McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers of Chess Books (Among Other Genres).....

[Ken MacDonald]

has been publishing a long series of books called Chess Results (for a given period of time). They began with 1747-1900, then 2 volumes of 20 and 10 years each and currently 1931 to 1960 has been published in 5 year tranches. So far, 9 volumes in total up to and including 1960 have been produced. No further volumes are mentioned on McFarland’s website. The author Mr. Gino Di Felice tells us that he has not included CC or women’s events as they should be works on their own. I see that Mr. Di Felice has a book due soon from McFarland that will attempt (my word) to list all chess periodicals published.
I mention this series not because I want to review it, but to see if anyone can help me take a trip down Nostalgia Lane. In reviewing the 1956-1960 book, I see many events listed that have names of players I either played against OR played in tournaments they also played in OR maybe only watched them play! I can`t recall much. This would have been around 1960 when I was 15, so it is 50 years ago and memories fade! (BTW, I was never in these guys’ league!) I think many were from the Hungarian community and had emigrated to Canada during the 50s. What did these gentlemen do in chess?
Ignas Zalys, strong CC player who also took part in some US events.
E(mil?) Baikowitz, little guy with white hair, not one of the best in Montréal but better than I was.
Laszlo Witt, we know what he did.
Loic and Jules (son?) Therien, both decent players and I am sure I played one or both.
A. Shilov, all I seem to recall is that he had a heart attack at the chess board during one of those Sunday afternoon events at the old NDG Centre at Decarie and something.
Lionel Joyner, we know what he did in chess.
Robert Hirsch, I seem to recall a shock of unruly red hair, but nothing else!
F(?). Ferencz, older guy.
Alex Siklos, strong CC player who beat a CC world champion in a CC game.
Robert Drummond, I think he was really poor, played for quarters and one could not always collect if Drummond lost.
Heinz Matthai, tall with a shock of white hair.
J. Noel Williams probably made his living selling door to door as I recall seeing him in my neighbourhood going door to door.
Robert and Gerry (book uses J.) Rubin, I lost to Robert in a HS championship, won a game Gerry was helping my opponent play every move away from the board!
Emil Schlosser, I think I played in a tandem simul against him and ??
I saw Josef Smolij in one of the cross-tables and Maurice Tranquille in some.
Can anyone else remember the Montréal Chess Club playing over the A&W Hamburger place on the North side of St. Catherines Street not too far from the Montréal Forum?
BTW, the Chess Results series lists Hugh’s DataBase as a source for some of his material.

[Hugh Brodie]

Re: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers of Chess Books (Among Other Genres).....

Ignas Zalys, strong CC player who also took part in some US events.

He also played in many OTB events in Montreal from the late 1940's until his death in the 1990's. He lived in England in the 1930's and played a lot, but his gamescores were lost during the war when he had returned to his native Lithuania.

E(mil?) Baikowitz, little guy with white hair, not one of the best in Montréal but better than I was.

According to Zalys, they played many games for high stakes ($25/$50/$100 per game or match) - with Zalys claiming that he won "thousands" off him.

Laszlo Witt, we know what he did.
Loic and Jules (son?) Therien, both decent players and I am sure I played one or both.

Jules was the father - died in the 1970's. Loic has played on and off over the years - last in 1997.

A. Shilov, all I seem to recall is that he had a heart attack at the chess board during one of those Sunday afternoon events at the old NDG Centre at Decarie and something.
Lionel Joyner, we know what he did in chess.
Robert Hirsch, I seem to recall a shock of unruly red hair, but nothing else!
F(?). Ferencz, older guy.
Alex Siklos, strong CC player who beat a CC world champion in a CC game.
Robert Drummond, I think he was really poor, played for quarters and one could not always collect if Drummond lost.

Probably Redpath Drummond, who played in at least one Canadian Championship. Moved to Ottawa, and called himself "Rockcliffe Drummond". Died in the 1990's.

The NDG Centre was the site of many of my early events in the 1960's and 1970's. Rumour has it that it will be demolished when the new community centre and pool opens in Benny Park.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sour...2.85,,0,-12.52

Heinz Matthai, tall with a shock of white hair.
J. Noel Williams probably made his living selling door to door as I recall seeing him in my neighbourhood going door to door.
Robert and Gerry (book uses J.) Rubin, I lost to Robert in a HS championship, won a game Gerry was helping my opponent play every move away from the board!

