Ventnor City 1940

    In 1940, in the United States the military draft went into effect. The first Social Security checks were mailed on January 30th. The Pennsylvania Turnpike, the first multi-lane in the country opened. The first McDonald's hamburger stand opened in Pasadena, California. 

CBS demonstrated color television in New York City and WNBT, the first regularly operating television station, debuts in the city with an testimated 10,000 viewers. Superman, the radio show debuted as did he first Bugs Bunny cartoon. In the world of science freeze drying was adapted for food preservation. Plasma was discovered to be a substitute for whole blood in transfusions. 

    On February 17, 1940, New England champion Harold Morton died in a car accident in Iowa and his passenger, I.A. Hprpwirz, was seriously injured. On April 9, 1940, the strong amateur player John F. Barry (1873-1940) died in West Roxbury, Massachusetts at the age of 66. 

    Adele Rivero won the US women's championship. Arnold Denker won the Manhattan Chess Club championship for the second year in a row. Samuel Reshevsky won his third US Championship. Reuben Fine took won the US Open in Dallas. 

    In the resort town of Ventnor City, New Jersey the second Ventnor tournament was held in early July. The players were especially pleased because the bonus money for non-prize- winners had been increased. 

    Shortly before the tournament was slated to start, it suffered two minor setbacks when Jacob Levin and Fred Reinfeld, who had originally accepted invitations, became unavailable at the last moment for business reasons. Fortunately two other players, the strong Jeremiah Donovan and the not so strong L. Walter Stephens, were available. Jeremiah Donovan’s performance was a pleasant surprise as he reinforced the good impression he had previously made in the Marshall CC Championship. 

    An innovation of the tournament was the exclusive use, for the first time in tournament history, of all-electric clocks which were designed and made by one of the tournament officials, Gerald Phillips. The clocks worked very well, but they never caught on.

 

    The finish was exciting because both Sidney Bernstein and Milton Hanauer had to win their last round games in order to to tie for first. 

 

[Event "Ventnor City"] [Site "?"] [Date "1940.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Anthony Santasiere"] [Black "Milton Hanauer"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A29"] [Annotator "Stockfish 16"] [PlyCount "72"] [EventDate "1940.??.??"] {A29: English Opening: Four Knights Variation} 1. c4 {Although Santasiere was critical of players who played, dull, boring chess, he, himself, was guilty of playing a plodding style. In a dispute they had, Larry Evans asked where werre the games that qualified Santasiere as the spokesman fore Ropmaticisim?} e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. d3 d5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. g3 Be7 7. Bg2 Be6 8. O-O O-O 9. a3 f6 {The openig is similar to a Dragon Sicilian Reversed.} 10. Qc2 (10. e4 Nb6 11. Be3 Nd4 12. Bxd4 exd4 13. Ne2 c5 14. Nf4 {with a slight advantage for white. Agrest,E (2605)-Chuchelov,V (2608) Mainz 2003}) 10... Qd7 11. Ne4 { White wants ti invade on c5.} b6 {A bold decision...it opens up the diagonal and weakens the c-Pawn, but at the same time black himself figths for play on the c-file.} 12. b4 {Hanauer did not like this move because it neglects development and it's not so important that it cannot be delayed. He favored 12. Bd23 followed by Rc1. Giving the move a ? was a bit harsh though.} (12. e3 { ios the modern GM's move.} a5 13. b3 Rad8 14. Bb2 Na7 15. d4 {as in Filippov,A (2598)-Grishchenko,S (2464) Dagomys RUS 2010 where wgite's strong initiative lead to a win.}) 12... a5 (12... Nd4 {was a better way to take advantage of white's last move.} 13. Nxd4 exd4 14. Bb2 f5 15. Nd2 c5 {with an aggressive position.}) 13. b5 Nd4 14. Nxd4 exd4 15. a4 (15. Bb2 {keeps the balance.} Qxb5 16. Bxd4 c5 17. Nc3 Qd7 18. Nxd5 Bxd5 19. Bxd5+ Qxd5 20. Be3) 15... Rac8 { [%mdl 32] Putting into action the plan mentioned in the note to move 11.} 16. Nd2 c6 17. bxc6 Rxc6 18. Qb2 {Moving the Q away from the R makes sense, but after this white lands in serious difficulties.} (18. Nc4 Rfc8 19. Bd2 { Black stands well, but there is no clear way for him to make progress.}) 18... Nc3 {Not bad, but both players have overlooked the tactical shot 16...Bb4!} ( 18... Bb4 {There is no way to meet ...Bc3} 19. Nb1 (19. Ra2 Nc3 20. Ra1 (20. Bxc6 Nxe2+ 21. Kh1 Qxc6+ 22. f3 Bh3 23. Re1 Bxd2 {mates in 5} 24. Rf1 Bxf1 25. Qb3+ Kh8 26. Qd5 Qxd5 27. h3 Qxf3+ 28. Kh2 Qg2#) 20... Nxe2+) (19. Nf3 Bc3 20. Qb1 Bxa1 21. Qxa1 Nc3 {with a decisive advantage.}) 19... Rfc8 20. Ra2 Rc5 21. Bd2 Bc3 22. Nxc3 dxc3 23. Bxc3 Nxc3 {and wins}) 19. Re1 (19. Bxc6 Nxe2+ 20. Kh1 Qxc6+ 21. f3 Nc3 {Materially black only has a B+P agaonst a R, but his active play assures him of an advantage. Shootouts from this posion resulted in white scoring +0 -3 =2}) 19... Bb4 {This is less effective than it would have been last move.} 20. e3 {[%mdl 8192] this allows black to gain a decisive advantage. } (20. Bxc6 {Oddly enough, after black's last move this is now white's correct reply because after} Qxc6 21. Nf3 Bh3 22. e4 dxe3 23. Rxe3 Nd5 24. Re4 { Black should probably take the draw by repeating moves.}) 20... dxe3 21. fxe3 ( 21. Rxe3 Rd6 22. Qc2 Rc8 23. Nc4 Nxa4 {is winning for black.}) 21... Rd6 { Black is not interested in winning a mere P with 21...Nxa4} 22. d4 Rc8 23. Rf1 Ne2+ {Black is clearly winning.} 24. Kf2 Bc3 25. Qb1 Nxc1 (25... Bxa1 {is also good.} 26. Qxa1 Nc3) 26. Rxc1 Bxd2 27. Rxc8+ Qxc8 {Being a piece up the win is only a matter of technique for black.} 28. Qd3 Bb4 29. d5 Bf5 30. e4 Qc5+ 31. Qe3 Qc2+ 32. Qe2 Bc5+ 33. Kf1 Qc3 34. Rd1 Bd7 35. Rd3 Qa1+ 36. Rd1 Qxa4 { White resigned.} 0-1