Anecdotes & Episodes
Jacques Mieses was not only a brilliant chess player, but also known for his sharp wit and quick repartee. These anecdotes show the man behind the master – humorous, combative and indestructible well into old age.
Wit & Quick Repartee
Patzer yourself!"
London, Simultaneous ExhibitionDuring a simultaneous exhibition in London, the following incident occurred: One of his opponents thought he could no longer move any piece and declared proudly to the master: "Stalemate, Sir!"
Mieses glanced at the board for a moment and countered with a smile: "Oh, no, Sir – the patzer is you!" He pointed to the free square that was still accessible to the enemy king.
— Koltanowski, "Chessnicdotes" (1978)
"No, I am Meister Mieses!"
New York, TournamentWhen Jacques Mieses was playing a tournament in New York, he was asked by an American who mispronounced his name: "Are you Mister Meises?"
Mieses replied wittily: "No, I am Meister Mieses!"
Gallows Humor
"I was to move"
Leipzig 1937 Tram AccidentMieses was hit by a tram and seriously injured. The accident was so severe that false reports of his death circulated in Kemeri. He had to spend almost a year in hospital and was left with a walking disability.
When asked what had happened, he later replied laconically: "I was to move."
"Run over by a corpse"
Vienna 1903Isidor Gunsberg had played the Vienna tournament 1903 very poorly up to that point and was considered hopeless. After his surprising defeat against the previously unsuccessful Gunsberg, Mieses commented bitterly:
"It's bad enough to be run over, but to be run over by a corpse is terrible."
Tie-Hunting in Liverpool
Liverpool Congress 1923At the Liverpool Congress 1923, where Mieses took first place ahead of Maróczy, he took a morning walk through Dale Street with a chess friend.
What began as a simple stroll developed into a veritable tie-hunting expedition. Mieses selected a fine assortment of ties to take back to Germany – a Germany that was just recovering from the post-war crises.
His companion described Mieses as a courteous and cultured man, precise in speech and with something of the military in his bearing – a gentleman of the old school.
A Visit to Camden Town, 1939
London 1939 After EmigrationIn 1939, a chess friend visited Mieses on a Sunday morning at his lodgings in Camden Town, after learning of his whereabouts.
They were received reservedly by a seriously-crippled Mieses, who had recently left Germany under great difficulties. The walking disability was a late consequence of the Leipzig tram accident in 1937.
Despite his physical limitations and the traumatic flight from Nazi Germany, Mieses retained his courage to live and continued to play chess.
About Contemporaries
Lasker and Capablanca: Clear Water with Poison
ca. 1920sMieses knew both World Champions personally and commented on their different playing styles:
"Lasker's style is clear water, but with a drop of poison that clouds it. Capablanca's style is perhaps even clearer, but it lacks this drop of poison."
The Eternal Fighter
Brilliancy Prize at Age 80
Hastings 1946Even as an 80-year-old, Mieses received a brilliancy prize in Hastings 1946 for his game against Christoffel. → View Game
But to earn his daily bread, Mieses had to continue playing and giving simultaneous exhibitions well into old age.
The Chair-Carrier of Verviers
Belgium, 1947 82 years oldAt age 82, Mieses still gave a simultaneous exhibition in Verviers, Belgium. However, he was already so weak on his legs that a chess friend had to carry a chair after him so that the old master could sit down when making his moves.
"Youth has triumphed!"
Stockholm 1948 83 vs. 84 yearsIn his last tournament in Stockholm 1948, chance would have it that the 83-year-old Mieses – he finished third – had to play against the 84-year-old Dutchman Dirk van Foreest.
Mieses won and remarked mischievously: "Youth has triumphed!"
Life Wisdom & Later Years
"Passed the danger zone"
80th Birthday, 1945On the occasion of his 80th birthday, a small celebration was held in his honor. When Mieses gave his thank-you speech, he concluded it with a witty bon mot:
"As statistics have proven, most people die between their sixtieth and eightieth year. Since I have now passed this danger zone, I probably don't need to worry anymore."
