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The Eccentric Crash-and-Smash Chess King of Toronto

11/4/2021

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"KIll As You Go" Josef (Joe) Smolij
Image credit above to Avard Wooldaver https://avardwoolaver.com/avardwoolaver.com

Josef (Joe) Smolij (pronounced Smoley) was not your usual chess player who wanted glory and fame in the annals of world chess domination.  Joe was dedicated to chess for different reasons.  He was a Polish immigrant, single, never married and without children…he was the best chess hustler on the streets of Toronto in the 70s and 80s. Those were the days when USA-Russia matches were in the headlines.  He played speed chess to earn a meager income to survive.  The games provided his only source of income, which hardly bothered Joe, whose motto was “I am poor in the pocket but rich in the mind.”  His main social interaction with society occurred nightly until the early morning hours on the corner of Yonge Street and Gould across from Sam the Record Man store, a large music retailer at the time.   He was heard to say in his heavy Polish accent “"If I vouldn't play chess, I vouldn't meet you.  I am single, I am alone. I play not to be lonely, not to be drunk. Ve play for friendship.  Chess on the street, chess for the people. How you like that?"  The nightly ritual did much for his self esteem.

Smolij was born in Poland 1n 1921.  He left home at the age of 14 to wander around Europe and spent time in Germany, Yugoslavia, Spain, France and England.  Along the way he became fluent in German, Russian, English, Spanish, as well as his native Polish.  He started playing chess at age 23 and honed his chess play which he called “smash-and-grab” with an aggressive style that unnerved some opponents. “Kill as you go…show no mercy.”

At 33. Smolij immigrated to Canada and eventually found a job as a machinist in Toronto.  Over the last dozen years, the game of strategy became his obsession.  While working, he set up a chess board next to his machine but his boss nixed that idea which left Joe back on the street almost penniless.  He decided to retire early and tried to make ends meet playing chess on the street.  At first he set up his board in Toronto downtown’s Allan Gardens and offered to take on any player for fifty cents (later increased to one dollar).  Eventually, as sizeable crowds kibitzed over the picnic table where boisterous Joe carried out his new trade.  Eventually, the police kicked him out of the park thinking it was a front for dealing drugs.

Never to be discouraged, he moved his chess business to the busy intersection of Yonge and Gould.  Yonge was known as the Broadway of Toronto, marked by theaters, dance halls, flashing lights, and pin-ball arcades.  Over the next two decades, this corner became the chess Mecca of Toronto.  A canopy and chess tables were eventually added to the sidewalk along Gould by the city.  King Smolij reigned in this corner of his chess world from 8:00 PM to 6:00 AM nightly for a decade without fail, no matter what inclement weather nature was dishing out (Toronto winters are harsh).
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On any given night, Smolij departed his boarding house and pushed a shopping cart filled with chess paraphernalia to his chess corner where chess aficionados, fans and chess newcomers gathered to play the world’s oldest game and watch the king hold sway over his court.   He would take on challengers for $1.00 per game of speed chess.  It is said that he only lost about one game every two weeks.  When he did lose, it was not done graciously …  often being thrown out of tournaments for yelling at opponents.  With a hysterical voice, he would demand another game.   For Joe, losing was to experience a moment’s death.  While most of the other players were quiet and thoughtful, Smolij played impulsively, grabbing pieces and slapping his time clock almost simultaneously … often pontificating on the mistakes of his opponents.  “In Russia,” he would boldly state, “they send you to Siberia for that one.  Yes, is true.  Player scared to make bad moof [sic] in Russia.”

Smolij gave this advice to a cocky 18 year-old who challenged him:  “You play good game but you lose. Must watch whole board. Sixty-four squares. You lose but you learn. You young. Lots of time. For me, no much time. I must always play hard. Can’t afford to lose. You want to become master?  Only one way. You must sell car, sell home, sell wife, sell everything, read chess book, practice ten hours a day. If you lose — sleep under bridge!”

As Smolij moved from opening gambit, smash-and-crash, to eventual checkmate, his games came with a barrage of Polish-accented bravado.  His jabbering during play often infuriated his opponents and entertained those who were there to watch.   His skill at speed chess, his quirky demeanor, and eccentric boisterous style of play earned him infamy as an iconic fixture in Toronto.  He landed a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records for a while as the world’s fastest chess player, often destroying hopefuls in short order.

​In 1985, Smolij was admitted to Wellesley Hospital suffering from severe gall stones and hypothermia.  Some brain damage resulted but it did not affect chess playing ability. After spending several years in a Toronto nursing home, Joe was reunited with a sister he had not seen since World War II.  Smolij said it was a “miracle of miracles.” He eventually moved to Berlin, Germany to live with her. 

In 2016, Josef Smolij was in a showcase of 220 portraits at the Toronto Public Library.  This exhibition highlighted everyday people who lived and worked in the city throughout the 20th century.  The visages, drawn largely from the Toronto Star newspaper archives, told a unique tale of each person.  Smolij became a celebrity in his day simply by enduring, i.e., sleeping only four hours and playing chess all night outside in all seasons.

