Hugh Edward Myers

Main

Date: 24 Dec 2008 05:22:10
From: chessparrot
Subject: Hugh Edward Myers

I have just learnt of the death of Hugh Myers, b. Decatur Illinois,
USA 23rd Januray 1930: died Davenport, Iowa 24th December 2008.

USCF National Master, he played in two Olympiads. State champion,
famed for 1 ... Nc6!

Frater, semper atque vale

James Pratt (Basingstoke!)

Date: 02 Jan 2009 14:58:54
From:
Subject: Re: Hugh Edward Myers

It's truly interesting stuff! I also saw that Wikipedia has a nice
page on dad.

Date: 31 Dec 2008 11:12:18
From:
Subject: Re: Hugh Edward Myers

On Dec 31, 1:30=A0pm, [email protected] wrote:
> I have to say that all this talk about my father and his work would've
> put a smile on his face. =A0Thank you all for your condolences. =A0As for
> his things, well, some of it we could not keep since dad rented the
> house he was in. =A0Between Don Breummer and myself, we kept all of his
> chess books. =A0His notes and his MOBs, I have kept everything that I
> could fit in my Hyundai Santa Fe and even had some of it shipped. =A0The
> rest of his books was divided up between the Source books store in
> Davenport and the Library; both places my dad frequented quite a bit!
> There are still some things left at the house but it has been
> difficult for us to know what is what (I haven't played chess since I
> was 13) but we have tried very hard not to just "trash" his things.
> Dad sadly did not leave a living will or made any preparations for his
> death, but between everyone that knew him in Davenport (that wasn't
> busy for the holidays) we made decisions accordingly. =A0I really would
> like to honor his memory by furthering his work or at the very least,
> giving the chess world as much as I have about my dad. =A0I have learned
> a great deal about the "Chess Explorer" in the last week or so.
> Perhaps with your help, I can be an 'explorer' of not just my dad, but
> of his beloved Chess as well!

Dear Brian, he had some fans! My editor inserted a few lines at the
head of our tribute to him in my column this week - Our RIck Kennedy
at Chessville particularly enjoyed his travel and adventures, but
vicariously, since he wasn't quite of the same temperament. Here is
Rick's full review [but without diagrams] published at Chessville of
his book [publ with permission www.chessville.com ]

http://www.chessville.com/reviews/AChessExplorer.htm

What a shame he never clipped Gligoric!! As you can read below,
Gligoric says himself he would have resigned if Hugh found the right
move 17.

Cordially, Phil Innes
Chessville

--------------

I would guess that just about every pawnpusher, serious and otherwise,
has thought at least once about leaving the hum drum world behind to
run off to be a chess vagabond: traveling the world, playing in
tournaments large and small, finding adventure & romance, achieving
fame & infamy; perhaps even inventing an opening or two, writing some
books, publishing a magazine=85 American chess player Hugh Myers has
lived such a life, and A Chess Explorer is his tale.

Proponents of unorthodox chess openings are likely familiar with
Myers. From his 1968 New Strategy in the Chess Openings, to his books
on the Nimzovich Defense (1.e4 Nc6), to his look at Reversed King
Pawns, Mengarini=92s Opening (1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 intending 3.a3), to his
first collection of games =96 Exploring the Chess Openings =96 Myers has
shared his investigations into arcane and unusual ways to get
interesting play right from the start. His irregularly published
Myers=92 Openings Bulletin (MOB, 1979-1996) was always a potpourri of
history, commentary, reviews, and above all else, explorations into
the chess openings.

A Chess Explorer is an expanded version of Exploring the Chess
Openings, with 130 of Myers=92 games (annotated) and a multitude of
additional stories about his chess play from the 1940s to the new
millennium. Performing at expert-to-master level, he criss-crossed
the United States, he played in Europe, he even settled down in the
Dominican Republic =96 where he led their Olympiad team into battle in
1968 at Lugano, and 1976 at Haifa! His behind-the-scenes efforts in
Dubai during the election battle for president of FIDE (Lucena vs
Campomanes), amongst many tales, makes very interesting reading. His
opinions on matters large and small are rarely if ever boring.

Almost inescapably, Myers has made friends and foes across the chess
world. His heated and repeated exchanges with Joel Benjamin and Eric
Schiller, ostensibly about the soundness of various lines, for
example, are reminiscent of the bravura of the WWF. His supporters
have been equally avid and persistent in his defense. I=92ve sometimes
shaken my head and come to the hyperbolic conclusion, For those who
support him, no justification appears necessary; for those who assail
him, no justification seems possible.

So often, though, the play=92s the thing =96 and Myers has gone where so
many of us would like to have gone=85 Imagine you=92re sitting first board
at the Olympiad. (Don=92t pinch yourself; reach out and shake hands.)
You wish your opponent =96 the inimitable Grandmaster Svetozar Gligoric!
=96 the best, he starts your clock, and you begin=85

Myers - Gligoric
Board 1, Dominican Republic vs Yugoslavia
FIDE Olympiad, Lugano, 1968

1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bc4 Nc6 4.f4 Nxe4 5.Nf3 Nd6 6.Bd5 exf4 7.d4 Be7
8.Bxf4 0-0 9.0-0 Ne8 10.Ne5 Nf6 11.Nxf7 Rxf7 12.Bxf7+ Kxf7 13.d5 Nb4
14.a3 Na6 15.d6 cxd6 16.Nd5

Drawing from the work of one of his favorite analysts, Weaver Adams,
Myers has managed to outplay his opponent in the opening. =93At this
point an astonished looking Boris Spassky became an interested
spectator,=94 writes Myers. =93And I was stupidly counting the game as
already won.=94

16...Nc5 17.Nxe7

=93After the game Gligoric said his resignation should have been forced
soon after move 20 with 17.Bg5!=94

Analysis Diagram: after 17.Bg5

17...Qxe7 18.Bxd6 Qe3+ 19.Kh1 Qg5 20.Bf4 Qg6 21.Be5 Ne6 22.Qd6 a5
23.Rf3 Ra6 24.Qb8 Rc6 25.Rc3 Qe4 26.Rxc6 Qxc6 27.Bc3 b6 28.Qg3 Bb7
29.Rf1 Qe4 30.Rf2 Bc6 31.h3 Ke7 32.Bxf6+ gxf6 33.Rd2 Qe5 34.Qd3 f5
35.c3 Kf6 36.Re2 Nf4 37.Rxe5 Nxd3 38.Re2 Nf4 39.Rd2 Ke5 40.Kg1 Nxg2
0-1

Sic transit gloria.

Or suppose you=92ve advocated and analyzed an opening variation that is
later named after you =96 and it garners comment from the World Champion
himself! The line in the English Opening, 1.c4 g5!? has been called
the Myers Defense =96 advocated in New Strategy in the Chess Openings
and analyzed and updated in the Myers=92 Openings Bulletins. In
Batsford Chess Openings (1982) the creation drew this from Gary
Kasparov: =93Chess is not skittles.=94 Oh, well. Myers is not one of
Kasparov=92s fans =96 by a long shot =96 anyway. (However, anyone
considering taking up 1.e4 Nc6 will find Myers=92 Nimzovich Defense to
1.e4 to be breathtakingly helpful. There is also more to Mengarini=92s
early a3 for White in the double King pawn openings than just novelty
or surprise.)

But I am drifting away from A Chess Explorer=85

The book is self-published by Myers, something I always try to
support. Nowadays anyone with some good ideas, a computer, and access
to a print shop can put his ideas before the chess-playing public
(and, with luck, at least recover the costs of producing the book).
Chess remains an area where dedicated small presses or self-publishers
can maintain at least a toe-hold in the market.

One challenge here is that the author did not use a computer in
preparing A Chess Explorer. (In fact, Myers does not own a computer
and occasionally rails against them.) Although he has upgraded from
the typewriter he used in early MOBs, Myers is now using a dedicated
word processor. The text =96 plain, bold, italic - is clear and
readable. However, apparently different publishers at different times
did not follow through on offers to put A Chess Explorer into print,
at least in part because it could not be supplied on disk in a
computer file (e.g. Word) format. The diagrams must have been labors
of love. The book, in large part completed in 1999, has three
Appendixes that were added as time went on, until Myers took the
plunge and did it himself in 2002.

The absence of a computer also means no robot co-analyst when it comes
to checking games or variations. I am not sure that Fritz, et. al.,
have a feel for unorthodox openings, but they probably could have been
helpful to Myers here and there. Even a writer as capable as
Grandmaster John Nunn uses the little beast to at least =93blunder
check=94 his books. (Fritz8 is skeptical of Gligoric=92s claim, above,
that he was likely busted; the program sees an even game.) I have not
examined A Chess Explorer under a silicon magnifying glass =96 it seems
a bit like subjecting the Mona Lisa to electrophoresis =96 but I=92d feel
a bit better about some of the analysis if I knew that the author had.

