Tuesday, May 21, 2019

Chess on TV

Source: La'Merchav, 3/7/1970 p. 9.
We have previously noted chess on television in this blog, but a frequent correspondent pointed out another contemporary source. The paper notes the exact schedule on Israeli education television: 14 20-minute broadcasts, twice weekly. The newspaper adds the series was created by Moshe Czerniak and would also be partially presented by him.

The first Palestine Problemists' Association Tournament

Source: Palestine Post, Jan. 16th, 1948, p. 6.
The results of the first Problemists' international tournament, the Felix Seidemann Memorial Tourney, were reported in the Palestine Post on Jan. 16th, 1948. The organizers noted the numerous problems, and added an apology by Eliyahu Feigin, on behalf of the PPA, for delays in the publication of the results. Feigin also added more details on the large number of problems, etc., in his Al Ha'Mishmar column we have just quoted in the previous post. Note the judges include also Drs. F. Weber and I. Gruengard, Gruengard, in particular, having been a major influence on Israeli chess in general and problemists in particular for many years. 

War Losses

Source: Al Ha'Mishmar, 22/1/1948, p. 3
In the above chess column in Al Ha'Mishmar, edited by Eliyahu Feigin, the editor note the death in combat (in the War of Independence, or rather in the disturbances before it started) of Avraham Feldklein, 'one of Rishon Le'Tziyon's best chess players'. 

He was killed at the age of 18, came in 3rd in the last city (moshava, lit. 'settlement') the previous year, and also was the city's blitz champion and won a match with the city's champion, M. Stoltz (ph. spelling), 3:2.

Added: a frequent contributor adds, based on contemporary sources (link in Hebrew) that the correct spelling is probably Stoltzaft (שטולזפט). He was apparetly quite an active played at the time. 

Also: another correspondent notes the name is Sztulzaft Meir, later changed to Shatil.

It is added that the two problems published in the paper that day are dedicated to his memory.