Chess history trivia

Historical knowledge and information regarding our great game.
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John Clarke
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Re: Chess history trivia

Post by John Clarke » Sat Feb 12, 2022 9:38 am

Geoff Chandler wrote:
Fri Feb 11, 2022 7:51 pm
Can anyone now tell me who Number five is.
A little clue for you, Geoff. On pronouncing the name you will probably feel compelled, as a good Scot, to figuratively hawk and spit into the corner of your tent. :mrgreen:
"The chess-board is the world ..... the player on the other side is hidden from us ..... he never overlooks a mistake, or makes the smallest allowance for ignorance."
(He doesn't let you resign and start again, either.)

Andy McCulloch
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Re: Chess history trivia

Post by Andy McCulloch » Sat Feb 12, 2022 11:34 am

Geoff was born in London, and has told this site several times. Why would anyone, even figuratively, want to spit in their tent?

Leonard Barden
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Re: Chess history trivia

Post by Leonard Barden » Sat Feb 12, 2022 12:21 pm

I did find it curious and striking that Player No5 was able to arrange, meet and draw all five games, most of them quite long, in a match at Vienna with the great Pillsbury in 1896, a year in which his opponent's other outings were all in super-tournaments (St Petersburg, Nuremberg, Budapest).
And Player No5 died in 1897-what happened to him?

John Townsend
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Re: Chess history trivia

Post by John Townsend » Sat Feb 12, 2022 1:09 pm

Leonard, No. 5 seems to have died of Gehirnkrankheit (= brain disorder). In 1897, I imagine that could be anything from syphilis to a stroke.

John Townsend
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Re: Chess history trivia

Post by John Townsend » Sat Feb 12, 2022 3:43 pm

A little more information about the illness of No. 5. According to a report from Vienna, dated 20 October 1897, he withdrew from the Berlin tournament with the announcement that his head was not clear.

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MJMcCready
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Re: Chess history trivia

Post by MJMcCready » Sat Feb 12, 2022 4:32 pm

Here's a question although maybe a bit too easy. How many former world chess champions have been put in prison?

Geoff Chandler
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Re: Chess history trivia

Post by Geoff Chandler » Sat Feb 12, 2022 4:36 pm

Ah...Thanks you Leonard...Englisch (and now I understand the hint cum pun from John, I was looking for a player called Sassenach.)

I went back to the charity shop and had a good rack about and there amongst the Old National Geographic's
and knitting patterns I found more mages including 3 CHESS's 1958 All different and all for November 1958!
Chess No.326 is dated the 1st November, No 327 is dated the 15th November and No. 328 is dated the 29th November.
The start of Chess No. 326 is numbered page 22. So the CHESS year started in October.

I heard Ian Whitaker who is currently cataloguing all the books and magazines in the Edinburgh Chess Club
having a wee grumble about the CHESS dating system. I now see what he means. One cannot get away with
simply saying CHESS November 1958, you have to be more exact. (remember that when you next quote from a CHESS November 1958)

I went back to the magazine that had the original quiz. No Month just 'Christmas' 1957 and the pages start from No.90.
By the way on the inside cover of 'Christmas 1957' is a half page ad for Leonard Barden's 'How Good is Your Chess' priced 15/-
(one good turn deserves another Leonard. I've given your book a plug!)

The next step is to use the bare skeleton of the original quiz and come up with 9 different players
with eight lettered names, the 9th must be made up from the central middle grid. Good Luck.
(ps. Chandler has eight letters, try and use that for the middle grid name.)

Geoff Chandler
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Re: Chess history trivia

Post by Geoff Chandler » Sat Feb 12, 2022 4:41 pm

HI MJM,

Three come mind, Fischer, Kasparov and Alekhine (who apparently was to be shot at dawn.)
Something is ringing a wee bell about Tal. Hopefully I am not doing him a disservice but did
he not once spend a night in a cell after forgetting where his hotel was. (I'm very possibly wrong.)

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JustinHorton
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Re: Chess history trivia

Post by JustinHorton » Sat Feb 12, 2022 4:44 pm

Geoff Chandler wrote:
Sat Feb 12, 2022 4:41 pm
Alekhine (who apparently was to be shot at dawn.)
Citation needed
"Do you play chess?"
"Yes, but I prefer a game with a better chance of cheating."

lostontime.blogspot.com

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Matt Mackenzie
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Re: Chess history trivia

Post by Matt Mackenzie » Sat Feb 12, 2022 4:49 pm

There are various claims to that effect, but (unsurprisingly) they are hard to pin down.

On a similar note, does that oft-told tale of Ossip Bernstein effectively playing a game of chess for his life have any actual basis?
"Set up your attacks so that when the fire is out, it isn't out!" (H N Pillsbury)

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MJMcCready
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Re: Chess history trivia

Post by MJMcCready » Sat Feb 12, 2022 5:13 pm

JustinHorton wrote:
Sat Feb 12, 2022 4:44 pm
Geoff Chandler wrote:
Sat Feb 12, 2022 4:41 pm
Horton (who apparently was to be shot at dawn.)
Citation needed
Ah yes, for clarification purposes, the question pertains to actual world champions.

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JustinHorton
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Re: Chess history trivia

Post by JustinHorton » Sat Feb 12, 2022 5:30 pm

Matt Mackenzie wrote:
Sat Feb 12, 2022 4:49 pm
On a similar note, does that oft-told tale of Ossip Bernstein effectively playing a game of chess for his life have any actual basis?
I think it rests entirely on Bernstein himself.
"Do you play chess?"
"Yes, but I prefer a game with a better chance of cheating."

lostontime.blogspot.com

Geoff Chandler
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Re: Chess history trivia

Post by Geoff Chandler » Sat Feb 12, 2022 5:54 pm

JustinHorton wrote:
Sat Feb 12, 2022 4:44 pm
Geoff Chandler wrote:
Sat Feb 12, 2022 4:41 pm
Alekhine (who apparently was to be shot at dawn.)
Citation needed
Hi Justin,

I knew he was in jail or interred, under sentence of death has been mentioned by others. (hence my 'apparently')
A quick search revealed one source where 'apparently' one of five judges refused to sign his death warrant.

https://www.chess.com/blog/Spektrowski/ ... r-alekhine

There are many myths surrounding Alekhine. But it does appear he was in prison or interred. Certainly held against his will.

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John Clarke
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Re: Chess history trivia

Post by John Clarke » Sat Feb 12, 2022 8:29 pm

Geoff Chandler wrote:
Sat Feb 12, 2022 5:54 pm
Certainly held against his will.
If "held against his will" is allowed to count, then you might have to include Steinitz, who was institutionalised more than once with mental health issues.

Max Euwe spent the war years in the Netherlands. If this is anything to go by, he at least ran a serious risk of being pulled in by the Gestapo (hit "Page Down" 4 or 5 times to reach the relevant bit).
Last edited by John Clarke on Sat Feb 12, 2022 9:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"The chess-board is the world ..... the player on the other side is hidden from us ..... he never overlooks a mistake, or makes the smallest allowance for ignorance."
(He doesn't let you resign and start again, either.)


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