The Elman/Fischer Connection

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • The Elman/Fischer Connection

    The Elman/Fischer Connection

    Somewhere in this pile of papers I call my den are the notes on Dan Elman’s trip to Montreal in February 1964, when he was asked to fetch Bobby Fischer from the airport.

    It all started when the sole chess clock was stolen from the Saint John Chess Club. Dan phoned Al Horowitz of New York asking about clocks. Horowitz said he was shipping some to Moe Moss, chess editor of the Montreal Star. If Dan was willing to drive to Montreal, then Moe could fix him up. Dan had relatives in Montreal he hadn’t visited in awhile, so it worked out fine.

    When Dan arrived in Montreal, Moe asked Dan if he could pick up the young American champ from the airport who was in town for a simul and drive him to his hotel. Apparently no one else with a car was available.

    The American Chess Review had just run a piece on the Maritime chess conquests of 12 year old Paul Selick. Fischer was delighted to meet one of Paul’s mentors. The other mentor was Dan’s father Maurice. Naturally, on the drive to the hotel, Bobby wanted to know everything that Dan could tell him about young Selick, especially how good of a chess player he was.

    At the hotel Bobby and Dan continued to talk chess, then Bobby set up a complicated position he was working on and asked Dan’s opinion of it. Dan could not crack it. Later at the simul Dan sat down to play, but he left the room for a moment and another player took his seat. As Fischer rounded the room he saw Dan standing and motioned for him to take a seat, but Dan made a ‘that’s okay’ gesture and Fischer continued on.

    When Dan returned to Saint John he made a point of impressing upon the players at the club the importance of being well dressed for a tournament, to take it seriously, like the American champion did. Even when Fisher started to unravel, so strong were the impressions from that early meeting that Dan would jump to his defence: He wasn’t like that then; he was a polite and reasonable young man who loved chess; you could talk to him.

    At least that is the way Fischer acted around Dan.

    (Notes for self: What simul – or both – did Dan attend? Find out what clocks – made where? – were used at the Montreal simul. Were any of these same taken to Saint John? Nice to find a clock or a picture. What was Moe Moss like? Need anecdotes – they make the story. Has Dan read or have a copy of Moe Moss’s book Blunders and Brilliancies? Apparently only game to survive the clock simul a Two Knight’s Fritz, Fisher vs. Allan. Big write-up in The Unknown Fischer. Must read section. What other players were present? How much money was $15.00 – the cost to play – in 1964? Also, what were weather/driving conditions like during those few days? Did Dan travel alone? Must re-confirm everything.)

  • #2
    Re: The Elman/Fischer Connection

    From my CanBase history page:

    "On Sunday, February 23, 1964 in Montreal - Bobby Fischer gave a 56-board simul at Sir George Williams University ($5 to play; $1 to watch), losing to I. Zalys, H. Zizys, H. Feldman, D. Stockton, and P. Jacob; and drawing M. Cohen, G. Gercei, and E. Damian. Winners and drawers received a year's subscription to "American Chess Quarterly". In a 10-board clock simul ($15 to play; $1 to watch), he won 10-0."

    From D.M. Ledain's chess column in the "Gazette", Feb. 29, 1964:

    "The clock simul was held the next day at the Jewish Public Library. His opponents were: R.A. Cayford, M. Cohen, J. Gersho, A. Garelick, E. Viires, W. Oaker, H. Kemper, D. Allan, D. Levali, and C. Nathan."

    (I am assuming that "D. Allan" is Denis Allan, who lived in Montreal for a while. I believe William Oaker is still alive in Toronto(?). So there are two people that are probably reachable who played in the clock simul. $15 in 1964 would be $115.23 today. I'm sure you would find 10 people willing to pay $100+ to play someone like Carlsen in a clock simul.)

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: The Elman/Fischer Connection

      Originally posted by Hugh Brodie View Post
      I am assuming that "D. Allan" is Denis Allan...
      Yes.