The games are a delight. The openings presented will likely give a
Slav Defense, Exchange Variation specialist some screaming nightmares;
but for the rest of us who want a bit of fun in our chess
fundamentals, they are a hoot. They are sound enough to be employed
by the average club player, and they do not quite reach the fever
dream realities of, say, Jack =93Bozo=94 Young or Clyde =93What=92s He
Smoking?=94 Nakamura.

The stories of a wandering chess player sometimes become instead
wandering stories of a chess player. Some amuse. Some illuminate.
Some need to be nodded at while you wait for the next one to come
along. Some make me wish I were adventuring with Myers; some make me
glad that I need only take the trip vicariously. (Unlike the author,
I=92ve never been much for wine, women, and pawns, even in my younger
days.)

In summary, this book is for you if:

- you=92ve ever wondered if at least some of those stories are
true about what happens when you=92re out on the road in the Chess
World;

- you want to see creativity in chess openings from someone who
not only talks and writes about them, but actually tests them against
adversaries over the board and around the world;

- your chess play at the club has grown tired and predictable,
of late, and you=92d like to find an elixir to give it a boost;

- you know a bit about Hugh Myers, and would like to know more
about him and the people he=92s met.

This book may not be for you if:

- you see =93unorthodox openings=94 as somewhat of an oxymoron;

- you figure that the chess play and results of Salo Flohr and
Tigran Petrosian were exciting enough for you, thank you very much;

- you plan to sit back and play solid chess and pick off all of
the foolish Explorers who play all that wacky stuff and then wander
into your classical clutches. (Even so, you might want to adopt a
=93know your enemies=94 approach and snag a copy.)

Hugh E. Myers
1930-2008

> Humbly,
>
> Brian G Myers

Date: 31 Dec 2008 10:30:18
From:
Subject: Re: Hugh Edward Myers

I have to say that all this talk about my father and his work would've
put a smile on his face. Thank you all for your condolences. As for
his things, well, some of it we could not keep since dad rented the
house he was in. Between Don Breummer and myself, we kept all of his
chess books. His notes and his MOBs, I have kept everything that I
could fit in my Hyundai Santa Fe and even had some of it shipped. The
rest of his books was divided up between the Source books store in
Davenport and the Library; both places my dad frequented quite a bit!
There are still some things left at the house but it has been
difficult for us to know what is what (I haven't played chess since I
was 13) but we have tried very hard not to just "trash" his things.
Dad sadly did not leave a living will or made any preparations for his
death, but between everyone that knew him in Davenport (that wasn't
busy for the holidays) we made decisions accordingly. I really would
like to honor his memory by furthering his work or at the very least,
giving the chess world as much as I have about my dad. I have learned
a great deal about the "Chess Explorer" in the last week or so.
Perhaps with your help, I can be an 'explorer' of not just my dad, but
of his beloved Chess as well!

Humbly,

Brian G Myers

Date: 25 Dec 2008 09:10:32
From:
Subject: Re: Hugh Edward Myers

On Dec 24, 8:22=A0am, chessparrot <[email protected] > wrote:
> I have just learnt of the death of Hugh Myers, b. Decatur Illinois,
> USA 23rd Januray 1930: died Davenport, Iowa 24th December 2008.
>
> USCF National Master, he played in two Olympiads. State champion,
> famed for 1 ... Nc6!
>
> Frater, semper atque vale
>
> James Pratt (Basingstoke!)

It seems fitting to give one of Myers' best games in memoriam.
Chessbase says it was 1956, but Myers himself says it was played in
January 1957. His opponent, William Lombardy, won the World Junior
Championship around this time with an 11-0 score, and would soon be
one of America's top GMs and a second for Fischer in 1972.

[Event "Manhattan CC-ch sf-D 5657"]
[Site "New York"]
[Date "1956.??.??"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Myers, Hugh Edward"]
[Black "Lombardy, William James"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A11"]
[PlyCount "63"]
[EventDate "1956.??.??"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "5"]
[EventCountry "USA"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2001.11.25"]

1. g3 Nf6 2. Bg2 d5 3. Nf3 Bf5 4. c4 c6 5. cxd5 cxd5 6. Qb3 Bc8 7. O-O
e6 8.Nc3 Nc6 9. d4 Bd6 10. Rd1 h6 11. a3 Na5 12. Qc2 Bd7 13. b4 Nc4
14. e4 dxe4 15.Nxe4 Rc8 16. Ne5 Bxe5 17. dxe5 Nd5 18. Qe2 O-O 19. Qh5
Qc7 20.Rxd5!! exd5 21. Nf6+ gxf6 22. exf6 Nd6 23. Bxh6 Bf5 24. Bxd5
Qc2 25. Bxf8 Rxf8 26. Qh6 Ne8 27. Re1 Bg6 28. Rxe8 Qd1+ 29. Kg2 Qxd5+
30. f3 Qd2+ 31. Qxd2 Rxe8 32. Qh6 1-0

Myers says "It was hard to breathe; people were packed around our
table, standing on chairs. My opponent sat and stared at this position
for five minutes, until his flag fell. He left without saying
anything. I call that _resigns_." He considered this probably his best
game.

Date: 25 Dec 2008 06:05:35
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Hugh Edward Myers

RANTS AGAINST KASPAROV

<One detail of the conversation we had still bothers me after six
years. That was his 'rant.' I am still wondering how an otherwise
polite, gentlemanly fellow can believe Kasparov attempted to poison
him. > -- Neil Brennen (The Historian)

The Myers Opening Bulletin was full of rants against Kasparov. In his
NEW MOB No. 3 (April-June 1993) for example, Hugh wrote: "My strictly
personal feeling has been that he was never World Champion anyway. He
qualified for a World Championship match against Karpov, and he didn't
win it. The only kind of second chance he should have been given was
seeding into the next Challengers series, unless he were to have
started their second match with a score of minus two. In no way did he
deserve a new start with an even score.

"Then there's the matter of how Fischer's title was awarded to Karpov.
Fischer could have been more flexible in his negotiations, but if he
really believed that he was in the right, wanting 1886 match rules, he
should have gone back to the old ways, picking an opponent and
defending his title outside of FIDE. That would have shown more
fortitude than callimg himself World Champion for 20 years before
trying to demonstrate that he still is one.

"I know that sounds like I'm saying that Kasparov is in the wrong
[presumably for playing Short outside of FIDE jurisdiction] while
saying that Fischer should have done the same thing. No, my mind isn't
entirely made up because I lack certain information....FIDE may say
the World Champion is the winner of a match between Karpov and Timman.
Kasparov may say it will be the winner of Kasparov-Short. Fischer may
say he's the Champ whether or not he plays a match with anyone! How
can anyone be stopped from SAYING that? The legitimacy of a claim will
depend more on how it's accepted by the public....

"The delusion of Kasparov and his associates is their underestimation
of the status of FIDE, an organization which is established in over a
hundred countries.... FIDE is equally mistaken if they think anyone
will sincerely regard the winner of a Karpov-Timman match as World
Champion. If such a match were to be simply a preliminary to a match
of the winner versus Fischer, that would be something else. It would
close the book on Kasparov and Short."

In the New MOB No. 1 (September-November 1992) he continued to write
favorably about Fischer: "I've written how I stopped Fischer from
throwing snowballs at passing buses the night in January 1958 when he
won the U.S. Championship the first time, as I alone accompanied him
and his mother to their subway train [from Manhattan to Brooklyn]. I
don't claim that we had a very social relationship; I'm 13 years
older, and I didn't share that 14-year-old's taste in hockey games and
comic books. We had respect for each other. From his standpoint it was
because I had been playing two of his lines, the Sozin Sicilian and
the Ragozin Queen's Gambit (I was perhaps the only person he knew who
loved Lipnitsky's book on it, one of his favorite books) for five or
sic years, and above all because his top weapon was the King's Indian
Attack, and he had seen my wins with it annotated by Kmoch in Chess
Review since 1953."

In a private handwritten note (April 1995) Hugh noted: "In chess
politics I suspect that your position and mine have moved a bit closer
together -- as I drifted away from Campomanes and -- I assume -- you
must have less enthusiasm for Kasparov. My health is mediocre, slowing
me down, but I'll keep plugging away."

