Chicago Chess History Link

Just another very quick post, to link , the John S. Hilbert's article; A War of Words and Moves: The 1877 Louisville – Chicago Consultation Correspondence Game, over at ChessCafe. An important contribution to Chicago chess history.

Emil Kemeny - A Hungarian in the windy city: Early chess editors of the Chicago Tribune (Part 3)

 

Emil Kemeny

SDN-002694, Chicago Daily News negatives collection, Chicago History Museum.  

On July 12th, 1902, Emil Kemeny then champion of the Franklin Chess Club of Philadelphia gave a simultaneous exhibition at the Chicago Chess Club, where he played a dozen games against the Chicago players, scoring 6 wins, 2 draws, and 4 lost games. Kemeny also played a couple of off-hand games without clocks against the Chicago Daily Tribune chess editor Sidney P. Johnston at the Chicago Chess Club, losing the first game and drawing the second game. In a few years time, Kemeny would move to Chicago and himself become the editor of the chess column of the Tribune.

Emil Kemeny was born in Budapest on January 13, 1860. Walter Penn Shipley described Kemeny in the Philadelphia Inquirer of July 12th 1925 later quoted in the July - August issue of the American Chess Bulletin.  

   "He was tall, standing over six feet in height. Kemeny was genial companion, with a keen sense of humor, well read, spoke several languages fluently and besides being an able chess player was passionately fond of good music."

Shipley thought that Kemeny arrived in the United States sometime in 1891, settling in New York, where he  played in one of the New York Chess Association tournaments at Skaneateles that year finishing second to James Moore Hanham. Later that same year he played a match Hanham which he lost by a score of 4-5. The next year Kemeny won the New York Chess Association tournament at Skaneateles, Kemeny scored 6 1/2 points over Hanham (6 points) and three other players.

By late1892 Kemeny had taken up residence in Philadelphia, where he played in the 1892-1893 Franklin Chess Club championship, which he won (14points) ahead of Walter Penn Shipley (13 points) and eight others.

  " Emil Kemeny would in the next three [including 1892-1893 championship] Franklin championships amass an extraordinary record of 50- 7. He would win the championship for the first two years he entered, and no doubt would have won the third event as well, had he not withdrawn either for health reasons or perhaps because he temporarily left the country , after playing 15 games gaining a 13-2 score."

John S.Hilbert - Walter Penn Shipley: Philadelphia's Chess Friend

Mcfarland & co.( p. 99)

 All told Kemeny would win the Franklin Club championship three times as well tying for first once, his third win would come in 1899, his tie for first 1900, he would lose the playoff match to Charles John Newman.
In 1898 he placed fourth, and in 1901 he finished in third place. 

He would play in many team tournaments for the Franklin Chess Club as well as matches of Pennsylvania players against players from New York. In 1896, Kemeny would challenge the American champion Jackson Whipps Showalter to match for the title, and though he would lose (4 wins, 7 loses, 4 draws), it was not without a struggle.

But perhaps Kemeny's greatest contribution to Philadelphia chess was as Hilbert points out, Kemeny's activity as a chess journalist, he edited the chess column of the Philadelphia Public Ledger, to which he brought"... a level of  detail and analysis not before seen in Philadelphia and only rarely, in the writings of Steinitz, seen in the country."  (Hilbert, p.99) Kemeny in 1903 would edit and publish The American Chess Weekly and though it lasted but a year, it is still important for it's coverage of the great Monte Carlo tournament for that year, as Kemeny would publish all the games from the tournament.

The Chicago Tribune of August 24, 1904, lists Kemeny as one of the Chicago players likely to take part in the upcoming Western Chess and American Chess Congresses in St. Louis, Kemeny must taken up residence in Chicago sometime in the spring or summer of that year. What caused Kemeny to remove himself to Chicago is unclear, he held a position with Pennsylvania Railroad for sometime in Philadelphia, perhaps it was another railroad job that caused the move to Chicago.