      Fischer annotated the game he played vs "Denis Allan" in the American Chess Quarterly.

      Stephen Wright transcribed the game and notes and included it in the Dec 2012 - Jan 2013 issue of the CFC Newsletter in his story on Fischer that was part of his series on the World Champions in Canada.

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: The Elman/Fischer Connection

        Originally posted by John Upper View Post
        Yes.

        Fischer annotated the game he played vs "Denis Allan" in the American Chess Quarterly.

        Stephen Wright transcribed the game and notes and included it in the Dec 2012 - Jan 2013 issue of the CFC Newsletter in his story on Fischer that was part of his series on the World Champions in Canada.
        I don't know if I have that (or was that before .pdf days?) In any case, it would be nice if someone could post that here... </hint>
        ...Mike Pence: the Lord of the fly.

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: The Elman/Fischer Connection

          Re: The Elman/Fischer Connection

          February 7, 2017

          From chessgames.com

          http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1044207

          1) Allan reported that he had lost the score-sheet and was surprised to see the game in a book about Fischer, albeit with him named as “N.N.” This game also appeared with Fischer’s notes in <American Chess Quarterly>, Spring 1964. In <Bobby Fischer Uncensored> by David DeLucia, 2009, is a photograph of the score-sheet. The actual score-sheet was found in Fischer’s possessions after his death. The photo is on page 83.

          2) From a clock simul in Montreal, Canada on February 24, 1964. Fischer scored +10=0-0.

          3) This game features in Donaldson's A Legend on the Road. Bobby himself had annotated the game in the Spring 1964 issue of the American Chess Quarterly.

          On Black's 13...Nf4, Fischer comments: 'Brilliant! Beautiful! The only trouble is that it loses! With 13...Bxh2+!! Black could have pulled off a neat win."

          After 14.Kxh2 (14.Kh1 Bf4) 14...Nf4 15.Bxf4 Qh4+ 16.Kg1 Bxe4 17.dxe4 Qxf4 with a winning material advantage.

          Montreal Simul
          Feb. 24, 1964
          Fischer, R.J. – Allan, Denis
          C57 Two Knights Defence, Fritz variation

          1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Nd4 6.c3 b5 7.Bf1 Nxd5 8.cxd4 Qxg5 9.Bxb5+ Kd8 10.Qf3 e4 11.Qxe4 Bd6 12.O-O Bb7 13.d3 Nf4 14.Bxf4 Qxb5 15.d5 Qxb2 16.Bxd6 cxd6 17.Re1 Qf6 18.Nc3 Rc8 19.Qb4 Re8 20.Qa5+ Kd7 21.Qa4+ 1-0

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: The Elman/Fischer Connection

            On Tuesday, February 25, 1964, Fischer gave a 48-board simul in Quebec City - winning all the games. There is a picture of him making the first move in the Quebec City daily "L'Action" of Feb. 26, 1964, page 20.

            Here is a link (you have to select the year, month, and day, and then go to page 20): http://collections.banq.qc.ca/ark:/52327/1768683#

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: The Elman/Fischer Connection

              Thanks for posting that Wayne... much obliged.
              ...Mike Pence: the Lord of the fly.

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: The Elman/Fischer Connection

                Thanks for the lead. According to notes to Fischer vs. Allan on Chess.com the “actual score-sheet was found in Fischer’s possessions after his death” – a circumstance that adds significance to this particular game. It is also interesting that Denis Allan in the Unknown Fischer says, “Witt did not play in the clock simul — there may have been a place reserved which he gave to me… but I don't remember.” A novelist would be inclined to make Allan the person who took Elman’s seat. A fellow player and I are attempting to clarify matters with Dan, but at 85 the old man does not come down from the mountain too often.
                By the way, speaking of another Montreal event, do you know anything about N. Jasnogrodsky’s simul in 1897 or 98? Apparently Jasnogrodsky engaged in simultaneous and blindfold play at the same time. I’ve recently discovered that I have a picture of a husband and wife team that played against Jasnogrodsky in 1897 or 98. If you are doing a book on the history of chess in Montreal, it may be of interest to you.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: The Elman/Fischer Connection

                  Chess and history have similarities. You play the moves – tell the stories – you believe are good enough, but when a better – truer – variation presents itself, you switch to that. Lasker would add that you are obliged to do so.

