Chess Trivia VII
Robin Ault (1941-1994) was the first person to win the U.S. Junior Championship three times in a row (1959, 1960, 1961). After the 1958 U.S. Junior Championship, the USCF decided to allow the U.S. Junior Champion seeded in the U.S. Championship. He was invited to the 1959-1960 U.S. Championship but lost all 11 games. Bobby Fischer won the event for the 3rd time in a row. Ault also took last place in the blitz championship, won by Benko. Fischer took 3rd place. The USCF never seeded a junior champion again. His older brother, Leslie, won the 1960 U.S. National Intercollegiate Chess Championship. Robin earned a PhD and was a college professor and computer software engineer.
In the 1959-60 U.S. Chess Championship, Reshevsky took 3rd place, behind Fischer and Robert Byrne. This was the first time since 1936 that Reshevsky finished lower than second. He had played in 9 U.S. Chess Championships, winning 5 times. (source: Chess Life, Feb 5, 1960, p. 1)
On January 7, 1960, Frederick Borders, who won acclaim on British TV as a human calculating machine, died of a heart attack while trying to solve a chess puzzle. He was 62. He was found by his wife dead in a chair with a chess puzzle and a chess board in front of him. Borders won $3,000 by answering mental arithmetic teasers in a television quiz show in 1959. (source: The Berkshire Eagle, Jan 9, 1960)
In 1960, the top active USCF players were Fischer (2641), Reshevsky 2632), Robert Byrne (2535), Benko (2515), and Bisguier (2502). (source: Chess Life, Aug 5, 1960, p. 2 and Dec 20, 1960, p. 2)
In 1960, Hungarian chess master Janos Flesch (1933-1983) broke a world record for playing simultaneous blindfold games. In Budapest, he played 52 games, winning 31, losing 3, and drawing 18. However, he was allowed to consult scoresheets of the games. The previous title holder was Miguel Najdorf, who played 45 games in 1947 in Sao Paulo. (source: Chess Life, Jan 1961, p. 28)
In 1960-1961, a chess game played by shortwave radio took place in Antarctica. The game was played between American player Lt. Cdr John McNearney at McMurdo Sound and an unknown Russian at Mirny base, 1,600 miles away. The game was set up with the aid of a Soviet glaciologist who wintered at the American base. (source: Chess Life, Jan 1961, p. 29)
In January 1961, Clifford Antcliff, a lawyer from Indiana, wondered why there was a delay in the chess game he was conducting by mail with an unknown chess player in Massachusetts. He later discovered his adversary was an inmate of a penal institution and had been thrown in solitary confinement for trying to escape. Antcliff was later criminally convicted of stealing funds belonging to his clients. (source: High Point, NC Enterprise, Jan 17, 1961)
In 1961, the top chess players were Fischer (2660), Lombardy (2562), Reshevsky (2560),Benko (2527), Bisguier (2507), and Weinstein (2501). (sources: Chess Life, April 1961, p. 109 and Dec 1961, p. 334)
In 1961, Jacqueline Rothschild Piatigorsky (1911-2012), wife of renowned cellist, Gregor Piatigorsky, was elected President of the Herman Steiner Chess Club in Los Angeles. The designer of the club, one of the best equipped and most attractive chess clubs in the country, was Frank Lloyd Wright. She was the highest rated female chess player in California and ranked #2 in the Unites States. In 1957, she represented the United States in the first Women’s Chess Olympiad in Emmen, Netherlands, winning a bronze medal on board 2. (source: Chess Life, April 1961, p. 116)
In 1961, 300,000 players participated in the collective farmers tournament of the Soviet Union. Also, over 700,000 players took part in a chess tournament honoring Mikhail Chigorin. (source: Chess Life, April 1961, p. 117)
