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• 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 ➦
L.A. Times Problem No. 541 by Pentti Sola. White mates in two.
FEN 8/2Q5/8/8/Kp1N2r1/4N1p1/2P3Rn/4k1n1 w - - 0 1
Key: P-B4/c4
L.A. Times Problem No. 542 by E. A. Ekholm. White mates in three.
FEN 5R2/1p1r1b1Q/2P5/2Npk3/2pN1b2/7P/1P5P/4BK2 w - - 0 1
Key: B-N4/Bb4
Appended is another selection of games from Mexico City:
Reuben Fine vs Herman Steiner
Mexican International Masters (1934), Mexico City MEX, rd 1, Dec-27
English Opening: King's English Variation. Three Knights System General (A27) 1-0
Arthur William Dake vs Alfonso Vida Aguirre
Mexican International Masters (1935), Mexico City MEX, rd 13, Jan-15
English Opening: King's English. Two Knights' Variation Reversed Dragon (A22) 1-0
L.A. Times Problem No. 539 “H.C.W.” by S. Boros. White mates in two.
FEN B4R2/4pN1n/2n1P3/1QN5/1pp1P1P1/R1q2kPK/4pppP/2Bbr1r1 w - - 0 1
Two Key Solutions: N-N3 and Q-N8.
Alternatively: mate in 1. Ne5#
L.A. Times Problem No. 540 “The Chess Review” by Dr. Gilbert Dobbs. White mates in three.
FEN 8/8/8/B5p1/3QP1P1/1p1N1kN1/7P/1K6 w - - 0 1
Key: Q-R8/Qh8
From the International Master Tournament of Mexico City.
Herman Steiner vs Juan Lerdo de Tejada
Mexican International Masters (1935), Mexico City MEX, rd 7, Jan-07
French Defense: Classical. Burn Variation (C11) 1-0
Herman Steiner vs Jose Aviles Solares
Mexican International Masters (1934), Mexico City MEX, rd 3, Dec-29
Torre Attack: Classical Defense. Nimzowitsch Variation (A46) 1-0
The editors of the Straw-Hatter, the official publication of the Warwick Chess Club, are to be congratulated on their enterprise and entertaining articles.
In the January 21 issue there are two brilliant gamelets, both of which are known to some, but should be familiar to all.
The first was a simultaneous victory on the part of the immortal British international master, Joseph H. Blackburne, nicknamed the “Black Death” by the Germans because of his wonderful and unexpected combinations.
The next game not only teaches a valuable chess lesson (the attack on the weakest point—the King Bishop Pawn on its original square,) but it also shows that the privilege of castling is still available to the player whose Rook is attacked, always provided that the King in castling neither goes into check or through check. (Of course, the King in castling cannot castle out of check.)
(a) Black attacks the KBP, but too soon. Of course, he was hoping for 6. KxN Q-R5ch; 7. White moves. QxB.
(b) The White King is not attacked by the Black Knight. Nor are his KB1 or KN1 attacked by this Knight. The White Rook is attacked by the Black Knight, but this is irrelevant to the rule affecting castling.
Had Black another Knight at its K6 in this position, White could not castle, for then the White King would have to pass over the indirectly attacked square KB1, even though his final resting place—KN1 — is free from attack.
After all this technical explanation, we would just add that the move made initiates a beautiful sacrifice!
Here follows the score of a game by the late United States champion:
L.A. Times Problem No. 537 Composed for the Los Angeles Times by H. L. Winings, Decatur, Illinois. White mates in two.
FEN6R1/6n1/3K4/5Bkn/4P3/Q5p1/3P2P1/7R w - - 0 1
Key: Cooked by K-K5/Ke5, the intended solution was Q-R7/Qa7.
L.A. Times Problem No. 538 Composed for the Los Angeles Times by Wm. P. Barbee, Halcyon, California. White mates in three.
FEN 3K4/4p3/p7/P1k1P3/3p4/N2P1B2/1R6/8 w - - 0 1
Key: B-R8/Ba8
From the Southern California League Matches:
Frank Elmer DeGroff, Highland Park “B” (white) vs. H. Kirby, Pillsbury “B”, (black)
French Defense: La Bourdonnais Variation
Manuel Soto Larrea vs Herman Steiner
Mexican International Masters (1935), Mexico City MEX, rd 12, Jan-14
Benoni Defense: Modern Variation (A60) 0-1
Reuben Fine vs Manuel Soto Larrea
Mexican International Masters (1935), Mexico City MEX, rd 11, Jan-11
English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense. King's Knight Variation (A15) 1-0
Abel Perez vs Arthur William Dake
Mexican International Masters (1935), Mexico City MEX, rd 9, Jan-09
Dutch Defense: Queen's Knight Variation (A85) 0-1
Reuben Fine vs Arthur William Dake
Mexican International Masters (1935), Mexico City MEX, rd 5, Jan-03
English Opening: King's English. Four Knights Variation Botvinnik Line (A28) 0-1
L.A. Times Problem No. 535 “H.C.W.” by M. Gabor. White mates in two.
