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The Unfortunate Fate of Salo Flohr
by
Robert T. Tuohey
|
|
Sweet
are uses of adversity
Which, like the toad, ugly and venomous,
Wears yet a precious jewel in his head.
(As You
Like It, Act II, Sc. I) |
Contemporary chess finds its threshold in the
1930s. The “modernism” of the immortal Morphy, via Steinitz, found
full expression in Lasker and Capablanca. In oblique opposition, the
hyper-modern school, lead by Nimzowitsch and Reti, developed.
Harmonizing these theoretical extremes were such monumental players as
Botvinnik, Keres, and, most notably, Alekhine. Indeed, a veritable
cauldron of chess evolution boiled and rolled!
And one of the most feared players of the
time was Salo Flohr. Today, however, Flohr is all but forgotten, more
often than not relegated to the status of a mere footnote. Whence this
ignoble fall?
I suggest the following four, chronological
and causally-linked, particulars:
-
First, throughout his career (not merely
before WWII, as is often erroneously stated), Flohr did have a
higher-than-usual drawing percentage (something like 50 percent) (see note
1).
-
Second, this drawish tendency, in
combination with a quiet, positional style (see note 2 ), led to
Alekhine's 1941, unfair criticism of Flohr as timid and defensive (see
note 3).
-
Third, for an entire generation of
chess-hacks Alekhine’s pronouncements had much the same force
of authority as Aristotle's dictums had for the Medievals: inviolable.
Thus, if the name Flohr happened to crop up, the pundits, en passant a
la Alekhine, merely typed in "monotonous" and moved on. However,
amicus Alekhine, sed magis amica vertitas.
-
And, fourth, the last important competition
Flohr truly competed in, the justly-famous 1938 AVRO tournament, yielded
the worst result of his career (we shall see why later). So awful a
showing in so important an event seems to have sealed his fate.
But, enough; the proof is in the play.
Down on the Killing Flohr
Find the winning-line for the following five
positions:
A.
Stein – Flohr, 1957: Black to play.
B. Korchnoi – Flohr, 1955: Black to play.
C. Flohr – Benko, 1948: White to play.
D.
Golombek – Flohr, 1935: Black to play.
E. Flohr
– Euwe, 1932: White to play.
Answers
-
33…QxR 34. BxQ Bxa2+
-
27…Rc7 28. cxd7 Rxc1 29. Ne2+
-
23. Ba3 Qa4 24. Rc1
-
14…Qb2
-
33. b5 (to bring about the isolani and
triple on the b-file) axb5 34. axb5 cxb5 35. Rxb5 b6 36. Qb3 Qb6 37. Rb1
and the isolani falls no matter.
Quod
erat demonstrandum.
Misfortune and Mettle
Salo
Flohr was born 1908, the second son, to Jewish, middle-class parents in the
Ukraine. During the early period of the first World War, both parents
were killed in ethnic violence. Fortunately, however, through family
connections, an adoptive home was secured for the orphans in neighboring
Czechoslovakia.
By his middle teens, Salo was showing a
decided interest in and aptitude for chess (something respected by the
European Jew). For example, in 1924 in Prague the well-known masters
Reti and Spielmann gave simuls at which Flohr is reported to have done well
(though no games survive). Over the next four years, via intense
self-study as well as practice at local clubs, Flohr’s skill would develop
considerably. For the years 1928-29 he would, in effect, become the
chess champion of Prague by taking first in the Kautsky Memorial Tournament
(the city’s key yearly chess event).
With progress like this the boy was ready to
“turn pro”, and so, in 1929, Salo made the journey to Slovenia for his first
international contest. As it transpired, the only man in the place who
could handle this new kid was the brilliant Akiba Rubinstein. Taking
second behind Ruby at your first big outing ain’t too darn bad!
Flohr’s best playing years were from 1930-38.
With Alekhine at the top, and Capa secundo, Flohr placed a solid third
worldwide. The complete list of Flohr’s tournament and match wins from
this period is extensive. Here are a few of the more notable.
In match play, 1932, he drew against Euwe,
and defeated Sultan Khan; in 1933, he drew against Botvinnik, and defeated
Grob. The Hastings tourney was won four years running (1931/2 –
1934/5). The 1935 Moscow Championship was shared with Botvinnik (the
field included Capa and Lasker). In 1936, the Margate title was
captured (despite Capa), and the Podebrady as well (despite Alekhine).
