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America ~ Chejj newdpaper Copy right 1956 by Unlhld SI.!It e. ChHS Federation Vo l. X, No. 18 Sunday , May 20, 1956 15 Cents . • FI RANKING AC TOP·RANKING AC National Chess Ratings EN PLAYERS U. S. PLAYERS RlIUkillg List No. 10 Shuws Effe ct of l'erjonnflHccs ...... -...... ill CO/ltests lIeld duriHg the Yellr 1955 ,...... By KENNETH HARKNESS ...... u seF R~fi"g Slali$lici"u ,.•• ...... _. In this issue we publish the tenth national chess rating list. The ,.•• ..... players whose names appear in this list have competed in rated contests w. -...... held during the calendar year 1955. With [our exceptions, perfo,rmances "n .. in tournaments ending aiter December 31st, 1955, were not mcl~ded ...... 14. , [o~r exc~ptlO~: ". --...... , when computing the averages for the current list. (The 15. the Rosenwald Tropny Tournament, the Tennessee Open ChampIOnship, the Greater .M iami Championship, and the Natchitoches Chess Club Cham players national titles in accord· points will be demoted imme· pionship.) ance with their methods of classi· diately. • Previously rated players who did not take part in 1955 tournaments fication. The systems used in Great We shaH contintte to ignore the or matches are considered inactive and their names are not published. Britain and Canada are based on performances of masters in co n· the numerical ratings developed by (An exception is made in th_e case of inactive masters. for the reasons tests that do not meet the require this writer and adopted by the ments of master play. As stated in explllincd below.) Tournament directors who wi~b to. find t h~ l ate ~t USCF in 1950. Germany has its paragraph 3 of the USCF National ratings of inactive players should consult the previOUS lISts, pubhshed III Chess Life as follows: "lngo" system which is similar to Rating Regulations, the perform· List No. 1...... November 20, 1950. our own in some re~pects, although ances of a master affect his avcr· List No_ 2 ...... : ...... •....•....•.••...... •...... M arch 5, 1951. the two methods were produced age rating only wIlen he competes L!st No. 3 ...... October j ' ~;~J' LI st No. 4 ...... _... •. .Mar ch , . independently of each other. in tournaments and matches which List No. 6 ...... M ay 20, 1951. It is not our intention to make it meet the following conditions: List No. 7 ...... Decambe r '} 1951. List No. B ...... June s' 1;54. too ensy to become a U.S. Mastel'. (a) All games must be played LLst No. 9 ...... _.. _... May , 55. If the minimum requirement is with clocks and the time limit must It will be noted that we have been unable to maintain the schedule made too low, the title becomes not exceed on aver age of 20 moves , of semi·annual publication during the past two years. Wh ile this is re- meaningless and farcical. It may be pCI' hour. The total period of play I grettable. circumstances have made it impossible for us to do the neces+ noted, however, that only 39 active for any session must not exceed f-- ....,, ~. ,. ,,.-, ;,. It takes abot!t three months to prepa:'C a l'ating list for pub. player::, out of a total of abnut 3200 £i.e hnurs. lieation. Your Rating Statistician can no longer devote so much time to in the current rating list, have (b) Not more than oQe round labor for which he receives no compensation. Unless a solution is found, earned average ratings of between may be played in anyone day. we may be fo rced to publish lists annually, instead of semi.anoually. 