A
Hermann Helms, latter years, unknown date. Original b/w photo by Alice Helms.
January 09 1963
The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Brooklyn, New York, Wednesday, January 09, 1963
Herman Helms, 'Dean of Chess'
Herman Helms, former New York State Chess Champion and “Dean of American Chess,” died Sunday morning at his home. He lived at 309 E. 18th st.
Mr. Helms, who had turned 93 on Saturday, wrote chess columns for The Brooklyn Eagle for 61 years, until 1955. He was publisher of the National Chess Magazine for 50 years.
He was an honorary member of all the chess clubs in the country. In 1957, the United States Chess Federation conferred upon him the title of “Dean of American Chess.”
Mr. Helms covered soccer and cricket for The Eagle, The New York Times and The Herald Tribune. Of late, he owned and operated the Flannery News Service, at 150 Nassau st, Manhattan.
Services will be conducted today at 2 p.m., at Moatlinger Funeral Chapel, 1120 Flatbush av.
January 27 1963
The Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, California, Sunday, January 27, 1963
Hermann Helms Dies
Hermann Helms, who for more than a generation was known as the dean of American chess, died in New York at the age of 93. He was active almost to the end, maintaining a weekly chess column in the New York World Telegram, which was suspended only because of the newspaper strike.
Helms edited a column in the Brooklyn Eagle for 61 years, starting in 1893 and continuing until the paper expired. He also wrote regularly for the New York Times and published the American Chess Bulletin.
He was a familiar figure in the New York chess clubs, always on the lookout for news, helping to discover and develop new talent. He was a fine player in his own right, winning his share in rapid transit tournaments up to very recently.
February 04 1963
The Napa Valley Register, Napa, California, Monday, February 04, 1963
Hermann Helms
Hermann Helms, uncle of Mrs. David Searle of Calistoga and formerly of Napa, died in Brooklyn, N.Y., at the age of 93.
Mr. Helms was at one time New York State Chess Champion and in 1957 was designated “Dean of American Chess” by the U.S. Chess Federation.
He was publisher of the American Chess Bulletin for over 50 years and wrote chess, soccer and cricket reports for the Brooklyn Eagle, New York Times and New York Herald-Tribune for many years.
February 24 1963
Fort Lauderdale News, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Sunday, February 24, 1963
It is usually a pleasure to receive Chess life and Chess Review early in the month. The issues this month reported the passing on of Hermann Helms at the age of 93.
For over fifty years he edited the American Chess Bulletin, as well as handling some chess columns in New York, and doing much for chess in general. It is probable that every chess player in the United States who has not confined his interests strictly to back woods play has felt the influence of Hermann Helms.
His Christmas card is still stuck in a corner of my desk where I put it when it came in.
Well, this month my reaction was unpleasant upon receiving the usual chess publications. Weaver Adams also left us, notice being included in the same issue. We should try to see the other side of the picture, and be glad that they were around as long as they were.
They were appreciated and contributed to the pleasure that is needed to off-set the rigors of our paper work civilization.
March 17 1963
The Courier-Journal, Louisville, Kentucky, Sunday, March 17, 1963
The King's Men
Helms Earned Fame As Writer On Chess
By MERRILL DOWDEN
In posthumous tribute to Hermann Helms, the “dean of American chess” who died in January at the age of 93, we are publishing today one of the many dynamic games for all-which he was famous.
But famous as he was as a player, Helms was even better known as a chess writer and editor. He was editor of the American Chess Bulletin from its inception in 1904 until his death.
He wrote chess columns for various New York papers, starting with the old Brooklyn Daily Eagle in 1893. He was a regular contributor to The New York Times, and was a familiar figure at almost all the important tournaments in the East.
As pointed out by Chess Review, Paul Morphy was alive when Helms was born, and MacKenzie became American champion a year later. He knew Harry Nelson Pillsbury and Frank Marshall, as well as such chess immortals as Lasker, Tarrasch, Schlechter, Marco, and Steinitz. And such latter-day masters as Capablanca, Alekhine, Reshevsky, Kashdan and Fine were among his friends.
James Ferguson Smyth vs Hermann Helms
Practice game (1915), Manhattan CC, New York, NY USA, May-28
Dutch Defense: General (A80) 0-1
March 25 1963
The Post-Standard, Syracuse, New York, Monday, March 25, 1963
Recalls Chess Dean
To the Editor of The Post-Standard:
Many older chess enthusiasts of Upstate New York well remember Hermann H. Helms who often visited Syracuse and Cazenovia conducting and reporting Chess tournaments. Mr. Helms passed away recently at his home in Brooklyn, the day following his 93rd birthday.
It was in Syracuse during the combined tournament of the New York State Chess Association and the United States Chess Federation, at a testimonial dinner in his honor that George Sturgess, then president of the United States Chess Federation, conferred upon him the title Dean of American CHess, Aug. 20, 1943.
Mr. Helms edited and published Chess Review, the first issue appearing in 1904 concluding with the final copy of the 59th volume December 1962.
A life director of the American Chess Federation, he was friend and companion of the well known chess masters, Alekhine, Capablanca, Emanuel Lasker, Maroczy and Frank Marshall.
A number of these masters played in United States Chess Federation tournaments conducted by Herman Helms. One of the tournaments was held at the Onondaga Hotel in 1934. It was at this tournament that I made his acquaintance.
Mr. Helms, assisted by his friend, Malcolm Sim of Toronto, Canada reported the United States-Russian Chess match held at the Roosevelt Hotel, New York City in 1954. Their Associated Press reports were carried around the chess world. A chess player himself, he won the New York State title in 1906 and again in 1925.
Hermann Helms' chess columns appeared in the New York Times for over 50 years.
JOHN C. CUMMINGS.
A Past President of Syracuse Chess Club.
Syracuse.
April 06 1963
The Gazette, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Saturday, April 06, 1963
Hermann Helms
Hermann Helms, who completed publication of the 59th volume of the “American Chess Bulletin” shortly before his death on Jan. 6th at the age of 93, also contributed to a number of newspapers in the N.Y. area. He started with the Brooklyn Eagle in the 90's and continued almost without interruption until that publication ceased a few years ago. He was also with the NY Post for some time, succeeding the late Dr. Em. Lasker who returned to Europe about 1908. Later he was with the NY Times and NY World, Telegra mand Sun. But this was only part of his contribution to help lay a sound foundation for progress in organized chess affairs. A key figure in the promotion of international tourneys from Cambridge Springs, 1904 to New York, 1927, he also managed the exhibition tours of American and European masters until 1930.
He was born in Germany, January 5th, 1870, and the family moved to New York soon after. His father died and his mother brought them to Halifax where they had relatives. It was in school that he learned the game and when they moved back to Brooklyn in 1889 he organized the YMCA chess club and helped in the formation of the Brooklyn Chess League. A member of the famed Brooklyn C.C. he was several times champion of it. He was picked for the USA team in some of the cable matches with Great Britain, and twice won the NY State championship. Long known as “The Grand Old Man of American Chess,” it is to be hoped that a more tangible memorial will be set up. He enjoyed speed chess almost until the end and the following shows his capacity in that branch of competition.
Hermann Helms vs Oscar Tenner
Offhand game (1942) (blitz), New York, NY USA, Feb-??
Italian Game: Evans Gambit (C51) 1-0