The Vanishing Knight
Hastings 1949/50 Last TournamentHe played his last tournament in 1949/50 in Hastings. The following tragicomic incident occurred:
After capturing the enemy bishop with his knight, he put both pieces – the bishop and his own knight – in the box. Confused, he asked: "Now I've lost a piece, but how?"
It took the tournament director considerable effort to convince Mieses to put his knight back on the board.
Reports of Death Greatly Exaggerated
The False Report from Kemeri
Kemeri (Latvia) 1937When the world elite met in 1937 in Kemeri, Latvia for the great international tournament, a sad message made the rounds: "Jacques Mieses is dead!"
But as the saying goes: "Reports of death are greatly exaggerated" – so this also applied to Mieses. Although he had suffered a serious car accident, had to spend almost a year in hospital and was left with a walking disability.
But he wouldn't be defeated so easily: Even later he never used a walking stick as a walking aid, but forced himself to conceal his suffering.
About the death report itself, he later remarked with sarcasm that it was at least "greatly exaggerated".
His own obituary: Mieses later said he was one of the few people who had read their own obituary. He was amazed at what a wonderful man he had been.
From the Family Letters (1947–1952)
The 23 letters Mieses wrote to his family in Buenos Aires between 1934 and 1952 reveal the man behind the master – humorous, self-ironic and indestructible into old age.
The Beauty Prize and the Lady Chess Clubs
Hastings 1948/49At age 84, Mieses wins a brilliancy prize in Hastings – which literally translates as "beauty prize" (Schönheitspreis) in German. He writes to his family:
"Von der Tatsache, dass ein 84jähriger Schachmeister fortgesetzt Schönheitspreise gewinnt, hat man natürlich in scherzhafter Weise Kenntnis genommen, wobei das naheliegende Scherzwort kursierte, dass Lady chess clubs ein nicht nur schachliches Interesse an meiner Person nehmen dürften."
The fact that an 84-year-old chess master keeps winning beauty prizes has naturally been noted in jest, with the obvious joke circulating that lady chess clubs might take an interest in my person that is not purely chess-related.
The Earthworm Business
London 1951After 8½ months of continuous rain, England's earthworms have drowned – a catastrophe for agriculture. "Bull market" in the earthworm trade: 500 pieces for 3 pounds sterling.
Mieses proposes a joint import business to his nephew Walter: "You'll give me a 50% share, won't you?"
He concludes: "Keep this letter. You won't get another one like this anytime soon."
Caviar Must Be First-Class
London 1948Despite rationing and modest living conditions, Mieses remains demanding when it comes to "diversions." Life in London is "utterly dull," he writes.
"If I'm going to eat caviar, it must be first-class."
Showing Off My Greek Knowledge
London 1949Mieses quotes Greek mythology (Cadmus) in a letter and comments self-ironically:
"I certainly won't miss such a favorable opportunity to show off my Greek knowledge!"
The Doctor's Diagnosis
London 1951The doctor diagnoses the 86-year-old Mieses:
"At present, your only mortal danger is your advanced age."
Mieses comments: "Very nice and reassuring, but unfortunately I did miss making a timely contract with Providence. The doctor can't deceive me about that either."
The Brain – The Best Part of Me
London 1951Mieses analyzes his own mental decline with the same precision as a chess game:
"Of all the organs in my body, the brain is the one I am least satisfied with. And that was once relatively the best part of me!"
Sic transit gloria mundi.
The Born Feuilletonist
Leipzig 1894 / London 1951Two testimonies about Mieses' literary talent:
Rudolf von Gottschall (1894, after Mieses' first feuilleton in the "Berliner Tageblatt"):
"You have a distinctly feuilletonistic talent."
Dr. Siegbert Tarrasch (repeatedly):
"You are a born feuilletonist."
"Keep It as a Curiosity"
London 1951At the end of his long family letter (with sections "A. The Ladies (Ladies first)" and "B. Walter and Fritz"), the 86-year-old writes:
"And with that I will conclude, because this has really become a 'proper letter.' Who writes such letters nowadays? So keep it as a curiosity."
He signs: "Your so old and yet still youthful Uncle Jacques Mieses."