The Bobby Fischer I Knew and Other Stories-8

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38 The Bobby Fischer I Knew a Other Stoes

23. Bx Rx 2. R RR 25. x x 26. K6 Bla esigns

Wat haeed i the touramet to early-to-bed, early-to-riseSammy Reshevsky? While Herma ad this grasshoer were outartyig (was this the touramet where Herma ad I came backat 4 am. with a arkig sig ad ut it i bed with oe of our

sleeig frieds?), Sammy gathered oits like rosebuds to wi theSyracuse evet easily with a score of 122

A Chid of Natu

Herma" my good fried Al Horowitz oce said, has the body ofa grow ma ad the ucotrollable sirit of a youg stallio"Right but I dot thik that eve Al kew how at the descritiowas Herma was a child of ature warm ad friedly as a la dogad totally sotaeous ad uihibited o matter how tight asot he squeezed himself ito he always wiled out thaks to hisboyish ad buoyat ethusiasm.

Horowitz used to tell the story of how Herma, durig a Olymiad game oce touched the wrog iece ad was forced to moveit He jumed u from the table rushed about the room gestuigwith the guilty figer ad screamed Fingerfehler! Ich habe einenFingerfehler gemacht That was Herma to a T"

Hermas erky ways did ot always sit well with his chess. Ofcourse he was a outstadg master wiig the U.S. Oe twicereresetig the Uited States at four Olymiads (scorig well atthe Hague 1928 ad Prague 1931) ad rackig u two or threeexcellet iteratioal results such as first at Berli 193 (ahead ofudwig Rellstab, Fritz Saemisch ad ajos Steier), secod at Bro1932 ust behid Salo Flohr) ad third at Pasadea 1932 (tied withReshevsky ad Arthur Dake) But too ofte he was as irreressibleover the board as away from it

Herma robably holds the atime record for layig Rook liftsto the third rak with the itetio of slidig the iece over to theKgside Most of us uderstood what he had i mid ad couteredvictoriously o the Quees wig. For a drastic examle of Hermassigemided aroach tur elsewhere i these ages to StarryKights i Hollywood" which cotais the first game of my 1946match with Herma.

Still Hermas style made for fasciatig if ot always wiig

chess Oe of the touramet books about the 1952 StockholmIterzoa had as much sace devoted to Herma's games as tothose of Alexader Kotov, who wo that evet by three oitsHerma scored oly 50 ercet at Stockholm, but he kicked ulety of dust eve i defeat



Cpter I 39

O those occasios whe Hema cubed his dastic ebulliece,usually whe eesetig the Uited States i iteatioal teammatches, he layed fomidably I the USAUSSR Radio Matchof 1945, a 0boad affai Hema was the oly Ameica to makea lus scoe, defeatig Igo Bodaevsky o boad six 1%

o Bondaevsky-Heman SeineU.S.A. vs U.SSR. Rado Mach 1 945Boolndan Defense

I . -KB3 KB3 2. -B K3 3. Q BSch . BQ2 QK2 S. -K3 006. B-2 Q . QR3 BxBch 8. QxB Q-Q2 9 0-0 -KS I 0 QB2x I I . x QB3 2. QB3 RK I 3. Q x B

Wite evets Black fom layig the feeig move, 14 . P-K4

1 . . 3 S . K R-Q I

Hema eyes Whites Quee aw which was as he ut it, aattactive taget"

6. QR BQ2

Black would do a iece afte 16 Q-Q? 17 PR Pch 18Q xQ 19 -B3!

1 RS -B 8 Qx

Hema otes that ite had a omisig alteative i 18 xP

1 8. . . . B-K 1 9. KS QQ2

This subtle move gais time fo the followig Kight maeuve,which bigs futhe essue agaist ites aws A metioedHema was ot a atisa of the kid of ositioal lay i thisgame Fo a moe eesetative examle of his lay, just ead o toEvasSteie

20 3 K2 2 . KR-Q I -Q 22. -BS Q-K2 23. K-B2 Q3 2. Q3 QR- I 2S . x Rx 26. Q-BS Q-2 2. Bx BxB 28. QRS RR I 29.-BS Q-B 30 KRQB I B-



40 The Bobby Fisher I Kw Other Stoes

3 1 . K-K3?

Steiner tabbed thi innocent advance a the deciive errorBondarevky had to try 31 R4, with an unclear comlicatedoition after 31 RB3 32 RB5 BB5 33 P5 RxR 34 PxR Q2 35 -6 RKB1 36 xB Px 37 RQ

3 1 . . . . BBS 32. RB3 Q-K 33. QR3

The maneuver, 33 3-R3, i too low becaue of 33 R-4 34 QB7 RB1 35 P P when Black threaten R-7 followed by RK7ch and P-B4

33 PB3! 3. PR Q-R 35. R-B2 PxP 36. QPxP Q3 3 KQ2 PKR38 QQB3 Q-S 39 K-B RN 0. R-RS QR-N 1 . R-QN2 RxR 2. PxR

RQB I ! 3 . Q-K3 QR6!

Thi move threaten 44 QB8ch and 45 QQR8

K-Q2 Q-Nh 5. K-B3 QB 6. PBS QQR8!

Herman ha him and doe not le go If 46 P or 46 PxPWhite get counterchance with 47 R-7

K-B2 B-Q6h!

Thi beautiful move ca a fine counterattack beginning with 33 P-B3 !

8. QxB Rxh 9. K3 RxP 50. K-B2 R-Bh 5 K-3 P-R3, Whteresigs

White loe hi Queen after 52 R- R-4ch 53 R Q-Q8ch

Hot Holood Hunk

In 1932, at age 27, Handome Herman headed wet to California InJuly 1933, he took over the che column in the s AngelesTimes which he would edit until hi rematue death in 1955

If Southern California were a che deert when Herman arrived



Cpter X

he soo tasfomed it ito a oasis He opeed a club at 108 othFomosa Aveue his celebated Hollywood Chess Goup ad attacted such famous studets as Humphey Bogat ouis HaywadMagaet Sullava ad Billy Wilde Othes who might happe by ohose wam lotus eveigs i Old Hollywood icluded the likes offilm geats aue Bacall Joh Baymoe Chales Boye Mya

oy ad the beathtakig ida Daell whom Reube Fie descibed as the most beautiful woma he eve saw

Hema had foud heave as the hot Hollywood huk of chessHe maied a cocet piaist amed Selma ad sied two sosEugee ad Ami They lived i a lage ad tastefuly appoitedhome a weddig peset fom Selmas mothe that also housed theHollywood Chess Goup Of couse as a maste of the attack hecotiued to check out ad mate umeous buddig stalets

seekig the favo of someoe who kew the famous actoHumphey Bogat o the mega-mogul Billy Wilde

Whee wome wee coceed Hema boke bead with thepoet Richad Amou I am ot vey covetous/ do ot cave alot/The thigs I wat ae limiteTo what I have't got"

Ad if Hema loved Hollywood ad its pulchitudious attactios his love was etued That Steie cham woked wodesad may of the golde wome ad poweful me of Old Holly

wood helped him to pomote chess by wokig the oyal game itomovies ad pess eleases O the set Hema could get away withjust about aythig icludig flitig with leadig ladies Duigthe filmig of Cass Timberlane, he told aa Tue, Do't playchess Sittig at a chess boad fo hous might make you fat adspoil that pefect figue"

Hemas may fieds eve foud bit pats fo him i thei ilmsOe of Hema's moe pomiet oles was as Adolf Hitle whomhe ceaily esembled afte pastig dow his shiy black hai adclippig his mustache

The Goal of My Ambiton"

Dot get me wog Hadsome Hema may have bee a playboy,but he emaied fist of all a ma of chess Moe tha aythig elsehe loged to become Uited States chess champio which he ocedescibed as the goal of my ambitio" Afte his geatest iteatioal tiumph fist pize i the odo Victoy" Iteatioal of

946 he chaleged me to a match fo he atioal title that I hadwo i 1944

I accepted eadily ot oly was the $5000 puse muificet bythe stadads of the mid-1940s but I had o easo to believe that



22 The Bobby Fischer I Knew and Other Stoes

the patte of ou pevious esults, begiig with the above Syacuse game of 1934, would alte i the poposed 10game match

I was ight ad wo 64 The stoy of that match, which tookplace i Los Ageles i May 1946, ca be foud i Chapte IX Mypupose hee is meely to epot that I was ot guilty of woudig

Hema's spiit lways a icoigible optimist he attibuted hisloss to the stai of aisig fuds ad issued aothe challege fothe followig yea But as luck o skill would have it I lost my titlei the fall of 1946 Sammy Reshevsky scoed a lopsided esult of162 i that yea's champioship 'uff said

Hemas champioship quest evetually succeeded I 1948, hetopped a 20-playe field that icluded Isaac Kashda to cop thetitle It must have bee a sweet victoy Cetaily it was ichlydeseved Ad what gave Hema cosideable satisfactio was to

wi the champioship by playig chess his way.

Lar Evans-Herman teinerU. Championshp 948

King's Indian Defense

I . -Q NKB3 2. -QB K3 3. NQB3 B-2 . -K -Q3 5 . K3 K 6. -Q5 -QR . B2 NR3 8. KK2 -B 9. 0-0 0-0 1 0. -KR3 NK II I . BK3 B

Fo the sake of Kigside play, Hema was always willig toigoe positioal cosideatios

1 2. x x 1 3 -B! 3 1 . x x 1 5. Q6 R I 1 6. x x 1 .QS

Ady Soltis claims a favoable edig fo White afte 17 QxQ,18 QR-Q1 ad -Q He is quite ight

1 . . . Nx 1 8. BxNch KR I 1 9 KR2 QB2 20 Q-Q2 B-2 2 1 . N-B3

QRQ

Gadmaste Soltis otes that White wats to bea dow o theQuee file while Black wats to wok o the Kigsde Ufotuately Hema could ot play 2 1 P-B immediately because of22 PxP PxP 23 B-Q4! PB6ch 24 KR1 Q6 25 BxBch QxB 26R-K

22. B-R6 RQ3 23. -S KBxB 2 QxB Q 25 NxQ

This edig is about equal, though Black is the guy who ca dothe pushig

25 . . . BB I ! 26 BN2 N-Q6 2. 3 BS 28. NQ5 BNS! 29 x



Chr X 43

Accodig to Soltis White ets i the hodes with this move Heecommeds istead 29 PxP B-K7 30 P-B! BxR 31 RxB, followedby B-K4

29 . . . BK 30. R-K I PxP 3 . BB I RK I 32. PR3 P-B6 33. P- BxB 3QRxB RK 35 K-N3 PB 36. R-N2 R-KS 3. K-R2 R/3-K3 38. PxP PxP

39 . R-QN !The poit of this move is to aswe 39 xP with mate afte

40 RN8ch

39 . . R-K8

0. B6

Both sides ae playig coloful chess Not oly does itetheate 41 RKN8 mate, he also aswes 40 x with 4 R8ch

0 . . . . P-B=h!

