42. R-N4 N-Q2 43. R-N7 P-B4 44.
R-Q I ! R-Q I 4S. Q-NS K-N I 46. R/ 1 xN RxR 47. RxR Q-K I 48. Q-QS PxN
49. R-Q8, B lack resigns Pinkus beautifully exploited his small advantage in piece
placement. The game is a harbinger of the winner's later style.
AL HOROWilZ-ALB ERT PINKUS (Manhattan C.C. Championship, 1 928): I .
N-KB 3 N-KB 3 2. P-B4 P-B4 3. N-B 3 N-B 3 4. P-KN3 P-KN3 S. B-N2 B-N2 6.
0-0 0-0 7. P-Q4 P-Q3 8. P-QS N-K4 9. NxN PxN 1 0. P-K4 N-K I I I . P-B4
PxP 1 2. PxP P-K4 1 3. P-BS N-Q3 1 4. Q-Q3 Q-RS I S. B-K3 P-N3 1 6. QR-K I
R-K I 1 7. PxP RPxP 1 8. B-B2 Q-K2 1 9. P-N3 B-Q2 20. K-R I R-KB I 2 1 . R
KN I B-R3 22. B-K3 BxB 23. QxB K-N2 24. B-R3 BxB 2S. QxB R-R I 26. Q
B3 R-R3 27. N-NS QR-R I 28. R-K2 NxN 29. PxN R-RS 30. Q-Q3 Q-B 3 3 1 .
R/2-KN2 Q-BS 32. Q-K2 QxP 33. QxQ RxQ 34. P-QR4 R-Q I 3S. P-RS RxP
36. PxP PxP 37. R-R I R-QNS 38. R-KB2 R-Q2, White resigns
AB RAHAM KUPCHIK-ALB ERT PINKUS (Manhattan C.C. Championship,
1 929-30): I . P-K4 P-K4 2. B-B4 N-QB 3 3. N-QB 3 N-B 3 4. P-Q3 B-B4 S. P
B4 P-Q3 6. P-BS N-QS 7. B-NS P-B 3 8. P-QR3 P-KR3 9. B-R4 P-Q4 I 0.
B-R2 P-QN4 I I . N-B 3 Q-B2 1 2. BxN PxB I 3. PxP NxKB P 1 4. PxP B-K3 I S.
NxN P Q-N3 1 6. BxB PxB 1 7. P-Q4 PxP 1 8. Q-K2 QxP 1 9. 0-0-0 0-0-0 20.
Q-B4 K-N2 2 1 . P-QN4 B-N3 22. QxQch KxQ 23. P-QR4 P-K4 24. N-R3 N
K6 2S. R-Q2 N-Q4 26. P-RS B-B2 27. R-B2 NxP 28. N-Q2 N-Q4 29. N-K4
B-Q3 30. N-B4 B-K2 3 1 . R-B 3 R-QN I 32. R/ 1 -B I R-NS 33. N/B4-Q2
KR-QN I 34. N-QN3 N-K6 3S. RI I -B2 P-B4 36. RxP NxR 37. RxN K-Q4 38.
R-B7 RxN 39. PxR B-R6ch, White resigns An extraordinarily forceful effort on
Black's part.
GEORGE SHAINSWIT-ALB ERT PINKUS (U.S. Championship, 1 940): I. P
Q4 N-KB3 2. P-QB4 P-KN3 3. P-B 3 P-Q4 4. PxP NxP S. P-K4 N-N3 6. B - K3
B-N2 7. N-B 3 0-0 8. Q-Q2 N-B 3 9. 0-0-0 P-QR3 I 0. P-KN4 P-K4 I I . P-QS
N-QS 1 2. B-KNS Q-Q3 1 3. P-KR4 P-QB 3 1 4. P-RS PxQP I S. PxQP NxQP
1 6. PxP B PxP 1 7. N-K4 Q-B2ch 1 8. K-N I B-K3 1 9. Q-R2 B-R I 20. N-BS R
B2 2 1 . R-B I ?! Q-Q3 22. B-Q3 N-NS 23. B-QB4 BxB 24. RxB Q-Q4
2S.P-N3 P-N4 26. R-B 3 P-KS! 27. NxKP NxB P!, White resigns
ALB ERT PINKUS-AL SI MONSON (U.S. Championship, 1 940): I . P-K4 P-K4
34
2. N-KB 3 N-QB3 3. B-NS P-QR3 4. B-R4 N-B3 5. 0-0 NxP 6. P-Q4 P-QN4
7. B-N3 P-Q4 8. PxP B-K3 9. P-B 3 B-K2 I 0. QN-Q2 0-0 I I . Q-K2 N-B4 1 2.
N-Q4 NxB 1 3. N/2xN (These days, 1 3. NxN/6 is considered to be a bit
better) 1 3. . . . Q-Q2 1 4. NxN QxN 1 5. B-K3 Q-BS?! (Reuben Fine later
played the correct 1 5 . . . . B-KB4!) I 6. Q-Q2 Q-KRS 1 7. P-KB4 KR-Q I ?! 1 8. P
BS B-Q2 1 9. QR-K I Q-R4 20. P-B 6! PxP 2 1 . PxP B-Q3 22. B-B4 R-K I 23.
BxB PxB 24. Q-B4 R-K4 25. RxR PxR 26. Q-N3ch Q-NS 27. QxP R-K I 28.
QxP B-K3 29. Q-Q2 B-BS 30. R-K I R-KB I 3 1 . R-K3 K-R I 32. Q-Q6 R-B I
33. P-KR3 Q-N3 34. K-R2 P-R3 35. Q-B4 R-KN I 36. R-N3 QxRch 37. QxQ
RxQ 38. KxR K-R2 39. N-BS BxP 40. K-B4 K-N3 4 1 . K-KS P-QR4 42. N- K4
P-NS 43. PxP PxP 44. P-N4 B-K3 45. K-Q6 P-R4 46. PxPch KxP 47. K-K7 K
N3 48. N-Q6 B-Q4 49. P-R4 B-N6 50. NxP!, B lack resigns "Of all the
American masters," wrote Anthony Santasiere when annotating this game,
"Pinkus has the greatest predilection for the Ruy Lopez." This direct and
forceful victory shows why.
ALB ERT PINKUS-GEORGE SHAINSWIT (Ventnor City, 1 942): I . P-K4 P
QB 3 2. P-Q4 P-Q4 3. PxP PxP 4. P-QB4 N-KB3 5. N-QB 3 P-K3 6. N-B3 PxP
7. BxP B-K2 8. 0-0 0-0 9. B-B4 N-B 3 I 0. R-K I P-QR3 I I . R-QB I B-Q2 1 2.
N-KS R-B I 1 3. B-QN3 NxN?! (Questionable; B lack ought to have tried either
1 3 . . . . N-QR4 or 1 3 . . . . N-QNS) 1 4. PxN N-K I 1 5. Q-N4 B -QB 3 1 6. KR
Q I Q-R4 1 7. N-QS!! PxN (Forced, for if 1 7 . . . . B-Q I , White wins easily after
1 8. B-Q2 Q-N4 1 9. B-N4) 1 8. QxR N-B2 1 9. B-Q2 Q-N3 20. B-K3 Q-R4
2 1 . Q-N4 N-K3 22. P-B4 P-QS 23. B-Q2 Q-Q I 24. P-BS P-KR4 25. QxRP
N-B4 26. P-B 6 PxP 27. PxP NxB 28. Q-NSch, B lack resigns Pinkus won the
First B rilliancy Prize for this game.
PETER WINSTON-ALB ERT PINKUS (World Open, 1 973?): I . P-K4 P-K4 2.
N-KB 3 N-QB3 3. B-B4 N-B 3 4. N-NS P-Q4 5. PxP N-QR4 6. B-NSch P-B 3
7. PxP PxP 8. B-K2 P-KR3 9. N-KB 3 P-KS I 0. N-KS Q-B2 I I . P-KB4 B -QB 4
1 2. P-Q4 PxPe.p. 1 3. NxQP B -N3 1 4. N-B 3 0-0 1 5. N-R4 R-K I 1 6. NxB
QxN 1 7. P-B 3 B-B4 1 8. P-QN4 N-BS 1 9. N-BS B-NS, White resigns In a
larger sense, young Winston's losing move was 4. N-NS. Pinkus was, after al l,
one of the all-time leading authorities on the Two Knights Defense. He
published several articles on the opening in Chess Review, and Soviet players
used his largely uncredited analyses to rewrite important chapters on Two
Knights theory. His master-level opponent in this game later wrote to Pi nkus,
"Apparently, you are still somewhat ahead of the latest theory on the Two
Knights."
Chapter I I
(j)eath cBe not cproud
of (j)reams (j)estroyed
If I were to tell you that a young man's father was an alcoholic who
late one night walked off a pier and drowned and that his
uneducated mother scrubbed floors and cleaned offices to pay the
rent for an ugly little flat in Hell's Kitchen, what would you rate
that man's chances in our society?
Right, but as a rare flower may flourish in the desert, so genius
sometimes seems to grow in the most barren of soils. For such was
the background of Donald MacMurray, the greatest genius whom I
ever knew and the possessor of the highest I.Q. recorded in America
up to the time of the early 1 930s. To this day-50-plus years
later-no one has equalled his record of earning a Bachelor of Arts
degree at the University of Chicago and a law degree at prestigious
Columbia. Oh, yes, he completed the first degree in 8% months and
the second in a single year!
Donald and I met in our early teens under most unusual circum
stances; and that we would later become close friends after a rocky
start was even more remarkable. Mac was captain of the De Witt
Clinton High School chess team, while I served as captain of
Theodore Roosevelt. Both of us were finalists in the New York City
Individual Championship, and as luck would have it, our game
decided the winner. As White, I was up a piece in a winning position
when he played . . . P-KN4 , attacking my Knight on KB4. As I
reached to move the Knight, I inadvertently knocked over my King
on KNl . Whereupon, Mac explained to referee Hermann Helms that
my lapse could only mean that I was resigning or that I planned t o
move my King. But the ref, who was known as the Grand Old Man
of American Chess, ruled in my favor at once. And Mac resigned.
Later, as we left the Marshall Chess Club together, he explained
that even this last variation had not been good enough, though he
felt it had been worth a try. As the years passed, we met many
times at the Manhattan Chess Club where we were junior members .
We played a lot of chess together and even teamed up with two
35
36
others to hold Alexander Alekhine to a draw in the world cham
pion's famous simultaneous exhibition on election day, November
8, 1932, at the old Seventh Regiment Armory. The game and an
account of the exhibition appear elsewhere in the chapter on
Alekhine.
Mac also played another chess immortal, Jose Capablanca, who
conducted an exhibition along the same lines as Alekhine's a year
earlier at the Armory. The great Cuban seemed to start out well in
the game, but Mac and a young Reuben Fine showed some fine
endgame technique. Defeating Capablanca was always a notable
feat.
Jose Capab/anca vs. Donald MacMurray, Reuben Fine et alia
New York Armory Exhibition, 1 93 1
I . P-Q4 N-KB 3 2. P-QB4 P-K3 3. N-QB 3 P-Q4 4. B-NS QN-Q2 5. P-K3 B
K2 6. N-B 3 P-B4?
Black falls into an opening trap. We were all strong players, but
opening literature was virtually inaccessible back in the early 1930s.
7. B PxP B PxP
Black can do better with 7 . . . . NxP.
8. QxP PxP 9. B-NS 0-0 I 0. BxQN BxB I I . BxN BxB 1 2. QxQP
At this point, White is simply winning.
1 2. . . . Q-B I 1 3. N-Q4 KR-Q I 1 4. 0-0 B-B 3 I S. Q-QBS B-K I
QRxQ 1 7. KR-Q I P-KN3 1 8. N/Q4-K2?
1 6. QxQ
Pointless and ultimately dangerous. The correct plan is 18. K-B 1 ,
followed by K-K2 and R-Q2 .
I 8. . . . K-B I 1 9. RxR RxR 20. R-Q I RxRch 2 1 . NxR K-K2 22. N/Q I -B 3?
-White must play 22. K-Bl .
22. . . . B-N2 23. N-Q4?
Losing still more time. Capablanca was obviously temporizing,
hoping to finish off a few more of the 50 simultaneous teams before
deciding on what to do next in this "easily won" endgame.
23 . . . . K-Q3 24. K-B I K-B4 25. N/Q4-K2 K-BS 26. K-K I K-Q6 27. K-Q I
BxN! 28. NxB
White has an extra pawn in a pared-down endgame, but Black
has what looks like an extra King and a winning position !
Chapter
II
37
28 . . . . B-B3! 29. N-K2 B-RS ch! 30. P-N3 B-B3 3 1 . P-KR4
In his A Passion for Chess, Reuben Fine notes that White cannot
save himself by 3 1 . N-B4ch because of 3 1 . . . . K-B6 32. K-Bl P-KN4
33. N-R3 P-KR3 34. P-B3 K-Q6.
3 I . . . P-B3 32. N-B4ch K-B6 33. K-B I P-KN4 34. PxP PxP 35. N-K6 BxP 36.
NxP P-KR4 37. K-Q I P-RS 38. K-K2 P-R6 39. P-B3 P-R7 40. N-K4ch K-N5 4 1 .
N-B2 P-R8=Q 42. NxQ BxN 43. K-B2 K-B6 44. P-K4 K-Q5 45. P-R3 P-R4
46. P-R4 P-N3 47. K-N3 K-K6 48. P-K5 BxP
.
GM Fine breaks off the game at this point, but several more
moves were actually made. Indeed, it is amazing to watch the great
Capablanca play on in an utterly lost position.
49. P-K6 B-B3 50. P-K7 K-Q6 5 I . K-B4 K-B6 52. K-K5 KxP 53. K-Q6 B-K I 54.
K-B7 KxP 55. KxP K-N5, White resigns
Yidel mit dem Fiedel
Mac and I soon became inseparable; we went all over together.
Harrison Weil, one of the wags at the Manhattan, took to calling us
"the Gold Dust Twins." Certainly, my close proximity to a genius
had a positive influence on my education. Thanks to "Meckele," as
Donald liked to be called, I learned many Yiddishisms which later
came in handy. Mac was such an expert in the language that many
took it for granted that he was an Irish Jew. But it was not the case.
He used to frequent the Yiddish Theater and learned many Yiddish
songs by heart. Once he won a five-dollar bet by proving that he
could sing Yidel mit dem Fiedel without any coaching. Mac was so
poor that he doubtlessly needed the money.
Imagine, therefore, everyone's surprise when he showed up one
day at the Manhattan Chess Club looking every bit the part of Lord
Fauntleroy. It was wintertime, and he was wearing an expensive
cloth coat with a wide mink collar. His shoes were covered with
gray spats, and he smoked a cigarette through a long holder. The
whole routine was so unlike him that it created quite a stir until he
38
explained that he had been legally adopted by the Hollingworths.
Professor Harry Hollingworth was chairman of the Psychology
Department at Columbia University, and his wife, Leta, held the
same rank at Barnard. For them, Donald was a living experiment
about which they would later write in their book, You and
Heredity. From that day forward, I mostly called him "Pooritzl,"
which meant "little prince" in the Yiddish that he taught me.
The Best Years of His Life
From the autumn of 1935 to the summer of 1936, the brief period
during which Mac completed his schooling at the University of
Chicago, I got to see him only on vacations. Then, in June 1936, he
came home and married the lovely Evelyn Ehrlich, his childhood
sweetheart from the renowned Special Opportunity Class for gifted
children at old P.S. 165 up on West 108th and Broadway.
The mid-1930s were the best and happiest years of Mac's life,
though some rather worrying bouts of nausea struck him on
occasion. But they passed. And, after all, he was getting offers for
his services from all over and being celebrated in New York Times
headlines as the young genius who "established a new record for
speed in obtaining [his] degree." He also took pride in moving his
mother, Florence, out of Hell's Kitchen into decent digs at, if
memory serves, 219 East 26th Street. The oyster of life appeared to
be brimming with pearls.
By then I, too, had gotten married, and the four of us enjoyed
some great times together. Mac had a marvelous sense of humor,
and he could turn the most mundane activity into a memorable
experience through the power of wit and imagination. What a great
television evangelist he would have made. He could get people to do
almost anything, and what's more they did not resent doing it. One
evening he wanted to go dancing or "stompin'," as we used to say,
at the Savoy Ballroom on Lenox Avenue up in Harlem. We were five
couples, and only Mac was even slightly interested in such an
expedition. Yet he convinced one and all that this would be a most
unusual experience to be treasured for the rest of our lives.
And so it was: We all went, and we all had a great time.
Of course, doing anything with Mac was a delight. He had a rare
gift for seeing things from oblique angles-a facility that extended
to his original chess style. In the mid-1930s, he scored respectably
in several Manhattan club championships, which were at that time
stronger than many international tournaments. Among his victims
were Isaac Kashdan, this writer (who also played a drawn match
with him) and most of the other top American players . At the 193 7
Chapter II
39
U.S. Open in Chicago, he shared third-fourth with George Treys
man. Then, at the 1938 U.S. Open held during a sizzling July in
Boston, Mac scored an equally hot lOlf2-lf2 in what was called the
Consolation Masters' section. In the prelims, he played a couple of
bad games and failed to qualify for the Masters' Final. But take a
look at the havoc he created once he woke up. According to Harry
Lyman, a master from Boston, Mac "set the room on fire" with this
wonderfully baroque brilliancy against Weaver Adams:
Donald MacMurray-Weaver Adams
U.S. Open, I 9 38
English Opening
I . P-QB4 P-K4 2. N-QB 3 P-KB4 3. N-B 3 N-QB 3 4. P-Q4 P-KS S . N-Q2 B
NS 6 . N-QS BxNch 7 . BxB!? NxP 8 . B-B 3 N-K3 9 . P-K3 P-KR4 I 0. B-K2 Q
N4 I I . P-KR4! QxN P 1 2. K-Q2 P-B 3 1 3. R-KN I QxP 1 4. R-KB I Q-R7 I S .
RxP PxN I 6 . PxP N-K2
1 7. Q-KB I !!
Yes, Mac was a genius.
1 7 . . . . NxR 1 8. QxN Q-Q3 1 9. K-B2 Q-R7 20. R-K I R-B I 2 1 . QxPch K-K2
22. PxN P-Q3 23. Q-NSch KxP 24. K-N I , B lack resigns
At the time, the following brilliant game created a sensation
because everyone recognized that Caissa had a new genius
worshipping at her altar. None of us dreamed then how quickly the
goddess and her avatar would be parted.
AI Horowitz-Donald MacMurray
Manhattan C.C. Championship, 1 932-33
Queen's Pawn Game
I . N-KB3 P-QB 3 2. P-Q4 P-Q4 3. P-B4 N-B 3 4. N-B 3 PxP S . P-QR4 B-B4 6.
P-K3 P-K3 7. BxP QN-Q2 8. Q-K2 B-QNS 9. 0-0 P-KR3 I 0. P-K4 B-R2 I I .
B-Q3 0-0 1 2. R-Q I R-K I 1 3. N-R2 B-B I 1 4. P-QN4 P-QR4 I S . P-NS P-B4
1 6. B-B 2 Q-N3 1 7. PxP BxB P 1 8. B-N2 QR-B I 1 9. QR-B I KR-Q I 20. R-Q2
N-NS 2 1 . R-B I N/2-B 3 22. RxRch RxR 23. P-R3 NxB P! 24. RxN NxP 2S .
40
BxN BxRch 26. K-R2 BxB 27. QxB/4 R-Q8 28. Q-K2 R-Q I 29. N-B I P-B3
30. P-N3 P-K4 3 1 . K-N2 B-K6 32. Q-B4ch K-R I 33. N-N3 Q-Q3 34. NxRP
Q-Q8 35. NxNP P-KS 36. N-Q4 Q-N8, mate
The Summer of "38
In August of Mac's final summer, we went upstate with the wives to
Cazenovia to play in the New York State Championship, a tourna
ment that I won. The first evening at dinner Meckele complained of
his old nausea and of stomach pains when laughing. No one gave it a
thought until the next day at lunch when he had to leave the table.
There was so much laughter that he could not control the pain. I
then asked my good friend, the late Dr. Joseph Platz, who was also
competing in the tournament, to examine Mac.
I will never forget what he told me that evening: "He has a cancer
in his stomach as large as a grapefruit, and in such a young man it is
the same as tossing a match into a dry wheat field. " A little more
than three months later-on December 2, 1938, shortly following
Mac's 24th birthday-Dr. Platz's sad prediction came true.
Mac did not give up on life until the very end. My wife, Nina,
visited him almost daily at Doctors Hospital in New York City, and I
also dropped by, though less frequently. To watch him waste away
and to hear him discuss his bright plans for a destiny denied, was
too heartbreaking.
Donald MacMurray never became a grandmaster, but had he
lived, I am sure that he would have. He never practiced law, but at
the time of his death, he was considering numerous offers. Like a
falling star he came to light up our sky for a few moments and then
to depart. Those of us fortunate enough to have known him came
away rich in memories.
Selected Games
Donald MacMurray: Destiny Denied
ISAAC KASH DAN-DONALD MacMURRAY (Simultaneous Exhibition, New
York, 1 930): I . P-K4 P-K4 2. N-KB3 N-QB3 3. B-NS N-B3 4. 0-0 NxP 5. P
Q4 N-Q3 6. BxN N PxB 7. PxP N-N2 8. N-B3 B-K2 9. Q-K2 0-0 I 0. B-K3
N-B4 I I . QR-Q I B-R3 1 2. Q-Q2 BxR I 3. RxB P-Q4 1 4. N-Q4 Q-Q2 1 5. P
B4 P-B4 1 6. K-R I N-KS 1 7. NxN BPxN 1 8. P-BS P-B4 1 9. N-K6 QxN 20.
PxQ RxRch 2 1 . B-N I P-B3 22. P-KN3 QR-KB I 23. K-N2 P-QS 24. Q-K2
P-K6 25. P-B3 R/8-B7ch 26. BxR RxBch 27. QxR PxQ 28. KxP PxP 29. PxP
K-B I , White resigns A poor game that is given here strictly for the record.
OSCAR TENN ER-DONALD MacMURRAY (Manhattan C.C. Rapid Transit
Tournament, 1 933): I . P-K4 P-K4 2. N-QB3 N-KB3 3. P-B4 P-Q4 4. P-Q3 B-
Chapter II
41
QNS 5. BPxP NxP! 6. PxN Q-RSch 7. K-K2 BxN 8. PxB B-NSch 9. N-B3 PxP
I 0. Q-Q4 B-R4 (This position was also reached in Tchigorin-Caro [Vienna,
1 898], and is evaluated as equal in Botsford Chess Openings) I I . B-R3?
(According to GM Lany Evans, White must play I I . K-K3, when there is a
perpetual check after I I . . . . BxN 1 2. PxB Q-KSch 1 3. K-B4 Q-RSch; and if in
this line, White continues 1 2. B-NSch P-B3 1 3. PxB PxB 1 4. QxKP QxQch
1 5. KxQ N-Q2, the resulting ending is unclear) I I . . . . N-B3 1 2. Q-QS R-Q I
1 3. Q-NS PxNch 1 4. PxP Q-KSch (Beginning with this move, Black has a
forced mate in I I moves) 1 5. K-B2 QxKBPch 1 6. K-N I Q-K6ch 1 7. K-N2
B-B6ch 1 8. K-R3 BxRdis.ch. 1 9. K-R4 P-N4ch 20. K-RS B-B6ch 2 1 . K-R6
P-NSdis.ch. 22. K-N7 Q-N4ch 23. KxR K-Q2dis.ch. 24. KxP B-KS, mate
DONALD MacMURRAY-HAROLD MORTON (U.S. Open, 1 937): I . P-K4
P-K4 2. N-KB3 N-QB3 3. N-B3 N-B3 4. B-NS B-NS 5. 0-0 0-0 6. BxN N PxB
7. NxP R-K I 8. P-Q4 BxN 9. PxB NxP I 0. R-K I N-Q3 I I . Q-N4 Q-B3 1 2.
B-R3 R-Q I 1 3. R-K3 N-B4 1 4. R-B3 P-Q4 1 5. Q-RS P-N3 1 6. N-N4! Q-R I
1 7. Q-NS B-K3 1 8. RxN! BxR 1 9. N-R6ch K-N2 20. NxBch K-N I 2 1 . B-K7!,
Black resigns The upcoming 22. B-B6 will disconcert the Black lady.
DONALD MacMURRAY-HARRY LYMAN (U.S. Open, 1 938): I . P-Q4 N
KB3 2. B-NS N-KS 3. B-R4 P-Q4 4. P-K3 P-QB4 5. P-QB3 Q-N3! 6. Q-B I
Q-KR3! (Lyman notes that during the post-mortem the ever-generous Mac
praised highly this Queen maneuver. It anticipates by some 37 years a similar
maneuver played in the game, Orestes Rodriguez-VIastimil Hort [Las Palmas,
1 975], one of the most bizarre contests in the history of chess: I . P-Q4 N
KB3 2. B-NS P-B4 3. P-QS N-KS 4. B-R4 Q-N3 5. Q-B I P-N4 6. B-N3 B-N2
7. P-QB3 Q-KR3! [In this game, Hort belies his reputation as a stolid and
torpid positional player.] 8. BxN RxB 9. N-Q2 NxN I 0. QxN P-N4! I I . N-B3
P-QNS 1 2. NxP? [White needed to play 1 2. P-B4!] 1 2. . . . PxP 1 3. PxP Q-R3!
1 4. R-B I Q-R6 1 5. P-K4 R-N8! 1 6. K-Q I BxP 1 7. Q-B2 RxRch 1 8. QxR Q
NS 1 9. B-Q3 R-N I 20. N-B3 RxP 2 1 . R-N I Q-RSch 22. Q-B2 QxQch 23.
KxQ RxR 24. NxR B-QS 25. N-R3 P-Q3 26. B-B I P-KR3, White resigns) 7.
N-B3 B-NS 8. B-N3 NxB 9. BPxN N-Q2 I 0. B-Q3 P-K3 I I . 0-0 B-Q3?!
(According to Lyman, Mac stated that I I . . . . P-B4! would have given Black a
clear advantage) 1 2. P-K4! QxQ 1 3. RxQ 0-0 1 4. QN-Q2 BPxP I S. BPxP QR
B I 1 6. K-B2 PxP 1 7. NxP B-K2 1 8. R-B3 RxR 1 9. PxR R-B I 20. R-QN I R-B2
2 1 . N/K4-Q2 P-QN3 22. P-B4 N-B3? 23. P-KR3 B-R4 24. P-N4 B-N3 25. BxB
RPxB 26. K-K3 K-B I 27. P-QR4 B-Q3 28. R-NS K-K2 29. P-RS PxP 30. RxP
R-N2 3 1 . K-Q3 B-NS 32. R-R6 BxN 33. KxB N-K I 34. N-KS N-Q3 35. K-B3,
and White eventually won
DONALD MacMURRAY-DR. JOSEPH PLATZ (New York State Champion
ship, 1 938): I . P-K4 P-K4 2. N-QB3 N-KB3 3. P-B4 P-Q4 4. P-Q3 P-QS 5.
QN-K2 PxP 6. BxP N-R4 7. B-Q2 B-KNS 8. P-KN3 B-Q3 9. B-N2! NxP I 0.
PxN BxPch I I . NxB! BxQ 1 2. RxB 0-0 I 3. N-B3 P-QB4 1 4. K-K2 N-Q2 1 5.
QR-KN I R-K I 1 6. N-BS N-B I 1 7. N-NS P-QR4 1 8. B-KB3 P-KN3 1 9. N
R6ch K-N2 20. N/SxBP Q-Q4 2 1 . P-N3 R-R3 22. P-KS Q-Q2 23. B-NS P-RS
42
24. B-K4 PxP 25. B-B 6ch RxB 26. PxRch KxP 27. R-B I ch K-N2 28. N-N5 R
K2 29. RPxP N-K3 30. NxP! KxN 3 1 . N-N4dis.ch. K-N2 32. N-B 6 Q-Q3 33.
R-R7ch K-B I 34. R-R8ch K-N2 35. R-N8ch K-R3 36. RxP, mate One of
MacMurray's last brilliancies. In a little more than three months, he would lie
dead from stomach cancer.
Chapter I l l
Oscar 'fenner:fi Character
if ever 'fhere was One
The great Oscar Tenner was a fixture at the Manhattan Chess Club
for close to 30 years. Everyone knew Oscar, and no out-of-towner
ever left the club without leaving a small deposit for the pleasure of
crossing swords with him. You won't find Oscar mentioned in The
Oxford Companion to Chess or other chess encyclopedias, but he
was a memorable character if ever there was one.
In the "good old days"-sneer, if you must-when the club was
at the Alamac Hotel on 7 1st and Broadway, Oscar arrived early
each day and sat at "his" table, squinting at Die Stadtszeitung, his
favorite newspaper. When someone once foolishly asked why he
lwpt his glasses on his head while reading, he replied, "That way
they reflect the newsprint better." After one of these "witzen" or
jokes, he would shake with laughter, displaying a number of missing
teeth. That prompted Robert Willman, a many-time champion of
the Manhattan, to call him Skeezix, the famous cartoon child with
hut two front teeth.
Oscar was an expert on politics. He analyzed the news daily, and
there was not an item on foreign affairs that he overlooked while
waiting for his "customers" to arrive. "Wissen sie" ("Did you know
that. . . ") would start every conversation, and then he would launch
upon a lengthy spiel about the true meaning of the news as he saw
it. Oscar missed his vocation. Had he been a bit more fluent in
English, Gabriel Heatter, that great radio commentator of the 1930s
and 1940s, might have wound up on the Bowery.
One thing was certain where Oscar was concerned. He feared no
one. He had supreme confidence, the type that overcomes tragedy
and performs miracles. Though he had lost to you a hundred times
in a row, he was sure that he would win the next time. And if the
game were blitz chess, then his self-assurance had some basis. Oscar
played a very strong speed game. Take a look some time at the
tournament table of the rapid transit event during the famous 1924
New York International. Oscar made it into the final group where he
43
44
tied for second, a point behind Jose Capablanca, whom he drew. H e
finished ahead o f Geza Maroczy and Savielly Tartakower, both of
whom he defeated. Here is a sample of Oscar's form when playing
chess at 10 seconds a move:
Otis Field-Oscar Tenner
New York. 1 923
Two Knights Defense
I . P-K4 P-K4 2. N-KB3 N-QB3 3. B-B4 N-B3 4. N-NS P-Q4 S. PxP N-QR4
6. P-Q3 P-KR3 7. N-KB3 P-KS 8. Q-K2 NxB 9. PxN B-QB4 I 0. 0-0
Not an ideal idea. Better is 10. P-B3.
I 0. . . . 0-0 I I . KN-Q2 B-KNS 1 2. Q-K I Q-Q2 1 3. N-N3
Black's 12th move was a novelty at the time, and White must
respond to the challenge at 10 seconds a move. He might have
lasted longer with 13. NxP NxN 14. QxN QR-Kl 1 5 . Q-B4 B-K7 1 6 .
R-Kl BxP.
1 3 . . . . B-B6 1 4. B-B4
If 14. PxB, Black wins after 14 . . . . PxP 15. K-Rl Q-R6 16. R-Nl
B-Q3 17. R-N3 BxR 18. Q-Nl KR-Kl 19. B-K3 RxB.
1 4. . . . Q-NS I S. B-N3 N-R4 1 6. NxB
White is kaput, finished, done for. On 16. K-Rl , Black mops up
with 16 . . . . BxPch 17. KxB Q-B6ch 18. K-Nl NxB 19. PxN QxNPch
20. K-Rl Q-R6ch 2 1 . K-Nl B-Q3 22. P-KB4 PxPe.p. 23 . Q-B2 B-N6
24. Q-Q2 B-B5 25. Q-B2 B-K6.
1 6. . . . N-BS 1 7. NxKP
And if 17. PxB, Black has the simple 17 . . . . Q-R6 18. BxN PxP.
But now . . .
1 7. . . . Q-R6!!, White resigns
Mate is unavoidable. Wrote AI Horowitz of this astonishing speed
Chapter III
45
game, "The spontaneous sacrifices are sound even under the scru
tiny of discriminating analysis."
uvou Get Vun"
On occasion during the 1930s, when Oscar was short of customers,
he would join us "terrible Turks" at 10-second chess. These sessions
had their embarrassing moments because when Oscar lost-and
being past his prime, he nearly always did-he had no money to
pay up. He would stick his fingers into his vest pockets, swish them
around for a moment, and then announce for all to hear, "You get
vun. " No matter how many times he lost, he would always go
through the same ritual of fumbling through his pockets and
announcing, "You get vun." Whereupon Willman would snidely ask,
"Do you have any fish hooks in your pockets?" Someone else might
have become angry or unpleasant at this type of razzing, but not
Oscar. He accepted it gracefully and even seemed to enjoy it, which
was one of the reasons we were all so fond of him.
I especially remember one warm afternoon back in the summer
of '39 at the Old Manhattan. Oscar was up two or three pieces
against a favorite "customer. " But this gentleman flouted the chess
etiquette of offhand games and continued to shift wood with
excruciating deliberation. The game flowed on and on and on.
Finally, with his lone king facing a mate in two , the "customer"
resigned. "Too late ! " Oscar snapped. And drawing himself up with
astonishing hauteur, he delivered the coup de grace with a snap,
crackle and pop rarely seen at the board. From that point on, the
"customer" resigned on time.
Looking back at Oscar's games, my impression is that he was a
very talented player. At one time or another, he defeated most of
the leading American masters, including the likes of Isaac Kashdan
and AI Horowitz. In his youth, before leaving Germany for America
in mid-1922, he knocked off such famous European masters as
Fyodor Bogatyrchuk (a future co-champion of the Soviet Union),
Karel Hromadka and Karel Treybal. Even in later years he still
played the opening on a par with the very best. But from there on,
he would relax his grip and expect the position to play itself. Still,
as the following theoretically important game demonstrates, he was
a road hazard even for the very best:
Geza Maroczy-Oscar Tenner
Manhattan C.C. Championship, 1 926
I . P-Q4 P-Q4 2. P-QB4 P-K3 3. N-QB3 N-KB3 4. B-NS QN-Q2 5. P-K3 B
NS 6. PxP PxP 7. B-Q3 P-B4 8. N-B3 P-BS 9. B-B2 Q-R4 I 0. 0-0 BxN I I .
46
PxB QxBP 1 2. Q-N I 0-0 1 3. P-K4 PxP 1 4. B-Q2 Q-R6 I S. B-N4 Q-R3 1 6.
BxR PxN
1 7. B-K7?? Q-K3, White resigns
White cannot save his Bishop and defend against the crushing
threat of 18 . . . . Q-N5 .
The game is theoretically important because most authorities
consider White's game as won after 17. B-N4 instead of Maroczy's
blunder, 17. B-K7 ? ? . This opinion dates back to Alexander
Alekhine's comments in his book on the New York 1927 tourna
ment-comments which were later ratified by Efim Bogolyubov in
Die Moderne Eroffnung: 1. d2-d4 and accepted as conventional
wisdom by Gary Kasparov and Raymond Keene in their Batsford
Chess Openings. The idea is that after 17. B-N4 PxP 18. R-K1 Q-B3 ,
White has the winning line, 19. BxPch NxB 20. R-K8ch N/Q2-B1 2 1 .
Q-Kl . If Black tries 2 1 . . . . P-QN4, then he is defenseless after 2 2 .
BxN NxB 23. Q-K7. The critics have all overlooked 2 1 . . . . N-N4 ! ! (a
move pointed out by Oscar Tenner in the March 1929 issue of the
American Chess Bulletin ! ) 22. RxNch K-R2 23. Q-K3 (forced) 23 . . . .
N-R6ch 24. QxNch BxQ 25. RxR P-B6 ! , threatening . . . Q-B5. And if
26. P-B4, then Black plays 26 . . . . Q-B6 ! , threatening mate on KB8 .
White cannot escape the toils by the expedient of 19. P-Q5 (rather
than 19. BxPch), with the idea of deflecting the Queen from its K1
square. If 19 . . . . QxP, White wins easily after 20. BxPch NxB 2 1 . R
K8ch N/Q2-B1 22. BxN NxB 23 . Q-N4. The fly in the ointment is
22 . . . . N-B3 ! , and White can resign after 23. Q-K1 NxR 24. QxN B
R6 ! 25. QxR Q-Q6 .
In his style Oscar belonged to the romantics. He consciously
strove for beauty over the board, and no Manhattan Chess Club
Championship seemed complete without his winning a brilliancy
prize. Unfortunately, he courted complications even in easily won
positions. As AI Horowitz once wrote in Chess Review , never for
Oscar safety and sanity when risk and foolhardiness would do. In
the following game, most masters would have grabbed Black's
Queen at move 21 rather than toss more wood on the sacrificial fire:
Chapter III
47
Oscar Tenner-Donald MacMurray
Manhattan C. C. Championship, / 9 33
Ruy Lopez
I . P-K4 P-K4 2. N-KB3 N-QB3 3. B-NS P-QR3 4. B-R4 P-Q3 5. BxNch PxB
6. P-Q4 P-B3 7. B-K3 P-N3 8. QN-Q2 N-R3 9. PxP BPxP I 0. B-NS Q-Q2
I I . N-B4! Q-K3 1 2. QNxKP!! B-QN2 1 3. N-Q3 QxPch 1 4. K-Q2! Q-B4 1 5 .
Q-K2ch K-B2 I 6. QR-K I P-B4 1 7. B-B4 P-BS
1 8. QN-KSch!! PxN 1 9. QxPch K-K I 20. RxPch B-K2 2 1 . RxBch!
So extravagant, so Oscar. He did these things all the time. For
example, in the 1923-24 Manhattan C.C. Championship, Oscar as
Black worked very hard to prolong his win over the great David
Janowski: 1 . P-Q4 N-KB3 2. P-K3 P-Q4 3 . B-Q3 P-B4 4. N-KB3 B-NS
5. P-B4 N-B3 6. PxQP BxN 7. PxB QxP 8. N-B3 Q-Q2 9. PxP P-K4
10. P-QR3 BxP 1 1 . Q-B2 Q-R6 12. N-NS QxBP 13. R-KNl 0-0-0 1 4 .
B-K2 Q-Q4 15. RxP KR-Nl 1 6 . R-N3 Q-R8ch 1 7 . B-Bl N-KS 1 8 . P
N4 NxR 19. RPxN B-N3 20. B-N2 K-Nl 2 1 . N-B3 P-B4 22. QxP BxP
23 . PxB KR-Bl 24. Q-R3 Q-N8 25. N-Ql RxNch 26. KxR RxBch 2 7 .
K-B2 RxR 28. BxR QxB 2 9 . Q-K6 QxP 30. Q-N8ch K-B2 3 1 . QxPch
K-N3 32. P-N4 QxKP 33. Q-N6 P-KS 34. P-KNS Q-B7ch 35. K-N3 P
K6 36. P-NS P-K7 37. PxN PxP, White resigns. How Janowski must
have cursed !
2 1 . . . . KxR 22. R-K I ch K-B3 23. Q-B3ch K-B2 24. QxPch K-N I 25. BxN,
Black resigns
Oscar figured in a strange episode involving Alexander Alekhine.
In My Best Games of Chess, 1 908-1 923 , Alekhine included a IS
move brilliancy against Oscar that can be found in a note to an
Alekhine-Teichmann game. Oscar protested and presented convinc
ing evidence that the game quoted by Alekhine was only a post
mortem variation from the real contest, which ended in a draw.
48
Alexander Alekhine-Oscar Tenner
Exhibition Game, Cologne, I 9 1 I
King's Gambit Declined
I . P-K4 P-K4 2. P-KB4 B-B4 3. N-KB3 P-Q3 4. B-B4 N-QB3 5. P-Q3 N-B3 6.
N-B3 B-KNS 7. N-QR4 PxP 8. NxB PxN 9. BxP N-KR4 I 0. B-K3 Q-K2
According to Alekhine, the game ended with 10.
N-K4? 1 1 .
NxN BxQ 12. BxPch K-K2 13. BxPch K-B3 14. 0-0ch KxN 15. R-BS ,
mate. Oscar denied that this line occurred and noted that while
Alekhine claimed the game was played at Cologne in 1907, the
great Russian first played outside his country at Dusseldorf in 1908.
Further, Alekhine definitely visited Cologne in 1911 (Oscar's date
for the game) . Did Alekhine deliberately concoct the game as he did
so many others?
0 0 .
I I . B-QNS P-B4! 1 2. BxNch PxB 1 3. Q-Q2 PxP 1 4. N-NS 0-0!
Oscar rightly avoided 14.
the rigors of 15. 0-0 ! .
0 0 0
PxP?, when his King will not survive
I S. NxKP QR-K I 1 6. B-B2 Q-Q3! 1 7. Q-K3 Q-N3! 1 8. 0-0
Alekhine was not about to subject himself to 18. QxP? N-BS 1 9 .
P-KN3 B-B6.
1 8.
B-B6 1 9. B-N3 NxB 20. PxN BxN 2 1 . RxRch KxR 22. QxPch K-N I
23. PxB QxKP, draw
0 0 .
The game will end in perpetual check after 24. QxRP QxP 2 5 .
QxP Q-B4ch.
Oscar was born on April 5, 1880, in Lvov, then the capital of the
Austrian-held region of Galicia and now part of Ukraine. His heri
tage, however, was primarily German, and one can find his name in
old Berlin tournament crosstables circa 1910. In 1914, Oscar was
battling for the lead in the second master group or "Hauptturnier
A" of the Mannheim International when World War I broke out. The
players in the top master group included Alexander Alekhine, Milan
Vidmar, Rudolf Spielmann, Richard Reti and others. The Russian
players were interned at Triberg, and Oscar found himself shuffled
off with them. He often told the story about how they made a chess
set out of soft bread and later, when food became scarce, ate the
pieces. To escape internment, he joined the Austrian army (suffering
two slight battle wounds) , and many was the time that he demon
strated the infamous goose step during our late-night walks from the
Manhattan Chess Club down to the Battery.
Chapter III
49
.. Have You Seen My Little Vun?"
I will never forget the afternoon of March 18, 1930. Oscar arrived at
the club flushed with excitement. He had been seeing Edith
Bernstein, a middle-aged lady from Berlin, and with America's chess
dean Hermann Helms acting as witness, Oscar had taken the final
plunge at the Municipal Building that very morning. There were
congratulations all around, and in the afternoon Edith came to the
club wearing a white blouse and a simple black suit. She looked so
radiant, and Oscar was beaming. Later, we all went out for a small
celebration thrown by real estate tycoon Robert Raubitschek, a
huge man who resembled a pale, blue-eyed walrus.
Oscar and Edith made a love nest for themselves down on East
1 2th; and some months later, to everyone's surprise, Mrs. T. gave
birth to a son, Marcus. From that day on, Oscar would strut into
the club, thumbs hooked in his vest pockets and his chest all puffed
out. He no longer concerned himself with an analysis of the news.
There was only one burning question on his mind, �nd he asked it
of all who ventured near enough: "Have you seen my little vun?"
At age 68, on December 24, 1 948, Oscar died in New York's
Bellevue Hospital. Chess will never see another character quite like
him.
Selected Games
Oscar Tenner. The Master Who Feared No One
OSCAR TEN NER-A. ROESCH (Hamburg, 1 9 1 0): I . P-K4 P-K4 2. N-KB3 N
QB3 3. B-NS P-QR3 4. B-R4 B-NS 5. 0-0 KN-K2 6. P-B3 B-R4 7. P-Q4 PxP
8. PxP P-Q4 9. PxP QxP I 0. B-N3 Q-R4 I I . P-QS! N-Q I 1 2. B-Q2 BxB 1 3.
QNxB 0-0 1 4. R-K I N-N3 1 5. R-QB I P-QB3 1 6. N-K4 B-NS?! 1 7. N-N3!
BxN 1 8. NxQ BxQ 1 9. KRxB PxP 20. BxP R-N I 2 1 . R-B7 N-B3 22. BxN
PxB 23. P-QN3 R-N4 24. P-KN4 R-R4 25. P-QR4 R-QB4 26. P-B4 R-B7 27.
RJ7-Q7 N-RS 28. RI I -Q3 R-N7ch 29. K-R I RxP 30. R-QB3 N-N3 3 1 .
RxQBP NxP? 32. R-84 N-R6 33. N-B6ch!! PxN 34. RxRch K-R I 35. K-N2 N
N4 36. P-R4 N-K3 37. R-Q6 P-B4 38. R-QB4 R-R I 39. R/4-B6 P-QR4 40. R
R6 R-N I 4 1 . RxP RxP 42. RxP K-N2 43. R-Q7, Black resigns Tenner scored
+ 7 -0 =2 to walk away with the Hauptturnier "B," winning the event by two
points.
OSCAR TENNER-ISAAC KASHDAN (Exhibition Game, New York, 1 926):
I . P-QB4 N-KB3 2. P-Q4 P-B3 3. N-QB3 P-Q4 4. N-B3 P-K3 5. B-NS QN
Q2 6. P-K4 PxKP 7. NxP B-NSch 8. B-Q2 Q-R4 9 . N-Q6ch K-K2 I 0. P-BS R
Q I I I . B-Q3 BxBch 1 2. NxB P-K4 1 3. Q-K2 K-B I 1 4. 0-0 Q-B2 1 5. QR-K I
P-QN3 1 6. P-B4 P-KS 1 7. N/2xP PxP 1 8. PxP NxP 1 9. NxKN PxN 20. Q-RS
NxB 2 1 . QxP N-K4 22. PxN, Black resigns Oscar Tenner was known as the
50
master who feared no one. Against even the greatest, he played with panache
even though the result was usually a crash.
ISAAC KASH DAN-OSCAR TENNER (Manhattan C.C. Championship,
1 927): I . P-K4 P-K4 2. N-KB3 N-QB3 3. B-NS P-QR3 4. B-R4 N-B3 5. 0-0 B
K2 6. R-K I P-QN4 7. B-N3 P-Q3 8. P-B3 N-QR4 9. B-B2 P-B4 I 0. P-Q4 Q
B2 I I . QN-Q2 0-0 1 2. P-KR3 BPxP I 3. PxP N-B3 1 4. P-QS N-NS I S. B-N I
P-QR4 1 6. P-QR4 PxP 1 7. RxP B-R3 1 8. R-R3 KR-B I 1 9. N-B I N-Q2 20. N
K3 N-B4 2 1 . N-BS B-B I 22. N-R2 B-N4 23. N-N4 P-B3 24. R-KN3 K-R I 25.
B-R6 B-K I 26. NxBP B-N3 27. B-NS PxN 28. BxPch K-N I 29. N-R4 K-B2 30.
Q-B3 K-K I 3 1 . NxB PxN 32. RxP Q-B2 33. Q-N4 N/4-Q6 34. B-R4 R-B2
35. R-B6 Q-R2 36. BxN NxB 37. R-K3 N-BS 38. P-KN3 R-KN2 39. Q-BS
QxQ 40. RxQ N-N3 4 1 . B-NS R-KR2 42. K-N2 R-N I 43. R-B6 N-R I 44. R
K6ch K-B2 45. R-R3 R-N4 46. P-N3 K-N I 47. R-K8 R-R2 48. B-K3 R-R3 49.
B-R6 N-N3 50. BxB NxB 5 1 . P-QN4 K-B2 52. R-B8 N-Q2 53. R-B6 R-R2 54.
RxQP RxNP 55. R-K6 N-B4 56. R-B3ch K-N2 57. RxP NxP 58. R-K3 N-Q3
59. R-K6 R-Q2 60. R-K7ch RxR 6 1 . RxRch K-B I 62. R-Q7 N-N2 63. R-B7 P
RS 64. R-B8ch K-K2 65. R-QR8 N-B4 66. P-R4 R-N3 67. R-RS K-Q3 68. P-RS
KxP 69. P-N4 K-BS 70. P-NS K-NS 7 1 . R-R8 N-K3 72. P-N6 N-BSch 73. K
N3 NxPch 74. K-R4 N-N2 75. K-NS R-N4ch 76. K-R6 N-B4ch 77. K-R7 R
N2ch 78. K-R8 P-R6, White resigns Wrote Hermann Helms of this game in
the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, "It was what might be called a titanic struggle . . . .It was
a contest worth while and furnished excitement for a large gallery of members
who were lucky enough to be on hand."
OSCAR TEN NER-FRED REIN FELD (Manhattan C.C. vs. Marshall C.C. Met
ropolitan League Match, 1 928): I . P-K4 P-K4 2. P-KB4 PxP 3. N-KB3 P-Q4 4.
PxP N-KB3 5. B-NSch B-Q2 6. B-B4 B-Q3 7. Q-K2ch Q-K2 8. QxQch KxQ
9. 0-0 R-K I I 0. P-Q4 P-KR3 I I . N-KS P-KN4 1 2. N-Q2 K-B I I 3. QN-B3 N
NS 1 4. NxBch NxN I S. B-NS QR-Q I 1 6. P-B4 P-N3 1 7. B-Q2 N-K6 1 8.
KR-K I ! P-NS (B lack ought to play 1 8 . . . . P-KB3) 1 9. N-KS! BxN 20. PxB RxP
2 1 . P-QN3! N-B7 (B lack cannot keep his mitts off the exchange, but 2 1 . . . . R
KS seems better) 22. RxR NxKR 23. BxP NxR 24. BxN N-B7 25. BxP K-K2
26. BxRch KxB 27. K-B2 N-NS 28. K-N3 NxRP 29. KxP N-B8 30. K-RS NxP
3 1 . KxP N-B4 32. K-N7 K-K2 33. P-R4 N-N2 34. P-RS N-Q3 35. P-N4 P-B4
36. P-R6 PxP 37. P-R7 N-B2 38. P-Q6ch!, B lack resigns A game that rightly
won a Metropolitan League brilliancy prize.
OSCAR TENNER-STASCH M LOTKOWSKI (Bradley Beach, 1 928): I . P-K4
P-K4 2. N-QB3 N-KB3 3. B-B4 B-B4 4. P-B4 P-Q3 5. N-B3 N-B3 6. P-Q3 P
QR3 7. P-BS N-QS 8. NxN BxN 9. Q-B3 P-B3 I 0. N-K2 B-R2 I I . P-KN4 P
Q4 1 2. B-N3 PxP 1 3. PxP B-Q2 1 4. P-NS N-N I I S. B-Q2 Q-K2 1 6. 0-0-0
0-0-0 1 7. P-KR4 P-B3 1 8. K-N I P-R3 1 9. P-N6 Q-B4 20. N-N3 B-N3 2 1 . N
RS Q-B I 22. B-K3 BxB 23. QxB K-B2 24. R-Q3 N-K2 25. KR-Q I N-B I 26.
Q-Q2 Q-K2 27. B-B7! P-B4 28. NxNP P-BS 29. RxBch! RxR 30. QxRch
QxQ 3 1 . RxQch KxR 32. N-RS K-K2 33. P-N7 R-Q I 34. B-QS RxB 35. PxR
K-B2 36. NxP! KxP 37. N-K4 K-B2 38. P-Q6 K-K I 39. P-B6 N-R2 40. N-BS P-
Chapter lii
51
N3 4 1 . P-Q7ch K-Q I 42. P-B7, Black resigns
JOSE CAPABLANCA-OSCAR TENNER & THREE AMATEURS (Armory
Exhibition, New York, February 1 2, 1 93 1 ): I . P-Q4 P-Q4 2. P-QB4 P-K3 3. N
KB3 N-KB3 4. B-NS QN-Q2 5. P-K3 B-NSch 6. QN-Q2 P-KR3 7. BxN QxB
8. P-QR3 BxNch 9. QxB P-B4 I 0. BPxP KPxP I I . PxP NxP 1 2. B-NSch B-Q2
1 3. BxBch NxB 1 4. 0-0 N-N3 I S. Q-Q4 QxQ 1 6. NxQ K-Q2 1 7. KR-Q I
QR-QB I 1 8. K-B I P-N3 1 9. R-Q3 K-K2 20. QR-Q I KR-Q I 2 1 . R-N3 R-B4
22. N-NS N-B I 23. N-B3 N-N3 24. N-NS N-B I 25. N-Q4 N-N3 26. K-K2
(Capa spums a draw) 26. . . . R-Q2 27. R-NS RxR 28. NxR N-BS 29. P-QN3
N-R4 30. NxP NxP 3 I . N-BBch K-K3 32. R-QN I N-R4 33. R-N6ch N-B3 34.
N-R7 K-Q3 35. NxN PxN 36. R-N3 R-R2 37. K-Q3 R-RS 38. K-B3 P-KB4 39.
P-N3 P-N4 40. K-N2 P-BS 4 1 . KPxP PxP 42. R-KB3 PxP 43. RPxP P-R4 44. K
N3 R-KS 45. R-B6ch K-B4 46. R-BS P-RS 47. PxP RxP 48. R-B3 K-N4 49.
R-BS R-QS 50. K-B3 P-B4 5 1 . P-B4 R-BSch 52. K-N2 P-QS 53. R-BB R-B6 54.
P-BS R-B6 55. P-B6 R-B7ch 56. K-B I K-BS 57. K-Q I K-Q6 58. K-K I R-B4 59.
R-BB P-BS 60. R-B6 P-B6 6 1 . P-R4 P-B7 62. P-RS RxBP, White resigns
OSCAR TENNER-ARNOLD DENKER (Manhattan C.C. Championship,
1 932): I . P-K4 P-K4 2. N-QB3 N-QB3 3. N-B3 N-B3 4. B-NS B-NS 5. 0-0
0-0 6. P-Q3 BxN 7. PxB Q-K2 8. R-K I P-Q3 9. P-KR3 N-Q I I 0. P-Q4 P-B4
I I . P-QR4 P-QR3 1 2. B-Q3 P-QN3 1 3. Q-K2 B-N2 1 4. B-R3 N-K3 I S. Q
K3 N-BS 1 6. PxKP PxP 1 7. P-RS N-K I 1 8. PxP Q-B3 1 9. B-KB I N-Q3 20.
QxP NxKP 2 1 . QxP NxPch 22. K-R2 N/R6xP 23. QxQ N-NSch 24. K-N I
N/NSxQ 25. BxR KxB 26. R-R3 N-Q2 27. B-Q3 P-B4 28. N-Q4 P-N3 29. P
N4 K-B2 30. PxP PxP 3 1 . NxP R-N I ch 32. K-R2 N-N4 33. R-K7ch K-B3 34.
RxN N-B6ch 35. K-R3 N-NBch 36. K-R4 N-B6ch 37. K-RS R-N4ch 38. K-R6
R-N3ch 39. KxP N-N4ch 40. K-RB B-Q4 4 1 . R-Q6ch B-K3 42. RxBch NxR
43. P-N7 R-N4 44. N-Q4 (White could have won immediately with 44. P
N8=Q R-R4ch 45. N-R6 RxNch 46. B-R7) 44. . . . R-R4ch 45. B-R7 N-N4 46.
P-N8=Q RxBch 47. K-N8 R-N2ch 48. K-B8 N-R2ch 49. K-K8 R-N I ch 50. K
Q7 RxQ 5 I . RxPch, and White won on move 92. A big and swanky game!
ARNOLD DENKER-OSCAR TENNER (Manhattan C.C. Championship,
1 934): I . P-Q4 P-Q4 2. P-QB4 P-K3 3. N-QB3 N-KB3 4. N-B3 QN-Q2 5. P
K3 P-B4 6. BPxP KPxP 7. PxP NxP 8. B-NSch B-Q2 9. 0-0 B-Q3 I 0. P-QN3
0-0 I I . BxB QxB 1 2. B-N2 KR-Q I 1 3. Q-Q4 N-K3 1 4. Q-KR4 P-QN4 I S.
N-NS N-B I 1 6. N-B3 QR-B I 1 7. KR-Q I P-NS 1 8. N-K2 N-N3 1 9. Q-Q4 R
B7 20. R-Q2 KR-QB I 2 1 . N-N3 P-KR4! 22. QR-Q I P-RS 23. N-B I P-R6! 24.
N-N3 P-R4 25. Q-Q3 RxR 26. RxR BxN! 27. RPxN N-KS 28. R-B2 RxR 29.
QxR Q-B4 30. N-Q4 QxPch! 3 1 . QxQ NxQ 32. N-B6 P-R7ch 33. KxP N
NSch 34. K-N I NxP 35. NxRP N-Q8 36. B-Q4 N-B6 37. P-R4? N-K7ch 38.
K-B2 NxB 39. K-K3 N-B4ch 40. K-Q2 N-K4 4 1 . P-N4 N-QS 42. K-K3 N/QS
B3 43. N-N7 NxPch 44. K-B4 N/NS-K4 45. P-RS P-QS 46. P-R6 P-N4ch 47.
K-N3 P-B4 48. N-BS P-BSch 49. K-B2 P-Q6 50. K-K I K-N2 5 1 . K-Q2 K- B3
52. NxP NxN 53. KxN K-K4 54. K-B4 P-NS 55. K-BS P-B6 56. PxP PxP 57. P
R7 NxP, White resigns
Chapter IV
fi ©aring Jloung Man
on the $Lying 'trapeze
Albert C . "Buddy" Simonson burst onto the New York chess scene
like a meteor and then disappeared almost as quickly. But during
his short stay, he won many honors as a player, as a problemist and
as a member of the victorious U.S. team at the 1 933 Folkestone
Olympiad. The high point of his career occurred in 1936, when
only a final-round defeat prevented him from winning the first
modern U.S. Championship. After that setback, his interest in chess
seemed to wane. He did well enough in the 1938 and 1940 champi
onships, but his comeback attempt in the 1951 fixture ended
catastrophically, when he shared 10th-12th places.
Because that final-round loss in the 1936 championship caused
Buddy to seek other, less wholesome competitive outlets and gen
erally played a pernicious part in his later life, here is the dreary
game:
Albert Simonson-Samuel Factor
U.S. Championship, 1 936
English Opening
I . P-QB4 P-K4 2. N-KB3 N-QB3 3. N-B3 P-B4 4. P-Q4 P-1<5 5. N-Q2
These days, the preferred move is 5. B-N5. More than a half
century has passed since I first saw this game, but it still remains
painful to play through.
5 . . . B-NS 6. P-K3 N-B3 7. P-B3 0-0 8. PxP NxKP 9. N/2xN PxN I 0. B-Q2
.
BxN I I . BxB P-Q3 1 2. Q-B2 B-NS 1 3. QxP
White wants to castle, but he is stymied after 13. B-K2 Q-R5ch
14. P-N3 Q-N4 .
I 3 . . . . Q-R5ch 1 4. P-N3 Q-R4 I S. Q-QSch
Among other things, Black threatens 15 . . . . B-B6. White is forced
to enter a bad endgame.
52
Chapter W
53
1 5 . . . . QxQ 1 6. PxQ B-B6 1 7. R-KN I BxP 1 8. B-N2 BxB 1 9. RxB QR-K I
20. R-K2 P-Q4 2 1 . K-Q2 R-KS 22. P-QR4 P-QR4 23. R-R3?! P-QN3 24. R-N3
R-B4 25. K-Q3 K-B2 26. B-K I ?
Buddy buckles. Seeing his championship chances evaporate
proves too much for his nerves.
26. . . . NxP! 27. R-B3 NxR 28. RxPch R-K2 29. RxRch KxR 30. KxN K-Q3 3 1 .
B-B3 P-N3 32. B-Q4 K-B3 33. P-KN4 R-B2 34. P-N3 P-R4 35. P-R3 R-QN2
36. K-B3 R-B2ch 37. K-N3 PxP 38. KxP R-B4 39. P-R4 P-QN4 40. B-B3 P-NS
4 1 . B-Q4 R-R4 42. B-B6 P-QS 43. P-K4 P-Q6 44. K-B3 R-R2 45. K-K3 R-Q2
46. K-Q2 K-B4 47. P-KS R-Q4 48. P-K6 K-Q3 49. P-K? K-Q2 50. B-NS K-K I
5 1 . B-B6 R-KB4 52. B-NS R-B6 53. B-K3 KxP 54. B-N6 K-Q3 55. BxP K-B4
56. B-QS K-QS 57. B-N6ch K-KS 58. P-RS R-R6 59. P-R6 RxP 60. B-N I R
NS, White resigns
Buddy was a tall, shy young man, ever well-dressed and always
with hair neatly slicked down. As was said of Marie Antoinette,
there was something both beautiful and unfortunate about him. He
seemed like a character out of the pages of Aubrey Beardsley and
�ave the impression of being perpetually on his way to tea at the
Plaza. Maybe it was the umbrella that he carried on his arm or the
uut of his clothes . His look smacked of Eton in the 1920s. He was
so talented and so bright that he could have been successful at
anything he tackled. Had he pursued a career in chess there is no
telling how far he would have gone, though the two wins given
below are suggestive. The first speaks for itself. The second, featur
Ing a very impressive combination, was played against the man
whom many felt to be the world's strongest player at the time. As
for Buddy, it was his first serious game in about a decade.
Reuben Fine-Albert Simonson
I . P-Q4 N-KB3 2. N-KB3 P-Q4 3. P-B4 P-K3 4. N-B3 B-K2 5. B-NS QN-Q2
6. P-K3 P-QR3 7. PxP PxP 8. B-Q3 0-0 9. Q-B2 P-B3 I 0. 0-0-0 R-K I I I . K
N I N-B I 1 2. K-R I B-K3 I 3. P-KR3 Q-R4 1 4. B-KB4 QR-B I 1 5. N-Q2 P
QN4 1 6. P-KN4 N/B3-Q2 1 7. N-N3 Q-Q I 1 8. N-K2 P-QR4 1 9. N-BS NxN
20. PxN P-RS 2 1 . N-Q4 Q-R4 22. R-QB I P-NS 23. KR-Q I Q-R2 24. Q-Q2
BxBP 25. K-N I K-R I 26. B-K2 B-Q2 27. B-QR6 RIB-Q I 28. B-B I N-K3 29.
B-R2 N-N4 30. Q-B2 BxN 3 1 . PxB P-N6 32. Q-Q3 N-KS 33. Q-R6 QxQ
34. BxQ NxP 35. R-B I NxRP 36. RxKBP N-N4 37. RIB?-B I BxP 38. B-B? R
Q2 39. RxP N-B6 40. R-Q I NxP 4 1 . RxN R-K8ch 42. R-B I RxRch, White
res1gns
54
GM Samuel Reshevsky-Aibert Simonson
Manhattan-Marshal/ Metropolitan League Match, 1950
Catalan System
I . P-Q4 N-KB3 2. P-KN3 P-Q4 3. N-KB3 B-B4 4. B-N2 P-K3 S. 0-0 QN-Q2
6. P-B4 P-B3 7. QN-Q2
White ought to exert influence in the center with 7. P-N3 B-Q3 8.
N-B3 P-KR3 9. B-N2 0-0 10. N-Q2, intending P-K4 .
7. . . . P-KR3 8. P-QR3 B-Q3 9. Q-N3 Q-B2 I 0. P-BS
White wants eventually to play P-QNS, but this wing demonstra
tion is weaker than Black's counter on the Kingside.
I 0. . B-K2 I I . Q-B3 P-KN4!
.
.
The normal fate of this move when played by Black is unpleas
ant. It succeeds here because White has eschewed all action in the
center.
1 2. P-QN4 P-NS I 3. N-KS R-Q I 1 4. P-B4
Necessary is 14. N-Q3 .
1 4. . . . P-KR4 I S. P-QR4 P-RS I 6. R-R3 P-R4 1 7. P-NS
1 7. . . . NxP!! 1 8. PxN?
In Chess Review , Hans Kmoch wrote that Black's combination
was so surprising "that even calm, quick-thinking Reshevsky
becomes perplexed and fails to find the best chances." The only try
was 18. -PxBP QN-KS 19. NxN NxN 20. BxN B-NS ! (this move is
better than grabbing the exchange with 20 . . . . BxR) 2 1 . Q-K3 BxB
22. R-R2 PxNP 23. QxP P-B4, with the decisive threats of . . . R-R6
and . . . P-N6.
1 8 . . . . PxQNP 1 9. N-N3?
Loses material without any compensation. The best chance was
19. RPxP, though Black still wins with 19 . . . . BxPch ! 20. P-K3 P-
Chapter N
55
R6! 21. N-N3 PxB 22. KxP N-K5 23. QxP B-QN3 ! , threatening . . .
U-B7ch.
1 9 . . . . P-N5 20. Q-Q4 PxR 2 1 . BxRP P-R6 22. B-R I R-KN I 23. B-QN2 B-B7
24. Q-B3 BxN 25. QxB BxPch 26. P-K3 Q-N3 27. QxQ BxQ 28. R-K I R
QB I 29. R-K2 N-K5 30. BxN PxB 3 1 . K-B2 P-B3 32. NxP RxN 33. BxP K-B2
34. B-K5 KR-N I 35. R-N2 R-B3 36. B-Q4 BxB 37. RxPch K-B3 38. PxB R-B6
39. R-N5 R-Q I , White resigns
Unfortunately, Buddy had a restless nature that caused him to
fl it from one thing to another, and he never quite completed
n nything. No sooner did he master chess than he became bored and
went on to something else. First, it was pinochle, then bridge, gin
rummy, poker, backgammon-all the great competitive games. I n
itself, this compulsion for mental competition was okay because
Buddy was great at every one of these games. But some mad desire
made him gamble with only the very best in each field. Of course,
he would lose; and, unfortunately (there's that word again) , he
remained undaunted. I often claimed that if there had been a
decathlon of indoor games, he would have been a shoo-in; instead,
he lived according to the Russian proverb that more good swimmers
drown than bad ones.
He Solved Only Chess Problems
Buddy's parents were very well off even during the Great Depres
sion. His father was "Simonson" of Simonson's of Fifth Avenue
(located back then on 36th Street) , which sold wigs and toupees t o
the movie industry and to the very wealthy. His mother was an
l�lgin of timepiece fame. Moreover, when Buddy turned 19 in 1933 ,
he inherited the first $25 ,000-the equivalent of at least a quarter
million in today's debased dollars-of many such increments left t o
him b y the Grandpas Elgin. Yet s o great were Buddy's debts even at
that tender age, that by the time he paid off his creditors, there was
little left for himself. Someone else might have been shocked into
mending his ways.
Not Buddy. He just sailed along as if nothing had happened. Year
after year the gambling continued, without his even acknowledging
a problem, let alone confronting it. Chess problems, he could solve;
personal problems, no. Once, when loan sharks were threatening to
break his legs , he sold an interest in a building that he and his sister
owned jointly. At other times, he sold interests in money due him
at a future date for about 25 cents on the dollar.
Prior to my marriage, Buddy and I were very close. We met for
the first time in 1930 when I was 16, spent much time studying
chess, and played blindfolded as we walked the streets. He had a
56
good sense of humor and laughed easily. But his penchant for
practical jokes occasionally made enemies. One afternoon, following
a session of 10-second chess with A1 Horowitz and Robert Willman,
Buddy offered to buy us lunch at his favorite haunt, the old-world
Barberry Room. Naturally, we accepted at once. Then, as a seeming
afterthought, he remembered that he had only $20 with him, so
that if the bill came to more than that, we would have to pay the
difference. Since our usual lunch never came to more than 25 cents,
we never dreamed that there were places which charged two dollars
for bread and butter alone. And that was about all we ate, along
with coffee ! Al and Willy never forgave him, but in those days,
everything he did struck me as hilarious. Those were great years for
both of us, and I still remember fondly some of the silly, though
interesting things we did after discovering girls.
Buddy Goes to Work
The need for money finally prompted Buddy to look for work. In
the late 1930s, he founded Mailings, Inc., a pioneer in the field of
direct mailing. The company was an instant success, and in March
1939, he married Jane Wessel, his childhood sweetheart.
The marriage didn't last long. After fabricating all sorts of stories
to cover up his gambling, Buddy left on Friday for Philadelphia to
close a deal with Curtis Publishing. On Saturday, Jane received a
telegram informing her of a snag in the negotiations. Sunday
brought still another telegram describing a further delay. When he
returned on Monday, his wife was gone, and he had lost the one
person he loved. He was truly heartbroken, but his many well
intentioned promises could not win her back.
When World War II broke out, Buddy was drafted. He became
Sergeant Simonson and landed up in England. I remember reading
about his winning a game in a 1944 Allied Forces chess match that
included the likes of Dr. Tartakower and Jacques Mieses. But then I
lost track of him completely. Years, then decades rolled by, and one
day he called. We had lunch together, and he told me his story.
After getting out of the service, Buddy married an Englishwoman
and fathered a lovely young girl. He and his wife separated, and he
returned to the States. Then, he married a third time and produced
two more children. As was the case earlier, he still smoked in
chains, even though he looked pale and coughed constantly. While
thus bringing me up to date, Buddy seemed distracted and repeat
edly looked around the room as if expecting to see someone at any
moment. If only I could have stopped my mind from racing back to
that dapper young man I once knew so well, then our reunion
would have been more pleasant.
Chapter W
57
Months later, I received a call from one of his associates. Buddy
had died of a cause related to emphysema while visiting San Juan,
Puerto Rico. The time was mid-November 1965, and he had just
celebrated his 51st birthday. The services were held at All Souls
Unitarian up near 80th and Lexington, and as I sat by myself at the
funeral of a man whom I had regarded fondly, and as I tried to
huddle deeper into my overcoat that chilly New York morning of
November 24, all I could think of was . . .
What a waste.
Selected Games
AI Simonson: The Meteoric Master
AL SIMONSON-ARNOLD DENKER (Team Trial Tournament, New York,
1 933): I . P-Q4 N-KB3 2. B-B4 P-Q4 3. P-K3 B-B4 4. B-Q3 B-N3 5. N-KB3 P
K3 6. 0-0 B-Q3 7. B-N3 0-0 8. N-KS P-B4 9. P-QB3 N-B3 I 0. BxB RPxB I I .
P-KB4 N-KS 1 2. N-Q2 NxB 1 3. PxN BxN 1 4. BPxB Q-N4 I S. Q-K I P-N4
1 6. R-B4 P-NS 1 7. R-R4 NPxP 1 8. N-B3 Q-K2 1 9. QxP P-BS 20. K-B2 P-B3
2 1 . PxP RxP 22. QR-R I R/3-B I 23. Q-B2 Q-K I 24. K-N I K-B2 25. R-R7 Q
K2 26. RI I -R4 P-K4 27. PxP NxP 28. Q-B3 KR-K I 29. N-Q4 N-Q6?! 30.
RxPch! KxR 3 1 . N-BSch K-B2 32. R-R7ch K-K3 33. NxQ RxN 34. RxRch KxR
35. Q-N7ch K-Q3 36. QxPch K-B4 37. Q-NS! R-K I 38. Q-N7 R-QN I 39.
Q-B7ch, Black resigns
AL SIMONSON & AMATEUR-ISAAC KASHDAN & AMATEUR (Consul
tation Game, New York, 1 933): I . P-K4 P-K4 2. N-KB3 P-Q3 3. P-Q4 N-KB3
4. PxP NxP 5. Q-QS N-B4 6. B-NS B-K2 7. PxP QxP 8. N-B3 QxQ 9. NxQ
B-Q3 I 0. 0-0-0 N-K3 I I . B-QB4 N-B3 1 2. KR-K I 0-0 1 3. B-R4 P-QR3 1 4. K
N I P-QN4 I S. N-N6! PxN I 6. B-QS! B-N2 1 7. RxN! (Trust AI Simonson to
come up with an original conception!) 1 7. . . . PxR 1 8. BxPch K-R I 1 9. RxB P
R3 20. B-Q7 N-N I 2 1 . B-N4 B-B I 22. N-KS R-K I 23. B-Q I ! R-R2 24. P-KB4
B-B4 25. P-KN4 B-KS 26. B-N3 R-QB I 27. R-Q4 B-R2 28. P-BS R-K2 29. B
B3 R/ 1 -K I 30. P-N3 P-QR4 3 1 . R-Q6 P-NS 32. B-QS N-R3 33. N-B7ch K-N I
34. RxNP K-B I 35. RxN B-N I 36. B-Q6 BxN 37. BxRch RxB 38. BxB KxB
39. RxQRP K-B3 40. P-KR4 R-KS 4 1 . R-R6ch K-B2 42. R-KN6 P-R4 43. PxP
RxP 44. R-N6 RxP 45. RxP RxP 46. P-R4 P-N4 47. R-N4 K-N3 48. K-N2 K-R4
49. R-N I P-NS 50. P-N4 K-RS 5 1 . P-RS P-N6 52. P-R6 K-R6 53. P-R7 R-B I
54. P-NS K-R7 55. RxP, Black resigns
AL HOROWITZ-AL SIMONSON (U.S. Championship, 1 936): I . N-KB3 P
Q4 2. P-Q4 N-KB3 3. P-B4 P-K3 4. N-B3 QN-Q2 5. B-NS B-K2 6. P-K3 P
QR3 7. P-QR3 PxP 8. BxP P-N4 9. B-Q3 P-B4 I 0. Q-K2 B-N2 I I . 0-0 0-0
1 2. QR-Q I Q-N3 1 3. B-N I KR-K I 1 4. N-KS N-B I I S. P-B4 PxP 1 6. PxP
QR-Q I 1 7. P-BS PxP 1 8. BxP RxP 1 9. K-R I RxR 20. QxR N-N3 2 1 . B/BSxN
RPxB 22. Q-N3 R-KB I 23. NxKNP R-K I 24. N-KS Q-K3 25. QxQ PxQ 26.
R-Q I N-NS 27. NxN BxB 28. N-B2 B-KB3 29. R-Q7 R-K2 30. RxR BxR 3 1 .
58
N/3-K4 K-B2 32. K-N I P-K4 33. K-B I K-K3 34. N-B3 B-B4 35. N/2-K4 B-QS
36. N-NSch K-Q3 37. P-KN4 BxN 38. PxB K-Q4 39. K-K2 K-BS 40. K-Q2 B
Q4 4 1 . K-B2 P-KS 42. P-KR4 P-K6 43. P-RS P-R4 44. N-R3 B-K3 45. N-B4
BxP 46. N-N2 B-B4ch 47. K-N2 K-Q6 48. P-R4 PxP, White resigns The
Queen's Gambit is no longer the king of openings, and few players shed tears
over its fall. Yet modem play is the poorer in one respect: the relative absence
of endgames in which Bishops play dominant roles. After all, the Queen's
Gambit was the Bishops' stomping ground par excellence.
MILTON HANAUER-AL SIMONSON (U.S. Championship, 1 936): I . P-Q4
N-KB3 2. P-QB4 P-K3 3. N-KB3 B-NSch 4. B-Q2 Q-K2 5. P-KN3 N-KS 6. B
N2 P-QB3 (A typical Simonson idea-offbeat but playable) 7. P-BS NxB 8.
QNxN P-Q3 9. PxP BxP I 0. 0-0 0-0 I I . N-B4 B-B2 1 2. Q-B2 N-Q2 1 3. P
K4 N-N3 1 4. QN-KS R-Q I I S. QR-Q I P-B3 1 6. N-B4 B-Q2 1 7. KR-K I QR
B I 1 8. N-RS R-N I 1 9. P-QR3 B-K I 20. N-B4 NxN 2 1 . QxN B-B2 22. Q-R4
B-QN3 23. R-Q2 P-K4 24. KR-Q I PxP 25. NxP Q-B4 26. P-QN4 Q-B6 27.
R-Q3 Q-BS 28. B-B I B-KR4 29. P-N4 BxP 30. R-KN3 Q-R7 3 1 . RxB BxN
32. RxB RxR 33. QxRP R/5-Q I 34. P-KS Q-R8 35. P-K6 K-R I 36. P-K7 R- K I
37. R-Q4 Q-R7 38. B-B4 Q-N8ch 39. K-N2 Q-N3ch 40. K-B I Q-QN8ch 4 1 .
K-N2 Q-N3ch 42. K-B I P-R4 43. B-Q3 P-KB4 44. BxP Q-N4 45. R-K4 QxB
46. Q-K3 QR-B I 47. R-KS Q-B2 48. Q-K2 R-B2 49. RxPch K-N I 50. Q-N4
R/2xP 5 I . Q-R3 R-K8ch, White resigns
EDWARD SCHWARTZ-AL SIMONSON (Manhattan C.C. Championship,
1 936-37): I . P-Q4 N-KB3 2. N-KB3 P-Q4 3. P-B4 P-K3 4. N-B3 P-B3 5. P-K3
P-QR3 6. P-QN3 N-KS 7. NxN PxN 8. N-Q2 P-KB4 9. B-N2 N-Q2 I 0. P-B3
Q-N4 I I . PxP PxP 1 2. NxP Q-RSch 1 3. N-N3 B-NSch 1 4. K-B2 N-B3 I S. B
Q3 0-0 1 6. K-N I B-Q3?! 1 7. Q-K2 N-NS 1 8. R-KB I B-Q2 1 9. B-B3 P-KR4
20. B-K I RxRch 2 1 . NxR Q-N4 22. P-KR3 N-R3 23. P-K4 R-KB I 24. P-KS B
B2 25. N-N3 N-B4 26. NxN PxN 27. Q-B3 B-K3 28. K-R2? P-B4 29. B-B3
PxP 30. BxQP R-Q I 3 1 . B-B3 P-BS 32. R-Q I ? B-NS!! 33. PxB PxP 34.
QxQNP Q-R3ch 35. K-N I B-N3ch 36. K-B I Q-R8ch 37. K-K2 P-B6ch 38. K
Q2 RxBch 39. KxR QxRch 40. B-Q2 Q-N8ch 4 1 . K-B3 B-R4ch 42. K-Q4
Q-N7ch 43. K-QS QxBch 44. K-K6 PxP 45. Q-B7ch K-R2 46. Q-BSch K-R3
47. QxP Q-KB7 48. Q-R3ch K-N4 49. Q-R7 Q-N3ch 50. K-QS Q-N2ch 5 1 .
K-Q6 Q-B2ch, White resigns
AL H OROWITZ-AL SIMONSON (U.S. Championship, 1 938): I . P-Q4 N
KB3 2. P-QB4 P-K3 3. N-QB3 P-Q4 4. N-B3 QN-Q2 5. B-NS B-K2 6. P-K3
0-0 7. Q-B2 P-QR3 8. PxP PxP 9. B-K2 R-K I I 0. 0-0 P-B3 I I . B-KB4 N-B I
1 2. N-KS B-Q3 I 3. KR-B I N-N3 1 4. NxN RPxN I S. BxB QxB 1 6. N-R4 B
NS 1 7. N-BS BxB 1 8. QxB R-K2 1 9. P-QN4 N-KS 20. QR-N I P-B4 2 1 . N
Q3 P-KN4 22. N-KS Q-R3 23. P-B3 N-Q3 24. P-QR4 QR-K I 25. P-N3 P-BS
26. NPxP PxP 27. P-K4 PxP 28. PxP N-B2 29. NxN RxN 30. P-KS P-B6 3 1 .
Q-KB2 R-Q I 32. K-R I Q-BS 33. R-Q I R/2-Q2 34. P-K6 RxP 35. RxR RxR
36. P-K7 R-KS 37. Q-Q4 Q-N4! 38. Q-B2 QxP 39. QxP R-K8ch 40. RxR
QxRch 4 1 . K-N2 QxP 42. Q-BS Q-N7ch 43. K-N3 Q-N6ch 44. K-B2 Q-B2,
Chapter IV
59
White resigns
GEORGE SHAINSWIT-AL SIMONSON (U.S. Championship, 1 938): I . P-Q4
P-Q4 2. P-QB4 P-QB3 3. N-KB3 N-B3 4. P-K3 P-KN3 S. N-B3 B-N2 6. PxP
NxP 7. NxN QxN 8. Q-N3 Q-Q I 9. B-Q2 N-Q2 1 0. R-B I N-N3 I I . B-K2
B-K3 1 2. Q-B2 P-QR4 I 3. 0-0 P-RS 1 4. P-QN3 0-0 I S. KR-Q I PxP 1 6. PxP
R-R6 1 7. Q-BS R-R7 1 8. R-R I N-Q2 1 9. Q-N4 RxR 20. RxR B-Q4 2 1 .
QxNP N-B4!! 22. Q-N4 NxP 23. R-Q I NxB 24. RxN Q-B2 2S. Q-BS R-N I
26. P-R3 R-N8ch 27. R-Q I R-N7 28. R-Q2 Q-N2 29. Q-B3 R-N6 30. Q-B2
R-N8ch 3 1 . R-Q I R-N7 32. Q-Q3 P-KB4 33. N-K I B-KS 34. Q-B4ch K-B I
3S. B-Q3 B-Q4 36. Q-B3 R-N6 37. Q-BS B-B3 38. B-B I Q-R I 39. Q-B2 Q
R6 40. N-Q3 B-KS 4 1 . Q-B4 and White resigns. Black will win easily enough
after 4 1 . . . . R-B6 42. Q-N4 RxN!.
ABRAHAM KUPCHIK-AL SI MONSON (U.S. Championship, 1 940): I . P-K4
P-K4 2. B-B4 N-KB3 3. P-Q3 P-B3 4. N-KB3 P-Q4 S. PxP PxP 6. B-N 3 N-B3
7. 0-0 B-K3 8. R-K I Q-B2 9. N-B3 P-QR3 I 0. N-KNS B-QB4 I I . NxB PxN
1 2. Q-K2 0-0 I 3. N-Q I N-QS! 1 4. QxP QxQ I S. RxQ N-NS 1 6. R-K I RxP!!
1 7. NxR NxB 1 8. RPxN BxNch 1 9. K-B I BxR 20. KxB NxP 2 1 . R-R4 R-KB I
22. K-K2 P-KR4 23. B-K3 N-NS 24. B-N I P-K4 2S. R-RS R-Q I 26. R-BS R
Q2 27. P-N4 K-B2 28. P-NS PxP 29. RxNP K-K3 30. P-B4 P-QS 3 1 . R-RS K
B4 32. P-KN3 P-KN4 33. R-R8 N-B3 34. P-N4 P-KS 3S. B-B2 P-K6 36. B-K I
R-R2 37. R-Q8 N-Q2 38. K-B3 P-RS 39. PxP PxP 40. K-N2 P-R6ch 4 1 . K-R2
K-BS 42. P-BS K-B6 43. P-NS N-K4 44. R-B8ch K-K7 4S. B-N3 N-B6ch 46. K
R I R-N2, White resigns
L. ALEXANDER-SGT. AL SI MONSON (London Players vs. Allied Armed
Forces Match, London, April 22, 1 944): I . P-Q4 N-KB3 2. N-KB3 P-K3 3. P
B4 P-Q4 4. P-K3 QN-Q2 S. N-B3 P-B3 6. B-Q3 B-Q3!? 7. P-K4 PxKP 8. NxP
NxN 9. BxN P-KB4?! I 0. B-B2 0-0 I I . 0-0? (White misses I I . P-BS! B-moves
1 2. B-N3, with a positional advantage) I I . . . . P-K4! 1 2. P-BS B-K2 1 3. PxP
NxBP 1 4. Q-K2 B-K3 I S. P-QN4? N-KS 1 6. P-QR3 P-QR4 1 7. PxP RxP 1 8.
B-N2 P-B4 1 9. B-Q3 Q-B I 20. B-B4 K-R I 2 1 . KR-Q I BxB 22. QxB P-QN4
23. Q-K2 P-QBS 24. R-QS P-B6 2S. B-B I B-B4 26. N-Q4 Q-R I 27. Q-R2 R
RS 28. N-K6 BxPch 29. K-B I R-B I 30. RxP Q-R3 3 1 . Q-QS B-B4 32. N-B7
Q-R2 33. Q-Q7 R-KN I 34. P-K6 B-Q3, White resigns A game that is
included in this collection because of its interesting venue and because of
Simonson's slightly risque handling of the opening (6. . . . B-Q3!? and 9 . . . . P
KB4?!). To seize the initiative, AI was often prepared to brew up coffeehouse
moves.
AL SIMONSON-AL PINKUS (U.S. Championship, 1 9S I ): I . N-KB3 P-Q4 2.
P-Q4 N-KB3 3. P-B4 P-K3 4. N-B3 P-B3 S. P-K3 QN-Q2 6. B-Q3 B-Q3?
(The correct idea is 6 . . . . PxP 7. BxBP B-Q3, fol lowed by . . . P-K4) 7. P-K4
PxKP 8. NxP NxN 9. BxN N-B3 I 0. B-B2 B-NSch I I . K-K2! 0-0 1 2. B-NS B
K2 1 3. Q-Q3 P-KN3 1 4. P-KR4 P-N4 I S. P-QN3 PxP 1 6. PxP B-R3 1 7. N-KS
R-B I 1 8. P-RS N-Q2 1 9. NxN QxN 20. PxP! BxB 2 1 . RxP KR-Q I 22. PxPch
60
K-B I 23. Q-N6 BxPch 24. K-K I , Black resigns "A sparkling gem"-Anthony
Santasiere. By 1 95 1 , Simonson could still draw games with Reshevsky in
Metropolitan League matches, but this extremely infrequent competitor could
no longer take the grind of a tough tournament After tallying + 25 -8 = 1 4 in
his first three U.S. championships, he scored only + 2 -6 =3 to tie with Pinkus
and Milton Hanauer for I Oth- 1 2th in this, his final U.S. title event
Chapter V
'fhe $rightened, fittle cf\_abbit
Abraham Kupchik was a timid, tiny whisper of a man with the
saddest eyes and the most disproportionately large nose on a small
face that I have ever seen. He was barely five feet tall in his stocking
feet and at most 1 1 5 pounds. Some wag once remarked that
Kupchik and Sammy Reshevsky ought to be matched for the fly
weight championship of the chess world.
If chess were nothing more than an analytical science with a
pinch of art thrown in, then Kupchik would probably have made it
into the pantheon of players. But chess is more than that. And what
most people fail to understand is that it is also a sport in which
stamina, the power to concentrate for long periods of time, and the
personal courage to dare are as important as the disembodied cate
gories of science and art. Moreover, as chess knowledge has become
democratized and individual research less essential, the game's
animal elements have become progressively more important.
Alas, Abe Kupchik was so lacking in physical substance that he
seemed in perpetual danger of becoming the man who was no
longer there. Whenever he came to the Manhattan Chess Club,
which was usually on weekends, he was always impeccably dressed
and well-groomed. Not a single gray hair (he was born in 1892, and
I came to know him in the 1930s) was ever out of place, though he
had the habit of constantly fluffing his hair with filigree-like fingers.
For some reason, these gestures made him look like a Koala bear
an impression that, in retrospect, may have had more to do with his
being the only person I ever met who looked sad and worried even
when smiling.
Kup Did Not Run Over
Kupchik's chess was like his personality. A gentle man, whom many
club members called "Kuppele" or "Kup," he was repulsed at the
idea of attacking an opponent from the very start. One looks in vain
among his games for a short, highly tactical win. Such was not his
strategy, which was purely defensive. Kuppele waited for opponents
to crack under the strain of banging their pieces against an iron de61
62
fense, which they did in great numbers. This style, combined with
his phenomenally quick sight of the board, was extremely effective
in 10-second chess. Until about 1930, he had no equal in this
country at the fast game. At the 1926 Lake Hopatcong Interna
tional, he finished ahead of Jose Capablanca in the lightning event.
Kuppele remained a real power at speed chess into the 1940s, finish
ing third in the 1943 national championship. Here is an example of
how fluidly, if not pointedly, he could push pieces:
Abraham Kupchik-AI Horowitz
U.S. Lightning Chess Championship, I 943
Queen's Pawn Opening
I . P-Q4 P-Q4 2. N-KB3 N-KB3 3. P-B4 P-K3 4. N-B3 P-B4 5. BPxP NxP 6.
P-K3 N-QB3 7. B-K2 B-K2 8. 0-0 0-0 9. P-K4 NxN I 0. PxN PxP I I . PxP
P-QN3 1 2. B-K3 B-N2 I 3. Q-R4 R-B I 1 4. QR-B I P-QR3 1 5. KR-Q I P-QN4
1 6. Q-N3 N-R4 1 7. Q-N I RxR 1 8. RxR Q-R I 1 9. N-Q2 R-B I 20. B-Q3 B
R6 2 1 . R-B2 P-R3 22. P-B3 B-K2 23. N-N3 NxN 24. QxN RxR 25. QxR
Q-QB I 26. Q-N3 Q-B2
The winner of this game will be the player who proves better at
doing absolutely nothing. The idea is to maintain a rhythmic mo
tion of hand-piece-release, hand-piece-release and so on. If one play
er conceives an idea and interrupts this rhythm, he will surely lose.
27. P-N3 B-B3 28. K-B2 Q-R4?!
Black cannot resist trying to do something and cedes the QB file
in the process. Later, he will act on a second idea, and that will
prove fatal.
29. Q-B2 Q-Q I 30. Q-BS B-K2 3 1 . Q-B3 K-B I 32. B-QB I Q-N3 33. B-K3
Q-Q I 34. K-K2 P-KR4 35. B-QB2 P-RS 36. B-N3 PxP 37. PxP B-Q3 38. B-B2
Q-N4 39. Q-K3 Q-R4 40. P-N4 Q-R7 4 1 . P-QS PxP 42. Q-N6 K-N I 43.
QxQB B-N6 44. Q-R7 K-R2 45. BxP P-B3 46. B-K6 P-NS 47. B-BSch K-R3
48. Q-K3ch B-BS 49. Q-BS K-N4 50. B-K6 B-K4 5 I . Q-B I ch, Black resigns
Kuppele was also no slouch at slow chess. His two best results
were equal first with Frank Marshall at Lake Hopatcong 1923 and a
clear second behind Capablanca (but ahead of Geza Maroczy and
Marshall) at the Lake Hopatcong fixture of 1926. He also won the
Manhattan Chess Club championship nine times outright and once
jointly, and if that is not a record, it ought to be. At the 1 9 3 5
Warsaw Olympiad, he held down third board, scoring +6 = 8 . I n the
U.S. championships of 1936, 1938 and 1940, he always seemed to
be finishing about sixth. His victory over Reuben Fine in the 1 9 40
event was vintage, if that is quite the right word, Kupchik:
Chapter V
63
Abraham Kupchik-Reuben Fine
Sicilian Defense
I . P-K4 P-QB4 2. N-KB3 N-QB3 3. P-Q4 PxP 4. NxP N-B3 S. N-QB3 P-K3
6. B-K3 B-NS 7. NxN NPxN
A year earlier in the annual Marshall vs. Manhattan Met League
match, Fine played 7 . . . . QPxN 8. Qx.Qch KxQ and won a drawish
position. His feverish attempts to beat Kupchik in this game recall
General Robert Riley's words in 1861 to the Missouri state assem
bly: "No sir! You might as well try to stuff butter in a wildcat with a
hot awl."
8. P-KS N-Q4 9. B-Q2 P-Q3 I 0. NxN BxBch I I . QxB KPxN 1 2. PxP QxP
1 3. B-Q3 0-0 1 4. 0-0 P-QB4 I S. KR-K I B-K3?
Black need only play 15 . . . . B-Q2, contest the King's file with
R-K1 and call it a night.
1 6. P-QN3 KR-Q I 1 7. QR-Q I QR-N I 1 8. R-K3 P-N3 1 9. B-B I Q-N3
Instead of this aggressive idea, Black should have played 19.
Q-B2, keeping the Queen in contact with both sides of the board.
20. R/ 1 -K I P-BS 2 1 . R-KS P-QR4 22. Q-R6 P-RS 23. PxBP PxP 24. P-R4
24. . . . R-Q3??
Reuben could not abide the idea of fighting for a draw with 24 .
. . . Q-Q3 25. P·R5 Q-B1 26. Q-B4. Kupchik purists may argue that
this short game is unrepresentative of their hero's excruciating style,
but they forget that Fine bears total responsibility.
2S. BxP R-KB I 26. P-RS!
The threats are PxP and BxB. If Black tries 26. . . . BxB, White
forces mate with 27. R-K8.
26. . . . B-Q2 27. BxPch, Black resigns
64
Brevity was the sole of it.
In the following little-known game, Kupchik is at his best. I think
that he makes numerous moves of which Anatoly Karpov would
approve.
Abraham Kupchik (Manhattan)-Samue/ Reshevsky (Marshall)
Manhattan vs. Marshall Metropolitan League Match, / 940
Four Knights Opening
I . P-K4 P-K4 2. N-KB3 N-QB3 3. N-B3 B-NS 4. B-B4 N-B3 S. P-Q3 P-Q4 6.
PxP NxP 7. B-Q2 BxN 8. PxB B-NS 9. P-KR3 B-R4 I 0. Q-K2 0-0 I I . Q-K4
N-N3 1 2. B-N3 B-N3 1 3. Q-KN4 P-KS 1 4. PxP BxP I S. B-K3 B-N 3 1 6. 0-0
R-K I 1 7. QR-Q I Q-B3 1 8. B-Q4 NxB 1 9. PxN R-KS 20. Q-N3 R-K2 2 1 . N
KS B-B4 22. KR-K I QR-K I 23. P-KB4 K-B I 24. P-B4 R-Q I 2S. P-BS N-Q4
26. BxN RxB
27. P-B6 PxP 28. Q-R3 Q-Q3 29. QxP P-B3 30. N-B4 Q-Q2 3 1 . N-K3 Q-K I
32. K-B2 R-N4 33. Q-R3 B-KS 34. R-K2 P-N3 3S. N-N4 K-N2 36. RJQ 1 -K I
P-R4 37. N-K3 R-K3 38. N-Q I Q-Q2? 39. RxB RxR 40. RxR Q-B4 4 1 . Q
K7ch, Black resigns
If Kuppele was already past his prime in the 1930s, he more than
held his own against the best of the 1920s. He outpaced the likes of
Oscar Chajes, Charles Jaffe and Edward Lasker; and he posted a
small plus against the young Isaac Kashdan. Among Americans, only
Frank Marshall cast the Indian sign on him.
Discussing Frank's edge over Kupchik is instructive not only for
understanding our subject but also for grasping the status of chess
masters 60 or so years ago. In a phrase, professional chess players
were social outcasts in the 1920s and 1930s. Capablanca once
noted, accurately and depressingly, that to be a chess player was a
sign of a gentleman, but to be a good chess player was a sign of a
misspent youth. Hence the half-hearted pursuit of chess by those
masters who could see the dead end ahead; hence also Kuppele's
passivity in advancing his own cause in chess.
Kuppele and his family fled Russia and came to America in 1 903 .
Chapter V
65
Call it five-and-dime psychologizing if you must, but I have no
doubt that the insecurities of his childhood, combined with the
unattractive prospects offered by the royal game, explain his essen
tially negative chess style and retiring personality. GM Andy Soltis
has described Kupchik as "super-solid," but even this emphatic
American phrase (super bowl, super star, super this and that) fails to
capture just how conservative he was. As noted, his hunkering down
into a defensive posture was fine in speed contests, but a top grand
master could usually steamroll such an obstacle in a slow game:
Abraham Kupchik-Frank Marshall
Lake Hopatcong, I 923
I . P-Q4 P-Q4 2. N-KB3 P-K3 3. P-B4 N-KB3 4. N-B3 B-NS 5. Q-N3 P-B4 6.
BPxP KPxP 7. PxP
Kuppele opens lines for his opponent.
7. .
. .
N-B3 8. B-Q2
My friend is already hunkering down at move eight-and with
the White pieces! He should have played 8. B-N5 . But uninspired
and untheoretical opening play was Kuppele's trademark. Take a
look at how he handled the White side of an Alekhine's Defense in
an otherwise powerful game against Isaac Kashdan (Rice-Progressive
Club Master Tournament, 1928) : 1 . P-K4 N-KB3 2. P-K5 N-Q4 3 . P
Q4 P-Q3 4. PxP BPxP 5 . B-Q3 N-QB3 6. P-QB3 P-KN3 7. N-B3 B-N2
8. 0-0 0-0 9. R-K1 K-R1 10. B-QB4 N-N3 1 1 . B-N3 B-B4 12. B-N5 P
KR3 13. B-KR4 P-Q4? ! 14. QN-Q2 Q-Q2 15. N-B1 KR-K1 16. N-K3
B-K5 17. N-Q2 B-Q6 18. N-B3 B-K5 19. N-Q2 B-Q6 20. N/2-B1 B
R3? ! 21. Q-B3 P-K3 22. N-N4 Q-B2 23 . Q-R3 P-R4 24. N-B6 R-KB1
25. N-K3 Q-B5 26. P-N3 Q-R3 27. P-KB4 BxN 28. BxBch K-N1 2 9 .
QR-Q1 N-R4 30. N-N4 Q-R2 3 1 . N-K5 NxB 32. PxN B-N4 33 . P-KN4
N-Q2 34. NxN BxN 3 5 . R-K5 KR-B1 36. PxP K-B1 37. R-Q3 B-N4
38. R-N3 PxP 39. K-R1 K-K1 40. RxPch ! PxR 4 1 . QxKPch K-B1 4 2 .
R-N8ch ! QxR 43 . Q-K7, mate.
8 . . . . B-K3 9. N-KNS 0-0 I 0. P-K3 N-Q2 I I . NxB PxN 1 2. B-NS NxP 1 3. Q
Q I P-QS!
Every Black move is like a hammer blow against White's undevel
oped position.
1 4. PxP NxP I S. B-QB4 Q-RS 1 6. 0-0 QR-Q I ! 1 7. B-K2 BxN 1 8. PxB
66
I 8 . . . . N-K5!
White has no good defense against the threat of . . . NxB and . . . N
B6ch.
1 9. PxN RxQP 20. Q-N3 NxB 2 1 . QxPch K-R I 22. P-N3 Q-K5 23. QxQ
RxQ 24. B-Q3 R-Q5 25. B-82 NxR 26. RxN P-QN4 27. K-N2 R-Q7 28. B
N3 P-QR4 29. P-QR4 R-N7 30. B-Q I R-N8 3 1 . PxP R-Q I 32. B-N4 RxR 33.
KxR P-RS 34. P-N6 R-QN I , White resigns
Another Kupchik weakness was that he often played tournament
games as if they were speed contests. I always got the impression
that he did not wish to keep his opponent waiting. Capablanca
described the drawbacks of this approach in Diario de la Marina
(March 16, 1913):
It is obvious that young Kupchik does not play as is proper,
reflecting upon his moves as would the top player in the
world; playing with great rapidity, he tries to win against an
opponent who is as strong as he, if not stronger . . . .I believe
that, given his age, the young Russian plays very well, but if
he is ever to become somebody, it will be necessary for him
to think much more.
All of which explains why Kuppele failed to grasp a grand oppor
tunity by grabbing a pawn against Capablanca himself:
Abraham Kupchik-jose Capobianco
New York, / 9 / 6
Queen's Pawn Game
I . P-Q4 N-KB3 2. N-KB3 P-Q4 3. P-84 P-K3 4. N-83 QN-Q2 5. B-N5 P
KR3 6. B-R4 B-K2 7. P-K3 0-0 8. R-B I PxP 9. BxP P-84 I 0. 0-0 N-N3 I I . B
Q3 PxP 1 2. NxP QN-Q4 1 3. B-N I NxN 1 4. RxN N-Q4 1 5. BxB QxB 1 6.
R-B I
My departed friend Tony Santasiere once wrote that the Queen's
Gambit was "like a piece of dead flesh kept overlong on ice." That
overstates the case by a mile, but games such as the present one
Chapter V
67
have always caused me to grind my teeth. George Bernard Shaw's
lament about listening to poorly played music-"Nothing soothes
me more after a long and maddening course of piano recitals than to
sit and have my teeth drilled"-is my sentiment about playing
through boring chess games.
1 6. . . . P-K4?
Capablanca overlooks, to use his favorite
combinaison.
phrase,
a petite
1 7. N-BS?
For goodness sakes. A moment of reflection shows that White
could have won at least a pawn by 17. RxB PxN 18. RxRch RxR 1 9 .
Qx:P. I f Black tries 17 . . . QRxB, then White wins outright with 1 8 .
N-BS, threatening 1 9 . Qx:N
.
.
1 7. . . . BxN 1 8. BxB KR-Q I 1 9. Q-N3 P-KS 20. R-B4 N-B3 2 1 . KR-B I Q-K4
22. R-BS N-Q4 23. R-Q I QxB 24. R!BSxN RxR 25. RxR R-QB I 26. P-KR3
R-B8ch 27. R-Q I Q-B4 28. RxR QxRch 29. K-R2 Q-B2ch 30. K-N I P-KN3,
drawn
The Professional Toil
Chess eventually became only a weekend game for Kupchik. His
inability to push forward either chess pieces or himself took its pro
fessional toll. An example of how he was an object rather than a
subject of other men can be found in a private letter sent b y
Norbert Lederer to Alexander Alekhine concerning who would play
at the famous New York 1924 International. "We have decided,
upon my urging recommendation," wrote Lederer, "not to invite
Kupchik and Chajes, since they would just extend the length of the
tournament without being able to change anything in the end
result." Considering that Kupchik had a superior record to at least
two of the New York participants, he could have made a lot of noise
about his exclusion.
Kuppele did not. Indeed, could not. This family man, who had
68
two children and lived at the far end of Brooklyn, was so timid that
if he had a favor to ask he would sort of back into the request rather
than speak directly. I will never forget the day that he received a
letter from the IRS that required an answer. Instead of coming to
the point, he first asked if I had an envelope. When I inquired why
he needed an envelope, he talked about sending a letter to some
one, etc. etc. Finally, I pried the information out of him, and we got
to the point and dispatched the letter. All this worry about sending
a letter to the tax man from someone who was by profession an . . .
accountant!
Since his death in 1970, I think now and then of sweet Kuppele .
I think of him as he was by the 1960s-an old and fleshy man who
wore ancient brown suits two sizes too small. And I wonder what
he might have accomplished had he not been such a frightened little
rabbit.
Selected Games
Abraham Kupchik: Attacks Without Danger
ABRAHAM KUPCHIK-JACOB BERNSTEIN (Match, New York, 1 9 1 6): I . P
K4 P-K4 2. N-KB3 N-QB3 3. N-B3 N-B3 4. B-NS B-NS S. 0-0 0-0 6. BxN
QPxB 7. P-Q3 Q-K2 8. Q-K2 B-NS 9. P-KR3 B-KR4 I 0. N-Q I N-Q2 I I . P
N4 B-N3 1 2. N-K3 B-QB4 1 3. K-R2 B-Q3 1 4. R-KN I K-R I I S. R-N2 P-N4
1 6. B-Q2 N-B4 1 7. QR-KN I R-KN I 1 8. N-BS BxN 1 9. N PxB P-N3 20. N
R4! N-Q2 2 1 . B-NS P-B3 22. PxP! PxB 23. RxP QR-KB I 24. N-BS RxN 2S. P
N7ch! RxP 26. RxR/7 QxR 27. RxQ RxPch 28. QxR KxR 29. QxP, Black
resigns
ABRAHAM KUPCHIK-ALEX SIMCHOW (Rice-Progressive C.C. Champion
ship, 1 92S): I . P-K4 P-K4 2. N-KB3 P-Q3 3. P-Q4 PxP 4. QxP N-QB3 S. B
QNS B-Q2 6. BxN BxB 7. N-B3 N-B3 8. B-NS B-K2 9. 0-0-0 0-0 I 0. P-KR4
P-KR3 I I . B-B4 Q-Q2 1 2. Q-K3 Q-K3? 1 3. N-Q4 Q-Q2 1 4. P-B3 KR-Q I
I S. P-KN4 N-K I 1 6. N-BS B-B I 1 7. N-N3 Q-K3 1 8. P-NS PxP 1 9. PxP P
KN3 20. Q-B2 B-N2 2 1 . N-QS BxN 22. PxB Q-Q2 23. B-K3 P-KB4 24.