2200 and 2299 points. About half (c) All games must be played to New Classifications Adopted of these men formerly had r atings a finish during the course of the of 2300 points 01' over, but have contest. To make our classifications conform more closely to the standards faHen off lately. We cannot feel, used in some conntries of Europe and eh;ewhere. we have lowered by However, the followi ng scntence therefore, that we have lower ed is now added to this regulation: 100 points the minimum and maximum requirements for each category. our standards too much. In the current list, and until further notice, our classifications are as If, during the twclve months follows: We believe that the recognition prior to the closing date of a rat Grandmaster ...... _.. _...... 2601) of 2200·up players as Mas ters will ing list, a master does no t com Senior Master ...... _...... 2 400 to be beneficial to chess in ge neral. Master ...... _...... 2200 to pete in any contest which meets Exp ert ...... _ ...... _ .2000 to Attention will be focussed on the the standards of master play, as Class A ...... 1600 to strongest players in some areas Class B ...... _...... _...... 1600 to described above, his perfor mance CL ass C ...... 8eLow without previous repr esentation in ratings in other events wiH be in· the master class. Players may now cluded when computing his cur· Hitherto, our standards for rec whose USCF ratings are below seek the tiUe of Mastel' with new ognition as a master have been 2300 poin ts. On the other hand, rent average rating. ambition and enthusiasm, without This means that a master can· higher than those of many other Russia has a tough qualification feeling that they have to meet countries. Therc arc players r eo system which makes it extremely not retain his rank for morc than standards too difficult of achieve· one year by mer ely playing in garded as masters abroad (and a difficult for a player to r each the ment. In any case, we feel sure that few FIDE "International Masters") master rank. He has to work his week-end tournaments and other this change wm make the rating contests intended mainly for no n· way up through five classes, make system mO!'e popular than ever! a good enougb showing as a first masters. He must confirm his rat· U. S. JUNIOR And this is as it should be, for a ing by competing in at least one categol'Y player to be accepted as popular rating system creates con· CHAMPIONSHIP tournament 0 1' match meeting the a MastCI' Candidate, then turn in tests, incrcases the number of en required standards of master play. a 45% score in an all·master tour tries in tournaments, develops JlI ly 1-7, 1956 Provisional Ratings Philadelphia, Pa. nament, 01' up to 75% in a tourna strong players, improves the qual· ment with only a few non.masters. ity of play in general, adds zest A player's rating does not be· and inter est to competitive chess. come accurate until he has com It is nahu'a] t.ha t the USSR has peted in enough tour na ments to the strictest of aU qualification sys New Regulations Governing Master Competition provide an average representing tems. for there are probably more his true strength. In pllrticulllr, the strong players in Russia than in Now that we have lowered the rating of a player who has taken all of thc rest of the wor ld co m. minimum requirement of the mas· part in only one rated contest may bined. In countries with fewe r tel' class, we have revised our reg be wide of the mark. An asterisk powerful players, it is the custom ulations governing the publication (Please turn to page 2, co l. 3) to qualify (or nominate) the strong. of master ratings and the condi est tournament contestants as na tions uncleI' whit-h a master may tional masters. There is no harm in compete hors de concours in a can this practice, so long as it is un. test wh ich does not meet certain U. S. OPEN derstood that the titles . are na. standards. CHAMPIONSH I P tional and do not necessar ily rep· In the past, we have r etained in resent the strength of these play· the master class, for six months, ers in international competition. a player whose