Source: Robert Leonard, Von Neumann, Morgenstern and the Creation of Game Theory, p. 9

Often, chess is credited with rather interesting developments in other fields. This is sometimes done by people who are not particularly good at chess, but it is interesting to note that it is also done by serious researchers, as in this case, about the history of von Neumann, the well-known mathematician. The author dedicates an entire chapter to the effect of chess on the intellectual scene of von Neumann's youth - 1920s Hungary - and credits it with much intellectual stimulation of Jews in Hungary in general and von Neumann in particular. 

It is claimed that Emmanuel Lasker's Kampf (Struggle) - his philosophical thesis - was highly influential, indirectly, in developing game theory. Lasker attempted to generalize the struggles in the game of chess to decision-making in life, and used terms later used by game theorists - "domination" and "equilibrium" for example - to argue that, like chess, in life too the seemingly near-infinite number of possible strategies does not preclude finding out, by logical thinking, the best or at least the few reasonable strategies (Leonard, p. 13).

This, claims Leonard, raising the possibility - later examined by Zermelo, who knew Lasker - of a completely objective analysis of chess, for example, mathematically defining a "winning position" by looking at the existence of a set of future moves that allow the player to mate no matter what the opponent does (Leonard, p. 17). Zermelo's paper was the first time (1912) that winning in chess was defined purely formally. From there, claims Leonard, it is not surprising that the idea of a general game theory along similar formal, purely mathematical principles for life, not just for chess, would occur to von Neumann.

I am somewhat skeptical, not of Zermelo's pioneering work, which very likely influenced von Neumann, but whether Lasker's Kampf was of such great influence on Zermelo. After all, one need not read Lasker's philosophical works to know Lasker, be interested in chess, and attempt to describe it mathematically. I am not convinced that it was Lasker's Kampf that gave to Zermelo, or von Neumann, the idea of the possible analogy between chess and life that led to game theory.

Achievements in Old Age

 
Source: Chess Review, May 1965, p. 131

Achievements in chess in old age are a matter of historical times. Today, the youngest world champion - only 18 - had just been crowned. In the past many players were active into old age and occasionally won important tournaments, Emmanuel Lasker and Jacque Mieses being two well-known examples. In the above clip, brought to our attention by Herbert Halsegger, it is noted that Miguel Najdorf won at Mar de Plata against a strong field at the relatively old age of 55. All three of these masters were, of course, Jewish. 

The interesting thing is that the winners of the second and third place, Averbakh and Stein, were 12 and 24 years younger, respectively. What is the largest age difference, in a major tournament, between the winner and the runner-up(s)? 

(Not) Being There

Itzhak Aloni. Full credits and details at this post.

A close family member mentioned, from the days of the old Lasker club in Tel Aviv, what must have been a common occurrence among chess players. The club had a small kitchenette / cafe, where members could buy tea and coffee. For the older, constant club members, such as Aloni, the kitchenette's owner would also offer meals - cooked by the cafe owner's wife in their apartment next door. 

The kitchenette also had the club's phone. One day the owner comes out of it and asks Aloni: "are you here? Your wife asks." Aloni said that he was not there. The owner goes back to the phone, returns and tells Aloni: "Your wife says that, when you finish not playing the game, come home." 

Problemists in Palestine

 

Source: Ha'aretz, 8 October 1939, p. 5

A frequent correspondent notes that a long and detailed chess column appeared in Ha'aretz in October 1939. The most historically interesting part is a long report about the "Lasker" Chess Club in Tel Aviv. In particular (above) it notes that the "problemists' committee" met and decided to create a "composers' club" which will "meet every Thursday at 5 PM" at the chess club. The secretary chosen was Felix Zeidman (ph. spelling). 

Lasker in Church (?)

 

Source: Hearst's Sunday American, Atlanta (GA), 13 September 1914, p. 37

Herbert Halsegger adds to us another "once" stories about chess players - and others - is an article titled "Longwindedness" in the humor section of the newspaper. The story about "Herr Lasker" is extremely unlikely, considering that he was Jewish, and therefore not likely to attend church sermons. Besides, the story has similar "witty sayings" by other notables from other fields, all unsourced... 

