WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP CHESS: A HUMAN STRUGGLE // REMEMBERING MIKHAIL TAL

Mikhail Tal: November 9, 1936 – June 28, 1992

GM Mikhail Tal, Boylston Chess Club, City Club of Boston, 1988 Photo: Steve Stepak

Mikhail Tal won the World Chess Championshipin 1960, at the age of 26, 

from Mikhail Botvinnik. The contract stated that should he lose the match, Botvinnik

was guaranteed a rematch the next year. Unfortunately for Tal, this was

a hardship. Born with only one kidney to begin with, Tal was ailing from a serious 

bout of kidney disease. A chain smoker and a heavy drinker (vodka, or anything

strong) Tal taxed his body to the limits. Always a gentleman, Botvinnik did

offer Tal a postponement of the match to recover from his illness. Tal declined the

offer. Always a fighter, when I asked Tal (in 1988) why he didn't take 

Botvinnik up on his offer of postponement, Misha replied shrugging his

shoulders: I was young then; all I wanted to do was to play chess!

in 1988, Tal won the World Blitz Chess Championship in St. John New Brunswick, 

Canada, ahead of Kasparov and Karpov.  Never before in the USA due to travel 

restrictions by USSR officials (during the cold war) Tal came to Boston, then Framingham 

(Veterans Club)  to give simuls: the first two American cities to greet the chess champion.

The Boylston Chess Club was the first to host Tal. I was lucky enough

to spend an hour talking to Tal (he arrived early to the simul event...) I asked Misha 

about his rematch and also about Fischer's chances of winning the World Chess 

Championship from Karpov. After all there was no one alive in 1988 that knew 

Fischer better, socially or chessically. Tal had a +4 -2 =2 record over Bobby. 

Tal's assessment: Fischer would have won for sure in 1975; not so sure in 1978.

I offer two games from the Tal-Botvinnik rematch 1961:

Botvinnik – Tal, Moscow [World Chess Championship, m=17] 1961

1.d4 g6 2.e4 Bg7 3.c4 d6 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.f3 Nbd7 6.Be3 O-O

7.Bd3 e5 8.Nge2 Nh5 9.dxe5 dxe5 10.O-O c6 11.Qd2 Qe7

12.Rad1 Nc5 13.Bb1 Ne6 14.Qe1 Bf6 15.Kh1 Nhf4 16.g3 Nxe2

17.Nxe2 h5 18.Qf2 b6 19.f4 exf4 20.gxf4 Bb7 21.e5 c5

22.Rd5 Bg7 23.Kg1 Nc7 24.Nc3 Nxd5 25.cxd5 Rad8 26.Be4 Ba8

27.Qg3 b5 28.Qf2 Qd7 29.Bxc5 Rfe8 30.Qg3 Rc8 31.b4 Kh8

32.Qf3 a6 33.Kh1 f5 34.exf6 Bxf6 35.Bxg6 Qg4 36.Qd3 Rg8

37.Be4 Rce8 38.Bf3 Qxf4 39.Ne2 Qh4 40.Bf2 Qg5 41.Ng3 Rd8

42.Be3 Qe5 43.Rd1 Rg4 44.a3 Bb7 45.Bb6 Rd7 46.Be3 Rh4

47.Nf1 Rc4 48.Bg2 Rg7 49.Qd2 h4 50.h3 Qb2 51.Qxb2 Bxb2

52.Bc5 Rd7 53.Ne3 Rc1 54.Rxc1 Bxc1 55.Bd4+ Kg8 56.Ng4 Bg5

57.Kg1 Bxd5 58.Ne5 Bxg2 59.Nxd7 Bxh3 60.Nc5 Bc8 61.Kf2 Kh7

62.a4 bxa4 63.Nxa4 Bf4 64.Kf3 h3 65.Bg1 h2 66.Bxh2 Bxh2

67.Ke4 Bd7 68.Nc5 Bb5 69.Kd5 Kg6 70.Ne4 Kf5 71.Nc3 Bf1

72.Kc5 Be5 73.Nb1 Ke6 74.Nd2 Bd6+ 75.Kb6 Bg2 76.Nb3 Bxb4

77.Kxa6 Bf1+ 78.Kb6 Kd6 79.Na5 Bc5+ 80.Kb7 Be2 81.Nb3 Be3

82.Na5 Kc5 83.Kc7 Bf4+ 0-1

Botvinnik – Tal Moscow [World Chess Championship, m=19] 1961

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 d6 3.Nc3 g6 4.e4 Bg7 5.f3 O-O 6.Be3 a6 