B-Q4 BxB 2S. RxB N-N2 26. R/4-KR4 Q-K2 27. P-KB4 K-B2 28. R-K I Q-Q2
29. Q-Q4 K-N I 30. R/ 1 -R I Q-K2 3 1 . R-R8ch, Black resigns On 3 I . . . . K-B2,
White plays 32. QxNch!. Kupchik never hurried his attacks, preferring to
remove the risk even from Kingside assaults.
ABRAHAM KUPCHIK-ISAAC KASHDAN (Manhattan C.C. Championship,
1 927): I . N-KB3 N-KB3 2. P-Q4 P-Q4 3. P-B4 P-B3 4. PxP PxP S. N-B3 N-B3
6. P-KN3 P-K3 7. B-N2 B-Q3 8. 0-0 0-0 9. P-QR3 P-QR3 I 0. Q-B2 N-QR4
I I . N-Q2 Q-B2 1 2. P-K4 PxP 1 3. N/2xP NxN 1 4. BxN P-R3 I S. P-QN4 N
B3 1 6. R-Q I B-Q2 1 7. B-QN2 QR-B I 1 8. QR-B I N-K2 1 9. Q-K2 B-B3 20.
P-QS PxP 2 1 . NxP NxN 22. BxN KR-K I 23. Q-N4! B-K4 24. BxB/6 PxB
2S. R-Q7 Q-N I 26. BxB QxB 27. Q-B3 R-K2 28. RxR QxR 29. RxP RxR 30.
Chapter V
69
QxR Q-K7 3 1 . K-N2 P-N3 32. P-QR4 P-KR4 33. P-NS PxP 34. PxP P-RS
3S. P-N6 K-N2 36. P-N7 PxP 37. RPxP Q-K4 38. P-N4 Q-BS 39. K-B I Q-K4
40. Q-B8, Black resigns On 40. . . . Q-N4ch, White wins after 4 1 . K-N I Q
N8ch 42. K-R2, etc. A game played in the style o f Anatoly Karpov.
ABRAHAM KUPCHIK-ALBERT PINKUS (Manhattan C.C. Championship,
1 928): I . P-QB4 N-KB3 2. N-QB3 P-K3 3. P-Q4 P-Q4 4. B-NS QN-Q2 S. P
K3 B-NS 6. N-B3 P-B4 7. BPxP KPxP 8. Q-R4 Q-R4 9. QxQ BxQ I 0. BxN
NxB I I . PxP N-KS 1 2. B-NSch K-K2 I 3. 0-0 BxN 1 4. PxB P-QR3 I S. B-R4
NxP/B4 1 6. B-B2 B-K3 1 7. N-Q4 KR-QB I 1 8. P-QR4 R-B2 1 9. P-KB4 R-Q I
20. R-R3 P-KN3 2 1 . P-BS B-Q2 22. R-B3 R-K I 23. R-R3 K-B3 24. RxP RxP
2S. PxP PxP 26. K-B2 R-K4 27. R-R I R-R4 28. RxR PxR 29. K-K3 K-K4 30. P
RS N-K3 3 1 . N-B3ch K-Q3 32. K-Q2 B-N4 33. R-K I R-N2 34. N-R4 R-N4
3S. N-BSch K-Q2 36. P-N3 B-B3 37. P-R4 R-N I 38. R-KS R-KB I 39. B-N3 N
B2 40. B-Q I N-K I 4 1 . BxP N-B3 4 2. B-B3 K-Q I 4 3. N-Q4 N-Q2 44. R-NS,
Black resigns During the 1 920s, Kupchik was second only to Frank Marshall
among American masters. The patient touch required to win this kind of quiet
game (and several hundred just like it) is what gave Kupchik his eminence.
ABRAHAM KUPCHIK-ISAAC KASH DAN (Manhattan C.C. Championship
Playoff Match, 1 934): I . P-Q4 N-KB3 2. P-QB4 P-K3 3. N-KB3 P-Q4 4. N-B3
P-B3 S. PxP KPxP 6. B-NS B-K2 7. P-K3 0-0 8. B-Q3 N-KS?! (Premature,
better is 8 . . . . QN-Q2) 9. BxN BxB I 0. NxB QxN I I . P-KR4 Q-K2 1 2. B
Q3 P-KB4 1 3. Q-B2 P-KN3 1 4. 0-0-0 N-Q2 I S. P-RS N-B3 1 6. PxP PxP 1 7.
N-K2 K-N2 1 8. N-B4 B-Q2 1 9. R-R3 P-KN4 20. N-RSch NxN 2 1 . RxN Q-B3
22. P-B4 PxP 23. PxP QxP 24. P-KN3 R-B3 (A less obliging move is 24. . . . R
B2) 2S. QR- R I Q-K6ch 26. K-N I K-B2 27. R-R7ch K-K3 28. Q-B3 P-QS 29.
Q-BS, Black resigns Attacks without danger were indeed Kupchi k's specialty.
ALEX KEVITZ-ABRAHAM KUPCHIK (U.S. Championship, 1 936): I . P-QB4
P-K4 2. N-QB3 N-KB3 3. N-B3 P-Q3 4. P-Q4 QN-Q2 S. P-K4 B-K2 6. B-K2
0-0 7. 0-0 R-K I 8. Q-B2 P-B3 9. P-KR3 Q-B2 I 0. B-K3 N-B I I I . KR-Q I N
N3 1 2. P-R3 B-B I 1 3. P-QN4 P-KR3 1 4. P-QS B-Q2 I S. QR-B I PxP 1 6.
BPxP KR-B I 1 7. Q-N3 Q-Q I 1 8. N-Q2 N-R2 1 9. P-QR4 N-N4 20. B-N4
BxB 2 1 . PxB N-R2! 22. P-N3 B-K2 23. N-B4 Q-Q2 24. P-B3 N-N4 2S. K-B2
P-N3 26. N-NS QR-N I 27. R-B3 NxPch!! 28. PxN QxP 29. Q-B2 P-R3 30.
NxNP R-B I 3 I . N-R3 P-B4 32. PxP RxPch 33. K-K I QR-KB I 34. R-B8 B-Q I
3S. Q-N3 QxPch 36. K-Q2 BxN 37. RxRch RxR 38. N-B2 R-B I 39. R-K I N
BS 40. P-RS B-QS 4 1 . P-NS B-B6ch 42. QxB Q-N7ch, White resigns
ABRAHAM KU PCH I K-FRED REIN FELD (U.S. Championship, 1 938): I . P-Q4
N-KB3 2. P-QB4 P-K3 3. N-KB3 P-Q4 4. B-NS B-NSch S. N-B3 PxP 6. P-K4
P-KR3 7. BxN QxB 8. BxP 0-0 9. 0-0 P-B4 I 0. N-QNS! P-R3 I I . P-KS! Q-K2
1 2. N-Q6 PxP 1 3. QxP N-B3 1 4. NxB! QRxN I S. Q-K4! KR-Q I 1 6. B-Q3 P
KN3 1 7. P-KR4 Q-Q2 1 8. Q R-Q I Q-Q4 1 9. Q-KB4 N-QS 20. P-RS B-B I
2 1 . PxP PxP 22. NxN QxN 23. Q-B6 Q-Q2 24. B-BS!, Black resigns Another
of those economical Kupchik attacks.
70
AL SIMONSON-ABRAHAM KUPCHI K (U.S. Championship, 1 938): I . N
KB3 P-Q4 2. P-Q4 N-KB3 3. P-B4 P-K3 4. P-KN3 PxP S. B-N2 QN-Q2 6.
N-B3 B-NS 7. 0-0 0-0 8. Q-B2 P-B3 9. P-K4 BxN I 0. PxB P-KR3 I I . N-Q2
P-QN4 1 2. P-QR4 P-K4 I 3. N-B3 R-K I 1 4. RPxP BPxP I S. NxP NxN 1 6.
PxN N-Q2 1 7. P-B4 N-B4 1 8. B-K3 Q-B2 1 9. Q-K2 B-N2! 20. P-BS RxP! 2 1 .
B-B4 P-B3! 22. Q-K3 P-QR4 23. QR-N I N-N6 24. BxR QxB 2S. Q-N6 R
N I 26. Q-R7 B-B3 27. KR-Q I P-RS 28. R-N2 K-R2 29. R-KB2 N-B4 30.
R-Q4 N-Q6 3 1 . R-Q2 P-R6! 32. R/2xN PxR 33. QxP P-NS 34. Q-N2 PxP 3S.
QxP R-N6!! 36. QxR QxRch 37. K-B I P-Q7 38. B-B3 B-RS 39. Q-B7
P-Q8=Qch 40. BxQ QxBch 4 1 . K-N2 Q-K7ch, White resigns To paraphrase
Dr. Johnson, if Kupchik had attacked often thus, all praise would be super
fluous.
J. L. FOSTER-ABRAHAM KUPCHIK (West Side YMCA vs. Manhattan C.C.
Metropolitan League Match, 1 942): I . P-Q4 N-KB3 2. P-QB4 P-Q3 3. N-QB3
QN-Q2 4. P-K4 P-K4 S. N-B3 P-KN3 6. P-KR3 B-N2 7. B-K3 0-0 8. B-Q3
PxP 9. NxP N-B4 I 0. B-B2 R-K I I I . Q-B3 Q-K2 1 2. B-NS Q-K4 1 3. BxN
BxB 1 4. 0-0-0 P-B3 I S. KR-K I P-QR4 1 6. K-N I N-K3 1 7. N/4-K2 R-Q I 1 8.
Q-K3 B-N4 1 9. Q-Q3 Q-QB4 20. R-KB I N-BS 2 1 . NxN BxN 22. P-KN3 B
K4 23. N-R4 Q-R2 24. P-B4 B-N2 2S. P-KN4 P-QN4 26. PxP PxP 27. N-B3
B-QR3 28. N-K2 P-NS 29. Q-KB3 P-RS 30. P-N3 QR-B I 3 1 . R-B2 RxB 32.
KxR PxPch 33. KxP B-BSch 34. KxB Q-R3ch 3S. K-N3 R-QB I 36. P-QR4 Q
BS, mate This game received the brilliancy prize for the Met League season of
1 942.
Chapter VI
'fhe Incomparable Max
Founded in the late 1870s, the Manhattan Chess Club has always
been a gathering point for chess devotees from all walks of life. The
highest and sometimes the lowest on the social scale mingle as
equals. The only requirement is that a man play chess and conduct
himself as befits a gentleman.
During the Great Depression, the Manhattan was an ideal place to
relax and forget the day's troubles. After a couple of hours
wandering through the maze of combinations afforded by the royal
game, one returned to ground zero refreshed and, if one happened
upon a "customer," financially restored. Of the time I now write, a
man named Max was the club secretary. He loved chess more than
life, and he was happiest when seated at the board and in control.
Royalty knew no greater power or joy.
For a period in his life, Max dedicated himself completely to the
Manhattan; and the members appreciated and, indeed, loved him for
his hard work and human warmth. His was one of man's rarest gifts:
to see life in a humorous light and to reflect that light without ever
becoming offensive. Max often told stories about club members that
delighted his listeners, including many of the guilty parties.
I will never forget his account of how a highly respected elder
member, who was known for his propriety, absentmindedly reached
for a Bishop in the heat of battle and used it to stir his coffee. A bit
later, when preparing to move the missing Bishop, he angrily ac
cused his opponent of removing it from the board. Imagine the
"oldest member's" chagrin, to borrow a phrase from P.G. Wade
house, when he discovered it resting at the bottom of his coffee cup.
Max was a master at giving odds to weaker players, who because
of his wonderful way with people, never resented losing money to
him. Many actually sought him out in the belief that they were
contributing to his upkeep. Few people knew that Max was a very
wealthy man, who while still in his 20s, struck it rich in commodi
ties speculation. He then invested his winnings in real estate, hoping
to establish an income that would free him for his favorite hobby.
Instead, he hit a second jackpot and sold out for a fortune at the
71
72
peak of the market.
It was a Saturday morning that we became friends. I arrived at
the club unusually early, and only Max was there. Although we
knew each other, we had never really talked. I tried to break the ice
by showing him a chess problem that had fascinated me since age
13. As soon as I set up the pieces, he shouted, "Reti," the com
poser's name. And we suddenly found ourselves talking like old
friends.
Over the next decade, I saw a lot of Max and his wife, Renee, a
warm, butterball of a woman. On many occasions, we all dined to
gether. After dinner, Max and I usually stayed up most of the night
playing and talking.
Somehow we fell out of contact. The need to earn a living, the
time demanded by marriage and children, a subsequent move to the
suburbs-it's the same story for most people. Not until 1975, after
retiring to Florida, did I begin to miss the Manhattan Chess Club
and my old friends in the Big Apple. And so, I rented a small
apartment not far from the club.
The Real Top Dog
I had not seen Max for almost 20 years and was totally unprepared
for the shock when we came face to face. Or, rather, what was left
of his face. After Max was diagnosed as having cancer of the
jawbone, the doctors removed it to save his life. His customary
buoyancy was gone along with much of the humor and wit.
Although still in his 60s, he looked much older. And no wonder. T o
see a de-boned, wrecked face every morning while shaving would be
enough to crush anyone's spirits.
Yet Max retained a wonderful way of expressing himself, and as
he brought me up to date, I forgot about his looks. He seemed to
have made peace with himself, and as he later proved over the
board, his chess had not suffered. But I was sorely mistaken about
Max enjoying internal quiet as I learned at our next get-together.
"My marriage is falling apart," he confided, "and I cannot see a
way to save it. When I first met Renee, there was no one more
beautiful. I was so deeply in love that nothing else mattered. She
was not as deeply in love, but I made allowances for this
shortcoming so long as I did not have to share her. Mind you, we
had our differences, but we got along most of the time."
Max paused and sighed. "During the past year," he continued,
"she has gone completely off the deep end. All she does is primp
and fuss over that silly poodle, Bobo. He has replaced me in her
Chapter VI
73
bed, and I've been moved to a room down the hall. When I try t o
discuss the issue, she says that I'm acting silly. I should have taken a
stand right after coming out of the hospital. Now it's too late."
Whistle While You Work
We did not meet again for several weeks. And when we did, Max's
eyes shone brightly, though not with the witty twinkle of yore.
They were like two searchlights peering into the distance. His lips
quivered almost convulsively. He was clearly in the grip of a great
mission and spoke urgently, mopping his face and trying to contain
an excitement.
"I have a plan," he said feverishly, "that will break up this canine
conspiracy to wreck my home. On my way here to the club, I pass
a pet shop; and I've been thinking what would happen if I bought
one of those silent dog whistles and blew it occasionally in the wee
morning hours. Chances are that Bobo would come charging into
my room where I can greet him with a piece of his favorite choco
late. Arnold, you've heard about conditioned reflexes and Pavlov's
dog? What do I have to lose? And if nothing else, it will surely
upset Renee."
Max proved a prophet. "The plan is working," he beamed happily
some weeks later. "Renee is so upset that she is even considering a
dog psychiatrist for Bobo. "
As the summer months wore on, Max became increasingly
pleased with himself. He seemed happy and expectant. Renee was
nervous and distraught. The poor woman could not understand
why Bobo got up in the middle of the night and dashed from her
bedroom as if he had left a steak bone on the 5 : 1 5 to Yonkers.
Renee fought back as best she could. After consulting a bar
keeper's wife, whom she came to know while out walking Bobo, she
became convinced that "her baby" was possessed by evil spirits.
Later, after prayers and poultices applied by the barkeeper's wife
failed utterly, Renee looked for a dog psychiatrist. Finding none,
she began to seek advice from everyone she met, no matter how
limited the person's experience or remote his occupation. If sheer
inquiry could save Bobo, then the dog had nothing to worry his
curly head about.
On one occasion, Renee came to the club to pick up Max and
spoke about Bobo's dilemma. "Can you imagine a big city like New
York with no place to take a poor, disturbed animal like my Bobo.
They spend millions on literally everything, but nobody gives a
hang about a poor dog's nerves." Then, turning to Bobo and
kneeling down to hug the hound and to tousle the well-coiffed hair
74
atop his head, she said, "Don't worry darling-urns, mommy-urns will
find someone to help you."
Bobo's Sixth Sense
Help came quickly. Strolling along Fifth Avenue a few days later, I
bumped into Renee and Bobo. She was wearing a large, striking
black lace hat that reached to her shoulders. Her dress was lacy
black as well, and several strands of pearls were intertwined around
her neck like a boa constrictor. Even Bobo had gotten into the
spirit of things by wearing a hat similar to Renee's.
I tipped my hat and remarked on how well they both looked,
since it would have been impolite to exclude Bobo. She explained
that the reason for the matching outfits was that Max had passed
away. The very night of his passing, she had been unable to sleep
and as she paced the floor, something drew her to Max's room. H e
lay o n the floor near the threshold. "Arnold," she whispered o n the
busy street, "what do you think he was up to? You could never
guess. Can you imagine a man of his age playing with a whistle and
eating chocolates in the middle of the night?"
She continued, "When I summoned the doctor, he said that it
was not unusual for some aging men to start acting silly. They yearn
for their lost youth and make complete fools of themselves b y
chasing after and blowing whistles a t young women. Poor Max, he
must have been entering his second childhood."
"You know," she concluded, "I should have had more faith in
Bobo's sixth sense. His instincts told him that there was something
wrong with Max, and that was why he couldn't sleep normally. How
else can you explain that since Max died, Bobo once again sleeps
like a baby?"
Chapter VI I
fi JCnight in Shiningfirmor
No account of chess in the 1930s and 1940s would be complete
without mentioning Maurice Wertheim. Like a knight in shining
armor who gallops out of a mist, Maurice arrived unexpectedly on
the New York chess scene at a moment when there was much
wailing and gnashing of teeth. The "world famous Manhattan Chess
Club"-as it was called-had been reduced to slumming in the
crummy cellar of the Pythian Temple somewhere on West 70th. As
a consequence, many of the club's illustrious chess citizens were
living solely by their wits because of a customer shortage.
What Damon Runyon wrote about "guys and dolls" also obtained
among us chess men during the Great Depression: "Now it comes on
the spring . . . after a long hard winter, and times are very tough
indeed, what with the stock market going all to pieces, and banks
busting right and left, and the law getting very nasty about this and
that, and one thing and another, and many citizens of this town are
compelled to do the best they can. There is very little scratch any
where and along Broadway many citizens are wearing their last
year's clothes and have practically nothing to bet on the races or
anything else, and it is a condition that will touch anybody's heart."
Including, as it happened, the great heart of Maurice Wertheim,
who was a one-in-a-million man for sure. In August 1941, without
fear or hesitation, he singlehandedly moved the Manhattan to pala
tial quarters at 100 Central Park South, on the corner of 6th
Avenue and 59th Street. And suddenly, New York's professional
chess citizens began to thrive again-this time on gilt-edged custom
ers who had plenty of quarters to lose.
Maurice the Man
Medium in height and not much to look at, Maurice radiated a
warmth and confidence that swept up even the gloomiest of us
chess Guses. Those ruddy red cheeks, that bristling brown mustache
and those ever-friendly brown eyes brimming with enthusiasm ener
gized everyone. I never saw him negative or angry, though a man in
his position must have had enemies. I still believe that his sincerity
75
76
and positive outlook probably won over even business competitors.
As one of his daughters wrote, "MW, as friends and family called
him, almost always wanted to be in a position to give activities form
and direction, to innovate and create."
That gets it just right. No Knight of the Sorrowful Countenance,
he !
Born in 1886, Maurice was head of the banking firm of Wertheim
& Company, which he founded in 1927. He was a multi-millionaire
back when a dollar still had 100 cents. Yet he did not toss around
money. He believed that even cultural organizations ought to run
on a business basis and that organizations lacking the support of
society had no right to exist. Maurice's early experience as a founder
and director of the then floundering New York Theatre Guild proba
bly brought this lesson home. In his "1931 Report to the Harvard
Class of 1906," he described his hands-on approach. "My chief out
side interest during these 25 years," he wrote, "has been the
theatre. From the time of graduation until 1919, I was connected
with various amateur theatre groups, whose activities culminated in
1919 in the New York Theatre Guild. Ever since its formation, I
have been a member of the board of managers and active in its op
erations. Up to date the organization has produced over 75 plays. "
I n the early 1930s, Maurice led the cultural battle to stage Eugene
O'Neill's controversial, dark and seminal trilogy, Mourning Becomes
Electra.
Having gotten the Theatre Guild on its feet, Maurice then insisted
that the child walk on its own. And for the record, the Guild did
just that during his tenure-as did the Manhattan Chess Club.
I think that Maurice was a believer in what we today call "tough
love," though he also had a soft side. He was a trustee of the
American Wildlife Foundation, and in 194 7, this extraordinarily
wealthy man donated to the U.S. government his 2,000-acre Long
Island shooting preserve, which is now called the Wertheim National
Wildlife Refuge and which extends along the Montauk Highway all
the way to Great South Bay. "It's an ideal place for migrating ducks
to rest," Maurice said shortly after deeding over his property, "or
would be if I didn't shoot them."
When looking to relax and go for a swim or to attend to some
business for the Cuban Atlantic Sugar Company (of which he was a
director), Maurice always repaired to his home on Cuba's Veradero
Beach. He also had a passion that bordered on a weakness for
salmon fishing. "The salmon," Maurice wrote in Salmon on the Dry
Fly, a privately published and beautifully produced little book of
500 copies, "is a lordly fish. He is not like your wee trout and
knows that the bait cannot escape him. So he takes the fly as he
Chapter VII
77
pleases. "
Maurice kept a house up in Canada on the Gaspe Peninsula and
leased the entire Ste. Anne des Monts River just to toss in a line
during the peak salmon season of June and July. "Father was a pas
sionate fisherman, so much so that when his first grandchild was
born," recalls one of his daughters, "he announced that he had been
awake all night figuring out how old he would be when the baby
boy could take his first salmon, in order that he could teach him
the fine points of the sport." Maurice once wrote about his adven
tures in the March 1948 issue of Field & Stream.
Maurice the Chess Man
If movie moguls race cars and media men yachts, bankers go in for
high culture. Beginning in 1 936 at age 50, Maurice became within
two or three years one of the world's leading collectors of French
Impressionists and Post-Impressionists. Paintings by Degas, Dufy,
Gauguin, Manet, Matisse, Monet, Picasso, Renoir, van Gogh and the
like graced the walls of his penthouse at 33 East 70th. All told,
Maurice purchased 43 paintings, drawings and sculptures, many of
which are, as the critic John O'Brian states, "standard points of
reference" in art literature. He is talking about such immediately
recognizable masterpieces as van Gogh's "Self-Portrait Dedicated to
Paul Gauguin," Degas' "The Rehearsal" and "Singer with a Glove,"
Renoir's "Seated Bather" and "Self-Portrait at Thirty-Five," and
Gauguin's "Poemes Barbares." The best book on Maurice's beloved
collection is O'Brian's Degas to Matisse: the Maurice Wertheim
Collection.
Still, Maurice loved most the thing that cost him least: correspon
dence chess. He carried on games all over the world, and one in par
ticular with John J. McCloy, an old banking buddy who became
High Commissioner for Germany following World War II. I like t o
think that as a renowned banker, Maurice enjoyed telling opponents
that a check was in the mail. Certainly, he took the games seriously
and often discussed them with me in his study, though only those
games already concluded. He never permitted comments on games
in progress.
Playing under the pseudonym of "A.C . Charles," Maurice scored
well in the old Chess Review postal tournaments of the early
1940s. In the Victory Postal Tournament of 1943 , he scored +13 -1
=4, good enough to snatch a prize and to earn him a rating of 1430,
which was the equivalent of a master rating today. Indeed, future
correspondence world champion Hans Berliner was then rated at
1418. Maurice later described his performance in this tournament as
the " proudest moment of my chess career." And as Chess Review
78
described his postal routine: "Every morning, on his way to Wall
Street in a taxi, he played over variations of his games on a pocket
chess set. In the evenings, while waiting for dinner guests to arrive,
he set up his board and studied his games. Wherever he went, his
Postal Chess Album accompanied him. Nothing was permitted to
interfere with this fascinating hobby. "
Maurice had a feel for the French Defense and even invented
interesting, if dubious ideas. Take, for example, the rare line, 1. P
K4 P-K3 2. P-Q4 P-Q4 3. N-QB3 B-N5 4. P-QR3 BxNch 5 . PxB PxP
6. Q-N4 Q-B3 ! ? 7. QxKP. As Black against Bela Rozsa, a many-time
champion of Oklahoma, Maurice found the completely new move,
7. . . . Q-N3 ! ? , which led to a playable game after 8. B-Q3 (the
alternative is 8. Q-B4 QxBP 9. QxP N-QB3 10. B-Q2 [ Grandmaster
Larry Evans suggests 10. N-K2 here] 10 . . . . NxP, when Black wins a
pawn) 8 . . . . QxQ 9. BxQ N-KB3 10. B-B3 QN-Q2 1 1 . P-B4 ? ! (Evans
believes that 1 1 . B-B4 ! puts Black's idea to the test) 1 1 . . . . P-K4 ! .
I n the following Queenless middlegame, Maurice outplays a New
York master noted for his handling of just this kind of position:
Erich Marchand-Maurice Wertheim
Correspondence, 1 943
French Defense
I . P-K4 P-K3 2. P-QR3?!
Back in 1945, this idea seemed bad. Today, it merely seems
bizarre.
2. . . . P-Q4 3. P-KS P-QB4 4. P-QN4 P-QS
White probably expected 4 . . . . PxP 5. PxP BxP 6. P-QB3 B
moves 7. P-Q4, when the first player has a powerful center at the
expense of a pawn.
5. PxP Q-Q4 6. Q-K2 N-QB3 7. P-KB4 BxP 8. N-KB3 KN-K2 9. P-Q3 0-0
I 0. QN-Q2 P-B3 I I . PxP RxP 1 2. Q-K4 B-N3
Black intends to work against White's backward QBP.
1 3. N-NS
A more circumspect idea is 13. N-B4, 14. B-K2 and castles.
1 3 . . . . N-N3 1 4. QxQ?!
White wants to double Black's Queen pawn, but he deprives his
own pieces of the natural squares, QB4 and K4. Al Horowitz
suggested 14. P-N3 as a better move .
1 4. . . . PxQ I S. P-N3 P-KR3 I 6. N/5-B3 KN-K2 1 7. B-KN2 R-K3ch 1 8. K-B2
Chapter VII
79
N-B4 1 9. B-R3 N/3-K2 20. N-KS R-KB3 2 1 . R-R2 N-K6 22. B-Q7
22. . . . BxB
White's idea is to play 23 . B-R4 and 24. B-N3. Still, Black can
probably win a sound pawn after 22 . . . . P-N4 23. K-B3 (if 23. BxB,
Black will pick up the QBP after 23 . . . . RxB 24. N-Q7 R/3-B3) 23 .
. . . PxP 24. PxP B-B2 . The text move leaves White with drawing
chances.
23. NxB R-B3 24. NxB PxN 25. N-N3 NxP 26. B-Q2 N-B4 27. P-R3 N-Q3
28. R-QB I RxP 29. RxR NxR 30. NxP RxR 3 1 . BxR N/6-N4 32. B-K3 N
QB2 33. P-BS K-B2 34. B-B4 N/2-N4 35. NxN NxN 36. B-K5 N-R2 37. B
Q4 N-B I 38. K-K3 P-QN4 39. P-N4 N-K2 40. P-R4?
Ambitious and bad. White ought to play 40. B-KS, followed by P
Q4 and a King march to the Queenside.
40. . . . P-R4! 4 1 . K-B4 PxP 42. KxP N-B3 4 3. B-N2 N-N5, White resigns
A mopping-up line would be 44. P-Q4 N-Q6 45. B-Rl P-NS 46. K
B3 P-N6 47. K-K3 P-N7, and Black wins. By no means a glowing
game, but Maurice turned in a steady positional effort. As Hermann
Helms once wrote of Maurice's play, "While not a top ranking player
in any sense, he still can give a good tussle to many masters with
more experience. "
A s w e came to know each other better, Maurice talked often
about his youth. His first marriage was to Alma Morgenthau, a
daughter of Henry Morgenthau, Franklin Roosevelt's secretary of the
treasury. They produced three girls, the most famous of whom was
Barbara Tuchman, a Pulitzer Prize winning historian who wrote
such works as The Guns of August and The Proud Tower. After the
girls grew up, Maurice and his wife divorced. He later married a tall
and beautiful blue-eyed Swedish lady, who was the widow of Gene
Seiberling of auto-tire fame. Cecile, who died in 197 4, was perfect
for Maurice. I think that they were the happiest couple that I ever
knew.
80
One evening after dinner, Maurice told me the story behind his
success. First, his father made a lot of money with the United Cigar
Manufacturers Company, sent him to Harvard whence he graduated
in 1906, and then left him almost half a million dollars. He got into
investment banking in 1915 with Hallgarten & Company and be
came a partner in 1919. There, he studied and mastered the fine art
of mergers, striking pay dirt when he convinced two banks that
they would be better off as one. Consummated in St. Louis, this
merger was his first million-dollar deal. Maurice cried with joy on
the train all the way back to New York. Other killings followed.
Strange to say, Maurice was a man of the political left. He served
as owner and publisher of The Nation from 1935 to 193 7, and his
breast fairly burst with an admirable passion for social justice. He
never confused being born on third base and reaching home on a
single with smacking a home run. As president of the American Jew
ish Committee in 194 1-42, he produced a direct answer to Hitler
ism by converting that organization to Zionism. Barbara Tuchman
described this achievement as "probably the most difficult and his
torically the most important action of his career."
Maurice's minus side, along with that of The Nation in the 1 930s
and 1940s, was imagining that Joseph Stalin was merely a tangier
and spicier version of an American liberal. Maurice and others like
him believed that Stalin was devoted not to mass murder in the tens
of millions but to improving upon Jeffersonian liberalism by usher
ing it into the sunny egalitarian uplands of economic and social
democracy. "I feel that no one should miss the present opportu
nity," he wrote about a projected trip in the early 1930s to a Soviet
Union ravaged by terror and mass famine, "of studying there one of
the most interesting experiments in the development of a new social
order that has ever been attempted."
"Interesting?" Good grief. More anon about how this fantastic
delusion indirectly helped not only my chess but also my bank
account!
Maurice Makes His Move
In May 194 1 , shortly after being elected president of the Manhattan
Chess Club, Maurice made his first double-exclam move in chess b y
bankrolling a U.S. championship match between A I Horowitz, the
challenger, and Sammy Reshevsky, the reigning champion since
1936. I'll never forget the first game of that hard-fought struggle
because the site was Maurice's penthouse, which in its "streamlined
modernity," as one art critic wrote, was without "a sliver or stitch
of the antique. " Virtually all of New York's top players attended,
and the crowd numbered at least 150.
Chapter VII
81
Maurice liked being around chess people-no doubt about it.
When I won the U. S. Chess Championship in 1944, he went all out
and gave a gala party. At least 75 people attended, and never had I
seen more champagne and caviar. Not even at the Russian embassy !
To top it all off, he presented me with a gold watch and platinum
chain inscribed by members of the Manhattan. An unforgettable
evening-for anyone.
In the summer of '41 , a very strong New York State Champion
ship was held upstate on the campus of Colgate University in Hamil
ton. The field included the likes of Reshevsky, Reuben Fine, Al
Horowitz, Isaac Kashdan and, of course, myself. Maurice wanted to
spend a few days kibitzing, and so the four of us-he and Cecile, my
wife Nina and 1-tossed our golf clubs and tennis rackets into a
woody station wagon. With Maurice's ever-present "man" at the
wheel, we set off for what turned out to be a wonderful chess vaca
tion. If memory serves, Fine scored something like 8-2 to finish
first. I ended in a tie for 2nd-4th with Sammy and Kash. Maurice
loved watching the action ("He couldn't see a mate through a tele
scope," was one of his favorite kibitzes) and got a big kick out of
my explaining the chief ideas. He also competed in a lower section,
scoring a respectable 6-3 .
On numerous occasions, Maurice showed his appreciation for my
small services by having Nina and me over for dinner, a highlight of
which was getting to savor his great collection of Impressionist
paintings. One of my two favorites was Toulouse-Lautrec's "The
Black Countess," a singularly witty canvas depicting a dark-skinned,
elegantly clad lady driving a carriage wildly along a Mediterranean
beach near Nice. My other favorite, a much larger painting, was
Picasso's "Mother and Child" from the artist's Blue Period. It never
failed to move me, and in a touching gesture typical of Maurice, he
always saw to it that I sat opposite the picture during dinner.
My admiration for "Mother and Child" was not, however, shared
by Anne Wertheim, Maurice's youngest daughter. In a family mem
oir, Barbara Tuchman describes a tiff between Father and Daughter:
"Later, [they] had a mighty battle when she refused to get married
under Picasso's Blue Period painting of a syphilitic mother and
infant, which was hung over the fireplace, and he refused to take it
down. The family lawyer resolved the deadlock with a diplomatic
compromise-a smilax curtain draped over the painting to be re
moved instantly after the ceremony. "
O n May 2 7 , 1950, Maurice Wertheim died suddenly o f a heart
attack at his estate in Cos Cob, Connecticut. He left his collection
of Impressionist works to the Fogg Museum at Harvard. During the
1988 U.S. Open in Boston, I took the opportunity to visit Harvard
82
and to renew my acquaintance with these old and haunting friends.
To Russia with Love
Maurice spent his life bringing people together, whether they were
chess players or international bankers. This talent came to the
attention of Franklin Roosevelt, who made Maurice one of his
dollar-a-year men on the War Production Board. He quickly became
an official goodwill ambassador, conceiving the idea of and signing
the checks for the famous U.S.A.-U. S.S.R. match held in Moscow in
1946. Maurice convinced Foggy Bottom that a friendly chess match
might help to thaw out the oncoming Cold War, harbingers of
which were Stalin's conquest of Eastern Europe and his frosty
treatment of American envoys.
Naive, true. But Maurice was right in one respect: No group ever
got a grander reception than that accorded us upon arriving in
Moscow. We were drowned in flowers at the airport and treated like
royalty, if that is quite the metaphor. At the playing site, the
crowds were so huge that the team-flanked by secret police
types-had to leave the theater via a side entrance. Still, Maurice's
idea ultimately counted for little because all the good will in the
world between the American and Russian peoples amounted to
nothing in Stalin's arithmetic. As Maurice later stated in The New
Yorker of August 14, 1948, "I thought it was up to the private citi
zens of this country to do what they could to support the efforts of
the State Department to encourage a relationship with Russia on a
basis other than business or war. I'm afraid I didn't accomplish my
purpose in a long-range way, but I did a lot at the moment. "
I n retrospect, the chief beneficiary o f the Moscow match may
have been myself. Not only did I spend several months in Europe
sharpening my chess, I also indirectly benefited financially by being
in the wrong place at the right time.
The wrong place was a sidewalk cafe in Paris where I was reading
catastrophic news in the Herald Tribune. "Billions Lopped Off U.S.
Stock Market" screamed a headline. Nina and I had worked hard to
save about $20,000, which we invested in stocks. I was sick at heart
and decided that the market was no place for a tyro and would get
out once I got home. However, the right time turned out to be that
very moment because Maurice, with whom we were travelling, sud
denly came along and sat down for coffee.
After some hesitation, I worked up the courage to tell Maurice
about my dilemma. Without skipping a beat, he replied, "I'll send
my chauffeur for you when we get back, but be sure to bring me
your entire portfolio. " He was as good as his word. Not long
Chapter VII
83
afterward, I found myself sitting in his office at 120 Broadway, wait
ing along with the then mayor of New York. Soon a smiling Maurice
stepped out from his private office to lead me inside. Flushed with
embarrassment, I stammered, "I believe the mayor was here before
me. " To which he replied, "Don't worry, his business can wait."
Maurice sat behind a large desk and pored over my holdings .
After a while, he looked up and asked, "Who advised you to buy
such garbage?" Although his firm never bothered in those days with
accounts under $100,000, he personally supervised my portfolio.
Before he died a few years later, he got back every penny I lost
along with a good deal more. My small account sat at Wertheim &
Company after his death until I decided to close it so as not to
embarrass the firm any longer.
Maurice Meets Yankele
Only once did Maurice permit Nina and me to take him and his wife
to dinner. Knowing their love for French cuisine, I chose my
favorite restaurant, La Toque Blanche. We all dined sumptuously,
though what I remember best are certain surprises later on. For
some reason, we got on to the topic of older players like Oscar
Chajes, Charles Jaffe and, of course, Frank Marshall. The subject
then shifted to chess institutions on the lower East Side-joints
such as the Cafe Royale and the Stuyvesant Chess Club. Maurice
said that he had visited neither of them, and then added abruptly,
"Let's leave the ladies to their dessert and coffee. We can be back in
half an hour."
A minute later, Maurice's chauffeur was driving us to the Stuyve
sant down on East 14th. On the way, I got a chance to ask this
kindest of powerful men about the source of his understanding of
people and their problems. Maurice recalled a seemingly insignifi
cant episode when he was a student at Harvard. A young woman ,
whom he barely knew, approached him and began to pour out her
troubles. As he tried to get away, she followed, telling him that her
parents were getting divorced and that she was having problems
keeping up with her studies. He must have appeared bored because
she said angrily, "The least you can do is listen. You will lose
nothing and may gain a great deal in human understanding and
stature. " Maurice said that this utterly banal encounter, so micro
scopic in the macrocosm of massive human suffering, stayed with
him and dictated his treatment of people ever after.
The Stuyvesant Chess Club was packed as usual. Yet everyone in
the place looked up when we entered. Maurice was immaculately
groomed as always, and most of the chess players stared at him as
if he were the Messiah. Almost immediately, the proprietor, Jacob
84
Bernstein, came to greet us. Jacob or "Yankele" was short, fat and
almost completely bald, but he owned a smile as big as his chess
talent. I introduced him to Maurice, and before you could count
three, the two men wandered off, leaving me standing alone.
To my complete surprise, they returned several minutes later,
chatting like old friends and sipping hot tea from glasses ensconced
in those ornate silver holders that Russians call podstakanniki.
On our way back to La Toque, my curiosity got the better of me.
"What were you and Yankele discussing so earnestly?" I asked.
"Oh," he replied, "he told me that they played a lot of 'pinochle' up
on the second floor, and I told him that my father was considered
one of the finest 'pinochle' players in the cigar industry." By "pi
nochle," Maurice really meant, of course, poker.
And then this captain of international banking and confidant of
history-making statesmen began to stare distractedly out of the
window of his limousine, saying nothing for several minutes. "You
know," he finally spoke up in a thoughtful and faraway voice, "in
spite of the squalid quarters, the smoke and the noise, everyone
seemed to be having a real good time. "
Chapter VI I I
'fhe J(enesaw Mountain
J:gndis of Chess
From the 1920s into the late 1940s, the Manhattan Chess Club was
more or less run by L. Walter Stephens, a rigid and humorless man
whom I once nicknamed "Mr. Faux Pas." He was best known to the
American chess public of the period as the perennial tournament
director of U. S. championship events.
L. Walter, as he was commonly called, was the kind of person
who never got a second look when he passed by on the street. But if
you're the kind of the reader who wants to get a second look, then
riffle through old issues of the New York Times until reaching page
23 of the edition for May 8, 1944. You will find a photograph
showing a virile and hirsute young Greek god, elegantly "accou
tered" (a buzz word in this story) in a three-piece suit. That's me,
impartially described. I am holding a trophy for winning the U.S.
Chess Championship and am staring as if I wished to wring the
scrawny neck of a dour, bespectacled man of medium height and
blotchy, freckled complexion. This man, who was born in 1883 ,
covered impending baldness by parting his hair just above the left
ear and plastering it across his narrow dome to the other ear. That's
L. Walter, equally impartially described.
For years L. Walter and wife Maude ran the Manhattan Chess
Club as if it were the family plantation. The club became their
second home. L. Walter, who had once been pastor of the Presbyte
rian Church of Oceanside, Long Island, was an economics and
history teacher at the New York High School of Commerce. Maude
was a tall, pencil-thin lady with a weakness for flowered hats as lush
and wild as any tropical jungle. She was also the club secretary
(from 1942 to 1954) and performed her duties with quiet efficiency
in spite of her husband's occasional interference. As for L. Walter,
who had held the post of secretary from 1924 to 194 1 , he somehow
assumed the role of club manager. In said capacity and with no
clearly defined duties, this zealous tumor from Princeton's Union
Theological Seminary managed to get into everything. He directed
85
86
tournaments, arranged team matches, set up rules for juniors, talked
to delinquents about dues and established a dress code.
Yes, a dress code. L. Walter liked to spend his spare time thinking
up rules to drive people nuts-a malignant talent that he doubt
lessly honed while serving during World War I as a YMCA chaplain
and athletic director at Camp Mills, Long Island.
During most of L. Walter's regime at the Manhattan, juniors were
allowed to come to the club only on certain days and at specified
times. On one occasion in the 1940s, a future chess great came to
the club in his then-customary T-shirt and blue jeans. L. Walter,
with foam forming on his lower lip, demanded that the young
genius be tossed out at once. "He's breaking my dress code b y
coming here improperly accoutered," screamed our fearless leader.
Fortunately, I garnered the support of a majority of the club's
directors, including Walter's wife, to stop him. And forever after,
"Mr. Princeton '10," as he sometimes dubbed himself, stared daggers
at me whenever I came to the club.
In truth L. Walter was the last person to talk about being
"improperly accoutered," for he often sported outfits that would
have put Florian Slappey, the "sepia gentleman" of Octavus Roy
Cohen fame, to shame. I still recall the St. Patrick's Day when he
turned up wearing green suspenders, purple trousers, and an orange
shirt with shoes to match. Bob Willman, one of the wags, remarked,
"Maude must be selecting his clothes to match her hats."
"You, You
...
Patzer,
You!"
Most of the younger club members barely tolerated L. Walter and
told jokes about him too off-color to relate even in these pagan
times. But the day that he got Oscar Tenner's dander up was a real
lulu. Sad-eyed Oscar was one of the old-timers and a chess
professional who married very late in life. He came to the club with
his young son on the days that his wife worked. Like most middle
aged men who sire children, he was particularly proud of his
handiwork. Indeed, the lad knew how to set up the pieces, and as
the youngster went from board to board fingering the men, L.
Walter began to see red.
Oscar, who was busy with one of his best customers at the far
end of the room, didn't notice what was going on until he heard his
"little vun" cry. As L. Walter led the boy by the hand to his father,
Oscar rose from his chair, ran to meet them, and spluttered, "Take
your hands off my boy you, you . . . patzer, you ! " Greater insult
giveth no chess player.
Although Oscar meant to spear only Stephens, he also harpooned
Chapter VIII
87
this writer. Now, L. Walter was a fish for sure, but every minnow has
his day or tournament as a shark. L. Walter's tournament was the
194 1 Manhattan Chess Club Championship in which he defeated
Boris Blumin brilliantly (a game that he later framed) and drew
with . . .
L. Walter Stephens-Arnold Denker
Manhattan C.C. Championship, 1 94 1
Stonewall Opening
I . P-Q4 N-KB3 2. N-KB3 P-K3 3. QN-Q2 P-Q4 4. P-K3 P-QN3 5. B-Q3 B
N2 6. N-KS B-Q3
At this point, I was probably daydreaming about L. Walter's
numerous tournament debacles, which the wags used to call "slight
cases of murder." Fifteen-move losses were not uncommon for him.
Little did I suspect what was in store for me.
Though, to be mercilessly objective, I ought to have. L. Walter
knew nothing about opening theory, and the field of positional play
was for him terra incognita. Yet as Sherlock Holmes once said of Dr.
Watson, L. Walter possessed a certain puckish wit that required
caution. In 1908, he was good enough to play first board for a vic
torious Princeton in the U.S. national collegiate championship.
"Princeton owed her success," stated the British Chess Magazine of
February 1909, "chiefly to the individual efforts of her captain, L.
Walter Stephens, a graduate of the Brooklyn Boys' School, who
played at the top board and won every game [three] he played."
There is even a picture of a young L. Walter on page 32 of the same
issue. That moment was the high point of his chess career until this
moment.
7. P-KB4 P-B4 8. P-B3 N-B3 9. 0-0 Q-B2 I 0. QN-B3 P-KR3 I I . B-Q2 N-KS
1 2. R-B I P-BS?
To use one of L. Walter's favorite words, "Gadzooks ! " It still
hurts.
88
Wrote H. L. Menoken, "How little it takes to make life unbear
able-a pebble in the shoe, a cockroach in the spaghetti, a woman's
laugh," and overlooking a move such as 13. NxQBP ! .
1 3. . . . PxN 1 4. BxN 0-0-0 1 5. Q-R4 P-B4 1 6. BxN QxB 1 7. QxQch BxQ
1 8. N-K5 BxN 1 9. BPxB P-KN4 20. P-QN3 B-Q4 2 1 . P-QN4 P-R3 22. R-KB2
QR-N I 23. P-QR3 P-KR4 24. R-R I P-R5 25. R-QB I P-N5 26. R-B4 K-Q2 27.
K-B I K-B3 28. R-R I B-K5 29. P-R4 K-Q4 30. K-N I B-Q6 3 1 . R-QB I R-R2
32. B-K I B-K5 33. B-Q2 R-R2 34. B-K I R-K2 35. B-Q2 P-R4 36. P-N5, drawn
on move 43
After Black's blunder on move 12, White had a won position.
This kind of game serves as a reminder to every top master never to
say, "I wouldn't lose to this fish in a million years." As the wags
used to reply, "How time flies ! "
Another of L. Walter's habits was to subject guests to a third
degree briefing. He loved to spell out rules and to pry. That's how
he happened to ask the famous Hungarian master, Lajos Steiner, if
he played chess. Many of us thought it a mystery why he never
asked Jose Capablanca to pay dues.
His One Claim to Fame
Let me lay my cards on the table. I have an interest in overlooking
whatever virtue-such as his willingness to endure endless defeats in
tournaments-L. Walter may have had. Here's the story.
After scoring 4%--% in the first five rounds of the 1942 U.S. Cham
pionship, I met Sammy Reshevsky in round six. The game featured
the maddest time scramble of my career until Sammy's flag fell on
move 45 or so. L. Walter rushed up, grabbed the clock from behind,
turned it around so that the opponent's dial was on my side, and
without the slightest hesitation forfeited . . . me !
"A near riot," as Isaac Kashdan described it, broke out. When
several witnesses tried to reason with L. Walter, he retorted with his
now famous query, "Does Kenesaw Mountain Landis ever reverse
himself?" And that supremely stupid statement ended all possible
discussion. For Judge Landis, the czar of baseball who had been
appointed to clean up the sport after the White/Black Sox scandal
of 1919, was notorious for never changing a decision. I played the
remainder of the tournament, to use Bernard Shaw's memorable
image, like a squashed cabbage leaf.
Still, maybe old L. Walter Stephens was cannier than we thought.
That statement became, after all, his one claim to fame following his
death on September 30, 1948.
Chapter VIII
89
Selected Games
L.
Walter Stephens: The "Mr. Faux Pas" of Chess
L. WALTER STEPH ENS-J. URANGA (Manhattan C.C. vs. Philidor C.C.
Metropolitan League Match, 1 930): I . P-Q4 P-Q4 2. P-K3 P-QB3 3. B-Q3 N
B3 4. N-Q2 P-K3 5. N-K2 B-Q3 6. P-KB4 0-0 7. 0-0 P-B4 8. P-B3 P-QN3 9.
N-KN3 PxP I 0. KPxP B-R3 I I . N-B3 BxB 1 2. QxB QN-Q2 I 3. N-KS R-K I
1 4. B-Q2 R-QB I 1 5. QR-K I R-K2 1 6. P-KR3 Q-K I 1 7. K-R I R-B2 1 8. P-BS
P-KR3 1 9. B-B4 BxN 20. PxB N-B4 2 1 . Q-K3 N/3-KS 22. P-B6 RIK2-Q2 23.
PxP NxNch 24. BxN KxP 25. Q-B3 Q-KN I 26. B-R4 K-B I 27. Q-B6 Q-N2
28. Q-B3 N-KS 29. Q-K3 Q-N3 30. R-B4 P-KR4 3 1 . P-KN4 PxP 32. RxP Q
R2 33. QR-KN I P-B3 34. PxP R-B2 35. R-N8ch QxR 36. RxQch KxR 37. Q
B4 R-BS 38. Q-N4ch K-B I 39. QxP N-B4 40. Q-B8, mate Wrote Henmann
Helms in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, "Commanding some of the best fonm of
his college days, when he represented Princeton in the intercollegiate tourna
ments and cable matches, L. Walter Stephens, secretary of the Manhattan
Chess Club, staved off defeat [of his team] by winning the pivotal game from J.
Uranga in the league match with the Philidor Chess Club."
BORIS BLUMIN-L. WALTER STEPHENS (Manhattan C.C. Championship,
1 94 1 ) : I . N-KB3 P-Q4 2. P-Q4 B-B4 3. P-B4 P-K3 4. Q-N3 P-QN3 5. P-K3
N-KB3 6. N-KS Q-Q3 7. N-QB3 P-B3 8. B-Q2 B-K2 9. B-K2 0-0 I 0. R-QB I
QN-Q2 I I . P-B4 N-KS 1 2. N/3xN BxN?! 1 3. 0-0 NxN 1 4. BPxN Q-Q2 1 5.
Q-R4 PxP 1 6. QxP/B4 QR-B I 1 7. Q-R4 R-B2 1 8. R-KB4?! B-Q4? 1 9. P-K4 P
QN4 20. Q-RS BxRP 2 1 . P-QS KPxP 22. B-KN4 Q-Q I 23. QxB PxP?! 24. R
Q I (Too fancy, the simple 24. B-K3 wins readily) 24. . . . Q-QSch 25. K-R I
QxKP 26. QR-KB I Q-Q4 27. Q-RS B-Q3 28. R-BS Q-Q6 29. R-Q I R-Q2
30. R-NS P-KB4 3 I . B-QB3? Q-K6 (Absolutely convincing is 3 I . . . . PxB!) 32.
BxBP QxR 33. BxR Q-BS 34. B-K6ch K-R I 35. BxPch KxB 36. QxPch K-R3
37. Q-N I P-K6 38. B-N4 B-K4 39. B-B3 P-B4 40. R-QS B-QS 4 1 . R-RSch K
N2 42. Q-N I P-R3 43. R-R3 Q-B4 44. Q-K I QxR 45. PxQ RxB 46. Q-K2 R
B7 47. QxNP P-K7 48. Q-Q7ch K-B3 49. Q-Q8ch K-B4 50. Q-QB8ch K-KS
5 I . Q-R8ch K-Q6 52. Q-R6ch K-B7 53. Q-N6ch KxP 54. Q-N6ch K-B7 55.
Q-N6ch K-B8 56. QxPch K-Q8 57. Q-RS R-B8ch 58. K-N2 R-N8ch 59. K- B3
P-K8=Q 60. K-B4ch K-Q7, White resigns. The winner framed this game!
II
Ch ess Among th e Stars
Chapter IX
Starry J(nights zn
Jiollywood
.
As a youngster, I never dreamed that I would one day see Holly
wood. My only contact with Tinsel Town came every Saturday
afternoon when the heroes of cliff-hanger serials were saved through
assorted miracles. But in 1946 Herman Steiner, beloved by his
glamorous Hollywood chess students, performed a miracle of his
own: He raised the then unprecedented sum (for chess) of $5 ,000 to
challenge me for the U.S. Championship title that I had won in
1944.
Although our previous results ran heavily in my favor, Herman
had sound reasons for believing that he could win. (Or, at least, he
was able to convince his backers that I was a stiff.) Herman beat
Igor Bondarevsky P/2-% in the 1945 U.S.A. vs. U.S. S.R. radio match,
the single bright spot for the Americans. Then in January 1946, he
scored 9-2 to take first place in the strong "Victory" International
in London. Among those who trailed were Ossip Bernstein and
Savielly Tartakower. No wonder that Herman's wealthy backers
were offering six to five on their star. I immediately telephoned a
few friends in New York, and they covered all bets.
Luckily, I did not hesitate in contacting the boys back East
because after the first game, the mood of the Hollywood chess
crowd changed radically. Hollywood is that way, and I suddenly
became an official darling. Here's why.
Herman Steiner-Arnold Denker
U.S. Championship Match, 1 946 (Game I)
I . P-Q4 P-Q4 2. N-KB3 N-KB3 3. P-B4 P-B3 4. N-B3 P-K3 5. B-NS QN-Q2
6. PxP KPxP 7. P-K3 B-K2 8. B-Q3
More precise is 8. Q-B2 . The text move allows Black to free his
game immediately.
8. . . N-KS!
.
93
94
This move would not be possible if the White Queen were on
QB2 because White could simply win a pawn with 9. NxN.
9. B-KB4 QN-B3 I 0. Q-B2 0-0!
On this move and the next, Black offers a pawn sacrifice that
cannot be accepted. A sample line: 1 1 . BxN NxB 12. NxN PxN 1 3 .
QxP Q-R4ch 14. N-Q2 B-QN5 1 5 . Q-B2 P-QB4 16. PxP P-QN3 ! ,
when Black gets a powerful attack no matter how White wiggles.
I I . 0-0 B-Q3! 1 2. BxB NxB 1 3. N-K5 P-KN3! 1 4. QR-K I ?
Herman opts for a Kingside demonstration, whereas he ought to
try a minority attack with P-QN4, P-QR4 and an eventual P-QN5 .
1 4. . . . B-B4 1 5. N-K2 BxB 1 6. QxB N-Q2 1 7. N-N3 R-K I 1 8. P-B4?
Herman heeds the injunction about never striking at the King
unless intending to kill him. In this position, however, he ought t o
leave the King alone and attend to the Queenside where the game
will be decided.
1 8 . . . . P-KB4 1 9. Q-N3 K-N2 20. R-K2 N-B3 2 1 . R-B3
White is still dreaming of attack. Instead, the correct move is 2 1 .
R-B l .
2 1 . . . . Q-N3 22. Q-B3 KR-QB I 23. R-QB2 P-QR4 24. N-B I N/Q3-K5 25.
Q-K I P-B4!
The decisive line-opening. White's King Rook will be sorely
missed from the real scene of operations.
26. PxP RxP 27. RxR QxR 28. Q-R4 P-Q5 29. PxP QxPch 30. K-R I R-QB I
3 1 . N-Q3 R-B7 32. Q-K I N-N5 33. P-KR3 N/N5-B7ch 34. NxN RxN 35. R
QN3 P-N3 36. Q-B I P-R5 37. R-R3 P-QN4 38. K-R2 QxP 39. Q-B7ch K-R3
40. Q-K7 RxPch 4 1 . K-R I Q-KB7, White resigns
In the second game, Herman hung a piece on move 13. The final
match score in that sunny May of so long ago was 6-4 in my favor,
though the reader ought not to shed too many tears for my oppo
nent. His time came in 1948 when he scored 1 5-4 to win the na
tional championship. And while on the subject of Herman's over
the-board accomplishments, he shared first prize at the 1942 U.S.
Open and won that tournament outright in 1946.
But most of us remember not the IM Steiner of Chess. We re
member Handsome Herman of Hollywood, a dark and virile hunk of
Hungarian humanity who could have passed as a leading man of the
silver screen. Arriving in Hollywood from New York in 1932, he
wrote a chess column for the Los Angeles Times until his death in
Chapter IX
95
1955 at age SO from a heart attack. Among his chess students were
Humphrey Bogart, Louis Hayward (who played the Saint in movies
of the 1940s) and Billy Wilder. For Handsome Herman, Hollywood
was heaven. He enjoyed budding starlets, social prestige and an ade
quate income. Many were the warm Southern California evenings
when he frolicked at parties or, as was fitting, pushed chess pieces
until dawn. "Herman Steiner and George Koltanowski used to come
over to my place," the late great MGM character actor Fritz Feld
recalled recently, "and we would play until six o'clock in the
morning."
Chess in Old Hollywood
The perennial problem with writing about Hollywood is to sepa
rate, as the phrase goes, the real facts from the reel facts. And the
subject of chess in Old Hollywood-the Hollywood of the 1 930s1950s and its studio-bred stars-is no exception.
That there was a large chess following in Old Hollywood may
seem surprising at first thought. My theory is that a colony of more
or less permanently ensconced actors, writers, producers and direc
tors needed diversions. For these creative people, endowed with
fragile egos and questioning minds, the pastimes of businessmen
quickly palled. Chess was doubtlessly used to claim intellectual cre
dentials.
Back in 1988, a writer in Chess Life compiled a list of Old Holly
wood greats who loved the game: Lew Ayres, John Barrymore,
Lauren Bacall, Humphrey Bogart, Charles Boyer, Charles Coburn,
Jose Ferrer, Katharine Hepburn, Louis Jourdan and John Wayne. To
this Oscar-winning cast can be added Nigel Bruce and Basil
Rathbone (Dr. Watson and Sherlock Holmes, respectively) , Charlie
Chaplin, Helmet Dantine, Linda Darnell, Myrna Loy, Mitzi Mayfair,
Ray Milland, Margaret Sullavan, Maureen O'Sullivan, Franchot Tone
and many more.
Academy Award-winner Milland was an especial chess nut and a
strong player. Jimmie Fidler, a gossip columnist of the 1930s and
1940s, once reported, "Unless Ray Milland is suppressed, he will
have all Hollywood playing chess in another month or two. "
Still, Milland did not consider chess important enough to men
tion in his wonderful memoir, Wide-Eyed in Babylon; and among
Hollywood's literati and glitterati, Humphrey Bogart's star burned
most brightly over the 64 squares. As Bogart put the matter, he
learned chess "in those old shooting galleries, when I was a kid in
New York." He even held Sammy Reshevsky to a draw in a simul
taneous at Romanoffs in Hollywood. A surviving game against
96
Koltanowski suggests that at his best, he was of expert or master
strength. This game has been published many times, and what fol
lows is the lesser-known draw with Reshevsky:
Sammy Reshevsky-Humphrey Bogart
Hollywood, 1 956
Two Knights Defense
I . P-K4 P-K4 2. N-KB3 N-QB3 3. B-B4 N-B3 4. N-NS P-Q4 5. PxP NxP 6. P
Q4 P-B3?!
Anti-theoretical, but bold and not easily refuted.
7. PxP PxN 8. QxN QxQ 9. BxQ B-K2 I 0. 0-0
White eschews 10. BxN in fear of Black's Bishops chewing him up
in an open position.
I 0. . . . B-KB4 I I . P-QB3 NxP 1 2. BxQNP R-Q I 1 3. R-K I 0-0! 1 4. N-Q2 B
B3 1 5 . N-K4 BxN 1 6. BxB P-KR3?
Until this move, Black has played energetically. Better is 16. . . .
N-BS, when the second player may have just enough for the pawn.
1 7. B-K3 P-QR4 1 8. B-QBS KR-K I 1 9. QR-Q I K-R I 20. RxR RxR 2 1 . K-B I
N-NS 22. P-KR3 N-K4 23. K-K2 N-BS
24. R-Q I ?
Reshevsky, who had 69 other opponents to face, lets down in
this difficult position. Correct is 24. P-QN3, when Black cannot
respond with 24 . . . . R-Q7ch because of 25. K-B1 N-K4 26. B-Q4.
And if 24 . . . . N-Q7 , then White wins with 25. B-Q3 BxP 26. R-QBl .
24. . . . RxR 25. KxR NxPch 26. K-B2 N-RS 27. B-Q4 BxB 28. PxB, draw
Here are two little-known contests in which Bogart is rwt at his
best. The first game against Belgian master Dr. Paul Limbos was
played in 1951 on the veranda of the Sabena Hotel in Stanleyville,
the Belgian Congo, during the filming of The African Queen.
Chapter IX
97
Dr. Paul Limbos-Humphrey Bogart
Stanleyville, I 95 I
French Defense
I . P-K4 P-K3 2. P-Q4 P-Q4 3. N-QB3 B-N5 4. PxP PxP 5. B-Q3 N-KB3 6. N
K2 0-0 7. 0-0 P-B3 8. B-KN5 QN-Q2 9. N-N3 Q-B2
Black had to play 9 . . . . R-K1 or 9 . . . . P-KR3.
I 0 . N-RS NxN I I . QxN P-KN3 1 2. Q-R6 P-KB4 1 3. KR-K I N-N3
The correct move is 13 . . . . N- B3 .
1 4. R-K2 B-Q2 1 5. B-K7 BxB 1 6. RxB R-B2 1 7. RxR KxR 1 8. QxRPch K- B3
1 9. R-K I Q-Q3 20. P-KN4 R-Q I 2 1 . P-B4 P-N4 22. P-KR4, Black resigns
Of the next game, Grandmaster Larry Evans notes that Lauren
Bacall could have held off her male attacker with 24 . . . . QxN ! 2 5 .
RxQ RxR.
Humphrey Bogart-Lauren Boca//
Stanleyville, 1 95 1
Ruy Lopez
I . P-K4 P-K4 2. N-KB3 N-QB3 3. B-N5 P-KN3 4. P-Q3 P-Q4? 5. PxP QxP 6.
P-B4 B-N5ch 7. N-B3 BxNch 8. PxB Q-Q3 9. P-QR4 B-Q2 I 0. B-R3 Q-B3
I I . Q-K2 N-K2 1 2. BxKN QxB I 3. BxN BxB 1 4. NxP BxNP 1 5. R-KN I B
R6 1 6. R-N3 B-K3 1 7. P-Q4 P-QB3 1 8. P-Q5 PxP 1 9. PxP BxP 20. P-QB4
B-K3 2 1 . R-K3 P-B3? 22. N-Q3 K-B2 23. N-B4 QR-K I 24. NxB Q-N5ch? 25.
K-B I R-K2 26. R-K I KR-K I 27. N-Q8ch K-B I 28. RxR RxR 29. QxRch QxQ
30. RxQ KxR 3 1 . NxP, Black resigns
Bogie was smitten with Caissa-no doubt about it. Not only did
he serve as a director of the U.S. Chess Federation, he also pushed
wood at every opportunity, though mainly on movie sets between
scenes. Numerous photographs exist of the great man matching wits
with the likes of Charles Boyer, Helmet Dantine and, on the set of
Casablanca, Sydney Greenstreet.
The games against Greenstreet led to his playing postal chess
during World War II with several American servicemen in the South
Pacific. Here's the story as reported by Fidler in a New York Post
article of early 1943:
Humphrey Bogart has started an idea that he hopes will be
widely accepted. The Warner star is playing long distance
chess games by mail with boys in the service. It all started
when a private, then stationed in this country, visited the set
of Casablanca, still at the Hollywood Theatre when Bogart
was playing chess with Sydney Greenstreet between scenes.
The private offered to take on Bogart and a keen rivalry
98
developed. When the soldier was transferred to the South
Pacific, he kept up the game by mail. Since starting the game
with the soldier, Bogart has taken on several of his buddies by
mail, playing simultaneously.
Toast of the Town
As I was saying, my life in Hollywood changed for the better after
game one of the Steiner match. Billy Wilder took me to lunch at the
commissary in Paramount Studios. He was a real chess fan who let
people know it. As he wrote to Chess Review in 1944, "Just nuts
about your magazine, but omigosh what are those three dames
doing on your August-September cover? Please, please. "
A t the commissary, Wilder introduced m e to several stars, includ
ing Margaret Sullavan and Edward G. Robinson, who played the
part of a tough guy by pretending to mow us down with a machine
gun . Wilder then threw a lavish party in my honor at legendary
Chasen's Restaurant out on Beverly Boulevard in West Hollywood.
What a star-studded evening it turned out to be! And indeed, why
not? Founded in 1 936 (it closed on April 1, 1995) , Chasen's was
one of Old Hollywood's most stunning . glamour spots, along with
the similarly vanished Mocambo, Perino's and Romanoffs. During
Hollywood's magic quarter century from 1935 to 1960, powerful
men and golden women frolicked there many an evening (Bob Hope
once rode a horse into the place ! ). To my eye, these gods and god
desses seemed to glide rather than walk, yet they, who seemed so in
credibly vital and alive, are now nearly all dead or, even more
tellingly, confined to wheelchairs and imprisoned in the dreams of
senility.
Among those in our dinner party were Sullavan and Robinson,
plus the likes of Linda Darnell, Louis Hayward, Mitzi Mayfair,
Gregory Ratoff and so on. I espied Errol Flynn and Bogie seated at
other tables, both devouring thick steaks. And speaking of steaks,
although Chasen's was renowned for its traditional American-style
dishes, it served only perfectly marbled, well-aged beef straight from
the Argentinean pampas. I selected the specialty of the house, a
"hobo steak," which was a three-inch think filet migrwn baked in
salt and then sliced tableside and sauteed in butter. Never was a
steak more tender, sweet and flavorful-each bite augmented by a
never ceasing flow of Veuve Clicquot champagne and witty badi
nage. When Billy Wilder noticed that my "hobo steak" was gone, a
second order materialized as if from nowhere. The great director
must have had a prearranged signal with one of the waiters.
Each of the Hollywood greats in our party gushed over my chess
play and promised to invite my wife, Nina, and me out on our free
Chapter IX
99
days. The phone calls never came, which I discovered was typical of
Hollywood .
The sole exception was Joe Eisner, a screenwriter whom I knew
from New York. He and his wife were most attentive, which did not
sit too well with Wilder. "You don't want to be seen in the company
of people who earn only $3,500 a week," he scolded. "If you intend
to make an impression in this town, you better stick with me, Bob
Hope and Louis Hayward-people who make at least $10 ,000 a
week or more ! " And there I was thinking all along that $200 a week
was a fine salary.
One day, the Paramount publicity department asked me to pose
with Wallace Beery, whom many believe was the greatest character
actor of them all. Beery was on the set for a western-Bad
Bascomb, if memory serves-and was wearing a big cowboy hat. On
each of his huge thighs sat a scantily clad cowgirl. While the prop
men were setting up a chess board and pieces, he hollered at me in
his trademark hoarse, raspy voice, "Hey, kid, this game anything
like checkers?"
My match with Steiner wore on, and Billy Wilder again invited
me to lunch. When I arrived at the studio, he was in his private
office with a secretary. As he came out to greet me, there was
lipstick on his mouth. Innocently, I mentioned the adornment, and
without batting an eyelash, he replied, "Don't you realize that a
genius can do no wrong?" I'm not sure about that, though no one
can deny that Wilder was and is a genius. This writer, director,
producer made movies ranging from the film noir classic, Double
Indemnity, to the sidesplitting comedy, The Se'Ven-Year Itch. And
so, we both went to lunch, and the lipstick stayed where it was like
a medal of honor.
There came a day when Nina and I made some publicity stills
with Bob Hope. He was very friendly all through the snapping until
my wife, who once played a small role in a film he made in Long
Island City, reminded Hope of an ugly incident in which he treated
all of the extras most ungraciously. Of course, he denied everything.
Thanks to Billy Wilder, who was a class act in his roguish way,
Nina and I got a graduate school education in Hollywood friend
ships. We were all at dinner one evening, and there must have been
considerable curiosity about the couple occupying the time and
table of a Hollywood mega-mogul. As my wife was on her way to
the ladies room, she was stopped by Joseph Cotten, who was so
memorably murderous as Uncle Charlie in Alfred Hitchcock's
Shadow of a Doubt.
"Nina," Cotten intoned silkily, "do you remember me?"
100
Nina had played various radio parts on Orson Welles' Mercury
Theater program. She got to know Agnes Moorehead, Howard da
Silva and Welles himself. Cotten was, of course, an illustrious mem
ber of the Mercury Theater group, and he exercised his fine memory
in recalling my wife. Given that we were with Wilder, he must have
thought that Nina was married to an "angel" or a producer. When
she said that I was a chess player, he vanished almost instantly.
Marxism-Hollywood Style
One of Herman Steiner's enthusiastic backers was Al Bisno, a gen
erous supporter of chess who later became president of the Manhat
tan Chess Club. When I arrived for the match, he immediately
invited me to his home for some bridge . To my surprise, Chico Marx
and George Raft were on hand.
As a bridge player, I wasn't. My great claim to fame was to have
played for a tenth of a cent per point with Al Horowitz, Sammy
Reshevsky and occasionally Dr. Emanuel Lasker. This latter worthy,
who was a GM at the game, used to climb the walls when I was his
partner. Once I had him tugging at his gray tufts of hair and yelling,
"Why can't you just play out the hand simply and not give me a
heart attack? Always making with the combinations ! "
And so, when Chico and George announced that we were playing
for three cents a point with doubling permitted, I went into
conference at once with Al Bisno. Big Al told me not to worry on
two counts. First, he would back me; and secondly, Raft was such
an unbelievably awful player that he always landed up shelling out
the dollars . Still better, this famous actor insisted on doubling in
order to get even-and lost more money in the process .
Chico Marx was as zany when playing bridge as he was backing
up Groucho in the movies . He wore the clothes of an Italian immi
grant, cracked one joke after another and leered ludicrously at you
with those big pop-eyes. I like to think that he represented
Marxism-Hollywood style. Tough guy George Raft, who supposed
ly had Mafia connections, conducted himself like a gentleman. Well
mannered, gracious, treated us like royalty. My only regret is that I
never found a pigeon like him back in New York.
I would not have had to work again.
A Bogie Battle
Humphrey Bogart: Caissa's Superstar
GEORGE KOLTANOWSKI-HUMPHREY BOGART (Blindfold Game, San
Francisco, March 5, 1 952): I . P-K4 P-K3 2. P-Q4 P-Q4 3. PxP PxP 4. B-Q3 N-
Chapter IX
101
KB3 S. N-K2 B-NS 6. 0-0 B-Q3 7. P-KB3 B-K3 8. B-KB4 0-0 9. N-Q2 N-B3
I 0. P-B3 N-K2 I I . BxB QxB 1 2. P-KB4 P-B4 I 3. N-B3 N-B4! 1 4. Q-Q2 N
KS! I S. Q-B I QR-B I 1 6. PxP QxPch 1 7. N/2-Q4 NxN 1 8. NxN R-B2 1 9. P
BS B-Q2 20. BxN PxB 2 1 . Q-B4 R-K I 22. QR-K I R-K4 23. RxP RxR 24.
QxR/4 B-B3 2S. Q-K3 R-K2 26. Q-N3 R-K I 27. P-B6 P-KN3 28. Q-R4 P-KR4
29. R-K I RxRch 30. QxR Q-Q3 3 1 . NxB QxN 32. Q-K7 Q-B I 33. P-KR3
Q-B3 34. P-QN4 QxQBP 3S. Q-K8ch K-R2 36. QxPch K-R3 37. Q-K7 Q
B8ch 3 8. K-B2 Q-BSch 39. K-K2 Q-BSch 40. K-B3 K-N4?? 4 1 . P-B7dis.ch.,
Black resigns Black could probably have drawn by keeping up the checks. Said
Koltanowski of Bogart, "A real menace. This guy is dangerous, and I'm not
kidding." Replied Bogie, "That's right, bub."
Chapter X
'The cf3obby /Fischer I JCnew
Bobby Fischer. I first met him in 1952, when he was only nine
years old. Bobby was a blond, fair-complexioned, good-looking
American boy, who was always dressed in a T-shirt and corduroy
pants . When we were introduced, I noticed that he never looked up.
I thought that he had, perhaps, dropped something and was still
looking for it. But later, when he joined the Manhattan Chess Club,
I noticed that he still could not make eye contact. He invariably
attracted attention by tugging at my trousers, which was a prelude
to a question that also never varied: "Wanna have a game?"
For an as yet undiscovered reason, most great chess players in
their early years harbor a burning anger. Bobby was no exception.
You could literally see the killer instinct in his eyes-how they
flashed with anger and deep-seated hatred when he lost and how
they flooded with maniacal glee when he won. In Edward Lasker's
phrase, Bobby played "chess for blood." Which is to say, for meta
phorical blood spilled during the symbolic war of chess. Like many
of the indoor Marxmen at our universities, Bobby was a revolution
ary and crusader against injustice so long as he did not have t o
shoot anyone and endure the sickening sight of real blood.
"All psychologists agree," writes Frank Brady in Bobby Fischer,
Profile of a Prodigy, "that chess provides an outlet for hostile im
pulses in a non-retaliatory situation. " Bobby himself has said that
he enjoys most the climactic moment when his opponent's ego
crumbles-when, as he described in My 60 Memorable Games,
Grandmaster Arthur Bisguier "slumped and . . . [his) chest collapsed"
after blundering in their game at the 1963 New York Open. Or, for
that matter, when it finally dawned on Laszlo Szabo that he would
not draw the following "dead draw":
Laszlo Szabo-Robert j. Fischer
Buenos Aires International, 1 970
English Opening
I . P-QB4 P-KN3 2. P-KN3 B-N2 3. B-N2 P-QB4 4. N-QB3 N-QB3 5. P-K3
N-B3 6. P-Q4 0-0 7. KN-K2 P-Q3 8. 0-0 B-B4 9. P-QS
102
Chapter X
103
Mter this move, Black will get a pull. Instead, White should try
9. P-N3 .
9 . . . . N-QR4 I 0. P-K4 B-Q2 I I . P-N3 P-QR3 1 2. R-N I P-QN4
Black is already calling the tune.
1 3. PxP PxP 1 4. P-QN4 PxP I S. RxP Q-B2 1 6. NxP Q-B4 1 7. Q-Q4 NxQP!
1 8. QxQ PxQ 1 9. R-N I N-NS 20. N-B7
The problem with 20. N/5-B3 is 20 . . . . N-BS, when Black has a
clear advantage. Somewhere around here, Szabo offered a draw.
20. . . . R-R2 2 1 . P-QR3 RxN 22. PxN PxP 23. RxP R-B7 24. N-Q4?
White can probably hold with 24. N-B4 ! . The text loses.
24. . . . BxN! 25. RxB B-N4 26. R-K I N-N6 27. R-N4 NxB 28. RxB N-K7ch
29. K-B I N-B6!
Wrote GM Bisguier in the October 1970 Chess Life, "Just when
everyone thought Szabo had achieved an easy drawing position, it
turned out he was completely lost. Only the world's very greatest
chess players achieve this kind of thing." Black can now maneuver
his Rooks to the seventh rank, and Fischer soon commits another,
to use George Steiner's phrase, "psychic murder."
30. R-QBS R-Q I 3 I . B-R3
If 3 1 . R-K3, Black has 3 1 . . . . R-Q8ch 32. R-Kl R/8-Q7 .
3 1 . . . . RI I -Q7 32. R-B8ch K-N2 33. R-K3 N-Q8 34. R-KB3 RxPch 35. RxR
RxRch 36. K-N I R-K7 37. B-N4 RxKP, White resigns
Designer Genes
Everyone knows that Bobby Fischer had a very difficult childhood.
No father, a harried mother, you name it. Many a night, Regina
Fischer telephoned me in worry about where Bobby was. She did
not understand until too late that chess was his savior because it
helped him to dissipate pent up aggression.
Whenever Regina came to the Manhattan Chess Club, Bobby al
ways bolted for the door in embarrassment. Mind you, Bobby was
never rowdy. Far from it. He behaved well, but when something
happened with which he couldn't cope, he headed for the hills like a
spooked horse. Mter one such incident, an elderly club director
tried the old L. Walter Stephens routine and made an attempt to
ban Bobby because he was not "properly accoutered." This old
fuddy-duddy, who imagined that he was still living in the Edward
ian era, had his glasses focussed on Bobby's T-shirt and corduroys.
104
But as a club director myself and as a former U.S. champion, I had
my eye not on Bobby's blue jeans but on his designer genes and suc
ceeded in reversing this decision.
In my role as a pop psychologist, I have always clung to the
simple-minded idea that to understand an adolescent or adult male
is to know what came early on. Bobby never had a home life that
even remotely served a young boy's inner needs, and one suspects
that the deficiencies he found in his mother were transferred t o
women i n general. Certainly, h e was always uneasy i n the company
of females. To the best of my knowledge, he never had a girl friend
until well into adulthood. And considering the handsome hunk that
he became, the absence of women must have been his choice. After
all, how many females could resist a predatory yet boyish genius?
"Bobby's longish face," wrote Harry Markey in a memorable de
scription that appeared in Chess Life, "is a vertical composition of
bony segments, grouped around the exclamation mark of a long,
prominent nose and held in submission by a low forehead. The chin
is aggressively stubborn. His boyish looks are emphasized by the
carelessly combed hair, parted on the side."
How many ladies could resist Bobby? Not many, I wager!
A n Angry Chess God Incarnate
Fischer played to win even when the tournament score no longer
demanded it. Moreover, unlike any world champion before him, he
played to win as Black against even the most dangerous opposition.
And succeeded repeatedly.
I first felt the almost physical impact of Fischer's will to win in
his first U.S. Championship back in 1958. We reached a clearly
drawn ending, but Fischer continued to play down to skin and
bones. He was so upset over surrendering a half point to someone
who had been away from chess for a decade that it just flipped him.
He even refused to analyze the game afterwards, which was rare
behavior on his part. But two years later in the 1960 U.S. Cham
pionship, he threw his arms around me after I defeated his arch-rival
Sammy Reshevsky. That was Fischer's way of saying, "I'm sorry."
Arnold Denker-Robert j. Fischer
King's Indian Defense
I . P-Q4 N-KB3 2. P-QB4 P-KN3 3. N-KB3 B-N2 4. P-KN3 0-0 5. B-N2 P-Q3
6. 0-0 N-B3 7. P-QS N-QR4 8. KN-Q2 P-B4 9. P-QR3
I spent a good deal of time in the opening, hoping to exploit the
awkward position of Black's Queen Knight. But Fischer more than
Chapter X
105
held his own.
9 . . . . N-Q2 I 0. R-R2 Q-B2 I I . Q-B2 N-K4 1 2. P-QN4 PxP 1 3. PxP N/R4xP
1 4. N-R3 P-QN4
The only way to save the piece.
I S. NxP Q-N3 1 6. NxN QxN 1 7. NxN BxN 1 8. B-R6 R-K I
A quick look at the position suggests that White is better. But
without making any obvious errors, I soon had to play very care
fully to hold a draw.
1 9. Q-B6 B-Q2 20. QxQ BxQ 2 1 . R-B I P-R3 22. B-B I P-B4 23. P-R4 K-B2
24. R-B7 KR-QB I 25. QR-B2 RxR 26. RxR R-QN I 27. B-NS B-KB3 28. BxB
KxB 29. P-B4
The Black King must be kept out of the center.
29 . . . . B-RS 30. R-B4 B-N6 3 1 . R-Q4 R-QB I 32. K-B2 R-B7 33. B-N2 B-BS
34. B-B3 B-N4 35. K-K I R-N7 36. K-B2 K-B2 37. P-RS K-B3 38. PxP PxP 39.
P-N4 PxP 40. BxP R-B7
Here the game was adjourned. Most masters would agree to draw,
but Fischer nearly always played to win until there was not a ghost
of a chance to succeed.
4 1 . K-K3 P-N4 42. PxPch KxP 43. B-B3 R-B6ch 44. K-Q2 R-BS 45. RxR BxR
46. K-B3 B-N4 47. K-Q4 K-BS 48. B-RS K-N6 49. P-K4, draw
My subject is Bobby Fischer as I knew him, and I do not intend
to dwell on his achievements beyond providing my reasons for
believing him to be clearly the strongest player of all time.
At Fischer's peak in the early 1 970s, no one could push pawns
and pieces with him for more than a few games. In three candidates'
matches played in 1 9 7 1 , Fischer notched up a score of 18%-2% or
nearly 90 percent against super-GMs Bent Larsen and Tigran
Petrosian and strong GM Mark Taimanov. One calculation put his
performance rating at 2939 for these matches. Against Larsen he
played chess at a 3060 clip. Fischer tallied 181f2-4% at the 1 9 7 0
Palma de Mallorca Interzonal, 1 5-2 at the 1970 Buenos Aires Inter
national, 19-3 at the Herceg Novi Five-Minute World Championship
(Mikhail Tal finished a distant second at 141f2, followed by Viktor
Korchnoi at 14 and Petrosian at 13%), and a preposterous 2 P12-lf2 in
a strong five-minute event at the Manhattan Chess Club.
At the time, even the Soviet sports establishment was dumb
founded. After Fischer posted two picket fences against Taimanov
and Larsen, Sovietsky Sport could only splutter, "A miracle has
occurred." In an interview with Boris Ivkov, Tal called Fischer "the
106
greatest genius to have descended from the chessic sky." Raymond
Keene described Fischer as "a kind of angry chess god incarnate . . .
waging total warfare on the chess board." My friend Miguel Najdorf
said that Fischer "simply throws the pieces up in the air, and
somehow they land on the right squares ! " My dear departed friend
Isaac Kashdan opined that "in Fischer's hands a slight theoretical
advantage is as good as being a Queen ahead."
As for Fischer himself, he seldom had a good word to say about
his chess. And that's to his credit in my book. "I am satisfied with
the result," Fischer observed after winning the Palma Interzonal b y
3 % points, "but not with m y play." O n another occasion, h e won a
tournament by two points and regretted not winning it by four.
Fischer strode the chess landscape with the abandon of a fam
ished beast loose among defenseless prey. Not always a pretty sight,
but the most compelling vision thus far in chess history.
The Nature of Genius
Bobby's natural feel for chess reminded me of the gift granted
another boy to whom fame came early in life. "When Jascha Heifetz
was little more than a baby," the great cellist Gregor Piatigorsky
once told me, "he was finishing up in the bathroom with his father,
who carelessly let the toilet seat drop. Still half asleep, the little
boy, who was born with perfect pitch, automatically responded, 'B
flat. "'
I've always wondered about the nature of genius. And for that
reason and because Bobby was somehow likable, I worked at know
ing the lad better. He was most definitely a loner who shunned
people outside chess-especially journalists-like medieval peasants
avoided lepers . I came to know him as a man of the highest ethical
standards. If not parfaitement gentil in his social habits, he was al
ways a knight sans peur et sans reproche in moral matters.
Bobby's utter unconcern for money is not well known. Most
people remember his incessant demands for larger prizes without
recalling that he turned down millions of dollars in commercial
endorsements after winning the world championship. He sought
those larger prizes only because he accepted implicitly the capitalist
principle that value is what buyers freely bid. The higher the bid,
the greater the worth of one's calling. Hang the money per se.
Once, when offered $5 million to play a match, he termed the
proposal totally inadequate because Muhammed Ali received $ 1 0
million for a mere 60 minutes work. Yet when small, poverty
stricken chess organizers labored to create good conditions for
masters, Bobby often sent them "thank you" notes. He also gener-
Chapter X
107
ously contributed tens of thousands of dollars to Gamer Ted
Armstrong's Worldwide Church of God. The maids who cleaned his
room in Reykjavik, Iceland, during the 1972 world title match can
attest to Bobby's disregard for dollars. According to Fred Cramer,
who was with Bobby constantly in those days, the great man left
money everywhere-in his pajamas, under pillows, under the bed
and so on. "Such scorn of Mammon, " wrote New York Times chess
columnist Robert Byrne, "would be difficult to equal for a saint."
Bobby possessed a high sense of loyalty to friends-so long as
they never acted on his behalf without permission. When he was a
youngster, I used to take him and my son, Mitch, to see the New
York Rangers at Madison Square Garden. Bobby enjoyed those
treats and never forgot them. Years later, when I asked him to play
for the Manhattan Chess Club team against the arch-rival Marshall
squad and in the process inquired about his fee, Bobby never hesi
tated. "I wouldn't charge you anything," he said, "because you're a
friend." Knowing chess professionals all too well, I was stupefied b y
this reply.
And so, one Saturday evening Bobby sat down to play IM
Anthony Saidy in a contest that was later voted by a panel of inter
national judges to be the second-best game in the first half of 1 9 6 9 .
During the team match, I spent more time analyzing Bobby's game
than my own effort against Andy Soltis. And for good reason !
Bobby played a novel and stunning sacrifice as early as move six.
When I told him afterward that the sacrifice seemed sound, he re
plied with his customary clipped objectivity, "No, it was unsound,"
and proceeded to show us why.
Anthony Saidy-Robert J. Fischer
Manhattan vs. Marshall Metropolitan League Match, 1 969
English Opening
I . P-QB4 P-K4 2. N-QB3 N-QB3 3. P-KN3 P-B4 4. B-N2 N-B3 5. P-Q3 B
B4 6. P-K3 P-BS?!!
Fischer finds an original and interesting pawn sacrifice on the
sixth move ! Moreover, it meets Rudolf Spielmann's criteria for being
a real sacrifice: the consequences are incalculable and the compen
sation debatable.
7. KPxP 0-0
108
8. KN-K2?
Bobby pointed out that White ought to play 8. PxP ! , leaving
Black with a dubious position after 8 . . . . R-Kl 9. P-B4 P-Q3 1 0 .
BxN ! PxB 1 1 . P-Q4 ! .
8 . . . . Q-K I 9 . 0-0
If now 9 . PxP, Black has 9 . . . . N-KNS.
9 . . . . P-Q3 I 0. N-R4
Putting a Knight on the rim usually invites a trim. But I cannot
advise anything better. White's extra pawn is useless, and his Queen
pawn is weak. Black clearly has excellent compensation for the
button.
I 0. . . . B-Q5! I I . NxB PxN 1 2. P-KR3 P-KR4 1 3. P-R3 P-R4 1 4. P-N3 Q-N3
1 5. N-N2 B-B4 I 6. Q-B2 N-Q2!
Black builds up against the Queen pawn.
1 7. R-K I N-B4 1 8. B-B I R-R3!
A move that separates the champs from the chumps. At first
glance, Black is putting his Rook out of play.
1 9. B-Q2 R-N3 20. BxP RxP 2 1 . B-Q2 R-R I
Relentlessly direct. The key to playing great chess is to have the
ability to formulate sound plans and the courage to pursue them
unblinkingly.
22. P-QR4 R-R3 23. P-R5 K-R2 24. R/K 1 -Q I P-N3 25. B-K I
White might be able to hold out a bit longer with 25. PxP R/3xP
26. R/Ql-Nl ! .
25 . . . . PxP 26. N-R4 RxP! 27. BxR BxB 28. Q-R2 N-N5 29. Q-R3 N-B7 30.
Q-N2 NxR 3 I . RxN NxN 32. RxN Q-K5 33. BxP?
Chapter X
109
White cracks under the pressure. He had to play 33 . B-Q2 ,
though Black still wins after 3 3 . . . . R-N3
.
33 . . . . RxB 34. RxR Q-K8ch 3S. K-R2 QxR, White resigns
Let Sleeping Fischers Lie
At the 1963 Western Open in Bay City, Michigan, Bobby became in
volved in a speed chess marathon with Norbert Leopoldi, a local ad
vertising man and strong master. The two were hard at it by 7 p . m . ,
immediately after round four o n the second day of the tournament.
Bobby began by offering pawn and move and later upped the odds
to pawn and two moves. They continued throughout the night,
often doubling and redoubling the stakes. By 9 a.m. the following
morning, Bobby was up $3 ,500.
For Bobby, that was the good news. The bad news was that he
had to rush to his morning tournament game without any rest. Still
worse, he won that struggle only after a hard endgame grind. B y
now exhausted, h e dropped into a chair to play GM Bisguier i n the
sixth round:
Arthur Bisguier-Robert j. Fischer
Western Open, / 963
I . P-Q4 N-KB3 2. P-QB4 P-KN3 3. N-QB3 B-N2 4. N-B3 0-0 S. P-K3 P-Q3
6. B-K2 QN-Q2 7. 0-0 P-K4 8. P-QN4 R-K I 9. B-N2 P-KS I 0. N-Q2 N-B I
I I . Q-B2 B-B4 1 2. P-QS! P-KR4 I 3. N-NS P-RS 1 4. N-Q4 B-Q2 I S. P-QR3
P-R6 I 6. P-N3 Q-K2
White enjoys a Queenside space advantage, while Black banks on
mate.
1 7. KR-B I ! B-NS 1 8. B-B I N/ I -R2 1 9. P-R4 N-N4 20. P-RS P-R3 2 1 . QR-N I
N-Q2 22. P-BS BxN 23. BxB N-K4 24. BxN! QxB 2S. N-B4 Q-K2 26. P-NS
RPxP 27. RxP PxP 28. RxNP Q-Q I !
Hereabouts Bobby fell asleep at the board, but instead of letting
him dream until his flag fell, Bisguier awakened him. Black's Queen
side may be in ruins, but he has chances on the opposite wing if
White plays inaccurately.
29. Q-B3 B-B I 30. R-NS QxP 3 1 . Q-R3 Q-Q I 32. QxP N-B6ch 33. K-R I Q
B3 34. QxP?
It would have been better to let a sleeping Fischer lie. White had
to play 34. R-N2, when his Kingside is secure.
34. . . . NxP! 3S. KxN?
110
White should not lose after 35. Q-B4.
35 . . . . QxPch 36. K-R I B-NS!, White resigns
There is no defense against . . . B-B6ch. A possible finale is 37. N
Q2 Q;x:N 38. Q-B2 B-B6ch 39. K-N1 P-R7, mate.
The Comeback Trial
At about the time that I retired to Florida in the early 1970s, I
began sending Bobby opening analysis to help out in his candidates'
matches. Of course, he didn't need my advice, but at least I felt
good. And, perhaps, I did help to reinforce a conclusion that he had
probably already reached: not to repeat a variation of the Taimanov
Sicilian that he played in his first match game against Petrosian.
Meanwhile, I started studying chess again with the object of
returning to serious competition. Easier said than done. The come
back trail became a comeback trial. Opening knowledge had ex
panded geometrically, and in the vernacular of the fight racket, my
footwork had slowed down. It took me two years to feel a little bet
ter about my play, and by that time, Bobby was already world
champion, having defeated Boris Spassky in 1972.
Unfortunately, Bobby did not live and play happily ever after. He
fell out with many of his friends and surrendered to religious enthu
siasms. His good friend Anthony Saidy approached me at one of the
Lone Pine tournaments and suggested that I call him. "You're an old
friend," Tony said to me, "and I think he'll be glad to hear from
you . "
Well, why not. I telephoned Bobby that very day, and we began
chatting as if it were only yesterday that we spoke. He told me
about owning a piece of land in Florida and said that he might come
to visit us one day. When I asked him why he was not playing at
Lone Pine, he cut short our conversation, though he did take my
phone number and promised to call. Bobby's reluctance to answer
my question brought to mind the previous evening when Louis
Statham, our host at Lone Pine, complained hotly about his lack of
cooperation. I committed the serious mistake of arguing that one
had to make allowance for genius. To which Statham replied in
stantly, "I too am a genius-an inventor-and do not want anyone
to make allowance for me."
Back in Florida, I got a call from Bobby concerning a legal ques
tion about getting his games copyrighted. He suggested that my son
Mitch, an attorney, might be able to help. But Mitch wanted no part
of it. Still, Bobby continued to call, usually around 2 a.m., and
would ask me to call him right back. "You've got more money than
Chapter X
111
I," he explained. These nocturnal discussions disturbed my wife,
but deep inside I hoped to bring him back to chess. Bobby was par
ticularly interested in my comeback difficulties and clearly under
stood that he would have to play himself into shape. Hence, as he
told me, his demand for a long title match.
Bobby's rational approach to getting back in shape convinced me
that he would soon play again. Then in 1975, on the occasion of
Edward Lasker visiting us to celebrate his 90th birthday with a
party and chess tourney, Bobby called for a chat. A surprised Lasker
told me that he had been trying to contact Bobby without success.
A German company, Deutsches Telefunken, had asked Edward t o
prevail on Bobby to play one move a week against a consensus o f
German television viewers. A year earlier, the firm paid Anatoly
Karpov $10,000 for such a game, and the company wanted to hire
Bobby for an identical sum.
When Bobby next called, I told him about the offer. He seemed
quite pleased but added, "See if they'll pay a little more." Flushed
with the idea of being the hero who rescued Bobby's professional
chess life, I spent the better part of the next few months negotiating
with the Telefunken people. Each time that they upped the ante,
Bobby's answer was the same, "See if they'll pay a little more."
Finally, the company offered $40,000. I thought the sum was just
great because it represented $1 ,000 a week for two minutes work.
Bobby, too, seemed pleased.
But-and with Bobby there was always a "but"-I congratulated
myself prematurely. For he did a complete about-face. "Do you
think they'll pay a million?" he asked. After all of the negotiations
and out of sheer frustration, I couldn't speak. The saddest part was
that Bobby seemed so reasonable at the start, and suddenly further
effort was obviously futile. I neither phoned nor returned phone
calls from Bobby until months later when Viktor Korchnoi came to
town.
Viktor visited us for a simultaneous exhibition sponsored by the
American Savings and Loan of Florida. The simul was a huge suc
cess, and Viktor proved compelling in a 30-minute television inter
view that followed. When we were finally alone, this chess giant
spoke of his desire to play a practice match with Bobby. Frankly, I
did not encourage him, given my experience. Several months later,
however, when Viktor and I were having dinner with Edward Lasker
in New York, the subject came up again. I wanted no part of it, but
Edward argued that my role would be limited to putting them in
touch and leaving the rest to fate. On this basis we walked back to
my Manhattan apartment, and I rang up Bobby.
Viktor and Bobby appeared to hit it off nicely. They agreed t o
1 12
meet in Pasadena the following week. That ended my involvement.
According to Viktor, he found himself in Pasadena at the appointed
hour standing on a particularly isolated street corner waiting for
Bobby. A certain car passed by repeatedly, circling the block.
Finally, the vehicle stopped in front of him, and as the rear door
opened, he noticed Bobby crouched on the floor beckoning that he
enter.
Nothing came of the meeting, just as nothing came of the million
dollar match that Svetozar Gligoric assured me would take place in
Belgrade in 1978. Nothing also came of the many other proposals
advanced by Florencio Campomanes, Miguel Quinteros and Rafael
Tudela. They all tried, and they all failed because their efforts were
doomed from the start.
My own theory about why Bobby quit chess is based on the
notion that chess-or rather his personal chess legend as an
incomparable and undefeated genius-means everything to him. I t
is his raison d'etre-the single support for a very frail ego. "It does
not matter," wrote Robert Byrne at the time Fischer forfeited the
FIDE world championship to Karpov, "that Fischer's fear was a
phantasm, that objectively, Karpov would not have stood the
slightest chance against Fischer's genius for the game. What cripples
Fischer is his belief that winning a chess game means crushing his
opponent's ego and, consequently, the same psychic damage is in
store for him should he lose."
How tragic that Bob Byrne hit the Fischer nail squarely on its
head! *
*Bobby Fischer's return match against Boris Spassky in 1992
embarrasses all of us witless amateur psychologists. There is many a
slip between the psychoanalytic lip and the cup of reality.
A game of water chess between Bobby Fischer (left) and
five-time U.S. chess champion Larry Evans.
Photograph courtesy of Chess Life.
A game of power chess. Chess great Mendel Najdorflooks on, while Imelda
Marcos gets all the play in this position. Photograph courtesy of Chess Life.
At the 1 966 Havana Olympiad, Bobby Fischer speaks his mind to Fidel
Castro as Viktor Korchnoi (left) looks on. Photograph courtesy of Chess Life.
Several of my favorite chess men are pictured here at the 1928 Bradley
Beach tournament. Seated (1. to r.): Issac Turover, Samuel Factor, Dr.
Norbert Lederer, Edward Lasker and Abraham Kupchik. Standing (1. to r.) :
Oscar Tenner, Al Horowitz (with n o belly and n o mustache!), Victor Spark
(hotel manager), Herman Helms and Stasch Mlotkowski. Photograph from
the American Chess Bulletin.
In December 193 1 , Reuben Fine (seated) captained the chess team of the
College of the City of New York to victory in the national collegiate champi
onship. The squad scored 23 l /2 - 1/2. Standing (1. to r.): Sidney Bernstein,
Nathan Beckhardt and Robert Levenstein. Photograph from the American
Chess Bulletin.
Here is AI "Buddy" Simonson with fellow Americans at
the 1 933 Folkestone Olympiad. From left to right: Arthur
Dake, Helen Kashdan, Isaac Kashdan, Buddy, Frank Marshall
and Reuben Fine. Photograph by Wheeler.
My friend Donald MacMurray (see arrow) died in December, 1938, at age
24. Owner of the highest IQ ever recorder in the United States up to that
time, he completed an undergraduate degree at the University of Chicago in
only eight months. Among others pictured with him at the 1937 U.S. Open
is George Treysman, seated second from the left. Photograph courtesy of
Chess Life.
Louis Zeckendorf-the Manhattan's "nonagenarian
kibitzer." On April 6, 1 935, his 981h birthday, Old Man Z. took
on Oscar Tenner's "little vun:' Also seated is Louie's chauffer,
who would shortly abscond with the old boy's bond coupon's.
Standing (l. to r. ) : Abe Kupchik, unidentified, Mr. Rosenthal
(?), Jack Fischer, Julius Helfgott, and Mrs. Edith Tenner.
Photograph courtesy of the Manhattan Chess Club.
Alexander Alekhine (left and Isaac Kashdan play a
game for the camera at the 1 932 Pasadena International .
Standing ( 1 . to r. ) : J.J. Araiza. Arthur Dake, Reuben
Fine, and S ammy Reshevsky. Photo courtesy of Casey
Bush.
Tony Santasiere ( second from left and smiling) loved nothing more than
organizing chummy little master tournaments and gourmet dinner parties
at his cozy apartment in the Bronx. Seated on the right of the chessboard is
Hermann Helms. Other players (I. to r.): Ted Knorr, AI Boczar and Ted
Dunst. The lovely ladies remain unidentified. Photgraph courtesy of Hector
Rodriguez.
L. Walter Stephens (right), the "Kenesaw Mountain Landis of Chess:'
presents Anthony Santasiere with the George Sturgis Trophy for winning the
1945 U.S. Open. Observing the grisly ceremony is Hermann Helms.
Photograph courtesy of Chess Life.
With high knobby cheekbones, George Treysman's face resembled the death
mask of a Mongol warrior. The single redeeming feature was his eyes. They
were deep set, like two black coals resting in a pool of water, and when he
laughed they fairly rippled and overflowed until tears streamed down his
cheeks. Illustration by W. Guido Castagnoli.
Edward Lasker fiddles with the chess pieces at the old Manhattan, while
Gisela Gresser and Maurice Wertheim strike poses. Photograph courtesy of
Chess Life.
AI Horowitz ( left) and wife meet Sherlock Homes ( Basil
Rathbone, right) and Dr. Watson (Nigel Bruce). AI was out in
Hollywood for the 1 945 Pan-American Chess Congress, and
Holmes and Watson were waiting for their stage set to be
sprayed so as to create an authentic London "fog". Photograph
courtesy of Chess Life.
Handsome Herman Steiner (second from left) created the Hollywood chess
connection. Here Lauren Becall gives him "the look" while Charles Boyer
(left) and Humphrey Bogart play a game. Photo by Pat Clark.
Herman Steiner ( left center) helps to provide Caissie verisimilitude to a
scene from M.G.M. 5 Cass Timberlane. starring Spencer Tracy (right) and
Lana Turner. The man in the middle is George Sidney, one of the great
directors from Hollywood's Golden Era. Photo by Harry Matos ian.
I call AI Pinkus "the Indiana Jones of Chess:' He was also a great gentleman.
Photograph courtesy of Lawrence Pinkus.
Abraham "Kuppele" Kupchick as he appeared in later years. Photograph
from Chess Review.
The late and the great AI Horowitz, my buddy. Photograph courtesy of Chess
Life.
The fascinating and foul Norman Tweed Whitaker. whom I call "Caissa's
conman:' Photograph courtesy of Chess Life.
When chess champ Gary Kasparov speaks, Larry Parr ( my co-author) and
his tape-recorder listen. Grandmaster Maxim Dlugy looks on. Kasparov
was in Washington, D.C., to promote a program called "Chess for Drug-free
Schools & Crime free streets." Photograph by Nigel Eddis.
When Kasparov speaks, even former Defense Secretary Dick Cheney
(center) and New York Times media biggie William Sa fire listen. Photo
graph by Nigel Eddis.
Chapter XI
One-on-One with JCasparov
"One-on-One with Kasparov" was first published in the June 1 983
issue of Chess Life, nearly 2% years before Gary Kasparov won
the world chess title from Anatoly Karpov in late 1 985. The
interview itself occurred still earlier at the 1 982 Olympiad in
Lucerne, Switzerland. What follows is a slightly expanded and
edited version of the original Chess Life article. However, predic
tions and opinions-both right and wrong-remain unchanged so
as to preserve the period flavor of the piece. Obviously, the author
got it right about Kasparov becoming world champion; just as obvi
ously, the author got it wrong about Kasparov having a "high re
gard" for Karpov's character.
I first met Gary Kasparov at the 1980 Olympiad in Malta. Initially,
he seemed more mature than his scant 17 years (he was born in
April 1963) would suggest, but his energy and enthusiasm were
unmistakably those of a teenager.
By the time of our Malta meeting, I had already studied several of
Kasparov's early games and was convinced that here was one of the
truly great chess talents of all time-a player who at an early age
exhibited the brilliance of Alexander Alekhine tempered by the
objectivity and endgame genius of Jose Capablanca. And his results
showed it: U.S. S.R. junior champion at age 12, participant in the
1978 U.S. S.R. Championship at age 1 5 , winner of the 1979 Banja
Luka International at age 16, and a grandmaster and World Junior
champion in 1980 at age 17.
Do these results mean that Kasparov's talent exceeds that of Paul
Morphy or Bobby Fischer? Hardly. Fischer was U.S. champion b y
age 14 and a grandmaster at 1 5 . Further, Kasparov had access to
knowledge and training unavailable before. But I firmly believe that
no other player at so tender an age has shown the same grasp of
chess theory, the same depth of imagination in combinative play,
and the same mastery of endgame technique.
Where these great talents will lead Kasparov, only time will tell.
But I am willing to go out on a limb by suggesting that perhaps b y
113
1 14
1984, at the ripe old age of 2 1 , Kasparov will become world cham
pion .
How does titleholder Anatoly Karpov feel about the threat? I
had a chance to talk with him during a walk at Malta. "Do you
think that Kasparov will be your next challenger?" I asked.
