Uri Avneri Playing Chess

 Source: Dan Ha'Dani collection

Finally, from the same Dan Ha'Dani news photographs' collection search for "chess", a candid photo of Uri Avneri, a well-known Israeli journalist and political activist, playing chess in 1969. 

Czerniak vs. Liberzon

Source: Dan Ha'Dani Collection

Another photo found in the Dan Ha'Dani collection (see link in previous post) is the following candid photo of Liberzon playing Czerniak. Judging from the position on the board this is probably the game they played in the Be'er Sheva tournament, 1976.

Just search for "chess" in the Dan Ha'Dani collection!

EDITED TO ADD: 1974, see comments below. 

Judith Polgar, 1989

Source: Dan Ha'Dani Collection

The Dan Ha'Dani collection, which we have mentioned before, has many chess photos. Here is an informal, but flattering, photo of Judith Polgar, playing in the European Team Chess Championship in Haifa, 1989; photograph by Vered Peer. 

Another Photo Collection

Source: see below

A frequent correspondent notes that another photo archive, Bitmuna (in the picture) has some Israeli chess pics. There are many photos of the (same) Spassky simul noted in this blog a few days ago, as well as photos of a Czerniak simul (one of which is above) and other chess-related material.

P.S.

If you see a box with text at the bottom of the page it means you can press on it to load more pictures. 

Chess in Zichron Ya'akov, 1923

 Source: Doar Ha'Yom, Nov. 15, 1923, p. 4

As we noted, chess in the early 20s in Palestine concentrated in the large cities -- i.e., Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and (a little bit) in Haifa, but that nevertheless there were exceptions. Here is one: a tournament that took place in Zichron Ya'akov. The paper reports that 'the tournament that took place between the local players before the Sukkot holiday' could not be completed due to the fact that some of the participants 'are travelling'. It notes, however, that Ksuhnir is the undoubted winner, with a current record of 10.5 our of 11 points. 

Sigmund Zehavi

Source: Doar Ha'Yom, Aug. 21st, 1927, p. 4

Chess simuls did not necessarily take place in chess clubs. One example is this simultaneous event, advertised by Daor Ha'Yom, which will take place in the 'Eastern Pioneers' Workers' Association club. The latter association was an organization of socialist oriental Jews (link in Hebrew). 

The performer is 'the famous chess-player Mr. Sigmund Zehavi' (ph. spelling). I have not been able to find any information about this person. Does anybody know? 

Jerusalem vs. Tel Aviv, 1924

Source: Doar Ha'Yom, March 30th, 1924, p. 3

One of the first matches - probably the first match - between two chess clubs in Palestine took place in 1924, when the newly-establishes clubs in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv played a match. Here, with local patritoism, Jerusalem's Doar Ha'Yom notes the 'total victory' of Jerusalem's Gordon, Pappo, Mohilever and Korn over Tel Aviv's Labounsky, Polano (ph. spelling), Weisel and Steinberg.  One wonders whether Tel Aviv's "Polano" is actually Polani, a member of the Jerusalem club in 1923, as players moved about quite a bit at the time. 

Where?

Source: Davar , Jan. 24th, 1928 p. 3

We noted in the past that in the 1920s and later, the "official" number of chess clubs was very small, and most chess activity was in less formal settings. One of the most important was Ha'Poel sport clubs. In this report, it is noted that Ha'Poel has branches in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Binyamina, Hadera, Zichron Ya'akov, Atlit, Afula, Nesher, Tiberias, Yavniel, Rehovot, Petah Tikvah, Magdiel, Kfar Saba, Kineret, 'and more'. It is added that 'apart from soccer', they are also involved with teaching first aid and 'various sports' - including chess. 

This does not imply every branch of Ha'Poel had a chess club, but probably most did, chess not requiring much investment on the branches' part. We note that during the 1920s in particular, occasional notes in the press would point out the Ha'Poel club in a certain city is open to the public for, among other activities, chess. 

Official Announcement of the Opening of the "Lasker" Club, Jerusalem

Source: Ha'Aretz, Aug. 7th, 1923, p. 4

The announcement of the opening of the "Lasker" chess club in Jerusalem, 1923, is quite interesting. The secretary of the club, E. Gottlieb (ph. spelling) notes the opening will be in the 'Beit Ha'am' building 'next week', with the following program: an opening speech by 'the pharmacist Y. Michlin (ph. spelling), the head of the club's committee' - followed by a simultaneous game by  [Shaul] Gordon -- one of the club's stronger players -- against 20 people. 

The financial arrangements are of some interest: the free is three Egyptian pennies (1/100th of the Egyptian pound, commonly used in Palestine at the time). If the player wins, Gordon will pay him 'of his own money' three times as much, in the form of 'Shachmat journal for three months'. If he loses the three pennies go to 'the club's kitty'. This leads one to believe this simul was a fund-raiser for the club, not a way for Gordon to gain any money.

We note that a simul with the same prize -- three journals of the Lasker club's Ha'Sachmat -- and the same player -- Gordon -- was also advertised in Ha'Aretz a year later, on Aug. 22nd, 1924, p. 5.