Chess for the People

 

source: see below

A frequent correspondent notes the above long article from Al Ha'mishmar. It starts with quoting a letter by Ya'akov Gavish, from Haderah, writing to Al Ha'mishmar, and published by Eliahu Shahaf on 27 October, 1950, p. 4. Gavish notes that much activity had been done by individuals in the country, while the center - the Emanuel Lasker club in Tel Aviv - had been rather inactive. Gavish also adds that this is done mostly by worker's unions and the Histadrut as a whole. 

Shahaf agrees, and notes that only by such government or public action can chess be improved in Israel, in particular by the creation (or rather revival) of a national sports organization, as it was in the USSR, under the motto: "chess - for the people!" It adds that the Lasker club always saw all criticism as a personal attack and only did internal reforms, which amounted to nothing. 

In fact, just what Shahaf says was done. Chess in the early state was taken over, in effect, by the Histadrut (through its sports section, Ha'poel) all over the country, leading to a great rise in the quality and quantity of chess in the country. 

The Start of the Israel Chess Federation

 

Credit: Davar Ha'shavuah, 7 October 1949, p. 18.

A frequent correspondent notes that one of the first mentions of the relaunched chess federation in the new state - the Israel Chess Federation - is in the above 1949 note. As La'merhav notes (3 May 1968, p. 8) the Israel Chess Federation was in fact established that year. 

The above note informs that the suggestion came originally from the Lasker chess club in Tel Aviv, which contacted the clubs in Haifa and Jerusalem to come to a general meeting to establish the new national federation. In particular, Israel Barav (here mentioned under his old name, Rabinovich) is mentioned in asking the Haifa club to join, and that the constitution of the federation was ratified. 

Avraham Labounsky and Yosef Hermann

 

Credit: see below

In the above photo, given to us by Ami Barav (Israel Rabinovich-Barav's son) we see Avraham Labounsky (left) playing with Yosef Hermann, probably in a cafe in Tel Aviv in the 1940s. Hermann came to Palestine in 1937 and played in Tel Aviv's Lasker and Reti clubs. Barav, in turn, received the photo from Hermann's daughter, Aliza Distnik (ph. spelling). 

Dr. Eduard Stiassny

Our correspondent Herbert Halsseger draws our attention to an article in KARL magazine (January 2023, pp. 33-39) about Vienna, 1921. The article mentions the Jewish sponsor of the tournament, Dr. Eduard Stiassny, a noted chemist and industrialist. Stiassny tragically committed suicide in 1938. Mr. Halsseger also notes his grave, and points us to a simultaneous game he played in October 1900, to Emanuel Lasker (Lasker playing Black and blindfolded).

Credit: here.

Stiassny, Eduard - Lasker, Emanuel 

King's Knight Opening [C40]

Blindfold Simul, Vienna chess club, October 1900

Source: Wiener Schachzeitung, October 1900, pp. 212-3.

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d5 3.exd5 e4 4.Ng1 Nf6 5.d3 Qxd5 6.Nc3 Bb4 7.Bd2 Qe6 8.Qe2 Nc6 9.Nxe4 0–0 10.c3 Nd5 11.0–0–0 Re8 12.Ng5 Qd7 13.Qh5 h6 14.cxb4 hxg5 15.Qxg5 Nd4 16.Bc3 Qc6 17.Kb1 Nxc3+ 18.bxc3 Nb5 19.c4 Nc3+ 20.Kc1 Qa4 21.Qd2 Nxd1 22.Qxd1 Qa3+ 23.Kc2 Bd7 24.b5 a6 25.Qb1 axb5 26.Nf3 bxc4 27.Nd4 Ba4+ 28.Kd2 c3#

A pure mate, too! 

Chess in Israel, 1960

 

A frequent correspondent points out to us the following note about the "Lasker" (top) and "Reti" (bottom) tournaments in winter 1960 (the source is Ha'boker, 30 March 1960, p. 3.) The interesting point is that in Lasker's "training tournament," the leader is Stepak, then a soldier, who just drew Pilshchik, another young player. Another soldier, Bernstein, is also mentioned. 

On the other hand, Reti's "winter tournament" is still old guard: the winners were Wolfinger and Gruengard, both of whom were already active in the 1940s and earlier. 

