Chess Enthusiasts at Warsaw

Once more a short business trip allowed me a much too short visit to one of my chess friends, this time Warsaw was on the programme. Fortunately Tomasz Lissowski could welcome me - in spite of my delay and the intense afternoon rush hour - in my (very modern) hotel.

The imposing elevator of the Hotel Westin

Hard to believe is the personal commitment of Mr. Moras who has published his magazine "Panorama Szachowa" and numerous chess books as original editions and translations into Polish for nearly 20 years. The former Sergeant of the Polish army has completely dedicated himself to this passion after his (early) retirement. The Polish chess players (and we collectors) should be grateful to him (and to his like-minded persons scattered all over the world).

The photo below shows my "prey" through the publishing program of "Penelopa" - www.penelopa.pl/.

One of the "main authors" of Penelopa, that is my long-standing friend Tomasz, gives his full attention with a similar dedication. Besides meanwhile 11 chess books (and his fundamental contribution to the Lasker biography) numerous articles and naturally his internet publications at szachowavistula.pl/felietony... are important results of his indefatigable research work.

I am very happy that there was now the opportunity to visit my modest friend and co-operator in his "workshop". And I was amazed about the quite respectable amount of chess literature which could be admired there, so far having regarded Tomasz not at all as a "collector" but as a "hunter". But due to the generosity of the son he could gain considerable parts of Jerzy Gizycki's collection, certainly a firm footing for own chess tours into the past.

In the later evening I had the chance (without Tomasz who regretted that very much) to take a short tour of a city with a promising future and a great past.

Evidence thereof are some pictures of the historic city center of Warsaw and a "seemingly futuristic" night shot of the Palace of Culture in best "gingerbread style".

Altogether the Polish metropolis seems me to be on the best path into the 21st century, the Polish chess community preserves - not least by the tireless work of our KWA member Tomasz Lissowski - the long chess tradition of Zukertort, Winawer, Rubinstein, Tartakover, Przepiórka and Najdorf.

His latest work - together with the young author Paweł Dudziński - reports on the occasion of the 80th club anniversary (1930-2010) of the chess club at Ostrów Wielkopolski (Ostrowo in Great Poland; http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/...) with inspiring colour pictures inter alia on the chess player (and collector) Arthur Rohde.

The photo of the Polish BAYER branch may prove that it was a business trip after all ...

Michael Negele