Organizer
Cedric Thompson
1946-2002
Some weeks are harder than others. This week I lost a foe, a friend, and a mentor. Their names were Cedric Thompson.
Cedric was a man who loved Truth, and had no time for anything else. This thirst filled him and spilled over into his chess; at his last Western Open tournament we spent several hours searching for the truth in what at first looked like a simple pawn ending he had played earlier. We never arrived at it with certainty, but we made progress. Progress toward truth was never enough for him; he had to arrive, not simply journey. So, after we turned out the lights at the playing site, I knew he would continue to dig on his own. I don’t know if he got to the truth of that position, but I know if he didn’t, it was simply because he ran out of time.
Grandmaster
George Koltanowski
1903-2000
We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give.
Duane Hulse
We at Chessmill were saddened to learn of the death of George Koltanowski at age 96.
“Kolty,” as he was affectionately known to thousands of chess fans the world over, died of congestive heart failure on Feb 5, 2000.
Born on September 7 1903 in Antwerp, Belgium, Koltanowski was caught in Central America when World War II broke out. He came to the US, and began what seemed like and endless series of simuls. He told wonderful stories about the chess masters he knew; he was Caissa’s Good Will Ambassador to the world, on loan to the US.
Kolty was always willing to teach kids, and came to teach the Milwaukee playground chess classes on numerous occasions. Ever the gentleman, he seemed so out of place in this age where players throw insults and temper tantrums so freely it sometimes makes us wonder just what it’s all for. Why do we bother?
Grandmaster
Robert J. Fischer
Fischer made several swings through southeastern Wisconsin playing simultaneous exhibitions (on at least one occasion reportedly staying at the house of former state champion Averill Powers) but he only played in two tournaments here.
The two tournaments were in 1957, and they were essentially part of the young Bobby’s “coming out” party. He wasn’t yet the invincible player he was soon to become. In fact, the second of the two tournaments (the North Central Open) was the last US open tournament Fischer entered that he didn’t win, coming in seventh.
In May of 1964, Fischer gave a simultaneous exhibition at the Pfister Hotel, playing 55 players. The cost was $2 to play, $1 to watch. It began with Fischer giving a short talk and answering questions at 7PM, while the games began about 7:45PM. For the next five hours, Fischer prowled around the tables, never stopping, not even to take a drink from the water glass. It took about 10 minutes for the first resignation, the second came 45 minutes later, but the final game didn’t end until 1AM. Of the 55 boards Fischer won 47, drew 5 and lost 3. The lucky winners were John Dedinski (age 19, 1964 reigning state champion, Dave Lubin (age 15) and Charles Weldon. The players who managed to draw were William Martz, Fred Zarse (1964 Milwaukee city champion) Henry Meifert (1964 Milwaukee county champion) Juris Svers anf Gregory Nowak.
The further exploits of Fischer became legendary: the 11-0 sweep of the US Championship, the winning streak coming out of the 1970 Candidates tournament through two matches and into a third, and finally winning the title in 1972. But on his way to the top, he stopped here to play.
Organizer
Arpad Elo
It was near the end of the month of July in 1935 in the Schroeder Hotel in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.The Western Chess Association had recently renamed itself the American Chess Federation, and this was its annual championship tournament. Held every year since 1899, it had been called the Western Open, but the previous year it was given a new name, in honor of the new name of the organization: The American Open. The reason for the new name was that there really was no national chess organization worthy of the name. There was the National Chess Federation, but about the only thing it did was organize the Olympiad team every year. The members of the Western Chess Association felt it was time for an active national body.
This year it would all change.
Organizer
Fred Cramer
1913-1989
Chess players throughout the country, when they hear this name, think of Bobby Fischer. It’s true, Fred is inextricably linked with Bobby because of hs role in keeping things from falling apart in Iceland in 1972. But there was much more to him than that.
Teacher
Roman Levit
1924-1996
He was born in Russia, Feb 2 1924. He was persecuted because he was a Jew, because he dared to speak of being one. His daughter emigrated to the US, and he lost his job as a professor of Physics at Dushanbe because of it. His wife also, a physician of 35 years specializing in internal medicine, lost her job. He was a chess teacher, yet that also was made difficult for him to continue to do. At age 64 he came here, starting life all over again among strangers, in a country whose langauge he couldn’t speak.
I’m sure we’re all familiar with the story: a man, embittered by injustice, filled with a desire for revenge, ignores the strangers around him and only cares about himself. I could write that story, but then I wouldn’t be writing about Roman.
Organizer
Pearle Mann
1922-1986
Where do you start to tell about this lady? She was the backbone of much of what happened in chess in this area for so long. Wherever she was needed, she was there. If she wasn’t directly involved in organizing and directing the tournament, she was available to give advice to the one who was (and who had probably learned how from her in the first place).
Let’s start with the cold facts. She served on the boards of the Wisconsin Chess Association, and the Milwaukee Chess Foundation. She was on the Policy Board of the US Chess Federation. She was the first woman Nationally Certified Tournament Director. She was the first woman International FIDE Arbiter. Add to that she was FIDE Zone 5 President.