7.Qd2 c6 8.Bd3 e5 9.dxe5 dxe5 10.Na4 b5 11.Nb6 Ra7 

12.Bc2 Be6 13.Qxd8 Rxd8 14.Ne2 Rb7 15.c5 a5 16.Kf2 Bf8 

17.Rad1 Rxd1 18.Rxd1 Nfd7 19.Nxd7 Nxd7 20.Bb1 Bxc5 

21.Bxc5 Nxc5 22.Rc1 Na6 23.f4 exf4 24.Nxf4 c5 25.Ke3 Kf8 

26.e5 Ke7 27.Be4 Rc7 28.a4 bxa4 29.Ra1 Bb3 30.Nd5+ Bxd5 

31.Bxd5 Rd7 32.Bc4 Nb4 33.Rxa4 Rd4 34.Bb5 Ke6 35.Rxa5 Nd5+ 

36.Kf2 Kxe5 37.Be2 Kd6 38.Ra6+ Kd7 39.Ra7+ Nc7 40.b3 Rd2 

41.Kf3 f5 42.h4 Kc6 43.Bc4 h6 44.g3 Rd4 45.Kf2 g5 

6.hxg5 hxg5 47.Ra2 g4 48.Ra1 Kb6 49.Re1 Nb5 50.Re6+ Nd6 

51.Ke3 Kc7 52.Bd3 Kc6 53.Bc2 Rb4 54.Rf6 Kd5 55.Rf8 Ke5 

56.Ra8 Ne4 57.Re8+ Kd5 58.Rd8+ Ke6 59.Kf4 Nd2 60.Ke3 Nxb3 

61.Re8+ Kd7+ 62.Re5 Kd6 63.Rxf5 Nd4 64.Rf2 Nxc2+ 65.Rxc2 Kd5 

66.Rh2 Re4+ 67.Kd2 c4 68.Rh8 Rd4+ 69.Ke3 Rd3+ 70.Kf4 c3 

71.Rd8+ Kc4 72.Rc8+ Kb3 73.Rb8+ Ka2 74.Rc8 Kb2 

75.Rb8+ Kc1 0-1 

Yes, these are long games. Tal was very ill. Yet, as you go over these 

two games, keep in mind that Tal was facing one of the most

formidable chess players of all times. These game are not only

masterpieces, they are thrilling examples of the appeal of chess:

intellect plus physical struggle. Somehow, Tal found the strength

to overcome the debilitating effects of his illness to bring us

such wonderful chess for our eternal review and enjoyment.

Mikhail Tal died on my birthday, June 28th, 1992, in Moscow

at the age of 55. Tal was a gentleman and a scholar; and above

all he was a consummate chess practitioner.

See you all tomorrow for the Reubens-Landey.

See "Calendar of BCC Events" for details.

BCC Home Page: Calendar of BCC Events

Boylston U2200 Championship

Reubens Landey 2013

Boylston U2200 Championship

beginning July 1

Reubens/Landey U2200 Championship

WhenMon, July 1, 6:30pm – 11:00pm

WhereBoylston Chess Club (map)

Description5SS; 40/90,d5 G/20,d5; Open to BCF members rated between 1800 & under 2200; Entry fee: $20: Winner receives free entry into the BCF Championship beginning on 9/8. Registration: 6:15 to 6:55; Rounds: 7:PM

The 2013 Reubens Landey begins Monday, July 1.  It is the second component of the club championship cycle.  The winner becomes the BCC U2200 champion and moves into the club championship to compete against club masters.  

