CHESS DIGEST

(Vol. 2 No. 1, March 1969)

Kolty's Comments

SILENCE IS GOLDEN...

Scene: Club in San Francisco

The time: 1:00 P.M. Sunday afternoon. Final round.

The players involved: David Blohm and Ray Schutt.

The Tournament Director: Charles Savery

The importance of this game: If David Blohm wins or draws he is first. If he loses his opponent could get ahead of him or at least tie for first place. Schutt must play for a win - a draw may tie for second or give him third place.

The action: Blohm-White, Schutt-Black. At 1:00 P.M. Schutt started the clock. Blohm moved 1 P-K4 and punched his clock. At this point, Ray asked "David, are you playing for a draw?" Blohm called the T.D. claiming that Schutt had offered a draw and that he (Blohm) accepted. Black did not accept this and played 1…P-KN3, and said that he would protest the decision to the CSCF (California). Schutt based his protest to find out if the words "…are you playing for a draw", mean that he offered a draw. He feels that he had everything to gain by playing the game and a draw meant nothing to him. In the meantime, Grandmaster Kashdan, as president of CSCF has ruled against Ray Schutt, and Blohm is the new Champion of California. I wonder what other tournament directors would have decided?