Chess memories.
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Chess Remembrances
My first exposure to chess was when I was about 10 years old my friends Roger Tauss and Will Wendle taught me the moves of the game. I am not sure if that was a blessing or a curse as much of my life has been consumed by this activity. I had a rivalry with my brother, which encouraged me to study the game some, but I never got really exposed to the game until later. For a period of time I lived in Schenectady WMCA and they had the strongest chess club in upstate NY. Michael_Valvo and his father Frank both held master status. In fact I think Mike was l a senior master. I played both of them many times and it was like a cat playing with a mouse. I never won a game. Joe Weinenger was one of the nicest men I have ever known he had an experts rating I believe. Dr. Leber was one of the toughest opponents I played many times winning some and losing some. He had a number tattooed on his arm and was noted for pulling a win out of a lost situation. When losing he was dangerous. I’m not sure when but maybe around 1960 I met my life long friend Ken Dean who is also a very strong player as he was high school classmate of Mike Valvo mentioned above. Their high school chess team had won several championships.
Going to the Schenectady Chess Club Thursday and Friday night was a ritual. I saw Ken Dean and Mike Orphanidis play 5 minute chess for 25 cents per game and after 26 straight hours of play they quit with one side being satisfied he was 25 cents ahead.
John Pamilgiens (spelling?) suffered an astounding defeat at my hands where in I allowed him to trap my queen and recovered a rook, a minor piece, and a pawn. Yielding a won endgame. He sat going over the game for an hour afterwards shaking his head. I had won the tournament brilliancy prize for that game. In reality the man left me no choice as he was dominating the position and he had forced me into a corner. That case being so I adopt the “please don’t throw me in that briar patch” and “given lemons make lemonade“ approach. Sometimes it works.
I watched some epic endgame battles between Dr Eric Marchand and my friend Ken Dean. Dr. Marchand is an endgame specialist of note from Rochester NY. Ken Dean is also an endgame specialist. For those that are unaware endgame thechnique is a science unto itself. For example you will never understand rook pawn endings until you study Levenfish's book.
We often played the Albany and Woodstock chess each of those clubs being blessed with their own celebrity status chess players. Mathew Katrein of Albany had Master status and the Meyer brothers of Woodstock both had master status. I believe that Eugene was the youngest person ever to achieve master status.
I taught two people some of the finer points of the game during the 1960’s. I speak of Don York and Dan Gutermuth both of which gained master status in the years after.