In 1961, at a tri-state gathering of 3,000 Explorer Scouts, chess was amongst its program of activities. It led the field in individual participation, with 300 boys competing. Next in popularity was bowling with 175 participants. (source: Chess Life, June 1961, p. 175)
In August 1961, Pal Benko won the U.S. Open in San Francisco with a record-breaking score of 11-1. He won 10 and drew 2. His score was the highest ever achieved in the 63 years of the U.S. Open. The U.S. Open had a record field of 198 players. (source: Chess Life, Oct 1961, p. 278)
In December 1961, the first USCF-rated tournament ever held aboard a Navy ship occurred on the USS Intrepid. It was won by SN John Mauer with a perfect score of 10-0. The event was organized by Navy Chaplain Randall Rogers. The ship was involved in the Battle of Leyte Gulf during World War II. She was a recovery ship for a Mercury and Gemini space mission. (source: Chess Life, March 1962, p. 57)
On February 8, 1962, Francis Gary Powers (1929-1977) was released from a Russian prison after being shot down in his U2 aircraft on May 1, 1960. He spent much of his time in prison playing chess with fellow prisoners. The wreckage of the U-2 spy plane was later exhibited in the chess pavilion at Gorki Park. (source: Long Beach Independent Press-Telegram, Feb 11, 1962)
In 1962, the Japan Chess Federation had its first international chess tournament. It was played in Yokohama and won by Romeo Alvarez of the Philippines. There were 45 entries, including 8 women. (source: Chess Life, March 1962, p. 59)
In 1962, there were 62 grandmasters in the world. The USSR had 20. USA had 9 (Reshevsky, Fine, Rossolimo, Kashdan, Bisguier, Evans, Firscher, Benko, an Lombardy). Yugoslavia had 7. Argentina had 6. West Germany had 3. Netherlands, Austria, and Sweden had 2. (source: Chess Life, July 1962, p. 155)
In 1962, the top USCF players were Fischer (2687), Benko (2608), Reshevsky (2597), Evans (2568), Lombardy (2565), Robert Byrne (2529), Bisguier (2503), and Donald Byrne (2503). (sources: Chess Life, Aug 1962, p. 181 and Dec 1962, p. 285)
On October 25, 1962, chess master (rated over 2400) Abe Turner (1924-1962) was stabbed to death at the Chess Review headquarters where he worked as a clerk. His 280-pound, 5-foot 7-inch body was found stuffed in an 8x10 safe in the basement. He was killed by Theodore Smith who confessed that “the Secret Service ordered me to do it. He was a Communist spy.” Smith had been in a mental asylum and was released in 1959. Smith was a clerk-typist employed by Chess Review. In tournaments, Turner had a plus score against Fischer and Bisguier, and an even score against Larry Evans. Abe learned chess in a naval hospital from shrapnel wounds inflicted during World War II. (source: Chess Life, Dec 1962, p. 281)
In 1963, the top USCF players were Fischer (2674), Reshevsky (2611), Benko (2576), Lombardy (2565), Evans (2553), Bisguier (2529), Robert Byrne (2525), Donald Byrne (2519), and Saidy (2512). (sources: Chess Life, Apr 1963, p. 93 and Oct 1963, p. 251)
In April 1963, Mrs. Edvige Ruinstein, the wife of a chessplayer in Milan, Italy was granted a separation (there was no divorce in Italy) from her husband, Alfredo Ruinstein, age 43, on the grounds that he was so obsessed with chess that he refused to work and support their two children. The court ordered the husband to pay 25,000 lire monthly allowance. The court decision read, “Playing chess would be all right if at the same time he would also have looked after his family’s needs.” (source: Delaware County Daily Times, Apr 13, 1963)