Karpov thought for only a moment. "He is very talented," the
champion answered, "but the fact that he is very emotional may
prove to be a stumbling block. " This interesting and incisive
comment comes from a player whose keen analytical powers and
evenness of temperament should not be underestimated. However, I
beg to disagree. Great talent is rarely placid, and chess history is
littered with players overwhelmed by bubbling genius.
Two Years Later
I had a chance for a second talk with Kasparov at the 1 9 82
Olympiad in Lucerne, Switzerland. We settled down in a corner of
the huge playing hall, and Kasparov told me how he learned chess at
age six by watching his parents play. His father recognized the lad's
talent when Gary solved a chess problem that had puzzled both him
and Gary's mother, Clara. There followed days filled with chess, and
he improved rapidly. By age 10, he was studying with the great
Mikhail Botvinnik.
Would Gary like to emulate Botvinnik's style? "Not at all ! "
Kasparov fiercely exclaimed. He prefers the style of the romantic
Alekhine, his greatest chess hero, to the arid play of Botvinnik. In
deed, Kasparov has in common with Alekhine a facility for pulling
off finishing combinations that are even more complicated than the
middlegame maneuvers preceding them. He says that his most bril
liant combination was played against Brazil's Jaime Sunye-Neto at
the 1981 World Junior Team Championship in Graz, Austria.
jaime Sunye-Neto-Gary Kasparov
World junior Team Championship, / 98 1
Chapter XI
115
If Sunye-Neto had instead played 42. K-Rl , Kasparov intended
the astonishing line, 42 . . . . BxP ! ! 43. PxB RIQ7xP ! ! ! 44. NxR R
N6 ! ! , when there is no defense against the threat of 4S. . . . RxP,
mate. If White moves the Knight, then Black finishes with 4S. . . .
R-N8, mate.
42. . . . 8xP!! 43. Px8 RJQ7xP!! 44. Q-83!
White finds the best defense. If 44. NxR, Black has 44 . . . . NQ7ch; and if 44. QxP, Black scores immediately with 44 . . . . R-R7
4S. N-K2 RIN4-N7.
44. . . . R-R7 45. N-K2 K-R2
The threat is 4S . . . . R/N4-N7.
46. Q-88?!
Kasparov notes that 46. Q-N4 is a better defense, though Black
still wins after 46 . . . . P-B4 47. Q-NS (the problem with 47. Q-B8 is
47 . . . . R-R8ch 48. K-B2 N-Q7 ! ) 47 . . . . P-BS ! 48. Q-N4 N-Q7ch ! ! 4 9 .
QxN R-R8ch SO. K-B2 P-B6 ! .
46. . . . R-R8ch 47. K-82 N-Q7!, White resigns
Kasparov gives the line, 48. N-N3 R-R7ch 49. K-Kl N-B6ch SO. K
Bl RxB, and says that White's cause is hopeless.
And what about Kasparov's activities outside chess? It turns out
that this young man entertains a wide range of interests. He loves
almost all sports, and he looks as if he is good at many. His favorite
hobby is travelling around the countryside on his motorcycle. And
what about girls and marriage? "Girls are wonderful," he confided,
"but I have a long time before I can think of marriage. "
Kasparov's full schedule a t the university, where h e specializes in
English, does not leave him much spare time. He does manage to d o
some reading, and his preference i s for historical novels.
As for current ambitions, Kasparov says he will be content with
playing in the candidates' matches. And if he is lucky enough to
meet Karpov in 1984, he will prepare diligently. Kasparov has a high
regard for the champion's play as well as for the champion's charac
ter. And character, Kasparov believes, is just as important as ability,
particularly in a match.
The time seemed right to confront Kasparov with the assessment
of him that Karpov offered two years earlier. "Karpov thinks you are
very emotional," I said. "He told me so himself in Malta. Won't your
emotions hinder you in match play?"
Kasparov's face lit up in its usual mischievous grin. His reply was
116
brief and to the point. "It is necessary to have emotions," he said.
To the Manner Born
Does Kasparov find it a burden to be a celebrity at such an early
age? "Not at all," he claims. "I manage to do all the things that I
want to do. And besides, I like people. " As we talked, people came
up from time to time and asked for his autograph. He never refused
and never lost his composure, always appearing courteous and
pleasant as if to the manner born.
"Of all your games," I asked, "which are your favorites?" Kas
parov astonished me by naming two little-known contests, Alburt
Kasparov and Kasparov-Palatnik, played in 1978 in a qualifying
tournament for that year's U.S.S.R. Championship. "But what about
your games this year at Bugojno against Najdorf and Petrosian?" I
asked. "The game against Petrosian was great. You tied his hands be
hind his back, started throwing darts and never stopped. It was bril
liant! Petrosian never had a chance to get untied." Kasparov laughed
delightedly. "Yes," he said, "that's a perfect description."
Gary Kasparov-Tigran Petrosian
Bugojno, 1 982
Bogo-lndian Defense
I . P-Q4 N-KB3 2. P-QB4 P-K3 3. N-KB3 B-NSch 4. B-Q2 Q-K2 5. P-KN 3
BxBch 6. QxB 0-0 7. B-N2 P-Q4 8. 0-0 PxP 9. N-R3 P-B4 I 0. PxP QxP I I .
QR-B I N-B3 1 2. NxP Q-K2? 1 3. KN-KS NxN 1 4. NxN N-Q4 I S. KR-Q I N
N3 1 6. Q-RS! P-KN3 1 7. R-Q3!
Black wants to exchange a pair of Rooks, but the modest-looking
text move stops the idea cold. Kasparov points out that the position
is untenable for Black after 17 . . . . R-Q1 18. Q-BS! QxQ 19. RxRch
Q-B1 20. RxQch KxR 2 1 . R-B7 .
1 7 . . . . N-Q4 1 8. P-K4! N-N3 1 9. B-B I !
"An unobtrusive, but very important move," writes Kasparov.
Black intended to play 19 . . . . P-B3, when 20. N-B4 is answered b y
2 0 . . . . NxN 2 1 . RxN P-N3 22. Q-B3 B-R3 . But 1 9 . B-B 1 ! shuts down
all of Black's counterplay.
1 9 . . . . R-K I 20. R/3-Q I ! R-B I 2 1 . P-QR3! K-N2 22. P-N3 K-N I 23. P-QR4 R
Q I 24. Q-BS!, Black resigns
Writes Kasparov, "The variation 24 . . . . QxQ 25. RxRch Q-B1 2 6 .
RxQch KxR 2 7 . R-B7 does not require any commentary."
Still, I couldn't convince Kasparov that the Petrosian game ought
to belong in his personal pantheon. "I have other reasons," he said,
Chapter XI
117
"for preferring the Alburt and Palatnik games. They stand out as
turning points in my career. " Kasparov was only 15 when the games
were played, and he was competing for a chance to move from
junior tournaments into the adult world of the U.S.S.R. Champion
ship. Too, the championship qualifier contained some of the best
talent in the world. The great David Bronstein, for example, finished
in a tie for 29th-47th in the 64-player field. Kasparov tied for first
with Igor Ivanov, who now lives in the United States.
After returning from the Olympiad in Switzerland, I reviewed the
Alburt and Palatnik games. They exhibit imagination and illustrate
Kasparov's tremendous vision. He obviously sees clearly the upshot
of complex positions even before they occur. Most of all, the wins
over Lev Alburt and Semyon Palatnik show the stamp of an enthu
siastic chess spirit that is much like the man himself. Here they are
with a few of my notes:
Lev A/burt-Gary Kasparov
Daugavpils, 1 9 78
I . P-Q4 N-KB3 2. P-QB4 P-KN3 3. N-QB3 B-N2 4. P-K4 P-Q3 5. B-K2 0-0
6. B-NS P-B4 7. P-QS P-KR3 8. B-B4 P-K3
This interesting pawn sacrifice leads to great complications. Typi
cally, Kasparov wants to wrest the initiative from his opponent as
soon as possible.
9. PxP BxP I 0. BxQP R-K I I I . N-B3
After 1 1 . BxP, Black gets excellent counterchances with 11 . . . .
Q-R4 12. P-QN4 Q-R3 .
I I . . . . N-B3 1 2. 0-0 Q-R4 1 3. N-Q2 KR-Q I 1 4. N-N3
White could have kept an advantage with the safe and sane 14. B
B4 N-Q5 15. N-Q5 NxN 16. BPxN NxBch 17. QxN B-Q2 18. N-B4.
1 4. . . . Q-N3 1 5. N-R4 Q-NS 1 6. N/3xP BxP 1 7. BxB QxB 1 8. NxP NxP 1 9.
R-B I Q-N4 20. NxR RxN 2 1 . Q-B2 N-QS 22. QxN N-K7ch 23. K-R I NxR
24. RxN RxB 25. Q-B2?
The position is quite even. White ought to have continued with
25. P-QN3 instead of the weak text move.
25 . . . . Q-N4 26. R-Q I ? Q-KB4!
Once again, Kasparov obtains a strong initiative, and this time
there is no stopping him.
27. Q-B I RxRch 28. QxR QxP 29. P-QN3 QxP 30. N-BS Q-KB7 3 1 . N-Q3
1 18
Q-K6 32. Q-KB I B-QS 33. Q-Q I P-KR4 34. N-N4 P-RS 35. N-82 QxP 36.
QxB
36. . . . Q-N8ch
Very accurate. After an immediate 36.
QxN, White can reach a
theoretically drawn position by 37. Q-Q8ch K-N2 38. Q-Q4ch P-B3
(the only move to avoid perpetual check) 39. Q;cRPch. Hence
Kasparov's ploy to force Alburt's Queen to KNl .
0 0 0
37. Q-N I QxN 38. QxP Q-Q8ch 39. Q-N I QxQch 40. KxQ K-N2 4 1 . K82 K-83 42. K-K3 K-K4 43. K-83 P-84 44. K-K3 P-N4 45. P-R3 K-Q4!
Another Kasparov finesse. There is only a draw after the hasty
advance, 45.
P-N5? . Thus, 46. PxP PxP 47. K-B2 ! K-B5 48. P
N3ch ! and so on.
0 0 0
46. K-Q3 K-84 47. K-83 P-NS 48. K-Q3 PxP 49. PxP K-Q4 50. K-K3 K-K4 5 1 .
K-83 P-BS 52. K-82 K-KS 53. K-K2 P-B6ch 54. K-B I K-84 55. K-N I K-K4!,
White resigns
Kasparov's win over Palatnik was the first game of his to gain
international recognition. Appearing in Informant No. 26, it was
voted sixth best in the volume by a distinguished panel of grand
masters. Perhaps even more telling, it finished first in a poll among
readers of the Yugoslav newspaper, Politika Ekspres.
Gary Kasparov-Semyon Palatnik
Daugavpils, 1 9 78
Alekhine's Defense
I . P-K4 N-KB3 2. P-KS N-Q4 3. P-Q4 P-Q3 4. N-KB3 P-KN3 5. B-QB4 N
N3 6. B-N3 P-QR4 7. P-QR4 B-N2 8. N-NS P-K3 9. P-KB4 PxP I 0. BPxP
P-QB4 I I . 0-0 0-0 1 2. P-83 N-83 1 3. N-K4 N-Q2
On 13 . . . . PxP, White wins with 14. B-N5 Q-Q2 15. N-B6ch BxN
16. BxB PxP 17. Q-Bl .
1 4. B-K3 N-K2 I S. B-NS PxP 1 6. PxP P-R3 1 7. B-R4 P-KN4 1 8. B-KB2
Chapter XI
The tempting sacrifice, 18. BxNP, is premature because of 18
PxB 19. NxP NxP ! .
119
.
. .
.
1 8 . . . . N-KN 3 1 9. QN-B3 Q-K2 20. B-B2 P-N3 2 1 . B-K3 B-R3 22. R-B2
N-R I
23. BxP!! PxB 24. Q-RS P-B4 25. NxP R-B2 26. BxP!
No position can withstand this kind of battering. White soon
swarms over the Black King.
26 . . . . RxB 27. RxR PxR 28. N-Q5 Q-K I 29. Q-R7ch K-B I 30. QxPch K-N I
3 1 . Q-R7ch K-B I 32. R-R3 R-B I 33. R-B3ch N-B3 34. P-R3 Q-N3 35. RxNch!
BxR 36. N-K6ch K-K I 37. NxBch, Black resigns
What a shellacking!
Chapter XI I
$ine ©istinctions
I first met Reuben Fine over 60 years ago and first played him in the
Junior Masters Tournament of 1930. Although I don't remember
who won our game, I will never forget the first prize in that tourna
ment: a barrel of schmaltz herring. (This unique incentive may ex
plain why Arthur Dake played so well to win the event-the herring
being a foretaste of the green grapes that served as his diet during
the deep Depression years to come.)
Born in 1914, Reuben was a small, blond, blue-eyed youngster
about six months my junior. He seemed cocky and aloof to some
people, but I believe that was only a protective facade typical of
overly sensitive lads. In fact, he was always ready for a spoof. One
memorable evening back in 1932, he showed up at a Marshall Chess
Club simultaneous disguised in movie-serial garb as Zu-Ux, a Martian
invader. Two "Nubian slaves" stood nearby to protect their "mas
ter." In a sentence, Reuben was a poor boy and a good sport who
grew up in the East Bronx, and anyone familiar with social condi
tions in those precincts during the Great Depression knows what a
difficult time he had just to survive.
Young Fine possessed a superior intelligence, graduating from
college at the age of 18. We all knew that he was going to make it
one way or another. The only questions were when, where, and in
what field of endeavor. By the mid-1930s, the field of endeavor
appeared to be chess. I regarded him as our best hope to become
world champion.
In a period of only 18 months, from June 1936 to December
193 7, Fine achieved results in the international arena exceeded
among Americans only by Paul Morphy and Bobby Fischer. He took
first prize in 10 of 14 tournaments, including a skein of nine firsts in
10 events. In two other tournaments, he finished second. At the
super-strong Nottingham 1936 and Semmering-Baden 1937, he
went undefeated and finished just below the top both times. He was
now repeatedly finishing ahead of Alexander Alekhine. Then, on
Reuben's next visit to Europe, he tied with Paul Keres for first place
at AVRO 1938, which was the strongest tournament held until that
120
Chapter XII
121
time and, for those of us who suspect that FIDE ratings have
become outrageously inflated, the strongest tournament ever. "Both
his sporting results in the 'thirties and the sheer quality of his
games," wrote Wolfgang Heidenfeld in Draw!, "make . . . [Fine) one of
the outstanding players-possibly the outstanding player of the
period . "
Reuben was, then, a great player, but paradoxically, not good
enough. During the mad and bad years of the 1930s and 1940s-the
era of Stalin, Hitler, Hirohito, and bread lines-no American could
hope to make a career in chess unless he were world champion or,
at the very least, U.S. champion. Reuben ran up a narrow plus-score
against Alekhine but could not arrange a match; and in the U.S.
Championships of those years . . .
Fine Versus Reshevsky
If Fine eclipsed Sammy Reshevsky in the international arena and
finished ahead of him in several U.S. Opens, he failed to win the U.S.
Championship in four attempts, trailing behind Reshevsky in three
of them. I must take some responsibility for my good friend's dis
comfiture. In the 1936 and 1 940 championship fixtures, Sammy
defeated me and Fine only drew. If the results had been reversed,
Fine would have finished first equal in 1936 and won outright in
1940. Then, in the 1944 U.S. Championship (without Reshevsky) , I
beat Fine in the decisive encounter.
Although Reshevsky outscored Fine on a number of occasions, I
considered the latter the better player because of his greater
knowledge and deeper understanding of the game. It showed in his
superior international record. Fine lacked only Reshevsky's bulldog
tenacity and singleness of purpose. What Viscount Melbourne said of
Lord Macaulay-that he wished he were "as cocksure of anything as
Tom Macaulay is of everything"-defined the distinction between
Fine and Reshevsky. If Reshevsky's religious beliefs were so strong
that he never doubted anything, Fine questioned everything. That
included, I believe, his right to devote so much time to what many
people regarded as a frivolous pursuit that contributed little to the
well-being of society.
Doubts are always the enemy of blind dedication, which is so
essential for aspiring world champions . Unemployed from 1939 to
194 1 , Fine saw that a future dedicated to chess was bleak at best,
and he obeyed the dictates of common sense, returning to school in
the mid-1940s and earning a psychology doctorate in 1948 from
U.C.L.A. During World War II, he worked first as a translator
(Dutch, French, German, Italian, Yiddish, you name it! ) and then
for the Department of the Navy as part of a team to determine
122
where German U-Boats were most likely to surface. Later, he did
research in the area of psychological warfare, including a study on
kamikaze attacks.
In the field of Freudian psychology, Fine became a giant, serving
as an honored visiting professor at his old alma mater, the City
College of New York (Class of '32), not to mention stints in the
same capacity at the University of Amsterdam, the Lowell Institute
of Technology, and the University of Florence in Italy. Founder of
the Creative Living Center, located in midtown Manhattan, he
authored The History of Psychoanalysis, a standard work in the
field that was first published in 1979. Among Reuben's 16 non-chess
books, important titles include Freud: a Critical Re-evaluation of
his Theories (1962), The Healing of the Mind (1971), The Develop
ment of Freud's Thought ( 1 973), The Meaning of Love in Human
Experience (1985), and The Forgotten Man: Understanding the
Male Psyche (1987).
But as I was saying about Fine and Reshevsky, when playing over
their games from the U.S. Opens and the U.S. Championships of the
1930s and 1940s, I noticed a tiny distinction between the two .
Fine, who never had trouble focusing his attention in high-profile in
ternational events, occasionally lost tactical control of middlegame
positions in domestic tournaments, whereas Reshevsky virtually
never suffered such accidents. Sammy's bad positions came from
poorly played openings. I believe that in American events, Fine
often found himself wondering why he was playing chess for pennies
and let his mind wander. Take, for example, the following forgotten
game against a non-master:
Albert Roddy-Reuben Fine
U.S. Open, I 940
Nimzoindian Defense
I . P-Q4 N-KB3 2. P-QB4 P-K3 3. N-KB3 P-Q4 4. N-B3 B-N5 5. Q-N3 P-B4
6. B-N5 N-B3 7. QPxP 0-0 8. P-K3 P-KR3 9. B-R4 P-KN4 I 0. B-N3 N-K5 I I .
B-K2 Q-B3 1 2. R-QB I P-KR4 1 3. P-KR4 P-N5 1 4. N-Q4 QNxN 1 5. Q x B
NxB/3 1 6. BPxN N-B4 1 7. PxP NxNP 1 8. R-KN I PxP 1 9. NxP QxRP 20. Q
KB4 B-K3 2 1 . N-K7ch K-R2 22. B-Q3ch P-B4 23. K-Q2 QR-K I
Chapter XII
123
24. R-KR I !! NxR 2S. RxN QxR 26. Q-NS!
This beautiful quiet move forces Black to run for a draw.
26. . . . QxPch 27. K-B3 RxN 28. QxRch R-B2 29. QxB K-N2 30. B-B4 R-B3,
draw
Here is a catastrophe-a chessic Hindenburg-against yet another
lesser light. The game is from the 1938 U.S. Championship in which
Fine finished a half point behind Reshevsky.
Milton Hanauer-Reuben Fine
U.S. Championship, / 938
English Opening
I . P-QB4 N-KB3 2. N-KB3 P-B4 3. P-KN3 P-Q4 4. PxP NxP S. B-N2 N-QB3
6. 0-0 P-K4
The position is now a reversed Sicilian. Usually, reversed forma
tions are suspect for the second player, but Fine does not lose this
game because of the opening.
7. N-B3 N-B2 8. P-Q3 B-K2 9. B-K3 0-0 I 0. R-B I B-K3 I I . P-QR3 P-QN3
1 2. N-KR4 N-Q4 1 3. N-BS B-B3 1 4. B-K4 R-B I I S. Q-Q2?! N-QS! 1 6. BxN
KPxB 1 7. NxN BxQN I 8. Q-B4 R-K I 1 9. R-B2?
This move is not up to speed. White should play 19. Q-N4.
1 9 . . . . BxB 20. PxB R-B3 2 1 . R-Q I R/3-K3 22. P-B3 P-N3 23. N-R6ch K-N2
24. P-KR4
124
24. . . . Q-N I ??
A stunning lapse of concentration. Black can win at least two
pawns with 24 . . . . B-K4. White is lost after either 2 5 . QxPch KxN
26. P-B4 R/1-K2 or 25. NxP BxQ 26. NxQ B-K6ch ! . Following the
game, Fine explained that he failed to notice the elementary
capture, 25 . . . . KxN.
25. QxQ RxQ 26. N-N4 B-K2 27. N-B2 B-Q3 28. P-B4 B-K2 29. K-N2 R
Q I 30. K-B3 R-QB3 3 I . P-K3 PxP 32. RxR BxR 33. KxP P-QN4?!
White's King is about to become very active, and a more
circumspect move is 33 . . . . K-B3 .
34. P-KS P-BS 35. K-Q4! P-B6!
Black is fighting for a draw.
36. PxP B-K2 37. N-K4 BxP 38. R-QR2 R-BSch 39. K-Q3 R-RS 40. N-Q6 P
QR3 4 1 . K-B2 K-B I 42. P-N4 P-B3?!
A better try is 42 . . . . P-KR4 ! .
43. N-BS B-B4?
The last chance to put up a tough fight was 43 . . . . RxP 44. RxB
PxP 45. RxP P-N5 46. PxP RxQNP 47. R-R7 ! .
44. RxR PxR 45. PxP B-K6 46. P-B4 BxP 47. P-BS P-N4 48. PxP BxP 49. P-B6
B-BS 50. N-K7 K-B2 5 I . N-QS B-R7 52. P-NS B-K4 53. K-N I B-R7 54. K-N2
B-Q3 55. K-R2 K-N3 56. N-K7ch K-B2 57. N-BS B-B2 58. K-R3 K-N3 59.
KxP K-B2 60. K-N3 P-QR4 6 1 . K-R4 B-Q I 62. K-NS K-K3 63. K-B4 K-B2 64.
K-QS B-N3 65. N-Q6ch K-B I 66. K-K6 P-RS 67. N-B4 B-B2 68. N-KS, Black
resigns
An absolutely depressing performance by one of chess history's
strongest grandmasters.
In spite of lapses, Reuben Fine was a great player who compiled a
stunning international record. The comparison may not have been
Chapter XII
125
made before, but I think that Fine played a lot like Bobby Fischer.
Both were active positional players who possessed universal styles,
and both won games in a variety of ways. "My chief objective," Fine
once wrote, "was always precision, wherever that would take me."
As Savielly Tartakower noted, Fine could make "something out of
nothing" a la Capablanca. But he could also play grandiose and
risky attacking combinations:
Reuben Fine-Nat Grossman
New York, 1 933
I . N-B4!?
The conception is magnificent, the combination dubious.
I . . . NxB 2. NxNP K-N2 3. R-KN I !
.
That White's sacrifices involve waiting moves rather than checks
lifts this idea far above the ordinary.
3 . . . . PxN 4. RxPch! KxR 5. Q-K6!!
Another elegant quiet move.
5 . . . . NxP?
Black misses a stunning drawing defense: 5
N-K4 ! ! 6. R-N1ch
K-R3 7. QxN/KS R-KN1 8. Q-B4ch K-R2 9. Q-R4ch N-R4 ! 10. QxNch
Q-R3 , etc.
.
. . .
6. R-N I ch K-R3 7. Q-K3ch K-R2 8. Q-K7ch K-R3 9. Q-N7ch, Black resigns
Against Mikhail Botvinnik, Fine played a game that reminds me
of Fischer's win over Tigran Petrosian in game seven of their 1 9 7 1
candidates' match. Notice Fine's excellent opening preparation, easy
negotiation of complications to achieve relevant positional aims,
and final penetration with the Rooks.
126
Reuben Fine-Mikhail Botvinnik
AVRO, 1 938
French Defense
I . P-K4 P-K3 2. P-Q4 P-Q4 3. N-QB3 B-N5 4. P-KS P-QB4 5. PxP N-K2 6.
N-B3 QN-B3 7. B-Q3 P-Q5 8. P-QR3 B-R4 9. P-QN4 NxNP I 0. PxN BxP
I I . B-N5ch
This move is all part of a prepared variation by Fine.
I I . . . . N-B3?
That this natural move is shown to lose virtually by force speaks
volumes about Fine's feel for positions. He makes beating Botvinnik
look easy. The correct move is 1 1 . . . . B-Q2, when the game is equal
after 12. QxP BxNch 13 . QxB BxB 14. N-Q4.
1 2. BxNch PxB 1 3. R-R4! BxNch 1 4. B-Q2 P-B3 1 5. 0-0 0-0 1 6. BxB PxB 1 7.
Q-K I P-QR4 1 8. QxP B-R3 1 9. KR-R I B-N4 20. R-Q4!
White does not fall for 20. RxP, which permits Black activity.
20. . . . Q-K2 2 1 . R-Q6 P-RS 22. Q-K3! R-R2 23. N-Q2! P-R6 24. P-QB4 B-R5
25. PxP QxP 26. RxRP R-K I 27. P-R3 RIR2-R I 28. N-B3 Q-N7 29. N-K5 Q
N8ch 30. K-R2 Q-B4 3 1 . Q-N3!, Black resigns
Black cannot keep White's Rooks off the seventh rank. As Fine
points out, a possible line is 3 1 . . . . R-R2 32. R-B3 Q-KS 33. N-Q7 !
K-R1 34. R-B7 R-KN1 35. N-KS.
Dutch Treat
To support himself, Reuben or Ruby, as we called him, began to
write chess books. And lots of them. Some of these books such as
Basic Chess Endings, Modern Chess Openings (sixth edition) and
Dr. Lasker's Chess Career (with Fred Reinfeld) became classics;
others suffered the critical ravages of time. Most of his books sold
well, and along with Reinfeld, he was the most popular chess writer
of his time. A well-deserved popularity, too. He wrote clearly and
concisely, and beginners bought his books by the thousands.
Chapter XII
127
For a time, Ruby lived in Holland, serving as Max Euwe's second
in the 193 7 return match against Alekhine. Ruby became fast
friends with Emma Thea Keesing, the daughter of his Dutch pub
lisher. After a brief courtship, they were married on September 1 ,
1937; and Ruby brought his bride home to Kew Gardens, New
York, where according to my old address book they lived at 1 1 5-25
84th Avenue.
Emmy was a bright, dark-eyed, dainty beauty with a pixieish
sense of humor that made men love her. A former reporter with
Amsterdam's Het Volk, she was a real Dutch treat. My wife, Nina,
and I were fond of her, and since the Fines were neighbors, we
socialized together. In those days, both my wife and I worked; and
I was sort of a big shot by virtue of owning a brand new Plymouth.
Price: $540. How natural, therefore, for all of us-sans Emmy, who
was a diabetic and decided she could not make the trip-to drive
down to the Jersey shore for a weekend at Bradley Beach, where we
rented rooms and rushed out to the waiting sand.
The day was beautiful, and Ruby and I soon fell fast asleep on
the beach. Suddenly, we were awakened by loud voices coming
from the water's edge. My wife, looking bedraggled, was arguing
with a lifeguard. We arrived on the scene just in time to see a
policeman load Nina into a paddy wagon. The lifeguard claimed
that she swam out beyond the ropes and told him to get lost when
he went out to get her. He then tried to tow her back by the hair,
and she kicked and cursed at him. And so off Nina went to the
police station, where we were told the judge would hold a speedy
trial.
Ruby and I dashed back to our rooms, dressed in a flash and
arrived at the police station to find Nina playing gin rummy with
the chief. The judge was on the way after postponing his weekend
hunting trip, and we soon found ourselves in the adjoining
courtroom. I acted as my wife's attorney, and Ruby claimed to
represent the New York Times.
The lifeguard told his story, after which I put my "client" on the
stand. "Tell me," I asked, "did you use foul language toward this
gentleman when he tried to pull you out of the water?" Innocently,
this sweet young thing, who once posed for Charles Dana Gibson,
looked at the judge and answered, "Your honor, such language is
foreign to my nature." That might have been enough, but I thought
it fitting that Ruby make the final move. "Your honor," I said, "we
have here Mr. Reuben Fine, a staff member of the New York Times ,
who saw everything. I don't think it will benefit your fair city if
word leaks out that local lifeguards deal so harshly with the public."
Down came the judge's gavel with a bang. Case dismissed!
128
With a Friend Like Me
In the early years of our chess careers, Ruby and I played a match
for the then huge sum of .$50, which was put up by James Newman.
My opponent got off to a flying start by winning the first two
games, and all he needed was a third win to finish the match. But
there followed two draws, and I won the rest to take the .$50.
I think that this match put a hex on Ruby-the same kind of
Indian sign that Sammy Reshevsky had on me until I beat him two
zip in a training match for the 1948 world championship tourna
ment. I had a facility for drawing with Ruby and losing to Sammy
in U.S. Championships and, in the process, wreaking havoc on the
former's career plans. That was why Ruby inscribed my copy of his
Basic Chess Endings with the request to "Please look this over be
fore playing Reshevsky."
One moment that I will never forget is when we drove home after
I won the 1944 U.S. Championship-in large part because of
defeating Ruby in our individual game. "You know," he said with
out bitterness, "you've always stood in my way." He was right, and
the thought saddened me. The phrase, "With a friend like me,"
came to mind.
My wife was genuinely fond of Ruby, and unlike myself, she was
in no kind of competition with him. After he and Emmy got
divorced in 1944, Nina could not bear to see him so depressed and
often invited him to dinner, where she tried to fix him up with
dates. He eventually recovered and married Sonya Lebeaux, who
bore him his only son, Benjamin.
Sonya figured in a small incident that occurred during my 1946
match in Hollywood against Herman Steiner. One evening, Ruby
and his new wife came to see us play. When the game was over, he
and I wandered off discussing its manifold and recondite complica
tions, never realizing that we left his wife waiting outside the
playing room. Luckily, she was still there when we doubled back
some 40 minutes later.
How's that for a couple of absentminded professors?
On January 25, 1993, Ruby entered St. Luke's-Roosevelt Medical
Center in Manhattan. He had suffered a stroke, and on March 26, he
died from pneumonia. The loss of this old friend, an uncrowned
world champion if ever there was one, haunts the (very) few of us
who remain from the glory days of the 1930s, when the United
States, radiant victor in four consecutive Olympiads, ruled the roost
of world chess.
Chapter XII
129
Selected Games
Reuben Fine: Winning Made Easy
REUBEN FINE-J. RAPPAPORT (C.C.N.Y. vs. Penn. State Intercollegiate Chess
Championship Match, 1 93 1 -32): I . P-KB3?! P-Q4 2. P-K4 P-K4 3. N-B3 P-QB3
4. P-Q4 QPxP S. QPxP! QxQch 6. NxQ PxP 7. PxP B-K3 8. B-R3 B-Q4 9.
N-K3 B-B4 I 0. P-QB4 BxN I I . PxB BxB 1 2. RxB N-Q2 I 3. P-B4 PxP 1 4. R
B7 N-N3 I S. RxN P N-K2 1 6. N-K2 N-B3 1 7. R-N I P-N3 1 8. K-B2 N-K2 1 9.
R-QB I N-BS 20. P-N3 N-R4 2 1 . RxNch! KxR 22. R-BS! NxP 23. PxN P-QR4
24. R-B7ch K-K I 2S. N-B3 R-QN I 26. NxP K-B I 27. P-K6 P-B4 28. N -B6ch,
Black resigns Fine completely outclasses his opponent in a Lesser Bird's
Opening that is published here for the first time in book form.
REUBEN FINE-AL SIMONSON (Marshall C.C. Championship, 1 932-33): I .
P-KR3?! (The so-called Stick-It-in-Your-Eye Opening. The amazing thing is that
Fine would venture this move against a great master such as Simonson, who
got revenge on his tormentor in the 1 936 U.S. Championship.) I . . . . P-Q4 2.
P-Q4 P-QB4 3. P-QB3 N-QB3 4. P-K3 P-K3 S. N-B3 Q-B2 6. QN-Q2 N-B3
7. B-Q3 B-Q3 8. 0-0 0-0 9. Q-K2 R-K I I 0. P-K4 P-K4 I I . KPxP KPxP 1 2. N
K4 NxP I 3. P-B4 N/4-K2 1 4. R-K I B-Q2 I S. N/3-NS N-N3 1 6. Q-RS P-KR3
1 7. NxKBP! KxN 1 8. BxP! RxN 1 9. BxR N/B3-K4 20. P-B4 R-R I 2 1 . PxN RxB
22. B-QSch, Black resigns This game is published here for the first time
beyond the confines of a newspaper column.
REUBEN FIN E-AL HOROWITZ (Match Game, New York, 1 934): I . P-Q4 P
Q4 2. P-QB4 P-QB3 3. N-QB3 N-B3 4. N-B3 PxP S. P-QR4 B-B4 6. P-K3
N-R3 7. BxP N-QNS 8. 0-0 P-K3 9. Q-K2 B-K2 I 0. R-Q I 0-0 I I . P-K4 B-NS
1 2. B-N3 Q-R4 I 3. P-R3! BxN 1 4. QxB QR-Q I I S. B-K3 R-Q2 1 6. P-N4
KR-Q I 1 7. P-NS N-K I 1 8. P-R4 P-QB4 1 9. P-QS P-K4 20. P-RS B-Q3 2 1 . K
N2 P-QR3 22. R-R I N-Q6 23. P-N6 P-BS 24. B-B2 N-BSch 2S. BxN PxB 26.
P-KS! BxP 27. B-BS R-K2 28. PxBPch KxP 29. QR-K I ! BxN 30. B-K6ch K-B I
3 1 . PxB N-B3 32. R-R4! RxP 33. RxP R-N4ch 34. K-B I K-K I 3S. RxN! PxR 36.
QxBP R/4-N2 37. P-R6, Black resigns This game and the half dozen or so that
follow are not among Fine's better known efforts. They are selected to
provide the reader with a glimpse of how fluidly this chess immortal dis
mantled American masters during the 1 930s and 1 940s. Fine never finished
second in an open tournament!
GEORGE TREYSMAN-REUBEN FINE (U.S. Championship, 1 936): I . P-K4 N
QB3 2. N-KB3 P-K4 3. B-NS P-QR3 4.B-R4 N-B3 S. 0-0 B-K2 6. Q-K2 P
QN4 7. B-N3 0-0 8. P-B3 P-Q4 9. PxP NxP I 0. P-Q3?! (Treysman never
studied openings, and he was wise to avoid the Marshall Gambit) I 0. . . . B-B3
I I . N-NS N-BS 1 2. BxN PxB I 3. NxRP KxN 1 4. Q-K4ch P-N3 I S. QxN R
QN I 1 6. Q-QS QxQ 1 7. BxQ R-Q I 1 8. B-K4 P-B4 1 9. N-Q2 B-KN2 20.
N-N3 P-B4 2 1 . B-B3 P-BS 22. PxP PxP 23. N-RS RxP 24. NxP R-B7 2S. KR
B I RxQBP 26. RxR BxR 27. R-QB I B-KN2 28. K-B I B-K3 29. B-N7 P-R4 30.
P-QR4 R-QS 3 1 . B-R6 B-KB I 32. B-NS B-NS 33. N-KS K-N2 34. P-R4 K-B3
130
35. N-B3 R-Q3 36. N-N5 B-N6 37. N-B3 R-Q8ch 38. RxR BxR 39. B-B6 B
B6 40. B-K8 K-K2 4 1 . B-N5 K-Q3 42. N-K I B-B3 43. N-Q3 P-B6 44. PxP
BxKRP 45. N-N2 BxP/6 46. N-B4ch K-B4 47. NxP B-Q4 48. B-R6 B-Q I 49.
N-N7ch K-N3, White resigns The theme of domination of the same piece o n
two separate squares by the same piece o n the same square i s probably
unique in over-the-board action.
ABRAHAM KUPCH I K-REUBEN FINE (U.S. Championship, 1 938): I . P-Q4
N-KB3 2. P-QB4 P-KN3 3. P-KN3 B-N2 4. B-N2 P-Q4 5. PxP NxP 6. N -KB3
0-0 7. 0-0 P-QB4 8. PxP N-R3 9. P-B6?! PxP I 0. P-QR3 R-N I I I . Q-B2 Q-R4
1 2. QN-Q2 Q-B4 1 3. Q-Q3 N/3-B2 1 4. N-K4 Q-N4 1 5. Q-B2 B-QR3 1 6.
R-K I N-K3 1 7. B-B I Q-B5 1 8. QxQ BxQ 1 9. N/4-Q2 B-N4 20. R-R2 P
QR4 2 1 . P-N3 P-RS 22. P-QN4 P-QB4 23. PxP KR-B I ! 24. B-QN2 NxP 25.
BxB KxB 26. R-B2 N-N6 27. R-N2 B-K I 28. P-K3 N-B6 29. N-Q4 NxN/Q7
30. RxN P-K4 3 1 . N-B3 P-B3 32. R-B2 N-N4 33. R-R2 R-B6 34. BxN RxB 35.
N-Q2 B-B3 36. N-N I R/6-N6 37. R-R I R-B4 38. R-R2 B-Q4 39. R-R I R-B7
40. R-Q I B-K3! (Brutal technique was Fine's hallmark; here, for example, he
eschews the plausible 40. . . . B-B6?, which lets White off the hook after 4 1 . R
Q7ch K-R3 42. N-Q2) 4 1 . N-Q2 R/6-N7 42. N-K4 B-B4 43. N-Q6 RxP 44.
NxBch PxN 45. QR-N I R-N7ch 46. K-B I RIQN7-B7ch 47. K-K I R-R7 48. K
B I RxKRP 49. K-N I RIKR7-QB7, White resigns
ABRAHAM KUPCHI K-REUBEN FINE (Manhattan C.C. vs. Marshall C.C.
Metropolitan League Match, 1 939): I . P-K4 P-QB4 2. N-KB3 P-K3 3. N-B3 N
QB3 4. P-Q4 PxP 5. NxP N-B3 6. B-K2 B-N5 7. NxN QPxN 8. QxQch
KxQ 9. P-B3 P-K4 I 0. B-Q2? (White's policy is to play passively; otherwise he
would have tried I 0. B-K3) I 0. . . . B-K3 I I . 0-0-0 N-Q2 1 2. P-QR3 B-QB4
1 3. KR-K I K-B2 1 4. B-B I B-B7 1 5. R-K2 B-Q5 1 6. R/2-K I P-QR4 1 7. B-K3
BxBch 1 8. RxB N-B4 1 9. P-QR4 P-KN4 20. P-QN3 P-N5 2 1 . PxP BxKNP 22.
B-K2 B-K3 23. R-B I ? (White should play 23. R-KN3 and sit tight) 23 . . . . KR
KN I 24. R-B2 QR-Q I 25. B-RS R-Q2 26. R/3-B3 R-N2 27. P-R3 K-Q I 28. K
N2 K-K I 29. R-K3 R-Q5 30. B-K2 K-K2 3 t . B-B I R-N I 32. K-B I R/ 1 -Q I 33.
R/2-K2 R-N5 34. R-K I ? (White can keep fighting with 34. K-N2) 34. . . . BxN P!
35. PxB NxPch 36. K-N2 R-Q7ch 37. K-R3 N-Q5, White resigns
REUBEN FINE-AL HOROWI1Z (New York, 1 939): I . N-KB3 P-Q4 2. P-Q4
P-QB4 3. P-KN3 N-KB3 4. B-N2 P-K3 5. 0-0 N-B3 6. P-B4 B-K2 7. BPxP
KPxP 8. N-B3 0-0 9. PxP P-Q5 I 0. N-QR4 B-B4 I I . B-B4! N-K5 1 2. P-QN4!
B-B3 1 3. P-N5 N-K2 1 4. B-KS BxB 1 5. NxB Q-Q4 1 6. N-Q3 QR-Q I 1 7. Q
B I Q-K3 1 8. R-K I KR-K I 1 9. Q-N2 N-Q4 20. QR-B I B-R6 2 1 . B-R I Q-!H
22. P-B6! PxP 23. PxP N/5-B6 24. NxN NxN 25. N-B4 B-N5 26. P-K3!! P-N4
27. PxP N-Q8 (Black is losing because of White's QBP; a typical line is 27. . . .
RxRch 28. RxR N-Q8 29. P-B7! R-QB I 30. RxN! PxN 3 1 . P-B3 and wins) 28.
Q-Q2 RxRch 29. QxR PxN 30. P-B7 R-QB I 3 1 . B-N7 PxP 32. RPxP B-B6
33. BxR QxB 34. Q-K7, Black resigns The loser of this game played it tough
and scrappy, but the Fine of the late 1 930s cut like shrapnel through every
American master except Reshevsky.
Chapter XII
131
ROBERT WILLMAN-REUBEN FI NE (New York. 1 94 1 ): I . P-K4 P-QB4 2. N
KB3 P-K3 3. P-B4 N-QB3 4. N-83 N-QS S. P-Q3 N-K2 6. B-K3 N/2-B3 7. P
KN3 P-KN3 8. B-N2 B-N2 9. Q-Q2 0-0 I 0. P-KR4 P-KR4 I I . B-NS P-B3 1 2.
B-B4 P-Q3 1 3. NxN PxN 1 4. N-K2 P-K4 I S. B-R6 P-B4! 1 6. PxP BxP 1 7. B
QSch K-R2 1 8. BxB KxB 1 9. P-B3 Q-R4! 20. P-R3 QxQch 2 1 . KxQ N-K2!
22. B-K4 BxB 23. BPxB R-86 24. QR-KN I QR-KB I 2S. P-KN4 R-K6 26. R-R2
K-R3 27. PxP KxP 28. N-N3ch K-R3 29. P-RS P-KN4 30. N-R I R/6-B6 3 1 .
R/2-N2 R-KN I 32. N-B2 KxP 33. N-N4 N-N3 34. R-R2ch N-RS 3S. N-B2
R/ 1 -KB I 36. N-R I R/ 1 -BS 37. N-N3ch K-N3 38. N-K2 R-B7 39. RxR and
White lost on time The difference between Fine and Reshevsky at their peak
was that the former made winning look easy and the latter loved to make it
look difficult.
ANTHONY SANTAS I ERE-REUBEN FINE (New York. 1 94 1 ) : I . N-KB3 P
Q4 2. P-KN3 N-KB3 3. B-N2 B-B4 4. P-B4 P-B3 S. P-N3 P-K3 6. B-N2 B-Q3
7. 0-0 0-0 8. P-Q3 Q-K2 9. N-B3 PxP I 0. P-K4? B-KNS I I . QPxP P-K4 1 2.
Q-B2 P-QR4 1 3. P-KR3 BxN! 1 4. BxB N-R3 I S. QR-Q I KR-Q I 1 6. Q-B I
N-84 1 7. R-Q2 N-K3 1 8. K-N2 N-QS 1 9. KR-Q I B-NS 20. R-Q3 N-Q2 2 1 .
N-K2? (White had to try 2 1 . N-R4) 2 1 . . . . N-QB4 22. R-K3 NxB 23. RxN
NxKP 24. R/3-Q3 RxR 2S. RxR B-B4 26. P-84 PxP 27. QxP N-B7! 28. R- KB3
N-Q6 29. Q-Q2 R-K I 30. K-B I NxB 3 1 . QxN Q-KS!, White resigns. In the
1 938 U.S. Championship, Santasiere defeated Fine with the Reti Opening. The
second time around he was not so fortunate. Black's ninth move was new at
the time.
Chapter XI I I
'fhe fittle cBig Man of Chess
Nothing is more responsible for the good old days than a bad mem
ory. I know that. But I still say that 1934-the year Adolf Hitler
consolidated power, the year Joseph Stalin ordered a law to exe
cute millions of orphaned children cluttering Soviet cities, and the
year dry winds stirred up a Dust Bowl in the Middle West-was a
great year for American chess. What better way to forget one's
troubles than by playing the royal game?
The Western Open or, as it later became known, the U.S. Open
was being held in Chicago at the newly built Lawson YMCA. I
travelled to Chicago aboard a Greyhound bus and snared one of the
YMCA's better rooms for a dollar a night. There were some 75-cent
rooms, but I always liked going first class. As Evalyn Walsh McLean,
a fabulously wealthy Washington socialite of the period, put the
matter, "My own preference, generally, is for show."
Little did I realize that Sammy Reshevsky, the famous Wunder
kind of the early 1920s, would also be at the tournament. Although
only 22 or 23 at the time, he was emerging from semi-retirement,
having devoted the previous few years to studying accounting under
the watchful eye of Julius Rosenwald, his benefactor. Lest you fail
to recognize this name, Rosenwald was at that time the head o f
Sears & Roebuck.
Before meeting Sammy in Chicago, I had only seen pictures of
him in the American Chess Bulletin-pictures in which he was
playing a simultaneous against 20 U.S. congressmen or posing with
Edward Lasker and Geza Maroczy. He appeared to be a cute little
boy with ringlets, a sailor's suit and high-button shoes. Imagine my
surprise, therefore, when I shook hands with a rapidly balding and
shy young man who had the most delicate features that I had ever
seen. As the tournament draw would have it, we played early on;
and I felt sure of victory until Sammy essayed one of his now
famous Knight maneuvers. He proved that my optimism was totally
unwarranted, and the game ended in a draw.
I did not know then, but learned later, that Sammy handled
Knights like David Janowski shifted Bishops or Geza Maroczy
132
Chapter XIII
133
played Queen-and-pawn endgames. He could out-calculate even
Alexander Alekhine in the Byzantine intricacies of Knight maneu
vers.
Alexander Alekhine-Samue/ Reshevsky
Nottingham, 1 936
Colle System
I . N-KB3 P-Q4 2. P-Q4 N-KB3 3. P-K3 P-B4 4. P-B3 QN-Q2 5. QN-Q2 Q
B2 6. Q-R4 P-KN3 7. P-B4 B-N2 8. BPxP NxP 9. Q-N3?
Not one of Alekhine's better days. At the time this game was
played, it was already known that 9. P-K4 ! gave White a superior
position.
9 . . . . N/4-N3 I 0. P-QR4 PxP I I . PxP P-QR4 1 2. B-NS 0-0 1 3. 0-0 N-B3 1 4.
R-K I B-B4 1 5. N-B I Q-Q3 1 6. Q-R3 QxQ 1 7. RxQ N/B3-Q4 1 8. N-N3 B
Q2 1 9. R-N3 KR-Q I 20. B-Q2 NxP 2 1 . R-R I N/RS-N3 22. RxP BxB 23.
R/3xB P-K3 24. P-N3 R-Q2 25. N-K4 RxR 26. BxR N-B I 27. N-KS?!
This move cedes a slight pull to Black. The simplest line is 27. R
BS N/1-K2 28. B-Q2, when the game is about even.
27 . . . . BxN 28. PxB N-B2! 29. N-B6ch K-N2 30. NxR NxR 3 1 . B-Q2
3 1 . . . . N-K2
The game ought to be drawn, but a couple of errors by Alekhine
combined with perfect play by Reshevsky lead to another conclu
sion.
32. K-B I N-QS 33. P-QN4 N-Q4 34. N-BS P-QN4 35. N-Q3 P-B3 36.
B-B I ?
Wrote Reshevsky, "A blunder, although not necessarily a fatal
one. The proper course was 36. PxPch KxP 37. P-B3 ."
36. . . . PxP 37. NxP N-B7! 38. B-N2 N/7xP 39. K-K2 K-N I 40. P-N 3 N-K2 4 1 .
N-B3 N/2-Q4 42. N-NS N-B2 43. K-K3 N-B3 44. P-B4 P-R3 45. N-B3 K-B2
46. K-Q3 N-Q4 47. B-B I N-B3 48. B-N2 N-Q2 49. B-R3?
134
Alekhine needed to play 49. B-Q4, when Black's win becomes
very difficult.
49 . . . . P-K4! 50. K-K3 K-K3 5 1 . B-N2 K-Q4 52. N-R4 N-N3! 53. B-B I
If 53. BxP, Black wins with 53 . . . . NxB 54. PxN N-BSch, followed
by . . . NxP.
53 . . . . N-BSch 54. K-B2 N-NS!
"It is fascinating," wrote Reshevsky, "to observe the powerful
cooperation of the Knights. "
5 5 . K-K2 N-R7 56 . B-Q2 P-NS 5 7 . PxP P-N6 5 8 . K-Q I NxP 59. N-N2
In the tournament book, Alekhine pointed out that 59. NxP was
answered by 59 . . . . NxN 60. BxP N-K4 61. B-Bl NxB 62. KxN N-BS
63 . P-R4 K-QS 64. P-RS K-B6 65. P-R6 P-N7ch 66. K-Nl K-N6, with
mate coming up.
59 . . . . K-KS 60. P-R4 N-Q6! 6 1 . B-RS N-N7ch!, White resigns
If 62. K-Kl , Black marches in the QNP, beginning with 62 . . . . N
BS.
Sammy's facility with Knights was no mystery. Indeed, i t was an
expression of his greatest chess strength-the ability to calculate
tactics like an adding machine. "Technically," wrote Reuben Fine in
The World's Great Chess Games, "Reshevsky is characterized above
all by superb tactical skill . . . . Unlike [Mikhail] Botvinnik he is little
concerned with the strategical backbone of the game. What he cares
about are tactical combinations, and these he handles to perfec
tion . "
Fine's description, which runs counter to the popular notion o f
Sammy as a positional player, is instantly recognizable to those o f
us who had to play this pocket-sized computer. The discrepancy
between the common and insider views has its source in how
Sammy applied his tactical genius. If Mikhail Tal used his talent to
attack enemy Kings, Sammy exercised his ingenuity to find unlikely
defenses or win difficult endings. His games had the appearance of
positional chess but not the substance. The following "positional"
game is a case in point-a struggle in which Sammy spends his time
not weighing positional abstractions but wending his way through a
maze of lengthy exchanging combinations:
Samuel Reshevsky-Gideon Stahlberg
United States vs. Argentina Team Match, 1 94 7
Catalan System
I . N-KB3 P-Q4 2. P-KN3 N-KB3 3. B-N2 P-KN3 4. P-Q4 B-N2 5. 0-0 0-0 6.
Chapter XIII
135
P-B4 P-B4 7. PxBP PxP 8. Q-B2 Q-Q4 9. N-R3 QxP I 0. QxBP QxQ I I .
NxQ N-B3 1 2. QN-KS NxN 1 3. NxN N-K I ?!
Black cannot play 13 . . . . N-KS because of 14. NxNP ! NxNP 1 S .
NxPch ! . The best line is 1 3 . . . . N-NS 14. N-Q3 N-K4 1 S . N-BS N-BS.
1 4. N-Q3 N-Q3
A rare mirror-image tableau.
I S. B-NS R-K I
Black must break symmetry because 1S . . . . B-NS is refuted b y
1 6 . BxP BxP 17. BxN BxN 1 8 . BxR BxR 19. BxB BxB 2 0 . KxB KxB
2 1 . R-QB 1 , when White's Rook reaches the seventh rank.
1 6. QR-B I P-KR3 1 7. B-K3 B-B4 1 8. R-B7 BxN 1 9. PxB QR-B I 20. KR-B I
RxR 2 1 . RxR BxP 22. BxNP B-B3 23. B-B6 R-N I
Perhaps 23 . . . . R-B1 offers more resistance.
24. BxQRP R-N8ch 25. K-N2 R-QR8 26. P-QR4 N-B4 27. B-N6 B-QS 28. P
RS B-B6 29. R-R7 N-QS 30. B-K4 N-N6 3 1 . P-R6 B-QS 32. BxB NxB 33. R
Q7 P-B4 34. B-QSch, Black resigns
On 34 . . . . P-K3 , White plays 3S. P-R7 PxB 36. R-Q8ch K-B2 3 7 .
P-R8=Q.
Bowser on My Trousers
Playing a chess game with Sammy Reshevsky was like trying to
shake off a pitbull that clamped its teeth on the leg of your trousers.
No matter how you thrashed your leg or chess pieces about, he
would not let go. During the 1930s and 1940s, I was +0 -4 against
him in U.S. Championship play. No one was tougher on me, and at
one time or another, I fought 'em all.
Our game in the 1936 U.S. Championship was typical of what he
did to me and, for that matter, to almost everyone else. Before the
tournament, Al Horowitz and I worked out some interesting pawn-
136
sacrifice variations in the Tarrasch Defense, one of which I sprang on
Sammy. He could never resist a pawn, trusting in brute calculation
to negotiate the hazards. Before long, I had a far superior position,
but Sammy did not collapse. He hung tough, held his game to
gether, and put me away with a pretty combination the moment
my guard came down. And he did all of this with only seconds on
the clock. Such was my admiration for Sammy's performance that I
included the loss in If You Must Play Chess, a collection of my best
games.
Samuel Reshevsky-Arnold Denker
I . P-Q4 P-Q4 2. P-QB4 P-K3 3. N-QB3 P-QB4 4. BPxP KPxP S. N-B3 N
QB3 6. P-KN3 N-B3 7. B-N2 B-K2 8. 0-0 0-0 9. PxP P-QS?!
"If you've ever gone fishing and experienced a heavy tug on your
line," I wrote in If You Must Play Chess , "then you know how I
felt."
I 0. N-QR4 B-B4 I I . N-K I
The first weak move. Instead, White ought to play 1 1 . B-B4.
I I . . . . B-KS I 2. BxB
The alternative was to play 12. P-B3, burying the King Bishop.
1 2. . . . NxB 1 3. Q-B2 Q-Q4 1 4. N-Q3 QR-B I I S. P-B3
The best move may be 15. P-QN4.
I S . . . . N-N4 1 6. Q-N3?
The logical continuation is 16. P-QN4, if only because Black has
no intention of trading Queens.
1 6. . . . Q-Q2 1 7. B-Q2 KR-K I 1 8. QR-K I B-B3 1 9. N-B4 QR-Q I
Black is beautifully developed, and White is bent double. His
Queen Knight does not have a single move. Given that White was
also in severe time pressure, he appeared to have an impossible task
ahead. But as I wrote about my opponent, "In those days we did
not realize that his greatest asset is a diabolical ability to save him
self in harrowing time pressure in even the most delicate positions."
20. K-R I B-K4 2 1 . N-RS N-R6!
Black threatens to force a serious weakening of White's pawn
structure by playing 22 . . . . P-KN3.
Chapter XIII
137
22. P-B4
By now, Sammy was whipping out flawless moves while spending
no time for reflection.
22. . . . B-B2 23. Q-KB3
Sammy sidesteps 23. QxP?? Q-Q4ch 24. R-B3 RxP, and Black
wins.
23 . . . . B-R4 24. R-Q I Q-B4!
Black intends a powerful invasion at QB7.
25. P-KN4 Q-B7 26. QxN
26. . . . QxN?
Instead of this risky capture, the safe 26 . . . . BxB leads to a win
ning position after 27. Q-Q3 QxN 28. QxB QxP 29. P-BS Q-Q4ch.
27. P-BS RxP 28. B-NS!
Another move played automatically-as if by reflex.
28 . . . . QR-K I ?
Once again, I falter. With 28 . . . . QxP 29. BxR BxB, Black keeps
the initiative with such threats as 30 . . . . B-B2 and 30 . . . . Q-Q4ch
and 30 . . . . QxP. I've always been able to stand adversity; it's pros
perity that does me in.
29. NxP! R/ I -K6 30. BxR RxB
This move loses more quickly than 30 . . . . PxB 3 1 . N-RS B-B2 3 2 .
N-B6ch K-Bl 33. Q-R6ch K-K2 34. N-QSch, when White also wins.
3 1 . Q-R6 B-B2 32. N-RS B-K4 33. P-B6, Black resigns
Devastatingly Funny
At the 1942 U.S. Championship, my relations with Sammy hit a
138
snag because of the funniest and most devastating game that we ever
played. We met in round six, when my score stood at 4%-lf2. Our
game was crucial. In the position below, I played 45 . . . . R-NS:
Sammy Reshevsky-Arnofd Denker
U.S. Championship, I 942
Not only can I draw easily with lateral checks, Sammy's flag had
fallen. At least 40 to 50 spectators saw it drop. Whereupon, tourna
ment director L. Walter Stephens rushed to our table, picked up the
clock from behind, and turned it around so that Sammy's clock was
now on my side. He instantly declared me forfeited. I appealed to
Sammy, who would only say that he was not the tournament direc
tor. Then, along with several spectators, I appealed to Stephens.
But to no avail. He announced archly, "Does Kenesaw Mountain
Landis ever reverse himself?" The reference was to Judge Landis, the
commissioner of baseball installed after the White/Black Sox scandal
of 1919, who was renowned for ruling with an iron fist.
In the early part of 1948, a second incident occurred that tested
our friendship. Sammy was preparing for the world championship
tournament of that year to determine a successor to the deceased
Alekhine, and I agreed to a training match on condition that we
played no more than three games a week. Sammy stipulated that
the games not be published. In game one I caught my opponent in a
prepared variation of the Two Knights Defense, weathered a fierce
counterattack and hung on to win. Frankly, I astonished myself b y
breaking Sammy's jinx. The next game was a Gruenfeld Defense in
which I flatly outplayed my fearsome opponent. A unique event in
the many encounters between us.
I was leading 2-0 ! At which point, New York Post chess colum
nist Horace Bigelow published the first game. Although I had abso
lutely nothing to do with this breach of trust and, for the record,
have published neither game to this very day, Sammy blamed me
and refused to continue the match . Such behavior on his part was
most unusual, as he had hitherto honored all of his commitments.
Because Sammy is no longer with us, I feel released from my non-
Chapter XIII
139
publication pledge. Here are the two games-the first having never
been published in book form and the second appearing in print for
the first time ever:
Arnold Denker-Samuel Reshevsky
Training Match, 1 948 (Game I)
Two Knights Defense
I . P-K4 P-K4 2. N-KB3 N-QB3 3. B-B4 N-B3 4. N-NS P-Q4 S. PxP N-QR4
6. B-NSch P-B3 7. PxP PxP 8. Q-B3 Q-B2 9. B-Q3 P-KR3!? I 0. N-K4 N-Q4
I I . QN-B3 N-KBS 1 2. 0-0 B-K2 I 3. N-N3 P-N3 1 4. R-K I 0-0 I S. B-B I N-K3
1 6. P-Q3 N-QS 1 7. Q-Q I K-R2 1 8. QN-K2 N-K3 1 9. Q-Q2 B-N4 20. Q-B3
B-B3
A safe move here is 20 . . . . BxB. But safety is not the point of this
game.
2 1 . P-B4
Writing in the American Chess Bulletin, Tony Santasiere queries
the text. He suggests instead 2 1 . B-K3, followed by P-KB3.
2 1 . . . . N-QN2 22. P-BS N-N4
Santasiere describes this move as a "profound and brilliant
conception . "
23. Q-Q2 PxP 24. P-KR4 Q-N3ch 2S. P-Q4 P-BS
If 25 . . . . PxP, White works up an attack with 26. Q-Q3 .
26. PxN BxP 27. N-K4 B-RS 28. P-KN3 R-KN I 29. K-R I B-B4 30. B-N2 R-NS
3 1 . QPxP
At about this point, both players were in frantic time pressure.
Santasiere terms the text "obviously suicidal" and recommends 3 1 .
P-R4 with the idea of R-QR3 .
3 I . . . . QR-KN I 32. NxP
Typical of the traps that White must avoid is 32. PxB RxB 33. N
B6ch K-Rl 34. NxR R-R7ch ! .
32. . . . BxP 33. NxB R-R.Sch 34. N-R3 RxN/N6 3S. R-K3 RxR
Is this exchange a mistake? Santasiere thinks so and gives as win
ning 35 . . . . R/6xNch 36. K-Nl (if 36. RxR, then Black replies 36 . . . .
BxR 37. BxB RxBch with much the better position) 3 6. . . . B-K5 37.
BxR RxB. White's best chance appears to be 36. BxR BxB 37. Q-R2 !
B-N7ch 38. KxB RxQch 39. KxR N-Ql .
36. QxR QxQ 37. BxQ BxN 38. B-B2 BxBch 39. KxB R-KS 40. R-Q I N-R4
140
4 1 . R-Q7 K-N3 42. RxRP?!
White could have won immediately with 42. P-N3 .
42. . . . N-BS 43. P-R4 RxP
Much more resistant is 43 . . . . NxNP 44. P-RS N-Q8 45. B-N6 N-B6
46. P-R6 N-Q4 47. B-Q8 R-K7ch 48. K-B3 RxP 49. R-R8 R-QR7 .
44. P-N4 N-K6 45. BxN RxB 46. R-R6 R-QB6 47. P-NS Rx:Pch 48. K-B3 K-B4
49. P-N6 R-B6ch 50. K-K2 R-QN6 5 1 . P-RS R-N7ch 52. K-Q3 P-R4 53. R-R7
P-RS 54. Rx:Pch K-N3 55. R-B I P-R6 56. R-KR I P-R7 57. K-B3, Black resigns
I suspect that the final word on the above complex game is far
from being said.
Samuel Reshevsky-Arnold Denker
Training Match, / 948 (Game 2)
Gruenfeld Defense
I . P-Q4 N-KB3 2. P-QB4 P-KN3 3. N-QB3 P-Q4 4. Q-N3 PxP 5. QxBP B
N2 6. N-B3 0-0 7. P-K4 N-R3 8. B-K2 P-B4 9. 0-0?
As in Kramer-Najdorf, a game played later in 1948 at the New
York International. The correct move is 9 . P-QS with good pros
pects for White.
9 . . . . PxP I 0. R-Q I P-K4!
Also played by Najdorf, who is given credit for this discovery in
the textbooks. White is now fighting for a draw.
I I . NxKP N-Q2! 1 2. NxN BxN 1 3. N-QS R-B I 1 4. Q-N3 N-B4 I S. Q-QR3
R-K I 1 6. P-B3
1 6 . . . . B-QB3!?
A surprising and quite tricky move that I simply could not resist.
Kramer-Najdorf continued 16 . . . . P-B4 ! 17. QxP PxP 18. PxP NxP
19. B-B3 B-QB3 20. N-N4 N-B7 ! ! (in Chapter XV on Max Euwe, this
decoy sacrifice appears in two games ! ) 2 1 . NxB (on 2 1 . KxB? , Black
Chapter XIII
141
wins immediately by 21. . . . Q-R5ch 22. K-B1 B-N4ch) 21. . . . NxR ! ,
and Black won on move 35.
1 7. QxN BxN 1 8. QxRP R-R I 1 9. Q-BS B-N6 20. R-Q2 RxRP 2 1 . RxR BxR
22. Q-R3 B-K3 23. B-Q3 B-R3 24. R-QB2 BxB 25. RxB Q-N4 26. R-B2 Q
K6ch 27. K-B I R-Q I 28. R-K2 Q-BS 29. K-N I R-QB I 30. R-K I Q-Q7 3 1 . R
KB I Q-K6ch 32. K-R I R-B8 33. B-NS R-B7 34. B-Q3 R-Q7 35. B-NS P-Q6
36. Q-Q6 Q-K7 37. Q-N8ch K-N2 38. Q-KSch P-B3 39. Q-B7ch B-B2 40. R
KN I R-Q8 4 1 . P-R3 RxRch 42. KxR Q-B7 43. Q-Q7 P-Q7 44. B-K2 QxN P
45. K-B2 P-QN4, and Black won o n move 5 6
Unfortunately, the scoresheet is indecipherable after move 45.
The second storm in our personal relations passed. Sammy's
chess stature was too immense and the episode too minor for him
to remain angry. And while on the subject of Sammy's stature, both
Al Horowitz and Bobby Fischer believed that in a title match, he
would have beaten Mikhail Botvinnik during the early and mid1950s. Wrote Bobby on one occasion, "For a period of ten years
between 1946 and 1956-Reshevsky was probably the best chess
player in the world. I feel sure that had he played a match with
Botvinnik during that time, he would have won." As for myself, I
cannot say who would have won such a match, but I can say who
did win a short match between the two in 1955. Sammy triumphed
2%-1 lf2. Like the great Capablanca, Sammy was lazy, rarely studied
openings or prepared for specific opponents; but also like the im
mortal Cuban, he more than held his own with the giants of the
time by relying on his natural gifts-in Sammy's case, gifts for calcu
lating defensive tactics and endgame variations.
By the time Sammy turned 80 in 1991, he was long past his best
years. Yet this seven-time U.S. champion was still the little big man
of chess and remained too hot to handle for many players . Just take
a look at some of his nice wins from recent events. Or take a look at
the following dour squeeze from a half century past. Mind you, it is
not one of Sammy's great technical efforts (for one of those, see his
victory over Fischer in the first game of their 1961 match) but a
hardscrabble affair that provides a fair idea of what we had to face
on a normal day.
Samuel Reshevsky-Vassily Smyslov
Leningrad-Moscow, 1 939
I . P-Q4 P-Q4 2. P-QB4 P-K3 3. N-QB3 N-KB3 4. B-NS QN-Q2 5. PxP PxP
6. P-K3 B-K2 7. Q-B2 0-0 8. B-Q3 R-K I 9. N-B3 N-B I I 0. P-KR3 P-B3 I I . B
KB4 B-Q3 1 2. BxB QxB I 3. 0-0 Q-K2 1 4. QR-N I N-KS I S. P-QN4
142
White attacks on the Queen's wing and will win unless Black
stages an equivalent demonstration on the Kingside.
1 5 . . . . N-N4 1 6. NxN QxN 1 7. K-R2 N-N3 I 8. P-B4!
White blunts Black's attacking hopes.
1 8 . . . . Q-RS
This move appears to lose time and permits White a neat maneu
ver on move 20.
1 9. Q-Q2 Q-K2 20. Q-KB2! P-B3
If 20 . .
. .
QxKP, White has 2 1 . QR-Kl .
2 1 . P-BS N-R I 22. KR-K I N-B2 23. P-K4! Q-Q3ch 24. K-N I B-Q2 25. P-NS!
QR-Q I 26. B-B2 PxKP 27. NxP Q-B2 28. B-N3 K-B I 29. N-BS N-Q3 30. B
K6!
A maneuver that should force the game in a few moves.
30. . . . NxNP 3 1 . BxB RxB 32. N-K6ch RxN 33. PxR R-K2
34. Q-BS!?
White misses a speedy win, 34. RxN ! PxR 35. P-QS Q-Q3 36. Q
KBS ! .
34. . . . NxP 35. QxRP NxP 36. Q-RBch K-B2 37. Q-RSch P-KN3 38. Q-B3
N-QS 39. Q-N4 P-QB4 40. P-KR4 Q-Q2 4 1 . RxRch QxR 42. K-R I P-N3 43.
Q-B4 K-N2 44. Q-B2 N-B3 45. P-RS N-K4 46. PxP Q-Q3 47. Q-R4 NxP 48.
Q-N4
The threat is to win immediately by 49. R-Ql .
48 . . . . Q-K4 49. R-Q I K-B2 50. R-Q7ch N-K2 5 1 . RxP Q-KBch 52. K-R2
Q-K4ch 53. P-N3 Q-Q4 54. Q-K2 Q-K3 55. Q-Q3 P-B4 56. R-R4 K-B3 57.
Q-Q2 N-Q4 58. R-R4 K-N2 59. Q-NSch Q-N3 60. Q-QB N-B3 6 1 . K-N2
Q-K I 62. QxQ NxQ 63. K-B3 N-B3 64. K-B4 K-N3 65. K-KS N-KS 66. R-RB
P-QBS 67. P-N4 P-B6 68. PxPch K-N2 69. KxN KxR 70. K-Q3, Black resigns
Chapter XIII
143
Strictly Kosher
Over the years, my wife, Nina, and I grew increasingly fond of
Sammy and his wife Norma. We respected Sammy's strong religious
feelings, and on many a Saturday, when he was not allowed to use
mechanical transport, I walked him home from the Manhattan
Chess Club down to his apartment at about 12th and Madison. My
wife and I often went to dinner with him and observed how he
cross-examined restaurant owners as well as chefs to assure himself
that the food would be strictly kosher. During tournaments, he of
ten travelled great distances in order to observe the Jewish Sabbath.
The above, and much more, I have seen. But not until the
U.S .A.-U.S.S.R match of 1946 did I watch him starve himself rather
than eat unkosher food. We were staying in Stockholm, and had it
not been for my wife, I think he might have become very ill. Nina
spoke to a hotel maid in Yiddish and managed to strike a responsive
chord. Sammy was soon served two hard-boiled eggs, toast and
tea-and all in glass dishes. It was the first food he had tasted in
nearly three days.
For many people, the strict observation of rituals in their respec
tive churches presents problems. But not for Sammy. Never did I
hear him complain about hardships during a tournament. Never did
I hear him complain about his lot when Norma became violently ill.
He simply accepted the situation and took excellent care of her. If
that's what religion did for Sammy, then more of us ought to give it
a chance.
Sammy has gone to his God now, having passed away from a
heart attack on April 4, 1992.
Selected Games
Samuel Reshevsky: Winning Mode Hard
NORMAN WHITAKER-SAMUEL RESHEVSKY (Westem Open, 1 93 1 ) : I .
P-K4 P-K4 2. P-Q4 PxP 3. QxP N-QB3 4. Q-K3 N-B3 5. B-Q2 P-Q3 6.
N-QB3 B-K2 7. 0-0-0 0-0 8. P-KR3 R-K I 9. P-B4 B-B I I 0. Q-B3 N-QS I I .
Q-B2 P-B4 1 2. B-Q3 P-QN4 1 3. B-K3 P-NS 1 4. BxN PxN I S. BxP/3 NxP 1 6.
BxN RxB 1 7. N-K2 R-K I 1 8. P-KN4 Q-K2 1 9. KR-K I Q-K6ch 20. QxQ RxQ
2 1 . N-N I RxR 22. RxR B-N2 23. P-BS P-B3 24. N-K2 R-K I 25. N-B4 RxRch
26. BxR K-B2 27. N-K6 B-K2 28. B-N3 B-KS 29. N-B4 P-N3 30. PxPch PxP
3 1 . K-Q2 P-B4 32. PxP BxKBP 33. P-KR4 B-KS 34. P-B4 B-B I 35. P-R3 P-R4
36. K-K3 B-B7 37. N-QS K-K3 38. N-B7ch K-Q2 39. N-NS K-B3 40. N-B3 B
R3ch 4 1 . B-B4 B-N2 42. K-Q2 B-N6 43. K-Q3 B-B3 44. B-NS B-K4 45. B-Q8
P-RS 46. B-NS K-Q2 47. B-B I B-N6 48. B-NS K-K3 49. N-QS B-K4 50. N-B3
B-N2 5 1 . K-K4 BxP 52. NxP B-N4 53. N-B3 B-QR3 54. B-Q2 P-Q4ch 55. K-
144
B3 K-B4 56. P-N3 P-QS 57. N-R4 P-BS 58. PxP BxP 59. N-N6 B-QR3 60. P
R4 B-B3 6 1 . K-N3 K-KS 62. N-Q7 B-K2 63. N-N6 B-Q I 64. P-QRS B-K2 65.
B-K I B-Q3ch 66. K-N4 B-KBS 67. B-N4 B-K7ch 68. K-R3 K-B6 69. P-RS B
B8ch, White resigns
SAMUEL RESHEVSKY-ARNOLD DENKER (Western Open, 1 934): I . P-Q4
N-KB3 2. P-QB4 P-K3 3. N-QB3 B-NS 4. P-K3 0-0 5. B-Q3 P-B4 6. N-K2 N
B3 7. 0-0 P-Q4 8. P-QR3 PxQP 9. KPxQP PxP I 0. BxP B-Q3 I I . P-QS PxP
1 2. NxP NxN I 3. BxN Q-B3 1 4. N-B3 B-KB4 1 5. B-K3 KR-Q I 1 6. Q-N3 R
Q2 1 7. QR-Q I B-K4 1 8. N-K4 Q-N 3 1 9. P-B3 R-B2 20. R-B I QR-QB I 2 1 .
Q-R4 BxP 22. R-QB2 P-N4 23. Q-R6 B-QS 24. BxB NxB 25. QxQ BxQ 26.
RxR RxR 27. R-Q I N-K3 28. BxN PxB 29. N-NS R-K2 30. R-Q8ch R-K I 3 1 .
R-Q7 P-QR4 32. R-N7 B-Q6 33. N-B7 R-QB I 34. N-Q6 R-B8ch 35. K-B2
P-R3 36. NxP R-B7ch 37. K-N I R-R7 38. N-Q4 P-K4 39. N-N3 P-N3 40. N
BS B-B7 4 1 . N-Q7 RxP 42. N-B6ch K-B I 43. R-Q7 P-N4 44. N-R7ch K-K I
45. N-B6ch K-B I 46. N-R7ch K-N I 47. N-B6ch K-R I 48. R-R7 P-RS 49. P-R3
R-B6 50. K-R2 R-B3 5 I . N-Q7 K-N I 52. NxP R-K3 53. N-Q7 R-Q3 54. P-R4
PxP 55. N-KS R-K3, draw. A wonderful example of Reshevsky holding a draw
thanks to his tactical acuity with the Knights. This game appears here in book
form for the first time.
SAMUEL RESH EVSKY-AL HOROWITZ (Marshall C.C. vs. Manhattan C.C.
Metropolitan League Match, 1 935): I . P-Q4 P-Q4 2. P-QB4 P-K3 3. N-QB3
N-KB3 4. N-B3 P-B4 5. BPxP NxP 6. P-K4 NxN 7. PxN PxP 8. PxP B-NSch 9.
B-Q2 BxBch I 0. QxB 0-0 I I . B-NS P-QN3 1 2. R-QB I B-N2 1 3. Q-K3 N
Q2 1 4. 0-0 (Reshevsky seldom tried to win games in the opening, and he was
obviously uninterested in the promising, though committal line of 1 4. P-KS P
QR3 1 5. B-Q3 R-K I 1 6. N-NS N-B I 1 7. N-K4) 1 4. . . . N-B3 1 5. B-Q3 Q-K2
1 6. N-KS KR-B I 1 7. N-B4 R-B2 1 8. P-KS N-K I 1 9. N-Q2 QR-B I 20. RxR
RxR 2 1 . B-K4 BxB 22. NxB Q-Q2 23. P-KR4 P-KR3 24. R-Q I Q-RS 25. R
Q2 R-B7 26. N-B3 R-B8ch 27. K-R2 Q-BS 28. R-Q3 R-B7 29. N-K4! Q-B3
30. P-R3 N-B2 3 1 . Q-B4 N-Q4 32. Q-N4 N-K2 33. R-KN3 N-B4 34. P-QS!
Q-BS 35. R-KB3 K-R I ? (Black finally wilts under pressure, missing the better
35 . . . . K-B I !) 36. P-Q6 Q-QS 37. RxN! PxR 38. QxP R-B8 39. P-Q7 R-Q8
40. N-Q6! QxRPch! 4 1 . Q-R3 QxP!! (Black is putti ng up tremendous
resistance in a position that many players would have abandoned) 42. P
Q8=Qch K-R2 43. Q-KN3 Q-N8ch?! (Black would have had more practical
chances with 43 . . . . R-R8ch 44. KxR QxQ 45. NxP Q-B7!) 44. K-R3 Q-R8ch
45. Q-R2 Q-B8 46. Q-R4 R-Q6ch 47. Q/R4-N3 P-QN4 48. QxR QxQch
49. Q-N3 Q-K7 50. Q-B4 Q-R4ch 5 1 . K-N3 Q-N3ch 52. Q-N4 Q-N8 53.
NxBP Q-K8ch 54. K-R2 P-QR4 55. P-K6 P-NS 56. PxP PxP 57. Q-BSch K-N I
58. NxPch! PxN 59. Q-B7ch K-R I 60. Q-B6ch, Black resigns. The man with
true grit won.
SAMUEL RESH EVSKY-ABRAHAM KUPCHIK (U.S. Championship, 1 940): I .
P-Q4 P-K3 2. N-KB3 P-Q4 3. P-B4 N-KB3 4. P-KN3 B-K2 5. B-N2 0-0 6. 0-0
P-B3 7. Q-B2 P-QN3 8. QN-Q2 B-N2 9. R-Q I QN-Q2 I 0. P-K4 PxKP I I .
Chapter XIII
145
NxP NxN 1 2. QxN Q-B2 I 3. P-N3 N-B3 1 4. Q-K2 QR-Q I 1 5. B-N2 P-B4
1 6. PxP BxN 1 7. BxB BxP 1 8. Q-KS Q-K2 1 9. K-N2 P-KR3 20. B-B3 RxR 2 1 .
RxR R-B I 22. R-Q3 R-Q I 23. RxRch QxR 24. P-QN4 B-Q3 25. Q-K2 Q-B2
26. Q-Q3 N-Q2 27. Q-K4 N-K4 28. B-K2 Q-B3 29. QxQ NxQ 30. P-QR3
K-B I 3 1 . P-B4 P-K4 32. B-B3 N-QS 33. B-K4 P-B3 34. K-B2 K-K2 35. K-K3
N-K3 36. PxP PxP 37. B-N I N-QS 38. K-K4 K-K3 39. B-R2 K-Q2 40. B-N I
K-B3 4 1 . P-N4 P-QR4 42. B-Q3 PxP 43. PxP B-B2 44. K-K3 B-Q3 45. B-N6
K-Q2 46. B-K4 K-K2 47. P-R4 P-KN4 48. P-RS K-B3 49. K-Q3 K-K2 50. B-N7
K-K3 5 1 . B-Q2 B-K2 52. B-B8ch K-B3 53. B-Q7 B-Q3 54. K-K4 K-K2 55. B
B8 N-B7 56. P-NS N-QS 57. B-K3 K-B3 58. B-B2 B-B2 59. K-QS B-Q I 60.
P-BS PxP 6 1 . KxP B-K2ch 62. K-B4 NxP 63. KxN B-R6 64. K-B4 B-B8 65. K
QS B-R6 66. B-QBS B-N7 67. B-N6 B-B8 68. B-R6 B-N7 69. B-Q8ch K-N2
70. K-K4 B-B6 7 1 . K-BS P-KS 72. KxP B-Q7 73. K-BS B-B8 74. B-B6ch K-N I
75. B-Q4 B-R6 76. K-B6 B-B I 77. K-K6 B-NS 78. B-Q3 B-B I 79. B-QB2 B
NS 80. K-B6 B-K2ch 8 1 . K-N6, Black resigns
SAMUEL RESH EVSKY-ROBERT FISCHER (Los Angeles, 1 96 1 , Match Game
No. I ): I . P-Q4 N-KB3 2. P-QB4 P-KN3 3. N-QB3 B-N2 4. P-K4 P-Q3 5. B
K2 0-0 6. N-B3 P-K4 7. 0-0 N-B3 8. B-K3 N-KNS 9. B-NS B-B3 I 0. BxB NxB
I I . P-QS N-K2 1 2. N-K I N-Q2 1 3. N-Q3 P-KB4 1 4. PxP PxP? (Black's fluid
pawn center will lack dynamic punch without the King's Bishop as backup
muscle; the preferred move in this position is 1 4. . . . NxBP) 1 5. P-B4 N-N3
1 6. Q-Q2 R-K I 1 7. PxP N/2xP 1 8. NxN RxN 1 9. N-NS B-Q2 20. B-Q 3
BxN 2 1 . PxB Q-Q2 22. Q-KB2 P-BS 23. BxN PxB 24. QxBP QR-K I 25.
QR-Q I Q-N2 26. P-KR3 R/4-K2 27. R-Q2 R-KS 28. Q-B2 P-N3 29. P-R3
R/ I -K4 30. Q-B6 QxQ 3 1 . RxQ K-N2 32. R/6-B2 K-R3 33. K-R2 R-QBS 34.
R-B2 RxR 35. RxR RxP 36. P-QR4!! ("Reshevsky relentlessly jockeys for
position," wrote Grandmaster Larry Evans in Chess Life, "picks up a Pawn, then
demonstrates a stunning display of technique in the ending") 36. . . . R-QS
(Evans notes that Black cannot afford to exchange Rooks by 36. . . . R-QB4
because of 37. RxR NPxR 38. K-N3 P-Q4 39. K-B4 P-QS 40. K-K4 K-N4 4 1 .
P-KN3 K-B3 42. P-QN4! PxP 43. KxP) 37. P-QN3 R-Q6 38. RxP RxP 39. RxP
P-Q4 40. R-Q7 R-Q6 4 1 . R-Q6 R-QS 42. RxN P RxP 43. K-N3 R-NS (Wrote
Evans, "Here the game was adjourned. Reshevsky now displays his virtuosity in
an endgame which should make the next edition of Basic Chess Endings.
Many experts believed Black had a good chance to draw the game.") 44. R-N8
P-QS 45. K-B3 R-N6ch 46. K-K4 P-Q6 47. K-K3 P-N4 48. R-N6ch K-N2 49.
K-Q2 K-B2 50. P-N 3 R-N7ch 5 1 . KxP R-N6ch 52. K-B4 RxKNP 53. R-KR6 K
N2 54. R-QB6 RxP 55. P-N6 R-R8 56. K-NS R-N8ch 57. K-R6 R-R8ch 58. K
N7 P-NS 59. K-B8 R-R3 60. K-B7, Black resigns On 60. . . . P-N6, White picks
up Black's Knight pawn via 6 1 . R-B3 P-N7 62. R-N3ch. 'The old master,"
wrote Evans of Reshevsky, "outplays the brazen youngster in what must have
been a very satisfying victory." Indeed, Reshevsky exercised a control led
technique that was lofty even by his stratospheric standards.
SAMUEL RESH EVSKY-PAL BENKO (U.S. Championship, 1 962): I . P-Q4 N
KB3 2. P-QB4 P-KN3 3. P-KN3 B-N2 4. B-N2 P-Q4 5. PxP NxP 6. N-KB3
146
0-0 7. 0-0 P-QB4 8. PxP N-R3 9. N-NS N/4-NS I 0. N-QB3 P-R3 I I . N-B3
QxQ 1 2. RxQ B-K3 I 3. N-K I NxBP 1 4. B-K3 QR-B I I S. N-NS N-RS 1 6.
NxP QR-Q I 1 7. P-QR3 N-R7 1 8. RxR RxR 1 9. N-Q3 NxP 20. N-BS B-BS
2 1 . NxP R-Q8ch 22. RxR NxR 23. B-BS N/7-B6 24. B-B3 NxPch 25. K-N2
N/8-B6 26. BxP N-QS 27. N-Q6 B-N6 28. B-N7 N-Q4 29. B-QS B-B I 30.
N/7-BS N-K3 3 1 . B-RS N-B4 32. B-B6 N-RS 33. P-R4 B-N2 34. N-K4 N/4-B6
35. N-K7ch K-R2 36. N-Q2 B-K3 37. P-B4 P-B4? 38. B-K8 B-KB I 39. BxPch
K-N2 40. BxP B-B2 4 1 . N-BS B-Q4ch 42. K-R2 BxP 4 3. B-B2 B-B4 44. N-N3
B-B7 45. N-K7 B-KS 46. BxB NxB 47. P-N4 P-R4 48. P-NS K-B2 49. B-N4 B
N6ch 50. K-N2 BxBP 5 1 . P-N6ch K-B3 52. N-QSch KxP 53. NxBch K-B4 54.
K-B3 N-B3 55. B-Q6 N-K I 56. N-Q4ch K-B3 57. NxPch K-B2 58. B-KS N-B4
59. N-NS N-Q2 60. B-N3 K-N3 6 1 . K-N4, Black resigns
SAMUEL RESHEVSKY-PAUL KERES (Los Angeles, 1 963): I . P-QB4 P-K4 2.
N-QB3 N-KB3 3. P-KN3 P-B3 4. N-B3 P-KS 5. N-Q4 P-Q4 6. PxP Q-N3 7.
N-N3 PxP 8. B-N2 B-KB4 9. P-Q3 B-QNS I 0. 0-0 BxN I I . PxB 0-0 1 2. B-K3
Q-B2 1 3. R-B I N-B3 1 4. P-QB4 QR-Q I ?! (GM Larry Evans believes that Black
can probably equalize via 1 4. . . . QPxP I S. RxP PxP 1 6. PxP B-K3! 1 7. R-B I
B-Q4) I S. N-Q4 NxN 1 6. BxN KPxP 1 7. BPxP Q-Q2 1 8. BxN PxP 1 9. QxP
PxB ("At this point," wrote Reshevsky in the toumament book, "White has a
distinct advantage. Black's King is exposed; White has a strong passed pawn.
Nevertheless, some patient, tactical maneuvering is required in order to make
substantial progress. White is faced with the difficult decision whether to
launch an assault against Black's King [since it is precariously exposed] or to at
tempt to advance his passed pawn") 20. Q-N2 K-N2 2 1 . Q-Q4 B-R6 22. KR
Q I BxB 23. KxB P-QR3 24. P-Q6! R-B I 25. Q-QS R-B3 26. RxR PxR 27. Q
QRS R-QR I 28. R-Q4! (Quoth Reshevsky, "Black's pieces being badly out of
play, White wisely prepares an assault against the King") 28 . . . . R-R2 29. Q-RS
Q-K3 30. Q-N4ch! QxQ 3 I . RxQch K-B I 32. R-QB4 K-K I 33. RxP R-R I 34.
P-QR4 P-QR4 35. R-N6 R-B I 36. P-Q7ch KxP 37. RxP K-K2 38. R-BS R-QR I
39. R-RS K-K3 40. RxKRP R-QN I 4 1 . R-RS P-B4 42. R-R6ch, Black resigns
Keres made no discemible "losing move," yet he lost. As for Reshevsky, he
played the entire game with brutal accuracy. Perfect chess.
SAMUEL RESH EVSKY-LARRY EVANS (Amsterdam, 1 964): I . P-Q4 N-KB3
2. P-QB4 P-K3 3. N-QB3 B-NS 4. P-K3 P-B4 5. B-Q3 0-0 6. N-B3 P-Q4 7.
0-0 QPxP 8. BxP P-QN3 9. P-QR3 PxP I 0. PxB PxN I I . QxQ RxQ 1 2. PxP
B-N2 I 3. B-K2 N-KS 1 4. B-N2 N-QB3 I S. KR-Q I RxRch 1 6. RxR R-Q I 1 7.
RxRch NxR 1 8. N-Q4 N-QB3 1 9. N-B2 P-B3 20. P-B3 N-Q3 2 1 . P-QB4 K
B2 22. K-B2 P-QR3 23. P-K4 K-K2 24. K-K3 K-Q2 25. K-Q2 B-B I 26. P-N4
P-R3 27. P-R4 P-QN4 28. P-BS N-N2 29. P-B4 K-K2 30. K-B3 B-Q2 3 1 . B-R3
P-N4 32. RPxP RPxP 33. P-BS N-K4 34. N-K3 B-B3 35. K-Q4 N-Q I 36. B
Q I B-N2 37. B-B2 K-Q2 38. B-N2 PxP 39. NPxP N/ I -B3ch 40. K-B3 K-K2
4 1 . N-QSch K-B2 42. B-N3 P-R4 43. N-K3dis.ch. K-K2 44. PxP NxP 45. B-QS
B-R3 46. K-B2 N/R4-BS 47. B/SxN PxB 48. BxN PxB 49. P-B6 K-Q3 50. P-B6
K-K3 5 1 . P-QB7 KxP 52. NxP P-NS 53. K-Q2 K-N4 54. K-K3 P-N6 55. K-B3
K-RS 56. NxP K-R6 57. N-Q3 K-R7 58. N-B4, Black resigns
Chapter XIII
14 7
SAMUEL RESH EVSKY-ARTHUR DAKE (Lone Pine, 1 977): I . N-KB3 N-KB3
2. P-B4 P-KN3 3. P-KN3 B-N2 4. B-N2 0-0 5. 0-0 P-Q3 6. N-B3 P-K4 7. P
Q3 N-B3 8. R-N I P-QR4 9. P-QR3 B-Q2 I 0. P-QN4 PxP I I . PxP Q-B I 1 2.
B-NS B-R6 1 3. BxN BxB/3 1 4. N-QS B-Q I I S. R-R I BxB 1 6. KxB R-N I 1 7.
P-NS N-K2 1 8. N-B3 N-B4 1 9. R-R4 N-N2 20. Q-Q2 N-K3 2 1 . Q-R6 B-B3
22. N-QS Q-Q I 23. NxBch QxN 24. R-R7 Q-K2 25. Q-K3 KR-K I 26. N-Q2
Q-N4 27. N-K4 Q-Q I 28. N-B3 K-N2 29. P-R4 P-R4 30. R-QN I R-K2 3 1 .
N-QS R-Q2 .32. Q-Q2 R-R I 33. RxR QxR 34. P-K3 Q-R6 35. P-Q4 R-Q I
36. P-N6 BPxP 37. RxP PxP 38. PxP R-Q2 39. Q-K3 QxQ 40. PxQ P-B4 4 1 .
K-B3 K-B2 42. K-K2 N-Q I 43. K-Q3 N-B3 44. N-B4 R-K2 45. R-N I R-Q2
46. N-QS N-K2 47. N-B4 N-N I 48. P-K4 PxPch 49. KxP N-B3ch 50. K-Q3
R-K2 5 1 . R-KB I K-N2 52. P-QS N-Q2 53. N-K6ch K-N I 54. K-Q4 P-N3 55.
R-QR I N-B4 56. R-R8ch K-R2 57. N-NSch K-N2 58. R-Q8 R-K8 59. RxP
R-Q8ch 60. K-K3 R-Q6ch 6 1 . K-B4 R-QSch 62. K-KS RxBP 63. R-QB6 N
Q6ch 64. K-Q6 RxRch 65. PxR N-B4 66. K-K7 N-R3 67. N-K6ch K-R3 68.
P-B7 NxP 69. NxN P-KN4 70. K-B6 PxP 7 1 . PxP, Black resigns
SAMUEL RESH EVSKY-VASSILY SMYSLOV (Moscow, 1 99 1 ) : I . P-Q4 P-Q4
2. P-QB4 P-QB3 3. N-QB3 N-B3 4. P-K3 P-KN3 5. N-B3 B-N2 6. B-K2 0-0
7. 0-0 B-NS 8. PxP PxP 9. Q-N3 P-N3 I 0. P-KR3 B-K3 I I . N-KS N-KS 1 2. N
Q3 N-QB3 1 3. N-B4 N-R4 1 4. NxB NxQ I S. NxQ NxN 1 6. NPxN NxB
1 7. QRxN KRxN 1 8. P-KB4! QR-B I 1 9. P-B4 PxP 20. BxP P-QR4 2 1 . P-QR4
P-K3 22. B-R6! R-R I 23. B-N7 QR-N I 24. R-B7 B-B I 25. B-R6 B-Q3 26. R
B6 B-NS 27. K-B2 P-R4 28. P-N4 PxP 29. PxP K-N2 30. P-BS! R-Q3 3 1 . R-B7
N PxP 32. PxP PxP 33. K-K2 R-KB3 34. B-Q3 R-KR I 35. BxP R-R7ch 36. K
Q3 R-R7 37. R-N I ch K-B I 38. B-R7 R-R6ch 39. K-K4 R-K3ch 40. K-BS K-K I
4 1 . R-N8ch B-B I 42. K-B4 RIK3xP 43. B-K4 RIK3-B3 44. B-B6ch RxB 45. RxR
K-Q2 46. RxP B-Q3ch 47. K-K4 RxP 48. R-N7ch B-B2 49. K-QS R-R8 50. R
QR8 R-R7 5 1 . R/8-R7 R-QB7 52. RxP K-B I 53. R/5-NS P-B4 54. R-R7 P-BS
55. R-BS RxRch 56. KxR K-N I 57. R-R3 K-N2 58. R-N3ch K-B I 59. K- B6,
Black resigns. Reshevsky first defeated Smyslov in 1 939 and was still turning the
trick 52 years later! A tremendous piece of ending technique that was probably
the winner's final great game.
Chapter XIV
''Ifim
an
Officer of the Czar! "
If you were looking for someone to play the role of a Russian gen
eral in "His Imperial Majesty's Army" and if Emil Jannings or Erich
von Stroheim were unavailable, then you could not have done bet
ter than hire Alexander Alexandrovich Alekhine. Chess champion of
the world from 19 27 to 1935 and from 1937 to 1946, he com
manded every bit of attention that his imposing name suggests.
By birth the son of a landowning Marshal of Nobility (his father
was privy councillor to the conservative Fourth Duma) , Alekhine
created the impression in his bearing and attitude of royal power
progressively collapsing into total decadence. Having arrived in the
West in 1921, this dispossessed nobleman was blond in hair and fair
in complexion, cruelly handsome, and always ramrod straight
thanks largely to a corset that he was seldom without. Given to
wearing suits with striped pants and shirts with old-fashioned wing
collars, he looked like a diplomat on his way to present credentials
at the Court of St. James.
I got my first peek at Alekhine in 1929 during a simultaneous ex
hibition that he gave at the Manhattan Chess Club. My good friend
Irving Kandel was lucky enough to procure a board and kind
enough to let me j oin him in consultation. I can still see Alekhine's
famous piercing look when approaching a board for the first time.
He stared at you as if his eyes were snapping your picture. Months
later, when I again played against him in a simul at the Hungaria
International Chess Club, he repeated the same procedure, only this
time he stopped aod said, "Oh, you again." Both games were drawn.
The following afternoon (or was it the following year?) , Alekhine
played a 20-board blindfold simultaneous at the Manhattan. Al
though not a record-setter, it was the greatest such exhibition that I
have ever seen or read about. Just imagine, the man played 20 top
masters, some in consultation, scored well and produced some
beautiful games.
Alekhine's memory was legendary. Just as those eyes photo
graphed your image and that brain effortlessly conducted huge
blindfold exhibitioos, so his memory stored all that passed before it.
148
Chapter XN
149
My friend Mendel Najdorf claims that during the Margate tourna
ment of 1938, he mentioned to Alekhine that they had crossed
swords 11 years earlier in a simultaneous in Warsaw, Poland.
"I won our game," said Najdorf.
"So, you're the one who gave me the Rook," replied the world
champion who played blindfolded against Najdorf.
A Chess Superman
In 1932, Alekhine returned to New York and stayed for several
months. But this time he was no longer the fastidious, yet vibrant
powerhouse of 1929. Gone was the regal bearing and that fresh,
young and eager look. He smoked incessantly and was careless
about dropping ashes on his clothes. Something had happened, and
my guess is that chess success and public adulation failed to satisfy
his restless nature. In a newspaper interview from 1944, he said, " If,
sometime, I write my memoirs-which is very possible-people will
realize that chess has been a minor factor in my life. It gave me the
opportunity to further an ambition and at the same time convinced
me of the futility of the ambition." Or as the composer, Felix Men
delssohn, once observed, "Chess is too earnest for a game; too much
of a game to be earnest about."
Alekhine still played great chess, though I noticed a certain ner
vousness and uncertainty in his manner. He came to the Manhattan
daily, played 10-second chess with us Young Turks and would keep
us up most of the night because he never wanted to go to bed.
During this period, he seemed to have no life other than chess, and
that life appeared to be going to pieces.
A chess Superman losing his mental pawns? I don't want to ex
aggerate Alekhine's breakdown. After all, he remained a colossus .
Take, for example, his famous simultaneous exhibition at the old
Seventh Regiment Armory on Park and 66th. The event took place
on election day, November 8, 1932 , and pitted Alekhine against 5 0
four-man consultation teams made up of most of the top masters o n
the East Coast. A thousand spectators attended, and the opening
ceremonies featured music from a brass band. Play lasted more than
12 hours, beginning at 3 :30 p.m. and continuing past 4 a.m. the fol
lowing morning. Alekhine scored a phenomenal +30 -6 =14, eclips
ing Jose Capablanca's total of +28 -6 = 16 of the year before. But
before Capa-philes lynch me, the other side of the coin is that the
Cuban finished his exhibition at midnight or four hours earlier than
Alekhine. By midnight, Alekhine had completed only 10 games!
The sharp struggle below shows both the quality of opposition
faced by Alekhine and the brute chess strength that he could exert
150
against it:
Alexander Alekhine-Donald MacMurray, Arnold Denker et alia
New York Armory Exhibition, 1 932
I . P-Q4 N-KB3 2. N-KB3 P-Q4 3. P-B4 P-K3 4. B-NS B-K2 S. P-K3 0-0 6. N
B3 QN-Q2 7. R-B I P-B3 8. P-QR3 N-KS 9. BxB QxB I 0. NxN PxN I I . N
Q2 P-KB4 1 2. P-BS P-K4 1 3. N-B4 PxP 1 4. PxP N-B3 I S. N-Q6 P-QN4?!
White did not play the opening in very distinguished fashion, and
Black could have gotten the better game by playing the sensible 1 5 .
. . . B-K3, followed by . . . B-Q4. The point behind the text move is to
lock up White's Bishop. But. . .
1 6. P-QS! P-K6!?
Alekhine throws down the gauntlet, and we respond by going for
the throat. If 17. BPxP QxPch 18. B-K2 NxP, Black has chances to
win .
1 7. P-B3 NxP 1 8. BxP! N-BS 1 9. B-B4ch K-R I 20. P-KN3 N-R6 2 1 . Q-Q4 P
BS 22. Q-K4 Q-B3
23. QxQBP
This capture required very careful analysis, but our great oppo
nent proved up to the mark even though playing 49 other games.
23 . . . . B-Q2
Black cannot play 23 . . . . QxP because of 24. N-B7ch RxN 25. Q
K8ch.
24. QxR
And now, White must avoid 24. QxB QxP.
24. . . . RxQ 2S. N-B7ch K-N I 26. N-NSch, draw
That Alekhine could play so well when facing so many other
Chapter XIV
151
tough consultation teams amazed us. Both the Manhattan and
Marshall chess clubs fielded numerous teams stuffed with masters.
Other squads came from the Brooklyn Chess Club, the Flatbush
Chess Club, the Hungaria International Chess Club, the Park Avenue
Chess Club, the Jewish Morning Journal, the Young Men's Hebrew
Association, City College, Columbia University, New York Univer
sity and so on. Members of the teams included Fritz Brieger,
Matthew Green, Milton Hanauer, Donald MacMurray, Jack
Moskowitz , Julius Partos, Max Pavey, David Polland, AI Simonson,
Rudolph Smirka, Oscar Tenner, this writer and several more
masters. A young Paul H. Nitze, who would later gain fame as an
arms negotiator, also played.
We are often told that if chess is an art, then Alekhine is the
greatest player ever. He studied chess "eight hours a day on
principle" and sank himself into what Vladimir Nabokov called its
"abysmal depths" as no other grandmaster before him. During the
London Congress of 1922 , a chess patron took Capablanca and
Alekhine to a music hall show. "Capablanca never took his eyes off
the chorus," testified the patron later, "and Alekhine never looked
up from his pocket chess set." Certainly, Alekhine consciously
viewed himself as a chess artist, striving for and achieving aestheti
cally pleasing effects even in simuls. The following flawed diamond
was played in an exhibition at the 1933 World's Fair in Chicago:
Alexander Alekhine-Mezirov
Chicago, 1 933
Irregular Opening
I . P-K4 P-QB3 2. P-Q4 N-KB3 3. N-QB3 P-Q3 4. N-B3 B-N5 5. B-QB4
QN-Q2 6. B-K3 P-K4 7. PxP QNxP? 8. B-K2 Q-B2 9. N-Q4 BxB I 0. QxB P
KN3 I I . 0-0-0 B-N2 1 2. P-B4 N/K4-Q2 1 3. N/Q4-N5?
Alekhine was ever passionately ambitious . But he ought to have
doubled Rooks, beginning with 13. R-Q2 .
I 3 . . . PxN 1 4. NxP Q-B3 1 5. RxP QxP 1 6. RxN/Q7!
.
This move is the only chance because after 16. R-K6ch, White
gives up too much for the Queen.
1 6. . . . 0-0?
This plausible move permits Alekhine to save himself with an
amazing drawing combination. Black wins with 16 . . . . KxR 17. R
Q1ch N-Q4.
1 7. R-Q4 Q-K3 1 8. N-B3 KR-K I
If 18 . . . . N-NS, White has 19. R-K4 .
152
1 9. R-K I N-Q4
20. NxN!! BxR 2 1 . BxB!! QxQ 22. N-B6ch K-B I
Black has no choice.
23. NxPch K-N I 24. N-B6ch, draw
Analyzing with Alekhine
Alekhine was very nice to me in both personal and chess terms. On
numerous occasions, he treated me to dinner, which was no small
deal in the days of the Great Depression. One evening, Bert Kadish,
a young newspaperman, invited us to a speakeasy housed in a local
Democratic Party headquarters. Against the backdrop of a huge
American flag that covered an entire wall, we had dinner. Or at least
Bert and I did. Alekhine hardly touched his food. Chain smoking
the entire time, he polished off two bottles of wine. He loved the
grape, and in keeping with my image of a true Cossack, he could
hold quite a bit.
Alekhine chose me as his partner in two consultation games
against Isaac Kashdan and Richard Warburg (of the banking
Warburgs) . We won the two games fairly easily, but more impor
tantly, I learned a lot about how the world champion analyzed
chess positions . Alekhine taught me to sit on my hands and not to
play the first move that came to mind, no matter how good it
looked. He examined everything, whipping through an astonishing
number of variations. When I offered a suggestion, he took it seri
ously and ran it through the wringer of detailed analysis. And if my
idea survived this logic-crunching, he cheerfully adopted it.
"Analyze, analyze, analyze ! " was Alekhine's motto. Moreover, he
did not confine himself to logical moves. Any move, no matter how
silly it appeared, merited attention. And not infrequently, he dis
covered sparkling ideas at the end of seemingly awful continuations.
My dear friend Arthur Dake, a great American master of the
1930s, was quite chummy with Alekhine even though Arthur nailed
Chapter XW
153
him repeatedly in rapid transit play. Arthur believes that Alekhine's
distrust of intuitive moves and his penchant for analyzing positions
to death accounted for his relative weakness in speed games. That
makes sense because otherwise there is no explanation for how the
vastly talented Alekhine could perform so poorly in this variety of
chess.
An Unhappy Genius
I am sure that there are plenty of happy geniuses, but Alekhine was
not one of them. What I saw was a very unhappy man, who drank
prodigiously and smoked constantly and seemed bent on self
destruction.
The excesses that I observed in New York eventually undermined
Alekhine's practical chess strength. In 1935 he narrowly lost a title
match to Max Euwe, an upset that no one predicted. To appreciate
the shock attendant on Alekhine's defeat; one need only examine
the great man's tournament and Olympiad record from Kecskemet
in 1927 through the Warsaw Olympiad in 1935. He participated in
19 events, playing 224 games. Of this number, he won 151, drew 67
and lost only six. That's about one loss every two years. In a period
of nine years, he finished second but once in a tournament.
Alekhine's shock at defeat doubtlessly eclipsed even that of the
chess world. He suddenly discovered that he loved the world chess
title more than alcohol and tobacco and dropped both vices until
after defeating Euwe rather easily in the 193 7 return match.