Kemeny finished forth at the Seventh American Chess Congress in St. Louis, behind Frank Marshall (the winner), Max Judd (2nd), Louis Uedemann (3rd). He finished fifth at the Western Congress behind Stasch Mltotkowski, which was played just before the American congress.

The St. Louis Republic., October 23, 1904

The annual tournament for the championship of the Chicago Chess Club did not begin well for Kemeny with a loss in the first round to Parke, but Kemeny then rebounded, winning the remainder of his games, winning the tournament with a score of 18 games won and 1 lost. In second place was J.C. Eppens, neither player would take part in the tournament following year.

 

J.C. Eppens

SDN-002351B, Chicago Daily News negatives collection, Chicago History Museum.

Kemeny took over editorship of the chess column of the Tribune following the death Sidney P. Johnston, who's last column appeared on March 19, 1905 the very day he died. The first column under Kemeny's pen seems to be April 25, where he reports  the outcome of the club championship; which Kemeny won, as noted above, Eppens following close behind, finished second.

Kemeny seems to have suffered from various health  problems throughout his time in Chicago, the annual tournament of the Chicago Chess and Checker Club was again approaching, when the under the pen of Mrs. Frank Lynn,, the Tribune chess column reported that Kemeny would  be unable to participate in the tournament.

   "Emil Kemeny, champion of the Chicago Chess and Checker club, and the chess editor of The Tribune, is slowly convalescing the Cook county hospital after an operation on Nov.3  for appendicitis. He had been in poor health for some time, but the true cause of the trouble was not suspected, and at the time of the operation his condition had become such that little hope was held out for his recovery. A naturally strong constitution enable him to rally, however at the present time he is pronounced practically out of danger, although final recovery may be slow on account of complications arising from the delay in operating."

Chicago Daily Tribune; Nov 26, 1905

In January 7th chess column, Mrs. Lynn, who took over the Tribune chess column during Kemeny's absence wrote that, Kemeny was slowly recovering, he would not in all likelihood be able to play any serious chess for some time, she also noted that Kemeny's brother, Alexander of Vienna, had recently been in the city.

Kemeny resumed the editorship of the chess column on February 25th, but by March 11th he had decided to go back to Budapest to continue his recovery. Louis Uedemann, who had edited the column some years earlier, filled void caused by Kemeny's departure, he would continue to edited the column until his death in 1912.

   "Emil Kemeny, editor of the chess column The Tribune left Chicago last Sunday on a visit of several months to relatives in his Hungary to seek there complete recovery from his late illness.
   Mr Kemeny's decision was so quickly arrived at that it was an unpleasant surprise to scores of friends he made in Chicago by his ever genial disposition. It is needless to state that his absence is a great loss to Chicago Chess, and his friends wish to see him back soon, in the full vigor of his best days. On the journey he will stop a few days in New York to have a talk with experts there and particularly with his friend and countrymen, Marcozy, who is seeking a contest with Lasker for the match championship of the world."

Chicago Daily Tribune;  March 11, 1906

   "Emil Kemeny's Philadelphia and Chicago friends, not having heard from him since his departure for Hungary  will be pleased to learn he is again in good health and daily visits the Baross cafe in Budapest. Georg Marco so writes to Walter Penn Shipley, his information coming from Geza Marcozy during the latter's visit to Vienna."

Chicago Daily Tribune ; Feb 17, 1907

On May 1, 1925, Emil Kemeny died in Budapest, he had suffered for over eight months with bronchitis, which led to heart trouble, and finally pneumonia. Although Kemeny's residence in Chicago was of a short duration, he was sorely missed by those who knew him.

An Acknowledgment: An invaluable resource for this post particularly for information on Kemeny's residence in Philadelphia was John S. Hilbert's on book Walter Penn Shipley, Hilbert's forthcoming biography on Kemeny is due out this summer, and I am sure will add much to our knowledge of Emil Kemeny.