FEN 1b3qN1/8/Q5p1/2pkpnR1/2N1R3/8/8/2K4B w - - 0 1
Key: N-R5/Na5
L.A. Times Problem No. 536. “The Chess Review” by Wilbur Van Winkle. White mates in three.
FEN 5K2/8/3k4/7P/8/5Q2/2NP3P/6B1 w - - 0 1
Key: N-N4/Nb4
See variations in the February 17, 1935 edition of Herman Steiner's Chess column.
Arthur William Dake vs Herman Steiner
Mexican Masters' Tournament (1935), Mexico City (MEX), rd 6, Jan-04
Nimzo-Indian Defense: Spielmann. Stahlberg Variation (E23) 0-1
Herman Steiner vs Abel Perez
Mexican International Masters (1935), Mexico City MEX, rd 5, Jan-03
Queen's Gambit Declined: Tartakower Defense. General (D58) 1-0
From their match: Ninth game
Mikhail Botvinnik vs Salomon Flohr
Botvinnik - Flohr (1933), Moscow / Leningrad RUS, rd 9, Dec-14
Caro-Kann Defense: Panov Attack. Modern Defense (B13) 1-0
Jose Joaquin Araiza Munoz vs Reuben Fine
Mexican International Masters (1935), Mexico City MEX, rd 12, Jan-14
French Defense: Classical. Rubinstein Variation (C14) 0-1
(a) The gambit decline (4. … B-N3 is not unfavorable for White 5. K-N2! P-Q3; 6. P-QR4! P-QR3; 7. P-N5! and White uses the QR file—Cordel's attack.
(b) Considered best—playing for Lasker's defense.
(c) If quietly 7. O-O Black is safe with 7. … B-N3 (Lasker's defense.)
(d) If Q-K2? 8. P-Q5 N-K4; 9. NxN PxN; 10. Q-N5ch.
(e) Varying from Tartakower's own analysis. He gives 8. P-QR4 to meet B-N3 with P-R5! But Wurzburger's simpler line must be good.
(f) Better seems B-K3.
(g) Returning the piece—the only way to save his Queen and stop QxPch.
(h) The killer.
Score and Notes from “The Australasian Chess Review.”
In this game in the thirteenth round of the International Tournament at Zurich, Dr. Euwe scored a fortunate victory after falling into a trap, through which he lost three pieces for the Queen.
Enrique Gonzalez Rojo vs Herman Steiner
Mexican International Masters (1934), Mexico City MEX, rd 2, Dec-28
Bogo-Indian Defense: Nimzowitsch Variation (E11) 0-1
Following are descriptions of some of the more interesting games played in the recent international chess tournament at Mexico City:
Reuben Fine vs Joaquin Medina Zavalia
Mexican International Masters (1934), Mexico City MEX, rd 3, Dec-29
Queen's Gambit Declined: Modern. Knight Defense (D51) 1-0
Joaquin Medina Zavalia vs Herman Steiner
Mexican International Masters (1935), Mexico City MEX, rd 4, Jan-02
Four Knights Game: Spanish. Symmetrical Variation (C49) 0-1
Of all the many victories there was one that gave the old world champion, Steinitz, very little satisfaction. This was his match with Bird in 1866, which he barely won by six games to five, with five drawn games. He disliked any reference to it, and endeavored to refute its results by defeating Bird on every subsequent occasion when they met. The present game was an offhand encounter while the match was in progress. It was played in September, 1866, at Simpson's Divan.
L.A. Times Problem No. 519 “H. C. W.” by C. S. Kipping. White mates in two.
FEN 7r/8/3p1N2/p2RP2Q/2RB1kP1/3P2p1/4B1n1/r1q3NK w - - 0 1
Solution and FEN in dispute due to Herman Steiner's absence. See February 3, 1935.
L.A. Times Problem No. 520. Composed for the Los Angeles Times by A.D. Gibbs, Long Beach, California
FEN 3b3n/2p1p1pB/2p1R1P1/2P2k1P/3pNp1K/1Q3pp1/rBP2PP1/q4R1b w - - 0 1
From the Southern California Chess League:
W. H. English, Santa Barbara (white) vs. S. Spero, East Los Angeles (black)
Philidor Defense
(a)—Here Black moved Q-R4, saw the mate on his KN2, moved back and tried to move KR-B2. White refused to allow the move after the Queen had been touched. (Usually after such an oversight where there is no chance to overcome the lost material, resigning is in order! Ed.]
