Subject: Origin of Goldman (Spielmann) variation of the Caro-Kann

Shah Mati wrote (2004-02-26 19:24:00 PST):

I am curious if any one knows why the move
sequence 1.e4 c6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Qf3 is called
the Goldman (Spielmann) variation of the
Caro-Kann? I cannot find any references
to Spielmann (or Goldman, for that matter)
having ever played it. The earliest game
I have is Smyslov-Flohr, 1950.

Louis Blair replied:

Goldman wrote a book on the variation about
thirty years ago.

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Warren H. Goldman wrote a booklet dealing with this variation more like 40
years ago. Rolf Schwarz, compiler of the Handbuch der Schach-Eroeffnungen,
calls Goldman the "Erfinder" (i.e. creator, inventor) of this variation,
although not a single game by Goldman or Spielmann are given as examples of
this variation in Schwarz's book on the Caro-Kann. Some of the games he cites
a

Smyslov-Flohr, 1950
Ciocaltea-Karacsony, 1952
Lehmann-Romi, 1953
Shamkovich-Kholmov, 1956
Lutikov-Petrosian, 1960
Lombardy--Brinck-Claussen, 1964

Hans Mueller (1896-1971), the Austrian international master and theoretician,
did not think much of the "Goldman Variation." (3. Qf3). He referred to it as
"Viel Laerm um nichts." (Much ado about nothing.)

George Mirijanian