The Historian wrote:
> On Dec 25, 1:35?am, Matt Nemmers <[email protected]> wrote:
> > On Dec 25, 12:02?am, Randy Bauer <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> > > On Dec 24, 4:32?pm, [email protected] wrote:
> >
> > > > On Dec 24, 12:24?pm, "[email protected]" <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> > > > > SAD NEWS
> >
> > > > > ? As a long time public foe of Hugh Myers on matters dealing with
> > > > > Kasparov, Campomanes, Karpov (our Order of Lenin recipient) and
> > > > > especially the termination of the first Kasparov-Karpov match, I am
> > > > > also saddened to hear of Hugh's passing.
> >
> > > > ? Based on what I've read of Myers' writings on the 1985 termination,
> > > > I would not characterize him as a friend of Campomanes and/or Karpov
> > > > in this matter. Rather, he just didn't buy Kasparov's snow-job. His
> > > > skepticism about Kasparov's spin did not mean he accepted anyone
> > > > else's.
> >
> > > > > ? ? ?We had a better private relationship, exchanging numerous letters
> > > > > on arcane matters about American chess masters (as opposed to the GM
> > > > > gods and IM demigods). ?He was indeed a true man of chess, who also
> > > > > had some of analysis from his "Hugh Myers Opening Bulletin" busted in
> > > > > Chess Life by GM Larry Evans.
> >
> > > > > ? ? ?Hugh was, in my view, a searcher and innovator. ?His problem was
> > > > > that he often permitted eccentricity to affect his findings, whether
> > > > > about chess politics or openings. ?He seemed always to be searching
> > > > > for a GREAT SPANKING NEW IDEA, and as GM Evans once noted, he lacked
> > > > > the practical strength to find it.
> >
> > > > ? I think you make a fair point there, Larry. Myers seemed to be in
> > > > love with unorthodox play for its own sake, whether it made practical
> > > > sense or not. This sometimes led to original, innovative ideas; at
> > > > other times to blind alleys he refused to acknowledge as fruitless.
> > > > But perhaps it is better to be overly bold than a timid soul who never
> > > > ventures anything new.
> >
> > > > > ? ? ?Still, it was in the searching, whether flawed by myopia and
> > > > > method, that he showed himself a comrade in chess arms. It was amazing
> > > > > how after all of our public battles, Hugh and I fell into easy,
> > > > > unaffected, extended conversation about obscure chess byways that
> > > > > interest only a few of us. ?(He had some good stuff on John Penquite.)
> >
> > > > > ? ? ?Hugh seemed to fall out of the public eye a few years back,
> > > > > probably because of ill health. ?We never had a chance for another big
> > > > > fight again.
> >
> > > > ? Your guess about ill health is probably correct, Larry. Myers had
> > > > four heart attacks in one recent year alone.
> > > > ? I had some correspondence with him a few years ago, by letter and
> > > > postcard (he disliked computers). Among other things, he disagreed
> > > > with comments I made on his analysis of the game Myers-Young,
> > > > North Central Open, Milwaukee 1964. He had won that game, and refused
> > > > to believe that Black could have won with 31...Qc7!, as I pointed out
> > > > in my review (www.chesscafe.com/text/review341.pdf), instead of
> > > > 31...Nb6?? as was actually played. We played it out from there like a
> > > > postal game, and in the end he finally had to concede that my computer-
> > > > assisted analysis was correct.
> >
> > > > > [email protected] wrote:
> > > > > > On Dec 24, 8:22?am, chessparrot <[email protected]> wrote:
> > > > > > > I have just learnt of the death of Hugh Myers, b. Decatur Illinois,
> > > > > > > USA 23rd Januray 1930: died Davenport, Iowa 24th December 2008.
> >
> > > > > > > USCF National Master, he played in two Olympiads. State champion,
> > > > > > > famed for 1 ... Nc6!
> >
> > > > > > > Frater, semper atque vale
> >
> > > > > > > James Pratt (Basingstoke!)
> >
> > > > > > ? That is sad to hear. Myers was a dedicated chess-lover who always
> > > > > > spoke his mind forthrightly. As a player he was not among the great
> > > > > > but was still ?very good, peak Elo about 2300. He had some noteworthy
> > > > > > accomplishments, such as playing in two FIDE Olympiads (for the
> > > > > > Dominican Republic) and leading his team to victory in the 1994 US
> > > > > > Amateur Team Championship. He played many top masters, taking a few GM
> > > > > > scalps, e.g. Lombardy and Rossolimo.
> > > > > > ? Edward Winter had a high opinion of Myers, and cited him in several
> > > > > > articles, such as this one on the termation of the first Karpov-
> > > > > > Kasparov match:
> >
> > > > > > ?http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/extra/termination.html
> >
> > > > > > ? Myers was perhaps the first to detect the major inaccuracies and
> > > > > > inconsistencies in the spin Kasparov put on that event.
> > > > > > ? In his Myers Openings Bulletin, a home-typed magazine, he explored
> > > > > > many unorthodox lines, e.g. 1.b4 e6 2.Bb2 Nf6 3.b5 d5 4.e3 c5 5.f4. In
> > > > > > reviews he laid unstinting scorn on chess hacks, in particular Eric
> > > > > > Schiller. He authored two well-regarded books, "Exploring the Chess
> > > > > > Openings" and "The Nimzovich Defense." The latter is regarded by some
> > > > > > as the definitive work on 1.e4 Nc6.
> > > > > > ? Myers' attempt to mix MOB and autobiography in book form, "A Chess
> > > > > > Explorer" (Davenport, Iowa, 2002) did not, alas, work very well in my
> > > > > > opinion, and I was unable to give it a very favorable review
> > > > >> (www.chesscafe.com/text/review341.pdf). Still, I had
> > > > > > considerable respect for him, and am sad to hear of his passing.
> >
> > > > > > ? ? ?Taylor Kingston- Hide quoted text -
> >
> > > > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -
> >
> > > > - Show quoted text -
> >
> > > Hugh lived in Iowa in his last years, and I got to know him as a
> > > result. ?I subscribed to his Myers Opening Bulletin and kept my
> > > subscription current even when he stopped publishing (when his health
> > > issues became a greater issue) because he had made so many
> > > contributions, in so many ways to chess. ?We played once, a game in an
> > > Iowa class championship where I improved on some analysis (without
> > > knowing it at the time) from one of his books on the Nimzovich. ?He
> > > and I traded several lengthy letters (Hugh did it all long hand, I
> > > must admit I did mine by computer) debating the line from the game -
> > > Hugh was an incredibly tenancious person, although ultimately he
> > > agreed with my assessment.
> >
> > > My assessment is that Hugh was a free-thinker, an innovator regardless
> > > of the ultimate strength of those ideas. ?This is a useful role and
> > > keeps chess (and many activities) fresh - the counterbalance to
> > > concerns by Capablanca et al that chess is played out. Some of the
> > > ideas in Myers Opening Bulletin have proven to be viable, and the fact
> > > that many/most are less acceptable should not detract from its value.
> >
> > > It's sad to see players who you've known over the years leave us; I
> > > guess it is a part of growing older. ?Hugh will be missed.
> >
> > > Randy Bauer- Hide quoted text -
> >
> > > - Show quoted text -
> >
> > Hugh played in the William Sandbothe Memorial I directed in Rock
> > Island, Illinois back in 2003 -- the last tournamnet he played in. ?He
> > held his own for his age, scoring an impressive +3-2=0, his losses
> > coming from expert-ish players. ?He was your stereotypical eccentric
> > chessplayer, but an extremely affable guy. ?I spoke with him on the
> > phone several times prior to that and remember he went on a tirade
> > about Eric Schiller. ?Funny stuff. ?That guy had stories out the wazoo
> > and dirt on just about every player in chess politics.
> >
> > Sorry to hear of Hugh's passing. ?He was definitely a one-of-a-kind.
>
> I spoke with Hugh Myers once. One evening I phoned him about a
> tournament in Philadelphia fifty some years ago that he had played in.
> His memories were understandably a little fuzzy, but he was happy to
> help me where he could.
>
> One detail of the conversation we had still bothers me after six
> years. That was his 'rant.' I am still wondering how an otherwise
> polite, gentlemanly fellow can believe Kasparov attempted to poison
> him.

