Chess History: 1980 Paul Masson Tournament

Casual Chess Club member Steven E. Bickford, formerly a Chess Tournament Director shares one of two photographs that he took at the  1980 Paul Masson Chess Tournament.

Steven’s notes:

• Max Euwe (tan suit) – Former champion, good stories told.
• Boris Spassky (curly hair) – Talked about who else, Fischer. Ran into him in the parking lot and said hello to him.
• George Koltanowski (pictured far right) – Performed his famous Knight’s Tour – the chalk board on the right had each square filled in with unique information, he studied it for two minutes turned around and faced the audience, then as the Knight landed on a different square he would tell you what was written in it. Many good chess director stories too, including one about two players who hated each other and he made them play on a 4×4 inch peg set because they could not agree on anything. Blindfold champion, chess editor for the San Francisco Chronicle for many years, and “Mr. Chess Ambassador.”

Steven also notes that he experienced watching the following great players play early in their careers:
Nick de Firmian
Larry Christiansen
Walter Browne

For more photos from Paul Masson Tournaments, visit http://www.chessdryad.com/photos/saratoga/saratoga_02/index.htm. # # #