rating feU slightly JIIly 16-28, 1956 Several countries have adopted below 2300 points. In future, a mas Oklahoma Citl}, Okla. ranking systems and give their ter whose rating goes below 2200 • NATIONAL CHESS RATINGS USCF RATING CERTIFICATE (Continued from page one, column four) after a player's rating in the Jist ly difficult for Reshevsky to im indicntes that he has played in only prove his rating. But if he fails to one tournament or match. win, he takes a nose·dive. This is Wc caU attention to these provi the penal1y of being at the top sional ratings befause some areas of the heap. As Sammy stated, it of the United States are now send is unusual for him to blundcl' four ing us reports of tournaments in times in one tournament, so he which only a small number of will probably rccover his former rated players competed. For cxam rating when he. wins one or two pic, the Cleveland Chess Associa master tournaments or competes tion turned in reports showing the with other players in his own performances of 600-odd entrants, Grandmastcr class. and the vast majority had no pre Incidentally, Rcsllevsky did not vious ratings. Obviously, the provi lose points by tying with Rossolimo sional ratings issued to these can· at the 1955 U.S. Ol)en. When a testants may -be incorrect. How player wins, or ties for first place, evcr, if Cleveland and other simi his rnting is not recorded if he is lar areas will continue to report playing bela\\" his class, as indicat· the results of their tournaments ed by the fact that it would be im· This handsome certificate, bearing your name and national rating, gives and matches, the national' ratings possibi'e for him to earn a perform you official standing in the world of chess, brings you recognition for your of their players will become in ance rating at least equal to his creasingly accurate. last average. This was the condi achievements, conveys the honor and prestige of an official title-U. S. Rated What Happened to Resh.evsky? tion that prevaiJed at Long Beach. Player (Class A, B, or C), U. S. Expert, Master, Senior Master or Grand To forestall the expected bar Even if Sammy had made a 100% master. The certificate is suitable for framing, the actual size being 8" x 5" rage of questions about Reshev score, he could not have earned a sky's rating in the current list, let performance rating of 2770 points. (twicc the siu of the reproduction above)-or it may be folded and carried us hasten to explain that our No. 1 Since Heshevsky .and Rossolimo in your waHet. player fell off from 2770 to 2663 made the same game score at the This certificate is sent only on request. Write for yours today, endosing as a result of his poor showing top of the field, Sammy's perform (for him) in the Rosenwald Trophy ance rating is not recorded. Tie 25 cems to cover the COSt of handling and mailing. Additional copies to Tournament. In contests with oth· breaking points are not taken into post in dub rooms or carry in your wallet: iO cenrs each. Addrcs.s your re er American masters, it is extreme· consideration by the rating system. quest to Rating Statistician, United States Chess Federation, 81 Bedford Street, New York 14, N. y, NATIONAL CHESS RATINGS
MASTERS EMERITUS :lournamenl oil;' Send to CHESS LIFE, 123 No. Humphrey Ave., Oak Park, HI. for applica tion form for ennouncln" tournament In thll column.
