Einstein versus Oppenheimer is a game of chess said to have been played between theoretical physicists Albert Einstein and J. Robert Oppenheimer at Princeton University in 1933. In the game, Einstein plays the white pieces, and uses the Ruy Lopez opening; Oppenheimer, as black, responds with the Morphy Defense (3...a6). Einstein wins the game after 24 moves. [1]
There is no conclusive evidence that Albert Einstein and J. Robert Oppenheimer ever played chess together. [2]
The earliest known source for the game is the 1959 book Freude am Schach by Gerhard Henschel, [3] but provides no date or venue. [4] [5] [6] The 1967 French Dictionaire des echecs, [7] cites Henschel's book but refers to the chess game in conditional tense. [4] [6] Henschel's book contains unverified chess games from other famous figures including Joseph Stalin and Leo Tolstoy. [4] [6]
In a 1936 interview with a Princeton University freshman, which was reported on by the The New York Times , Einstein was asked if it was true that for relaxation, he reportedly played three-dimensional chess. Einstein denied that report, saying "I do not play any games … There is no time for it. When I get through work I don’t want anything which requires the working of the mind". He added that he had played conventional chess, "once or twice when a boy". [8] [9]
Einstein wrote a foreword to a biography of the chess champion Emanuel Lasker, who was his friend. In that foreword Einstein states,
"I am no chess player myself, so I am not in a position to admire [Lasker’s] mental powers in the sphere of his greatest intellectual achievements; indeed I have to confess that I have always disliked the fierce competitive spirit embodied in that highly intellectual game" [10] [11]
Chess grandmaster Larry Evans, writing in Chess Life magazine, said:
"I knew a physicist who played Einstein at Princeton, so there is no doubt that he enjoyed chess … My guess is Einstein disliked 'the fierce competitive spirit' inherent in human nature rather than an innocent pastime that is a bloodless substitute for war. His game with Oppenheimer must stand until someone someone can prove it was fake". [11]
Some have suggested that the name "Einstein", might refer to another Einstein — someone other than the famous physicist. Dennis Holding, Adam Slemsen and Andy Soltis have independently stated that it was Albert Einstein's son, Hans Albert Einstein; and that the game was played either in 1940 [12] [4] [6] or 1945 [13] at the University of California, Berkeley, where Hans Albert gave lectures. [5] [2] Chess historian Edward Winter has suggested the possibility that it might refer to B. Einstein, a professional chess player unrelated to Albert Einstein. [4]
The 1982 Romanian book Şah Cartea de Aur by C. Ştefaniu [14] lists the game as played in 1940 in the United States. [4] [6]
White: Einstein Black: Oppenheimer
White, having the first move, begins with a King Pawn Opening, which on move three becomes the Ruy Lopez. White uses the opening to develop — white castles, opens lines, and brings out his pieces. Black’s development lags, and Black makes more errors than White. At move 15 White has two of Black’s pieces pinned, and a winning position. White soon captures Black’s queen, gains a material advantage, and develops a dynamic mating threat. Black resigns. [15]
Zugzwang is a situation found in chess and other turn-based games wherein one player is put at a disadvantage because of their obligation to make a move; a player is said to be "in zugzwang" when any legal move will worsen their position.
Emanuel Lasker was a German chess player, mathematician, and philosopher who was World Chess Champion for 27 years, from 1894 to 1921, the longest reign of any officially recognised World Chess Champion in history. In his prime, Lasker was one of the most dominant champions, and he is still generally regarded as one of the strongest players in history.
The Ruy Lopez, also called the Spanish Opening or Spanish Game, is a chess opening characterised by the moves:
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Edward Lasker was a German-American chess and Go player. He was awarded the title of International Master of chess by FIDE. Lasker was an engineer by profession, and an author of books on Go, chess and checkers. Born in Prussia, he emigrated to the United States in 1914. He was distantly related to World Chess Champion Emanuel Lasker with whom he is sometimes confused.
The Hastings 1895 chess tournament was a round-robin tournament of chess conducted at the Brassey Institute in Hastings, England from 5 August to 2 September 1895.
Andrew Eden Soltis is an American chess grandmaster, author and columnist. He was inducted into the United States Chess Hall of Fame in September 2011.
The Four Knights Game is a chess opening that begins with the moves:
The Slav Defense is a chess opening that begins with the moves:
The Queen's Gambit Declined is a chess opening in which Black declines a pawn offered by White in the Queen's Gambit:
The Rice Gambit is a chess opening that arises from the King's Gambit Accepted. An offshoot of the Kieseritzky Gambit, it is characterized by the moves 1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 g5 4. h4 g4 5. Ne5 Nf6 6. Bc4 d5 7. exd5 Bd6 8. 0-0. White offers the sacrifice of the knight on e5 in order to get his king to safety and prepare a rook to join the attack against Black's underdeveloped position.
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In chess, there is a consensus among players and theorists that the player who makes the first move (White) has an inherent advantage, albeit not one large enough to win under perfect play. This view has been the consensus since at least 1889, when the first World Chess Champion, Wilhelm Steinitz, addressed the issue, although chess has not been solved.
The game of chess is commonly divided into three phases: the opening, middlegame, and endgame. There is a large body of theory regarding how the game should be played in each of these phases, especially the opening and endgame. Those who write about chess theory, who are often also eminent players, are referred to as "theorists" or "theoreticians".
In chess, the player who moves first is called White and the player who moves second is called Black. Their pieces are the white pieces and the black pieces. The pieces are often not literally white and black, but usually contrasting light and dark colors. The 64 squares of the chessboard, which is colored in a checkered pattern, are likewise the "white squares" or "light squares", and "black squares" or "dark squares"; they are usually of contrasting light and dark color rather than literally white and black. For example, the squares on vinyl boards may be off-white ("buff") and green, while those on wood boards are often light brown and dark brown.
white: 1. There are 16 light-colored pieces and 32 squares called white. 2. When capitalized, the word refers to the player of the white pieces.
The St. Petersburg 1914 chess tournament was one of the most famous chess tournaments of the early twentieth century. It included almost all the leading players of the time, and was won by World Champion Emanuel Lasker, who came from behind to narrowly defeat future World Champion José Raúl Capablanca. Another future World Champion, Alexander Alekhine, finished third, ahead of the former World Championship contenders Siegbert Tarrasch and Frank Marshall.