We tend to forget that Alekhine was only 45 when he recovered
his title-a man in early middle age. He needed only to keep
control of himself to maintain his chess strength for many years to
come. But he returned to the bottle with a vengeance, though for a
period his results suffered little. As late as 1943, he could shatter
tournament fields. I am thinking about his victory at Prague with a
score of 1 7-2, which was 2% points ahead of Paul Keres.
Shortly thereafter, however, Alekhine collapsed as a chess force.
By late 1944, he could barely defeat a Spanish master, Ramon Rey
Ardid, in a match; and by 194 5 , he was routinely drawing and
losing games against justifiably obscure Spanish and Portuguese
masters. His play was unrecognizable.
On March 24, 1946, at age 53 , Alekhine was found dead in a
shabby hotel room in Estoril, Portugal. He choked to death on a
piece of meat. A police photograph shows a portly, mostly bald old
man, dressed in an overcoat to keep warm and slumped back in a
ratty armchair. Today, while staring at this grisly picture, I try in
vain to recognize the man of martial mien whom I once knew so
154
long ago-the displaced Russian noble who used to pound tables
and proclaim in a thick Russian accent, "I am an officer of the
czar ! "
Chapter XV
'fhe Man Who C/Jeat
Jfllexander Jfllekhine
He paused for just a moment at the top of the stairway leading from
the airplane-and then all six feet four inches of the man came
bounding down the steps with the ease of someone half his age. I
watched in admiration as my 80-year-old friend, still handsome and
still ramrod straight, took long, purposeful strides across the tarmac
to the air terminal.
Dr. Max Euwe, world chess champion from 1935 to 1937, had
just arrived in Atlanta, Georgia, for the 52nd meeting of the FIDE
General Assembly. The time was August 1981.
As Dr. E came through customs, I walked up to him and shook
his hand. Then we embraced. It was a warm and wonderful reunion
with a man I had grown very fond of over the years. A kind and
thoughtful human being, he never permitted himself the luxury of
losing his temper, always weighing every word carefully lest he give
offense.
And while on the subject of words, his own word was his bond.
Once you had it, you could sleep soundly.
As Max and I waited for his luggage and chatted about the latest
news, thoughts from somewhere far back and deep down began to
surface in my mind. Thoughts from what seemed like another age.
Thoughts that had nothing to do with sleek and shiny Atlanta
bathed in warmth and prosperity. Thoughts about early postwar
Europe and all those sad-eyed people in alleyways handing over
their few belongings to furtive, sharp-eyed black marketeers for
food. And, of course, thoughts about my first meeting with Dr. E
shortly before Christmas in the cold, bombed out London of 1945.
A n Innocent Abroad
Simply getting to London in December 1945, proved to be a titanic
struggle. It provided me with my first direct confirmation that all
was not shipshape in Europe following six years of war. I had been
155
156
invited to play in the annual Hastings fixture over the Christmas
and New Year's holidays of 1 945-46 and in the London "Victory"
International set to start about two weeks later in mid-January, and
was desperately attempting to book passage. But to no avail.
Enter Maurice Wertheim, the immensely wealthy investment
banker and chess angel, who bankrolled much of American chess
during the 1940s. Maurice managed to squeeze me into a berth on
the Queen Mary, which was making its final voyage as a troop
carrier-a voyage so rough that I clearly remember walking up and
down hill on heaving decks in a grim battle to stave off seasickness.
Mter reaching London, I immediately hooked up with Herman
Steiner, the chess teacher of Hollywood stars, who had arrived first
aboard one of the old Pan-Am Clippers and who had thoughtfully
arranged for our rooms at the four-star Savoy. Parking my bags, I
set off wide-eyed through streets filled with the debris of bombed
buildings to perform all the chores given me by Mrs. Wertheim, the
former wife of Gene Seiberling of auto-tire fame. Many of her aunts
and uncles from Sweden, most of them old and frail, had sat out the
war in England; and I spent a long day playing the role of Santa
Claus by dispensing Mrs. W's much-needed medicines and goodies to
her overjoyed relatives.
Back at the hotel, I found the following note from Dr. Euwe:
"Would you and Herman be my guests for dinner this evening?
Please phone my room if you can make it. "
"Make it?" Was he kidding? Nimzovich himself could not have
built a blockade that would have kept me from dining with the man
who beat Alexander Alekhine.
Amateur World Champion
Born in a suburb of Amsterdam on May 20, 1901, Machgielis or Max
Euwe played in his first chess tournament at age 10, a one-day
event in which he won every game. In 192 1 , at age 20, he captured
the first of his 13 Dutch national titles and drew a match with Geza
Maroczy ( +2 -2 =8) , one of the world's leading grandmasters.
Here, then, was a young comer who would soon be a major con
tender, right?
Wrong! Max, you see, discovered a positional law of life that
every veteran chess master knows all too well: If you expend too
many tempos on work and love, then your chess development will
lag. Majoring in mathematics at the University of Amsterdam, Max
graduated cum laude in 1923, took a teaching position in 1924,
and earned a doctorate in 1926. Still worse from the chess angle, he
Chapter XV
157
acquired a teaching license in bookkeeping, passed an actuarial ex
amination, took up flying, boxing and swimming, and got married
in 1926. He eventually fathered three daughters.
·
Although Max competed in some 60 tournaments and contested
20 matches during the 1920s, most of these competitions were
small, local affairs. He averaged only one strong tournament a year,
and he did not garner a major first prize until Hastings 1930-3 1 ,
when h e finished ahead of Jose Capablanca. Instead, Max made it
into the pantheon of great masters via the novel route of losing and
occasionally drawing matches.
Max's ploy was to select famous opponents, lose narrowly, and
not become a defeatist. Over his Christmas and New Year's holiday
of 1926-27, he lost an exhibition match to Alexander Alekhine ( +2
-3 =5); during the Easter break of 1928 and the Christmas-New
Year's vacation of 1928-29, he lost two 10-game matches to Efim
Bogolyubov by a single point each. Then, in 193 1 , he continued his
merry ways by dropping a hard-fought match to Capablanca ( +0 -2
=8), but the following year he beat Rudolf Spielmann and drew
with Salo Flohr.
In adversity, Max flourished. He began to make a mark in top
flight tournament play, thereby becoming a living advertisement for
Capablanca's claim that one learns more through defeat than
victory. Following the win at Hastings, he shared second prize at
Berne 1932 and Zurich 1934, both times behind Alekhine, and then
finished first equal at Hastings 1934-3 5 , ahead of Capablanca and
Mikhail Botvinnik.
As the eventful year of 1935 dawned, and after some 15 years in
the international arena, Max enjoyed a status among masters rough
ly equal to that possessed by Alekhine in 1924, after that immortal
had also spent a decade and a lustrum in top competition. But there
the similarity ended. For Alekhine was a professional and Euwe an
amateur. Max's victory in the Olympic Amateur Championship at
The Hague in 1928 was emblematic of the fact that this world ama
teur champion was also an amateur world champion-the last
player who was able to scale the Everest of chess in his spare time.
And not by luck, either!
"'The Weakest of World Champions"
Nothing infuriates me more than to hear Max Euwe described as
"the weakest of world champions" and as someone who made it to
the top only because of Alekhine's alcoholism. First of all, the life
time score between these two rivals is only narrowly in Alekhine's
favor, 44-38. In addition, Dr. E, who captured 102 first prizes
158
during his tournament career, won a half-dozen match games from
Alekhine that have never been surpassed for their sheer wondrous
accuracy. Just take a look at game eight of their first match in
1 926-27, or game 20 in 193 5 , or games one, five, 17 and 29 in
1937. The latter game, just like the famous Fischer-Keres Ruy at
Cura9ao 1962, is one of those rare battles in which Black's losing
move remains unclear to this very day.
Max Euwe-Aiexander Alekhine
World Championship Match, / 93 7 (Game 29)
I . N-KB3 N-KB3 2. P-B4 P-K3 3. N-B3 P-Q4 4. P-Q4 P-B4 S. B-NS PxQP 6.
KNxP P-K4 7. N-B3 P-QS 8. N-QS N-B3?!
"Annotators of this game," wrote Euwe in From My Games ,
"have been unable to discover precisely which move is the ultimate
cause of Black's downfall. The trail led to the opening, but there
they lost their way. The fault probably lies with the text move."
Instead, Euwe recommends 8 . . . . B-K2.
9. P-K4 B-K2 I 0. BxN BxB I I . P-QN4!
Wrote Euwe, "Now White obtains a clear advantage, and it is not
difficult for him to better his position from move to move. Although
Black makes no mistakes his game is always difficult."
I I . . . . 0-0 1 2. B-Q3 P-QR4 1 3. P-QR3 B-K3 1 4. R-QN I PxP I S. PxP B-K2
1 6. 0-0 P-B3 1 7. Q-B2! K-R I 1 8. P-BS R-R6 1 9. B-B4 P-B4 20. NxB QxN 2 1 .
B-QS R-B6 22. Q-Q2 PxP 23. BxP B-B4 24. BxB RxB 2S. KR-K I
White threatens either 26. NxQP or 26. P-NS, followed by 2 7 .
NxQP. Therefore, Black sacrifices the exchange.
2S . . . . R/6xN 26. PxR Q-RS 27. R-K4 Q-R6 28. R-N4 QxP 29. R-N3 Q-KS
30. R-R I P-R3 3 1 . P-NS N-K2 32. P-B6! R-B I 33. Q-N4 R-K I 34. P-B7 N-Q4
3S. Q-Q6! N-BS 36. Q-Q8
It is a measure of Euwe's relentless objectivity that he criticizes
this strong move and gives 36. Q-Q7 as "a bit more precise." Why?
Because at move 40, Black could not play . . . Q-B2.
36 . . . . N-K7ch 37. K-B I NxRch 38. RPxN Q-R8ch 39. K-K2 Q-R4ch 40. K
Q 2 Q-B2 4 1 . K-K I , Black resigns
For if 41. . . . Q-B1, White finishes with 42. R-R8 Q-NSch 43 . K
B l . " [ Euwe's] best game of the whole series"-Alekhine.
There can be no doubt that Dr. E was in Alekhine's league. But
more important than their overall lifetime score and the conduct of
Chapter XV
159
individual games is a crucial fact that has never, so far as I know,
been remarked upon: As late as game 56 in the lifetime competition
between Alekhine and Euwe, the score was dead even! Only when
Alekhine won game seven of their second title match did he go
ahead for keeps . Oh yes, Alekhine never won a tournament game as
Black against Euwe.
So , while I cannot deny the intellectual validity of making com
parisons among the 13 world champions, I can state that it is more
enlightening to argue about who is the strongest among these
distinguished chess minds than about who is the weakest.
Having said that, let me lay my cards on the chess table: While
Max Euwe was a first-class human being whose friendship I treas
ured, I never warmed up to his style. It seemed dry and uninspired
when compared with Alekhine's danger-is-my-business approach.
None of us realized it at the time, but Euwe's play, for all of its oc
casional brilliance, was a harbinger of the chess computer. Thus,
heaven help the player who launched an ill-prepared attack or even
a well-prepared attack against Euwe !
What Fred Reinfeld wrote of the following, seldom-published
game applies to a lot of the chess played between these two giants :
"In this titanic struggle, Euwe successfully withstands the withering
fire of a characteristic Alekhine attack. Although Alekhine ulti
mately succumbs because he tries to force the game at all costs, this
should by no means minimize our appreciation of Euwe's cool and
resourceful defensive play in a very trying position."
Alexander Alekhine-Max Euwe
Amsterdam, 1 936
Four Knights Game
I . P-K4 P-K4 2. N-KB3 N-QB3 3. N-B3 N-B3 4. B-NS B-NS 5. 0-0 0-0 6.
P-Q3 P-Q3 7. N-K2 N-K2 8. P-B3 B-R4 9. N-N3 P-B3 I 0. B-R4 N-N3 I I .
P-Q4! R-K I 1 2. B-N3 PxP I 3. PxP B-K3 1 4. N-NS BxB I S. QxB Q-Q2 1 6.
P-B3
Writes Euwe, "White has now obtained a genuinely promising
position; his center is secure, his pieces move comfortably into
strong positions and Black has to reckon with the continual possi
bility of a thrust on the King side."
1 6 . . . . P-KR3 1 7. N-R3 R-K3
Euwe preferred 17. . . . B-N3 to avoid the coming attack, though
the text is not necessarily an error.
1 8. N-B4 NxN 1 9. BxN B-N3 20. QR-Q I QR-K I 2 1 . K-R I P-Q4 22. P-KS
N-R2
160
Euwe's position is difficult but not weak. That's the good news.
The bad news is that he will have to face an Alekhine assault against
his King.
23. N-BS P-B3 24. P-N4! PxP 25. BxKP N-B3 26. Q-Q3 K-R I 27. R-KN I
Euwe states that 27. P-NS would have "led to an extremely
complicated game with possibilities difficult to fathom . . . . Unless
White clinches matters speedily with his attack, however-and it
might easily fail-he would be faced with a lost ending."
27. . . . B-B2 28. P-B4 Q-B2
29. QR-KB I
Black's game is just holding together. Alekhine wants to play 2 9 .
NxNP, but Black can refute i t decisively with 2 9 . . . . RxB ! 30. B PxR
N-KS ! .
29 . . . . BxB 30. BPxB N-KS! 3 1 . P-NS!?
Alekhine tries to keep the attack going. On 3 1 . N-Q6, Black
reaches a drawn ending after 3 1 . . . . Q-N3 32. NxN Q)tNch 33. QxQ
PxQ 34. R-Kl P-B4. Of course, White would like to play 3 1 . NxRP,
but this move is met by 3 1 . . . . N-B7ch 32. K-N2 RxN 33. RxN
RxPch 34. KxR Q)tRch.
3 1 . . . . PxP 32. N-Q6 N-B7ch 33. K-N2 NxQ 34. NxQch K-N I 35. NxP
R-N3
"Now White's attack is seen to have overshot the mark," writes
Euwe. By which he means that the onus of holding a draw has
passed from Black to White.
36. P-KR4
This bold move is probably inferior to K-B3 and K-N4.
36 . . . . P-B4 37. PxP RxP 38. K-R3 NxBP 39. R-B I R-QB3 40. KR- K I N-KS
4 1 . RxR PxR 42. R-QB I ?
Chapter XV
161
White lets slip the draw. Euwe gives as equal, 42. NxN RxN 4 3 .
RxR! PxR 4 4 . K-N4 K-R2 4 5 . K-B4 K-N3 46. KxP K-R4 47. K-BS !
KxP 48. K-N6.
42. . . . NxNch 43. PxN R-K3 44. K-N4 K-B2 45. R-B3 P-R4 46. K-B3 K-N 3
47. R-R3 KxP 48. RxP K-B4 49. P-R4 P-N4 50. R-RS R-KS 5 1 . R-B8ch K-K4
52. R-K8ch K-QS 53. R-QNS!
Alekhine defends ferociously and threatens to force a draw with
P-N4 and P-RS.
53. . . . P-B4 54. P-N4?
Euwe says that the best defense is 54. P-RS , which would,
however, lose in the long run, e.g. 54 . . . . R-KB 55. P-R6 R-QR8 5 6 .
R-QRB P-BS 5 7 . P-R7 K-Q6 5 8 . K-N4 P-QS 59. KxP K-B7 60. R-QBB
RxP 61. RxPch K-Q6.
54. . . . P-BS 55. P-RS R-K6ch 56. K-B2 R-QR6 57. R-NS P-B6 58. RxP R-R7ch
59. K-B3 P-B7 60. R-N I and White resigns
As in so many of their games, Alekhine forced the pace but was
met by mathematically perfect defense from Euwe.
Winning the World Title
At Zurich 1934, Euwe defeated Alekhine in a brilliancy prize game
that ought to have served as a wake-up-and-smell-the-coffee call for
the world champion and his fawning critics.
It did not. Alekhine's record was simply too overwhelming for
anyone to give the young Dutchman much chance to win the title
match scheduled for late 193 5 . From Kecskemet in 1927 through
the Warsaw Olympiad in 193 5 , Alekhine competed in 19 events,
played 224 games, won 1 5 1 , drew 67 and lost only six. That's
about one loss every two years. Over a period of nine years, he
missed first prize in precisely one tournament.
Yet in Max's brilliant win at Zurich one sees the reasons for his
title victory the following year. Not only did my friend level his
score with the champion over their previous 12 encounters, he also
conceived a combination that epitomized his tactical acuity. At the
time, Alekhine dismissed the brilliancy as a tactical cheapo; later,
after regaining the title in 1937 (by a score of 15%-9%), he sang
another tune. "Does the general public, do even our friends the crit
ics," he wrote, "realize that Euwe virtually never made an unsound
combination? He may, of course, occasionally fail to take ac
count . . . of an opponent's combination, but when he has the initia
tive in a tactical operation his calculation is . . . impeccable. "
162
Max employed his tactical genius not to devise original strata
gems a la Alekhine but to apply general rules accurately to given
positions. "Euwe as [a] strategist," wrote Alekhine, "stands at the
opposite pole from where Reti stood. Reti declared in his famous
book, New Ideas in Chess, that he was interested only in the
exceptions; Euwe believes, perhaps a little too much, in the immu
tability of laws . "
All o f which means that while Max was not an original player, he
was certainly a formidable one-a tactical genius who enforced gen
eral positional laws with the rigor of a trained mathematician. In
the words of Hans Kmoch, he was "logic personified, a genius of law
and order." Study the combination below, consider Alekhine's emo
tional reaction, read Max's dispassionate commentary given in quo
tation marks, and stop imagining that he was lucky to defeat
Alekhine +9 -8 =13 in their first title match:
Euwe-A/ekhine
Zurich, / 934
28. P-K4!
"The text is severely criticized by Alekhine on the ground that it
is based wholly on a tactical finesse. This latter consideration is,
however, only incidental to the primary strategic significance of the
text move . . . . The basic point underlying the text is that the player
with the greater freedom of action ought to strive to increase his
mobility by opening up new lines wherever possible . . . .lt is true that
at first sight this move seems quite daring and even a contradiction
of White's plan of the game, for Black obtains the square Q4 for his
pieces, the QP is isolated and there are possibilities of counterplay
for Black on the K file . . . .It will therefore be understood that White
decided on the text move only after the most searching study of the
position . "
28
.
. . .
NxP
"Alekhine played this move under the impression that his oppo
nent was about to make an oversight. He recommends the alter-
Chapter XV
163
native 28 . . . . PxP 29. NxKP N-Q4 30. P-N3 P-B3 3 1 . N-Q3 Q-K2. I n
that event, however, White has a demonstrably won position after
32. QxQ and now 32 . . . . R/3xQ 33. N/4-B5 R-R2 34. N-K6 winning
a Pawn by force. "
29. NxN PxN 30. RxP P-B3?
"Too optimistic. Decidedly better was 30 . . . . N-K2 . "
3 1 . N-B7!!
"It is this surprising move which establishes the soundness of 2 8 .
P-K4 ! . " I t may also be the reason why Alekhine harshly criticized
this beautiful combination. For White's 3 1st move is a loud echo of
a famous Alekhine brilliancy. Here is how Alekhine defeated M. von
Feldt (Dr. Martin Fischer?) in a blindfold exhibition at Tarnopol in
September 1916: 1. P-K4 P-K3 2. P-Q4 P-Q4 3. N-QB3 N-KB3 4 .
PxP NxP 5 . N-K4 P-KB4? 6 . N-N5 ! B-K2 7 . N/5-BJ P-B3? 8 . N-K5
0-0 9. N/1-BJ P-QN3 10. B-Q3 B-N2 1 1 . 0-0 R-Kl 12. P-B4 N-B3 1 3 .
B-B4 QN-Q2 14. Q-K2 P-B4 1 5 . N-B7 ! ! KxN 16. QxPch ! K-N3 , and
White announced mate in two by 1 7 . P-KN4 ! B-K5 18. N-R4.
3 1 . . . . Q-K I
On 3 1 . . . . KxN?, White forces mate after 32. Q-R5ch K-K2 3 3 .
RxRch KxR 3 4 . R-Klch.
32. RxR QxR 33. N-Q8 Q-KS 34. NxP P-R3 35. P-QS! Q-Q6 36. P-R3 Q
Q7 37. P-N3 K-R I 38. K-N2 Q-Q6 39. R-K I K-R2 40. R-K3 Q-Q7 4 1 . R-K8
Q-Q6 42. Q-Q4 Q-BS 43. Q-K4ch QxQch 44. RxQ K-N I 45. N-N8 K-B2
46. NxP R-Q2 47. R-Q4 N-K2 48. P-Q6 N-B4 49. R-QS NxQP 50. N-BS R
Q I 5 1 . N-K4 N-N2 52. P-R6! K-K3 53. RxR, Black resigns
Dinner at Eight
After returning to my hotel and receiving Max's invitation to dinner,
I went upstairs to dress for the occasion. For dinner was at eight-at
the Savoy. And with champagne flowing, what a gala occasion it
turned out to be. Here was the great Dr. Max Euwe, about whom
164
Herman and I had read so much, playing the role of polished
raconteur.
In answer to one of our questions, Max said, "Alekhine's weak
ness was that he could not sit on his hands during a game. He had
to be doing something to satisfy his restless imagination and ap
pease his forceful personality. What he did was usually brilliant and
frequently surprising , but for me at least, it was not shocking . My
practice was to search positions in advance for ideas that Alekhine
might employ to upset the status quo. Of course, his ideas were no
less strong even when they were predictable."
That evening, I must have listened with mouth agape. And even
Herman, my black-haired Magyar friend who usually dominated
every occasion by virtue of sheer volume alone, appeared subdued.
For once, this child of nature controlled his animal exuberance and
could be found guilty of listening. Though, to be sure, not for long,
as he soon departed on a date. (Women were everywhere in Her
man's life, and I have to admit he had excellent taste. )
As for Dr. E and me, w e took a n evening stroll and soon got lost
in one of those Holmesian London fogs that roll in so suddenly. As
we wandered blindly through streets made unrecognizable by the
wreckage of war, our conversation got around to the question agi
tating every chess person just then: What should be done to
Alekhine for apparently authoring several anti-Semitic articles in the
Nazi press?
Max believed that Alekhine had been drinking heavily at the time
and was coerced by a logic of promises and unpleasant possibilities .
The unpleasant possibilities did not, however, constitute an excuse.
And the late Reuben Fine headed up a successful effort in the United
States to pressure the British organizers of the "Victory" Interna
tional to withdraw their invitation to Alekhine.
About a month after our long walk in the fog, near the end of the
"Victory" International, Dr. Euwe was unanimously elected chair
man of a players' committee to take up the question of Alekhine's
alleged collaboration with the Nazis.
I found myself in anguish. Back in the Depression years of the
early 1930s, Alekhine lavished me with kindnesses-free dinners,
superb analysis sessions, instructive practice games and so on. H e
even chose m e as his partner i n consultation games. This king of
chess treated a young, unknown player like a prince. He became my
hero and chessic guiding light. And now, I found myself going along
with the condemnatory herd, repaying the currency of kindness
with the coin of unproved accusation.
To this day, nearly a half century past, I regret that more of us
Chapter XV
165
did not act like a certain officer in De Gaulle's Free French army,
whose parents had been murdered in 1 9 1 1 at Rostov-on-Don in a
Ukrainian pogrom. I'm speaking about Dr. Savielly Tartakower, who
publicly pleaded Alekhine's case and then, facing down the entire
group, proceeded to take up a collection for the stricken champion,
who was penniless in Portugal. As Dr. E later wrote, "Tartakower
was never a 'joiner,' and he hated mass demonstrations."
I'm not sure how long Max and I stumbled that night through the
freezing fog. Our adventure, which marked the beginning of a long
friendship, ended only after we asked a bobby for the way back to
the Savoy.
Dr. E, I had discovered, was easy to be around and easy to talk
with. He also possessed a fascinating quality: He was the first
grandmaster I had ever met who was genuinely concerned about the
plight of his fellow masters. Although his years as president of FIDE
were still only a glimmer far ahead in history's tunnel, he spoke
passionately about promoting chess worldwide so as to improve the
lot of grandmasters.
The Summer of '46
In 1945 and 1946, I played chess virtually non-stop. Following m y
winter campaign i n Hastings and London, I returned t o the United
States to prepare for an upcoming U.S. Championship match against
Steiner, which was played from May 4 to 18. After winning that
contest, I launched my summer campaign in Europe, which in
cluded doing battle at Groningen, Holland, in August and Septem
ber in the first major tournament after World War II. A few days
following that event, I departed for Moscow to participate in the
second U.S.A.-U.S.S. R. Team Match.
Since I arrived in Amsterdam a week or so before the Groningen
tournament was to begin, Dr. E invited me to stay at his home,
where I got to know his wife and three beautiful daughters. Family
dinners, chess talk and analysis, and old-fashioned socializing filled
several delightful days until our departure for the tournament.
In the great Groningen International, Dr. E scored his last major
triumph, tallying 14-5 to finish only a half point behind Botvinnik
in a tournament that had all of the world's top players except for
Reuben Fine, Paul Keres and Samuel Reshevsky. My showing was a
respectable and deeply disappointing 9%-9lf2, which was good
enough to share 10th-12th with Alexander Kotov and Dr. Tarta
kower. I say "disappointing" because in round 11 against Dr. E, I
experienced the worst mental blackout of my career. Tied for third
at the time with Vassily Smyslov at 7-3 and having already drawn
166
or defeated all of the tournament leaders, I reached a winning posi
tion after move 4 7.
Dr. Max Euwe-Arnold Denker
Groningen, I 946
Nimzoindian Defense
I . P-Q4 N-KB3 2. P-QB4 P-K3 3. N-QB3 B-NS 4. P-K3 P-Q4 S. P-QR3
BxNch 6. PxB P-B4 7. BPxP KPxP 8. B-Q3 0-0 9. N-K2 P-QN3 I 0. P-QR4 B
R3 I I . B-R3 BxB 1 2. QxB P-BS 1 3. Q-B2 R-K I 1 4. 0-0 N-B3 I S. N-N3 Q
Q2 1 6. QR-K I N-QR4 1 7. P-B3 N-N6 1 8. P-K4 QxP 1 9. Q-N2 P-N3!
Botvinnik-Alexander (U. S.S.R. vs. Great Britain Radio Match,
1946) continued . . . P-QR4 in this position, when White was able t o
work up a winning attack. The text was m y attempt t o improve on
Black's play.
20. P-KS N-Q2 2 1 . P-B4 P-B4 22. PxPe.p. NxBP
Soviet sources suggest 22 . . . . RxR! , followed by 23 . . . . NxBP.
23. P-BS?
In some long-forgotten analysis, IM Hans Mueller suggested a
beautiful win for White by 23. B-K7 K-B2 24. P-BS ! ! RxB 25. PxPch
PxP 26. RxNch KxR 27. Q-B2ch.
23 . . . . RxR 24. RxR R-K I 2S. R-K6?! RxR?! 26. PxR N-Q7! 27. Q-B I N/7-KS
28. NxN NxN 29. P-R3 K-N2 30. P-K7 N-B3 3 1 . B-Q6 Q-Q2 32. Q-B4 K
B2 33. P-N4? P-KN4! 34. Q-N3 P-QR4 3S. B-R3 Q-RS 36. Q-Q6 Q-Q8ch
37. K-N2 Q-K7ch 38. K-N I Q-K6ch 39. K-N2 Q-KSch 40. K-N I P-N4 4 1 . Q
Q8 P-NS 42. Q-B8ch K-N3 43. PxP QxQPch 44. K-N2 Q-KSch 4S. K-N I
PxP 46. BxP P-QS 47. B-RS P-B6?!
After playing 47 . . . . P-B6 ? ! (still better was 47 . . . . Q-K3), I was
told that there was a Transatlantic telephone call from my wife
back in New York. With plenty of time on my clock, I took the call.
The news was bad. In my absence, Fine and Reshevsky convinced
Maurice Wertheim, captain of the U.S. team, that they should
occupy the top boards in the upcoming match against the Soviet
Chapter XV
167
Union. But as U.S. champion, I had a claim to the top board, and as
I pondered the injustice of this sneaky action, I began to see red.
Here's the result.
48. B-QS P-B7???
A line with winning chances for Black is 48. . . . Q-N8ch, followed
by . . . Q-R7ch and . . . Q-B2.
49. QxNch KxQ 50. P-KS=Qdis.ch. K-N2 5 1 . QxQ P-BS=Qch 52. K-B2 Q
Q7ch, and Black resigns
So demoralized was I by this defeat that even though I had
already drawn as Black with Botvinnik and Smyslov, I managed t o
score only 21j2-S% i n the remaining eight rounds. T o his credit, Dr. E
was equally upset about the outcome of the game, especially since
he had offered a draw a few moves earlier. As for the Soviets, they
eyed my loss askance, doubtlessly ascribing to us the same motives
that influenced the outcome of key games among themselves.
During the Groningen tournament, Dr. E quietly demonstrated
that he was firmly on the American side in the turbulent early years
of the Cold War in Europe. He wrote a speech in Dutch for me t o
deliver over radio, and everyone remarked o n how well I repre
sented the United States.
This tiny success, along with thousands of other little victories,
were crucial for tamping down anti-Americanism. And speaking of
anti-Americanism, I will never forget the banquet following the
Groningen event, when the Swedish player Erik Lundin received a
round of applause because his country sent a shipload of wheat to
Holland, while the United States received no similar appreciation,
even though it was sending far more food and clothing. "The pro
blem," Dr. E told me, "is that you do not superintend the distri
bution of your goods, and they land up on the black market. "
Indeed, when m y wife was a t tea with a Dutch family one after
noon, the lady of the house found herself without sugar. She
quickly telephoned her "black-market man," and the sugar (marked
from America) arrived a few minutes later.
Max the Mum
When Max visited New York briefly in mid-1947, I had the oppor
tunity to repay a few of his many favors. We went on a boat trip
around Manhattan, and the former world chess champion was as
pleased as a child by the Statue of Liberty. We dined at Cabana
Carioca, a lively Brazilian restaurant known for its lightly clad
dancers and delicious food; and when we went over to the Yorkville
section of Manhattan on East 86th, Max surprised me by being one
168
Dutchman who did not drink beer. He also surprised my wife Nina
by showing up with flowers at the Lenox Hill Hospital just before
she gave birth to my son Mitchell. I hadn't said peep, but he had his
quiet ways of finding out.
Max was quiet in another way. He never discussed his heroism
during the Nazi occupation. Yet not only did he write letters to
Alekhine asking the latter to intercede on behalf of the Dutch
martyrs, Dr. Gerard Oskam and Salo Landau, he also put his life or
at least his liberty on the line for several others.
I learned of one instance from Max's friend, Hans Kmoch, the
famous in-house annotator at AI Horowitz's Chess Review . Hans
was living at the time on Central Park West somewhere in the
Eighties. His wife Trudy, a Jew, had constant nightmares about her
interrogations and beatings in Holland by the Nazis . Hans had little
money, and Trudy spent much of the day in bed screaming.
Enter Nina. My wife was working in the New York City welfare
system and managed to get them part-time assistance. Hans then
confided in me about how Dr. E greased palms and used his in
fluence to save Trudy's life by keeping her out of a concentration
camp. But mind you, I heard this from Hans, not from Dr. E, who
was always Max the mum about his good deeds.
Mr. President
In 1970, Max Euwe was elected president of FIDE, a position he
held until 1978. His efforts in that post to hold together both
Fischer-Spassky I in 1972 and Korchnoi-Karpov I in 1978, though
widely reviled at the time, are universally acclaimed today. He also
presided over a massive expansion of FIDE from 72 countries to
106. And no wonder: he visited more than 100 countries as FIDE
president, tirelessly promoting chess. A journalist fittingly dubbed
him "The High-Flying Dutchman."
There is a lot about Max's life in chess that could be discussed at
great length. As a theorist, he introduced the Scheveningen Varia
tion of the Sicilian Defense and edited Chess Archives, which
served for nearly two decades as the pacesetter in opening analysis.
As an author, he wrote far more voluminously than any other world
champion, including Alekhine, who published 17 volumes.
But my subject is Max Euwe as I knew him.
The years passed, and we met regularly, if briefly, during the
Olympiads of the 1970s. True, his stuffed schedule precluded re
peating our leisurely get-togethers of yesteryear; yet when I decided
to return to competitive chess after an absence of 15 years and was
Chapter XV
169
seeking a few invitations to European events, Max got the job done,
unlike the American representative of the time who pronounced my
request as undoable.
Twice during the 1970s I visited Max in Amsterdam. Since he
had given up teaching in 1957, one might have thought that his life
had slowed down . Not at all. As president of FIDE and as a
consultant for various computer companies, his plate was loaded.
Yet there always seemed to be some space left over for an old friend.
For most people, work expands to fill the time allotted; but for
Max, time expanded to complete the work allotted.
What Max wrote about Savielly Tartakower ought to be said of
Dr. E himself: "Without men such as he, the chess world would not
have been nearly what it is. It is not the rules and the precepts
which make the chess community; it is the individuals ."
Our Final Farewell
The FIDE Congress in Atlanta was over, and Max and I were back at
the airport-this time to say good-bye. During his stay in Atlanta,
he appeared to be more relaxed than I had ever seen him. No longer
president of FIDE, he had time to reflect at length upon the future
of chess. He believed that the royal game would soon become a
required subject in schools throughout the civilized world, and he
enumerated the many benefits therefrom. He also had high hopes
for social experiments involving chess that he had initiated in Africa.
Max radiated optimism and good health. And like all of his other
friends, I felt bright and important in his presence. As he walked to
the plane, I noticed the same spring in his step as on arrival.
Imagine, therefore, my shock when learning of his death from a
heart attack on November 26, 1981, just three months after what
turned out to be our final farewell.
Chapter XVI
fin Offer I Couldn't f\_efuse
When someone wins a U.S. national championship, he is hit by a
barrage of unusual business offers. Although my title was for chess,
which was not one of the more popular pastimes back in 1944, I
still received numerous offbeat proposals.
One of the oddest was to become president of the Southern
Nevada Disposal Service, a beautifully named garbage company. The
starting salary was munificent, but it was an offer that I both could
and did refuse after discovering that the company was Mafia
controlled.
Another proposal came from a chicken farmer in Toms River,
New Jersey. He reasoned that anyone with enough brains to be
come a chess champion could surely find a plan to fatten chickens
more economically. A dubious idea. Often, I recall Weaver Adams, a
master who inherited a chicken farm and who was-so to speak-a
white man clear through. He wrote a book, White to Play and Win,
lived in a white house on White Street, chewed antacid pills that left
the inside of his mouth perpetually white, and raised only white
chickens that laid white eggs. Predictably, Adams' business was soon
no more than a shell.
There were other offers and endorsements, plus the usual phony
land-development schemes. All came to nought. Then, about a year
later when things had quieted down, I received a phone call from an
old man named Koback, who owned a pharmacy in Hartford, Con
necticut. It involved . . .
An Offer I Couldn't Refuse
The year was 1946. Mr. Koback read that I was going to Moscow t o
play i n a 10-board chess match between the United States and the
Soviet Union. The Cold War was on, and the U.S. State Department
hoped to improve relations between "the two super powers" b y
sponsoring this international competition. Mr. Koback suggested
that we discuss over dinner a matter that "could prove quite
profitable for the two of us. "
170
Chapter XVI
171
We met the following Sunday in New York at Liichow's, a great
old German restaurant down on East 14th. Koback was a tiny, frail
man, and he came with his only daughter, a dark-haired, bright
eyed woman of about 30. He also brought along a thick folder filled
with pictures, maps and old news clippings that he used to illustrate
points in his story.
Koback's family owned the only chemist's shop in Tuapse, a
small Russian town on the Black Sea. And it was to this small town
that many Russian nobles fled some 30 years earlier to escape the
Bolsheviks. The Kobacks collected millions in gold and jewels b y
arranging passage to Turkey for aristocrats and members o f the
haute bourgeoisie. But the Kobacks quite literally had to run for
their lives when the Communists discovered their trade. They left
behind a fortune in buried treasure.
Old Koback showed me on maps where portions of the treasure
were hidden, and he provided photographs and news clippings of his
family posing in front of their Tuapse shop. "All these years I was
hoping for a change in government," he said in a voice made hoarse
by emphysema, "but I realize now that it is not to be in m y
lifetime. I want m y daughter t o enjoy some of this wealth. " Koback
claimed that the Soviets were anxious to make 50-50 deals because
of their dire need for hard currency, and he asked me to represent
his interests. "Half of all you recover," he concluded, "will be yours,
and by the most conservative estimate, that should amount to half a
million dollars. "
My mind began to swim. Half a million bucks, maybe more ! Such
talk occurred only in the movies. I could become rich without
having to work for it. Here was an offer I couldn't refuse.
One week later, in August 1946, I was off to Groningen, Holland,
to play in the first great chess tournament following World War I I .
Most of the top players were there, including the cream of the
Soviet crop. I planned to play myself into form for the U.S.A.
U. S.S.R. match scheduled for September. And I made an interesting
draw with Mikhail Botvinnik, who won the tournament a half point
ahead of Max Euwe.
At Groningen, however, my mind was not on chess. All I could
think about was how to approach the Soviets with my secret. One
of the "Russian" group was Salo Flohr, the famous Czech star who
landed up living in Moscow after his country was overrun by the
Nazis in 1939.
You do know Grandmaster Flohr, don't you? This delicate and
diminutive man spoke English and seemed more worldly and
sophisticated than the other members of his delegation. Although
172
only 38 years old at the time, he no longer enjoyed the kind of
prestige that prompted FIDE in 193 7 to designate him the official
challenger to Alexander Alekhine. His great tournament victories at
Hastings 193 1 , 1933 and 1934, Moscow 1935, Podebrady 1936,
etc. were only trophies from a better time. Gone from his game was
the aggressive yet flawless positional play of yesteryear.
Domenech-Sa/o Flohr
Rosas, / 935
Sicilian Defense
I . P-K4 P-QB4 2. N-KB3 P-K3 3. P-B4
Too early. White merely weakens his Q3 and Q4 squares. H o w
Black goes about exerting control over these sensitive points-plus
White's QN3-is the story of this game.
3 . . . . N-QB3 4. P-Q4 PxP 5. NxP N-B3 6. NxN QPxN 7. QxQch KxQ 8. P
B3 P-K4
This move locks up White's Q4.
9. B-K3 K-B2 I 0. P-QR3?
And now White leaves a hole at QN3 . He had to try 10. N-B3 B
QNS 1 1 . R-Bl .
1 0 . . . . N-Q2!
So simple, so direct. Black will trade off White's good Bishop on
K3 and obtain absolute control over White's Q4 as well as the
Queen's file.
I I . N-Q2 P-QR4 1 2. B-K2 P-RS 1 3. K-B2 B-B4 1 4. BxB NxB I S. QR-QB I B
K3 I 6. KR-Q I KR-Q I 1 7. K-K3
The alternative is to dispute the Queen's file with 17. N-B1 N-N6
18. RxR RxR 19. R-Q1 RxR 20. BxR BxP, when Black wins a pawn.
1 7 . . . . R-Q2 1 8. P-KN3 QR-Q I 1 9. P-B4 PxPch 20. PxP
Chapter XVI
173
20. . . . R-Q6ch!!
The difference between the Flohr of 1935 and 1 946 was how
often he could produce games such as this one.
2 1 . BxR RxBch 22. K-B2 B-NS 23. P-KS BxR 24. RxB N-K3!
Black may also win with 24 . . N-N6, a move that he makes with
much greater effect three moves hence.
. .
25. P-BS
White's problem is that he must make a move.
25 . . . . N-QS 26. P-B6 PxP 27. PxP N-N6 28. K-K2 RxNch 29. RxR NxR 30.
KxN K-Q3, White resigns
Black can queen his KBP about four moves before White can
promote his QBP.
At Groningen, Flohr and I talked a lot and became good friends.
He asked me to call Nina, my wife, who was still in New York, and
to have her bring a suitcase of goodies for Raisa, his wife. What a
celebration we had when Nina arrived. It soon seemed natural that I
should reveal the secret to Salo. To my astonishment, he was not
even slightly surprised and acted as if the matter were routine. He
promised to arrange a meeting in Moscow with the relevant govern
ment people.
Specialists in Soviet history tell me that this easy intercourse be
tween one of Stalin's subjects and a Westerner strikes them as unbe
lievable. Certainly, it was unusual. The explanation is that even the
Iron Curtain of Stalin had rents here and there-tiny breaches
through which the dictatorship served its interests. Fortune hunters,
for example, were tolerated if they were apolitical and if they de
posited hard currency in Soviet coffers. You scratch my pocket
book, and I'll scratch yours was the philosophy.
Mission to Moscow
On my first day in Moscow, Flohr phoned to say that all had been
arranged and that he would pick me up the following morning. The
meeting was held at the Hotel Moskva, where I was introduced to
two men who looked like my idea of members of the secret police.
We talked a bit, and they agreed to arrange everything to my
satisfaction. Money division, no problem. Transportation to Tuapse,
again no problem. They would provide a private airplane. The only
problem was how to explain my remaining in Moscow after the
American team departed.
17 4
The next day Salo and his wife arrived early at our hotel with a
solution. Nina would feign illness and check in at a hospital for
treatment. And I, as a devoted husband, would stay on. The plan
seemed very clever, but my wife would have none of it. "They'll
poison me," she said, "and toss you off the airplane, making it look
like a good natural death. " Such variations occurred all the time
when Stalin was the Soviet king, and Nina insisted that we select
instead the variation of leaving with our group.
What to do? After talking all night, we decided to trust Salo. We
turned over our maps and offered him half of our share. If all went
well, we would still make more money than we ever dreamed
possible. In return, Salo promised to cable us when the treasure was
or was not recovered. "Met your father in Tuapse" (or the reverse)
was the simple code.
Back in New York, while awaiting the cable, I telephoned Mr.
Koback and related all that happened. He listened quietly, and if he
was displeased with my handling of the matter, he gave no sign.
Weeks passed. Then came the cable. It read, "Never met your father
in Tuapse. " I was heartsick and drove all the way to Hartford to
show Old Koback the message. He seemed less upset than I, which I
attributed to his illness. As for his daughter, he said that she was off
visiting some friends.
Such a sad ending to what promised to be a pot of gold at the
end of my personal rainbow! Still, I soon got used to the idea of
working for a living and forgot about the crushing episode.
Salo's Gold
Years later, someone told me that Salo got divorced (in truth, his
first wife died) and was living with a much younger woman, which
seemed hardly surprising given that divorce was routine in the ci
devant Soviet Union. But after hearing that he and his lady were
travelling back and forth to Prague, Czechoslovakia, I became
curious. Foreign travel was an expensive proposition for Soviet citi
zens: They had to pay not only their fares but also healthy bribes to
procure exit visas. Much later I heard a rumor that the two travel
lers married and moved into Moscow's elegant Ukraina Apartments,
whereupon my suspicions grew like mushrooms in a hothouse. Was
Salo's sudden affluence some of my money finally coming out of
hiding? Surely, a chess instructor could never afford to live at the
Ukraina among Soviet nomenklaturshchiki.
I was tortured with doubts for many more years until a Jewish
refusenik claimed that he saw Salo and wife tooling around Moscow
in a Nova Zeiss. That was the last straw. I hit the ceiling over Flohr's
Chapter XVI
175
duplicity. Unable to sleep, I knew that there would be no peace
until I confronted him.
One day in the early 1980s, I cabled Salo with news of my im
pending arrival in Moscow and asked him to pick me up at the
airport. But a woman named Elena, who claimed to be his second
wife, came instead. An attractive, dark-haired woman in her early
60s, she drove me to their apartment. She explained that Salo was
away and that we would see him the next day. No surprise, I
thought, since he lectured all over the country. I slept well that
night, and after a hearty breakfast, Elena and I set out to meet my
old confidant.
On the way she suddenly revealed that Salo had suffered a stroke
and was resting at a medical facility outside the city. Wild thoughts
rushed through my mind. Why hadn't she told me sooner? Why?
Why? Abruptly, she swerved from the main road and drove up to an
ugly, low building that abutted a much larger one.
As we entered, a buxom woman clad in slovenly nurse's garb got
up from a desk and led us down a long, dark and deserted hallway.
She paused only a moment to unlock the door to a small room
before returning to her post. The dusty room was nearly bare with
only a bed and a tiny barred window. There was no closet. The bed
was so diminutive that it looked more like a child's crib, and on it
lay someone with a wrinkled neck and gray head with his face
turned to the wall. Was it the great Grandmaster Flohr, or was
Elena playing some kind of game? I was frightened and confused,
not knowing what to think.
Elena bent over and gently rubbed the person's back. I watched
raptly as he slowly turned his head and looked up with a totally
blank expression. A few seconds passed, and Elena whispered in the
man's ear and motioned for me to come closer. Just as I leaned
over, he let out the most frightful cries that I have ever heard. H e
was trying to speak, but there emerged only wild screams. The
scene was so overwhelming that I could not think clearly. Yes, the
figure in bed resembled Salo, but it was a scaled down version that
could not have weighed more than 80 pounds.
The commotion brought with it the bosomy nurse and a hypo
dermic needle. Soon peace and calm returned. Although no more
than 15 minutes had elapsed since our arrival, I felt sapped and was
unable to speak all of the way back to Moscow.
Entering Salo's apartment, I unabashedly poured myself a tall
glass of vodka neat, tossed it down, and literally fell into a large
leather chair, legs splayed and hands draped over its arms. As Elena
moved to and fro, preparing something to eat, I began to study her
176
more closely, nagged by the feeling that we had met somewhere
long ago.
Salo's uwife"
Elena must have read my mind. She said, "You still don't recognize
me. " I confessed that she was right and then said that there was
something familiar about her. "I must have gained too much
weight," she replied with a smile, "for you to recognize Koback's
daughter! " My j aw dropped. I could see a slight resemblance, but I
could not imagine what she would be doing in Moscow. And that's
when her story came pouring out.
After I returned to the United States in 1946 and brought Elena's
father the bad news, the old man sent his daughter to Moscow to
check out my story. She met Salo at one of his chess lectures, and it
was love at first sight. She said they later married and lived happily
until Salo's stroke.
"That's all well and good," I interrupted, "but what about m y
money?"
"There was no money," she answered.
"Then where did you get the money to live so well?" I flashed
back in the bottom-line spirit that her bare assertion was not
necessarily the naked truth.
Elena walked across the living room and reached into a drawer of
a china cupboard. She removed a very official looking document
and handed it to me. "This is the last will and testament of Salo's
father," she said, "who was one of the richest men in Czechoslo
vakia. It was he who left us all that money, which is why we were
constantly travelling to Prague. I suspected that you felt cheated,
but I knew it would have been useless to protest our innocence.
You had to come and learn the truth for yourself. Just imagine your
suspicions if I had wired that you could save yourself a lot of bother
because Salo was too ill to see you."
Salo's Father
On the flight back to New York, I was haunted by my thoughts .
What a way to pause at life's exit! And, too, I was saddened by my
distrust of Salo and Elena. She was correct-! had had to see for
myself.
That's when the first bombshell dropped. In Florida, word
reached me that Salo staged a remarkable recovery and that he and
Elena moved to Prague where he died some months later. (In fact,
he died in Moscow.) But the real blockbuster was the second bomb-
Chapter XVI
177
shell, and it dropped only when I received an issue of a Russian
chess magazine devoted to the late Grandmaster Flohr. There were
several of his best games, a list of his greatest tournament victories
and a section with photographs of Salo with celebrities. In one of
the photos he was playing a simultaneous against a group of boys.
The caption, if memory serves, read:
Salo Flohr's annual exhibition at the Maribou
Orphanage-the only home he ever knew as a boy.
Chapter XVI I
'fhe Gentle Giant of Chess
Dr. Ossip Bernstein was a broad-shouldered giant of a man with an
intellect to match. Wearing a blue beret on a Kojak-shaven head and
sporting an FDR-style cigarette holder cocked upwards at a jaunty
angle, he shuffled along like the huge, six-foot-four-inch bear that he
was.
You never had trouble spotting him in a crowd.
We first met in January 1946, at the "Victory" International in
London. From the moment he strode into my hotel room and
announced himself, we became like old friends. The normal routine
was for him to visit my room every evening following the
tournament round; and from his ubiquitous briefcase, he would
dump on my bed a treasure cache of the most wonderful canned
foods. Ham, cheese, butter, pate, caviar, crackers-all the good
things that were impossible to find in England at the time. My single
contribution to the party was Nescafe coffee which I had so
presciently brought from the States. (Just to give you some idea of
the English diet in the immediate post-WWII years, I clearly recall
losing 22 pounds in a stay of six weeks.)
You can talk about playing baccarat in Biarritz or summering
along the Cote d'Azur, but for me, the high life was sitting in an
overcoat on a hotel bed in wintry London, doing justice to Bern
stein's gourmet goodies and listening to his stories about the great
masters of the early 1900s. And this man, who was born in 1882 ,
relished nothing more than talking about David Janowski, Jacques
Mieses, Akiba Rubinstein, Karl Schlechter, Siegbert Tarrasch,
Mikhail Tchigorin and other chess immortals.
By analyzing various positions with Bernstein, I quickly dis
covered that even at age 63 he remained a strong player. I could see
why Edward Lasker once wrote, "I believe Bernstein had true world
championship caliber," and why chess encyclopedist Harry Golom
bek described Bernstein's style as "massive and sparkling. " Yet the
subject of this lavish praise, who is remembered chiefly for losing
several famous games to Jose Capablanca, remained a lifelong ama
teur. He once went 18 years without competing in an important
178
Chapter XVII
179
tournament.
Clearly, a chess career so slight yet so distinguished was sugges
tive of a substantial second life away from the board. As Bernstein
and I pored over chess positions in the cold, bombed-out London of
nearly a half century ago, my friend told me his story.
The Fate of Fortunes
To sum up Ossip Bernstein's life in seven words, he made two
fortunes and lost three.
Born in Imperial Russia as a member of what Marxists call the
haute bourgeoisie, Bernstein wanted for nothing as a youth and in
1906, took a doctorate of law from Heidelberg. Ever a capitalist at
heart, he quickly established a highly successful practice in Moscow
as an international financial lawyer. From 1906 to 1914, he added
to his family's already considerable fortune, while simultaneously
making a name for himself as a strong grandmaster.
Bernstein first attracted attention as a master in 1903 when he
finished second behind Tchigorin in the All-Russia Championship,
defeating the winner in their individual game. From 1905 to 1 9 1 4 ,
he participated i n nine international tournaments with astonishing
success for a part-time amateur. His best result was a tie for first
with Rubinstein at Ostende 1907 , one of those dinosaur-sized
tournaments of yesteryear. The two men each scored 1 9%-81!2 in a
29-player field.
Bernstein also played some extravagant games at Ostende. Take a
look at the opening of Bernstein-Savielly Tartakower: 1. P-Q4 P
KB4 2. P-QB4 P-K3 3 . N-QB3 N-KB3 4. P-K3 P-Q4 5 . B-Q3 N-K5 6 .
N-B3 P-B3 and now 7 . P-KN4 ! ! . Typical of my brilliant friend. But
Bernstein's most remarkable game of his most active period in chess
has to be the following corker, which Irving Chernev once nomi
nated as the most brilliant and most misunderstood of all drawn
games:
Dr. Ossip Bernstein-Aron Nirnzovich
St. Petersburg, I 9 / 4
Nirnzoindion Defense
I . P-Q4 N-KB3 2. N-KB3 P-K3 3. P-B4 P-QN3 4. N-B3 B-N2 5. P-K3 B-NS
6. Q-N3 Q-K2 7. P-QR3 BxNch 8. QxB P-Q3 9. P-QN4 QN-Q2 I 0. B-N2
P-QR4 I I . B-K2 PxP 1 2. PxP RxRch 1 3. BxR 0-0 1 4. 0-0
Amazing, isn't it? In addition to its distinguished middlegame
play, this struggle is celebrated as an early illustration of the hyper
modern principle of controlling central squares with pieces rather
than pawns. The game seems eerily before its time and provides the
180
kind of cold shivers offered by Velasquez's Views from Villa Medici,
two 17th-century harbingers of Impressionism.
1 4. . . . N-KS 1 5. Q-B2 P-KB4 I 6. N-Q2 NxN
In his much-ignored annotations to this game, Georg Marco
explains that 16 . . . . Q-N4 can be adequately met by 17. P-B4.
1 7. QxN R-R I 1 8. B-QB3 Q-K I
Dr. Tarrasch termed this move "difficult to comprehend," while
Wolfgang Heidenfeld in Draw! failed to comprehend it correctly. As
for J. Cena's notes in O.S. Bernstein: Parties d'echecs, they are
tellingly vague at this juncture. Only Marco writes insightfully,
"Evidently Nimzovich wishes to reply to 19. R-Rl by 19 . . . . RxRch
20. BxR Q-Rl , with an attack against the Bishop as well as against
the KNP. With . . . Q-Kl , Nimzovich has thus prevented his opponent
from disputing his control of the QR file (by opposing Rooks). He
may also have considered continuing 19 . . . . N-B3, followed by 20 .
. . . Q-RS . "
1 9. P-QS P-K4 20. P-B4 B-B I 2 1 . Q-N2 Q-K2 22. PxP?
Marco punctuates this move with two interrogatives, whereas we
in less rigorous times adorn it with one. Interestingly, Heidenfeld,
Cena and even Dr. Tartakower in Modeme Schachstrategie, his
book on Bernstein, pass by this move and in consequence com
pletely misrepresent what occurs later. Marco recommends 22. R-B3
for White, concluding that the first player would be up a sound
pawn after 22 . . . . P-KN4? ! 23 . PxNP N-Bl 24. P-R4 N-N3 25. P-N3 !
(Marco refutes 25. P-RS in an analysis of stupefying length).
22. . . . NxP 23. B-Q4 B-Q2 24. R-R I R-K I ! 25. R-R7 Q-Q I 26. Q-R I P-BS!
27. PxP N-N3 28. B-KB3 NxP 29. BxKNP
In the tournament book, Dr. Tarrasch writes, "White fears naught
and captures the Pawn, as he has calculated to a hairline how he can
best parry all attacks. " In variations, as it were, so writes nearly
everyone else. But as we shall see, White stands to lose this position.
29 . . . . Q-N4
Marco terms this move the point of 26 . . . . P-BS. Black threatens
. . . Q.x.B, . . . N-Q6 and . . . N-R6ch.
30. B-R8!
My friend Bernstein does the best that he can.
Chapter XVII
181
30. . . . N-Q6?
All of the lads except Marco adorn this move with an exclama
tion point. Indeed, the move appears immediately destructive,
threatening 3 1 . . . . R-K8ch as well as 3 1 . . . . Q-K6ch. But it also per
mits White to save himself with a blinding display of defensive pyro
technics. The winning move is 30. . . . R-K7 ! ! , and I direct the reader
to Chess Review (November 1935) for the concrete variations.
3 1 . P-R4!!
This move is really extraordinary because at first glance it seems
to increase White's difficulties. After all, Black simply plays . . .
3 I . . . . Q-N6 32. R-R8 B-B I 33. B-K4!!
Black's win suddenly vanishes. He cannot play 33 . . . . RxB be
cause of 34. RxBch K-B2 35. Q-B6, mate.
33 . . . . Q-B7ch 34. K-R2 QxRPch 35. K-N I N-K4 36. BxN QxB 37. B-R8!
A beautiful echo of 30. B-R8 ! .
37. . . . Q-K6ch 38. K-R2 Q-BSch 39. K-N I Q-N6 40. B-B3 Q-K6ch 4 1 . K-R I
Q-BS 42. Q-Q I Q-R3ch 43. K-N I Q-K6ch 44. K-R I Q-R3ch 45. K-N I Q
K6ch 46. K-R I QxB 47. RxB!
White holds the draw ever so narrowly.
47. . . . RxR 48. Q-N4ch K-B2 49. QxR QxBP 50. Q-BSch, draw
The perpetual check is forced, given 50 . . . . K-K2 5 1 . Q-K6ch K
Q1 52. Q-N8ch ! . As Harold Nicolson ought to have written of this
game and instead wrote of Sir Henry Channon's dining room,
"Baroque and rococo and what-ho and oh-no-no and all that. Very
fine indeed. "
Following the St. Petersburg tournament o f 1 9 1 4 , Bernstein did
not compete in another major master event until Berne 1932. H e
was far too busy surviving that hurricane called history. "The Revo-
182
lution of 1917 in Russia," he would later write, "had thrown me out
of my professional and customary routine, and the successive waves
of civil war had hurled me from pillar to post until I finally landed
in Paris. "
Those few words encompass a lot o f adventure. Bernstein came
close to losing his life at Rostov-on-Don in 1917 while on a business
mission; and he, his wife and two small children later fled from
Moscow to Kiev, eventually landing up in Odessa, where he was
arrested by the Cheka, the Red secret police.
"This arrest," wrote Ossip's good friend Edward Lasker, "took
place during the 'Red terror,' when the mere fact that a man was a
member of the well-to-do bourgeoisie stamped him as a criminal.
Bernstein's crime was his role as legal adviser to bankers, industrial
ists and trusts. There was, of course, no court trial. One of those
sadistic minor officials, who always show up on the wake of revolu
tions when executions are the order of the day, had a firing squad
line up Bernstein and a number of other prisoners against a wall.
Then, fortunately, a superior officer appeared who asked to see the
list of the prisoners' names. Discovering on it the name, Ossip
Bernstein, he asked him whether he was the famous chess master.
Not satisfied with Bernstein's affirmative reply, he made him play a
game with him; and, when Bernstein won in short order, he had
him and the others led back to prison and later released. "
Yes, I know-yet another story about a last-minute reprieve from
the firing squad. But Bernstein was absolutely convincing when he
described at length how his hands were shaking when playing
against the officer, and I believed his story then and believe it still.
In 1919, Ossip and family escaped from Odessa on a British ship.
By a circuitous route through Bulgaria, Turkey, Serbia, Austria and
Norway, the exhausted Bernsteins washed up in Paris in 1920 with
barely enough money to live for a month.
It was sufficient. Having lost his inherited first fortune, Ossip now
set about amassing his first self-made fortune-and succeeded. But
he then lost this second fortune in the world financial crash of 1 9 2 9
and 1930. Whereupon, h e built a second self-made fortune which he
then lost when fleeing to southern France and eventually escaping
to Spain after the Germans captured Paris in 1940. He was lucky
that he did not also lose his life because he was interned by the
Vichy regime, usually a prelude to being turned over to Adolf
Eichmann's lads.
"My wife and I knew that we had to get out of France," Ossip
told me. "We headed for Spain on foot, walking through the Pyre
nees at night over mountain roads and hiding in caves during the
Chapter XVII
183
day from the Germans and their collaborators. Denker, try to imag
ine what it was like: two people in late middle age running for their
lives, stumbling along in pitch darkness, tripping over rocks, and
skinning our hands and knees every 20 minutes or so. Once, I fell
flat on my face, which completely knocked the wind out of me.
After several absolutely exhausting days, tortured by thirst and with
our clothes in tatters, we reached Spain, and I vaguely remember
passing unconscious from a heart attack. Thanks to some of my
friends in Spain, the Spanish border police did not send us back. We
were among the lucky few. "
I n 1945 Bernstein returned to Paris, reestablished contact with
his son (a prisoner of war in Germany for five years), recouped a
portion of his financial losses, and later played first board for the
French at the 1954 Olympiad in Amsterdam.
Second Chess Career
Bernstein's second chess career, beginning with Berne 1932, was less
compelling in terms of tournament results than his first. He scored
respectably, not spectacularly, and on occasion, as at Groningen
1946, disastrously. But the great veteran could still bite as he
proved by nearly devouring Alexander Alekhine in a Paris training
match of October 1933. That match was drawn, +1 -1 =2, but
Bernstein did most of the chewing. In 1940 he won a grandiose,
though seldom published consultation game from Alekhine.
Ossip Bernstein et alia-Alexander Alekhine et alia
Paris, 1 940
I . P-Q4 N-KB3 2. N-KB3 P-QN3 3. P-KN3 B-N2 4. B-N2 P-N3 5. 0-0 P-B4
6. N-B3! PxP 7. QxP! B-N2 8. P-K4 P-Q3 9. P-KS! KN-Q2 I 0. Q-QB4! 0-0
Alekhine spent 40 minutes trying to avoid an isolated Queen
pawn. He cannot play 10 . . . . BxN because of 1 1 . BxB NxP 12. Q
N5ch. And if 10 . . . . BxP, White has 1 1 . N-KN5 ! .
I I . PxP PxP 1 2. R-Q I Q-B I ! 1 3. Q-KR4 N-K4 1 4. N-QS! BxN
Bernstein asserted that Black gets boxed after 14 . . . . QN-B3 1 5 .
N-B6ch BxN 16. QxB NxNch 17. BxN N-K4 18. BxB Qx B 19. B-R6 !
N-B6ch 20. K-B1 NxPch 2 1 . K-K1 Q-K5ch 22. K-Q2 . He's right.
I S. RxB QN-Q2 1 6. RxP Q-B4 1 7. N-NS P-KR4 1 8. N-K4
Bernstein feared no one over the board, and he voluntarily mixes
it with Alekhine rather than win a pawn via 18. RxN NxR 19. BxR
RxB 20. Q-K4 R-QB1 2 1 . P-QB3. The game becomes very compli
cated, but big Ossip luxuriated in complexity much like a rhino
184
wallows in river mud. He played ambitiously even in simultaneous
exhibitions and enjoyed showing friends what he called his "lesser
works" of art. Such as, for example, this virtually unknown simul
game played in 1928 at the Cercle Russe in Paris: Bernstein
Dubois-! . P-K4 P-K4 2. N-KB3 N-QB3 3. B-B4 B-B4 4. 0-0 N-B3 S .
P-Q4 BxP 6 . NxB NxN 7 . B-KNS (this move may be more accurate
than the usual 7 . P-B4 because of White's inspiration at move 1 1) 7 .
. . . P-Q3 8. P-B4 Q-K2 9. N-B3 P-B3 10. N-K2 B-NS 1 1 . NxN ! ! ?
(mere mortals would play 1 1 . P-B3, the idea given in von Bilguer's
Handbuch; but the text is possible because White has not ex
changed pawns on KS-the point being that after 12. N-BS in the
current game, Black does not have 12 . . . . Q-B4ch, picking off the
Bishop on QB4) 1 1 . . . . BxQ (difficult to criticize, but more
circumspect is 11 . . . . Q-B2) 12. N-BS Q-B1 ? ! 13. PxP NxP (also
bleak is 13 . . . . PxP 14. NxPch QxN 1S. BxN) 14. NxQPch NxN 1 S .
PxN K-Q2 16. QRxB P-B3 1 7 . B-B4 P-KR4 18. KR-K1 ! R-K1 1 9 . R
K7ch K-Q1 20. RxQNP, Black resigns. If 20 . . . . R-KS, then it is
curtains after 21. B-QN3 RxB 22. B-K6.
1 8 . . . . QxP 1 9. P-B4 N-Q6! 20. B-K3 Q-K7 2 1 . N-B2 N-K8!!
What a shot!
22. BxR RxB 23. Q-K7 B-B I ! 24. Q-K4
24. . . . R-Q I ?
For once, Alekhine falters. He would have had excellent drawing
chances with 24 . . . . BxR! ! 2S. QxRch K-R2 26. Q-K8 (White must
avoid 26. Q-K4? N-B3 ! ! ) 26 . . . . B-B4 ! ! 27. QxPch K-R1 28. BxB
NxB 29. R-Q1 N/B4-Q6 30. RxN/3 NxR 3 1 . NxN QxN.
25. R/6-Q I ! N-B7 26. R-Q2 QxB 27. RxN/2 B-B4
Black can offer slightly better resistance with 27.
followed by . . . P-B4 and . . . B-B4ch.
. . . QxQ,
28. QxQ BxQ 29. R-Q I K-B I 30. K-N2 B-B4 3 1 . N-K4 K-K2 32. R-K2, Black
resigns
Chapter XVII
185
In 1954, at age 72, Bernstein had his last hurrah by tying for
second with Miguel Najdorf (behind Chile's Rene Letelier) in a
UNESCO-sponsored event in Montevideo, Uruguay. Moreover, my
old friend, who was probably smarting from a newspaper article de
scribing him as "the Grandfather of Chess," captured the First Brilli
ancy Prize by obliterating Najdorf in one of the prettiest games of
the 1950s.
Ossip Bernstein-Miguel Najdorf
Montevideo. 1 954
Old Indian Defense
I . P-Q4 N-KB3 2. P-QB4 P-Q3 3. N-QB3 QN-Q2 4. P-K4 P-K4 S. N-B3 P
KN3 6. PxP PxP 7. B-K2 P-B3 8. 0-0 Q-B2 9. P-KR3! N-B4 I 0. Q-B2 N-R4?!
I I . R-K I N-K3 1 2. B-K3 B-K2
Black rejects the obvious move, 12. . . . B-N2, because he fears
pressure on Q6 after 13. QR-Q1 0-0 14. P-BS.
1 3. QR-Q I 0-0 1 4. B-KB I ! N/4-N2 I S. P-R3 P-KB4?!
Black tries for counterplay, but he ought to hold his chess cards
closer to the vest with 15 . . . . P-QR4.
1 6. P-QN4! P-BS 1 7. B-B I B-B3 1 8. P-BS! P-KN4 1 9. B-B4!
This maneuver threatens what White eventually plays on move
21.
1 9 . . . . K-R I 20. B-N2 P-KR4?! 2 1 . N-QS!! PxN
The sacrifice must be accepted.
22. PxP N-QS 23. NxN PxN 24. P-Q6 Q-Q2 2S. RxP!
Another shot.
2S . . . . P-B6
Black cannot play 25 . . . . BxR because of 26. BxB R-K1 27. Q
N6 ! ! RxRch 28. K-R2 R-K3 29. BxR QxB 30. QxN, mate.
26. R/4-K4! Q-B4
On 26 . . . . PxP, White continues 27. BxB RxB 28. Q-B3 QxP 2 9 .
R-K8ch ! NxR 3 0 . RxNch and wins.
27. P-N4 PxP 28. PxP Q-N3
186
29. R-KS!!
White's combination is studded with one stunning move after
another. The main variation is 29 . . . . QxQ 30. RxRch K-R2 3 1 . B
N8ch K-N3 32. RxB, mate.
29 . . . . B-B4 30. RxRIRS RxR 3 1 . PxB Q-R4 32. R-K4 Q-R6 33. B-KB I QxP
34. R-R4ch!
Simple, elegant, conclusive.
34. . . . PxR 35. QxQ NxQ 36. BxBch K-N I 37. P-Q7, Black resigns
The final and finest jewel in the crown of Ossip Bernstein's chess
career.
Surreality Becomes Reality
One lovely Paris day in 1953, my wife Nina and I found ourselves in
the Bernsteins' cozy apartment on Rue des Marronniers. We were
their guests for lunch, and as we entered the dining room, my wife,
an art historian, could not take her eyes off a large Chagall canvas
hanging above the server. Noticing her admiration and astonish
ment, Ossip said, "I guess you are wondering how we can afford
such a priceless work of art?"
Whereupon, our host related a story about how his good friend
Marc Chagall, whose work prompted poet Guillaume Apollinaire t o
coin the word "surrealist," fled Paris i n 1940 before the advancing
Germans, leaving Mrs. Bernstein the key to his apartment. When the
Germans arrived, Mrs. B. rounded up several Russian friends, some
of whom were former nobles working as taxi drivers; and in the
dead of night, they transported Chagall's paintings to a friend's barn
in the countryside. If the Nazis had captured these paintings, they
would have either burned them as examples of Jewish "decadence"
or sold them into private collections.
After the war, Chagall returned to Paris, fearing that his paintings
had been destroyed. When he learned the real surreal story about
Chapter XVII
187
what had been done, he was so overcome with emotion that he left
the room, returning minutes later with a sketch in which a guardian
angel in the likeness of Mrs. B. floated protectively over a farmhouse
in a beautiful pastoral setting.
From this sketch Chagall created the painting that so riveted
Nina's eyes.
When Ossip finished the story, Mrs. B. and Nina went out to the
kitchen to fuss over dessert and coffee. We sat drumming our fingers
on the table until Ossip grabbed a chess set and his trademark blue
beret. "Denker," he announced, "it is a fresh summer day in Paris.
Let's get out of here."
A few minutes later, we were seated at an outdoor cafe on a
narrow, Left Bank street. A light breeze cooled us. As Ossip ordered
coffee and liqueurs, I emptied the pieces on to the board and
glanced across the street. "Hotel Rue de la Harpe," read a sign. The
hotel appeared to be one of those small, spotless Parisian hostelries
run by formidable French females.
Ossip set up a position which had an interesting legend both
behind and in front of it.
White to Play and Win
During the 1970s, a rumor circulated that the above position
occurred in a Bernstein-Capablanca game played in Moscow circa
1914 and that Bernstein resigned at this point. But a Russian
farmer, so the story goes, became so intrigued with the final
position that it preyed on his mind day and night. Until, one
afternoon, the truth dawned on him: Bernstein should not have
resigned! The farmer worked out a win for White and mailed the
analysis to Tigran Petrosian, then the editor of 64 . Unfortunately,
the letter lay unopened until Anatoly Karpov assumed the reins.
Karpov, so the story goes, read the letter and turned it over to
Mikhail Tal, who was so impressed with the analysis that he went
looking for the farmer at his collective. Alas, the poor fellow had
passed away.
188
But on that cloudless blue day back in 1953, as I sat sipping on a
brilliant yellow-green chartreuse, Ossip told a different story about
the same position. "I first saw the position," he said, "just a few
years ago while on a business trip to Spain. " At a chess club in
Madrid, a Spanish lad asked Ossip why he had resigned a won game
and showed him the position and some clever analysis.
"I hated to disillusion the kid," Ossip told me, "but the entire
story was a hoax to publicize a very beautiful and exciting problem.
Capa and I never arrived at such a position. Still, as you Americans
are always saying, never let facts get in the way of a good story."
Have you figured out White's win? Well, forget about the obvious
1 . P-Q8=Q, which loses to 1 . . . . N-B2ch. The solution:
I . N-B6ch K-N2
The only move. On 1. . . . K-N3 , White wins with 2. B-R5ch KxN
3. P-Q8=Qch . And if 1. . . . K-R1, the winning line is 2. P-Q8=Qch K
N2 3 . N-R5ch K-N3 4. Q-B6ch K-R2 5. Q-N7 , mate.
2. N-RSch K-N3 3. B-B2ch KxN 4. P-Q8=Q N-B2ch 5. K-K6 NxQch 6. K-BS
The threat is 7. B-Q1ch P-K7 8. BxP, mate.
6. . . . P-K7 7. B-K4 P-K8=N
Black must prevent 8. B-B3, mate.
8. B-QS
The threat is now 9. B-B4 and 10. B-K2ch .
8 . . . . P-B7 9. B-B4 P-B8=N I 0. B-NS
The threat is 1 1 . B-K8ch .
I 0. . . . N-QB2 I I . B-R4 and wins
Black cannot adequately parry the threat of 12. B-Q1ch.
Ossip and I worked out the variations meticulously, reckoning
on every line except one. We overlooked what Capablanca used to
call a "petite combinaison" on the part of our two queens. They
mercilessly attacked the weaknesses in our indefensible position
when we returned to Ossip's apartment six hours overdue !
"Am I Not a Chess Idiot?"
Tolerant of human weakness, Ossip Bernstein was a man who
laughed readily and genuinely at himself. During the Zurich tourna
ment of 1934, he missed a winning knight maneuver against the
Chapter XVII
189
Swiss master, Fritz Gygli, and exclaimed to Emanuel Lasker, "Am I
not a chess idiot?"
"That seems to be a reasonable explanation for that move of
yours," Lasker responded.
"Will you give me that in writing?" Ossip asked.
"Gladly," said Lasker. And Bernstein proceeded to draw up a
quasi-legal document to the stated effect.
Ossip also exhibited an obvious love and compassion for his
fellow human beings. His was a wonderful philosophy of acceptance
so rare these days. Once, in the presence of his eight-year-old
granddaughter, he asked in his usual booming voice, "Denker, do
you know why we grandparents love our grandchildren so much?"
Innocently, I answered that I did not.
"Because they are the enemies of our enemies," he replied, the
customary twinkle in his eyes.
Only years later-well after Ossip's death at St. Arroman in the
Pyrenees on November 30, 1962-did I grasp the depth of that
remark. You see, he enjoyed making combinations even when away
from the chess board.
Selected Games
A/ekhine vs. Bernstein: Professional vs. Amateur
ALEXANDER ALEKHI NE-OSSI P BERNSTEIN (Match Game, Paris, 1 922): I .
P-K4 P-K4 2. N-QB3 N-KB3 3. B-B4 N-B3 4. P-Q3 B-NS 5. N-K2 P-Q4 6.
PxP NxP 7. BxN QxB 8. 0-0 Q-Q I 9. P-B4 PxP?! I 0. BxP BxN? I I . NxB 0-0
1 2. N-NS P-QR3 1 3. NxP R-R2 1 4. P-B4 P-QN3 1 5. N-QS B-K3 1 6. Q-B3
R-Q2 1 7. Q-N3! N-QS 1 8. QR-K I N-B4 1 9. Q-B3 N-RS 20. Q-K4 N-N3 2 1 .
N-N4 Q-R I ? 22. QxQ RxQ 23. R-K3 P-QR4 24. N-B6 R-QB I 25. N-KS R
QS 26. B-N3 NxN 27. BxN R-Q2 28. P-QN3 P-RS 29. R-N3 P-N3 30. P-Q4
P-B4 3 1 . P-QS B-B2 32. RxP BxP 33. PxB RxP 34. R/5-NS! R-B8ch 35. K-B2
R-B7ch 36. K,K3 P-R6 37. B-Q4 R-Q3 38. R-KS RxRP 39. R-B3 R-Q I 40. R
K7, Black resigns This game is here published in a book for the first time.
ALEXANDER ALEKHINE-DR. OSSI P BERNSTEIN (Training Game, Le Pont,
France, 1 930): I . P-K4 P-K4 2. N-KB3 N-QB3 3. B-NS P-QR3 4. B-R4 P-Q3
5. P-B3 B-Q2 6. 0-0 KN-K2 7. P-Q4 N-N3 8. R-K I B-K2 9. QN-Q2 0-0 I 0.
N-B I N-RS I I . P-QS N-N I 1 2. BxB NxB I 3. N-N3 K-R I 1 4. Q-K2 NxNch
1 5. QxN B-RS 1 6. N-BS P-KN3 1 7. N-R6 Q-B3 1 8. Q-K3 Q-K2 1 9. Q-R3
QR-Q I 20. R-K3 B-N4 2 1 . R-B3 BxB 22. RxB Q-N4 23. R-Q I N-B3 24. R
K I QR-K I 25. K-B I P-R4 26. R/ I -K3 P-RS 27. P-B4 R-QN I 28. R-B3 Q-Q7
29. RJQB3-K3 Q-B8ch 30. R-K I Q-N4 3 1 . R/ I -K3 P-N4 32. PxP RxP 33. P-
190
QN3 PxP 34. PxP R-R4 35. P-N3 R-R8ch 36. K-N2 R-QBS 37. R-Q3 K-N2
38. R!Q3-K3 N-R4 39. N-N4 R-QR I 40. R-B3 R/ 1 -RS 4 1 . RIKB3-K3 P-B4,
White resigns. Ossip Bemstein lost a much larger number of games than he
won against Alekhine, but this obscure training game is one of several elegant
victories that he managed to post.
Chapter XVI I I
Isaac JCashdan: 'The Gentle,
Scientific Grandmaster
Here is how the New York Times reported the death on February
20, 1985, of a famous American chess master: "Isaac Kashdan, one
of the foremost chess players in the United States in the 1930s and
1940s and for many years the chess editor of the Los Angeles
Times, died Wednesday at his home in West Los Angeles. He was 7 9
years old and is survived b y his wife o f over 5 0 years, Mrs. Helen
Kashdan, and a son, Richard."
But for me, "Isaac Kashdan, one of the foremost chess players in
the United States," was simply "Kash"-a flesh-and-blood man
whom I knew well and deeply respected. And, yes, whom I liked
very much.
In the most important sense, Kash was unlike other grand
masters. I never detected a trace of anger or violence in the man.
Against the backdrop of New York City in the Depression 1930s, his
gentle and kind ways made him seem almost too civilized. We were
the Young Turks back then, and we stepped on a few toes. But not
Kash. I remember occasions when he became annoyed at some un
kind or nasty remark. He would never react meanly, though he did
have a quiet humor leavened, when necessary, with sarcasm.
Kash was, then, different from the rest of us. And so was his
chess. As a player, he resembled a scientist, holding a position up to
the light and turning it this way and that, rather than a warrior
readying for the kifl. But don't misunderstand me: Isaac Kashdan
was a very great player indeed. At the 1928 Hague Olympiad, he
scored + 12 -1 =2 on first board to take the gold medal. His overall
score in Olympiad play of +52 -5 =22 is second to none among
American grandmasters. In 1930, after defeating Lajos Steiner in
match play, he again travelled to Europe, winning three strong
tournaments, and finishing second in a fourth. Kash played 4 9
games in Europe that year, winning 36, drawing 1 0 and losing
three. Against the flower of European masterhood, he scored 4 1-8
191
192
(over 83 percent) , setting a pace more appropriate for Swiss system
events.
Subsequently, Kash finished second to Jose Capablanca at New
York 1931 and to Alexander Alekhine at Pasadena 1932 . During his
heyday from 1928 to 1934, he and Salo Flohr were regarded as the
two strongest challengers for Alekhine's crown, given the world
champion's disinclination to permit Capablanca a rematch. Indeed,
Kash played the world champion to a virtual standstill, losing only
once in, if memory serves, six or seven tournament games. No
wonder that Alekhine himself once predicted that Kashdan was his
most likely successor.
Kash's strength was in the endgame, and he was often called der
kleine Capablanca. In the middlegame, there was the slightest
touch of rigidity: He loved the two Bishops too much. In this
limited sense, it would not be preposterous, though admittedly un
kind and inaccurate, to call him der kleine Janowski. "What he
lacked," Reuben Fine once wrote of Kash, "was knowledge of the
openings, and the willingness to risk tactical adventures; eventually,
in spite of his comprehensive grasp of the game, his overcautious
ness began to take its toll." I think that Reuben is too hard on Kash,
forgetting that this world-class grandmaster also had to make a
living during the Depression years. Kash's problem was not caution
but lack of practice.
The central tragedy of Kash's chess life was his failure to win the
U.S. Championship, which might have provided him with the
economic wherewithal to pursue chess full time. From 1928 on
wards, Kash was clearly the best player in the United States, but the
aging Frank Marshall was attached to his title. Kash bargained and
haggled with Frank for years until Marshall voluntarily relinquished
the crown. The result: the first modern U.S. Championship tourna
ment in 1936. But by this time, Fine and Samuel Reshevsky had
surpassed Kash.
In 1942, Kash came within a move-that is, a move by AI
Horowitz-of winning the cherished title of U.S. champion. He was
sitting on a final score of 12lf2-2 lf2 as he also sat and watched
Reshevsky (12) struggle to save an endgame two pawns down. And
sure enough, Horowitz missed a win at the 58th turn. A playoff
match was arranged between Reshevsky and Kashdan that Sammy
won, 7%-3 %. The tally is deceptive because not only did the two
grandmasters trade victories in the first four games, but also
Reshevsky had few easy wins in the match. Kash's victory in game
two ended Sammy's unbeaten streak in U.S. title play at 76 games.
In game four, Kash did something that many of us thought im
possible: He methodically ground Reshevsky into submission. Virtu-
Chapter XVIII
193
nlly no one did that back then. "I had butterflies in my stomach
playing over that game," wrote GM Arthur Bisguier in Chess Life
shortly after Kash's death, "because I knew from hard experience in
the 1950s the difficulty of squeezing Sammy."
Isaac Kashdan-Samuel Reshevsky
U.S. Championship Match, I 94 2 (Game 4)
Ruy Lopez
I . P-K4 P-K4 2. N-KB3 N-QB3 3. B-NS P-QR3 4. B-R4 P-Q3 S. P-B4 B-Q2
6. N-B3 N-B3 7. P-Q4 PxP 8. NxP NxN 9. BxBch QxB I 0. QxN B-K2 I I .
0-0 0-0 1 2. P-QN3
White enjoys an advantage in space. He wants to prevent . . . P-Q4
and must be prepared to meet Black's play on the Queenside with a
forceful attack on the King's wing.
1 2. . . . KR-K I I 3. B-N2 B-B I 1 4. QR-Q I R-K3 I S. KR-K I QR-K I 1 6. P-B3
K- R I ?
This waiting move appears to lose by force. Black needed to play
16 . . . . P-KN3 with a defensible position.
1 7. N-K2 Q-B I
Once again, Black dithers. Instead, 17 . . . . P-QN4 could have been
played immediately.
1 8. Q-B2 N-Q2 1 9. N-Q4 R/3-K2 20. Q-N3 P-KB3 2 1 . N-BS R-K3
22. P-KR4 P-QN4 23. PxP PxP 24. P-RS Q-R3 2S. P-R3 P-B4 26. R-QS N-K4
27. KR-Q I N-B2 28. Q-R4 N-K4?
This move shortens Black's agony. The only try is 28 . . . . P-R3 .
29. P-B4 N-B2 30. P-R6 P-N3 3 1 . BxPch K-N I 32. N-N3 BxP 33. B-N2 B-N2
34. P-BS BxB 3S. PxR RxP 36. Q-N4!
Brutal. If 36 . . . . Q-B1 , White finishes with 37. N-BS N-K4 3 8 .
RxN ! PxR 3 9 . N-K7ch.
194
36. . . . R-K I 37. Q-Q7 R-Q I 38. Q-K7 R-KB I 39. R-KB I B-K4 40. R-Q3 Q
B I 4 1 . RJQ3-KB3 Q-K I 42. RxN QxQ 43 . RxQ BxN 44. RxRch KxR 4S. R
QN7 P-BS 46. PxP, Black resigns
"Kashdan plays perfect chess all the way through," wrote Reuben
Fine of this game, "and makes Reshevsky pay for some slight inaccu
racies in the opening." Slight indeed!
In his Chess Life comments, Bisguier hit on another truth about
Kash's play: "So Kashdan was a positional player. But there is one
qualification to this statement: He belonged to an older generation
of players that still sought truth at the board rather than the point.
Thus, when the occasion demanded, he let loose with risky,
sacrificial attacks. " All of which explains Kashdan's " Immortal
Game," a masterpiece against a player of IM strength that in its
outrageous sacrificial extravagance dwarfs many more celebrated
brilliancies.
Boris Siff-/saac Kashdan
New York, 1 948
Nimzoindian Defense
I . P-Q4 N-KB3 2. P-QB4 P-K3 3. N-QB3 B-NS 4. Q-B2 P-Q4 S, P-QR3 B1<2 6. PxP PxP 7. B-B4 P-B3 8. P-R3
More enterprising is 8. P-K3.
8 . . 0-0 9. P-K3 R-K I I 0. B-Q3 QN-Q2 I I . N-B3 N-B I 1 2. N-KS
.
.
Too enterprising. Safer is 12. 0-0.
1 2. . . . B-Q3 1 3. 0-0 N-K3 1 4. B-R2 P-KN3 I S. N-B3 N-N2 1 6. BxB QxB 1 7.
KR-B I B-B4 1 8. N-Q2 R-K2 1 9. P-QN4
White has the right idea, but he ought
to
have started earlier.
1 9 . . . . QR-K I 20. QR-N I ?!
Objectively, this move may be okay. But it permits Black a
strong attack that will require perfect defense to repulse. More
prudent moves are 20. N-Bl or 20. BxB.
20. . . . BxP! 2 1 . PxB RxP! 22. B-B I !
White wakes up. If instead 22. PxR? , Black whips up a winning
attack with 22 . . . . Q-N6ch 23 . K-Bl RxP 24. B-K2 N-B4, threatening
to snag the Queen with 25 . . . . RxB or 25 . . . . RxN. A possible finish:
25. N-B3 RxQN ! 26. QxR N-K5 27. Q-Kl N-K6, mate.
22. . . . N-B4!
In for a penny, in for a pound. Black will find himself hustling t o
Chapter XVIII
195
make a draw if he retreats with 22 . . . . R/6-K2.
23. PxR Q-N6ch 24. B-N2?!
After 24. K-Rl , Black would have to take a perpetual check with
24 . . . . . NxKP 25. Q-Q3 N/3-NS ! 26. PxN Q-RSch 27. K-Nl Q-N6ch,
etc.
24. . . . QxPch 25. K-R I N-N6ch 26. K-R2 Q-BS!
Black threatens 27 . . . . N-NSch ! , followed by mate in three.
27. N-B3?
The move that saves the game is 27. N-Bl ! , e.g. 27 . . . . N-K7ch
28. K-Rl Q-B7 29. N-N3 ! NxNch 30. K-R2 N-B8ch ! 3 1 . K-Rl
N-N6ch.
27. . . . R-K7!!!
Shades of Rubinstein.
28. NxR?
White osuffers from shell shock. Otherwise, he would certainly
have tried 28. Q-N3 , which holds out longer.
28 . . . . NxNch 29. K-R I N-R4 30. Q-Q2 N/4-N6ch 3 1 . K-R2 N-B8ch 32. K
R I Q-R7ch, White resigns
If 33. NxQ, Black finishes with 33. . . . N-N6, mate. In the mating
position, Black is down two Rooks and a Queen !
He Gave as Well as Received
Kash was a giver. In 1933 he and A1 Horowitz started Chess
Review . A fine problemist and Kriegspiel player, Kash set up several
feature departments in what developed into a great magazine. But
the Depression years were tight; food itself was no sure bet; and
Kash sold his interest in Chess Review to work at odd jobs in order
to support his family. When his second son required special medical
196
care and a warm climate, Kash and Helen moved to California. I t
was a great sacrifice because in those days New York was America's
only chess town.
Still, it was not long before Kash got things going in California.
He promoted tournaments, and he wrote a chess column for the Los
Angeles Times after Herman Steiner's death in 1955-a column that
he held until a disabling stroke in 1982 . He was the spark plug
behind the famous Piatigorsky Cup tournaments of 1963 and 1 966,
though his lasting memorial will be the series of Lone Pine tourna
ments from 1971 to 1981. With financing from his good friend
Louis Statham, he turned tiny Lone Pine (pop. 900) into the pre
eminent spa of world chess.
As remarkable as Kash's accomplishments were, I will remember
him for other things-for those magical moments when memory
holds the door. There was the time, more than a half century ago,
when Kash, Helen and the rest of the American delegation were on
an ocean liner headed for the 1933 Folkestone Olympiad. AI
"Buddy" Simonson had gone a few drinks beyond his limit, and he
proceeded to pass out in Kash and Helen's stateroom. But no
matter, never mind-as was said of the philosophical dispute
between Bishop Berkeley and David Hume. Kash simply smiled
philosophically and let him sleep. "We all know that Buddy can't
handle more than one drink," he said.
Or there was the formal dinner at the Hastings tournament of
1 93 1-1932 . The Colonel Nawab Sir Umar Hayat Khan, the patron
of famous Indian master Sultan Khan, took a liking for Helen
Kashdan. He offered Kash 150 English pounds for her to join his
harem. "It will be much easier for you to replace her," he told Kash,
"than for me to find another Helen at my age. "
Many men might have taken offense. Kash retold that story many
times with undiminished enjoyment.
Selected Games
Isaac Kashdan: The Grandmaster of Velvet Chess
ISAAC KASHDAN-DAVID BENTZ (Correspondence, 1 924): I . P-K4 P-K4
2. P-KB4 PxP 3. B-K2 P-Q4 4. PxP QxP 5. N-KB3 P-QB3 6. N-B3 Q-QR4 7.
0-0 N-B3 8. P-Q4 B-Q3 9. N-KS BxN I 0. PxB N-Q4 I I . N-K4 0-0 1 2. B-Q3
N-Q2 1 3. P-B4 N-K2 1 4. BxP N-KN3 I S. N-NS P-KR3 1 6. N-K6! R-K I 1 7.
NxP KxN 1 8. Q-RS Q-B4ch 1 9. K-R I R-R I 20. B-Q2 N/3xP 2 1 . QR-K I P-B3
22. R-B3! K-B I 23. B-N4!! QxB 24. RxN! NxR 25. RxPch K-K2 26. QxNch K
Q I 27. R-B7 R-KN I 28. P-QR3! Q-B I 29. Q-B6ch K-K I 30. RxQch RxR 3 1 .
B-N6ch, Black resigns Phew! Kashdan at age 1 9.
Chapter XVIII
197
ISAAC KASHDAN-OSCAR CHAJES (Rice-Progressive C.C. Championship,
1 926): I . P-K4 P-QB4 2. N-KB3 N-QB3 3. P-Q4 PxP 4. NxP N-B3 5. N-QB3
P-Q3 6. B-K2 P-KN3 7. B-K3 B-N2 8. P-KR3 0-0 9. Q-Q2 R-K I I 0. 0-0 B-Q2
I I . P-B4 R-QB I 1 2. QR-Q I N-QR4 1 3. P-KS N-R4 1 4. BxN N-BS 1 5. Q-K2
NxNP 1 6. N-K4 NxR 1 7. QxN PxB 1 8. QxP R-B I 1 9. R-B3 Q-R4 20. R-N3
P-B3 2 1 . RxBch KxR 22. PxPch, Black resigns
ISAAC KASH DAN-CHARLES JAFFE (Match Game, N�w York, 1 930): I . P
K4 P-K4 2. N-KB3 N-QB3 3. N-B3 N-B3 4. B-NS B-NS 5. N-QS NxN 6.
PxN P-KS 7. PxN N PxP 8. B-R4 PxN 9. QxP Q-K2ch I 0. Q-K2 B-R3 I I .
QxQch BxQ 1 2. P-Q3 B-B3 1 3. R-QN I 0-0 1 4. B-B4 KR-K I ch 1 5. K-Q2
B-K4 1 6. BxB RxB 1 7. KR-K I QR-K I 1 8. P-KB4 RxR 1 9. RxR RxR 20. KxR
K-B I 2 1 . K-Q2 K-K2 22. P-QN4! B-N2 23. P-N3 P-Q4?! 24. K-K3 K-Q3 25.
K-Q4 B-B I 26. P-B4 PxP 27. PxP B-Q2 28. B-B2 P-N3 29. B-K4 P-B3 30. P
QR3 B-K3 3 1 . P-KR4 B-NS 32. B-Q3 B-B4 33. B-K2 P-KR4 34. B-B3 B-K3 35.
P-R4 P-B4ch 36. PxPch K-Q2 37. B-K4 B-B4 38. P-B6ch K-Q3 39. P-BSch
K-K3 40. BxBch KxB 4 1 . K-B4 K-NS 42. K-NS KxP 43. K-R6 KxBP 44. K-N7
P-N4 45. PxP PxP 46. KxBP P-RS 47. K-N8 P-R6 48. P-B7 P-R7 49. P-B8=Q
P-R8=Q 50. P-B6 Q-R3 5 1 . P-B7 Q-Q3 52. K-R8 P-NS 53. Q-N7, Black
resigns A game that shows why Kashdan was called der kleine Capobianco.
And in 1 930, when Kash was considered a leading title contender, he was not
such a small Capablanca at that! He b.eat Jaffe three-zip in this little-known
match and for the next two or three years made winning such endgames look
easy.
ISAAC KASHDAN-SAMUEL RESHEVSKY (Pasadena, 1 932): I . P-Q4 N-KB3
2. N-KB3 P-K3 3. P-B4 B-NSch 4. QN-Q2 P-QN3 5. P-KN3 B-N2 6. B-N2
0-0 7. 0-0 KBxN 8. QxB P-Q3 9. P-N3 QN-Q2 I 0. B-N2 R-K I I I . QR-Q I
P-QR4 1 2. KR-K I R-R2?! I 3. N-R4 BxB 1 4. NxB P-Q4 1 5. N-B4 P-RS 1 6. R
QB I RPxP 1 7. RPxP Q-K2 1 8. PxP PxP 1 9. R-B2 N-N I 20. KR-QB I R-Q I
2 1 . N-Q3 N-K I 22. B-B3 N-QB3 23. B-N4 NxB 24. NxN R/2-R I 25. N-B6
Q-B3 26. NxR RxN 27. R-R2 P-R3 28. R/ 1 -R I Q-B3 29. Q-B2 QxQ 30.
RxQ K-B I 3 1 . R-R7 R-Q2 32. R-B6 K-K2 33. P-B3 R-Q3 34. RxR KxR 35.
K-B2 N-B3 36. K-K3 N-Q2 37. K-Q3 N-B I 38. P-K4 PxPch 39. PxP N-K3 40.
P-QN4 P-N3 4 1 . P-NS P-R4 42. P-R4 P-KB3 43. R-R8 K-K2 44. R-KN8 P-N4
45. PxP PxP 46. P-QS N-B4ch 47. K-K3 P-RS 48. RxP PxP 49. P-KS, Black
resigns
ISAAC KASHDAN-REUBEN FI NE (Manhattan C.C. vs. Marshall C.C. Metro
politan League Match, 1 933): I . P-Q4 N-KB3 2. P-QB4 P-B3 3. N-QB3 P-Q4
4. N-B3 PxP 5. P-QR4 B-B4 6. P-K3 P-K3 7. BxP B-QNS 8. 0-0 0-0 9. Q-N3
Q-K2 I 0. B-Q2 QN-Q2 I I . KR-K I P-KR3 1 2. P-K4 B-R2 1 3. P-KS N-K I 1 4.
P-RS N-B2 1 5. N-K4 (As a harbinger of his style to come, Kashdan seeks a
technical solution when he could have achieved an overwhelming advantage
with the aggressive 1 5. R-R4!) 1 5 . . . . BxB I 6. N/3xB QR-N I 1 7. R-K3 P-QB4
1 8. NxP NxN 1 9. PxN QxP 20. Q-R3 Q-QS 2 1 . Q-B3 KR-Q I 22. N-B3
QxQ 23. RxQ B-KS 24. B-K2 B-B3 25. R/ 1 -QB I R-Q4 26. P-R6 N-K I 27.
198
PxP BxP 28. R-R3 P-QR4 29. P-R3 K-B I 30. P-QN3 K-K2 3 I . R/ 1 -R I N-B2?
(Black would have drawing chances after 3 1 . . . . R-B4) 32. B-B4 R-Q2 33. RxP
B-Q4 34. R-R7 N-N4 35. RxRch KxR 36. R-RS N-B2 37. BxB NxB 38. R
R7ch N-B2 39. N-Q2 R-N3 40. K-B I R-N I 4 1 . K-K2 R-N4 42. P-B4 P-N4 43.
P-N3 P-R4 44. K-B3! P-RS 45. PxRP PxBP 46. KxP R-NSch 47. K-N3 (A
prettier, though not a speedier win was 47. N-K4 K-B3 48. RxNch!) 47. . . . R
N4 48. N-B3 RxNP 49. P-RS K-B3 50. P-R6 R-N I 5 1 . N-NS R-N I 52. K-R4
K-N3 53. RxN KxR 54. NxP, Black resigns
SAMUEL RESH EVSKY-ISAAC KASHDAN (Exhibition Game, New Bedford,
Massachusetts, 1 934): I . P-Q4 N-KB3 2. P-QB4 P-B3 3. N-QB3 P-Q4 4.
N-B3 P-K3 5. PxP BPxP 6. B-NS QN-Q2 7. P-QR3 B-K2 8. PcK3 P-QR3 9. B
Q3 P-N4 I 0. 0-0 B-N2 I I . R-B I 0-0 1 2. Q-K2 N-KS 1 3. BxB QxB 1 4. N-KS
QR-B I 1 5. N/KSxN QxN I 6. N-R2 N-Q3 1 7. RxR RxR 1 8. N-B I N-BS 1 9.
N-N3 P-N3 20. N-BS Q-K2 2 1 . P-B4 R-N I 22. P-QN3 N-Q3 23. P-QR4
B-B I 24. PxP PxP 25. R-R I Q-B2 26. Q-Q2 Q-B3 27. Q-N4 R-R I 28. R-RS
RxR 29. QxR K-N2 30. K-B2 B-Q2 3 1 . Q-QB B-K I 32. P-KN4 K-B I 33. Q
B 6 N-KSch 34. BxN PxB 3 5 . P-R4? (The correct move to hold the position i s
35. Q-RBch, followed by P-NS) 35. . . . Q-Q4 36. Q-R8ch K-K2 37. QxP
Q-R I ! 38. P-RS Q-R7ch 39. K-N3 Q-K7 40. K-R4 QxP 4 1 . Q-N7 QxBP 42.
Q-KS Q-B7ch 43. K-R3 PxP 44. PxP P-K6 45. N-K4 Q-B6ch 46. K-R2 P-B3
47. Q-BSch K-B2 48. N-Q6ch K-B I 49. NxBdis.ch KxN 50. Q-QB8ch K-K2
5 I . Q-B7ch K-B I 52. P-R6 Q-R4ch 53. K-N2 QxP 54. K-B3 Q-RBch 55. KxP
Q-K8ch 56. K-B3 Q-Q8ch 57. K-N2 QxNP, White resigns
ISAAC KASH DAN-ROBERT WILLMAN (Manhattan C.C. Championship,
1 934-35): I . P-Q4 N-KB3 2. P-QB4 P-K3 3. N-KB3 P-Q4 4. N-B3 QN-Q2 5.
B-NS B-K2 6. P-K3 0-0 7. R-B I P-B3 8. B-Q3 P-QR3 9. PxP BPxP I 0. P-QR4
R-K I I I . 0-0 N-B I 1 2. Q-K2 B-Q2 1 3. N-KS R-B I 1 4. R-B2 B-B3 1 5. KR- B I
N/3-Q2 1 6. NxB RxN 1 7. BxB QxB 1 8. N-R2 RxR 1 9. QxR N-QN3 20. Q
N 3 N-B I 2 1 . R-B3 N-Q3 22. Q-B2 P-KN3 2 3 . N- B I N-Q2 24. N-N3 N-N3
25. N-BS R-QB I 26. P-KN3 P-QR4 27. P-R4 N/N3-B5 28. P-N3 N-N3 29.
Q-Q2 N-R I 30. R-B2 P-N3 3 I . N-R6 Q-Q2 32. Q-B I K-B I 33. K-N2 RxR
34. QxR Q-B I 35. QxQch NxQ 36. K-B3 K-K2 37. K-B4 P-R3 38. P-KN4 N
Q3 39. P-B3 N-K I 40. P-NS PxPch 4 1 . PxP N/R I -B2 42. NxN NxN 43. K-KS
N-K I 44. B-B2 N-B2 45. B-Q3 N-K I 46. B-NS N-Q3 47. P-K4 PxP 48. PxP
N-N2 49. B-B6 N-Q3 50. P-QS PxP 5 1 . KxP N-B I 52. P-KS N-R2 53. B-N7
K-Q2 54. B-R6 K-K2 55. B-K2 K-Q2 56. B-N4ch K-B2 57. P-K6 PxPch 58.
KxP N-B3 59. K-B6, Black resigns A game that shows why Kashdan loved
Bishops. He handled them so well!
ISAAC KASHDAN-FRED REINFELD (Manhattan C.C. vs. Marshall C.C. Me
tropolitan League Match, 1 935): I . P-Q4 N-KB3 2. P-QB4 P-K3 3. N-QB3 B
NS 4. P-K3 P-QN3 5. B-Q3 B-N2 6. P-B3 P-B4 7. P-QR3 PxP 8. PxB PxN 9.
PxP 0-0 I 0. N-K2 P-Q4 I I . PxP PxP 1 2. 0-0 QN-Q2 1 3. N-Q4 N-K4 1 4.
B-K2 P-QR3 1 5. Q-K I Q-B I 1 6. R-R3 N-BS 1 7. R-R2 P-QN4 1 8. Q-R4 N
K I 1 9. B-Q3 P-N3 20. P-B4 N/5-Q3 2 1 . P-BS N-KS 22. BxN PxB 23. R/2-
Chapter XVIII
199
KB2 Q-Q I 24. Q-R6 Q-B3 2S. N-K6!! PxN 26. PxNP, Black resigns.
Minimalist attacking play in the style of Capablanca.
ISAAC KASHDAN-ARNOLD DENKER (U.S. Championship, 1 942): I . P-Q4
N-KB3 2. P-QB4 P-K3 3. N-QB3 P-Q4 4. N-B3 QN-Q2 S. P-KN3 B-NS 6.
B-N2 PxP 7. Q-R4 N-Q4 8. B-Q2 0-0 9. P-K4 BxN I 0. PxB N/4-N3 I I . Q
B2 P-KR3 1 2. 0-0 R-K I 1 3. B-B4 N-B I 1 4. N-Q2 B-Q2 I S. P-QR4 P-QR4 1 6.
R-R3 N-N3 1 7. B-K3 B-B3 1 8. KR-R I P-B4 1 9. P-B3 Q-Q2 20. Q-R2 K-R2
2 1 . NxP NxP 22. N-Q2 P-N4 23. P-QB4 N-N3 24. PxNP BxNP. 2S. RxP RxR
26. QxR P-BS 27. B-B2 R-QR I 28. Q-B3 Q-B3 29. Q-N2 RxRch 30. QxR
Q-B7 3 1 . Q-N I QxN 32. QxB Q-Q8ch 33. Q-B I Q-B7 34. B-R3 P-K4 3S.
B-BS PxNP 36. PxNP PxP 37. Q-NS Q-B8ch 38. K-N2 Q-N4 39. P-B4 Q-B3
40. BxP! Q-B2 4 1 . BxN PxB 42. QxP P-R4 43. BxNch QxB 44. QxQch KxQ
4S. K-R3 K-R3 46. K-R4 P-N4ch 47. PxPch K-N3 48. P-KS, Black resigns. N o
one could criticize Kash for wanting Bishops i n endgames, but he eventually
began to make artificial moves in the middlegame to win what Bobby Fischer
has called "the minor exchange." The above battle demonstrates the happy
side of Kash's clericalism.
Chapter XIX
filjiorowitz:Jie cfJumed
the Candle at cf3oth ends
The Great Depression was a terrible time for most people, but like
all periods of history, it had compensations. For chess at least, the
Depression years provided the backdrop for America's most success
ful era internationally. Imagine having to select an Olympiad team
from this star-studded array of talent: Weaver Adams, Sidney Bern
stein, Arthur Dake, Reuben Fine, AI Horowitz, Edward Lasker, Isaac
Kashdan, Alexander Kevitz, Frank Marshall, Fred Reinfeld, Sammy
Reshevsky, Anthony Santasiere, George Shainswit, Albert Simon
son, Herman Steiner, George Treysman, Robert Willman and others.
Is it any wonder that American teams dominated the Olympiads of
the 1930s?