Gerry is still quite active in Montreal coffee-house chess - but has not played a tournament game since the early 1980's.

Emil Schlosser, I think I played in a tandem simul against him and ??

I believe he is still alive (aged in the late 80's?) and living in the Toronto area. He moved from Montreal in the 1990's.

I saw Josef Smolij in one of the cross-tables and Maurice Tranquille in some.
Can anyone else remember the Montréal Chess Club playing over the A&W Hamburger place on the North side of St. Catherines Street not too far from the Montréal Forum?

The MCC was before my time - but I heard a lot about it from Zalys. One location was in a restaurant during evening hours when it was closed. The owner would gladly prepare meals for the chessplayers.

[Bob Armstrong]

Schlosser

Emil Schlosser is an active member of the non-rated casual Willowdale Chess Club in Toronto. He even initially signed up for the late Fall 2009 Toronto Seniors Championship, but then withdrew because it was too much of a time commitment, apparently.

Michael Barron might be able to provide more current information, as an active member of Willowdale CC.

Bob

[Ken MacDonald]

McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers of Chess Books (Among Other Genres).....

Thank you both very much!

[Egidijus Zeromskis]

Re: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers of Chess Books (Among Other Genres).....

he (Ignas Zalys) had returned to his native Lithuania..

Just before the war front moved back through Lithuanian, the national championship was scheduled for July 3-7, 1944. I.Z. was leading it with 3/5. However, after five rounds it was canceled for the aforementioned event. On the eve of the championship, he took the second place in the blitz tournament.

In 1939 he won the Hastings B (secondary) tournament. Do the Chess Results mention about this event?

(all this information is from his letters to A.Uogelė, in Lithuanian at http://lksf.lt/lt/uogeles_straipsnis )

---
How did you pronounce his name in Canada? Ignas Žalys was original spelling.

[Larry Bevand]

Re: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers of Chess Books (Among Other Genres).....

Thank you both very much!

Zalys was someone I respected totally. One can only aspire to be as special as him. When he passed away...he left us his chess book collection which was a gold mine. Today many of these incredible books are in the collection of Louis Morin (unless Louis sold them afterwards) and Hugh Brodie (who I am sure still has them in his possession).

I am a lousy collector unfortuantely. When I recieve unique collections I prefer getting them to people who appreciate them. I call Louis and Hugh...and email J.K....in there hands I know that they will be safe.

I gave Hugh Brodie the task of collecting our chess magazines for kids (Scholar's Mate and Echec au Roi)...he is one of the few people in the world to have complete collections....about a year ago...I asked him to lend them to me so that I could scan them...he said yes immmediatlely...kind but not wise :)

I have not scanned them yet...but at least I have not lost them either :).

I see how fast we forget...or more accurately...are not aware of the past...we need historians...THANKS!

Larry

[Egidijus Zeromskis]

Re: Schlosser

the non-rated casual Willowdale Chess Club in Toronto

Yesterday at the WCC


I can not say that Emil Schlosser is in this photo, as I don't know him :o
There was one more senior playing on the nearby table - his photo in the background.


Bob, could you recognize them?

[Stephen Wright]

Re: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers of Chess Books (Among Other Genres).....

In 1939 he won the Hastings B (secondary) tournament. Do the Chess Results mention about this event?

No, but Zalys is mentioned in connection with Margate 1939; in the Premier Reserves B he placed 8th out of 12. Winner was Friedrich Sämisch.

In general I have found the whole Chess Results series to be not particularly discriminating, going for quantity (and easy availability in sources) over quality. For example, the BC Championship is included in the post-World War One period, but the Canadian Championship often isn't ...

[Bob Armstrong]

Re: Schlosser

Hi Egis:

Sorry - can't help. Michael Barron can probably identify people though.

Bob

[Ken MacDonald]

Re: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers of Chess Books (Among Other Genres).....

In 1939 he won the Hastings B (secondary) tournament. Do the Chess Results mention about this event?

There is a book, Battle of Hastings by Reg Cload which contained the History of Hastings Chess Events in which I think I saw the Zalys cross-table, but I can't find it at the moment.

