Phil LeCornu Life Member
USCF life member bequests $350,000 to USCF
By Dr. Tim Redman
The U.S. Chess Federation learned of the passing of a longtime member, Phil LeCornu, through a letter from the execu tor of his estate informing us that he had left the Federation a bequest of $350,000. I was sorry to hear of his death but not at all surprised at his generosity to chess, for Phil and I were good friends in Chicago in the sixties and seventies.
I discovered chess as a teenager, age fif teen, and by sixteen attended the major clubs including the august Chicago Chess Club in the Loop, which boasted that it was the oldest seven day a week club in continual existence in the nation, having been founded in 1870. The club was quar tered on the fourth floor of an old office building that had seen better days, located at 64 East Van Buren. One entrance led to the elevators for the build ing, the other to what was then euphemistically referred to as an "art" movie theater. For a teenager from sub urban Hinsdale, it was all rather amazing.
Most amazing of all were the people who frequented the club: Wiley Clements, insurance executive at CNA; Danny Fis cheimer, slumlord; hypochondriac Walter Grombacher, who boasted of being the only Jewish member of the Hitler Youth; Harold Leef, who beat Fischer at speed chess when he visited one day; George Leighton, one of the most distinguished black jurists of his generation; Norbert Leopoldi, who owned an import/export firm; Gene Martinowski, a psychiatrist; Norm Perrin, a distinguished New Testa ment scholar and professor at the University of Chicago; Richard Verber, a strong master. Phil LeCornu was very much part of that lively crowd. All of them came for the love of chess, but many also came for lively conversation and stimulating intellectual company, frequently over lunch or dinner at nearby restaurants: George Diamond's Steak House, Jimmy Wong's Chinese Restau rant, Miller's Pub.
Phil was in his early forties when I met him. He was of average height, had an oval face with a receding hairline, wore dark horn rimmed glasses, and dressed in the business uniform of middle man agement at that time: grey suit, white shirt, and tie. He was single but was on a first name basis with several of the younger waitresses in the local restau rants, who would greet him affectionately. Phil had a way in conversation of sharply questioning assertions, a manner which struck some as acerbic. I guess he was a skeptic, a word I didn't know at the time. I guess all chess players are skeptics to
A LeCornu Game
Queen's Indian Defense (E19) Phil LeCornu Anthony Santasiere U.S. Open, Omaha, Nebraska 1949 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Bb7 5. Bg2 Be7 6. 0-0 0-0 7. Nc3 Ne4 8. Qc2 Nxc3 9. Qxc3 f5 10. Ne1 Bxg2 11. Nxg2 Qe8 12. b3 d6 13. Bb2 Bg5 14. f4 Bf6 15. Rfe1 Qc6 16. Qd3 Qe4 17. Qxe4 fxe4 18. Ne3 c5 19. Nc2 Nc6 20. Red1 d5 21. cxd5 exd5 22. Rab1 Rfd8 23. dxc5 bxc5 24. Bxf6 gxf6 25. Kf2 a5 26. Ne3 d4 27. Nc4 Nb4 28. a3 Nd5 29. Rb2 Rdb8 30. a4 Kg7 31. Ra1 f5 32. Nd6 Kf6 33. Nb5 Rc8 34. Rc1 h5 35. Rbc2 d3 36. exd3 Nb4 37. dxe4 fxe4 38. Ke3 Nxc2+ 39. Rxc2 Ra6 40. Kxe4 Re6+ 41. Kf3 Kg6 42. Rc3 Kh6 43. Na3 Rd8, Draw agreed.
Final position some degree. He was sociable and had a dry sense of humor and he was always a welcome meal companion among the crowd. I went along, too, though mostly to listen. I was getting far more of an education from these folks than at my affluent high school. Being a promising younger player was enough to gain admit tance to that circle.
He invited me to accompany him to dinner one evening and when his drink came, he lit in on fire. It burned with a blue flame. "I thought you had never seen this," he said. Then he quickly put it out. "Don't want to waste the alcohol," he said. Like many in those days, he was a smoker, and matches were always at hand in restaurants. But what I remem ber most clearly was his constant question to me, stretching over many years: "Is chess all you want to do? Don't you want to achieve something of real significance?" Phil loved chess. He was a master once, though when I knew him he was a strong expert in the mid 2100 range. And he made his way in the busi ness world. But I sensed that he had once held higher aspirations.
When his father died in Florida, Phil said that he had founded a small com pany. "Which was something," he added. "He gave people jobs." When his mother died Phil inherited a modest estate and a condominium.
He moved to Florida and we were then in only occasional contact, by letter. In one letter (I had asked him to help a mutual chess friend financially) he declined, say ing that he was living on a fixed income and had to be cautious. His caution led to his great generosity to the Federation, for which we are grateful. The executive board recently voted to use a substantial amount of the LeCornu bequest to pay down the mortgage on our headquarters in Crossville. A suitable memorial, such as naming the entry hall in the building after him, is being contemplated.
A life member, Phil found great beauty and joy in our game. Chess had been a part of his life; he made it part of his legacy. As a life member, I invite other life members to follow Phil's example. I will.
At press time we learn that the USCF executive board has voted 6 0 to use $50,000 from the bequest to create a permanent Phil LeCornu Memorial Olympiad Fund to help fund future international team participation Dona tions are welcome. Contact the USCF at 931 787 1234 orbhall@usch.ess.org.
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