Unfortunately, many of these players were unable to compete in
Olympiads or other events in Europe because of what the poet Gray
called "chill penury." Back then, defrayed travelling expenses and
honoraria were unknown; a master competed merely for the honor
of representing his country. Players had to pay their own way ,
though a few were fortunate enough to have patrons willing to foot
some of the bill. Lack of money, then, and little else kept us from
achieving even greater things. Had we been allowed (and had we
been capable) of fielding three teams, I firmly believe we would
have walked away with all three medals in the Olympiads.
The American chess stars of the 1930s congregated in New York
City, and from this fiery cauldron of competition emerged a tall,
slender young man with bright black eyes and a long nose that
seemed to keep watch over a ribbony moustache. This man had an
optimistic approach to life and was quick to see the humor in most
situations. He was gentle and sensitive, as befitted a young man
descended from a long line of rabbis. He loved chess and unselfishly
dedicated his life to the game. Though he was very poor until late in
life, I never heard him complain. AI Horowitz, one of four sons born
to Mr. and Mrs. Louis Horowitz, was a truly rich man.
200
Chapter XIX
Where
Chess Review was
201
Born
Al might have remained "just another" of those now nearly forgot
ten masters of the 1930s had it not been for the Great Depression.
Working as a trader at the Wall Street firm of Hoit, Rose & Troster,
AI found that by 1 932 he could no longer make a living. And so,
strictly for economic reasons, he abandoned Wall Street! "I re
turned to chess," he used to say, "on the theory that I could win a
quarter a game and that a quarter could buy a meal."
Al also turned to something else-a marvelous undertaking that
would captivate him for the rest of his life. In 1933, at the height of
the Great Depression, he got the idea that chess would have a much
larger following if it had a modern magazine with lively articles and
photographs. He took on Isaac Kashdan as his partner, borrowed
money from his friend Fritz Brieger, and rented a loft at 60-10
Roosevelt Avenue in Queens-the manger where Chess Review was
born .
Starting a business when everyone else was ceasing business
proved tough sledding. As the years passed, one partner after an
other came and went. Lesser men would have despaired, but Al had
faith. To keep the magazine afloat, he wrote books (all told, about
20) and barnstormed the country for months at a time, giving free
simuls to all who subscribed. And sometimes the tours brought
their own rewards:
AI Horowitz-Amateur
Los Angeles, I 940
Vienna Game
I . P-K4 P-K4 2. N-QB3 N-QB3 3. B-B4 B-B4 4. Q-N4 Q-B3? 5. N-QS!
QxPch 6. K-Q I K-B I 7. N-R3 Q-QS 8. P-Q3 B-N3 9. R-B I N-B3
What follows is an astonishing combination.
I 0. RxN! P-Q3 I I . QxPch!! KxQ 1 2. B-R6ch K-N I 1 3. R-N6ch!! RPxR 1 4.
N-B6, mate
202
Al's courage in adversity shone through during one of his barn
storming tours. On February 17, 1940, about seven miles west of
Carroll, Iowa, he and travelling companion Harold Morton, the New
England champion, met head on a motor van driven by one Frank
Robbins. Morton was killed instantly, and AI wound up in St.
Anthony's Hospital in Carroll with severe internal injuries. Although
AI lost the hearing in his left ear, he wasn't fazed. He now had the
advantage, or so he quipped, of being able to turn a truly deaf ear to
bothersome people.
Chess players hung together in the poor old days. In 1936, AI
and I shared a room at the Lincoln Hotel in New York. The night
manager, an Indian named Chief Hall, was a loyal member of the
Manhattan Chess Club, and he saw to it that we stayed at the
Lincoln on a "due-bill." (To this day I have no idea what a "due
bill" may be. All I know is that we never paid rent.) We also shared
all of our worldly possessions (zilch) , and whoever hustled a few
quarters that day bought dinner. When there were no quarters, our
dinner was bread, beans and coffee procured after standing for hours
in a blocks-long bread line.
AI and I prepared opening variations together for unsuspecting
masters-variations that we got a chance to try out that summer at
the U.S. Open in Philadelphia. This tournament was organized b y
the American Chess Federation, a body that merged with the Na
tional Chess Federation in 1939 to form the present-day U.S. Chess
Federation.
But as I was saying, in a strong field of a dozen of the country's
top players, AI finished first, and I tied for second with Arthur Dake.
In spite of our success, we had to borrow money to get back to New
York because the tournament director ran off with the prizes. Here
is Al's best win at Philadelphia, an effort of sustained attacking and
sacrificial virtuosity that compares more than favorably with many
of today's brilliancies:
Isaac Kashdan-AI Horowitz
U.S. Open, 1 936
Reti Opening
I . N-KB3 P-Q4 2. P-B4 P-QS 3. P-KN3 P-QB4 4. B-N2 N-QB3 S. 0-0 P-K4
6. P-K4 B-NS 7. P-KR3 B-K3 8. P-Q3 P-B3 9. N-R3 Q-Q2 I 0. K-R2 P-KN4
I I . N-B2 P-KR4 1 2. N-N I KN-K2 I 3. B-Q2 N-N3 1 4. P-R3 B-NS! I S. PxB?
White bites. The correct course is 15. P-B3 B-K3 16. P-QN4,
when White has a good game.
I S . . . . PxPch 1 6. N-R3?
Kashdan obviously overlooked what follows . Otherwise he would
Chapter XIX
203
have played 16. B-R3 N-BS ! 17. PxN KPxP 18. P-B3 PxB 19. R-B2
B-Q3 20. K-R1 N-K4 2 1 . Q-K2.
1 6. . . . N-BS!! 1 7. PxN KPxP
Black threatens 18 . . . . P-B6 19. B-R1 RxNch 20. K-N1 RxBch 2 1 .
KxR Q-R2ch 22. K-N1 Q-R6 23. N-K1 B-Q3 .
1 8. P-B3 PxN 1 9. B-R I N-K4 20. Q-K2 B-Q3 2 1 . R-KN I 0-0-0 22. P-N4 P
N3 23. P-R4 R-RS 24. B-K I R-R2 25. B-Q2 R-RS 26. B-K I KR-R I 27. B-Q2
QR-N I 28. P-RS P-NS! 29. BxP
If 29. BPxP, Black has 29 . . . . P-B6, winning immediately.
29 . . . . NxPch 30. BxN BxBch 3 1 . K-R I P-N6! 32. RxP RxR 33. RPxP R/ 1 -N I
34. PxRP QxP! 35. B-N4ch R/ 1 xB 36. QxRch RxQ 37. RxQ R-N7 38. N-K I
On 38. R-R2 , Black plays 38 . . . . R-Q7.
38 . . . . R-KB7!
Amazing, isn't it? Black is still attacking even with pared-down
material.
39. K-N I P-R7ch 40. KxR P-R8=Q, White resigns
This little-known gem is unquestionably one of the classic attack
ing games of 20th century chess.
That same year of 1936, thanks to another example of Fritz
Brieger's generosity, the first modern U.S. Championship was held
at the old and elegant Hotel Astor in New York City. It was a great
tournament, with as many as 500 spectators a day straining to get a
look at the games. The newspapers ran photographs and daily re
ports. At long last, chess appeared to come of age. But there were
still many tough years ahead before Chess Review began to pay off.
Al was a marvelous mimic and storyteller. His descriptions of
how the rabbis in his house sat around the table and debated the
Talmud were so vivid that when I visited his home in Brooklyn, it
seemed as if I had already met the other guests. And as a chess
204
master, Al was of the highest rank. He played in eight U.S. Cham
pionships, placing as high as a tie for third in 1944. The top spot al
ways eluded him, though several times he began with a dazzling
string of wins, only to fall apart in the final rounds. Incredibly, 3 1f2
decades separated his first championship in 1936 from his last in
1972, just one year before his death. In 1941, he challenged the
then invincible Sammy Reshevsky to a match for the national title
and lost a very hard-fought encounter, +0 -3 =13.
Al's chess style was as sharp as a Ninja sword, and drastic
fireworks were common in his games. For example, in the following
position, Black has just played 2 1 . . . . R-K1, a natural enough move.
But imagine his shock when Al announced mate in seven!
AI Horowitz-Alex Kevitz
New York, 1 93 1
Poor Alex Kevitz surrendered when Al showed him 22. Q-NS P
N3 23. Q-R6 PxN 24. R-N4ch PxR 25. BxPch K-R1 26. B-N6ch K-N1
27. Q-R7ch K-B1 28. QxP, mate.
Many of Al's better games possessed a panoramic quality. They
were heroic affairs with involved conceptions. As in the win over
Kashdan, he never stinted his imagination. And, too, he could defeat
the greatest.
Samuel Reshevsky-AI Horowitz
New York, 1 955
I . P-Q4 N-K83 2. P-Q84 P-Q84 3. P-QS P-K4 4. N-Q83 P-Q3 5. P-K4 P
KN3 6. 8-Q3 8-N2 7. KN-K2 0-0 8. P-KR3!? N-R3 9. 8-NS N-82 I 0. Q-Q2
Q-K I I I . P-KN4 P-QR3 1 2. N-N3 P-N4!
Black breaks first.
I 3. P-N3 R-N I 1 4. P-83 N-Q2 I S. K-82 N-N3 1 6. QR-QN I 8-Q2 1 7. P
KR4 P-83 1 8. 8-K3
White threatens 19. P-RS P-N4 20. P-R6 B-R1, but Black counters
Chapter XIX
205
with an excellent maneuver.
1 8 . . . . R-B2! 1 9. P-QR3 B-KB I 20. N-R2 B-K2 2 1 . P-RS P-N4 22. N-BS BxN
23. KPxP P-KS!
This pawn push is more than an attacking move; it also defends
against White's threat to stick a Knight on K4 and squeeze Black
into submission.
24. PxKP
Not a bad move, but a more active idea is 24. BxKP PxP? ! 2 5 .
P-N4 ! .
24. . . . N-Q2 25. B-K2 B-Q I 26. N-B3 N-K4 27. P-N4 BPxP 28. RxP P-R4!
29. R-N3 P-NS 30. PxP PxP 3 1 . Q-B2 N-R3 32. N-NS R-Q2 33. R-R I N-B4!
34. NxP?
"This little combination," wrote Hans Kmoch in Chess Review ,
"fails against a grand one." White's best hope was 34. RxP B-N3 3 5 .
R-KN l .
34. . . . NxNPch!!
Although Al lost a far larger number of games to Sammy than he
won, he did defeat his fearsome rival on three occasions. Everyone
knows about his win in the 1936 U.S. Championship, but the fol
lowing training game to prepare Reshevsky for the 1948 world
championship tournament has never before appeared in a book:
Reshevsky-Horowitz (New York, 1 948)-1. N-KB3 P-Q4 2 . P-B4 P
Q5 3 . P-K3 P-QB4 4. PxP PxP 5. P-QN4 P-KN3 6. P-Q3 B-N2 7 . P-N3
P-Q.R4 8. P-N5 N-Q2 9 . B-Q.R3 P-N3 10. B-KN2 B-N2 1 1 . QN-Q2 N
R3 12. 0-0 0-0 13. N-N5 BxB 14. KxB R-B1 15. R-K1 N-KB4 16. KN
K4? (White may actually stand better after 16. P-KN4) 16 . . . . P-R4
17. Q.R-B1 R-K1 18. Q-N3 Q-B2 19. P-BS PxP 20. NxP NxN 2 1 .
BxN? B-R3 22. R-K2 Q-N2ch 23. K-N1 P-KRS 24. P-N4? P-R6 25. P
B4 BxP 26. PxN B-K6ch, White resigns.
35. KBxN Q-K4! 36. R-QB I NxR 37. QxN QxN?!
206
AI lets down a bit. He could have scored the point right away
with 37 . . . . Q-R7ch 38. K-B3 RxN 39. P-BS R-R3 , threatening 40.
R-R6 and 41. . . . Q-BSch.
38. P-BS Q-K4?
Once again, Black falters. The winning line is 38 . . . . Q-R7ch 3 9 .
K-B3 R-R2 40. P-Q6 K-B1 4 1 . P-B6 R-R6 42. P-B7 RxQ! 43. PxR=Q
Q-BSch 44. K-N2 R-N7ch.
39. P-Q6ch K-B I 40. Q-K6?!
Sammy returns AI's favors. He could have offered considerable
resistance with 40. P-B6 RxP 4 1 . P-B7 R-B1 ! 42. PxB=Q R/1xQ.
40. . . . Q-R7ch 4 1 . K-B3 R-R2 42. P-Q7
If 42. P-B6, Black has 42 . . . . R-R7 ! .
42. . . . B-K2 43. P-B6 R/ 1 -R I ! 44. P-B7 RxP 45. RxR QxR 46. P-R6 Q-Q3! 47.
Q-B4 QxP 48. B-RS B-Q3 49. K-N4 R-B I 50. Q-QS Q-K2 5 1 . B-Q4 R-Q I
52. K-R3 B-K4! 53. B-BS RxQ 54. BxQch KxB 55. PxR P-N6 56. B-B3 K-Q3,
White resigns
"You Can Take Rat Poison on It!"
Next to George Treysman, AI Horowitz was the best odds-giver in
the United States. He would never hesitate to grant Knight odds to
players strong enough to warrant only pawn and move. Yet he was
successful thanks to psychological tactics and engaging banter, not
to mention a natural genius for the game. "The penguin," he would
declaim grandiloquently when pinning an opponent's piece, "is
mightier than the swordfish." And if his opponent reached to make
a devastating move, AI would lean over and inquire confidentially,
"We are playing touch move, aren't we?" The flustered opponent
would usually withdraw his hand automatically and deny ever hav
ing touched the piece ! I remember one time when AI had a lost po
sition against Buster Horneman, a local amateur. AI told Buster the
winning move. The moved looked good, but naturally, Buster was
suspicious. "Can I trust you?" he asked. "If I tell you it wins," AI
answered, "you can take rat poison on it! "
AI tirelessly publicized chess wherever h e went. "It's a great
game ! " he used to exclaim. "No matter how bad one is, there is
always somebody worse. If you lose to a 10-year-old, then select a
nine-year-old, and so on, down the line, until you have met some
one slightly worse than yourself." When AI took over the New York
Times chess column in 1962 from an aging Hermann Helms, who
had written it gracefully for over SO years, his infectious enthusiasm
helped to convince the editors of that staid institution to run col-
Chapter XIX
207
umns three times a week. AI kept the column until October 1 9 7 2 ,
when illness compelled him to leave Reykjavik, Iceland, during the
Fischer-Spassky match.
AI burned the candle at both ends. On the average, he put in a
full day at Chess Review before popping in at the Marshall Chess
Club around 7 p.m. A few hours later he could be found kibitzing at
Fischer's 42nd Street Emporium, and still later at about 11 p . m . , he
would wind up the day playing skittles at the Manhattan Chess
Club, offering Knight odds to all comers until closing time. Then off
he would go to his favorite delicatessen for a late-night snack of hot
dogs and beans or for a second hot pastrami sandwich to chase the
one that he ate for lunch.
Where food and most other things were concerned, AI was a
confirmed New Yorker. One report had him lamenting the absence
of hot pastrami sandwiches in Iceland while he was still at the
Fischer-Spassky match. At any rate, to conclude Al's typical day, he
dragged himself off to bed at about 4 a.m. after smoking the last of
his third pack of cigarettes.
I once asked Al why he never took a vacation, since I felt that
some fresh air and exercise would do him good. Jokingly he replied,
"Are you trying to kill me?" Is it any wonder that he never had the
stamina to play through a tournament at a consistently high level?
The wonder to me was that he was able to do as well as he did given
his devotion to awful health habits.
AI "retired" in 1969 when he sold Chess Review to the USCF.
For the first time in his life, he wasn't poor, though he kept up the
breakneck pace.
I last saw AI shortly before his death. He looked emaciated. Years
of heavy smoking and a total lack of exercise wrecked his circula
tory system. He knew that he was dying and fought back the tears
when we met. Then, with a faint smile, he said, "We had some good
times, didn't we?" Ours was the saddest of partings. Death came a
few weeks later, on January 18, 1973. He was 65.
Israel Albert Horowitz will be remembered always as a rare, un
selfish worker for the royal game-a man who, as we used to say,
brought oil for the lamps of Caissa. His place in the lore of American
chess will forever be secure.
208
Selected Games
AI Horowitz: He Never Stinted his Imagination
ISAAC KASH DAN-AL HOROWITZ (Manhattan C.C. Championship, 1 928):
I . P-K4 P-K4 2. N-KB3 P-Q3 3. P-Q4 N-KB3 4. N-B3 QN-Q2 S. B-QB4 B
K2 6. 0-0 P-B3 7. P-QR4 0-0 8. Q-K2 Q-B2 9. P-R3 P-KR3 I 0. B-R2 PxP I I .
NxP R-K I 1 2. Q-B3 N-K4 1 3. Q-N3 N-R4 1 4. Q-R2 P-Q4! I S. B-K3 B-Q3
1 6. P-B4 N-N3 1 7. P-KS NxKP!! 1 8. N/3-NS PxN 1 9. NxP Q-K2 20. NxB N
Q2! 2 1 . N-BS Q-KS 22. QR-K I QxN 23. P-KN4 Q-N3 24. P-BS Q-QB3 2S.
PxN N-B3 26. Q-N2 K-R2 27. B-N3 P-QN3 28. K-R2 B-N2 29. Q-B3 NxP!
30. QxN P-QS 3 I . Q-N4 PxB 32. P-B6 P-N3 33. R-B4 QR-Q I 34. BxP R
Q7ch 3S. R-K2 RxRch 36. QxR Q-R8ch, White resigns One of Horowitz's
earliest brilliancies.
AL HOROWITZ-REUBEN FINE (New York. 1 934, Match Game No. 7): I .
P-K4 P-K4 2. N-KB3 N-QB3 3. B-NS P-QR3 4. B-R4 P-Q3 S. BxNch PxB 6.
P-Q4 PxP 7. NxP B-Q2 8. 0-0 N-B3 9. Q-B3 P-B4 I 0. N-BS BxN I I . PxB R
R2 1 2. B-NS B-K2 1 3. N-B3 0-0 1 4. QR-K I R-K I I S. R-K2 P-R3 1 6. B-R4 Q
R I 1 7. Q-Q3 B-Q I 1 8. KR-K I RxR 1 9. RxR Q-N2 20. P-QN3 R-R I 2 1 . BxN
BxB 22. N-QS B-K4 23. P-B6! P-N3 24. N-K7ch K-R2 2S. NxP!! BxP (if 2S . . . .
PxN, White plays 26. RxB!) 26. N-K7dis.ch. K-N2 27. Q-N3ch K-R I 28. Q-B4
B-N2 29. QxBP Q-NS 30. N-BS Q-B6 3 1 . QxBch QxQ 32. NxQ KxN 33.
R-K7ch K-B3 34. RxP P-QR4 3S. K-B I P-RS 36. K-K2 PxP 37. RPxP R-R8 38.
R-KR7 R-QB8 39. RxPch K-K4 40. K-Q2 R-B8 4 1 . K-K3 R-K8ch 42. K-Q3 R
Q8ch 43. K-B3, Black resigns Horowitz's single bright spot in an otherwise
dark match that he lost + I -4 =S. On the other hand, what a shining
performance in this game!
AL HOROWITZ-SAMUEL RESHEVSKY (U.S. Championship, 1 936): I . P-K4
P-QB3 2. P-Q4 P-Q4 3. N-QB3 PxP 4. NxP N-B3 S. N-N3 P-KR4 6. Q-Q3
P-RS 7. N-K4 NxN 8. QxN N-Q2 9. B-KNS! Q-N3 I 0. 0-0-0 Q-R4 I I . N-B3
QxP 1 2. B-Q3 Q-R8ch 1 3. K-Q2 Q-R4ch 1 4. P-B3 P-R6 I S. KR-K I N-B3 1 6.
Q-B4 N-Q4 1 7. Q-N3 PxP 1 8. P-R4 P-N8=Q 1 9. QxQ P-N4 20. R-R I Q
N 3 2 1 . N-KS P-NS 22. QR-B I PxPch 2 3 . PxP P-K3 24. Q-N4 B-Q3 2S. P-RS
BxN 26. RxB R-QN I 27. B-R4 K-B I 28. Q-N3 P-B3 29. RxN! P-K4 30. RxP!
B-R3 3 1 . R-QN I Q-Q I 32. RxR QxR 33. R-QBS Q-N7ch 34. B-B2, Black
resigns
ARTHUR DAKE-AL HOROWITZ (U.S. Championship, 1 938): I . P-Q4 P
Q4 2. P-QB4 P-K3 3. N-QB3 P-QB4 4. BPxP KPxP S. N-B3 N-QB3 6. P
KN3 N-B3 7. B-N2 B-K2 8. 0-0 0-0 9. PxP P-QS I 0. N-QR4 B-B4 I I . N-K I
N-KS 1 2. N-Q3 R-K I 1 3. B-B4 B-B3 1 4. R-B I Q-Q2 I S. P-KN4 B-N3 1 6. P
B3 N-N4 1 7. B-N3 P-KR4 1 8. P-R4 N-K3 1 9. P-NS B-Q I 20. B-R3 Q-Q4 2 1 .
P-N3 B-B4 22. B-N2 B-B2 23. P-B4 B-KS 24. B-R3 P-KN3 2S. N/4-N2 N-N2
26. N-B4 N-B4 27. K-R2 NxB 28. KxN R-K2 29. N-Q6 B/2xN 30. PxB
QxQP 3 1 . K-R2 QR-K I 32. R-KB2 B-Q4 33. Q-Q2 R-K6 34. R-KN I Q-K2
Chapter XIX
209
35. B-B I Q-K3 36. N-N4 NxN 37. QxN R-KS 38. Q-Q2 B-B3 39. B-R3 Q
Q3 40. R-Q I B-N4 4 1 . P-K3 Q-N3 42. R-B3 PxP 43. Q-K I P-K7 44. R-QB I
Q-Q3 45. K-N3 RxP! 46. RxR R-K6ch 47. K-N2 QxR 48. R-B8ch K-R2,
White resigns
AL HOROWITZ-AMATEUR (Hollywood Simultaneous Exhibition, Califor
nia, 1 942): I . P-K4 P-K4 2. N-QB3 N-KB3 3. P-B4 P-Q4 4. P-Q3 B-QNS 5.
PxKP N-NS 6. PxP NxKP 7. N-B3 QxP 8. B-K2 BxNch 9. PxB QN-B3 I 0. 00 Q-B4ch I I . P-Q4 QxP 1 2. NxN! NxN I 3. B-NS?! ("The safe and sane
way," Horowitz would later write, "is 1 3. R-N I , threatening R-N3 followed by
B-R3 to prevent Black from castling.") 1 3. . . . N-B3 1 4. RxP! KxR 1 5. Q-B I ch
K-N3! 1 6. B-Q3ch KxB! 1 7. P-R4ch KxP 1 8. P-N3ch KxP! 1 9. Q-B2ch K-NS
20. K-N2 QxR 2 1 . Q-N3ch K-R4 22. B-K2ch K-R3 23. Q-B4ch K-N3 24. B
Q3ch K-R4 25. B-K2ch, draw Like Alekhine, AI Horowitz never stinted his
imagination in simul games.
AL HOROWITZ-SAMUEL RESHEVSKY (Manhattan C.C. Lightning Tourna
ment, 1 944): I . P-K4 P-QB4 2. N-KB3 P-Q3 3. P-Q4 PxP 4. NxP N-KB3 5.
N-QB3 P-KN3 6. P-B4 QN-Q2 7. B-K2 B-N2 8. B-K3 0-0 9. 0-0 P-QR3 I 0.
B-B3 Q-B2 I I . K-R I R-N I 1 2. P-QR4 P-N3 1 3. P-KS PxP 1 4. N-B6 PxP 1 5.
NxPch K-R I 1 6. B-Q4 B-N2 1 7. BxB QxB 1 8. RxP QR-K I 1 9. N/7-QS NxN
20. BxBch KxB 2 1 . NxN R-K4 22. P-B4 Q-B3 23. Q-Q4 Q-B4 24. Q-B3 R/ 1 K I 25. QR-KB I P-B4 26. P-KN4 P-QN4 27. PxBP PxQBP 28. P-B6ch K-B2
29. N-K7 N-N3 30. Q-KR3 R-R4 3 1 . Q-N2 R-Q I 32. R-K4 R-N4? 33. Q-R3!
R-Q7 34. QxPch K-K I 35. N-B6dis.ch, Black resigns
AL HOROWITZ-DAVI D GLADSTONE (Manhattan C.C. vs. Queens C.C.
Metropolitan League Match, 1 945): I . P-K4 P-K3 2. P-Q4 P-Q4 3. N-QB3 N
KB3 4. B-NS B-K2 5. P-KS KN-Q2 6. P-KR4 P-KR3 7. BxB QxB 8. Q-N4 P
KN3?! 9. P-RS! P-KN4 I 0. P-B4! PxP I I . N-B3 P-R3 1 2. 0-0-0 P-QB4 1 3. PxP
N-QB3 1 4. QxBP NxBP 1 5. B-K2 B-Q2 1 6. KR-B I 0-0-0 1 7. P-R3! P-N4? 1 8.
P-QN4! N-N2 1 9. Q-K3! K-N I 20. BxP! PxB 2 1 . NxNP R-QB I 22. Q-N6
KR-N I 23. N/3-Q4 Q-N4ch 24. K-N I QxKP 25. QR-K I Q-N6 26. R-K3!! Q
R7 27. P-N3 B-K I 28. RxBP! BxR 29. NxNch RxN 30. Q-R7ch K-B I 3 1 . Q
R8ch K-Q2 32. QxNch K-K I 33. QxRch K-B I 34. Q-Q6ch K-N2 35. Q-KSch
K-R2 36. N-Q6 BxP 37. QxKP B-N3 38. N-BS R-KB I 39. Q-Q7ch R-B2 40.
R-K7 Q-R4 4 1 . P-N4!, Black resigns
AL HOROWITZ-ARNOLD DENKER (U.S. Championship, 1 946): I . P-Q4
N-KB3 2. P-QB4 P-K3 3. N-KB3 P-QN3 4. P-KN3 B-N2 5. B-N2 B-NSch 6.
QN-Q2 N-KS 7. 0-0 NxN 8. BxN BxB 9. QxB 0-0 I 0. Q-B2 N-B3 I I . QR
Q I P-Q3 1 2. P-QS! PxP 1 3. PxP N-NS 1 4. Q-B4 P-QR4 1 5. P-QR3 N-R3 1 6.
P-QN4! Q-Q2 1 7. R-Q4! KR-K I 1 8. P-K3 PxP 1 9. PxP P-QN4 20. Q-Q3 B
B I 2 1 . R-B I R-N I 22. R-KB4 Q-Q I 23. P-R4 P-R3 24. Q-B3 B-Q2 25. R-R I
Q-B I 26. K-R2 R-N3 27. N-Q4 N-N I 28. R-QB I Q-R3? (Wrote Reuben
Fine about this move, "It is not enough to have a lost game, one must also
lose it. 28 . . . . N-R3 was called for.") 29. P-N4! B-B I 30. QxP R-N2 3 1 . Q-B3
210
N-Q2 32. QxB!! RxQ 33. RxRch N-B I 34. N-K6! P-N3 3S. RxNch K-R2 36.
R/4xPch RxR 37. RxRch K-R I 38. B-K4! Q-R8 39. BxP, Black resigns For this
nearly perfect performance of aggressive positional chess, Horowitz received
the First Brilliancy prize. As in his famous and oft-published wins over Salo
Flohr (U.S.A. vs. U.S.S.R. Radio Match, 1 94S) and Abe Yanofsky (Dallas, 1 942),
Horowitz employs a grandiose imagination in prosecuting positional aims.
AL HOROWITZ-MESSRS. BOYER and ALLISON (Simultaneous Exhibition,
Buffalo, New York, 1 9S I ) : I . P-K4 P-K4 2. N-KB3 N-QB3 3. B-NS P-QR3 4.
B-R4 P-Q3 S. BxNch PxB 6. P-Q4 P-B3 7. N-R4 B-K3 8. 0-0 P-N3 9. N-QB3
B-N2 I 0. P-B4 PxBP I I . P-QS B-B2 1 2. BxP N-K2 1 3. B-K3 0-0 1 4. Q-Q2
PxP I S. PxP Q-N I 1 6. QR-K I Q-N2 1 7. B-R6 QR-K I 1 8. BxB KxB 1 9. RxP!!
Q-N3ch 20. K-R I KxR 2 1 . N-K4ch K-N2 22. Q-B3ch K-R3 23. Q-KR3 K-N2
24. Q-B3ch K-R3 2S. P-KN4! BxP? 26. P-NSch K-R4 27. Q-KR3, Black resigns
AL HOROWITZ-SAMUEL RESH EVSKY (New York, 1 9S I ) : I . P-K4 P-QB4
2. N-KB3 P-Q3 3. P-Q4 PxP 4. NxP N-KB3 S. N-QB3 P-KN3 6. B-K2 B-N2
7. 0-0 N-B3 8. B-K3 0-0 9. Q-Q2 B-Q2 I 0. P-B4 R-B I I I . P-KR3 NxN 1 2.
BxN B-B3 1 3. Q-K3 N-Q2 1 4. P-KS PxP I S. PxP P-K3 1 6. B-B3 BxB 1 7. Rx B
R-BS 1 8. R-Q I Q-R4 1 9. N-K4 BxP 20. BxB NxB 2 1 . N-B6ch K-N2 22. N
RSch PxN 23. Q-NSch K-R I 24. Q-B6ch K-N I , draw
AL HOROWITZ-HANS BERLINER (U.S. Open, 1 9S3): I . P-Q4 P-Q4 2. P
QB4 PxP 3. N-KB3 P-QR3 4. P-K3 N-KB3 S. BxP P-K3 6. 0-0 P-B4 7. Q-K2
P-QN4 8. B-N3 B-N2 9. R-Q I QN-Q2 I 0. N-B3 Q-N3 I I . P-K4! PxP 1 2.
NxQP B-B4 1 3. B-K3! NxP? (Black underestimates the coming attack and
ought to have tried 1 3 . . . . 0-0) 1 4. NxN BxN I S. NxKP!! PxN 1 6. RxN!! BxB
(On 1 6. . . . KxR, White gets a winning attack after 1 7. R-Q I ch) 1 7. RxP BxPch
1 8. QxB QxQch 1 9. KxQ 0-0-0 20. BxPch K-N I 2 1 . R-K I KR-B I ch 22. R-B7
RxRch 23. BxR B-B3 (A more resistant move is 23. . . . R-Q7ch, though
White still appears to win after 24. R-K2! RxRch 2S. KxR BxP 26. K-K3) 24. B
RS! B-Q4 2S. P-QR3 R-B I ch 26. B-B3 R-B2 27. R-K3 K-B2 28. P-KN4 P-QR4
29. P-KR4 K-N3 30. K-N3 BxB 3 1 . RxB R-Q2 32. P-NS K-B4 33. R-B2 R-QS
34. R-B4 R-Q6ch 3S. K-N4 R-N6 36. R-B2 P-NS 37. P-R4 R-K6 38. P-RS K-BS
39. R-B3 R-K8 40. P-N6 PxP 4 1 . PxP R-N8ch 42. R-N3 R-K8 43. P-N7 R-K I
44. P-N3ch, Black resigns
Chapter XX
'fhe cJ>aderewski of Chess
If you are ever down Argentine Way and happen to meet a group of
excited chess players crowded around a small balding man, the odds
are that you have stumbled upon Moishe, Miguel, Mieczyslaw or
Mendel Najdorf holding court on the second floor of the elegant
Buenos Aires Chess Club.
How do I know?
Well, I know Mendel, as he is called by his friends. And I also
know the allure that he exerts. This virtuoso of the chess board,
who moves pieces to the correct squares as fluently as Paderewski
played the piano, draws people to him like a magnet attracts iron
filings. He is beloved throughout the chess world as being among
the most generous and gifted of great masters.
In spite of unbelievable adversity, Mendel has never given up on
life by surrendering to bitterness, though Lord knows he had reason
to do so. Suffice it to say, Mendel became Argentina's greatest
grandmaster by staying on in the country following the Buenos
Aires Olympiad of 1939. This young Jew, born in 1910 and a native
of Poland, had no illusions about a future in his Nazi-occupied
homeland.
Mendel the Master
As a chess master, Mendel is renowned for the breadth of his endeav
ors. Not content with tournament and match competitions, he took
up blindfold chess, playing 45 games simultaneously back in 194 7 .
By the reckoning of some folks, he is the sans voir world
champion, though many authorities argue the case for either George
Koltanowski or Alexander Alekhine.
Najdorf also made a run at the world title for regular chess back
in the late 1940s and early 1950s, competing in two candidates'
tournaments. He came fifth at Budapest in 1950 and sixth at the
famous Zurich 1953 fixture. In addition, he missed becoming
"Champion of the Western World" when he lost two highly publi
cized matches to Sammy Reshevsky in 1952 (+4 -8 =6) and 1 9 5 3
211
212
( +4 -5 =9). In the 1970 "Match of the Century" between the late
U.S.S.R and the World, he scored +1 -1 =2 against Mikhail Tal.
That, in brief, is the story of Mendel's "serious" chess. It is also
the least interesting part of his story as a chess master, since it was
obvious to everyone that he would never become world champion
without studying opening theory-something that he had no inten
tion of doing because of professional workaday obligations. Unlike,
say, Frank Marshall and Reshevsky, he could not work full time on
chess. Indeed, Mendel worked scarcely at all on chess. He and his
friend, GM Carlos Guimard, labored instead at building an insurance
business that eventually grew to over 100 employees and made
both of them rich.
The most interesting thing about Mendel as a grandmaster is his
style and how that style contributed to his winning numerous
mixed tournaments ahead of men who excelled him in high
category candidates' events. Besides winning at least a dozen inter
national tournaments in Mar del Plata, he took first prizes at such
stellar events as Amsterdam 1950 (ahead of Reshevsky) and Havana
1962 (ahead of Boris Spassky, Vassily Smyslov, Lev Polugaevsky et
alia). Typically, he tallied lopsided results of 80 percent and higher
in these and other tournaments.
Mendel had a knack for mowing down the bottom half of mixed
tournaments, and this facility earned him a reputation as a risk
taking tactician rather than a positional player. Which is flatly
wrong. Yet the source for this disinformation is none other than
Mendel himself! Just read his charming "Salad Days" article in the
July 1964 Chess Review in which this crafty and witty man anno
tated three of his best games: an early tournament contest, a simul
taneous effort and a quickie at Queen Rook odds. Forget about
deep positional victories over Mikhail Botvinnik, Boris Spassky and
many others. Mendel gave us instead what he values in chess, and
we then carelessly concluded that blinding brilliancy defined the
Najdorf style. In an issue of La Nacion (1944), Mendel described the
following miniature as his best game, while in the "Salad Days"
article he called it "one of the most brilliant of . . . [my] youth":
Miguel Najdorf-Frenke or Sapiro
Warsaw, 1 92 7 or Lodz, 1 929
French Defense
I . P-K4 P-K3 2. P-Q4 P-Q4 3. N-QB3 PxP 4. NxP N-Q2
Where and when was this game played? Mendel gives his oppo
nent as one Frenke and the where-when as Warsaw 1927, but Raul
Castelli in his jNajdorf! lists the opponent as one Sapiro and the
where-when as Lodz 1929. Such confusion reigns because while my
Chapter XX
213
friend has a flawless memory for chess moves, he seldom pays atten
tion to niggling details such as chess opponents and venues.
5. N-KB3 KN-B3 6. B-Q3 B-K2 7. 0-0 P-QN3
A better move is 7 . . . . 0-0.
8. N-KS B-N2 9. NxNch PxN
On 9 . . . . BxN, White intended 10. P-KB4, with a solid initiative.
1 0. NxP!!
Referring to himself in the third person, Mendel writes, "He was
fascinated by the magic of combinations and sought particularly for
that continuous sacrifice of pieces which, aimed for attack on the
enemy King, reckons without regard for material since, in the end,
the goal will have been reached . . . . He was not content with a simple
routine victory but probed for the hidden and the spectacular."
I 0. . . . KxN I I . Q-RSch K-N I
Black cannot play 1 1 . . . . K-B1 because of 12. B-R6ch, followed
by 13. Q-N4ch.
1 2. R-K I N-B I
1 3. RxP!!
A sacrifice designed to open lines.
I 3 . . . . NxR 1 4. B-QB4 Q-Q3 1 5. B-KR6
The threat is 16. Q-N4ch and 17. Q-N7ch.
I S . . . . B-KB I 1 6. R-K I B-B I 1 7. Q-K8
White penetrates to the eighth rank and threatens 18. RxN.
1 7. . . . B-Q2
Nothing works at this point. If 17. . . . Q-K2, White finishes
214
quickly with 18. RxN Q-B2 19. QxBch QxQ 20. R-K8, mate.
1 8. RxN! RxQ 1 9. RxRch B-K3 20. BxBch QxB 2 1 . RxB, mate
The above game, along with the famous Gliicksberg-Najdorf
"Polish Immortal," represents Najdorfs style for many people. And
Mendel certainly plays along with the myth that he is merely a
tactical child of nature. In truth, he achieved his famed shutouts
against the lower half of tournament tables with a style that was
half-Capablanca and half-Lasker. He took positional rather than Tal
like tactical risks.
Miguel Najdorf-Carlos Bielicki
Mar del Plata, 1 965
Reti Opening
I . N-KB3 N-KB3 2. P-B4 P-K3 3. P-KN3 B-K2 4. B-N2 0-0 5. 0-0 P-Q4 6. P
N3 P-QN3 7. B-N2 B-N2 8. P-K3 QN-Q2 9. N-B3 P-B4 I 0. Q-B2 P-QR3
I I . KR-Q I R-B I 1 2. P-Q3 R-B2 1 3. Q-K2 Q-R I 1 4. QR-B I KR-B I 1 5. N-N I
N-K I I 6. PxP BxP 1 7. P-K4 B-N2 I 8. QN-Q2 P-QN4 1 9. B-B3 P-QR4 20. P
QR4 PxP 2 1 . PxP N-N3 22. N-K5
Many of Mendel's games, like those of Jose Capablanca, are diffi
cult to play but easy to play over. The current game is simplicity
itself: Mendel gambits the Queen Rook pawn , and the moment he
wins it back, the game is over. That's all.
22. . . . NxP 23. N/5-B4 NxB 24. RxN R-Q I 25. R-R3 P-RS 26. N-N6 Q-R3
27. N/2-B4 B-QB3 28. P-K5 B-QN4 29. R/ 1 -R I R-R2 30. Q-B2 BxN 3 1 . NxB
Q-N4 32. RxP RxR 33. RxR Q-Q2 34. B-K4 P-N3 35. Q-R2 K-B I 36. R-R7
Q-N4 37. R-N7, Black resigns
Finis , the Black lady is trapped.
Occasionally, Mendel lets the cat out of the bag and reveals how
hard he strives for the kind of easy simplicity that only results from
skilled application of positional principles. Here is a victory-a vic
tory highly praised by Bobby Fischer-over Paul Keres, along with
some of Mendel's notes in quotation marks:
Miguel Najdorf-Paul Keres
Los Angeles, 1 963
Dutch Defense
I . P-Q4 P-K3 2. P-QB4 B-N5ch 3. N-B3 P-KB4
"Now the game changes to the Dutch Defense. I believe, after N
QB3 , that the Dutch is not best because Black's KB is normally his
best piece and should be preserved at K2 or Q3 . It was my first time
to play this system, and I believe that next I should not play the
normal P-KN3 , but rather P-K3 and castle quickly. "
Chapter XX
4.
215
P-K3 N-K83 5. 8-Q3 0-0 6. N-K2 P-Q3 7. 0-0
"White could play P-QR3 , obligating the exchange of Black's
Bishop. However, why lose a tempo for this when Black's KB is not
strong here. You must never have fear of poorly placed pieces. Don't
force your opponent to make a good move ! "
7. . . . P-84 8 . P-QN3!
"To bring the QB, my last undeveloped piece, into play on the
long diagonal ."
8 . . . . N-83 9. 8-N2 P-K4?
"A strategic error. Why? Because Keres has opened the game too
early; White has better freedom of movement. Don't open the
position when you are less developed than your opponent. Black
should have played for a closed position. The right move was 9 .
B-R4 o r Q-K2 , to improve the KB and prepare for P-K4 later. "
I 0. PxKP PxP I I . N-QS!
"Now it is clear that White is better. Black's KB at NS looks like a
big pawn, and White's pieces are more actively placed."
I I . . . . 8-K3 1 2. N-N3!
"Whenever the opponent has
together, you must prevent their
the sad move P-KN3 and weaken
the scope of White's QB. Because
14. B-QB4 wins Black's QB. If 13 .
position."
two or three pawns advancing
advance. Now Black must make
his King's position by increasing
after 12 . . . . NxN; 13. PxN, QxP;
. . . BxP; 14. BxBP gives a winning
1 2. . . . P-KN3 1 3. P-84!
"A good move and very easy, because every time you want to
utilize a better position, you must open the position even if you
have to sacrifice."
I 3 . . . . NxN 1 4. PxN 8xP I S. PxP 8-K3 I 6. N-K2
"The Knight has accomplished its purpose at N3 and is now
looking for a better strategic square. White's play is very clear. He
must remove the QB and weaken the defense of Black's King.
Black's KB is useless ."
I 6. . . . Q-K2 1 7. N-84
"No special moves by White are necessary-only the logical
ones . "
216
1 7. . . . N-Q I 1 8. Q-B3 R-QB I 1 9. QR-Q I P-QR3
"Black clearly wants to play P-QN4 and inactivate White's KB."
20. B-B4!
"It is the moment to dispose of Black's best piece. Without this
QB, Black's game collapses."
20. . . . BxB 2 1 . PxB N-B2 22. P-K6 N-N4 23. Q-Q5
23 . . . . R-QB3
"The difference in action of the two Bishops must now be com
pared. If 23 . . . . Q-QB2; 24. P-K7ch, R-B2 ; 25. Q-Q8ch, winning. If
23 . . . . N-K5; 24. Q-K5, N-B3; 25. N-Q5 or R-Q7 wins. "
24. Q-K5 NxP 25. Q-R8ch K-B2 26. QxPch K-K I 27. QxQch
"Very simple. The exchange and two pawns is enough to win."
27. . . . KxQ 28. NxPch K-K I 29. NxR NxN 30. RxP P-N4 3 1 . PxP PxP 32. P
KR4 R-QR3 33. P-R3 BxP 34. BxB RxB 35. RxP, Black resigns
And so, one sees that Mendel also wins games against the greatest
masters and makes the victories look easy. I believe that his notes
to the above game, which employ phrases such as "very easy," "very
clear" and "very simple," constitute a tiny testament of his style.
Add to this simplicity a willingness on his part to take positional
gambles against lesser lights, and you explain his celebrated results
in mixed tournaments.
Mendel the Man
The year was 1946, the place was Groningen, Holland, where 20 of
the strongest masters in the world met to play in the first important
chess tournament following World War II. Mendel Najdorf was on
hand representing Argentina, and we struck up a friendship that has
lasted to this day. Although I played earlier that year at Hastings
and London, Groningen was my first major international test. Men-
Chapter XX
217
del showed me the ropes, imparting some great insider advice for
which I am still grateful.
One day, while we were lunching together at the Hotel Frigge,
something happened that will forever remain fresh in my memory.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, a shabbily dressed woman shuffled over
to our table and asked if she could sit down.
The woman said that she had news for Mendel. Now, "news" of a
certain genre is the detritus of war; and settling into a chair, she
told Mendel that she witnessed his wife and other family members
�oing to the Nazi ovens. She showed him some family mementoes.
The two began to sob, and she bared a forearm to show her camp
number. Whereupon, the sobbing turned to uncontrolled weeping.
The two got up together and left.
To an innocent American, this-the saddest scene that I had ever
witnessed-was almost unbelievable. Oh, yes, I knew that a mad
man had struck across Europe and destroyed tens of millions of
people. But my knowledge was gleaned from newspapers and news
reels. Normal men, as French philosopher David Rousset has ob
served, do not know that everything is possible; and I lacked what
psychologists call "felt knowledge" until that awful afternoon nearly
a half century past.
Finally, Mendel heard the news for which he had waited since
that day in late September 1939, following the conclusion of the
Buenos Aires Olympiad, when he elected to remain in Argentina.
Stranded in a foreign land with no money and a language barrier to
surmount, this young Polish Jew created a new and prosperous life
for himself, all the while dreaming about being reunited with his
family. The dream was now shattered.
Mendel eventually remarried, fathered two daughters who both
became medical doctors and settled into the sweetness of life recov
ered. Until, that is, his new wife developed cancer and quickly
passed away. He visited us in New York, and although I knew how
hard he was hit by this second tragedy, he never uttered a word of
complaint. Mendel's considerate behavior earned him the love and
respect of all his friends.
Mendel and Me
It is always a tremendous pleasure to meet up with Mendel, and
when I was invited to participate in the 1948 Mar del Plata Inter
national, I was desperate to play. To spend evenings talking and
pushing wood with Mendel and to acquaint myself with Buenos
Aires, the pearl of South America-well, few delights, to paraphrase
218
the poet Swinburne, could more surely consume a chess master's
desire.
The problem was that the invitation arrived just as I was plan
ning to give up chess. My wife Nina and I were living in a small
apartment in Forest Hills with two growing boys, and she de
manded that Mar del Plata be my final chess fling. As I agreed to her
conditions, I couldn't help recalling George Bernard Shaw's observa
tion about desire fulfilled: "There are two tragedies in life. One is to
lose your heart's desire. The other is to gain it."
Still, I set out for Mar del Plata determined to conquer the chess
world. But I played despicably. After starting well with two wins
and six draws, I reeled off seven straight losses before recovering
with draws in the final two rounds. My total was 6-1 1 , which was
good enough to tie for 16th-17th in an 18-player field. What hit me
was the gambling bug, and my ups and downs in the tournament
were like a graph of my luck at the roulette and card tables.
After arriving in Buenos Aires, I hooked up with Grandmaster
Gideon Stahlberg, a hard-drinking Swede who, like Najdorf, was a
member of the Class of '39 that decided to sit out the war in
Argentina. He promptly introduced me to his foolproof system of
winning at roulette, which fit in nicely with daily poker games and
sessions of trente et un. In about a week I was broke and had to
borrow money from Mendel just to survive. I also began losing chess
games like a child.
I gave up poker and jettisoned roulette , but trente et un fasci
nated me. Well-dressed gentlemen with immaculate silver manes and
the graceful gaits of retired matadors sat at the tables behind moun
tainous stacks of chips. They were invariably accompanied by beau
tiful women and always played for high stakes. From one of the
croupiers, I learned that these men, who accorded with my idea of
how aristocrats ought to look, were the famous cattle barons of
Patagonia.
They were also my financial saviors. I reasoned that these gentle
men must eventually lose, and each day for no longer than 2 0
minutes, I bet against their largest bets. Soon, I recouped almost all
of my losses and paid back Mendel. Luck or insightful strategy?
Whatever the answer to that question, there has never been any
luck in Mendel's results against me in five-minute chess. Although
our friendship dates back over 40 years, we always play chess, as
Edward Lasker used to say, for blood. Back in 1981, during the
Korchnoi-Karpov title match at Merano, we played speed chess vir
tually every day. I would have lost a lot of lire except that I placed
Chapter XX
219
some large bets with him on Karpov and wound up nicely ahead,
even though my wife threw some expensive champagne parties.
Mendel got his revenge in Moscow during the first Kasparov
Karpov match back in 1984. He would invite me to the National
Hotel for dinner with him and his wife, and afterwards we would
repair to his suite and play past midnight. Showing no mercy, he
beat me like a baby. There was one evening that I came out ahead a
measly three rubles; otherwise, I lost miserably.
Only once have I seen Mendel at a complete loss when playing
speed chess. That was at Wijk aan Zee in 1971, when he challenged
his personal chess nemesis, Tigran Petrosian. In tournaments,
Petrosian ran up a huge plus score against Mendel, who seemed
helpless against the great Armenian, though he could hold his own
against Tigran-tamer, Boris Spassky. Well, Tigran whipped Mendel
game after game, and the more the former won, the sadder the
latter looked. The scene was pathetic. Najdorf could not win a
single game. His customary witty banter deserted him, and he began
to look up at me piteously. I was deeply saddened by the cruel
spectacle.
Mendel in the Mood
Mendel is never better than in a chess ambience. At tournaments,
the moment he makes a move, he jumps up from his seat as though
pricked by a pin and rushes nervously out of the playing enclosure
into the public gallery. He will then wail that he has a lost game
(translation: he is about to win) or buttonhole passersby with the
invariable question, "Wie stehe ich?" or "How do I stand?" On one
occasion, he distractedly asked this question of a bespectacled
young man wandering outside the playing enclosure, who replied
only with a scornful smile. The bystanders roared as Mendel
blushed, for he had addressed the question to his opponent!
One evening back in 1978 at the time of the Buenos Aires
Olympiad, Mendel invited me to the world famous Buenos Aires
Chess Club. As you enter what was once a large private home, you
face an imposing wooden staircase. To the left and right are spa
cious rooms for chess, but the real action takes place on the second
floor in the club room where Mendel holds court amid huge leather
armchairs and sofas. As people sit about sipping coffee or enjoying a
snack, our hero talks grandly about chess. When the soliloquy even
tually yields to passionate Latin disagreements, Mendel usually
challenges the opponent to a speed match at odds from 10 to 20 to
one. To refuse the challenge would be to concede error.
Suddenly, it's Mendel in the mood. With a wide grin, he beats out
220
a friendly banter while winning game after game to the vast amuse
ment of the gallery. Finally, he orders drinks for everyone, including
the opponent. These days, holding court is his great love. He thrives
on it.
And if you look closely, you can see him grow larger as the
evening moves on.
(1.) Here I am as Young Master Denker and looking none to thrilled. The
year: 1 9 1 7. (r.) As a young buckaroo. Photographs fl·om the Denker
collection.
At the 1 944 U.S. Championship, I won the game of my life against chess
immortal Reuben Fine. Immediately afterwards, I made life a bit rough for
the aiways gracwus Ruby. Photographs by George Miller. courtesy of Chess
L(fe.
joe Reinhardt (center) , the referee of the Denker-Steiner U.S. Championship
Match, is about to make a move. Herman Steiner (right) and I respond,
"Whoa there. Nelly!" Photograph from the Denker collection
New York mayor Fiorello La Guardia plays I . P-Q4 in my game against
Mikhail Botvinnik in the 1 945 U.S.A.-U.S.S.R. Radio Match. Maurice
Wertheim looks on. Photograph courtesy of Chess Life.
Nina and I with Handsome Herman of Hollywood and William Bendix in
May 1 946. Photograph from the Denker collection.
In New York chess circles, no invitation was more prized than dinner with
Maurice and Cecile Wertheim at the great man's penthouse on East 70'h.
Nina and I never looked better! Photograph from the Denker collection.
My moves have always driven 'em nuts. This moment is from Denker-Julio
Bolbochan ( Manhattan Chess Club vs. Buenos Aires Jockey Club Match.
1 947). Photograph by Leslie Gross.
I always swung for the fences. on and off the chess
board. Photograph courtesy of
Chess Life.
My Queen and I in 1 944. Photograph by George M iller.
Trust Nigel Eddis, the premier photographer in chess, to make me look
good. Here I'm at the 1 985 U.S. Open in Hollywood. Florida. Photograph by
Nigel Eddis.
I had to fight back the tears at the 1 993 U.S. Open while
accepting induction into the U.S. Chess Hall of Fame. Photo
graph courtesy of Chess Life.
Performing chess labors at my home in Fort Lauder
dale, Florida. The book I'm holding is an updated
edition of my games collection:
Chess.
lfYou Must PLay
Photograph by Henry Fichner.
Chapter XXI
fin fimerican Original
"You know that, I know that, but these silly people don't
know that. "
-Alexander Alekhine (Manhattan Chess Club, 1932)
What if I were to tell you that a young man did not learn the
moves of chess until age 17, that he did not play in his first
tournament until age 20, and that by age 21 he was a member of
the world championship American team at the Prague Olympiad of
1 93 1 ?
Right, but I'm not nuts. The young man was Arthur Dake, a play
er who had in the words of chess immortal Reuben Fine, who
knows of what he speaks, "a natural gift for the game which has
rarely been equalled."
Arthur arrived in New York in the late summer of 1929 with only
a sailor's duffel bag slung over his shoulder and a determination to
meet and beat the great masters of the greatest city on earth.
"Grand Central Station," Arthur would later say, "was so big and
my hometown, Portland, so small, that it took me 30 minutes to
find my way out of the place. "
Believe him. Arthur never tells lies and is incapable o f cynical
calculation. Not, mind you, that these fine qualities are expressions
of freely made moral choices. They are not. They are simply part of
the man-a natural gentleman of childlike earnestness with an
authentically powerful mind that is without a reflective, intellectual
cast. When Larry Parr, the co-author of this book, went to interview
Arthur at his home in 1984, he was greeted even before reaching the
porch. In the middle of the front yard, Arthur slapped Larry on the
back, thrust a piece of devotional literature at him ("One Day at a
Time") , and hustled him into the living room to the roar of Victory
at Sea, which is what Arthur calls "inspirational music."
Larry thought that meeting the 74-year-old Dake was a lot like
running into a tornado of chitchat. Imagine, then, what Arthur was
like back in 1929 ! Imagine what electricity this kinetic and frenetic
221
222
man generated on the New York chess scene.
First, though, I want to pause for a deep breath and ask if you've
heard the story about. . .
Playing Pots with Alekhine
One evening about 60 years ago at the Manhattan Chess Club,
Arthur and I found ourselves pushing wood with Alexander
Alekhine at 25 cents a game. A large crowd collected around our
table as the world champion took the first three pots, whereupon I
won a couple. Arthur then mopped up by winning six off the reel.
As Arthur's streak mounted, Alekhine's face went from red to
purple. The humiliation of reaching into a little black coin purse t o
fetch more quarters, combined with surrendering his seat at the
board, enraged the champion. He challenged Arthur to a match,
who begged off. "Everyone here knows that you would slaughter
me in a match, so why play one?" said Arthur. Mollified for the
moment, Alekhine levelled the challenge a second time after Arthur
kept winning.
"Look Doctor," Arthur said tactfully, "I know you are the better
player and are merely off-form this evening."
Gesturing at the spectators surrounding the board, Alekhine re
plied, "You know that, I know that, but these silly people don't
know that ! "
Here was the great Alexander Alexandrovich Alekhine, who
stood astride the chess world with arms akimbo like the Colossus of
Rhodes, challenging a then virtually unknown American master
from Portland, Oregon, to a match. The scene would have been sad
if it had not been so funny.
Alekhine's next disaster against Arthur came a few months later
to be exact, on August 28, 1932 . At the Pasadena International,
Arthur became the first American to defeat the world champion in
tournament play.
Arthur Dake-Aiexander Alekhine
Pasadena, 1 932
Caro-Kann Defense
I . P-K4 P-QB3 2. P-Q4 P-Q4 3. PxP PxP 4. P-QB4 N-KB3 5. N-QB3 N-B3 6.
N-B3 B-K3?!
Much that is pure hokum has been written about this move.
Walter Korn says that Alekhine desired "to lure a possibly bookish
novice into the unknown," whereas Reuben Fine uncharacteristi
cally cops out with, "A peculiar place for the Bishop, but Black
Chapter XXI
223
wishes to force a clarification. "
Clarification, indeed. Arthur tells the story this way: "Alekhine
and I had spent the previous day analyzing the Panov Attack against
the Caro-Kann. So as a psychological ploy, he played into our
analysis-all the while searching me with his famous piercing stare.
But I looked him right back in the eye and played 6. N-B3. He then
visibly weakened and tried the inferior 6 . . . . B-K3 ." Boundless and
often careless confidence was Arthur's stock in trade.
7. P-BS P-KN3 8. B-QNS B-N2 9. N-KS Q-B I I 0. Q-R4 B-Q2 I I . 0-0 0-0
1 2. B-KB4 P-QR3 1 3. BxN PxB 1 4. KR-K I N-R4 I S. B-Q2
The threat is 16. NxQP.
I S . . . . R-R2
There exists a photograph of Alekhine pondering this move.
Arthur is sitting back cockily in his chair, chin resting on his left
hand, while Alekhine is bent forward, arms folded on the table,
intently studying the position.
1 6. R-K2 B-K I 1 7. QR-K I P-B4?
Black needs to play 17 . . . . P-KN4.
1 8. N-B3 N-B3 1 9. RxP RxR 20. RxR P-BS 2 1 . BxP N-KS 22. B-KS B-R3 23.
NxN PxN 24. N-NS!
This bolt from the blue proves decisive. Of course, if 24 . . . . BxN,
White wins easily after 25. R-N7ch K-R1 26. R-QB7dis.ch.
24. . . . Q-B4 2S. Q-N3ch B-B2 26. NxB RxN 27. RxR QxR 28. Q-N8ch
Q-B I
29. P-QS!!
Awarded two exclamation points by Fine. "I wanted to trade
Queens against history's greatest attacking player," admitted
Arthur, "but after 29. QxQch KxQ, the Black King marches to Q4,
with a hard win for White. " Arthur's frank statement that he feared
224
the world champion even when enjoying a clearly winning position
points up the man's utter inability to dissemble. He always says
what is on his mind, a trait that is morally praiseworthy and social
ly dangerous.
29 . . . . P-K6! 30. P-84!
This move puts the win in the bag, which means that players far
weaker than Dake could now defeat Alekhine.
30. . . . QxQ 3 1 . BxQ K-82 32. PxP K-K I 33. P-QN4 P-N4 34. P-N3 PxP 35.
PxP K-Q I 36. P-QR4 K-B I 37. B-Q6 B-N2 38. K-B I , Black resigns
From Kecskemet in 1927 through Bad Nauheim in 1 93 6 ,
Alekhine lost four games i n regular tournaments. As Fine wrote o f
this battle, "To beat Alekhine was always a notable feat."
But Not G rapes of Wrath
When Arthur finally found his way out of Grand Central Station, he
headed directly to the Seaman's Institute on the Bowery, where he
met a world-class checker master, Kenneth Grover. The two men set
up a chess-and-checker stand on Coney Island, taking on all comers
for a quarter a game. Thus began his immersion in the chess sub
culture of New York.
Within a month after Arthur's arrival in New York City, the stock
market crashed. Customers quit coming to Coney Island; members
dropped out of the Manhattan and Marshall chess clubs; students
became scarce. AI Horowitz helped by giving Arthur some of his
students-an act of extraordinary generosity during the Great De
pression. But the future "Grandmaster from Oregon," to quote the
title of Casey Bush's recent book about Arthur, had no family in
New York and, therefore, no safe harbor away from street reality.
Just procuring a place to sleep and an occasional meal of hot dogs
and beans became an epic struggle.
Arthur, loose-limbed and gangly to begin with, grew as thin as
the shiny seat of his pants. He was suffering for what he would later
call "fame and glory, art for art's sake. " His diet narrowed down to
water, coffee and green grapes. Indeed, Ruby Fine explained only
half-jokingly that Arthur eventually gave up chess because "he
couldn't live on grapes any longer."
Arthur tried everything to stay in chess. He and Grover ran poker
games in their midtown Manhattan digs just off Sixth Avenue and
52nd Street. But the two gamesmen found that line of play too
double-edged. Characters like Damon Runyon's Dave the Dude,
Harry the Horse and Black Mike Marrio were all too common. Said
Chapter XXI
225
Arthur, "We took cuts out of large pots and were doing well. Until,
one night, six thugs with 'heaters' appeared, and Ken and I decided
to get out of the poker business."
Looking back at how Arthur lived in those days, I am amazed
that this naive and friendly Westerner survived at all, let alone be
came a great master. For in addition to the fine qualities mentioned
already-so inimical to survival in the street canyons of Manhat
tan-my friend was generous to a fault. If he had only a quarter to
his name, he was willing to go halves with another in similar need.
But don't get me wrong. For all his generosity, Arthur was a
mensch, not a milquetoast. At age 16, he shipped out as an appren
tice seaman aboard the S.S. Bearport bound for Shanghai. "I was a
self-styled Jack London," said Arthur.
Shanghai in 1926 ! It was the most wide-open city in the history
of the world, and my friend learned all about life and a kind of love
in that fascinating cesspool of squalor and taxi girls. In 1929, Arthur
picked up some more pointers in a Sochi nightclub from a leggy
Russian dancer, whose officer boyfriend kept patting his leather
pistol holster. Another lesson came one afternoon aboard ship when
Arthur fought a four-round boxing match against a tough Filipino.
"We hated each other's guts, " Arthur grins, "but after half killing
ourselves became close friends ! "
That's the way Arthur was-a two-fisted guy in chess and life
who, nonetheless, never had a mean thought. He may have lived on
grapes, but I warrant that they never tasted bitter in his mouth.
They were grapes of the vine, not of wrath.
A Speed Demon
That Arthur could squash Alekhine in speed chess ought to surprise
only youngsters under 75. For the young Oregonian was a speed
demon. A typical victory was a 12-0 rout in September 1935, of a
field that included Fine, Horowitz, Sammy Reshevsky, yours truly
and virtually every other top American master.
Arthur had a lot of Bobby Fischer in him. There was the same
meteoric rise, and having analyzed with both of them, I can say the
same gift for summing up positions quickly based largely on intui
tion. Neither man had to plod through lengthy variations to find
good moves, and both men made chess look easy by the speed with
which they played. Like the young Viswanathan Anand of the cur
rent day, Dake and Fischer played entire tournament games in a few
minutes. That is the good news about Arthur's play.
The bad news is that this natural genius, like nature itself, had
226
the attention span of a hummingbird, a common failing in brilliant
minds that are untamed by formal intellectual training. Arthur
never studied chess in a disciplined fashion, never slowed down long
enough to record analysis for future reference (there was always a
game going somewhere, and Arthur had to be there ! ) and never
adopted a sane tournament regimen. So often in his career, Arthur
started tournaments with a string of wins and ended them with a
skein of losses from trying for victory in drawn positions. On one
occasion, he had Jose Capablanca within a move of resignation but
cockily played as quickly as the famous Cuban. And lost. What did
not come easily for Arthur, often came not at all.
Arthur's opening repertoire was modern even by today's stan
dards. He played the English because of its positional nature and
the Sicilian because it was still relatively unhooked. None of us
feared his opening play, but we dreaded his handling of endgames,
the classic preserve of the natural player. His opponent in the fol
lowing game described Dake's performance as "wizardry":
Anthony Santasiere-Arthur Dake
U.S. Championship, / 938
27. . . . P-RS
The idea is to play . . . N-R4, threatening the weakling on B4.
28. Q-K2!
Now White threatens Q-K7 in the event that Black tries . . . N-R4 .
28 . . . . Q-82 29. B-82 Q-84 30. Q-N2 P-QN3 3 1 . Q-NS
About this move, the amazed loser wrote , "I considered my
chances very good, since Black's Queenside pawns are on the same
colored squares as my Bishop. But what Dake does with his Knight
is sheer magic, surely one of the finest played endgames in the lit
erature of chess."
3 1 . . . . QxQ 32. PxQ N-R4 33. B-K3 N-BS 34. B-B I K-R2 35. K-82?
Chapter XXI
227
This natural move loses. Santasiere noted that 35. P-R4 ! would
have saved the game by preventing an immediate . . . P-N4, which
decisively cramps White's Bishop.
35 . . . . P-N4! 36. P-R4 K-N3 37. PxP PxP 38. K-B3 P-Q4 39. K-N4 N-Q3 40.
BxP N-KS!!
Demonstrating a deep understanding of this ending. The obvious
40 . . . . NxP is met by 41. B-Q2, with at least a draw for White.
4 1 . B-B4 NxBP 42. BxP NxRP 43. BxP N-B6 44. B-Q8!
The best try, since . . . P-R6 for Black only seems to draw.
Santasiere points out that after 44. B-BS NxP 45. K-B4 K-B3 46. P
N4 P-R6 47. BxP NxB 48. P-NSch K-K3 ! 49. P-N6, Black wins with
49 . . . . N-BS ! . Dake now succeeds in winning by the narrowest of
margins.
44. . . . NxP 45. B-NS NxP 46. B-Q2 P-R6 47. B-B I N-B7 48. K-B4 K-B3 49.
P-N4 P-R7 50. B-N2ch K-K3 5 I . P-NS P-R8=Q 52. BxQ NxB 53. P-N6 N-B7
54. P-N7 K-B2 55. K-KS N-NS 56. P-N8=Qch KxQ 57. K-Q4 K-B2, White
resigns
White wins the Knight with 58. K-BS but loses the game after 58 .
. . . K-K3 .
After Arthur won the Marshall Chess Club championship in 193 1 ,
he climbed America's chess ladder at a dizzying pace. Shortly fol
lowing the Prague Olympiad of that same year, he tied for first with
Akiba Rubinstein and F.D. Yates at Antwerp; finished third with
Fine at Syracuse 1934; tallied 1 1-1 to tie with Fine and Herman
Steiner for first at Mexico City 1934-3 5 ; etc. etc. But he made his
real mark at the three Olympiads in which he represented the
United States. His overall result of 75.6 percent ( +27 -4 = 14) is
second among American players only to that of Issac Kashdan.
At the Warsaw Olympiad of 1935, Arthur scored +13 -0 =5 to
turn in the best single result of that event. "I was visiting the coun
try of my heritage," Arthur once said, "and touched all the right
pieces." As a special prize, the Polish-American hero received a valu
able painting of Polish rural life by the artist Wasilewski. "But it was
on the ship trip back aboard the S.S. Pilsudski," Arthur often says,
"that I won my most wonderful chess prize-my wife, Helen. "
The couple were wed i n November 1935, and although Arthur
and Helen crisscrossed the country on a series of simultaneous tours
(with Arthur achieving in Milwaukee a career-best simul score of
+ 7 1 -0 =1), the energy and the money began to dwindle . Arthur
taught chess in the Milwaukee public schools in 1936-3 7 . He was
part of a program promoted by Arpad Elo of later ratings fame.
228
In April 1937, Arthur's daughter, Marjorie, was born. Shortly
thereafter, his chess career died. He would not play seriously again
until the Lone Pine tournament of 1973, following his retirement as
a supervisor at Oregon's Department of Motor Vehicles. Here was
the kind of play that the chess world lost for 35 years:
Albert Simonson-Arthur Dake
U.S. Open, 1 935
English Opening
I . N-KB3 N-KB3 2. P-KN3 P-QN3 3. P-N3 B-N2 4. B-QN2 P-N3 5. B-N2 B
N2 6. 0-0 0-0 7. P-B4 P-B4 8. N-R3?!
Simply 8. N-B3 will do.
8 . . . . N-B3 9. N-B2 P-Q4 I 0. PxP QxP I I . N-K3 Q-Q2 1 2. R-B I KR-Q I 1 3.
P-Q3 QR-B I 1 4. N-B4 Q-B2 I S. Q-B2 Q-N I 1 6. Q-N I Q-R I 1 7. B-KR3 R
B2 1 8. QN-KS N-K I !?
An extraordinarily provocative move.
1 9. NxBP
White launches what appears to be a crushing attack.
1 9 . . . . KxN 20. N-NSch K-B I 2 1 . N-K6ch K-B2 22. BxB NxB 23. NxR
And Black must resign, right?
23 . . . . N-QS!!
Wrong! For now on 24. NxQ, comes 24 . . . . NxP, mate.
24. B-N4
But Black is surely dead after this move? Note that White loses
the Knight after 24. KR-K1 Q-Nl .
24. . . . Q-B I !!
Suddenly, all becomes quite clear: Black is winning.
Chapter XXI
229
25. N-K6 KNxN 26. P-K4 P-KR4 27. B-Q I Q-Q2 28. P-B4 P-R4 29. Q-N2
N-N2 30. Q-N2 KN-B4 3 1 . Q-KB2 N-N2 32. Q-KN2 QN-B4 33. R-KB3 Q
QSch 34. K-R I N-K6 3 5 . Q-K2 NxB 3 6 . RxN BxP!, White resigns
This little-known defensive pearl of American chess is published
here for the first time in a book.
Righting the Wrong
Somehow, in the awards shuffle of the early 1950s, Arthur got dealt
out of a grandmaster title. Don't ask me why. Here was a master
who had an equal or plus score against every leading American play
er except Reshevsky. Against Fine, Arthur scored 7 wins, 7 losses
and 8 draws; against Kashdan, 1 win and 6 draws; against Steiner, 5
wins, 2 losses, 3 draws; and so on. "The failure to recognize him as a
grandmaster," wrote Walter Korn in America's Chess Heritage, "re
flected on the system, not on the person."
Arthur proved Korn's point beyond argument when at Lone Pine
in 1974 and 1976, he finished ahead of such strong young players as
Larry Christiansen, John Fedorowicz and Yasser Seirawan. Several
youngsters, who wondered if this unknown old geezer could take a
punch, found themselves wondering what hit them. Among his
victims in the 1976 fixture was Ken Rogoff, a young comer who had
finished second a year earlier in the U.S. Championship.
Arthur Dake-Kenneth Rogoff
Lone Pine, 1 97 6
English Opening
I . P-QB4 N-KB3 2. N-QB3 P-B4 3. P-KN3 P-Q4 4. PxP NxP 5. B-N2 N-B2
6. N-B3 N-B3 7. P-Q3 P-K4 8. B-K3 B-K2 9. R-QB I 0-0 I 0. N-Q2
White is playing a Sicilian Defense with an extra move.
I 0. . . . B-Q2 I I . 0-0 N-K3 1 2. N-QS N/K3-QS 1 3. N-K4 P-QN3 1 4. N/4-B3
R-B I I S. B-Q2 N-NS I 6. NxBch QxN 1 7. P-QR3 N/QNS-B3 1 8. P-K3 N-K3
1 9. P-B4 PxP 20. N PxP N-B2 2 1 . Q-K2 K-R I 22. N-K4 P-B3 23. N-N3 P-QR4
24. KR-Q I P-RS?!
Black had to try 24 . . . . N-Kl. Now White breaks at Q4 and
explodes a nice little booby trap three moves down the road.
25. P-Q4 N-Q I 26. PxP PxP
230
27. RxP! QxR 28. B-N4 Q-R2
If 28 . . . . B-N4, Arthur intended 29. Q-KB2, followed by 30. BxR.
29. BxR N/2-K3 30. B-Q6
Black threatened . . . NxBP.
30. . . . N-KB2 3 I . P-BS N-B4 32. B-B4 R-K I 33. Q-B4!
White energetically pursues his advantage.
33 . . . . N-K4 34. BxN RxB 35. Q-B7 Q-N I 36. N-RS Q-N I 37. RxB NxR 38.
QxN RxKP 39. QxRP
With his accustomed impeccable technique, Arthur makes win
ning a won game look easy-even against a fierce Young Turk like
Rogoff.
39 . . . . R-K7 40. Q-NS R-K8ch 4 1 . K-B2 R-QS 42. Q-N7 Q-KB I 43. B-K4 R
Q7ch 44. K-N3 R-Q I
If 44 . . . . Q-Q3ch, White plays 45. K-N4.
45. Q-QB7 R-B I 46. Q-Q7 R-Q I 47. Q-QB7
Here and a bit later, Arthur repeats moves to gain time on the
clock.
47. . . . R-B I 48. Q-R7 Q-Q3ch 49. K-R3 R-KN I 50. P-N4 P-N3 5 1 . N-N3 Q
Q7 52. Q-N6 Q-QN7 53. Q-Q6 PxP 54. BxP QxQRP 55. QxPch R-N2 56.
Q-Q8ch R-N I 57. Q-Q4ch R-N2 58. Q-Q8ch R-N I 59. Q-B6ch R-N2 60. P
NS Q-N6 6 1 . P-N6
At age 66, Arthur misses 61. B-K6, which forces immediate
resignation.
6 1 . . . . Q-KB6 62. Q-N2 K-N I 63. B-K6ch K-B I 64. Q-KS Q-N2 65. Q-B6ch
K-K I 66. B-N4 R-KB2 67. B-RS, Black resigns
If my worst enemy were to accuse me of never having done a
Chapter XXI
2.1 1
good thing, I could point in reply to righting the wrong done t o
Arthur Dake. In 1986, I was able to convince FIDE to award this
great player the GM title for his many fine performances during the
1930s .
From time to time I run into my friend at tournaments. He is a
good deal older and slower than the young chess speedster of yes
teryear, who used to quip, "I'll dake it off," during lightning games.
But he is otherwise unchanged-still childlike in his friendliness,
still generous to a fault and still ambitious in chess. In 1991, he was
inducted into the U.S. Chess Hall of Fame.
Thus I give you Arthur William Dake, a decent and considerate
spirit, and an American original if ever there was one. I look forward
to meeting with him for many years to come.
Helen Dake, Arthur's wife of 58 years, has just died. In a moving
memorial in the July 1994 Chess Life, my friend wrote about his
loss and about what he values in life:
At the 1935 Warsaw Olympiad, I scored 1 5 112-2 1!2 to post the
best absolute result of that event; and I can still remember
thinking during the trip back aboard the S.S. Pilsudski that
the greatest chess prize of my life was a famous painting of
Polish rural life that I had just received.
That's when I met 26-year-old Helen Gerwatowski during the
intermission of a shipboard movie. Helen, who was returning
to America after visiting her ancestral Poland, simply turned
around and smiled at me. That's all.
Some six weeks later, after a whirlwind romance, we married
on November 14, 1935. And this remarkable person, who was
truly my most wonderful chess prize, became my wife for 5 8
years until her death on April 1 , 1994.
Let me tell you about my Helen. She was a lady who unfail
ingly prayed the rosary every morning, who never failed to
say "I love you" every evening; who supported me in my ef
forts to become a chess professional during the Depression
'30s; who baked celebrated lemon meringue pies for the Altar
Society and Oregon blueberry muffins for a former Chess Life
editor and good friend [Larry Parr] ; who travelled to Rome,
Paris, and Poland, thanks to the generosity of our daughter
Marjorie; and who passed away, fittingly, on Good Friday
with a palm-leaf crucifix in her hand.
I fell in love with Helen at first sight, but I never imagined
back then that like a flower in perpetual unfolding, Helen
232
would reveal over the years an ever-more textured human
soul that somehow grew in generosity and faith in Our Lord.
For me, Helen was an ever-evolving wonderment of strength
and wisdom; for others, she proved that by working in the
shipyards during World War II and at Hartford Insurance for
the ensuing 20 years, one could be a normal, healthy person
yet also be fully alive.
My Helen, who for so many decades bravely played the role
of a "chess widow," has now left me a chess widower. I grieve
the loss of my mate of a lifetime.
Selected Games
Arthur Dake: The GM of Natural Moves
ARTHUR DAKE-REUBEN FINE (Young Masters Tournament, 1 930): I . P-K4
P-QB4 2. N-QB3 N-QB3 3. P-KN3 P-KN3 4. B-N2 B-N2 S. KN-K2 N-B3 6.
P-Q3 0-0 7. 0-0 P-Q3 8. P-KR3 B-Q2 9. B-K3 R-N I I 0. P-QR4 P-QR3 I I .
Q-Q2 R-K I 1 2. P-B4 P-R3 1 3. P-KN4 Q-N3? 1 4. P-RS! Q-Q I (The problem
with 1 4. . . . NxRP is I S. N-QS, winning a piece) I S. P-KS! PxP 1 6. PxP N-KR2
(On 1 6. . . . NxKP, Dake intended 1 7. B-B4 and 1 8. Q-K3, with a clear
advantage) 1 7. BxRP BxKP 1 8. B-B4 R-KB I 1 9. BxB NxB 20. Q-K3 Q-B2 2 1 .
N-QS Q-Q3 22. N-N3 B-B3 23. QR-K I P-B3 24. P-B4 BxN 2S. BxBch P-K3
(Dake states that even after the better 2S . . . . K-R I , White still scores relatively
easily with 26. N-K4) 26. N-K4! Q-K2 27. NxPch! RxN 28. QxN RxRch 29.
RxR R-K I 30. B-K4 Q-N4 3 1 . QxQ NxQ 32. BxKNP R-Q I 33. P-R4 K-N2
34. B-RS N-R2 3S. R-B7ch, Black resigns Long thought to be lost, this game i s
the first meeting between these two great players. Ou r thanks go to Mr. Jack
O'Keefe, who found the score in the Washington Post of April S, 1 93 1 .
ARTHUR DAKE-A. S. KUSSMAN (Young Masters Toumament, 1 930): I . P
K4 P-K4 2. N-KB3 N-QB3 3. B-NS P-QR3 4. BxN QPxB S. N-B3 B-Q3 6. P
Q4 PxP 7. QxP P-B3 8. B-K3 N-K2 9. 0-0-0 N-N3 I 0. Q-B4 Q-K2 I I . N-Q4
N-K4 1 2. Q-K2 0-0 1 3. P-KR3 Q-B2 1 4. K-N I R-K I I S. P-B3 P-QR4 1 6. Q
B2 P-RS 1 7. P-KN4 B-NS 1 8. N/3-K2 Q-BS 1 9. N-B4 P-QB4 20. N-QS! B-R4
2 1 . N-BS BxN 22. NPxB P-B3 23. P-N3! PxP 24. BPxP Q-N4 2S. NxPch!!
PxN 26. KR-N i ch K-R I 27. Q-R4 R-KB I 28. B-R6 R-B2 29. B-N7ch? (A
blunder that ruins an attacking masterpiece; the simple 29. Q-N3 would force
resignation) 29 . . . . RxB 30. QxP R-KN I 3 1 . RxR RxR, draw Writers unfamiliar
with Dake will assume that his lapse on move 29 was a function of time
pressure. The truth is that Dake was virtually never in time pressure and
doubtlessly whipped out the text move without thinking. Impetuosity and
impatience were as much part of Dake's mentality as his Capablanca-like natural
gift for the game.
K. 0. MOD-SMITH-ARTHUR DAKE (Marshall C.C. Championship Prelimi-
Chapter XXI
233
naries, 1 930): I . P-Q4 N-KB3 2. P-QB4 P-KN3 3. N-QB3 P-Q4 4. PxP NxP
5. P-K4 NxN 6. PxN B-N2 7. B-QB4 0-0 8. N-K2 P-B4 9. 0-0 PxP I 0. PxP N
B3 I I . B-K3 N-R4 1 2. B-Q3 B-K3 1 3. R-B I BxRP 1 4. Q-Q2 B-K3 1 5. Q-N4
N-B3 1 6. QxNP NxP 1 7. KR-Q I NxNch 1 8. BxN Q-N I 1 9. QxKP P-QR4
20. R-N I Q-B I 2 1 . QR-B I Q-N I 22. R-N I B-N6 23. R-Q7 P-RS 24. Q-R3
R-Q I 25. RxRch QxR 26. B-BS Q-Q7 27. B-NS Q-B7 28. R-KB I R-N I 29.
R-B I B-N7 30. RxQ BxQ 3 1 . R-B3 B-N7 32. B-Q6 BxR 33. BxR P-R6,
White resigns
DAVID POLLAND-ARTHUR DAKE (Marshall C.C. Championship Prelimi
naries, 1 930): I . N-KB3 N-KB3 2. P-B4 P-B3 3. P-KN3 P-Q4 4. P-N3 B-B4 5.
B-KN2 P-K3 6 . 0-0 QN-Q2 7 . P-Q3 B-K2 8. B-N2 0-0 9. N-B3 P-KR3 I 0. R
B I B-R2 I I . R-K I Q-R4 1 2. P-QR3 PxP 1 3. NPxP KR-Q I 1 4. N-Q2 N-B4
1 5. Q-B2 BxP!? 1 6. PxB NxP 1 7. R-N I NxR 1 8. RxN QR-B I 1 9. N-N3 Q-R4
20. Q-K2 QxQ 2 1 . RxQ R-Q6 22. N-B I R-Q2 23. B-B I P-QN4 24. N-K4
NxN 25. RxN R-Q7 26. R-K2 R/ 1 -Q I 27. N-N3 RxR 28. BxR PxP 29. BxBP
R-Q8ch 30. K-N2 B-B3 3 1 . B-QB I B-Q I 32. K-B3 B-N3 33. K-K2 R-Q2 34.
B-Q2 K-B I 35. B-N4ch K-K I 36. B-B3 K-B I 37. P-B4 B-N8 38. P-R3 B-N 3
39. P-QR4 R-N2 40. B-N4ch K-K I 4 1 . B-R3 B-Q I 42. K-Q3 R-Q2ch 43. K
B2 B-N3 44. B-Q3 B-B7 45. P-N4 B-K6 46. P-BS PxP 47. BxP R-N2 48. N-RS
R-N I 49. NxP R-N2 50. N-RS R-B2ch 5 1 . K-Q3 B-B7 52. N-B4 B-B4 53. BxB
RxB 54. K-Q4 R-B3 55. K-QS R-R3 56. P-RS K-K2 57. B-B8 R-KB3 58. N-KS
K-Q I 59. B-BS K-B2 60. P-R4 P-N3 6 1 . B-Q3 R-BS 62. P-R6 R-B7 63. B-B4
R-BS 64. K-BS P-B4 65. NxP RxP 66. P-RS R-N8 67. N-B4 R-NS 68. N-QSch
K-Q I 69. B-NS R-KRS 70. K-Q6 RxP 7 1 . N-K7 P-BS 72. B-Q7 R-QB4 73. N
B6ch RxNch 74. BxR P-R4 75. B-B3 P-RS 76. K-KS K-B2 77. KxP K-N I , draw
ARTHUR DAKE-ANTHONY SANTASI ERE (Marshall C.C. Championship
Preliminaries, 1 930): I . P-K4 P-K4 2. N-KB3 N-QB3 3. B-NS P-Q3 4. P-Q4 B
Q2 5. N-B3 PxP 6. NxP P-KN3 7. B-K3 B-N2 8. BxN PxB 9. Q-Q2 N-B3 I 0.
B-R6 0-0 I I . BxB KxB 1 2. 0-0 R-QN I 1 3. P-QN3 P-B4 1 4. N/4-K2 B-B3 1 5.
N-N3 R-NS 1 6. KR-K I P-KR4 1 7. P-QR3 R-QN I 1 8. Q-NS R-KR I 1 9. P-B3
N-Q2 20. N-BSch K-B I 2 1 . QxQch RxQ 22. N-K3 N-N3 23. P-QN4 N-Q2
24. KR-N I K-N2 25. N/K3-QS BxN 26. NxB R-QB I 27. R-N2 KR-K I 28. K
B2 R-K4 29. P-QB4 P-KB3 30. R/ 1 -QN I K-B2 3 1 . PxP NxP 32. R-N8 R/4-K I
33. RxR RxR 34. K-K3 P-B3 35. N-B4 R-B2 36. R-Q I R-Q2 37. N-Q3 NxN
38. RxN K-K3 39. R-N3 P-N4 40. R-N8 P-RS 4 1 . K-Q4 P-Q4 42. KPxPch PxP
43. P-BS R-QB2 44. R-N2 R-B3 45. R-K2ch K-Q2 46. KxP R-R3 47. P-B6ch
RxP 48. R-K7ch KxR 49. KxR P-B4 50. P-R4 P-NS 5 1 . P-B4 P-N6 52. PxP PxP
53. P-RS K-K3 54. P-R6 K-K2 55. K-QS K-Q2 56. K-KS K-B3 57. KxP K-N 3
5 8 . K-K6 KxP 59. P-BS, Black resigns Eine echte Dake-Partie, as the Germans
would say.
ARTHUR DAKE-AL HOROWI1Z (Marshall C.C. vs. Manhattan C.C. Metro
politan League Match, 1 93 I ): I . N-KB3 N-KB3 2. P-B4 P-K3 3. N-B3 P-Q4 4.
P-Q4 QN-Q2 5. B-NS P-B3 6. P-K3 Q-R4 7. BxN NxB 8. B-Q3 B-K2 9. 0-0
0-0 I 0. P-QR3 PxP I I . BxP P-B4 1 2. R-B I PxP 1 3. PxP R-Q I 1 4. Q-K2 B-B I
234
1 5. KR-Q I Q-R4 1 6. N-KS QxQ 1 7. BxQ N-Q4 1 8. B-B3 B-K2 1 9. R-B2 K
B I 20. P-KN3 NxN 2 1 . RxN P-B3 22. N-B4 R-N I 23. N-RS B-Q3 24. KR
QB I K-K2 25. B-K4 P-KN3 26. R-K I R-Q2 27. B-QS R-B2 28. R/3-K3 P-K4
29. PxP PxP 30. N-B4 R-B4 3 1 . R-Q I B-NS 32. R-Q2 R-Q I 33. P-N4 R-B2
34. P-B4 R/2-Q2 35. B-N2 B-B2 36. RxRch RxR 37. R-K I B-K3 38. NxP R
Q7 39. BxP B-N3ch 40. K-R I K-B3 4 1 . N-B3 R-R7 42. N-NS B-N I 43. R-KS
B-BS 44. NxPch K-B2 45. R-K I RxP 46. N-NSch K-N2 47. B-B6 R-N6 48.
P-NS R-N7 49. R-Q I K-B3 50. R-Q6ch K-K2 5 1 . R-Q7ch K-B I 52. N-R7ch K
N I 53. N-B6ch K-B I 54. B-QS BxBch 55. RxB K-K2 56. N-N4 K-K3 57.
R-NS K-Q3 58. P-R4 K-K3 59. RxPch K-B4 60. R-NSch K-KS 6 1 . P-RS K-B6
62. N-KSch K-K7 63. K-N2 R-NS 64. N-B3, Black resigns
REUBEN FINE-ARTHUR DAKE (New York, 1 93 1 , Match): I . P-Q4 N-KB3 2.
P-QB4 P-K3 3. N-QB3 B-NS 4. P-K3 P-QN3 5. B-Q3 B-N2 6. N-K2 BxP 7.
R-KN I B-K4 8. BxB? (A much better move is 8. Q-B2!) 8. . . . NxB 9. RxP
NxP!! I 0. Q-B2 Q-RS I I . K-B I N-NS 1 2. N-N3? Q-B3ch 1 3. K-N I QxR 1 4.
N-NS N-QR3 1 5. Q-R4 P-QB3 1 6. QxN PxN 1 7. Q-N7 R-Q I , White
resigns
ARTHUR DAKE-DAVID POLLAND (New York State Championship, 1 93 1 ) :
I . P-K4 P-QB4 2. N-QB3 P-Q3 3. P-KN3 N-QB3 4. B-N2 N-QS 5. P-Q3 N
KB3 6. P-KR3 P-KN3 7. KN-K2 N-K3 8. B-K3 B-N2 9. 0-0 P-QR3 I 0. P-QR4
Q-B2 I I . Q-Q2 B-Q2 1 2. P-B4 B-B3 I 3. N-QS Q-Q I 1 4. P-B4 N-B2 1 5. N
N6 R-QN I 1 6. P-RS N-Q2 1 7. N-QS P-K3 1 8. NxN QxN 1 9. P-Q4 PxP 20.
NxP 0-0 2 1 . KR-Q I N-B4 22. NxB N-N6 23. QxP QxQ 24. RxQ PxN 25.
R-R2 P-K4 26. B-N6 PxP 27. R-Q I PxP 28. R-R3 NxP 29. BxN RxP 30. RxP
R-QB7 3 1 . B-B I P-QB4 32. R-N2 B-QSch 33. K-R I RxR 34. KxR P-B4 35. B
Q3 PxP 36. BxP R-B7ch 37. K-N3 R-QR7 38. B-B7 P-QR4 39. R-KB I R-R6ch
40. R-B3 RxRch 4 1 . KxR P-R4 42. B-N I K-B2 43. B-B4 B-B6 44. K-K4 K- K3
45. B-R6 K-B3 46. K-QS, Black resigns
ARTHUR DAKE-SAMUEL RESHEVSKY (Western Open, 1 933): I . P-Q4 N
KB3 2. P-QB4 P-K3 3. N-QB3 B-NS 4. Q-N3 P-B4 5. PxP N-B3 6. N-B3 BxP
7. B-NS P-KR3 8. B-R4 0-0 9. P-K3 B-K2 I 0. B-K2 P-QN3 I I . 0-0 N-KR4 1 2.
BxB QxB 1 3. QR-Q I B-N2 1 4. R-Q2 KR-Q I 1 5. KR-Q I N-B3 I 6. Q-R4
QR-B I 1 7. R-Q6 N-K I 1 8. R/6-Q3 P-Q3 1 9. Q-R3 P-R3 20. P-K4 Q-B2 2 1 .
P-QN3 N-K4 22. R-Q4 N-N3 23. P-N3 N-K4 24. Q-N2 N-QB3 25. R/4-Q2
N-R4 26. R-Q3 N-KB3 27. Q-Q2 BxP 28. RxP N-N2 29. RxRch RxR 30. Q
K3 RxRch 3 I . BxR BxN 32. BxB N-Q3 33. N-R4 N-Q2 34. NxP NxN 35. P
BS N-Q4 36. PxN QxP 37. Q-Q3 Q-R6 38. BxN PxB, draw A carefully
played, rarely seen, and unremarkable game, which appears here for the first
time in either magazine or book form.
ARTHUR DAKE-ERNEST CLARKE and CARL BERGMAN (Exhibition Game,
San Francisco, June 27, 1 937): I . P-Q4 N-KB3 2. P-QB4 P-K3 3. N-QB3 B-NS
4. Q-B2 P-Q4 5. P-QR3 BxNch 6. QxB N-KS 7. Q-B2 N-QB3 8. P-K3 0-0 9.
P-QN4 P-QR4 I 0. P-NS N-K2 I I . N-B3 P-QB3 1 2. B-Q3 P-KB4 1 3. 0-0 N-
Chapter XXI
235
N3 1 4. P-QR4 BPxP I S. BPxNP B-Q2 1 6. B-R3 R-B I 1 7. Q-N2 R-K I I 8.
QR-B I N-N4 1 9. NxN QxN 20. B-Q6 P-BS 2 1 . PxP NxP 22. BxN QxB 23.
QR-K I P-QN3 24. R-KS R-B2 25. P-N3 Q-B6 26. R-K3 Q-B3 27. KR-K I KR
QB I 28. R-KS Q-B6 29. B-K2 Q-B6?! (A better move is 29 . . . . Q-B I ,
intending . . . Q-NS) 30. QxQ RxQ 3 1 . B-N4 R/6-BS? (A probable draw is 3 1 .
. . . R-B8) 32. BxPch BxB 33. RxB RxRP 34. RxP RxP 35. R-K7 R-KS 36. R-Q7
R-R I 37. RxP P-RS 38. R-QR6 R-N I 39. R-R7 P-R3 40. P-R4 R-QNS 4 1 .
RIQS-Q7 R-NS 42. R-QS R-NS 43. K-N2 R/N i xP 44. R!QS-Q7 R-NS 45. K
R3 RIN4-NS 46. P-RS R-KN4 47. P-B4 RxRPch 48. K-N2 R-QB4 49. RxPch
K-R I 50. R-R7ch K-N I 5 I . RxKRP R-B6 52. R-Q6 R-B I 53. K-R3 RINS-BS 54.
R!Q6-QR6 R-B6 55. R-R8, Black resigns Many young masters, who have been
nurtured on Informants, imagine that the opening is all. The older masters
used to spend a lot of time studying endings and could routinely create fin
ished productions such as this fine game.
Chapter XXI I
Mol'e 01'er, 1/alentino!
The first time that I saw boyish, handsome Herman Steiner was in
the early 1930s at the Manhattan Chess Club, where he was playing
a match against Reuben Fine. He lost narrowly.
The impression that Herman made was striking-a one-time
boxer, he was well built in a wiry way. But this impression was also
fleeting. I did not really get to know him until years later when we
were both playing in the 1934 Syracuse International. I had agreed
to share a room with Sammy Reshevsky, blithely unaware of his
special wakeup alarm system. And the very first morning, Sammy
shattered my dreams with the loudest wailing and lamentations that
I had ever heard. He was praying.
"Stop complaining and go back to bed," I said.
"Don't you realize we've lost the Temple?" he mumbled.
That was more than I could take, and later the same day, I
moved across the hall to Herman's room. There, the attack on my
sleep was of a different kind. Thinking back across the decades, I
still have not decided which would have been better for my chess:
staying with Sammy and losing some sleep, or hanging out with
Herman and getting practically no sleep at all while learning all
about life and ladies.
You may talk about the Valentinos and Navarros, but they had
nothing on the man whom we would later call Handsome Herman
of Hollywood. He was one charming devil with a disarming smile
and a twinkle in the eye that women could not resist. The most
beautiful women imaginable literally fought just to share him. I had
never seen the like and did not complain because it permitted me to
enjoy the overflow. Herman, wherever you are, I want you to know
that I will always be grateful.
Admittedly, however, I exhibited no such gratitude at the time
in our individual game, which is given here because it was our first
tournament battle and set the tone of future encounters.
236
Chapter XXII
237
Arnold Denker-Herrnan Steiner
Syracuse, 1 934
I . P-Q4 N-KB3 2. N-KB3 P-K3 3. P-K3 P-B4 4. B-Q3 P-Q4 5. P-B3 QN-Q2
6. N-K5 B-K2?!
This move allows White to build up an almost automatic attack.
Black could have achieved practical equality via 6. . . . B-Q3 7. P
KB4 N-KS 8. 0-0 0-0, with the idea of building a counter-Stonewall
formation with an eventual . . . P-B4.
7. 0-0 NxN 8. PxN N-Q2 9. P-KB4 P-B4
Black wishes to blockade the center by preventing P-K4.
I 0. P-QN3! N-B I ?
Not good. Black ought to have tried . . . P-QN3 and . . . B-N2 rather
than the text move, which decentralizes the Knight and prevents
castling.
I I . B-N2 B-Q2 1 2. P-B4 B-QB3 I 3. PxP! QxP 1 4. Q-K2 Q-Q2 1 5. N-B3 P
QR3 1 6. P-QR4! B-Q I ?
Black eschews a final chance to offer some resistance by 16 . . . . N
N3 and . . 0-0.
.
1 7. QR-Q I Q-KB2 1 8. P-K4! P-KN3 1 9. B-B4 R-KN I 20. B-R3 B-K2
2 1 . N-Q5!
The position is ripe for violent measures. If 2 1 . . . . PxN, White
wins right off with 22. PxQP B-Q2 23. P-Q6.
2 1 . . . . B-Q I 22. BxBP P-KN4
"The text," I wrote in If You Must Play Chess, "is a last desper
ate attempt to secure some counterplay. Black's position reminds
one of a poultry yard during an approaching storm. "
238
23. BPxP RxP 24. P-R4! R-R4 25. PxP PxN 26. P-K6, Black resigns
What happened in the tournament to early-to-bed, early-to-rise
Sammy Reshevsky? While Herman and this grasshopper were out
partying (was this the tournament where Herman and I came back
at 4 a.m. with a parking sign and put it in bed with one of our
sleeping friends?), Sammy gathered points like rosebuds to win the
Syracuse event easily with a score of 12-2.
A Child of Nature
"Herman," my good friend Al Horowitz once said, "has the body of
a grown man and the uncontrollable spirit of a young stallion."
Right, but I don't think that even Al knew how apt the description
was. Herman was a child of nature, warm and friendly as a lap dog
and totally spontaneous and uninhibited. No matter how tight a
spot he squeezed himself into, he always wiggled out thanks to his
boyish and buoyant enthusiasm.
Horowitz used to tell the story of how Herman, during an Olym
piad game, once touched the wrong piece and was forced to move
it. He jumped up from the table, rushed about the room gesturing
with the guilty finger, and screamed, "Fingerfehler! Ich habe einen
Fingerfehler gemacht." That was Herman to a "T."
Herman's perky ways did not always sit well with his chess. Of
course, he was an outstanding master, winning the U.S. Open twice,
representing the United States at four Olympiads (scoring well at
the Hague 1928 and Prague 193 1), and racking up two or three
excellent international results such as first at Berlin 193 1 (ahead of
Ludwig Rellstab, Fritz Saemisch and Lajos Steiner) , second at Brno
1932 Uust behind Salo Flohr) and third at Pasadena 1932 (tied with
Reshevsky and Arthur Dake) . But too often he was as irrepressible
over the board as away from it.
Herman probably holds the all-time record for playing Rook lifts
to the third rank with the intention of sliding the piece over to the
Kingside. Most of us understood what he had in mind and countered
victoriously on the Queen's wing. For a drastic example of Herman's
singleminded approach, turn elsewhere in these pages to "Starry
Knights in Hollywood," which contains the first game of my 1946
match with Herman.
Still, Herman's style made for fascinating if not always winning
chess. One of the tournament books about the 1952 Stockholm
Interzonal had as much space devoted to Herman's games as to
those of Alexander Kotov, who won that event by three points.
Herman scored only 50 percent at Stockholm, but he kicked up
plenty of dust even in defeat.
Chapter XXII
239
On those occasions when Herman curbed his drastic ebullience,
usually when representing the United States in international team
matches, he played formidably. In the U.S.A.-U.S. S.R. Radio Match
of 1945, a 10-board affair, Herman was the only American to make
a plus score, defeating Igor Bondarevsky on board six, 1%-Ifz.
Igor Bondarevsky-Herman Steiner
U.S.A. vs. U.S.S.R. Radio Match, 1 945
Bogo-lndian Defense
I . N-KB3 N-KB3 2. P-B4 P-K3 3. P-Q4 B-NSch 4. B-Q2 Q-K2 S. P-KN3 0-0
6. B-N2 P-Q4 7. P-QR3 BxBch 8. QNxB QN-Q2 9. 0-0 N-KS I 0. Q-B2
NxN I I . NxN P-QB3 1 2. Q-B3 R-K I I 3. P-QN4 PxP 1 4. P-B4
White prevents Black from playing the freeing move, 14 . . . . P-K4 .
1 4. . . . N-N3 I S. P-K4 R-Q I
Herman eyes White's Queen pawn which was, as he put it, "an
attractive target."
1 6. P-QR4 B-Q2
Black would drop a piece after 16 . . . Q-Q2? 17. P-RS QxPch 1 8 .
QxQ RxQ 1 9 . N-B3 ! .
.
1 7. P-RS N-B I 1 8. QxP
Herman notes that White had a promising alternative in 18. NxP.
1 8. . . . B-K I 1 9. P-KS Q-Q2!
This subtle move gains time for the following Knight maneuver,
which brings further pressure against White's pawns. As mentioned,
Herman was not a partisan of the kind of positional play in this
game. For a more representative example of his play, just read on to
Evans-Steiner.
20. N-N3 N-K2 2 1 . KR-Q I N-Q4 22. N-BS Q-K2 23. K-B2 P-QN3 24. N
Q3 QR-N I 2S. PxP RxP 26. Q-BS Q-N2 27. BxN BPxB 28. Q-RS R-R I 29.
N-BS Q-B I 30. KR-QB I B-N4
240
3 1 . K-K3?
Steiner tabbed this innocent advance as the decisive error.
Bondarevsky had to try 3 1 . N-R4, with an unclear, complicated
position after 3 1 . . . . R-B3 32. R-B5 B-B5 33. P-N5 RxR 34. PxR Q
N2 35. N-N6 R-KB1 36. NxB PxN 37. R-Ql .
3 1 . . . . B-BS 32. R-B3 Q-K I 33. Q-R3
The maneuver, 33. R/3-R3 , is too slow because of 33 . . . . R-N4 34.
Q-B7 R-B1 35. QxP RxP, when Black threatens . . . R-N7 followed by
. . . R-K7ch and . . . P-B4.
33 . . . . P-B3! 34. P-R4 Q-R4 35. R-B2 PxP 36. QPxP Q-N3 37. K-Q2 P-KR4
38. Q-QB3 Q-NS 39. K-B I R-N4 40. R-RS QR-N I 4 1 . R-QN2 RxR 42. PxR
R-QB I ! 43. Q-K3 Q-R6!
This move threatens 44 . . . . Q-B8ch and 45 . . . . Q-QR8.
44. K-Q2 Q-N7ch 45. K-B3 Q-BB 46. P-BS Q-QR8!
Herman has him and does not let go. If 46 . . . . QxP or 46 . . . . PxP,
White gets counterchances with 47. R-N7.
47. K-B2 B-Q6ch!!
This beautiful move caps a fine counterattack beginning with 33 .
. . . P-B3 ! .
48. QxB RxNch 49. K-N3 RxP 50. K-B2 R-B4ch 5 1 . K-N3 P-R3!, White
resigns
White loses his Queen after 52. R-QR2 R-N4ch 53. QxR Q-Q8ch.
Hot Hollywood Hunk
In 1932, at age 27, Handsome Herman headed west to California. In
July 1933, he took over the chess column in the Los Angeles
Times, which he would edit until his premature death in 1955.
If Southern California were a chess desert when Herman arrived,
Chapter XXII
241
he soon transformed it into an oasis. He opened a club at 108 North
Formosa Avenue, his celebrated Hollywood Chess Group, and at
tracted such famous students as Humphrey Bogart, Louis Hayward,
Margaret Sullavan and Billy Wilder. Others who might happen by on
those warm, lotus evenings in Old Hollywood included the likes of
film greats Lauren Bacall, John Barrymore, Charles Boyer, Myrna
Loy and the breathtaking Linda Darnell, whom Reuben Fine de
scribed as the most beautiful woman he ever saw.
Herman had found heaven as the hot Hollywood hunk of chess.
He married a concert pianist named Selma and sired two sons,
Eugene and Armin. They lived in a large and tastefully appointed
home, a wedding present from Selma's mother, that also housed the
Hollywood Chess Group. Of course, as a master of the attack, he
continued to check out and mate numerous budding starlets
seeking the favor of someone who knew the famous actor
Humphrey Bogart or the mega-mogul Billy Wilder.
Where women were concerned, Herman broke bread with the
poet Richard Armour: "I am not very covetous,/! do not crave a
lot./The things I want are limited/To what I haven't got. "
And i f Herman loved Hollywood and its pulchritudinous attrac
tions, his love was returned. That Steiner charm worked wonders,
and many of the golden women and powerful men of Old Holly
wood helped him to promote chess by working the royal game into
movies and press releases. On the set, Herman could get away with
just about anything, including flirting with leading ladies. During
the filming of Cass Timberlane, he told Lana Turner, "Don't play
chess. Sitting at a chess board for hours might make you fat and
spoil that perfect figure."
Herman's many friends even found bit parts for him in their films.
One of Herman's more prominent roles was as Adolf Hitler, whom
he certainly resembled after pasting down his shiny black hair and
clipping his mustache.
uThe Goal of My Ambition"
Don't get me wrong. Handsome Herman may have been a playboy,
but he remained first of all a man of chess. More than anything else,
he longed to become United States chess champion, which he once
described as "the goal of my ambition. " After his greatest interna
tional triumph, first prize in the London "Victory" International of
1946, he challenged me to a match for the national title that I had
won in 1944.
