Bernardo Wexler

    International Master (awarded in 1959) Bernardo Wexler (April 1, 1925 – June 30, 1988) was born in Bucharest, but his family emigrated to Argentina when he was seven years old. 

    It was a good time to leave Europe. In February of 1932 hints of what was to come were taking place. A conference began in Geneva. The main issue was the demand made by Germany to abolish the part of the Treaty of Versailles that had disarmed the country. The French were vehemently opposed. 

    When the German presidential election was held Paul von Hindenburg ws reelected, defeating Hitler. In April, the German Chancellor Heinrich Bruning banned the SA and the SS because they were chiefly responsible for the wave of political violence in Germany. 

    Nothing is known of Wexler’s early chess career and his first known games seem to be in 1951 when he tied for 6th and 7th places (out of 23) with Jacobo Bolbochan at the Zonal tournament in Mar del Plata. The event was won by Julio Bolbochan and Erich Eliskases. 

    He remained very active in Argentine chess throughout the 1950s and in 1959, Wexler won the Argentine Championship in Buenos Aires. He also participated in almost all the international tournaments in Buenos Aires in the 1950s and ‘60s. Wexler played for Argentina in three Chess Olympiads in 1956, 1960 and 1984.

    He retired as a court official and died in Buenos Aires on June 30. 1988. His last known game was played in 1987 

 

    In the following hair raising game from the 1953 Argentine Championship he defeats Albert Fogulaman (1923-2013, 80 years old) who was awarded the IM title in 1963. In 1966, Fodulman tied with Henrique Mecking, Julio Bolbochan and Oscar Panno in the South American Zonal tournament/ Mecking won the playoff. The game was far fro perfect, but that only adds to its enjoyment. 