Chess Snapshot, 1942

The chess situation in Palestine in the 1940s, due to the war, was not too active. As the note above shows, on Davar of April 21, 1942, p. 6 (we thank a frequent contributor for pointing it out) we have, in Passover, only a "Lasker" club championship, a simultaneous game by Marmorosh, and an announcement by   by the "Central Workers' Chess Club" in Tel Aviv to convene a meeting with youth and other workers' organizations to discuss how to improve chess among the youth. One curiosity is that the first winner in Marmorosh's simul, Makachi Toledano (ph. spelling), 16 years old, won a chess set, "the gift of Mr. Barlevi" (ph. spelling). The latter was a seller publishes of educational toys, books, etc., and also published Marmorosh's own primer in the 1940s. (P.S. for some reason "justifying" the text doesn't seem to be working.) 

Three Games with Smiltiner, Three Draws

 

Israel Rabinovich-Barav (above, picture from his memorial page) had often been featured in this blog. His son, Ami Barav, had constantly provided us with much information about his life and games. Lately, he provided us with three games played in the "Reti" club championships in the 1950s. The club, created by some players who left the "Lasker" club during that time, had many of Israel's strongest players. 

The new games (nos. 31-33 in the games section of the memorial page) are all draws, but not the less interesting for all that. They show Barav's usual tactical, attacking style. 

Pilgrimage

I was notified by a colleague that GM Evgeny Postny added to his social a media a photo he took of Emanuel Lasker's grave. It is reproduce above. 

It should be noted that the graves of many chess masters are found in the somewhat morbid but fascinating web site, "Find a Grave." These include among many others the graves of Steinitz,  Lasker, Capablanca, Alekhine, Botvinnik, Tal, and many others. 

Mr. Lasker in Trouble with the Authorities

 

We keep forgetting that not everybody plays chess. Moshe Roytman notes that in 1975, Tel Aviv's municipal government sent a letter to "Mr. Emmanuel Lasker" in Ha'yarkon St. 54, warning him that he must repair his dilapidated house. The address, of course, was that of the Emmanuel Lasker club, not that of "Mr. Lasker," who died in 1941. (In any case, it should be Dr. Lasker.) 

The report adds - on what authority we do not know - that Lasker "planned to settle in the country" (i.e., Israel / Palestine) despite the (correct) fact that he never managed to even visit it. It also adds, less accurately, that Lasker died "more than 40 years ago," which would mean before 1935. 

Source: Ma'ariv, 2.9.75, p. 17.

P.S.

For some reason formatting is off and cannot be fixed in this post. 

Lasker Stranded on the Ice

 

In Ha'olam, 13.1.44, p. 4, the bulletin of the World Zionist Organization, a note by Dr. Helpmann [ph. spelling] who recollects his world tour for Zionism in Jewish communities from South America to Finland. Near Finland, his ship was hit by an iceberg and damaged. The captain disembarked all the passengers on the North Sea's ice, walking them to a small nearby island off the Finnish shore, until their evacuation could be arranged. One of the passengers with Dr. Helpmann in the journey and adventure was no less than Emmanuel Lasker, who was traveling from Moscow through Finland. 

"In those endlessly long days, Emmanuel Lasker tried to teach me some chess, and I taught him about Zionism and told him about the new Palestine. The philosopher's sharp wit allowed him to learn more about Zionism from me than I learn chess from him. I was happy to later hear Dr. Emanuel Lasker always remained one of Zionism's friends." 

Nazi Chess Books

 

Edward Winter's feature article about chess in Nazi Germany contains, inter alia, a BCM report about the "Aryanization" of chess books (from January 1942). Davar (18.1.42, p. 4) also reported on the matter, crediting the Daily Telegraph: 

"London received chess textbooks recently published in Germany. The Daily Telegraph reports, that the names of the chess geniuses Lakser and Steinitz were erased - except when it was stated they were beaten by Aryan opponents." 

Gruengard- Smiltiner Match

 

In the following short notice, brought to our attention by a frequent correspondent, we see a note about a match between Gruengard and Smiltiner in the Tel Aviv Lasker club, noting the latter is leading 1-0 so far. It always speaks of a "retirement tournament" - presumably, an elimination one - that will start, with 32 players, the coming Saturday. 