I accepted readily. Not only was the $5 ,000 purse munificent by
the standards of the mid-1940s, but I had no reason to believe that
242
the pattern of our previous results, beginning with the above Syra
cuse game of 1934, would alter in the proposed 10-game match.
I was right and won 6-4. The story of that match, which took
place in Los Angeles in May 1946, can be found in Chapter IX. My
purpose here is merely to report that I was not guilty of wounding
Herman's spirit. Always an incorrigible optimist, he attributed his
loss to the strain of raising funds and issued another challenge for
the following year. But as luck or skill would have it, I lost my title
in the fall of 1946. Sammy Reshevsky scored a lopsided result of
16-2 in that year's championship. 'Nuff said.
Herman's championship quest eventually succeeded. In 1948, he
topped a 20-player field that included Isaac Kashdan to cop the
title. It must have been a sweet victory. Certainly it was richly
deserved. And what gave Herman considerable satisfaction was to
win the championship by playing chess his way.
Larry Evans-Herman Steiner
I . P-Q4 N-KB3 2. P-QB4 P-KN3 3. N-QB3 B-N2 4. P-K4 P-Q3 5. P-KN3 P
K4 6. P-Q5 P-QR4 7. B-N2 N-R3 8. KN-K2 N-B4 9. 0-0 0-0 1 0. P-KR3 N-K I
I I . B-K3 P-B4
For the sake of Kingside play, Herman was always willing to
ignore positional considerations.
1 2. PxP PxP 1 3. P-B4! P-N3 1 4. PxP PxP 1 5. P-Q6 R-N I 1 6. PxP NxP 1 7.
N-QS
Andy Soltis claims a favorable ending for White after 17. QxQ,
18. QR-Q1 and N-QS. He is quite right.
1 7. . . . NxN 1 8. BxNch K-R I 1 9. K-R2 Q-B2 20. Q-Q2 B-N2 2 1 . N-B3
Q R-Q I
Grandmaster Soltis notes that White wants to bear down on the
Queen file, while Black wants to work on the Kingside. Unfortu
nately, Herman could not play 2 1 . . . . P-BS immediately because of
22. PxP PxP 23. B-Q4 ! P-B6ch 24. K-R1 Q-N6 25. BxBch QxB 2 6 .
R-KN l .
22. B-R6 R-Q3 23. N-NS KBxB 24. QxB RxQ 25. NxQ
This ending is about equal, though Black is the guy who can d o
the pushing.
25 . . . . B-B I ! 26. B-N2 N-Q6 27. P-N3 P-BS 28. N-Q5 B-NS! 29. PxP
Chapter XXII
243
According to Soltis, White lets in the hordes with this move. H e
recommends instead 2 9 . PxP B-K7 3 0 . P-BS! BxR 3 1 . RxB, followed
by B-K4.
29 . . . . B-K7 30. R-KN I ? PxP 3 1 . B-B I R-K I ! 32. P-R3 P-B6 33. P-N4 BxB 34.
QRxB R-K7ch 35. K-N3 P-B7 36. R-N2 R-KS 37. K-R2 R/3-K3 38. PxP PxP
39. R-QN I !
The point of this move is to answer 39 . . . . RxP with mate after
40. R-N8ch.
39 . . . . R-K8!
40. N-B6!
Both sides are playing colorful chess. Not only does White
threaten 4 1 . R-KN8, mate, he also answers 40 . . . . RxN with 41. R
QN8ch.
40. . . . P-BS=Nch!!
In Chess Review Hans Kmoch termed this move "a miserable
minor promotion. " It is also a heart-warming way to push wood in
a U.S. Championship.
4 1 . K-N I N-N6ch 4 2. RxR RxRch 4 3. K-R2 N-B8ch 44. K-R I N-K6ch 45. R
N I RxRch 46. KxR NxP, White resigns
One day in late November 1955, during that year's California
State Championship, Herman felt ill. He called a doctor, who visited
him at his home. During the examination, Herman died of a heart
attack. It was the end of a journey that began only 50 years earlier
in Hungary-a journey that took him first to New York and inter
national chess fame, and then to Old Hollywood where this man
child stopped living before growing old.
244
Selected Games
Herman Steiner. Caissa's Casanova
ABRAHAM KUPCH I K-HERMAN STEINER (Manhattan C.C. Championship,
1 927): I . P-QB4 P-K4 2. N-QB3 N-QB3 3. N-B3 B-NS 4. P-KN3 P-B4 5. P
Q4 P-KS 6. N-R4 P-Q4 7. P-K3 N-B3 8. B-Q2 0-0 9. N-N2 PxP I 0. BxPch K
R I I I . N-B4 B-Q3 1 2. N-RS N-K2 1 3. N-NS P-B3 1 4. NxB QxN 1 5. NxN
RxN 1 6. Q-N3 P-QR4 1 7. P-QR4 N-Q4 1 8. R-QB I P-QN3 1 9. R-B2 B-Q2
20. BxN PxB 2 1 . 0-0 P-KN4 22. KR-B I P-R4 23. R-B7 P-RS 24. R-N7 B-B I
25. R/7-QB7 B-Q2 26. R-N7 B-B I 27. R/7-QB7 B-Q2 28. Q-Q I R-KR3 29.
P-N3 R-KN I 30. Q-B I R-R2 3 I . Q-N2 P-BS 32. R-N7 P-B6 33. Q-B I PxP 34.
BPxP R-KB I 35. Q-B2 R-B3 36. B-K I R/3-R3 37. RI I -B7 Q-K3 38. R-B2 K
N I 39. P-QN4 RxP! 40. QxR RxQ 4 1 . RxR Q-QB3 42. R-N8ch K-N2 43.
PxP Q-B8 44. K-B I B-R6ch!! 45. RxB Q-B7 46. R-N7ch K-N 3 47. RxPch K-B4
48. P-N4ch KxP 49. R-N3ch K-B4 50. K-N I Q-Q8 5 1 . R-QN2 QxBch 52. K
R2 P-B7, White resigns
SAMUEL RESH EVSKY-HERMAN STEINER (Westem Open, 1 927): I . P-K4
N-KB3 (Aiekhine's Defense, which the wags used to say led the opponent o n
" a wild-horse chase") 2 . P-KS N-Q4 3 . P-Q4 P-Q3 4 . N-KB3 B-NS 5 . B-K2 P
K3 6. 0-0 B-K2 7. P-QN3 0-0 8. P-B4 N-N3 9. B-N2 PxP I 0. NxP BxB I I .
QxB N/ I -Q2 1 2. N-QB3 N-B3 1 3. QR-Q I P-B3 1 4. P-B4 Q-B2 1 5. R-B3
QR-Q I 1 6. R-N3 P-QR3 1 7. RI I -Q3 P-B4 1 8. P-QS PxP 1 9. PxP KR-K I 20.
Q-Q I P-BS 2 1 . R-Q2 B-B I 22. P-KR3 PxP 23. QxP Q-B4ch 24. K-R2 Q-NS
25. N-N4 NxN 26. RxN P-B4 27. QxQ BxQ 28. R-N3 N-BS 29. R-Q4 P
QN4 30. N-Q I B-B4 3 1 . RxPch K-B I 32. RxN PxR 33. R-B7 RxP 34. N-B3
R-Q7 35. RxB RxB 36. RxP R-QB7 37. R-BS K-N I 38. R-B7 P-QR4 39. P
QR4 K-R I 40. R-BS R-KN I 4 1 . K-N I R/ 1 xPch 42. K-B I R-KR7 4 3. K-N I RxP
44. N-K4 RxR 45. NxR R-KB6 46. N-K6 R-QR6 47. N-BS R-R7 48. K-B I P
R4 49. K-N I K-R2, White resigns
HERMAN STEINER-ABRAHAM KUPCHIK (Manhattan C.C. Championship,
1 929): I . P-Q4 N-KB3 2. P-QB4 P-B4 3. P-QS P-Q3 4. N-QB3 P-K4 5. P-K4
P-KN3 6. P-KR3 B-N2 7. B-NS 0-0 8. Q-Q2 R-K I 9. P-KN4 P-QR3 1 0. P
QR4 Q-R4 I I . R-R3 (Rook lifts to the third rank were to Steiner what
Bishops were to Kashdan) I I . . . . QN-Q2 1 2. KN-K2 N-N3 1 3. N-N3 B-Q2
1 4. Q-B2 N-B I 1 5. B-Q2 R-B I 1 6. B-K2 N-K I 1 7. P-R4 Q-Q I 1 8. N-Q I N
K2 1 9. P-KRS Q-B I 20. N-K3 P-QN4 2 1 . QRPxP PxNP 22. RxR QxR 23.
BPxP N-B2 24. P-N6 N-N4 25. BxN BxB 26. P-B3 Q-R3 27. K-B2 R-N I 28.
P-NS RxP 29. N-N4 B-Q6 30. Q-B I Q-RS 3 1 . N-B6ch BxN 32. PxB Q
QSch 33. K-N2 NxP! 34. PxN RxP 35. K-R3 RxB 36. QxR!! B-B4ch 37. NxB
QxQ 38. N-K7ch K-B I 39. R-R I K-K I 40. R-R8ch K-Q2 4 1 . R-R7ch, draw
DR. JANOS BALOGH-HERMAN STEINER (Gyor, 1 930): I . P-K4 P-K4 2. N
KB3 N-QB3 3. B-NS P-QR3 4. B-R4 N-B3 5. 0-0 B-K2 6. R-K I P-QN4 7. B
N3 0-0 8. P-QR4 R-N I 9. PxP PxP I 0. N-B3 P-Q3 I I . P-Q3 B-NS 1 2. B-K3
Chapter XXII
245
N-QS 1 3. BxN PxB 1 4. N-K2 P-B4 I S. P-B3 PxP 1 6. NxP N-Q2! 1 7. P-R3
BxN 1 8. QxB N-K4 1 9. Q-K2 N-B3 20. B-QS N-QS 2 1 . Q-Q2 B-N4 22. P
B4 B-R3 23. Q-KB2 P-NS 24. N-Q I Q-B3 25. P-KN3 Q-K2 26. N-K3 P-N3
27. K-R I B-N2 28. P-N4 K-R I 29. R-R6 N-K3 30. N-N2? (A passive play;
better is 30. N-B4) 30. . . . B-QS 3 1 . Q-K2 N-B2 32. R-R7 P-BS! 33. R-RS P
B6 34. P-N3 B-N3 35. R-R2 NxB 36. PxN QxQ 37. R/2xQ R-R I 38. R-K4 B
B4 39. R-B4 KR-K I 40. P-Q4 RxRch 4 1 . NxR BxP! 42. N-Q3 B-B4 43. K-N2
K-N2 44. NxB PxN 45. RxP/5 R-R6 46. K-B3 RxP 47. K-K4 R-N8! 48. K-Q3
P-N6!! 49. RxP R-Q I ch 50. K-K2 P-N7 5 1 . KxR P-N8=Qch 52. K-Q2 Q-KS
53. R-Q3 QxPch 54. K-B3 Q-Q3, White resigns
JOSE CAPABLANCA-HERMAN STEINER (New York, 1 93 1 ): I . P-K4 P-K4
2. N-KB3 N-QB3 3. B-NS P-QR3 4. B-R4 P-Q3 5. P-B3 P-B4 6. PxP BxP 7.
P-Q4 P-KS 8. P-QS?? (An extraordinary blunder by Capablanca that loses a
piece; the normal move here is 8. N-NS) 8 . . . . PxN 9. PxN P-QN4 I 0. QxBP
BxN I I . B-N3 B-N3 1 2. 0-0 N-B3 1 3. B-NS B-K2 1 4. KR-K I K-B I I S. R-K3
P-R3 1 6. BxN BxB 1 7. Q-QS P-KR4 1 8. P-N3 Q-B I 1 9. R-K6 Q-Q I 20. R
K3 Q-B I 2 1 . R-K6 Q-Q I , draw Instead of running for a draw via repetition of
moves, Black should try 2 1 . . . . P-NS, intending to continue with . . . R-QN I
and . . . R-N4. The most amazing aspect of this game, which contains one of
the two or three worst blunders of Capablanca's career, is that it has escaped
nearly all attention in chess literature.
HERMAN STEINER-VLADAS MIKENAS (Nev, 1 93 1 ): I . P-Q4 P-Q4 2. P
QB4 P-QB3 3. N-KB3 N-B3 4. N-B3 PxP 5. P-QR4 B-B4 6. P-K3 N-R3 7.
BxP N-QNS 8. 0-0 P-K3 9. Q-K2 B-K2 I 0. R-Q I B-NS I I . P-R3 B-R4 1 2. B
N3! 0-0 1 3. P-K4 Q-B2 1 4. P-N4 B-N3 I S. N-KS N-Q2 1 6. B-KB4 NxN
(Black needed to play 1 6. . . . B-Q3) 1 7. BxN Q-R4 1 8. B-N 3 KR-Q I 1 9. P-B4
B-Q3 20. K-N2 Q-B2 2 1 . Q-B3 P-KR3 22. QR-B I Q-N3 23. N-K2! B-R2 24.
P-BS BxB 25. QxB R-K I 26. N-B4 PxP 27. NPxP Q-B2 28. K-R I Q-K2 29. R
K I K-R I 30. R-K2 R-KN I 3 1 . R-KN I P-KN4 32. N-Q3 NxN 33. QxN KR-K I
34. Q-KB3 QR-Q I 35. Q-RS RxP? 36. QxRP RxKP 37. RxP!! (The best de
fense is accurate offense, for if 37. B-B2?, Black wins with 37. . . . RxR 38. P-B6
R-R7ch!! 39. KxR Q-Q3ch!) 37. . . . P-B3 38. R!S-N2!! R-K4 39. RxR PxR 40. P
B6, Black resigns.
H ERMAN STEIN ER-REUBEN FINE (New York, 1 932, Match Game No. 3): I .
P-Q4 N-KB3 2. N-KB3 P-Q4 3. P-B4 P-B3 4. N-B3 P-KN3 5. PxP PxP 6. B-B4
B-N2 7. P-KR3 0-0 8. P-K3 Q-N3 9. Q-N3 QxQ I 0. PxQ N-B3 I I . B-K2 B
B4 1 2. 0-0 KR-B I I 3. P-KN4 B-B7 1 4. KR-B I N-NS I S. R-R4 P-QR4 1 6. R-R3
B-Q6 1 7. B-Q I N-KS 1 8. N-K I P-K3 1 9. P-B3 P-KN4 20. B-R2 N-KB3 2 1 .
R/ 1 -R I P-N3 22. B-Q6 B-QR3 23. BxN PxB 24. RxB RxR 25. RxR PxN 26.
PxP RxP 27. K-B2 R-B3 28. P-N4 P-R4 29. B-R4 R-BS 30. RxP B-B I 3 1 . N-Q3
R-B6 32. N-BS R-R6 33. B-NS R-R7ch 34. K-K I P-RS 35. B-K2 K-N2 36. P-NS
R-R8ch 37. K-B2 N-K I 38. R-N7 B-Q3 39. P-B4 K-B I 40. N-Q7ch K-N I 4 1 .
PxP B-N6ch 42. K-N2 R-R7 43. K-B I R-R8ch 44. K-N2 R-R7 45. K-B I R-R8ch
46. K-N2 R-R7, draw
246
In this lost position, Fine claimed a draw by three-fold repetition, which was
disputed by Steiner for reasons that are today unclear. The match referee
eventually ruled in Fine's favor, though not before ordering the two young
masters to play out the game to a conclusion. Here is the unofficial and very
pretty finish: 47. K-B3 K-N2 48. N-BS N-Q3 49. NxPch K-N3 50. B-Q3ch N
KS 5 I . BxNch PxBch 52. KxP PxN 53. R-K7 R-R7 54. P-N6 RxP 55. RxPch
KxP 56. P-QS R-RB 57. P-Q6! R-QB 58. P-N7! RxP 59. R-KSch!! BxR 60. P
NS=Q B-N6 6 1 . Q-NSch, Black resigns.
REUBEN FINE-H ERMAN STEINER (New York, 1 932, Match Game No. 8): I .
N-KB3 P-Q4 2. P-B4 P-K3 3. P-QN3 N-KB3 4. P-N3 B-K2 5. B-QN2 0-0 6.
B-N2 P-B4 7. 0-0 N-B3 8. PxP NxP 9. N-B3 N-B2 I 0. R-B I R-N I I I . Q-B2
P-QN3 1 2. KR-Q I P-K4 1 3. Q-K4? P-B4! 1 4. Q-N I Q-K I I S. P-Q3 P-KN4
1 6. Q-R I B-N2 1 7. N-Q2 R-Q I 1 8. N-B4 B-B3 1 9. P-QR4 B-QR I 20. N-NS
NxN 2 1 . PxN N-QS 22. BxN KPxB 23. QxRP BxB 24. KxB QxKP 25. R-Q2
Q-R4 26. P-B3 QR-K I 27. QxP R-K2 28. R-B I P-NS 29. PxP PxP 30. R/2-KB2
B-N2 3 1 . RxRch BxR 32. Q-KB6 R-K7ch 33. R-B2 B-K2 34. Q-B4 R-KB 35. R
B I R-K7ch 36. R-B2 R-KB 37. P-R4?? Q-Q4ch, White resigns Fine narrowly
defeated Steiner in this match, 5'.1-4'.1. Several of these virtually unknown
games have a bumptious quality: Insipid openings are followed by uncompro
mising and positionally dubious hand-to-hand combat. Steiner would never
outgrow this style, whereas Fine would become the ultimate smoothie.
REUBEN FINE-HERMAN STEINER (Pasadena, 1 932): I . N-KB3 P-Q4 2. P
Q4 N-KB3 3. P-B4 P-K3 4. N-B3 B-K2 5. B-NS 0-0 6. P-K3 QN-Q2 7. R-B I
P-B3 8. B-Q3 PxP 9. BxP N-Q4 I 0. BxB QxB I I . 0-0 NxN 1 2. PxN P-K4 1 3.
Q-B2 P-KS 1 4. N-Q2 N-B3 I S. QR-K I B-B4 1 6. P-B3 B-N3 1 7. PxP NxP 1 8.
NxN BxN 1 9. Q-Q2 K-R I 20. R-B4 P-KB4 2 1 . B-Q3 P-KN4 22. R-B2 QR- K I
23. B-B4 R-B3 24. R/ 1 -KB I R-R3 25. B-Q3 Q-Q3! 26. P-N3 QxPch! 27. R-N2
QxRch 28. QxQ BxQ 29. KxB RxP, White resigns Fine once nominated
Steiner as his "favorite opponent." But this game, played in Fine's first inter
national tournament, was Steiner's prospective revenge for many defeats to
come.
HERMAN STEINER-ENRICO PAOLI (Venice, 1 950): I . P-Q4 P-Q4 2. P
QB4 P-K3 3. N-QB3 P-QB3 4. P-K4 PxKP 5. NxP B-NSch 6. B-Q2 QxP 7.
BxB QxNch 8. B-K2 N-QR3 9. B-B3 P-B3 I 0. N-B3 N-K2 I I . 0-0 0-0 1 2.
R-K I Q-N3 1 3. P-QN4 Q-B2? ("Is this hibernation or agoraphobia?" asked
Anthony Santasiere in Chess Life. Black can probably get an advantage with 1 3 .
. . . P-K4.) 1 4. Q-B2 P-K4 I S. B-Q3 P-KN3 1 6. N-Q2 B-B4 1 7. N-K4 QR-Q I
1 8. P-B4 BxN 1 9. RxB PxP 20. QR-K I R-Q2 2 1 . RxP P-KB4 22. Q-K2 KR-Q I
23. R-B3 N-B2 24. P-N4! N-K I 25. PxP PxP 26. K-R I N-N2 27. R-KN I N-N3
28. P-BS Q-K I 29. B-B4ch K-R I 30. QxQch RxQ 3 1 . RxN!, Black resigns
Herman won a brilliancy prize for this effort, which shows his risky proclivities
in their best light.
H ERMAN STEINER-LARRY EVANS (U.S. Championship Match, 1 952): I .
Chapter XXII
247
P-Q4 N-KB3 2. P-QB4 P-K3 3. N-QB3 B-NS 4. P-K3 0-0 S. B-Q3 P-Q4 6.
N-K2 P-B4 7. PxQP BPxP 8. PxQP NxP 9. 0-0 N-QB3 I 0. P-QR3 B-K2 I I .
Q-B2 P-KR3 1 2. R-Q I NxN 1 3. PxN P-QN3 1 4. N-N3 B-N2 I S. Q-K2 N
R4 1 6. R-N I Q-Q4?! (With 1 6. . . . R-B I , Black could have withstood
immediate onslaughts) 1 7. B-K4 Q-Q2? (Absolutely necessary is 1 7. . . . Q
Q I ) 1 8. BxB NxB 1 9. N-RS! KR-B I 20. BxP! P-N3 2 1 . Q-KS! P-B3 22. NxPch
BxN 23. QxB Q-KB2 24. QxQch KxQ 2S. R-Q3 R-B3 26. R-K I QR-QB I
27. B-Q2 N-R4 28. R! I -K3 N-BS 29. R-B3ch K-N2 30. B-B I P-QN4 3 1 .
P-KR4 R-R3 32. R-N3 R-KR I 33. R-N4 NxP 34. R/3-N3 N-BS 3S. RxPch K-B2
36. B-R6 R-R8ch 37. K-R2 K-K2 38. R/3-NS R-QN8 39. R-QBS P-R4 40. B
NSch K-Q2 4 1 . R-N7ch K-Q3 42. R-N7 P-K4 43. RxN PxR 44. RxR PxP 4S.
B-B6 R-R3 46. BxP RxPch 47. K-N3, Black resigns In this match, Herman
proved no match for the then 20-year-old Larry Evans, who triumphed I 0-4.
The above powerful attacking effort, replete with Herman's trademark Rook
lifts to the third rank. was the veteran's single bright spot.
III
*
C h ess Among th e
Bowe ry Boys
Chapter XXI I I
$or George 'freysman
the cFay Was the 'fhing
"You castle your way, and I'll castle my way. . . . "
-George N. Treysman
In 1928, at the age of 14, I was accepted as a junior member of the
Manhattan Chess Club, which in those days occupied the entire
ground floor of the Sherman Square Hotel on 7 1st and Broadway.
Everything about the Manhattan was structured and ordered,
even to how members should behave and dress. One advertisement
for the institution read, "A Club for Gentlemen of Discernment who
Enjoy the Royal Game." If the club secretary, L. Walter Stephens,
frowned at you, it was because you failed to pass muster. "Young
man," he would announce in his best Princeton accent, "you are
improperly accoutered. "
Given this sheltered upbringing i n chess, the reader may imagine
my astonishment when years later I visited the Stuyvesant Chess
Club, an absolutely unique institution of a kind unfortunately gone
forever. The Stuyvesant, which was located on New York's lower
East Side at 14th Street just west of Second Avenue, was a com
pletely different world, filled with people who would rather play
chess than eat. It was as if I had crossed some unseen border and
wandered into a foreign land. Here few people spoke English, and
most conversations were in Russian, Yiddish or Polish. It was a good
thing for me that chess is a universal language.
In the Bohemian atmosphere of the Stuyvesant, there were no
restrictions on noise; and people wore what they felt comfortable in
or what they could afford. You could hear shouted epithets such as
"dummkopf!", "patzer!" , "pfuscher!", "schlemiel!" and so on.
Everyone was a chain smoker. The fumes were, as Norman Lessing
has written, "thick enough to cut in chunks. " The smoke reminded
me of a Holmesian London fog, and the light bulbs with their green
mandarin-hat shades above the tables resembled street lamps vainly
251
252
attempting to pierce the miasma. The place was usually packed.
The club consisted of a long loft in an old brownstone, half a
story above street level. There were chess tables out front, card
tables to the rear and still further back a small kitchen whence
emanated coffee, tea and sandwiches-all served at the chess tables
so as not to disturb games in progress.
The host, Jacob "Yankele" Bernstein, was short, fat and greasy
looking, in addition to being completely bald and having a neck like
a wrestler's. Happily married to Anna Casement, a plump woman
with a last name that still echoes loudly in Irish history, he wore a
perpetual grin on his face and was usually friendly and pleasant. The
exception was when someone walked out without paying a bill-a
practice that he nonetheless tolerated. He loved chess people and
was quite a strong player. It was said that Yankele could not have
paid his own bills were it not for the poker games that he cut on the
second floor, directly below his own quarters on the third.
That he ran a gambling parlor-right beneath the night sticks of
his wife's numerous brothers and cousins on the police force-was
proven when the cops raided the club and hauled him into court.
Luckily for Yankele, the judge was a chess player who asked, "If
yours is not a gambling establishment, then tell me, 'Who is the U.S.
chess champion?"'
"Arnold Denker ! " replied Yankele, and the case was immediately
dismissed.
Yankele never reformed himself. He was too easy-going for the
conventional world. One story has him asking a question at a
Wilson-for-President rally: "Mr. Wilson, is it true that if you're
elected, every man will have work?" When Wilson answered yes,
Yankele protested, "But Mr. Wilson, I don't want to work. I'm a
gambler. "
uKing of the Put Down"
I visited the Stuyvesant Chess Club many times over the years and
got to know some very interesting characters. One of them was
George Nelson Treysman, the "King of the Put Down" and the self
proclaimed ruler of chess on Manhattan's East Side.
A one-time waiter with a penchant for spilling soup on customers
whom he disliked, George soon found it necessary to earn his living
at chess. Medium in height, gaunt and emaciated-looking with high,
knobby cheekbones, Treysman's face resembled the death mask of a
Mongol warrior. The single redeeming feature was his eyes. They
were deep-set, like two black coals resting in a pool of water, and
Chapter XXIII
253
when he laughed they fairly rippled and overflowed until tears
streamed down his cheeks.
Treysman could have been a fine actor, since he had just the
right amount of ham in him. There were times when he would feign
royalty, and he carried it off so well that I think he began to believe
it. Once, when I inquired about his background, he twirled his ever
present white shawl about his neck in a single sweeping motion and
replied, "Don't you honestly feel that you are in the presence of
nobility when you are in my company?"
Although Treysman never cracked a chess book and played in no
more than a half-dozen tournaments, he had a natural talent so
great that he could hold his own with the best. Were it not for his
heavy smoking, poor diet and totally undisciplined lifestyle, he
might have gone far. At age 55 and well past his prime, he finished
third in what was the first master tournament of his life-the 1 936
U.S. Championship !
George Treysman-lsaac Kashdan
U.S. Championship, / 9 36
Nimzoindian Defense
I . P-Q4 N-KB3 2. P-QB4 P-K3 3. N-QB3 B-NS 4. P-K3 P-QN3 5. B-K2 N
KS 6. Q-B2 NxN 7. PxN B-K2 8. N-B3 0-0 9. B-Q3 P-KR3 I 0. B-K4 P-QB3
I I . 0-0 B-R3 1 2. B-R7ch K-R I 1 3. B-Q3 P-QB4 1 4. R-Q I PxP I S. BPxP N-B3
1 6. B-Q2 B-N2 1 7. QR-N I P-Q3 1 8. B-B3 R-B I 1 9. Q-K2 N-N I 20. N-Q2
The aggressive idea behind this move is in keeping
Treysman's training as a coffeehouse hustler.
with
20. . . . N-Q2 2 1 . P-B4 P-B4 22. P-K4 PxP 23. BxP P-Q4 24. B-B3 RxKBP 25.
QxP N-B I 26. Q-K I Q-Q2 27. P-N3 R-KB3 28. Q-K2 PxP 29. P-QS R-KB2
30. N-K4 B-B4ch 3 I . NxB RxN 32. B-KN4 Q-B2 33. B-KS Q-K2 34. B-K6
NxB 35. PxN R-B4 36. R-Q7 QRxB 37. QxR RxQ 38. RxQ B-Q4 39. RxRP
RxP 40. R-N2 R-QB3 4 1 . R-R3 B-KS 42. R-QB3 B-Q6 43. K-B2 R-K3 44. R
B I K-N I 45. P-QR3 K-B2 46. R-K I R-B3 47. K-K3 B-B4 48. K-Q4 P-B6 49. R
KB2 K-N3 50. P-N4 BxP 5 1 . R-QB I R-Q3ch 52. KxP K-N4 53. R-KN I K-RS
54. R-B4 P-R4 55. R-N3 R-QB 56. R-B2 P-KN4 57. R-Q3 R-BBch 58. K-N2 R
B3 59. R-Q4 K-R6 60. R-QS K-RS 6 1 . R-Q4 K-R6 62. P-R4 B-K3 63. R-B3ch
K-N7 64. R-QR3 B-BS 65. R-Q2ch K-NB 66. R-QB3 R-B4 67. RIQ2-QB2 B
K3 68. R-N3ch K-RB 69. RxR PxR 70. RxP P-RS 7 1 . P-RS KxP 72. P-R6 B-B I
73. P-R7 B-N2 74. K-B3 P-R6 75. K-Q2 P-BS 76. K-K3 P-B6 77. K-B2 P-B7 78.
R-QBS B-KS 79. RxP BxR 80. P-RB=Q B-KS 8 1 . Q-R I , Black resigns
George Treysman-Arthur Dake
Ruy Lopez
I . P-K4 P-K4 2. N-KB3 N-QB3 3. B-NS P-QR3 4. B-R4 P-Q3 5. P-Q4 P-
254
QN4 6. B-N3 NxP 7. NxN PxN 8. P-QR4?! B-N2 9. 0-0 N-B3?!
Black should have played 9 . . . . N-B3. Both of these masters were
known as unhooked, natural players.
I 0. Q-K2 Q-Q2 I I . P-QB3 PxBP 1 2. NxP P-NS 1 3. N-QS NxN
PxNdis.ch. B-K2 I S. B-NS P-KB3 1 6. B-Q2 0-0?
1 4.
The only move was 16. . . . P-QR4, when Black can probably get
himself untangled.
1 7. KR-K I KR-K I 1 8. BxP B-KB I ?! 1 9. Q-B4 RxRch 20. RxR R-K I ?!
Black's last chance was 20 . . . . K-R1, followed by . . . P-N3 , . . . B-N2
and . . . P-B3. The second player would then have had so-so drawing
chances.
2 1 . RxR QxR 22. P-R3 Q-K4 23. B-B3 Q-B4 24. B-R2 Q-B7 2S. Q-KN4 P
KB4 26. Q-Q4 B-B I 27. P-RS B-N2 28. B-B4 B-B I 29. K-R2 Q-B8 30. P
QN4 Q-B7 3 1 . P-NS PxP 32. BxP Q-R7 33. B-B4 Q-RS 34. P-N3 Q-R6 3S.
Q-K3 P-R3 36. P-R4 P-BS 37. PxP Q-RS 38. Q-Q4 Q-Q2 39. Q-K3 Q-NS
40. Q-N3 Q-Q8 4 1 . B-Q3 B-NS 42. Q-K3 Q-N6 43. P-R6 Q-N I 44. Q-K4
B-R4 4S. Q-R7ch K-B2 46. Q-BSch K-K2 47. QxB Q-N6 48. Q-K2ch, Black
resigns
Treysman's years in coffeehouses, spent grinding out games day
in and day out, provided him with an excellent technique, which he
demonstrated in this struggle.
George never gave tournament chess more than a passing doff of
the cap. Except in 1936. In that year he not only came within one
or two moves of winning the U.S. Championship, he also went 3 2
games without defeat-a skein that began with the Rice-Progressive
Chess Club Championship, continued through an arduous qualifying
tournament for the U.S. Championship finals, and ended in round
10 of those finals when a very weary Treysman played a ghastly
game against my friend, AI "Buddy" Simonson.
The Odds-On Favorite
As an odds-giver Treysman was the king. He had no peer, not even
the great AI Horowitz. Indeed, George had to be tops just to sur
vive. Knowing his strength, players would haggle with him and
demand outrageous odds for risking their money. He would usually
agree-but not before insulting his prospective opponent for de
manding such an unfair advantage. All the while he knew that he
was going to play, but he wanted the opponent to feel that he had
driven a hard bargain. When first witnessing this performance, I was
truly shocked, not realizing that it was merely a ritual like the
mating ceremony of storks to establish dominance.
Chapter XXlll
255
In The World of Chess , Anthony Saidy and Norman Lessing de
scribe the course of a typical Treysman hustle:
George would approach his prey courteously enough. "Would
you care for a game of chess, sir?"
This usually produced a wary response. "Chess? No, I don't
think so."
"Pinochle, maybe? Clabriash?"
"Not interested."
"Casino, dominoes? Maybe you'd like to shoot a game of
pool? They got a nice pool hall across the street." The
customer would try to wave him off but George was a hard
man to shake. "Ping-Pong, tiddlywinks ? What's your best
game? I'll play you anything you want and give you odds ,
that's how much I think of you."
By this time the man was angry. "Okay, I'll play you chess.
What odds will you give me?"
Then the game would begin. George was a master of psycho
logical warfare. With the saddest expression in the world, he would
look out into the ever-present audience and wail, "You see, this is
the kind of low-life that I have to put up with in order to live. "
Other times, h e would belittle a n opponent's move b y pointing out
its threat to the kibitzers. "Look how crude and low his plan is," he
would say. Then he would make a move and extoll the beauty and
artistry of his own play. Of course, he always neglected to point out
the real threat behind his move, which was far different from what
he revealed to the onlookers. And when an opponent finally grab
bed the bait, he would finish him off and ask, "How can you be
such an idiot to believe everything that people tell you?"
A good question. Yet idiots were never wanting.
Take Jack Richman, the owner of a Lower East Side delicatessen,
a happily married family man, and model material for one of those
manic Manhattan melodramas. You see, Jack caught the chess bug,
an affliction absolutely fatal to family life and financial limb back in
the 1930s and 1940s.
Jack and George soon developed a relationship based on negative
symbiosis. Jack worked all day at his delicatessen, played blitz
chess all night against George at the Stuyvesant, and returned to
work in the morning with neither sleep nor the previous day's
receipts. George was no better off. He too went sleepless by taking
his winnings to the race track and then losing them.
256
Here's the money trail:
Deticatessen cash register
II
II� Jack's pocket
-
lace track cash register �II I I
�
Daorge's pocket
After losing business, wife, children and home, Jack took up
residence on 42nd Street where he sat shoulder-to-shoulder with
George in all weather, hustling the "suckahs" for quarters. Dressed
always in two complete suits, Jack said that the inner garments
were his weekday wear, the outer apparel his Sunday best and that
he wore both because he could not decide which he liked better.
When cadging smokes, Jack would invariably ask in his thick Noi
Yawk accent, "Hey, ya got a Shysterfield?" Unfortunately for Jack,
I was a confirmed Camel man, having appeared in nationally pub
lished cigarette advertisements.
By the mid-1950s both men were going downhill fast, holing up
near Times Square at the New York Chess & Checkers Club or, as
we called it, the flea house. One day, George and a young Allen
Kaufman, who is nowadays the distinguished executive director of
the tony American Chess Foundation, were swapping news when a
ratty-looking Richman slouched in.
"See that guy," George rasped like someone suffering from throat
cancer, "I made him into a chessplayer ! " By which he meant that
he had ruined his life. And when looking at Jack, you couldn't help
thinking about the words of the writer who moaned, "I am not
actually unhappy; it is something worse than that. "
Unlike George, Jack had a softer side. True, he would malevo
lently tell opponents to "Break a leg ! " , which he rendered into his
imprecise Yiddish as "Brach a jass!" or "Break a foot ! " Yet when
confronted with a gratuitous kindness that even his suspicious mind
could not fault, he would say, "Brach nicht kein foss!" or "Don't
break a foot! "
George's coffeehouse games do not survive. Certainly, he played
extremely aggressively in these sporting contests and sought tactical
complications relentlessly. The pay, after all, was the thing. The
following tournament games, in which the opposition was well
below Treysman's level, give a fair idea of his coffeehouse play:
Chapter XXIII
257
Barnie Winkelman-George Treysman
U.S. Open, 1 936
Budapest Defense
I . P-Q4 N-KB3 2. P-QB4 P-K4 3. PxP N-N5 4. N-KB3 B-B4 5. P-K3 N-QB3
6. B-K2 KNxP/4 7. NxN NxN 8. 0-0 0-0 9. P-QR3 P-QR4 I 0. N-B3 P-Q3 I I .
R-N I B-B4 1 2. P-K4 B-K3 1 3. P-QN3 Q-R5 1 4. P-N3 Q-R6
Black threatens . . . B-KNS, followed by . . . BxB and . . . N-NS.
1 5. K-R I P-QB3?
Although Black wins this game brilliantly, the text move leaves
White with a defense. The correct idea is an immediate 15 . . . . P-B4.
1 6. P-B3 P-B4! 1 7. P-QN4 RPxP 1 8. RPxP PxP! 1 9. NxP
White cannot play 19. PxB because of 19 . . . . KPxP 20. BxP RxB
2 1 . RxR B-NS.
1 9 . . . . B-B4
20. B-B4?
White could have beaten off the attack advantageously with 2 0 .
N-NS ! Q-R3 2 1 . R-N2 B-R2 2 2 . P-BS! P-Q4 2 3 . P-N4.
20. . . . N-N5! 2 1 . PxN BxNch 22. B-B3 R-R7!, White resigns
The finish would be 23. B-Q2 KRxB 24. RxR RxB.
George Treysman-Milton Hanauer
Queen's Gambit Accepted
I . N-KB3 P-Q4 2. P-Q4 N-KB3 3. P-B4 PxP 4. N-B3 P-QR3 5. P-QR4 P-K3
6. P-K3 P-B4 7. BxP B-K2 8. 0-0 0-0 9. Q-K2 PxP I 0. PxP N-B3 I I . R-Q I N
QN5 1 2. N-K5 Q-R4
Black ought to have tried 12 . . . . P-QN3 13. B-KNS B-N2, with a
playable position.
258
1 3. B-KNS R-Q I 1 4. N-K4 QN-Q4 I S. BxQN
QxB 1 6. NxNch BxN 1 7.
.
BxB PxB
1 8. Q-RS! K-R I 1 9. QxP! PxN 20. Q-B6ch K-N I 2 1 . R-R3, Black resigns
Doing It His Way
To play successfully at odds required more than attacking tech
nique; it required quick-witted chutzpah. On one memorable occa
sion, George was extending Queen odds to an opponent just a bit
too strong for such an overwhelming advantage. So he devised a
new way of castling by which he put his Rook immediately on Kl .
The adversary scratched his head and inquired how it was that
when he castled, his Rook ended up on the Bishop's square, and
when George castled, it ended up on the King's square. To which
George replied, "You castle your way, and I'll castle my way,
okay ? "
"Okay," agreed the patzer.
Another Treysman technique for confusing the opponent and
saving precious seconds in time pressure was to grab a salt or pepper
shaker when queening a pawn. "I'm not a cheater!" George would
exclaim indignantly. "Don't I always take the salt shaker when
White and the pepper when Black?"
Sometimes, when all else failed, George would lean across the
table and lower his voice to a confidential tone. "Do you realize,"
he would ask, "that you are matched against the founder of the
Treysmanic School of Chess?" To this day I have yet to .discover
what or where that school was, but it sure had the power to
intimidate.
For the spectators, the show was great. For his opponents, it was
quite another matter. George was fond of singing songs as he
played, and he always hit his best rhythm when a win was within
reach. There was the tender favorite, "Who Hit Nelly in the Belly
with a Flounder? "; and he simply loved another song with a refrain
Chapter XXIII
259
which went, "They call me Shirley just because my hair is curly. "
But m y favorite was " I n Spain, they say, the chess reigns plainly in
the main. "
Treysman rarely played against equals. His greatest joy came
from giving odds and insulting his opponents. It was said that he
could curse in seven languages, though he always did so with a
smile.
George led a lonely and, at the end, a depressing life. In his final
years before dying of throat cancer in 1959, he was reduced t o
sitting mute at the chessboard and t o writing out insults o n a
scratchpad. This veteran gamesman, his ravaged neck wrapped in
discolored gauze, expected no pity and received none.
Looking back across the decades, dozens of pictures flash before
my eyes of George hustling chess. But for some reason, I often fix
on the night that he was playing Charles Jaffe, who had once been a
leading player (he defeated Capablanca in a tournament game) and
who was by that time a sickly old man. Jaffe, who made some
money publishing works in Yiddish, had a bad game, and George
was riding him hard. When he threatened to tear Jaffe limb from
limb and to feed him to the crocodiles, the latter stood up and sent
all the pieces flying across the table and stomped out.
Not to be upstaged, George looked around, spread out his palms
in an elaborate shrug, and asked with the most innocent tone and
face in the world, "What kind of variation is that for a nice Yiddish
writer?"
Selected Games
George Treysman: The Coffee-House Grandmaster
EMANUEL LASKER-GEORGE TREYSMAN (Clock Exhibition, New York,
November 8, 1 928): I . P-K4 P-K3 2. P-Q4 P-Q4 3. N-Q83 N-K83 4. 8-NS
8-K2 5. P-KS KN-Q2 6. P-KR4 8x8 7. Px8 QxP 8. N-R3 Q-K2 9. N-QNS N8 I I 0. Q-N4 N-N3 I I . P-Q83 P-QR3 1 2. N-R3 P-Q84 I 3. 0-0-0 N-83 1 4.
8-Q3 PxP I S. PxP N-NS 1 6. 8xN RPx8 1 7. N-KNS R-KN I 1 8. K-N I 8-Q2
1 9. R-Q8 I N-Q6 20. R-82 R-Q8 I 2 1 . RxRch 8xR 22. Q-N3 N-NS 23. P-84
8-Q2 24. Q-R3 N-83 25. Q-R7 R-8 I 26. QxP/N7 K-Q I 27. N-82 K-82 28.
R-R7 N-Q I 29. P-QN3 Q-K I 30. P-N3 K-N I 3 1 . K-N2 8-N4 32. N-K3 8-Q6
33. K-83 8-N8 34. P-R4 Q-K2 35. R-R I N-83!! 36. Rx8 Q-NSch 37. K-Q3
QxQPch 38. K-K2 R-8 I 39. Qx8P Q-86 40. R-Q I P-QS 4 1 . N-84 QxKN P
42. R-Q2 R-R I 43. N-K4 R-R7ch 44. K-Q I QxPch, White resigns
GEORGE TREYSMAN-R08ERT WILLMAN (Stuyvesant C.C. vs. Manhattan
C.C. Metropolitan League Match, 1 934): I . P-K4 P-Q84 2. N-K83 N-Q83 3.
P-Q4 PxP 4 . NxP N-83 5. N-Q83 P-Q3 6 . 8-K2 P-KN3 7. 0-0 8-N2 8. NxN
260
PxN 9. P-KS PxP I 0. QxQch KxQ I I . B-B3 B-N2 1 2. R-K I N-Q4 1 3. R-Q I
P-K3 1 4. N-K4 K-B2 I S. P-B4 N-N3 1 6. P-BS N-Q4 1 7. B-Q2 P-B4 1 8. N-Q6
KR-QN I 1 9. B-RSch K-Q2 20. B-B3 K-K2 2 1 . BxN BPxB 22. NxB RxN 23.
P-QN4 P-QS 24. B-Q2 K-Q2 2S. P-QR4 P-QR3 26. P-NS! PxP 27. P-B6ch
KxP 28. PxPch RxP 29. RxR P-KS 30. R-R6ch K-Q4 3 1 . R-RS RxR 32. BxR P
BS 33. K-B I P-N4 34. P-B3 P-R4 3S. R-N I PxP 36. R-NSch K-BS 37. RxP
PxPch 38. KxP B-R I 39. RxP B-N2 40. K-B3, Black resigns
HAROLD MORTON-GEORGE TREYSMAN (U.S. Championship, 1 936): I .
P-Q4 N-KB3 2. B-NS P-Q4 3. N-Q2 QN-Q2 4. KN-B3 P-B4 S. P-K3 Q-N3
6. R-QN I P-KR3 7. B-R4 PxP 8. NxP P-K4 9. N/4-N3 P-QR4 I 0. P-R4 Q-NS
I I . BxN NxB 1 2. B-NSch B-Q2 1 3. P-QB3 Q-Q3 1 4. Q-K2 B-K2 I S. 0-0 0-0
1 6. QR-Q I Q-N3 1 7. BxB NxB 1 8. P-QB4 Q-QB3 1 9. PxP QxRP 20. P-K4
Q-NS 2 1 . Q-B4 KR-QB I 22. QxQ BxQ 23. N-R I P-QN4 24. P-B3 P-RS 2S.
N-N I B-B4ch 26. K-R I B-QS 27. R-Q2 P-NS 28. N-B2 R-BS 29. NxB PxN
30. KR-Q I QR-QB I 3 I . K-N I R-B7 32. K-B2 RxRch 33. RxR R-B8 34. RxP
RxN 3S. RxP N-K4 36. R-N8ch K-R2 37. P-Q6 P-R6 38. K-N3 P-R7, White
resigns
SAMUEL FACTOR-GEORGE TREYSMAN (U.S. Championship, 1 936): I . P
Q4 P-Q4 2. N-KB3 N-KB3 3. P-K3 QN-Q2 4. B-Q3 P-K3 S. 0-0 B-Q3 6.
QN-Q2 0-0 7. P-K4 PxP 8. NxP NxN 9. BxN P-KR3 I 0. P-B4 P-QB4 I I . B
B2 PxP 1 2. QxP Q-K2 1 3. R-K I R-Q I 1 4. B-Q2 N-B3 I S. Q-B3 P-QN3 1 6.
Q-K3 B-N2 1 7. P-KR3 QR-B I 1 8. P-QN3 B-B4 1 9. Q-K2 BxN 20. PxB N-R4
2 1 . Q-K4 P-B4 22. Q-K2 N-N6 23. Q-Q I Q-RS 24. K-N2 N-KS!, White
resigns
GEORGE TREYSMAN-WEAVER ADAMS (U.S. Championship, 1 936): I . P
Q4 P-Q4 2. P-QB4 P-K4 3. PxKP P-QS 4. N-KB3 N-QB3 S. P-KN3 B-K3 6.
QN-Q2 B-QNS 7. Q-B2 (Although Treysman plays the opening insipidly, he
leaves himself plenty of scope for the middlegame) 7. . . . KN-K2 8. P-QR3
BxNch 9. BxB N -N3 I 0. B-B4 Q-K2 I I . B-N2 Q-B4 1 2. R-QB I P-QR4 1 3.
0-0 0-0 1 4. N-N S QR-Q I I S. B-K4 KR-K I 1 6. P-KR4 QNxP 1 7. P-QN4! PxP
1 8. PxP QxNP 1 9. B-Q2 Q-B4 20. P-RS N-B I 2 1 . BxPch K-R I 22. B-B4
N-NS 23. B-K4 P-KB3 24. N-B3 B-N I 2S. B-N6 B-R2 26. K-N2 R-K2 27.
Q-Q3 N-K4 28. NxN PxN 29. B-NS P-KS 30. BxR PxQ 3 1 . BxQ PxP 32.
KR- K I P-Q6 33. B-K7! R-R I 34. BxP BxB 3S. BxN RxB 36. R-B3 R-Q I 37. K
B3 P-QN4 38. PxP BxP 39. RxBP R-Q6ch 40. K-B4 R-Q8 4 1 . R-QB I B-RS
42. R-B8ch K-R2 43. RxP, Black resigns
H ERMAN STEINER-GEORGE TREYSMAN (U.S. Championship, 1 936): I . P
K4 P-K4 2. N-KB3 N-QB3 3. B-B4 B-K2 4. P-Q4 P-Q3 S. P-KR3 N-B3 6. N
B3 0-0 7. B-N3 B-Q2 8. 0-0 P-QR3 9. P-R3 P-QN4 I 0. PxP QNxP I I . NxN
PxN 1 2. N-QS NxN I 3. BxN P-B3 1 4. B-N3 Q-B2 I S. B-K3 QR-Q I 1 6. Q
RS P-B4 1 7. B-QS B-QB3 1 8. QR-Q I BxB 1 9. RxB RxR 20. PxR P-B4 2 1 . P
KB4 Q-Q3 22. PxP QxKP 23. Q-B3 R-Q I 24. R-Q I B-Q3 2S. P-KN3 P-R3
26. P-B3 P-QBS 27. B-B2 Q-KS 28. Q-RS R-KB I 29. B-Q4 K-R2 30. B-B2 R-
Chapter XXlll
261
B3 3 1 . P-QR4 R-N3 32. R-Q4 Q-N8ch 33. Q-Q I QxP 34. Q-B3 Q-N8ch
3S. Q-Q I QxQch 36. RxQ PxP 37. K-N2 P-R6 38. K-B3 R-B3 39. R-Q4 R
B2 40. RxP R-B2 4 1 . RxR BxR, White resigns
HAROLD MORTON-GEORGE TREYSMAN (U.S. Open, 1 937): I . P-Q4 P
Q4 2. P-QB4 P-QB4?! 3. BPxP QxP 4. N-KB3 PxP S. N-B3 Q-QR4? 6. NxP
P-K4 7. N-N3 Q-B2 8. N-QS Q-Q2? 9. P-K4 N-QB3 I 0. B-Q2 B-Q3 I I . R
B I Q-Q I 1 2. B-QNS B-Q2 I 3. 0-0 KN-K2 1 4. Q-RS (A very strong move
here is 1 4. B-K3 with the threats of N-B6ch! or N-BS) 1 4. . . . NxN I S. PxN
N-K2 1 6. BxBch QxB 1 7. B-B3 N-N 3 1 8. P-B4! B-B2 1 9. PxP (The correct
idea is 1 9. P-BS!) 1 9. . . . QxP 20. QR-Q I Q-K3 2 1 . Q-B3 0-0 ("Phew!"
Treysman must have said) 22. QxP BxP 23. N-BS Q-BS 24. N-Q7? BxB! 2S.
PxB KR-K I 26. Q-N3 QR-B I 27. R-B3 R-K2 28. QxQ RxQ 29. R-Q2 P-B3
30. N-N8 N-K4 3 1 . R-N3 R-N2! 32. N-R6 R-N8ch 33. K-B2 R-BSch 34. K-K3
P-N4 3S. R-Q8ch K-N2 36. R-QR8 N-BSch 37. K-Q3 R-Q8ch 38. K-B2 R
Q7ch 39. K-N3 R-N7ch 40. K-R4 RxPch, White resigns A typical Treysman
game. Black dug himself into an opening hole and then spent the remainder of
the game scrambling out of it-this time successfully.
GEORGE TREYSMAN-ANTHONY SANTASIERE (U.S. Championship,
1 938): I . P-K4 P-K4 2. N-KB3 N-QB3 3. B-NS P-QR3 4. B-R4 P-Q3 S. P-B3
P-B4 6. P-Q3 (Tame, but Treysman never studied openings) 6. . . . N-B3 7. B
N3 N-QR4 8. B-B2 PxP 9. PxP B-K3 I 0. N-NS?! (Wrote Santasiere in the
American Chess Bulletin, "A 'coffee-house' move, typical of the bad side of
Treysman's style: P-QN3 and P-B4 were in order") I 0. . . . B-N I I I . P-KB4 B
K2 1 2. 0-0 Q-Q2 1 3. N-Q2 N-NS! 1 4. N/2-B3 P-R3?! (The capture, 1 4. . . .
PxP, is better) I S. N-R3 0-0-0 1 6. B-R4! Q-K3 1 7. P-BS Q-BS?! (Quoth
Santasiere, "The game assumes a very wild character entirely in keeping with
the wild savages producing it") 1 8. P-N4 N-QB3 1 9. N-Q2 QxBP 20. QxN P
KR4 2 1 . QxNP B-BS? (Black had to try 2 1 . . . . R-R2) 22. Q-N3 QxR 23. NxB
N-QS 24. Q-B2 Q-B6 2S. N-K3 B-RS 26. QxB N-K7ch 27. K-R I NxB 28. Q
KI QxQ 29. RxQ NxP 30. N-QS P-B3 3 1 . B-N3 PxN 32. BxN PxP 33. RxP
R-R3 34. N-NS R-B I 3S. P-N4 PxP 36. B-K6ch K-B2 37. RxN P K-B3 38. N-B7
R-B3 39. R-B4ch K-N3 40. NxQP R-R3 4 1 . R-BS P-R4 42. N-B4ch K-R2 43.
RxPch K-N I 44. NxP R/ 1 -R I 4S. R-R2 R-R4 46. R-QB2 K-R2 47. N-Q7 P-N3
and Black resigns
Chapter XXIV
Stormin' JVorman:
Caissa 's Conman
I'm an honest man. I follow the rules and believe that the rules are
to be followed. So it was quite a surprise to answer the doorbell one
afternoon in 1944, shortly after winning the U.S. Chess Champion
ship, and to find two burly FBI men who wanted to question me.
Their visit had to do with Norman Tweed Whitaker, a man whom
I had met several years before, when I was in my early twenties. At
that time I was staying in Chevy Chase with my dear friend Isaac
"Izzy" Turover, a professional chess player turned successful Wash
ington, D.C., lumber dealer. My purpose for being in the area was t o
give a series of exhibitions and lectures. I met Whitaker after m y
first local simul, and we hit i t off immediately.
A scion of a socially prominent Philadelphia family, Norman
seemed sprinkled with gold dust. His father, Herbert Whitaker, was
a noted mathematics teacher, while his mother enjoyed repute as a
champion whist player. At one of Philadelphia's outstanding high
schools, he served as president of the student senate, vice president
of his class (1908) , president of the engineering club, vice president
of the debating society, president of Phi Sigma fraternity and, to be
sure, president of the chess club.
Yet Whitaker was not particularly attractive . Born in 1890, he
was about five feet nine and rather stocky at 180 pounds. His
complexion was ruddy, and his light brown hair was chopped to a
crew cut. One would hardly give him a second look. But when he
smiled, his whole face lit up. And his eyes-they fairly spoke to
you. His manners were those of a Southern gentleman, and when
alone with you, he spoke with so much enthusiasm that he just
carried you along. Further, he had the benefit of a fine education at
Georgetown and Oxford, the personal presence of a man who once
wielded power (he served as an Assistant Secretary of the Interior
during the Teapot Dome scandal of 1922), and the intellectual self
assurance of an outstanding scholar of German literature. When he
turned on the charm, he made you feel as if you were the only
262
Chapter XXIV
263
person in the whole wide world who really mattered.
No wonder that I was completely fascinated by Norman. We
dined together at the very finest restaurants, and he even intro
duced me to one of his favorite pastimes, the Sport of Kings. We
also played a lot of chess, and during the two weeks that we spent
together in 1935, I was able to see why he had won the Western
Open, which is today known as the U.S. Open, in 1923 and 1 9 2 7
and why h e owned a 2-1 record against Sammy Reshevsky.
Samuel Reshevsky-Norman Whitaker
Western Open, I 9 2 7
I . P-Q4 P-Q4 2. P-QB4 P-K3 3. N-QB3 N-KB3 4. N-B3 QN-Q2 5. B-NS P
B3 6. P-K3 Q-R4 7. N-Q2 B-NS 8. Q-B2 0-0 9. BxN NxB I 0. B-Q3 R-K I I I .
P-B4 P-B4 1 2. 0-0 B-Q2 I 3. P-QR3 BxN 1 4. PxB B-RS 1 5. Q-N2 QR-B I 1 6.
KR-B I N-NS 1 7. N-B I N-B3 1 8. N-Q2 R-K2 1 9. P-R3 KR-B2 20. QR-N I P
QN3 2 1 . K-R2 P-R4 22. Q-R2 Q-R3 23. B-K2 BPxP 24. BPxP PxP 25. RxP P
QN4 26. RxR RxR 27. N-N3 R-B6 28. N-BS Q-Q3 29. Q-R I RxKP 30. Q
N2 QxPch 3 1 . K-N I N-KS 32. R-KB I Q-N4 33. BxNP NxN 34. PxN QxP
35. Q-KB2 BxB 36. QxPch K-R2 37. R-B2 R-K7, White resigns
Stormin' Norman played a hard, attacking game that was as short
on subtlety as his so-called Whitaker Gambit (1. P-K4 P-K3 2. P-Q4
P-Q4 3. B-K3). His finest achievement was clear second at the
Eighth American Chess Congress, played in July 192 1 . He scored 83 to finish a half point behind David Janowski, whom he defeated in
their individual game. In that tournament, he also beat Frank
Marshall, who trailed badly at 6-5. Other successes included a
match victory over Jackson Showalter in 1918 and a drawn match
with Fritz Saemisch in 1960. Together with Glenn Hartleb, he
authored 365 Selected Endings (1960), a superb collection that is
written in both English and German.
Norman could trade tactical blows with the best of them, as is
demonstrated in the game below against Marshall. Just take a gan
der at the pretzel-like position following 27 . . . . R-KBl .
Frank J. Marshall-Norman T. Whitaker
New York, I 9 I I
King's Gambit Accepted
I . P-K4 P-K4 2. P-KB4 PxP 3. N-KB3 P-KN4 4. B-B4 B-N2 5. P-Q4 P-Q3 6.
Q-Q3 N-QB3 7. P-KR4 P-KR3 8. PxP PxP 9. RxR BxR I 0. P-KS K-B I I I . Q
R7 B-N2 1 2. Q-RS Q-K2
A better move is 12 . . . . N-R3 . If White then tries 13. NxP, Black
has 13 . . . . B-N5 .
264
1 3. NxP NxQP 1 4. N-QR3 P-Q4 I S. BxQP QxPch 1 6. K-B I N-R3 1 7. B-Q2
B-B4 1 8. B-N4ch K-N I 1 9. BxPch K-R I 20. R-K I Q-B3 2 1 . B-K7 Q-QN3 22.
N-B4 Q-R3 23. K-N I B-NS 24. Q-R2 N-B4 25. QxP NxQB 26. RxN Q-KB3
27. N-KS R-KB I
28. P-KN3?!
Marshall wilts first. The correct move is 28. R-K8. Black must
play 28.
RxR (if 28.
B-B4, White wins quickly with 29. N
N6ch QxN 30. BxQ RxR 3 1 . BxR) 29. N-N6ch QxN 30. BxQ R-K8ch
3 1 . K-B2, when White wins.
0 0 0
0 0 0
Norman's forte in chess and, as we shall see, in life was rough-and
tumble action. Careless of pawns, he pushed pieces at people, and
even as he grew older retained a puncher's chances in individual
games against the very best. At age 61, he dismembered Isaac
Kashdan (White) in the following little-known game from the 1 9 5 1
U.S. Open: 1 . P-Q4 P-Q4 2 . P-QB4 P-K3 3 . N-QB3 N-KB3 4 . N-B3
QN-Q2 5. B-NS B-K2 6. P-K3 0-0 7. PxP (Kash plays conservatively
in the expectation that Norman will self-destruct. ) 7.
PxP 8. B
Q3 R-Kl 9 . 0-0 N-Bl 10. Q-B2 P-B3 1 1 . KR-Kl N-KS 12. BxB QxB
13. P-QN4 N-N3 14. P-N5 B-Q2 15. PxP BxP 16. N-K2 QR-Bl 1 7 .
QR-Bl B-Q2 18. Q-N3 B-NS ! ? (Sound or not, what a shot! Kash
clearly expected 18.
B-B3 .) 19. RxR RxR 20. BxN? ! (White can
probably hold his pawn with 20. QxQP BxN 2 1 . PxB, intending a
timely B-K4) 20.
PxB 2 1 . N-Q2 BxN 22. RxB N-RS ! 23. P-N3?
(Loses outright. White seems to hold after 23 . N-Bl Q-N4 24. P-N3
R-B8 25. R-B2 . ) 23 .
R-B8ch 24. N-Bl Q-Q2 , White resigns.
Black's concluding move reminds me of 2 1 .
Q-Q2 in the famous
R. Byrne-Fischer game from the 1963-64 U.S. Championship.
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 .
0 0 0
28.
B-B4 29. P-QN4 BxP 30. R-K6 Q-Q I 3 I . N-K4 Q-QSch 32. K-B I B
Q6ch 33. NxB QxNch 34. K-N2 NxB 35. Q-R4ch K-N I 36. R-KN6 N-K4 37.
RxBch KxR 38. Q-K7ch R-B2 39. QxNch K-B I 40. Q-R8ch K-K2 4 1 . Q-KSch
K-Q I 42. Q-R8ch K-K2, draw
0 0 .
Chapter XXW
265
Norman and Gaston
Strange to say, one thing did bother me about Norman. How could
he always be so well-dressed and spend so much money without
working? In the end I convinced myself that he had inherited a
fortune. By the time I left Washington, D.C., we were good friends.
Yet it was the last time that our paths crossed. Over the years he
sent me postcards with interesting positions from his games, and he
occasionally dispatched a congratulatory telegram about something
I did. It was just such a message that brought those two husky FBI
gentlemen to my door on that sunny afternoon in 1944.
They had been tailing Norman for some time. He had given them
the slip, and I was suddenly their hottest lead. Their goal was to
find out where he and a confederate, Gaston Means, hid $100,000
(about a million crisp ones in today's dollars) that they received 1 2
years earlier from the wealthy socialite and Washington Post co
publisher, Evalyn Walsh McLean. Mrs. McLean thought she was pro
viding them with ransom money for the kidnapped Lindbergh baby.
Years later Norman would maintain steadfastly that for good and
honest reasons this money was handed over to three strangers at the
Highway Bridge entrance to Washington, D.C. Few people believed
him, and in the press Norman was called "The Fox."
Mrs. McLean's lettuce was never recovered despite years of inten
sive searching. Whitaker served time on Alcatraz Island. He stood up
to it in good style and could even be witty about this episode in his
life. As he once noted, he robbed only the rich because there was so
little to be had from the poor. "Anyway," as he put it, "there would
be no sense of achievement." He took pride that some of his frauds
made the textbooks.
The Lindbergh fraud was still better. It made the front pages. For
weeks, Norman and Gaston Means, a paunchy ex-Justice Depart
ment agent and a bag man for bigwigs in the bribe-ridden Harding
administration, basked in the notoriety of being this nation's most
callous cads.
Headlines in the New York Times from May 1933 read, "Means
and Whitaker on Trial in Capital"; "Washington Court Is Thronged
as Flier [Charles Lindbergh] Testifies in Means and Whitaker Case";
"Whitaker Is Also Found Guilty of Plot to Mulct Mrs. McLean in
Lindbergh Case. " And so on. No wonder that years later, when Nor
man used to visit the offices of Chess Review , Al Horowitz would
roar, "Come on in, Norman, and pull up an electric chair ! "
The era o f Bonnie and Clyde was also the time o f Norman and
Gaston. I do not know much about the road Mr. Means travelled to
reach the apex of infamy, but I can trace Norman's trail from
266
Georgetown Law School graduate and Washington, D.C. patent
attorney to supposed chief kidnapper of the Lindbergh baby and
criminal louse.
In 1916 Norman was practicing law in Washington, and America
had yet to enter World War I. Whatever views he had about Woo
drow Wilson's decision in April 1917 to involve America in the war,
Norman was determined to remain at peace. According to records at
the Bureau of Investigation, the forerunner of the FBI, he moved
from state to state, animated by the noble desire to keep ahead of
draft notices. Only on November 16, 1918, five days after the war
ended, did Norman appear at Fort Dix, New Jersey, to serve one day
before being discharged for "defective vision."
In November 1921, Norman and brother Roland, plus sisters
Dorothy and Hazel Whitaker, were arrested for violating the Dyer
Act that banned transport of stolen cars across state lines. The
Whitakers had latched on to the family values issue over seven
decades before Dan Quayle and Bill Clinton; the four were saying
via concrete deed that an upper-middle-class family that steals to
gether stays together, albeit under lock and key.
Their racket, as described in the New York Times of February
26, 1922, involved "a nationwide plot to recover insurance on auto
mobiles claimed to have been stolen and transported from one State
to another." Although disbarred in 1924, Norman kept the courts at
bay on the criminal counts for nearly four years. But on July 1 6 ,
1925, the Times reported that Norman had left Philadelphia the
day before to serve two years at Leavenworth, "chained to United
States Deputy Marshal Knox. "
There followed a n episode o f comic relief.
On December 5, 1930, local police arrested Norman in Pleasant
vale, New Jersey, for putting slugs in a pay telephone ! A bit later, he
played the role of chief of the Soviet secret police in America t o
peddle phony secrets to one Ralph Easley, head o f the anti-Com
munist National Civic Federation. He raked in a tidy 20 G's for that
scam-or about a quarter million in today's so-called currency.
The Lindbergh Sting
On March 1, 1932 , someone kidnapped the 18-month-old
Lindbergh baby from the famous aviator's estate near Hopewell,
New Jersey. That same month, Norman was found guilty in Tampa,
Florida, on a charge similar to his earlier Dyer Act conviction. Out
on appeal, he jumped bail and headed north to cash in on the agony
of the Lindberghs. Time was of the essence because the baby could
turn up any moment, alive or dead. (And as it happened, dead.
Chapter XXIV
267
Colonel Lindbergh identified the remains-fractured skull and all
on May 13, 1932.)
Norman and Gaston teamed up. The latter, claiming to be a go
between who was merely extending his good offices, had already se
cured $100,000 in ransom money from Mrs. McLean. That was in
March 1932. Norman then played the role of chief kidnapper in a
second scam to squeeze an additional $35 ,000 from the lady. Intro
duced to Mrs. McLean at her South Carolina vacation home as "a
dangerous killer" known as "The Fox," Norman lived up to his bil
ling. "His behavior," wrote George Waller in The Story of the Lind
bergh Case , "was quite in character for an underworld boss. His
eyes shifted continuously, surveying the room. Then he insisted on
examining the entire house . . . searching for hidden microphones." In
the style of Edward G. Robinson, Norman threatened to machine
gun the thrilled society matron in the event of a double cross.
Candor compels me to admit that Norman and Gaston did not
have to play a grandmaster combination to dupe Mrs. McLean. For
by all accounts, this socialite, who owned the midnight-blue Hope
diamond and the 921f2 carat Star of the East, also owned an unrated
brain. As David Brinkley writes in his amusing Washington Goes to
War, "When she [Evalyn] complained to Daddy Walsh that walking
to school was 'a little trying to my dignity,' he produced for her a
blue victoria coach drawn by two prancing sorrels and driven by a
coachman in silk hat and gloves. Said Evalyn, 'My own preference,
generally, is for show."'
And a show, after all, is exactly what Norman and Gaston gave
her. But the two conmen failed to consider the paradox that Mrs.
McLean's reputation as a dim bulb could accidentally throw light on
their dark doings. When she asked a friend at the Washington Post
to help her pawn a two-foot rope of diamonds to raise the $3 5 ,000,
that friend contacted the great lady's attorney. Said Mrs. McLean's
savior later, "I suspected that Evalyn was in the hands of unscrupu
lous persons who were endangering her life and her property."
By late June 1932, Norman sat in a New York City jail waiting to
be extradited back to Washington, D.C. Described in newspapers as
"a suave and smiling prisoner" and termed "a mighty cool proposi
tion" by then police commissioner Mulrooney, Norman managed to
escape charges of bilking Mrs. McLean of the initial $100 ,000. H e
faced trial the following May only for the failed conspiracy to de
fraud the intended victim of an additional $35,000.
Back in the 1920s and 1930s, villains were nothing if not brazen.
As Norman boarded the train for Washington, his young wife stood
at the gate and, as was reported in the Times , "blew kisses in his
direction." The jury in Washington, however, did not blow kisses; it
268
slapped both him and Means in the chops with a two-year sentence.
And the $100,000? Means told the jury that a man with a red
lantern stopped him on the aforementioned bridge and whispered
"Eleven," supposedly a password between Mrs. McLean and himself.
He thereupon handed over the greenbacks on the assumption that
she was calling off the ransom deal. Means, who got 15 years for the
initial successful scam, died in prison.
Did Norman somehow latch on to the missing money as was
assumed by those FBI agents who knocked at my door? When
asked that question back in 1932 by New York City Deputy Police
Chief John J. Sullivan, our boy answered, "I got none of it. I wish I
did . "
Too bad that Chief Sullivan, an Irishman with a brogue more
Hibernian than a dram of the Blushful Hippocrene on St. Patrick's
Day, did not know chess. He would have realized that a great
master such as Norman would first make sure of his material com
pensation before sacrificing a major piece of time in prison.
Discovered Check
When Izzy Turover saw how close Norman and I were becoming, he
warned me about the man. But such were Norman's powers to
charm that nothing could have made me believe that this kind
gentleman was a swindler, including Izzy detailing to me one of his
pet schemes.
Norman would establish residence in a small town and open a
good-sized bank account. Next, he became active in civic and
church affairs. After some months, during which he built up an im
peccable credit rating, he would buy a new car at the local Cadillac
agency on a Friday afternoon after the banks closed. He would pay
by check, and the following day he would drive to a nearby town
and offer to sell the car for cash. Invariably, the used car dealer
would alert the Caddy dealer, who would hotfoot it to the nearby
town with the sheriff in tow. When all the smoke cleared, along
with the check on the following Monday, Whitaker would be sitting
pretty with a fine case of false arrest. Most dealers paid big bucks to
keep the news out of the press.
As Norman grew older, he spent his summers in Germany, where
there was a good market for his skills. But despite his brilliance, I
quite accidentally discovered one occasion when he met his match.
A case, you might say, of Deutscher Uber Norman. The nemesis was
Herr Kurt Rattmann, a fine gentleman whose chess bookstore in
Hamburg is famous. Even Bobby Fischer has been there and mar
velled at the collection.
Chapter XXIV
269
One day Norman came in and immediately ingratiated himself,
falling madly in love with his host's exquisite taste in books. Soon
he was lying on the floor of the shop surrounded by some 30 rare
volumes, insisting that he could not live without them. But, sad t o
say, h e had n o cash and would give Kurt his personal check. B y
complete coincidence, Rattmann had heard about Norman through
a German family that he bilked the previous summer. Politely, Kurt
told Norman that he would be happy to send the books to his
hotel, where he could surely get his check cashed.
That was it. The cash never materialized, and Norman left Ham
burg sans livres. It was one of the rare times that he was bested.
Another time was in his declining years. You see, confidence men
tend not to age well because they eventually lose their self-confi
dence. Their physical presence and charm deteriorate; their manner
becomes forced and therefore unconvincing; and their scams de
generate from the stuff of Robbing Hood to the ordure of social pa
thology. And so, in 1950 at age 60, Norman found himself in
Moyamensing Prison near Philadelphia, charged with nine counts of
molesting a 12-year-old girl.
At some point Norman slipped from being a colorful high-roller
to being an off-color and failed old man, though as with most bad
hats, Norman possessed even in his salad days an enormous capacity
for self-pity. Thus, shortly after being sentenced in the Lindbergh
case, he sent a "personal and confidential" letter, dated September
19, 1933, to Arthur Garfield Hays of the American Civil Liberties
Union. "The Whitakers," he wrote, "reached this country in 1666. I
am the last of the line, and . . . I am bitter indeed at the unfairness in
the U.S. Courts as I daily languish in my 5' x 7' cell in a filthy jail.
My business, my reputation, and my family have all been ruined
through the cruelties done me."
And the cruelties Norman did to the innocent? Well, he just
could not think in such terms, remaining a notorious trimmer-on
one occasion in old age, he memorized an eye chart in advance to
keep his driver's license-until the very end, which came in May
1975. Suffering from emphysema, Norman died broke and alone,
closing out his days drearily at the Cobb Memorial Hospital in a
place called Phoenix City, Alabama.
As I say, I follow the rules and believe that the rules are to be
followed. That's because most of us eventually get our just deserts.
270
Selected Games
Norman Whitaker. Rough-and-Tumble Tactician
JOSE CAPABLANCA-NO RMAN WHITAKER (Simultaneous Exhibition,
Philadelphia, 1 909): I . P-K4 P-K4 2. N-KB3 N-QB3 3. B-NS P-QR3 4. B-R4
N-B3 5. 0-0 B-K2 6. P-Q3 P-Q3 7. P-B3 0-0 8. QN-Q2 B-K3 9. R-K I N-K I
I 0. N-B I P-B4 I I . PxP BxBP 1 2. N-K3 B-N3 1 3. Q-N3ch K-R I 1 4. QxP
N-R4 I S. Q-N4 P-B4 1 6. Q-N4 N-KB3 1 7. Q-R3 BxP 1 8. N-NS N-R4! 1 9.
N-K6 N-KBS! 20. NxN PxN 2 1 . N-QS B-B4 22. Q-B3 B-N4 23. BxP R-QN I
24. P-QN4 BxB 25. QxB B-B7 26. Q-N3 BxB 27. PxN R-B4 28. R-K7 Q
K B I 29. N-K3 R-B3 30. R-R7 R-N7 3 1 . N-N4 Q-QN I ! 32. R-K7 R-N8ch 33.
R-K I RxQR 34. RxR Q-N7 3 5 . R-K I R-K3! 3 6 . P-KB4 QxRP 37. P-BS R-K7
38. P-R3 B-B3 39. RxR QxR 40. K-R2 Q-KS 4 1 . Q-B2 K-N I 42. P-B6 P-N3
43. P-B7ch K-B I 44. N-B6 Q-B4 45. NxPch KxP 46. Q-Q2 Q-K4ch 47. K-N I
P-Q4 48. Q-B2ch K-N2 49. QxP B-K I 50. Q-R7ch B-B2 5 1 . Q-B2 QxP 52.
P-R4 Q-B8ch 53. K-R2 Q-B2ch, White resigns In his element Whitaker
produces a truly ferocious game of thrust-and-counter-thrust tactics which
contains more passages of arms than even the sword fight in The Prisoner of
Zenda. One of the dozen or so finest losses ever suffered by Capablanca in
simultaneous play.
GUSTAVE SIMONSON-NORMAN WH ITAKER (Franklin C.C. vs. Manhat
tan C.C. Club Match, 1 909): I . P-K4 P-K4 2. N-KB3 N-QB3 3. B-B4 B-B4 4.
P-B3 N-B3 5. 0-0 P-Q3 6. P-Q4 PxP 7. PxP B-N3 8. P-KR3 0-0 9. P-QS N-K2
I 0. N-B3 N-N3 I I . K-R2 R-K I 1 2. B-Q3 N-R4 1 3. N-K2 N-RS! 1 4. N-N3 N
B3!! I S. NxN N-NSch! 1 6. PxN QxNch 1 7. K-N I QxN! 1 8. Q-B3 QxP 1 9.
QxQ BxQ 20. K-R2 R-K4 2 1 . K-N3 B-Q2 22. R-R I P-KR3 23. R-R2 R-KB I
24. P-B4 R-K2 25. P-BS B-QS 26. B-KB4 BxNP 27. R-QN I B-QS 28. RxN P
B-N3 29. P-R4 R-R I 30. P-B6 PxP 3 1 . RxKRP B-B I 32. BxP R-Q2 33. RxB
RPxR 34. B-KB4 RxRP 35. B-QNS R-R6ch 36. K-R2 R-K2 37. P-Q6 RxP 38.
B-QB I R-QN6 39. P-Q7 BxP 40. BxB R-QBS 4 1 . B-Q2 R-QS, White resigns
NORMAN WH ITAKER-FRANK MARSHALL (Stakes Game, played o n
Young's Old Pier in Atlantic City, August 1 9 I S): I . P-K4 P-K4 2 . N-QB3 N
KB3 3 . P-B4 P-Q4 4 . BPxP NxP 5. N-B3 P-KN4 6 . P-Q4 P-NS 7 . NxN QPxN
8. N-NS B-KB4 9. B-QB4 N-B3 I 0. BxPch K-Q2 I I . 0-0 P-KR3 1 2. RxB PxN
1 3. P-QS B-B4ch 1 4. K-B I NxP I S. BxP Q-KB I 1 6. B-K6ch K-Q3 1 7. B-B4
Q-N2 1 8. P-N4 QR-KB I 1 9. PxBch KxP 20. P-Q6 P-B3 2 1 . B-K3ch K-N4 22.
B-B4ch K-RS 23. B-N3ch K-R4 24. Q-Q2ch K-R3 25. Q-K2ch N-Q6 26. R
N I RxRch 27. K-N I RxP 28. B-B4ch P-N4 29. BxN Q-R2 30. BxPch PxB 3 1 .
B-B4 R-R8ch 32. K-B2 RxBch 33. K-K3 RxR, White resigns An excellent
example of what happens when a highly gifted tactician such as Whitaker runs
up against a tactical genius such as Marshall. This unknown masterpiece of
American chess appears here for the first time beyond the confines of a
newspaper column.
Chapter XXN
271
NORMAN WH ITAKER-JACKSON SHOWALTER (Western Open, 1 9 1 5):
I . P-K4 P-K4 2. N-KB3 N-QB3 3. B-NS P-QR3 4. B-R4 N-B3 5. 0-0 P-Q3 6.
R-K I P-QN4 7. B-N3 B-K2 8. P-QR4 P-NS 9. P-RS 0-0 I 0. P-Q3 R-N I I I . B
QB4 N-Q2 1 2. B-K3 B-B3 1 3. QN-Q2 N-QS 1 4. N-B I N-QB4 I S. P-B3
N/5-K3 1 6. N-N3 P-N3 1 7. P-Q4 N-Q2 1 8. Q-Q2 KPxP 1 9. PxQP Q-K2 20.
B-R6 R-Q I 2 1 . N-BS!! PxN 22. PxP N-K4? 23. QPxN PxP 24. PxN BxP 25.
Q-K2 B-B4 26. NxP, Black resigns This flashy victory over Showalter, a former
U.S. champion, turned out to be the harbinger of two minor chess tragedies
for Whitaker. First, after notching up eight straight wins in this tournament, he
could make only a single draw in the final two rounds to finish a half point
behind Showalter, who scored 9- 1 . Secondly, emboldened by the above
brilliancy, Whitaker rashly challenged the "Kentucky Lion" to a match in June
1 9 1 6, suffering a crushing defeat, + I -6. In 1 9 1 8, however, Whitaker won a
rematch, +4 - I =3.
NORMAN WHITAKER-SAMUEL RESH EVSKY (Western Open, 1 924): I . P
K4 P-K4 2. N-KB3 N-QB3 3. P-B3 N-B3 4. P-Q4 PxP 5. P-KS N-KS 6. Q-K2
P-Q4 7. PxPe.p. P-B4 8. QPxP Q-Q4 9. PxP B-NSch I 0. B-Q2 BxBch I I .
QNxB 0-0 1 2. Q-B4 B-K3 1 3. QxQ BxQ 1 4. B-B4 BxB I S. NxB QR-B I 1 6.
R-QB I RxP 1 7. 0-0 KR-B I 1 8. QR-Q I NxQP 1 9. NxN RxN 20. NxP R- B I
2 1 . N-K7ch K-R I 22. R-Q7 R-QN I 23. KR-Q I P-KR3 24. N-BS N-B3 25. R
KB7 RIN 1 -QB I 26. P-KR3 RIBS-B2 27. NxRP K-R2 28. RxR RxR 29. N-N4
NxN 30. PxN R-B7 3 I . R-N I P-QN4 32. P-KN3 K-N I 33. P-R3 K-B2 34. R
Q I K-K3 35. R-Q8 RxNP 36. R-QR8 P-NS 37. RxP PxP 38. RxRP K-B3 39.
R-RS R-NS 40. P-B4 R-N7 4 1 . R-R6ch K-B2 42. P-NS R-QB7 43. R-R I K-N 3
44. P-N4 R-B6 45. K-N2 R-B7ch 46. K-N3 K-B2 47. R-R7ch K-B I 48. P-BS R
B3 49. K-R4 R-B I 50. K-RS K-N I 5 1 . K-N6 K-R I 52. P-B6 R-KN I 53. RxP
RxRch 54. PxRch K-N I 55. K-R6, Black resigns King and tripled pawns versus
King is a rare ending indeed in practical play.
NORMAN WH ITAKER-HERMAN STEINER (Western Open, 1 929): I . P-K4
P-K4 2. N-QB3 N-KB3 3. B-B4 B-B4 4. P-B4 P-Q3 5. P-Q3 N-B3 6. P-BS N
QR4 7. B-NS NxB 8. PxN P-B3 9. Q-Q3 P-KR3 I 0. B-R4 P-KN4 I I . B-N3
N-R4 1 2. 0-0-0 NxB I 3. PxN B-Q2 1 4. N-R4 B-QS I S. N-K2 Q-R4 1 6. NxB
QxN 1 7. N-N3 0-0-0 1 8. QxP BxP 1 9. Q-K7 BxP 20. QxBP P-N3 2 1 . RxRch
RxR 22. R-K I BxNP 23. Q-BSch K-N2 24. R-N I Q-NS 25. P-R3 Q-Q3 26.
K-N I R-KB I 27. Q-R7ch K-R3 28. RxB Q-Q8ch 29. K-R2 R-B8 30. P-B3 Q
K8 3 1 . Q-N6 K-N2 32. R-Q2, Black resigns Whitaker conducted this Vienna
beautifully, though he did not receive a brilliancy prize for the effort. Instead,
Samuel Factor and he shared the first brilliancy prize for the following draw.
SAMUEL FACTOR-NORMAN WHITAKER (Western Open, 1 929): I . P
Q4 N-KB3 2. N-KB3 P-K3 3. P-B4 P-B4 4. N-B3 PxP 5. NxP B-NS 6. B-Q2
P-QN3 7. N/3-NS!? B-K2 8. P-K3 B-N2 9. B-K2 (The alternative to this
ambitious move is 9. N-KB3) 9 . . . . BxP?! (Black could have won a pawn by 9 .
. . . P-QR3, and if I 0. N-QB3, then Black continues with I 0. . . . BxP I I . R-KN I
B-KS 1 2. NxB NxN 1 3. RxP B-RS 1 4. B-KB3 NxP I S. Q-K2 P-Q4) I 0. B-KB3
272
(Yet another active idea, though it is more or less forced because after 9. R
KN I B-KS I 0. RxP, Black traps the Rook by I 0. . . . B-N3) I 0. . . . BxR I I . BxB
P-Q4 1 2. PxP PxP (Black is also in the mood for a fight; otherwise, he would
have selected the more circumspect l ine, 1 2. . . . NxP 1 3. R-B I 0-0 1 4. BxN
QxB I S. N-B7 Q-R8ch 1 6. K-K2 QxQch 1 7. KxQ N-Q2) 1 3. R-B I B-B4 1 4.
P-N4 P-QR3 I S. PxB PxN 1 6. P-B6 N-R3 1 7. B-QB3 P-NS (Questionable, as
the move encourages White to clear the Bishop file for his Rook; preferable
were such moves as . . . N-B4, . . . 0-0 or . . . N-B2) 1 8. B-R I N-B4 1 9. N-BS
P-N3?! (This counter-attacking combination, which involves the sacrifice of a
piece, is typical of Whitaker. but more feasible alternatives are 1 9 . . . . R-KN I
or 1 9 . . . . K-B I ) 20. P-B7 Q-Q2 2 1 . BxN QxN 22. RxN PxR 23. BxR RxP 24.
B-KB3 (White correctly avoids a draw by repetition via 24. Q-B3 Q-N8ch 2S.
Q-Q I Q-B4, etc.) 24. . . . P-QS 2S. PxP P-BS 26. P-QS P-B6 27. P-Q6 Q
K3ch 28. K-B I P-B7 29. B-B6ch? (White could have won by 29. P-Q7ch QxP
30. Q-K I ch K-B I 3 1 . QxPch K-K I 32. Q-N8ch K-K2 33. Q-Q8ch QxQ 34.
B-B6ch! K-K3 3S. B-N4ch!) 29. . . . K-B I 30. Q-B I Q-BSch 3 1 . K-N I Q-NSch
32. K-R I Q-Q8ch, draw Factor forced the pace in this game, but it is hardly ac
cidental that Whitaker often found himself in donnybrooks, chessic and other
wise. The notes to this game are based on detailed annotations by Stasch
Mlotkowski in the October 1 6, 1 929 issue of The Bethlehem Globe-Times.
GEORGE KRAM ER-NORMAN WH ITAKER (U.S. Open, 1 947): I . P-Q4 P
Q4 2. P-QB4 P-K3 3. N-QB3 N-KB3 4. N-B3 QN-Q2 S. P-K3 B-K2 6. B-Q3
PxP 7. BxBP P-QR3 8. P-QR4 P-B4 9. 0-0 0-0 I 0. Q-K2 P-QN3 I I . P-QS
PxP 1 2. NxP B-N2 1 3. P-K4 NxN 1 4. PxN R-K I I S. Q-Q3 B-KB3 1 6. R-N I
N-K4 1 7. NxN BxN 1 8. B-K3 P-QR4 1 9. P-QN3 Q-Q3 20. P-N3 QR-Q I
2 1 . QR-Q I B-B I 22. B-KNS P-B3 23. B-Q2 B-NS 24. P-B3 B-R6 2S. KR-K I
BxP 26. RxRch RxR 27. P-B4 B-NS 28. R-KB I B-RS 29. B-K3 P-B4 30. Q-Q2
B-B3 3 1 . K-N2 R-KS 32. B-Q3 B-B6 33. Q-KB2 Q-N3 34. BxR, and White
resigns
JEREMIAH DONOVAN-NORMAN WHITAKER (U.S. Open, 1 948): I . P
Q4 P-Q4 2. P-QB4 P-K4 3. QPxP P-QS 4. N-KB3 N-QB3 S. P-KN3 B-K3 6.
QN-Q2 B-QNS 7. Q-B2 KN-K2 8. B-N2 0-0 9. 0-0 N-N3 I 0. N-N3 KNxP
I I . NxN NxN 1 2. R-Q I P-Q6! 1 3. PxP B-NS 1 4. R-B I N-B6ch I S. BxN BxB
1 6. P-KR3 Q-Q2! 1 7. K-R2 QR-K I 1 8. B-K3 R-K4 1 9. N-Q4 QxPch!!, White
resigns
J. MAYER-NORMAN WHITAKER (U.S. Championship Preliminaries, 1 948):
I . P-K4 P-K4 2. N-QB3 N-KB3 3. B-B4 NxP 4. Q-RS N-Q3 S. B-N 3 N-B3 6.
N-NS P-KN3 7. Q-B3 P-B4 8. Q-QS Q-K2 9. NxPch K-Q I I 0. NxR P-N3
I I . Q-B3 (Theoretically approved is I I . NxP) I I . . . . B-QN2 1 2. P-Q3 N-QS
1 3. Q-R3 P-KS! 1 4. K-B I ? (The correct plan for White is 1 4. B-K3 and I S .
0-0-0) 1 4. . . . B-N2 I S. B-K3 BxN 1 6. R-K I NxB 1 7. RPxN BxP 1 8. Q-N3 K
B I 1 9. B-B4 (The last chance is 1 9. N-R3) 1 9 . . . . N-N4 20. P-B4 N-QS 2 1 . B
N8 P-Q4 22. B-KS R-K I 23. BxN BxB 24. N-B3 B-B6 2S. R-K2 QPxP 26.
QPxBP PxN! 27. RxQ PxPch 28. K-K2 RxRch 29. K-Q3 PxR=Q 30. KxB Q-
Chapter XXIV
273
R8ch, White resigns
HANS BERLINER-NORMAN WH ITAKER (New Jersey, 1 9S4): I . P-Q4 P
Q4 2. P-K3 P-QB4 3. P-QB3 N-Q2 4. P-KB4 KN-B3 S. N-Q2 P-KN3 6. B
Q3 B-N2 7. Q-B3 P-QR3 8. P-KN4 P-K3 9. N-K2?! P-K4! I 0. BPxP NxNP!!
(This Knight remains on its KNS, both en prise and otherwise, for the next 1 6
moves!) I I . 0-0 0-0 1 2. N-KB4 Q-RS I 3. Q-K2 P-BS (Black lets down a bit by
not playing 1 3 . . . . PxP!) 1 4. B-B2 N-N3 I S. P-K4! PxP 1 6. BxP Q-K2! (Setting
a clever, Whitakeresque trap into which White steps) 1 7. N-QS? (The correct
move is 1 7. NxBP with a mutually tough game) 1 7. . . . NxN 1 8. BxN BxP! 1 9.
K-R I Q-Q2! 20. PxB QxBch 2 1 . N-B3 B-B4 22. B-B4 B-Q6 23. Q-N2 BxR
24. RxB Q-Q6 2S. R-K I Q-B4 26. Q-N3 N-B7ch 27. K-N2? N-Q6 28. B-R6
NxRch 29. QxN KR-K I , White resigns
NORMAN WH ITAKER-MI LTON OTIESON (New Western Open, 1 9S7):
I . P-K4 P-KN3 2. P-Q4 B-N2 3. B-K3 P-QB4 4. P-QB3 N-KB3 S. P-B3 P-Q4
6. P-KS KN-Q2 7. P-KB4 P-BS 8. N-B3 N-QB3 9. P-KN3 N-B I I 0. P-N3 PxP
I I . PxP B-NS 1 2. P-R3 B-B4 1 3. P-KN4 B-KS 1 4. QN-Q2 P-B4 I S. NxB
BPxN 1 6. N-R4 P-KR4 1 7. PxP P-K3 1 8. B-B2 Q-B2 1 9. R-KN I NxKP 20.
QPxN QxPch 2 1 . K-K2 Q-N7ch 22. Q-Q2 QxR 23. NxP NxN 24. RxN Q
R3ch 2S. K-K I Q-R8ch 26. Q-Q I QxQch 27. KxQ K-B2 28. B-K2 P-QS 29.
B-B4 RxP 30. RxP K-B I 3 I . R-Q6 P-K6 32. B-K I B-R3 33. RxP RxRP 34. B
N4ch K-N2 3S. P-BS B-N4 36. P-B6ch K-N3 37. B-Q3ch K-R4 38. P-B7 B-R3
39. P-K6 R-R8ch 40. K-B2 R-R7ch 4 1 . K-N I R-R8ch 42. K-R2 B-N2 43. B
K2ch K-R3 44. R-Q I RxR 4S. BxR K-N3 46. B-RSch!, Black resigns Whitaker
at age 67! His opponent defeated Bobby Fischer in this tournament.
NORMAN WHITAKER-J. RAGAN (New Western Open, 1 9S7): I . P-K4 P
K3 2. P-Q4 P-Q4 3. B-K3!? (The Whitaker Gambit, a dubious debut that gen
erally served its inventor well. One senses from this and other games that
Whitaker played the gambit less in the expectation of achieving good positions
than to engage in wild melees affording scope for his tactical prowess.) 3 . . . .
PxP 4. N-Q2 N-KB3 S. P-QB3 P-QN3 (There are quite a few Whitaker
Gambits lurking in old tournament bulletins. The game Whitaker-Or. Joseph
Platz [U.S. Championship, 1 948] continued with S . . . . B-Q2 6. N-K2 B-B3 7.
N-KN3 QN-Q2 8. Q-B2 N-NS 9. N/2xP NxB I 0. PxN P-B4 I I . N-B2 Q-N4
1 2. 0-0-0 QxPch 1 3. K-N I 0-0-0 1 4. B-B4 BxP I S. KR-K I Q-N4 1 6. BxP P
KN3 1 7. N-Q3 B-B6 1 8. N-KS BxR 1 9. QxB B-Q3 20. NxN RxN 2 1 . Q-R4
P-B3 22. QxP Q-Q7 23. BxRch KxB 24. QxPch B-B2 2S. R-K7ch KxR 26.
QxBch K-B I 27. Q-Q8ch K-N2 28. Q-K7ch K-R3 29. Q-R4ch, drawn.
Another example is Whitaker-Ken Smith [Southern Open, 1 9SO]: S . . . . QN
Q2 6. Q-B2 P-B4 7. 0-0-0 Q-R4 8. K-N I PxP 9. N-N3 P-Q6! I 0. Q-Q2
Q-RS?! [Black begins to swim; the right idea is I 0. . . . Q-B2, fol lowed by . . . P
QN3, . . . B-N2, and . . . 0-0-0] I I . P-B3 B-K2 [Too lazy; Black had to play I I .
. . . P-QN3 1 2. PxP NxP 1 3. Q-K I B-N2 1 4. BxQP 0-0-0] 1 2. PxP NxP I 3. Q
K I 0-0 1 4. BxQP N/S-B3 I S. B-QB2 P-QN3 1 6. B-NS Q-B3 1 7. N-B3 Q-B2
1 8. Q-R4 B-N2 1 9. RxN! QxR 20. BxN P-KR3 2 1 . BxB, Black resigns) 6. B-
27 4
NSch P-B3 7. B-R4 B-R3 8. N-K2 Q-Q4 9. P-QB4 Q-KR4 I 0. Q-B2 B-NS
I I . N-B4 Q-KB4 1 2. 0-0-0 0-0 1 3. P-KR3 P-R3 1 4. P-N4 Q-R2 I S. N-B I R-B I
1 6. N-N3 P-QN4 1 7. B-N3 QN-Q2 1 8. P-BS R-K I 1 9. N/4-RS B-R4 20.
NxNch NxN 2 1 . P-NS PxP 22. BxNP B-B2 23. QR-N I P-NS 24. Q-Q2
N-Q4 25. B-B2 P-B4 26. P-B3 P-K6 27. BxKP Q-RS 28. B-NS QxB 29. QxQ
B-BSch 30. QxB NxQ 3 I . B-N3 K-R2 32. P-KR4 QR-Q I 33. R-Q I N-Q6ch
34. K-B2 N-B7 35. R-Q2 NxR 36. NxN K-N3 37. N-B2 K-B3 38. N-R3
R-KR I 39. N-B4 B-B I 40. P-RS QR-K I 4 1 . R-N2 R-R3 42. N-N6 B-Q2 43.
N-KS R-Q I 44. B-R4 B-K I 45. BxP BxB 46. NxB R-Q2 47. K-Q3 P-N4 48.
PxPe.p. R-RS 49. K-K3 R-KN2 50. N-KS R-R8 5 1 . P-B6 R-R8 52. R-QB2 R
QB2 53. R-R2 R-QB8 54. R-R7, Black resigns
Chapter XXV
cf\_oad to the cf\_apture
At one time, Joe Noel was one of the best checker players in the
United States as well as a darn good chess player. This fey, young
god, who in his beauty and fate reminded me of the doomed British
officers described by Vera Brittain in Testament of Youth, could
have been successful at almost anything. Instead, he chose to live by
his wits, which were considerable, rather than by honest work.
Blessed with an impish sense of humor, Joe led the life of a
Greenwich Village bohemian, which was, in fact, what he was.
Carousing like a gypsy, he gambled and smoked heavily, staying up
most of the night. Although usually broke, he somehow managed to
throw some great parties in his single-room Village pad.
Our paths first crossed in 1932 when he was a sophisticated 2 4 ,
and I a naive 1 8 . I was amazed that despite his dissolute ways
indeed, probably because of them-Joe was adored by the ladies.
They literally blossomed when he paid them the slightest attention.
Some even paid for the privilege of his company, and each in turn
thought that she might reform him. It was all part of "the enthral
ling fun of overhauling you," as Professor Henry Higgins would say.
But Joe proved immune to improvement and remained set on
self-destruction. He often said that he wanted no more out of life
than to leave it laughing. Everyone felt that this claim was youthful
bravado. He was far too intelligent not to realize that he was slowly
committing suicide. Yet events demonstrated that there was some
thing inside this man telling him that the world was a big joke-a
cosmic jest. The real world, man's life after death, was where better
things awaited all of us. "Only fools take this life seriously" was his
invariable assertion when we discussed weighty issues.
If I live long enough, perhaps I will someday understand why so
many brilliant people entertain such crazy thoughts.
A Hand with a Tale
Joe was quite a hand with a tale. He could summon an image to a
listener's eye by recapturing every detail of a story. I remember his
275
276
account of how he was once stranded in Pittsburgh, Pa. , without
return fare to New York.
Joe wandered over to the YMCA where rooms were then 35 cents
a night. While walking through the lounge, he noticed a few chess
games in progress and learned that a club was holding its weekly
meeting. He seated himself beside one of the games, kibitzing b y
recommending silly remedies to the player whose position was al
ready beyond hope. Finally, the loser got up and said, "Look, if you
can do better, then why don't you tackle him?"
That's what Joe wanted. Mter all of the stupid suggestions, the
prospective sucker surely believed that he had a fish on the line.
They started playing for quarters, and Joe was soon several dollars
ahead, whereupon the sucker had second thoughts about who really
had the fins and gills. He asked Joe to wait and returned with the
club champion. "I reckon that he'll give you a better fight than I
did," said the disappearing patron.
Realizing that he was no match for the club kingpin and desiring
to hang on to desperately needed money, Joe calmly extended his
hand and introduced himself. The champ was surprised by Joe's
name and then replied with a voice full of contempt, "You mean
THE Arnold Denker, our current U.S. champion? Are things so bad
in New York that you have to come out here looking for suckers?"
And with that, the champ angrily stalked off, while Joe escaped
with his ill-gotten gains.
Joe was a great one for scheming to relieve people of the needful.
One scheme involved playing a very simple endgame for quarters.
The position consisted of three connected passed pawns for both
sides plus the two Kings.
White or Black to Play and Win for Quarters
Joe worked at this position until he knew it cold. The endgame
looks simple, but it requires perfect timing. While travelling the
hinterland playing checkers, he would always snare a few
chessplayers by offering draw odds. The stronger players usually
Chapter XXV
277
accepted this challenge, and the onlookers would back their local
heroes with cash. For a period, the trade was very lucrative, but like
every other dodge, it didn't last.
Then there was the time that Joe pasted on a fake moustache,
donned dark glasses and wandered over to the Coney Island board
walk where chess and checker pros took on all comers for a quarter
per go. He did okay for about three weeks, but the disguise must
have failed him in the fourth. Three broken ribs and multiple con
tusions were the penalty. He never saw the attackers, who were at
least three in number and who struck him from behind as he
entered his car.
On another occasion, Joe strolled into Fischer's Emporium on
42nd Street with a young lady whom he introduced as his "bride . "
O f course, she was really a h e i n the person o f a very strong young
player. The plan was to let "her" beat the brains out of unsuspect
ing suckers. Unfortunately, before the team had a chance to get
started, an acquaintance strolled in and wanted to know where the
masquerade party was being held.
That piece of ill luck did not, however, mark the last of the bri
dal scheme. Joe and his "bride" decided to take their marriage of
convenience on the road where the chances of being unmasked were
far less. As they sped around upstate New York, they were very suc
cessful until one evening at the Utica Chess Club. In the middle of
an exciting game, Joe's "bride" heeded nature's call by absent
mindedly running into the men's room. A club member called the
police, and the "couple" left without stopping to collect their win
nings.
A Better World
Joe died of cancer in 1948, just short of his 40th birthday. As I
stood beside the coffin, flashes from his life and his stories illumi
nated my mind. I also thought about his final years when he was no
longer well enough to barnstorm the country. When, in fact, he sat
garbed in a ratty overcoat in Washington Square Park, so bleak and
leafless during the winter months, and eked out a living by hustling
for quarters. Gone was the former self-assurance; gone also was the
great sense of humor. From time to time, he still came up with
grand schemes, but there was no longer energy to see them through.
Yet give Joe Noel credit: To the last he maintained that this life
was just a stepping stone to a better world.
Chapter XXVI
'Ihe f>oetaster of Chess
If, one afternoon, you were to leaf through the yellowed and crum
bling pages of the old American Chess Bulletin, you would eventu
ally come upon the name of Anthony Edward Santasiere. The name
was not very prominent-at least, not at first. You would have to
run your finger clear down the crosstable of Lake Hopatcong 1923
to find "Santasiere" at the bottom. The young master, who was
born in 1904, scored 2%-lOlf2, the mirror image of Frank Marshall
and Abraham Kupchik's winning scores. Yet Tony drew with both
Marshall and the brilliant David Janowski, who finished third.
You might conclude that this Santasiere, whoever he was, could
split points with grandmasters but lacked steadiness. Which was
true enough. But for the moment, all I am telling you is that even
though Tony and I competed against each other in the 1930s and
1940s and often discussed chess, I knew little more about him than
you .
Okay, okay, I'll relent. I knew that beginning in 1927 this very
shy person taught mathematics at the famous Angelo Patri School
(P.S. 45) up on Fordham Road in the Bronx; that he briefly studied
music at Julliard or, as it was known in the 1920s, the Institute of
Musical Art; that he won his first Marshall Chess Club Championship
in 1922 at the age of 17; that he was an extremely poor young man
of French-Italian ancestry, the 12th of 13 children, whose education
at City College was paid for by Alrick Man, a wealthy, elderly chess
devotee; that Frank and Carrie Marshall, who treated Tony as a
second son, prevailed on Man to act as he did; that Man asked in
return only that Tony spend his summers at the former's estate.
And that's all I knew.
I was simply unable to breach the many barriers that Tony
erected.
Until, that is, I moved to Florida in 1970. I soon discovered that
Tony, who preceded me south by five years, was a truly sensitive
and even beautiful person. Mind you, Tony was not much to look
at. Most people would never turn their heads when passing him on
the street. He was short, kind of squat, dark-skinned with close278
Chapter XXVI
279
cropped, curly black hair. A wag at the Manhattan Chess Club once
remarked that if you put a lunch pail under his arm, he could gain
entry into any factory in the country. That was the Tony most
people saw. The Tony I saw was-to quote Hermann Helms-"a
teacher, chess master, artist, musician, poet, novelist, philosopher,
chef, motorist and bridge expert. "
But I am getting ahead of my story. Before either of us retired to
Florida, we were both ambitious young men in New York City fight
ing for our place beneath Caissa's sun.
The Small Ceremonies of Life
Anyone who reads Tony's paeans to romantic gambiteering in the
ACB-or negotiates his posturing prose in Materialism Moribund
(1942)-and then plays over his actual games will probably con
clude that this chess master was also a master of humbug. For Tony
had a predominantly defensive style and rarely attacked until the
opponent had overextended himself and was obviously without
defensive resources. Yet Tony had the chutzpah to say that the
Queen's Gambit stank like a dead mackerel while himself playing
the soporific Reti Opening. He once wrote of Jose Capablanca,
"Through him we see clearly that the anti-artist, the anti-Christ,
ends only with ashes, dust ! " But here is one of Tony's typical slog
ging, Capablancaesque games, albeit a game in which he humbles a
giant of chess:
Anthony Santasiere-Reuben Fine
Reti Opening
I . N-KB3 P-Q4 2. P-KN3 N-KB3 3. B-N2 P-B4 4. 0-0 P-K3 5. P-Q4 Q-N3 6.
P-K3 N-B3 7. P-N3 B-K2 8. B-N2 PxP 9. PxP 0-0 I 0. QN-Q2 B-Q2 I I . P-B4
PxP 1 2. NxP Q-R3 1 3. KN-KS KR-Q I 1 4. NxB NxN I S. Q-B3 N-B3 1 6. KR
Q I N-Q4 1 7. P-QR4 P-QN4 1 8. N-KS NxN 1 9. PxN P-NS 20. B-KB I Q-R4
2 1 . QR-B I QR-B I 22. RxR RxR 23. B-B4 R-Q I 24. BxN RxB 25. RxR QxR
26. QxQ PxQ 27. B-Q4 P-QR3 28. P-B4 P-B3 29. K-B2 K-B2 30. K-K3 PxP
3 I . BxP P-N 3 32. K-Q4 K-K3 33. P-N4 B-Q I 34. K-BS B-K2ch
280
35. K-Q4?!
A good example of Tony's safety first policy. He could have won
quickly with 35. K-N6 ! B-Q3 36. BxB ! KxB 37. K-RS ! K-B4 38. P
BS P-QS 39. P-B6 P-Q6 40. P-B7.
