Story eleven: REAL AND MOVIE CHAMPIONS
The enthralling sight about Ostap Bender was one of attractive factors to the eyes of well- known comedy directors in America and Russia.
In 1970, Mel Brooks made his beloved movie The Twelve Chairs as the sweetly comic tale of three men dashing about Communist Russia in search of a chair with jewels sewn into the seat. Later he made copies for fans. Now everybody can hire this video in any American library.
Ostap Bender was shown as an unsurpassed master of establishing relations with representatives of the various strata of society. At the same time, he was not able to maintain them for very long. Running from the chess enthusiasts is a visual example.
Mel Brooks’ chess scene is a little different from that in the novel. Ostap (actor Ron Moody) runs away from the Vasyuki chess club. He jumps from the open window on the second floor straight on to the saddle of the horse that waited for him outside, and there is his former servant (actor Mel Brooks). A Russian policeman shoots at him. Ostap disappears in the same instant… The idea is clear: the “great manipulator”, Ostap Bender, can show up now and again. As an enterprising man, what would he remain in the new Russia or would he go to America?
In 1971, the popular Russian comedy director, Leonid Gaydai, made his film version of The Twelve Chairs. The scene where Ostap Bender woke up in the morning after the chess battle has remained firmly in the mind, as he saw regretfully how many chessboards drifted on the wide river of Volga…
A film preview was arranged at the Moscow State University chess club. The well-known Georgian actor, Archil Gomeashvili, who played the role of Ostap Bender, was present. Students asked him many questions.
The performer of the leading part said that he certainly played at the theater championship, but took the last place. As always, Gomeashvili won the first three games by beating the winners. All others were of no interest to him. “I tried to lose to those who during the game have been excessively excited,” he said.
It so happened that in the production group that worked on this movie, were plenty of chess players. Gomeashvili often was the winner of such quick “tournaments with jokes”. During every move, Archil sang Georgian tunes. His partners, in turn, emotionally recited Russian verses.
A humorous chess problem enraptured the performer of the part ‘Grossmeister.” He could not believe his eyes of how “overwhelming” a single move can be.
G.Reichhelm, 1882
A humorous chess problem enraptured
the performer of the part of the ‘Grossmeister.’ He could not believe his
eyes of how “overwhelming” a single move can be.
G.Reichhelm, 1882 (See diagram # 56)
In how many moves does White checkmate all 10(!) kings?
‘Grossmeister’, of course, liked jokes. “I could not believe my eyes watching this position,” he pronounced with admiration. “I’ve found the “devastating” offensive move!”
“It is probably a printer’s error,” all actors with one accord opposed him.
“No, Black really has ten kings on the board,” ‘Grossmeister’ convinced his colleagues. “You can note that none of them is in check.”
Not long actors were puzzled: 1.Ne5!
Every, in turn, could make “only his” mating move…It was an entertaining training before shooting the next episode of the film The Twelve Chairs.
In 1977, another well- known Russian director, Mark Zakharov, created a new movie version of The Twelve Chairs thanks to the talent of the famous Russian comedy actor Andrei Mironov (sits on the left). There was in the university chess club a great deal of talk about ‘Grossmeister’ Ostap Bender. The 12th world champion, grandmaster Anatoly Karpov (the second from the right) thought highly of the film’s main performer.
. Mironov, the “grandmaster of the comedy genre”, played the leading part in his own image. His Ostap Bender could joke and have fun.
“There is a witty job before us on the chessboard,” I applied to the actor. At that very instant, one of my students had pressed the button of his camera wishing to show his friends how the “movie champion” will solve this mysterious chess task.
Every, in turn, could make “only his” mating move…It was an entertaining training before shooting the next episode of the film The Twelve Chairs.
In 1977, another well- known Russian director, Mark Zakharov, created a new movie version of The Twelve Chairs thanks to the talent of the famous Russian comedy actor Andrei Mironov (sits on the left). There was in the university chess club a great deal of talk about ‘Grossmeister’ Ostap Bender. The 12th world champion, grandmaster Anatoly Karpov (the second from the right) thought highly of the film’s main performer.
Mironov, the “grandmaster of the comedy
genre”, played the leading part in his own image. His Ostap Bender could joke
and have fun. “There is a
witty job before us on the chessboard,” I applied to the actor. At that very
instant, one of my students had pressed the button of his camera wishing to show
his friends how the “movie champion” will solve this mysterious chess task. 
L. Moonk, 1908
Mate in two
‘Grossmeister’ was mystified: “There are no pieces on the chess board. What does it mean?”
I did not want to weary our respected guest and revealed the secret at once. In order to do a queenside castle (0-0-0!), the man who had White pieces held his king and rook in both hands. At this moment, his impatient opponent prematurely took away his king from the b3-square and thought to which one put him.
