Saturday, January 22, 2011

A Persitz Interview and a Bronstein Quip

David Bronstein (left) vs. C. H. O'D Alexander, Hastings 1954, as it appeared in Davar 29.1.1954. For a better quality photo see here.
In 1953/1954, Raphael "Raaphy" Persitz was in Hastings. Persitz himself played in Hastings' traditional Christmas / New Year festival two years later. He sent an article about the tournament to to Davar -- 'The Kings' Moves in the City of Tzrichim' (a pun in Hebrew: Tzrichim means both 'turrnets' or 'spires', as in church spires, and 'rooks') --  from which this photo is taken.

In the article, he interviewed David Bronstein, who showed his usual sense of humor. Example of Bronstein's quips from that interview:

- [On Horne]: I fear a man who opens with the king's gambit.
- Why do I spend ten minutes to 30 minutes on the first move? I must decide what opening to play.
- Can't I do it at home? No, the opening position is too complicated.

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