Snapshot, 1955

 

Source: see below

A frequent correspondent points out that in Ha'aretz, 25 March 1955 (p. 5) it is noted that a new chess club will is to be opened 91 Hayarkon St., Tel Aviv. There will be an 8-game match between two of the IDF's champions - the previous, Bernstein, and the current one, Shiyovich. It also notes that for the upcoming Independence Day, there will a tournament dedicated to all those who lost their lives in the IDF. Finally, there is going to be a blitz championship on 2 April "open to all soldiers." Does anyone have more information about this club? 

Najdorf Interview, "Shachmat" 1996

Najdorf and Lakser, Lasker chess club, 1996. Source: Shachmat, Nov. 1996.

After the Groningen memorial tournament in 1996, Najdorf, who participated in it, visited Israel. The Nov. 1996 Shachmat (the Israeli chess assoc. magazine) put him, naturally, on the cover -- and has an interesting interview with him inside. The photographs above and below were taken during his visit to the Lasker chess club in Tel Aviv. Details will follow in a coming post, but in the meantime note the garish wallpaper under Lasker's bust -- a sign of the decline of a once-proud chess club...

Najdorf In the Lasker chess club, playing blitz. Source: ibid.

Najdorf in Israel - I

Photos credit: Menchem "Mendel" Marmorosh's children, Ruth Doral and Mordechai Marom.

In late December 1960, Miguel Najdorf, the famous Polish-Jewish-Argentinian chess player, visited Israel, leaving on 15.1.1961. He played the following exhibitions and tournaments, in (rough) chronological order:

Tel Aviv. Blitz tournament, 1st place, 10.5/11 (drew against Guti), before Guti and Smiltiner, 8.5/11.
Givat Haviva. Simultaneous exhibition, 29 (2 blindfold). +1 =1 (vs. Graf) in the blindfold games, 25 -1 (vs. Merstein (? - source unclear)), =1 (vs. Kamber) in the regular games.
Jerusalem. Simultaneous exhibition, 30 (3 blindfold). +20 -5 =5.
Ramat Gan. Simultaneous exhibition with clocks, 10. +7 -0 =3 (Oppenheim, Rupin, and Van Amerongen.)
Tel Aviv. Simultaneous exhibition, 29 (2 blindfold). +1 =1 blindfold games, +18 -4 =5 in the regular games.
Ramat Ha'Shofet. Simultaneous exhibition. Score missing.
Amir. Simultaneous exhibition. Score missing.
Afikim. Simultaneous exhibition. Score missing.
Tel Aviv. Simultaneous exhibition, 30 (2 blindfold: Shalom Ligom and Aurbach). +1 (Ligom) =1 in the blindfold games, +19 -4 =4 (lost to Segen Shahar, Margalit, Levinstein, and Can'ani) in the regular games. Presumably one game was not finished. Arranged by Marmorosh, took place in the "Bustan" club in Arlozorov House [Beit Arlozorov].

The photographs above are from Marmorosh's collection. Numbering left to right, top to bottom, some observations. Based on the clothes, time on the clock in the 3rd photo., etc., the first four photos are from the blitz tournament. Photo number 1 shows Marmorosh, van Amerongen (partially hidden behind Marmorosh), Najdorf, and Pe'er. Photo no. 4 shows Guti thinking while Najdorf is looking over his shoulder. Photos 5-9 show Marmorosh accompanying Najdorf to one of the simultaneous exhibitions. (Photo no. 10 is unrelated to Najdorf.)

Sources: this entry was culled together from press clippings collected by Marmorosh's son and daughter in their personal albums. Not all the press clippings have exact dates, or even the paper's title, hence the "roughness" in the dates of the simultaneous exhibitions, etc. The identified sources include:

Ha'Tzophe, 30.12.1960
Ha'Tzophe, 20.1.1961
Davar, 30.12.1960
Davar, 20.1.1961
Israel Nachrichten, 6.1.61
Ha'Boker, 30.12.1960
La'Merchav, 16.1.1961

Spelling: Except for van Amerongen, Smiltiner, and (of course) Najdorf, whose spellings are following Gaige's Chess Personalia, all names are spelled phonetically.