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Philip Reinhold Geffe (Woliston)

Courtesy of tartajubow.blogspot.com

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D90		Grunfeld (2 games)
B58		Sicilian (2 games)
B72		Sicilian, Dragon (2 games)
A51		Budapest Gambit (2 games)

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PHILIP REINHOLD GEFFE (WOLISTON) (born Oct-22-1920, 104 years old) United States of America [what is this?] He was born in Napa, California. Winner of the California State Chess Championship in 1939 at age 19. Behind him in order was Harry Borochow, Herman Steiner and 4th was Georges Koltanowski. The young Woliston came to chess relatively late in life, learning in Seattle's Franklin High School. "I learned quickly and was playing at the Seattle Chess Club by summer vacation in 1935. His playing strength was hastened by his playing partner and friend Olaf Ulvestad. Although Olaf was 8 years Philip's senior, they became friends and playing partners. Olaf had already won the Washington State Championship two years running. After the war he got married and raised three children and did not return to tournament chess until 1965. Geffe said that when he went to work for Westinghouse Defense and Space Center in Baltimore, Maryland his boss and the fellow that hired him, a Russian immigrant, were chess players and they played chess at his interview. After that, he began playing off and on and won the Maryland State title in the late 1960's and in 1970 he won the Nevada State Championship. Of course, you're curious to know how Philip Woliston became Philip Gefe for the second time. After the attack on Pearl Harbor he enlisted in the Merchant Marines and became a radio officer. In order to join the Merchant Marines he was required to present his birth certificate to enlist and so he became Philip R. Geffe. Professionally he was known as Philip R. Geffe, an electrical engineer and consultant. In 1962 he published a book, Simplified Modern Filter Design. https://livingstoncountychessclub.b... https://tartajubow.blogspot.com/201... Last updated: 2023-01-29 05:06:28

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page 1 of 2; games 1-25 of 28  Game   Result Moves Year Event/Locale Opening 1. P R Geffe vs H Steiner 1-0 35 1939 California State Championship E11 Bogo-Indian Defense 2. M L Hanauer vs P R Geffe ½-½ 80 1940 United States Championship A38 English, Symmetrical 3. P R Geffe vs D Polland   1-0 28 1940 United States Championship B40 Sicilian 4. Reshevsky vs P R Geffe 1-0 46 1940 United States Championship C10 French 5. P R Geffe vs W Adams 0-1 14 1940 United States Championship D08 Queen's Gambit Declined, Albin Counter Gambit 6. P R Geffe vs A Pinkus   0-1 27 1940 United States Championship D90 Grunfeld 7. F Reinfeld vs P R Geffe   ½-½ 39 1940 United States Championship A51 Budapest Gambit 8. P R Geffe vs Kupchik 0-1 37 1940 United States Championship C71 Ruy Lopez 9. Fine vs P R Geffe   1-0 38 1940 United States Championship D83 Grunfeld, Grunfeld Gambit 10. P R Geffe vs H Seidman   0-1 39 1940 United States Championship B72 Sicilian, Dragon 11. A Simonson vs P R Geffe   1-0 40 1940 United States Championship A07 King's Indian Attack 12. P R Geffe vs M Green   0-1 61 1940 United States Championship B58 Sicilian 13. Denker vs P R Geffe   1-0 32 1940 United States Championship D90 Grunfeld 14. P R Geffe vs S Bernstein   0-1 58 1940 United States Championship B58 Sicilian 15. Shainswit vs P R Geffe 1-0 37 1940 United States Championship D78 Neo-Grunfeld, 6.O-O c6 16. P R Geffe vs G Littman   1-0 73 1940 United States Championship C11 French 17. P R Geffe vs L W Stephens   ½-½ 52 1940 Ventnor City D30 Queen's Gambit Declined 18. P R Geffe vs Santasiere   ½-½ 42 1940 Ventnor City B14 Caro-Kann, Panov-Botvinnik Attack 19. W Adams vs P R Geffe   1-0 26 1940 Ventnor City B00 Uncommon King's Pawn Opening 20. S Bernstein vs P R Geffe   0-1 37 1940 Ventnor City E33 Nimzo-Indian, Classical 21. P R Geffe vs H Burdge   1-0 54 1940 Ventnor City B32 Sicilian 22. H R Morris vs P R Geffe   ½-½ 23 1940 Ventnor City A51 Budapest Gambit 23. P R Geffe vs M L Hanauer   1-0 65 1940 Ventnor City C26 Vienna 24. E McCormick vs P R Geffe   1-0 11 1940 Ventnor City C12 French, McCutcheon 25. P R Geffe vs O Ulvestad   0-1 32 1940 Ventnor City A09 Reti Opening  page 1 of 2; games 1-25 of 28

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Apr-13-14    Stonehenge: Mystery Man: http://tartajubow.blogspot.nl/2014/... Oct-22-14    Stonehenge: His father's name was Geffe and his mother's name was Woliston: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903... Oct-22-14    perfidious: Remember coming across this player's game with Reshevsky in the latter's game collection in my youth and being mystified on never seeing his name appear anywhere else, as was the case with a number of other participants in early US closed championships. Jul-15-18    Jean Defuse: ... In the October 2003 issue of Chess Life (pages 26-29), John S. Hilbert and John Donaldson write about Philip Reinhold Geffe, better known as Philip Woliston, who competed in the 1940 U.S. Championship in New York. The authors write that "Woliston did not fare well against the bevy of international stars that appeared in New York ..." They do not report how he finished in the tournament, but at least the 19-year-old from California did not finish last in the 17-player round robin. He ended up next to last with a score of 3-13 (two wins, two draws and 12 losses). One of his losses was to 22-year-old George Shainswit - a game "which produced the most amazing position of the whole tournament!" according to Fred Reinfeld, writing in the 1940 Yearbook of the USCF: Shainswit vs P Woliston, 1940 Woliston's wins were against David Polland of New York and G. Littman of Illinois, the latter of whom finished last with a score of 2-14. Woliston drew against Reinfeld and Milton Hanauer of New York. He lost to tournament winner Samuel Reshevsky, Reuben Fine, Isaac Kashdan, Albert Pinkus, Albert Simonson, Abraham Kupchik, Arnold Denker, Sidney Bernstein, Shainswit, Herbert Seidman and Matthew Green, all of New York, and Weaver Adams of Massachusetts. According to Reinfeld, "Woliston and Littman were quite outclassed, lacking the necessary experience for so formidable a contest." (by George Mirijanian) ... Oct-22-18    GrahamClayton: More biographical informaiton here: http://livingstoncountychessclub.bl... Professional/work career details: https://prabook.com/web/philip_rein... Nov-03-20    Chessist: Is this guy still alive? Nov-03-20    MissScarlett: I think he changed his last name to <RIP>. Jan-13-22    jerseybob: I actually briefly met Phil Geffe either while living in Philly in the late '60's or while I was briefly stationed in Arlington Va. in '70/71 before being shipped overseas. Amiable guy, rated well over 2000.

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