Source: Doar Ha'yom, 17 September 1922, p. 4
A frequent correspondent notes the following picture in the Jabotinsky Institute's archives. It is photo #6582, from 1943 Italy, showing "an international chess tourney with the participation of Jewish soldiers from England, Palestine, and Poland." Note the wartime "We shall win" (in Hebrew) poster on the wall, featuring Churchill.
The above chess set, a gift to captain William H. Barker, was presented in 1947 to him by those whom he took care of in a DP camp after the second world war. It is found on the Facebook site of the Jewish Museum in Vienna, as Mr. Herbert Halsegger notifies us.
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The British Foreign Office. Credit: Wikipedia.
In foreign office document FO 371/168255 from 5 June 1963, sent from the Havana embassy, Sir Herbert Marchant, then the British ambassador in Cuba, sent his superiors in the foreign office a review of the state of culture in Cuba after the revolution. He noted that "Havana has very few book-shops" but nevertheless there is a "plentiful supply of paper-back text books on Chess and Sex, both popular with Cubans."
The popularity of chess is understandable, due to Capablanca, of course, but why on earth would the other activity be popular in Cuba?
Mr. Halsegger, in his deep dive through old American chess magazines, also notes the following rare (for the time) report of an Israeli game - from the Israeli championship of 1956 - in the foreign press. The game Dobkin - Czerniak (0:1).
Our frequent correspondent Herbert Halsegger notes an article from a Jewish magazine for politics and culture about the chess boom in Israel in 2012 when Boris Gelfand played for the world championship with Viswanathan Anand.
This made us think about previous chess "booms." The recent one due to The Queen's Gambit is well known (and still ongoing) and so was the Fischer boom in the USA after Fischer won the world championship in 1972.
Are there any other examples of such "booms" in history? Did chess, for example, become noticeably more popular after the first international chess tournament, London, 1851?
The story goes that in 1923 Marcel Duchamp finally abandoned his “hilarious picture” of psychosexually contorted glass and wire, The Bride Stripped Bare by Her Bachelors, Even, to spend more time playing chess. He was certainly obsessed with the austere beauty of the game, famously pronouncing that “while all artists are not chess players, all chess players are artists.” For most of us, however, if we are minded to consider the aesthetic value of games at all, it is usually only in a derivative sense. We can appreciate the Art Deco elegance of Duchamp’s own custom-made chess set, for instance, without sharing his passion for obscure variations on opening d4.
"The Story goes." "Famously pronouncing." "Obscure variations on opening d4." Why is it that books or articles that mention chess are so often lacking in accuracy and sources?
Biographical articles about chess players by other players are, of course, very common, but Herbert Halsegger notes an interesting example. Not only are both the subject and author Jewish - which is hardly surprising in chess! - but the author of the article about Edward Lasker is a female master, namely the Jewish Mona Karff. We should note that as we mentioned elsewhere, Edward Lasker had, in the same year, visited the chess olympiad in Haifa, 1976.
Source: (Neue) Wiener Schachzeitung, vol. 7 no. 19 (October 1929), p. 289
We have often noted in this blog that Glass, the one-time Palestinian / Israeli master, had never in fact seen himself as anything else than Austrian, returning there after the 1935 Maccabiah and, later, after a few years in Israel in the 1950s. This is undestandable considering his greatest chess triumphs were there, in the 1920s. Here, Herbert Halsagger shows us, is a photo of the players of a tournament on top of a mountain, with "both new masters, Eliskases and Glass" in the middle. They both won the Austrian master title for coming in first and second, respectively, in the Innsbruck Congress of the Austrian Chess Federation. The entire article is here.
Source:(Neue) Wiener Schachzeitung, vol. 32 no. 15/16 (Aug. 1935), p. 226
Who was the first to call the game between Glucksberg and Najdorf the "Polish Immortal"? Herbert Halsagger suggests that it was Tartakower, the annotator of the game as part of his article, "Chess in Poland," pp. 225-229 of the same issue. The entire volume can be found here.
Chess, a timeless game that transcends borders and cultures, has found a significant place within the Jewish community. Beyond being a strategic pastime, chess has woven itself into the rich tapestry of Jewish history, culture, and intellect. In this blog post, we'll explore the enduring legacy of Jews and chess, tracing its roots, examining notable figures, and contemplating the symbolic resonance that the game holds within this community.
The history of Jews and chess is a tale of intellectual resilience and cultural prominence. Chess, often referred to as the "game of kings," found itself embraced by a community known for its commitment to education and intellectual pursuits. From the streets of medieval Jewish quarters to the salons of contemporary Jewish intellectuals, chess has been a cultural beacon, reflecting the strategic acumen and love for intellectual challenges within the Jewish tradition.
Chess is a game of tactics, strategy, and foresight. In many ways, the chessboard becomes a metaphor for the challenges and triumphs of Jewish history. Whether navigating the complexities of diaspora life, facing adversity, or contributing to the fields of science and the arts, Jews have often drawn parallels between their experiences and the moves on a chessboard. The game becomes a symbolic reflection of the intricate dance between tradition and adaptation.
Throughout history, Jews have made significant contributions to the world of chess. Akiba Rubinstein, one of the strongest chess players of the early 20th century, left an indelible mark on the game. His strategic brilliance and innovative playstyle have inspired generations of chess enthusiasts.
Another prominent figure is Grandmaster Bobby Fischer, whose Jewish heritage became a notable aspect of his identity. Fischer's prodigious talent and eventual rise to become World Chess Champion in 1972 captured the imagination of the world and further cemented the connection between Jews and chess on the global stage.
Jewish literature and art have also embraced the symbolism and narrative potential of chess. From Isaac Bashevis Singer's stories to the works of Jewish artists, the chessboard often appears as a backdrop for exploring themes of strategy, intellect, and the unfolding drama of life. It becomes a metaphorical stage where characters grapple with their destinies, much like the moves of a carefully orchestrated chess game.
Chess education has become an integral part of many Jewish communities. Schools and organizations recognize the cognitive benefits of chess, promoting it as a tool for intellectual development. The game fosters critical thinking, patience, and discipline—all values that resonate deeply within the Jewish cultural ethos.
The relationship between Jews and chess is a compelling narrative of intellectual prowess, cultural resonance, and the enduring spirit of a community. As the chess pieces move across the board, so too does the rich history of Jewish contributions to this game. Whether seen as a metaphor, a source of inspiration, or a tool for education, the enduring legacy of Jews and chess continues to shape the narrative of both the game and the community that has embraced it throughout the ages.
(I hope you forgive my little joke. This is indeed computer chess -- that is, computer writing about chess. This is ChatGPT's reply to a request to write a blog post about Jewish Chess History.)
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Mr. Halsegger further informs us of the grave of Max Weiss, the Hungarian-Austrian master, 1857-1927. It is in the New Jewish cemetery in Vienna, is given in the German-language wikipedia entry for him, under his birth name of Miksa Weiß.
In the above letter, brought to our attention by Herbert Halsegger, a letter by Jacob Bernstein (ex-NY champion), Alekhine is criticized among other things for giving a speech after his 1936 match with Bogoljubow in which he praised the Nazi system. Is this speech available in magazines from the time? One wonders to what degree this praise shows real enthusiasm for Nazism and to what degree it's a polite thank to the hosts, in this case the Germans.