Last year Carey Theil and Simon Warfield were co-champions.

This is a very special tournament - it is traditionally a very competitive, prestigious, yet 

friendly tournament. Only club members can enter, but if you aren't a member, this is the perfect excuse to join or renew.

If you are traveling for the holiday, you may request a 1/2 point, 1st round bye.

                                         ______________________________________

Below is some context for this tournament: two biographical articles by Bernardo Iglesias and a listing of past winners.

 EMIL M. REUBENS 

by Bernardo Iglesias

"....Chess appeals to our emotions and brings us joys and sorrows."

Emil Reubens was born in a beautiful land very far away, in Yelisavetpol (Kirovabad) Russia, in 1886, on September 23 and, died in Massachusetts in Norwood Hospital in 1973, on August 29 after a brief illness. Emil Reubens was 86 years old when he died, an extraordinary man who believed that mankind could become rehabilitated through Chess. Chess is more than life and can change a person to benefit Society.

He was a chess master emeritus and one of the founding member of the United States Chess Federation, a member of the Boylston Chess Club, the Brockton Chess Club and his dear Sharon Chess Club. 

Reubens received his formal education at the University of Prague. In 1906 he immigrated to the United States and worked for a time in steel mills in Detroit. Eventually he moved to Boston and graduated from Boston University in 1922 with a degree in business administration. Much later, in June of 1973 he received his Master's degree in business administration, he was the oldest person in the university's history to obtain such a degree at 86.

He lived in Sharon, Mass. for many years. Emil Reubens was a U.S.C.F. life director and authored a wonderful book on chess play, entitled Chess - Trick and Treat in 1965. This book is a treasure, a precious jewel for any novice player. At the end of the book he recommends that every young player should “Join a chess club. Meet chess players of differing skill and style. Subscribe to a periodical that will keep you abreast of the important events in Chess world." 

In 1964, he helped to bring the U.S. Open to Boston. He was an honorary Chairman of the Committee, along with a lot of the great chess organizers of the time: Robert Goodspeed (Brockton C.C), Harold Dondis (Johnson C.C.), Eleanor Goodspeed, Eleanor Terry, Frank Ferdinand (Harvard C.C.), James Burgess (Boylston C.C. ),Harry Goober (Clarendon C.C.), Beverly Jarnigan and Joseph Hurvitz (Boylston C.C.). That year, the U.S.C.F. was celebrating the silver anniversary of its foundation, in which Emil Reubens had been a strong force in promoting chess in this country. 

Emil had a long time interest in prison reform and was instrumental in assisting many prisoners get back into society. In his book, mentioned above, he thought that “When I was drafted into becoming a "leader" in youth clubs, I employed chess and chocolate bars to lead the youth into the paths of righteousness. There are no available data to estimate the effect of chess on juvenile delinquency, nor are there statistics to gauge the collateral effects of chocolate bars freely rewarded for chess merits." 

Reubens combined a lifelong interest in better prisons, rehabilitation and parole systems with chess activities. He organized many teams of players who visited several penal institutions to play against teams of inmates, or just to play simultaneous exhibitions against the inmates. On one occasion, he took Steve Frymer, John Curdo, and R. Gleason to Norfolk Prison, delighting one inmate in particular so much that he became an active player and organizer in Norfolk area.

Emil Reubens loved the youth, kids of all ages, -- they are our future joys and sorrows in life. The second Brockton Open, on September 25 & 26, 1971 in Brockton, Mass.William Lombardy, former World Junior Champion, had agreed to participate in the selection and awarding of a special Lombardy - Reubens “best played game” trophy to some player under the age of 21 (Harry Lyman was present in this ceremony). The winner of the award trophy was won by the young John Peters. The third Brockton Open, on September 23 & 24,1972, the Lombardy-Reubens award trophy was won byJohn Stopa. For the Boylston C.C. member’s information, at this event Alex Slive andAndrew Anisimov, two new youngsters showed up in the chess arena. After this event, it seems that such award stopped being awarded by the Brockton Chess Club, since he became sick and died shortly.

