One Evening at the Flea House
SamSloan
By Sam Sloan
It was some time around 1969. I do not remember the year, but it was
between 1968 and about 1971. I was sitting around the Flea House on 42nd
Street in New York City, which was also known as the Chess and Checker
Club of New York, when Cal Morris, who had taken over the management of
the club from John Fursa, told me that there was an old man waiting who
was willing to play anybody a game of chess, as long as he played for
money. Cal Morris wanted to know if I would be willing to play this man.
Morris pointed out the elderly gentleman, who was sitting at the front
desk. I approached him. His first words to me were: "Ten to One."
"Wait a second", I said. "I can't give you odds of ten to one. I don't
know you. You might be a good player."
"No, I give you ten to one," he replied. We quickly agreed to play for his
ten dollars to my one dollar. We also agreed to pay after every game. We
sat down to play five minute chess.
It is true that I did then lose 13 games to that elderly gentleman, but I
did win one game. I remembered that game and was so proud of this victory
that I wrote down the game from memory after I went home that night. I did
not write down any of the games that I lost, but I am still proud of my
accomplishment of winning that one game.
Anyway, while these games were being played, now International Master
Michael Valvo walked in the door of the flea house. Valvo stood and
watched a few games. Finally, Valvo motioned to me and said, "Okay, Sloan.
Get up! I'm going to play him."
At this time, Valvo was rated over 2400 and was much stronger than that as
a blitz player. He was considered to be one of the strongest five minute
players in the U.S. Therefore, without question, I stood up and let Valvo
sit down to play the old man.
The elderly gentleman did not care whom he was playing, just as long as
the odds were ten to one. However, Valvo won the second game on time, drew
the fourth and won the fifth on time. At this point, the old man was down
$18 to Valvo, so he said: "Okay, we continue. But, from now on, we play
seven minutes."
Valvo made no objection. The games continued. However, the old man was
able to make good use of the extra two minutes, and proceeded to defeat
Valvo 17 games in a row, without a single loss or a draw. I stood there
and counted the games.
While this was going on, Harold Feldheim, a notorious street gambler and
hustler of every type of game, including chess, bridge and go, walked into
the Flea House. Feldheim, of course, knew Valvo. Feldheim saw me watching
the games, sidled up to me and whispered: "Would you like to bet on this
game?"
"Who would you like to bet on?", I asked
Feldheim stroked his chin, feigned thoughtfulness, and said, "I think I'd
like to bet on that young feller over there," pointing to Valvo.
"Good', I replied, "because I think I'll take a chance on this old man
over here."
We agreed to bet. However, to my eternal regret, at this point I blew it.
"Do you also want ten to one odds?", I asked. "What do you mean," replied
Feldheim. "Well," I said, "that old guy over there is giving this young
feller over here ten to one money odds. Do you want the same odds?"
At that point, Feldheim walked around the board and took a closer look at
the old man, and then decided that he did not want to bet on this game
after all.
I have always been mad at myself about this because, had I said nothing I
about ten to one, I could have won a few dollars from Feldheim with an
even money bet before he caught on to what was happening.
Now, the point to this story is that while this all was happening, I got a
score pad and started writing down the moves. Only a few weeks ago, I was
going through my old papers and I came across the score sheets of 13 of
the 17 games in a row which Valvo lost to that old man. Unfortunately, I
did not find the score of one game that I won. Now, I am trying to decide
whether to go through the trouble and effort to put these 13 games on
ChessBase or Chess Assistant or NIC Base and possibly to publish them. I
would like to know what opinion anybody has about this. Would anybody like
to see those 13 games in a row which Valvo lost?
Incidentally, every strong player to whom I have ever told this story has
almost immediately realized who that elderly gentleman was. Therefore, I
will not bother to mention his name just for the sake of the few of you
left who haven't got it yet.
Sam Sloan
Ray Frank
> Sam Sloan
Well golly gee Sammy, how about letting the rest of us know who this old
guy was, you know, those of us don't hang around New York City playing
chess might not have a clue.
Is this some kind of new age journalism, like, tell a long drawn out
story like the above and then leave the readers hanging at the end?
Or maybe it's just this author's peculiar nature.
I know, it was it Elvis in disguise, right? Ahhh, thank ya very much.
ray
Jonathan Kelley
>ONE EVENING AT THE FLEA HOUSE
> By Sam Sloan
>It was some time around 1969. I do not remember the year, but it was
>between 1968 and about 1971. I was sitting around the Flea House on 42nd
>Morris pointed out the elderly gentleman, who was sitting at the front
>desk. I approached him. His first words to me were: "Ten to One."
>Incidentally, every strong player to whom I have ever told this story has
>almost immediately realized who that elderly gentleman was. Therefore, I
>will not bother to mention his name just for the sake of the few of you
>left who haven't got it yet.
> Sam Sloan
It's good to see that old Paul Morphy still had the love
of the game, even at his advanced age!
