I think I once mentioned it here before, but in any case, I live about 3 minutes by car from where Reshevsky lived (4 minutes according to Google maps, but I can do it in 3) and his great-nephew is a very good friend of mine.
Anyway, last week, I happened to be put in a position to have a long conversation with Sam Reshevsky's widow. She's well into her 90s and hard of hearing and not very mobile, but mentally, she still is actually quite sharp (for her age). She and her daughter were there. I told her I read Sam's chess book and they both said "Which one?" Apparently, he wrote at least 7 of them.
So, once I said I'm a chess player myself, the elderly lady starts telling me some interesting stories. The most interesting is (disclaimer: I do not vouch for this story's accuracy, I'm just telling it as I heard it):
Reshevsky was scheduled to play a match against Bobby Fischer. She didn't recall exactly when, but it seems that this was some time in the 1960s. According to the lady, Fischer thought he'd win in a walkover, but the match was dead even in the 11th game. She says that Fischer started to get nervous and, afraid that he might lose the match thought of an excuse and claimed he had to leave. According to her, Fischer, during the 11th game, literally flipped over the board and walked out of the room, not to return.
As she was telling me this, suddenly, a childhood memory flooded back to me. When I was in primary school, my friends and I used to play at school sometimes. My chief rival in my class was a kid named Joe. Joe's mother took him for one or two private tutoring lessons with Reshevsky (he'd give private lessons for, I think, about $35/hr (which was a fair sum in those days).
One day, Joe told me that Bobby Fischer, when he was losing, would "flip over the board and stomp out of the room." I told my mother, who scoffed and said "Maybe that's what JOE does when he's losing, a professional player wouldn't do that." Well, amazingly, now I see exactly where Joe got that idea. Reshevsky must have told him something to that effect.
Originally posted by sh76that was very nice! I'd love to hear any other stories or information you might want to share.
I think I once mentioned it here before, but in any case, I live about 3 minutes by car from where Reshevsky lived (4 minutes according to Google maps, but I can do it in 3) and his great-nephew is a very good friend of mine.
Anyway, last week, I happened to be put in a position to have a long conversation with Sam Reshevsky's widow. She's well into her 90s ...[text shortened]... ere Joe got that idea. Reshevsky must have told him something to that effect.
Originally posted by sh76Nice story. It sounds like she's remembering the 1961 New York-Los Angeles match. I don't know the details of that match, but with all the Fischer books that have been published, it couldn't be hard to verify.
I think I once mentioned it here before, but in any case, I live about 3 minutes by car from where Reshevsky lived (4 minutes according to Google maps, but I can do it in 3) and his great-nephew is a very good friend of mine.
Anyway, last week, I happened to be put in a position to have a long conversation with Sam Reshevsky's widow. She's well into her 90s ere Joe got that idea. Reshevsky must have told him something to that effect.
P.S. I just read the account of that 1961 match in "Profile of a Prodigy". No mention of an overturned board though. Score tied after 11 games, Fischer refuses to play the next game due to scheduling conflicts with his religious beliefs.
Originally posted by EmLaskerI walk past Howard Staunton's old house (strictly speaking where Howard Staunton's old house used to be - a new building is there now) on my way to the chess club.
Believe it or not, I live 30 mi from G. W. Bush's ranch
A couple of minutes the other direction is where Gunnsberg (played a world championship match against Steinitz at the end of the 19th Century) used to live
photo here (http://streathambrixtonchess.blogspot.com/2007/02/streatham-brixton-all-stars.html)
Alas, since I'm don't know any spirit mediums (media?) I haven't had any converstations with either of them.
Great to hear a variation of that story from the horse's mouth, as it were.
Here is the version I first read. It doesn't mention the board tipping incident (I'd never heard of that before) but I can quite believe it happened:
Bobby Fischer had an uncompromising attitude in chess and in life. This was partly the reason why he had often problems with the organisers of tournaments as he often demanded better playing conditions and more money. In this way he improved the playing conditions for other chess players as well.1961 he played a match against his american rival Samuel Reshevsky organised by the American Chess Federation which collected $8000 for the match. After eleven rounds it was 5.5 - 5.5 and Reshevsky proved that he was still very strong. But after that the match came to an end because of a dispute, which finally ended at the courts.
The 12th game had to be played on the 2nd August in the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles. But because of a Jewish celebration day Bobby and Reshevsky (both Jewish) agreed to play the game later at the 14th of August at 1 pm.
At 10 am Fischer was told on the phone that the start of the game had been changed to 11 am, as this was the wish of Jacqueline Piatigorsky, who liked to watch the game, but at the same time wanted to visit a concert given by her husband the cellist Gregor Piatigorsky and it was her wish that the game should begin earlier. But Bobby refused to play at this time, as this was to early for him. He mentioned the agreement that both players had agreed upon and didn't appear to the game at 11 am. One hour later the judge declared the game as lost for him. The result was 6.5 - 5.5 for Reshevsky.
The next game had to be played four days later in New York. In New York the American Chess Federation did not accept the decision made in Los Angeles.
Bobby Fischer did not turn up to play this game as well and the match was declared as lost for him. 7.5 - 5.5 for Reshevsky. He received $5000 but Fischer did not receive the remaining $3000 (the loser's purse).
Fischer went to court in New York and won. But because of his uncompromising attitude he gained a bad reputation in the business world, which was financing chess in the USA.
Originally posted by Fat LadyYes this is the version that i read also, the organizers were in breach of contract and thus Fischer simply exercised his right. Although i do remember reading that Fischer was indignant because Reshevskys religious beliefs were taken into consideration, while his were ignored. (in the book 'profile of a prodigy', before its publication, he asked the author to remove the references that he was Jewish after reading the transcripts because he was now a Christian, for some reason the author refused and their relationship deteriorated as a consequence) thus Fischer was not Jewish (although he may have been at the time of the Reshevsky match, dates would need to be verified), in his own words he was not even circumcised and was willing to prove it by taking a reporter to the little mens room for confirmation!
Great to hear a variation of that story from the horse's mouth, as it were.
Here is the version I first read. It doesn't mention the board tipping incident (I'd never heard of that before) but I can quite believe it happened:
Bobby Fischer had an uncompromising attitude in chess and in life. This was partly the reason why he had often problems with ude he gained a bad reputation in the business world, which was financing chess in the USA.
Originally posted by Fat LadyYeah, I'm not 100% sure I believe the board tipping incident either, although from what I know about Fischer, it wouldn't shock me. Although it's quite understandable, Mrs. Reshevsky has a bit of an inflated opinion as to exactly how good her husband was and I wouldn't be shocked of some of her recollections have morphed over time to put her husband in the best possible light.
Great to hear a variation of that story from the horse's mouth, as it were.
Here is the version I first read. It doesn't mention the board tipping incident (I'd never heard of that before) but I can quite believe it happened:
Bobby Fischer had an uncompromising attitude in chess and in life. This was partly the reason why he had often problems with ...[text shortened]... ude he gained a bad reputation in the business world, which was financing chess in the USA.
Someone posted a few months ago on this board Fischer's list of the top 10 players of all time and Reshvsky was 10th. I told Mrs. Reshevsky that Fisher thought he was the 10th best player of all time and her immediate reaction was "Only 10th??" I thought that was a funny reaction.
I asked if Sam had even been World champion (I was pretty sure he had not, but I didn't recall for sure) and Mrs. Reshevsky kind of hemmed and hawed as though she couldn't remember. Her daughter, who was right there said, "No. He never won the championship." Then her mother said "Well, what do you want? Fischer wouldn't play him. He just flipped over the board <motioning with her hands as if flipping over a board> and walked right out."