I Chess Review Has Kmoch temed this move a miseabemio pomotio " It is also a heat-wamig way to push wood ia S Champioship

1 K- N6h 2 RxR Rh 3. KR2 -B8h . KR I K6h 5. RN RxRh 6. KxR xP Wte resigns

Oe day i late Novembe 1955 duig that yea's CalifoiaState Champioship Hema felt ill He called a docto who visitedhim at his home Duig the examiatio Hema died of a heatattack It was the ed of a jouey that bega oly 50 yeas ealiei Hugaya jouey that took him fist to New Yok ad iteatioal chess fame ad the to Old Hollywood whee this machild stopped livig befoe gowig old



2 Th Bobby Fshr Knw a Ohr Sors

Sltd Gams

Herman Steine Cassa's Casanova

ABRAAM KUPCHKERMA TEER (Manhatan CC Championship1 927) I . P-QB PK 2 N-QB3 -QB3 3 -B3 B-NS P-K3 P-B 5 PQ P-KS 6. N-R P-Q 7 PK3 B3 8 BQ2 00 9. N-2 PxP 0 BxPh KR I I -B B-Q3 2. -RS NK2 3. -S P-B3 . xB Qx 1 5. NxRx 6. Q-3 P-QR 7. P-QR N-Q 8. R-QB I P-QN3 9. R-B2 B-Q220. BxN PxB 2 1 . 0-0 P-KN 22. KR-B P-R 23. R-B7 P-RS 2. R-7 BB I25. R/7QB7 BQ2 26. R-N7 B-B I 27. R/7-QB7 B-Q2 28. Q-Q I R-KR3 29.PN3 RKN 30. QB RR2 3 I . Q2 PBS 32. RN7 PB6 33. QB PxP 3BPxP RKB 35. Q-B2 R-B3 36 . B-K I R/3R3 37. R I B7 QK3 38. RB2 K I 39. P-QN RxP! 0. QxR RxQ RxR Q-QB3 2. R-N8h K-N2 3 .PxP Q-B8 K-B I B-R6h! 5. RxB QB7 6 R7h K3 7 RxPh K-B8 P-h KxP 9 R-N3h KB 50 K- I QQ8 5 1 . R-QN2 QxBh 52 KR2 P-B7 White resgns

AMUE REHEVKHERMAN TEIER (Weste Open, 927): . P-K-KB3 (Aekhines Defense, whih the wags sed to say led the opponent on"a wildhorse hase) 2 . PKS NQ 3. PQ PQ3 . NKB3 BNS 5 . BK2 PK3 6. 00 BK2 7. PQN3 00 8. PB N3 9. BN2 PxP I 0. xP BxB I .QxB / I Q2 1 2. N-QB3 NB3 1 3. QR-Q I P-B3 1 . P-B Q-B2 1 5. RB3QRQ I 6. R3 P-QR3 1 7. R Q3 PB 1 8. PQS PxP 9. PxP KRK I 20.

QQ I PBS 2 1 . RQ2 BB 22. PKR3 PxP 23 QxP QBh 2. KR2 QS25 N Nx 26. Rx PB 27. QxQ BxQ 28. R-N3 BS 29. RQ PQ 30. N-Q I B-B 3 RxPh KB 32 RxN PxR 33 . R-B7 RxP 3. -B3R-Q7 35 RxB RxB 36 RxP R-QB7 37 R-BS K- I 38 . R-B7 P-QR 39. PQR KR I 0. RBS RK I 1 . KN R/ xPh 2. K-B R-KR7 3 KN RxP. NK RxR 5. xR RKB6 6. K6 RQR6 7. NBS RR7 8. KB I PR 9. K KR2 Whte resigns

ERMA TEIERABRAAM KUPCK (Manhatan C.C. Championshp

1 929) I P-Q KB3 2 P-QB PB 3 PQS PQ3 NQB3 PK 5 PKP-K3 6. P-KR3 B2 7. B-NS 0-0 8 Q-Q2 R-K 9 PKN P-QR3 0. PQR Q-R I I . R-R3 (Rook lis to the third nk were to tener whatBshops were to Kashdan) I I . . . . QN-Q2 1 2. KN-K2 N-3 1 3. N3 B-Q2 QB2 -B 1 5 BQ2 R-B I 1 6 BK2 -K I 1 7 P-R QQ I 1 8 -Q I NK2 1 9. P-KRS Q-B 20. N-K3 P-QN 2 . QRPxP PxNP 22. RxR QxR 23.BPxP N-B2 2. P6 -N 25. BxN BxB 26. P-B3 Q-R3 27. K-B2 R I 28.PS RxP 29. N BQ6 30 Q-B Q-RS 3 1 . -B6h BxN 32. PxB QQSh 33. K2 xP! 3. PxN RxP 35. K-R3 RxB 36. QxR BBh 37. xB

QxQ 38 -K7h KB I 39 R-R I K-K I 0. R-R8h K-Q2 1 . R-R7h, draw

DR. JAO BAOGHERMAN EER (Gyo 1 930) I . P-K P-K 2 NKB3 NQB3 3 B-S PQR3 B-R -B3 5 . 0-0 B-K2 6 R-K I P-Q 7. B3 0-0 8. P-QR R-N I 9. PxP PxP I 0. -B3 PQ3 I . P-Q3 B-S 2. B-K3



Chr X 45

QS 1 3. Bx PxB 1 . -K2 P-B S P-B3 PxP 6. NxP N-Q2! 1 7 P-R3Bx 1 8. QxB -K 1 9. Q-K2 -B3 20. B-QS QS 2 1 . Q-Q2 B-N 22 PB B-R3 23. Q-KB2 PS 2. -Q I Q-B3 25. P-KN3 Q-K2 26. N-K3 P-327. KR I B2 28. P KR I 29. RR6 K3 30. N2? (A passve paybee is 30 -B) 30. . . B-QS 3 Q-K2 N-B2 32 R-R7 P-BS! 33 R-RS PB6 3 P-N3 B-N3 35 R-R2 xB 36 . Px QxQ 37 R/2xQ R-R 38 R-K B

B 39. R-B KR-K 0. P-Q RxRh 1 xR BxP! 2 -Q3 B-B 3 K-2K-N2 . xB PxN 5. RxP/5 R-R6 6. K-B3 RxP 7 K-K R-N8! 8. K-Q3P-N6!! 9 . RxP RQ I h 50. KK2 P-7 5 . KxR P-N8Q 52. K-Q2 Q KS53 R-Q3 QxPh 5 K-B3 QQ3 Wite esgs

JOE CAPABLACAERA EER (New ork, 1 93 ): I . PK PK2. KB3 QB3 3. BNS PQR3 . BR PQ3 5. PB3 PB 6. PxP BxP 7.PQ PKS 8. PQS?? (An exordina bunder by Capabana at oses apiee; e normal move hee is 8. S) 8 . . . Px 9. PxN P-Q I 0. QxBP

BxN I . BN3 BN3 2. 00 NB3 3 BNS BK2 1 . KRK I KB I I S. RK3PR3 6. BxN BxB 7. QQS PKR 8. P3 QB 1 9. RK6 QQ 20. RK3 QB 2 1 . RK6 QQ I , dw nstead of nning fo a daw va repetio ofmoves, Bak should t 2 . . . . P-S itendng o otinue wth . . . RQN and . . . R-. he most amaing aspet of ths game whih otains one ofthe two or tree worst blunders of Capablanas areer, is hat it has esapedearly all aenton in ess iteraure.

ERA EERVDA KENA (Nev 1 93 ): I . P-Q P-Q 2. P

QB P-QB3 3 -KB3 -B3 -B3 PxP 5 P-QR BB 6 P-K3 NR3 7BxP N-QS 8 00 P-K3 9 QK2 B-K2 I 0 R-Q I B-NS I I P-R3 BR 2 B3 ! 0-0 1 3 P-K Q-B2 1 P B-3 S -KS N-Q2 1 6 B-KB x(Bak needed to play 1 6 . . B-Q3) 1 7 Bx QR 8. B3 KR-Q I 1 9. PBBQ3 20 K2 QB2 2 . QB3 PKR3 22. QRB I QN3 23. NK2 BR2 2.PBS BxB 25. QxB RK I 26. N-B PxP 27. PxP QB2 28. K-R I QK2 29 RK KR I 30. RK2 RK I 3 . RK I PK 32. NQ3 Nx 33. Qx KRK I3. Q-KB3 QRQ 35 QRS RxP? 36. QxRP RxKP 37 RxP! he best defense is ate oense fo if 37. B-B2? Blak wis wit 37 RxR 38 P-B6

RR7!! 39. KxR Q-Q3!) 37. . . PB3 38. RSN2!! RK 39. RxR PxR 0 PB6 Blak resgs.

HERAN E ERREUBEN FE (New ork, 1 932 , ah Game o. 3): I .PQ N-KB3 2. NKB3 P-Q 3. PB P-B3 . NB3 PK3 5. PxP PxP 6. BBB-N2 7 P-KR3 0-0 8 P-K3 Q-N3 9 Q-3 QxQ I 0 PxQ B3 . B-K2 BB 1 2 0-0 KR-B I I 3 P-K BB7 KR-B I -NS I S. R-R PQR 1 6. RR3B-Q6 1 7. B-Q N-KS 1 8. -K I PK3 1 9. PB3 P-KN 20. BR2 KB3 2 1 .R/ 1 -R P-N3 22. B-Q6 B-QR3 23. BxN PxB 2. RxB RxR 25. RxR Px 26.PxP P 27. K-B2 R-B3 28 PN P-R 29 B-R RBS 30 RxP BB I 3 NQ3R-B6 32 N-BS R-R6 33 B-S R-R7 3 K-K I P-RS 35. B-K2 K-2 36. P-NSR-R8 37 KB2 -K 38. R-N7 B-Q3 39. P-B K-B I 0. N-Q7h K- I 1 .PxP B6 2. K-2 R-R7 3. K-B R-R8 K-2 R-R7 5. KB I RR8h6. K-2 RR7 draw



4 T Bobby Fsher I Kn nd Oher Soes

I his ost posito, ie laimed a draw by threefold repetto whih wasdsped by teer or reasos that ae oday lea. e math refereeeveay ed Fies favo, togh o befoe ordeig the two yogmastes to play ot te game to a olsio Here s e oial ad veypety ish : . K-B3 K-N2 8. BS Q3 9. xP K-3 50 B-Q3h NKS 5 I Bxh PxB 52 KxP Px 53. RK RR 5. P-6 RxP 55 RxPh

KxP 56. P-QS RR 5. P-Q6! R-Q 58. PN! RxP 59. R-KS!! BxR 60. PN=Q BN6 6 1 . QS, Blak esigs

RUBN HRMA R (New York, 932 Math Game o. 8): I .NKB3 PQ 2 P-B PK3 3. PQN3 -KB3 P-N3 BK2 5. BQN2 0-0 6.BN2 PB . 0-0 B3 8. PxP xP 9. -B3 -B2 I 0 RB I RN I Q-BPQN3 1 2 KR-Q P-K 1 3 QK? PB! 1 . Q- I Q-K I S P-Q3 PKN1 6 QR I B-2 1 -Q2 RQ I 1 8. NB BB3 1 9. P-QR B-QR I 20. NNSNx 2 Px -QS 22 BxN KPxB 23. QxRP BxB 2 KxB QxKP 25. RQ2

QR 26 P-B3 QR-K 2 QxP RK2 28 R-B I P-NS 29 PxP PxP 30. R/2KB2B-2 3 RxRh BxR 32. Q-KB6 RKh 33 R-B2 B-K2 3 Q-B RK 35. RB I R-Kh 36 . R-B2 R-K 3. PR?? QQh Whie resigs Fie aowlydefeaed teier i this mah 5. evel of these vitaly kowgames ave a bmptios qality: Isipd opeigs ae folowed by ompromisg ad postioally dbos adohad ombat teie wold eveogrow his stye, wheeas Fie wold beome e limae smoohe.

RUBN RMAN INR (Pasadea 932): . N-KB3 P-Q 2 P

Q KB3 3. PB PK3 . -B3 B-K2 5 BNS 00 6. PK3 Q-Q2 R-B PB3 8. BQ3 PxP 9. BxP N-Q I 0. BxB QxB . 00 NxN 1 2. Px P-K 1 3QB2 PKS 1 -Q2 B3 S. QR-K B-B 6 P-B3 BN3 . PxP xP 1 8.x BxN 9 Q-Q2 KR 20. RB P-KB 2 1 BQ3 P-KN 22. RB2 QR-K I23. B-B RB3 2. -KB R-R3 25 B-Q3 QQ3! 26. P-3 QxPh! 2 R-N2QxR 28. QxQ BxQ 29. KxB RxP Whie resgs ie oe omaedteier as his avorie oppoet B s game played i es t teratioal toame was teier's prospetive revege for may defeats toome.