--
Jonathan Kelley
jke...@ugcs.caltech.edu
--
--
Jonathan Kelley
jke...@ugcs.caltech.edu
Deion Christopher
>From: jke...@whip.ugcs.caltech.edu (Jonathan Kelley)
>Subject: Re: One Evening at the Flea House
>Date: 4 Apr 1995 02:22:13 GMT
>sams...@aol.com (SamSloan) writes:
>>ONE EVENING AT THE FLEA HOUSE
>> By Sam Sloan
>>It was some time around 1969. I do not remember the year, but it was
>>between 1968 and about 1971. I was sitting around the Flea House on 42nd
>>Morris pointed out the elderly gentleman, who was sitting at the front
>>desk. I approached him. His first words to me were: "Ten to One."
>>Incidentally, every strong player to whom I have ever told this story has
>>almost immediately realized who that elderly gentleman was. Therefore, I
>>will not bother to mention his name just for the sake of the few of you
>>left who haven't got it yet.
>> Sam Sloan
> It's good to see that old Paul Morphy still had the love
>of the game, even at his advanced age!
>--
>Jonathan Kelley
>jke...@ugcs.caltech.edu
How did you know it was Paul Morphy who played those games?
Just curious......
"Missouri"
|\ /| | | | |_]
| " | |_| |_ |_
hals...@minerva.cis.yale.edu
(Ray Frank) wrote:
> In article <3lq519$j...@newsbf02.news.aol.com>,
> SamSloan <sams...@aol.com> wrote:
> >ONE EVENING AT THE FLEA HOUSE
Morphy?
Hal
--
*********************************************************************
-> Paper cut from rock, releases rock to crush sissors. Rock freed from restriction
-> of paper/sissors/rock, lacking context proceeds.
-B. Nauman 1975-
*********************************************************************
hals...@minerva.cis.yale.edu
Craig Jefferies #506 @11554
0R 34 04/07 01:25 WWIVNet 11014->11561
0R 34 04/06 19:20 WWIVnet ->11554
hals...@minerva.cis.yale.edu wrote:
>r...@cs.rochester.edu wrote:
>
>> In article <3lq519$j...@newsbf02.news.aol.com>,
>> SamSloan <sams...@aol.com> wrote:
>> >ONE EVENING AT THE FLEA HOUSE
>
>Morphy?
referred to as "immortal" but this may be taking that phrase too
far! ;-) Morphy died in 1884 and had given up chess many, many
years earlier.
Philidor perhaps?
;-P
DR. ROY SCHMIDT
: SamSloan <sams...@aol.com> wrote:
: >Incidentally, every strong player to whom I have ever told this story has
: >almost immediately realized who that elderly gentleman was. Therefore, I
: >will not bother to mention his name just for the sake of the few of you
: >left who haven't got it yet.
: Well golly gee Sammy, how about letting the rest of us know who this old
: guy was, you know, those of us don't hang around New York City playing
: chess might not have a clue.
: Is this some kind of new age journalism, like, tell a long drawn out
: story like the above and then leave the readers hanging at the end?
: Or maybe it's just this author's peculiar nature.
Obviously Sam's nature, as he did the same thing with "Susan" Polgar's
first name. In the case of Ms Polgar's name, he emailed me saying he knew
because he saw her passport -- but still did not bother to spell it.
In this story, from the moment the story started, I would have guessed the
identity of the old man. Hard to believe Sam didn't recognize him.
--
Roy Schmidt sch...@uxmail.ust.hk
Information & Systems Management Dept, School of Business and Management
The University of Science and Technology
Clearwater Bay, Sai Kung, HONG KONG
Don Roberts
John C Mumaw
--
John C. Mumaw jmu...@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (614)292-6314
Ohio State University Libraries Columbus, Ohio
CAPSA
Morris (who still is a dear friend), but don't remember EVER seeing Ed
Lasker there. Mostly, I saw him at the Marshall Chess Club, but spent
some personal time with him during the 1969 and 1972 USCF closed champion-
ships. In addition, I knew Feldheim fairly well and was (am) aquainted
with Valvo. I am certain that BOTH of them would have recognized Lasker.
In fact, I can't think of who the "old Man" could have been, PRECISELY
because BOTH Feldheim (who was a regular habitue of the "flea house")
and Valvo, whom I saw there less frequently, knew the "regulars" and, I
believe, would not have been fooled by any of them.
Fraternally,
Jerome Bibuld
bluejack
" It is hard to believe any old man could beat Valvo 13 in a row at blitz.
" Perhaps a reincarnated Morphy.
Don,
Yes, he still walks the earth.
Sometimes on sultry afternoons when the air has that liquid quality
and the flourescents are buzzing he will walk in and offer 10 to 1.
Any proprietor of any chess cafe up and down the east coast knows
about him. He'll be sitting at the back, dressed in somewhat archaic
clothes, offering the odds. He'll play a few fish, then settle in
for a good bout with someone at the top when they take notice, always
maintaining that strange reserve, that intriguing gentility.
The odd thing about Sloan's account is that from everything I have
heard once the day is over and the old man is gone, when people
re-examine the score sheets they have kept they find the writing
unintelligible -- just chicken scratch.