The "MASS STATE JUNIOR CHESS CHALLENGE TROPHY PRESENTED BY EMIL M. REUBENS " is a silver trophy cup at the Boylston Chess Club to preserve his memory for future generations. In 1988, William Lukowiak, treasurer of the Boylston Chess Club and long time an officer on the board of MACA, introduced a motion to the Executive Board of MACA that the winner’s name of the Junior Scholastic Champion from Massachusetts be inscribed in this trophy and that MACA will help to pay for traveling expenses to the National Championship whenever it was to be held. The MACA board turned down this motion, and denied youngsters of this State such an honor. 

After his death, the Mass State Chess Association, organized a one time "the Emil Reubens Memorial" at the Massachusetts Open at the new Brockton High School in 1974. The winner of this event was John Peters.

Emil founded the Steinberg-Reubens Educational Foundation. The Boylston Chess Club Board of Directors decided that in 1986 to pay tribute to Emil Reubens and Ben Landey by naming a qualifier cycle of the B.C.C. championship qualifier in their honor, for players rated 1800 to 2199. The winners of the Reubens/Landy move on to play against the club’s masters for the club championship.

__________

BENJAMIN LANDEY 

by Bernardo Iglesias

Benjamin Landey was born in 1912 and died on January 20, 1981 in Quincy. From his high school days he worked for the Sharon Bolt and Screw Company founded by Emil Reubens, reaching the position of board chairman, which he held at his death. According to Harry Lyman, Benjamin married Reubens’ daughter. 

For many years, he was the ceremonial chess leader of New England: Landey was President of the MSCA, the Boylston Chess Club, the Boston Metropolitan Chess League, the New England Chess Association, and the USCF Regional Vice-President.

He was a truly regional chess entrepreneur, a notable chess organizer, a man of remarkable poise and intelligence, a master of parliamentary procedure and a skillful politician, that is, a leader among leaders in the region. He worked for long hours at his job and then spend evenings and weekends on numerous chess projects and clubs. 

While Ben Landey was a tournament director for M.S.C.A., he brought to Boston the U.S. Open in 1970 and the U.S. Junior Open in 1965 and 1969, held at Northeastern University. Ben Landey's most active years were from 1965 to 1970; after this year his health impeded more time in his passion for the royal game of chess. Despite his failing health, he was an extremely successful teacher of chess for beginners, though he himself was rated only about 1500 during most of his over the board career; he also, worked with the Massachusetts Association for Retarded Citizens and several local groups.

Along with Emil Reubens, Landey was a major sponsor of prison chess programs, and the two of them sought the parole of a number of inmates who were avid chess players. In addition to being a regular tournament player, Ben Landey was very active in postal chess with the Nights of the Square Table (NOST). 

Landey was the first person to compete with a computer in chess at a U.S. Chess Federation rated tournament. He lost. 

Landey’s most glorious moment in the spotlight as an organizer was winning the bid for the 1970 US Open for Boston. It was Ben Landey’s rhetoric that easily won the bid at the 1969 U.S.C.F. meeting in Lincoln, Nebraska. It was unfortunate that the then M.S.C.A. was not ready to host such a major event. The host site, Boston's Parker House, was a less than welcoming host, and a great number of participants complained about the space designated for the playing room, that the light was not good enough for many, etc. Also, Ben Landey got sick a few months before the event along with his co-organizer Lewis Icenogle. It was not Landey's shining hour. ` 

Ben was treasurer of the Greater Boston Committee of the U.S. Peace Council, past President of the South Shore Assn. for Retarded Citizens. He was the President of the Boylston Chess Club at the time of his death. 

After his death in 1981, M.A.C.A. organized a memorial tournament at the Mass. Open in April; the winner of this tournament was the young James Rizzitano in North Darmouth. 

The Boylston Chess Club has honored Ben Landey since 1986, when the Board of Directors dedicated a qualifier tournament to those members of the club rated 1800 to 2199 plus the winners of the Weaver Adam's; the winner to participate in the fall championship. His memory will endure for ever at the Boylston Chess Club along with that of Emil Reubens.

