Rubinstein's Record and Broken Sets

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While visiting Palestine -- from April 14th to May 25th, 1931 -- Akiba Rubinstein gave quite a few simultaneous displays -- nine, by his own reckoning. His total record was a very respectable 88%: +235 =27 -28 -- especially considering that, based on contemporary reports, most of the displays were, in effect, all-night affairs, typically starting about 8 or 9 PM and ending somewhere from 3 to 5 AM the next morning. (Sources: Doar Hayom, April 15th, May 29th, and Sept. 23rd, 1931, among other contemporary reports).

 In one of the simuls in Tel Aviv (+32 =6 -7), reported on April 20th 1931 in Doar Ha'Yom (p. 3), the author of the article (Avishalon Drory) notes sarcastically that one of Rubinstein's losses -- to Moshe Rose -- was due to the fact that Rubinstein lost his queen after 'mistaking it for a knight' -- since both pieces were missing their head...