In 1963, Yuri Averbach predicted that in 35 years, there would be a machine perfect enough to compete with grandmaster. Vasily Smyslov said that a machine could not play better than a man. David Bronstein said that by the year 2000 there would be separate championships for men and machines. (source: Chess Life, June 1963, p. 145)
In July 1963, Bobby Fischer competed in his first weekend Swiss chess tournament since 1957. He won the Westen Open in Bay City, Michigan with the score of 7.5-0.5. He played all of his games at almost blitz speed. Before and after his games, he signed dozens of autographs and played five-minute games until all hours of the night. He also offered advice and analyzed games to players after their games. He said that the tournament conditions were excellent, saying that the lighting and conditions of play were superior to many of the international events in which he competed. (source: Chess Life, Aug 1963, p. 163)
Prior to 1955, not a single chess book was published in China. From 1955 to 1963, 16 chess books have been compiled or translated by experts. In 1958, Soviet chess masters came to China for a three-week visit to teach and play chess. Three national chess tournaments were held between 1959 and 1963. (source: Chess Life, Oct 1963, p. 240)
In 1964, the top USCF players were Fischer (2734), Reshevsky (2611), Benko (2594), Evans (2582), Lombardy (2575), Robert Byrne (2545), Saidy (2531), Bisguier (2507), and Donald Byrne (2500). (sources: Chess Life, Jan 1964, p. 16 and Mar 1964, p. 69)
In 1964, General David Shoup (1904-1983) accepted the role of Honorary President of the American Chess Foundation. He had been the Commandant of the Marine Corps, where he served more than 37 years of active duty. He was awarded the Medal of Honor in World War II. He was an avid chess player and did much to support and promote Armed Forces chess. (source: Chess Life, Feb 1964, p. 46)
Boris Yegorov (1937-1994) was a Soviet physician-cosmonaut and avid chess player. He was the first physician to make a flight. He played chess during his time off from training and just before his space flight on Voskhod 1 in October 1964. (source: Chess Life, Nov 1964, p. 281)
On October 12, 1964, Russia launched Voskhod I, the first space flight to carry more than one crewman in orbit. It launched three cosmonauts, and it was the first flight without the use of spacesuits (there was no room). The command pilot was Vladimir Komarov. The medical doctor was Boris Yegorov, a chess player. The engineer, Konstantin Feoktistov (1926-2009), was described as a chess-playing intellectual. He was the first civilian and the first chess expert to make a space flight. Other cosmonauts that were chess players include Georgi Beregovoy (1921-1995), Boris Volynov (1934- ), Georgy Shonin (1935-1997), Valery Kubasov (1935-2014), Pyotr Kolodin (1930- ), Vladislav Volkov (1935-1971), Alexey Leonov (1934- ), and Viktor Patsayev (1933-1971). (source: Albuquerque Journal, Oct 13, 1964)
In 1964, there was no U.S. Chess Championship. Heavy expenses in the international area during the past 12 months made fund-raising for this event too difficult to support. (source: Chess Life, Nov 1964, p. 284)
In 1965, the top USCF players were Fischer (2734), Reshevsky (2587), Lombardy (2560), Robert Byrne (2546), Saidy (2531), Benko (2516), Evans (2512) and Addison (2501). (source: Chess Life, Jan 1965, p. 16)
Harold Phillips (1874-1967) won the first Greater New York Open in 1895. In 1965, he was a spectator at the event at the age of 90. In 1903, he won the Manhattan Chess Club Championship. He was president of the Manhattan Chess Club in the 1930s. He was also president of the Marshall Chess Club. He was USCF president from 1951 to 1954. He played in chess tournaments for over 70 years. He was a lawyer by profession.
