The Gift of Chess

Notice to commercial publishers seeking use of images from this collection of chess-related archive blogs. For use of the many large color restorations, two conditions must be met: 1) It is YOUR responsibility to obtain written permissions for use from the current holders of rights over the original b/w photo. Then, 2) make a tax-deductible donation to The Gift of Chess in honor of Robert J. Fischer-Newspaper Archives. A donation in the amount of $250 USD or greater is requested for images above 2000 pixels and other special request items. For small images, such as for fair use on personal blogs, all credits must remain intact and a donation is still requested but negotiable. Please direct any photographs for restoration and special request (for best results, scanned and submitted at their highest possible resolution), including any additional questions to S. Mooney, at bobbynewspaperblogs•gmail. As highlighted in the ABC News feature, chess has numerous benefits for individuals, including enhancing critical thinking and problem-solving skills, improving concentration and memory, and promoting social interaction and community building. Initiatives like The Gift of Chess have the potential to bring these benefits to a wider audience, particularly in areas where access to educational and recreational resources is limited.

Best of Chess Fischer Newspaper Archives
• Robert J. Fischer, 1955 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1956 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1957 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1958 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1959 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1960 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1961 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1962 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1963 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1964 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1965 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1966 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1967 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1968 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1969 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1970 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1971 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1972 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1973 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1974 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1975 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1976 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1977 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1978 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1979 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1980 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1981 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1982 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1983 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1984 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1985 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1986 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1987 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1988 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1989 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1990 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1991 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1992 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1993 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1994 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1995 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1996 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1997 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1998 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 1999 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 2000 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 2001 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 2002 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 2003 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 2004 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 2005 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 2006 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 2007 ➦
• Robert J. Fischer, 2008 ➦
Chess Columns Additional Archives/Social Media

January 22, 1956 The Press Democrat Chess Chats by George Koltanowski

< Prev Index Next >

Chess ChatsChess Chats 22 Jan 1956, Sun The Press Democrat (Santa Rosa, California) Newspapers.com

Chess Chats by George Koltanowski Sunday, January 22, 1956, The Press Democrat Santa Rosa, California Problem No. 7 by...

Posted by Bobby Fischer's True History on Saturday, February 1, 2020

Problem No. 7 by D. Hjelle, Norway
White to play and mate in two moves.
FEN 2Q2n2/1p6/1P1p3K/N1bkp3/2p1p1p1/2P1P1Pb/3P1Nn1/3R3B w - - 0 1
Solution: 1. d4 Nd7 2. Qg8#

Game played at the Sonoma Festival:

Queen's Pawn Opening

Sherman Walker, Santa Rosa (white) Al Johnson, San Francisco (black)
Horwitz Defense

Descriptive
1. P-Q4 P-K3
2. B-B4 P-Q4
3. P-K3 B-K2
4. B-Q3 N-KB3
5. N-KB3 P-B3
6. QN-Q2 O-O
7. Q-K2 QN-Q2
8. P-KR4 N-R4
9. P-KN3 P-KB4
10. N-N5 NxB
11. NPxN N-B3
12. N2-B3 P-KR3
13. N-K5 N-K5
14. BxN BPxB
15. Q-R5 Q-K1
16. Q-N4 R-B4
17. O-O-O B-B3
18. QR-N1 BxN
19. QPxB PxN
20. RPxP Q-N3
21. R-R2 K-B2
22. R-R8 P-N3
23. R1-R1 B-N2
24. R8-R7 R-KN1
25. R1-R6 RxNP
26. PxR Q-B4
27. R-B6ch Resigns 1-0
Algebraic
1. d4 e6
2. Bf4 d5
3. e3 Be7
4. Bd3 Nf6
5. Nf3 c6
6. Nbd2 0-0
7. Qe2 Nbd7
8. h4 Nh5
9. g3 f5
10. Ng5 Nxf4
11. gxf4 Nf6
12. Ndf3 h6
13. Ne5 Ne4
14. Bxe4 fxe4
15. Qh5 Qe8
16. Qg4 Rf5
17. 0-0-0 Bf6
18. Rdg1 Bxe5
19. dxe5 hxg5
20. hxg5 Qg6
21. Rh2 Kf7
22. Rh8 b6
23. Rh1 Bb7
24. Rh7 Rg8
25. Rh6 Rxg5
26. fxg5 Qf5
27. Rf6+ 1-0

(a) Prefer 3 … B-Q3.
(b) Too tame. 5. … P-B4 is better.
(c) A typical Walker move! Maybe hard to beat back until one knows what white has in mind. Here it is a king's side push. Black intends to stop the onrush.
(d) 9. B-K5 or 9. P-KN4 are possible.
(e) Not as good as 10. … N2-B3.
(f) Doesn't like the rough and ready tactics of his opponent or he would have taken the knight. 13. … PxN; 14. RPxP, N-N5; 15. NxN, PxN 16. QxP, R-B4, etc.
(g) At long last.
(h) Bites at long last.
(i) First B-Q2 is much better.
(j) Has no inkling of white's threat.
(k) That last check really hurt!