[Event "Argentine Chp, Buenos Aires"] [Site "Buenos Aires"] [Date "1953.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Alberto Foguelman"] [Black "Bernardo Wexler"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B83"] [Annotator "Stockfish 16"] [PlyCount "62"] [EventDate "1953.??.??"] {Sicilian Scheveningen} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Be3 e6 {In the Scheveningen black setting up a small center with Pawns on d6 and e6.} 7. Be2 {In this, the main line, white plans to build up a K-side attack, typically by means of g2–g4–g5, Qd1–e1–h4, Bg2, Qh5, Rf3–h3, etc. Black aims for ato counter on the Q-side using the semi-open c-file, or strike in the center.} Be7 8. O-O O-O 9. f4 a6 10. Kh1 Qc7 11. Qe1 Nxd4 12. Bxd4 b5 13. Qg3 Bb7 14. e5 {While this can hardly be called bad, it is, perhaps, a bit premature. White usually plays 14.a3} (14. Bd3 g6 15. a3 Nh5 16. Qf2 Nxf4 17. Qxf4 e5 {and black has a slight advantage. Yu,R (2548)-Wang,Y (2717) China 2014}) 14... Ne8 (14... dxe5 {as in Kushagra,M (2395)-Arabidze,M (2422) chess.com INT 2022 is playable and resulted in equal chance after} 15. Bxe5 Qb6 {[%eval -34,21] [%wdl 1,968,31] [%emt 0:00:07]} 16. Bf3 Bxf3) 15. Bd3 d5 {This is too ambitious.} (15... dxe5 {with full equality.} 16. Bxe5 Qb6 17. Ne4 f6 18. Bc3 b4 {Travenec,I (2196) -Stranz,R (2196) Vienna AUT 2012}) (15... Rd8 {is equally playable. Travenec,I (2196) -Stranz,R (2196) Vienna 2012 continued} 16. f5 dxe5 17. Bxe5 Bd6 18. Bxd6 {and now black should have rcaptured with the R and not the Q.} Rxd6 (18... Qxd6 19. fxe6 Qxg3 (19... Qxe6 20. Qh4 {with a decisive advantage.}) 20. hxg3 fxe6 21. Bxh7+ Kxh7 22. Rxf8) 19. fxe6 Rxe6 {is completely even.}) 16. f5 exf5 $16 17. Rxf5 g6 18. Rh5 { This lets black off the hook.} (18. Ne2 Ng7 19. Rf3 Rae8 20. Raf1 Ne6 21. c3 { White has the more active position.}) 18... Ng7 19. Rh6 {It looks like white has serious threats on the h-file, but looks are deceiving. The position is one of headf whirling complicatiosn.} Qd7 {[%mdl 8192] And, after this white does have serious (devisive) threat on the h-file!} (19... Ne6 {is a must play. } 20. Ne2 ({This simply does not work...} 20. Qh3 Nxd4 21. Rxh7 Qxe5 {guards against the mate and black has won material and is clearly winning.}) 20... Bg5 21. Rh3 Bc8 22. Bc3 a5 {A nice P offer.} 23. Bxb5 Qc5 24. Bd3 d4 {White is under a lot of pressure.}) 20. e6 {Now its' white's turn to let his opponent off the hook!} (20. Rf1 Rae8 21. Nd1 a5 22. Ne3 Bc8 23. h4 {In spite of all black's pieces huddled arounf the K white is winning. Here's a sample line...} Ne6 24. Rf5 Nxd4 25. Rfh5 Bd6 26. exd6 Rxe3 27. Qxe3 Re8 28. Qf2 Nf3 29. gxf3 Qh3+ 30. Kg1 gxh5 31. Rxh5 f6 32. Qg2+ Qxg2+ 33. Kxg2 Be6 34. Rxh7 {White has a won ending.}) 20... Qxe6 {This is the correct capture.} (20... Nxe6 21. Bf5 Qe8 22. Bxe6 fxe6 23. Rxh7 e5 (23... Kxh7 24. Qh3+ {mates}) 24. Qh3 exd4 25. Qh6 Bf6 26. Rxb7 Rf7 27. Nxd5 Bg7 28. Qxg6 Qf8 (28... Rxb7 29. Nf6+) 29. Qxf7+ Qxf7 30. Rxf7 Kxf7 {White is winning.} 31. Rf1+) 21. Re1 Qd6 22. Qh3 {Somewhat better would have been 22.Be5 then reposition the N with Ne2} Bf6 {This move is the only one that saves the game!} (22... Ne6 23. Rxh7 Nxd4 24. Rh8+ Kg7 25. Qh6+ Kf6 26. Rh7 Nf5 27. Bxf5 Kxf5 28. Qh3+ Kg5 29. Qe3+ Qf4 30. h4+ Kf5 31. Rxf7+ Kg4 32. Qxf4+ Kh5 33. Rh7#) 23. Rxh7 Nh5 24. Bxf6 Qxf6 25. Rxh5 gxh5 26. Qxh5 Rfe8 27. Rf1 Qg7 {[%mdl 128] The air has cleared and the materially unbalanced position coukld go either way.} 28. Nxd5 {Voluntrily walking into a pin for the sake of winjning a P is, if not fatal. very risky. Best was 28.Ne2} Re6 {Bringing the R into play. White's best move is now one that looks like it might be the worst!} 29. Rf3 {[%mdl 8192] This loses for real.} (29. h3 { This looks horribly weakening, but black's advantage is now minimal after} Rae8 30. Be4 Rh6 (30... Rxe4 31. Nf6+ Kf8 32. Nd7+ Ke7 (32... Kg8 33. Nf6+ {with a repitition. Even} Kf8 34. Nh7+ {draws.} Ke7 {This loses, so black has to rtepeat moves.} 35. Qc5+ Ke6 36. Ng5+ Kd7 37. Rd1+ Rd4 38. Rxd4+) 33. Qc5+ Kd8 (33... Kxd7 34. Rd1+ Rd4 35. Rxd4+ {wins}) 34. Qb6+ Kc8 35. Qc5+ {draws}) 31. Qf3 Ree6 32. Ne7+) 29... Rd8 30. Nf4 (30. Nf6+ {is tricky, but black should be able to sidestep all the tricks.} Rxf6 31. Rg3 Rxd3 {The only move that will win!} (31... Rg6 {results in equal chances.} 32. Bxg6 fxg6 33. Rxg6 Rd1+ 34. Qxd1 Qxg6 {A crazy position!}) 32. Rxg7+ Kxg7 33. h3 Rg3 34. Qe2 Re6 35. Qf2 Rxg2) 30... Bxf3 31. Bh7+ Kh8 {White resigned.} (31... Qxh7 32. Qg5+ Qg7 33. Qxd8+ Kh7 {and black is winning.}) (31... Kh8 {white can only wait fort he nate in 7 to unfold.} 32. Bd3+ Bxh5 33. Nxe6 fxe6 34. Kg1 Rxd3 35. cxd3 Bf3 36. g3 Qe5 37. Kf1 Qe2+ 38. Kg1 Qg2#) 0-1