When the empty chessboard revived, all three pieces took up their places. Black had to do any move at White’s discretion. “Your king must move to a2-square,” said White (See diagram # 58). “Now the penalty follows – 1.Rd3 Ka1 2.Ra3. Mate. Haste makes waste!”.
Then students put questions to Andrei Mironov as if he is on the screen of The Twelve Chairs.
Then students put
questions to Andrei Mironov as if he was on the screen of The Twelve Chairs
“It seems to me that the little wooden pawn has a soul,” he said.
“Do you have dearly loved pieces?” was the issue.
“Yes. I love my pieces. They remind me at a happy united family. If a knight moves, I always mean it is a prank. Bishop’s moves show a faith and discipline inherent to military men. Rook’s moves demonstrate strength. A Queen possesses traits of a leader as well as a woman’s logic. A King has something paternal that needs to be defended. But most of all, I love a pawn. This modest piece suffers more than other chessmen. With what ease we sacrifice a pawn! The latter never retreats, pawns are fearless heroes.”
“What is chess for you in general?” students were interested in. “With what does the game capture you?”
” Chess attracts with the possibility of going into the world of the unexplored. I love to watch people sitting at the chessboard. One cannot recognize them. Some think they have become indisputable sages. Other has conjured up images of unconquerable military leaders. Where else can mere mortals present themselves as bold generals who join a struggle with Olympian calm? And some people get into the swing of things within several minutes, one can see at once what kind of character a man has.”
The talk was also about the authors of the novel The Twelve chairs. The writers who used the pen names “Ilf” and “Petrov” were natives of Odessa, where people always loved humor and chess. Both came to Moscow in 1923 and joined the staff of the popular newspaper The Train Whistle that had a permanent weekly chess column. Ilf and Petrov took a varied chess information from this as the basis of the novel’s chess chapter. Other central newspapers in Moscow also had such chess columns, and many chess masters worked as chess journalists. It became a nice tradition since the first world champion, Wilhelm Steinitz, wrote chess columns for London and New York newspapers.
One of the best Russian chess journalists in those days was Nikolai Grigoryev who edited the chess column of the most favorite newspaper Isvestia. He made himself popular thanks to his place in the novel The Twelve Chairs.
Both authors liked Grigoryev’s chess studios but, of course, could not republish them in a work of art. Once, the well-known composer expounded in his column about several queens on the chessboard. As an example, he described the ending of 11th game of the match Capablanca-Alekhine (1927).
Capablanca-Alekhine (See diagram # 59)
Alekhine
brought his queen in close contact with the enemy king:
61…Qf1! 62.Qe4 Rd2 63.Rxd2 cxd2 64.a7 d1Q 65.a8Q Qg1+ 66.Kh3 Qdf1+
White resigned because of 67.Qg2 Qh1. Mate! Four queens stand on the board!
For twelve years before, Alekhine, however, reached a record figure of queens.
FRENCH DEFENSE
Alekhine- Grigoryev
Moscow, 1915
1. e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Bb4
Alekhine- Grigoryev
Moscow, 1915
1. e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Bb4
It is an adventure line for Black, known as the McCutcheon Variation
5. e5 h6 6.exf6 hxg5 7.fxg7 Rg8 8.h4 gxh4 9.Qg4! Be7 10.g3! c5 10…Bf6 was better.
11. gxh4 cxd4 12.h5! dxc3 13.h6 cxb2 14.Rb1 Qa5+ 15.Ke2 Qxa2 16.h7 Qxb1 17. hxg8Q+ Kd7 18.Qxf7 Qxc2+ 19.Kf3 Nc6 20.Qgxe6+ Kc7 21.Qf4+ Kb6
22.Qee3+
If Black plays 22…d4, then 23.Qexd4+! Nxd4
24.Qxd4+ Kc7 (24…Qc5 25.Qxb2+
Kc7 26.g8Q Qc6+ 27.Kg3 Bd6+ 28.f4, or 24…Bc5 25.Qd8+, and wins) 25.g8Q b1Q
26.Qe5+ Bd6 27.Qd8+! Kxd8 28.Qxd6+ Ke8 29.Rh8+ Kf7 30.Rf8+ Kg7 31.Qf6+ Kh7
32.Rh8 Mate
Both black queens are indifferent to that.
