In early 1941, Capablanca was in New York and was interviewed by George Sturgis (ISCF President), L Walter Stephens (Vice-President) and chess journalist Hermann Helms about the possibility of holding a world championship tournament in the United States.
Capablanca informed them that he did not favor the idea of holding a round-robin tournament to decide the championship and stated that he would refuse to play in such a tournament because it wouldn't be a “fair test of the real caliber of the competitors.” He called attention to AVRO 1938,
as highlighting the inadequacy of this type of competition. Sounds like sour grapes’ Capablanca finished next to last with a minus score.
Capablanca wanted the USCF to help fund a match between
Alekhine and, of course, himself and he even told them how to go about it. They should form a committee of three and draw up regulations and make plans for the match. He also suggested hat the USCF use its influence to persuade Alekhine to play for a purse
of $10,000 (over $218,000 today) in American money.
Alekhine wanted a guaranteed purse of $10,000 in gold,
which would have been the equivalent of about $17,000 in 1941 US dollars (abut $371,000 in today’s dollars).
USCF officials decided to take no action on Capablanca’s suggestions but to hold the matter in abeyance. If Alekhine showed up in the United States they would discuss it with him.
Stephens told Capablanca that he thought a match between Alekhine and Reshevsky would be more interesting to American and he (Stephens) would prefer to raise money for that match if a tournament could not be arranged.
What was Capablanca’s reaction to Stephens declaration? In the discussion that followed Capablanca recommended that American chess authorities should take a firmer hold in tournaments “in order to raise the dignity and decorum of such events to a higher level.” Stephens agreed with him.
In 1941, the United States was hesitant about getting involved in the war and initially maintained a policy of neutrality. However, President Roosevelt recognized the growing threat posed by Nazi Germany and sought ways to support Allied nations. Then on December 7th the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor by Japan changed everything.
On a side note, on January 11, 1941, Emanuel Lasker, holder of the World Championship from 1894 to 1921 died in New York at the age of 72.
One tournament that was held in 1941 was the one held in Ventnor City, New Jersey. It had an exciting finish when 36-year old lawyer Jacob Levin, of Philadelphia, upset all expectations by winning first prize.
In the final round, Levin quickly won his game against Robert Durkin, making it necessary for Anthony Santasiere to win from Milton Hanauer in order to tie, but he ended up losing. Fred Reinfeld slipped into second when he won his last round game against Weaver Adams.
Of the following game Pinkus wrote, “While not an example of perfect chess, this game is certainly one of the most interesting produced in the past few years.” He was right about it not being perfect and it is kind of interesting. Nor was it the one sided drubbing that Pinkus made it ouy to be. Durkin’s only really nig mistake came on move 22 which list instantly. Of course, these days any Patzer with an engine can criticize. Let’s take a look.
[Event "Ventnor City"]
[Site ""]
[Date "1941.07.06"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Albert Pinkus"]
[Black "Robert Durkin"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C10"]
[Annotator "Pinkus/Stockfish 17.1"]
[PlyCount "49"]
[EventDate "1941.??.??"]
{C13: French Defense} 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 {A rather inisual move
that Tarrasch dismissed as theoretically unsound because he believed black
will be unable to break up white's center. He appears to have been right; in
my database white scores twice as many wins as black.} 4. Nxe4 Nd7 {Black
avoids the immediate 4...Nf6 because of 5.Nxf6+ when he hs to either accept
doubled Ps of bring his Q out too early.} 5. Nf3 Ngf6 6. Bd3 b6 {In a brief
annotation I saw this move was, perhaps unfairly, slapped with a question mark.
Theoretically it's just OK, but in practice it has not worked out well at all.
White wins 53% of the database games; black 22%. But then the usual 6...c5 and
6...Nxe4 don't do any better!} 7. Bg5 {While this move is frequently seen, the
exchanges that result from it only favor black. Hence, 7.Qe2 seems preferable.}
Bb7 8. Qe2 Be7 {White has played at least a half dozen different moves here.
Again, the position is equal, ober the long haul black's lack of any real
counterplay tells agaist him.} 9. Bxf6 {There was no reason to play this
unprovoked exchange as black now is equal.} (9. h4 {is white's most
interesting try.} Nxe4 {The exchanges only help black.} (9... h6 10. Nxf6+ Nxf6
11. Bf4 Nd5 12. Bd2 Nb4 13. Bb5+ c6 14. Ba4 {is equal.}) 10. Bxe4 Bxe4 11. Qxe4
O-O (11... Bxg5 12. hxg5 g6 13. O-O-O {White gas a nearly won position.}) 12.
O-O-O {with equal chances.}) 9... Nxf6 10. O-O O-O 11. c4 {What are the plans
for both sides? White has control of the center and he can either play for the
endgame using his Q-side P-majority or he can try to build up a K-side attack.
