Page 14 - The Villager April 2021

Lifestyle

Chess by

MacFarlane (left) in 1978 at Cape Town
any chess geniuses make a almost a hundred years later, bobby Gardens, a popular spot for casual
habit of appearing on the Fischer also retired from the game after open air chess at that time.
Mworld chess stage and then beating boris Spassky for the world
retiring from the game or disappearing championship. much of the world in 1986 and he also beat the future world
into obscurity. most chess players will 1972 was gripped by this chess match champion, vishy anand, at the lloyds
have memories of prodigiously talented - the so-called match of the Century bank tournament the year before.
individuals who’d seemed destined - a match that Fischer eventually, and macFarlane won the western Province
for chess stardom, yet whose careers dramatically, won. the Daily Mirror Closed Championship at age 13 and
plateaued, stalled, and even ended trumpeted one of Fischer’s victories was the South african Closed Champion
surprisingly early. the first chess player with the headline, Spassky Smashki. at age 17. the question whether
we consider in this category is the when one reporter went from bar to bar macfarlane could have reached the very
american, Paul morphy. the second in New york to see what their television top is open to debate and question.
is bobby Fisher and third is the South sets were tuned to, he discovered that many touring grandmasters who visited
african, Donald macfarlane. 18 of the 21 were showing the chess, South africa were very impressed with
Paul morphy is considered to have and only three were tuned to the his playing strength. the following is an
been the greatest chess master of his baseball games. example from the South african Closed
era and the unofficial second world Championships in 1979. at the age of
Chess Champion (1858 - 1860). a chess 13 he found the going tough, finishing
prodigy, he was called ‘the Pride and on 5/13 and he occasionally showed
Sorrow of Chess’ because he had a his opponents too much respect, as in
brilliant chess career but retired from this ending against the eventual winner
the game while still young. at a young Frank Korostenski.
age, morphy toured europe and beat all
the leading european masters except
howard Staunton who carefully avoided Soon after that match, bobby Fischer
playing morphy. became a recluse and didn’t play
competitive chess for nearly 20 years.
then, in 1992, he challenged boris
Spassky again to a match in yugoslavia,
defying international sanctions. Fischer
was known for his demands, his
eccentricity, his walking out of matches,
coming late, making demands about
lighting and cameras. he said he’d like
to make his opponents squirm.
the third player who abruptly retired
from the game was the South african, Despite being a pawn up, black is quite
Donald macFarlane. macfarlane beat lost. realising this, Korostenski offered a
the 15-year-old mickey adams who draw which was gratefully accepted by
Morphy, an eccentric genius, disgusted became the highest british-rated player
at Staunton’s avoidance tactics, the young macfarlane. but 41 Íb6-c7
abruptly retired. ever at the oakham young masters in wins the e-pawn and the game.

12 • Issue 4 2021 • The Villager