Upon being informed of his mistake, the director said, "Does Kenesaw Mountain Landis <the tyrannical baseball Commissioner of the day> ever reverse himself?"

Apparently Reshevsky did nothing, which is one of the reasons to censure his behavior. One would have hoped that he would have protested, but evidently he was one of those people who put winning above everything, including good sportsmanship.

<At the 1942 U.S. Championship, my relations with Sammy hit a snag because of the funniest and most devastating game that we ever played. We met in round six, when my score stood at 4 1/2 - 1/2. Our game was crucial. In the position below, I played 45...Rb4.

click for larger view

Not only can I draw easily with lateral checks, Sammy's flag had fallen. At least 40 to 50 spectators saw it drop. Whereupon, tournament director, L.Walter Stephens rushed to our table, picked up the clock from behind, and turned it around so that Sammy's clock was now on my side. He instantly declared me forfeited. I appealed to Sammy, who would only say that he was not the tournament director. Then, along with several spectators, I appealed to Stephens. But to no avail. He announced archly, "Does Kenesaw Mountain Landis ever reverse himself?" The reference was to Judge Mountain Landis, the commissioner of baseball installed after the White/Black Sox scandal of 1919, who was renowned for ruling with an iron fist.>

Denker also included the following regarding this game, in a chapter about Stephens. < "A near riot," as Isaac Kashdan described it, broke out. When several witnesses tried to reason with L. Walter, he retorted with his now famous query, "Does Kenesaw Mountain Landis ever reverse himself?" And that supremely stupid statement ended all possible discussion. I played the remainder of the tournament, to use Bernard Shaw's memorable image, like a squashed cabbage leaf.>

For instance, what was the time control? If it came at move 45, Reshevsky was not in danger of being forfeited, since his fallen flag would have been observed on his 46th move. Denker could have been forfeited had his flag fallen, since he had been unable to complete move 45 beforehand.

A few people have wondered why Denker didn't take the case to court. Well, this was 1942. The U.S. was at war. You didn't make a big fuss about such trivial matters as a chess game.

Hopefully somebody with a contemporary source can offer some information.

It was really entertaining to hear Larry Christiansen talk lively just about everything and also this Denker incident. For hours!

As soon as Denker played 45....Rb4, he gave up his right to claim a win on time against Reshevsky. You have to make the claim before you make your move, otherwise, as you say, it's move 46, it's a new time control, and for that matter, as soon as Denker hits the clock, he starts Reshevsky's, so more time is coming off Reshevsky's clock. At that point, it's too late, Denker cannot prove that Reshevsky's flag fell before move 45 rather than after.

Soltis also states that Reshevsky's clock showed a few seconds past 12 because his clock had been set in motion when Denker made his 45th move. Soltis states that Denker's clock still had a few seconds left. Soltis does not indicate his source for this information.

It is interesting to note that at no point does Denker actual say that he should have been awarded a full point for this game. He does state that he should not have been forfeited. He correctly points out that the final position is a clear draw.

Now, if you believe Denker (and he's probably quite right) - the referee did falsely say that Denker's flag had fallen.

<In a clearly drawn position, Reshevsky's time expired.>

As you have correctly indicated, this comment should not be shown after the move 45...Rb4. Based on the information Denker provided, Reshevsky's flag probably did fall before he made his 45th move, but once Denker made his 45th move a new time control was started.

To be fair to Denker, we should note that he has never claimed that he should have won this game, only that he should not have been forfeited. I have verified this by checking the following souces: "My Best Chess Games 1929-1976" by Arnold Denker; "The Bobby Fischer I Knew" by Arnold Denker & Larry Parr and "The U.S. Chess Championship, 1845-1985" by Gene McCormick & Andy Soltis.

Denker in his book, "My Best Chess Games 1929-1976" stated after move 45...Rb4, <"In this easily drawn position (Black need only continue to check at b3, b2 and b1) I was forfeited because the tournament director was under the impression that I had overstepped the time limit. A very unsatisfactory conclusion from my point of view!">. It may be from this statement that Chessgames.com incorrectly inserted their comment.

After move 44...g5+, Denker noted; <45.Rxg5 Rxa4 gives the only winning chances White can expect in this position. However, we were both badly pressed for time, which accounts for Reshevsky's inaccuracy.">

A review by Fritz shows White to be winning after 45.Rxg5 or 45.Kh5. A review by Fritz also confirms that Denker is correct in stating that after 45...Rb4, the position is a clear draw.

Summing it up in "My Best Chess Games 1929-1976", Denker stated. <"I drew two morals from this outcome. One is the realization that important tournaments should be fully staffed, so that officials are not handicapped in the performance of their duties. Second was a determinatrion to avoid time trouble in the future. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.>

If anyone wants to read more of Denker's great stories and memoirs then I highly recommend they get a copy of his book, "The Bobby Fischer I Knew".

If Denker has already moved his 45th move, than there is nothing but to play on, right ?

It came at Move 45. Reshevsky could not have been forfeited because he was thinking about his first move AFTER the time control when the flag fell.

Had his flag fallen on the move before, L. Walter would have been unable to call it because he was standing behind the clock at the time. He only bothered to at the clock AFTER it was too late to call a Reshevsky forfeit, but not too late to call a Denker forfeit.

Hardly seems fair. Makes you wonder if Stephens was a big Reshevsky fan. Since a Denker forfeit is the only one he could have called, is it any wonder that that's what he imagined he saw? (Assuming it was even an honest mistake at all.)

<A few people have wondered why Denker didn't take the case to court. Well, this was 1942. The U.S. was at war.>

Court would be out of the question, even today. But he should at least have withdrawn from the tournament. I've never heard whether or not Stephens was allowed near an important tournament again.

The obit is tantalizingly vague. It merely describes him as being "tournament director of the early US Championship events", and one time secretary of the Manhattan Chess Club.

"Early events". There had only been three events held since his bout with infamy and this implies that he wasn't the director of at least some of them.

No mention of his great disgrace, and no cause of death given, so we have no way of knowing whether it was from natural causes, or whether he wasn't so lucky the next time one of his botched decisions started a "near riot".

According to Denker, when he appealed to Reshevsky for help, Reshevsky replied "It's not my decision", and left the playing hall quickly.

Not the only unsportsmanlike event involving Reshevsky. There's also the one from the 1975 championship where he complained to the TD that Benko was violating an (illegal) deal to pre-arrange a draw. He eventually badgered Benko enough to get him to throw away the win and draw the game after all.

Still no word on who directed the 1944 championship. I've been going through articles on it (and copying to pgn several games that don't seem to be in any database), but I haven't found a mention of who directed the tournament.

But some great shots of Denker and Gisala Gresser in some kind of pilgrimesque queen costume, and some greater shots of Fine somehow coming up with a big smile and shaking hands with Denker after losing to him.

My theory is that if White were really rated 1750 like the scoresheet says, that Reshevsky would just start pushing kingside pawns to try for a breakthrough, and figure that even if it wasn't objectively best, that he'd just roll this guy over one way or the other.

On the other hand, if White is an expert, then maybe he'd think twice about playing something chancy.