The Young Najdorf: Tomasz Lissowski

When on July 27th, 1939, Moishe Mieczslaw Najdorf sailed from Antwerp to Buenos Aires on board the Pirapolis to participate as member of the Polish chess team in the Chess Olympiad, little could he have imagined that in a few weeks time the world he left behind would be no more. Lost to the Nazi war machine and the genocide that followed, he no longer had a country to go home to; stranded, Najdorf would have to start a new life. 

  The Polish historian Tomasz Lissowski chronicles Najdorf rise from a promising local player to a strong master to the very beginnings of his international career.

Not much information of Najdorf's childhood is known, not even his mother's maiden name is clear, or where even  he went to school. Najdorf in later years often told conflicting stories about his youth, and so much of the documentary evidence was lost in the Second World War.The earliest of Najdorf games that have come  down to us are from the Autumn of 1928, when he participated in the Lodz championship for that year. He finished equal 8th - 9th place (5 1/2 points) behind the winner T. Regedzinski (9 1/2 points out of 12).

In the game below dubbed  " Die Polnische Unsterbliche "(The Polish Immortal) by Tartakower, Najdorf sacrifices seven pieces before mating the White King, but even the circumstances in which  this justly famous game was played are in dispute.

By 1930 Najdorf was recognized as one of the best players in Warsaw, his second place finish in the city championship that year behind Paulin Frydman, and the drawn match with Frydman that same year did much to cement his reputation.

Najdorf placing equal 2nd - 4th place at the third Polish championship (1935) behind Tartakower, earned him a place on the Polish Olympiad team, which took  place a few months later in Warsaw.

The Polish team placed third behind the United States and Sweden, with Najdorf playing mainly on board three, scoring 9 wins, 6 draws, with only 2 losses to help his team earn a Bronze medal.

Following his stellar performance at the Olympiad the Polish Chess Federation sent Najdorf to Budapest to compete in the International Open Championship of Hungary. Najdorf finished 1st - 2nd sharing honors with Lajos Steiner, Najdorf beating Steiner in their individual encounter.

Najdorf was asked to join the Polish team that would participate at unofficial "Olympiad" in Munich, at first he refused to play in Nazi Germany, but after being told that Poland's participation and hoped for success was matter of national honor, Najdorf then agreed to join the team. The Polish team placed second winning the silver medal, thanks in large part to Najdorf's performance on second board, he scored 16 points in 20 games (14 wins, 4 draws, and 2 losses).

At Margate (1939), Najdorf was asked to replace a player who had dropped out of the Premier tournament, Najdorf  for the first time would be facing players of the chess elite (Capablanca, Keres, Flor), though he managed to draw his game with Capablanca, overall Margate proved to be a disappointment.  Najdorf could finish no better than 6th place out of a field of 10 with a score of 3 wins, 2 draws, and 4 loses.

The Buenos Aires Olympiad was set to begin August 19th, Najdorf playing first game August 24th in the preliminary rounds. Najdorf and the rest of the Polish team were playing very well finishing equal 1st with Czechoslovakia in the preliminary rounds, then moving on to final group A. On September 1st Germany invaded Poland while the finals were still being played, with threat of cancellation of the Olympiad a very real possibility, matches between the belligerent nations were called a 2-2 draw without play. The Polish team finished second with 35 1/2 points, Germany finishing first (36 points), and Estonia third (35 points).

Alekhine in his book Gran Ajedrez called the game given below:"A good example of the vigorous style of Poland's second player."



Najdorf along with the rest of the Polish team found themselves stranded, he could try to make his way back home or stay in Argentina. He chose to stay at least for a time but when the horrors of Nazi occupied Europe became apparent, Najdorf must have realized that he would have to begin a new life, in time he would have a new family, Spanish would replace Polish and even his name would change, he would in time  be known as Miguel Najdorf.

There are 192 games, most with annotations from the period and the text is peppered with numerous photographs. A very welcome addition and an important contribution to Polish chess history.
 
