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.) 

Chess, Poverty, and Antisemitism

Chess is a notoriously unremunerative occupation, even on the highest levels, and many chess players were poor all their lives. Two lesser-known examples of attempts to help masters are given here, courtesy of Herbert Halsegger. 

In Die Stimme, 22.6.33, p. 6, It is noted that the "top player in Palestine," M. Marmorosh, is putting together a collection for Rubinstein in his difficulties. We note that this might have to do with Marmorosh trying to make amends for the Palestinian chess world's failure to pay Rubinstein his agreed fee when he visited, as previously noted in this blog.  

In the Tagesbote of 30.4.29, p. 8, notes Halsegger, it says that the Viennese master Mueller, Spielmann, and Hoenlinger [English spelling] wished to arranged a simultaneous display to help the poor and old author Franz Gutmayer. They failed because only two persons had been interested. This is interesting, adds Halsegger, since Gutmayer was a notorious anti-Semite. I add that this is seen for example in Jeremy Spinrad's research.  

Marmorosh's 70th Simultaneous Display

 

Marmorosh was, as we often stated in this blog, a very active simultaneous performer, but how many games did he actually play? A rough idea can be seen in the following note, from Davar, 1.4.42, p. 5. During the war years chess activity in Palestine was limited, both by the war conditions and the fact that some of the best players were left stranded in Buenos Aires after the 1939 Olympiad. But Marmorosh still did what he could. In this case, it is announced that an upcoming simultaneous display will be his 70th display. 

"Dedicated to the Editor of this Column"

 

Chess problems are often dedicated to various individuals, but we wonder how often it is that a problem is dedicated directly to the "the editor of this column" to who it is sent. In this case such a problerm was dedicated to Marmorosh. The problem is a mate in three by G. Taroch (ph. spelling) from Lithuania. It was duly published by Marmorosh in his chess column in Ha'aretz, April 14th, 1939, p. 7.

Two for the Price of One

 

Here is an odd occurrence. It is often the case that a chess column does not appear in a certain week or day in a paper. But on November 12th, 1937, in Ha'aretz, two different issues of Marmorosh's chess column appeared... both on two different "page 12". A partial explanation is that one of them appeared in the regular (morning) edition and another in the supplemental (evening) edition. 

Marmorosh in Action

 

This photo, from Ha'aretz, January 3rd, 1936, p. 16, shows Marmorosh, identified as "the editor of the Ha'aretz chess column," in action in a simultaneous display. The note also says his result was +28 =2 -3. 

A Pen Portrait

 

Above is a long article from Davar, April 9th, 1939, p. 5, by Y. Straight (ph. spelling). It looks at the various players in the Lasker club in Tel Aviv during the triple tournament held there: the men's, women's, and youth championship of Palestine. The author praises Marmorosh's organization of the tournament (in the "Palga" coffee house next to the beach), and gives pen portraits of both many of the men and the women playing - Dobkin, Czerniak, Kniazer, Porat (then Foerder), and the woman player Zitolenitzka (ph. spelling). 

Lost and Found

 

One of the problems with doing history is that even primary sources are often not 100% reliable, to say the least. For example, starting from ca. 1935, Davar proudly claimed it has a chess column in its paper on Fridays. But there is no chess column. Had Marmorosh, the chess column's editor, quit? Not quite: the chess column moved to Thursdays, but the newspaper's table of content was not updated... 

Marmorosh on Film

 

We have already noted that Marmorosh was filmed playing a simultaneous display in Tel Aviv in 1935. From the same column as in the previous post, we find the advertisement for that display, adding in large letters, 'This game will be filmed by Carmel-Film for the Newsreel.' 

The exact date and time were Saturday, June 22nd, 1935, 2:30 PM, in 'the Palga coffee house on the sea shore' of Tel Aviv. One could also buy tickets 'at I. Vest's flower shop, Allenby 45 [phonetic spelling]'.  The results (reported the next week, Ha'aretz, June 28th, p. 13) were Marmorosh winning by +26 =1 -2. 

Women Solvers

 

The following note (Ha'aretz, 21 June 1935, p. 13) is a notification of the winners of the solving tournament by the editor of the chess column in Ha'aretz, Marmorosh. It is interesting to note that among the tope solvers we have three women: Leah Broida, Hannah Zefah and Mira Vergad (ph. spelling). Broida and Zefah also won two of the three top prizes: Hans Kmoch's Rubinstein Gewinnt! and a chess clock, respectively. 

Another Nice Attack

The same chess column number which published Marmorosh's simul win had also published the following game, played in the second league (liga bet), northern division, in Israel that year, 1956, only a few years since the league games were established in the early 1950s. The game was between Emek Hefer and Kfar Saba, in the 6th round. It is remarkable for the crushing attack by White. 