Date: 25 Dec 2008 05:56:41
From:
Subject: Re: Hugh Edward Myers

Date: 25 Dec 2008 05:27:05
From: The Historian
Subject: Re: Hugh Edward Myers

On Dec 25, 1:35=A0am, Matt Nemmers <[email protected] > wrote:
> On Dec 25, 12:02=A0am, Randy Bauer <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
>
> > On Dec 24, 4:32=A0pm, [email protected] wrote:
>
> > > On Dec 24, 12:24=A0pm, "[email protected]" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > > > SAD NEWS
>
> > > > =A0 As a long time public foe of Hugh Myers on matters dealing with
> > > > Kasparov, Campomanes, Karpov (our Order of Lenin recipient) and
> > > > especially the termination of the first Kasparov-Karpov match, I am
> > > > also saddened to hear of Hugh's passing.
>
> > > =A0 Based on what I've read of Myers' writings on the 1985 terminatio=
n,
> > > I would not characterize him as a friend of Campomanes and/or Karpov
> > > in this matter. Rather, he just didn't buy Kasparov's snow-job. His
> > > skepticism about Kasparov's spin did not mean he accepted anyone
> > > else's.
>
> > > > =A0 =A0 =A0We had a better private relationship, exchanging numerou=
s letters
> > > > on arcane matters about American chess masters (as opposed to the G=
M
> > > > gods and IM demigods). =A0He was indeed a true man of chess, who al=
so
> > > > had some of analysis from his "Hugh Myers Opening Bulletin" busted =
in
> > > > Chess Life by GM Larry Evans.
>
> > > > =A0 =A0 =A0Hugh was, in my view, a searcher and innovator. =A0His p=
roblem was
> > > > that he often permitted eccentricity to affect his findings, whethe=
r
> > > > about chess politics or openings. =A0He seemed always to be searchi=
ng
> > > > for a GREAT SPANKING NEW IDEA, and as GM Evans once noted, he lacke=
d
> > > > the practical strength to find it.
>
> > > =A0 I think you make a fair point there, Larry. Myers seemed to be in
> > > love with unorthodox play for its own sake, whether it made practical
> > > sense or not. This sometimes led to original, innovative ideas; at
> > > other times to blind alleys he refused to acknowledge as fruitless.
> > > But perhaps it is better to be overly bold than a timid soul who neve=
r
> > > ventures anything new.
>
> > > > =A0 =A0 =A0Still, it was in the searching, whether flawed by myopia=
and
> > > > method, that he showed himself a comrade in chess arms. It was amaz=
ing
> > > > how after all of our public battles, Hugh and I fell into easy,
> > > > unaffected, extended conversation about obscure chess byways that
> > > > interest only a few of us. =A0(He had some good stuff on John Penqu=
ite.)
>
> > > > =A0 =A0 =A0Hugh seemed to fall out of the public eye a few years ba=
ck,
> > > > probably because of ill health. =A0We never had a chance for anothe=
r big
> > > > fight again.
>
> > > =A0 Your guess about ill health is probably correct, Larry. Myers had
> > > four heart attacks in one recent year alone.
> > > =A0 I had some correspondence with him a few years ago, by letter and
> > > postcard (he disliked computers). Among other things, he disagreed
> > > with comments I made on his analysis of the game Myers-Young,
> > > North Central Open, Milwaukee 1964. He had won that game, and refused
> > > to believe that Black could have won with 31...Qc7!, as I pointed out
> > > in my review (www.chesscafe.com/text/review341.pdf), instead of
> > > 31...Nb6?? as was actually played. We played it out from there like a
> > > postal game, and in the end he finally had to concede that my compute=
r-
> > > assisted analysis was correct.
>
> > > > [email protected] wrote:
> > > > > On Dec 24, 8:22?am, chessparrot <[email protected]> wrote:
> > > > > > I have just learnt of the death of Hugh Myers, b. Decatur Illin=
ois,
> > > > > > USA 23rd Januray 1930: died Davenport, Iowa 24th December 2008.
>
> > > > > > USCF National Master, he played in two Olympiads. State champio=
n,
> > > > > > famed for 1 ... Nc6!
>
> > > > > > Frater, semper atque vale
>
> > > > > > James Pratt (Basingstoke!)
>
> > > > > =A0 That is sad to hear. Myers was a dedicated chess-lover who al=
ways
> > > > > spoke his mind forthrightly. As a player he was not among the gre=
at
> > > > > but was still =A0very good, peak Elo about 2300. He had some note=
worthy
> > > > > accomplishments, such as playing in two FIDE Olympiads (for the
> > > > > Dominican Republic) and leading his team to victory in the 1994 U=
S
> > > > > Amateur Team Championship. He played many top masters, taking a f=
ew GM
> > > > > scalps, e.g. Lombardy and Rossolimo.
> > > > > =A0 Edward Winter had a high opinion of Myers, and cited him in s=
everal
> > > > > articles, such as this one on the termation of the first Karpov-
> > > > > Kasparov match:
>
> > > > > =A0http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/extra/termination.html
>
> > > > > =A0 Myers was perhaps the first to detect the major inaccuracies =
and
> > > > > inconsistencies in the spin Kasparov put on that event.
> > > > > =A0 In his Myers Openings Bulletin, a home-typed magazine, he exp=
lored
> > > > > many unorthodox lines, e.g. 1.b4 e6 2.Bb2 Nf6 3.b5 d5 4.e3 c5 5.f=
4. In
> > > > > reviews he laid unstinting scorn on chess hacks, in particular Er=
ic
> > > > > Schiller. He authored two well-regarded books, "Exploring the Che=
ss
> > > > > Openings" and "The Nimzovich Defense." The latter is regarded by =
some
> > > > > as the definitive work on 1.e4 Nc6.
> > > > > =A0 Myers' attempt to mix MOB and autobiography in book form, "A =
Chess
> > > > > Explorer" (Davenport, Iowa, 2002) did not, alas, work very well i=
n my
> > > > > opinion, and I was unable to give it a very favorable review
> > > >> (www.chesscafe.com/text/review341.pdf). Still, I had
> > > > > considerable respect for him, and am sad to hear of his passing.
>
> > > > > =A0 =A0 =A0Taylor Kingston- Hide quoted text -
>
> > > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -
>
> > > - Show quoted text -
>
> > Hugh lived in Iowa in his last years, and I got to know him as a
> > result. =A0I subscribed to his Myers Opening Bulletin and kept my
> > subscription current even when he stopped publishing (when his health
> > issues became a greater issue) because he had made so many
> > contributions, in so many ways to chess. =A0We played once, a game in a=
n
> > Iowa class championship where I improved on some analysis (without
> > knowing it at the time) from one of his books on the Nimzovich. =A0He
> > and I traded several lengthy letters (Hugh did it all long hand, I
> > must admit I did mine by computer) debating the line from the game -
> > Hugh was an incredibly tenancious person, although ultimately he
> > agreed with my assessment.
>
> > My assessment is that Hugh was a free-thinker, an innovator regardless
> > of the ultimate strength of those ideas. =A0This is a useful role and
> > keeps chess (and many activities) fresh - the counterbalance to
> > concerns by Capablanca et al that chess is played out. Some of the
> > ideas in Myers Opening Bulletin have proven to be viable, and the fact
> > that many/most are less acceptable should not detract from its value.
>
> > It's sad to see players who you've known over the years leave us; I
> > guess it is a part of growing older. =A0Hugh will be missed.
>
> > Randy Bauer- Hide quoted text -
>
> > - Show quoted text -
>
> Hugh played in the William Sandbothe Memorial I directed in Rock
> Island, Illinois back in 2003 -- the last tournamnet he played in. =A0He
> held his own for his age, scoring an impressive +3-2=3D0, his losses
> coming from expert-ish players. =A0He was your stereotypical eccentric
> chessplayer, but an extremely affable guy. =A0I spoke with him on the
> phone several times prior to that and remember he went on a tirade
> about Eric Schiller. =A0Funny stuff. =A0That guy had stories out the wazo=
o
> and dirt on just about every player in chess politics.
>
> Sorry to hear of Hugh's passing. =A0He was definitely a one-of-a-kind.

I spoke with Hugh Myers once. One evening I phoned him about a
tournament in Philadelphia fifty some years ago that he had played in.
His memories were understandably a little fuzzy, but he was happy to
help me where he could.

One detail of the conversation we had still bothers me after six
years. That was his 'rant.' I am still wondering how an otherwise
polite, gentlemanly fellow can believe Kasparov attempted to poison
him.

