CHESS BITS of chess history are constantly up for auction these days – and fetching amazing prices.
The most striking example occurred last week when a 103-year-old chess clock was offered on eBay.
Ordinary chess clocks, whether the traditional wind-up analog kind or the modern digital models, sell for $40 to $120. But the clock up for bid had a legacy.
It was used Jose Capablanca and Alexander Alekhine during part of their marathon world championship match in 1927 at the Argentine Chess Club in Buenos Aires.
The mahogany-and-brass timer drew an opening bid of $127, but within two days had garnered 40 others. After a week of bidding by a total of 18 people, the hammer came down at $12,200.
Bear in mind that even recent history sells. Every week on eBay, copies of Bobby Fischer’s “My 60 Memorable Games” sell for five to 15 times the initial 1969 cover price.
EN PASSANT: World chess federation president (FIDE) Kirsan Ilyumzhinov said FIDE is preparing a reality TV show, “Stars of the Chess Board,” for Russian television. Celebrities, including actors and politicians, will play 10-minute games to win $1 million, he said.
BRIDGE SINCE Easley Blackwood devised it 73 years ago, the poor old Blackwood convention has suffered more abuse than all other conventions combined.
Players use Blackwood when it won’t tell them what they need to know. They use it when they aren’t sure whether the agreed trump suit is sound. They use it when they lack a control in an unbid suit. They use it when the values for slam may not be present.
Today’s South had solid trumps, controls and winners, but he ignored another Blackwood problem: His suit was clubs. When North was indiscreet enough to respond five diamonds, South had to bid a slam knowing he was off two aces.
At least he must have looked confident. West led the king of diamonds and, not dreaming East had an ace, continued with the ace. South ruffed and ran eight trumps, throwing dummy’s hearts. With three tricks left, dummy had A-K-J of spades, and South had a spade and 9-6 of hearts. East kept Q-10-4 of spades, hoping West had a high heart, but South won the last three tricks with the nine of hearts and A-K of spades. Making six!
“Couldn’t you shift to a heart?” East grumbled.
“I should believe the man bid himself to slam with two aces missing?” West replied.
“He wouldn’t have used Blackwood with two low diamonds,” East pointed out.
“He shouldn’t have used it on the hand he held,” roared West.
Unless you’re as lucky as South, use Blackwood only when you can place the contract confidently, no matter what your partner responds.