 
Young Najdorf 
 Tomasz Lissowski
The Chess Player, Nottingham (2010) 151 pages

Henry Hosmer: A forgotten western player

  The January 3rd 1892, Chicago Tribune obituary of Henry Hosmer  made mention of his career as a grain buyer, his membership since 1858 in the Chicago Board of Trade. Nowhere is there a reference to Hosmer as one of the strongest chess players of the American west.  Hosmer's fondness for chess and his membership in the Chicago Chess and Checker Club was noted by Josiah Seymour Currey in his book Chicago: It's History and Builders (1912). Currey writing that:

 " He [Hosmer ] was particularly fond of a game of chess or checkers and displayed a notable skill in the handling the pawns, being regarded as one of the best chess players of this section of the country."

   Hosmer was a native of Concord, Mass.where he was born in 1837. He came west sometime in the early 1850s. Hosmer settled in Chillicothe Ill. near Peoria shortly thereafter; moving to Chicago not until 1877 where he passed away on New Years Day in 1892.

   Although Hosmer tournament play was limited to only two tournaments; playing in both the Second and Third American Chess Congresses his chess skill was apparent by his placing second to George Henry Mackenzie at both tournaments.

The Second American Chess Congress was held in Cleveland on December 4th thru 15th 1871. George Henry Mackenzie winning the Congress with 14 points, Hosmer with 12 points coming in second ahead of Fredrick Elder (11), Max Judd (10) and five others. Drawn games were replayed.

The Third American Chess Congress was held in Chicago on July 7th thru16th, 1874. Mackenzie repeating as the winner with 10 1/2points, Hosmer again finishing second with 10 points ahead of Judd (7) and five others.

   " Mr. Hosmer and Mr. Judd yesterday morning returned their match, of which Mr. Judd won the first game. He had the attack int he second game and played the King Knight's  opening, castling on the forth move. Mr Hosmer played the recognized defense and for a few moves it seemed as though the game was not likely to be a very interesting one. In a few moves afterward, however, Mr, Judd played his Bishop To Queen's second, locking in his Queen, which was standing at queen's Bishop second. the cramped position thus entailed upon him Mr. Judd never recovered from. Mr. Hosmer took prompt advantage of the situation, offered to sacrifice a Bishop, and thereby won a pawn, and kept up such a  fierce assault upon Mr. Judd's entrenchments that the latter surrendered at the twenty-first move. The game was certainly one of the most elegant yet played in the Congress."

( Chicago Tribune; July 10, 1874)

It was hoped that Hosmer would take part in the Fifth American Chess Congress but that was not to be. The tournament book of the Fifth American Chess Congress lamented that the Chicago's  formidable champion Hosmer did not take part.

 Besides his participation in the two Chess Congresses Hosmer played in various chess matches, the Chicago Tribune of June 15th 1870 reported that Hosmer had played a three game match with Max Judd in Detroit. Hosmer winning two of the games the result of the third game is not known. I have been unable to locate any of the games scores from this match.

Hosmer also played a match with the New York player Edward Alberoni on February 1876 at Hosmer's home in Chillicothe. Hosmer ably winning the match, Hosmer 5, Alberoni  0, drawn  2.

There were reports that a match between Hosmer and Capt. Mackenzie was likely, in fact the Chicago Tribune of July 20th, 1879 reporting that, "unless some unforeseen contingency should arise the match may be considered a settled fact." If in fact the match did indeed take place, I have been unable to locate any of the games.

Hosmer also played a number of games giving odds, which was quite common at the time, he also played a number of blindfold games, a sample of which I include below.

In a fact unrelated to chess, Hosmer's father Edmund Hosmer was a intimate friend and financial advisor to Ralph Waldo Emerson, perhaps Hosmer's father and the great man played a game chess while young Henry looked on.

Chicago - Quincy (Illinois) Telegraph Chess Match and Ernest Morphy: An update

 Since my last post on the Quincy Telegraph chess matches, some additional information has come to light on the Quincy - Chicago match , along with the first game of that match, in the chess column of the Chicago Tribune.

