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August 17, 2017
Toms River Chess Club Newsletter 2017 #29
This week (17-23 August)….
The resurgent Life Master Eugene Salomon along with FM Wayne Conover, delivered an excellent lecture on Queen and Knight combinations at the meeting. Gene and Wayne, along with Steve Pozarek, wrote 40 Years of Friendship – 100 Games of Chess (available as an E-Book on line). Games from the book were used as illustration.
Quite a crowd gathered to attend the lecture, which began with Gene giving a brief history of his involvement in chess and how chess helped to improve all aspects of his personal and professional life, starting with the development of mental power as a teen. Among his many, many achievements was his success in leading Christian Brothers Academy to its 1st NJ Championship as coach for his sons who were attending at that time (’78,’79,’80). He then explained his revitalization, starting with interviews in Spain, leading to publication of articles about him in Zenda Librus and his place in Spanish chess history. He was, all of a sudden, famous! At one point declaring “I am 89, I am history!” Although he quoted Alekhine as telling him “Young man, chess is nothing one should dedicate his entire life to. There is more in life!” The article’s link will be reproduced at the end of the newsletter, as will lecture photos.
Expressing the “magical” quality of Queen Knight combinations, he turned to the first game in the book, one between himself and World Champion Alexander Alekhine, from August 1944 (a mere 73 years ago!) with Gene at 15 years of age. It was a clock simultaneous game with Gene sitting across from Alekhine after all other participants were eliminated. Although Gene lost the game, one of the important lessons he learned was not to panic! Modern chess computers analyzed the positions and showed that a draw would have been achieved.
The next position showed how the Queen can be used as a sacrifice, leading to “smothered” mate, a famous example. One aspect of the Q/N combo differs from Q/B in that control need not depend on the color of the B.
Three more games were analyzed; from the Atlantic Open in 1974, he reminded that one should not just move a piece if it is attacked, but look for a more valuable piece of your opponent’s to attack instead! He said “I like Knights and Queens, and….attacking!”
In the next, he played against International Master Rogilio Ortega in Havana in 1952, and told the awed TRCC members “Don’t be intimidated by an IM; he’s just a guy!” At that time, Gene was in line to go to the Olympiad in Helsinki but couldn’t go and IM Ortega substituted for him!
Finally, in a game published in the Newark Star Ledger by Pete Tamboro and Steve Doyle from the 1998 World Open, Gene played against a Russian FM and in a critical position, executed an exchange sacrifice successfully. He then turned the lecture over to Wayne Conover, a FIDE Master and International Correspondence Chess Master.
Although a latecomer to chess, Wayne has achieved notoriety in both over-the-board chess and correspondence chess. He entertained and baffled with his positional puzzle. Much applause ensued.
Gene’s enthusiasm for chess and his depth of involvement in it are inspirational as well as wonderful to hear about, and the Toms River Chess Club is privileged and proud to count him as a member. Thank you so much, Gene and Wayne!
Many thanks also to Gene “groupies” Tom Moore, Donald Ziemba and Rosalie Wetzler who all play chess with Gene at his residential community. Tom and Don took the admirable step of joining the TRCC! Thanks so much and congratulations! David Doucette also took the plunge and joined the club. Thank you, Dave and congratulations, also! Welcome to the club!
In addition to those mentioned, other attendees were: Tom Bogert, Dylan Clark, Richard Newmark (on his anniversary, no less!), Nathan Kripinski, Jim Carter, Rexford Cristal, George Jenkinson, Dylan Giaccobi, Lowell Berg (manning the coffee pots), Colin and Brian Hayes, Joe Ferraioli, Pravin Lakhani, who brought Pete Velez, Gregory Coats, Steve D’Agostino, Mike Favata (who received a name plate for his clock from:) Bob Whiteside, Andrew Assur, Edd Knowles, Isaiah and Joan Totaro, Evan Segui, Kyril Kavetsky (back from a group tour of Israel and provided assistance with the demo board), Vincent Calfapietra, Karl Wonderlin, Rob Murray, Michael Chua, Jim Tuzeneu, Mike Symczak, Jim Bonanno (the wizard who jury-rigged the A/C), Pat Festa, Stan Laychick, Mike Lyons, Jonathan, Robert and Sue (welcome!) Capalbo, Joe O’Brien, Brian Meinders (who will be around for another year), Matt Logan, Adam Horwitz, Jon Friedman and myself. 49 in all, impressive!
Appreciation must be expressed to all who helped set up for the lecture (and who helped to put everything back in place! It makes the burden much lighter when help is given, thanks!
Next week, Dylan Clark’s final regular meeting (the 24th of August) will be a PIZZA NIGHT! Pizza and soda will be available, as well as the usual coffee, for refreshments. Please attend and give Dylan the send-off he deserves. He will be missed. (But not as much by those of us he beats regularly!) (Just kidding!)
The club was presented with a signed, dedicated copy of 40 Years of Friendship – 100 Games of Chess by Gene years ago and it is available for members to borrow along with any books in the TRCC library. This is a treasure and is to be treated as such. Let me know if you wish to check it out. One of the new (used) cabinets we received houses the library and any volumes can be taken out by signing the sheet in the cabinet. When returned, sign in the date.
The site for the link to the article about Gene follows for anyone who missed it:
Some pictures will be attached to this email, but many more are available in the galleries of our new website: tomsriverchessclub.com. Check it out!
Finally, I would like to share an email I received from Kristina Hayes about the reaction to the lecture by her son Colin:
“Hi Steve!
Just wanted to send a quick "thank you" for last night's meeting. I don't think we've ever seen Colin so excited over something. He was thrilled walking in the door after the lecture and will not stop talking about how great it was and how much he learned. Thanks, again, and we'll see you Thursday!
Kristina”
This certainly makes me proud to be a member (and president) of the Toms River Chess Club. Colin is one of our young and upcoming members, and to see the results of an event make such an impression is one of the best parts of involvement with the club. Thanks you Colin and Kristina. It’s good to know that the future is strong for the TRCC!
And that we matter!
Any questions, comments, corrections or suggestions, contact me:
Stephen Shoshin
732-598-8125