Hints About Juniors

Organized competition among juniors—although greatly to be encouraged—is not along sufficient to produce champions.
The only boys who become expert are those who (a) study the game from books or get first-class instruction, or preferably both, and (b) obtain practice against good players, including adults, in clubs or otherwise.
As regards (b), do not imagine that the practice need be against very strong players. The ideal opponent for practice is one a little strong than yourself. But there should be time for thought, and this is where lunch-hour games at school fail.
Instruction is a different matter—the more expert the better. Not many players can afford it. Books are an excellent substitute, and much cheaper. Books are essential anyway, even with instruction.

Philippine Shortcuts

National, 1947

Caro-Kann Defense

M. Velasquez (white) vs. R. Lontoc Jr. (black)
Caro-Kann Defense: Two Knights Attack

Descriptive
1. P-K4 P-QB3
2. N-QB3 P-Q4
3. N-B3 PxP
4. NxP B-B4
5. N-N3 B-N3
6. P-KR4 P-KR3
7. N-K5 B-R2
8. Q-R5 P-KN3
9. B-QB4 P-K3
10. Q-K2 B-N2
11. NxKBP Q-K2
12. NxR P-K4
13. BxN BxB
14. NxP Resigns(a)
Algebraic
1. e4 c6
2. Nc3 d5
3. Nf3 dxe4
4. Nxe4 Bf5
5. Ng3 Bg6
6. h4 h6
7. Ne5 Bh7
8. Qh5 g6
9. Bc4 e6
10. Qe2 Bg7
11. Nxf7 Qe7
12. Nxh8 e5
13. Bxg8 Bxg8
14. Nxg6 1-0(a)

(a) The less said the better!

Game Played in Manila, 1953

Two Knights Defense

Romula Reyes (white) vs. Carlos Benitez (black)
Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Traxler Counterattack, Bishop Sacrifice Line

Descriptive
1. P-K4 P-K4
2. N-KB3 N-QB3
3. B-B4 N-B3
4. N-N5 B-B4
5. BxPch K-K2
6. B-N3 R-B1
7. N-QB3 Q-K1
8. P-Q3 Q-N3
9. N-B3 QxNP
10. K-Q2 N-KN5
11. R-KN1 B-K6ch
12. K-K1 QxP mate
Algebraic
1. e4 e5
2. Nf3 Nc6
3. Bc4 Nf6
4. Ng5 Bc5
5. Bxf7+ Ke7
6. Bb3 Rf8
7. Nc3 Qe8
8. d3 Qg6
9. Nf3 Qxg2
10. Kd2 Ng4
11. Rg1 Be3+
12. Ke1 Qxf2#

(a) Just punishment for a pawn-snatcher!

Recommended Books

Understanding Chess by William Lombardy Chess Duels, My Games with the World Champions, by Yasser Seirawan No Regrets: Fischer-Spassky 1992, by Yasser Seirawan Chess Fundamentals, by Jose Capablanca Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess, by Bobby Fischer My 60 Memorable Games, by Bobby Fischer Bobby Fischer Games of Chess, by Bobby Fischer The Modern Chess Self Tutor, by David Bronstein Russians versus Fischer, by Mikhail Tal, Plisetsky, Taimanov, et al

'til the world understands why Robert J. Fischer criticised the U.S./British and Russian military industry imperial alliance and their own Israeli Apartheid. Sarah Wilkinson explains:

Bobby Fischer, First Amendment, Freedom of Speech
What a sad story Fischer was,” typed a racist, pro-imperialist colonial troll who supports mega-corporation entities over human rights, police state policies & white supremacy.
To which I replied: “Really? I think he [Bob Fischer] stood up to the broken system of corruption and raised awareness! Whether on the Palestinian/Israel-British-U.S. Imperial Apartheid scam, the Bush wars of ‘7 countries in 5 years,’ illegally, unconstitutionally which constituted mass xenocide or his run in with police brutality in Pasadena, California-- right here in the U.S., police run rampant over the Constitution of the U.S., on oath they swore to uphold, but when Americans don't know the law, and the cops either don't know or worse, “don't care” -- then I think that's pretty darn “sad”. I think Mr. Fischer held out and fought the good fight, steadfast til the day he died, and may he Rest In Peace.
Educate yourself about U.S./State Laws --
https://www.youtube.com/@AuditTheAudit/videos
After which the troll posted a string of profanities, confirming there was never any genuine sentiment of “compassion” for Mr. Fischer, rather an intent to inflict further defamatory remarks.

This ongoing work is a tribute to the life and accomplishments of Robert “Bobby” Fischer who passionately loved and studied chess history. May his life continue to inspire many other future generations of chess enthusiasts and kibitzers, alike.

Robert J. Fischer, Kid Chess Wizard 1956March 9, 1943 - January 17, 2008

The photograph of Bobby Fischer (above) from the March 02, 1956 The Tampa Times was discovered by Sharon Mooney (Bobby Fischer Newspaper Archive editor) on February 01, 2018 while gathering research materials for this ongoing newspaper archive project. Along with lost games now being translated into Algebraic notation and extractions from over two centuries of newspapers, it is but one of the many lost treasures to be found in the pages of old newspapers since our social media presence was first established November 11, 2017.

Special Thanks