Chess Trivia X
In 1980, John Litvinchuk (1967- ), age 12, became the youngest American chess master ever up to that time. He won the Laura Aspis Prize for being the number one ranked American under the age of 13. In 1982, he was National High School co-champion. In 1986, he won the US Junior Championship. (source: Chess Life, Mar 1980, p. 3)
In 1978, Arpad Elo (1903-1992) ranked the best chess players in history. Their ratings were based on a five-year peak performance. The top players were Fischer (2780), Capablanca (2725), Karpov (2725), Botvinnik (2720), Lasker ( 2720), and Tal (2700). (source: Chess Life, Mar 1980, p. 10)
In 1980, the World Open had a $52,000 prize fund. In 1981, the prize fund was $53,000. It had only 702 players, the smallest World Open ever. There was a 5-way tie and none of the winners were grandmasters. This was the first time that a grandmaster failed to win the tournament or tie for first place (this also happened in 1982). (source: Chess Life, Nov 1981, p. 7) In 1982, the prize fund was $55,000. Four more big tournaments were held at the same location, making the total prize fund at $66,500. In 1983, the prize fund was $57,000. Four more big tournaments were held at the same location, making the total prize fund at $71,000. In 1984, the prize fund was $81,000 with only 462 players. It was won by Joel Benjamin, the first clear World Open winner in over 10 years. In 1985, the prize fund was $150,200. There were 1,251 players. In 1986, the prize fund was $180,000. It was won by Nick de Firmian who collected a record $20,941. There were 1,506 players, including 23 GMs. In 1987, the prize fund was $210,000. In 1987, the prize fund was $181,000 with 1,293 players. In 1988, the prize fund was $200,000. In 1989, the prize fund was $220,000 with 1,127 players and 30 GMs.
In 1983, the New York Open had a $100,000 prize fund with 1,002 chessplayers. 406 players shared in the prize fund. There were 13 GMs, 24 IMs, and 108 masters in the event. (source: Chess Life, July 1983, p. 26) In 1984, the New York Open had a prize fund of $105,000 with1,025 players. There were 17 GMs, 29 IMs, and 132 masters in the event. The players came from 21 countries and 45 states. GM Roman Dzindzichashvili won the 1984 event and $18,000 for 1st place. In 1985, the prize fund was $126,350. There were 1,070 players. In 1986, the prize fund was $130,000 with 975 players, including 31 grandmasters. In 1987, the prize fund was $175,000. There were 1,075 players with 45 grandmasters and 30 International Masters. In 1988, the prize fund was $125,000 with 980 players. In 1989, the prize fund was $165,000. There were 47 GMs and 24 IMs.
In 1980, Viktor Korchnoi (1931-2016) feared for his life in his quarterfinal Candidates Match with Soviet GM Lev Polugaevsky, played in Velden, Austria. He shared the expense of installing bulletproof glas between him and spectators. He also made sure that Velden had enough apartments to allow him to move about frequently to avoid having his quarters bugged. (source: Chess Life, April 1980, p.10)
In 1980, the top U.S. men were Alburt (2623), Kavalek (2606), Tarjan (2550), Shamkovih (2543), Bisquier (2538), Browne (2538), Lein (2536), Christiansen (2534), Seirawan (2534), Diesen (2528), Bryne (2527), Soltis (2526), Rogoff (2522), Evans (2517), Peters (2516), De Firmian (2514), Lombardy (2508), Biyiasas (2502), and Zuckerman (2502). The World’s top chess players were Karpov (2725), Tal (2705), Korchnoi (2695),Portisch (2655), Polugaevsky (2635), Petrosian (2615), Spassky (2615), Ribli (2610), Gheorghiu (2605), Balashov (2600), Huebner (2600), Kavalek (2600), and Timman (2600). (source: Chess Life, April 1980, p.20)
In September 18, 1980, Frank Anderson (1928-1980), and International Master from Canada, died unexpectedly at the age of 52. In 1948, he tied for first in the U.S. Junior Championship. In 1953 he was co-champion of Canada. In 1955, he won the title outright. In 1958, he scored 84% in the Munich Chess Olympiad to come within one game of qualifying for a grandmaster title. However, even though the outcome of the final game would not have mattered, he became too ill to continue and subsequently lost his chance for the title. He twice won gold medals at the chess Olympiads for the best scores on his board. (source: Chess Life, Jan 1981, p. 13)
From November 20 to December 6, 1980, the 24th Chess Olympiad was held in Valletta, Malta. The Soviet Union took the gold, followed by Hungary with the silver and Yugoslavia with the bronze. The USA took 4th place. John Jarecki played for the British Virgin Islands at the age of 11. He played on Board 2. Anatoly Karpov refused to shake hands with Lev Alburt because Alburt had defected to the USA in 1978. The Soviet team (Karpov, Polugaevsky, Tal, Geller, Balashov, Kasparov) won the event (on tiebreak over Hungary). Both the Soviet men's and women's team came from behind to take the gold in this Olympiad.
