In Memorium

 I have written and display pictures of Larry Tamarkin on Facebook, but here I would like to list all of the NYC Chess Players who met an untimely death.  Say their names.  May their memories be a blessing. I suggest that we are a community, with a past and a future.  Anyone who suggests otherwise is beneath contempt.

I may be criticized for adding someone you don't like or someone you consider too peripheral.  They are all part of our common history.

Bill Adam

Bruce Albertson

Bob Ali

Alan Benjamin

Bruce Bowyer

Steve Brandwein

Leslie Braun

GM Walter Browne

Scott Chiaet

Billy Colias

Nick Conticello

Robert Feldstein

IM Ilya Figler

WC GM Robert Fischer

Will Fisher

Victor Frias

Nagib Gebran

Curtis Gibson

Robert Gruchacz

Wesley Hellner

Peter Henner

Martin Jacowitz

IA Carol Jareki

Susan Kantor

Erez Klein

Danny Kopek

Ed Kopieki

Edward LaMarca

Mikhail Layevsky

Vincent Livermore

GM William Lombardy

Brian McCarthy

GM.Edmar Mednis

Kalev Pehme

Robert Peretz

Paul Pressman

Boris Privman

Peter Roberts

Charu Robinson

Ronald Salzer

Eric Schiller

Jerry Simon

Ronald Simpson

Larry Tamarkin

Peter Winston

Jerry Yellen

Israel Zilber

Marshall 2021

People laugh at me when I say that the Marshall Chess Club is basically a social organization.   Maybe they're right.  That is its legal status, and that is what the founders intended.  There wasn't any other purpose that was conceived at the time.  Yes, the patrons wanted to support GM Marshall, but there was something in it for them too.  I've been a member for about half of the club's lifespan, but I still don't know for certain.

As far as I know, the club's Board of Governors always informally consisted of an inner board and an outer board.  But in the past the inner board had people with different backgrounds from each other.  There were lines of communication from the ordinary member to the leaders.  There were no purges on the board.  There were one or two bad apples who were sent on their way, but there was no attempt to make the board or the membership culturally consistent.  Our leaders were strong men and women who didn't become hysterical at a little constructive criticism.  The politburo of today would be considered ridiculous.

They were people who understood the true benefit of chess, which is to bring different people together.  Not just men and women, black and white, straight and gay, but people who are intellectually, economically, or temperamentally different.

The idea that anyone could come off the street and become a chess club official or a tournament director seemed ridiculous.  We elected people who we had known for years as officers, people who loved the organization for what it was.  The USCF rules that allow anyone to easily become a tournament director were intended for remote places where rigorous internships weren't possible, not one of most prestigious chess clubs in the world.

The club's tax status is 501c7, as a social club, is a very valuable and wonderful tax exemption.  I understand something about it growing up and growing old in one, and having been taught by my elders.  Most organizations wish they were 501c7.  A 501c7 needs a group of somewhat friendly members with a somewhat common purpose.  A 501c7 does not have to own property, but it cannot be desperate for money either.  That last part is what the problem usually is.

Anyhow I am definitely not running for office in the club, and I don't know the people who are.  I will refrain from attacking anyone by name.  It isn't necessary.  In fact forget everything I have said.

Walter Goldwater

Mr. Walter Goldwater

I first joined the Marshall Chess Club at the height of the Fischer boom.  The president of the club was  Walter_Goldwater.    I wouldn't attempt a biography, but to give you an idea of his scholarly achievements, he was the founder of the Walter Goldwater Radical Pamphlet Collection  at UC Davis.

He was said to be a millionaire.  He maintained power as club president mainly because some of the board members thought he would leave the club money.  That did not happen when he died of leukemia in 1985.   He had a long administration.   Not only did he maintain the presidency, but his employee Bill French had an apartment in the building.  If it was free or below market, I don't know for certain.

Future IA William Goichberg observing as
GM Robert Fischer plays in Havana tournament at
rear center window of the Marshall Chess Club.  

Towards the end of his administration, many of the younger players had left for Bill Goichberg's establishment, The Bar Point, which later became Steve Immitt's Chess Center of New York.  Most of the earlier patrons had left the Marshall, had died or had been driven out by the rambunctious Fischer Era players.  But it could not be said that no one wanted the to be president.  Two who served on the Board with Mr. Goldwater -- Dr Milton Finkelstein and Mr. Gary Sperling went on to become club president.

Mr. Goldwater was an anarchist.  I had no knowledge of his scholarly achievements at the time.  This assessment is based on conversations with him while on his Board and while working as an assistant manager.  One time I resigned from the Board, and months later I changed my mind and just started going to meetings again.  He defended me saying I showed initiative by putting myself back on the Board. 

GM William Lombardy

 

It was during Mr. Goldwater's presidency that board members were first nominated from the floor rather than the Nominating Committee. First there Alex Sheldon and then myself, being the youngest board member up to that time.  Anyone who thought the club was ever a democracy is mistaken.  The election are generally controlled by those already on the board. Also there has always been an inner board, generally the officers, who make most decisions.  And then there is outer board which mainly deals with decisions the inner board doesn't want to be blamed for.  I got to be treasurer and then vice president under presidents Prince, Grogan and MacArthur.  Believe me, I walked without a sound.

Mr. Johnny Marks:  Marshall
Governor, and author of
Rudolf The Red Nosed Reindeer

Being an anarchist didn't mean that anything goes. Once Goldwater told me that I could be president after he died.  I thought he meant that I could be president.  He actually meant that there was no fucking way I would be president while he was alive.  Some of the young people (now middle aged people) used to hang out, drink, smoke pot, and play Diplomacy in the basement.  It is said that there were cases where people actually lived at the club  (for example Israel Zilber, the first opponent in Tal's game collection).  These are different times, and whoever the president is, the basement will stay locked.    I now have to thank Mr. Goldwater for what I took fore granted, how he protected us for so long against overly authoritarian presidents.

GM Samuel Reshevsky

Dr. Chasin is not our first architect president.  Leon Haft was an architect.  He designed the nocturnal animal house at the Bronx Zoo.  He did some good things and some bad things like most people who do things.   He was one of several presidents who kicked me out of the office, but he made up with me the last time I saw him.   GM Sammy Reshevsky also kicked me out of the office, and it was my office at the time!   Anyhow the many international tournaments that Leon organized with GM Lombardy were great.  Their two "arm" tournament format was so successful at getting titles, that FIDE eventually banned it.  He also modified the apartments in the building to end rent stabilization.   Believe it or not, there was a time when the club had to lend the building money.   Leon's effort is largely responsible for putting the club on sustainable footing.