Chess matches continued on at Yonge and Gould, which was named Hacksel Place in honor of another chess enthusiast, until 2003. Today, the street corner across from the Sam the Record Man store, which was the Mecca of chess in Toronto has withered away over time.  The city allowed maintenance to slide and some of the seats at the chess tables are missing and the wood trim around their tops is rotting.  While chess is still active in Toronto, it is not as colorful as the 1970s.
​
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Skills Test and Ratings

2/1/2021

1 Comment

 
Curious about your chess skill level? Try this chess skills test to get an estimate of your Elo rating. 

http://www.chessmaniac.com/ELORating/ELO_Chess_Rating.shtml
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My result was 1680 which seems about right.  Any one out there who tested above 2000? Please comment below.

​To get an 'official' rating you have to be a member of the US Chess Federation (USCF) and play 26 games USCF-rated games.  Until the official rating is designated, the player will have a provisional rating.

These Elo ratings designate a certain skill level.  Here is a basic breakdown of what these ratings mean.  

  • 1200-1399 = 'D' player - usually a beginner
  • 1400-1599 = 'C' player - average club or tournament player
  • 1600 - 1799 = 'B' player - consistently above average
  • 1800-1999 = 'A' player - strong club player, usually has lots of opening knowledge
  • 2000-2199 = 'Expert' - extremely strong, consistent player with the possibility of achieving Master rating
  • 2200-2399 = 'Master' - strongest amateur ran
  • 2400-2499 = 'International Master (IM)'
  • 2500+ = 'Grandmaster (GM)'

Our chess club has several 'A' players but no Experts yet (estimated).
The world's top-10 male players have ratings above 2700 (2500 for female players).


1 Comment

Fantasia Coffeehouse Revisited

1/27/2020

1 Comment

 
Until 2008, Bellingham had a de-facto chess cafe where a motley and eclectic group of chess fanatics gathered on an unscheduled daily basis for pickup game of chess.  The coffeehouse, Fantasia Coffee & Tea near the corner of Cornwall Avenue and Magnolia Street, had an owner who was very supportive of chess as he himself was a chess player.   Any weekday afternoon, chess players dropped-in for casual but serious chess matches.

Since 2008 when Fantasia closed, the chess players never re-grouped in another chess cafe where chess was played on a regular basis.  Some of them found our chess club when it was formed in 2015.  Our chess club is on the hunt for a chess friendly coffeehouse for casual chess play.  Will keep you posted.

While reviewing my archival photos, I found some pictures I took of a chess gathering at Fantasia circa 2007.  Do you recognize any of the players?
1 Comment

10 Steps to Winning Chess

12/28/2017

3 Comments

 
Take a look at these ten tips to help you learn some simple ways to win more games of chess.

  1. Look at your opponent's move.
  2. Make the best possible move.
  3. Have a plan.
  4. Know what the pieces are worth.
  5. Develop quickly and well.
  6. Control the center.
  7. Keep your king safe.
  8. Know when to trade pieces.
  9. Think about the endgame.
  10. Always be alert.

Continue with the details on the USCF site:

10 Tips to Winning Chess
3 Comments

Google AI Takes on Stockfish

12/11/2017

0 Comments

 
If you have not read about it yet, AlphaZero made chess and AI history recently by crushing the world's strongest chess-playing entity: Stockfish.

The games are surprisingly "human," filled with genius sacrifices. This AlphaZero AI is a Google creation made possible by the company's acquisition of a machine learning company called DeepMind. The programmers of AlphaZero did not "teach" the game to the computer in the traditional sense. That means no opening book, no endgame tables, and apparently no complicated algorithms dissecting minute differences between center pawns and side pawns. The AlphaZero was just taught the rules and pieces and in four hours of "learning" it was able to destroy the best chess engine, Stockfish. Humans better watch out...AI is coming!

If interested, you can follow Game 3 in the YouTube video below.

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Chess Rules and Etiquette During Tournament Play

7/24/2017

7 Comments

 
Touch-Move Rule. A player who touches one of his/her own pieces must move that piece if it is legal to do so. Touching an opponent's piece requires that the piece be captured if it is legal to do so. A piece may be placed on a square without committing to that move, as long as the player keeps his/her hand on the piece. As soon as a player moves and releases a piece, the move is over, and may not be retracted (unless illegal).

Adjusting Pieces. Players may adjust off-center pieces on the chessboard (their's or the opponent's), but must do so on their turn, and must first clearly say the word "adjust".

Calling Check. Calling check is not required, although traditionally regarded as a courtesy.

Chess Clocks. Black begins a game by starting the opponent's clock. During the game, players should follow the habit of making a move, and then immediately hitting the clock with the same hand. Players are not required to remind an opponent to hit the clock, nor do they need to wait for the opponent to hit their clock before making a move (assuming the opponent has already moved). Under certain circumstances it is important to know how to stop the chess clock. Note that bathroom breaks, phone calls, etc are not legitimate reasons to stop the chess clock.