Unless otherwise specified, ell tournaments announced in this column Ire 100% U$CF rated. Rating f"s, If any, are Inc Iud&m 506 2nd St.• m"rnarek, N.D. INACTIVE MASTERS pelcs In 5 rd Swiss; entry fee $5 pluS 100% USCF rated event. ( Th(-pl~ycr5 /ill"J below edrneJ U. S. OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP JIIly 16-28, 1,956 Oklahom(l City, Okla. ELIGIBILITY, Open to all Chess pl ~\'c r s. PLACE: Civic Room. Oklahoma I3l1t_ mo r~ Hotel. Oklahoma City, Okla. h o ma (completely AIr Condl. iI(mctl ). TYPE: IZ-rnund S",iss Syste m. DIRECTOR: International Chess Mas ter. GcorKC Koltanowsk!' TIMfl OF PLAY, Dally Pia),: 7:00 P.M. to 12:00 M., exceptlng S:,\u r dSY, July 21. and exccpUng fina l round which will begin (1\ 12:00 N oon July 2tl. SO &loVei In the first 21A1 hours, 20 move. per hour thereafte r. Adjourned games (rom each or the flrst I I rounds must be ,)b yed on the day following lit d l8C I '~ Uon of Tournftll\cnl 01- rClClor. 12th (final) round nlUst be Ill~) 'c d to (Inlsh. Saturday , .Ju\y 21 Is rc~cl"V('d for the Speed 'rour. i ney, ENTRY FEES: $IS.oo for user mem. b<>rs : $20.00 for non.me mbers (SS.OO ror USCF dues). _I-'""EGISTRATIOH: Civlc Room, Okla_ homa Biltmo re Ho lcl. commencin g Sundll), 2:00 P.M., J ul), l~ and l' ndlnf at 1:00 P.M. deadline, Mon. day JuJ.v 16. Mailed entries must b(! postmarked DO I ~te r thnn July 9. 1958. Mailed enlrl e~ 10 be sell! to Jerry G. Spann, 314 Col. corcl BuUdlng, Oklahomn City, Ok. Inhollla. P RIZES: $3000.00 lolal ,,1lh ' 1000.00 (o r fl l'St place, and 19 other ca~ h prlteS. Cash prius ror hlRhe$l ,,"otneu's sC() rcs and title or u . s. Wo men Champion ro r r ank ing ..-omnn play,,". Top-ntortlt M,.,dlll to be awarded 10 al1 playerS fin. Ishlnll In top one-half of Stand. lnll ~ . SPEI!O TOURNEY, Spcelnl U. S. U !l htnhtg Championship to be h"'l\I Saturday. lui>' 21. Entr ), Fcc: 55.no. Cash Prhcs. ACCOMMOOATIOHS: Hote l accom· modatlon. and mealS auured a t r CU(>I\ R1)l e prices. Contact Ih .l Crll' p('ll, Oklahoma BllInlON! H<>- 1(' \, Okbhoma Cily or Jerry G. Splmn, 314 Colcord IJuUdlng, Ok. luhornn ClIy, Oklahom a. , EQUIPM ENT, Players Rre urged to brlnJl Ch(!s. sets. boards, and ES PECIALLY Chess c!DCk s. VACATION ATTRACTIONS: Bo~t. Inf(. ~-Ishlng. Water Sports on Okla homa City's t \\"o beaut irul lnk" tl-Lake O " erh "l~r ~nd Lake Uern(' r . O k lahomll City Spring· 11Ike Park lor ,,\\" lmmlnll, r l d e~ . plenlckinl!. Eight tine Golf C"\lr'~ts In Oklahoma City HM, a lso the World Famous LinColn P"rk Zoo. Texas Le",ue Baseball nod Rod('os. Motor t o Turner FaH ~, L.~ke M',,·r ay. Lake Texoma. Q"lIrt ~ Monntain. Beavers Bend. RohlwT5 Cave. Sequoyalr, O$age IIIl1s. Roman NosI'. BOiling ::;p rin/:$, Lake W L~ ler. Lake Ten. kilter , C re"n](!af ' ,.3ke, Alabaster Caverns. Platt Natlons l Park, G"lInd La ke, Fort Gibson, Will nO I!(,fS Memori~1 Shrine a nd ihe NnUonnl Wild Life Refuge • . . wooded mountains, lakes, $ tr cam~, historical .ltn. Indian Lore lind Howard (Seattle, Wash.) .... 1140· Ind ian VlUages. all wllhln a eou. Bnndt, Roy (Spokane, Wnh.) ...... 145 0: pit or hours drl"" ror your plus. ure and enjoyment. Bru~r, E. (crev.rand) __ ._ ... _•.•.. . ~ .. 16S4 Srask, s"en (A"leboro, Mass.) .. _toll 8ra",u, Alyln (Midl.nd, Mieh.) .•.•• .1.73 .... Vol. X, Number 18 May 20, 1956 Publi shed tW ice a m onth on the 5th a nd 20th by THE UNITED STATES CHESS ~' EDEnAT10N . Entered as second class matter Scptember 5, 1946, at the post office at Dubuq ue, Iowa, und er the act of Mar ch 9, 1879, Editor: MONTGOl'IrERY MAJOR POSTMASTER: Please ret",rn "'ndell~er~ble t Opies with Form 357' to Kenneth H~rkness, USCF Busineiiii Manager, 81 Bedford Street, New York 14, N. Y. ---,--. .