                  In late February 1964 Dan Elman went to Montreal to get some chess clocks. He met Moe Moss who asked him to pick up Fischer at the airport and drive him to a hotel. Fischer was inquisitive about Selick and Saint John. Fischer was also hungry so they went to a restaurant. He showed Dan a number of his games, mostly loses Dan recalls, and a tricky position from a recent game that ended in a draw. Fischer was convinced he could have won. Dan could not find the win.

                  The next day Dan went to get Fischer for the first simul appearance. Fischer was shaving and seemed oblivious to the time and his social commitment. Several chess boards with various arrangements of pieces were set up in his hotel room. They got to the simul late and all the seats were taken. Fisher asked Dan, “Aren’t you playing?” Dan gestured to the taken seats and jokingly said, “I guess this is your lucky day,” as if Fischer was getting a break by not playing him.

                  At the time, of course, Fischer about to turn 21 was ‘only’ the US champion. Dan with a dozen years on Fischer regarded him mainly as a young and notable up and comer, not as the future world chess champion. Dan even felt a certain reserve among the better players of the Montreal chess club towards Fischer. Camille Coudari, however, was a young teenager who was very interested in Dan’s school chess program and wanted to learn everything he could about starting one.

                  Dan was apparently not present at the second clock simul. Sorry Mr. Novelist, the ‘Allan taking Elman seat, most memorable game, score sheet found at deathbed’ angle has to be left out of the story – at least the taking seat part. And lastly, Dan says he traveled alone, and the Olympiad clocks he brought back to Saint John were not the best quality.

                  Thanks to J. M. and the old man of the mountain.

                  p.s. The novelist has the heart of a lawyer. He insists that by saying ‘apparently’ I have handed him a story.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Apparently the Fischer vs Allan encounter is not the only memorable game from Montreal, Feb. 1964. Dan Elman says that he also squared off with Mr. Allan at the Montreal Chess Club. The first game, with Mr. Allan venturing his Two Knight's Defence, went like this:

                    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.O-O Nxe4 6.Nc3 (Dan picked up this peculiarity in the early '60s while he was 'resident chess player' at a Belgium cafe. The owners of the cafe had a deal with Dan, if he played chess with the patrons for wagers of liquor, he could have free lodgings with light fare. Usually the patrons drank beer, while Dan drank ginger ale disguised as 'whisky'. Dan drank a lot of ginger ale while making a lot of whisky sales for the cafe.) 6...dxc3 7.Bxf7+ (Hey Jerome! Jerome! Will the real Jerome please stand up: The 150 year old Jerome Gambit, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 with attacking chances for white, was the brainchild of Alonzo Wheeler Jerome who also had the distinction of proposing - not without merit - that a pawn be allowed to promote to a king when it reached the 8th rank.) 7...Kxf7 8.Qd5+ Ke8 9.Re1 Be7 10.Rxe4 d6 11.Bg5 cxb3 12.Rae1 h6 13.Bxe7 Nxe7 14.Qh5+ Kf8 15.Ng5 g6 16.Qf3+ Nf5 (Dan points out that if the bishop blocks, Ne6+ forks the queen.) 17.Qc3 Rg8 18.Re8+ Qxe8 19.Qf6+ resigns. (After 19...Qf7, 20.Nh7 makes a model mate.)

                    Always a gentleman, Dan states that Allan proceeded to trounce him in the next game. I don't have a record of it, but at least we have this 'Whisky Gambit'.

                    All this chess talk is making me thirsty...

                    Comment

                    Working...
                    X