(a)—Probably trying for N-QN5. It is a weak move, the square for N being Q2 in this variation.
(b)—If Q-N3, 10. P-R5.
(c)—Or QxQP. 10. Castles, with the threat of B-N7. Black must attend to it, with loss of time that will be serious to his uncastled K. A safer line than the text is NxN, 12. PxN B-K2.
(d)—Fine positional play, which no doubt was the chief factor in earning the brilliancy prize for this game. The Black K remains uneasy.
(e)—The best chance appears to be the capture of the exchange: BxR, 15. B-B5 (not Q-K5, QxP; 16. Q-B7 Q-Q2) Q-B2 (not Q-N7, when 16. Q-K5 would succeed;) 16. RxB A win for White takes some proving.
(f)—White's idea being RxP QxR; B-N5.
(g)—A mistake in a last positional. Curiously enough, P-N4 does not stop RxB, both Ps being pinned, and RxB follows also Q-Q3. The B can be saved for the moment by K-B3, when White could soon smash the opposition by P-N4 B-N3; P-R4 etc.
The young Hungarian, A. Lilienthal, has shown himself to be both enterprising and courageous in recent competition. The game below is from a minor tournament at Zandvoort, Holland.
(a) 4. … P-Q4 is much stronger.
(b) Sooner or later Black must play for P-Q4 to equalize, which White should now be trying to prevent, perhaps with N-B2 and K3.
(c) This is really a blunder of far-reaching consequences. 11. R-Q, with added pressure on the Q file, is correct.
(d) If 18. N-Q4, QR-Q is strong for Black.
(e) This R move is hardly satisfactory or necessary, 19. N-Q4 is probably White's best chance. Black really has a decided “edge” in his sweeping bishops.
(f) Practically compelled. Black threatens RxN! If 21. B-Q4 B-KR3!
(g) 23. QxQ NxQ; 24. K-B2 KR-Q is difficult for White.
(h) If 25. B-Q4 N-B6; 26. QxB NxR; 27. RxN QxNPch!
From the Scottish championship tournament at Glasgow between the winner and runner-up, who were separated by half a point:
L.A. Times Problem No. 517 “H. C. W.” by P. S. Moussouris. White mates in two.
FEN 1B2R3/3Bn2p/K3N1qQ/3k2P1/2pP3R/N1P1p3/8/2br4 w - - 0 1
Key: N-B2/Nc2
L.A. Times Problem No. 518. Composed for the Los Angeles Times by J. F. Tracy, Ontario, California. White mates in three.
FEN 8/2Np4/3BbKB1/P2PPp2/p1k5/p3Q3/P7/2r5 w - - 0 1
Key: Q-Q2/Qd2
Games from the Southern California League matches:
E. A. Waddy, Santa Barbara (white) vs. Louis Millstein, East Los Angeles (black)
Vienna Game: Vienna Gambit, Main Line
New York—Championship tournament of the Marshall Chess Club. Samuel Reshevsky is definitely out of the tournament after an adjourned game with Rudolph Smirka. Out-of-town engagements were advanced as the chief reason for his withdrawal.
Following are the scores of two of the games:
Rudolph Smirka (white) vs. Samuel Reshevsky (black)
Manhattan Chess Club-ch (1934), New York, NY
Indian Defense: Czech-Indian
Adjourned after Black sealed his thirty-eighth move.
Anthony Santasiere (white) vs. Lars N. Enequist (black)
Manhattan Chess Club-ch (1934), New York, NY
Queen's Gambit Declined: Modern Variation, Knight Defense
GREAT CHESS MANUAL
If a tenth-rate player may be permitted an opinion, echoing the voices of authority, Dr. Emanuel Lasker's “Manual of Chess” (Dutton) is the most serviceable and instructive guide to the game that any amateur in America is likely to find. First published in English in 1927 it has now been corrected and revised. The heart and soul of the game are revealed by Dr. Lasker and no student of the time will be happy without his book.
Problem No. 514 by E. W. Hearn, in the November 18 issue is two problems in one. In fact, it was printed reversed. We shall give the Forsyth Notation again. White mates in three, the Pawns moving either way.
FEN 7R/4N3/8/4K1kB/6p1/7p/8/8 w - - 0 1
L.A. Times Problem No. 515 Composed for the Los Angeles Times, by H. S. Pike, San Fernando, California. White mates in two.
FEN 2K5/1BPn2N1/3k2b1/1Rp1R1n1/8/2B5/8/8 w - - 0 1
Key:B-Q4/Bd4
L.A. Times Problem No. 516 Composed for the Los Angeles Times by Percy Bowater, Pasadena. White mates in three.
