Bobby Fischer was not the top talent at the 1955 U.S. Junior Championship held in Lincoln, Nebraska; it was 13-year-old Larry Remlinger of Long Beach, California.
Remlinger was considered a brilliant prospect and, like many young players of today, was strongly supported by his parents. He played regularly at the Long Beach Chess Club and in 1955 was actually stronger than Fischer.
IM James T. Sherwin, in a column titled Masters of the Future, wrote concerning Remlinger, “Most New York players…determine the strength of (non-New York players) by examining their records against the New York masters." That was how Larry Remlinger's play came to be respected in New York.
Karl Burger (1933-2000 - a medical doctor and a former chess teacher to Bobby Fischer at the Manhattan Chess Club was an International Master with two GM norms) played in the 1953 Kansas City Junior (won by Saul Yarmak) and returned to New York City to report that Remlinger was going to be U.S. Champion in within a few years.
Remlinger learned to play chess from an uncle when he was ten and a year later joined the Lincoln Park Chess and Checker Club. The club secretary and a local master, Lionel Joyner, both recognized his talent and helped him study. The members of the club and local merchants contributed to send Larry and his parents to the 1955 Kansas City tournament where he was coached by Herman Steiner.
In the 1954 U.S. Junior Remlinger had finished second behind Ross Siemms of Canada and ahead of such strong players as Charles Kalme, Martin Harrow, Robert Gross, Shelby Lyman and Robert Cross.
Like Kalme, Remlinger soon gave up chess in order to make a living. He played only occasionally until 1990 when he decided to dedicate himself totally to chess in a quest to gain the International Master title. He achieved his goal at the age of 52.
By profession Remlinger is a licensed as a marriage and family therapist working with individuals and couples and focusing on relationship issues. He was also a vocational rehabilitation counselor working with people injured on the job - helping them redefine their careers and adjust to their disabilities and career changes. Besides chess, his interests are the history of ideas, classic literature, table tennis and holistic health.
As a young lad in 7th grade in Long Beach,ca., I fondly remember Larry teaching me chess. In 1954 my Dad was stationed in Sasebo, Japan, and we were waiting orders to join him.
ReplyDeleteI went to Washington Junior High & Poly High School in Long Beach, Ca. with Larry. We hung out at the Pike back in the 1950's. We played chess at the "Chess Club" in Lincoln park, Long Beach. We played sandlot football near Seaside Hospital. Larry was a very good football player. We attended many Poly High Football games when we were in High School. The last time I saw Larry was at our 20th Class reunion in 1979. I am proud to say that I was a friend of Larry's. Wish him "all the best" from me.
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