In 1981, the top world chess players were Karpov (2690), Korchnoi (2650), Portisch (2650), Huebner (2635), Spassky (2635), Kasparov (2625), Beljavsky (2620), Timman (2620), Geller (2615), Mecking (2615), Andersson (2610), Larsen (2610), Ljubojevic (2605), and Balashov (2600). (source: Chess Life, April 1981, p. 10)
The 1980 Italian Chess Championship was postponed to 1981 because of the serious earthquake Italy suffered that year. On Nov 23, 1980, the Irpina earthquake struck southern Italy, killing over 2,400 people, over 7,700 injured, and left 250,000 homeless. It measured 6.89 on the Richter scale. In 1981, Bela Toth (1943- ) won the Italian Championship, held in Naples. Toth also won the championship in 1975, 1976, and 1982. (source: Chess Life, Sep 1981, p. 13)
In 1981, future grandmaster John Fedorowicz and grandmaster Andras Adorjan got into a fistfight at the Edward Lasker Memorial on New York. Fedorowicz was upset that Adorjan beat him when Adorjan was drawing all his earlier games. Most of the blows landed not on each other, but on the tournament director, Eric Schiller, who was trying to break up the fight.
In 1981, for the first time, a computer chess program won 1st place in a state championship. Cray Blitz, written by Bob Hyatt and Albert Gower, scored 5-0 in the Mississippi state championship. It earned a performance rating of 2258. Cray Blitz was the first computer to beat a master (Joseph Sentef, rated 2262) in a rated tournament. Cray Blitz played in chess events from 1980 to 1994. (source: Chess Life, Dec 1981, p. 11)
In 1981, John Jarecki, age 12, (born Jan 1, 1969) became a chess master after a good result at the World Open. In 1980, he became the first and only person to win the National Elementary and National Junior High Chess Championship in the same year. Stuart Rachels, age 11 (born Sep 26, 1969), 8 months younger than Jarecki, went 3-0 in a qualifying event for the Birmingham City Championship to achieve his first master’s rating. He became the youngest chess master in U.S. history, a record that stood until 1994. Both players gave up chess at a young age. (source: Chess Life, Feb 1982, p. 15)
In 1982, the top players in the world were Karpov (2720), Timman (2655), Korchnoi (2645), Kasparov (2640), Portisch (2630), Spassky (2625), and Huebner (2620). The top US players were Kavalek (2590), Browne (2585), Christiansen (2575), Seirawan (2575), Alburt (2550), and Tarjan (2520). (source: Chess Life, April 1982, p. 11)
In 1982, Yasser Seirawan (1960- ) defeated World Champion Anatoly Karpov in their individual game at the Phillips and Drew International in London. It was the first time in the modern era that a U.S. player had beaten a reigning world champion in tournament play. The last time it had been done was in 1937 when Reuben Fine defeated world champion Alexander Alekhine twice. (source: Chess Life, Aug 1982, p. 16)
In May 1982, Ken Thompson and Belle, the reigning World Computer Champion, was invited to Russia to demonstrate Belle at a scientific exhibition. Thompson was the software developer of Belle. When Thompson landed in Moscow, Belle was still in New York. The 400-pound machine had been impounded at JFK airport by U.S. Customs officials, who feared Belle might be useful to the Soviet military. The seizure was part of “Operation Exodus,” which was a new program to stop high-technology information from leaking to the Soviets. Thompson said that the only way Bell could be used militarily would be “to drop it out of an airplane. You might kill someone that way.” In October 1983, Belle was the first machine toto gain an established master’s rating. (source: Chess Life, Sep 1982, p. 12)
In September 1982, Boris Gulko and his wife were arrested for protesting at the Moscow Interzonal in Moscow. They were trying to emigrate to Israel. Gulko was beaten by KGB agents and was forbidden to play in top-level competitions.