35 . . . . B-Q I 36. P-B5ch PxP 37. PxPch KxP 38. KxP K-N5 39. B-Q6 P-QR4
40. K-B6 K-R6?
Reuben Fine called the text a decisive blunder. But White might
yet pull out a win even after 40 . . . . P-R4 41. K-Q7 B-N3 42. B-K7 B
N8 43 . P-R4 B-B7 44. B-Q8 BxP 45. BxP B-N6 46. B-Q8 P-RS 4 7 .
BxP BxB 48. K-B6 K-B4 49. K-NS B-Q1 50. P-RS. This whole line
requires investigation.
4 1 . K-Q7 B-N3 42. B-K7 KxP 43. K-B6 B-B7 44. K-N5 K-N6 45. KxP K-B5
46. KxP K-K4 47. B-B5 B-K8ch 48. K-N5 K-K3 49. K-B6 P-R4 50. P-N4 P-RS
5 1 . P-N5 B-N6 52. B-N I P-R6 53. P-RS K-B4 54. P-N6 K-KS 55. P-R6 K- B6
56. P-R7 K-N7 57. B-B5 P-R7 58. P-R8=Q P-R8=Q 59. K-Q7dis. ch. K-R7 60.
QxQch KxQ 6 1 . B-Q6, Black resigns
There is no telling what chess peaks Tony could have scaled with
international experience. He played abroad only once, a small
tournament that he won in Milan, Italy, in 1953.
In the above game, Tony played very well indeed. But it was not
the slash and burn chess that he preached so vehemently. "Do as I
say, not as I do" was often his motto.
To focus Tony Santasiere in my memory's eye-to see clearly the
man walking and talking, cooking and creating, and, as he wrote of
a trip abroad during the 1950s, "eating spaghetti every day in my
beloved Italy, with the wonderful wine, and loving it all"-is to
recall that he was smitten with art and with "love."
In fact, too smitten. Tony lived for what he termed "the Five Ps":
painting, poetry, prose and piano playing. He painted over 400 oils
(a few are worth collecting), penned poems by the thousands, and
produced prose for the ACB more empurpled than a stockbroker's
Chapter XXVI
281
face on Black Tuesday. And in all of these pursuits-which also
included three novels, 13 books of essays, 14 collections of short
stories and 30 tomes of a "personal journal"-he championed what
Henry Adams called "conservative Christian anarchy."
Come again?
The phrase is impossible to define except by example. For Tony,
life was sweet agony-a boiling existential melting pot of grand
opera, high tragedy, pulsating climacteric, aesthetic Armageddon,
and at intervals, what he called "my Black Dog" of dark depression.
Which is why, I believe, he admired the Spanish so intensely.
"The Spanish genius," Tony once wrote, "is for excess. There is
the Catholic, so truly holy and humble; there is the anarchist
(atheist) , wild and savage . . . .As I lived among the Spanish of all
classes, there came to me a feeling of long suffering, infinite fatigue,
skepticism, pride-but also humility-a blending of despair and love
and faith. The weather, too, is not kind-Castile with its 'nine
months of winter and three of hell.' But in the South, where they
drink sherry by the dozens of glasses, there is gaiety, even aban
don-but always with undertones of tragedy."
I cannot show you Tony's paintings and have little space here for
his poetry. But his chess writing-well, he churned out thousands of
pages in the ACB as its "games critic" from 1930 to 1963 . Here is
how he evaluated a move from a Sicilian Defense between Bobby
Fischer and Mikhail Tal (Candidates' Tournament, 1959): "This
'come and get me' stuff is allied to juvenile delinquency. A mature
person, who is also a chess master, would love in a more enduring
fashion. He would avoid the more sensuous temptations. White's
pawn sacrifice here is unsound-true, it is a clarion call to mortal
combat, but it's unsound."
Or here is what Tony wrote following the move, 12. QN-Q2 , in a
Fischer-Keres Ruy Lopez from Zurich, 1959: "That these many
moves should be the 'best,' and to be played automatically without
question is a cause for alarm to a lover like me. What it really means
is that a full fourth of the game is already a corpse-handled and
fashioned by millions. How sad these fruits of the drive for material
security ! What can we do about it? It is for youth to be alive-1
warn youth not to be dead, and memorize their elders. Youth gains
far more with fearless life and the daring speculative challenge ! "
Note the phrases, "material security" and "fearless life." Tony in
veighed against materialism, yet he embraced the cotton-wool secu
rity of being a public school teacher. Possibly he did so because of
early poverty; certainly he shied away from the artist's fearful life.
In my view, he sought emotional refuge in the small ceremonies of
282
life, relishing gay dinner parties, companionable conversations and
the intellectual respect accorded chess masters by lesser lights. As
he wrote of an evening following a simultaneous in Pittsburgh,
"Later, amid many refreshments, mostly liquid, I read my recently
completed (quite remarkable) essay on 'Chess' (43 pages). It was an
historic occasion. "
Historic? Reading a 43-page essay to a captive audience? I won
der if Tony ever understood that he was not doing great things but
doing little things in a great way. I hope not.
Gambits without Attacks
During a dispute with Tony in mid-1961, Grandmaster Larry Evans
argued correctly, if cruelly, that Tony played gambits in the spirit
that others played the Reti. "His games," wrote Evans in Chess Life,
"are characterized by plodding, timidity, and opening repetition.
He enters even the 'romantic debuts' such as the Vienna and King's
Gambit with reams of prepared analysis, strives constantly to keep
the draw in hand and prevent complications from getting away from
him over-the-board. Where are the glorious games which qualify
Santasiere as the darling spokesman of romanticism?"
In many respects Tony's style was similar to Sammy Reshevsky's
except that he prepared lines against prospective opponents (some
thing that Sammy was far too lazy to do) and that he lacked
Sammy's capacity to concoct astonishing defenses when all looked
lost. Note the game below from the 1946 U.S. Championship in
which Tony surprised Sammy with a King's Gambit and then in a
better position offered him a draw when Sammy had to play 2 3
moves i n 2% minutes. "In my thinking at the time," wrote Tony in
confirmation that he lacked fire in the belly, "I discounted his time
trouble . . . and paid him all due respect as the best Queen endgame
player in the world . . . .I considered a prior offer of a draw plain com
mon sense."
Anthony Santasiere-Samue/ Reshevsky
King's Gambit Declined
I . P-K4 P-K4 2. P-KB4 B-B4 3. N-KB3 P-Q3 4. P-B3 N-QB3 5. P-Q4 PxQP 6.
PxP B-N3 7. B-NS B-Q2 8. N-B3 KN-K2 9. 0-0
In 1960 Tony played 9. B-K3 ! against Al Horowitz in a Marshall
Manhattan Metropolitan League match (see games section at the end
of this chapter). Not only is the move an improvement, it remains
unhooked until this day!
9 . . . 0-0 I 0. K-R I B-NS I I . P-QS N-QS 1 2. B-K2 NxB I 3. QxN P-KB4 1 4.
.
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283
B-Q2 Q-Q2 1 5. QR-K I QR-K I 1 6. Q-B4 BxN 1 7. RxB PxP 1 8. RxP N-B4
1 9. R-B I RxR 20. NxR R-K I 2 1 . R-K I P-KR3 22. Q-Q3 Q-B2, draw
White may not be winning here, but he is close to it. And, as
noted, Black was in horrendous time pressure. The key line is 23. N
B6ch PxN 24. RxRch QxR 25. QxN, when Black must find 25 . . . . B
QS so as to prevent 26. B-B3. After 25 . . . . B-QS , White can try 2 6 .
P-QN3 Q-K7 2 7 . Q-K6ch QxQ 2 8 . PxQ P-KB4 2 9 . P-KN4 PxP 3 0 . P
BS P-KR4 (not 30 . . . . K-N2? because of 3 1 . BxPch ! ) 3 1 . K-N2 . The
well-known annotation, "with difficult play for both sides," best de
scribes this position.
So, was Tony a chess hypocrite-a player who talked like a tiger
and played like a Tigran? I don't think so because he had the heart
of a romantic, and in his manic moments, he played an astonishing
brand of attacking chess that must have helped to sustain his amour
propre. He won the New York State Championship four times, cap
tured the championship of the Marshall Chess Club six times,
defeated the likes of AI Simonson ( +3 -1) and Fred Reinfeld ( +3 -0
=3) in match play, held down a board for the United States in the
1945 U.S.A.-U. S. S.R. Radio Match, and competed in four U.S.
Championships, finishing third in the 1946 fixture. In 1945, he
played well enough in Peoria to win that year's U.S. Open. The fol
lowing game gives us Tony as Swashbuckler:
Larry Evans-Anthony Santasiere
U.S. Open, 1 946
Vienna Opening
I . P-K4 P-K4 2. N-QB3 N-KB3 3. B-B4 NxP 4. Q-RS N-Q3 5. B-N3 N-B3 6.
N-NS P-KN3 7. Q-B3 P-B4 8. Q-QS Q-K2 9. NxPch K-Q I I 0. NxR P-N3
I I . Q-B3
This variation of the Vienna is still being debated by the theoreti
cians. More common moves hereabouts are 1 1 . P-Q3 and 1 1 . NxP.
Tony was tough on the young Evans, winning their first three en
counters, including an Albin Counter-Gambit from the 1946-4 7
Marshall Chess Club Championship: 1. P-Q4 P-Q4 2. P-QB4 P-K4 3 .
PxKP P-QS 4 . N-KB3 N-QB3 5 . P-KN3 B-K3 6. P-N3 Q-Q2 7 . B-KN2
P-QR4 8. 0-0 KN-K2 9. N-R3 N-N3 10. N-QNS B-QB4 1 1 . B-N2 0-0-0
12. P-QR3 QNxP 13. QNxQP B-KNS 14. Q-K1 P-N3 1 5 . NxN NxN
16. N-NS P-QB3 17. BxN PxN 18. P-N4 KR-K1 19. PxB RxB 20.
PxP/6 PxP 2 1 . Q-B3 Q-QS 22. P-N7ch K-B2 23. QxQ RxQ 24. QR
N1 R-Q1 25. P-K3 R-QB4 26. KR-B1 P-B6 27. R-N3 K-N1 28. P-R3
P-B7 29. PxB R-Q8ch 30. K-R2 RxR 3 1 . R-Q3 R-Q8, White resigns.
I I . . . . B-QN2 1 2. P-Q3 N-QS 1 3. Q-R3 P-BS 1 4. P-QB3 N/5-B4 1 5. N-K2
P-KN4 1 6. R-B I P-KR4 1 7. P-N4 Q-N2! 1 8. P-B3 PxP 1 9. QxP RxP 20. N/8xP
PxN 2 1 . Q-N I RxNch 22. KxR N-N6ch 23. K-K I NxR 24. QxN Q-R3 25. B-
284
Q I ! N-B4 26. P-N4 B-K2! 27. P-R4 P-N5 28. PxP Q-R7 29. Q-K2
White cannot play 29. B-B3 because of 29 . . . . B-RSch 30. K-Ql
N-K6ch 3 1 . BxN PxB 32. K-Bl BxB 33 . QxB Q-Q7ch.
29 . . . . Q-N6ch 30. Q-B2 QxQP 3 1 . PxN QxPch 32. B-Q2 QxR 33. QxPch
K-B I 34. P-B6 B-B I 35. P-N5 Q-R6 36. Q-B2 B-B4 37. Q-R2 Q-N6ch 38.
QxQ PxQ 39. P-B7 P-N7 40. B-K3!
40. . . . BxB!!
Both the winner and the loser deserve credit in this kind of battle
royal.
4 1 . P-B8=Qch K-B2 42. P-R5 P-N8=Qch 43. K-K2 B-Q5 44. P-N6ch BxP 45.
PxBch QxP 46. Q-B5 Q-Q5 47. B-B2 B-R3ch 48. K-K I ? Q-K6ch 49. K-Q I B
K7ch, White resigns
The Blushful H ippocrene
When Tony heard that my wife, Nina, and I had moved to Florida,
he invited us over for one of his celebrated gourmet dinners. It was
the first of many unforgettable get-togethers, which were usually
shared with others among his chess friends. Aside from serving us
marvelous food, Tony would play the piano, recite some of his re
cent poetry and discuss his paintings which covered the walls of his
home. Later, after the table was cleared, the skittles began and the
chianti flowed.
Tony was never without his chianti, which he stored in huge five
gallon jugs beneath the grand piano. And it was under the influence
of this Blushful Hippocrene and the fellow-feeling generated during
numerous hospitable evenings of the early 1970s that Tony and I
became fast friends.
Sometimes Tony visited my place. On each occasion, he brought
Nina a small gift accompanied by a very personal poem. After dinner
we would adjourn to my chess study and analyze a few of the gam
bits that he invented. Although I considered his ideas to be totally
Chapter XXVI
285
anti-theoretical and consequently unsound, I had difficulty refuting
them over the board. He was a virtuoso of his famous Santasiere's
Folly, 1 . N-KB3 P-Q4 2. P-QN4, and of his less famous Santasiere's
Dally, 1. P-K4 P-K4 2. P-KB4 PxP 3. N-KB3 B-K2 4. B-K2. Indeed,
Tony was still a virtuoso of tournament play when he first arrived in
Florida back in the 1960s. For two or three years, he won every
tournament that he entered.
After Tony developed a heart problem, his doctor advised him to
avoid tournament stress-advice that he occasionally ignored. Un
fortunately, age and illness slowed him down considerably, and he
was no longer the warrior of yesteryear. Now and then, however,
Tony created the kind of attacking games that he lauded in his
chess polemics.
Anthony Santasiere-Dr. juan Gonzalez
Florida, 1 969
Santasiere's Folly
I . N-KB3 N-KB3 2. P-QN4 P-K3 3. P-QR3 P-QR4 4. P-NS P-Q4 5. P-K3 P
B4 6. B-N2 QN-Q2 7. P-B4 B-Q3 8. P-Q4 0-0 9. QN-Q2 P-QN3 I 0. B-K2
Tony suggested 10. B-Q3 as a more active idea.
I 0. . : . B-N2 I I . 0-0 R-B I 1 2. R-B I Q-K2 1 3. Q-N3 B-N I ?
The equalizer is 13 . . . . P-K4 .
1 4. N-KS NxN I S. PxN N-Q2 1 6. P-B4 P-B3 1 7. KPxP NxP 1 8. N-B3 N-KS
1 9. KR-Q I QR-Q I 20. PxP PxP 2 1 . B-KS!
This Bishop exchange enables White to occupy KS with his
Knight.
2 1 . . . . BxB 22. NxB Q-QB2 23. B-B3 N-B3
24. P-N4! P-R3 25. P-KR4 P-N4!? 26. RPxP PxP 27. Q-B2 PxP 28. PxP Q-N2
29. Q-KN2! N-KS 30. BxN PxB 3 1 . P-NS KR- K I
I f 3 1 . . . . P-K6, White plays 3 2 . Q-R2ch.
286
32. Q-R2ch K-B I 33. RxR RxR 34. Q-K6 Q-QB2 35. N-N6ch K-N2 36. Q
B6ch K-R2 37. N-K7! Q-Q3, and Black resigns
There is a mate in four.
Felix and Oscar
Tony shared his lovely, white-stucco home out on South 29th Ave
nue in Hollywood, Florida, with a young man named Hector. After
a few visits, I realized that they were homosexuals. I was not
shocked in spite of my complete ignorance of the subject. Spending
time with the two men afforded me an opportunity to study how
their homosexual relationship worked in real life; and to my great
surprise, they had the same petty arguments, the same personality
clashes and the same differences in taste that one finds almost
anywhere.
Hector, for example, played the part of Felix to Tony's Oscar. H e
was a compulsive cleaner who went absolutely wild i f anything was
out of place or if there were a few crumbs on the table. Tony was a
total Bohemian who was bothered by nothing. When he finished
cooking, the kitchen looked as if it had been dynamited. After din
ner, he joined his guests, while leaving the dishes on the table for
Hector to handle. Hector would become infuriated because he
could not force himself to ignore the mess until the guests left.
One day, Hector asked me to speak with Tony about his sloppy
habits. I did so just once. It seemed to make a world of difference
for a while, but Tony relapsed within a few months. They returned
to complaining about each other's annoying habits.
The bickering became so bad that Tony visited me alone and
asked that I talk Hector into seeing his parents in Michigan for a few
weeks. Tony said that he needed time alone to think-about Hector
and, perhaps, about the conflict between homosexuality and his
faith in the Jesus Christ of the Roman Catholic Church. I agreed t o
give Hector money for the vacation and not t o tell him that Tony
was reimbursing me. Sure enough, the ploy worked. But after Hec
tor was gone only a week, Tony began to miss him and solicited my
opinion about whether Hector would return.
All in all, then, theirs was a relationship in which each man had
some qualities that the other needed. When Hector returned a
couple of weeks later, he found Tony hospitalized with another
heart attack, which proved to be his last. Tony felt better when he
saw Hector, but he never recovered and died on January 13, 1 9 7 7 .
When a lawyer opened Tony's will, there was a beautiful poem t o
his loyal friend Hector t o whom h e deeded his property, including
the house.
Chapter XXVI
287
"Important as an Antidote"
Make no mistake about it. Tony's was an earnest life of manifold sat
isfactions. He participated in 34 consecutive championships of the
Marshall Chess Club, went 37 years without missing a season in the
Metropolitan Chess League, organized chummy little master tourn
aments and dinner parties at his apartment and enjoyed a national
forum in the ACB for over three decades to air his chess views and
publish his games. What was said of Savielly Tartakower in Europe
was also said of Tony Santasiere in New York: No tournament was
complete without him .
In a letter written well after Tony's death, IM Anthony Saidy
stated, "It is true that Santasiere wrote badly, wrote poetry that
was embarrassing, had extreme views-yet, in carving out a niche as
our most flamboyant contemporary romantic, he was unique. He
was important as an antidote. "
"Important as a n antidote" to people who are afraid to write
"embarrassing" poetry? "Important as an antidote" to people who
could never conceive the thoughts in Tony's self-epitaph, "What I
would like to have said of me ultimately is simply-'He loved all
things beautiful; he loved the hearts of people; he loved God"' ?
Yes, that gets it just right.
You Asked Me for a Poem
All you ask
is a poem,
a dream of other worlds
and other days,
neither the loneliness
of an isolated pawn
nor the never-satiety
of a whore,
a light so far away,
so beckoning gently,
so dear and sweet and true.
You want only
a poem.
All you ask
is just a poem,
a spirit bold and warmly soaring
not the cancer of ennui,
nor the fear of doubled rooks,
nor the surfeit of mountaining dominions,
288
nor the hunger for divorce
but a God,
a flashing stroke of Grace,
a call to Duty,
a warm embrace,
a light reflected
on lovely crystal,
a haunting memorial musical
not bliss
but disaster surmounted Heroically
'tis that you want and needa poem.
-Anthony Santasiere ( 1 957)
Selected Games
Anthony Santasiere: Gambits without Sacrifices?
ANTHONY SANTAS I ERE-C. RASMUSSEN (Marshall C. C. vs. Staten Island
C.C. Metropolitan League Match, 1 925): I . N-QB3 P-K4 2. P-Q4 PxP 3. QxP
N-QB3 4. Q-QR4 (Santasiere has niftily transposed into a Center Counter
with a move in hand) 4 . . . . P-Q4 5. N-B3 N-B3 6. B-NS B-K2 7. 0-0-0 B-K3
8. P-K4 0-0 9. BxN BxB I 0. PxP BxN I I . QPxB!! BxPch 1 2. KxB QxR 1 3. B
Q3! QxR 1 4. BxPch! K-R I (Black had to try 1 4. . . . KxB, though White will still
win after 1 5. Q-R4ch K-N I 1 6. N-NS, etc.) 1 5. Q-R4 P-KN3 1 6. Q-R6 KR-Q I
1 7. BxPch K-N I 1 8. PxP, mate This early Santasiere sizzler, with its classic two
Rook sacrifice, was Tony's first widely published game.
ANTHONY SANTASIERE-T. SHEDLOVSKY (Marshall C.C. Rapid Transit
Tournament, September 1 926): I . P-K4 P-Q4 2. PxP QxP 3. N-QB3 Q-QR4
4. P-QN4 QxNP 5. R-N I Q-Q3 6. N-B3 P-QR3 7. B-B4 P-K3 8. P-Q4 N
KB3 9. 0-0 P-QN4 I 0. B-Q3 B-N2 I I . Q-K2 P-B4 1 2. PxP QxP 1 3. NxP!!
PxN 1 4. RxP Q-B2 1 5. N-Q4 B-Q3 1 6. NxP! PxN 1 7. QxPch K-B I 1 8. B-R6!
BxPch (Black notices 1 8 . . . . PxB 1 9. QxNch K-N I 20. RxB!, followed by 2 1 .
B-B4ch) 1 9. K-R I BxPch! 20 KxB B-K4?? 2 1 . RxB R-R3 22. Q-BS?? K-B2?? 23.
BxR PxB 24. B-Q3 R-N I ch 25. K-R3 N-Q2 26. R-K3 R-N4! 27. Q-B3 R-R4ch!
28. QxR NxQ 29. R-B3ch N/2-B3 30. BxP N-BSch 3 1 . K-R4 Q-K4 32. R
QN I Q-R4ch 33. K-N3 N-KSch?? (Oh, no! Black misses 33. . . . Q-NSch, with
mate next move) 34. KxN. Black resigns Santasiere prevailed upon Hermann
Helms to publish this comedy of brilliancy and buffoonery in the old Brooklyn
Daily Eagle.
ISAAC KASH DAN-ANTHONY SANTASI ERE (Manhattan C.C. vs. Marshall
C.C. Metropolitan League Match, 1 927): I . N-KB3 N-KB3 2. P-B4 P-B3 3. P
KN3 P-Q4 4. P-N3 B-B4 5. B-KN2 P-KR3 6. 0-0 P-K3 7. B-N2 QN-Q2 8. P
Q4 B-Q3 9. QN-Q2 Q-B2 I 0. N-R4 B-R2 I I . PxP KPxP 1 2. B-KR3 0-0 1 3.
N-BS KR-K I 1 4. NxB QxN 1 5. N-B3 N-B I 1 6. N-KS N-K3 1 7. R-B I N-N4
Chapter XXVI
289
1 8. B-N2 B-B4 1 9. P-B3?! R-K2 20. Q-Q2 QR-K I 2 1 . Q-RS P-QN3 22. Q-R3
QxQ 23. BxQ P-B4 24. P-B4? (A more resistant line is 24. PxP RxN 2S. P-B4
RxP 26. PxN B-KS 27. BxB NxB 28. PxNP RxQRP 29. B-BS QRPxP 30. BxP
NxP/4, when Black still has good winning chances) 24. . . . N-R6ch 2S. K-R I N
KS 26. B-B3 P-B3 27. N-Q3 N-Q7 28. BxPch K-R I 29. B-KN2 NxR 30.
BxN/ I RxP!! 3 1 . BxN BxB, White resigns Of course, if White plays 3 1 . BxR,
Black mates with 3 I . . . . B-KSch 32. B-B3 BxB. For this game, Santasiere
received the Metropolitan League brilliancy prize of 1 927.
ANTHONY SANTASIERE-REUBEN FINE (Marshall C.C. Championship,
1 93 1 ): I . P-QB4 P-Q4 2. PxP QxP 3. N-QB3 Q-Q I 4. N-B3 P-KN3 S. P-Q4
B-N2 6. P-K4 N-KB3 7. B-QB4 P-B4 8. P-QS 0-0 9. P-KR3 P-QN4 I 0. NxP
NxKP I I . 0-0 P-QR3 1 2. N-R3 B-N2 I 3. Q-N3 R-R2 1 4. B-B4 N-Q2 I S. KR
K I N-Q3 1 6. QR-Q I N-N3 1 7. B-K3 Q-B2 1 8. B-K2 R-Q I 1 9. N-R2 B-QR I
20. B-B3 N-B4 2 1 . N-B I B-QS 22. N-B2 BxQP 23. BxB/S RxB 24. NxB PxN
2S. R-B I Q-Q3 26. B-Q2 R-B2 27. Q-Q3 R-N4 28. P-QN3 N-Q4 29. RxR
QxR 30. R-B I Q-N2 3 I . N-N3 N/Q4-K6? 32. PxN NxN 33. PxP N-KS 34.
B-R6 R-KR4?? 3S. QxN, Black resigns An awful oversight on Fine's part. This
game, which has hitherto appeared in no magazine or book, is given here
strictly for the record.
ANTHONY SANTASIERE-REUBEN FINE (New York State Championship,
1 933): I . P-QB4 N-KB3 2. N-KB3 P-K3 3. P-KN3 P-QN3 4. B-N2 B-N2 S.
0-0 P-B4 6. N-B3 B-K2 7. P-Q4 PxP 8. NxP BxB 9. KxB 0-0 I 0. P-K4 P-Q4
I I . BPxP PxP 1 2. P-KS N-KS 1 3. Q-N4 Q-Q2 1 4. N-BS P-N3 I S. NxP! B-N4
1 6. QxN PxN 1 7. Q-B3 B-Q I 1 8. N-N4 P-QR4 1 9. QxR PxN 20. B-R6 R
K I 2 1 . QR-B I B-K2 22. KR-Q I Q-K3 23. B-B4 B-B4 24. Q-N7 Q-B3ch 2S.
QxQ NxQ 26. R-QS R-R I 27. B-K3 BxB 28. PxB N-K2 29. R-Q7 N-N3 30.
P-K6 PxP 3 1 . R/ I -B7 N-B I 32. R-N7ch K-R I 33. R-R7, Black resigns Fine was
obliterated. One of the two or three worst defeats in his chess career.
ANTHONY SANTASIERE-FRED REINFELD (Marshall C. C. Championship,
1 937): I . N-KB3 N-KB3 2. P-QN4 P-K3 3. P-QR3 P-Q4 4. P-K3 P-QR4 S. P
NS P-B4 6. B-N2 B-Q3 7. P-B4 0-0 8. N-B3 QN-Q2 9. Q-B2 N-N3 I 0. PxP
PxP (Black's Queen Knight will now remain a spectator: the correct move i s
I 0. . . . QNxP) I I . B-Q3 R-K I 1 2. 0-0 P-R3 1 3. N-K2! B-Q2 1 4. P-QR4 N-KS
I S. N-N3 Q-K2 1 6. N-RS! P-B3 1 7. N-N3 P-BS 1 8. BxN PxB 1 9. N-Q4 P-N3
20. P-B3 P-B4 2 1 . PxP PxP 22. N/4-K2! K-R2 (Black could have survived longer
with 22. . . . B-K4 23. BxB QxB 24. Q-B3, when White soon picks up a sound
pawn) 23. R-B6! N-Q4 24. NxP B-K4 2S. N-NSch! PxN 26. QxPch K-R I 27.
BxB QxB 28. Q-R6ch K-N I 29. R-N6ch K-B2 30. Q-R7ch K-B I 3 1 . R-N8,
mate "A game of which I am very proud"-Anthony Santasiere. The original
manner in which White provoked weaknesses in Black's Kingside makes this
game one of San's best.
AL H OROWITZ-ANTHO NY SANTASI ERE (U.S. Championship, 1 938): I .
P-K4 P-K4 2. B-B4 N-KB3 3. P-Q3 P-B3 4. N-KB3 P-Q4 S. PxP PxP 6. B-
290
N5ch B-Q2 7. BxBch QNxB 8. 0-0 B-Q3 9. N-B3 0-0 I 0. N-K2 R-K I I I . N
N3 B-B I 1 2. P-N3 Q-B2 I 3. B-N2 P-Q5 1 4. R-B I N-Q4 1 5. N-K2 B-N5 1 6.
N-Q2 P-QN4 1 7. N-K4 P-B4 1 8. P-QB4 PxP 1 9. NPxP N/4-B3 20. NxNch
NxN 2 1 . K-R I B-B4 22. P-KR3 QR-Q I 23. R-QN I P-K5 24. PxP PxP 25. Q
R4 R-K3 26. K-N I P-Q6 27. N-B3 N-N5!!, White resigns I f 28. PxN, Black
wins quickly with 28 . . . . R-KR3 29. P-N3 QxPch!. A beautiful, flowing attack by
Santasiere.
ANTHONY SANTASI ERE-HERMANN HELMS (New York, 1 944): I . P-K4
P-K4 2. P-KB4 B-B4 3. N-KB3 P-Q3 4. P-B3 B-KN5?! 5. PxP PxP 6. Q-R4ch
Q-Q2 7. B-N5 P-QB3 8. B-K2 P-B3 9. R-B I N-K2 I 0. P-Q4 BxN?! I I . RxB
PxP 1 2. R-Q3 Q-K3 1 3. PxP B-N3 1 4. N-B3 0-0 1 5. R-N3 K-R I 1 6. B-K3 N
Q2 1 7. 0-0-0 KR-Q I 1 8. B-N4 Q-N I 1 9. R-R3 P-QR4 20. Q-B2 P-KB4! 2 1 .
BxP NxB 22. PxN N-B3 23. K-N I R-Q2 24. N-K4 NxN 25. QxN R-K I ?? 26.
RxPch!, Black resigns Wrote Hermann Helms of this bagatelle, "A clock game
at the cozy apartment of our worthy friend; and may his adversary put in a
word? Merely to say that 25 . . . . R-K I (instead of the planned . . . QR-Q I , en
dangering the White QP) was made to save time!" Indeed, the game is a sam
ple ofthe lively, lighthearted chess played many an evening after one of Tony's
gourmet Italian dinners. And the Italian red never stopped flowing, though tee
totaler Hermann never touched a drop!
ANTHONY SANTASIERE-ISAAC KASH DAN (N.Y. Metropolitan Cham
pionship, 1 946): I . P-K4 P-K4 2. P-KB4 PxP 3. N-KB3 P-Q4 4. PxP N-KB3 5.
N-B3 NxP 6 . NxN QxN 7. P-Q4 N-B3 (In h i s The Romantic King's Gambit i n
Games and Analysis, a work published posthumously in 1 992 by Chess
Digest, Santasiere gives 7. . . . B-K2 as better) 8. BxP B-N5 9. BxP R-B I I 0. B
N 3 BxN I I . QxB Q-K3ch 1 2. Q-K2?! (Santasiere suggests 1 2. K-B2 NxP I 3.
B-N5ch!, when White is near winning) 1 2. . . . QxQch 1 3. KxQ NxPch 1 4. K
Q I NxP 1 5. B-N5ch K-Q I 1 6. R-QB I N-Q5 1 7. RxRch KxR I 8. B-Q3 B-N5
(In his "Confidential Chess Lessons," James Schroeder suggests 1 8. . . . K-Q2!,
which threatens . . . B-Q3; he claims a draw after 1 9. B-K5 B-B4 20. BxN P
R-KN I ) 1 9. R-B I P-B3 20. K-B I ! B-R4? 2 1 . K-N I B-B2 22. R-B I N-B3 23.
B-KB2 B-K4? (Black had to play 23. . . . P-KN3 or 23. . . . K-N I ) 24. BxQRP
BxRP 25. P-QN4! B-B2 26. B-B5ch K-Q I 27. R-Q I ch K-K I 28. R-Q7?! (In the
Romantic King's Gambit, Santasiere writes, "The decisive conclusion is 28. B
Q7ch K-B I 29. BxN PxB 30. R-Q7 [w]inning a piece and the game," thereby
leaving the impression that the game concluded with these moves, since they
are printed in the same bold type as the actual moves made earlier; the source
for the complete text of this game is The Chess Correspondent [September
October 1 948], with notes by . . . Santasiere!) 28 . . . . B-Q I 29. RxQN P NxB
30. RxN P-N3 3 1 . B-K6 P-B4 32. P-R4 R-B I 33. P-RS R-B3 34. B-Q7ch K-K2
35. B-B8dis.ch. K-K I 36. P-N5 R-Q3 37. R-R6 K-K2 38. P-N6 R-Q4 39. P-N7
R-N4ch 40. K-B2 B-B2 4 1 . R-R8, Black resigns Santasiere planned on the very
cute line, 4 1 . . . . K-Q3 42. P-R6 K-B3 43. P-R7 RxP 44. BxRch KxB 45. R
Q B8!.
Chapter XXVI
291
ANTHONY SANTAS I ERE-ROBERT BYRNE (U.S. Open, 1 946): I . N-KB3
P-KN3 2. P-K4 B-N2 3. P-Q4 P-Q3 4. B-QB4 N-Q2? S. BxPch! K-B I 6. N-NS
N-N3 7. Q-B3 N-B3 8. P-KS PxP 9. PxP B-NS I 0. PxN! BxQ I I . PxBch KxP
1 2. N-K6ch K-B3 I 3. NxQ BxP 1 4. R-N I , Black resigns A lovely and eventful
miniature against a future world championship candidate.
ANTHONY SANTASIERE-JAKE LEVIN (U.S. Championship, 1 946): I . P-K4
P-K4 2. P-KB4 PxP 3. N-KB3 N-KB3 4. N-B3 P-Q4 S. PxP NxP 6. NxN QxN
7. P-Q4 B-K2 (Levin attempts to improve on the game, Santasiere-Robert
Byrne [Ventnor City, 1 94S], which continued 7. . . . B-Q3 and developed in a
fashion remarkably similar to the current contest) 8. P-B4 Q-KSch?! 9. K-B2 B
KB4 I 0. P-BS!? (Better in this position may be I 0. B-K2) I 0. . . . N-Q2?
(Santasiere calls the game unclear after I 0. . . . N-B3 I I . B-NS Q-Q4! 1 2. R-K I
B-KS) I I . B-NS! P-QB3 1 2. R-K I Q-B7 ch I 3. QxQ BxQ 1 4. BxKBP!! N-B3
I S. B-B4 R-Q I 1 6. R-K2 B-KS 1 7. QR-K I N-NSch 1 8. K-N I P-B4 1 9. B-K6 P
KN3 20. N-NS P-KR4 2 1 . NxB! PxN 22. BxN PxB 23. RxP R-R2 24. B-Q6 R
Q2 2S. K-B2 K-Q I 26. BxBch R!Q2xB 27. RxR RxR 28. RxR KxR 29. K-N 3
K-K3 30. KxP K-Q4 3 1 . K-NS Kx P 32. KxP, Black resigns Santasiere's trade
mark: the King's Gambit as an endgame weapon. Stylistically snappy.
ANTHONY SANTASI ERE-ARTHUR BISGUI ER (New York State Champion
ship, 1 949): I . P-K4 P-K4 2. N-QB3 N-KB3 3. B-B4 B-B4 4. P-B4 P-Q3 S. N
B3 N-B3 6. P-Q3 B-K3?! 7. B-NS P-QR3 8. BxNch PxB 9. P-BS B-B I I 0.
P-KR3 N-Q2 I I . P-KN4 B-N2 1 2. Q-K2 Q-K2 1 3. B-Q2 0-0-0 1 4. 0-0-0
K-N I I S. K-N I P-Q4 1 6. QR-KB I K-R2 1 7. P-NS P-B3 1 8. P-KR4 R-QN I 1 9.
P-RS P-R3 20. PxRP PxRP 2 1 . N-KR4 Q-Q3 22. N-R4 B-B I 23. NxB NxN
24. P-N3! ("The only way to win, and in truth, not to lose!"-Santasiere) 24.
. . . N-RS (Black would like to play 24. . . . PxP, but White responds with 2S. B
K3! PxP 26. Q-B2 PxPch 27. KxP R-N4 28. P-R4 R-R4 29. P-N4 and wins) 2S.
K-R I Q-R6 26. R-QN I N-B4 27. B-B I Q-NS 28. Q-K I Q-N4 29. B-R3
P-QS 30. P-B4! Q-N3 3 1 . BxN QxB 32. R-N I Q-Q3 33. Q-RS R-R2 34.
P-N4 B-N2 3S. P-R4 Q-K2 36. R- KN2 B-B I 37. R-N8 B-N2 38. N-N6 Q-Q3
39. P-BS Q-Q2 40. RxR KxR 4 1 . N-BS Q-N2 42. NxR QxN 43. P-NS RPxP
44. PxP K-B I 4S. Q-R2 PxP 46. R-N I B-B3 47. R-N8ch, Black resigns A beau
tiful Viennese waltz that won a special prize-a pair of trousers!-in this tourn
ament. "This no doubt," wrote Santasiere, "on the theory that Sitzffeisch
needs proper public adornment."
ANTHONY SANTASI ERE-LARRY EVANS (Marshall C.C. Championship,
1 9S I ): I . N-KB3 N-KB3 2. P-KN3 P-KN3 3. B-N2 B-N2 4. 0-0 0-0 S. P-Q4 P
Q3 6. P-B4 QN-Q2 7. N-B3 P-K4 8. PxP PxP 9. B-NS P-KR3 I 0. BxN QxB
I I . N-Q2 P-B3 1 2. N/2-K4 Q-K2 1 3. Q-Q6 QxQ 1 4. NxQ R-Q I I S. B-R3
K-B I 1 6. QR-Q I K-K2 1 7. P-B4 PxP 1 8. RxP P-KB4 1 9. BxP!! PxB 20. NxPch
K-B2 2 1 . NxPch K-N3 22. R-Q6ch K-R2 23. N-K4 BxN 24. R-R4 K-N2 2S.
R/4xB R-KN I 26. N-NS N-B I 27. R!R6-B6 B-K3 28. R!B6xB NxR 29. NxNch
K-B2 30. N-BS QR-Q I 3 1 . NxP RxR 32. NxRch K-K3 33. N-N7 R-N I 34. N
BSch K-B4 3S. P-N3 R-Q I 36. N-Q3, and White won. Awarded the prize for
292
Best Game in the 1 9S I Marshall Championship.
EDMAR MEDNIS-ANTHONY SANTASIERE (Marshall C.C. Championship,
1 9SS): I . P-K4 P-K4 2. N-KB3 N-QB3 3. B-B4 N-B3 4. N-NS B-B4 S. P-Q4
NxQP (The preferred move is S . . . . P-Q4) 6. NxBP Q-K2 7. NxR P-Q4 8. B
K2 PxP 9. B-K3!? B-B4 I 0. P-QB3 0-0-0 I I . PxN PxP 1 2. B-KNS B-NSch 1 3.
B-Q2 P-K6 1 4. PxP PxP I S. 0-0 PxB 1 6. RxB Q-K6ch 1 7. K-B I N-NS 1 8. P
KN3 B-B4 1 9. BxN Q-N8ch 20. K-K2 Q-K6ch, draw A scorching scrap.
ANTHONY SANTASIERE-ROBERT FISCHER (New Jersey, 1 9S7): I . N-KB3
N-KB3 2. P-B4 P-KN3 3. N-B3 B-N2 4. P-KN3 0-0 S. B-N2 P-Q3 6. P-Q4
QN-Q2 7. 0-0 P-K4 8. PxP PxP 9. B-NS P-KR3 I 0. BxN QxB I I . N-Q2 N
B4 1 2. R-B I P-QR4 1 3. N-N3 R-Q I 1 4. N-QS Q-Q3 I S. NxN QxN/B4 I 6.
Q-N3 B-B I 1 7. KR-Q I K-N2 1 8. Q-KB3 R-R3 1 9. P-K4 R/3-Q3 20. P-QR3
P-RS 2 1 . B-B I P-R4 22. P-R3 P-QB3 23. N-B3 R-B3?! 24. QxRch KxQ 2S.
RxR B-R3 26. R/ 1 -Q I B-K3 27. NxP Q-R4 28. N-B3 P-RS 29. K-N2 PxP 30.
PxP B-K6 3 1 . R/8-Q3 B-QS 32. P-QN4 Q-R2 33. N-K2! P-B4 34. NxB BPxN
3S. R-B3ch K-K2 36. P-BS? P-B4 37. B-Q3 QxRP 38. K-N I QxP 39. R-N I
QxP 40. RxPch K-B3? 4 1 . PxP Q-Q4?? 42. PxBch KxP, and Black resigns
ANTHONY SANTASIERE-AL HOROWITZ (Marshall C.C. vs. Manhattan
C.C. Metropolitan League Match, 1 960): I . P-K4 P-K4 2. P-KB4 B-B4 3. N-KB3
P-Q3 4. P-B3 N-QB3 S. P-Q4 PxQP 6. PxP B-N3 7. B-NS B-Q2 8. N-B3
KN-K2 9. B-K3! (Santasiere finds what still remains an unbooked improvement
on 9. 0-0, which was played in his game with Reshevsky in the 1 946 U.S.
Championship) 9 . . . . 0-0 I 0. Q-Q2 P-Q4 I I . P-KS N-R4 1 2. P-QN3 BxB 1 3.
NxB Q-Q2 1 4. N-B3 QN-B3 I S. 0-0 N-Q I ? (Horowitz had to try I S. . . . P
B3 or . . . P-B4) 1 6. P-KR3 N-K3 1 7. P-KN4 P-QB4 1 8. N-QR4! NxQP 1 9.
NxN PxN 20. NxB PxN 2 1 . BxP P-QN4 22. P-BS R-R3 23. P-B6 N-N3 24.
PxP R-K I 2S. R-BS R/3-K3 26. Q R-KB I ! NxP 27. Q-B4 N-N3 28. Q-B2
RI I -K2 29. B-BS R-K7 30. Q-N3 Q-B2 3 1 . QxQ RxQ 32. RxQP KxP 33. R
B2 R-KS 34. B-Q4ch K-B I 3S. B-B6 P-NS 36. R/2-Q2 R-K I 37. R-Q8 R-B I
38. R/8-Q7 N-BS, and Black lost on time. White is clearly winning after 39.
RxP, followed by doubling the pigs on the seventh rank. Wrote Santasiere
wistfully of this game, "For almost 40 years I played for the Marshall Chess
Club in these matches. This was the last game I shall ever play for the Marshall
against the Manhattan."
IV
*
C h ess Among the Scholarati
Chapter XXVI I
'fhe Man of
a Jfundred cf3ooks
As I mentally rummage through the years and try to capture with
memory's eye the great players of the last several decades, I find one
characteristic common to almost all of them: a bitterness about and
rebelliousness against the inequitable social and economic condi
tions of the real world. Not, mind you, that they wrote revolution
ary tracts and participated in protests.
Far from it. Although most masters viewed chess as a game in
which recognition came through concrete accomplishments rather
than through accident of birth or dumb luck, they did not see chess
as a weapon in the class war. For them, playing the royal game was
a purely personal statement against social injustice. Indeed, most
masters were profoundly removed from political categories of think
ing and entertained bizarre rather than radical ideas. Alexander
Alekhine, for example, seriously believed that chess could help heal
the rift of the early 1930s between China and Japan; and he further
argued that a new kind of chess, which incorporated features of
both the Oriental and Western games, could "promote better under
standing between the nations of the East and West." Oh my.
The metaphors of thought generated by chess do not travel well
intellectually. When chess masters and others employ them to ex
plain events beyond the 64 squares, they usually land up wrenching
reality into unrecognizable shapes. The world is not only not a chess
board; it is infinitely more than a chess board. Just take a look at
what Emanuel Lasker wrote during the early days of World War I .
He makes perfect sense until he summons the truths of chess to seek
the truth about the Great War.
The world seems seized by insanity. The nations hate one
another, human life is without value and all culture seems to
have lost its price [value ? ) . Yet one must not lose hope. From
all this evil, good will come. We chess players know that.
Sometimes when our position is bad we do not fear; we hope
that the opponent will attack. In the attack the weak spots of
295
296
our position will be made manifest and we shall suffer in
proportion, but after the whirlwind of attack has passed, if we
have only fought bravely, a new position is constructed that
has strong powers of resistance. And so we may trust this
terrible war may pave the way for an era of happiness. (The
New York Evening Post)
Good coming from evil? "Happiness" paved by the bones of a
million rotting, staring corpses at Passchendaele? "This terrible
war," to use Lasker's phrase, paved the way for communism and
nazism, socialism and fascism, nihilism and, to quote the title of
Julien Benda's book, Le Trahison des Clercs.
That's the nonsense created when chess masters use their art to
explain the world beyond it. '"
Now, among masters who used chess for the apolitical purpose o f
validating themselves as human beings, there were two main
groups-the killers and the intellectuals. For the killers, the only
important thing was to win, and that end always justified the
means. For the intellectuals, winning was important but so were the
purity and beauty of their creations.
High among the intellectuals was a short, pudgy, bespectacled
and very private young man, who had one of the zaniest senses of
humor-tellingly tinged with acid-that anyone could imagine. His
name: Fred Reinfeld. His accomplishment: he sold more books
about chess than any other author in Caissa's long history.
I call Fred the man of a hundred books because that is about the
number he wrote. Books mainly on chess but also 14 volumes on
coin collecting and another five on popular science. No one will ever
know the exact number of books that he penned, since he ghosted
numerous works credited to others. Frank Marshall's My Fifty Years
of Chess was written by Fred (in three weeks for .$100) , and Samuel
Reshevsky's classic work, Reshevsky on Chess, also came from this
intellectual's typewriter.
Already I can hear the groans. Reinfeld, an intellectual? The man
who wrote more potboilers than the Sicilian has sacrifices? If one
means by "intellectual" the likes of Sidney Hook and Lione1 Trilling
or Mary McCarthy and Hannah Arendt, then Fred falls into the
pseudo category, along with all the rest of us. If one associates the
word with less lofty company, then he certainly was an intellectual
who, by the way, wrote simple, flowing and occasionally elegant
prose. His book, They Almost Made It, a volume devoted to inven
tors who were forerunners of the giants to whom history gives
credit, is a fine work; and his The Great Dissenters, which won the
Thomas Alva Edison Foundation Award of 1959, is a distinguished
Chapter XXVII
297
book.
Physically, Fred was not much of a looker, growing bald early in
life. But mentally, he had it all. A man who researched and wrote as
many as 13 books a year, Fred was a walking EGO where the
openings were concerned and could recite entire tournament books
from memory. I remember preparing an opening variation based on
one of Jose Capablanca's games from San Sebastian 1 9 1 1 . Without
batting an eye, Fred recited the opening moves of that game and
announced the result. He did the same thing with the great German
classics, which he knew by heart. Every time I tossed out lines from
Goethe, Schiller et alia, Fred finished them effortlessly. He also
spoke several other languages.
The Two Mr. Reinfelds
Conventional wisdom holds that there were two Mr. Reinfelds-an
early Good Reinfeld who wrote works such as Colle's Chess Master
pieces and Keres' Best Games of Chess, not to mention fine tourna
ment books of Cambridge Springs 1904 and Warsaw 1935, or the
lovely interpretive efforts, The Unknown Alekhine and Nimzovich
the Hypermodern; and a later Bad Reinfeld who gave us Chess in a
Nutshell and other acorns.
The conventional wisdom gets it partly right. But in defense of
the Bad Reinfeld, many of his later works for beginners, while cer
tainly annoying to "serious" chess players, served well their targeted
audience. His 1 001 Brilliant Ways to Checkmate and 1 001 Brilliant
Chess Sacrifices and Combinations are still two of the best books
around for sharpening tactics.
In Nimzovich the Hypermodern, we see Fred at his best and at
his worst. He simultaneously provides elegantly written, profound
insights and potted history. "Le Style est l'homme meme," he quotes
Georges Buffon; "Some minds are stronger and apter to mark the
differences of things, others to mark their resemblances," he quotes
Francis Bacon from Novum Organum; and so on. Nice stuff. But in
the same book, he writes that Frank Marshall enjoyed "an excellent
life-time score in his games with Nimzovich" (the latter had a plus
score); that Akiba Rubinstein "almost invariably" lost to Nimzovich
(Rubinstein had a plus score) ; and that Efim Bogolyubov lacked
"the necessary self-control" to push pawns against Nimzovich and
his "system" (Bogo enjoyed a large plus score) .
Do not, then, read Fred's chess books for precision history. But
he did take the time to select good games for his collections , to
place these games and their strategical ideas in excitingly drawn
contexts, and to produce or reproduce analysis that has worn
298
remarkably
"beautifully
generous to
grateful for
well. When Paul Keres wrote that his games were
annotated by Mr. Reinfeld," he was correct rather than
say so-just as Max Euwe was properly, not effusively
Fred's fine translation of his From My Games, 1 920-
1 93 7 .
Master Behind the Author
That Fred produced accurate and deep analysis should surprise no
one who played him over-the-board. His chess was precise, posi
tional and poisonous. In the 1933 New York State Championship,
he scored 9 112-1 % to top a field that included the likes of Reuben
Fine, Tony Santasiere, David Polland and yours truly. During the
1 930s he was the single American player who posted a plus score
against Sammy Reshevsky, defeating him twice and drawing him
thrice in five games. Fred attributed his success against Sammy to
an easygoing, fatalistic attitude. "Unlike Fine," he wrote, "I was not
his rival. Hence my first feeling in playing Sammy was one of relief
rather than fear. It was no disgrace to lose to this great master-that
could happen to anyone. I had nothing to lose; I had shed my re
sponsibilities; I was carefree as one rarely is in tournament chess. "
Fred Reinfeld-Somuel Reshevsky
Western Open, 1 932
Queen's Indian Defense
I . P-Q4 N-KB3 2. P-QB4 P-K3 3. N-KB3 P-QN3 4. P-KN3 B-N2 5. B-N2 P
B4 6. P-QS!
This pawn offer, in conjunction with White's seventh move, be
came hot opening theory SO years later in the first Kasparov-Karpov
match of 1984-85. In game two, Black played 5 . . . . B-K2 (instead
of 5 . . . . P-B4 in the current game) , and there followed 6. 0-0 0-0 7 .
P-QS PxP 8 . N-R4.
6 . . . . PxP 7. N-R4 P-N3 8. N-QB3 P-KR3
In coming decades, Black began to play 8 . . . . B-N2.
9. 0-0 P-R3 I 0. PxP P-Q3 I I . P-K4 B-N2 1 2. P-B4 KN-Q2
Black does all he can to prevent P-KS by White.
1 3. P-R4 0-0 1 4. B-K3 K-R2 1 5. Q-B2 N-KB3 1 6. P-R3 QN-Q2 1 7. QR-K I R
K I 1 8. B-B2 N-KN I 1 9. P-K5!
White breaks through brilliantly. Just a week or two later at a
strong international tournament in Pasadena, California, Fred not
only managed a draw against Alexander Alekhine, he also defeated
Sammy a second time as Black in a Gruenfeld Defense: 1. N-KB3 N-
Chapter XXVII
299
KB3 2. P-Q4 P-KN3 3. P-KN3 B-N2 4. B-N2 0-0 5 . 0-0 P-Q4 6. P-B4
P-B3 7. PxP PxP 8. N-B3 N-B3 9. P-QR3 N-KS 10. B-K3 NxN 1 1 .
PxN N-R4 12. B-B4 B-Q2 13. N-KS B-N4 14. N-Q3 R-B1 15. P-QR4
B-R3 16. R-R3 P-N3 1 7 . R-K1 N-BS 18. R-R2 N-R4 19. N-N4 B-N2
20. Q-Q3 P-K3 2 1 . P-R4 R-BS 22. R-N1 Q-Q2 23. B-Q2 KR-B1 24. P
B4 P-R4 25. P-K4? PxP 26. BxP
26 . . . . RxBP! 27. BxR RxB 28. QxR BxPch 29. K-R2 BxQ 3 0 .
BxB QxB 3 1 . N-Q3 Q-Q4, White resigns.
1 9 . . . . PxP 20. P-BS! N-B I
Black is busted. If 20 . . . . P-KN4, White wins a piece by 2 1 . P
B6dis.ch. And if 20 . . . . PxP, White plays 2 1 . NxP, threatening 2 2 .
N-Q6dis.ch.
2 1 . PxPch PxP 22. B-K4 Q-Q3 23. B-K3 N-K2 24. R-B7 K-N I 25. QR-KB I
NxP?!
On 25 . . . . N-B4, White intended to continue as in the game.
26. RxQB! NxB 27. Q-B2 N-B4 28. NxN
White can also win with 28. BxN PxB 29. RxBch ! KxR 3 0 .
NxPch .
28 . . . . PxN 29. QxKBP K-R I 30. R-KB7 N-N3, and Black lost .on time
Mter 3 1 . QxN, Black could resign in good conscience.
300
By the late 1930s, Fred had become an expert squeezer, seldom
losing a game and seldom winning one. He scored +1 -2 =13 in the
1 940 U.S. Championship, a kind of result virtually unknown back
then. But on days when he felt primed for a fight, he played some of
the most exciting chess of the late 1930s and early 1940s. The
following game from Ventnor City received a special prize as "the
showpiece of the tournament" :
Olaf Ulvestad-Fred Reinfeld
Ventnor City, 1 939
I . N-KB3 N-KB3 2. P-B4 P-B4 3. P-QN3 P-Q4 4. B-N2 P-K3 S. P-K3 N-B3 6.
P-Q4 BPxP 7. KPxP PxP 8. BxP B-NSch 9. K-K2!?
An eyebrow-raiser in the style of Steinitz and Seirawan. I like the
move not only because a Knight interposition is answered by 9 . . . .
N-K5, but also because it proves that players of my generation did
strange things. However, moving the King towards K4 during the
first 10 moves is never funny when the opponent gets the last laugh.
For example, Yasser Seirawan-Walter Browne (Berkeley, 1979) : 1 .
P-QB4 P-K4 2 . N-QB3 N-QB3 3 . N-B3 P-B4 4 . P-Q4 P-K5 5 . N-KN5
P-KR3 6. N-R3 P-KN4 7. P-B3 PxP 8. KPxP B-N2 9. P-Q5 ? ! Q-K2ch
10. K-Q2 ! ? (Yasser played the same lOth move in a different posi
tion against Jan Timman at Wijk aan Zee, 1980) 10 . . . . N-Q5 1 1 . B
Q3 K-Ql ! 12. N-KNl P-N4 ! 13. KN-K2 PxP 14. BxQBP Q-B4 ! 15. K
Q3 ? (White has to play 15. P-QN3) 15 . . . . R-N1 16. B-K3 ? ! QxBch ! !
17. KxQ B-R3ch 18. N-N5 NxQN, White resigns.
9 . . . . N-Q4 I 0. Q-QB I 0-0 I I . R-Q I B-Q2 1 2. P-QR3 B-Q3 1 3. N-B3 R-B I
1 4. N-K4 B-BS I S. Q-N I P-B4?!
This move weakens the dark squares in an attempt to win early.
1 6. N-BS N-R4 1 7. P-N3 B-Q3 1 8. Q-Q3 P-QN4?!
Black loses patience and decides to force the issue.
1 9. BxN! PxB 20. QR-B I ! P-BS!
If Black does not attack now, he will lose the game on strategic
grounds .
2 1 . NxB QxN 22. N-KS BxN 23. PxB RxR 24. RxR PxP 2S. RPxP Q-NSch
26. P-B3! QxP 27. QxQPch K-R I 28. Q-B7! Q-N7ch 29. K-K3 Q-N4ch 30.
K-B2!
On 30. K-K4, Black gets a strong counterattack with 30. . . . Q
Ql ! 3 1 . R-Ql ! Q-Rlch 32. Q-Q5 Q-Bl .
3 0. . . . Q-Q7ch 3 1 . K-N3 Q-N4ch 32. K-R3 Q-Q I ! 3 3 . R-Q I ! Q-B I c h 34. Q-
Chapter XXVII
301
Q7 RxPch 35. K-N4 Q-B I ! 36. Q-QB R-B5ch 37. K-RS! R-B4ch 38. K-N4 R
B5ch 39. K-RS R-B4ch 40. K-N4 P-R4ch?!
Playing with fire.
4 1 . K-R4!
White appears to be winning.
4 1 . . . . K-N I !!
Black saves himself with this problem-like move.
42. P-K6 N-83 43. QxQch KxQ 44. R-Q7 K-K I ! 45. RxNP N-Q I 46. RxP
NxP, draw
The following year, in the preliminaries of the 1940 U.S. Cham
pionship, the same opponents with the same colors and with the
same result performed a remarkable encore to the current game.
Reinfeld saved himself with another problem-like move that was
played to the same square (KNl), though on his 39th turn rather
than 41st.
An Entertaining I ntrovert
Getting close to Fred was far from easy. Sensitive people, who
struggle against shyness in their youth, often become remote as
adults. Fred was like that. But those of us who came to know him
discovered a humorous and entertaining introvert. Like Donald
MacMurray, whose story is related elsewhere in these pages, Fred
had that rare facility to see humor in almost everything; and when
he laughed, he roared so hard that you lost control with him.
There was, however, another side. Like many chess masters, Fred
could turn mean and biting when encountering minor-league ty
rants who so often perpetrate injustices in our little world of chess.
When dealing with these antagonists in person, he would cock one
eye in apparent disbelief, toss his head from side to side and issue a
clucking sound. This routine never failed to cut 'em down to size.
302
As for disputes in print, Fred could be astonishingly vitriolic and
often, for all of his pen puissance, ineffective. I remember Fred's
quarrel with Robert Lewis Taylor, a writer for The New Yorker who
published a piece on the 1940 U.S. Championship. Fred described
Taylor's style as "compounded of breathless inanities smothered in
pixillated whimsy" and noted that The New Yorker described Tay
lor "with unnecessarily brutal frankness" as "A Reporter at Large. "
Nasty stuff.
On May 29, 1964, Fred Reinfeld died. He was only 54 years old ,
but during his short span on earth, he greatly enriched the world of
chess by writing three or four great books and numerous good ones.
As for his much-despised potboilers, he usually boiled an honest pot
as Dorothy Sayers once said of Charles Williams, and he enlarged
the market for serious chess literature by introducing the game t o
millions of Americans. Some of today's chess writers who attack
Fred would be unable to earn a living had the object of their scorn
not paved the way.
And that, let me tell you, is a savage irony.
*In the world of chess, Emanuel Lasker enjoys a reputation as
one of Caissa's wise men. Albert Einstein thought highly of him as a
mathematician, and Ernst Cassirer praised Lasker's The Compre
hension of the Universe, an ambitiously titled work on philosophy
that was published in 1913. Yet much of what Lasker wrote on non
chess subjects is today badly dated. His apologias for Stalinism,
published during the height of what historians call the Great Terror,
and his dabbling in non-Marxist socialism suggest that he observed
society sans voir. Here is one of his monumentally naive celebra
tions of the German nation, which was reprinted in the British
Chess Magazine of April 1915:
The shrewd English merchant has grasped the meaning of pos
sessions and their power in the world; but he has missed the
true inwardness of things, and the rapid evolution of modem
times has left him far behind.
He is an egoist towards his fellow countrymen. He will not
give the masses a share in higher things, as he wants to keep
them under his sway as slaves. The Universities of Cambridge
and Oxford are reserved for the sons of the rich. He views
with suspicion our people, teeming with ideas, eager in pur
suit of science, and ready to make any sacrifice. Who among
us is not a philosopher? I know not a single German who
does not carry in his bosom something of the spirit of Faust.
Chapter XXVII
303
The morale of the Germans is not mere theory. Mother, wife,
sweetheart, have bidden their men go forth to battle. It is the
genius of Humanity that speaks to this nation.
Selected Games
Fred Reinfe/d: Der Kleine Reshevsky
JAMES McCLURE-FRED REINFELD (Correspondence, 1 928): I . P-K4 P-QB4
2. B-NS? P-QR3 3. B-B4 P-K3 4. P-QB3 P-QN4 5. B-N3 B-N2 6. P-Q3 P-Q3
7. N-B3 N-Q2 8. B-KB4 B-K2 9. QN-Q2 P-K4 I 0. B-K3 KN-B3 I I . N-NS!
0-0 1 2. Q-B3! P-R3 1 3. P-KR4 P-KR4 1 4. N-B I Q-B2 I S. N-N3 P-N3? 1 6.
NxRP! PxN 1 7. Q-N3 N-NS 1 8. P-B3! QN-B3 1 9. PxN NxNP 20. 0-0 P-BS
2 1 . B-Q I B-B I 22. BxN BxB 23. R-BS!! Q-Q2 24. PxP P-B3! 25. N-R3 K-R2!
26. QR-KB I Q-K3! 27. PxP! R-KN I 28. B-B I ! BxR 29. Q-K3! RxPch! 30. KxR
BxNch 3 1 . QxB QxQch 32. KxQ PxP 33. P-R3 R-RS 34. P-N4 R-R I 35. P
B4!? PxP 36. R-B3 K-N3 37. R-B3 R-QB I 38. B-K3 P-B4! 39. P-NS! PxP 40. P
R4 P-Q4 4 1 . P-RS! P-QS 42. P-N6! B-Q3! 43. P-R6 B-N I 44. P-N7 R-B I 45.
P-R7?? BxP 46. RxP PxB 47. R-R4 B-N I 48. RxP R-B7! 49. RxP/3 P-KS! 50. R
K2! R-B6ch 5 I . K-N2 K-B4 52. R-Q2 R-N6 53. R-Q7 R-N7 ch 54. K-B I P-K6
55. R-N7 K-KS, White resigns A game filled with play both awful and sublime.
FRED REI NFELD-DAMON WALLACE (Correspondence, 1 928): I . P-K4 P
K3 2. P-Q4 P-Q4 3. N-QB3 N-KB3 4. B-NS B-NS 5. P-KS P-KR3 6. B-Q2
BxN 7. PxB N-KS 8. Q-N4 P-KN3 9. P-KR4 P-QB4 I 0. B-Q3 NxB I I . KxN
N-B3 1 2. R-R3 Q-K2 1 3. R-N I P-BS 1 4. B-K2 Q-R6 I S. P-RS! N-K2 1 6. PxP
NxP 1 7. N-B3 QxP 1 8. QR-KR I B-Q2 1 9. N-NS! Q-R6 20. NxBP! KxN 2 1 .
R-B3ch K-K2 22. RxP! B-K I 23. RxR NxR 24. Q-R4ch K-Q2 25. QxN P-N4
26. Q-N7ch! Q-K2 27. Q-B6 P-R4 28. R-N3 B-B2 29. R-N7 R-KB I 30. B-RS
K-K I 3 1 . BxBch RxB 32. Q-N6! P-NS 33. PxP QxPch 34. K-K2 Q-K2 35.
QxRch QxQ 36. RxQ KxR 37. K-Q2 K-N3 38. K-B3 K-B4 39. P-B3! K-BS 40.
P-N4, Black resigns Note the theme of Zugzwang following White's 32nd
move.
FRED REINFELD-REUBEN FINE (Marshall C.C. Championship, 1 932): I . N
KB3 P-Q4 2. P-Q4 N-KB3 3. P-B4 P-K3 4. B-NS QN-Q2 5. P-K3 B-K2 6. N
B3 0-0 7. R-B I P-B3 8. Q-B2 P-QR3 9. PxP KPxP I 0. B-Q3 Q-B2?? I I . BxPch
NxB 1 2. BxB R-K I 1 3. B-R4 Q-BS 1 4. 0-0 Q-NS I S. B-N3 QN-B3 1 6. N-KS
Q-R4 1 7. Q-N3 N-N4 1 8. P-B3 N-K3 1 9. N-R4 Q-R3 20. N-QN6 R-R2 2 1 .
KR-K I N-N4 22. NxB RxN 23. Q-N6 R/2-R I 24. P-KR4, Black resigns This
dreary game, which has hitherto been published only in an obscure newspaper,
is given here strictly for the record.
FRED REINFELD-AL HOROWITZ (New York, 1 932): I . P-Q4 N-KB3 2. P
QB4 P-KN3 3. N-QB3 P-Q4 4. P-K3 B-N2 5. N-B3 0-0 6. Q-N3 P-K3 7. B
Q2 P-N3 8. PxP PxP 9. B-K2 B-N2 I 0. 0-0 QN-Q2 I I . KR-Q I P-B4? 1 2. PxP
NxP 1 3. Q-R3 Q-K2 1 4. B-K I KR-Q I I S. QR-B I B-KB I ? 1 6. N-Q4 Q-K4
304
1 7. P-QN4 N-K3 1 8. N-B3 Q-N I 1 9. Q-N3 P-QR3 20. N-QR4 Q-Q3 2 1 . P
QR3 P-QN4 22. N-BS Q-N3 23. NxN! PxN?! (A better defensive try is 23 .
. . . QxN) 24. B-B3! N-KS 25. B-R I ! R-Q2 26. N-KS R-QB2 27. B-Q4 Q-Q3
28. P-B3 RxR 29. RxR N-Q7 30. Q-B3 N-BS 3 1 . BxN N PxB 32. N-N4! K-B2
33. B-BS! Q-Q I 34. Q-RB B-N2 35. QxP Q-N4 36. B-Q4 R-KN I 37. P-KR4
Q-Q I 38. N-R6ch, Black resigns Reinfeld's exploitation of the dark squares
along the QRI -KRB diagonal is reminiscent of Najdorf-Keres (Piatigorsky Cup,
1 963).
FRED REINFELD-SAMUEL RESHEVSKY (Syracuse, 1 934): I . P-K4 P-K4 2. N
KB3 N-QB3 3. B-NS P-QR3 4. B-R4 N-B3 5. 0-0 B-K2 6. Q-K2 P-QN4 7. B
N3 P-Q3 8. P-B3 B-NS 9. P-QR4 0-0 I 0. R-Q I P-Q4 I I . P-Q3 N-QR4 1 2.
B-B2 P-NS 1 3. P-Q4 P-N6 1 4. B-Q3 KPxP 1 5. P-KS N-Q2 1 6. PxP P-QB4 1 7.
BxP PxP 1 8. B-QNS B-QB4 1 9. B-KB4 R-K I 20. P-R3 BxN 2 1 . QxB NxP 22.
Q-N3 KN-B3 23. R-QB I Q-K2 24. N-Q2 KR-QB I 25. NxP NxN 26. QxN
N-NS 27. B-Q2 B-Q3 28. R-K I Q-B I 29. BxN BxB 30. R-KS R-Q I 3 1 . RxP
RxR 32. QxR R-Q I 33. Q-K4 Q-B4 34. R-Q I P-N3 35. Q-B4 B-R4 36. R
Q3 B-B2 37. Q-Q2 P-R4 38. P-R4 K-N2 39. R-KB3 P-B4 40. P-KN3 R-KB I
4 1 . Q-K2 P-BS 42. PxP RxP 43. RxR Q-BBch 44. K-N2 QxR 45. Q-K7ch K
R I 46. Q-KBch K-N2 47. Q-Q7ch K-R3 48. B-Q3 Q-NSch 49. QxQ PxQ
50. P-N4 B-Q3 5 1 . P-NS B-B2 52. K-B I P-N4 53. PxPch KxP 54. K-K2 K-BS
55. B-N6 K-K4 56. K-Q3 K-Q4 57. B-RS P-N6 58. PxP BxP, draw
FRED REINFELD-SAMUEL RESHEVSKY (U.S. Championship, 1 938): I . P-Q4
N-KB3 2. P-QB4 P-K3 3. N-KB3 P-Q4 4. N-B3 P-B4 5. BPxP NxP 6. P-KN3
N-QB3 7. B-N2 Q-R4 8. Q-Q2 PxP 9. NxP N/3xN I 0. QxN NxN I I . PxN
P-K4 1 2. Q-K3 B-K2 1 3. 0-0 0-0 1 4. P-QB4 B-QB4 I S. Q-N3 R-N I 1 6. B-K3
B-K3 1 7. BxB QxB 1 8. B-QS B-NS 1 9. B-B3 BxB 20. PxB KR-Q I 2 1 . KR-Q I
P-QN3 22. Q-NS Q-B2 23. RxRch RxR 24. R-K I P-B3 25. P-B4 P-QR3 26.
QxRP PxP 27. Q-NS P-N3 28. R-KBch RxR 29. QxRch K-N2 30. Q-K4 PxP
3 1 . RPxP Q-R2 32. Q-K6 QxP 33. Q-K7ch K-N I 34. Q-K6ch K-N2 35. Q
K7ch K-N I 36. Q-K6ch K-N2, draw
O LAF ULVESTAD-FRED REI N FELD (U.S. Championship Preliminaries, 1 940):
I . P-Q4 N-KB3 2. N-KB3 P-K3 3. P-QR3 P-Q4 4. QN-Q2 B-Q3 5. P-B4 P
QN3 6. Q-B2 QN-Q2 7. PxP PxP 8. P-QN4 B-N2 9. P-K3 0-0 I 0. B-Q3
Q-K2 I I . 0-0 N-KS 1 2. R-K I P-KB4 I 3. B-N2 R-B3 1 4. N-B I R-R3 I S. P-NS
P-N4 1 6. QR-B I P-NS 1 7. N-KS?! BxN 1 8. PxB R-QB I 1 9. BxN BPxB 20.
P-K6 RxKP 2 1 . N-N3 Q-B2 22. N-K2 N-K4 23. N-B4 R-K2 24. Q-B3 P-KR3
25. KR-Q I K-R2 26. Q-Q4 N-BS 27. B-R I P-B4 28. PxPe.p. BxP 29. Q-B3 R
Q2 30. P-R3 PxP 3 1 . NxRP B-RS 32. R-Q4 R/2-B2 33. Q-N4 B-B3 34. N-B4
P-QR4 35. Q-B3 P-N4 36. R/ 1 -Q I R-Q2 37. NxP! BxN 38. RxB RxR 39.
RxR R-KN I !! 40. Q-Q4 RxPch!, draw Black gets a perpetual check after, for
instance, 4 1 . KxR Q-B6ch 42. K-N I Q-NSch 4 3. K-B I Q-R6ch 44. K-K I Q
RBch 45. K-K2 Q-B6ch and so on.
Chapter XXVII
305
FRED REINFELD-SAMUEL RESHEVSKY (U.S. Championship, 1 940): I . P-Q4
N-KB3 2. P-QB4 P-KN3 3. N-QB3 P-Q4 4. N-B3 B-N2 5. B-B4 P-B3 6. P-K3
0-0 7. B-Q3 PxP 8. BxBP QN-Q2 9. 0-0 N-N3 I 0. B-QN 3 KN-Q4 I I . B-KS
NxN 1 2. PxN B-NS I 3. BxB KxB 1 4. P-KR3 BxN 1 5. QxB Q-B2 1 6. P-B4 N
Q2 1 7. P-BS QR-Q I 1 8. QR-B I P-K4 1 9. P-QS?! PxP 20. BxP NxP 2 1 . BxNP!
(White has to hustle for a draw) 2 1 . . . . Q-K2 22. B-K4 R-Q7 23. R-B2
KR-Q I 24. KR-B I NxB 25. QxN Q-B3 26. Q-B3 QxQ 27. PxQ RxR 28.
RxR R-Q6 29. K-N2 R-R6 30. P-R4 R-RS 3 1 . K-N3 R-R3 32. P-B4 PxPch 33.
KxP R-RSch 34. P-K4 R-R4 35. P-B3 K-B3 36. R-B6ch K-N2 37. R-B2 K-B3,
draw The final game between these two players. Their score: + 2 -0 =3 in
favor of Reinfeld!
Chapter XXVI I I
Mr. cBelier;e It or J\fot
Irving Chernev, the Robert Ripley of Chess, had a lifelong romance
with the royal game. From the time he learned the moves from his
father at age 12, he fell in love with chess, and it was a monogamous
marriage. Whenever we met, out popped his pocket set (without
which he would have felt undressed) followed by the famous
Chernev question, "Have you seen this?"
I will never forget how Irving's face would light up when demon
strating positions. Searching out chess treasures and sharing the
jewels with players who appreciated them was probably his greatest
joy in life. When I once asked him what he would do without chess,
his reply was instantaneous, "How does one live without fresh air?"
At the time I was too young to appreciate the full meaning of
Irving's rhetorical question. Years later, after getting to know him
better, I came to understand what he meant. To support his family,
Irving had to labor at unpleasant jobs in the paper industry-all the
while feeling the claustrophobic frustration of a talented man who
needs to break out. Without the pleasure and creative satisfaction
afforded by his private little chess world of contemplation and writ
ing, he might not have carried on. He might have lapsed into the
awful bitterness of a failed romantic.
Chernev the Master
Young players are always asking me if Irving Chernev was ever a
master. That's because Irving quit playing chess about 30 years
before he quit writing about it. "I played in . . . tournaments," he
once wrote, "to see how well I would do against some of the best
players in the country. But I wanted to enjoy chess as well as to
play it, and competing in those tournaments was not chess to
enjoy."
Irving probably had in mind a number of New York state cham
pionships and the 1942 and 1944 U.S. championships. That's right,
he was strong enough to qualify for two national closed tourna
ments, scoring a respectable +4 -7 =4 in the 1 942 fixture. Fischer
like or even Denker-like? Not at all. But making 40 percent in the
306
Chapter XXVIII
307
U.S. Championship and holding A1 Horowitz to a draw in the
process is certainly a solid master result. Which, en passant, is ex
actly what Irving Chernev was-a solid master. He could play sup
ple and smooth chess even at 10 seconds, and I can still recall him
winning some very strong rapid transit events at the Marshall Chess
Club, including a tournament in June 1932 , when he defeated the
late, great Reuben Fine.
Irving Chernev-Aibert Pinkus
U.S. Speed Championship, I 944
Colle System
I . P-Q4 N-KB3 2. N-KB3 P-K3 3. P-K3 P-Q4 4. B-Q3 P-B4 S. P-B3 N-B3 6.
QN-Q2 Q-B2 7. 0-0 B-K2 8. Q-K2 PxP 9. KPxP 0-0 I 0. N-KS R-Q I I I . N/2B3 NxN 1 2. NxN B-Q2 1 3. B-KNS B-K I 1 4. Q-B2 P-KR3 I S. B-R4 QR-B I
1 6. P-KB4 N-R4 1 7. BxB QxB 1 8. R-B3 P-B4 1 9. R-K I N-B3 20. P-KR3 N-KS
2 1 . P-KN4! Q-RS 22. R-K2 P-QN4 23. PxP PxP 24. R-N2 R-Q3 2S. BxN
BPxP 26. R/3-N3 R-B2 27. P-BS Q-BS 28. N-N6 QxP? 29. R-B2 Q-R4 30. R
B8ch K-R2 3 I . R-R8, mate
In the 1944 U.S. Championship for regular chess, Irving slipped
considerably, though against George Shainswit, later a member of
the U.S. Olympiad team, he played one of the most exciting games
in the event.
George Shainswit-lrving Chernev
U.S. Championship. I 944
Nimzoindian Defense
I . P-Q4 N-KB3 2. P-QB4 P-K3 3. N-QB3 B-NS 4. P-K3 0-0 S. B-Q3 BxNch
6. PxB P-Q3 7. N-K2 P-K4 8. N-N3 P-B4 9. 0-0 N-B3 I 0. P-QS N-K2 I I . P
B4 PxP 1 2. PxP N-N3 1 3. P-BS
Wrote Shainswit, "The attack at all costs ! In an ending White's Ps
would fall like ripe apples. "
1 3 . . . . N-K4 1 4. B-NS P-QN3 I S. N-K4 K-R I 1 6. R-B4! Q-K2 1 7. NxN PxN
1 8. R-R4!
Shainswit pointed out that on 18. Q-RS, Black would actually
win after 18 . . . . NxB (if 18 . . . . R-KN 1 ? , White forces mate with 1 9 .
QxPch ! , etc.) 1 9 . Q-R6 PxB 20. P-B6 Q-K6ch.
1 8 . . . . PxB!
Chernev finds the o ly defense. If 18 . . . . NxB, White wins with
19. QxN ! , intending e line, 20. Q-R3 PxB 2 1 . P-B6.
1 9. RxPch K-N I
. Q-RS Q-B3 2 1 . R-R6!
White c ntinues to play very strongly and does not fall for 2 1 . B-
308
B2 N-N5 ! ! , when Black is suddenly counterpunching.
2 1 . . . . QxR!!
A brilliant defensive Queen sacrifice that demonstrates fine posi
tional judgment.
22. QxQ P-B3! 23. R-K I
Shainswit suggested the alternative of 23. P-KR4, which is best
answered by 23. . . . PxP.
23. . . . R-N I !
Black finds the only defense. Shainswit pointed out that it is cur
tains after either 23 . . . . NxB 24. R-K7 R-B2 25. R-K8ch or 23 . . . . B
Q2 24. RxN QPxR 25. B-K4 ! ! , followed by 26. P-Q6 and 2 7 .
B-Q5ch.
24. R-K3 R-N2 25. Q-R3
According to GM Fine, White has nothing after 25. R-R3 R-N2 .
25 . . . . R-R2 26. Q-N3 K-N2 27. P-KR3 R-RS 28. R-K4 R/ 1 -R I 29. RxR RxR
30. Q-K3 R-B5 3 I . K-R2 BxP 32. BxB RxB, draw
In mutual time pressure, the two players concluded peace.
The above game is not, as already hinted, typical of Irving's gen
erally solid positional play. For Irving at his conservative best, the
reader should consult his fine victory over Harry Baker in the 1 94 2
U . S . Championship, a game that can b e found i n the appendix t o
this chapter. After all, m y subject here is not primarily Chernev the
Master but Chernev the Chess Lover.
Chernev the Chess Lover
No one ever devoured chess lore like Irving did. "I have probably
read more about chess and played over more games," he once plau
sibly claimed, "than any man in history." I recall how he would
show up at the Manhattan Chess Club with his little black note-
Chapter XXVIII
309
books-five of them ! One for games, one for good stories, one for
curious chess facts, one for endgame studies and one for problems.
Moreover, he was constantly adding material to these notebooks.
Like those actors on television with their American Express cards,
Irving never left home without them.
Back in 1943-heavens, a half century ago !-Reuben Fine wrote
jocularly about how Irving "plagued and amused hundreds of
friends" with material from his little black books. He was like the
child in The Mikado who knew his facts and floored you with them
flat. At the long gone Hawthorne Chess Club out in the Flatbush
section of Brooklyn, Irving became known as "Mr. Believe It or
Not" because of the astonishing positions and historical nuggets that
he would toss out during his visits in the 1940s and 1950s. One of
the club members most adept at solving Irving's positions was the
then 13-year-old . . . Bobby Fischer.
While on the subject of Irving's visits to the Hawthorne club, I
confess to having smiled ruefully while reading a particular para
graph in the obituary for Irving in Chess Life (December 1981). In
addition to telling us that Irving was born in January 1900, in
Russia, and died in September 1981, in San Francisco, the author of
the obituary notes that Jack Collins, Bobby Fischer's chess coach,
was "another Hawthorne regular. " Well, I should say so! The Haw
thorne club was nothing more than the private home of Jack and
his sister, Ethel.
In my opinion Irving put his enormous chess research to good
use. He authored nearly 20 books, many of which are still in print.
His The Russians Play Chess (194 7) is an excellent anthology of
Soviet masterpieces, and no one can fail to be entertained by the
material in The Fireside Book of Chess (1949, co-authored with
Fred Reinfeld) , Practical Chess Endings (1961), Wonders and
Curiosities of Chess (1974) , and so on. I also like his first book,
Chess Strategy and Tactics, which appeared in 1933 and was co
authored with Reinfeld.
Any reader wishing to anger me could do no better than to
attack Chernev and Reinfeld's work by mumbling, "All these two
guys do is give us the same old games and positions." Crikey! The
games and positions seem familiar only because "these two guys"
did the hard pioneering work of hunting and gathering the material.
To compare Chernev and Reinfeld as writers is to do both an
injustice. Irving wrote more carefully on average than Fred, and
Fred wrote better on occasion than Irving. Nothing that the latter
produced can match the former's books on Alexander Alekhine,
Edgar Colle, Paul Keres and Siegbert Tarrasch. The net result: Most
of Irving's books remain in print, most of Fred's are forgotten,
3 10
except for three or four works that look like staying around for
several decades.
All of which brings me to Chessboard Magic!, one of my favorite
Chemev books. The subtitle, "A Collection of 160 Brilliant Chess
Endings," describes the work perfectly; and the contents highlight
Irving's strength as a chess author. He spent years culling publica
tions for the 160 compositions, and he created in Chessboard
Magic! what Grandmaster Fine called "common ground where the
problemist and the player . . . meet on equal terms." The positions in
the book are seldom foreign to normal play, and when they are, the
themes are immediately eye-catching. "How pretty ! " one wants to
say.
Vladimir Korolkov
Chess in U.S.S.R., 1 940
"Can such things be?" was the exclamation of the New York
Post's one-time chess editor, Horace Bigelow, who was thrilled with
the beauty of this master work.
I . R-N I
White threatens 2 . B-Q7, mate.
I . . . . Q-N5 2. BxQ PxB 3. R-QB I
The threat is 4. RxP, mate.
3 . . . . P-QB6 4. R-Q I
Once again, White threatens RxP, mate.
4
.
. . .
P-Q6 5. R-K I
Yes, RxP, mate, again.
5 . . . . P-K6 6. R-KB I
Again !
Chapter XXVIII
311
6. . . . P-B6 7. R-KN I
Same threat!
7. . . . P-N6 8. R-KR I
And again !
8 . . . . P-R6 9. RxP Any I 0. R-R4, mate!
Before studying the next endgame composition, settle back,
close your eyes, and imagine Irving saying, "Have you seen this?"
Mark Libiurkin
First Prize-Vechemya Moskva, / 933
"Stunning" is the only word for this problem. Playing over the
solution gives one goose bumps of joy. As Irving wrote, "No wonder
it won first prize in a composing tourney ! "
I . N-K4ch
Black threatened mate on the move by 1. . . . P-BB=Q, as well
1. . . . B-K4 and 2 . . . . K-Q7 , mate.
as
I . . . . K-Q6 2. N-BSch K-B6 3. N-N3 B-K4 4. P-B4 B-N2
Black wishes to keep his Bishop on the diagonal to threaten
mate. If 4 . . . . BxP, White is out of his troubles after 5. B-Q4ch.
5. P-K8=N! B-R I 6. P-BS B-K4
Otherwise, White plays 7 . P-B6, blocking out the Black Bishop.
7. B-R2 BxB 8. P-N7 B-K4 9. P-N8=B!
First, an underpromotion to a Knight; now an underpromotion
to a Bishop. And the move is forced because it is stalemate after 9 .
P-NB=Q K-BSch 10. QxB P-B8=Qch 1 1 . NxQ.
9 . . . . BxB I 0. N-B7 BxN I I . P-K7 B-K4 1 2. P-K8=R!
312
A third underpromotion, this time to a Rook. And once again,
the move is necessary to avoid stalemate after 12. P-K8=Q K-BSch
13. QxB P-B8=Qch 14. NxQ.
1 2. . . . B-B3 I 3. R-K6 B-N2 1 4. P-B6, and White wins
This Bishop is finally driven off.
I call it magic. Irving called it Chessboard Magic!.
Chernev the Rabbi
How Irving became "my rabbi" is a story that is both unusual and
universal. Every chess enthusiast plays a variation on its basic
theme.
Back in the early 1920s, a man named Ben Danziger rented an
apartment in a building owned by my father. I had just learned the
chess moves from my brother and regarded Ben as one of the great
players of all time. He would polish me off unmercifully, usually
while holding conversations with his wife and children. I think that
he enjoyed my enthusiasm about coming back for more punish
ment.
As the months passed, Ben slowly stopped talking to his family
during our games and began paying more attention to the board.
When he began to lose regularly, he revealed a secret weapon, his
nephew Irving, who arrived the following Sunday and proceeded to
mop the floor with both of us at the same time.
You can imagine my innocent astonishment. "How," I asked my
self, "could anyone beat me so easily after I vanquished the Great
Danziger?" I was completely shattered, though I did maintain
enough presence of mind to study Irving's play carefully and to
learn a great deal about handling openings.
Naturally, I was interested in learning more about Irving and dis
covered that he and his family had left Russia in 1 904 to come t o
the United States. H e lived i n Brooklyn and would continue to d o
s o until 1968, when h e moved to San Francisco. O n his part, Irving
took such a deep interest in my chess progress that his Uncle Ben
soon began calling him "my rabbi."
One Sunday afternoon, I made my first draw with Irving. After
that game, he told me, "I think you are now ready to join a good
club."
The year was 1928. The club I joined was the Manhattan. Believe
it or not.
Chapter XXVIII
313
Selected Games
Irving Chemev: A Chess Lover, Not
a
Chess Fighter
IRVING CHERNEY-ANTHONY SANTASIERE (Marshall C.C. Championship,
1 933-34): I . P-Q4 N-KB3 2. P-QB4 P-KN3 3. N-QB3 P-Q4 4. PxP NxP 5.
Q-N3 NxN 6. PxN P-QB4 7. P-K3 B-N2 8. B-N5ch B-Q2 9. BxBch QxB I 0.
N-B3 PxP I I . BPxP N-B3 1 2. R-QN I P-N3 1 3. 0-0 0-0 1 4. B-R3 KR-B I 1 5.
Q-N5 R-B2 1 6. QR-B I QR-QB I 1 7. P-Q5 N-K4 1 8. QxQ NxQ 1 9. RxR
RxR 20. BxP R-B7 2 1 . P-QR3 P-B4 22. P-KR4 B-B I 23. BxB KxB 24. R-Q I R
R7 25. R-Q3 N-B4 26. R-Q4 RxRP 27. N-K5 K-K I 28. P-Q6 N-Q2 29. N-B3
P-QN4 30. P-N4 P-QR4 3 1 . PxP PxP 32. R-Q5 P-N5 33. N-Q4 R-R8ch 34.
K-N2 P-RS 35. R-N5 R-N8 36. R-RS N-N3 37. R-R7 K-Q I 38. N-K6ch K-B I
39. R-B7ch K-N I 40. N-Q8, Black resigns. Chemev as chess master. He played
the opening strongly, nabbed a pawn, and kept up the pressure.
HARRY BAKER-IRVING CHERNEY (U.S. Championship, 1 942): I . P-Q4 N
KB3 2. P-QB4 P-K3 3. N-KB3 P-QN3 4. P-KN3 B-N2 5. B-N2 B-K2 6. 0-0
0-0 7. Q-B2?! B-K5 8. Q-N3 N-B3 9. R-Q I P-Q4 I 0. Q-R4 N-QN5 I I . N
K I PxP 1 2. P-QR3 BxB 1 3. NxB P-QN4! 1 4. QxNP N-B7 1 5. R-R2 NxQP
1 6. Q-R4 NxPch 1 7. K-B I N-Q5 1 8. QxBP P-B4 1 9. B-K3 Q-N3 20. P-QN4
KR-Q I 2 1 . N-B3 N-N5 22. PxP NxPch 23. K-N I N/Q5-B6ch 24. K-R I RxRch
25. NxR Q-N8 26. Q-B2 Q-N4 27. Q-K2 Q-B3 28. R-N2 R-Q I 29. N-B3 B
B3 30. R-N3 P-N4! 3 1 . N-N5 Q-Q4 32. R-N I Q-B4!, White resigns
Chapter XXIX
'jti Gentleman
of the Old School "
Edward Lasker was witty, versatile and a friend of every chess
player. A Renaissance man, he was also "a gentleman of the old
school"-one of the last. In two sentences, that was my friend
Lasker.
In worldly affairs, Edward enjoyed great success, though he was
so modest that you would never know it. In 1911 he graduated
cum laude from Berlin's prestigious Institute of Technology with
degrees in both mechanical and electrical engineering. He would
eventually become a successful inventor and back in the 1950s was
among the first scientists to take an interest in computer chess. As a
gamesman, he was an illustrious chess master and author, as well as
the founder of the American Go Association. Such was his fascina
tion with go, the Japanese equivalent of chess, he once tried to talk
an employer into transfering him to the Land of Nippon.
However, do not imagine that Edward was an idiot savant type
who spent his life competing in chess and go tournaments when he
wasn't playing bridge and backgammon. Not at all. He was well
versed in literature and music, and his friends included such
intellectual icons as Albert Einstein, Marcel Duchamp and Ernst
Cassirer, not to mention the musical wizards Mischa Elman, George
Gershwin, Sergei Prokofiev, Moritz Rosenthal, Richard Strauss and
the like.
Many, indeed too many, decades ago I affectionately dubbed
Edward "the Gray Fox" because of his crafty chess play and
patrician elegance. We first met in the early days of the Great
Depression, and unlike most masters I knew, this man of perhaps 4 5
years was always well-dressed, well-groomed and evidently affluent.
His wealth, combined with that Lasker charm, wit and old
fashioned pleasantness, made him an asset at all social gatherings.
314
Chapter XXIX
315
Coming to America
To get a handle on Edward's life, you must first know how long ago
he was born. In 1885-near Breslau, which was then in Germany
and is today the city of Wroclaw in Poland. He learned chess from
his father at age six and succumbed to its awful fascination. At age
17, he violated his mother's orders and went to a local chess club to
play against Harry Pillsbury in a blindfold exhibition.
Caissa clearly got a grip on Edward that the goddess never re
laxed. The young man eschewed medical school in Breslau for an
engineering course in Berlin, largely because that famous city was in
those days the chess capital of the world. The two centers of chess
life were the Cafe Bauer and the Cafe Kaiserhof, where grandmasters
like Richard Teichmann, Jacques Mieses and Kurt von Bardeleben
quaffed espresso and plotted chess stratagems at all hours of the
day. Edward loved this chess ambience. In 1909 he defeated Erich
Cohn in a match to win the championship of Berlin and in 1 9 13
finished fifth at Scheveningen to gain the international master title
of the German Chess Federation.
In 1912, Edward's employer, the German equivalent of General
Electric, sent him to London. There, he won the city championship,
and as it turned out, a very important offhand game from Sir
George Thomas, England's strongest chess player and, some say, the
greatest badminton player ever.
Edward Lasker-Sir George Thomas
City of London C.C., / 9 / 2
Dutch Defense
I . P-Q4 P-K3 2. N-KB3 P-KB4 3. N-B3 N-KB3 4. B-NS B-K2 5. BxN BxB 6.
P-K4 PxP 7. NxP P-QN3 8. B-Q3 B-N2 9. N-KS 0-0 1 0. Q-RS Q-K2?
Let he who is without chess sin cast a second question mark. Not
only does Sir George permit Edward to play an immortal move, but
our English cousin unwittingly performed a signal service to Amer
ican chess. From strictly a chess angle, Black ought to have played
10 . . . . BxKN.
316
I I . QxPch!!!
White may or may not have announced mate in eight at this
point.
I I . . . . K.xQ 1 2. NxBch K-R3 1 3. N/5-N4ch K-N4 1 4. P-R4ch
Small-minded types typically ask, "Wouldn't 14. P-B4ch mate a
move earlier?"
1 4. . . . K-BS I S. P-N3ch K-B6 I 6. B-K2ch K-N7 1 7. R-R2ch K-NS 1 8. K-Q2,
mate
White sacrifices his Queen and mates with his King!
The real importance of this oft-anthologized game did not be
come apparent until two years later during the first days of World
War I, when Edward was interned for three months in England as an
enemy alien. He gained early release and permission to leave for the
United States thanks to the intervention of a high British official
who had witnessed Lasker's victory. Fortune favors the fortunate
as someone ought to have said by now.
And so, on October 2 1 , 1914, Edward sailed for New York and
arrived, presumably, near the end of the month. "For the mag
nificent weekly rental of $2.50," he wrote in his memoirs Chess
Secrets I Learned from the Masters , "I found a room on 59th
Street, not far from the Manhattan Chess Club's quarters at Carnegie
Hall. On Seventh Avenue, within a block from the club, a restaurant
served excellent meals for 35 cents, and I found a chess pupil at the
club who paid me ten dollars for chess lessons."
Unfortunately, Edward could not also find a job in New York. He
embarked on a simul tour to make money. In Chicago he met Julius
Rosenwald, the head of Sears & Roebuck, who hired him as a safety
engineer. He remained with the company from 1915 to 1 9 1 9 .
Whereupon Edward was hired away by Ernest Gundlach, president
of the Chicago Chess Club, bombastic piano player ("When he
tickled the ivories, they always stayed put," Edward used to say)
Chapter XXIX
317
and owner of a pioneering business devoted to introducing electric
cow-milking machines.
"My particular job," Edward once wrote, "was to improve the
machine wherever improvement was needed. I spent many months
on dairy farms in Michigan, Minnesota and Iowa, which acquainted
me intimately with American farm life. I had to get up at 4:30 every
day, to get my experimental milking machine ready for the morning
milking. Breakfast was served at six, and after that I had nothing to
do until the evening milking, a maddening prospect which I grad
ually learned to evade by helping the farmer take in the hay."
Edward Lasker-suave and debonair man about Manhattan
raking hay and, perhaps, adorning his mouth with a sprig of straw?
Difficult to believe, even though he used to swear to these ad
ventures.
In 1921 Edward deserted moo-cows in favor of developing an
electric breast pump to secure mother's milk for premature infants
too weak to nurse. "I made five times as much money as earlier,"
Edward once told me, "but for the next decade or so, I had to put
up with friends calling me a 'chest player."'
By now, Edward was in the grip of what he labelled "the energy
of success"-that awe-inspiring vitality which drives a man who sud
denly realizes that contrary to all of his expectations, he is destined
to become filthy rich. It is a wonderful, joyous energy that builds
on itself, and Edward soon teamed up with a Dr. de Havilland, the
father of Olivia, to procure patents for some of his discoveries. One
of these, a liquid silver polish that required no rubbing, became an
instant success. From 1925 to about 1950, Edward ran his own
electro-medical manufacturing and design company, becoming the
first man to demonstrate direct-writing electrocardiography, which
is to say, the squiggly lines one sees on an electrocardiogram.
Lest the reader imagine that Edward lived one of those enviable
"charmed lives" celebrated by film biographer Michael Korda in his
book of the same title, let me assure you that he did not. His first
marriage to Cecile Heller in March 1920, ended tragically in
November when she perished at the tail end of the awful influenza
epidemic of 1919-1920. His second marriage in 1927 to Hertha
Fuerth was childless, and the two divorced in 193 7 . He did not
marry again, and although he enjoyed a long friendship with many
time U.S. women's champion May Karff, he would eventually die
very old and quite alone without immediate survivors.
Lasker the Lesser
Edward was sometimes called "Lasker the Lesser" in reference to his
318
chess standing vis-a-vis a famous distant relative, Emanuel Lasker.
Yet Edward won the U.S. Open five times, and in 1923, he narrowly
lost a match to Frank Marshall for the U.S. Championship. Although
Edward continued his normal work routine during that match, he
won the first two games and was clearly outplaying his famous op
ponent when Lady Luck struck him a hard blow following the
adjournment of game seven. Leading 3 %-2%, Edward was hit by an
attack of kidney stones and rushed unconscious to Walter Reese
Hospital in Chicago.
Need I say more? Anyone who has experienced the pain of
kidney stones knows what happened next. Edward lost the adjourn
ment and eventually the match, 8%-9%.
In 1924 Edward played in the famous New York International,
which was won by Emanuel Lasker ahead of Jose Capablanca,
Alexander Alekhine, Efim Bogolyubov and several other great
masters. Edward did well in this fast company by scoring 6%-13 lf2
to finish lOth in an 1 1-player field. In six games against the terrible
trio of Lasker, Capa and Alekhine, he scored four draws and ob
tained at least three won positions.
Note the phrase, "three won positions," because Edward failed t o
win any o f them as well as several other "won positions." Following
the first half of the New York event, Alekhine correctly diagnosed
Edward's biggest problem as being unable to put the finishing
touches on tough games. Wrote Edward in his memoirs, "Alekhine
. . . said that I would probably make similar mistakes in the second
half of the tournament. He argued that masters who frequently
blundered in winning positions , very likely did not have the physi
cal constitution needed to make a successful tournament player. "
"Successful?" That's a relative term, and most of us would con
sider five U.S. Open titles to be plenty successful. Yet Alekhine had
a point. Edward possessed a fine feel for the opening and early mid
dlegame, building up strong positions and pulling off numerous ele
gant combinations against strong grandmasters. But there was too
often a "but" a bit later in his games.
Edward Lasker-Ernst Gruenfeld
Vienna, I 95 I
English Opening
I . P-QB4 N-KB3 2. N-QB3 P-K3 3. P-K4 P-Q4 4. BPxP PxP 5. PxP NxP 6. P
Q4 NxN 7. PxN P-QB4 8. B-Q3 N-B3 9. N-B3 PxP I 0. PxP B-NSch I I . B
Q2 BxBch 1 2. QxB Q-R4 I 3. QxQ NxQ 1 4. P-QS P-QN3 I S. 0-0 0-0 I 6.
KR-Q I B-N2 1 7. P-Q6!
Edward shows his exquisite intuition for the initiative. Quite a
Chapter XXIX
3 19
few players would have feared losing the Queen pawn and have
headed for a slightly inferior ending after 17. N-K5 BxP 18. BxPch
KxB 19. RxB.
1 7. . . . QR-Q I 1 8. N-KS KR-K I 1 9. P-B4 R-K3?
Black only expected 20. P-Q7 . Otherwise, he would have played
19 . . . . P-B3.
20. BxPch!!
A typical Lasker bolt from the blue. Here's another one from
Lasker-Alekhine (New York, 1 924): 1. P-K4 P-K4 2. N-KB3 N-QB3
3. B-N5 P-QR3 4. B-R4 N-B3 5. 0-0 B-B4 6. P-Q3 Q-K2 7. N-B3 N
Q5 8. NxN BxN 9. N-K2 ! B-R2 10. N-N3 P-KN3 1 1 . B-R6 ! P-QN4 1 2 .
B-N3 P-Q3 13 . P-KR3 B-K3 14. Q-B3 N-Q2 1 5 . N-BS ! ! (Edward
ought to win outright with this move. ) 15 . . . . PxN 16. PxP P-Q4 1 7 .
PxB PxP:
Edward now let up with 18. B-K3 ? ? , and the game was later
drawn. Instead, my friend could have won with 18. P-B4 ! P-B3 (if
18 . . . . Q-R5 , White crushes Black by 19. PxQP QxB 20. PxP N-N3
2 1 . Q-B7ch K-Q1 22. P-K7ch) 19. PxQP BPxP 20. QR-B1 Q-B2 2 1 .
QxQch KxQ 22. R-B7 K-K2 23. B-N5ch ! (in the tournament book,
Alekhine gives only 23. KR-B1 KR-N1 24. B-Q2 B-N3 , when Black
"could then, to be sure, defend himself with difficulty and stress")
23 . . . . K-K1 24. KR-B1 KR-N1 25. R-B8ch RxR 26. RxRch K-B2 2 7 .
R-B7 K-K1 28. RxB RxB 29. RxP.
320
The Bobby Fischer 1 Knew and Other Stories
20. . . . K-B I
Black has no choice. On 20. . . . KxB, White wins quite simply
with 21. NxP R/3-Kl 22. P-Q7 KR-Bl 23. NxR RxN 24. QR-Bl B-B3
25. R-Q6 ! . Black cannot play 25 . . . . RxP because of 26. QRxB ! .
2 1 . B-BS! R-R3 22. P-N4 K-N I 23. P-Q7 P-N3 24. P-NS! R-RS 25. B-N4
N-BS!
Black is putting up a tough fight, which eventually takes its toll
on Edward.
26. P-KR3 N-K6 27. R-Q3 NxB 28. NxN K-N2 29. K-R2?
The first slip, and it ruins Edward's positional and tactical mas
terpiece. He could have won in a few moves with 29. R-Kl, followed
by N-B6.
29 . . . . B-KS 30. R-K3 B-B4 3 1 . N-B6 RxQP
Black finds the only move, thereby giving White another chance
to go wrong.
32. NxR BxN 33. R-KB I ?
White should play 33. R-Ql .
33 . . . . B-K3 34. P-R3 P-N4 35. R-QB3 P-R4 36. R-QN I B-Q2 37. R-B3 K-B I
38. R-Q I ??
Oh boy. White must suddenly fight for a draw, when he could
still have tried for a win by 38. R-K3 B-K3 39. RxB PxR 40. K-N3 R
R2 41. R-Kl R-K2 42. R-K5 . Edward's handling of this ending re
minds me of his earliest chess tragedy, a debacle that goes unmen
tioned in Chess Secrets I Learned from the Masters . In 1904,
Edward had a chance to tie for the Berlin Championship by winning
one of those notorious "won endings. "
Edward Lasker-Kurt Moll
Berlin Championship, I 904
Edward played 1. P-B4 and lost after 1. . . . P-B3. He missed the
stunning line, 1. P-B6 ! ! PxP 2. P-B4 K-Q4 3. P-N5 BPxP 4. PxP K-K3
Chapter XXIX
321
5. PxP K-B3 6. K-B2, and wins. Black's King cannot approach the
doubled pawns !
At Hamburg in 1910, Edward scraped out an astonishing stale
mate draw against Dr. Moritz Lewitt by playing a combination-also
missing from Chess Secrets which was every whit as brilliant as
the one he missed against Moll. Such is the equalizing justice of
chess.
Edward Lasker-Dr. Moritz Lewitt
Hamburg, I 9 / 0
-
Edward escaped with 1. P-R5 ! ! , threatening 2. RxP RxR 3. R
K8ch R-N1 4. RxRch KxR, stalemate . The game continued: 1. . . . P
B8=Qch 2. RIN1xQ PxR=Qch 3 . RxQ R/l-N1 4. R-B8 ! ! R/7-N3ch 5 .
BPxR RxR 6. P-N7ch K-N1 , stalemate !
38 . . . . B-NS 39. R-Q8ch K-K2 40. R/3-Q3 B-B4 4 1 . R/3-Q4 RxPch 42. K-N I
RxP 43. R-QN8 P-NS 44. R-N7ch K-K I 45. R-NSch, draw
Just one of the numerous chess tragedies in Edward's life.
An Embarrassment of Analysis
On a wintry day in 1932 , after I had spent most of the afternoon
playing at the Marshall Chess Club, Edward asked me to join him
for dinner. I accepted at once. During the Great Depression, anyone
with a high-I.Q. stomach instantly devoured free eats; and after a
short walk, we were seated at his favorite watering hole in the West
Village, Lee Chumley's, just a block off Seventh Avenue at Barrow
Street. In the words of one advertisement of the time, Chumley's
was "Where Chessplayers Find a Friendly Club-like Atmosphere. "
Indeed, the food and the conversation were delicious, and w e later
rattled off a few skittles games. What a wonderful evening-and so
unlike one that followed about five years later.
It was February 1937. Nina and I had been married for all of six
weeks, and we were living on Christopher Street in Greenwich Vil
lage. After dinner I went out as usual to buy the next day's news
papers and bumped into Edward on his way to Chumley's. Like any
young married buck who had yet to be tamed, I tagged along. The
322
two of us, plus Hermann Helms, proceeded to spend several en
grossing hours analyzing a variation of the Tarrasch Defense that I
had used against Sammy Reshevsky in the 1936 U.S. Championship.