It was so beautiful at the time, and now: gone for ever.
bluejack
--
-----blue...@omni.voicenet.com philadelphia,pa-----
When I get my hands on some money, I'll kiss its green skin
& I'll ask it's dirty face, "Where the hell have you been?"
"I am the fuel that fires the engines of Failure."
M. Gira / The Swans
Paul Rubin
Donald Schultz <VVH...@prodigy.com> wrote:
>It is hard to believe any old man could beat Valvo 13 in a row at blitz.
>of demanding to give 10 to 1 the only old person I can think of who could
>do this , maybe, is Najdorf.
>Don Schultz
Yes, I think you may be right. In fact Najdorf (now well past 80)
was in San Francisco a year or two ago, pounding senior masters
at 5-minute at the Mechanics Institute. I wish I could have
been there but I heard about it afterwards. I had guessed
Reshevsky earlier, but Najdorf sounds like a better guess.
Miguel Angel Ballicora
> It is hard to believe any old man could beat Valvo 13 in a row at blitz.
> Perhaps a reincarnated Morphy. Among the living and with the temperment
> of demanding to give 10 to 1 the only old person I can think of who could
> do this , maybe, is Najdorf.
> Don Schultz
>
>
When I read this posting, I came back to read the original. At the beginning
I didnt think of Najdorf because he prefers 7 minutes better than 5.
When I read that the "old-man" suggested to change to 7 minutes
I was stunned!
The story perfectly fits Najdorf. He was and still is MUCH *MUCH* better at
seven minutes than five. Why? because he is not very fast with his hands.
I have seen him play several times against strong players and he lose too
much time to stop the clock. He seems not concentrate on the clock.
I'm not surprised about Najdorf defeating any IM in early 70's several games
in a row at seven minutes. I would say it's was something to expect.
At that time, Najdorf was around 60 years old and very strong. His rating
probably was 2550-2600 FIDE. For instance, several years later of that
story, he was Argentinian Champion on top of others GM's and still the
first board in the olympic team. (1975 and 1976 respectively).
Furthemore, I would not be surprised to see Najdorf giving odds (money) to
anybody who is not a GM. His self-confidence is HUGE.
-
Mi guess: Miguel Najdorf
-
Miguel (another one :-))
PD: We want to know the truth!!
,
Donald Schultz
Paul Rubin
In Sloan's story I didn't see anything to indicate that Valvo
didn't know exactly who he was playing.
My guess was that the old guy was Sammy Reshevsky. Is this plausible?
Roger/Michelle Poehlmann
: sams...@aol.com (SamSloan) writes:
: >ONE EVENING AT THE FLEA HOUSE
: > By Sam Sloan
: >It was some time around 1969. I do not remember the year, but it was
: >between 1968 and about 1971. I was sitting around the Flea House on 42nd
: >Morris pointed out the elderly gentleman, who was sitting at the front
: >desk. I approached him. His first words to me were: "Ten to One."
: >Incidentally, every strong player to whom I have ever told this story has
: >almost immediately realized who that elderly gentleman was. Therefore, I
: >will not bother to mention his name just for the sake of the few of you
: >left who haven't got it yet.
: > Sam Sloan
: It's good to see that old Paul Morphy still had the love
: of the game, even at his advanced age!
Paul who? This could only be Judit Polgar in her "old man" disguise,
terrorizing chess clubs around the world with her strong play. :)
Yes, please post some of these previously unknown Polgar games!
Roger Poehlmann
David Hanley
--
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| David James Hanley, KSC--d...@lac.eecs.uic.edu -- C++, OOD, martial arts|
| Laboratory for advanced computing | My employer barely KNOWS me. |
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We are a tribe of philosophers, theologians, magicians, scientists,
artists, clowns, and similar maniacs who are intrigued with ERIS
GODDESS OF CONFUSION and with Her Doings !
John Grant
>was in San Francisco a year or two ago, pounding senior masters
>at 5-minute at the Mechanics Institute
I asked Valvo on ICS and, yep, it's Najdorf.
JG
Sheldon Mandel
Reshevky?
I agree with you that it wa't Ed Lasker. I never made it to the
fleahouse (to young), but I heard a lot of stories. I met Lasker, and I
don't think that he would have been there. However, according to stories
a friend of mine told me, there is only one person the old man could
have been. Not Reshevsky, but Treysman. Treysman was a hustler that was
probably GM strength. He also had a great hustling style.
Sheldon Mandel
NYC
Charlie Bender
The Old man who has been confirmed, but I can't remember who it was.
Was obviously not a hustler. A hustler would never GIVE odds and would
never crush an opponet game after game. I know little of chess but
much more on hustling. -Charlie
Alyart
John Grant
: The Old man who has been confirmed, but I can't remember who it was.
: never crush an opponet game after game. I know little of chess but
: much more on hustling. -Charlie
It was Najdorf.
I asked Valvo on ICS! He said N. was very, very good and not such an
"old man" at the time.