Date: 24 Dec 2008 22:35:11
From: Matt Nemmers
Subject: Re: Hugh Edward Myers

On Dec 25, 12:02=A0am, Randy Bauer <[email protected] > wrote:
> On Dec 24, 4:32=A0pm, [email protected] wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > On Dec 24, 12:24=A0pm, "[email protected]" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > > SAD NEWS
>
> > > =A0 As a long time public foe of Hugh Myers on matters dealing with
> > > Kasparov, Campomanes, Karpov (our Order of Lenin recipient) and
> > > especially the termination of the first Kasparov-Karpov match, I am
> > > also saddened to hear of Hugh's passing.
>
> > =A0 Based on what I've read of Myers' writings on the 1985 termination,
> > I would not characterize him as a friend of Campomanes and/or Karpov
> > in this matter. Rather, he just didn't buy Kasparov's snow-job. His
> > skepticism about Kasparov's spin did not mean he accepted anyone
> > else's.
>
> > > =A0 =A0 =A0We had a better private relationship, exchanging numerous =
letters
> > > on arcane matters about American chess masters (as opposed to the GM
> > > gods and IM demigods). =A0He was indeed a true man of chess, who also
> > > had some of analysis from his "Hugh Myers Opening Bulletin" busted in
> > > Chess Life by GM Larry Evans.
>
> > > =A0 =A0 =A0Hugh was, in my view, a searcher and innovator. =A0His pro=
blem was
> > > that he often permitted eccentricity to affect his findings, whether
> > > about chess politics or openings. =A0He seemed always to be searching
> > > for a GREAT SPANKING NEW IDEA, and as GM Evans once noted, he lacked
> > > the practical strength to find it.
>
> > =A0 I think you make a fair point there, Larry. Myers seemed to be in
> > love with unorthodox play for its own sake, whether it made practical
> > sense or not. This sometimes led to original, innovative ideas; at
> > other times to blind alleys he refused to acknowledge as fruitless.
> > But perhaps it is better to be overly bold than a timid soul who never
> > ventures anything new.
>
> > > =A0 =A0 =A0Still, it was in the searching, whether flawed by myopia a=
nd
> > > method, that he showed himself a comrade in chess arms. It was amazin=
g
> > > how after all of our public battles, Hugh and I fell into easy,
> > > unaffected, extended conversation about obscure chess byways that
> > > interest only a few of us. =A0(He had some good stuff on John Penquit=
e.)
>
> > > =A0 =A0 =A0Hugh seemed to fall out of the public eye a few years back=
,
> > > probably because of ill health. =A0We never had a chance for another =
big
> > > fight again.
>
> > =A0 Your guess about ill health is probably correct, Larry. Myers had
> > four heart attacks in one recent year alone.
> > =A0 I had some correspondence with him a few years ago, by letter and
> > postcard (he disliked computers). Among other things, he disagreed
> > with comments I made on his analysis of the game Myers-Young,
> > North Central Open, Milwaukee 1964. He had won that game, and refused
> > to believe that Black could have won with 31...Qc7!, as I pointed out
> > in my review (www.chesscafe.com/text/review341.pdf), instead of
> > 31...Nb6?? as was actually played. We played it out from there like a
> > postal game, and in the end he finally had to concede that my computer-
> > assisted analysis was correct.
>
> > > [email protected] wrote:
> > > > On Dec 24, 8:22?am, chessparrot <[email protected]> wrote:
> > > > > I have just learnt of the death of Hugh Myers, b. Decatur Illinoi=
s,
> > > > > USA 23rd Januray 1930: died Davenport, Iowa 24th December 2008.
>
> > > > > USCF National Master, he played in two Olympiads. State champion,
> > > > > famed for 1 ... Nc6!
>
> > > > > Frater, semper atque vale
>
> > > > > James Pratt (Basingstoke!)
>
> > > > =A0 That is sad to hear. Myers was a dedicated chess-lover who alwa=
ys
> > > > spoke his mind forthrightly. As a player he was not among the great
> > > > but was still =A0very good, peak Elo about 2300. He had some notewo=
rthy
> > > > accomplishments, such as playing in two FIDE Olympiads (for the
> > > > Dominican Republic) and leading his team to victory in the 1994 US
> > > > Amateur Team Championship. He played many top masters, taking a few=
GM
> > > > scalps, e.g. Lombardy and Rossolimo.
> > > > =A0 Edward Winter had a high opinion of Myers, and cited him in sev=
eral
> > > > articles, such as this one on the termation of the first Karpov-
> > > > Kasparov match:
>
> > > > =A0http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/extra/termination.html
>
> > > > =A0 Myers was perhaps the first to detect the major inaccuracies an=
d
> > > > inconsistencies in the spin Kasparov put on that event.
> > > > =A0 In his Myers Openings Bulletin, a home-typed magazine, he explo=
red
> > > > many unorthodox lines, e.g. 1.b4 e6 2.Bb2 Nf6 3.b5 d5 4.e3 c5 5.f4.=
In
> > > > reviews he laid unstinting scorn on chess hacks, in particular Eric
> > > > Schiller. He authored two well-regarded books, "Exploring the Chess
> > > > Openings" and "The Nimzovich Defense." The latter is regarded by so=
me
> > > > as the definitive work on 1.e4 Nc6.
> > > > =A0 Myers' attempt to mix MOB and autobiography in book form, "A Ch=
ess
> > > > Explorer" (Davenport, Iowa, 2002) did not, alas, work very well in =
my
> > > > opinion, and I was unable to give it a very favorable review
> > >> (www.chesscafe.com/text/review341.pdf). Still, I had
> > > > considerable respect for him, and am sad to hear of his passing.
>
> > > > =A0 =A0 =A0Taylor Kingston- Hide quoted text -
>
> > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -
>
> > - Show quoted text -
>
> Hugh lived in Iowa in his last years, and I got to know him as a
> result. =A0I subscribed to his Myers Opening Bulletin and kept my
> subscription current even when he stopped publishing (when his health
> issues became a greater issue) because he had made so many
> contributions, in so many ways to chess. =A0We played once, a game in an
> Iowa class championship where I improved on some analysis (without
> knowing it at the time) from one of his books on the Nimzovich. =A0He
> and I traded several lengthy letters (Hugh did it all long hand, I
> must admit I did mine by computer) debating the line from the game -
> Hugh was an incredibly tenancious person, although ultimately he
> agreed with my assessment.
>
> My assessment is that Hugh was a free-thinker, an innovator regardless
> of the ultimate strength of those ideas. =A0This is a useful role and
> keeps chess (and many activities) fresh - the counterbalance to
> concerns by Capablanca et al that chess is played out. Some of the
> ideas in Myers Opening Bulletin have proven to be viable, and the fact
> that many/most are less acceptable should not detract from its value.
>
> It's sad to see players who you've known over the years leave us; I
> guess it is a part of growing older. =A0Hugh will be missed.
>
> Randy Bauer- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Hugh played in the William Sandbothe Memorial I directed in Rock
Island, Illinois back in 2003 -- the last tournamnet he played in. He
held his own for his age, scoring an impressive +3-2=3D0, his losses
coming from expert-ish players. He was your stereotypical eccentric
chessplayer, but an extremely affable guy. I spoke with him on the
phone several times prior to that and remember he went on a tirade
about Eric Schiller. Funny stuff. That guy had stories out the wazoo
and dirt on just about every player in chess politics.

Sorry to hear of Hugh's passing. He was definitely a one-of-a-kind.

Date: 24 Dec 2008 22:02:21
From: Randy Bauer
Subject: Re: Hugh Edward Myers

On Dec 24, 4:32=A0pm, [email protected] wrote:
> On Dec 24, 12:24=A0pm, "[email protected]" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > SAD NEWS
>
> > =A0 As a long time public foe of Hugh Myers on matters dealing with
> > Kasparov, Campomanes, Karpov (our Order of Lenin recipient) and
> > especially the termination of the first Kasparov-Karpov match, I am
> > also saddened to hear of Hugh's passing.
>
> =A0 Based on what I've read of Myers' writings on the 1985 termination,
> I would not characterize him as a friend of Campomanes and/or Karpov
> in this matter. Rather, he just didn't buy Kasparov's snow-job. His
> skepticism about Kasparov's spin did not mean he accepted anyone
> else's.
>
> > =A0 =A0 =A0We had a better private relationship, exchanging numerous le=
tters
> > on arcane matters about American chess masters (as opposed to the GM
> > gods and IM demigods). =A0He was indeed a true man of chess, who also
> > had some of analysis from his "Hugh Myers Opening Bulletin" busted in
> > Chess Life by GM Larry Evans.
>
> > =A0 =A0 =A0Hugh was, in my view, a searcher and innovator. =A0His probl=
em was
> > that he often permitted eccentricity to affect his findings, whether
> > about chess politics or openings. =A0He seemed always to be searching
> > for a GREAT SPANKING NEW IDEA, and as GM Evans once noted, he lacked
> > the practical strength to find it.
>
> =A0 I think you make a fair point there, Larry. Myers seemed to be in
> love with unorthodox play for its own sake, whether it made practical
> sense or not. This sometimes led to original, innovative ideas; at
> other times to blind alleys he refused to acknowledge as fruitless.
> But perhaps it is better to be overly bold than a timid soul who never
> ventures anything new.
>
> > =A0 =A0 =A0Still, it was in the searching, whether flawed by myopia and
> > method, that he showed himself a comrade in chess arms. It was amazing
> > how after all of our public battles, Hugh and I fell into easy,
> > unaffected, extended conversation about obscure chess byways that
> > interest only a few of us. =A0(He had some good stuff on John Penquite.=
)
>
> > =A0 =A0 =A0Hugh seemed to fall out of the public eye a few years back,
> > probably because of ill health. =A0We never had a chance for another bi=
g
> > fight again.
>
> =A0 Your guess about ill health is probably correct, Larry. Myers had
> four heart attacks in one recent year alone.
> =A0 I had some correspondence with him a few years ago, by letter and
> postcard (he disliked computers). Among other things, he disagreed
> with comments I made on his analysis of the game Myers-Young,
> North Central Open, Milwaukee 1964. He had won that game, and refused
> to believe that Black could have won with 31...Qc7!, as I pointed out
> in my review (www.chesscafe.com/text/review341.pdf), instead of
> 31...Nb6?? as was actually played. We played it out from there like a
> postal game, and in the end he finally had to concede that my computer-
> assisted analysis was correct.
>
>
>
>
>
> > [email protected] wrote:
> > > On Dec 24, 8:22?am, chessparrot <[email protected]> wrote:
> > > > I have just learnt of the death of Hugh Myers, b. Decatur Illinois,
> > > > USA 23rd Januray 1930: died Davenport, Iowa 24th December 2008.
>
> > > > USCF National Master, he played in two Olympiads. State champion,
> > > > famed for 1 ... Nc6!
>
> > > > Frater, semper atque vale
>
> > > > James Pratt (Basingstoke!)
>
> > > =A0 That is sad to hear. Myers was a dedicated chess-lover who always
> > > spoke his mind forthrightly. As a player he was not among the great
> > > but was still =A0very good, peak Elo about 2300. He had some notewort=
hy
> > > accomplishments, such as playing in two FIDE Olympiads (for the
> > > Dominican Republic) and leading his team to victory in the 1994 US
> > > Amateur Team Championship. He played many top masters, taking a few G=
M
> > > scalps, e.g. Lombardy and Rossolimo.
> > > =A0 Edward Winter had a high opinion of Myers, and cited him in sever=
al
> > > articles, such as this one on the termation of the first Karpov-
> > > Kasparov match:
>
> > > =A0http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/extra/termination.html
>
> > > =A0 Myers was perhaps the first to detect the major inaccuracies and
> > > inconsistencies in the spin Kasparov put on that event.
> > > =A0 In his Myers Openings Bulletin, a home-typed magazine, he explore=
d
> > > many unorthodox lines, e.g. 1.b4 e6 2.Bb2 Nf6 3.b5 d5 4.e3 c5 5.f4. I=
n
> > > reviews he laid unstinting scorn on chess hacks, in particular Eric
> > > Schiller. He authored two well-regarded books, "Exploring the Chess
> > > Openings" and "The Nimzovich Defense." The latter is regarded by some
> > > as the definitive work on 1.e4 Nc6.
> > > =A0 Myers' attempt to mix MOB and autobiography in book form, "A Ches=
s
> > > Explorer" (Davenport, Iowa, 2002) did not, alas, work very well in my
> > > opinion, and I was unable to give it a very favorable review
> >> (www.chesscafe.com/text/review341.pdf). Still, I had
> > > considerable respect for him, and am sad to hear of his passing.
>
> > > =A0 =A0 =A0Taylor Kingston- Hide quoted text -
>
> > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Hugh lived in Iowa in his last years, and I got to know him as a
result. I subscribed to his Myers Opening Bulletin and kept my
subscription current even when he stopped publishing (when his health
issues became a greater issue) because he had made so many
contributions, in so many ways to chess. We played once, a game in an
Iowa class championship where I improved on some analysis (without
knowing it at the time) from one of his books on the Nimzovich. He
and I traded several lengthy letters (Hugh did it all long hand, I
must admit I did mine by computer) debating the line from the game -
Hugh was an incredibly tenancious person, although ultimately he
agreed with my assessment.

My assessment is that Hugh was a free-thinker, an innovator regardless
of the ultimate strength of those ideas. This is a useful role and
keeps chess (and many activities) fresh - the counterbalance to
concerns by Capablanca et al that chess is played out. Some of the
ideas in Myers Opening Bulletin have proven to be viable, and the fact
that many/most are less acceptable should not detract from its value.

It's sad to see players who you've known over the years leave us; I
guess it is a part of growing older. Hugh will be missed.

Randy Bauer

Date: 24 Dec 2008 18:15:18
From: samsloan
Subject: Re: Hugh Edward Myers

On Dec 24, 8:07=A0pm, chessparrot <[email protected] > wrote:

> very unlikely there's much left. He sold off a lot of stuff on
> occasion, even employing a girl to help. He always had an eye for the
> girls, did Hugh!

You are not kidding.

In the 1986 World Chess Olympiad in Dubai, he became enamored with a
local Arab girl who was working at the tournament.

She had green eyes, unusual for an Arab, which gave her a rather
stunning appearance.

He wanted to marry the girl so badly that he found out where she
lived, got a taxi to take him to her house, and knocked on her door,
telling her father that he wanted to speak to her.

When he told me about this, I was shocked that he was not killed on
the spot.

He seemed to find nothing wrong with this.

He was not a Muslim by the way.

A few months after the Olympiad and after Myers had left, I spoke to
the girl, who was working as assistant arbiter at another chess
tournament. She was trying to get the International Arbiter Title. I
do not know if she ever got it. She told me that she MUST marry
whomever her father selects her to marry. I do not think that Myers
was ever in the picture.

Sam Sloan

Date: 24 Dec 2008 17:07:12
From: chessparrot
Subject: Re: Hugh Edward Myers

On Dec 25, 12:33=A0am, samsloan <[email protected] > wrote:
> On Dec 24, 6:34=A0pm, [email protected] wrote:
>
> > On Dec 24, 6:02=A0pm, samsloan <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > > When I played him in the World Open in 1969 I beat him in his pet
> > > Nimzovitch Defense. I did not want to mention that in his obituary.
> > > This was a big upset victory for me.
>
> > > Sam Sloan
>
> > =A0 Myers does not mention Sam in his book, though he does mention a
> > long-eared dog in a bar in Padua, Italy that wore dark glasses and a
> > beret, and smoked cigarettes.
>
> I did mention that one time to Hugh.
>
> I pointed out that I beat him when he played the Nimzovitch Defense
> against me in San Juan 1969, but he does not mention that game in his
> book.
>
> He replied that he had used my game somewhere else, but he did not say
> where.
>
> By the way, Hugh Myers had an extensive library and archives of notes
> and games. Who will inherit it? I should hope that it will not be
> trashed.
>
> Sam Sloan

very unlikely there's much left. He sold off a lot of stuff on
occasion, even employing a girl to help. He always had an eye for the
girls, did Hugh!

Date: 24 Dec 2008 16:33:22
From: samsloan
Subject: Re: Hugh Edward Myers

On Dec 24, 6:34=A0pm, [email protected] wrote:
> On Dec 24, 6:02=A0pm, samsloan <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
> > When I played him in the World Open in 1969 I beat him in his pet
> > Nimzovitch Defense. I did not want to mention that in his obituary.
> > This was a big upset victory for me.
>
> > Sam Sloan
>
> =A0 Myers does not mention Sam in his book, though he does mention a
> long-eared dog in a bar in Padua, Italy that wore dark glasses and a
> beret, and smoked cigarettes.

I did mention that one time to Hugh.

I pointed out that I beat him when he played the Nimzovitch Defense
against me in San Juan 1969, but he does not mention that game in his
book.

He replied that he had used my game somewhere else, but he did not say
where.

By the way, Hugh Myers had an extensive library and archives of notes
and games. Who will inherit it? I should hope that it will not be
trashed.

Sam Sloan

Date: 24 Dec 2008 15:34:26
From:
Subject: Re: Hugh Edward Myers

On Dec 24, 6:02=A0pm, samsloan <[email protected] > wrote:
> I remember that he had family members in Denmark.
>
> This came up during the 1986 World Chess Olympiad in Dubai.
>
> As he was employed by the Olympiad, they were obliged to pay his air
> fare back. He wanted to stop in Denmark. They said: "We will give you
> a ticket to New York or we will give you a ticket to Denmark but we
> will not give you a ticket to Chicago with a stop over in
> Denmark" (which would have been a lot more expensive).
>
> He had a lot of fights with Makropolous and Abundo over this issue. I
> doubt that he ever got the ticket he wanted.
>
> When I played him in the World Open in 1969 I beat him in his pet
> Nimzovitch Defense. I did not want to mention that in his obituary.
> This was a big upset victory for me.
>
> Sam Sloan

Myers does not mention Sam in his book, though he does mention a
long-eared dog in a bar in Padua, Italy that wore dark glasses and a
beret, and smoked cigarettes.

Date: 24 Dec 2008 15:02:18
From: samsloan
Subject: Re: Hugh Edward Myers

I remember that he had family members in Denmark.

This came up during the 1986 World Chess Olympiad in Dubai.

As he was employed by the Olympiad, they were obliged to pay his air
fare back. He wanted to stop in Denmark. They said: "We will give you
a ticket to New York or we will give you a ticket to Denmark but we
will not give you a ticket to Chicago with a stop over in
Denmark" (which would have been a lot more expensive).

He had a lot of fights with Makropolous and Abundo over this issue. I
doubt that he ever got the ticket he wanted.

When I played him in the World Open in 1969 I beat him in his pet
Nimzovitch Defense. I did not want to mention that in his obituary.
This was a big upset victory for me.

Sam Sloan

Date: 24 Dec 2008 14:32:57
From:
Subject: Re: Hugh Edward Myers

On Dec 24, 12:24=A0pm, "[email protected]" <[email protected] > wrote:
> SAD NEWS
>
> =A0 As a long time public foe of Hugh Myers on matters dealing with
> Kasparov, Campomanes, Karpov (our Order of Lenin recipient) and
> especially the termination of the first Kasparov-Karpov match, I am
> also saddened to hear of Hugh's passing.

Based on what I've read of Myers' writings on the 1985 termination,
I would not characterize him as a friend of Campomanes and/or Karpov
in this matter. Rather, he just didn't buy Kasparov's snow-job. His
skepticism about Kasparov's spin did not mean he accepted anyone
else's.

> =A0 =A0 =A0We had a better private relationship, exchanging numerous lett=
ers
> on arcane matters about American chess masters (as opposed to the GM
> gods and IM demigods). =A0He was indeed a true man of chess, who also
> had some of analysis from his "Hugh Myers Opening Bulletin" busted in
> Chess Life by GM Larry Evans.
>
> =A0 =A0 =A0Hugh was, in my view, a searcher and innovator. =A0His problem=
was
> that he often permitted eccentricity to affect his findings, whether
> about chess politics or openings. =A0He seemed always to be searching
> for a GREAT SPANKING NEW IDEA, and as GM Evans once noted, he lacked
> the practical strength to find it.

I think you make a fair point there, Larry. Myers seemed to be in
love with unorthodox play for its own sake, whether it made practical
sense or not. This sometimes led to original, innovative ideas; at
other times to blind alleys he refused to acknowledge as fruitless.
But perhaps it is better to be overly bold than a timid soul who never
ventures anything new.

> =A0 =A0 =A0Still, it was in the searching, whether flawed by myopia and
> method, that he showed himself a comrade in chess arms. It was amazing
> how after all of our public battles, Hugh and I fell into easy,
> unaffected, extended conversation about obscure chess byways that
> interest only a few of us. =A0(He had some good stuff on John Penquite.)
>
> =A0 =A0 =A0Hugh seemed to fall out of the public eye a few years back,
> probably because of ill health. =A0We never had a chance for another big
> fight again.

Your guess about ill health is probably correct, Larry. Myers had
four heart attacks in one recent year alone.
I had some correspondence with him a few years ago, by letter and
postcard (he disliked computers). Among other things, he disagreed
with comments I made on his analysis of the game Myers-Young,
North Central Open, Milwaukee 1964. He had won that game, and refused
to believe that Black could have won with 31...Qc7!, as I pointed out
in my review (www.chesscafe.com/text/review341.pdf), instead of
31...Nb6?? as was actually played. We played it out from there like a
postal game, and in the end he finally had to concede that my computer-
assisted analysis was correct.

>
> [email protected] wrote:
> > On Dec 24, 8:22?am, chessparrot <[email protected]> wrote:
> > > I have just learnt of the death of Hugh Myers, b. Decatur Illinois,
> > > USA 23rd Januray 1930: died Davenport, Iowa 24th December 2008.
>
> > > USCF National Master, he played in two Olympiads. State champion,
> > > famed for 1 ... Nc6!
>
> > > Frater, semper atque vale
>
> > > James Pratt (Basingstoke!)
>
> > =A0 That is sad to hear. Myers was a dedicated chess-lover who always
> > spoke his mind forthrightly. As a player he was not among the great
> > but was still =A0very good, peak Elo about 2300. He had some noteworthy
> > accomplishments, such as playing in two FIDE Olympiads (for the
> > Dominican Republic) and leading his team to victory in the 1994 US
> > Amateur Team Championship. He played many top masters, taking a few GM
> > scalps, e.g. Lombardy and Rossolimo.
> > =A0 Edward Winter had a high opinion of Myers, and cited him in several
> > articles, such as this one on the termation of the first Karpov-
> > Kasparov match:
>
> > =A0http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/extra/termination.html
>
> > =A0 Myers was perhaps the first to detect the major inaccuracies and
> > inconsistencies in the spin Kasparov put on that event.
> > =A0 In his Myers Openings Bulletin, a home-typed magazine, he explored
> > many unorthodox lines, e.g. 1.b4 e6 2.Bb2 Nf6 3.b5 d5 4.e3 c5 5.f4. In
> > reviews he laid unstinting scorn on chess hacks, in particular Eric
> > Schiller. He authored two well-regarded books, "Exploring the Chess
> > Openings" and "The Nimzovich Defense." The latter is regarded by some
> > as the definitive work on 1.e4 Nc6.
> > =A0 Myers' attempt to mix MOB and autobiography in book form, "A Chess
> > Explorer" (Davenport, Iowa, 2002) did not, alas, work very well in my
> > opinion, and I was unable to give it a very favorable review
>> (www.chesscafe.com/text/review341.pdf). Still, I had
> > considerable respect for him, and am sad to hear of his passing.
>
> > =A0 =A0 =A0Taylor Kingston- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Date: 24 Dec 2008 12:50:16
From: samsloan
Subject: Re: Hugh Edward Myers

I am sorry to hear of the passing of Hugh Myers.

I first met him during the 1956 Eastern States Open in Washington DC.

I played him during the 1969 World Open Championship in San Juan
Puerto Rico. (This was not a Goichberg tournament. It was this
tournament that gave Goichberg the idea of using "World Open" as the
name of a chess tournament.)

I got to know him a lot better during the 1986 World Chess Olympiad in
Dubai where he was initially appointed as the bulletins editor but was
later replaced by Bob Wade.

I exchanged correspondence with him over the years and he wrote at
least one article about my opening systems in his "Myers Opening
Bulletin".

I had not heard from him in several years and I believe that he has
long been in poor health.

He was married several times and lived for years in the Dominican
Republic and in Puerto Rico. I think he originally lived in Iowa,
where he died. I do not know if he had any children, but as I recall
he did have some.

There was a minor scandal when he tried to marry a local Arab girl
during the 1986 World Chess Olympiad in Dubai. He had no idea how
impossible that was and he was nearly kicked out of the country as a
result. This was also part of the reason why he was not continued as
the editor of the official bulletins.

Sam Sloan

On Dec 24, 12:24=A0pm, "[email protected]" <[email protected] > wrote:
> SAD NEWS
>
> =A0 As a long time public foe of Hugh Myers on matters dealing with
> Kasparov, Campomanes, Karpov (our Order of Lenin recipient) and
> especially the termination of the first Kasparov-Karpov match, I am
> also saddened to hear of Hugh's passing.
>
> =A0 =A0 =A0We had a better private relationship, exchanging numerous lett=
ers
> on arcane matters about American chess masters (as opposed to the GM
> gods and IM demigods). =A0He was indeed a true man of chess, who also
> had some of analysis from his "Hugh Myers Opening Bulletin" busted in
> Chess Life by GM Larry Evans.
>
> =A0 =A0 =A0Hugh was, in my view, a searcher and innovator. =A0His problem=
was
> that he often permitted eccentricity to affect his findings, whether
> about chess politics or openings. =A0He seemed always to be searching
> for a GREAT SPANKING NEW IDEA, and as GM Evans once noted, he lacked
> the practical strength to find it.
>
> =A0 =A0 =A0Still, it was in the searching, whether flawed by myopia and
> method, that he showed himself a comrade in chess arms. It was amazing
> how after all of our public battles, Hugh and I fell into easy,
> unaffected, extended conversation about obscure chess byways that
> interest only a few of us. =A0(He had some good stuff on John Penquite.)
>
> =A0 =A0 =A0Hugh seemed to fall out of the public eye a few years back,
> probably because of ill health. =A0We never had a chance for another big
> fight again.
>
> Yours, Larry Parr
>
> [email protected] wrote:
> > On Dec 24, 8:22?am, chessparrot <[email protected]> wrote:
> > > I have just learnt of the death of Hugh Myers, b. Decatur Illinois,
> > > USA 23rd Januray 1930: died Davenport, Iowa 24th December 2008.
>
> > > USCF National Master, he played in two Olympiads. State champion,
> > > famed for 1 ... Nc6!
>
> > > Frater, semper atque vale
>
> > > James Pratt (Basingstoke!)
>
> > =A0 That is sad to hear. Myers was a dedicated chess-lover who always
> > spoke his mind forthrightly. As a player he was not among the great
> > but was still =A0very good, peak Elo about 2300. He had some noteworthy
> > accomplishments, such as playing in two FIDE Olympiads (for the
> > Dominican Republic) and leading his team to victory in the 1994 US
> > Amateur Team Championship. He played many top masters, taking a few GM
> > scalps, e.g. Lombardy and Rossolimo.
> > =A0 Edward Winter had a high opinion of Myers, and cited him in several
> > articles, such as this one on the termation of the first Karpov-
> > Kasparov match:
>
> > =A0http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/extra/termination.html
>
> > =A0 Myers was perhaps the first to detect the major inaccuracies and
> > inconsistencies in the spin Kasparov put on that event.
> > =A0 In his Myers Openings Bulletin, a home-typed magazine, he explored
> > many unorthodox lines, e.g. 1.b4 e6 2.Bb2 Nf6 3.b5 d5 4.e3 c5 5.f4. In
> > reviews he laid unstinting scorn on chess hacks, in particular Eric
> > Schiller. He authored two well-regarded books, "Exploring the Chess
> > Openings" and "The Nimzovich Defense." The latter is regarded by some
> > as the definitive work on 1.e4 Nc6.
> > =A0 Myers' attempt to mix MOB and autobiography in book form, "A Chess
> > Explorer" (Davenport, Iowa, 2002) did not, alas, work very well in my
> > opinion, and I was unable to give it a very favorable review (http://
> >www.chesshistory.com/winter/extra/termination.html). Still, I had
> > considerable respect for him, and am sad to hear of his passing.
>
> > =A0 =A0 =A0Taylor Kingston

Date: 24 Dec 2008 10:41:02
From: samsloan
Subject: Re: Hugh Edward Myers

Date: 24 Dec 2008 10:07:57
From:
Subject: Re: Hugh Edward Myers

On Dec 24, 9:18=A0am, [email protected] wrote:
> On Dec 24, 8:22=A0am, chessparrot <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > I have just learnt of the death of Hugh Myers, b. Decatur Illinois,
> > USA 23rd Januray 1930: died Davenport, Iowa 24th December 2008.
>
> > USCF National Master, he played in two Olympiads. State champion,
> > famed for 1 ... Nc6!
>
> > Frater, semper atque vale
>
> > James Pratt (Basingstoke!)
>
> =A0 That is sad to hear. Myers was a dedicated chess-lover who always
> spoke his mind forthrightly. As a player he was not among the great
> but was still =A0very good, peak Elo about 2300. He had some noteworthy
> accomplishments, such as playing in two FIDE Olympiads (for the
> Dominican Republic) and leading his team to victory in the 1994 US
> Amateur Team Championship. He played many top masters, taking a few GM
> scalps, e.g. Lombardy and Rossolimo.
> =A0 Edward Winter had a high opinion of Myers, and cited him in several
> articles, such as this one on the termation of the first Karpov-
> Kasparov match:
>
> =A0http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/extra/termination.html
>
> =A0 Myers was perhaps the first to detect the major inaccuracies and
> inconsistencies in the spin Kasparov put on that event.
> =A0 In his Myers Openings Bulletin, a home-typed magazine, he explored
> many unorthodox lines, e.g. 1.b4 e6 2.Bb2 Nf6 3.b5 d5 4.e3 c5 5.f4. In
> reviews he laid unstinting scorn on chess hacks, in particular Eric
> Schiller. He authored two well-regarded books, "Exploring the Chess
> Openings" and "The Nimzovich Defense." The latter is regarded by some
> as the definitive work on 1.e4 Nc6.
> =A0 Myers' attempt to mix MOB and autobiography in book form, "A Chess
> Explorer" (Davenport, Iowa, 2002) did not, alas, work very well in my
> opinion, and I was unable to give it a very favorable review (http://www.=
chesshistory.com/winter/extra/termination.html). Still, I had
> considerable respect for him, and am sad to hear of his passing.
>
> =A0 =A0 =A0Taylor Kingston

I put the wrong link for the review. Should have been:

http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review341.pdf

Date: 24 Dec 2008 09:24:02
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Hugh Edward Myers

SAD NEWS

As a long time public foe of Hugh Myers on matters dealing with
Kasparov, Campomanes, Karpov (our Order of Lenin recipient) and
especially the termination of the first Kasparov-Karpov match, I am
also saddened to hear of Hugh's passing.

We had a better private relationship, exchanging numerous letters
on arcane matters about American chess masters (as opposed to the GM
gods and IM demigods). He was indeed a true man of chess, who also
had some of analysis from his "Hugh Myers Opening Bulletin" busted in
Chess Life by GM Larry Evans.

Hugh was, in my view, a searcher and innovator. His problem was
that he often permitted eccentricity to affect his findings, whether
about chess politics or openings. He seemed always to be searching
for a GREAT SPANKING NEW IDEA, and as GM Evans once noted, he lacked
the practical strength to find it.

Still, it was in the searching, whether flawed by myopia and
method, that he showed himself a comrade in chess arms. It was amazing
how after all of our public battles, Hugh and I fell into easy,
unaffected, extended conversation about obscure chess byways that
interest only a few of us. (He had some good stuff on John Penquite.)

Hugh seemed to fall out of the public eye a few years back,
probably because of ill health. We never had a chance for another big
fight again.

Yours, Larry Parr

[email protected] wrote:
> On Dec 24, 8:22?am, chessparrot <[email protected]> wrote:
> > I have just learnt of the death of Hugh Myers, b. Decatur Illinois,
> > USA 23rd Januray 1930: died Davenport, Iowa 24th December 2008.
> >
> > USCF National Master, he played in two Olympiads. State champion,
> > famed for 1 ... Nc6!
> >
> > Frater, semper atque vale
> >
> > James Pratt (Basingstoke!)
>
> That is sad to hear. Myers was a dedicated chess-lover who always
> spoke his mind forthrightly. As a player he was not among the great
> but was still very good, peak Elo about 2300. He had some noteworthy
> accomplishments, such as playing in two FIDE Olympiads (for the
> Dominican Republic) and leading his team to victory in the 1994 US
> Amateur Team Championship. He played many top masters, taking a few GM
> scalps, e.g. Lombardy and Rossolimo.
> Edward Winter had a high opinion of Myers, and cited him in several
> articles, such as this one on the termation of the first Karpov-
> Kasparov match:
>
> http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/extra/termination.html
>
> Myers was perhaps the first to detect the major inaccuracies and
> inconsistencies in the spin Kasparov put on that event.
> In his Myers Openings Bulletin, a home-typed magazine, he explored
> many unorthodox lines, e.g. 1.b4 e6 2.Bb2 Nf6 3.b5 d5 4.e3 c5 5.f4. In
> reviews he laid unstinting scorn on chess hacks, in particular Eric
> Schiller. He authored two well-regarded books, "Exploring the Chess
> Openings" and "The Nimzovich Defense." The latter is regarded by some
> as the definitive work on 1.e4 Nc6.
> Myers' attempt to mix MOB and autobiography in book form, "A Chess
> Explorer" (Davenport, Iowa, 2002) did not, alas, work very well in my
> opinion, and I was unable to give it a very favorable review (http://
> www.chesshistory.com/winter/extra/termination.html). Still, I had
> considerable respect for him, and am sad to hear of his passing.
>
> Taylor Kingston

Date: 24 Dec 2008 06:18:02
From:
Subject: Re: Hugh Edward Myers

On Dec 24, 8:22=A0am, chessparrot <[email protected] > wrote:
> I have just learnt of the death of Hugh Myers, b. Decatur Illinois,
> USA 23rd Januray 1930: died Davenport, Iowa 24th December 2008.
>
> USCF National Master, he played in two Olympiads. State champion,
> famed for 1 ... Nc6!
>
> Frater, semper atque vale
>
> James Pratt (Basingstoke!)

That is sad to hear. Myers was a dedicated chess-lover who always
spoke his mind forthrightly. As a player he was not among the great
but was still very good, peak Elo about 2300. He had some noteworthy
accomplishments, such as playing in two FIDE Olympiads (for the
Dominican Republic) and leading his team to victory in the 1994 US
Amateur Team Championship. He played many top masters, taking a few GM
scalps, e.g. Lombardy and Rossolimo.
Edward Winter had a high opinion of Myers, and cited him in several
articles, such as this one on the termation of the first Karpov-
Kasparov match:

http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/extra/termination.html

Myers was perhaps the first to detect the major inaccuracies and
inconsistencies in the spin Kasparov put on that event.
In his Myers Openings Bulletin, a home-typed magazine, he explored
many unorthodox lines, e.g. 1.b4 e6 2.Bb2 Nf6 3.b5 d5 4.e3 c5 5.f4. In
reviews he laid unstinting scorn on chess hacks, in particular Eric
Schiller. He authored two well-regarded books, "Exploring the Chess
Openings" and "The Nimzovich Defense." The latter is regarded by some
as the definitive work on 1.e4 Nc6.
Myers' attempt to mix MOB and autobiography in book form, "A Chess
Explorer" (Davenport, Iowa, 2002) did not, alas, work very well in my
opinion, and I was unable to give it a very favorable review (http://
www.chesshistory.com/winter/extra/termination.html). Still, I had
considerable respect for him, and am sad to hear of his passing.

Taylor Kingston