Yehuda Michaeli - Rami Furman (ph. spelling for both names)

Semi-Slav, 5.e3 [D45]

2nd league, northern division, Emek Hefer (Michael) vs. Kfar Saba (Furman)

Source: see above

Annotator: Eliyahu Shahaf

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c6 4.e3 Nf6 5.Nf3 Nbd7 6.Qc2 Be7 7.cxd5 exd5 8.Bd3 Nf8 9.0–0 Ng6 10.Bd2 0–0 11.Ne5 c5 12.f4 cxd4 13.exd4 Qb6 14.Be3 Be6 15.Qf2 Bc8

16.f5 Nh8 17.g4 Qd8 18.g5 Nd7

19.Qh4 Nxe5 20.dxe5 f6 21.exf6 gxf6 22.g6 And White won (1-0) after a few moves.

A Marmorosh Victory

A Frequent correspondent points out that in 1956, Davar (7.6.1956, p. 7) there was a "festive simultaneous display" and an "exhibition" of "30 years of chess in the country" in Jerusalem. It was actually 30 years since Marmorosh came to Palestine. (Our correspondent adds that there was, after all, chess in the country before that!). 

Marmorosh, who gave the display (+25 -0 =0, in two and a half hours) was congratulated by the head of the workers' union (Histadrut) for his anniversary. The paper adds the ending of one of the games, between Marmorosh (White) and a "young player who played with great talent." 

Marmorosh - NN

July 1956 

Source: see above

Annotator: Eliyahu Shahaf

Black's last move puts White in a difficult situation, since the rook has no escape square (Rg3? Nh5!). So Marmorosh prepares a last-resort swindle. 18.Bc2! Ne4?? This move, which seems very strong (attacks three pieces) is what White waited for, quietly replying 19.Rxc6! Nxd2 20.Bxf5 Rxf5 21.Bxd2 and White won (1-0) after a few moves.

The First Palestinian Report of Capablanca

 

In Marmorosh's chess column from Sept. 17th, 1939 (p. 4), brought to our attention by a frequent correspondent, we read two interesting notes. The first is that Kniazer became champion of the Tel Aviv Lasker club with 6.5/9 - two full points ahead of the next player, Weil (who at the time of the report had one more game to play, with Labounsky, 3 pts.) Interesting is also the report of the 'A-level' (secondary) tournament, with 16 players, which gave the first three the right to play in general Tel Aviv Championship. 

More interesting, perhaps, is the note that 'due to the serious international situation' - later known as the second world war - there are 'no telegraph reports' from the Buenos Aires olympiad, so at the moment all Marmorosh can report is Czerniak's draw with Capablanca in the match with Cuba. A pawn down, 'in a losing position', Czerniak sacrificed a pawn 'for a desperate attack' and drew. They note also Porat (then Foerder) drew (with the unmentioned Cuban 2nd board, Acre Lopez). 

A Day in Palestinian Chess

 

The same column just mentioned in the previous post - brought to our attention by a frequent correspondent - has reports on the Jerusalem championship, Tel Aviv's championship, and (pictures above) reports on the championship of Hadera, and a simultaneous display by Marmorosh in Haifa. This shows the rise in chess activity in Palestine before the "lean years" of WWII and the war of independence. 

The Hadera championship had 20 players, and was won by Menachem Susmann with Aharon Feigenbaum (ph. spelling in both cases) second. The prizes, 'by the culture committee', were books by Ha'Shomer - that is, by the kibbutz-based publishing house which later became one of Israel's largest publishing houses, Sifriyat Poalim (literally 'the workers' library'). 

The simultaneous display ended  +15 =1 -4 in Marmorosh's favor, and lasted two and a half hours.

"Knight Endings are Pawn Endings"

 

The quote from Botvinnik applies well to this game. It is from the 1938 Jerusalem championship, Czerniak (White) playing against Zilberman. (The source is Marmorosh's chess column in Ha'Aretz, March 11th, 1938, p. 11).  The game continued: 

Is left as an exercise in Hebrew.  מ = מלך = king, פ = פרש = knight, and מה = מלכה = queen...

From the Israeli Film Archive

 

The above is a cut from the Israeli Film Archive (requires registration, but it is free) search for the term "Chess" (in English). There are quite a few newsreels of many Israeli tournaments, in particular the 1964 Olympiad held in Tel Aviv, naturally featuring many well-known players (the USSR team, in particular). There is also a 1935 Marmorosh Simul already posted on this blog, Najdorf's visit (1961), and much more. 