RMA TNRNRICO PAOLI (Veie 1 950) . PQ PQ 2 PQB PK3 3. N-QB3 P-QB3 . PK PxKP 5. NxP B-NSh 6. B-Q2 QxP .BxB QxN 8. BK2 -QR3 9 B-B3 PB3 0. N-B3 NK2 0-0 0-0 1 2.R-K I Q-3 3. PQ QB2 ("s ts hbeato or agoraphobia askedAthoy atasee i ss fe Ba a probably ge a advatage wi 3.. . . P-K.) QB2 P-K S BQ3 P-KN3 6. -Q2 B-B 1 NK QR-Q I1 8. P-B BxN 9 RxB PxP 20 QR-K I RQ2 2 . RxP P-KB 22 Q-K2 KR-Q I23 R-B3 NB2 2 P! NK I 25 PxP PxP 26. KR I -N2 2. R-K I N328. PBS Q-K 29. BBh K-R 30 QxQh RxQ 3 1 N!, Bla esigsea wo a bi ay pe for this eor wi sows his sky poliviiesi thei best lgh.

HRMA IRLARR VA (U.. Campioship Mah 952): I



Chter X 27

PQ N-KB3 2. P-QB P-K3 3 N-QB3 B-S P-K3 0-0 S B-Q3 P-Q 6.K2 P-B . PxQP BPxP 8 PxQP xP 9 0-0 N-QB3 I 0. P-QR3 B-K2 I I .Q-B2 P-KR3 2 RQ I NxN 1 3 Px PQ3 . 3 BN2 I S QK2 R 1 6 R-N QQ?! (With 1 6 . . . R-B I , Bak ould have withstoodmmediate ons laughts) . B-K Q-Q2 (Absoutey neessa is 1 . . . . QQ I ) 1 8. BxB xB 1 9 N-RS KRB I 20. BxP P3 2 1 . Q-KS! P-B3 22. NxPh

BxN 23. QxB Q-KB2 2. QxQh KxQ 2S. R-Q3 R-B3 26 R-K I QR-QB 2. B-Q2 NR 28 R I K3 BS 29 R-B3h KN2 30 BB I PQN 3 .P-KR RR3 32. R3 RKR I 33 RN xP 3. 3-N3 N-BS 3S. RxPh KB236. BR6 R-R8h 3. K-R2 K-K2 38. R/3-NS R-QN8 39 RQBS PR 0. BSh KQ2 1 . R-Nh K-Q3 2. R- P-K 3. RxN PxR . RxR PxP S.BB6 RR3 6. BxP RxPh . K-3, Ba resigns In this math, ermanroved no math for the then 20-yea-od La vans, who triumhed I 0

The above owerul ataking eot, relete with erman's tademark Rookis to the third rank was the veterans single bright sot



I I I

*

C Am Bwy By



Chapter XXIII

$or George reysman

the cay Was the hingYou castle your way and I'll castle my way "

George Treysma

I 1928, at the age of 14, I was acceted as a juior member of theMahatta Chess Cub, whic i those days occuied the etiregroud foor of the Sherma Square Hotel o 71st ad Broadway.

Everythig about the Mahatta was structured ad ordered,eve to how members should behave ad dress. Oe advertisemetfor the istitutio read, A Cub for Geteme of Discermet whoEjoy the Roya Game If the club secretary, L Walter Stehes,frowed at you, it was because you failed to ass muster. Yougma, he would aouce i his best Priceto accet, you areimroerly accoutered.

Give this sheltered ubrigig i chess, the reader may imagiemy astoishmet whe years later I visited the Stuyvesat ChessClub, a absolutely uique istitutio of a kid ufortuately goeforever The Stuyvesat, which was located o ew York's owerEast Side at 14th Street just west of Secod Aveue, was a comletely differet word, filled with eole who would rather aychess tha eat t was as if I had crossed some usee border adwadered ito a foreig lad Here few eole soke Eglish, ad

most coversatios were i Russia, Yiddish or Polish. It was a goodthig for me that chess is a uiversal aguage

the Bohemia atmoshere of the Stuesat, there were orestrictios o oise; ad eole wore what they felt comfortable ior what they could afford. You could hear shouted eithets such

dummkopf!" patzer!" pfuscher!" schlemiel!" ad so oEveryoe was a chai smoker The fumes were, as orma Lessighas writte, thick eough to cut i chuks. The smoke remidedme of a Holmesia Lodo fog, ad the ight bulbs with their gree

madarihat shades above the tables resembed street lams vaily5



5 Th Bobby Fshr I Knw Ohr Sos

attemptig to pierce the miasma The place was usually packed

The club cosisted of a log loft i a old browstoe, half astory above street level There were chess tables out frot cardtables to the rear ad still further back a small kitche wheceemaated coffee tea ad sadwichesall served at the chess tables

so as ot to disturb games i progressThe host Jacob Yakele Berstei, was short, fat ad greasy

lookig, i additio to beig completely bald ad havig a eck likea wrestler's Happily married to Aa Casemet, a plump womawith a last ame that still echoes loudly i Irish history he wore aperpetual gri o his face ad was usually friedly ad pleasat Theexceptio was whe someoe walked out without payig a billapractice that he oetheless tolerated He loved chess people adwas quite a strog player It was said that Yakele could ot have

paid his ow bills were it ot for the poker games that he cut o thesecod floor, directly below his ow quarters o the third

That he ra a gamblig parlorright beeath the ight sticks ofhis wife's umerous brothers ad cousis o the police forcewasprove whe the cops raided the club ad hauled him ito courtLuckily for Yakele, the udge was a chess player who asked Ifyours is ot a gamblig establishmet the tell me Who is the USchess champio?'

Arold Deker! replied Yakele ad the case was immediatelydismissed

Yakele ever reformed himself He was too easygoig for thecovetioal world Oe story has him askig a questio at aWilsoforPresidet rally: Mr Wilso, is it true that if youreelected every ma will have work? e Wilso aswered yesYakele protested, But Mr Wilso, I do't wat to work 'm agambler

Kng of th Put Down"

I visited the Stuyvesat Chess Club may times over the years adgot to kow some very iterestig characters Oe of them wasGeorge elso Treysma the g of the Put Dow ad the selfproclaimed ruler of chess o Mahatta's East Side

A oe-time waiter with a pechat for spillig soup o customerswhom he disliked George soo foud it ecessary to ear his livig

at chess Medium i height gaut ad emaciatedlookig with highkobby cheekboes, Treysmas face resembled the death mask of aMogol warrior The sigle redeemig feature was his eyes Theywere deepset like two black coals restig i a pool of water ad



Chr X 53

whe he laughed they fairly rippled ad overflowed util tearsstreamed dow his cheeks.

Treysma could have bee a fie actor, sice he had just therght amout of ham i him. There were times whe he would feigroyalty, ad he carred it off so well that I thik he bega to believe

it. Oce, whe I iquired about his backgroud, he twirled his everpreset white shawl about is eck i a sigle sweepg motio adreplied, Do't you hoestly feel that you are i the presece ofobility we you are my compay?

Although Treysma ever cracked a chess book ad played i omore tha a halfdoze touramets, he had a atural talet sogreat that he could hold his ow with the best Were it ot for hisheavy smokig poor diet ad totally udisciplied lifestyle, hemight have goe far. At age 55 ad well past his prime, he fiished

third i what was the irst master touramet of his lifethe 1936US Champioship!

George reysman-saac KashdanU.S. Champonshp, / 936

Nimzoindian Defense

I . PQ NKB3 2 P-QB PK3 3. N-QB3 B- . P-K3 PQ3 5 BK2 NK 6. QB2 xN Px BK2 8 B3 00 9 BQ3 P-KR3 I 0. BK PQB3 I . 00 B-R3 1 2. BR h KR 1 3 B-Q3 P-QB 1 . R-Q I PxP . BPxP -B31 6 B-Q2 B-N2 1 . QR-N I P-Q3 1 8. B-B3 R-B 1 9. Q-K2 NN 20. NQ2

The aressive idea behid this move is i keepig withTreysma's traiig as a coffeehouse hustler.

20 . . . -Q2 2 1 PB PB 22. PK PxP 23. BxP P-Q 2. B-B3 RxKBP 25.QxP -B I 26. QK I Q-Q2 2. P3 RKB3 28. QK2 PxP 29. PQ RKB230. NK BBh 3 I . NxB Rx 32. BKN QB2 33 . B-K QK2 3 B-K6xB 35 . PxN RB 36. R-Q QRxB 3. QxR RxQ 38 RxQ BQ 39. RxRP

RxP 0. R2 RQB3 RR3 B-K 2. RQB3 BQ6 3. KB2 RK3 . RB I K- I 5. P-QR3 KB2 6. RK I RB3 . KK3 BB 8. K-Q P-B6 9. RKB2 KN3 50. P BxP 5 1 . R-QB I RQ3h 52. KxP K- 53 R-KN KR5. RB P-R 55. RN3 RQ 56. RB2 P-K 5 R-Q3 RBh 58. K-2 RB3 59. R-Q KR6 60. R-Q KR 6 . R-Q K-R6 62. P-R B-K3 63. RB3hKN 6. RQR3 BB 65. RQ2h K 66 RQB3 R-B 6. Q2QB2 BK3 68. RN3h KR 69 RxR PxR 0 P P-R 1 PR KxP 2. PR6 BB 3 PR B-2 . K-B3 PR6 5 KQ2 PB 6 KK3 P-B6 . K-B2 P-B 8R-QB BK 9. RxP BxR 80 P-R=Q B-K 8 1 . QR I Blak

George reysman-Ahur DakeUS Championship 936

Ruy Lopez

I . PK P-K 2. -KB3 -QB3 3. B-N P-QR3 B-R PQ3 5 PQ P



54 Th Bobby Fshr I Knw nd Ohr Sos

Q4 6. B3 xP . x Px 8. P-QR4? B-2 9. 0-0 -B3?

Black should have played 9 NB3 Both of these mastes weekow as uooked atual playes

I 0. QK2 QQ2 I I . P-QB3 PxBP 1 2. xP PS 1 3 QS x 1 4.Pxdis.c. B-K2 S . B-S PKB3 1 6. B-Q2 0-0?

he oly move was 16 P-QR4, whe Black ca pobably gethimself utagled

1 . KRK I KR-K I 1 8 BxP BKB I ? 1 9 Q-B4 RxRch 20 RxR R-K I ?

Blacks last chace was 20 K-R1, followed by P-N3, B-N2ad PB3 he secod playe would the have had so-so dawigchaces

2 1 . RxR QxR 22. P-R3 Q-K4 23. BB3 QB4 24. BR2 QB 2S. QK4 PKB4 26. Q-Q4 B-B I 2. P-RS B2 28 BB4 BB I 29. KR2 QB8 30. PQ4 Q-B 3 1 . PS PxP 32 BxP QR 33 . BB4 QRS 34. P3 QR6 3S.Q-K3 P-R3 36. PR4 P-BS 3. PxP Q-RS 38. Q-Q4 QQ2 39. QK3 Q-S40 Q3 QQ8 4 1 . B-Q3 BS 42. QK3 Q-6 43. P-R6 Q- I 44. Q -K4B-R4 4S. Q-Rch KB2 46. QBSch KK2 4. QxB Q6 48. Q-K2ch Blackresigns

eysma's yeas i coffeehouses spet gidig out games day

i ad day out povided him with a excellet techique which hedemostated i this stule

Geoge eve gave touamet chess moe tha a passig doff ofthe cap Except i 1936 I that yea he ot oly came withi oeo two moves of wiig the US Champioship he also wet 32games without defeata skei that bega with the Rice-PogessiveChess Club Champioship cotiued though a aduous qualiyigtouamet fo the US Champioship fials ad eded i oud0 of those fials whe a vey weay eysma played a ghastly

game agaist my fied Buddy Simoso

Th Odds-On Favot

As a odds-give eysma was the kig He had o pee, ot evethe geat Hoowitz Ideed Geoge had to be tops just to suvive Kowig his stegth playes would hale with him addemad outageous odds fo iskig thei moey He would usuallyageebut ot befoe isultig his pospective oppoet fo de

madig such a ufai advatage All the while he kew that hewas goig to play but he wated the oppoet to feel that he haddive a had bagai Whe fist witessig this pefomace I wastuly shocked ot ealizig that it was meely a itual like thematig ceemoy of stoks to establish domiace



Chr Xl 55

n The o o Chess, Anthony Saidy and oman essing descibe the couse of a typical Teysman hustle:

Geoge would appoach his pey couteously enough Wouldyou cae fo a game of chess si?"