When I next looked up, it was into the eyes of a plainclothesman
whom my wife sent looking for me. Nina called the police when I
failed to return by midnight, suggesting to them three places where
I might have stopped off. What an embarrassment of analysis: I had
overlooked the main variation !
To my credit, I was never again so inconsiderate. As for Edward,
he explained everything so beautifully to Nina that thereafter he
became her favorite dinner guest. Of course, he never failed to bring
flowers or chocolates, which endeared him even more.
All of which explains, at least in part, how Edward came t o
spend a week with us nearly 40 years later i n December 1975. H e
was i n the process o f celebrating his 90th birthday and visited us in
Florida. We decided to host what turned out to be a lovely party.
Among those who attended were Dr. Juan Gonzalez, a strong Cuban
master who once won the U.S. Speed Championship, Florida master
Ed Celorio and the never-to-be-forgotten Anthony Santasiere. Of
course, we chess players soon organized a speed tournament, and as
a concession to Edward's age, we gave him 7% minutes to our five.
He did fine, winning a brilliant game against Dr. Gonzalez, thereby
avenging a defeat some 28 years earlier in the 194 7 Havana
International.
During the party, Bobby Fischer telephoned. The story behind
this call is related at length in Chapter X. Let's just say that Edward
and I became involved in an effort to lure history's greatest player
back to competition. We even helped to arrange a meeting between
Bobby and Viktor Korchnoi. Nothing came of it.
Said a saddened Lasker about my efforts, "No one can bring
Bobby back. It's high time you resigned." Edward was wrong.
Fischer-Spassky II proved that one person could bring Bobby back.
Bobby himself.
Chess Labor Organizer
Edward Lasker loved chess and its masters as only a man of chess
can. He was sympathetic to the struggles and privations of profes
sionals, and decided to help. In 1946 Edward became a kind of
chess labor organizer and set up what was, so far as I know, the first
organization in this country for chess professionals, the Association
of American Chess Masters. The aim was to safeguard the rights of
masters and to set minimum performance fees.
Chapter XXIX
323
Sad to say, the organization was born at a time when many
masters were underbidding one another in order to stay alive. Other
players such as Reuben Fine and I were leaving the game altogether
because it presented a financial dead end. All you needed to do was
to observe the shocking fate of my friend, AI Horowitz, who spent
months every year barnstorming the country and giving simuls for a
buck a board. Edward's organization died a speedy death.
Edward's chess play, on the other hand, remained strong well
into the 1940s. In the 1942 Marshall Chess Club Championship, he
played a final serious game against his old foe, Frank Marshall. This
time around, he followed up on his accustomed opening and early
middlegame acuity to win one of the finest and least known Amer
ican games of the 1940s.
Edward Lasker-Frank Marshall
Marshall C.C. Championship, 1 942
Nimzoindian Defense
I . P-Q4 N-KB3 2. P-QB4 P-K3 3. N-QB3 B-NS 4. P-KN3 0-0 5. B-N2 P-Q4
6. PxP PxP 7. B-NS P-B4 8. P-QR3 BxNch 9. PxB PxP I 0. PxP N-B3 I I . BxN
QxB 1 2. P-K3 R-K I I 3. N-K2 B-NS 1 4. 0-0 BxN?!
The position would be about equal after 14 . . . . B-B6.
1 5. QxB NxP 1 6. Q-Q I N-B3 1 7. QxP QR-Q I 1 8. Q-NS R-K2 1 9. Q R-B I
R-B2 20. R-B4 P-KN3 2 1 . B-QS!
This powerful move not only prevents Black from playing . . . R
Q7, it also prepares the coming exchange sacrifice.
2 1 . . . . Q-Q3 22. R-Q I QxRP
Edward remarks that if Marshall had suspected what was coming,
he would have played 22 . . . . Q-K2 , when White keeps a strong
initiative by 23. Q-N3 R/2-Q2 24. R-KB4 .
23. RxN!! RxB
The problem with 23 . . . . PxR is 24. BxPch KxB 25. Q-B4ch.
24. RJQ i xR
324
24. . . . Q-R8ch
If Black plays 24 . . . . RxR, Edward intended to continue 25. Q:x:P
Q-R8ch 26. K-N2 R-B8 27. R-Q8ch K-N2 28. Q-N8 R-N8ch 29. K-R3
Q-KB8ch 30. K-R4 Q-B5ch 3 1 . P-B4 Q-B4 32. P-N4 P-B3 33. R
QB8 ! R-QN8 34. R-B7ch K-R3 35. Q-B8ch ! ! QxQ 36. P-N5ch PxPch
37. PxP, mate. Beautiful, but as Edward wrote in his memoirs,
"Such things never actually happen in a game."
25. K-N2 RxR 26. R-Q8ch K-N2 27. Q-N4!!
This kind of quiet killer is called a coup de repos and threatens
28. Q-B8ch. It is the main point of Lasker's combination.
27. . . . Q-B6 28. Q-B8ch K-B3 29. R-Q6ch! K-N4 30. P-R4ch K-R4 3 1 . R
QSch, Black resigns
The end comes after 3 1 . . . . P-B4 32. RxPch ! PxR 33 . QxPch K
R3 34. Q-N5, mate.
After moving to Florida in 1970, I saw less and less of Edward .
On occasional visits to New York, I would run up to 5 Riverside
Drive at 72nd Street and keep him posted on chess news about his
many friends abroad. I still possess a critical note from him after
one of these brief get-togethers. It reads: "You call that a visit? Next
time you get to NY you better plan on spending some real time with
me." It was the last note that I ever got from him.
He died a few weeks later on March 23, 1981.
Selected Games
Chapter XXIX
325
Q-N3 2 1 . B-B3 R-Q I ? (Throughout this game, Black plays like a blind man,
consistently overlooking White's attacking pyrotechnics; better is 2 1 . . . . P-B4)
22. RxN! BxR 23. N-B4 Q-R3 24. BxN 0-0 2S. N-KS! R-Q7 26. B-Q3 Q-RS
27. N-B4 RxB 28. QxR Q-N4 29. R-B3 Q-R3 30. P-QN3 P-QN4 3 1 . N-K3
Q-N2 32. R-R3 B-K2 33. B-N2?! (The quickest way to win is by N-N4, but
White has a highly artistic conclusion in mind and gambles that Black will
continue to cooperate) 33 . . . . Q-B2? (Black could have held on for quite a
while with 33 . . . . P-B3) 34. RxP!! KxR 3S. N-QS!! Q-Q I 36. Q-R3ch B-RS 37.
B-B6!, Black resigns A chess bagatelle.
*In Chess for Fun & Chess for Blood, Lasker gives the name of his adversary as
"H. Holbrook," though one suspects that the opponent in this slaughter was
actually the well-known Chicago master, Herman Hahlbohm.
JOHN WINTER-EDWARD LASKER (Western Open, 1 9 1 6): I . P-Q4 P-Q4
2. P-QB4 P-K3 3. N-QB3 P-QB4 4. P-K3 N-QB3 S. N-B3 N-B3 6. P-QR3 P
QR3 7. PxBP?! BxP 8. P-QN4 B-Q3 9. B-N2 0-0 I 0. B-Q3 (A more
promising move is probably I 0. PxP) I 0. . . . PxP I I . BxP P-QN4 1 2. B-Q3 N
K4 1 3. NxN (White ought to have played 1 3. B-K2) I 3. . . . BxN 1 4. 0-0 B-N2
I S. Q-K2 Q-K2 1 6. P-B4 B-B2 1 7. P-K4 B-N3ch 1 8. K-R I KR-Q I 1 9. P-KS N
NS! (The position that has been reached is a first-rate curiosity: It is identical to
the famous game, Rotlewi-Rubinstein [Lodz, 1 908], except that Black had his
Queen Rook on QB I ; that game, which was a move further along, continued
with 2 1 . B-K4 Q-RS 22. P-N3 RxN!!! 23. PxQ R-Q7!!! 24. QxR BxBch 2S. Q
N2 R-R6!!, White resigns) 20. QxN RxB 2 1 . QR-Q I QR-Q I 22. P-BS?
(Loses a piece, though White could hardly expect to avoid defeat in any
event) 22. . . . PxP 23. QxP R-Q7 24. RxR RxR 2S. N-K4 RxB 26. N-B6ch
QxN, White resigns This game is memorable only because of the coincidence
of positions with Rotlewi-Rubinstein.
EDWARD LASKER-ABRAHAM KUPCHI K (Lake Hopatcong, 1 923): I . P-Q4
N-KB3 2. N-KB3 P-B3 3. QN-Q2 P-Q4 4. P-B4 P-K3 S. P-K3 QN-Q2 6.
B-Q3 B-Q3 7. P-K4 P-K4 8. KPxP BPxP 9. PxQP NxP 1 0. 0-0 PxP I I . N-B4
B-K2 1 2. NxP N-B4 1 3. N-BS BxN 1 4. BxB 0-0 I S. Q-B3 P-QN4 1 6. R-Q I
PxN 1 7. RxN Q-K I 1 8. B-K3 N-K3 1 9. R-K I B-NS 20. R/ 1 -Q I P-N3 2 1 . B
R6 N-N2 22. B-Q7 Q-K2 23. P-QR3 B-B4 24. Q-B3 N-K3 2S. RxB!, Black
resigns
EDWARD LASKER-RICHARD RETI (New York, 1 924): I . P-K4 P-K4 2.
N-KB3 N-QB3 3. B-NS P-QR3 4. B-R4 N-B3 S. 0-0 B-K2 6. R-K I P-QN4 7.
B-N3 P-Q3 8. P-B3 0-0 9. P-KR3 N-QR4 I 0. B-B2 P-B4 I I . P-Q4 Q-B2 1 2.
QN-Q2 N-Q2 1 3. P-QS P-B4? (Wrote Siegbert Tarrasch in the Breslauer
Zeitung, "A grave strategic error. One must always threaten . . . P-B4 but play
. . . P-B3. Now all the lines are opened for White.") 1 4. PxP N-N3 I S. N-K4
BxP 1 6. N/4-NS! Q-Q2 1 7. P-KN4! BxB 1 8. QxB P-N3 1 9. Q-K4! BxN 20.
NxB Q-QN2 2 1 . P-KB4!! (Once more, Dr. Tarrasch: "Again well played!
White does not defend his pawn but counterattacks Black's center pawns.")
2 1 . . . . QxP 22. PxP QR-K I 23. QxQch NxQ 24. P-K6 R-B3 2S. R-Q I N-B2
326
26. RxP P-R3?! (Aiekhine terms this move an "oversight" and recommends 26 .
. . . R-K2, claiming that Black could still offer "stubborn resistance") 27. N-K4
R/3xP 28. N-B6ch! RxN 29. RxR K-N2 30. R-Q6 R-K2 3 1 . P-N3! P-BS 32. B
R3 PxP 33. PxP NxP 34. R-N I N-R4 3S. RxRP NxR 36. BxR, Black resigns For
once, Lasker plays a game faultlessly straight through, defeating in the process
an immortal of chess.
CARLOS TORRE-EDWARD LASKER (Chicago, 1 926): I . N-KB3 P-Q4 2. P
B4 PxP 3. N-R3 P-K4 4. NxKP BxN S. Q-R4ch P-N4 6. QxB B-N2 7. P
QN 3?! (The game, Tartakower-Spielmann (Moscow, 1 92S), continued with 7.
P-K3 Q-Q3 8. QxQ PxQ 9. N-B3 N-QB3?! I 0. P-QN3 P-Q4 I I . PxP QPxP
1 2. P-QR4!, when White stands better, Lasker intended to vary with 9 . . . . N
Q2, followed by a timely . . . N-N3) 7. . . . Q-Q3 8. B-N2?! P-KB3?! (The text
is certainly okay, though Black can win a piece after 8 . . . . P-B6! 9. PxP QxN I 0.
P-QB4 Q-K2!) 9. QxQ PxQ 1 0. N-B3 PxP I I . N-Q4 P-QR3 1 2. PxP K-Q2
1 3. N-BS P-N3 1 4. N-K3 K-K3 I S. R-B I N-B3?! (The most accurate move i s
I S . . . . N-Q2, with the idea of continuing to bottle u p White's King Bishop)
1 6. P-N3 KN-K2 1 7. B-R3ch K-B2 1 8. 0-0 P-KR4 1 9. R-B2 KR-Q I 20. KR-B I
P-Q4 2 1 . R-BS P-QS 22. N-N2 B-B I ! 23. BxB QRxB 24. N-B4 N-R4 2S. R
B7! NxP 26. B-R3 NxR 27. RxNch K-N I 28. NxNP R-K I ! 29. RxRch RxR 30.
BxN P-Q6! 3 1 . P-K3 P-NS 32. N-B4 R-Q I 33. B-N2 P-R4 34. BxP R-Q2 3S.
P-K4 P-QRS 36. N-QS R-QN2 37. P-B3 P-R6 38. NxP RxN 39. K-B2 K-B2
40. B-R8 R-N I 4 1 . B-Q4 P-R7 42. K-K3 K-N3 43. P-R4 R-N8 44. KxP R-N8!
(The most accurate move; White has drawing chances after 44. . . . P-R8=Q
4S. BxQ RxB 46. K-K3) 4S. K-K3 RxP 46. K-B4 R-R6 47. K-KS RxBP 48. K-K6
R-Q6, White resigns Lasker outlasts a great master in hand-to-hand combat.
EDWARD LASKER-LOUIS ISAACS (Bradley Beach, 1 928): I . P-K4 P-K4 2.
N-KB3 N-QB3 3. B-NS P-QR3 4. B-R4 N-B3 S. 0-0 B-K2 6. R-K I P-QN4 7.
B-N3 P-Q3 8. P-B3 N-QR4 9. B-B2 P-B4 I 0. P-Q4 Q-B2 I I . P-KR3 0-0 1 2.
QN-Q2 N-B3 I 3. P-QS N-Q I 1 4. N-B I N-K I I S. P-KN4 P-N3 1 6. N-N3 N
KN2 1 7. B-R6 P-B3 1 8. K-R2 N-B2 1 9. B-K3 N-R I 20. R-KN I B-Q2 2 1 . Q
K2 R-B2 22. R-N2 QR-KB I 23. QR-KN I Q-B I 24. N-R4! P-B4 2S. N/4xBP!
PxN 26. N PxP N-N3 27. B-R6 N-RS 28. N-RS NxR 29. RxN BxP 30. PxB
RxP 3 I . BxR RxB 32. Q-N4, Black resigns
ANTHONY SANTASIERE-EDWARD LASKER (New York. 1 93 1 ) : I . N-KB3
N-KB3 2. P-Q4 P-K3 3. P-KN3 P-B4 4. P-B4 PxP S. NxP B-NSch 6. N-Q2
Q-N3 7. N-B3 N-KS 8. P-K3 BxNch 9. NxB NxN I 0. BxN Q-B3 I I . R-KN I
P-QR4 1 2. B-N2 Q-B2 I 3. B-QB3 0-0 1 4. Q-Q4 P-B3 I S. 0-0-0 N-R3 1 6.
P-KN4 N-NS 1 7. K-N I P-Q4! 1 8. PxP P-K4! (Black blunts White's Bishops
and soon launches an assault on the enemy King) 1 9. Q-K4 Q-Q3 20. P-QR3
N-R3 2 1 . BxRP (Supping on a poisoned pawn; a better chance is 2 1 . P-B4) 2 1 .
. . . P-B4! 22. Q-B2 PxP 23. B-K4 P-KN3 24. P-R3 B-Q2! 2S. PxP KR-B I 26.
Q-K2 R-B4 27. B-Q2 R-N4! 28. B-Q3 R-N6 29. B-B4 QxRP! 30. BxR QxB
3 1 . B-B3 N-B4 32. Q-B3 B-RS! 33. R-Q2 Q-R7ch!!, White resigns
Chapter XXIX
327
B. WEI NSTEI N-EDWARD LASKER (Empire C.C. vs. Marshall C.C. Metro
politan League Match, 1 942): I . P-K4 P-K4 2. N-KB3 N-QB3 3. B-NS P-QR3
4. B-R4 N-B3 S. 0-0 B-K2 6. R-K I P-QN4 7. B-N3 0-0 8. P-KR3 B-N2 9. P-B3
(This move permits Black to play the Marshall Gambit with a move-8. . . . B
N2-in hand; much better is 9. P-Q3, followed by P-B3) 9 . . . . P-Q4 I 0. PxP
NxP I I . NxP NxN 1 2. RxN N-BS 1 3. R-K3 NxP 1 4. R-N3 N-RS I S. Q-N4
P-N3 1 6. P-Q4 B-Q3 1 7. B-NS?! BxR!! 1 8. BxQ (White cannot decline the
sacrifice because of 1 8. PxB QxB! 1 9. QxQ N-B6ch) 1 8. . . . N-B6ch 1 9. K-N2
N-R7ch 20. KxB NxQ 2 1 . B-NS?! (A more stubbom move is 2 1 . BxP) 21 . . . .
P-R3 22. B-Q2 N-B3 23. BxP KR-K I 24. N-Q2 R-K7! 2S. B-K3 RxN!, White
resigns A snappy little performance in which Lasker demonstrated his re
nowned scent for the initiative.
EDWARD LASKER-PAUL MICHEL (Vienna, 1 9S I ): I . P-Q4 P-Q4 2. P-QB4
P-K3 3. N-QB3 P-QB4 4. BPxP KPxP S. N-B3 N-QB3 6. P-KN3 N-B3 7. B
N2 B-K2 8. 0-0 B-K3 9. PxP BxP I 0. B-NS P-QS I I . BxN QxB 1 2. N-K4 Q
K2 1 3. NxB QxN 1 4. R-B I Q-N3 I S. N-NS! BxP? (Black needs to play I S . . . .
0-0) I 6. RxN! (Lasker possessed a delicate touch for the initiative-indeed, as
already noted, too delicate, for he often squandered the fruits of his genial play
by subsequent blunders; in this instance, Lasker also had the help of years of
self-reproach and analysis, for he had earlier lost a famous game on the Black
side of this line [playing I S. . . . B-B4] to Frank Marshall in their U.S.
Championship match of 1 923!) 1 6. . . . PxR 1 7. Q-R4 B-N6 1 8. QxPch K-K2!
1 9. Q-K4ch B-K3 20. Q-R4! QR-Q I 2 1 . NxBdis.ch. KxN 22. R-B I ! R-Q3 23.
B-R3ch P-B4 24. Q-K4ch K-B2 2S. QxPch R-B3 26. Q-Q7ch K-N3 27. R-B7!?
(A quick winning line is 27. B-BSch K-R3 28. P-KN4! QxP 29. R-B7 R-KN I 30.
P-R4!) 27. . . . R-KN I 28. Q-N4ch (Lasker later criticized himself for spending
30 minutes on this forced move. "Young reader," he wrote, "when you are
6S, my age at the time I played this game, think of the horrible things you wil l
now witness and avoid a similar fate by husbanding your energy") 28. . . . K-R3
29. P-B4 P-Q6dis.ch. 30. K-R I ?? (Lasker claims a White win with 30. K-N2, and
it appears to me that he is right, e.g. 30. . . . P-N4 3 1 . Q-Q7! QxR 32. PxPch
RxP 33. QxQ) 30. . . . Q-R4 3 1 . R-B I P-Q7 32. R-Q I R-Q I 33. Q-B3 Q-Q4
34. P-K4 Q-Q6 3S. QxQ RxQ 36. B-B I R-QS 37. P-N3 P-R4 38. B-B4 P-RS
39. K-N2 R-QN3, White resigns Lasker wrote about this game in an article
ironically titled "The Most Beautiful Game I Ever Lost" (Chess Life, May 1 96 1 ).
MAX BLAU-EDWARD LASKER (Hastings, 1 9S3): I . P-K4 P-K4 2. N-KB3 N
QB3 3. N-B3 N-B3 4. B-NS N-QS S. B-R4 B-B4 6. NxP 0-0 7. N-Q3 B-N3
8. N-B4 P-Q4 9. N/4xP NxKP I 0. NxB RPxN I I . NxN RxB 1 2. 0-0 P-KB4
1 3. N-B3 R-R4 1 4. P-B4 R-K I ! I S. P-Q3 P-QN4! 1 6. R-B2 R-R3! 1 7. B-Q2
R/3-K3 1 8. P-QR3 Q-RS 1 9. R-QB I B-Q2 20. Q-B I B-B3 2 1 . R-K I RxR 22.
BxR Q-NS 23. B-Q2 R-K3 24. P-R3 Q-N6 2S. B-B I N-B6ch! 26. RxN BxR
27. B-Q2 B-B3 28. Q-B2 R-N3! 29. QxQ RxQ 30. K-B2 RxPch 3 1 . K-K3 R
N6ch 32. K-Q4 RxP 33. N-K2 R-R7 34. K-K3 P-R4 3S. B-K I P-RS 36. P-B4
PxP 37. PxP P-R6, White resigns. Lasker played chess for the love of it, and his
games were usually filled with adventure.
Chapter XXX
Lelms, "
fi Perfect Gentleman
'' 7\/f.
l ?J1 r.
T-l.
J
I was 15, the year was 1929, and Herbert Hoover had just moved
into the White House-thanks in part to the popular Republican
slogan, "Two chickens in every pot, and a car in every garage. "
America was booming. But lurking around the corner was the worst
economic depression since Napoleonic times. If you think that in
flation is bad, try deflation. Try functioning in an economy where
the price of wheat dropped from six dollars a bushel in 1929 to six
cents in 1932.
Blissfully unaware of the blade balanced above our individual
fates, we young innocents were playing chess in a tournament to
determine the best high school team in New York City. It was then
and there that I first saw a tall, pencil thin, balding gentleman with
watery blue eyes. He wore a baggy suit and bow tie and stomped
from table to table in old-fashioned lace-up boots collecting
scoresheets.
I had just laid eyes on Hermann Helms, the leading chess
journalist in the United States . But to a young person, he looked so
old and frail that when he leaned over my table to ask for the
scoresheet, I feared he might topple over.
Hermann was on the scene because it was the final round of the
tournament, and given his interest in young players, he wanted to
gather material for his weekly columns in the New York Times and
Brooklyn Daily Eagle. For the latter newspaper, he wrote on chess
from 1893 until it folded in 1955.
Born in 1870, Hermann was by 1929 the de facto Dean of
American Chess, though it was not until 1943 that George Sturgis,
the first president of the U.S. Chess Federation, formally bestowed
the title on him. The Dean is, of course, an honorary member of all
American chess clubs, and never was an honor more richly deserved
than in Hermann's case.
328
Chapter XXX
329
"Mr. Helms," as he was respectfully and affectionately addressed
even by friends of decades standing, was quite simply the most im
portant journalist in American chess history. Until his retirement in
1962 from the New York Times, he reported foreign and domestic
chess news at this flagship newspaper for over SO years. He also
wrote columns in the New York World for 1S years, and in the New
York Post and New York World and Telegram for 10 years each. In
1904, he founded the American Chess Bulletin, "a magazine de
voted to the interests of all branches of the Royal Game, home and
abroad," that served as this country's sole chess journal of record
until AI Horowitz founded Chess Review in 1933 . "Mr. Helms"
published and edited the ACB until his death in 1963 at age 93 .
As an organizer, Hermann's most visible legacy remains his work
at the great New York International of 1924, which resulted in
Alexander Alekhine's classic book on that tournament. Those of
you who own a copy can still read Hermann's name on the title
page along with that of Alekhine. But Hermann took greatest pride
in his work as the chess impresario who organized simultaneous
exhibition tours for Alekhine, Jose Capablanca, Emanuel Lasker,
Geza Maroczy and Frank Marshall. His was the intelligence behind
the two most impressive simuls that I have ever witnessed, the
exhibitions by Capablanca and Alekhine in, respectively, 1931 and
1932 at the old Seventh Regiment Armory in New York City. Each
of these chess supermen played 200 opponents, divided into S O
four-man teams. And what teams they had to face ! I played i n the
Alekhine exhibition (for the game, see Chapter XIV) and recall
seeing the profiles of virtually every top young New York master
along the line of the Great Russian's advance.
Married on March 30, 1898, to May Whitney of the Long Island
Whitneys, Hermann could neither support his patrician wife's accus
tomed style nor bring himself to use her money to support his chess
style. And so, with May encamping at the swanky Hotel Winder
mere on Manhattan's upper West Side, the two often lived apart,
though remaining happily married. May was a member of the
Whitney family's celebrated Mozart Sextet and a composer of note ,
writing such standards as the "March of Freedom" and the "Yankee
March." Hermann and May dedicated the latter piece to their only
child, Thelma, who in her brief life positively glowed with the
Helms ethic of service. A Red Cross nurse, she died at age 40 of a
heart attack from overwork. I can tell you that May was heart
broken and followed some two years later on July S, 1943 .
Master of the Attack
In his day, Hermann played many a brilliant game. Before retiring
from tournament competition in favor of chess journalism and
330
organizing, he drew or defeated such greats as Harry Pillsbury and
repeatedly-Frank Marshall. Now, don't look for circumspect
defensive maneuvers in Hermann's chess because circumspection
was not part of his game. The courtly "Mr. Helms," like so many of
his generation, believed in current sacrifices for future gain, the
chessic equivalent of deferred gratification.
Frank Marshall-Hermann Helms
Brooklyn C.C. Championship, 1 897
Ponziani Opening
I . P-K4 P-K4 2. N-KB3 N-QB3 3. P-B3 P-Q4 4. Q-R4 P-B3 S. B-NS N-K2 6.
0-0 P-QR3 7. PxP PxB 8. QxR NxP 9. P-QN4 B-Q3 I 0. Q-R3 0-0
Both Marshall and Helms were members of the red meat school
of chess. For the record, Hermann continued to take games off the
maestro until as late as 1925, when he scored the full point in a
Brooklyn vs. Marshall club match in the old Metropolitan Chess
League.
I I . P-Q3 P-R3 1 2. B-K3 P-QN3 1 3. Q-N3 B-K3 1 4. N-R3 Q-K I I S. Q-B2
N/3-K2 1 6. P-Q4 B-KB4 1 7. Q-N3 P-KS 1 8. N-R4 B-K3 1 9. P-N3 P-KB4 20.
Q-B2 P-N4 2 1 . N-N2 P-BS 22. B-Q2 P-B6 23. QxP B-R6 24. N-K3 N-BS!!
2S. PxN RxP 26. N-QS RxQ 27. N-B6ch K-B2 28. NxQ KxN 29. NxP R
NSch 30. K-R I B-N7ch 3 1 . K-N I BxPch 32. KxB R-RSch 33. K-N3 N-84,
mate
Although born in Brooklyn, Hermann spent his early childhood
in Hamburg, Germany, and Halifax, Nova Scotia, where a school
mate taught him chess. At age 17, he returned to the United States
and settled in Brooklyn. He first caught the attention of the chess
world by playing with Harry Pillsbury, soon to become the Hero of
Hastings, on a Brooklyn Chess Club team that captured the Metro
politan Chess League title of 1894-95. Later, he competed in five
cable matches against England and twice won the New York State
Championship. Hermann's evergreen game is emblematic of his
style:
James F. Smyth-Hermann Helms
New York. I 9 I 5
Dutch Defense
I . P-Q4 P-KB4
As White, Hermann loved to play the Vienna; and as Black in
Queen Pawn openings, he counterattacked from move one with the
Dutch. Three generations have known Hermann's opponent in this
famous game as simply "Smyth." For the record, James F. Smyth, a
transplanted Englishman, was a certified public accountant. On the
afternoon of May 28, 1915, at the Manhattan Chess Club, he chal-
Chapter XXX
331
lenged Hermann to a practice game, and the reader is now playing
over the result.
2. N-K83 N-K83 3. P-84 P-K3 4. N-83 P-QN3 5. P-K3 8-N2 6. 8-Q3 8-Q3
Black already aims his pieces at White's Kingside.
7. P-QR3 P-QR4 8. 0-0 0-0 9. Q-82 N-83 I 0. P-K4?!
This thematic break is out of place here. Al Horowitz's idea of
10. N-QNS, attacking Black's King Bishop, is much better.
I 0. . . . PxP I I . NxP NxN I 2. 8xN NxP! I 3. 8xPch
Grandmaster Arthur Bisguier suggests as preferable, 13. NxN
BxPch (if 13 . . . . Q-RS, White has 14. P-B4) 14. KxB Q-RSch 15. K
N1 BxB 16. Q-K2 BxP 17. KxB QxN, though Black gets three pawns
and a strong attack for the Knight.
1 3 . . . . K-R I 1 4. NxN Q-RS 1 5. P-KN3 QxN 1 6. 8-Q3 R-86 1 7. 8-K3 Q-K4
1 8. QR-K I QR-K8 I 1 9. 8xP
This game has been described as a "preachment on foraging,"
which means that White cut his own throat by thoughtlessly grab
bing pawns. But a closer examination reveals that White is lost in
this position and that the pawn grab is not much worse than passive
defense.
1 9 . . . . Q-R4 20. 8-K3 Q-R6 2 1 . 8-K4
Has White repulsed the attack?
2 1 . . . . R/ 1 -84!
The threat is 22 . . . . R-R4 and 23 . . . . QxRP, mate.
22. 8xR/4
Tony Santasiere--chess master, painter and so much more-did a
lovely oil of this position.
332
By 1929, Hermann was more or less retired from serious chess,
except on those rare occasions when Carrie Marshall, Frank's lady,
browbeat him into playing for the Marshall club in key Metropolitan
Chess League matches. Still, he never lost any of his love for the
game and turned out religiously every Friday night for the Marshall
speed tournaments.
I can still picture Hermann playing in those rapids which he en
joyed so much. He remained painfully strong even into his late 80s
and scored many a victory over some of our best young speedsters.
As he quietly shifted the pieces back and forth, his long bony fingers
reminded me of a spider creeping across its web. His voice, too, was
remarkable. It came up from the stomach with a deep, guttural tone
that resonated across the room whenever he announced a check.
Always a sportsman, indeed a crack cricketer in his youth ,
Hermann never played on when his position called for resignation.
On one occasion, when a young upstart continued pushing wood in
a hopeless position, Hermann let out the "harrumph" of a miffed
walrus and said, "I believe that my health will hold up at least until
the end of this game ! "
Un Parfait Gentilhomme
In a phrase, Hermann Helms was a perfect gentleman. He may be
the kindest and most considerate human being whom I ever met.
He believed in and, what is infinitely more important, practiced the
old-time virtues of hard work and honor, frugality and forth
rightness. No man was ever more decent or had a sweeter smile.
This pillar of the Strong Place Baptist Church in Brooklyn repre
sented the radiant side of the Protestant spirit just as surely as L.
Walter Stephens, the chess organizer and an ordained Presybterian
clergyman, represented its dark side of hypocrisy and pinched
joylessness. George Orwell ought to have been thinking about
Hermann instead of someone else when he wrote, "The fact t o
which we have got to cling, as to a life-belt, i s that i t i s possible t o
be a normal decent person and yet to be fully alive. "
You could literally see Hermann's image smiling u p a t you from
every warm and cozy page of his American Chess Bulletin. In the
issue of May 1912, he broached the touchy subject of freeloading by
non-paying "subscribers." In "An Appeal, But Not a Squeal," he
proposed "to deal good-naturedly with delinquents. Some, possibly,
may deserve expulsion, but expelled people are very apt to nurse
grievances, let alone grouches. Our patience is inexhaustible; still,
we would appreciate a statement of intention on their part."
Whereupon, after noting that subscribers were 352 years and 1 1
months in arrears, Hermann reproduced the following paragraph
Chapter XXX
333
written by a newspaper editor in North Dakota:
A certain fastidious woman in this town kneads bread with
her gloves on. That's nothing. The editor of this paper needs
bread with his shoes on. He needs it with his shirt on. And if
subscribers of this paper don't pony up mighty soon, he'll
need it without a d-mn thing on-and North Dakota is no
Garden of Eden in the winter.
In spite of poverty, Hermann was somehow both secure and con
tented. He loved his work because he thoroughly enjoyed every
aspect of chess and, yes, respected its people. Unlike other players
of his strength, he always found time to analyze with us Young
Turks. Many was the time that we sat up past midnight solving
minis and playing "pots . " On one occasion, when I was acting as
teller, he and a young Isaac Kashdan played Kriegspiel until 4 a.m.
Hermann's office at 150 Nassau Street, whence emanated the
American Chess Bulletin, was tiny and cluttered from floor to
ceiling. With the help of Miss Catherine Sullivan, a rather ample
motherly type who took him to task for staying out too late at
night, he somehow produced his magazine as well as chess columns
for several newspapers. In spite of Miss Sullivan's devoted and
poorly paid labor as secretary-assistant for over 3 5 years, Hermann
lost money on the Bulletin. Yet he carried on cheerfully even when
conditions went from bad to worse during the 1930s.
The sheer decency of "Mr. Helms" was probably the quality that
most endeared him to everyone. During the worst days of the Great
Depression, when he was surviving on soup and mush (in part be
cause he had lost most of his teeth), he never complained and
always managed to help out struggling players. But not, mind you,
with handouts. He was too understanding of human nature to offer
charity and would instead ask indigent masters to report on chess
events that he could have easily covered himself. What's more, "Mr.
Helms" helped out everyone equally and at great personal sacrifice.
If he had been rich, such largesse would have been appreciated; but
coming from someone in whose shiny old trousers you could clearly
make out your reflection-well, such generosity gave a deeper
meaning to the much-abused word, "compassion."
In my mind, Hermann Helms will always be the Grand Old Man
of American Chess. He had all the right instincts and represented all
the right values. He never complained of his own lot, and if he left
behind no material wealth, he bequeathed his contemporaries a
treasury of good will and future generations-in the form of his
American Chess Bulletin-a 60-volume legacy of classic chess
writing and publishing that will never pall.
334
But let Hermann speak for himself. Here is a letter that he wrote
to the mother of a small boy who needed some playmates. Note the
lucid prose and the infinite sweetness of his old-world courtesy.
January 1 3 ,
Mrs .
1951
F i s cher
R.
1 0 5 9 Union S t . ,
Brooklyn ,
N.
Y.
Dear Madam :
Your p o s t c ard o f Nov .
Eag l e o f f i c e ,
has
j us t
1 4 th ,
mi s l aid i n The
reached me .
I f you can bring your
l i t t l e che s s -p l aying
boy to
the Brooklyn Pub l i c Library ,
Plaza ,
next Wednes day evening at
he might
I f he
f ind s omeone
shoul d care
against Mr .
of
Pavey ,
there
to
to p l ay .
about h i s
own age .
take a board and p l ay
who
is
s imu l t aneous p l ay at
bring a l ong h i s
Grand Army
e i ght o ' c l ock ,
own s e t
The boards ,
to
that
of
give
an exhibi t i on
t ime ,
j u s t have him
ches smen wi th whi ch
I unders tand ,
are
to be
provided .
I wi l l a l s o bring your reque s t
tent i on o f Mr .
Henry Spinner ,
Brooklyn Chess
C l ub ,
the a t
whi ch mee t s Tue s day ,
and Saturday evenings
on the
Brooklyn Academy o f Mus i c .
that Mr .
to
s ecretary o f
the
Friday
third f l oor o f
It
is
the
qu i t e p o s s ible
Spinner may know a boy or two o f
that
age .
Yours
H.
respe c t fu l l y ,
He lms
Che s s
Edi tor .
Always "respectfully. " That was "Mr. Helms," a perfect gentle
man.
Chapter XXX
335
Selected Games
Hermann Helms: Circumspection Was not His Game
HERMANN HELMS-FRANK MARSHALL (New York State Championship,
1 906): I . P-K4 P-K3 2. P-Q4 P-Q4 3. PxP PxP 4. N-KB3 B-NS 5. B-K2 B-Q3
6. 0-0 N-KB3 7. B-NS P-KR3 8. B-R4 N-B3 9. R-K I 0-0 I 0. N-B3 P-KN4 I I .
B-N 3 BxB 1 2. RPxB N-KS 1 3. N-KS BxB 1 4. NxB NxN I S. PxN P-QB3 1 6.
Q-Q4 Q-N 3 1 7. QxQ PxQ 1 8. P-KB3 N-B4 1 9. N-Q4 N-K3 20. N-BS K-R2
2 1 . K-B2 N-N2 22. N-Q6 N-K I 23. NxNP R-QN I 24. N-Q6 NxN 25. PxN
QR-Q I 26. R-K7 RxP 27. QR-K I K-N3 28. R-N7 P-QB4 29. R-K3? (White
can keep an initiative with 29. RI I -K7) 29 . . . . R-QR I 30. R-N3 R-R3 3 1 . P-N4
P-QS 32. P-R3 P-B4 33. PxPch KxP 34. R-K7 R-RS 35. P-N4ch K-B3 36. R-K4
R-R2 37. R-Q3 R-K2 38. RxR KxR 39. P-R4 K-K3 40. P-N3 K-Q4 4 1 . R-Q I P
BS 42. P-N4 P-B6 43. R-QR I K-BS 44. P-RS KxP? (Black misses 44. . . . PxP
45. PxP P-Q6 46. PxPch K-N6 47. P-R6 P-B7 48. P-R7 R-Q I and wins) 45. P
R6 R-Q I 46. P-R7 R-QR I ? (Black could still win with 46 . . . . P-Q6 47. PxP R
QR I ) 47. K-K2 K-B4 48. R-R2 P-N4 49. R-R6 P-NS 50. K-Q3 K-N4 5 1 . R-R I ,
draw Helms was always tough on the immortal Frank Marshall.
JOSE CAPABLANCA-HERMANN H ELMS (Columbia University vs. Brooklyn
C.C. Team Match, November 24, 1 906): I . P-K4 P-K4 2. N-KB3 N-QB3 3.
B-NS P-QR3 4. B-R4 N-B3 5. 0-0 P-Q3 6. R-K I B-K2 7. P-B3 0-0 8. P-Q4
N-Q2 9. QN-Q2 P-KN3 1 0. N-B I B-B3 I I . B-R6 B-N2 1 2. Q-Q2 R-K I 1 3.
N-N3? P-QN4 1 4. B-N3 N-R4 I S. BxB KxB 1 6. P-KR4 R-QN I ! 1 7. P-RS
P-QB4 1 8. B-QS N-N3 1 9. BxP? KxB 20. Q-R6 K-N I 2 1 . PxNP R-N2! 22. N
RS R-K3! 23. PxBP RxP 24. Q-Q2 N/3-BS 25. Q-K2 B-NS 26. N-N3 PxP 27.
QR-Q I Q-KB I 28. P-N3 N-N3 29. Q-K3 BxN 30. PxB N-B3 3 1 . K-B I
N-Q2 32. K-K2 N-K2?! 33. R-KR I P-QR4 34. R-RS P-RS 35. R/ 1 -KR I R-N2
36. R-R6 Q-BS 37. QxQ PxQ 38. N-RS R-KB2 39. R-R6 PxP 40. PxP N-KN3
4 1 . R-Q I K-B I 42. R-R8ch K-K2 43. R-KN8 P-NS 44. P-B4 N/2-K4 45. N-N7
K-B3? 46. N-K8ch K-K2 47. N-Q6 R-R2 48. R-K8ch K-B3 49. NxR R-R7ch 50.
R-Q2 RxRch 5 1 . KxR NxKBPch 52. K-Q I KxN 53. R-B8 P-R4 54. RxP N/3K4 55. K-K2 P-RS 56. K-B I P-R6 57. R-QS K-N3, draw In the final position,
Black still has winning chances.
HERMANN HELMS-OTIO ROETHING (Occasion and date unknown): I . P
K4 P-K4 2. N-KB3 N-QB3 3. B-NS N-B3 4. 0-0 NxP 5. P-Q4 B-K2 6. Q-K2
N-Q3 7. BxN QPxB 8. PxP N-B4 9. R-Q I B-Q2 I 0. P-K6! PxP I I . N-KS B
Q3 1 2. Q-RSch P-N3 1 3. NxNP N-N2 1 4. Q-R6 N-B4 I S. Q-R3 Q-B3 1 6.
NxR 0-0-0 1 7. N-B3 R-N I 1 8. N-K4 QxN 1 9. P-QB4 P-K4 20. P-BS N-N6
2 1 . QxBch! KxQ 22. RPxN R-N3 23. PxB PxP 24. P-B4 PxP 25. BxP P-Q4 26.
N-BSch K-B I 27. P-QN4 P-N3 28. N-N3 Q-N I 29. QR-B I P-KR4 30. N-Q4
K-N2 3 I . P-R4 Q-KB I 32. P-NS P-B4 33. N-B3 P-QS 34. R-K I R-KB3 35. R
KS R-B4 36. QR-K I RxR 37. NxR K-B I 38. N-B6 K-Q2 39. NxRP P-BS 40.
N-B6 P-Q6 4 1 . R-K7ch QxR 42. NxQ KxN 43. B-Q2, Black resigns "This
particular game is interesting, instructive and is conducted with a lively and
336
sparkling style-a monument, properly, to Mr. Helms the Chess Master"
Grandmaster William Lombardy.
HORACE BIGELOW-HERMANN HELMS (Marshall C.C. Lightning Tourna
ment, 1 924): I . P-K4 P-K4 2. P-KB4 PxP 3. N-KB3 P-Q4 4. PxP N-KB3 5.
P-B4 P-B3 6. PxP NxP 7. P-Q4 B-NS 8. BxP BxN 9. QxB NxP I 0. QxP N
B7ch I I . K-B2 Q-QSch 1 2. K-B3 B-B4 1 3. QxRch K-K2 1 4. Q-N7ch K-K3 I S.
Q-B6ch K-B4 1 6. P-N4ch K-N3 1 7. B-N3 QxPch 1 8. K-N2 N-KS, mate This
little-known brilliancy is here published for the first time beyond the corner of
a newspaper column.
FRANK MARSHALL-HERMANN HELMS (Marshall C.C. vs. Brooklyn C.C.
Metropolitan League Match, February 28, March 6, 1 925): I . P-Q4 P-Q4 2. N
KB3 N-KB3 3. P-B4 P-B3 4. PxP PxP 5. N-B3 P-K3 6. B-B4 B-Q3 7. BxB QxB
8. P-K3 N-B3 9. R-B I 0-0 I 0. B-NS B-Q2 I I . 0-0 QR-B I 1 2. Q-K2 P-QR3
I 3. BxN BxB 1 4. N-KS N-Q2 I S. NxN BxN 1 6. R-B2 R-B2 1 7. KR-B I KR-B I
1 8. P-KR3 P-B3 1 9. P-R3 B-K I ! 20. P-K4?! ("Not exactly opportune"-Helms)
20. . . . B-N3! 2 1 . Q-K3 P-N4 22. R-K I R-BS 23. R-Q2 PxP 24. NxKP BxN 25.
QxB P-K4 26. KR-Q I PxP 27. P-KN3?! Q-K4! 28. Q-Q3 R-K I 29. Q-N3 K
B I 30. Q-KB3 Q-KS 3 I . K-N2 P-B4 32. QxQ RxQ 33. P-N3 R-B6 34. P-B3
RIS-K6 35. RxP RxBP 36. R-QSch K-B2 37. R/8-Q7ch K-B3 38. RI I -Q6ch
K-K4 39. R-QSch K-KS 40. R-Q4ch K-K6 4 1 . R-Q2 P-BS 42. PxP KxP 4 3.
R/2-Q4ch K-K6 44. R-Q2 R-KB3 45. R-N2 R-N3ch 46. K-R2 R-Q6 47. R
K7ch K-QS 48. P-QR4 K-B6 49. R/7-K2 R-R3 50. PxP PxP 5 1 . RIN2-B2ch
(The lights went out, and Marshall sealed this move) 5 1 . . . . K-QS 52. R-KN2
R/6xPch 53. K-N I R-RSch 54. K-B2 R/3-R7 55. R-B7 P-N4 56. P-N4 RxRch
57. KxR R-NS 58. RxP RxP 59. R-KN7 R-BS 60. RxP P-NS 6 1 . K-B2 P-N6 62.
R-N3 R-NS 63. R-N I P-N7, White resigns By no means an elegant game but
indicative of Helms' chess strength.
H ERMANN H ELMS-ISAAC KASH DAN (New York State Championship,
1 936): I . N-KB3 P-Q4 2. P-Q4 N-KB3 3. P-B4 P-K3 4. N-B3 QN-Q2 5. B
NS P-B3 6. P-K3 Q-R4 7. BxN NxB 8. N-Q2 B-K2 9. B-Q3 0-0 I 0. P-QR3
Q-B2 I I . R-QB I R-Q I 1 2. PxP KPxP 1 3. P-R3 R-K I 1 4. Q-B3 Q-Q3 I S. 0-0
B-Q I 1 6. KR-Q I B-B2 1 7. N-B I B-Q2 1 8. B-BS BxB 1 9. QxB N-KS 20.
NxN RxN 2 1 . R-B3 P-KN3 22. Q-B3 P-KB4 23. P-KN3 R-KB I 24. P-KR4 R
K2 25. Q-N2 Q-B3 26. N-Q2 P-KR3, draw At age 66, Helms finished second
to Kashdan in the New York State Championship of 1 936. In the above game,
Black appears to stand better at the point where a draw was agreed.
H ERMANN HELMS-ERICH MARCHAND (New York State Championship,
1 938): I . P-Q4 P-Q4 2. N-KB3 N-KB3 3. P-B4 P-B3 4. N-B3 PxP 5. P-K3 P
QN4 6. P-QR4 P-NS 7. N-R2 P-K3 8. BxP QN-Q2 9. 0-0 B-N2 I 0. P-QN 3
B-K2 I I . B-N2 0-0 1 2. N- B I P-QR4 1 3. N-Q3 Q-N3 1 4. R-B I QR-B I I S.
Q-K2 N-KS 1 6. KN-KS KR-Q I 1 7. NxN RxN 1 8. N-KS R/2-Q I 1 9. NxKBP!
KxN 20. Q-N4 P-B4 2 1 . PxP BxP 22. QxNPch K-K I 23. Q-NSch B-B I 24. B
NSch K-K2 25. QxRPch K-Q3 26. KR-Q I ch B-Q4 27. QxN RxR 28. B-KSch
Chapter XXX
33 7
K-K2 29. Q-R7ch B-N2 30. QxB, mate In appearance, Helms was frail. Perhaps
a few of his younger opponents continued games until mate on the chance
that he might not make it.
AL HOROWITZ-HERMANN H ELMS (Manhattan C.C. Lightning Tourna
ment. 1 945): I . P-K4 P-K4 2. N-KB3 N-QB3 3. B-NS P-QR3 4. B-R4 N-B3 5.
P-Q4 P-QN4 6 . B-N3 PxP 7 . P-KS N-KNS 8. B-QS B-N2 9. 0-0 B-B4 I 0. P
KR3 P-KR4!? I I . B-NS Q-N I ! 1 2. PxN PxP 1 3. N-R4 NxP 1 4. BxB QxB I S.
R-K I P-KB3 1 6. N-N6 0-0-0 1 7. NxN PxB 1 8. N-B7 P-N6 1 9. NxQR P-Q6!
20. R-B I Q-KS! 2 1 . Q-B3 R-R8ch! 22. KxR Q-RSch 23. K-N I Q-R7, mate
"Our youngster at his sparkling best," wrote Anthony Santasiere of this game,
which was played a month before Helms' 75th birthday. Helms was legendary
for maintaining his strength in lightning chess until almost the end of his very
long life.
James F. Smyth: The Negative I mmortal
The winner of the following game is the long-suffering loser of the
famous Smyth-Helms brilliancy that every chess player admires at
least once. Helms, who had a great heart, never missed a chance t o
publish Smyth's wins by way of compensation.
Smyth must have sent the game below to Helms a week or so
after writing this letter (dated March 17, 1926) :
When I played against Dr. Lasker at the old Cosmopolitan
C.C. (New York City) long ago, a little incident occurred
which might interest you. Loeb and I had a board in consulta
tion against the Doctor and he played a Ruy Lopez. In reply
to B-NS, we played . . . N-QS, a move originated, I believe, b y
Bird and at that time being used a great deal b y Janowski in
Paris. Dr. Lasker smiled and said in German, 'That is after
Janowski. ' Several moves later, we played a move that was
away off the book. When the Doctor saw it he smiled again
very broadly and said, 'That is a long way after Janowski.' I
intend to remind him of that incident if I am able to be at the
Mechanics' Institute on the 22nd. If I win, I will be very
proud to send you the score, but do not anticipate any such
ending.
EMANUEL LASKER-JAMES F. SMYTH (Simultaneous Exhibition, San
Francisco, March 22, 1 926): I . P-K4 P-QB3 2. P-Q4 P-Q4 3. N-QB3 PxP 4.
NxP N-B3 5. N-QB3 B-B4 6. N-B3 P-K3 7. B-Q3 BxB 8. QxB B-K2 9. 0-0
0-0 I 0. B-Q2 P-B4 I I . QR-Q I PxP 1 2. NxP QN-Q2 1 3. KR-K I P-QR3 1 4.
B-B I Q-B2 I S. Q-B3 B-Q3 1 6. P-KN3 N-K4 1 7. Q-N2 N-N3 1 8. P-KR4
P-KR4 1 9. N-K4 NxN 20. QxN BxP! 2 1 . PxB QxPch 22. Q-N2 QxQch 23.
338
KxQ NxPch 24. K-R3 N-N3 25. P-B4 QR-B I 26. P-N3 KR-K I 27. N-B3 P-N4
28. N-Q2 KR-Q I 29. B-R3 R-Q6ch 30. K-R2 R/ 1 -Q I 3 1 . B-N4 PxP 32. PxP
R/ 1 -QS 33. R-QB I RxNch 34. BxR RxBch 35. K-N3 P-RSch 36. K-B3 K-B I
37. K-K3 R-Q3 38. P-BS R-B3 39. K-Q4 N-K2 40. R-QN I , adjudicated as a
win for Black.
Afterword
Jflbout the Jfluthors
by Grandmaster Lev Alburt
Three-time U.S. Chess Champion
The authors of this book are Grandmaster Arnold Denker, U.S.
chess champion from 1944 to 1946 and founder of the Arnold
Denker Tournament of High School Champions; and Larry Parr,
editor of Chess Life from 1984 to 1988 and Glasnost News &
Review from 1988 to 1991. Mr. Parr, who has received numerous
awards for his chess writing from the Chess Journalists of America,
currently works as a Russian analyst. This book, which is about the
many memorable chess men whom Grandmaster Denker has
known, is a fully equal collaboration between the two authors. It is
also one of the finest chess memoirs of its kind.
After defecting from the Soviet Union in 1979 and arriving some
time later in the United States, I came to know GM Denker. And I
want to assure readers of this book that the real-life Denker is the
same man who so lovingly records in these pages the foibles of his
Damon Runyon-like chess friends and himself. It seems as if Arnie is
always on the cutting edge of life, living every minute to the fullest.
No one seems to enjoy sitting at outdoor Parisian cafes or at Lee
Chumley's in New York more than he. No one relishes fine food,
good drink and memorable chess conversation more than my good
friend. His has been a charmed life, which he relates in this moving
remembrance of people past.
I am also a close friend of co-author Larry Parr, whose prose I
have long admired. The Bobby Fischer I Knew and Other Stories is
above all else a beautifully written book, which is alternately sad
and happy, serious and witty, insightful and self-effacing. Larry can
take credit for transforming a life well-lived into a life well-written.
As a chess warrior, GM Denker has been called the Noblest
Roman of Them All. When he wins, as in the following game against
339
340
one of the great players of the 20th century, he looks like a con
quering Caesar crossing the Rubicon and pursuing poor Pompey:
Arnold Denker-Reuben Fine
U.S. Championship, I 944
Nimzoindian Defense
I . P-Q4 N-KB3 2. P-QB4 P-K3 3. N-QB3 B-NS 4. P-K3 P-QN3 S. B-Q3 B
N2 6. N-B3 N-KS 7. 0-0?!
In the most important game of his life, played in the elegant
Grand Colonial Ballroom of the Hotel Park Central at 7th Avenue
and 55th Street, Arnie gives the great Grandmaster Fine a pawn in
the opening. Back in 1944, this powerful sacrificial line was a
novelty.
7 . . . . NxN 8. PxN BxP 9. R-N I B-R4?
Bobby Fischer says that 9 . . . . N-B3 ! refutes the gambit. Perhaps,
but most players prefer to avoid it. Even in defeat White has all the
fun. Moreover, a couple of games from the 1970s suggest that White
keeps a strong initiative even after Fischer's suggestion. Balashov
Romanishin (Lvov, 1978) continued 10. R-N3 B-R4 1 1 . P-K4 P-KR3
12. P-Q5 N-K2 13. B-N2 0-0 14. N-K5 ! , when White is doing fine.
I 0. B-R3 P-Q3 I I . P-BS! 0-0 1 2. PxQP PxP 1 3. P-K4 R-K I 1 4. P-KS PxP I S.
NxP Q-N4?!
Black ought to try 15 . . . . P-N3 . Fine thinks that the position is
still a game after 16. B-N5 Q-Q4 17. P-B3 B-B3 18. N-N4 K-N2 ! .
1 6. P-N3 P-N3
If 16 . . . . N-B3 ? , White wins with 17. NxP ! .
1 7. Q-R4! Q-Q I 1 8. KR-B I P-QN4
The prettiest loss hereabouts is 18 . . . . N-R3 19. Q.xB ! PxQ 2 0 .
RxB .
1 9. BxQNP Q-Q4 20. P-B3 B-N3
Afterword
341
2 1 . R-BS!! BxR?!
Hit by the shock of White's shot, Fine misses the better 2 1 . . . .
QxRP ! 22. BxR QxRch 23. R-B1 Q-B4 24. BxPch K-N2, when there
is still some play left.
22. BxB R-KB I 23. B-B4! B-B3 24. BxQ BxQ 2S. BxQRP, Black resigns
Thanks to this victory, Denker won the 1944 U.S. Chess Cham
pionship and received the first brilliancy prize of $100 offered b y
Maurice Wertheim.
There is a flip side to the chess coin of being a Noblest Roman.
Ancient republican virtue dictates that in defeat N.R.'s must run
themselves on swords. One is not allowed to play a peaceful draw
and live to fight another day. Take the game below. GM Denker
tries to drive a spike into Black (26. P-N4 ??), but his lunge is
brought up short by a counter-spike, 26 . . . . P-KN4 ! .
Arnold Denker-Arthur Dake
U.S. Championship, 1 9 36
Nimzoindian Defense
I . P-Q4 N-KB3 2. P-QB4 P-K3 3. N-QB3 B-NS 4. Q-N3 N-B3 S. P-K3 P
QR4 6. B-Q3 P-K4 7. KN-K2 0-0 8. 0-0 BxN 9. PxB P-Q3 1 0. N-N3 R-K I I I .
Q-B2 PxP 1 2. KPxP B-Q2 1 3. R-N I P-QN3 1 4. B-NS P-R3 I S. B-Q2 Q-K2
1 6. N-BS Q-B I 1 7. P-B3 N-K2 1 8. N-N3 B-B3 1 9. B-B4 QR-Q I 20. QR-K I
K-R I 2 1 . P-KR3 N/2-N I 22. N-K4 R-K2 23. Q-B2 R/ 1 -K I 24. P-QS
White closes the position because of the threatened . . . BxN.
24. . . . B-Q2 2S. Q-R4 N-R2 26. P-N4??
White impales himself rather than make a temporizing move.
"The dashing devil-may-care attitude of youth," wrote AI Horowitz
in 1938 about the Denker of that period, "is clearly exemplified in
this brilliant young New Yorker. The attack is both his strength and
his weakness . . . . [F] requently he tries to attack where defense is nec
essary or where the position does not warrant aggressive tactics." In
342
his collection of best games, If You Must Play Chess, GM Denker re
sponded unrepentantly, "P.S. I still like to attack. If this be treason,
make the most of it! "
When asked to name their favorite games, 9 9 grandmasters out of
100 select victories over famous adversaries with little regard for the
intrinsic value of these wins. Denker is different. He loves beautiful
games of chess like a painter loves finished pictures, and his favorite
achievement is a game played at age 15 against an opponent who is
to chess fame and fortune unknown. None of his other games, he
claims, "can compare with this one for absolute purity and charm" :
Arnold Denker-Harold Feit (Interborough High School Chess
League Tournament, 1930)-1. P-Q4 P-KB4 2. N-KB3 P-K3 3. P
KN3 P-QN3? 4. B-N2 B-N2 5 . 0-0 N-KB3 6. P-B4 B-K2 7. N-B3 P-Q3
8. P-Q5 ! P-K4 9. N-KN5 ! B-QB1 10. P-K4 ! 0-0 1 1 . P-B4 KPxP 1 2 .
BxP PxP 13. QNxP NxN 14. BxN ! ! BxN 1 5 . Q-R5 RxB ! 1 6 . QxPch
K-B2 17. B-N6ch K-B3 18. RxRch ! ! BxR 19. Q-R4ch ! B-N4 20. Q
K4 ! ! B-K6ch 2 1 . K-R1 B-R6 22. R-B1ch ! K-N4 23. B-R7 ! ! , Black
resigns. This game, more than any other, explains what makes Arnie
move.
26 . . . . P-KN4!
A surprising thrust that skewers the impetuous Denker.
27. NxN P NxN 28. BxN RxR 29. B-Q2 RxRch 30. KxR Q-K2 3 1 . Q-R5 Q
K4 32. QxBP R-K2 33. Q-BB Q-R7 34. B-K4? QxB, White resigns
Selected Games
Arnold Denker. The Man Who Must Play Chess
To know a great chess master is to know his games. Here are a half dozen of
GM Denker's lesser-known efforts-all of them as effervescent as the man
himself!
ARNOLD DENKER-SAMUEL RESHEVSKY (U.S. Lightning Championship,
1 945): I . P-Q4 N-KB3 2. P-QB4 P-KN3 3. N-QB3 P-Q4 4. N-B3 B-N2 5. P-
Afterword
343
KN 3 0-0 6. B-N2 PxP 7. Q-R4 P-B3 8. QxP/4 B-K3 9. Q-Q3 P-KR3 I 0. P-K4
QN-Q2 I I . 0-0 N-N3 1 2. R-Q I P-QR4 I 3. P-KR3 Q-B I 1 4. K-R2 P-RS I S.
B-B4 R-Q I 1 6. Q-K3 N-BS 1 7. Q-B I K-R2 1 8. N-KS N-KR4 1 9. NxN BxN
20. B-K3 N-B3 2 1 . Q-B2 P-R6 22. P-N3 B-K3 23. N-R4 N-Q2 24. QR-B I Q
B2 25. B-B4 Q-R4 26. B-Q2 Q-R2 27. B-K3 Q-R4 28. B-Q2 Q-R2 29. B-K3
Q-R4 30. P-KN4 QR-B I 3 1 . Q-K2 P-QN4 32. N-BS NxN 33. RxN P-B3 34.
P-B4 B-B2 35. P-BS P-K4 36. Q-KB2 P-N4 37. KR-QB I Q-R3 38. B-B I B-B I
39. PxP PxP 40. P-R4 PxP 4 1 . QxP BxP 42. RxKP R-K I 43. BxRP BxB 44. RxR
RxR 45. P-NS P-B4 46. RPxB P-R7 47. BxP Q-Q3ch 48. K-R3 R-QR I 49. P
KS Q-B I 50. P-N6ch K-R I 5 I . P-B6 Q-B I ch 52. K-R2, Black resigns Beginning
about move 39, events move so swiftly that it is difficult to keep track.
ARNOLD DENKER-ARTHUR BISGUIER (Manhattan C.C. Championship,
1 947): I . P-Q4 P-Q4 2. P-QB4 P-QB3 3. N-KB3 N-B3 4. N-B3 P-K3 5. B-NS
P-KR3 6. BxN QxB 7. P-K3 N-Q2 8. B-Q3 Q-Q I 9. 0-0 B-K2 I 0. P-K4 PxKP
I I . NxP P-QN3 1 2. Q-K2 B-N2 1 3. QR-Q I Q-B2 1 4. N-B3 0-0 I S. P-QS
N-B4 1 6, PxKP NxP 1 7. P-KN3 KR-K I 1 8. B-K4 B-B3 1 9. Q-B2 P-N3 20. KR
K I N-B4 2 1 . N-Q2 NxB 22. N/2xN B-N2 23. P-BS B-QB I 24. N-B6ch! BxN
25. RxRch K-R2 26. N-K4 B-KN2 27. RI I -Q8 PxP 28. QxP, Black resigns
ARNOLD DENKER-ALEX KEVITZ (Manhattan C.C. Championship Playoff
Match, Game No. 2, 1 947): I . P-K4 P-K3 2. P-Q4 P-Q4 3. N-Q2 N-KB3 4. P
KS KN-Q2 5. B-Q3 P-QB4 6. P-QB3 N-QB3 7. N-K2 Q-N3 8. N-B3 PxP 9.
PxP B-NSch I 0. K-B I B-K2 I I . P-QR3 N-B I 1 2. P-QN4 B-Q2 1 3. P-KR4 N
Q I 1 4. N-B3 P-B3 I S. B-K3 R-B I 1 6. N-R4 BxN 1 7. QxBch N-Q2 1 8.PxP
PxP 1 9. R-R3! B-Q3 20. B-KR6 N-B3 2 1 . R-K I K-B2 22. Q-Q I N-K2 23. N
NSch! PxN 24. Q-RSch N-N3 25. R-B3ch N-B3 26. PxP B-K2 27. PxN B-B I
28. R-N3 KxP 29. RxNch! PxR 30. Q-KSch, Black resigns As New York Post
chess columnist H.R. Bigelow wrote of this game, "Another delightful example
of combinative skill on the part of the former United States Champion."
Denker won the match, 2112-112 .
ARNOLD DENKER-ABE TURNER (Manhattan C.C. Championship, 1 949): I .
P-Q4 N-KB3 2. P-QB4 P-K3 3. N-QB3 B-NS 4. P-K3 P-B4 5. B-Q3 0-0 6. P
QR3 BxNch 7. PxB P-Q3 8. N-K2 N-B3 9. 0-0 P-QN3 I 0. P-K4 N-K I I I . B
K3 B-R3 1 2. N-N3 P-N3 1 3. P-B4 P-B4 1 4. P-QS PxKP I S. NxP PxP 1 6. PxP
BxB 1 7. QxB N-K2 1 8. N-NS N-N2 1 9. QR-K I P-KR3 20. N-K6 NxN 2 1 .
PxN P-KR4 22. P-BS! RxP 23. RxR NxR 24. P-K7!! Q-K I 25. Q-QSch K-R2
26. B-NS R-B I 27. P-R3! P-BS 28. P-N4 R-B4 29. Q-B3 N-N2 30. B-B6 Q-B2
3 1 . P-K8=Q!, Black resigns
ARNOLD DENKER-ARTHUR BISGUIER (Manhattan C.C. Championship,
1 950): I . P-QB4 N-QB3 2. N-KB3 P-K4 3. N-B3 P-B4 4. P-Q4 P-KS 5. P-QS
PxN 6. PxN PxNP 7. PxPch BxP 8. BxP Q-RS 9. B-K3 QxBP I 0. N-QS B
NSch I I . K-B I B-Q3 1 2. R-B I QxP 1 3. NxPch BxN 1 4. RxB N-B3 I S. BxN P
R-Q I 1 6. Q-Q6 P-BS 1 7. Q-KSch K-B2 1 8. QxP KR-K I 1 9. K-N2 K-N I 20.
B-Q4 N-R4 2 1 . Q-NS B-R6ch 22. KxB RxB 23. QxN Q-K3ch 24. K-N3 R-
344
KB I 2S. KR-QB I Q-KB3 26. B-B3 R-Q3 27. RI I -B6 Q-BSch 28. K-N2, Black
resigns
ARNOLD DENKER-JONATHAN SPEELMAN (World Open, 1 978): I . P
QB4 P-KN3 2. N-QB3 B-N2 3. P-KN3 P-QB4 4. N-B3 N-QB3 S. B-N2 R
N I 6. 0-0 N-R3 7. P-Q4 PxP 8. NxP Q-N3 9. N-N3 N-B4 I 0. B-B4 P-Q3 I I .
P-BS Q-Q I 1 2. BxNch! PxB 1 3. P-K4 N-R3 1 4. PxP P-K4 I S. B-K3 B-R6 1 6.
R-K I 0-0 1 7. Q-Q2 N-NS 1 8. BxP B-R3 1 9. Q-K2 R-N2 20. B-BS R-K I 2 1 . P
B3 N-B3 22. KR-Q I N-Q2 23. B-K3 B-N4 24. BxB QxB 2S. N-RS R-N3 26.
P-N3 P-R4 27. Q-Q2 Q-B3 28. Q-KB2 R/3-N I 29. NxP, Black resigns
I nd ex O n e
Game Index
Adams, Weaver: MacMurray
Treysman 260
Alburt, Lev: Kasparov
39;
Bogart, Humphrey: Bacall 97;
Limbos 97; Koltanowski 100;
Reshevsky 96
117
Alekhine, Alexander: Bernstein
183, 189(2); Dake 222; Denker
150; Euwe 158, 159, 162; von
Feldt 163; Ed. Lasker 3 19;
MacMurray 150; Meyer 6;
Mezirov 151; Pinkus 20;
Reshevsky 133; Samuels 6;
Tenner 48
Alexander, L.: Simonson
Allison: Horowitz
Amateur: Hoit
7;
239
126
Bondarevsky, Igor: Steiner
Botvinnik, Mikhail: Fine
Boyer: Horowitz
210
Browne, Walter: Seirawan
Byrne, Robert: Santasiere
300
291
Capablanca, Jose: "Bernstein"
(position) 187; Fine 36; Helms
335; Kupchik 66; MacMurray
36; Steiner 245; Tenner 51;
Whitaker 270
59
210
Horowitz
89
Blumin, Boris: Stephens
201,
209
Chajes, Oscar: Kashdan
97
Baker, Harry: Chernev 3 13
Balogh, Dr. Janos: Steiner 244
Benko, Pal: Reshevsky 145
Bentz, David: Kashdan 196
Bergman, Carl: Dake 234
Berliner, Hans: Horowitz 210;
Whitaker 273
Bernstein, Jacob: Kupchik 68
Bernstein, Ossip: Alekhine 183,
189(2); "Capablanca" (position)
187; Dubois 184; Najdorf 185;
Nimzovich 179
Bielicki, Carlos: Najdorf 214
Bigelow, Horace: Helms 336
Bisguier, Arthur: Denker 343(2);
Fischer 109; Santasiere 291
Blau, Max: Ed. Lasker 327
Bacall, Lauren: Bogart
197
Chernev, Irving: Baker 3 13; Pinkus
307; Santasiere 313; Shainswit
307
Clarke, Ernest: Dake
234
Dake, Arthur: Alekhine 222;
Bergman 234; Clarke 234;
Denker 341; Fine 232, 234;
Horowitz 208, 233 ; Kussman
232; Mott-Smith 232; Polland
233, 234; Reshevsky 147, 234;
Rogoff 229; Santasiere 226,
233; Simonson 228; Treysman
253
Denker, Arnold: Alekhine 150;
Bisguier 343(2); Dake 341;
Euwe 166; Feit 342; Fine 340;
Fischer 104; Horowitz 209;
Kashdan 199; Kevitz 343;
345
346
27(2); Reshevsky 136,
138, 139, 140, 144, 342;
Simonson 57; Speelman 344;
Steiner 93, 237; Stephens 87;
Tenner 51(2); Turner 343
Domenech: Flohr 172
Donovan, Jeremiah: Whitaker 272
Dubois: Bernstein 184
Pinkus
Hanauer, Milton: Fine 123;
Simonson 58; Treysman
257
Helms, Hermann: Bigelow 336;
Capablanca 335; Horowitz 337;
Kashdan 336; Marchand 336;
Marshall 330, 335, 336;
Roething 335; Santasiere 290;
Smyth 330
7; Little 6
324
Horneman, Buster: Kashdan 9
Horowitz, AI: Allison 210; Amateur
201, 209; Berliner 210; Boyer
210; Dake 208, 233; Denker
209; Fine 129, 130, 208;
Gladstone 209; Helms 337;
Kashdan 202, 208; Kevitz 204;
Kupchik 62; MacMurray 39;
Pinkus 33; Reinfeld 303;
Reshevsky 144, 204, 205, 208,
209, 210; Santasiere 289, 292;
Simonson 57, 58
Hort, Vlastimil: Rodriguez 41
Hoit, Howard: Amateur
Euwe, Max: Alekhine
162; Denker 166
Holbrook, H . : Ed. Lasker
158, 159,
Evans, Larry: Reshevsky 146;
Santasiere 283(2), 291; Steiner
242, 246
Factor, Samuel: Simonson 52;
Treysman 260; Whitaker 271
Feit, Harold: Denker
342
von Feldt (Fischer?): Alekhine
Field, Otis: Tenner
163
44
Fine, Reuben: Botvinnik 126;
Capablanca 36; Dake 232, 234;
Denker 340; Grossman 125;
Hanauer 123; Horowitz 129,
130, 208; Kashdan 197; Kupchik
63, 130(2); Pinkus 28;
Rappaport 129; Reinfeld 303;
Roddy 122; Santasiere 131,
279, 289(2); Simonson 53, 129;
Steiner 245, 246(2); Treysman
129; Willman 131
Fischer, Robert: Bisguier 109;
Denker 104; Reshevsky 145;
Saidy 107; Santasiere 292;
Szabo 102
Flohr, Salo: Domenech
Foster, John: Kupchik
Frenke: Najdorf
172
70
212
Gladstone, David: Horowitz
Gonzalez, Juan: Santasiere
Grossman, Nat: Fine
209
285
125
Gruenfeld, Ernst: Ed. Lasker
318
Hahlbohm, Herman: Ed. Lasker
324
Isaacs, Louis: Ed. Lasker
Jaffe, Charles: Kashdan
326
197
47
Janowski, David: Tenner
Kashdan, Isaac: Bentz 196; Chajes
197; Denker 199; Fine 197;
Helms 336; Horneman 9;
Horowitz 202, 208; Jaffe 197;
Kupchik 65, 68, 69; MacMurray
40; Pinkus 18; Reinfeld 198;
Reshevsky 193, 197, 198;
Santasiere 288, 290; Siff 194;
Simonson 57; Tenner 49, 50;
Treysman 253; Whitaker 264;
Willman 198
Kasparov, Gary: AIburt 117;
Palatnik 1 18; Petrosian 1 16;
Sunye-Neto 1 14
Keres, Paul: Najdorf
Reshevsky 146
214;
Kevitz , Alex: Denker
204; Kupchik 69
343;
Horowitz
Koltanowski, George: Bogart
100
Game Index
Korolkov, Vladimir: Problem
position, 3 1 0
Kramer, George: Whitaker 2 7 2
Kupchik, Abraham: J . Bernstein
68; Capablanca 66; Fine 63,
130(2); Foster 70; Horowitz 62;
Kashdan 65, 68, 69; Kevitz 69;
Ed. Lasker 325; Marshall 65;
Pinkus 32, 33, 69; Reinfeld 69;
Reshevsky 64, 144; Simchow
68; Simonson 59, 70; Steiner
244(2)
34 7
Mednis, Edmar: Santasiere 292
Meyer, Leonard: Alekhine 6; Em.
Lasker 5
Mezirov: Alekhine 1 5 1
Michel, Paul: E d . Lasker 3 2 7
Mikenas, Vladas: Steiner 245
Mlotkowski, Stasch: Tenner 50
Moll, Kurt: Ed. Lasker 320
Morton, Harold: MacMurray 4 1 ;
Treysman 260, 261
Mott-Smith, K.O . : Dake 232
Kussman, A.S.: Dake 232
Lasker, Edward: Alekhine 3 19;
Blau 327; Gruenfeld 3 18;
Hahlbohm 324; Holbrook 324;
Isaacs 326; Kupchik 325; Lewitt
321; Marshall 323; Michel 327;
Moll 320; Reti 325; Santasiere
326; Thomas 3 1 5; Torre 326;
Weinstein 327; Winter 325
Najdorf, Miguel: Bernstein 185;
Bielicki 214; Frenke 212; Keres
214; Sapiro 2 1 2
Newman, James: E m . Lasker 5
Nimzovich, Aron: Bernstein 179
Noel, Joe: Rook and Pawn position,
276
Lasker, Emanuel: Meyer 5;
Newman 5 ; Smyth 337;
Treysman 259; Willman 5
Oistrakh, David: Persinger 5
Levin, Jake: Santasiere 291
Palatnik, Semyon: Kasparov 118
Otteson, Milton: Whitaker 273
Lewitt, Dr. Moritz: Ed. Lasker 321
Paoli, Enrico: Steiner 246
Libiurkin, Mark: Problem position,
311
Persinger, Louis: Oistrakh 5
Limbos, Paul: Bogart 9 7
Little, Paul: Hoit 6
Lyman, Harry: MacMurray 41
MacMurray, Donald: Adams 39;
Alekhine 150; Capablanca 36;
Horowitz 39; Kashdan 40;
Lyman 41; Morton 41; Platz 4 1 ;
Tenner 40, 4 7
Marchand, Erich: Helms 336;
Wertheim 78
Maroczy, Geza: Tenner 45
Marshall, Frank: Helms 330, 335,
336; Kupchik 65; Ed. Lasker
323; Pinkus 32; Whitaker 263,
270
Mayer, J.: Whitaker 272
McClure, James: Reinfeld 303
Petrosian, Tigran: Kasparov 116
Pinkus, Albert: Alekhine 20;
Chernev 307; Denker 27(2);
Fine 28; Horowitz 33; Kashdan
18; Kupchik 32, 33, 69; Marshall
32; Reshevsky 25; Rohde 30;
Santasiere 17, 32; Shainswit
33, 34; Simonson 33, 59;
Steiner 3 1 , 32; Tholfsen 33;
Winston 34
Platz, Joseph: MacMurray 4 1 ;
Whitaker 273
Polland, David: Dake 233, 234
Ragan, J.: Whitaker 273
Rappaport, J.: Fine 129
Rasmussen, C.: Santasiere 288
Reinfeld, Fred: Fine 303; Horowitz
303; Kashdan 198; Kupchik 69;
348
McClure 303; Reshevsky
298(2), 304(2), 305; Santasiere
289; Tenner 50; tnvestad 300,
304; Wallace 303
Reshevsky, Samuel: Alekhine 133;
Benko 145; Bogart 96; Dake
147, 234; Denker 136, 138, 139,
140, 144, 342; Evans 146;
Fischer 145; Horowitz 144,
204, 205, 208, 209, 210;
Kashdan 193, 197, 198; Keres
146; Kupchik 64, 144; Pinkus
25; Reinfeld 298(2), 304(2),
305; Santasiere 282; Simonson
54; Smyslov 141, 147; Stahlberg
134; Steiner 244; Whitaker 143,
263, 271
Reti, Richard: Ed. Lasker 325
Roddy, Albert: Fine 122
Rodriguez, Orestes: Hort 41
Roesch, A.: Tenner 49
Roething, Otto: Helms 335
Rogoff, Ken: Dake 229
Rohde, Michael: Pinkus 30
Rotlewi, G.: Rubinstein 325
Siff, Boris: Kashdan 194
Simchow, Alex: Kupchik 68
Simonson, Albert: Alexander 59;
Dake 228; Denker 57; Factor
52; Fine 53, 129; Hanauer 58;
Horowitz 57, 58; Kashdan 57;
Kupchik 59, 70; Pinkus 33, 59;
Reshevsky 54; Schwartz 58;
Shainswit 59
Simonson, Gustave: Whitaker 270
Smith, Ken: Whitaker 273
Smyslov, Vassily: Reshevsky 141,
147
Smyth, James: Helms 330; Em.
Lasker 337
Speelman, Jonathan: Denker 344
Stahlberg, Gideon: Reshevsky 134
Steiner, Herman: Balogh 244;
Bondarevsky 239; Capablanca
245; Denker 93, 237; Evans 242,
246; Fine 245, 246(2); Kupchik
244(2); Mikenas 245; Paoli 246;
Pinkus 3 1 , 32; Reshevsky 244;
Treysman 260; Whitaker 271
Rubinstein, Akiba: Rotlewi 325
Stephens, L. Walter: Blumin 89;
Denker 87; Uranga 89
Saidy, Anthony: Fischer 107
Szabo, Laszlo: Fischer 102
Sunye-Neto, Jaime: Kasparov 114
Samuels, Lester: Alekhine 6
Santasiere, Anthony: Bisguier 291;
Byrne 291; Chernev 313; Dake
226, 233; Evans 283(2), 29 1 ;
Fine 1 3 1 , 2 7 9 , 289(2); Fischer
292; Gonzalez 285; Helms 290;
Horowitz 289, 292; Kashdan
288, 290; Ed. Lasker 326; Levin
291; Mednis 292; Pinkus 17, 32;
Rasmussen 288; Reinfeld 289;
Reshevsky 282; Shedlovsky
288; Treysman 261
Tenner, Oscar: Alekhine 48;
Capablanca 51; Denker 5 1 (2);
Field 44; Janowski 47; Kashdan
49, 50; MacMurray 40, 47;
Maroczy 45; Mlotkowski 50;
Reinfeld 50; Roesch 49
Tholfsen, Erling: Pinkus 33
Thomas, Sir George: Ed. Lasker
315
Torre, Carlos: Ed. Lasker 326
Shainswit, George: Chernev 307;
Pinkus 33, 34; Simonson 59
Treysman, George: Adams 260;
Dake 253; Factor 260; Fine 129;
Hanauer 257; Kashdan 253; Em.
Lasker 259; Morton 260, 261;
Santasiere 261; Steiner 260;
Willman 259; Winkelman 257
Shedlovsky, T.: Santasiere 288
Turner, Abe: Denker 343
Sapiro: Najdorf 212
Schwartz, Edward: Simonson 58
Seirawan , Yasser: Browne 300
Showalter, Jackson: Whitaker 271
Game Index
illvestad, Olaf: Reinfeld
Uranga, J.: Stephens
300, 304
89
Wallace, Damon: Reinfeld
Weinstein, B.: Ed. Lasker
303
327
Wertheim, Maurice: Marchand
78
Whitaker, Norman: Berliner 273;
Capablanca 270; Donovan 272;
Factor 271; Kashdan 264;
Kramer 272; Marshall 263, 270;
Mayer 272; Otteson 273; Platz
349
273; Ragan 273; Reshevsky 143,
263, 271; Showalter 271; G.
Simonson 270; Smith 273;
Steiner 271
Willman, Robert: Fine 131;
Kashdan 198; E m . Lasker 5;
Treysman 259
Winkelman, Barnie: Treysman 257
Winston, Peter: Pinkus 34
Winter, John: Ed. Lasker 325
I ndex Two
JVame Index
Balogh, Dr. Janos 244
Adams, Henry 281
Adams, John 17
Bardeleben, Kurt von 3 1 5
Adams, Weaver 39, 170, 200, 260
Barrymore, John 9 5 , 241
Alburt, Lev 10, 1 16--18, 339(cf)
Beardsley, Aubrey 53
Beery, Wallace 99
Alekhine, Alexander 1 , 2 , 6, 1 7 , 19,
20, 3 1 , 36, 46--8, 67, 1 13-14,
120-2 1, 127, 133-34, 138,
148(cf) , 156--6 5, 168, 172, 18384, 189-90, 192, 209, 2 1 1 , 22125, 295, 297-98, 309, 3 18-19,
326, 329
Benda, Julien 296
Benko, Pal 145
Bentz, David 196
Bergman, Carl 234
Berkeley, Bishop George 196
Alexander, C.H.O'D. 166
Berliner, Hans 77, 210, 273
Alexander, L. 59
Bernstein, Dr. Ossip 2, 93, 178(cf)
Ali, Muhammed 106
Bernstein, Jacob 68, 83-84, 252
Allison 210
Bernstein, Sidney 200
Amateur 51, 57, 201, 209
Bielicki, Carlos 2 1 4
Anand, Viswanathan 225
Bigelow, Horace 1 3 8 , 3 10, 336, 343
Anonymous 7
Bilguer, Paul von 184
Antoinette, Marie 53
Bird, Henry 337
Apollinaire, Guillaume 186
Archer 20
Bisguier, Arthur 102-3 , 109, 19394, 29 1 , 331, 343
Arendt, Hannah 296
Bisno, Al 100
Armour, Richard 241
Blau, Max 327
Armstrong, Garner Ted 107
Blumin, Boris 87, 89
Atlas, Henry 7
Bobo 72-74
Auer, Leopold 4
Bogart, Humphrey 95-8, 100-1,
241
Ayres , Lew 95
Bogatyrchuk, Fyodor 45
Bogolyubov, Efim 46, 157, 297, 3 18
Babbitt, George 4, 5
Bondarevsky, Igor 93, 239-40
Bacall, Lauren 95, 97, 241
Bonnie, Clyde and 265
Bacon, Francis 297
Boswell (the monkey) 21
Baker, Harry 308, 3 13
Balashov, Yuri 340
351
352
Botvinnik, Mikhail 4-5, 114, 12526, 134, 141, 157, 165-67, 1 7 1 ,
212
Charlie, "Uncle" 99
Boyer 210
Chumley, Lee 3 2 1 , 339
Boyer, Charles 95, 97, 241
Brady, Frank 102
Brandreth, Dale 10
Bridges, William 16
Brieger, Fritz 1 5 1 , 201, 203
Brinkley, David 267
Brittain, Vera 275
Bronstein, David 1 1 7
Brown, Eddie 4
Browne, Walter 300
Bruce, Nigel 95
Buck, Frank 1 5
Buffon, Georges 26, 297
Burnett, Ron 10
Bush, Casey 224
Chernev, Irving 2, 2 8 , 1 7 9 , 306(cf)
Christiansen, Larry 229
Clarke, Ernest 234
Clinton, Pres. William 266
Clyde, Bonnie and 265
Coburn, Charles 95
Coe, Jacques 7
Cohen, Octavus Roy 86
Cohn, Erich 3 1 5
Colias, Billy 10
Colle, Edgar 297, 309
Collins, Ethel lO, 309
Collins, Jack 10, 309
Cotten, Joseph 99-100
Cramer, Fred 107
Byrne, Robert 10, 107, 112, 264,
291
Dake, Arthur 4 , 10, 120, 147, 15253, 200, 202, 208, 221 (cf), 238,
253, 341
Caesar, Julius 340
Dake, Helen
227, 23 1
Campbell, John 10
Dake, Marjorie 228, 231
Campomanes, Florencio 1 1 2
Dantine, Helmet 95, 97
Capablanca, Jose 4, 36--7 , 4 4 , 5 1 ,
62, 64, 66--7 , 88, 1 13 , 125, 141,
149, 1 5 1 , 157, 178, 187-88, 192,
197, 199, 214, 226, 232 , 245,
259, 270, 279, 297 , 3 18 , 329,
335
(nee
Gerwatowski)
Danziger, Ben 3 1 2
Darnell, Linda 95, 9 8 , 241
da Silva, Howard 100
Degas, Edgar 77
de Gaulle, Charles 165
Caparros, Rogelio 10
de Havilland, Dr. 3 1 7
Caro, Horatio 41
d e Havilland, Olivia 3 1 7
passim
Casement, Anna 252
Denker, Arnold
Cassirer, Ernst 302, 314
Denker, Mitch 107, 1 10, 168
Castelli, Raul 212
Denker, Mrs. Nina 2 1 , 40, 81-3,
98-100, 127-28, 143, 168, 17374, 186-87, 218, 284, 321-22,
Celorio, Edward 322
Cena, J. 180
Chagall, Marc 186--8 7
Chajes, Oscar 5, 64, 67, 83, 197
Chandler, Howard 8
Channon, Sir Henry 181
Chaplin, Charlie 95
Charles, A. C. 77
Dimock, Eddie 17
Ditmars, Raymond 16
Domenech 172
Donovan, Jeremiah 272
Doyle, Sir Arthur Conan 2 1
Dubois 184
Name Index
Duchamp, Marcel 314
Dude, "Dave the" 224
353
Fischer "of 42nd Street
Emporium" 207, 277
Dudley, Robert 10
Fischer, Regina 103, 334
Dufy, Raoul 77
Fischer, Robert J. 1-2, 10, 28,
1�(cf), 1 13, 120, 125, 141,
,u;; , 158, 168, 199, 207, 2 14, 225,
Easley, Ralph 266
264, 268, 273, 281, 292 , 306,
Eddis, Nigel 10
Edison, Thomas Alva 296
Ehrlich, Evelyn 38
Eichmann, Adolf 182
Einstein, Albert 302, 314
309, 322, 340
"Flohr," Elena (nee Koback?) 1756
Flohr, Raisa 173
Eisner, Joe 99
Flohr, Salo 2, 157, 170(cf), 192,
210, 238
Elgin, "the Grandpas" 55
Flynn, Errol 98
Ellithorpe , Gil 10
Foster, John 70
Elman, Mischa 4, 3 14
Frenke 212
Elo, Arpad 227
Freud, Sigmund 122
Euwe, Max 2, 127, 140, 153,
155(cf) , 171, 298
Fuerth, Hertha 317
Evans, Larry 1(cf), 10, 4 1 , 78, 97,
145-46, 239, 242, 246-47, 28283, 291
Factor, Samuel 52, 260, 27 1-72
Fauntleroy, Little Lord 37
Faust, Dr. 302
Fedorowicz, John 229
Feit, Harold 342
Galbraith, John Kenneth 19
Garber, Russ 10
Gauguin, Paul 77
Gershwin, George 3 14
Gibson, Charles Dana 127
Gladstone, David 209
Gligoric, Svetozar 1 12
Glucksberg 214
Feld, Fritz 95
Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von 297
von Feldt 163
Felix, Oscar and 286
Ferrer, Jose 95
Fidler, Jimmie 95, 97
Field, Otis 44
Fine, Benjamin 128
Fine, Reuben 2, 4, 28-9, 34, 36--7 ,
53, 62-3, 8 1 , 120(cf), 134, 16466, 192, 194, 197, 200, 208-9 ,
22 1-5, 227, 229, 232, 234, 236,
241 , 245-6, 279-80, 289, 298,
303, 307-10, 323, 340-4 1 .
Fine, Mrs. Sonya
128
Gaige, Jeremy 10
(nee Lebeaux)
Fischer, Dr. Martin 163
Golombek, Harry 178
Gonzalez, Dr. Juan 285, 322
Gordon, Stephen 10
Gray, Sir Thomas 200
Green, Matthew 10, 151
Greenstreet, Sydney 97
Grossman, Nat 125
Grover, Kenneth 224-5
Gruenfeld, Ernst 3 1 8
Guimard, Carlos 2 12
Gundlach, Ernest 316
Guppy, Plantagenet Lechmere 19
Gygli, Fritz 189
354
Hahlbohm, Herman
Hall, "Chief'
325
17, 80
58, 60, 123, 151,
Hallgarten, Albert
Hanauer, Milton
257
Harding, Pres. Warren
224
41
Hromadka, Karel 45
Hume, David 196
Hyder, Lee 10
Horse, "Harry the"
Hort, Vlastimil
202
265
263
Isaacs, Louis
Hayat Khan, Col. Nawab Sir Umar
Ivanov, Igor
Hartleb, Glenn
196
269
Hayward, Louis 95, 98-9, 241
Heatter, Gabriel 43
Hector 286
Heidenfeld, Wolfgang 121, 180
Heifetz , Jascha 4, 106
Heller, Cecile 317
Helms, Hermann 35, 49-50, 79, 89,
206, 279, 288, 290, 322, 328(cD
Helms, Mrs. May (nee Whitney)
329
Helms, Thelma 329
Hepburn, Katharine 95
Higgins, "Prof. Henry" 275
Hillery, John 10
Hirohito 121
Hitchcock, Alfred 99
Hitler, Adolf 25, 121, 132, 241
Hoit, Howard 6-7, 18
Hoit, Rose & Troster 6, 18
Holbrook, H. 324
Hollingworth, Harry 38
Hollingworth, Leta 38
Holmes, Sherlock 87, 95
Hook, Sidney 296
Hoover, Herbert 328
Hope, Bob 98-9
Borneman, Buster 9, 206
Horowitz, Albert 4, 17-19, 33, 39,
44-6, 56-8, 62, 78, 80-81, 100,
129-30, 135, 141, 144, 192, 195,
200(cD, 224-5, 233, 238, 254,
265, 282, 289, 292, 303, 307,
323, 329, 331, 337, 341
Horowitz, Mr. and Mrs. Louis 200
Hays, Arthur Garfield
lvkov, Boris
326
117
105
7
5, 64, 83, 197, 259
Jackson, E. Schuyler
Jaffe, Charles
Jannings, Emil 148
47, 132, 178 192,
263, 278, 337
Johnson, Dr. Samuel 70
Jones, Indiana 1, 15(cD
Jourdan, Louis 95
Janowski, David
152
7
Kadish, Bert
Kahn, Felix
Kahn, Leo
4
148
10
Karff, May 317
Karman, Ivor 4
Karpov, Anatoly 64, 69, 1 1 1-15,
168, 187, 218-19, 298
Kashdan, Helen 191, 196
Kashdan , Isaac 2, 4, 9, 17-18, 26,
38, 40, 45, 49-50, 57, 64-5, 689, 81, 88, 106, 152, 191(cD,
200-202, 208, 227, 229, 242,
244, 253, 264, 288, 290, 333,
336
Kashdan, Richard 191
Kasparov, Clara 114
Kasparov, Gary 1 , 46, 1 13(cD, 219,
298
Katahn, Dr. Martin 10
Kaufman, Allen 10, 256
Keene, Raymond 46, 106
Keesing, Emma Thea 127-28
Kenton, Sidney 7
Kandel, Irving
Kantor, Alan
.
Keres, Paul 120, 146, 153, 158, 165,
2 14, 281, 297, 298, 304, 309
Kevitz, Alexander 69, 200, 204, 343
Khan, Sultan 196
Name Index
Limbos, Dr. Paul 96-7
Lindbergh, Col. Charles 2 , 265-67 ,
269
Kmoch, Hans 54, 162, 168, 205 ,
243
Link, Al 4
Kmoch, Mrs. Trudy 168
Loeb 337
Knox, "United States Deputy
Marshal" 266
Lombardy, William 336
Koback, "Old" 1 70-7 1 , 174, 176
Kojak 178
Koltanowski, George 95, 96, 100101, 2 1 1
Korchnoi, Viktor 105, 1 1 1-12, 168 ,
2 18, 322
Korda, Michael 3 1 7
Korn, Walter 222, 229
Korolkov, Vladimir 3 1 0
Kotov, Alexander 1 6 5 , 238
Kramer, George 140, 272
Kupchik, Abraham 32-3, 59,
61(c0, 130, 144, 244, 278, 325
Kussman, A. S. 232
Lahde, Peter 10
Lamport, Arthur 8
Landau, Salo 168
Landis, Kenesaw Mountain 85 , 88 ,
138
Larsen, Bent 105
Lasker, Edward 31, 64, 102, 1 1 1 ,
132, 178, 182, 200, 2 18, 3 14(c0
Lasker, Emanuel 56, 100, 126, 189,
214, 259, 295-96, 302 , 318 , 329 ,
337
Lawrence, Albert 10
Lederer, Norbert 67
Leopoldi, Norbert 109
Lessing, Norman 251, 255
Letelier, Rene 185
Levin, Jake 291
Lewis, Sinclair 5
Lewitt, Dr. Moritz 321
Libiurkin, Mark 3 1 1
355
Liebling, Jimmy 4
Little, Paul 6
London, Jack 225
Longstreet, Gen. James 9
Loranth, Alice 10
Loy, Myrna 95, 241
Lundin, Erik 167
Lyman, Harry 39, 41
Macaulay, Lord Thomas 121
MacMurray, Donald 35(c0, 47,
150-5 1 , 301
MacMurray, Florence 38
Man, Alrick 278
Manet, Edouard 77
Marchand, Erich 78, 336
Marco, Georg 180-81
Markey, Harry 104
Maroczy, Geza 44-6, 62, 132 , 156 ,
329
Marrio, "Black Mike" 224
Marshall, Carrie 278, 332
Marshall, Frank 17, 32, 62, 64-5,
69, 83, 192, 200, 2 12 , 263-64,
270, 278, 296-97 , 3 18, 323, 327,
329-30, 332, 335-36
Marx, Chico 100
Marx, Groucho 100
Matisse, Henri 77
Max, "The Incomparable" 7 1 (c0
Mayer, J. 272
Mayfair, Mitzi 95, 98
McCarthy, Mary 296
McCloy, John J. 77
McClure, James 303
McLean, Evalyn Walsh 132 , 265 ,
267-68
Means, Gaston 265, 267-68
356
Mednis, Edmar 292
O'Neill, Eugene 76
Melbourne, Viscount William 1 2 1
Orwell, George 332
Mencken, Henry Louis 88
Oscar, Felix and 286
Mendelssohn, Felix 149
Oskam, Dr. Gerard 168
Menuhin, Yehudi 5
O'Sullivan, Maureen 95
Meyer, Arthur 5
Otteson, Milton 273
Meyer, Leonard S-6
Mezirov 1 5 1
Paderewski, Ignace 2 1 1
Michel, Paul 327
Palatnik, Semyon 1 16-18
Mieses, Jacques 56, 178, 3 1 5
Paoli, Enrico 246
Mikenas, Vladas 245
Parr, Lawrence 1, 2 , 1 1 , 221 231
'
'
339
Milland, Ray 95
Mlotkowski, Stasch SO, 272
Partos, Julius 1 5 1
Moll, Kurt 320
Pauley, Milton
23
Monet, Claude 77
Moorehead, Agnes 100
Morgenthau, Alma 79
Morgenthau, Henry 79
Morphy, Paul 1 13 , 120
Morton, Harold 41, 202, 260-61
Moschkowitz, Dr. Ely 5
Moskowitz, Jack 1 5 1
Mott-Smith, K . 0. 232
Mueller, Hans 166
Mulrooney, "Police
Commissioner" 26 7
Myers, Hugh 10
Nabokov, Vladimir 1 5 1
Najdorf, Miguel 2, 106, 1 16, 140,
149, 185, 2 1 1(c0, 304
Nasiff, Robert 10
Navarro, Ramon 236
Newman, James 5, 7, 128
Nicolson, Harold 181
Nimzovich, Aron 156, 179 180
'
'
297
Nitze, Paul H. 1 5 1
Noel, Joe 275(c0
O'Brian, John 7 7
Oistrakh, David 5
O'Keefe, Jack 10, 232
(ne
Pinkus) 15-16
'
Pavey, Max 1 5 1 , 334
Peberdy, Paul 2 1-3
Persinger, Louis 5
Petersen, Glenn 10
Petrosian, Tigran 105, 1 10, 116,
125, 187, 219, 283
Phillips, Harold S-6
Piatigorsky, Gregor 4, 106
Picasso, Pablo 7 7
Pillsbury, Harry 3 1 5 , 330
Pilsudski , Marshal Jozef 227, 231
Pinkus, Albert 1 , 15(c0, 59-60, 69 '
307
Pinkus, Lawrence 10, 30-3 1
Pinkus, Mrs. Sereta
25
(nee
Tessler)
Platz, Dr. Joseph 40-4 1 , 273
Polland, David 1 5 1 , 233-34, 298
Polugaevsky, Lev 212
Pompey, Gnaeus 340
Prokofiev, Sergei 3 14
Pulvermacher, Dr. Albert 5
Quayle, Dan 266
Quintal II, Edward 10
Quinteros, Miguel 1 1 2
Raft, George 100
Name Index
Ragan, J. 273
Rosenwald, J. Lessing 7
Rantala, M. L. 10
Rosenwald, Julius 132, 3 16
357
Rappaport, J. 129
Rothschild, Anthony de 24
Rasmussen, C. 288
Rotlewi, G. 325
Rathbone, Basil 95
Rousset, David 2 1 7
Ratoff, Gregory 98
Rozsa, Bela 78
Rattmann, Kurt 268-69
Raubitschek, Robert 7, 49
Rubinstein, Akiba 178-79, 195,
227, 297, 325
Raubitschek, Rudolph 7
Runyon, Damon 2 , 75, 224, 339
Reinfeld, Fred 50, 69, 126, 159,
198, 200, 283, 289, 295(c0, 309
Russell, Jane 2
Rellstab, Ludwig 238
Saemisch, Fritz 238, 263
Renee, Mrs. Max 72-4
Saidy, Anthony 107, 1 10, 255, 287
Renoir, Pierre Auguste 77
Samuels, Lester 5-6
Reshevsky, Norma 143
Santasiere, Anthony 17-18, 25, 32,
34, 60, 66, 131, 139, 200, 226-7,
233 , 246, 261, 278(c0 , 298, 3 13 ,
322, 326, 331, 337
Reshevsky, Samuel 2 , 4 , 17, 25, 54,
60-61 , 64, 80-81 , 88, 95-6, 100,
104, 12 1-3, 128, 130-3 1 ,
132(c0, 165-66, 192-4, 197-8,
200, 204-6, 208-12; 225, 229,
234, 236, 238, 242, 244, 263,
2 7 1 , 282, 292, 296, 298, 303-5,
322, 342
Reti, Richard 48, 72, 162, 325
Rey Ardid, Dr. Ramon 153
Ricci, Ruggiero 5
Rice, Tim 1
Richman, Jack 255-6
Riley, Gen. Robert 63
Ripley, Robert 2, 306
Robbins, Frank 202
Robinson, Edward G. 98, 267
Roddy, Albert 122
Rodriguez, Orestes 41
Roesch, A. 49
Roething, Otto 335
Rogoff, Kenneth 229
Rohde, Michael 30
Romanishin, Oleg 340
Roosevelt, Pres. Franklin 24, 79,
82, 178
Rosen, Dr. Joseph 24
Rosen, Max 4
Rosenthal, Moritz 3 14
Sapiro 212
Saponara, David 10
Saxon, Charles 4
Sayers, Dorothy 302
Scalia, Antonio 16
Schapiro, Morris 5
Schiller, Friedrich von 297
Schlechter, Karl 178
Schroeder, James 10, 290
Schwartz, Edward 58
Seiberling, Gene 79, 156
Seidl, Toscha 4
Seirawan, Yasser 229, 300
Shainswit, George 33-4, 59, 200,
307-8
Shaw, George Bernard 67, 88, 218
Shedlovsky, T. 288
Shipman, Walter 10
Showalter, Jackson W. 263, 271
Siff, Boris 194
Simchow, Alexander 8, 68
Simonson, Albert 2 , 4 , 33, 52(c0,
69, 129, 1 5 1 , 196, 200, 228,
254, 283
Simonson, Gustave 270
"Skeezix" 43
358
Skoff, Frank 10
Slappey, Florian 86
Smirka, Rudolph 1 5 1
Smith, Kenneth 273
Smyslov, Vassily 141, 147, 165,
167, 2 12
Smyth, James 330, 337
Soltis, Andrew 65, 107, 242, 243
Spassky, Boris 1 10, 1 1 2 , 168, 207,
212, 219
Speelman, Jonathan 344
Spielmann, Rudolf 48, 107, 157,
326
Spinner, Henry 334
Stahlberg, Gideon 134, 218
Stalin, Joseph 80, 82, 1 2 1 , 132,
173-74
Statham, Louis 1 10, 196
Tal, Mikhail 1 5 , 17, 105, 134, 187,
212, 214, 281
Tarrasch, Dr. Siegbert 178, 180,
309, 325
Tartakower, Dr. Savielly 44, 56, 93,
125, 165, 169, 179-80, 287, 326
Taylor, Robert Lewis 302
Tchigorin, Mikhail 4 1 , 1 78-79
Teichmann, Richard 47, 3 1 5
Tenner, Mrs. Edith
49
(nee
Bernstein)
Tenner, Marcus 49
Tenner, Oscar 2, 3 1 , 40, 43(c0, 86,
151
Tholfsen, Erling 18, 33
Thomas, Sir George 3 1 5
Timman, Jan 300
Tone, Franchot 95
Steiner, Armin 241
Torre, Carlos 17, 326
Steiner, Eugene 241
Toulouse-Lautrec, Henri de 81
Steiner, George 103
Treybal, Karel 45
Steiner, Herman 1, 4-5, 17, 3 1-2,
93-5, 98-100, 128, 156, 164-5,
196, 200, 227, 229, 236(c0, 260,
271
Treysman, George 1 , 39, 129, 200,
206, 251(c0
Trilling, Lionel 296
Tuchman, Barbara 79-81
Steiner, Lajos 88, 191, 238
Tudela, Rafael 1 12
Steiner, Mrs. Selma 241
Turner, Abe 343
Steinitz, Wilhelm 300
Turner, Lana 2, 241
Stephens, L. Walter 85(c0, 103,
138, 2 5 1 , 332
Turover, Isaac 262, 268
Stephens, Maude 85-6
Stern, Isaac 5
Strauss, Richard 314
Stroheim, Erich von 148
Sturgis, George 328
Sullavan, Margaret 95, 98, 241
Sullivan, Catherine 333
Sullivan, John J. 268
Sunye-Neto, Jaime 114-5
Swift, Tom 16
Swinburne, Algernon 2 1 8
Szabo, Laszlo 102-3
Taimanov, Mark 105
Tyson, Mike 17
illvestad, Olaf 300, 304
Uranga, J. 89
Valentino, Rudolph 236
van Gogh, Vincent 77
Velasquez, Diego de 180
Verhoeven, Robert 10
Vidmar, Milan 48
Wallace, Damon 303
Waller, George 267
Walsh, "Daddy" 267
Warburg, Richard 7, 152
Name Index
359
Warren, Helen 10
Wilder, Billy 95, 98-100, 241
Warren, James 10
Williams, Charles 302
Wasilewski 227
Willman, Robert 5, 43, 45, 56, 86,
131, 198, 200, 259
Watson, Dr. John 87, 95
Wayne, John 95
Wilson, Fred 10
Weil, Harrison 37
Wilson, Woodrow 252, 266
Weinstein, B. 327
Winkelman, Barnie 257
Welles, Orson 100
Winslow, Elliott 10
Wertheim, Anne 81
Winston, Peter 34
Wertheim, Mrs. Cecile 79, 8 1 , 156
Winter, John 325
Wertheim, Maurice 2 , 7, 75(cf),
156, 166, 341
Wodehouse, Pelham Greville 7 1
Wessel, Jane 56
Yanofsky, Daniel 210
Whitaker, Dorothy 266
Yates, Frederick Dewhurst 227
Whitaker, Hazel 266
Whitaker, Herbert 262
Zeckendorf, Louis 8-9
Whitaker, Mrs. Herbert 262
Zu-Ux, "a Martian invader" 120
Whitaker, Norman 2 , 143, 262(cf)
Zweig, Stefan 2
Whitaker, Roland 266

The Bobby Fischer I Knew and Other Stories

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