The really big news in 1944 was the Allies invasion of Normandy on D-Day, June 6th. The BBC Home Service presenter, John Snagge, announced these immortal words: "D-Day has come. Early this morning the Allies began the assault on the north-western face of Hitler's European fortress.”
A number of players were lost that year. German master Wilhelm Orbach (1894-1944) died Auschwitz/ Polish-Dutch master Salo Landau (1903-1944) was gassed by the Nazis in a German concentration camp in Poland. Polish masters Dawid Daniuszewski (1885-1944) and Dalomon Szapiro (1882-1944) died in the Lodz Ghetto. Vera Manchik, her mother and sister died in a bombing rin on London. Hungarian master Endre Steiner (1901-1944) died in a Nazi concentration camp near Budapest.
In non-war relatd deaths Danish master Jorgen Moeller (1873-1944) died in Copenhage. Austrian master Adolf Zinkl (1871-1944) died in Vienna. Argentine master Roberto Grau (1900-1944) died in Buenos Aires of cerebral hemorrhage at the age of 44.
American master Albert B. Hodges (1861-1944) died at his home on Staten Island. New York.
The legendary Frank Marshall (1877-1944) died in Jersey City at the age of 67. And, George Sturgis, the USCF President, died of as heart attack in Boston. He was only 53.
In US chess news 24-year old Army PFC Herbert Seidman won the Marshall Chess Club championship with an incredible 12.5-0.5 score. For the third time Samuel Reshevsky won the US Open in Boston.
Arnold S. Denker won the 5th US Championship, held in New York. With a 15.5-1.5 score. Reshevsky was preparing for his Certified Public Accountant exams and so did not compete. Gisela K. Gresser was the US women's champion.
In news that went almost unnoticed Denker took part in an unusual exhibition in Washington DC when he defeated a team of ten of the city’s top players on September 16th.
They were simultaneous clock games with each Washington player allowed two hours for his first forty moves. It took Denker 5 hours and 15 minutes to finish with +6 -2 =2.
Denker displayed plenty of pluck. He was material down in the last
four games, but he succeeded in salvaging 1.5 points. The following day Denker gave a regular simul and scored +24 -1 =4. The sole winner was fifteen-year old Hans Berliner who had been the first to first to succumb to Denker in the previous day’s clock match.
Arnold Denker–Dr. H.V. Klein1–0D4610 Bd Clock Simul, Washington DC1944Stockfish 16
D46: Semi-Slav 1.f3 e6 2.d4 d5 3.c4 c6 In this, the Semi-Salv, black is
threatening to capture the P on c4 and hold it with ...b7-b5. White can avoid
this in a number of waya, but in any case, the positions that arise are oftne
very sharp. 4.e3 d7 5.c3 gf6 6.d3 d6 7.0-0 0-0 8.e4 Typical Denker.
Fine recommended the more reserved 8.b3 dxe4 9.xe4 xe4 10.xe4 h6 11.e1 f6 12.c2 e8 Horowitz was critical of black's strategy of patient
maneuvers behind his own line. Instead he thought black should attempt to free
himself with 12...b5 12...c5 This is superior to Horowitz' suggestion. 13.e3 c7 14.dxc5 xc5 15.xc5 xc5 16.e5 b5 17.cxb5 xb5 18.a4 b6 19.c6 b7 20.xb7 ½-½ Sofrevski,J-Ilievski,D Skopje 1968 13.b3 b4
Better was 13...c5 14.d2 xd2 15.xd2 d6 16.ad1 d8 17.e3 d7
Black sits tight and waits for something to happen. It's about to!. 18.e5 e8 19.f4 c7 20.g4 Denker intends to expose his opponent's K. d7 21.d3 f8 Inhibits Qh7+. leads to a slaughter. 21...xe5 22.h7+ f8 23.xe5 b5 24.h8+ e7 25.xg7 d7 26.xe6 22.g5 hxg5 22...h5
isn't really any better. 23.f5 continues the attack 23.fxg5 d6 24.e4
This r lift aims to place his R and Q on the h-file. ad8 24...c5 was worth a trym but white would still be winning. 25.h3 xd4 26.dxd4 cxd4 27.h4 g6 28.xg6 fxg6 29.h8+ f7 30.f3+ e7 31.f8+ d7 32.xg7+ c6 33.e4+ b6 34.xd4+ c5 35.xc5+ xc5 36.xg6 25.h4 Black is
helpless. g6 26.xg6 fxg6 27.f1 Setting up a nifty finish. Intending Qh3
and mate. xd4 This allows mate in 4, but he was lost anyway. 27...e7 28.h3 xg5+ 29.h1 and to avoid mate black must surrender his Q 28.h8+
Black resigned 28.h8+ xh8 29.f8+ h7 30.h3+ h4 31.xh4# 1–0
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