On October 21, 1982, Ed Edmondson (1920-1982) died after suffering a heart attack on September 27 while playing chess on Waikiki Beach. In 1961, he was elected vice-president of the USCF. In 1963, he was elected president of the USCF and served until 1966. He was USCF’s first executive director and served from 1966 to 1975. (source: Chess Life, Jan 1983, p. 10)
In 1983, the top chess players in the world were Karpov (2710), Kasparov (2690), Ljubojevic (2645), Andersson 2635), Huebner (2625), Polugaevsky (2625), Portisch (2620), Tal (2620), Petrosian (2605), Spassky (2605), Timman (2605), Korchnoi (2600), and Seirawan (2600). (source: Chess Life, April 1983, p. 17)
In 1983, Anna Akhsharumova was playing the final round of the Soviet Women's Chess championship against her main competitor, Nana Ioseliani. Anna won the game on time forfeit and should have won the title. But the next day, Ioseliani filed a protest alleging a malfunction in the chess clock. Ioseliani demanded a new game be played. Anna refused to play, so the result of her game with Ioseliani was reversed by the All-Union Board of Referees in Moscow (the tournament itself was being played in Tallinn), thereby forfeiting her title. Anna went from 1st place to 3rd place over this decision
By 1983, Edgar McCormick (1914-1991) had played in 31 U.S. Open chess tournaments, followed by Arthur Bisguier (27), Thomas Jenkins (25), Edmund Nash (22), Jack Shaw and Fred Cramer (21, Marshall Rohland (18), and Edwin Faust (17). By the end of his life, McCormick had played in more U.S. Opens than anyone, a total of 37. McCormick also won the New Jersey championship in 1951 and 1972. (source: Chess Life, Aug 1983, p. 13)
In 1983, the U.S. Open in Pasadena had over 800 players, making it the largest U.S. Open in history up to that time. Larry Christiansen and Viktor Korchnoi tied for 1st. (source: Chess Life, Nov 1983, p. 12)
In 1982, computers were first allowed to play in the U.S. Open. In 1983, at the U.S. Open in Pasadena, an experimental version of a commercial micro-processor (Novag Constellation) beat a master in tournament play for the first time ever. Belle, the computer world champion, downed 4 masters and drew with a senior master. It tied for the Expert prize. However, USCF regulations prevented computers from receiving anything but prizes designated specifically for them. (source: Chess Life, Dec 1983, p. 36)
In 1983, Paul Waldowski won the Nebraska invitational championship, and tied for 1st in the state amateur championship. Both events were held on the same weekend. In 1978, he won the Mississippi State Championship. In 2003, he won the Armed Forces Open. (source: Chess Life, Jan 1984, p. 9)
On December 9, 1983, Hungarian GM Janos Flesch (1933-1983) and his wife, Ildiko Tenyei, died in s car wreck in Whitstable, England. Flesch had been in England for several international events and as a spectator at the London candidates’ matches. Flesch was the world record holder at the time for simultaneous blindfold play – 52 opponents in Budapest in 1960. However, he was allowed to consult scoresheets of the games and therefore his claim was disallowed. (source: Chess Life, Mar 1984, p. 7)
In 1984, the top players in the world were Kasparov (2710), Karpov (2700), Korchnoi (2635), Ljubojevic (2635), Andersson (2630), Vaganian (2630), Portisch (2625), Huebner (2620), Tal (2620), Hort (2615), Polugaevsky (2615), and Spassky (2615). The top U.S. players were Brown (2585), Christiansen (2550), Gurevich (2545), Kavalek (2545), Seirawan (2525), Byrne (2520), and Kudrin (2520). (source: Chess Life, April 1984, p. 29)
In 1984, Boris Spassky (1937- ) no longer competed in chess events for the Soviet Union. He cited increasing difficulties with the Soviet Sports Committee as the reason for his decision. Spassky had lived in France with his French-born third wife since 1976, but had retained Soviet citizenship and officially competed as a Soviet player. In 2012, he left France and returned to Russia. (source: Chess Life, Sep 1984, p. 7)
From November 18 to December 5, 1984, the 26th Chess Olympiad was held in Thessaloniki, Greece. At the 1984 chess Olympiad in Thessaloniki, Greece, Ion Gudju (born in 1897) of Romania served on the appeals committee. He was 87 years old and may be the oldest player to participate in the chess Olympics (but not as a player). He played in the first unofficial chess Olympiad in 1924 in Paris. In 1984, the famous Bermuda Party was held, which continued until 1998. It was the biggest social event of the Olympiads. John Nunn of England won three gold medals: best score on board 2, best performance rating, and winner of the problem-solving contest. The USA team defeated the USSR team for the first time in Olympiad history. The youngest player in the event was 12-year old Isabelle Kintzlere, who played 3rd board on the French women's team.