[Egidijus Zeromskis]

Re: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers of Chess Books (Among Other Genres).....

There is a book, Battle of Hastings by Reg Cload which contained the History of Hastings Chess Events in which I think I saw the Zalys cross-table, but I can't find it at the moment.

Accordingly to Wiki, the tournament was called "challengers section" and "which is open to all players. The winner of the challengers event earns an invitation in the following year's Premier."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hasting...Chess_Congress

[Hugh Brodie]

Re: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers of Chess Books (Among Other Genres).....

Hastings 1939:

Not being sure whether the "1939" Hastings tournament referred to was 1938-39 or 1939-40, I started browsing through the 1939 volume of "BCM". Zalys does not appear in any of the 1938-39 Hastings crosstables (Premier, Premier Reserves A, B, and C) - however "G. Fuster" appears in 3rd place in the "B" group. Continuing my search, there is a list of the results (no crosstables) of the other 9 Hastings events (all appear to be 10-player RR's), and Zalys came 1st in the "Major B" event with 8/9. ("Major B" was behind "Major A" - but ahead of "First Class", "Second Class", and "Third Class").

Margate 1939:

The June 1939 issue of BCM has full crosstables of the Premier, and Premier Reserves A, B, and C (all 10 or 12 player RR's). As mentioned in another post, Zalys came 8th in the Premier Reserves B with 5/11. Saemisch, Opocensky, and G.Abrahams are the only familiar names in his section.

I can't check later (wartime) events, since I only have the 1938 and 1939 voumes of BCM, and a bunch of loose issues of "Chess" from the same time period (but they are in a box somewhere, and some searching will be required).

[Egidijus Zeromskis]

Re: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers of Chess Books (Among Other Genres).....

Hastings 1939:

and Zalys came 1st in the "Major B" event with 8/9. ("Major B" was behind "Major A" - but ahead of "First Class", "Second Class", and "Third Class"

Thnx. My source used a word meaning a side event, without detailing it.

[Jonathan Berry]

Re: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers of Chess Books (Among Other Genres).....

I'm younger than Ken, and never lived in Montreal, but I played and/or met some of the same people.

Played Witt (1972 Canadian Zonal); Jules (the dad) Therien (1974 Canadian Open); Lionel Joyner (twice in BC); Redpath Drummond (he challenged me to a $2 (?) game at the old Toronto YMCA Chess Club at 40 College Street. Time control was something like 15 minutes); didn't a Hirsch play in a Canadian Closed in the 1960s?; was Noel Williams the dad of Leo?; Peter Biyiasas and I met the Rubin brothers at the 1969 Pan Am Intercollegiate in Montreal. Lots of stories; I saw Schlosser on several occasions but never played him. The guy in the second photo in the maroon shirt facing the camera looks a lot like I would imagine Schlosser, 35 or so years on; I played Josef Smolij in Vancouver at the YMCA on Nelson and Burrard, before he moved to Toronto and became famous for his chess marathon. He told me that for years he was stranded in Uruguay with no papers...; I never met Henri Tranquille, but he was a successful author. His "Voir claire" books sold tens (hundreds?) of thousands of copies in Quebec. As I recall, he wrote about chess but more about 12x12 (Quebec rules) checkers.

Another guy I played at the Toronto Y was Jack Patty, who was from Nanaimo, BC, where I live. I only found that out much later, from a player who knew him in Nanaimo in the 1950s. After the game, which was at a fast but not Blitz control and not part of a tournament, he said that was "the best game" he "had ever lost". Sorry, that's what he said. No game score.

I never met either of the famous CC players, neither Zalys (a high finisher or winner of big US CC competitions; though I might have seen him at a tournament) nor Siklos (first Canadian ever to play in a CC World Championship final, in which he beat the reigning world champion ... ?Estrin?). Siklos(i), Laszlo Witt and Ferencz among the names that Ken mentions would surely be Hungarian.

[Jean Hébert]

Re: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers of Chess Books (Among Other Genres).....

I saw Schlosser on several occasions but never played him. The guy in the second photo in the maroon shirt facing the camera looks a lot like I would imagine Schlosser, 35 or so years on...

I had the same thought when I saw the picture. I played Schlosser in 1973 at the "La Presse International" in Montreal.