This usually poduced a way esponse Chess? o dontthink so"

Pinochle maybe? Clabiash?"

ot inteested"

Casino dominoes? Maybe youd like to shoot a game ofpool? They got a nice pool hall acoss the steet" Thecustome would ty to wave him off but Geoge was a had

man to shake Ping-Pong tiddlywinks? Whats you bestgame? Ill play you anything you want and give you oddsthats how much I think of you"

By this time the man was angy Okay l pay you chessWhat odds wil you give me?"

Then the game would begin Geoge was a maste of psychological wafae With the saddest expession in the wold he wouldlook out into the eve-pesent audience and wail You see this is

the kind of low-ife that I have to put up with in ode to live"Othe times he would beittle an opponents move by pointing outits theat to the kibitzes ook how cude and low his plan is" hewould say Then he would make a move and extoll the beauty andatisty of his own play Of couse he aways neglected to point outthe eal theat behind his move which was fa diffeent fom whathe eveaed to the onookes And when an opponent finally gabbed the bait he woud finish him off and ask How can you besuch an idiot to believe eveything that people tell you?"

A good question Yet idiots wee neve wanting

Take Jack chman the owne of a owe East Side delicatessena happily maied family man and model mateial fo one of thosemanic Manhattan melodamas You see Jack caught the chess bugan affliction absolutely fatal to family ife and financial limb back inthe 1930s and 1940s

Jack and Geoge soon developed a elationship based on negative

symbiosis Jack woked all day at his delicatessen played blitzchess all night against Geoge at the Stuesant and etuned towok in the moning with neithe sleep no the pevious dayseceipts Geoge was no bette off He too went sleepless by takinghis winnings to the ace tack and then losing them



56 Th Bobby Fshr I Knw Ohr Sos

Heres the moey trai:

Decatessen cash reter I I I� Jack's pocket-

�lce ack cash reter I I oges pocket

After osig busiess, wife, chidre ad home, Jack took upresidece o 42d Street where he sat shouder-toshouder withGeorge i a weather hustig the suckahs" for quarters Dressedaways i two compete suits Jack said that the ier garmets

were his weekday wear, the outer appare his Suday best ad thathe wore both because he coud ot decide which he iked better

Whe cadgig smokes Jack woud ivariaby ask i his thick oiYawk accet, Hey, ya got a Shysterfied?" Ufortuatey for Jack was a cofirmed Came ma havig appeared i atioay pubished cigarette advertisemets

By the mid1950s both me were goig dowhi fast, hoig upear Times Square at the ew York Chess & Checkers Cub or a

we caed it, the fea house Oe day, George ad a youg AeKaufma who is owadays the distiguished executive director ofthe toy America Chess Foudatio, were swappig ews whe arattyookig chma souched i

See that guy," George rasped ike someoe sufferig from throatcacer, made him ito a chesspayer!" By which he meat thathe had ruied his ife Ad whe ookig at Jack you coudt hepthikig about the words of the writer who moaed, I am ot

actuay uhappy; it is somethig worse tha that"Uike George, Jack had a softer side True, he woud maevo

ety te oppoets to Break a eg!", which he redered ito hisimprecise Yiddish as Brach a jss! or Break a foot!" Yet whecofroted with a gratuitous kidess that eve his suspicious midcoud ot faut, he woud say, Brach nicht kein ss! or Dotbreak a foot!"

George's coffeehouse games do ot survive Certaiy, he payed

extremey aggressivey i these sportig cotests ad sought tacticacompicatios reetessy The pay, after a was the thig Thefoowig touramet games, i which the oppositio was webeow Treysmas eve, give a fair idea of his coffeehouse pay:



Cptr X 57

Bae Wkea-ege TeysaU.S. Ope, 936

Budapes Defese

I PQ KB3 2. PQB PK 3 PxP -5 -KB3 BB 5 PK3 Q B36. BK2 KxP/ . x x 8 0-0 0-0 9 P-QR3 P-QR I 0. -B3 P-Q3 I I .

R I BB 2. P-K B-K3 3 P-Q3 Q-R5 1 P3 QR6Black theates BK, followe by BxB ad

1 5 K-R I PQB3

Although Black wis this game billiatly, the text move leavesWhite with a defese The coect idea is a immedate 15 PB4

6 PB3 P-B 1 P-Q RPxP 8 RPxP PxP 1 9 xP

White caot play 19 PxB because of 9 KPxP 20 BxP RxB21 RxR B

1 9 . . . B-B

20. BB?

White could have beate off the attack advatageously wth 20! QR3 21 R2 BR2 22 PB! P-Q4 23 P4

20 5 2 1 Px Bxh 22. B-B3 R-R White resigns

The fiish would be 23 BQ KRxB 24 RxR RxB

ege Teysa-Ml HaaueU.S Chapshp 1 938Quees ab Acceped

I . KB3 PQ 2. PQ -KB3 3 PB PxP -B3 PQR3 5 P-QR PK36. PK3 PB . BxP BK2 8. 00 00 9. QK2 PxP I 0. PxP -B3 I I . R-Q I Q5 1 2. K5 QR

Black ought to have tied 12 P-3 13 B-K B2, with aplayable postio



58 Th Bobby Fshr I Knw nd Othr Stos

1 3 B-KS R-Q 1 K QQ I S BxQ QxB 1 6 xc Bx 1 .BxB PxB

1 8. QRS KR I 1 9. QxP! Px 20. Q-B6c K- I 2 1 R-R3, Black eg

Doing It His ay

To play uccefully at odd equied moe than attacking technique it equied quick-witted chutzpah On one memoable occaion, Geoge wa extending Queen odd to an opponent jut a bittoo tong fo uch an ovewhelming advantage So he devied anew way of catling by which he put hi Rook immediately on K The adveay catched hi head and inquied how it wa thatwhen he catled hi Rook ended up on the Bihop quae, and

when Geoge catled, it ended up on the ng quae To whichGeoge eplied, You catle your way and Ill catle my wayokay?"

Okay" ageed the patze

Anothe Teyman technique fo confuing the opponent andaving peciou econd in time peue wa to gab a alt o peppehake when queening a pawn m not a cheate!" Geoge wouldexclaim indignantly Dont I alway take the alt hake when

White and the peppe when Black?"Sometime when al ele failed, Geoge would lean aco the

table and lowe hi voice to a confidential tone Do you ealize,"he would ak, that you ae matched againt the founde of theTeymanic School of Che?" To thi day I have yet to icovewhat o whee that chool wa but it ue had the powe tointimidate

Fo the pectato the how wa geat Fo hi opponent, t wa

quite anothe matte Geoge wa fond of inging ong a hepayed, and he alway hit hi bet hythm when a win wa withineach Thee wa the tende favoite Who Hit elly in the Bellywith a Founde?" and he imply loved anothe ong with a efain



Chtr X 59

which went, They call me Shiley just because my hai is culy"But my favoite was n Spain, they say, the chess eigns plainly inthe main"

Teysman aely played against equals His geatest joy camefom giving odds and insulting his opponents It was said that he

could cuse in seven languages though he always did so with asmile

Geoge led a lonely and, at the end a depessing life In his finalyeas befoe dying of thoat cance in 1959, he was educed tositting mute at the chessboad and to witing out insults on ascatchpad This vetean gamesman, his avaged neck wapped indiscoloed gauze expected no pity and eceived none

Looking back acoss the decades, dozens of pictues flash befoe

my eyes of Geoge hustling chess But fo some eason, I often fixon the night that he was playing Chales Jaffe who had once been aleading playe (he defeated Capablanca in a tounament game) andwho was by that time a sickly old man Jaffe, who made somemoney publishing woks in Yiddish, had a bad game, and Geogewas iding him had When he theatened to tea Jaffe limb fomlimb and to feed him to the cocodiles, the latte stood up and sentall the pieces flying acoss the table and stomped out

ot to be upstaged Geoge looked aound spead out his palmsin an elaboate shg and asked with the most innoent one andface in the wold, What kind of vaiation is tt fo a nice Yiddishwite?"

Sltd Gams

Gorg Trysman: Th Cof-Hous Gndmasr

EMAUEL AKERGEORGE TREYMA (Clok Exhbtion ew ok

November 8 1 928): I . PK PK3 2. P-Q PQ 3. Q3 K3 -S-K2 5 PKS KQ2 6. PKR x . Px QxP 8 NR3 QK2 9. -QS I I 0. QN N3 I I . PQ3 P-QR3 1 2. NR3 PQ I 3. 0-0-0 3 .Q3 PxP I S. PxP N-S 1 6. x RPx 1 . N-KS R-K I 1 8. K-N -Q21 9. R-Q I -Q6 20. R-2 R-Q I 2 1 . RxRh xR 22. Q-3 NS 23. P-Q2 2. QR3 3 25. QR R- 26. QxP/N KQ I 2. N2 K2 28.RR Q I 29. P-QN3 QK I 30. P-3 K I 3 1 . K2 - 32. NK3 -Q633. K3 8 3. P-R Q-K2 35. RR -3! 36. Rx Q-NSh 3 KQ3QxQPh 38 K-K2 R- I 39. QxP Q-6 0 R-Q I P-QS 1 . N QxKN P

2. R-Q2 RR I 3. K RRh . KQ I QxPh White resigns

GEORGE REYMANRERT WLLMAN (yvesan C.C vs. ManhatanC.C. Metropol itan League Math 1 93): I . P-K PQ 2. K3 NQ3 3 PQ PxP . xP N-3 5 -Q3 P-Q3 6. -K2 P-K3 . 0-0 N2 8. x



60 Th Bobby Fshr Knw Othr Stos

PxN 9. PKS PxP 0. QxQch KxQ I I . BB3 B2 1 2. R-K I -Q 1 3 R-Q IPK3 1 . N-K KB2 S. PB NN3 1 6. PBS -Q 1 B-Q2 P-B 8. NQ6KRQN I 1 9. B-RSch K-Q2 20 BB3 K-K2 2 1 BxN BPxB 22 NxB Rx 23PQN P-QS 2 B-Q2 K-Q2 2S PQR P-QR3 26 P-NS! PxP 2. P-B6chKxP 28 PxPch RxP 29. RxR PKS 30. RR6ch KQ 3 1 . RRS RxR 32. BxR PBS 33 K-B PN 3. PB3 P-R 3S . R-N I PxP 36 RSch K-BS 3 RxP

PxPch 38. KxP BR I 39. RxP B-2 0. KB3, Back resgns

AROLD MORONGEORGE TREYMAN (U.. Championship 1 936): P-Q N-KB3 2. B-S P-Q 3. N-Q2 Q-Q2 . KN-B3 PB S. P-K3 Q36. R-QN I PKR3 . B-R PxP 8. NxP P-K 9. N/-3 P-QR I 0. P-R Q-S Bx xB 1 2 B-Sch B-Q2 3 P-QB3 QQ3 1 QK2 B-K2 I S. 0-0 0-01 6 QRQ I Q-N3 . BxB NxB 1 8. P-QB Q-QB3 1 9 . PxP QxRP 20. PKQ-S 2 1 . QB KRQB I 22. QxQ BxQ 23. NR I P-QN 2. P-B3 PRS 2S-N I B-Bch 26. K-R B-QS 2. RQ2 P-NS 28. -B2 RBS 29 xB PxN