In 1985, the top USCF players were Alburt (2646), Christiansen (2634), Dzindzichashvili (2630), Browne (26222), de Firmian (2615), Kavalek (2609), Tarjan (2609), Fedorowicz (2607), and Seirawan (2607). (source: Chess Life, Jan 1985, p.60)
In 1984, USA beat USSR – the first ever American Olympiad win over the USSR. The USSR took the gold, England took the silver, and the USA took the bronze. (source: Chess Life, Feb 1985, p.7)
In 1985, Nick Down, a former British Junior Correspondence champion, entered the British Ladies Correspondence Championship as Miss Leigh Strange and won the event (and 15 British pounds along with the Lady Herbert trophy). He then signed up to represent Britain in the Ladies Postal Olympiad. He was later caught when one of his friends mouthed off about it and Nick confessed. The whole thing had been cooked up by Nick Down and a group of undergraduates at Cambridge, where Nick was a student. Nick returned the Lady Herbert trophy and was banned from the British Correspondence Chess Association for two years.
In 1986, the top USCF players were Seirawan (2679), Christiansen (2653), Dlugy (2648), Dzindzichashvili (2630), Alburt (2624), de Firmian (2619), Lesn (2610), Gruenfeld (2606), Gurevich (2604), and Kavalek (2603) (source: Chess Life, Jan 1986, p. 57)
In 1986, the chess Olympiad was held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It may have been the most expensive chess Olympiad ever. The organizers offered $1 million for free airline tickets to teams who were reluctant to participate. 108 teams showed up, a record at the time (prior to this, Lucerne had 91 teams in 1982). Israel was not allowed to participate, but the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) was. Sweden, Norway, Denmark, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Netherlands refused to play in protest to the Israeli ban. 10-year old Heidi Cueller represented Guatemala and may be the youngest player to participate in the chess Olympics. The Guatemalan men's team was represented by four brothers names Juarez. The USA team defeated the USSR team, becoming the only team to defeat the Soviet team twice in a row in Olympiad competition. Judit Polgar won a gold medal in the Women's Olympiad at the age of 11.
In 1987, the top USCF players were Christiansen (2707), Seirawan (2659), Rohde (2653), Fedorowicz (2652), Alburt (2649), Dlugy (2646), Gurevich (2640), de Firmian (2630), Benjamin (2622), Kavalek (2622), Dzindzichashvili (2613), and Gruenfeld (2604) (source: Chess Life, Jan 1987, p. 59)
In 1987, Grandmaster Tony Miles (1955-2001) was arrested at 10 Downing Street in London after trying to get in after midnight to talk to British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher about payments owed to him by the British Chess Federation. He was eventually hospitalized for two months from a mental breakdown.
In 1988, undercover police arrested a chess player at a park in New York City after he won a marked $5 bill against a cop posing as a construction worker during a blitz game. The chess player was jailed for 3 days, his medication was confiscated, and he had a heart attack. The arrest was finally tossed out by a judge. Five years later, the city settled the wrongful arrest lawsuit out of court for $100,000.
On April 16, 1988, Dr. Milton Hanauer (1908-1988) died. He graduated from City College of New York (CCNY) at 17. He was the youngest person to the the New York State chess championship. He was the youngest person ever licensed to teach in the New York City’s public schools and became a school principal. He played on the silver medal winning US team in the 2nd Chess Olympiad at The Hague in 1928. He served as a director and club officer of the Marshall Chess Club for almost 50 years. (source: Chess Life, Sep 1988, p. 22)
In 1989, the top USCF players were Seirawan
(2725), Gulko (2697), de Firmian (2679), Benjamin (2675), Browne (2670), Kudrin
(2670), Rohde (2664), Dlugy (2660), Alburt (2654), and Wilder (2649). (source: Chess
Life, Apr 1989, p. 27)
In 1989, the police raided a chess
tournament in Los Angeles. The L.A.P.D. vice officers raided a nightly chess
tournament held at Dad's Donuts. They cited three men for gambling after
finding $1.50 on the table. The police staged the raid after an undercover
detective tried unsuccessfully to join a blitz chess game. The detective then
pulled out his badge and said "all of you are under arrest," as the
L.A.P.D. swooped in.
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