Chess is a scientific game and its literature ought to be placed on the basis of the strictest truthfulness, which is the foundation of all scientific research. — W._Steinitz

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1999.06.29:

**	Question:
	I am in the process of collecting the games of German Grandmaster Fritz Sämisch. He is best remembered today for devising several key opening variations and as the victim of Nimzovich’s famous “zugzwang” game. Sämisch, as I am finding, played many wonderful tactical and strategic games. He also lost many games - often the result of his struggles with the clock. Many might also might know Sämisch as the chessplayer who set the record for losing every tournament game on time forfeits (Busum 1969). Leonard Barden told me that he thinks Sämisch may have lost every game on time in two other tournaments - but could not recall the events.
	Does anyone know if 1) Did Sämisch leave all his gamescores to a library or book dealer; 2) is there some obscure collection of his best games available?
	Any help in finding out some more information about this little appreciated master would be welcomed.
	Cheryl Ciamarra (be4life@juno.com)

Answer:

In regards to the posting by Cheryl Ciamarra, there are some wonderful comments by Bent Larsen, on the final years of Sämisch’s life in the book How to get better at chess by Evans, Silman and Roberts (1991). There is a book available by Weitek Friedrich Samisch (1987) 63 pps Nurnberg that might be available from the dealer Fred Lindsay fplindsay@aol.com. I can make available to you if you wish, a 500+ gamefile I put together some time ago and filed away in my archives. I had noticed, that besides the total loss of all of his games at Busum, 1969, he may have lost all his games at tournament in Berlin in 1937, but for maybe a draw or two in a quadrangular event with Alekhine, Euwe, and Bogolyubov in Stuttgart in I think in 1937, he was well on his way to losing all his games, but a last round victory over Bogolubov stopped that from happening. Golombek’s Encycopedia on Chess has a little detail on the event.

Enjoy, John Trivett (nezhmetd@anv.net)

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