30. KRQ QR-QB I 3 I . K-N I RB 32. K-B2 RxRch 33. RxR RB8 3. RxPRxN 3S RxP N-K 36 R-N8ch K-R2 3. P-Q6 P-R6 38 K-N3 PR Whiteresigns

AMUEL ACORGEORGE REMAN (U.. Championship 1 936): PQ PQ 2. NKB3 NKB3 3. PK3 QQ2 . BQ3 PK3 S 0-0 B-Q3 6.QNQ2 0-0 PK PxP 8. xP NxN 9. Bx P-KR3 0. P-B P-QB I I BB2 PxP 2 QxP QK2 1 3. RK I RQ 1 . B-Q2 N-B3 I S Q-B3 P-QN3 1 6.QK3 B-N2 1 . P-KR3 QR-B 1 8. PQ3 BB 1 9. QK2 Bx 20. PxB R

2 1 . QK PB 22 QK2 NN6 23. QQ I QRS 2. KN2 NKS! Wh iteresigns

GEORGE TREYMANWEAVER ADAM (U.. Championship 936): . PQ PQ 2. P-QB PK 3. PxKP P-QS . -KB3 N-QB3 S. P-K3 B-K3 6.QNQ2 BQNS . Q-B2 (Although Treysman plays the opening inspidy heleaves himself lenty o scope for the midd egame) . KN-K2 8. PQR3BxNch 9 BxB -N3 I 0 B-B QK2 I . BN2 Q-B 1 2. R-QB PQR 1 30-0 00 1 . N-S QRQ I I S. B-K KR-K I 1 6. PKR QNxP 1 . P-QN! PxP 8. PxP QxNP 9. BQ2 Q-B 20. P-RS B I 2 BxPch KR I 22. B-B-NS 23 BK P-KB3 2. NB3 B- I 2S B-N6 BR2 26. K-N2 R-K2 2.Q-Q3 -K 28 x Px 29. BS P-KS 30. BxR PxQ 3 1 . BxQ PxP 32.KR-K I P-Q6 33. B-K R-R 3. BxP BxB 3S. Bx RxB 36. R-B3 RQ I 3 KB3 P-Q 38. PxP BxP 39. RxBP R-Q6ch 0. KB RQ8 1 . RQB I BRS2 R-B8ch KR2 3 RxP Black resigns

HERMA TEINERGEORGE TREYMAN (U.. Championship 1 936): I PK PK 2. NKB3 NQB3 3 B-B BK2 . P-Q P-Q3 S P-KR3 NB3 6 NB3 0-0 . B-3 BQ2 8. 00 PQR3 9. P-R3 PQN 0. PxP QxP I I . xN

PxN 1 2. NQS xN I 3. BxN PB3 . BN3 QB2 I S. BK3 QR-Q I 6 QRS PB . BQS BQB3 8. QRQ BxB 1 9. B RxR 20. PxR P-B 2 1 PKB QQ3 22. PxP QxKP 23 QB3 RQ I 2. R-Q I B-Q3 2S PK3 PR326. PB3 PQBS 2. B-B2 Q-KS 28. QRS R-KB I 29 B-Q K-R2 30. B-B2 R



Chpr Xl 61

B3 3 . P-QR R-3 32. R-Q Q-8h 33 . Q-Q I QxP 3. Q-B3 Q-N8h3S. QQ I QxQh 36. RxQ PxP 3. KN2 PR6 38 KB3 R-B3 39 R-Q RB2 0. RxP RB2 1 . RxR BxR, White resigns

HAROLD ORTOGEORGE TREYAN (U.. Open, 1 93) : I . P-Q PQ 2 P-QB PQB?! 3. BPxP QxP . NKB3 PxP S. NB3 QQR? 6. xP

P-K -3 Q-B2 8. QS Q-Q2? 9 P-K QB3 I 0. BQ2 BQ3 I I . RB I Q-Q I 1 2 B-QS BQ2 I 3. 0-0 KN-K2 1 Q-RS (A ve strong movehere is 1 B-K3 wth the hreats o N-B6h! or NBS) 1 . . . . x I S. PxN-K2 1 6. BxBh QxB 1 . BB3 N 3 1 8. PB! BB2 9 PxP (The oeidea is 1 9 P-BS!) 9. . . QxP 20 QRQ QK3 2 1 . QB3 0-0 (Phew!T reysman must have said) 22. QxP BxP 23. NBS QBS 2. Q? BxB! 2S.PxB KR-K I 26. Q-3 QRB I 2 R-B3 R-K2 28. QxQ RxQ 29. RQ2 P-B330. 8 -K 3 1 RN3 R2! 32. R6 R8h 33. KB2 R-BSh 3. KK3P-N 3S. R-Q8h K-2 36. R-QR8 N-BSh 3. K-Q3 RQ8h 38. KB2 R

Qh 39. K-3 R-h 0. KR RxPh, White resgns A ypial Treysmangame. Blak dug hmself into an openng hole and then spent the remainder othe game srambling out of itthis time suessfully.

GEORGE TREYAATHOY ATAERE (U Championship1 938) . PK PK 2. -KB3 -QB3 3 B-S P-QR3 . B-R P-Q3 S P-B3P-B 6. PQ3 (ame bu reysman never sudied openings) 6 . -B3 BN3 QR 8. BB2 PxP 9. PxP B-K3 I 0. N-NS?! (Wroe antasiere in theAmeican Chess Buetin A oeehouse move typial of the bad side of

T reysmans style P-Q3 and P-B were in oder) I 0. . . BN I I P-KB BK2 1 2. 00 QQ2 1 3 Q2 -S 1 . N/2-B3 PR3?! (The apture 1 .PxP is beter) S. R3 00-0 1 6. B-R! Q-K3 1 . P-BS Q-BS?! (Quohantasiee The game assumes a ver wild haer entirely in keeping withhe wd savages produng i) 1 8. P-N -QB3 1 9 -Q2 QxBP 20 Qx PKR 2 1 . QxNP BBS? (Bla had to t 2 1 . . RR2) 22 Q-N3 QxR 23 NxB-QS 2 Q-B2 Q-B6 2S. NK3 B-RS 26. QxB NKh 2 K-RI NxB 28. QK QxQ 29. RxQ xP 30 -QS P-B3 3 . B3 Px 3 2. BxN PxP 33 RxPRR3 3. NS RB I 3S . P PxP 36. BK6h KB2 3. RxP KB3 38 . -B

R-B3 39 RBh K-3 0. xQP R-R3 1 R-BS PR 2 -Bh K-R2 3.RxPh K- xP R/ -R I S. R-R2 R-R 6. R-QB2 K-R2 Q P-N3and Blak resigns



Chapter XXIV

Stormin' Jorman:

Caissa 's Con manm a hoest ma I follow the rules ad believe that the rules areto be followed So it was quite a surprise to aswer the doorbell oeafteroo i 1944, shortly after wiig the US Chess Champioship ad to fid two burly FBI me who wated to questio me

Their visit had to do with orma Tweed Witaker, a ma whom

I had met several years before whe I was i my early tweties Atthat time I was stayig i Chevy Chase with my dear fried IsaacIzzy Turover, a professioal chess player tured successful Washigto, DC, lumber dealer My purpose for beig i the area was togive a series of exhibitios ad lectures I met Whitaker after myfirst local simul, ad we hit it off immediately

A scio of a socially promiet Philadelphia family, ormaseemed sprikled with gold dust His father, Herbert Whitaker, wasa oted mathematics teacher, while his mother ejoyed repute as achampio whist player At oe of Philadelphias outstadig highschools, he served as presidet of the studet seate, vice presidetof his class (1908), presidet of the egieerig club, vice presidetof the debatig society presidet of Phi Sigma fraterity ad to besure presidet of the chess club

Yet Whitaker was ot particularly attractive Bor i 1890, hewas about five feet ie ad rather stocky at 180 pouds Hiscomplexio was ruddy, ad his light brow hair was chopped to a

crew cut Oe would hardly give him a secod look But whe hesmiled, his whole face lit up Ad his eyesthey fairly spoke toyou His maers were those of a Souther getlema, ad whealoe with you, he spoke with so much ethusiasm that he justcarried you alog Further, he had the beefit of a fie educatio atGeorgetow ad Oxford, the persoal presece of a ma who ocewielded power (he sered as a Assistat Secretary of the Iteriordurig the Teapot Dome scadal of 1922), ad the itellectual selfassurace of a outstadig scholar of Germa literature Whe he

tured o the charm, he made you feel as if you were the oly6



Chr X 63

perso i the whole wide world who really mattered.

o woder that I was completely fasciated by orma. Wedied together at the very fiest restaurats ad he eve itroduced me to oe of his favorite pastimes the Sport of Kigs Wealso played a lot of chess ad durig the two weeks that we spet

together i 935, I was able to see why he had wo the WesteOpe which is today kow as the U.S. Ope i 923 ad 927ad why he owed a 2 record agaist Sammy Reshevsky.

Samel Reshesky-Noman WhitakeWeste Open, I 9 2 7

Qeens Gambit Decined

I PQ PQ 2 P-QB P-K3 3. -QB3 -KB3 . -B3 Q-Q2 5. B-S PB3 6. P-K3 Q-R N-Q2 B-NS 8. Q-B2 0-0 9. Bx xB 0. B-Q3 R-K I I

PB P-B 2 0-0 B-Q2 I 3 P-QR3 Bx PxB B-RS 5. Q-2 QRB 6.KR-B S 1 N-B -B3 1 8 NQ2 R-K2 1 9. P-R3 KR-B2 20. QR-N PQN3 2 1 K-R2 P-R 22. Q-R2 QR3 23. B-K2 BPxP 2. BPxP PxP 25 RxP PQ 26. RxR RxR 2. 3 R-B6 28 NBS QQ3 29. Q-R I RxKP 30 Q2 QxPch 3 K- I NKS 32. R-KB QN 33 BxP x 3. PxN QxP35. QKB2 BxB 36. QxPch K-R2 3 R-B2 RK Wite resigns

Stormi orma played a hard attackig game that was as shorto subtlety as his socalled Whitaker Gambit ( . P-K4 P-K3 2 P-Q4PQ4 3. B-K3). His fiest achievemet was clear secod at theEighth erica Chess Cogress played i July 92. He scored 83 to fiish a half poit behid David Jaowski whom he defeated itheir idividual game. I that touramet he also beat FrakMarshall who trailed badly at 65 Other successes icluded amatch victory over Jackso Showalter i 98 ad a draw matchwith Fritz Saemisch i 960. Together with Gle Hartleb heauthored 365 Selected Endings (960) a superb collectio that iswritte i both Eglish ad Germa.

orma could trade tactical blows with the best of them as isdemostrated i the game below agaist Marshall. Just take a gader at the pretzel-like positio followig 27 . . . . R-

Fnk J Maha-Noman T WhitakeNew Yo, I 9 I I

King's Gambit Accepted

. P-K P-K 2. P-KB PxP 3. -KB3 P-K . BB BN2 5 P-Q P-Q3 6 .Q-Q3 QB3 . P-KR P-KR3 8 PxP PxP 9. RxR BxR I 0. PKS KB I I . Q

R B-2 1 2. QRS Q-K2

A better move is 2 . . . . -R3. If White the tries 3 . xP Blackhas 3 B-5



64 Th Bobby Fschr I Knw nd Ohr Sos

1 3 NxP NxQP 1 N-QR3 P-Q I S BxQP QxPh 1 6 K-B I -R3 B-Q2BB 8 B-Nh K-N I 1 9 BxPh KR I 20 RK I QB3 2 1 BK Q-QN3 22NB QR3 23 KN I B-NS 2. Q-R2 -B 25. QxP NxQB 26 Rx Q-KB32 N-KS R-KB I

