Can it be?

[Richard Pask]

Did our Newell Banks really play against Boris Spassky in the 1971 Canadian Open held in Vancouver? If so, a photograph of this memorable event would be highly cherished! Or was it just a Newell Banks?

[George Hay]

Richard, it looks like it was a Banks, perhaps a case of mistaken identity? Boris Spassky vs Banks, Canada 1971, 1-0
was the game of the day for Mar-04-07 on chessgames.com.
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1128880
Spassky tied for first at the 1971 Canadian Open.

However, Kenneth M. Grover did tie for first at the 1962 Seattle Sea Fair Open Chess Tournament.
http://www.nwchess.com/articles/people/ ... Grover.htm


Newell W. Banks and Kenneth M. Grover were both masters at checkers and chess!

--George Hay

P.S. Newell W. Banks' essay on chess and checkers is one of the finest essays in mind sports, IMHO.
Although I do disagree with the often quoted (on chess sites) conclusion!

[liam stephens]

Hi George, you might find the picture in the site below of interest.
Quite a good portrait.


http://www.chessbase.com/news/2008/winter/winter121.jpg

[George Hay]

Quite a good portrait.

Liam, thanks for the link! I have not seen that photograph of Newell W. Banks before.
It shows his professionalism and showmanship.

--Goerge Hay

[George Hay]

I am almost sure Newell W. Banks did not play chess with Boris Spassky in Canada in 1971.

However, one website does show Boris Spassky vs Newell Banks in a list of Newell Banks chess games. But the list has only 14 games,13 played in 1916, and 1 game in 1971.
http://chesstempo.com/gamedb/player/237084

Another website lists chess games for Newell William Banks. The list has 29 games, 13 from 1916, 5 from 1924,
and 11 from 1926. Conspicuously missing is any chess game from 1971.
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chess.pl ... 8&eresult=

The games themselves may provide a clue, as Newell Willam Banks beat Frank James Marshall in Chicago in 1926.
The ending goes against the conventional wisdom in the endgame! The side with the bishop should have beat the side
with the knight! No doubt Banks' checkers skill came through in this chess game! In this particular game, the Checkers Champion beat the Chess Champion!
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1458979

--George Hay

[George Hay]

It was evidently Boris V. Spassky vs Derek Banks in the Canadian Open in Vancouver in 1971. It may be found on
page 29 of the Games of Boris V. Spassky, with clicking on the chess game icon at the end of the row giving the details.
http://www.365chess.com/players/Boris_V ... rt=1400365

365chess.com featured the same game that Chessgames.com did, but 365chess.com listed the first and last name of Spassky's opponent, Derek Banks.

Chessgames.com did have a more complete listing of the (Chess) Games of Newell W. Banks than 365chess.com.
Missing from the 365chess list are all but one game played in 1924, and all games from 1926.
http://www.365chess.com/players/Newell_Banks

--George Hay

[George Hay]

Just one last detail, the Boris V. Spassky vs Newell Banks game featured in Chesstempo.com is the same
game as Boris Spassky vs Banks featured in Chessgames.com, and the same game featured in 365chess.com
as Boris V. Spassky vs Derek Banks.
http://chesstempo.com/gamedb/player/237084

--George Hay

[George Hay]

In another "can it be?" that I've been watching, did Newell W. Banks actually beat Capablanca at Chess in Kanas City, Missouri? Evidently so, albeit in an exhibition! From the Chicago Daily Tribune, 21 FEB 1909, page 4:

‘In offhand games the brilliant young Cuban, however, won 11 games and lost only one – this to Newell Banks, the promising young expert at checkers who also plays an excellent game at chess.’

This is from the the website Chess Notes by Edward Winter http://www.chesshistory.com
The item in the above website is 9139. Capablanca in Kansas City

However, Banks lost to Capablanca in 1916 at the Rice Memorial Tournament held in New York City:

http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1657723

That was an exiting game, with Banks going toe to toe with Capabalnca for 55 moves.

--George Hay