The U.S. team was made up of Isaac Kashdan, Frank Marshall, Reuben Fine, Arthur Dake and Albert Simonson. Kashdan and Marshall were on the team because they were the country’s leading players, but how were the others selected since there was no rating system in those days?
There was a "test tournament" as it was called with the games being played at the Marshall, West Side and Manhattan Chess Clubs. That Reuben Fine, the winner of the tournament, earned a place on the team was not a surprise. As holder of the Western Open title and twice champion of the Marshall Chess Club, one of the three remaining places on the team was practically conceded to him. That’s not to say he coasted to victory though because in the game featured below, he was the victim of a sensational upset in the third round when Robert Lavenstein, a student at City College of New York, defeated him in brilliant fashion.
Arthur Dake, a member of the champion team of 1931, vindicated and solidified his inclusion on the team. The sensation of the tournament was 18-year old Albert C. Simonson, known as “Buddy” to his friends. Simonson had done quite poorly in the recently concluded Marshall Chess Club championship, but in this tournament he really found himself, winning 6 of his 10 games. He lost to Dake and Fine and drew with Horowitz and Reinfeld.
Although he failed to make the team, 19-year old Arnold Denker lived up to expectations, but I.A. Horowitz, a valuable member of the 1931 team, was a disappointment. Horowitz tied with Robert Willman (January 3, 1908 – uncertain) but was expected to finish higher.
Willman was from New York City and participated in many local events and was state champion, but little is actually known about him. According to chess historian Jeremy Gaige he changed his name to Williams and died on December 30, 1978 though most sources give the date as December 1, 1977.
After five rounds Horowitz was in the lead with a score of 4-1 and it was considered certain that he would make the team. Although Dake was in third place with only a 3-2 score it was thought he would also make the team without difficulty. Simonson was something of a surprise and it was expected that he would “give a good account of himself” for the remainder of the tournament.
The standings after five rounds were:
1) Horowitz 4.0-1.0
2) Simonson 3.5-1.5
3) Dake 3.0-2.0
4) Denker 2.5-2.5
5-6) Fine and Levenstein(2.0-1.0
7) Willman 2.0-2.0
8-9) Hassiallis and Reinfeld 1.0-2.0
10) Beckhardt 1.0-3.0
11) Schwartz 0.0-4.0
Several games were adjourned.
Final standings:
1) Fine 8.0-2.0 (+7 -1 =2)
2-3) Dake 7.0-2.0 (+6 -2 =2)
2-3) Simonson 7.0-2.0 (+6 -2 =2)
4) Denker 6.0-4.0) (+5 -3 =2)
5-6) Horowitz 5.5-4.5 (+4 -3 =3)
5-6) Willman 5.5-4.5 (+3 -2 =5)
7-8) Levenstein 4.0-6.0 (+3 -5 =2)
7-8) Reinfeld 4.0-6.0 (+1 -3 =6)
9) Beckhardt 3.0-7.0 (+2 -6 =2)
10-11) Hassialis 2.5-7.5 (+2 -7 =1)
10-11) Schwartz 2.5-7.5 (+1 -6 =3)
Dr. Menelaos Hassialis was a one time Columbia University player that also occasionally scored well in Marshall Chess Club rapid tournaments and he was a member of the YMCA West team. He had a B.S. in physics and chemistry and an M.A. in physics.
At the time Nathan Beckhardt (1912-1986) was a student at the City College of New York and was captain of its chess team. He was Bronx champion and won several of the Empire City Chess Club’s rapid tournaments.
William E. Schwartz was a member of the Manhattan Chess Club and Robert Levenstein (May 26, 1914 - May 1, 2009, 94 years old) was New York state champion in 1934. He was an accomplished pianist and performed for the New York Pro Musica for many years. He was a music educator before he retired.
No comments:
Post a Comment