 __________

  

year	Reubens-Landey (U2200 Champion)	Weaver Adams (U1800)
2012		Brian Perez-Daple
2011	Simon Warfield	Ken Ho, Mike Griffn, Khikmet Sadykov
2010	Jeffrey Hall, Sean Ingham, David Glickman	Alexander Paphitis
2009	NM Greg Kaden	Frank Frazier
2008	Simon Warfield	Johnathan Lee, Adam Yedidia
2007	Gregory Kaden	Alexander Paphitis
2006	Brian Salomon	Alexander Paphitis, Jonathan Lee, Lior Rozhansky
2005	Kenneth Newman, Carey Theil	Robert Oresick, Joshua Blanchfield
2004	Simon Warfield	Mike Griffin
2003	Edward Astrachan	Robert Oresick
2002	Simon Warfield	William MacLellan
2001	Edward Astrachan, Kimani Stancil	Mike Griffin
2000	Simon Warfield	Stephen E. Smith
1999	Daniel J. Woods	Bryan Clark
1998	Paul Mishkin	Bryan Clark, Charles G. Alex
1997	Robert Armes	Walter A. Driscoll III
1996	Larry Schmitt	Hector Perez, Jared Becker
1995	Miguel Angel Santana	Miguel A. Santana
1994	Alex Slive	Andrew L. Yerre
1993	Timur Feinstein	Charles G. Alex
1992	Daniel J. Woods
1991	Larry Schmitt
1990	Alex Slive
1989	Thomas Durnan
1988	Thomas Durnan
1987	Harold Dean Lawton
1986	Charlie Mays 1st

This Saturday - BCF Legends of Chess: EMANUEL LASKER!

BCF’s Legends of Chess is a long-running series of Swiss tournaments honoring some of the greats of chess history. This Saturday, June 29th, at 10:00 AM, we remember one of the game’s absolute all-timers, the man who was world champion longer than any other – Emanuel Lasker. 

From his ascent to the top ranks of chess in the late 19^th century, Lasker stood out with his offbeat openings and a general style which stood in sharp contrast to the strict principles established by then world champion Wilhelm Steinitz and leading theorist Siegbert Tarrasch, who would become one of Lasker’s harshest critics.

Lasker would overcome these adversaries and more in taking the chess world champion and successfully defending it for 27 years, from 1894 to 1921, when he was finally beaten by Jose Capablanca. Spectacular endgame and crafty, combative play were the signatures of his chess, which would carry him to a successful finish of 3^rd place, ahead of Capablanca, Rudolf Spielmann, and many more in Moscow in 1935. Lasker was 66 years old. 

This Saturday, the Boylston honors one of the game’s greatest legends. Come join us in our celebration!

BCC: HAVEN FOR PRODIGIES. WEAVER ADAMS WRAP-UP // 2 FREE ENTRIES TO REUBENS-LANDEY

JOEL WALD AND BRANDON WU SCORE 3 POINTS TO SHARE 1ST PLACE IN WEAVER ADAMS

GAIN FREE ENTRY INTO THE REUBENS-LANDEY 1800-U2199

QUALIFIER EVENT FOR THE BCC CHAMPIONSHIP

Steve Stepak vs Brandon Wu, Round 2. 

Remember the "d5" pawn push I failed to make vs Daniel Wang in the 

Grande Prix U1800 Round 1 game? Well as luck would have it (co-incidence?) 

I also missed a thematic d5 push vs Brandon Wu in a 

Nimzo-/Queeen's Indian hybrid which would have been a "+/-" evaluation.

As they say in the movies: "it was not meant to be. . . " 

Steven Stepak vs Joel Wald, Round 3.

"Benoni" lesson.  1.d4 c5 is a really complicated tangle of

opening nuance and tactics. I learned a lot playing Joel.

My two defeats in the Weaver Adams launched the career of

9 yr old Brandon Wu and made Joel Wald very happy. They 

both scored 3 points to share 1-2nd in this event, writing their free

tickets into the Reubens-Landey, a 1800-U2199 qualifier which

seeds the winner into the Boylston CC Championship, played this Fall.