For his part, black, who has a cramped but solid position anf the twi Bs, must
at the moment attempt to get rid of white's d-Pawn and so needs to think about
playing ...c5 which he should play at once.} Qc8 {The purpose of this odd
looking move is to make d8 available for the R. It's not a bad move, but
Durkin is playing very passively. The correct plan, as mentioned, was to play
11...c5} 12. Rad1 Rd8 13. Ng3 {This, too, is rather passive. 13.Ne5 suggests
itself.} Bf8 {Of course he couldn't take the d-Pawn. In spite of the fact that
black's position looks gead, it's solid and should prove a tough nut to crack!}
14. Ne5 c5 {Finally!} 15. Nh5 {White threatens Nxf6+ and mate.} Ne8 {This
meets the threat, but it puts one too many pieces on the back rank!} (15... a6
{A pass to demonstrate the threat.} 16. Nxf6+ gxf6 {White has a forced mate.}
17. Bxh7+ Kh8 18. Qh5 Bh6 19. Qxh6 Rd7 20. Bc2+ Kg8 21. Rd3 Bf3 22. Rxf3 Rxd4
23. Qh7+ Kf8 24. Qxf7#) (15... Qc7 {Eliminates the threat.} 16. Nxf6+ gxf6 17.
Bxh7+ Kxh7 18. Qh5+ Kg8 (18... Bh6 19. Nxf7 {wins}) 19. Rd3 fxe5 20. Rh3 Bg7
21. Qh7+ Kf8 22. Rg3 exd4 23. Qxg7+ Ke7 24. Qg5+ Kd7 {The K has given white
the slip and black is left with a winning position.}) (15... Qc7 16. d5 Nxh5
17. Bxh7+ (17. Qxh5 g6 {Black is better.}) 17... Kxh7 18. Qxh5+ Kg8 19. dxe6
fxe6 {Surprisingly, white can't seem to make any headway in this position and
so black has equalized.}) 16. Nf4 {This is not the most energetic, but Pinkus
is relying on what he described as a trap.} (16. Bxh7+ Kxh7 17. Nxf7 {leaves
black with no good reply.} Rd7 18. Ng5+ Kg8 (18... Kh8 19. Nf4 {Here, too,
white is winning.}) 19. Qxe6+) 16... g6 17. dxc5 {Durkin's next move is what
Pinkus was relying on. While it's not a gross blunder, it is not the strongest
move. Instead of retaking with the B which is helping to defend his K. Durlin
makes the logical decision to retake with the Q.} Qxc5 {Pinkus gave this a ??,
but it's not that bad!} (17... Bxc5 {White still has the N sacrifice, but it
leads to no more than equality.} 18. Nxf7 Kxf7 {And now white has only one way
to continue and that is to play another sacrifice.} 19. Bxg6+ hxg6 {Taking
with the K leaves it badly exposed after 29.Nxe6. After the text the e-Pawn is
protected because the Q is on c8.} 20. Rxd8 {Removing the e-Pawn's protection.}
Qxd8 21. Qxe6+ Kf8 22. Nxg6+ Kg7 {White is able to hold his own in this
materially unblanced position, but he must find the one move that accomplishes
the task (22.Ne5). Here is a sample line...} 23. Ne5 Nd6 24. Qg4+ Kf6 25. Nd7+
Ke7 26. Qg7+ Ke6 27. Qg4+ Kf7 28. Re1 Ne4 {and white has to take the perpetual
check.}) 18. Nxf7 {The crusher according to Pinkus, but while it is the best
move and it leaves black at a disadvantage, he might be able to find a
satisfactory defens. For his part white must now find moves that keep up the
pressure.} Kxf7 19. Bxg6+ {[%mdl 512]} (19. Nxe6 {is just a bit less effective.
} Qe7 20. Nxd8+ Rxd8 {White is only slightly better.}) 19... hxg6 20. Qxe6+ Kg7
21. Qxg6+ Kh8 {It's amazing, but this position is evaluated at being
completely equal which is not the same as being drawn. As usual, being on the
defensive puts a lot of pressure on black.} 22. Qf7 {[%mdl 1024]} Be4 {[%mdl
8192] This unfortunate move loses instantly. Pinkus wrote, "Where thetre are
no good moves, bad ones will be found." While that may be true, here there is
a relatively good move; ,but Durkin didn't play it.} (22... Bg7 {Returning
some plastic; the best white has is to take on b7} 23. Qxb7 Qxc4 24. g3 Qc7 25.
Qf3 Qf7 {with a crazy position, but one in which 5 Shootouts were drawn.}) 23.
Rxd8 Rxd8 24. Ne6 Nd6 {Even the better 24,,,Qe7 would not have saved the game.}
25. Qf6+ {Black resigned.} 1-0
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