Jun-30-05
 | | Caissanist: According to the ever-provocative Sam Sloan, the Asa Hoffmann character in "Searching for Bobby Fischer" is not at all like the real Asa Hoffmann--but is very much like the real Larry Gilden. If true (admittedly a big if), then it must have been very interesting to have Mr. Gilden as an opponent. Did anyone here ever play him? |
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| Feb-14-08 | | MorphysMojo: Larry Gilden played in the Washington, DC area for many years while working at Central Liquor on 9th St. He would destroy most opposition in weekend swiss tournaments and could play in great coffee house style against the Sicilian. At over 2400 in the 1970s he was one of the strongest players in the DC area winning many tournaments. He also played for the "Washington Plumbers" in the first atempt at a national chess league, helping the team to win the championship of that league. Outrated often, Larry and his motley team which included: Mark Deisen, Bob Eberlein (who brought his cats with him to the games), Sam Greenlaw, Eugene Meyer, and the brilliant and dearly departed master Charlie Powell (the only Pfc. to win the armed forces championship two years in a row and VA state champ more times than one could count on one hand!) took down the other teams. A shame for chess that Gilden took the role of Philosopher as much as chess player and stopped playing competitively in the early 1980s (the last I heard). He was a real strong speed player too and this helped him when he was late for rounds in tournaments. Gilden was an emotional player, once skipping through the tournament hall chanting: "I have a win against Walter Browne". As his position worsened he continued upbeat through the tournament hall singing merrily, "I have a draw against Walter Browne". After things got worse and he was forced to resign against Browne, he stalked through the tournament hall angrily tearing down a defenseless wall chart. Larry was nothing if not passionate and memorable. |
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Feb-15-08
 | | Strongest Force: Gilden was often at the "flea-house" in Times Square NYC with other masters like Browne, Hoffman, Zuckerman, Kupchick, Branwine, Bluminfeld, with rare appearances from the likes of world poker champ and senior master Ken Smith as well as GM Larry Evans and finally 15-year-old Yasser Seirawan. |
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| Jul-23-08 | | jerseybob: In answer to Caissanist, I played Gilden to an exciting but flawed 35-move draw back in the early 70s: D.C. Adult Open Rd.1, 1/2/71 White: Larry Gilden Black: Bob Hunt 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cd 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Be7 8.Qf3 h6 9.Bh4 Qc7 10.000 Nbd7 11.g4?! g5 12.fg Ne5 13.Qg3 hg?(Nfxg4) 14.Bxg5 Nfxg4 15.Bxe7 Qxe7 16.h4 Bd7 17.Be2 Rg8 18.Nf3 000 19.Ng5 Nh6(f6!?) 20.Qe3! f6?(Bc6) 21.Nxe6 Nhg4 22.Nd5 Qxe6 23.Qb6 Kb8 24.Qc7ch?(Nc7 or Nb4)Ka7 25.Bxa6 Bc6 26.Bxb7 Bxb7 27.Rh3! Nc4! 28.Rdd3! Nge3!29.Ra3ch Nxa3 30.Qa5ch Kb8 31.Qc7ch Ka7 32.Qb6ch Kb8 33.Qc7ch Ka7 34.Qa5ch Kb8 35.Qc7ch 1/2 |
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| Jul-28-09 | | Lobster: Am I mistaken in thinking Larry won a US Individual College Championship tournament? He may not have been in college at the time, but he probably would not have been the first to break the rules. I knew him sometime in the 1960s when he visited the Manhattan CC often. |
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Sep-21-10
 | | GrahamClayton: <MorphysMojo>
He also played for the "Washington Plumbers" in the first atempt at a national chess league, helping the team to win the championship of that league. Outrated often, Larry and his motley team which included: Mark Deisen, Bob Eberlein (who brought his cats with him to the games), Sam Greenlaw, Eugene Meyer, and the brilliant and dearly departed master Charlie Powell (the only Pfc. to win the armed forces championship two years in a row and VA state champ more times than one could count on one hand!) took down the other teams.<MorphysMojo>,
Here is a picture of the Plumbers and some more information on Gilden: http://nezhmet.wordpress.com/2007/1... |
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Sep-02-12
 | | SteinitzLives: He is back! Playing in the MD Quick championship yesterday, Larry, almost 70 years old, scored 4.5 - 2.5 to obtain a provisional rating of close to 2300! He has not played USCF chess in at least 21 years or more! Welcome back Larry, you wild and craaazy guy! |
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Sep-02-12
| | Strongest Force: When I knew him back in the 60's, he was much better than 2375 or an FM title. He was simply one of the best in US. Period! His "problem" was that he would rather read a book than play chess. |
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Jun-10-13
 | | searchforbobby1: He is a legend! Yes he likes his chess books. Met him in the VA Senior Open in June 2013. He found his marbles and won 3 games and drew one and won the VA Senior Open. He tied with two other guys. Way to go Larry! |
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