Black Chooses. Black, as compensation for moving second, has the right to choose which chess set and clock to use, as well as whether to place the clock on the right or left. One exception: if black wants to use an analog clock, but white prefers a digital clock, the digital clock is used.

Sportsmanship. In tournaments, chess players, in the spirit of good sportsmanship, traditionally shake hands and wish each other well before starting a game. Players should also respect their opponents during games by refraining from unnecessary talk or noise (please turn cell phone ringers off!). The only words that really ever need to be said during a game are "draw?" (draw offer), "adjust" (before adjusting pieces), "checkmate" (who can resist?), "time" (win on time), and "let's ask the Tournament Director (TD)" (in case of problems or disputes). After a game ends, regardless of the result, both players should continue to show courtesy by (quietly) offering each other complementary or encouraging words.

Recording the Game Result. Immediately after each game ends, the winner (or either player in a drawn game) should record the result on that round's posting sheet (but please don't write on the tournament chart). This allows the TD to prepare the next round's pairings on time.

Byes. If any round has an odd number of players, the lowest rated player among the lowest scoring group of players sits out the round and receives a full-point bye (equivalent to a win), assuming that the player has not already received a bye in the same tournament.

Spectators. Spectators are welcome to observe games in progress as long as they do not distract the players or influence the games in any way (i.e., by talking, reacting to moves, reminding players to hit the clock, pointing out that a player has run out of time, etc).

Resolution of Disputes. If a problem or dispute arises concerning a game in progress, both players should remain calm, immediately stop their clocks, and seek the TD. The TD will try to resolve the situation as fairly as possible according to the U.S. Chess Federation Official Rules of Chess.

Withdrawals. Players who withdraw from a tournament should inform the TD so that their names can be removed from the remaining rounds' pairings.

Also read the FIDE Laws of Chess (PDF)
7 Comments

Early Chess Playing Machine

7/24/2017

1 Comment

 
Bonaparte, Napoleon vs. Automaton, The Turk, 0-1, 1809. Automaton, The Turk, was the first chess playing machine. Of course, it was operated by a little man hidden in a machine. The Turk was very famous, touring through the whole Europe for decades. Apparently, there were multiple hidden Turk operators -- the whole succession of strong chess players, who bought and sold the machine to each other. Allegedly, in the course of one of the games between Bonaparte and The Turk, Bonaparte had started making illegal chess moves. In a mechanical sort of gesture, The Turk's hand had corrected the emperor's moves twice. As soon as Bonaparte had moved the same piece to the same illegal position for the third time, The Turk machine allegedly sent the chess pieces flying off the board.
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Movies About Chess

7/24/2017

1 Comment

 
The list below details films about chess. It includes feature films, documentaries and shorts from around the world. The titles are linked to the movie/TV IMDb database. The date of release and a user rating (out of 10) is shown in parentheses.

The ***** indicates my favorites recommendations

  • 5150 Elms Way (2009, 6.6)
  • 8 × 8: A Chess Sonata in 8 Movements (1957, 6.3)
  • Bobby Fischer Against the World (2011, 7.4) *****
  • Bobby Fischer Live (2009, 4.2)
  • Brainwashed (1960, 6.9)
  • Brooklyn Castle (2012, 7.3)
  • A Chess Dispute (1903, 6.0)
  • Chess Fever (1925, 7.3)
  • Chess Kids (1996, 7.3)
  • Chess King (1988, 5.7)
  • The Chess Set (2005)
  • Computer Chess (2013, 6.3)
  • Dangerous Moves (1984, 6.6)
  • The Dark Horse (2014, 7.9) *****
  • Endgame (1999, 5.8)
  • Fool's Mate (1989, 6.7)
  • Fresh (1994, 7.7) *****
  • Game Over: Kasparov and the Machine (2003, 6.8)
  • Geri's Game (1997, 8.0)
  • The Grass Arena (1992)
  • The Great Chess Movie (1982)
  • Ivory Tower (2010, 6.6)
  • Knight Moves (1992, 6.0)
  • Knights of the South Bronx (2005, 6.8) *****
  • Life of a King (2013, 6.9)
  • Long Live the Queen (1995, 7.2)
  • The Luzhin Defense (2000, 6.9) *****
  • Me and Bobby Fischer (2009)
  • Odysseus' Gambit (2011)
  • Pawn Sacrifice (2014, 7.3) *****
  • Queen of Cactus Cove (2005, 7.8)
  • Queen of Katwe (2016) *****
  • Queen Sacrifice (1988, 7.2))
  • Queen to Play (2009, 6.8)
  • Return from the Ashes (1969, 6.9)
  • Black and White Like Day and Night (1978, 7.2)
  • Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993, 7.5) *****
  • The Seventh Seal (1957, 8.2)
  • The Chess Players (1977, 7.8)
  • The Tournament (2015, 5.5)
  • Uncovered (1994)
  • Zatoichi and the Chess Expert (1965, 7.5)
  • A Little Game (2014, 6.4)

Finally, if you liked the TV series, Columbo, he solved a chess murder mystery in 1973's Season 2 Episode 7, The Most Dangerous Match.
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