Tel Aviv - Jerusalem Match, 1923

 

An earlier item this time: a frequent correspondent notes this report from Doar Ha'Yom (October 10th, 1923, p. 4) of the Tel-Aviv - Jerusalem championship in the "E. L." (Emmanuel Lasker) club in Jerusalem. (It was brought to my attention by a frequent correspondent.) The Jerusalem paper's chess columnist - Mohilever - notes that Tel Aviv won 21.5 - 14.5, and explains that the Jerusalem players didn't prepare well, and some were simply too weak for such a tournament. The author notes in particular Labounsky from Tel Aviv as a promising young player. 

A Nice Kniazer Win

 Israel  Yosef Kniazer

A frequent correspondent notifies us of the obituary for Kniazer (La'merchav, 6.6.58 p. 5) by the editor of the paper's chess column, Eliahu Fasher. (Fasher notes Kniazer was born in 1895; other sources also give 1894 or even 1899.) He gives the following photo, taken at the Lasker club in Tel Aviv, and adds that Kniazer was a member of the club for many years. Fasher then gives two games, against Porat and Blass, which will be given in this and the next post. 

Finally, Fasher adds that Kniazer was working on a book of his best games. This book was indeed published in 1959, as Ha'derech Le'nitzahhon Be'shachmat [The Road to Chess Victory] with deep annotations by Kniazer and, mostly, Raafi Persitz. The book also has the two games given by Fasher. In his annotations to this game, Persitz (which adds the missing moves Fasher does not give due to lack of space) notes that Kniazer, in his notes, added that he was not satisfied with White's 'strategic  position', despite having won tactically. Persitz sees this as typical of Kniazer's desire for chess perfection (p. 72). 

(A note about spelling. Gagie's Chess Personalia prefers the English spelling 'Keniazer'. It seems that various persons with this last name spell it Kniazer, Keniazer, or Kaniazer. In this case, Israel Yosef Kniazer's name is usually pronounced, in my experience, closer to 'Kniazer'. I have not yet, however,  found an authoritative source for an English spelling.)

Kniazer, Israel Yosef - Porat, Yosef

Caro-Kann (B11)

Haifa, 1946. 

Sources: La'merchav, 6.6.58, p. 5 and Ha'derech Le'nitzachon Be'sachmat, pp. 61-72.

Annotations: Eliahu Fasher (also punctuation) and Raafi Persitz

1. e4 d5 2. Nf3 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Ne4 5. d3 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bf5 7. Rb1 Qc7 8. d4 e6 9. Bd3 Bg6 10. O-O Be7 11. Ng5 c5 12. Qf3 O-O 13. Qh3 

White is manouvering skillfully, trying to created something out of nothing (Fasher). The manouver Re1-e3-h3 worked due to Black's mistake, but takes too long. It was time for 13.f4! (Persitz, p. 67). 13...Bxd3 14. Qxd3 Bxg5 15. Bxg5 Nc6 16. Rfe1 Rac8 17. Re3 Ne7 18. Rh3 Ng6 19. Rc1 cxd4 20. cxd4 Qc4 21. Qd2 Qxa2? 

Black underestimates White's attack. Kniazer doesn't miss the opportunity and sacrifices at once (Fasher). 22. Bf6!! Rfe8 Of course not 22... gxf6 due to mate in a few moves (Fasher). 23. Bxg7 Kxg7 24. Qh6+ Kg8 25. Qxh7+ Kf8 26. Rf3 Re7 27. Qxg6 

With a pawn more and a strong attack, White won in a few moves (Fasher). Persitz (pp. 71-72) gives these moves: 27... Qb2 28. Qh6+ Ke8 29. Rb3 $1 Qxd4 30. Qh8+ Kd7 31. Rxb7+ Rc7 32. Rxc7+ Kxc7 33. Rb1 Qa4 34. Qb8+ Kd7 35. Qd6+ and Black resigned (1-0) since it's mate next move.

Lasker, Chess, and Psychology

Source: Ha'Aretz, July 15th, 1949, p. 9.

A frequent correspondent notes that Lasker's famous article about chess and psychology - what kind of memory or other qualities chess players have -- have been translated into Hebrew, in full, in 1949. It is interesting to note that Lasker already notes that while women play chess less well than men (at least, this was certainly true at the time), this is to be accepted as a 'brute fact', and does not imply any mental inferiority on women's part.