At the time, Czechoslovakia was a new nation
struggling hard for political and cultural independence (imagine being
wedged between the Nazis to the south and the Soviets to the north).
In such times, “heroes” are needed, and the rising star Salo Flohr fit the
bill. Consequently, government commendations and commercial
opportunities (with everything from Flohr suits to cigarettes) poured in.
Soon he was a national celebrity. Fame, however, is a fickle food upon
a shifting plate (as the Angel of Amherst rightly remarked), and soon the
taste was to turn bitter black.
By late 1937, on the basis of his fine
results, FIDE had designated Flohr as the official challenger to Alekhine,
and match negotiations (no easy task with tough Dr. Alex) had begun.
It was thus with bright prospects that Flohr traveled to Holland in 1938 for
the AVRO tournament.
Then the news arrived: under threat of
invasion, fledgling Czechoslovakia, without allies and militarily weak, had
suddenly surrendered, without battle, to the Nazi regime.
Czechoslovakia was now a “territory of the Third Reich”. Flohr was
unable to re-enter his homeland as the borders had been closed; his family
was certainly unable to exit the newly established “territory”. It was
under these extremely uncertain conditions (Flohr himself was technically a
“stateless or displaced person”), that he played on in Holland. I
think his very poor result at the AVRO needs no further comment.
Throughout the war, in various capacities,
Flohr was involved in the fight against the Nazis. In 1942, he
officially aligned himself with Soviets, becoming a citizen of that Union.
It is unlikely that this momentous decision would have been made without the
strong support of his friend Botvinnik, who by now was solidly positioned
within the Soviet hierarchy (chess, it will be remembered, was deemed
“proletariat education and recreation” par excellence by Marx).
At the end of the war, now a key member of the Botvinnik entourage, Flohr
permanently relocated with his family to Moscow.
I think it is important to attempt to dispel
a certain myth at this point. It is often held that before WWII, and
particularly up to 1938, Flohr played active, fighting chess, whereas with
the loss of his homeland, first to the Nazis and subsequently to the
Soviets, and his own absorption into the communist machine, he became little
more than a “draw-master”. However, his draw-percentage before and
after the war, while indeed higher than other GMs, remained at about 50
percent. This can be checked in any accurate database.
The crucial fact here (which is all but
ignored or not understood in the thumbnail sketches one encounters on Flohr)
is that after 1948, Flohr had effectively retired from active
competition, becoming an analyst on Botvinnik’s team, and writing chess
articles for the vast Soviet press.
True, he would still compete in various
events, of various importance, until 1967 (always at least placing in the
top 10), but I do not think it can be seriously argued that he attempted to
win any of these tournaments.
Flohr’s relationship with Botvinnik was both
long-lasting and deep. While it is easy to see their common-ground as
top-flight chess players, the cement of this particular bond may well have
been of the “opposites-attract” variety: the warm, personable Flohr fitting
in so well with the stern, cold Botvinnik. For an interesting
description of this friendship in operation see the ChessBase article on “Bronstein’s
23rd Game"
As mentioned, Flohr also worked as a chess
journalist during the latter-half of his career. In fact, I dare say,
in the popular Soviet press of the times, he was their best known chess
writer. Interestingly, rather than an over-the-top analytical approach
(of which he was certainly capable), the majority of Flohr’s articles are
aimed at the average player, giving light annotations and instructive,
entertaining anecdotes about the masters. It’s certainly a great pity
that the best of these works have not been collectively published.
Here, especially prepared for this article,
is a sample of Flohr’s writing
(the following article originally appeared in
Russian, late-1957, in various Soviet chess publications.):
|
How to Become World Chess Champion
By Salo Flohr
(Translated by V. Sirin. English editing
and notes by Robert T. Tuohey)
The World’s
Grand Masters
It was in
Moscow, 1925, that the first great international chess competition was
held (note 4). The elite of the chess world attended this event.
Fortunately,
Soviet scientists were close by. This world-class chess event
would provide these scientists the opportunity to study the grand
masters, and thereby determine what, if any, special mental or physical
characteristics these expert chess players possessed.
It was only
some time later, after serious and due consideration of the results of
their investigations, that we have been finally appraised of the
surprising diagnosis: chess players are normal human beings!
So far as I
know, these results have not been contradicted.
No
Player Can Remain Fresh
Now, I am
neither a scientist nor a doctor, but I can state with absolute
confidence that no player begins a game 100 percent fresh.
It is
certain that each player is to some degree an actor, and that training
helps to build this mask.
For example,
you assume that the great masters such as Petrosian, Botvinnik, and Tal,
are at all times during a game possessed of an Olympic calm ~ but you
are wrong. Of course, they do have better control of their nerves
than the average player, but still, in a tough situation, with defeat
looming large, they too might blush like a school girl.
In all
seriousness, the heart-rate of a player will drastically increase as
danger mounts on the board before him.
I know that
it is the ambition of many, if not all, chess players to be the best ~
to be the champion of the world. Now, although I have never been
champion of the world, fervently though I wished it to be, as a chess
trainer I can give you sound advice in that direction.
So, here I
would like to take the opportunity to answer some of the questions that
have been put to me.
Chess
begins at 10 Years of Age
What is the
best age to begin chess? Of course, chess, like love, can catch a
person at any age! Now, Alekhine, the greatest player of all-time,
began at the age of seven and was a master by sixteen. Reshevsky,
the North American grand master, was so skilled as a seven-year-old as
to be able to tour the capitals of Europe giving simultaneous displays.
Some wags have even suggested that he was a better player then than now!
Now,
Capablanca first pushed a “laborer” at four years of age (note 5).
Tal was
champion of the USSR at twenty years.
Taking all
these famous examples into consideration, I believe that ten years of
age is the ideal time to begin a child’s chess education. Of
course, it must be said, that measures need to be taken to maintain the
child’s interest, otherwise the attraction will be but fleeting.
Why the Soviets Excel
Often when
traveling abroad I am asked about the secret of Soviet chess, and how is
it that we have so many talented young players in the USSR.
Of course,
our only “secret” is that the USSR places tremendous importance on the
education of our younger generation, permitting each child to develop
where his or her inherent talent lies (note 6).
Spassky and
Tal did not fall from the sky: we educated them.
But now
suppose you are already a player of the first-class: in fact, in pursuit
of the world title. What would be an ideal training regime for you
to follow?
Take Care of Your Health
The greatest
chess players in the world, our grand masters here in the USSR, make it
a cardinal point to always care for their health.
Of our 19
finest players, only a mere five insist on smoking. Botvinnik and
Smyslov, for their part, absolutely shun the enemy of tobacco.
I here am
reminded of an incident concerning grandmaster Nimzowitsch. This
great player could not tolerate cigarette or cigar smoke, and always
firmly demanded that his opponents abstain from this vice during any
game with him. Now, most of Nimzowitsch’s adversaries simply
accepted this condition, but one time when Bogolubow played him, a new
problem arose.
As Bogolubow
sat across from Nimzowitsch, he calmly placed a full pack of cigarettes
on the table. Greatly agitated, Nimzowitsch went and complained to
the head referee. On returning to the table with Nimzowitsch, the
referee found that Bogolubow was not smoking at all, but rather merely
waiting for Nimzowitsch to return.
The referee
said, “But Bogolubow is not smoking.”
“No,”
Nimzowitsch replied, “but he is threatening to – and in chess the threat
is more powerful than the execution!”
Botvinnik,
however, is ready for any eventuality at the chessboard: if he is
scheduled to play a heavy smoker, he simply practices in a smoky room!
The
meticulous preparation of Botvinnik
Botvinnik
has been taking care of his health since childhood. For example,
everyday he has the habit of walking at least two hours. Such
activity is a necessity in view of the fact that daily he will sit at
the chessboard hour after hour in deep concentration.
While at the
board he will take refreshment every two hours with a piece of chocolate
and a cup of hot tea with lemon. The thermos is, additionally,
always at his elbow, ready during games.
Speaking of
lemons, this reminds me of the 1954 USSR-USA match. The New York
Times reported to its readers on the peculiar thirst of Bronstein: he
drank the “juice from nine lemons”.
This was
just how Bronstein phrased his request to the hotel staff (“I would like
the juice of nine lemons, please.”). A by-stander, thinking
Bronstein’s English had gone wrong, said, “Do you mean lemonade?”
No,
Bronstein insisted that he wanted the juice of nine big lemons squeezed
into a glass for him. Then, to everyone’s astonishment, the man
from Moscow downed the drink to the last drop!