Vogel - Czerniak, Jerusalem Championship, 1935

The same column by Marmorosh (Davar, Feb. 8th, 1935, p. 5) has the following game between Vogel and Czerniak, with Marmorosh's annotations:

Vogel - Czerniak

French Defense (CO2)

Jerusalem Championship, Jerusalem, 1935

Source: Davar, 8.2.1935, p. 5

Annotations: Marmorosh

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 A highly committing old move. The current move is 3.Nc3 or 3.exd5. 3... c5 4. Nf3 Nc6 5. c3 Qb6 A typical move in this opening. The queen pressures b2 and d4. 6. Be2 Bd7 7. O-O cxd4 8. cxd4 Nge7 9. Na3 An artificial move, intended to protect the d4 pawn. 9... Ng6 10. Nc2 Be7 11. Kh1 O-O 12. Ng1 An unsuccessful maneuver. It is better to finish development with 12.Bd2! and Bc3, since Black must not capture on b2. 12...f6 13. f4 fxe5 14. fxe5 Rxf1 15. Bxf1 Rf8 16. Bd3 Be8 17. Qg4? 

17...Ncxe5!! Black now finishes with a brilliant combination. White's negligence is cruelly avenged. 18. dxe5 Nxe5 19. Qh3 Nxd3 20. Qxd3 Bb5! 21. Qb3 Qxg1+! 22. Kxg1 Rf1#  mate (0-1).

Marmorosh's Work

 

Above we have a (low resolution) image of Marmorosh's column which was mentioned in the last post. The link is to the original paper, where a high-resolution image can be found. It is a testimony to Marmorosh's dedication to chess that this one column has: 

1). A problem (mate in 3)

2). A study (White wins)

3). A game (Vogel - Czerniak, 0-1, Jerusalem championship, 1935)

4). Local news (Jerusalem championship results, upcoming Jerusalem-Tel Aviv match, Ra'anana club founded.) 

5). International news (Capablanca wins simultaneous games.)

6). Answers to correspondents. 

7). A long lesson for beginners (the goal of the game, the movement of the king, the meaning of 'mate'.) 

That said, the definition of 'mate' is somewhat mysterious: 

'If the king is attacked on the square it is on and it is surrounded by friends and enemies to such a degree that it has no other square to escape to, and no other defense, it is mated.'

This seems to imply that the king is mated only when surrounded by other pieces, which is in fact rarely the case, and is unclear about what 'other defense' can there be against the attack on the king except for 'a square to escape to'. 

New Clubs

 

The above note, from Marmorosh's column in Davar (Feb. 8th, 1935, p. 5), brought to our attention by a frequent correspondent, notes among many other things about the founding of a chess club in Ra'anana, which was decided upon after 'a general meeting of all chess fans in Ra'anana'. They selected a committee to run the club and decided to buy sets, start lessons for beginners, and start a tournament for the championship of Ra'anana. This is another example of the rise in chess activity in the country in the mid-1930s, as Czerniak, Porat, and many other strong players arrived in the country, and visits by Rubinstein, Flohr, and Mieses took place. 

Rauch - Weil, Tel Aviv Championship, 1938

The following game, brought to our attetion by a frequent correspondent, was played in the Tel Aviv championship in 1938 (see details and source below). 

Rauch - Weil

Nimzo-Indian, Classical [E33]
Tel Aviv Championship, Tel Aviv, Feb. 1938

Source: Davar, 11/3/1938, p. 4

Annotations: Marmorosh (Davar's chess columnist)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 Nc6 5.Nf3 d6 6.e3 0–0 7.Be2 Re8 8.0–0 Bxc3 9.Qxc3 Ne4 10.Qc2 d5 11.a3 a5 12.b3 f5 13.Bb2 Rf8 14.Rad1 Rf6 15.Bd3 Rh6 16.Rfe1 g5 The beginning of a very dangerous attack. Black is already threatening to win with g4, followed by Qh4. 17.Bxe4 fxe4 18.Nd2 g4 19.Nf1 Qh4 20.Bc3 Bd7 21.Qd2 Rf8! 22.g3 Qf6 23.Rc1 Rh3 24.Rc2 b6 25.Ra1 Nd8! The knight is aiming at f3. 26.Qe2 Qf5 27.Bb2 c6 28.a4 Nf7 29.cxd5 exd5 30.Nd2 Qh5 31.Kf1 The king abandons his pawns and runs away from the front. 31...Rxh2 32.Ke1 Ng5 33.Nf1 Nf3+ 34.Kd1 Rh1 35.Rcc1 Qh3 36.Kc2 Qg2 37.Kc3 Ng1 38.Qd1 Rxf2 White resigns (0–1)

The final position is an amusing example of an overwhelming attack: