All our Yesterdays - Part 1 by Ernie Lazenby
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David Ionovich Bronstein
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Some chess players acquire such a reputation their memory will never die; some like Bobby Fischer a temperamental genius whose off board behaviour often attracted as much publicity as his chess, while others like Bronstein have only their chess as the lasting legacy.
David Brontsein a Grandmaster in an era when holders of that title were revered; an era before computers when innate ability rather than memorised masses of data base information was the overriding attribute to be a top player.
Bronstein could best be described as one of life’s gentleman and this was demonstrated in 1996 when he gave a simultaneous display to mark the Centenary of Redcar chess club.
On 14th August 1996 at the York Hotel Redcar David played 32 games against Redcar club players and invited guests. He took black in every game winning 14 drawing 15 and losing three. The day after the display David admitted to Gerry Walsh that he had manoeuvred to allow his opponent a sound material sacrifice in each game!
The three games lost were against;
Richard Hall
Bret Addison (14yrs old!)
Martin McLouglin JNR
The draws were achieved by
David Baillie, Alan Lau, W McAllister, Richard Moore, Brian Hesler, Jason Gentle, D. Gallagher, A Norman, Gawain Jones!, Steve Welbourne, Sean Marsh, Sarah McNally(jnr)!, Rosalyn Alderton(jnr)! David Wise, N Richmond.
At the time Gawain was 9 years old and clearly destined to become a top player which of course he has by becoming a Grandmaster.
Grandmaster Bronstein gave another simultaneous display this time at Middlesbrough when he once again delighted everyone with his friendliness and demonstration of chess ability. Perhaps I should mention my own experience; David opened with D4 and when he arrived back at the board I played F5 (Dutch defence) He smiled at me picked up his queen and put it on D3 saying ‘you know about this move’ I did not know the move and got into trouble very quickly and lost.
Norman Stephenson provided accommodation at his home for David during the week he stayed in Cleveland and Norman has given me a couple of anecdotes. On the day of the display over breakfast David asked Norman if he would be playing in the event. Upon hearing that he was not planning to, David walked around the table to give him a hug saying ‘I don’t think strong players like you should be playing poor grandmasters like me’ demonstrates what a modest individual David was despite being one of the greatest chess players ever.
Norman was advised by Gerry Walsh that David liked to have steak for breakfast if he was due to play an afternoon simil. On the morning Norman’s wife, Margaret, enquired as to what David would like for breakfast and, being the gentleman he was, he simply replied ‘whatever you and Norman have’. At this point Margaret opened the fridge and showed David the Rump steak which she cooked and he thoroughly enjoyed. He explained that this unusual choice of meal gave him the energy boost later in the day that he needed to help him get through the afternoons activities.
At one function a lady mayor gave David a kiss on a cheek thinking that was the custom when greeting a Russian; David’s response was to hold is hand to his face and say ‘I wont wash that spot for a week’ He had a glint his eye so far as the ladies were concerned.
I think any ‘all our yesterdays’ would be the worse for not having included a visit to our area by one of the all time great chess players, an erudite individual who challenged for the world championship n 1951 drawing 12-12 with the then world champion Botvinick who thereby kept his title.
My thanks to Redcar’s Richard Moore, also to Gerry Walsh and Norman Stephenson for supplying me with detailed information.
 L/R Norman Stephenson, GM David Bronstein, Gerry Walsh |
 GM David Bronstein giving a lecture at the Claxton Hotel Redcar |
 GM David Bronstein giving a Simul at Yarm School |