This
incident caused a small stir in the US, but, in fact, the explanation is
quite simple: as a rule, our chess players are accompanied to events
with a doctor (note 7). The physician with the team at that time
feared Bronstein was becoming tired and prescribed the lemon juice as a
tonic.
Evidently,
this was just in order, as he won his next four games.
So, the
moral here is: drink lemon juice and you will play like Bronstein, and
fear no adversary. However, as Bronstein himself says, he does not
recommend “stronger refreshments” (note 8).
The
Dangers of Coffee
In many of
the western countries, doctors seem to believe that coffee is good for
one’s health, and a fine stimulant. I myself was at one time a
coffee drinker, but I have come to the conclusion that too much is
harmful, particularly in the evening as it will disturb sleep.
But, then
again, isn’t it true that Lasker, Capablanca, Euwe, Botvinnik, and
Smyslov enjoyed an occasional espresso?
So, we see
that each person will have his or her own habits, and as long as it does
not turn into a vice, it’s fine.
For example,
a number of our chess players were heavy smokers in the past, but today,
realizing its harmful effects, have given up this practice.
A fine
example of the true champion’s will was given by the great Alekhine when
he, temporarily, lost his title to Euwe. At that time, Alekhine
was totally given over to alcohol. Training for the re-match,
however, Alekhine completely abandoned alcohol, smoking, and coffee
alike. All he had to drink was milk. One reporter insisted
that Alekhine was so serious about his new health regime that he
traveled about with his own personal cow!
The result?
When Alekhine arrived in Holland for the re-match, he was a new man,
full of confidence and bursting with health. Quite easily he
defeated Euwe, recovering his title. A wonderful example of health
and will-power!
Fish is Preferable to Meat
When a
player is doing well in a match, the public often asks about his diet.
I recall when Smyslov defeated Botvinnik for the world championship a
reporter asked Mrs. Smyslov about what she cooked for her husband.
“More than
anything else, I cook him codfish,” she replied.
So, there
you have it, beloved readers – eat codfish and you shall play like
Smyslov. Seriously, it is an inexpensive and nutritious food that
will help you to play well.
Indeed, I
have noticed that many champions prefer fish. Further, they never
eat late at night, nor ever to excess.
These things
will help you to become better and better, and although no one else may
recognize your progress, my advice is to stick to it and remain
steadfast.
Why I recall
that even Bogolubow was not much for recognizing young talent. In
fact, he even went so far as once to say, “ Although there are a lot of
fine young players today, I really think there are only two men in the
entire world who are experts – myself and Alekhine.”
Physical Exercise Also
Well now, I
believe that I have given my readers the main requirements to become
world champion, but I must add one more thing: also practice sports.
All the top
Soviet players do so. Botvinnik and Smyslov go in for gymnastics.
Spassky is an all-around athlete. Keres is a tennis player (and
first-rate at it, too). Geller plays basketball.
Driving an Automobile
Many of the
grand masters find that driving an auto is a suitable past-time in that
it provides relief from the mental strain of chess. Botvinnik,
Smyslov, Keres, Kotov, Geller, Taimanov, Lilenthal, and Averbach all
enjoy driving.
Of course,
there are occasional traffic problems to deal with. A few years
back, Taimanov, then an inexperienced motorist, was driving Smyslov
about Leningrad, showing him the beautiful view. Well, after one
too many violations, they were stopped by a traffic policeman.
“I am
escorting a distinguished guest,” argued Taimanov. “This is
Smyslov, one of the greatest chess players in the world!”
The officer
of the law, however, was adamant. “Well, unless you’d like to
bring the grandmaster the rest of the way on foot, you’d better not
break anymore laws! Here’s your ticket” (note 9). |
I’ll end with
an analysis of one of Flohr’s games:
Flohr Salomon (RUS) - Tartakower Savielly (FRA)
[D45] It Bled (Slovenia) (11), 1931 [Robert T. Tuohey]
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 e6 4.Nc3 c6 5.e3 Ne4 6.Bd3
f5 D45
QGD: Semi-Slav, Stonewall Defence.
7.Ne5 Qh4 8.g3
OOB. 8.0-0 Nd7 9.f4 = is one book
continuation.
