Dr. Clurman Got Swindled

     On November 27, 1919, Sammy Rzeschewski gave a simultaneous in New York. He lost a game to Alex Simchow of the Brownscville Chess Club and due to the late hour his game against Dr. Morris J. Clurman of Brooklyn was adjudicated a draw by Frank Marshall who served as referee. 

     Dr. Clurman disagreed with the decision. He said, “I believe my game against the young master should have been credited to me as I threatened very serious things with my last move.” 

     “White's King is not in an enviable position and I threatened (...Ng3). If the Bishop retreats, I am a Pawn ahead and have the superior position. I feel certain that I could have won the game if time would have permitted. The game la a complicated one and shows that the young master has a wotderful power of chess vision.” 

     “To my own satisfaction, I am convinced that Rzeschewski will rank eventually as one of the world's greatest chess masters in a few years. That depends, however, in my opinion, upon the manner in which he will be handled.” 

     Dr. Morris Joseph Clurman was born in 1884 in Russia and died of heart failure at his home in Brooklyn at the age of 76 or 77 on October 11, 1961. 

     He emigrated with his family from Russia in 1888 and became a naturalized US Citizen in 1909. He was the eldest son of 4 children. His brother Harold would become one of the most influential theater directors and critics in the United States. 

    Dr. Clurman was married in Manhattan in June of 1914 and the couple had two children: Irma who was born in 1915 and Stanley who was born in 1919. He graduated from college in 1905 and received his medical degree from Cornell University in 1908. 

     He was one of the first physicians to write about the hazards in football. He published a tract in February, 1911 detailing the physical and health related problems that can come from playing football. 

     Here is his game against Rzeschewski and as you can see, he was right on both counts: he should have been awarded the win and Rzeschewski did go on to become one of the world’s greatest masters.

 

[Event "Sinul, Bew York City"] [Site "?"] [Date "1919.11.27"] [Round "?"] [White "Sammy Rzeschewski"] [Black "Dr. Morris J. Clurman"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B17"] [Annotator "Stockfish/Komodo"] [PlyCount "46"] [EventDate "1919.??.??"] {B17: Caro-Kann} 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nf6 {More often seen are 4...Bf5 and 5...Nd7} 5. Ng3 {The usuak move here is 5,Nxf6 gxf6,the Bronstein–Larsen Variation. Black can also play the Korchnoi Variation 5... exf6} e6 6. Nf3 Bd6 7. Bd3 Nbd7 8. c3 {This is a rather slow continuation that does not challenge white in the center. 6...c5 is more direct.} b6 9. Ne4 ({ Better is} 9. Qe2 O-O (9... Bb7 10. Nf5 {spells difficulties for black.}) 10. Ne5 Nxe5 11. dxe5 Bxe5 12. Bxh7+ Nxh7 13. Qxe5) (9. Qe2 O-O 10. Ne4 {is a better alternative.} Be7 11. Bf4 c5 {White is very slightly better.}) 9... Nxe4 10. Bxe4 Bb7 11. O-O Qc7 12. h3 Nf6 (12... O-O 13. Bg5 f5 14. Bc2 c5 {is equal. Exner,G-Przepiorka,D Gyor 1924}) 13. Bd3 O-O-O {This is risky. Castling K-side was considerably safer.} 14. Qe2 Kb8 15. Be3 {Passive play. Going after black's K with 15.a4 challenges black's decision to castle Q-side.} (15. a4 a5 16. b4 axb4 17. cxb4 Bxb4 18. Bg5 c5 (18... h6 19. Bh4 {Threatening to pin the Q and K; black is in a difficult situation.}) 19. dxc5 bxc5 20. Rfc1 {White has a dangerous initiative.}) 15... h6 {[%mdl 32]} 16. Rad1 {The best move is still 16.a4!} g5 {[%mdl 32] A terrific move that launches a very dangerous attack.} 17. Bc1 {Rezeschewski is blithely unaware of the impending danger.} ( 17. Ba6 {results in equal chances after} Bxa6 18. Qxa6 g4 19. hxg4 Nxg4 20. c4 Bh2+ 21. Kh1 Rhg8 22. a4 Nxe3 23. fxe3 Bg3 24. a5) 17... g4 18. Ne5 (18. hxg4 { was somewhat better. For example...} Nxg4 19. Rfe1 Rdg8 {with the initiative.}) 18... gxh3 {From this point on white is fighting a lost cause.} 19. g3 Rdg8 { Another good option was 19...c5 opening up the Bs diagonal.} 20. Bf4 $2 (20. Qf3 {was a better alternative.} Bxe5 21. dxe5 h2+ 22. Kxh2 Ng4+ 23. Kg1 Nxe5 { Black is better, but there is no forced win.}) 20... h5 {White is pretty much helpless against what is coming.} 21. c4 (21. Nxf7 {fails to} Bxf4 22. Nxh8 Rxh8 23. Be4 Qg7 {White's position is hopeless. Just a single example...} 24. Bf3 h4 25. g4 Bc7 26. Kh1 Nh7 27. Be4 Ng5 28. f3 Nxe4 29. fxe4 c5 {and there is no way to stop black's ons;aught.}) (21. Kh2) 21... c5 {Adding the B to the K-side action. Black is clearly winning.} 22. f3 h4 23. g4 Nh5 {Here, due to the lateness of the hour, the game was stopped and Frank Marrshall unfairly adjudicated it as a draw.} (23... Nh5 24. Nd7+ {There is nothing better than giving up a piece with this move.} (24. dxc5 Nxf4 25. Qc2 Bxc5+ 26. Kh1 Qxe5 { iseasily winning for black.}) (24. Nc6+ Qxc6 25. Bxd6+ Qxd6 26. Qe5 Qxe5 27. dxe5 Ng3) (24. Qh2 Nxf4 25. Qxf4 cxd4 26. Rde1 f5 27. Kh2 Be4 {There is noi satisfactory answer to ...Bxe5}) 24... Qxd7 25. Bxd6+ Qxd6 26. Qe5 Qxe5 27. dxe5 Ng3 28. Rf2 Rg5 29. Re1 Rd8 30. Bf1 Nxf1 31. Rexf1 Rxe5 {and wins.}) 0-1