Happy Birthday Akiba--Rubinstein that is

Rubinstein is a perennial candidate for the strongest player to never have been world champion.

I wonder how he would have fared against Lasker in their match-that-never-was, in the absence of mental disease and no intervening war, at the peak of his power.

For that matter I would have loved to see Lasker, Rubinstein, and Capablanca all have at it in a three-way match--out of the Havana heat and about 1916 or so.

Rubinstein was known for playing the board, not the opponent, and a game of cool logic and harmony was a classic Rubinstein game.

17.Qc1!! is great - the tactics on d5/e6/c5 work in all variations.

I think I've seen this game before...

EDIT: Yep, I have. It's the first illustrative game in Capablanca's book Chess Fundamentals.

IMO...one of the ultimate "dream matches" would have been Rubenstein vs. Capablanca.

*cough* Keres *cough*

K was at the top much longer than Rubinstein was. The peak of his career lasted alot longer. But R was amazing when at his peak.

Okay okay, so Keres has come into Akiba's party and crapped on the birthday cake. Thank you chessoholicalien.

:D very funny comments.

I have a lot of respect and admiration for the games of rubinstein. I went over hans kmoch book on akiba.

I would love to find a book with the words of rubinstein himself.

his style is that of rybka's. that is what i think when i see his games.

I pulled out my Kmoch book on Rubinstein to refresh myself on the details of the following story:

Rubinstein learned the game at the relatively late age of 16 and was consumed with the game. Learning at age 19 that the great master Salwe was in Lodz, Akiba moved there and somehow sustained himself while existing fully in the local sphere of chess. Despite his best efforts he could not shine even against those to whom Salwe gave odds of a rook.

He apparently did not have talent for chess.

He then returned to his native village for some months and then was suddenly found once again in Lodz. He challenged Salwe to a game...and won. Uproar. A match was arranged between them which ended in a 5:5 draw. Another match followed which Rubinstein won 5:3.

How the hopeless patzer became champion is unknown. He apparently hadn't played anyone of any strength in the meantime in those few months. Hard study wouldn't be expected to raise the grade of such a player so quickly. The notion is absurd, especially as he showed no talent for the game earlier.

Yet it happened. It's one of the great chess mysteries.

The Kmoch book is highly regarded and I'd recommend it to anyone who can read descriptive. Another recent book on Rubinstein by Donaldson and Minev has come out and is comprehensive where the Kmoch book selects carefully among the great's games.

I am lucky enough to have the Chess Review magazine wherein Rubinstein's death is announced and an obituary by Kmoch, who knew him, appears. It is a touching and informative tribute.

I love the comment made that if Rubinstein had played it 300 years earlier he'd have been burned at the stake as a witch.

happy birthday Ruby, youve enriched my life with wonderful endgames, cold logical chess and, on occassion, brilliant fire and brimstone attacks

Also, thanks for losing to Vidmar in 1918 (?), becoming the 1st top class player to lose against the Budapest Defense. That game inspired my main response to 1 d4