- _ .... .... -, USCF Membership Dues, Including ,;ubscriptlon ta Chess Llf~, semi"anllnai publi CHANGE OF ADDRESS: Four weeks' notice required. When omring change cation of national "he's r ;) Ung, and all other pr ivilege.: pJr;)se furnish an address stencil Impr"sslon hom recent \ssu·e or exaet repro ONE YEAR: $5.00 TWO YEARS: $9.50 THREE YEARS: 513.50 LIFE: $100.00 d uct!on , including numbers and dates on top line. SUSTAINING: $10,00 (Become. Life Membership after 10 p~yment.) Send rnembf!rship dues (or subscriptions) and changes of address to KENNETH day of month of enrollment, ..xpires at the HARKNESS, B",.lness M~nager, 81 Bedford Street, New York 14, N. Y. arc paid. Family DUM for two Or more m .. m- :.,"::ame add.ress, Including only onc subscriptIon to Send Tournament rallng reports (with fees, if any) and all communications reo (see a bovel for first membershIp, ",t the foll'Jw. gardlng CHESS LIFE editorial matters to MONTGOMERY MAJOR, Editor, 123 membership: One year $2.50; two years $4.75: thr<>e North Humphrey Avenue, Oak Park, Iff. of Ch ess Lire t o n"n-mcmben Is $3,()() per year. Make aU ched:$ payable 10: ruE UNI I ED STATES CHESS FEDERA nON Srmd J usy (Clevelandl ...... _.... _._1500· Joh. r, Ca rl (S h eboYIJ.n, Wis.l ...... 1600 J e wIII, C. (Sin Ao.onlol...... 1650· JOlchlm, Chas. (SU ltll, Wuh.)...... 1972 Joffe, J . (Columbul, 0 .1_...... _.1600· Joh.nso n n, H. (Clevelandl ...... 1650· Joha nn on, E. (B.v.rly HllIsI_...... 1715 Jo ho$On, A. (Cl.v.r.ndl...... _. ... _. . _16S0· (WilmiO!llloo, Johnson, A. L. (5'. Paul, Mlnn.I .. _._ .. 1&80 Grosh ong, R. (G'Hnsboro, Hldv,,!!hy, G. (Cleveland)._. ... _... __ .... IS00· Johnsoo, Oon. ld (So. Be nd, Ind.I. ... 1924 Gross, F I~tc hlr (L a CIOld l, H IIJg;ns, M. S. (West Pofo', N.Y.). ... 1733 Johoso n. E. (Cllvlll nd) .... __ ... _...... 1753 Gross. He nry (510 Frlnd s ~o ) , . , ...... 2111 HigginS, O lg l (Siloill 8arbuII_.. _. . _.I706 Jo hnson. E. P. Jr. {New Orlu o s) ...... 163C· Grllss, Ronald (C ..... pton. Cal.). ._. __. _2007 Higginson, R. (SpOklll>e, Wnh.)...... laso· J llhn soo. Fre d (Verb" Linda, C,,1.)_.1627" Grouguth, Cart (Hlw Vllrk) ....•.•.•. .•2in2 Hlgler, Wm. tH ew Vork~ _ ... __ ...... 1770· Jllhol OIl, Ge rald tChl(.go ) .•...._ ... _. .. 176' I . N.H.' .. . , IIII iI.., ) • M inn.) ., .... '... ) ...,,' ,. , N ,Y.) Md.) , Cill.) " 50 ' Newell, (S .. n A"i,;" Leonar d, Tr.cy (KlnS., City. Mo.) 1500 Newt on, .vor (Fl. Worth) Newton, Paul (Raleigh, N.C.) IC , (C '. v.'and ) .__ _. __ l BOO Nicholilkakis, N. (U tah) 1150" [lot Ang.'u) ._. ______17S] (fom rife S""J." p,., • (Ne .... York) """'. 1830 Nield s, No rman {R.lId 'ng, P i.) 1798 M;q zo, 19J6 (Cleveland) ...... 173, Nielsen, N. L. (San Fr. nci$<;o) .. ,." 1626 Ind.) 1500' ...... 15.1 ... ".. 1717 ...... 1945 1979 ." .. " .. lU1 ...... 1650· ...... 1100' .... , , Ina' ... 1415' . USO· ... .. 1800' 1679 1719 ...... ,,~ : York ) MI,h .J , N.C.) . ...... ... .' ...... " ...... F. E. [F ullerto" , i",! -- .. '" Slifer, W m. [High la nd Pk., MIch.) 1'97.''' Sloan, J . [Cleve land ) Cal.) Sloboda, J. I Q "~n. Village, N.Y.I .,"..," Tenn.) _.. 1700 Scan'. " , It. G. [N, w Orleans) ..... ;;;;, Aev'"k y, L . i N.J .) 1763 Seha;", Gera'd (Su ttle, W ash.) ... 309'1 Ahead, D ~ I .. Ind.) ______.__ __ ._ 1850 Sch , r a, E. M. ( C uy ~ hoga Fit" 0 .) . 201 8' (fh es s S"J." p, •• 7 rife M", 20 , J916 Ahodes, A. [ K ~ n sas City, Mo.) .- ___ .. _1700· Sche re r , J as. (Chln,o) ...... 1793 I, Urut'a, Dr. A. Ihn Antonlo). ...•...... •.. lS00· S,,,,dll'}', U'~"Uk, D. (C eYellnd)...... 1500· P-s- 8 Ushnoff, Alula (San Antonlo) ...... l400· M • Conn.) Va~a yjno, L. (Orll n ge. N .J.) Yacoub!an, H. (New York) Yagg ie, Eu! (San F nndsco ) Yl pur, Antonio (S,nlurce, P .R.) Veager, Edw. (Berkeley, CII.) Yos"', Melvin (Brex>klyn, N'V'I Yo,t, Gu. (Albuque rque, N .M . Youens, Leonard (Hou.tan, Te • . ) Young, Belty (New York ) YtlUng, D. L. ISan Gabriel, C.I.) Yo ung, Fra nk !Apple ton, W Is.) Young, Dr. L. C. !Mldh on, Wis.) Young, Woodrow (Alle ntown, Pa.) Y .... ngman. He nry (Corpus Chris" ) YUdl(:UkJel, T . (Frackville, P I.) Yunker, J IS. (Peabod Y, M •••. ) ., ...... , D.C.) Slu"lr, Te r ry (Johnslown, PI.) . lSOO' Md.) Subanovic':!. L. (Gillry, Ind.) ...... 1t.S7 Sube, Jilin,. IL illncnter, Pill.) ...... 1830 M ilS',) Suchobeck, A. (Los Angl les) . 2.178