8...Qh3 9.Bf1 Qh6 10.Bg2 Nd7 11.Nxd7 Bxd7 12.Qb3 b6
12...0-0-0 May have been the better choice.
13.f3 Nxc3 14.bxc3 Qg6
Getting out of the way of the QB (after e4), and
setting up the g-file attack.
15.0-0
Bring it on!
15...h5 16.cxd5 h4 17.dxc6 Bxc6 18.e4 hxg3 19.h3
Rh4
Evidently with the idea of hitting at the e-pawn...
20.Bg5!
But failing to see this. The weakness is
two-pronged: e6 and the uncastled king. In fact, this tactical
shot crushes Black's game!
20...Rh5 21.exf5 Qxf5 22.Rae1 Kd7
22...Bd7 23.Re5 Qg6 24.f4 Rc8 25.f5; 22...Kf7 23.Re5
Qg6 24.f4 Bxg2 25.f5.
23.Re5 Qf7 24.Rfe1 Re8 25.f4 Rxg5?
Dr. T falls into the common trap of only seeing half
(his half!) of a combination. 25...Bxg2 will hold for the nonce,
but Black's game is lost nonetheless. 26.Kxg2+-
26.Bxc6+ Kxc6 27.Rxe6+
The weak pawn falls, and with check to boot.
27...Kc7 28.Rxe8
And Black is lost.
28...Qxb3 29.axb3 Rf5 30.Kg2 Bd6 31.Rg8 Rf7 32.Kxg3
g5
32...Bxf4+ Won't help matters. 33.Kg4 Bh6+-
33.Kg2 gxf4 34.Kf3 Rh7 35.Kg4 a5 36.c4 Rf7 37.Rf1
Re7 38.h4 Re2 39.Kf5 Re3 40.h5 Rxb3 41.h6 Rh3 42.Rh8 a4 43.h7 Kb7
44.Rd8 1-0
Notes and Bibliography
There is no proper biography on Flohr. There are,
however, two game collections: Salo Flohr’s Best Games of Chess, by
Gregory S. Donges and Robert B. Long, 1985, Thinker’s Press, ISBN:
0938650343; and Salo Flohr: Master of Tactics. Master of Technique,
edited by Jimmy Adams, 1985, The Chess Player, Nottingham. Both are
out of print. In fact, it’s even hard to locate a PGN file of his
games on the net. Ergo, I offer the following:
-
691 games, from 1927
to 1967. This zipped PGN file has been cleaned and straightened out by
yours truly.
Find
this 141 kb file on Chessville's
Downloads - Games
by Players page.
-
My personal
35 favorites from this collection.
Notes
-
My database of 691
games indicates the following: from 1927-38: 284 games: 35% win, 49%
draw, and 16% lost; from 1939-67: 407 games: 29% win, 54% draw, and 17%
lost.
-
Flohr is one of the
“fathers” of positional chess. The line of descent is: Petrosian,
Karpov, and now Kramnik.
-
The source of these
remarks is Alekhine’s infamous 1941 “Jewish and Aryan Chess” articles.
I think it is generally accepted as fact that Alekhine did indeed
write these, but they were obviously composed under duress.
What’s more, the “reasoning” of these articles is all but senseless.
That a man of Alekhine’s intelligence and experience could believe such a
mishmash is beyond credit. Simply, he wrote them because he was
forced to do so. The articles can be found
here.
-
A nice example of
Soviet revisionism ~ the first international tournament was 1851, London,
won by Anderssen.
-
“Laborer” is
Soviet-speak for pawn!
-
Indeed, a communist
paradise (with the prophesies of Plato, as well as Orwell, fulfilled).
-
As well as the
KGB.
-
A sly jab at
hard-drinking Russians. As a former Soviet official once remarked to
me, “Under the communists, you either drank vodka or played chess. I
don’t know which was worse – but no man could manage both!”
-
Equality for all
in our Brave New World!
Olle Ekengren of
Avesta, Sweden, writes: Thanks for your interesting site about Salo
Flohr. If you are interested I can offer you a picture of Flohr in a
simultaneous session. His opponents on this picture are two Swedish
top players, Martin Johansson and Sven Buskenstrom, who both represented
Sweden in the 1960 and 1962 Chess Olympics. The photo was probably
taken in 1955, after an international tournament in Gothenburg. Kind
regards, Olle Ekengren. Thanks Olle!!
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