(photos: Bernardo Iglesias, TD of the event)

BCC Treasurer Bob Oresick plays Tom Pendergast in Round 3.

Decisive Game, Round 4: Brandon Wu, black vs Richard Mooney.

Brandon Wu chalked up a +78 rating hike. Keep an eye on this 

young prodigy too, along with Daniel Wang!

(background): Bob Oresick black vs Chen Bai.

There were 8 players in the Weaver Adams event.

BCC House of Scholastic Chess Prodigies:

Mika Brittain, Andrew Liu, Luke Lung, Nithin Kavi, Mateos Sahakian, Jacob Fauman, 

Michelle Chen, Carissa Yip, Jason Tang, Arthur Tang, Eric Feng, Michael Yu, Lucy Cai,

and Eddie Wei, just to name a few . . . 

Reubens-Landey Qualifier begins next week.

Check for details:

Calendar of BCC Events

BCC JUNIORS SHINE: NITHIN KAVI // DANIEL WANG 1ST IN GRAND PRIX JUNE SUMMER SOLSTICE 2013

Nithin Kavi knotched 3 points to win the Open Section of Grand Prix June 2013.

As they say in the business: keep your eye on this lad: +52 to 1954 rating, at 11 yrs old.

Key game in Round 4 of GP: NM Eric Godin vs Nithin Kavi.

Godin scored 2.5 points to share 2-4th place.

[Note: hats and caps are "in" as tournament garb]

Battle of the Caps: Nithin Kavi vs Mark Neale R3.

NM Hal Terrie vs Nithin Kavi, Round 1. Terrie scored 2.5 points

to share 2-4th place in the Open Section.

Classic Coca Cola Bottle: Neale vs Jesse Nicholas, Round 2.

Nicholas scored 2.5 points to share 2-4th place in the Open Section.

Natasha Christiansen plays black vs NM Carey Theil, Round 2, Open Section.

On the field of battle: Arthur Tang vs Jason Tang, Round 2, Open Section.

U1800 Section:

Steve Stepak vs Daniel Wang, Round 1, U1800 Section.

I am proud to say that I have launched two careers thus far this year.

Here I am playing a 9 yr old, a perfect gentleman at the board, and

an accurate endgame player, way beyond his young years.

I had the thematic "d5" pawn push in the opening, winning the game with a tactic

which I only discovered in post mortem. Daniel smiled when I showed

it to him. He saw it during the game! Daniel went on to score a total

of 3.5 points for clear first in the U1800 Section June Grand Prix and a +116 rating gain.

I finished with 3 points, good for 2-4th with David Martin and Sandeep Shankar.

Round 4 Game: Eric Han, black vs Daniel Wang.

David Martin plays black vs Michael Yu to a draw in Round 1. 

Martin scored 3 poionts to share 2-4th place in the U1800 section.

David Martin vs Sandeep Shankar in Round 3. Shankar finished with 3 points, 

sharing 2-4th place in the U1800 Section. (Background): David Zhu Sun vs Michael Yu; 

Richard Chen, black vs Tony DiNosse, U1800 Section

Tony Cortizas plays black vs Aaron Brown, Round 3.

(Background, upper left): Larry Jin vs Daniel Wang.

It all boils down to this: the endgame!

There were 24 players in this event.

Another splendid job by Bernardo Iglesias,

Tournament Director

The politics is so intense because the stakes are so low

If you are a USCF member, then like me, your mailbox has probably been inundated with pieces promoting one group of USCF Board candidates or another. In fact, one piece I received suggested that even Gary Kasparov has a horse in the race. Doesn't he have something more important to do - like overthrowing Vladimir Putin?

Other than being a BCF officer and director from time to time, I've tried to stay as far away from state and national chess politics as possible. As such, I haven't the slightest idea what these folks are currently fighting about. Anyone at the club care to enlighten the membership on what's going on at USCF and how we ought to evaluate our options in this upcoming board election?