28 PKN3!

Mashall wilts fist The coect move is 28 RK8 Black mustplay 28 RxR (if 28 B-B4, White wis quickly with 29 6ch Q 30 BxQ RxR 3 BxR) 29 6ch Qx 30 BxQ RK8ch3 KB2, whe White wis

omas fote i chess ad, as we shal see i life was oughadtumbe actio Caeless of paws, he pushed pieces at people, adeve as he gew olde etaied a puches chaces i idividual

games agaist the vey best At age 6, he dismembeed IsaacKashda (White) i the folowig littlekow game fom the 95 US Ope: PQ4 PQ4 2 PQB4 PK3 3 QB3 KB3 4 -B3Q-Q2 5 B- B-K2 6 P-K3 0-0 7 PxP (Kash plays cosevativelyi the expectatio that oma will self-desct) 7 PxP 8 BQ3 R-K 9 0-0 -B 0 Q-B2 PB3 KRK K 2 BxB QxB3 P-4 -3 4 P-5 BQ2 5 PxP BxP 6 K2 QRB 7QR-B B-Q 8 Q-3 B ! ? (Soud o ot what a shot! Kashclealy expected 8 B-B3 ) 9 RxR RxR 20 Bx? ! (White ca

pobably hold his paw with 20 QQP Bx 2 PxB, itedig atimely B-K4) 20 PxB 2 Bx 22 RxB R! 23 P3?(Loses outight White seems to hold afte 23 B Q4 24 P-3RB8 25 RB2) 23 0 0 . RB8ch 24 B Q White esigsBlacks cocludig move emids me of 2 QQ i the famousR ByeFische game fom the 96364 US Champioship

28. BB 29. PQN BxP 30. RK6 Q-Q I 3 I -K Q-QSh 32 KB I BQ6h 33 NxB Qxh 3. K-2 NxB 35 Q-Rh K-N 36 RKN6 NK 3

RxBh KxR 38 Q-K h R-B2 39 QxNh KB I 0. Q-R8h K-K2 QKShK-Q I 2. Q-R8h K-K2 dw



Chpr XW 265

Norman and Gaston

Strage to say oe thig did bother me about orma How couldhe always be so well-dressed ad sped so much moey withoutworkig? the ed coviced myself that he had iherited afortue By the time left Washigto DC we were good frieds

Yet it was the last time that our paths crossed Over the years heset me postcards with iterestig positios from his games ad heoccasioally dispatched a cogratulatory telegram about somethigI did It was just such a message that brought those two husky FBIgetleme to my door o that suy afteroo i 944

They had bee tailig orma for some time He had give themthe slip ad I was suddely their hottest lead Their goal was tofid out where he ad a cofederate, Gasto Meas hid $100,000(about a millio crisp oes i today's dollars) that they received 12years earlier from the wealthy socialite ad Washington Post copublisher Evaly Walsh Mcea Mrs Mcea thought she was providig them with rasom moey for the kidapped idbergh babyYears later orma would maitai steadfastly that for good adhoest reasos this moey was haded over to three stragers at theHighway Bridge etrace to Washigto DC Few people believedhim ad i the press orma was called The Fox"

Mrs Mcea's lettuce was ever recovered despite years of ite

sive searchig Whitaker served time o Alcatraz Islad He stood upto it i good style ad could eve be witty about this episode i hislife As he oce oted he robbed oly the rich because there was solittle to be had from the poor Ayway" as he put it there wouldbe o sese of achievemet" He took pride that some of his fraudsmade the textbooks

The idbergh fraud was still better It made the frot pages Forweeks orma ad Gasto Meas a pauchy ex-Justice Depart

met aget ad a bag ma for bigwigs i the bribe-ridde Hardigadmiistratio, basked i the otoriety of beig this atios mostcallous cads

Headlies i the New York Times from May 1933 read, Measad Whitaker o Trial i Capital"; Washigto Court Is Throgedas Flier Charles idbergh] Testifies i Meas ad Whitaker Case"Whitaker Is Also Foud Guilty of Plot to Mulct Mrs Mcea iidbergh Case" Ad so o o woder that years later, whe orma used to visit the offices of Chess Review A Horowitz would

roar, Come o i, orma ad pull up a electric chair!"The era of Boie ad Clyde was also the time of orma ad

Gasto I do ot kow much about the road Mr Meas travelled toreach the apex of ifamy but I ca trace orma's trail from



66 The Bobby Fisher I Knew nd Other Stories

Geogetow Law School gaduate ad Washigto, DC patetattoey to supposed chief kidappe of the Lidbegh baby adcimial louse

I 1916 oma was pacticig aw i Washigto, ad Ameicahad yet to ete Wold Wa I Whateve views he had about Woo

dow Wilso's decisio i Apil 1917 to ivolve Ameica i the wa,oma was detemied to emai at peace Accodig to ecods atthe Bueau of vestigatio, the foeue of the FBI, he movedfom state to state, aimated by the oble desie to keep ahead ofdaft otices Oy o ovembe 16, 1918, five days afte the waeded, did oma appea at Fot Dix, ew Jesey, to seve oe daybefoe beig dischaged fo defective visio

I ovembe 1921, oma ad bothe Rolad, plus sistesDoothy ad Hazel itake, wee aested fo violatig the Dye

Act that baed taspot of stole cas acoss state ies TheWhitakes had latched o to the family values issue ove sevedecades befoe Da Quayle ad Bill Clito the fou wee sayigvia cocete deed that a uppe-middle-class family that steals togethe stays togethe, albeit ude lock ad key

Thei acket as descibed i the New o Times of Febuay26, 1922, ivolved a atiowide plot to ecove isuace o automobiles caimed to have bee stoe ad taspoted fom oe State

to aothe Although disbaed i 1924, oma kept the couts atbay o the cimial couts fo ealy fou yeas But o July 16 ,1925, the Times epoted that oma had left Philadelphia theday befoe to seve two yeas at Leavewoth, chaied to UitedStates Deputy Mashal Kox

Thee followed a episode of comic elief

O Decembe 5, 1930, locl police aested oma i Pleasatvale, ew Jesey, fo puttig slugs i a pay telephoe! A bit ate, he

played the ole of chief of the Soviet secet police i eica topeddle phoy secets to oe Ralph Easley, head of the atiCommuist atioal Civic Fedeatio He aked i a tidy 20 Gs fo thatscamo about a quate millio i todays so-called cuecy

The Lindbergh Stng

O Mach 1, 1932, someoe kidapped the 18motholdLidbegh baby fom the famous aviato's estate ea Hopewell,

ew Jesey That same moth, oma was foud guilty i Tampa,Foida, o a hage simila to his ealie Dye Act covictio Outo appeal, he jumped bai ad headed oth to cash i o the agoyof the Lidbeghs Time was of the essece because the baby couldtu up ay momet, alive o dead (Ad as it happeed, dead



Cr X 67

Coloel Lidbegh idetified the emaisfactued skull ad allo May 3 1932)

oma ad Gasto teamed u The latte, claimig to be a gobetwee who was meely extedig his good offices had aleady secued $00000 i asom moey fom Ms McLea That was i

Mach 1932 oma the ayed the oe of chief kidae i asecod scam to squeeze a additioal $35 ,000 fom the lady Itoduced to Ms McLea at he South Caolia vacatio home as adageous kille" kow as The Fox," oma lived u to his bilig His behavio," wote Geoge Walle i The Sto of the Lind-bergh Cae , was quite i chaacte fo a udewold boss Hiseyes shifted cotiuousy, sueyig the oom The he isisted oexamiig the etie house seachig fo hidde micohoes" the style of Edwad G Robiso oma theateed to machie

gu the thilled society mato i the evet of a double cossCado comels me to admit that oma ad Gasto did ot

have to lay a gadmaste combiatio to due Ms McLea Foby all accouts this socialite, who owed the midight-blue Hoediamod ad the 92 caat Sta f the East, aso owed a uatedbai As David Bikley wites i his amusig Wahington Goe tWar Whe she [Evaly] comlaied to Daddy Walsh that walkigto schoo was a litte tyig to my digity, he oduced fo he ablue victoia coach daw by two acig soels ad dive by a

coachma i sik hat ad gloves Said Evaly, My ow efeecegeeally, is fo show

Ad a show, afte a, is exactly what oma ad Gasto gavehe But the two come failed to coside the aadox that MsMcLeas eutatio as a dim bulb coud accidetally thow light othei dak doigs Whe she asked a fied at the Wahiton Potto hel he aw a two-foot oe of diamods to aise the $35,000that fied cotacted the geat ladys attoey Said Ms McLeas

savio late, I susected that Evaly was i the hads of uscuulous esos who wee edageig he life ad he oety"

By late Jue 1932, oma sat i a ew Yok City jail waitig tobe extadited back to Washigto DC Descibed i ewsaes a suave ad smilig isoe" ad temed a mighty cool oositio" by the olice commissioe Mulooey oma maaged toescae chages of bilkig Ms McLea of the iitial $100 000 Hefaced tial the followig May oy fo the failed cosiacy to defaud the iteded victim of a additioal $35000

Back i the 1920s ad 1930s villais wee othig if ot bazeAs oma boaded the tai fo Washigto, his youg wife stoodat the gate ad as was eoted i the Time, bew kisses i hisdiectio" The juy i Washigto howeve, did ot blow kisses; it



68 The Bobby Fisher I Knew nd Other Stoes

slapped both him ad Meas i the chops with a twoyea setece

Ad the $100000? Meas told the juy that a ma with a edlate stopped him o the afoemetioed bidge ad whispeedEleve, supposedly a passwod betwee Ms McLea ad himselfHe theeupo haded ove the geebacks o the assumptio that

she was callig off the asom deal Meas who got 15 yeas fo theiitial successful scam, died i piso

Did oma somehow latch o to the missig moey as wasassumed by those FBI agets who kocked at my doo? Wheasked that questio back i 1932 by ew Yok City Deputy PoliceChief Joh J Sulliva, ou boy asweed, I got oe of it I wish Idid

Too bad that Chief Sulliva, a Iishma with a bogue moe

Hibeia tha a dam of the Blushful Hippocee o St Patick'sDay, did ot kow chess He would have ealized that a geatmaste such as oma would fist make sue of his mateial compesatio befoe sacificig a majo piece of time i piso

Dscovered Check

e Izzy Tuove saw how close oma ad I wee becomig, hewaed me about the ma But such wee oma's powes to

cham that othig could have made me believe that this kidgetlema was a swidle icludig Izzy detailig to me oe of hispet schemes

oma would establish esidece i a small tow ad ope agood-sized bak accout ext, he became active i civic adchuch affais Afte some moths duig which he built up a impeccable cedit atig, he would buy a ew ca at the local Cadillacagecy o a Fiday afteoo afte the baks closed He would payby check ad the followig day he would dive to a eaby tow

ad offe to sell the ca fo cash Ivaiably, the used ca dealewould alet the Caddy deale, who would hotfoot it to the eabytow with the sheiff i tow Whe all the smoke cleaed alogwith the check o the followig Moday Whitake would be sittigpetty with a fie case of false aest Most deales paid big bucks tokeep the ews out of the pess

As oma gew olde, he spet his summes i Gemay wheethee was a good maket fo his skills But despite his billiace

quite accidetally discoveed oe occasio whe he met his matchA case, you might say, of Deutscher Uer o The emesis wasHe Kut Rattma a fie getlema whose chess bookstoe iHambug is famous Eve Bobby Fische has bee thee ad mavelled at the collectio



Chr X 69

Oe day orma came i ad immediately igratiated himsel,alg madly i love with his hosts exquisite taste i books Soohe was lyig o the loor o the shop surrouded by some 30 rarevoumes isistig that he could ot live wthout them But, sad tosay he had o cash ad would give Kurt his persoal check Bycompete coicidece, Rattma had heard about orma through

a Germa amily that he bilked the previous summer Politely, Kurttod orma that he would be happy to sed the books to hishotel, where he could surely get his check cashed