' " Chicago then had as perhaps it had as yet powerful players. Morgan was second to no one in the West. Kennicott, Turner, Nicholson  also were very strong players. Quincy had a very strong representation in E. A. Dudley years ago counted the ablest player in the Mississippi Valley - the almost even contestant with Lowenthal, the great Hungarian player and analyst; Ernest Morphy (now deceased ) , uncle and tutor of Paul Morphy, and a very sure, skilled and learned chess veteran. The committee of the Chicago Club was Morgan, Kennicott, Turner, Nicholson and - (?); of Quincy, Dudley, Morphy, Tillson, Rowland, and Martin; and the result was a tie, each winning one game." '

Chicago Tribune, April 30, 1876

  It was thanks to the web site Chess Archaeology ,that I found this particular chess column. Chess Archaeology is an invaluable resource for those interested in chess history.

Quincy Chess Club Telegraph Chess Matches

   What makes the matches of the Quincy Chess Club of more than usual  interest is that on the Quincy Chess Club team was Ernest Morphy, the uncle of Paul Morphy. Ernest Morphy had moved to Quincy Illinois after living two years in Ohio, previously Ernest Morphy had left New Orleans in 1854 for Ohio.

For more info on Ernest Morphy along with some games follow this link .

   "...a match was played between the Chess Clubs of this city [Chicago] and Quincy by telegraph, the result telling in favor of the latter.
  As if to console Chicago for her defeat about the same time Fond du Lac 'laid out' Milwaukee, indicating that enthusiasm and skill in this noble game are by no means metropolitan .
   The return match between Chicago and Quincy was played on Friday night....It was pronounced a much better game than it's predecessor , evincing more deliberate skill and study.
   The game is as follows Chicago (white) winning handsomely , Quincy resigning at the 28th move" 

Chicago Tribune, 24 January 1859

I have been unable to find the score to the first game at this point. As to the final score of the Milwaukee match against Fond du Lac, score was even at one win apiece,


Louis Paulsen, according to the Chicago Tribune had agreed to play a two game telegraph match against the Quincy Chess Club.

   "  ...Louis Paulsen will some time in the next two weeks, play a match single handed with the Quincy Chess Club"

Chicago Tribune, 24 January 1859

"On Tuesday evening Mr. Paulsen, the great Dubuque chess player-(who is distinguished, especially, for his success playing a large of games simultaneously , without seeing the board)-is to commence a match of two games with the Quincy Chess Club,on the same terms ( as to time [ten minutes per move]) as the recent match. On Thursday Mr. [Ernest] Morphy, of the Quincy Club, plays a game with Mr. Kennicott, of the Chicago Club- and at the same time a game is to come off between two members of the Chicago Club and two of the Quincy Club."

The Quincy Daily Whig,  January 24, 1859

   " The chess match between Louis Paulsen... and the combined forces of the Quincy Chess Club, commenced on Tuesday evening at 8 o'clock.Mr. Paulsen playing white, having the first move, chose the favorite opening known as Evan's Gambit. Ten minutes was the time allotted for each move. The game lasted only two hours, the Quincy Club resigning on the 18th move. The players on part of the Quincy Club were Messrs. E. Morphy, Alexander Pearson, John Tillson, J. G. Martin. and G. Rowland."

Chicago Tribune, 27 January 1859

   " The games by wire between Chicago and Quincy resulted Chicago 1, Quincy 1 . In addition to this match Mr. Paulsen has conducted two games, single-handed, against the Quincy club, and was victorious in both instances."

The Chess Monthly, April 1859 

A Frank J. Marshall curiosity

Under the heading; The thirteenth move was unlucky from Chicago Tribune January 7, 1900 comes this curiosity.

  " The following short game was played during the week at Mr. Lee's home. The first move was made by Sidney P. Johnston, the first move for black was made by Frank J. Marshall. Then James W. Taylor made the second move for white and Harry F. Lee for black. Thereafter each player moved in his regular turn without consultation  with his partner."