FEN 4B3/5prn/2KNpb2/Np1p4/1k2p1PB/R5p1/1P6/8 w - - 0 1
Key: Cooked. The intended solution of N-B5/Nf5 would have made this problem an excellent one! It is too bad that the composer overlooked NxNP, which could have been easily stopped by having a Black Pawn on Black's QR3. See variations in the December 09, 1934 edition of Chess by Herman Steiner.
Albert Simonson (white) vs. Edward Schwartz (Black)
Manhattan Chess Club-ch (1934), New York, NY
English Opening: Agincourt Defense, Catalan Defense, Semi-Slav Defense
Along with music and mathematics, chess is one of the few fields of achievement where the most highly gifted children can take part on equal terms with experienced adults. International chess is, however, more than an abstract skill where genius can shine without a grounding in practical life: it is (and was so even before Fischer came along) a tough rat-race dominated by professionals, which is probably now too tough for prodigies.
I am personally skeptical whether the successful pre-adolescent prodigies of the past would make anything like the same impression if they were reincarnated in present-day tournaments. Morphy, who defeated the master Lowenthal when 12, Capablanca, Cuban champion at 12, and Reshevsky who made a successful European tour when 8, would find their talents blunted not by the arsenal of opening theory (prodigies can swot up the Ruy Lopez faster than most) but by the sheer physical demands of a five-hour playing session with an opponent pushing hard throughout. Spassky's comment that the younger player in a match should “keep the fight going all the way until lonely kings” is widely accepted and practiced by the 20 to 25-year-old masters who provide the backbone of the international circuit.
Fischer's career supports the argument in spite of his winning the United States championship at 14. Bobby was a rapid adolescent develop rather than a prodigy; at 12, he was an also-ran in the US junior and his great improvement in the next two years coincided with fast physical growth and a hungry appetite for rye bread, hamburgers, and cokes (the last now changed to orange and apple juice). Spassky also only began to beat masters when he was growing up and wondering whether to opt for chess or high jumping, while the newest prodigy, Mecking of Brazil, used to wilt in the fifth hour of play when he came to Hastings at 14. A year later, however, he was toughened sufficiently to beat a couple of Russian grandmasters in the world title interzonal.
Arturo Pomar of Spain is a player who never fulfilled his early promise as a prodigy. He drew with Alekhine, then world champion, when only 12 or 13 and Alekhine forecast a great future for him; but Pomar, though a grandmaster, lacks the physical resilience of Fischer and Spassky and has never got near the world title. Maybe the trend is for international chess to become a game for six-foot athletes; this week's game, from the recent Canary Islands tournament, shows Pomar's king chased round the board by an ex-world champion's pieces.
Isaac Kashdan, challenger for the United States chess title now held by Frank J. Marshall, won an important exhibition game from Sammy Reshevsky last Sunday, for Sammy has finished ahead of him in the last two tournaments in which both have competed.
We take pleasure in publishing the score of this encounter, which took place in New Bedford, Massachusetts:
Samuel Reshevsky (white) vs. Isaac Kashdan (black)
Exhibition Game (November 11, 1934) New Bedford, Massachusetts Chess Club
Semi-Slav Defense
Favored In Title Quest
Although both have been defeated once, Isaac Kashdan and Abraham Kupchik are still strong favorites for the honors in the annual tournament for the championship of the Manhattan Chess Club. From now on it will be a close race between them. Following are two specimens of their play in this tournament.
Joseph Richman (White) vs. Isaac Kashdan (Black)
Manhattan CC ch (1934), New York, NY USA
French Defense: Classical Variation, Steinitz Variation
Quakers Held In Check
While their companions at the top board were bowing before the prowess of their opponents in the intercity match at Philadelphia, Frank J. Marshall and Reuben Fine stemmed the tide at the first and second tables in behalf of the Marshall Chess Club. They were opposed by Jacob Levin and D. G. Weiner of the Mercantile Library Chess Association, respectively, both of whom succeeded in drawing.
Jacob Levin (white) vs. Frank J. Marshall (black)
Marshall CC v. Mercantile Library (1934), Philadelphia, PA USA, Oct-21
Queen's Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Traditional Variation, Main Line
Reuben Fine vs G Weiner
Marshall CC v. Mercantile Library (1934), Philadelphia, PA USA, Oct-21
French Defense: Winawer. Bogoljubow Variation (C17) 1/2-1/2
Still another sterling effort was Sharp's victory over Smirka, in which the Philadelphia veteran displayed all his old-time precision in the end-game.
'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:
“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.
March 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.
Chess by Herman Steiner 03 Mar 1935, Sun The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California) Newspapers.com