That was t The cash ever materialzed ad orma let Hamburg sans livres It was oe o the rare times that he was bestedAother time was his declig years You see, codece meted ot to age wel because they evetually lose their selcoidece Their physical presece ad charm deteriorate ther maer

becomes orced ad thereore ucovicig ad their scams degeerate rom the stu o Robbig Hood to the ordure o socia pathology Ad so, i 1950 at age 60, orma oud himsel iMoyamesig Priso ear Phladephia, charged with e couts omolestig a 12-year-od girl

At some pot orma slipped rom beig a colorul highrollerto beig a o-coor ad ailed old ma, though as with most badhats orma possessed eve i hs salad days a eormous capacityor selpty Thus, shortly ater beig seteced i the Lidbergh

case he set a persoal ad coidetial" letter dated September19 1933, to Arthur Garield Hays o the Aerica Civil LibertesUio The takers" he wrote, reached this coutry i 1666 Iam the last o the lie, ad am bitter ideed at the uairess ithe US Courts as I daily agush i my 5 x 7 cel a ilthy jalMy busiess my reputatio, ad my amily have all bee ruiedthrough the cruelties doe me"

Ad the cruelties orma did to the iocet? Well he just

could ot thik i such terms remaiig a otorious trimmerooe occasio i old age, he memorzed a eye chart i advace tokeep his drivers liceseutil the very ed which came i May1975 Suerig rom emphysema, orma died broke ad aloe,closig out his days dreariy at the Cobb Memorial Hospital i aplace called Phoeix City, Alabama

As I say, I ollow the les ad beieve that the rules are to beollowed Thats because most o us evetually get our just deserts



70 Th Bobby Fshr I Knw nd Othr Stos

Selected Games

Noan Whitake Rough-andumble actician

JOE CAPABLANCAORMAN WHITAKER (imultaneous Exhibition,Phadelpha 1 909): I . PK P-K 2. NKB3 N-QB3 3. BNS PQR3 . BRN-B3 5. 0-0 BK2 6. P-Q3 P-Q3 . P-B3 0-0 8. QN-Q2 B-K3 9. R-K I -K II 0 NB I P-B I I PxP BxBP 1 2 -K3 B3 3 Q-3h K-R . QxPR I S QN PB 1 6. QN NKB3 . QR3 BxP 1 8. NNS NR! 9.K6 KBS! 20 NxN PxN 2 1 . NQS BB 22. QB3 B 23. BxP RQN I2. PQ BxB 25. QxB BB 26 Q3 BxB 2 PxN R-B 28. RK QKB I 29. NK3 RB3 30 RR RN 3 N QQN I 32. R-K RN8h 3 3 .R-K I RxQR 3. RxR Q- 35 R-K RK3! 36 PKB QxRP 3 PBS RK38 PR3 B-B3 39 RxR QxR 0. K-R2 Q-KS . Q-B2 K-N I 2 P-B6 P-33. P-Bh KB I . NB6 QB 5. xPh KxP 6. QQ2 QKh . KN IPQ 8. Q-B2h K-N2 9. QxP BK 50. Q-Rh B-B2 5 1 . QB2 QxP 52.P-R Q-B8h 53 K-R2 Q-B2h, White esigns In his element Whitakeprodues a tly feoious game of thst-and-ounte-thrust tas whihontains more passages of arms than even the sword ght in he Prsoner ofZenda One of the doen o so nest losses ever suered by Capabana insimutaneous play.

GUTAVE MONONORMA WHITAKER (nklin C.C vs Manhattan CC Club Math 1 909): P-K P-K 2 NKB3 -QB3 3 B-B B-B

P-B3 NB3 5. 0-0 P-Q3 6 P-Q PxP PxP B-N3 8. P-KR3 0-0 9 PQS NK2I 0. N-B3 N-3 I I K-R2 RK I 2. B-Q3 N-R 1 3. -K2 N-RS 1 . -N3 NB3! I S. Nx -NSh 1 6. PxN QxNh 1 K-N QxN! 1 8. QB3 QxP 1 9.QxQ BxQ 20 K-R2 RK 2 1 . KN3 BQ2 22. RR I PKR3 23. R-R2 R-KB I2 P-B RK2 25. P-BS BQS 26. B-KB BxNP 2. RQ I B-QS 28. RxPBN3 29 PR R-R I 30 P-B6 PxP 3 . RxKRP B-B I 32. BxP R-Q2 33 RxBRPxR 3 B-KB RP 35 B-QS RR6h 36 K-R2 R-K2 3 P-Q6 P 38B-QB I R-QN6 39 PQ BxP 0 BxB R-QBS 1 B-Q2 R-QS White esgns

NORMAN WHTAKERRAK MARALL (takes Game played onYoungs Old Pier in Atlanti City August 1 9 I S) I . P-K PK 2 . NQB3 KB3 3. PB PQ . BPxP NxP 5 B3 PKN 6. PQ PNS . xN QPxN8. N-S BKB 9. BQB NB3 I 0. BxPh KQ2 I . 00 P-KR3 2. RxB Px1 3. P-QS B-Bh 1 . KB NxP I S. BxP Q-KB I 6. B-K6h K-Q3 1 B-BQN2 8. PN QRKB I 9 PxBh KxP 20. PQ6 PB3 2 1 . BK3h K 22BBh KRS 23. BN3h KR 2. QQ2h KR3 25. QK2h NQ6 26 RN I RxRh 2. K I RxP 28. BBh P 29. BxN QR2 30. BxPh PxB 3 .BB R-R8h 32. K-B2 RxBh 33 KK3 RxR Whte esgns An exelent

exampe of what happens when a highly ged tatiian suh as Whitaker unsup against a taal genus suh as Marshal. his unknown masterpiee ofAmerian hess appea here for the rst time beyond the onnes of anewspaper olumn.



Cpr XN 7

NORMAN WITAKERACKON HOWALTER (Weste Open 1 9 5)I P-K P-K 2. NKB3 NQB3 3. BNS PQR3 BR N-B3 5. 0-0 PQ3 6.RK I P-QN . B-N3 BK2 8. P-QR P-NS 9 P-RS 0-0 I 0. PQ3 R-N I I I BQB NQ2 1 2. BK3 B-B3 1 3 QNQ2 N-QS . NB I NQB S. P-B3N/5-K3 1 6 N-N3 P-N3 1 PQ NQ2 8. Q-Q2 KPxP 9. PxQP Q-K2 20B-R6 RQ I 2 . NBS! ! PxN 22. PxP NK 23. QPxN PxP 2. PxN BxP 25.

QK2 B-B 26. NxP, Blak resigns This ashy vito over howalter a foerU. hampion, tued out to be the harbinger of two minor hess tgediesfor Whitaker irst aer nothing up eight staight wins in this tournament heould make only a single daw in the nal two rounds to nish a half pointbehind howalter who sored 9 1 . eondly, emboldened by the abovebil iany, Whitaker shly hallenged he Kenuy Lion o a math in une1 9 1 6, suering a ushing defeat + I 6. n 9 8 however, Whitaker won aremath 3

NORAN WIAKERAMUE REEVKY (Western Open 1 92) . PK PK 2. NKB3 N-QB3 3 P-B3 N-B3 P-Q PxP 5. PKS NKS 6. Q-K2PQ . PxPe.p. P-B 8 QPxP Q-Q 9. PxP BNSh I 0 BQ2 BxBh I QNxB 0-0 1 2. QB BK3 3. QxQ BxQ 1 B-B BxB S. NxB QR-B I 1 6.R-QB I RxP 1 . 00 KRB 1 8. QR-Q NxQP 9. NxN RxN 20. NxP RB I2 N-Kh KR I 22. R-Q R-QN I 23 KR-Q I P-KR3 2. NBS NB3 25 RKB RN 1 QB I 26. P-KR3 RBS-B2 2 NxRP KR2 28 RxR RxR 29. N-NNxN 30. PxN RB 3 I R-N PQN 32. PKN3 KN 33 P-R3 KB2 3. RQ I KK3 35. RQ8 RxNP 36. RQR8 P-NS 3. RxP PxP 38 RxRP K-B3 39

R-RS RNS 0. PB RN 1 R-R6h KB2 2. P-NS RQB 3. RR I K-N3. PN RB6 5. K-N2 RBh 6. K-N3 KB2 RRh KB 8. PBS RB3 9. KR RB I 50 KRS K-N I 5 1 . K-N6 K-R I 52. P-B6 R-KN I 53 . RxPRxRh 5 PxRh K-N I 55 KR6, Blak resigns King and tripled pawns vesusKng is a rare ending indeed in pial play

NORMAN WHITAKERHERMAN TEINER (Weste Open 929) I . PKP-K 2 NQB3 NKB3 3. B- BB . PB P-Q3 5 PQ3 N-B3 6 P-BS NQR . B-NS NxB 8 . PxN PB3 9. Q-Q3 P-KR3 0. BR P-KN I I . BN3

NR 2. 00-0 NxB I 3. PxN B-Q2 1 . N-R BQS I S. N-K2 Q-R 1 6. NxBQxN 1 . NN3 0-0-0 8. QxP BxP 1 9. QK BxP 20 QxBP P-N3 2 RxRhRxR 22 R-K BxNP 23. Q-BSh KN2 2. R-N I Q-NS 25. PR3 QQ3 26KN I RKB 2 Q-Rh KR3 28. RxB Q-Q8h 29. K-R2 R-B8 30. PB3 QK8 3 . QN6 K-N2 32. R-Q2, Ba resigns Whtaer ondued this Viennabeautfully though he did no reeive a billiany prize for he eo Inead,amuel Fao and he shared the t bi l lany prize fo he foowing dw.

AMUE ACORNORAN WAKER (Wete Open, 929) I PQ NKB3 2. NKB3 PK3 3 P-B P-B N-B3 PxP 5. NxP BNS 6. BQ2PQN3 . N/3NS! B-K2 8 P-K3 B-N2 9. BK2 (The alteatve to thi sambitious move is 9 . N-KB3) 9 . . BxP! (Blak oud have won a pawn by 9 .. . . PQR3, and f I 0 N-QB3 then Blak ontinues wih I 0 . . BxP I I . R-KN BKS 1 2. NxB NxN 1 3 RxP BRS 1 B-KB3 NxP S Q-K2 P-Q) I 0. BKB3



272 Th Bobby Fshr I Knw nd Ohr Sos

(Yet another ave idea thogh it is moe or less fored bease aer 9. RK I B-KS I 0 RxP Blak tras the Rook by I 0 . B-3) I 0 . . BxR BxBP-Q4 2. PxP PxP (Blak s also in the mood for a ight othese he woldhave seleed the more irmse l ine 1 2. . . xP 3 . RB I 00 14 BxNQxB I S -B Q-R8h 1 6 K-K2 QxQh 1 . KxQ -Q2) 1 3. RB I BB4 1 4.P-4 PQR3 S PxB Px 1 6 P-B6 -R3 1 BQB3 PS (Qestionable as

the move enourages White to lea the Bisho e for his Rook; reerabewere suh moves as . . NB4 . 0-0 or -B2) 8 B-R I -B4 1 9 -BSP3! (This ounter-ataking ombination whih involves the sarie of aiee is tyial of Whitake bt more feasible alteatives are 1 9. . . RK Io r 1 9 K-B I 20 P-B Q-Q2 2 1 Bx Qx 22. RxN PxR 23. BxR RxP 24.B-KB3 (White orrely avods a draw by reetiton via 24 QB3 QN8h 2S.Q-Q I Q-B4 et.) 24 . . . . P-QS 2S. PxP P-BS 26. PQS PB6 2. PQ6 QK3h 28 KB I P-B 29 B-B6h (White ould have won by 29 PQh QxP30. Q-K I h KB I 3 1 . QxPh K-K I 32 QN8h K-K2 33 QQ8h QxQ 34

B-B6h! K-K3 3S. B-N4h!) 29. . K-B I 30. Q-B I QBSh 3 1 KN I Q-NSh32. KRI Q-Q8h dw Faor ored the ae n this game bu t is hardly adental that Whtaker oen found himself in donnybrooks hessi and otherwise. The notes to this game are based on detailed annotations by tashMlotkowski in the Oober 1 6 1 929 issue of The Bethehem GoeTmes.

