Chess in 1928
by Bill Wall
In 1928, the International Association for Correspondence Chess (IFBS) was formed.
In 1928, Sultan Khan won the All-India chess championship.
In 1928, the National Chess Federation organized a Radio Chess League.
In 1928, there were 140,000 registered chess players in Russia.
In 1928, Pyotr Izmailov won the first Russian Federation championship.
In 1928, Frederick Yates won his 5th British championship, held at Tenby.
On January 3, 1928, Frank Ross Anderson (1928-1980) was born in Edmonton. He was Canadian Champion in 1953 (jointly) and 1955. He was awarded the IM title in 1954.
On January 24, 1928, Istvan Abonyi (1886-1942) played 300 opponents on 105 boards in Budapest. He won 79 games, lost 6 games, and drew 20 games. The exhibition took 11 and ˝ hours. (source: Reading, PA Times, Jan 25, 1928)
On February 28, 1928, Oscar Chajes (1873-1928) died in New York City at the age of 54. He was champion at different times of New York State, Illinois and the Western Chess Association.
On March 11, 1928, Jaroslav Hybl (1928-2006) was born in Czechoslovakia. He finished 2nd= in the 1968 World Correspondence Championship. He was awarded the IMC title in 1965 and the GMC title in 1968.
On March 30, 1928, Aurel Anton (1928- ) was born in Salbagel, Romania. Romanian CC champion in 1963. European CC champion in 1976. Fourth place in the 9th CC World Championship (1977/83). He was awarded the International Master in Correspondence title in 1980.
On April 20, 1980,Robert Eugene Byrne (1928-2013) was born in Brooklyn. He was US champion in 1972. He was awarded the GM title in 1964.
On May 10, 1928, Lothat Schmid (1928-2013) was born in Rudebeul, Germany. He was awarded the IM title in 1951, and the GM and GMC titles in 1959. He was German Correspondence Champion in 1952. He tied for 2nd place in the 2nd World Correspondence Chess Championship (1956-1962). He owned the finest private chess library in the World
On June 9, 1928, Jerry Bibuld (1928-2013) was born in New York City. He was an International Arbiter (1980). He was a chess organizer, tournament director, and chess coach, and contributed many photographs to Chess Life magazine.
On June 25, 1928, Eleazar Jimenez Zerquera (1928-2000) was born in Cuba. He was Cuban Champion in 1957, 1960, 1963, 1965 and 1967 (after a play-off). He was awarded the IM title in 1963.
In July, 1928, the Brooklyn YMCA banned chess. All the chess tables and pieces were removed and the YMCA management forbade its members from playing chess even on a magnetic or pocket chess set. The secretary of the YMCA concluded that chess attracted too many undesirable elements to the YMCA and that too many chess players or spectators were smoking during a chess game. Smoking was forbidden inside the YMCA. The YMCA also did not want to fund the extra supervisory personnel it needed to keep a room open for chess. (source: The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, July 11, 1928)
On July 15, 1928, Pal Benko (1928- ) was born in Amiens, France. He finished in first place (or tied for first place) in eight U.S. Open Chess Championships, a record. His titles were: 1961, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1969, 1974, 1975. He won the 1964 Canadian Open Chess Championship. He was awarded the GM title in 1958.
In August, 1928, Max Euwe won the 2nd (and last) world amateur championship.
In July-August, 1928, the second Chess Olympiad was held at The Hague. The Hungarian team (Nagy, A. Steiner, Vajda, and Havasi) took 1st place. Only chess amateurs were allowed. Just before the start of the 2nd official Chess Olympiad at The Hague, FIDE decided that only amateurs could take part. The British and Yugoslavia suspected that the USA team included chess professionals, so they withdrew in protest. Just before the start of the Olympiad, FIDE canceled the ban on professionals, but it was too late for most of the 17 teams to send their best players. Isaac Kashdan won the gold medal with the score of 13 out of 15. (source: The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Aug 5, 1928)
In August, 1928, the Western Chess Association (US Open) was held in South Bend, Indiana. Stolzenberg took 1st place.
On August 26, 1928, John Griswold White (1845-1928) died in Jackson Lake, Wyoming at the age of 83. He was founder and donor of the world's largest chess library.
On September 12, 1928, Abraham Kupchik won the National Chess Championship, held in Bradley Beach, New Jersey. Edward Lasker and Israel Horowitz tied for 2nd-3rd. (source: Harrisburg Evening News, Sep 13, 1928)
On October 14, 1928, Karl Robatsch (1928-2000) was born in Klagenfurt, Austria. He was Austrian champion in 1960. He was awarded the IM title in 1957 and the GM title in 1961.
On October 19, 1928, Emanuel Lasker's brother, Dr. Berthold Lasker (1860-1928) died at the age of 67. He won the New York State Chess Association championship in 1902. (source: The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Oct 25, 1928)
On October 27, 1928, Miroslav Filip (1928-2009) was born in Prague. He was Czechoslovakian champion in 1950,1952,and 1960. He was awarded the GM title in 1955.