MARK RUBERY CHESS

The Dutch GM, Hans Ree, recounts the following anecdote revealing the meticulous care with which the former world championship candidate, Robert Hubner, took to avoid hurting the feelings of tournament organisers…

During the closing ceremony of a tournament in Havana in 1999, the Canadian FIDE master Irwin Lipnowski sat across from Robert Hubner, who had shared first prize. Apart from a money prize, Hubner had received two trophies.

“You must have many trophies at home?” Lipnowski asked admiringly. Hubner said he had none. His apartment was full with books and there was no room left for trophies. “But what do you do then with these trophies?” Hubner explained that after the closing ceremony he would go to the harbour and throw his trophies into the water. That was what he always did when he had won a tournament. He didn’t want to carry a heavy cup back to Germany. Lipnowski asked if it wouldn’ t be more practical to tell the organizers in advance that he wouldn’t want their cups and trophies, but Hubner explained that this would be very discourteous, even insulting.

Lipnowski, who must have won fewer trophies in his life than Hubner, found it a pity that the recent acquisitions would disappear into the Havana harbour. Wouldn’t Hubner rather give them to him? Most certainly he would. Indeed Hubner was quite grateful for the offer. It would spare him a long walk with a heavy burden. Lipnowski said that he would take good care of the trophies and that Hubner would be welcome to reclaim them any time he wished, but Hubner reassured him that the chance that he would actually do this was zero.

Today’s position is a good test of your calculating ability…