GEORGE KRAMERNORMAN WHTAKER (U.. Oen 1 94) I . PQ4 PQ4 2. P-QB4 P-K3 3 -QB3 N-KB3 4 -B3 QQ2 S. P-K3 BK2 6 BQ3PxP . BxBP P-QR3 8. PQR4 PB4 9 00 00 I 0. QK2 PQ3 I I . P-QS

PxP 1 2 NxP B-2 1 3. PK4 Nx 1 4. PxN RK I I S. QQ3 BKB3 1 6. RN IN-K4 NxN Bx 8. BK3 P-QR4 1 9. P-Q3 QQ3 20. P3 Q RQ I2 . QRQ BB I 22 B-KNS PB3 23. BQ2 B-NS 24 P-B3 BR6 2S KRK IBxP 26 RxRh RxR 2 PB4 B-NS 28 R-KB I B-RS 29. B-K3 PB4 30 QQ2B-B3 3 K2 R-KS 32. BQ3 BB6 33 . QKB2 Q3 34. BxR and Whiteresigns

JEREMA DONOVAORMA WAKER (U.. Oen 1 948) I PQ4 P-Q4 2. PQB4 PK4 3. QPxP PQS 4. -KB3 -QB3 S. PKN3 B-K3 6.

QQ2 BQNS . QB2 KK2 8. B-2 0-0 9 00 -3 I 0. -N3 KxPI I . xN x 1 2. R-Q I PQ6! 1 3 PxP B-S 1 4 RB I -B6h I S. Bx BxB1 6. PKR3 QQ2 1 . KR2 QR-K I 1 8. B-K3 RK4 1 9. -Q4 QxPh !! Whiteresigns

J. MAYERNORMAN WHTAKER (U.. Chamionshi Pelimnaries 1 948)I P-K4 P-K4 2. N-QB3 -KB3 3. B-B4 NxP 4 QRS Q3 S B-3 N-B3 6.NS PKN3 . Q-B3 PB4 8. Q-QS Q-K2 9. xPh KQ I I 0 xR P3 I QB3 (heoretialy aroved is I I . NxP) I . . B-Q2 1 2. P-Q3 -QS1 3. QR3 PKS! 1 4. KB (The oe lan for White is 1 4 BK3 and I S 00-0) 4. . . . B-2 I S. B-K3 Bx 1 6 R-K xB . RPx BxP 1 8 Q3 KB I 1 9 BB4 (The las hane is 1 9 -R3) 1 9. . N4 20 PB4 -QS 2 1 BN8 PQ4 22. BKS RK I 23. BxN BxB 24. N-B3 B-B6 2S. RK2 QPxP 26QPxBP PxN! 2. RxQ PxPh 28. K-K2 RxRh 29. K-Q3 PxR=Q 30. KxB Q



Chr X 73

R8h Whte resigns

HA BERERORMA W ITAKER (ew Jersey, 1 9): I . -Q Q 2 -K3 -QB 3. -QB3 -Q2 . -KB KB3 . Q2 K3 6. BQ3 B2 . QB3 QR3 8 . -K -K3 9. K2?! -K 0 Bx x!!(his Knight remans on its K both n pr and otheise, for the nex 1 6

moves) I I . 00 00 1 2. KB QR I 3. QK2 -B (Blak les down a bit byot playing 1 3 . . . x) 1 . BB2 3 I . K x 1 6 Bx QK2! (enga lever Whitakeresque tp ino whih Whte steps) 1 . Q (he orremove is 1 . xB with a muually tough game) 1 . . . . x 1 8 . Bx Bx! 1 9 .KR I QQ2 20. xB QxBh 2 1 . -B3 B-B 22. B-B BQ6 23 Q2 BxR2. RxB QQ6 2. R-K I QB 26. Q3 -Bh 2 K-2? -Q6 28 B-R6xRh 29. Qx KR-K I , Whte resigns

O RMA WITAKERMIO OEO (ew Weste Open 1 9)

. -K -K3 2. -Q B-2 3. BK3 -QB . QB3 KB3 . B3 Q6 K KQ2 -KB -B 8. -B3 -QB3 9. -K3 B I 0. 3 xI I . x B- 1 2 -R3 B-B 3 -K B-K . Q-Q2 B I . xBBx 1 6 R -KR 1 x -K3 1 8 BB2 Q-B2 1 9. R-K I xK 20Qx Qxh 2 1 . KK2 Qh 22. QQ2 QxR 23. x x 2. Rx QR3h 2. K-K I Q-R8h 26. QQ I QxQh 2. KxQ KB2 28. BK2 Q 29.BB Rx 30 Rx K-B I 3 I . RQ6 K6 32. B-K I BR3 33. Rx RxR 3. Bh K2 3 -B B- 36. -B6h K-3 3 BQ3h KR 38. B BR339. -K6 R-R8h 0. K-B2 RRh 1 . K- R-R8h 2. K-R2 B-2 3. B

K2h K-R3 R-Q RxR . BxR K3 6. BRh! Blak esgns Whitakerat age 6! is opponent defeaed Bobby isher in hs ouament.

O RMA WH IT AKER. RAGA (ew Westen Open 1 9): . -K K3 2 Q Q 3 BK3! (he Whitaker Gambit, a dubious debut that genelly seved its inventor well One senses from ths and other games thatWhitaker played the gambit less in the expeation of ahieving good positionsthan o engage in wild melees aording sope for his taial powess) 3 . x . -Q2 -KB3 . -QB3 -Q3 here are quie a ew WhitakerGambis urking in old ouament bulletins. he game Whiakerr. osephat [U. Champonship 98] oninued with . . . BQ2 6. -K2 B-B3 .-K3 Q-Q2 8 Q-B2 - 9 . /2x xB 0 x B I -B2 Q1 2. 000 Qxh 3. K- I 0-0-0 B-B Bx I KR-K I Q- 1 6. Bx K3 1 . Q3 BB6 1 8. -K BxR 1 9 QxB B-Q3 20. x Rx 2 . Q-R-B3 22. Qx Q-Q 23 BxRh KxB 2 Qxh B-B2 2. R-Kh KxR 26QxBh K-B 2. Q-Q8h K-2 28 Q-Kh K-R3 29. QRh, dwnAnother example is WhitakerKen mith [outhe Open 1 9]: . . QQ2 6. QB2 -B . 0-0-0 Q-R 8. K- I x 9 3 Q6! I 0 Q Q2QR? [Bak begins to swim he ight idea is 0 . . . . QB2, fol lowed by . . . Q3, . . . B2, and . . . 0-0-0 I I . -B3 B-K2 oo ly; Blak had to play I . . . Q3 2. x x 3. Q-K B-2 BxQ 0-0-0] 2. x x I 3. QK I 00 1 . BxQ /-B3 . B-QB2 Q3 1 6. B- QB3 1 -B3 Q-B2 8. QR B2 1 9. Rx! QxR 20. Bx -KR3 2 . BxB Blak resgns) 6. B-



7 4 Th Bobby Fshr I Knw Ohr Sos

NSch P-B3 . BR BR3 8. K2 Q-Q 9. PQB QKR 0. QB2 B-SI I . -B QKB 1 2. 000 00 3. P-KR3 PR3 1 . P QR2 I S. B RB I1 6. N-N3 PQN 1 . BN3 QQ2 1 8. P-BS RK 1 9. N/RS BR 20.NxNch NxN 2 1 PNS PxP 22 BxNP BB2 23. QRN I P-S 2 QQ2Q 25. BB2 PB 26. P-B3 PK6 2. BxKP QRS 28. BS QxB 29. QxQB-BSch 30. QxB xQ 3 I . BN3 KR2 32. PKR QRQ I 33 . RQ I -Q6ch

3 K-B2 -B 35. RQ2 NxR 36. Nx K-N3 3. NB2 KB3 38. R3R-KR I 39. -B B-B 0. PRS QR-K I 1 . R-N2 R-R3 2. N6 BQ2 3.NKS R-Q I . BR B-K I 5 BxP BxB 6 xB R-Q2 . K-Q3 P- 8.PxPe.. RRS 9. KK3 RKN2 50 KS RR8 5 1 . PB6 RR8 52. R-QB2 RQB2 53. RR2 RQB8 5. R-R, Black resigns



Chaper XXV

oad to the apture

At oe time, Joe oe was oe of the best checker players i theUited States as we as a dar good chess player This fey youggod, who i his beauty ad fate remided me of the doomed Britishofficers described by Vera Brittai i Testament o Youth couldhave bee successful at almost aythig Istead he chose to live byhis wits which were cosiderabe rather tha by hoest work

Blessed with a impish sese of humor Joe led the life of aGreewich Village bohemia, which was, i fact what he wasCarousig like a gypsy, he gambled ad smoked heavily stayig upmost of the ight Although usually broke he somehow maaged tothrow some great parties i his sigle-room Vilage pad

Our paths first crossed i 1932 whe he was a sophisticated 24ad I a aive 18 I was amazed that despite his dissolute waysideed probably because of themJoe was adored by the ladiesThey literally bossomed whe he paid them the slightest attetioSome eve paid for the privilege of his compay, ad each i tur

thought that she might reform him t was al part of the ethralig fu of overhauig you" as Professor Hery Hiis would say

But Joe proved immue to improvemet ad remaied set oselfdestructio He ofte said that he wated o more out of ifetha to leave it laughig Everyoe felt that this claim was youthfubravado He was far too itelliget ot to realize that he was slowlycommittig suicide Yet evets demostrated that there was somethig iside this ma tellig him that the world was a big jokea

cosmic jest The rea world, mas life after death, was where betterthigs awaited al of us Oly fools take this life seriously" was hisivariable assertio whe we discussed weighty issues

If I live log eough, perhaps I will someday uderstad why somay brilliat people etertai such crazy thoughts

A Hand wth a Tale

Joe was quite a had with a tale He could summo a image to a

listeers eye by recapturig every detail of a story I remember his75



76 Th Bobby Fshr I Kn nd Othr Stos

account of how he was once stranded in Pittsburgh Pa withoutreturn fare to ew York

Joe wandered over to the YMCA where rooms were then 35 centsa night While walking through the lounge, he noticed a few chessgames in rogress and learned that a club was holding its weekly

meeting He seated himself beside one of the games kibitzing byrecommending silly remedies to the layer whose osition was a-

ready beyond hoe Finally, the loser got u and said Look, if youcan do better then why don't you tackle him?

Thats what Joe wanted ter all of the stuid suestions therosective sucker surely believed that he had a fish on the lineThey started laying for quarters, and Joe was soon several dollarsahead whereuon the sucker had second thoughts about who reallyhad the fins and gills He asked Joe to wait and returned with the

club chamion I reckon that hell give you a better fight than did said the disaearing atron

Realizing that he was no match for the club kingin and desiringto hang on to deserately needed money, Joe calmly extended hishand and introduced himself The cham was surrised by Joe'sname and then relied with a voice full of contemt, You meanTHE Arnold Denker our current US chamion? Are things so badin ew York that you have to come out here looking for suckers?

And with that the cham angrily stalked off while Joe escaedwith his illgotten gains

Joe was a great one for scheming to relieve eole of the needfulOne scheme involved laying a very simle endgame for quartersThe osition consisted of three connected assed awns for bothsides lus the two ngs

Whie or Bak o Pay and Win for Qare

The Bobby Fischer I Knew and Other Stories-8

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