Sonja Graf-Stevenson (1908-1965) was a German and American chess player. She was the reigning Women’s Chess Champion when she died of a liver ailment. She also won it in 1957. In 1939, she was prevented, by an order signed by Josef Goebbels, Nazi Minister of Propaganda, from representing Germany in the 1939 Chess Olympiad in Buenos Aires. However, she went to Buenos Aires as a stateless person under the banner of “Liberty” to play in the Women’s World Chess Championship. She remained in Argentina until 1945, and then came to the U.S. and to U.S. citizenship. She spoke four languages and worked for a time as a translator. (source: Chess Life, March 1965, p. 51)
On March 27, 1964, a major earthquake destroyed much of Anchorage, Alaska, and destroyed the Willard Fiske Chess Club. This put an end to Alaska chess for a considerable period. In March 1965, a new chess club, the Anchorage Chess Rookery, was formed as a successor of the old chess club. (source: Chess Life, March 1965, p. 63)
On January 11, 1965, three Ohio State University students claimed the world endurance record for chess players. Karl Stechle, Carl Jackman, and Dr. John Phythyon (1942-2022) stayed at the chess board for 58 straight hours. (source: Dover, Ohio Daily Reporter, Jan 11, 1965)
Elliott Forry Laucks (1898-1965) was the founder and patron of the Log Cabin Chess Club in West Orange, New Jersey. He was a millionaire. He founded the club in 1934. He sometimes wore a swastika on his lapel and had Nazi flags in his home. He was a Life Director of the USCF. In 1945, his club won the Metropolitan Chess League in New Yor City. In 1965, he participated in the U.S. Open chess tournament in Puerto Rico. He played the first 6 rounds and seemed to be in good health. After the 6th round he went on a tour of San Juan. He then collapsed suddenly and was pronounced dead upon his arrival to a nearby hospital. He played in every US Open from 1950 to 1963, with his last appearance in 1965. (source: Chess Life, Aug 1965, p. 163)
In 1965, over 2,000 youngsters under 17 competed in the first city-wide chess tournament of the New York City Parks Department. It was won by 16-year-old Bill Smith, who had been playing chess for only 6 months. (source: Chess Life, Aug 1965, p. 174)
In July 1965, the first chess tournament ever held in Greenland was the championship of Thule Air Base. The winner was Tim Moore who scored a perfect 5-0. (source: Chess Life, Aug 1965, p. 174)
In 1966, the top USCF players were Fischer (2713), Reshevsky (2616), Robert Byrne (2568), Lombardy (2563), Evans (2556), Benko (2542), and Addison (2535). (sources: Chess Life, Dec 1966, p. 314)
In 1966, a course in chess history and theory was introduced for the first time at Moscow University. Over 93,000 people play chess in Moscow alone. The lectures drew over 2,000 students. Among the first lecturers were Petrosian, Korchnoi, Bronstein, Tal, Kotov, and Botvinnik. Botvinnik’s lecture was on cybernetics and chess. (source: Chess Life, March 1966, p.63)
In 1966, the first Greater New York school championships drew a record 253 players from 112 schools in the New York metropolitan area. The high school winners were Sal Matera, Alan Kussack, and Gary Pokoik in a 3-way tie. (source: Chess Life, May 1966, p. 120)
On August 7, 1966, Robin Smith, age 24, was one of four inmates to compete in a two-day chess tournament at the Indiana University Medical Center, sponsored by the Indianapolis Chess Club. Smith won his match game Saturday and returned to the Indiana Reformatory Institution. But after he lost Sunday, he slipped away, unnoticed by a counselor and three prison buddies. He was sentenced in 1965 to 10-25 years for robbery. (source: Kokomo Morning Times, Aug 9, 1966)
In Dec 1966, the Greater New York Scholastic Championships drew a record 614 youngsters from over 200 schools. There were 486 players in USCF-rated sections. No previous rated tournament had ever drawn more than 265 players. (source: Chess Life, Jan 1967, p. 14)
In 1967, the top USCF players were Fischer (2762), Benko (2595), Evans (2593), Reshevsky (2585), Lombardy (2562), Robert Byrne (2550), and Addison (2504). (sources: Chess Life, Apr 1967, p. 96 and Sep 1967, p. 279 and Dec 1967, p. 385)
In April 1967, Bobby Fischer took 1st place at a chess tournament in Monaco. He received an appearance fee of $2,000 and a 5,000 franc first place prize. The trophy was presented to him by Prince Rainier (1923-2005) and Princess Grace (1929-1982). Fischer refused to pose for a photograph with the prince or princess.