23. g8Q b1Q 24.Rh6!! (See diagram # 61) 1-0
Black has no defense against threats of both white queens. For example, 24…Bxe3 25.Qd8+! Kc5 26.Qfd6+ Kd4 27.Qxd5 Mate or 24…Qe4+ 25.Q3xe4 dxe4+ 26.Kg3! Qxf1 27.Qb3+ Ka6 28.Qa2+ Kb6 29.Qb2 Ka6 30.Qe2+
(See diagram # 61) 1-0
Black has no defense against threats of both white queens. For example, 24…Bxe3 25.Qd8+! Kc5 26.Qfd6+ Kd4 27.Qxd5 Mate or 24…Qe4+ 25.Q3xe4 dxe4+ 26.Kg3! Qxf1 27.Qb3+ Ka6 28.Qa2+ Kb6 29.Qb2 Ka6 30.Qe2+
(See diagram # 61) 1-0
Black has no defense against threats of both white queens. For example, 24…Bxe3 25.Qd8+! Kc5 26.Qfd6+ Kd4 27.Qxd5 Mate or 24…Qe4+ 25.Q3xe4 dxe4+ 26.Kg3! Qxf1 27.Qb3+ Ka6 28.Qa2+ Kb6 29.Qb2 Ka6 30.Qe2+
Reading Grigoryev’s chess
column, Russian chess enthusiasts were familiar with Ilya Ilf and Yevgeny Petrov
and their humorous biography: “We aren’t even relatives. And even belong to
different nationalities: one is a Russian (enigmatic Russian soul) another is a
Jew (enigmatic Jewish soul).”
Ilf grew up in a poor Jewish family named Fainzilberg. Petrov was the son of a prosperous teacher. But nevertheless, a miracle occurred: two quite unlike personalities merged. A unified writer was born –“Ilf and Petrov.” In 1936, the two made a 10,000-mile automobile tour through the United States collecting material for their new books. However, soon after this Ilf died of tuberculosis. Petrov edited several humorous periodicals that contributed toward making the USA and Great Britain better understood by Russians. During World War II, Petrov was a military correspondent at the front. In 1942, he was killed at his post.
Newspapers’ chess columns maintain an interest in showing chess as a part of human culture. They can further the process of primary chess education. Every amateur, whether child or adult, can regularly check his chess ability by solving chess problems and studios. A chess column also contains games of top players that can be useful reproduced even by a child.
Stimulus for writing the chess story in the novel The Twelve Chairs was the First Moscow International tournament. The leading world players were invited: the world champion Jose Raul Capablanca, ex-champion Emanuel Lasker, grandmasters Rudolf Spielmann, Akiba Rubinstein, Richard Reti, Frank Marshall, Saviely Tartakover and others. Nikolai Grigoryev was the chairman of the tournament committee. This event provoked the first wave of enthusiasm for chess amongst Russian people and, what was particularly important, amongst schoolchildren.
The world champion was the main favorite at the tournament. Capablanca, a handsome and very sociable person with the subtle manners of a diplomat, was deeply impressed by Muscovities.
During these fall days, he acted in a film for the first time in his life. It was a cheerful comedy named Chess Fever, produced by the well- known Russian director Vsevolod Pudovkin.
The plot was about a lovesick swain who neglected his fiancée due to his passionate interest in chess. Conflict based on the background of the grandmaster’s competition and people’s universal enthusiasm for chess. Endless sharp discussions took place: in tramways and shops, on squares and streets, everywhere. People crowded around the enormous tournament tables that were displayed near the Kremlin.
New products came on the market: ‘chess’ cigarettes, sweets, cookies, and others.
Women began to wear chess fabrics. Men bought chess socks, cuff links, shirts and other articles for personal use. Many chess amateurs wore a tie ‘a-la-Capablanca’.
Life itself gave the authors of the movie motives for a comedy script.
The main hero of the movie became very keen on chess. Reproducing grandmaster games, he had forgotten the whole wide world, especially his marriage’s requests. All his bachelor’s attempts to get rid of chess came to nothing because she was always faced with such enthusiastic fans like her cavalier. Once, she came to a pharmacy, asking for a bottle of poison. The pharmacist, while playing chess, thrust something into her hands. As it turned out, he had absently wrapped up a queen. She couldn’t even imagine that it was so: chess prevented her coming to a bad end.
Looking bewildered, this woman walked up and down the street. She met a lonely man who, she hoped, did not have a chess rush and might be interested in having a friendly conversation. What a surprise! She was familiar with the world champion Capablanca! The Cuban grandmaster, who won all women hearts in Moscow, also vanquished the heroine of the movie. She changed from a determined opponent of chess to a devoted admirer of the game.
Producers of this movie invited Capablanca “to play himself”, and he agreed willingly. The movie turned out to be funny and was inspired with sincere love of chess. It looked kindly on both chess amateurs and luminaries of the game.
Chess is a sphere of rivalry for outstanding personalities that can be compared with other fields of human activity. Ilf and Petrov wanted to underscore that. Indeed, Ostap Bender was a plausible teacher in the town of Vasyuki.