AMarch 30 1961
The Guardian, London, Greater London, England, Thursday, March 30, 1961
Akiba Rubinstein
The death in Antwerp on March 14 of grandmaster Akiba Rubinstein at the age of 78 closes one of the most unusual of all chess careers. Born as one of 12 children in an Orthodox Jewish family in a Polish ghetto, Rubinstein reached world prominence within a few years of learning the moves and was considered Lasker's leading rival for the world championship after tying with him at St. Petersburg in 1909. His chances were spoilt by the advent of Capablanca and by his own exceptionally shy and withdrawn personality. Around 1930 Rubinstein completely abandoned master chess and spent the remainder of his life in retirement in Belgium.
His name is perpetuated in the openings, where he contributed the Rubinstein variation of the Four Knights and the main line against the Tarrasch Defence to the Queen's Gambit. His reputation as an endgame artist was still greater, and one of the highest compliments which can be paid to an ending is to say that it was worthy of Rubinstein. The rook ending which he won from Lasker at St. Petersburg is one of a number he played which are still outstanding theoretical examples of technique. Although famed mainly for his subtlety and logic, Rubinstein also won some beautiful attacking games, among which the one below is the most brilliant of all.
Georg Rotlewi vs Akiba Rubinstein
5th All-Russian Masters, Lodz (1907), Lodz RUE, rd 6, Dec-26
Tarrasch Defense: Symmetrical Variation (D32) 0-1
June 18 1961
The Boston Globe, Boston, Massachusetts, Sunday, June 18, 1961
Akiba Rubenstein, chess great of this century's first three decades, died recently at 79. Chess Review's June issue pays tribute to his memory with two long articles, one on Rubinstein the man (Kmoch) and the other on Rubenstein the chessplayer (P.H. Little). Many of today's younger players seem to know little of Rubenstein's achievements or regard him as a passe old fogy. A collection of his best games is available in Dover's fine paperback series.