In 1967, the USSR listed the occupants of their Soviet chessplayers. They were Antoshin-designer, Averbakh-engineer, Boleslavsky-journalist, Bondarevsky=economic engineer, Botvinnik-electrical engineer, Bronstein-journalist, Geller-economist, Keres-journalist, Kotov-mechanical engineer, Korchnoi-historian, Lein-mathematician, Lilienthal-journalist, Lutikov-student, Osnos-radio technician, Petrosian-journalist, Polugaevsky-engineer, Simagin-journalist, Smyslov-chess professional, Spassky-journalist, Stein-student, Suetin-mechanical engineer, Tal-Journalist, Tolush-journalist, and Vasiukov-journalist. (source: Chess Life, July 1967, p.210)
Arksdijs Strazdins (1923-2007) of New Britain, Connecticut was a very active chess master. He served with the Latvian Army during World War II and was wounded 3 times. He came to America in 1951. He was President of the New Britain Chess Club (NBCC) for 31 years, where he won the club championship 27 times, from 1953 to 1997. Under his leadership, the NBCC was the largest chess club in Connecticut.
In March 1968, the top USCF players were Fischer (2762), Evans (2593), Benko (2590), Reshevsky (2585), Lombardy (2557), Robert Byrne (2550), Saidy (2506), and Addison (2501) (source: Chess Life, Mar 1968, p. 100)
In July 1968, the top USCF players were Fischer (2754), Reshevsky (2602), Evans (2594), Benko (2582), Lombardy (2556), Robert Byrne (2523), and Saidy (2522). (source: Chess Life, June 1968, p. 223)
On August 9, 1968, Auckland student Glenn Turner, age 20, completed 68 hours of nonstop chess, claiming a new world record. He played 535 games before quitting. He was the 1968 Auckland University chess champion. (source: Logan Daily News, Ohio, Aug 9, 1968)
In Oct 1968, the top USCF players were Fischer (2739), Evans (2600), Reshevsky (2593), Benko (2582), Lombardy (2556), Saidy (2522), and Robert Byrne (2519). (source: Chess Life, Oct 1968, p. 335)
In 1968, the Illinois Open was almost cancelled because the building where the tournament was to be held incurred damages such as broken windows during the riots accompanying the Democratic National Convention earlier in the week. A chess-playing judge stepped in and helped find a new location, the Sherman House Hotel in Chicago. There was a 7-way tie for first place, with Greg DeFotis winning on tiebreak. 164 players participated. (source: Chess Life, Nov 1968, p. 421)
In 1968, Walter Shreve Ivins (1870-1966), master Emeritus, died in Tucson. He was 96 and his chess-playing span of 85 years set a record. In the 1890s, he was Champion of the Philadelphia Mercantile Chess Club. He won the championship of Tucson several times. (source: Chess Life, Jan 1969, p. 4)
In 1969, the top USCF players were Fischer (2745), Evans (2628), Reshevsky (2604), Benko (2588), Robert Byrne (2550), and Lombardy (2545). The top junior was Walter Browne (2453) age 20. (sources: Chess Life, Jan 1969, p. 28 and Mar 1969, p. 115)
In December 1968, 455 youngsters entered the second annual School Chess Festival in Van Nuys, California. It broke all records for participation in chess tournaments in California. May Sam Yorty ofLos Angeles designated the period December 23-27 as Chess Week, in honor of the tournament. Over 100 schools were represented. (source: Chess Life, April 1969, p. 152)
In 1969, the 2nd annual University of Virginia Open, with 45 players, was won by Norman Whitaker (1890-1975), age 79. On one of the low boards, a player resigned in a stalemated position. However, tournament director Pedro Saavedra rules that the game was a draw since stalemate ends the game. (source: Chess Life, July 1969, p. 298)
In 1969, the top world chess players were Fischer (2720), Spassky (2690), Korchnoi (2680), Botvinnik (2660), Petrosian (2650), Larsen (2630), Smyslov (2620), PPortisch (2620), Geller (2620), Polugaevsky (2610), Stein (2610), Keres (2610), Tal (2610), Olafsson (2600), and Kholmov (2600). (source: Chess Life, Sep 1969, p. 377)
In December 1969, the top USCF players were Fischer (2745), Reshevsky (2629), Evans (2591), Benko (2566), Robert Byrne (2532), and Lombardy (2527). The top junior was Walter Browne (2459). The top woman was Gisel Gresser (2025). (source: Chess Life & Review, Dec 1969, p. 514)
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